From Dispute to Debut: The Birth of a Project

Jiang Chen calmly turned to the Manager.

“Please fetch the store’s emergency first-aid kit and some warm water.”

“Ah? O-okay…”

The Manager instinctively nodded, then immediately turned to retrieve the items.

He then offered a faint smile to the utterly bewildered man.

“We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are currently following standard procedures under the ‘Food Safety Law’. Next, we will arrange for you to undergo a comprehensive examination at the hospital. Should any health issues indeed stem from our establishment’s oversight, we will cover all medical expenses.”

“I said I don’t need to go to the hospital!”

The man was practically fuming, his expression rapidly shifting between anger and panic.

“I’m afraid that won’t do.”

Zhou Yi interjected at the opportune moment, “Your recent statements include accusations that could endanger life, and we are obligated to follow legal procedures. Are you absolutely certain you require no medical assistance?”

The man’s mouth twitched, and he stammered, “No, I just don’t need it…”

Jiang Chen deliberately glanced up at the surveillance camera on the ceiling.

The male customer followed his gaze, his Adam’s apple unconsciously bobbing.

At this, Jiang Chen calmly replied, “Very well, we will proceed according to regulations.

As per Article 55 of the ‘Consumer Rights Protection Law’, we will offer compensation equivalent to three times the price of the beverage. Does that sound acceptable to you?”

As these words left his lips, the entire bubble tea shop fell so silent that one could hear ice cubes clinking in cups.

The muscles in the male customer’s face stiffened for a few seconds.

His lips then trembled.

“Three… three times the compensation?”

“Yes,” Jiang Chen stated unhurriedly.

“One cup is twenty, so three times that is sixty. You may pay with cash or by scanning a code—whichever is more convenient for you.”

A few suppressed coughs, stifling laughter, echoed around them.

Several students lowered their heads, pretending to scroll through their phones, hands covering their mouths.

The Manager, who had just returned with the first-aid kit, was completely lost by the sudden shift in pace.

He could only nod repeatedly in agreement. “Uh, yes… we strictly adhere to procedures.”

A part-time student employee beside them whispered in awe, “So this is how professional people from headquarters are…”

The male customer’s aggressive demeanor completely crumbled, his voice barely a whisper.

“I… I didn’t even drink it… no need for compensation.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Zhou Yi immediately responded, offering a professional smile. “Then, please scan the code to sign a liability waiver, which will help us improve our services in the future.”

Jiang Chen smoothly took the refund slip from the Manager’s hand.

“Rest assured,” he added, “all our procedures are designed to protect customer rights to the fullest extent.”

The man was utterly bewildered by this barrage of tactics.

His gaze shifted from initial ferocity to confusion, finally settling into sheer panic.

He waved his hands dismissively. “No need! I… I’m in a hurry!”

With that, he turned and fled in disarray.

The bell at the door jingled crisply.

The entire shop was plunged into a few seconds of eerie silence.

Li Yanze, who had been recording on his phone, watched with wide eyes.

He could only silently give two thumbs up, mouthing the number ‘6’ in admiration.

Zhou Yi looked up at Jiang Chen, unable to resist a playful complaint.

“Next time, could you please not be so extra? Your aura makes you seem more like a corporate big shot parachuted in than I do.”

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. “Naturally! Aren’t we a team? Teamwork must be at its peak.”

The Manager finally snapped back to reality, cautiously leaning in to ask, “Are you… are you really from headquarters?”

Jiang Chen replied with a straight face, “No, we are bubble tea dispute mediators from Nebula M78.”

“Hey, hey!” Zhou Yi stifled a laugh, punching his shoulder.

“Weren’t we supposed to keep our Earthling identities hidden?”

Jiang Chen’s expression remained unchanged as he shrugged.

“My apologies, I got a little too immersed in the mission.”

This perfectly straight-faced nonsense left the Manager utterly dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, Li Yanze and the part-time student employee nearby were already laughing so hard they couldn’t stand straight.

After two seconds of dead silence, the shop suddenly erupted.

The customers, who had been spectating the entire drama, finally reacted.

From calmly handling Su Xiao’s trio’s provocation earlier to flawlessly resolving the customer dispute, their teamwork was truly seamless.

“Incredible!” someone murmured in awe.

“Isn’t that girl Zhou Yi from the Business School? Her quick thinking is amazing!”

“That guy was so aggressive just now, and in the blink of an eye, he was taught a lesson?”

Just then, a gasp suddenly came from a corner.

“Wait a minute… isn’t that tall guy Jiang Chen from the basketball team?! The real ‘God Jiang’?”

“Ahhh, they’re actually together? What a heavenly match?”

Within seconds, phone cameras popped up across the room like mushrooms.

The incessant clicking of shutters filled the air.

Zhou Yi and Jiang Chen exchanged a look.

They instantly reached a mutual understanding.

“Retreat!”

Jiang Chen casually scooped up Li Yanze, who was still diligently recording, and the trio dashed out of the shop like a gust of wind.

The customer who had been recording the video stared bewildered at the still-swaying door.

“They… they really ran off?”

“Oh my god, their chemistry is too strong! They’re serving up real-life sweetness!”

Mere seconds later, the campus forum was already being flooded with posts.

[Breaking! Jiang Chen and Zhou Yi’s God-tier teamwork at the bubble tea shop, teaching online how to crush troublemakers!]

[Video attached! The Argument-Slayer Duo, this counter-attack has me on my knees!]

[#StrongestCampusBelleBasketballGodDuo# has already topped the campus trending topics!]

The trio sprinted all the way to the back alley.

They leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

Li Yanze was still clutching his chest.

“Holy crap… we’re famous now, aren’t we? Are we going to be on the campus wall?”

Jiang Chen calmly adjusted his collar.

“Isn’t free publicity wonderful? It’s the perfect way for the entire school to witness our team’s debut.”

“Debut what?!” Zhou Yi pressed a hand to her forehead in exasperation, her hair dishevelled by the wind.

“We haven’t even decided on a project theme, yet we’ve already hit trending topics with a public embarrassment! This pace is insane!”

They had initially planned to discuss the Campus Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.

However, since sitting down, one problem after another had arisen, and apart from a rough division of labor, no actual progress had been made on their serious agenda.

Leaning against the mottled brick wall, Jiang Chen smiled easily.

“Well, it wasn’t all for nothing. That practical exercise just now was the best kind of team building, wasn’t it? Much better than a meeting.”

Zhou Yi shook her head helplessly.

“To call that chaos ‘team building’—your ability to sugarcoat things truly impresses me.”

“This is called turning a crisis into an opportunity,” Jiang Chen shrugged.

“And incidentally, it boosts our team’s presence.”

“Alright then,” Zhou Yi said, looking up at the clear blue sky.

“We’ll start fresh tomorrow. We need to decide on a project direction first.”

A thought flashed through her mind of the new part-time student employee, whose eyes had reddened from the unreasonable customer’s scolding earlier.

Her heart stirred, and she blurted out:

“What do you think about creating a platform specifically for part-timers to defend their rights? Many part-time students have had their deposits swindled or wages withheld, with no avenue for complaint.”

“Oh? That’s quite interesting!” Jiang Chen’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“How about ‘Part-timer Rights Protection System’ for the name?”

“Isn’t that name a bit too straightforward?” Zhou Yi remarked with a smile.

“Then it needs a slogan!” Li Yanze immediately chimed in excitedly.

“‘Speak for the overworked, make bosses tremble!'”

Jiang Chen snapped his fingers.

“That’s perfect! It has soul.”

Zhou Yi couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Are you two crazy?”

Jiang Chen extended a fist toward her.

“Then it’s settled. The project is officially established.”

Zhou Yi and Li Yanze exchanged glances.

They also smiled and extended their fists.

Their fists gently bumped together.

Laughter echoed through the narrow back alley.