Chapter 44: One Hundred

After listening to Qi Yude’s explanation, Su Shiyi, who had been a couch potato for years, finally understood that in some gyms, there were indeed a lot of greasy men who stared at women with such disgusting looks that even he, as a man, found them repulsive.

“That kind of gaze is just disgusting.” Qi Yude recalled it with a feeling of nausea. “That’s not simple admiration—they’re thinking about some… things…”

He found it difficult to say it outright in front of Su Shiyi, but she understood what he meant.

Seeing her nod thoughtfully, as if she agreed with the idea, Qi Yude continued, “In the initial phase, we can start with a few pilot locations and adjust based on customer feedback.”

Su Shiyi: “Okay, then let’s start with one hundred.”

Even though she had never experienced it firsthand, when it came to the unfriendly stares from men, almost every woman could immediately relate as soon as the topic was mentioned.

It was, unfortunately, a kind of unspoken, bitter understanding among women.

Su Shiyi thought her plan was reasonable—one hundred gyms spread across 9.6 million square kilometers of land wouldn’t make much of a ripple. Meanwhile, Qi Yude was utterly shocked.

Wait a minute, didn’t he say “pilot locations,” not “franchise expansion”? The word “pilot” didn’t have a strict numerical definition, but usually, it was a two-digit number at most, right?

Jumping straight to three digits—wasn’t that a bit too much?

Qi Yude wasn’t in business, but looking at his physique, it was clear that he loved fitness. He wasn’t knowledgeable about other industries, but he knew quite a bit about gyms.

“Shiyi, gyms aren’t that simple. The upfront costs are quite high. If you want to open in first- and second-tier cities, you have to consider rent, renovations, equipment, and staffing costs. A small gym would need around five hundred thousand, while a large one would require two million, and the costs can go even higher.”

That meant a hundred gyms could cost up to two billion. And that wasn’t even the upper limit.

He was trying to gently persuade Su Shiyi to start smaller—maybe with five or ten locations. The Gu family was wealthy, but she wasn’t the heir. With the project’s return on investment still unknown, could she really mobilize such a massive amount of capital?

—His imagination was too limited. Of course, she could.

She even said, “Oh, so opening a gym is this cheap? My investment budget is ten billion. Let’s go for five hundred gyms instead!”

Qi Yude: ?

What’s going on? Are you sure you’re talking about RMB and not Vietnamese dong? Why does ten billion sound as casual as ten bucks when you say it?

While he was still in shock, Su Shiyi had already made a call to Kevin.

“I want to invest in a women’s gym project. Assemble a team. My budget is ten billion.”

Kevin’s response was as if he had an auto-reply set up: “Understood, Miss Shiyi. I’ll have it ready in seven days.”

The call lasted less than ten seconds before it was hung up. Su Shiyi stretched lazily, looking completely at ease.

“Starting a business is so easy.”

Qi Yude: …

Of course, when all she had to do was voice an idea, and a professional team would do all the work—refining, adjusting, and executing it flawlessly—how could it be difficult?

He finally understood. He had severely underestimated how much Su Shiyi was pampered in the Gu family.

Their Qi family could also pull together ten billion in liquid assets, but it would require a long discussion, careful planning, and months of feasibility analysis before spending that kind of money.

But in the Gu family? It was just a simple instruction from her.

If she wanted to invest, she could do it anytime. Maybe she’d inform Gu Lang afterward, but right now, she could make the decision herself.

Rich lady Shiyi—truly terrifying.

Thanks to Qi Yude’s explanation, Su Shiyi, who had never exercised in her life, finally understood that in some gyms, there were indeed many greasy men who stared at women with looks that even other men would find disgusting.

“That kind of gaze is just too vile.” Even recalling it made Qi Yude feel nauseous. “It’s not simple appreciation, they’re thinking about…”

In front of Su Shiyi, he found it hard to say those words directly, but she still got the message.

Seeing her nod thoughtfully, as if agreeing with the proposal, Qi Yude continued, “For the initial stage, we can start with a few pilot locations and adjust based on customer feedback.”

Su Shiyi: “Alright, let’s start with a hundred.”

Although she had never personally experienced it, when it came to the unfriendly gazes of men, almost every woman could relate just by hearing the topic.

It was ironic and frustrating—a kind of unspoken understanding.

Su Shiyi thought her arrangement was reasonable. A hundred gyms spread across 9.6 million square kilometers of China wouldn’t even make a splash. But beside her, Qi Yude was completely stunned.

Wait a second—didn’t he just say “pilot locations,” not “franchises”? The word “pilot” didn’t have a strict numerical limit, but under normal circumstances, it was usually a two-digit number, right?

Jumping straight to three digits—wasn’t that a bit excessive?

Qi Yude didn’t run a business, but judging by his physique, it was clear that he was passionate about fitness. He might not know much about other industries, but when it came to gyms, he had a fair understanding.

“Shiyi, gyms aren’t that simple. The upfront costs are quite high. If you want to open in first- and second-tier cities, you have to factor in rent, renovations, equipment, and labor costs. A small gym needs around 500,000 yuan, while a large one could require up to 2 million, and there’s no real upper limit.”

Doing the math, opening a hundred gyms could cost up to 200 million yuan, and that wasn’t even the highest estimate. He was trying to gently suggest that she take it slow—maybe start with five or ten. Sure, the Gu family was wealthy, but she wasn’t the heir. With an uncertain return on investment, could she really mobilize that much capital?

—His imagination was too limited. Of course, Su Shiyi could.

She even said, “Oh, so opening a gym is this cheap? My investment budget is a billion yuan. Let’s do 500 instead!”

Qi Yude: ?

Wait—are you sure you’re talking about RMB and not Vietnamese dong? Why did a billion sound like ten bucks coming from her?

While he was still dumbfounded, Su Shiyi had already decisively called Kevin. “I want to invest in a women’s gym project. Put together a team. My budget is one billion.”

Kevin’s response sounded almost automated: “Understood, Miss Shiyi. I’ll have it settled within seven days.”

The call lasted less than ten seconds before being hung up. Stretching lazily, Su Shiyi sighed in satisfaction.

“Starting a business is so easy.”

Qi Yude: …

When all you have to do is propose an idea, and a professional team handles everything—optimizing, executing, and making adjustments—how could anything be difficult?

He understood now. He had completely underestimated how much the Gu family pampered Su Shiyi. Their family could also come up with a billion in liquid assets, but not without rounds of negotiations and months of planning. Yet for the Gu family, all it took was a single command from her.

If she wanted to invest, she could invest—anytime. Maybe she would inform Gu Lang afterward, but right now, the decision was entirely hers.

Rich woman Shiyi—truly terrifying.

—

This matter didn’t even alarm Gu Lang. If Su Shiyi hadn’t casually mentioned it during a phone call, he wouldn’t have asked.

He even sighed, “You think this is worth bringing up? Looks like I haven’t given you enough.”

Su Shiyi: …

“Dad, you’ve given me too much already. You’re going to bury me under piles of money.”

“But you’re still alive and kicking just fine,” Gu Lang complained. “And stop calling me every day. Do you think I have time to listen to your nonsense?”

Feeling a little wronged, Su Shiyi said, “Fine, I won’t call tomorrow then.”

Gu Lang: “Ha, such weak resolve. What an unfilial daughter.”

Su Shiyi: ???

Hah! You cunning, manipulative old man!

When she jokingly asked her father to analyze the return on investment for the project, Gu Lang told her:

“If you open just a few in first-tier cities, given your social media presence and the natural buzz around this topic, a single Weibo post could make it profitable very quickly. But if you expand to a hundred or more, especially in smaller cities, the time to break even will be significantly longer. In the short term, you’ll likely lose money. But in the long run, this is excellent brand advertising. The real return on investment comes from building brand image.”

Su Shiyi understood but hesitated. “So do I need to work with the marketing team and run ads?”

“No, that would be too deliberate,” Gu Lang declined. “Your original intention was to do something good, and attracting female consumers is just a bonus. If you lose sight of that, not only will the project fail, but it could also damage HMW’s image. You’re not doing this to make money, yet you might end up taking half the fitness industry’s market share. They’ll come after you like crazy in the media.”

Su Shiyi wasn’t afraid for herself but was concerned. “Will this affect Gu Corp’s male consumer base?”

“It’s very likely that a bunch of people who have never bought anything from us will suddenly start claiming they’ll boycott us forever.”

Gu Lang remained calm. “You really don’t know your own company’s market position, huh? The market is massive, and even Gu Corp can’t monopolize every industry. Normally, we only dominate the highest-end, most profitable segment, leaving room for other competitors.”

Wait—was he implying…

The people who would be most upset about this weren’t even Gu Corp’s target customers in the first place?

She voiced her thought, and Gu Lang replied, “Not necessarily. There are rich people with terrible morals too. Wealth doesn’t directly correlate with character. But for the most part, a person’s environment and education set their moral baseline.”

“Also, you’re overthinking it. The internet amplifies extreme opinions, but who do you think actually has the time to furiously type out complaints online?”

Due to time constraints, Su Shiyi didn’t talk much longer with Gu Lang. She was already lying in bed, while Xiao Yu was drawing, so it wasn’t a good time to disturb him. Instead, she sent a message to Professor Jiang, asking for his thoughts on women-only gyms.

Professor Jiang seemed to have plenty of free time and quickly sent a voice reply: “I think it’s great. After all, physical contact with trainers is inevitable in workouts, and in an all-female environment, the training experience would definitely be better.”

Su Shiyi asked: “Quick interview—do you, as a man, feel offended by the idea of a women-only gym?”

Jiang Xingyao: “?”

His tone sounded utterly confused. “I don’t get your question. Why would I feel offended? It’s like how there are separate men’s and women’s restrooms. Do you feel offended by the men’s restroom?”

Su Shiyi thought to herself—Jiang must not frequent gyms, and he wasn’t that kind of person.

Not bad. No wonder he was a genius professor. In her eyes, he had just unlocked the halo of being a respectable, morally upright educator.

After she explained Qi Yude’s concerns to him, Jiang Xingyao simply responded with a long string of ellipses.

“Disgusting. I can’t believe there are people like this.” Even through the screen, Xiao Jiang’s revulsion was palpable. “This makes me not even want to go to the gym anymore. Who knows if those perverts are only watching the girls?”

Su Shiyi: …

How should she put it? Xiao Jiang had just vividly demonstrated that saying—boys also need to protect themselves when they go out.

Sure enough, the hatred for perverts should be universal!

—

The next day, after the private jet landed at the Imperial Capital Airport, Qi Yude reluctantly bid farewell to Su Shiyi.

There was no other way. Taihe was the Gu family’s long-term residence in the Imperial Capital, which, in a sense, also made it “home.” If they were heading to any other vacation villa, Su Shiyi might have let Qi Yude stay with her. But inviting someone to stay at her actual home carried a very different meaning.

Dragging his suitcase, Xiao Yu inexplicably felt like an outside lover being placed in a separate residence—he had moved into one of Su Shiyi’s properties in the Imperial Capital, a house gifted to her by Gu Lang, located just twenty minutes away from Taihe by car.

If he really thought about it, it was like this: when Su Shiyi visited Shanghai, she took him along as her companion. But now that she was returning home, with the strict rules of the Gu family, he—an outsider with no official status—was not qualified to enter her house…

At this thought, Qi Yude couldn’t help but feel a wave of sorrow. At least an outside lover would still have the affection of their benefactor, but Su Shiyi seemed to be avoiding him. He wasn’t even at the level of an outside lover! QAQ

Su Shiyi had no idea about his internal monologue. When Xiao Yu said he had nowhere to go in the Imperial Capital, she absolutely did not believe him. He definitely had properties here, and even if he didn’t, he could easily book a luxury hotel for ten days or half a month without breaking a sweat.

He just wanted to stick to her, to cling to her. This behavior gave Su Shiyi the illusion that she was the domineering CEO while Xiao Yu was a delicate, helpless little white flower…

But considering his strong arms and a chest size that put her to shame, he was more like a battle-hardened queen.

Actually, Xiao Yu was really great, wasn’t he? Even though her official response was that she would “think about it,” deep down, her heart was already tilting slightly toward him.

Hmm, she’d meet the last candidate introduced by Gu Chen, and then she’d put her blind dates on pause. Anyway, the selection committee was still in the stage of amusing themselves. She had heard that yesterday, Gu Chen had rejected someone strongly recommended by Gu Lang, which made Gu Lang so angry that he criticized Gu Chen’s entire list. In response, Gu Chen had fired back, saying none of Gu Lang’s picks were any good either…

This war had even spread to the candidates chosen by Gu Pan and Li Shuman. They were still arguing, and the elimination count kept rising. At this rate, in a few more days, the number of remaining candidates would shrink significantly.

As for how Su Shiyi knew all this despite not being in the group chat—well, it was because all four of them had separately vented to her.

After watching Qi Yude reluctantly board his car and leave, Su Shiyi also got into the restaurant’s service car. Her schedule was packed today—lunch with Yu Zhaozhao, tea in the afternoon with contestant No. 15, Pei An, and dinner with Gu Pan and her friends.

Wait… why were all her plans food-related?

Her meeting with Yu Zhaozhao was set at an upscale western restaurant. Lucy had thoughtfully chosen a location not far from the airport. Since there was no traffic, and the flight time was shorter than expected, by the time their car arrived at the restaurant, there was still a full thirty minutes before the appointment.

Just as Su Shiyi was about to get out of the car, she suddenly remembered something and asked, “Has Yu Zhaozhao arrived yet?”

Lucy: “The restaurant staff said she hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Then let’s wait a little longer.” Feeling at ease, Su Shiyi opened her game. “If I arrive first, it might put pressure on her. No need for that.”

Lucy looked at her with sudden admiration, but Su Shiyi didn’t think she had done anything particularly remarkable.

She had been a corporate worker before and knew how tough it was to struggle for success. Besides, playing games in the car was more comfortable anyway.

The ^[1]Papa’s Cooking is a simulation game in which players manage a restaurant, focusing on cooking and running the kitchen.Papa’s Cooking simulation games were a whole series. She had played the web versions before, but now that there were apps available, of course, she downloaded them all.

At the beginning of the game, you had to save up tips to buy kitchen equipment, and since she didn’t want to play the unlimited-money version, Linda usually played this stage for her. That way, when she started, she could enjoy the fully unlocked version right away.

Now she could focus on collecting recipe cards and achievements. Nice!

She only waited in the car for about ten minutes before the restaurant notified Lucy that Yu Zhaozhao had arrived. Su Shiyi finished up her in-game day before putting away her tablet and stepping out of the car.

As soon as she stepped into the restaurant, Su Shiyi immediately spotted where Yu Zhaozhao was seated.

How should she put it? As a transmigrator, she truly had an eye for spotting the male and female leads.

Yu Zhaozhao was a very polite girl. When she saw Su Shiyi approaching, she even took the initiative to stand up and greet her. Her attitude was neither overly humble nor arrogant, making Su Shiyi feel a sense of ease and comfort while interacting with her.

This precise grasp of social boundaries—well, the last person she met with such ability was Kevin. Even Lucy had to take a couple of days to adjust to him.

The two exchanged a few casual words before placing their orders. After that, Yu Zhaozhao showed her a portfolio of design drafts, along with a detailed business plan.

Huh, the latter was unexpected.

Su Shiyi had originally thought that after this meal, if she found Yu Zhaozhao’s designs to her liking, she would consider recommending her to a well-known fashion brand under the Gu Corporation. That alone would already be a dream opportunity for many designers.

She hadn’t expected Yu Zhaozhao’s ambitions to go beyond that—she wanted to start her own brand.

Su Shiyi wasn’t a professional, so whether it was the design drafts or the business plan, she didn’t fully understand them… but as long as the clothes looked good, that was all that mattered. As for whether they were trendy or fashionable—

To put it bluntly, those lofty luxury brands should be the ones catering to her taste.

Yu Zhaozhao’s designs suited her perfectly. Maybe Yu Zhaozhao had analyzed her preferences, or maybe she was just that talented, but either way, Su Shiyi was very satisfied.

She was never stingy when it came to things she liked. Besides, compared to the house she casually spent on yesterday, today’s amount wasn’t even worth mentioning.

Stirring her coffee, she imitated Father Gu Lang’s casual tone:

“I can invest in this company, but ten million is too little. Make it twenty million. Otherwise, it’s not worth my time.”

^[2]“草” (cǎo) — which literally means “grass” or “plant” — is used as an exclamation. It’s a common expression in Chinese internet slang, where it conveys frustration or … Continue readingDamn. (A type of plant.) So this is how good it feels when Father Gu Lang flexes on people!

Yu Zhaozhao: …

Was her offer so low that the investor thought it wasn’t even worth their conversation time? As expected of Rich Woman Shiyi.

She quickly replied, “Alright, I’ll adjust the investment plan and equity ratio accordingly.”

“Mm, I’ll be waiting for your update.”

Su Shiyi was secretly pleased. Yet another lucrative business opportunity had fallen into her lap.

Even if Yu Zhaozhao’s luck wasn’t as strong as Gu Pan’s, she was still the female lead. Investing in her business might cause short-term losses, but in the long run, it was bound to be profitable.

To Su Shiyi, this was like being reborn into the 70s or 80s with knowledge of the future and investing in future business tycoons. This was basically like picking up free money—of course, the more, the better.

As for Zhou Yingzhe, who had already been sidelined by Father Gu Lang… Su Shiyi felt that he was someone who merely had the aura of a male lead forced upon him. It was as if the world was trying to make everyone acknowledge him as the male lead, even though something about it felt unnatural.

Unlike Yu Zhaozhao—she had the presence of a female lead from the inside out.

Since she was already here, she had to clarify what happened back then.

Su Shiyi took a sip of coffee and said, “I did some background research on you. Before you graduated from university, you seemed to have had some disputes with Gu Yuxuan. As your investor, I think I need to understand whether there are any legal risks involved.”

Yu Zhaozhao’s expression changed at the mention of this.

She forced a slight smile. “Of course, President Su has the right to ask about this matter. I can assure you that I hold full copyright ownership of the disputed works from back then—I am their sole creator.”

Su Shiyi asked, “Then why didn’t you sue Gu Yuxuan?”

Yu Zhaozhao hesitated, then finally said, “It’s all in the past. Those drafts were immature works, and I never intended to release them into the market. So…”

So it didn’t matter what others thought. The industry wasn’t really paying attention to that competition, and her reputation hadn’t been affected to the point where it was widely known.

Su Shiyi told her directly, “I also asked Gu Yuxuan, and she said she absolutely did not steal anyone’s work. The two of you are saying completely different things—was there some kind of misunderstanding or issue in between?”

“Impossible!” Yu Zhaozhao couldn’t hold back any longer. “Those works are mine! Even if I wasn’t satisfied with them, she still had no right to steal them!”

Su Shiyi said, “Do you know that Gu Yuxuan and I are technically relatives? Distant ones, but still. Although we aren’t part of the same Gu family, she’s very wealthy, and her parents have both connections and influence. I’m not targeting you, but she has no reason to steal someone else’s design drafts. If she wanted to make a name for herself, hiring a professional would be a much safer and more convenient option.”

Yu Zhaozhao was stunned. “Gu Yuxuan is connected to the Gu family? I… I didn’t know…”

She really didn’t seem to know. If she had, she wouldn’t have come here with a business plan in hand. There were plenty of people with the surname Gu in the country—there was no reason for her to immediately assume any connection.

Su Shiyi pushed further. “Besides, that competition wasn’t even considered professional in the industry. Its only real selling point was the high prize money. If it were about fame, maybe Gu Yuxuan would’ve taken the risk. But for money? Be real, the prize money wasn’t even enough to cover a month of her spending money. So think about it—do you have any personal grudges with her?”

What kind of personal grudge could Yu Zhaozhao possibly have with a rich young lady like her?

Before graduation, she had felt jealous of Gu Yuxuan a few times, thinking that Zhou Yingzhe was too close to her. But now that she looked back, Gu Yuxuan never actually seemed hostile toward her.

Zhou Yingzhe… high prize money… money…

Zhou Yingzhe had once complained about the low limit on his startup loan. His company was just a little short on funds—just a little more, and he could expand at a critical stage!

“Your design drafts—can you sell them? A company is offering a pretty high price. Just consider it a loan from me, and I’ll pay you back with bank interest.”

“No. I’m not satisfied with these drafts at all.”

“Zhaozhao, these designs are already great. If you submit them to a competition, you’ll definitely win first place. Just think of it as helping me out.”

“I really can’t. I’ll draw a new batch in a few days and submit those instead.”

“You always say you need inspiration. But can you really guarantee when inspiration will come?”

—

Yu Zhaozhao could pretty much piece it together now.

Zhou Yingzhe had set his sights on those design drafts a long time ago. He needed money.

That competition had a hefty cash prize, so Zhou Yingzhe used Gu Yuxuan’s name to enter. That way, he could get the money and still keep his hands clean.

That was why he had been so ruthless back then.

For years, Yu Zhaozhao had hated him, but she had hated Gu Yuxuan even more. Now, she suddenly realized—he hadn’t chosen between her and Gu Yuxuan.

He had used them both.

She felt like an idiot. Like she had been walking through life with a fog over her eyes, unable to see the truth.

Gu Yuxuan’s designer brands, her arrogant attitude, the way she threw money around so casually—it had all been right in front of her, screaming that she wasn’t just some ordinary person.

Why had she never thought about this before?

If someone asked how Yu Zhaozhao felt at this moment—she desperately wanted to time-travel back and slap her past self awake.

How stupid had she been, crying over Zhou Yingzhe? Actually believing he was torn between love and friendship? Actually believing that Gu Yuxuan had seduced him with sweet words?

He had seen her designs. He had known better than anyone else that, even if she wasn’t satisfied with them, they were still her hard work!

Su Shiyi let her think in silence, calmly sipping her coffee.

At that moment, she didn’t even need to mute the system—it had learned to stay quiet on its own.

And then, suddenly, it burst out in excitement.

“Congratulations, host! Your halo value is safe! The probability of Yu Zhaozhao and Zhou Yingzhe getting back together is now practically zero! You’ve successfully broken up the male and female leads—what an excellent vicious supporting character you are!”

Su Shiyi: …

This world was really hard to understand sometimes.

She was just helping Yu Zhaozhao recall the truth of what happened.

How did that suddenly turn her into an evil villain breaking up a couple?

What vicious supporting character? That wasn’t her! She didn’t do anything! Stupid system, stop talking nonsense!

The system ignored her protests, setting off fireworks and firecrackers in her mind. Su Shiyi initially wanted to mute it, but when the system generously revealed the truth behind the Yu Zhaozhao incident, declaring her mission accomplished, she was stunned.

She couldn’t believe that someone could be this shameless!

Gu Yuxuan and Zhou Yingzhe weren’t even close friends. Let’s not forget the original setup of this airheaded beauty in the Mary Sue world—she only hung out with rich people, and Zhou Yingzhe definitely wasn’t one of them.

So how did Zhou Yingzhe get to know her? Through a carefully planned damsel-in-distress scenario.

His original plan was to make Gu Yuxuan fall head over heels in love with him, but although Gu Yuxuan might be a bit silly, she had still seen the world. After witnessing the dazzling aura of Gu Lang and Gu Chen, she felt nothing for the small glow that Zhou Yingzhe gave off.

However, due to this “life-saving grace,” Gu Yuxuan helped him save face a few times and even submitted his project proposal to Gu Lang’s secretary.

Zhou Yingzhe needed investment but couldn’t directly ask Gu Yuxuan for money. This guy was smart—he knew that once Gu Yuxuan gave him money, the favor would be repaid, and he couldn’t let that happen. At this point, he hadn’t given up on his dream of winning over Gu Yuxuan.

Yu Zhaozhao didn’t know about Gu Yuxuan’s connection to the Gu family, but Zhou Yingzhe did. He couldn’t reach Gu Pan’s level, so Gu Yuxuan was already the biggest fish he could catch.

He stole Yu Zhaozhao’s designs—the ones she didn’t want released—and entered them into the competition under Gu Yuxuan’s name. At the time, he sweet-talked her, saying that he had paid a high price for them just to give Gu Yuxuan some face. As for the lack of professionalism in the competition, he could simply use his status as an outsider to brush it off.

Having said all that, when it came time to collect the prize money, Gu Yuxuan naturally didn’t ask him for it. After all, that little bit of money wasn’t worth her attention.

Originally, Zhou Yingzhe’s plan could have worked, but what he didn’t anticipate was that Yu Zhaozhao would see the winning entries—which turned out to be her own designs—in this supposedly insignificant competition that only participants cared about.