Chapter 276: Jiang Longyin’s Assessment
Downtown… The Jiang Residence!
By the time Jiang Longcheng returned home, it was already past ten o’clock at night.
When he tiptoed in and opened the door, he discovered that the living room light was still on.
What surprised him even more was that his second older brother, Jiang Longyin—who was usually as elusive as a ghost—was actually sitting on the sofa, a cigarette clamped between his fingers.
On the other hand, his parents, who should have been home at this hour, were nowhere to be heard!
“You’re back. Come sit down.”
Hearing his second older brother’s voice, Jiang Longcheng took off his cotton coat, hung it on a coat rack, slipped on his slippers, and walked over.
“Where are Mom and Dad?”
“They went to the old house!”
“It’s so late—they should be back by now,” Jiang Longcheng said.
“Uncle San is back,” Jiang Longyin said casually.
“Uncle San? Isn’t he in Guangzhou? When did he come back?”
“He just got back. Auntie’s illness flared up again recently—she slit her wrists a couple of days ago. If it weren’t for Aunt Chen finding her in time…”
Although Jiang Longyin didn’t finish his sentence, Jiang Longcheng knew exactly what he meant.
Thinking of Auntie’s condition, Jiang Longcheng could only let out a deep sigh.
“What good will Uncle San’s return do? You know as well as I do that Aunt San’s problem is all in her head!”
“There’s nothing we can do about it. Right now, only Uncle can calm Auntie down; no one else can.”
Then Jiang Longyin spoke again: “Alright, let’s not talk about that. Why haven’t you been drinking today? That’s unusual for you.”
“It’s nothing. That kid just said my health isn’t fully recovered yet, so I should try to avoid drinking!” Jiang Longcheng replied.
“That kid? Who? Is it that young boss named Li Yi?”
“Yeah. I heard you took some people over there at noon?”
“I did!”
“How did it go?”
“Are you asking about the food or the people?”
“Of course I’m asking about the people—I can tell for myself if the food’s any good!” Jiang Longcheng said with a laugh.
“He’s a smart guy, and he’s very considerate—he didn’t charge us for lunch!”
“Haha, did one meal really win you over, the top official of this district?” Jiang Longcheng said teasingly.
“Do you really think that’s possible? Do you think I’m that easily swayed?”
“Then what do you mean? In what way are you principled?”
“That kid doesn’t look very old, but whether it’s his perspective or the way he handles things, he exudes a sense of stability and maturity—he doesn’t seem like some greenhorn in his early twenties at all!”
“How come I didn’t notice that?” Jiang Longcheng frowned.
“If you could see that, everyone would know!”
“That’s a bit insulting. What, am I really that bad?”
“Don’t you have any idea yourself how bad you are?”
“If you keep talking like that, I’m going back to my room to sleep. Our parents are finally out of the house, and here you are taking over to lecture me!” Jiang Longcheng frowned.
Jiang Longyin knew his younger brother’s temperament; the guy was a real troublemaker, and if he pushed it too far, he might just shut the door on him and ignore him.
Taking a deep breath, he said in a grave tone, “This young man you’ve met this time is no ordinary guy!”
“You don’t have to tell me that!” Jiang Longcheng said with a touch of smugness.
“Don’t interrupt me!”
Jiang Longyin continued, “First of all, the location of his shop is excellent, the decor is unique, and his business model is solid. He wisely avoided opening a run-of-the-mill noodle shop or stir-fry joint—that was a smart move!”
“Second, he’s adaptable and knows how to handle himself. He has pride but isn’t arrogant—he’s the kind of person who can accomplish great things.”
“And he has a long-term vision and knows when to make sacrifices. He’s not the type to hog all the benefits—he’s someone you can get along with.”
Hearing this, Jiang Longcheng looked utterly astonished, gazing at his second older brother as if he’d seen something utterly unbelievable.
It was no wonder Jiang Longcheng reacted this way; he knew his second older brother well. He was usually very reserved and rarely heard him praise anyone.
Not only had he praised Li Yi today, but he’d said so much about him—it was simply unheard of.
It took a long while for Jiang Longcheng to snap out of it. He finally said, “I know that kid’s capable, but how come I never noticed the things you mentioned? Did you figure all that out just from having a single meal with him?”
“Heh!”
Jiang Longyin chuckled, then asked, “How much did you spend tonight?”
“320 yuan, plus over 40 jin of grain coupons. What’s the matter?”
“A bit of a loss!”
“What do you mean ‘a bit of a loss’? What are you getting at?”
“I mean that kid took a slight loss on your order—he didn’t make any money!” Jiang Longyin said.
“No way. I spent over 300 yuan—how could he not have made a profit?”
“I’ve eaten their grilled and hot-pot meat before. Normally, a guy who goes in there eats at least a pound and a half of meat. The cost price is around 4 yuan. Add in drinks and other vegetables and seasonings, and 8 yuan is the basic bill.”
Jiang Longyin continued, “Considering you were there to celebrate your birthday today, the consumption of meat, vegetables, and drinks would be higher. However, having some female customers would lower the average price per person. The cost would be around 330 to 350 yuan, but charging you 320 yuan means they definitely didn’t make a profit!”
“How do you know what his costs are?” Jiang Longcheng asked curiously.
“Because I had someone investigate him this afternoon. I know exactly where he sources his goods, as well as the prices and quantities!”
“In… investigated? Why did you investigate him?” Jiang Longcheng frowned.
Jiang Longyin stared at Jiang Longcheng and said in a low voice, “This man’s appearance is far too bizarre, and the way he showed up feels somewhat sinister. Plus, our family is currently a target for attention—I have to be on guard!”
“Most importantly, you’re the one in our family most likely to be targeted. I have to keep a close eye on everyone around you!”
“So, what did your investigation turn up?” Jiang Longcheng asked curiously.
“So far, this man’s background seems normal. He did arrive in Beijing in the early hours of October 26, and there’s no record of him being in the city before that. Setting aside the supernatural abilities you mentioned, we can at least confirm that his rescue of you was a coincidence, and he has no ulterior motives.”
Jiang Longyin continued, “I also looked into his food suppliers. He’s buying high-end beef and lamb, which is about 25% more expensive than the standard market price. That’s why I said he’s taking a slight loss.”
“Huh, so does that mean I took advantage of him?”
“It’s not just a bargain—it’s a huge one!”
“It can’t be that bad, can it?”
“I’ve seen their menu—it’s clearly priced: 5 yuan per jin for lamb and 4.6 yuan per jin for beef. That’s effectively double the cost price!”
Jiang Longyin continued, “He charged you 320 yuan, but your group actually spent around 650 yuan tonight. You saved half the cost of the meal—you really got a great deal!”
“You’re right. I’ll make it up to him tomorrow!” said Jiang Longcheng.
“No need. He definitely won’t take it!”
“Why?”
Jiang Longyin replied immediately, “That’s exactly why I said he’s a smart man. His purpose in letting you host a dinner at his restaurant wasn’t to make a profit off you, but to leverage your connections to build his restaurant’s reputation. That’s why he charged you cost price—it shows he has principles and knows when to make sacrifices!”
“Also, when we first met a while back, the encounter wasn’t exactly pleasant—he came across as quite aloof. But today during dinner, he personally demonstrated how to grill the meat for us without a hint of awkwardness. That’s what it means to be adaptable.”
“And whether he’s dealing with you, me, or that kid from the Ye family, he treats everyone as equals—he doesn’t care about our status. This shows he has a strong inner core and a sense of pride. A person like that is bound to make a name for himself.”
“Now that you put it that way, you’re absolutely right. It seems I’ve underestimated this young man!” Jiang Longcheng said.
“Hmm, it’s not too late to realize that now. From now on, keep your distance from those ne’er-do-wells of yours, but you should get closer to this young man!” Jiang Longyin said casually.
“Here we go again. I’m not talking to you anymore—I’m tired!”
With that, Jiang Longcheng walked toward his room without looking back, leaving Jiang Longyin with nothing but the view of his massive, flat back of the head!