Chapter 347 - I Want to Invest in the Most Unwanted Project! (2/2)

Even if Pei Qian wanted stability, shouldn’t he have at least planned to expand towards the other cities in Handong Province like Luzhou City or Lincheng City?

Li Shi had been waiting for Boss Pei to open new Fish-Catching Internet Cafe branches in these cities, so that he could invest in the surrounding area and earn a profit.

However, even after so long, Boss Pei did not show any signs of doing so.

It was almost as if he was abandoning Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and cutting all ties with the business even though it had finally turned its losses to profits.

It was so strange!

Thus, Li Shi could finally hold it in no longer today. He wanted to find out Boss Pei’s explanation.

“Boss Pei, it seems like you’ve been very busy. I haven’t seen you drinking at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe in a while. Your businesses are now doing very well. It’s a good problem.” Li Shi started off by bootlicking Pei Qian. However, Pei Qian did not seem moved by his efforts. His businesses were doing very well. However, there was nothing good about this problem.

Pei Qian sipped his cocktail, still looking depressed. “Boss Li, I’m very confused now.” Boss Li paused and then smiled. “Boss Pei, what’s there to be confused about? Are you confused because you’ve achieved success in every area you’ve ventured into so far? Do you feel like life is no longer challenging enough?”

Once again, Pei Qian was at a loss for words.

Boss Li’s first two sentences were right, but the last sentence was not.

More accurately put, Pei Qian felt like life was extremely challenging because he had achieved success in every area he had ventured into so far. He had been defeated so much that he was losing his fighting spirit.

Unfortunately, he could not share these problems with anyone.

Pei Qian looked at Li Shi and said earnestly, “Boss Li, you’re very experienced in making investments. You know Jingzhou City’s businesses like the back of your hand. Can you offer some guidance to the confused me?”

Li Shi paused and then grinned. “Boss Pei, you must be teasing me. I’m nothing compared to you in terms of making investments. I might know slightly more than you about Jingzhou’s businesses, but you definitely know much more than me about the way Jingzhou’s businesses would develop in the future.”

Once again, Pei Qian was at a loss for words.

I’m genuinely asking you for help; I’m not trying to bootlick you! Ai, it’s so tiring talking to successful men!

Pei Qian decided to stop beating around the bush and cut right to the chase. “Boss Li, I’m going to be very direct.

“Can you tell me the projects in Jingzhou City which investors refuse to touch? I want to invest five to ten million yuan in such projects. That would be my minor contribution to developing Jingzhou City’s economy.”

Li Shi was at a loss for words.

Boss Pei lived up to his name; even his questions were different from most other people’s!

Others would only ask about projects that had the most potential or offered the most returns. Yet, Boss Pei was only asking about projects that investors refused to touch.

Awesome!

Indeed, he had the mind of a genius. He was so different from everyone else.

“I understand now, Boss Pei. Do you find traditional investment projects too simple? They can’t satisfy you. Is that why you’re looking to have fun with more difficult projects? Are you trying to challenge yourself?”

Li Shi’s eyes were filled with respect and admiration. Pei Qian, “… More or less.” Li Shi stuck up his thumb and shouted, “I respect that! “If you’re talking about the projects in Jingzhou City which investors refuse to touch…

“I can only think about the old industrial zones. Now, the entire country is moving towards upgrading businesses, eliminating outdated methods of manufacturing, and developing the service industry and innovative businesses.

“Many factories have already moved out of the old industrial zones. All that remained are worn-out factory buildings. Since such zones are located in the deserted outskirts, they have been shelved.

“Some have suggested learning from Beijing’s recent experiences and turning the place into a cultural industrial park.

“In fact, many people have made similar suggestions. However, none of them have stepped up to invest money.

“That’s because the entire country faces the same, difficult problem. Many cities have thought about following in Beijing’s footsteps and turning their old industrial zones into cultural industrial parks, but most of them have failed.

“Thus, although there are green lights all the way for such plans, no one has dared to touch the old industrial zones. The most that investors did was to symbolically rent one or two factories or warehouses and open cafes or art museums. Those investors ended up incurring losses for years.

“How’s that, Boss Pei? Does that sound challenging enough?”

Once Li Shi finished speaking, he smiled and waited to see Pei Qian’s reaction.

Initially, he had thought that Pei Qian was just trying to show off. He expected the latter to change his mind once he heard about such a difficult project.

What he did not expect was for Boss Pei’s eyes to light up at once!

“Very good! Thank you, Boss Li! That’s exactly the answer I was looking for!” Pei Qian was delighted with his unexpected good fortune.

Li Shi was right. This was a terrible mess.

Factories like that were all located in the deserted outskirts. There were no facilities around them, and few people even passed by the area. If the factories had been located in the city center, the factories would have been turned into art museums or unique tourist spots. Perhaps they could have been resurrected from the dead.

If the factories had been located downtown, they would just have to be put to a different use. Countless people would fight for them in a heartbeat.

However, nobody was interested precisely because these factories were located in the outskirts. In fact, nobody even bothered to tear them down because nobody could bear to part with the money.

Yet, that was precisely what Pei Qian was looking for!

Pei Qian downed his cocktail and stood up, preparing to leave. Li Shi quickly said, “Boss Pei, hold on! Are you really going to invest in that place?” Pei Qian nodded. “Of course!”

Li Shi was reluctant to believe him at first, but he had to admit that Boss Pei had never lied to him. Everything that Boss Pei had done in the past had seemed unreliable. Yet, Boss Pei had honored his word every time, without turning back.

What’s more, he had succeeded.

Li Shi stood up as well. “Boss Pei, can you tell me what you’re going to use the factory for?”

Pei Qian remained silent for a moment and then said, “Boss Li, I can tell you on one condition.

“Once the place opens for business, you have to be the first customer and experience everything inside at least once.”

Li Shi could not help but grin. “What kind of condition is that? No problem! Even if Boss Pei didn’t lay down this condition, I would have gone to experience it and learn.”

Pei Qian nodded. “Alright, I’ll tell you the truth, then. I’m intending to create a large haunted house.”

Li Shi, “…”