Su Yan was a little surprised, "Why do you suddenly want to start a business? Are you short of money?"

Bai Meng hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "We are roommates, I trust you. To be honest, although I am a native of Guangzhou, my family is from the countryside. My parents divorced when I was in the second year of junior high school. They both thought I was a burden and did not want to take me with them. Later, my grandparents asked me to live with them."

When I was in my first year of high school, my grandmother passed away. Now my grandfather's health is not good. I work during my winter and summer vacations, but after keeping enough money for my own food, I have to give the rest to my grandfather to buy medicine. The doctor suggested that he be hospitalized, but he is afraid of being a burden on me and refuses to go. I can only buy medicine for him to take home regularly.

I want to get my grandfather hospitalized, but I really don't have enough money. I only have two hundred yuan saved up right now. Part-time jobs are too slow to make money and can't keep up with my spending. You have many connections, which is why I want you to help me start a business. Any business is fine, I can endure any hardship, as long as I can make money.

My grandmother's death is a deep regret in my heart. I was young at the time, and because we didn't have the money to borrow, she couldn't have surgery in time and died in pain at home. I don't want my grandfather to suffer the same fate. In this world, my grandfather is the only relative I care about.

Su Yan hadn't expected Bai Meng's family situation to be like this, and for a moment she didn't know how to comfort her.

"What about your parents? Don't they send money back to support you?" Deng Ziyi asked quickly.

Bai Meng smiled sarcastically, "They looked down on me because I was a girl. They not only took money from my grandparents but also from the money I earned. When my grandmother was sick, my father took all the money meant for her to buy painkillers."

There were many, many more outrageous things that she didn't know how to bring up.

Su Yan stepped forward and put her arm around Bai Meng, gently patting her shoulder and comforting her, "Mengmeng, it's okay. You've been admitted to such a good university, and your future will definitely be brighter."

Bai Meng stiffened for a moment.

She was called an orphan since she was a child, and apart from her grandparents, it had been a very long time since anyone had held her like this and comforted her so gently.

For some reason, after being so strong-willed for so many years, my nose and eyes are starting to sting a little right now.

Bai Meng blinked and pursed her lips, saying, "I'm used to it now, you don't need to worry about me."

Su Yan released her and immediately noticed her reddened eyes. She said with heartache, "Are you really strong or just pretending? Do you think you can hide it from me?"

Bai Meng let out a soft "ouch," and awkwardly pulled at her hair, accidentally revealing the scar that was covered by her hair at the back of her head.

"What happened to your head? How come there's such a big scar?" Su Yan noticed it at a glance.

Bai Meng paused for a moment, then awkwardly explained, "It's nothing. My parents disliked that I wasn't a boy, and they often hit me when I was little. These are scars left from when they hit me with stones. Even my name comes from Bai Mengyi."

Because she wasn't the boy her parents had hoped for, they had wasted their dreams.

Deng Ziyi's face flushed with anger. "Do they deserve to be parents? How are they any different from animals?"

Bai Meng's nonchalant attitude made them imagine how much suffering she had endured in her childhood!

Su Yan suddenly felt that she was lucky compared to Bai Meng.

She paused for a few seconds, then said, "I can help you with your business, but you should get your grandfather hospitalized as soon as possible. I'll contact my senior apprentice and have him arrange a good doctor. I'll lend you the money first, and you can pay me back when you make some money."

Bai Meng stared at her in astonishment, and said blankly, "How can that be? I'll wait until I've earned enough money to take my grandfather to see him. What if I can't afford it..."

"If you do business with me, you can't possibly not pay it back," Su Yan said confidently, then continued, "Your grandfather is your only family. Do you really want him to suffer so much at his age?"

These words struck a chord with Bai Meng.

She couldn't refuse Su Yan's kindness.

Bai Meng looked at the person in front of her, her vision gradually blurring.

She turned her face away, not wanting to show her vulnerable side, and said with her head down, choking back tears, "Thank you, Ayan, I will never forget your kindness in this lifetime."

Su Yan knew Bai Meng was strong-willed, so she sighed silently and handed her a tissue, saying, "Don't cry, it's not a big deal."

Deng Ziyi couldn't bear to see such a scene and couldn't help but tear up, saying, "Then I want to do business too, I'll go with you."

Seeing this, Chen Ting quickly said, "I...I'll do it too, but I don't have any money..."

Chen Ting's situation wasn't as dire as Bai Meng's, but she had many siblings, and she had to send most of her monthly school allowance back home, leaving her struggling financially even at school.

If she hadn't worked so hard to get into this university, she would have had no chance of escaping the fate of getting married and having children.

Since Bai Meng was brought along for business, there was no reason not to bring Deng Ziyi and Chen Ting as well.

Su Yan said helplessly, "Then let those with money contribute money, and those with strength contribute strength."

Although she is very busy, at least her roommates are good, so she doesn't mind lending a hand.

Deng Ziyi was just joining in the fun, while Chen Ting wanted to make money, but she didn't have a single penny in savings.

Su Yan did consider buying a shop near the school, but then thought better of it.

She needed to make her roommates feel involved and secure, otherwise, jumping so quickly all at once would make them feel disoriented and uneasy.

"How about this, we set up a dessert stall at the school gate, and when we've saved enough money, we'll buy a shop and open a dessert shop."

There are no dessert stalls at all now.

Because in those days, desserts and bread were something that many people could only eat in Western restaurants, and they were quite expensive.

"Huh? You mean the desserts sold in Western restaurants?" Deng Ziyi frowned. "But I remember they're very expensive. How can ordinary people afford them? Let's choose something more affordable."

She often eats desserts at home, knowing that they are not something ordinary people can afford.

A look of confusion crossed Chen Ting's face. "What's a dessert? I've never seen one before."

Bai Meng had worked in a Western restaurant before, so she had met Deng Ziyi, and her thoughts were the same as Deng Ziyi's.

Su Yan asked, "How much is an egg tart at a Western restaurant?"

Bai Meng thought for a moment, "One yuan, the egg tart is very small, it'll be gone in two bites."

When I was working at the Western restaurant, there was a little bit left before closing time, and the manager let her try one.

It was delicious, but she couldn't afford it.

"It sells for 1.5 yuan in Beijing," Deng Ziyi said, pursing his lips.

“Then we’ll sell them for three for one yuan,” Su Yan said.

Deng Ziyi's eyes widened. "Making egg tarts is very difficult. We don't know how, and we also need an oven. If we sell them for one yuan for three, wouldn't we be losing money?"

Su Yan smiled and said, "I will! Come back to my apartment with me this weekend, and I'll make it for you to try."

As for the oven, she'll have to ask her good senior brother for help again.