Although it's a bit of a pity that I can't use the [Monopoly Dice] to double my gains,
an extra 10,000 yuan of income per day is still pretty awesome!
In an era where a monthly income of 10,000 yuan is already considered high wages,
earning 10,000 yuan a day, which amounts to 300,000 yuan a month, what's there to be dissatisfied about?
Contentment brings happiness, after all!
[Money-Attracting Golden Toad] + [BAIC EU5] + [Money Begets Money] + [Fortune Koi].
Currently, Jiang Tao has four special items that passively generate income.
Without doing anything, just lying around, he still earns 40,000 yuan a day.
At current deposit interest rates, that's equivalent to having tens of millions in the bank!
He placed the Fortune Koi in the fish tank and admired it for a while.
His father-in-law, who had been night fishing all evening, came back to the house to catch up on sleep.
Xu Li and her kids went out shopping.
Jiang Tao went downstairs, got into his car, lit a cigarette, and first called his older brother.
On the phone, he got a sense of the specific situation at the supermarket from his brother.
Although Jiang Tao could roughly guess what had happened based on the intelligence that refreshed today,
it was, after all, not as clear and detailed as hearing it directly from the person involved.
*Beep beep beep*—
After a few rings, the call connected, and his older brother Jiang He's voice came through.
"Hey, Xiao Tao, what's up?"
"Bro, what's going on with the supermarket? I heard there's been a lot of trouble these past few days."
Jiang Tao didn't beat around the bush with his brother and got straight to the point.
"Xiao Tao, you've already… you've already heard about it…"
"Sigh, it's my fault. I'm useless, can't even handle such a small matter, and now I have to trouble you."
On the other end of the line, Jiang He's tone was full of self-blame and guilt.
"Bro, don't say that. Everyone has things they can't handle. Just tell me what's going on with the supermarket."
"It's like this, Xiao Tao…"
Jiang He explained everything that had been happening at the supermarket recently to Jiang Tao in detail.
As mentioned in the daily intelligence,
the Jiantao Supermarket had indeed run into quite a bit of trouble lately.
Every few days, various departments would show up at the supermarket, nitpicking as if looking for bones in an egg during surprise inspections.
Environmental inspections, fire safety inspections, food safety inspections, public health inspections, tax inspections, and quality and price supervision inspections.
From time to time, there were also customers claiming they had bought expired goods, showing up at the store to make a scene and demand compensation.
The supermarket's business had been heavily affected, with daily revenue dropping by more than half!
Having just escaped hardship and started living a good life for only a few days, they were now facing so many problems.
It would be strange if Jiang He and his wife Zhang Xiaoyan felt okay about it.
Even if Jiang Tao hadn't asked today, Jiang He was already planning to come clean and ask for his help.
He couldn't just watch Jiantao Supermarket get ruined under his watch.
"Alright, I got it, Bro. You and Sister-in-law, don't worry. I'll take care of this."
After getting a clear picture of the situation at the supermarket, Jiang Tao reassured his brother with a few words before hanging up.
He stubbed out his cigarette in the car's ashtray, started the engine, and drove toward the Bai Yulan Hotel.
To deal with the various troubles at the supermarket, the only person he could think of was Bai Yulan (Bai Yulan).
While seeking Bai Yulan's help at the Bai Yulan Hotel, he could also pick up that Maotai bottle mentioned in the intelligence.
Although he didn't yet know what attributes the Maotai bottle might unlock,
based on past experience, the attributes activated by special items were never bad.
Ping County wasn't big, and in less than 10 minutes, his Mercedes pulled into the parking lot in front of the Bai Yulan Hotel.
After parking the car, Jiang Tao got out and walked straight toward the hotel's main entrance.
"Welcome to Bai Yulan Hotel."
The two tall, slender greeters at the entrance saw Jiang Tao and, though full of curiosity,
still greeted him politely with professional smiles.
The restaurant usually didn't get busy until around 10 or 11 a.m.
It was just past 9 a.m., so Jiang Tao's arrival was indeed a bit early.
"Good morning."
Jiang Tao smiled and greeted the two greeters before heading straight into the hotel lobby.
"Brother Jiang! You're here!"
As soon as Jiang Tao walked in, a client manager who had served them yesterday recognized him and enthusiastically greeted him.
Although she didn't know the exact nature of Jiang Tao's relationship with their boss, President Bai.
Wu Xiaolan knew that this Brother Jiang's connection with President Bai was definitely extraordinary.
Even the big shots in Ping County didn't get personally greeted by Bai Yulan when they came to the Bai Yulan Hotel.
For Jiang Tao to receive such treatment, it was enough to show that his identity or status was anything but ordinary.
"Good morning, Manager Wu. Has President Bai arrived?"
Jiang Tao smiled and asked Wu Xiaolan about Bai Yulan's whereabouts.
"President Bai is here, in her office upstairs. I'll take you up."
Wu Xiaolan smiled as she spoke and gestured for Jiang Tao to follow.
The Bai Yulan Hotel had five floors in total.
The first floor was an open public dining area.
The second floor was for large private rooms used for events like wedding banquets or company team-building.
The third and fourth floors were for smaller private rooms.
The fifth floor was the hotel's office area, staff dormitories, and changing rooms.
Jiang Tao followed Wu Xiaolan to the elevator.
Once inside, Wu Xiaolan pressed the button for the fifth floor.
The elevator doors closed, and it began to ascend slowly.
Jiang Tao glanced at Wu Xiaolan, who stood with her hands clasped over her abdomen, smiling respectfully.
When Wu Xiaolan met Jiang Tao's scrutinizing gaze, she didn't shy away and returned a smile.
Jiang Tao suddenly spoke up:
"By the way, Manager Wu, I have a question."
"Yes, Brother Jiang, go ahead."
Although Wu Xiaolan was three or four years older than Jiang Tao, she called him "Brother Jiang" very naturally.
"My nephew wants to use some Maotai bottles for a craft project. Are the Maotai bottles from our private room yesterday still around?"
"Uh…"
When Jiang Tao mentioned the Maotai bottles from yesterday, Wu Xiaolan's expression immediately became a bit unnatural.
Maotai and ordinary liquor weren't just vastly different in price; even the value of their bottles was worlds apart.
Ordinary bottles worth a hundred or so yuan could only be sold as scrap glass, and recyclers didn't even like taking them.
But Maotai bottles were different.
Even bottles from the last couple of years, like 2024 or 2025, could fetch forty or fifty yuan each.
The Maotai used to entertain Jiang Tao and his group last night was from 2015, with a single bottle priced at over 4,500 yuan.
A 2015 Maotai bottle could go for over 300 yuan!
Bai Yulan wasn't interested in the "gray income" from recycling bottles.
She didn't care for such small change.
So, that income went to her team of client managers.
Wu Xiaolan was the client manager responsible for Jiang Tao's private room yesterday.
The Maotai bottles from their drinking session became her "side hustle."
Now, being suddenly asked about last night's bottles by Jiang Tao, Wu Xiaolan felt the awkwardness of being "caught stealing."
"They're here, they're here. I kept them safe."
Wu Xiaolan, slightly embarrassed, brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze flickering, avoiding Jiang Tao's eyes.
"Thanks for the trouble, Manager Wu. Have someone put those bottles in my car later, and I'll treat you to milk tea."
As he spoke, Jiang Tao pulled out his wallet, grabbed a stack of cash without counting, and handed it to Wu Xiaolan.
"Uh, thank you, thank you, Brother Jiang!"
Seeing the thickness of the cash in Jiang Tao's hand, Wu Xiaolan's heart leaped with joy, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at him.
In the hotel industry, getting tipped by clients wasn't uncommon for client managers.
But someone like Jiang Tao, casually handing out thousands of yuan, was a first for Wu Xiaolan.
Plus, Jiang Tao was tall and well-built, handsome, and loaded!
After taking the money from Jiang Tao, Wu Xiaolan couldn't help but feel ripples of excitement in her heart.
Her gaze toward him carried a hint of admiration that hadn't been there before.
Good physique, handsome, rich, and willing to spend on her.
Wasn't this the dream man she'd been waiting for?
What a pity!
Wu Xiaolan also knew that Jiang Tao was already married.
And…
Recalling Xu Li, who she saw with Jiang Tao yesterday, Wu Xiaolan instantly felt a strong sense of inferiority.
At 1.68 meters tall and weighing just over 100 pounds, Wu Xiaolan's figure was among the best of the client managers at Bai Yulan Hotel.
In terms of looks, on a scale of 10, she'd score about a 7 or 8 with makeup.
As a client manager, she had high standards for interacting with people and often attended training sessions on etiquette and poise.
Her demeanor stood out compared to women in other industries.
But compared to Xu Li, she was far behind.
Xu Li's natural beauty could outshine Wu Xiaolan even without makeup.
Plus, the clothes Xu Li wore were all top-tier designer brands bought by Jiang Tao—Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and the like.
When Jiang Tao bought clothes for Xu Li, it was like shopping wholesale, purchasing multiple sets at a time without ever flinching at the cost.
As the saying goes, clothes make the person, just as a saddle makes the horse.
Xu Li's already stunning looks, combined with those world-class designer outfits, made her exude an air of elegance and sophistication.
Ordinary people wouldn't even dare approach her to strike up a conversation, let alone feel worthy of looking at her for too long.
This was exactly Jiang Tao's intention.
"Brother Jiang, here's my business card. If you come here to eat or have any other matters in the future, feel free to call me."
Though Wu Xiaolan knew she couldn't compete with Xu Li, she wasn't ready to give up on this handsome and wealthy young man so easily.
She might not outshine Xu Li in other areas, but in some aspects, she wasn't necessarily inferior!
As she handed Jiang Tao her business card, her fingers "accidentally" brushed against his hand.
"Sure, I'll reach out if I need anything."
Jiang Tao smiled, took the card, and slipped it into his wallet.
*Ding*~
The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.
"We're on the fifth floor, Brother Jiang. I'll take you to President Bai's office."
Wu Xiaolan spoke while gesturing for Jiang Tao to follow.
"Thanks, Manager Wu. Just have the bottles put in my car."
As he spoke, Jiang Tao stepped out of the elevator and handed Wu Xiaolan the keys to his Mercedes G-Class.
"No problem, Brother Jiang. I'll make sure it's taken care of!"
Wu Xiaolan nodded with a smile, turned, and led the way.
*Click clack, click clack*—
The crisp sound of her high heels echoed on the floor, her slim waist and hips swaying lightly.
Wu Xiaolan led Jiang Tao to an office with a "General Manager" sign on the door and knocked.
"Come in."
Hearing Bai Yulan's voice from inside, Wu Xiaolan gently pushed open the door.
"Oh, Jiang Tao, you're here! Come in, have a seat, have a seat."
Bai Yulan looked up, saw Jiang Tao following Wu Xiaolan in, and stood up from her chair with a smile, warmly greeting him.
Seeing how Bai Yulan treated Jiang Tao, Wu Xiaolan became even more certain that this Brother Jiang was no ordinary person!
When had their President Bai ever been this polite to anyone?
"Good morning, Sister Bai. I hope I'm not disturbing your work."
Jiang Tao smiled and greeted Bai Yulan as he entered.
"You're always welcome here. Don't talk about disturbing me."
Bai Yulan smiled as she spoke, then glanced at Wu Xiaolan and said:
"Xiao Wu, you can go now. Have Xiao Miao bring in some tea."
"Yes, President Bai."
Wu Xiaolan nodded, turned to leave, and gently closed the door behind her.
Bai Yulan's social finesse was far above average.
The moment she saw Jiang Tao, she knew he must have come to see her for a reason.
With an outsider like Wu Xiaolan present, it would be inconvenient to discuss matters.
"Make yourself at home, Jiang Tao. No need to be formal with me."
Bai Yulan smiled, inviting Jiang Tao to sit, and they both settled onto the large guest sofa by the office wall.
Though they hadn't known each other long and had only met a few times, Bai Yulan had a good impression of this younger "brother."
Plus, Jiang Tao had once saved her life, so her attitude toward him was naturally different from how she treated others.
"You coming to see me must mean you have something important to discuss. Tell me, what's the matter?"
Bai Yulan looked at Jiang Tao with a light smile, her tone truly like that of an older sister speaking to a younger brother.
"Haha, Sister Bai, your eyes are sharp as ever. Nothing gets past you."
Jiang Tao looked at Bai Yulan, chuckled, and then said:
"I do have something to trouble you with, Sister Bai. I have a supermarket in Li Town, managed by my brother and sister-in-law…"
Jiang Tao recounted everything he had learned from his brother over the phone that morning.
"Sounds like someone's got their eye on your supermarket."
After hearing Jiang Tao's account, Bai Yulan immediately understood what was going on.
"Jiang Tao, hold on a moment. I'll make a call."
Bai Yulan stood up from the sofa under Jiang Tao's puzzled gaze.
She walked back to her desk, picked up her phone, and dialed a number.
*Beep beep beep*—
After a few rings, the call connected, and a robust voice came through.
"Ms. Bai, what a rare call! What made you think to call me?"
"Secretary Ma, a good friend of mine has a supermarket in Li Town that's been having some trouble lately…"
Hearing Bai Yulan's words, Jiang Tao felt a surge of gratitude in his heart.
Sister Bai was a real one!
He hadn't even asked for her help yet, and she was already stepping in to handle things for him!