After a short rest at their hotel and a quick dinner, the two drove back to campus.
Dusk had fallen, and the Mercedes's headlights were bright and dazzling.
Only when the two got out and waved did a group of sophomore and junior campus card agents gather around, their faces full of disbelief.
This group, of course, included Li Hui.
Unlike his formal suit from the afternoon, Chen Yansen was now dressed in a simple white T-shirt, gray casual pants, and a pair of white Nike sneakers. The seemingly simple outfit accentuated his tall, straight figure, making it hard not to take a second look.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Chen Yansen from the Department of Media and Communications, and this is Wang Zihao from the School of Business. Tomorrow, the telecom promotion will be on Xue Lin Road, right next to the basketball court. In a bit, each of you will get 20 phone cards from me. Once you sell out, contact Wang Zihao or go directly to the promotional booth."
"I've put a sales script I prepared in the group chat files. Make sure you memorize it thoroughly. I wish you all a successful launch. Let's make a killing!"
Chen Yansen stood in the center of the crowd, giving out instructions in a calm, organized manner.
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. I spent a good few days memorizing it at home. I know that script like the back of my hand now."
"Heh, roaming fees are so expensive, pretty much every freshman needs to buy a new phone card. And our cards offer so much data, they'll sell themselves!"
"Senior Brother, thank you so much! My last upline only gave me a 30-yuan commission per card."
"…"
The agents crowded around Chen Yansen and Wang Zihao, chattering excitedly. Their words were filled with gratitude, as well as a palpable sense of relief.
After all, they'd shown up in a big Mercedes. They clearly had serious backing.
Li Hui's expression was strange as he stood in the crowd. He watched a group of sophomores and juniors calling them 'Senior Brother' over and over, and he could barely stop himself from shouting, 'Don't you all know they're freshmen?'
But when his eyes met Chen Yansen's faint, unreadable smile, he immediately shut his mouth. 'If I want to make money,' he thought, 'I can't make trouble for them.'
"Alright, everyone head back and get some rest. Replenish your Spirit!"
Chen Yansen checked the time and signaled for the agents to disperse.
After all, with more than forty people gathered together, if campus security saw them, they might think they were causing trouble.
After each person collected their 20 phone cards, the crowd gradually dispersed.
"Chen… Chen Yansen, I know some people at Xucheng Health College. Can I get more phone cards?"
Li Hui didn't leave. He waited for the crowd to thin out before stepping forward and asking hesitantly. The words "Senior Brother Chen," however, seemed to get stuck in his throat.
"Oh? And how many did you have in mind?"
Chen Yansen stared at him. Seeing his determined expression, it didn't look like he was bluffing. Chen Yansen let out a soft chuckle and asked.
"Three hundred."
Li Hui gritted his teeth and named a number that surprised Chen Yansen.
"You have sub-agents over at the other college? How many?"
Chen Yansen's interest was piqued. He pulled Li Hui aside to chat.
"Fourteen," Li Hui replied honestly, a hint of pride in his voice. "Last year, I sold six hundred phone cards for Telecom all by myself."
"Zihao, get him another 300 cards."
Chen Yansen ordered Wang Zihao. 'The more he sells, the more I make. No reason to stop him.'
"Thanks a lot."
Li Hui took the phone cards, nodding his thanks repeatedly.
Chen Yansen gave a wave, got straight into the Mercedes, and sped off campus.
...
...
「The next morning.」
Chen Yansen and Wang Zihao drove onto campus. Neither was in a hurry to register; instead, they headed straight for the telecom promotional booth.
Less than two hundred meters north along Xue Lin Road, they spotted a blue canopy. A conspicuous poster hung from it: RECHARGE 100, GET 100 BACK! RECHARGE 300, GET A FREE PHONE! SURF THE WEB, CHAT ALL YOU WANT, NO LAG GUARANTEED!
Chen Yansen's eyes briefly lingered on Gu Wenwen's curvy figure before he went up to greet her. He and Wang Zihao didn't have to sell the cards themselves; they just had to sit at the booth and wait for the freshmen on their list to show up.
The agents would be responsible for any walk-up customers.
The first wave of freshmen had arrived. Tailing behind their parents, they walked slowly onto campus, their eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness.
"Hey, what's your major?"
"The Music Academy? We're in the same program! Here, let me help you with your luggage. I'll take you to the registration area."
"Hey, need a phone card? Recharge 100 and get 100 back, plus 60 free hours of internet time every month."
"What? Telecom's plan is better, and it even comes with a QQ membership and a Qzone Yellow Diamond?"
Enthusiastic upperclassmen in colorful volunteer vests weaved through the crowd. They greeted the freshmen warmly, helping them get familiar with the campus as they led them to register and pay their fees.
Of course, they didn't forget their most important objective: selling campus phone cards!
However, as time went on, the campus agents for China Unicom and China Mobile started to realize that most of the freshmen were shaking their heads and refusing their sales pitches.
After pressing them for an answer, they finally learned why. China Telecom's 19-yuan plan offered 100MB more data, their 39-yuan plan offered 300MB more, and their 59-yuan plan even came with a QQ membership and a Qzone Yellow Diamond.
Combined with the three tiers of recharge rebates and up to 300 hours of Wi-Fi access, it completely blew their campus cards out of the water.
The result was that no sooner had they dropped the freshmen off at their dorms than the new students were making their way over to the China Telecom booth.
"Senior Brother, I didn't realize you were so handsome!"
"Senior Brother Chen, someone just tried to get me to buy a phone card, but the plan was expensive and had barely any data. I knew the one you recommended would be the most reliable."
"Senior Brother, Senior Brother! I want the 59-yuan campus card!"
"Senior Brother, who's that dark, chubby guy next to you? Your classmate?"
Before long, a crowd of seventeen- and eighteen-year-old girls had gathered in front of Chen Yansen.
They called out "Senior Brother, Senior Brother" in the sweetest voices, acting incredibly friendly. One bold girl even took advantage of a lull to sneak a touch of his hand as he was processing her card.
Sitting off to the side, Wang Zihao's face was grim. For the first time in his life, he felt the sting of 'the vast disparity between people.'
'I'm the one who chats with you all in the group every day!' he desperately wanted to stand up and shout.
'Man, college life is great!'
Chen Yansen sighed to himself.
Returning once again to his youthful Time, he was struck by a realization. Even without a trace of makeup, these 'freshman girls' radiated a vibrant, youthful energy that held a unique charm, one he found somewhat captivating.
By the time he finally finished dealing with the crowd of adorable 'freshman girls,' he turned to see that more than half of the phone cards on the table were gone.
"Xiaochen, you've really got these young ladies wrapped around your finger," Gu Wenwen teased, leaning in and speaking softly when she found an opening. "What do you think their reaction will be after classes start and they find out you're a freshman, just like them?"
"Sister Wenwen, they're all a bit too green for me. I prefer more mature women, like you."
Chen Yansen's eyes crinkled as he gave her a brilliant smile.
"Hmph! Only a fool would believe you!"
Being stared at by Chen Yansen like that, Gu Wenwen felt a sudden, inexplicable flutter in her heart, but she forced a tough tone.
"Glad we're on the same page. Now hurry up and get another box of phone cards."
Chen Yansen deliberately put on a stern face, ordering Gu Wenwen around.
"Ooh, look at Xiaochen, putting on an act."
Far from being angry, Gu Wenwen just giggled. She did as he said and opened a new box of campus cards.
The group worked nonstop until noon, when Meng Yaqin arrived with a few boxed lunches and a smile.
Exhausted and starving, they slumped over the table and wolfed down their food.
The afternoon was just as busy. The stream of underclassmen coming for cards was practically endless, making the staff from China Unicom and China Mobile grind their teeth in frustration.
Even if they adjusted their plans immediately, they had already lost the advantage. The first day of registration, after all, was always the busiest day for new students.
Before they knew it, the sky began to dim, and the stream of freshmen dwindled.
Chen Yansen finally had a moment to breathe. He pulled Gu Wenwen and Wang Zihao over to start tallying the day's sales.
"There are 194 cards left in the box. Not counting the ones the agents haven't sold yet, we sold a total of 1,806 campus cards today."
"Oh my god! Last year's total wasn't even half this number."
Gu Wenwen looked up, her eyes wide. The number had clearly blown past her expectations.
Chen Yansen's reaction was rather calm. Based on a 30-yuan commission per card, that was only a little over 50,000 yuan. The real profit, however, came from the commission on the top-up rebates.
The lowest monthly plan was 19 yuan, and most freshmen would opt for the 'recharge 100, get 100 back' promotion, which would essentially cover their monthly fees for a while.
Therefore, he conservatively estimated he would earn over 150,000 yuan from that alone!
"Holy shit! I completely forgot about registration!"
Wang Zihao slapped his thigh, a look of dawning horror on his face.