Drive a RV and go farming in ancient times.

After Xu Huaiyi left, the house became less lively, but after enduring the initial few days of discomfort, life got back on track and they lived their lives as usual, without wasting their time in depression and anxiety.

The reason for this situation is largely due to the example set by Gu Huanxi. She did not feel self-pity or sad all day long. On the contrary, she smiled every day, and her eyes were full of determination. This optimism and cheerfulness could naturally infect others, and they could not help but believe that Xu Huaiyi would be able to return safely, and maybe even make merit and receive an award. Then this trip would not be a curse but a blessing.

However, some people took advantage of the opportunity and made bad plans.

The first thing they attacked was the club, because the Sun family was behind the club. They were not foolish enough to use dirty tricks, which would undoubtedly be giving away something on their own initiative. Instead, they chose to confront them head-on and then opened a club that was larger in scale, more luxuriously decorated, and provided more considerate services.

This is an open conspiracy. It is a reasonable competition and a normal contest. No one can stop it. You can't just eat it all by yourself, right? Even the Sun family can't do such a cheap thing.

So, we can only deal with it head-on.

When Su Zhe learned about this, he was not panicked at first, because Xu Huaiyi had reminded him long ago that no matter what business it was, there was no such thing as a monopoly, and monopoly would not be allowed by the market and the court. Sooner or later, people would find various excuses and charges to attack him. So, he was mentally prepared to accept his peers' interference and take the meat from their bowls.

Anyway, they have already walked ahead a long time ago, they have made money, fame, and established a network of contacts. Others want to catch up, but they have to go through a lot of trouble.

But he didn't expect that this club named Xiangya Pavilion would be so aggressive. Its hardware conditions were superior to Wangyouxuan, and even its opening was high-profile and crushed theirs. The lively scene spread throughout the capital. The owner behind it was also generous and held a lot of expensive celebrations, making it the talk of the town.

If they were just playing with these fancy tricks, there would be no need to be afraid of them, but they also have both strength and connections. Within a few days of opening, they attracted a wave of dignitaries. Members of the royal family were also frequent guests, not to mention merchants. They would go wherever there was profit, and they had no loyalty or sense of contract.

As a result, Xiangya Pavilion quickly became popular and its popularity skyrocketed. In contrast, Wangyouxuan lost its customers and seemed a lot more deserted.

Su Zhe thought of many ways to deal with it, but the effect was minimal. It's not that he didn't think about consulting Xu Huaiyi, but considering the time, Xu Huaiyi had only been gone for a few days and was still suffering on the road. How could he have the nerve to trouble him with such a thing? What if it affected his mood and he couldn't fight the war without distraction? Then he would be a sinner.

In desperation, he came to Gu's house. When he was practicing for Xu Huaiyi, Xu Huaiyi said, "After I leave, if you run into trouble in your business and you really can't make up your mind, go find my wife. She can make the decision at home and outside."

He was in a give-it-a-shot attitude, thinking that he might as well give it a try. But who would have thought that Gu Huanxi gave him an unexpected surprise.

It was not appropriate for the two of them to meet alone, to avoid gossip. So Su Zhe brought his wife Zhao Yue, while Gu Huanxi's doctor Jiao and his daughter acted as mascots. The old and the young sat not far from the flower room, teaching how to identify herbs. The master and the apprentice were having a great time, while Zhao Yue tactfully used the excuse of appreciating the flowers and did not get involved in their conversation.

Su Zhe spoke without hiding anything about the current status of the club and the crisis it faced, as well as some of the coping strategies he had made. At the end, he said with shame, "I am not as good as Huaiyi. If Huaiyi were here, we would not be in such a passive situation. Before Huaiyi left, I promised to take care of all the business. Who would have thought that in just a few days, I would be forced into a corner. I have failed Huaiyi's trust and I am too ashamed to face my sister-in-law..."

Gu Huanxi said, "The other party came prepared. It doesn't matter who is here. You have done very well..."

It's not that she intended to comfort him, but Su Zhe really did not let him down. He managed all the businesses they had in partnership in an orderly manner, and the monthly account amounts were getting bigger and bigger. Even when the capital was in turmoil while they were raising food and fodder some time ago, it did not prevent their two families from making money. Su Zhe was really talented in business and was willing to work hard. How could he not be successful and not as good as Xu Huaiyi?

The couple just benefited from the glory of later generations, standing on the shoulders of giants and having more experience. When it comes to business, their understanding is far less thorough than Su Zhe's.

Su Zhe felt even more guilty. He would rather be scolded and blamed by Gu Huanxi than to see her being so reasonable. "Sister-in-law, it's all my fault. Otherwise, I would quit..."

Gu Huanxi understood something and interrupted, "Wait, you said it was your fault, could it be that the owner of the newly opened Xiangya Pavilion... is the Su family?"

Su Zhe nodded with a wry smile, "It was my eldest brother Su Rui. He has always been at odds with me and has put me in a lot of trouble in business. Last time, he bribed my craftsmen and built an amusement park before me. If I hadn't made a desperate move and offered it for free, I would have lost miserably. Because of this, my family almost fell out, and my uncle had to come to the rescue. Who would have thought that it hasn't been long since then, and he has set his sights on the club again. Moreover, he has learned his lesson this time and is not playing dirty. All of these are fair and square means of competition..."

After listening to this, Gu Huanxi said calmly, "It's normal for customers to be diverted when doing business."

She couldn't accept this gap at first, but she would get used to it slowly. This was like eating alone, and she and Xu Huaiyi had expected this.

Su Zhe explained, "I understand. I don't expect to dominate forever. But right now, the club is really divided. Once the popularity drops, it will be difficult to gather people again. My sister-in-law must know what the essence of the club is. It's not that I'm reluctant to spend that little money, but I'm worried that all my efforts will be wasted."

Gu Huanxi nodded and said, "What you said makes sense, so we still have to save him."

Su Zhe's eyes showed hope, "Does my sister-in-law have any good ideas?"

Gu Huanxi did not respond directly, but asked, "Young Master Su can't handle such a big event alone, right?"

Su Zhe's expression was slightly stiff, and he said in a complicated tone, "Of course the Su family also gave their support, and the Second Prince also holds half of the shares. The Xin Guogong Mansion is also involved, but I don't know how the benefits are distributed."

Gu Huanxi said, "That makes sense. With two big Buddhas shining down on us, and Young Master Su inviting us with a smile, who would dare not give him face?"

The thigh that Su Rui is holding on to is much stronger than the arm of the Sun family. People in the world are always pursuing profits, so how can they not know how to choose what is more beneficial to themselves?

Hearing this, Su Zhe was a little discouraged, "Doesn't that mean there is no way to compete?"

Unless he joins forces with other princes, he will have the strength to fight.

Gu Huanxi smiled and said, "You are wrong. Why should we fight? We are not enemies with His Royal Highness the Second Prince. You are also a member of the Su family and are protected by the Second Prince. His Royal Highness the Second Prince will not maliciously suppress you just to promote Young Master Su."

At best, neither side will help the other.

"so?"

"It's just normal business competition. I believe Young Master Su wouldn't dare to do anything behind the scenes."

Su Zhe breathed a sigh of relief, but he was not too happy because it was normal competition and it would be difficult to deal with it unless he came up with something more attractive.

He hesitated and asked tentatively, "I have thought about whether it is possible to put the peppers and tomatoes on the table in advance as a gimmick?"

Gu Huanxi said without hesitation, "Sure. Scarcity makes things valuable. It's just right to use it as a gimmick. Today is cold, so it's the right time to eat hot pot. The club can offer two types of hot pot bases, spicy and tomato. They will be available in limited quantities every day. We can also offer a few special dishes made with tomatoes and bell peppers. I believe that all guests who have eaten here will like them. As long as they remember them, there will be a bond. Now we are the only ones with bell peppers and tomatoes. If we control them properly, we can at least continue this selling point until next autumn."

Su Zhe finally had a smile on his face. He was still worried that Gu Huanxi would not respond. After all, he knew that Xu Huaiyi's arrangement for the peppers and tomatoes was to keep them for large-scale planting next year and then put them on the market, so that the villagers of Hutian Village could also make a fortune.

Gu Huanxi said, "Time has changed, plans can't keep up with changes."

Su Zhe thanked him sincerely, "I am narrow-minded. In that case, I will arrange it when I get back. However, these peppers and tomatoes are not ripe yet. It will take another half a month."

Gu Huanxi said cheerfully, "I still have some here. You can use it first. If you eat it sparingly, it will last you for half a month. As for the hot pot base..."

She paused and said frankly, "For the tomato flavor, I can have someone teach me how to make it at the club, but for the spicy flavor, it involves a secret recipe, so I plan to make it in a tofu workshop and sell it as a finished product in the future."

Su Zhe immediately said, "I understand. I will purchase the finished products directly from you. When we can produce them in large quantities in the future, please let me sell them on your behalf, sister-in-law."

Gu Huanxi smiled and said, "Of course."

After the deal was settled, the burden on Su Zhe's shoulders was immediately lightened a lot. He was confident that he could win back the lost customers with the help of peppers and tomatoes. As for the future, when he no longer had this advantage, he would think of other ways.

Who would have thought that Gu Huanxi would provide him with another way at this time. As a club, it is nothing more than eating, drinking and having fun. Only by attracting people by these means can it be possible to cultivate personal connections. Therefore, it is always a good idea to put effort into eating, drinking and having fun.

Now that we have ideas for food and drinks, the only thing left is entertainment. There are many activities to play in the club now, but the people sent by Su Rui have copied them all and there is nothing new, so they have to find another way.

So, Gu Huanxi came up with the game Werewolf, which later became popular on the Internet. Few people didn't like to play it. Many variety shows used it to create topics and traffic, which shows how popular it is.

She simply made a deck of cards and explained the rules of the game in detail. For a smart man like Su Zhe, it was easy to get started. He was very excited and eager to try it. However, this game required more than three or two players. It was more fun with more people. So, he had to hold back for the time being and wait for the children to come back.

In fact, script-killing is more fun, but Gu Huanxi didn't reveal everything at once, so he had to keep some cards in reserve.

Besides, she also suggested organizing some competitions to increase guests' enthusiasm for participation. They could be elegant, playful, whatever, targeting different groups of people. There could also be high-end auctions. The club could also try to collect precious and rare things, or mysterious and strange things, to keep people in suspense. In this way, they would not be easily copied. After all, even if Su Rui also held an auction, he would not be able to collect the same items.

Su Rui could only nod his head as he listened. What he lacked was novel ideas, but he had brains. As long as he was reminded, he could present them perfectly.

The two chatted until the children came back from school. Gu Huanxi invited Su Zhe and his wife to have dinner together. They didn't have separate tables. They were all in the greenhouse of the plum garden. There was a large round table that could be rotated. No matter which dish they wanted to eat, they didn't have to get up to get it. It was very convenient.

Zhao Yue felt uncomfortable at first, but since everyone else was used to it and was chatting and laughing, the atmosphere was harmonious, and she was gradually infected and became much more relaxed.

Gu Huanxi sat next to her, and the two of them chatted about some topics between women, and they seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation.

Seeing this, Su Zhe secretly felt fortunate that this was a good marriage. Needless to say, the benefits brought to him by the Zhao family were great, and his wife was also smart and sensible. Before coming, he was worried that she would not cooperate, and was also afraid that she would put on airs as a girl from the Zhao family and neglect Gu Huanxi. Fortunately, none of these happened. No matter what he thought in his heart, at least he did not lose face on the surface, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

After dinner, Gu Huanxi started playing Werewolf. Jiang Yong and Doctor Jiao also came to join in the fun. The children became even more interested. After hearing the rules of the game, they were all eager to try.

It turns out that this game is addictive and much more fun than playing other cards.

It requires observing people's expressions and using your brain, as well as luck and strength. Even Jiang Yong was so fascinated by it that he forgot to remind the children that they had to do their homework. Fortunately, Gu Huanxi was clear-headed and called a stop in time, ending the game.

Su Zhe left happily with that simple deck of cards.

The rest of the people were still not satisfied.

Gu Huanxi said with a smile, "That deck of cards is too crude, so use it as a template. When there are more sophisticated ones later, I'll give each of you a deck."

The children then cheered excitedly.

"However, games are just entertainment. You can't let them ruin your life. Your main job is to study. You must prioritize. Otherwise, if you delay your studies, you will be punished."

"it is good……"

At night, when Gu Huanxi saw Xu Huaiyi in the RV, he told him about this, "It's only been a few days since you left, and someone can't hold back anymore. It's too fast..."

"Are you sure that I won't be able to come back?" Xu Huaiyi sneered, and then said lightly, "Someone tried to attack me today, but was dealt with by Master's people."

His tone was casual, but it scared Gu Huanxi. While she was rubbing him, she asked anxiously, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Xu Huaiyi grabbed her hand and said with a grin, "I'm so smart, how could anyone trick me? Don't worry, I'm not hurt. I was the bait on purpose to let them take the bait so that the master can deal with them openly."

"You are so brave, aren't you afraid of the unexpected?"

"It's hard to guard against a hidden attack. How can you guard against thieves for a thousand days? Take this opportunity to expose the matter to the public. First, let the emperor know, and second, warn them not to commit suicide again."