Wang Xiaoqiang, stared at by Zhong Ping, felt his heart pounding rapidly. However, seeing the eager look in her eyes, he truly couldn't bear to disappoint her. Thus, he sat beside her on the sofa, placing his hands on her shoulders and began to massage them.

To say he was massaging her shoulders was an understatement; it was more like he was savoring the experience, for he had never encountered such richness before, a pleasure only Wang Xiaoqiang could appreciate.

As he massaged, Wang Xiaoqiang sincerely marveled.

"How can that be? Sister, I'm old, and my skin has become loose. You must be joking about me..." Zhong Ping said, her voice somewhat hoarse.

"Sister Ping, I mean it... I've never seen someone your age maintain themselves so well... Whether it's the skin, looks, figure, or even charisma, none are inferior to young girls..." Wang Xiaoqiang earnestly said.

"Hmm, is that so? Whether you mean it or not, I'm very happy to hear that..." Zhong Ping, under Wang Xiaoqiang's fingers, was already too overwhelmed to form complete sentences.

"Sister Ping, I, I really mean it. Don't think I'm just trying to flatter you..." Wang Xiaoqiang said, somewhat annoyed.

"Pfft, what a serious child you are. I'm not blaming you..." Zhong Ping said.

Wang Xiaoqiang's hands moved to Zhong Ping's shoulders and upper back. Equally smooth.

"Actually, a woman needs to maintain a vibrant heart to have a vibrant body..." Zhong Ping continued on her own, then said, "Hmm, Little Qiang, a bit lower..."

Wang Xiaoqiang had reached her waist. Though it couldn't be considered as slender as a willow, it was still exquisitely curved. Surprisingly, there was not a hint of excess fat, and it was very firm.

"Sister Ping, your..." Wang Xiaoqiang praised again, "I could hold it with just my two hands..."

"Oh, really..." Zhong Ping's words were quite teasing.

Wang Xiaoqiang really did grip it with both hands, although, as he had said, it wasn't quite possible with just two hands, but it was close enough.

"It's really good, Sister Ping."

"I've never had children, so it's normal for my waist to be a bit slimmer..." Zhong Ping said joyfully, but then she sighed somewhat wistfully. A woman is only really considered a woman when she has had children, with no regrets—this was one of Zhong Ping's regrets.

"You're still young, find a good man to marry..." Wang Xiaoqiang felt somewhat sorry for Zhong Ping.

"Ha, I'm so old, who would want me? What about you, would you take me?"

"I would." Wang Xiaoqiang blurted out impulsively.

Zhong Ping was taken aback, but she still shook her head privately. Thinking to herself, you may be willing, but I cannot allow myself to demean you.

"Sister spent today at the hospital taking care of the old man, sitting almost all day, and now my butt really hurts..." Zhong Ping said, trailing off.

It had been almost ten years since she had let a man touch her. Not just that particular act, but even a simple touch had been absent. The torment was not something ordinary people could endure. Fortunately, in the past few years, as she had been fighting her way through her career, busy to a frazzle every day, she would just fall asleep as soon as she got home without thinking about such matters. In recent years, as her career had developed, many things had been delegated to others, and she gradually had more free time, which led to sleepless nights, particularly during rainy spring nights. She missed intimacy terribly. Traditional ideas constrained her thoughts and made her deeply avoid such topics. Thus, during those torturous times, she could only clutch the bedsheets or bite her own hand, but still, she would not yield.

She really longed for a man to love her, to give her happiness!

However, her status, wealth, and fame were prerequisites that hindered her from finding a man. More importantly, there was that emotional barrier deep inside her, stemming from her last failed marriage, that made her exceedingly stringent about her expectations from men. Moreover, she found that once a man showed a hint of hypocrisy or worldliness, he would instantly lose all appeal in her eyes,

Perhaps because she had encountered too many such men during her years climbing the corporate ladder, she had grown tired of them and developed this mindset. Therefore, when she met Wang Xiaoqiang, his genuine smile and his ambition not to use her for his advancement left a deep impression on her,

It was just unfortunate that Wang Xiaoqiang seemed too young, and she hadn't considered that direction initially. After their parting, she thought they'd never meet again. However, fate had other plans, and their connection turned out to be extraordinarily strong. Before long, they were in contact again, and Zhong Ping found herself growing increasingly fond of this young farmer. Later on, Wang Xiaoqiang treated her illnesses, which moved her profoundly, until today, when Wang Xiaoqiang appeared in her moment of vulnerability and helplessness, like a strong man, curing her father's illness and fixing his snuff bottle. He, like a true man, had solved all her problems,

Moved, she was even willing to offer her body to this man. Despite her age, many men in River City still coveted her. With her beautiful looks, her curvaceous yet delicate figure, and her noble demeanor, she was confident she wouldn't demean Wang Xiaoqiang.

At that moment, Zhong Ping was explaining the development of supermarkets to Wang Xiaoqiang:

Supermarkets operate as large-scale comprehensive retail venues where customers select their own goods, commonly known as self-service stores. They are the predominant form of commercial retail organization in many countries, particularly those with developed economies. Supermarkets first appeared in the East Coast of the United States in the early 1930s. After World War II, especially during the 1950s and 1960s, supermarkets experienced rapid growth worldwide. Initially focused mainly on various foods, their range gradually expanded to include clothing, household daily necessities, home appliances, toys, furniture, and medical supplies. Supermarkets typically provide baskets or carts at the entrance for customers to use, who can then place their selected items into these containers and proceed to the checkout counters at the exits for payment.

The retail business is one of the fastest-growing industries in our country. Enterprises within this industry have short product sales cycles, relatively stable profits, and rapid cash flow, making it a sector generally favored by the industry. Especially, the business models of large chain supermarkets have been quickly adopted by the public and are rapidly developing. In the past, the retail industry was protected by the government, and foreign capital was not allowed to enter. With the end of the protection period due to opening up and WTO commitments, the entry of well-known foreign retail giants has inevitably impacted domestic retail enterprises. These are generally medium-sized companies that struggle to compete against international giants, casting a worrying outlook on their future survival. The recent merger between Shanghai Baihe and Hualiann, and the continuous expansion of Dashang Corporation, indicate that the industry must move towards merging and restructuring to further grow and avoid being outcompeted by, or forced to collaborate with, foreign firms to secure a place in the market.

The development of supermarkets cannot be separated from various factors:

According to the development trend of large cities, especially in countries with large populations, around the year 2010, 40% of the urban population was to be distributed on the outskirts of the city center, 30% in the city center, and 30% in the suburbs. The flow of commerce follows the flow of people, and this trend clearly had a great impact on the traditional commercial layout.

Large supermarkets precisely followed the consumers. Currently, the suburbs of Shanghai are striving to build modern urban clusters and metropolitan economic circles. With the implementation of suburban small town construction and the rise of suburban real estate, a large population has been gathering in suburban towns, with many farmers entering the towns through purchasing housing. Where there are people, there are opportunities for business, just as a knowledgeable person had said, no supermarket would open in a sparsely populated area.

Convenient transportation provided the conditions for large supermarkets to take root in the suburbs. In recent years, as subway, light rail, and maglev systems extending to the suburbs were constructed, the distance no longer posed a main obstacle for people choosing housing, which led to changes in people's lifestyles. "Working in the city, living in the suburbs" was widely accepted, and the pace of urban residents moving to suburban towns became more determined. The presence of large supermarkets and other supporting facilities near the community often was a significant parameter in their choice of suburban real estate.

Another irregular influx of people was the private car owners. As the number of private cars in Shencheng increased, even though some people still lived in the city center, their shopping habits were no longer guided by proximity. Moreover, compared to the central city areas, large supermarkets settling in the suburbs could provide more convenient parking spaces, and at the same time, form large shopping centers in the suburbs, which could offer a wide range of products and distinct classes to meet different needs.

The emergence of modern logistics provided strong logistical support for large supermarkets setting up in the suburbs. The quality of goods delivery determined the success or failure of large supermarkets. Walmart, an international retail giant, is a typical example, hailed as a "satellite-commanded business empire." It possesses world-class computer management systems, satellite positioning systems, and advanced television dispatch systems, allowing sales, ordering, and inventory conditions of more than 4,000 stores worldwide to be accessed at any time. The company also launched a dedicated satellite in cooperation with Hughes Company. CEO Li Scott, who had a background in logistics management, is a testament to the necessity of logistics as it is a prerequisite for commerce. "Before the soldiers move, food and forage go first." Large supermarkets dared to enter the suburbs of Shanghai because they considered that logistics were not only unproblematic in the suburbs but compared to the city center, more convenient as well. Modern logistics would become a powerful weapon in reducing the costs of large supermarkets.

Merchants always put profit as their primary goal. Large supermarkets moving to the suburbs was largely due to considerations of business costs. Currently in the city center, supermarkets, both large and small, are actually quite dense, with customer sources being heavily split, and fierce competition forcing large supermarkets to increase price advantages, which means they had to find ways to reduce costs.

In the prosperous central business district, land was becoming increasingly strained, and land prices were getting higher, while large supermarkets required larger sales areas and often needed large accompanying parking lots, which was not very feasible in the city center; the costs, even if there was space, were tremendously high. The suburbs, however, were different, not only offering larger spaces but also cheaper land.

In modern commerce development, roads, transportation, parking lots, and shopping environments hold significant positions. If large supermarkets were to open in the city center (disregarding commercial cost factors), they would bring substantial human traffic, inevitably causing congestion and transportation pressure in the surrounding areas. Management of these aspects would require both supermarkets and society to devote more time and energy.

In conclusion, the development of supermarkets was still headed in a positive direction within a certain period. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)

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