Chapter 91 Jinjiang's Exclusive Craft
Su Ruyi's reputation for being tough and mysterious was undeniable, so local thugs dared not provoke Li Mei. However, Li Mei's family members and the Tong family swarmed around her like flies, which annoyed Li Mei.
Since starting her business, Li Mei has changed a lot. She is no longer as tolerant of the Tong family as before, and she can also be more assertive towards her own family.
But their occasional antics still bothered Li Mei a lot.
Recently, her family wanted to find her another family to marry into. The man was old and lame, and he was an alcoholic. His leg was broken because he got into a fight while drunk.
Unlike the first time when she lost her husband, Li Mei wasn't in such a rush to find a man to marry, just to escape her family's arrangements. She felt she couldn't hold onto what she had, so she sought out a man.
But this time she had no intention of remarrying. She was doing quite well without getting married. At first, Ms. Su Ying helped her manage things remotely, and later Su Ruyi came to help her. She found that even without a man, she still had a backbone.
She now earns more in a day what others earn in half a month when she runs her own business, which gives her more confidence.
Moreover, with three daughters to support, it's difficult for her to find a suitable partner. If she were to marry now, she could only marry someone with children, which would mean she'd have to give away a portion of her earnings. The thought of this further diminished Li Mei's desire to get married.
Seeing that both of her daughters had settled down in the provincial capital, and wanting to have a better educational environment like Tong Yunyun, Su Ruyi, who was also frequently in the provincial capital, decided after much consideration to move there to develop her career.
After saying these words, Li Mei felt even more certain.
"Yes, I think a family should stay together."
"Are you willing to give up the business here?"
Li Mei was very reluctant to leave. She had built up a reputation for her family's braised dishes over the past year and gained many regular customers. She was going to the provincial capital and didn't know if the business would be successful.
Although she is quite confident now, no one can say for sure what the outcome will be until it is successful; doing business always involves risks.
"I'm willing to part with it." Li Mei gritted her teeth. "I'm thinking of going to the provincial capital, and I'll find a spot next to the construction site to set up a stall. Business should be pretty good."
Su Ruyi raised an eyebrow. "Aunt Mei, you're getting better and better at business."
Construction in the provincial capital is in full swing, with development sites everywhere, and it is changing rapidly.
Su Ruyi hadn't been to the provincial capital for a month or two. When she returned, she found that there was a new building here and a new road there.
There is a lot of foot traffic near the construction site. Although ordinary workers are unlikely to spend money to eat outside, they feel that a steamed bun, some pickled vegetables and water are enough.
However, the construction workers, managers, and some young workers on the construction site still spent money on food after they earned it.
Li Mei smiled sheepishly: "I just overheard you chatting with Lu Ting and came up with this idea. I'm thinking of setting up a stall near Lu Ting's construction project. Do you think it's feasible?"
Lu Ting has now started contracting projects and has a big project in hand, so he often goes to the construction site.
There's not much to eat around there; the food at the construction site is just enough to fill you up, but the taste is terrible.
He had to travel a long way to find a place to eat, so he could only make do with the canteen at the construction site.
When Lu Ting said these words, he was actually trying to play the victim. He could find food in no time at all by driving.
Moreover, he won't stay at the construction site forever; a few hours at most, and he'll leave just in time for a meal.
However, although it was a deliberate attempt to curry favor with Su Ruyi, it wasn't entirely fabricated. After all, there are few people like him who can come and go freely; most people are unable to travel and can only make a living on construction sites.
These days, there are plenty of people with a keen sense of smell, and many construction sites have vendors setting up stalls outside.
Su Ruyi thought this business was feasible, but it would be hard-earned money. Li Mei already had a foundation, and her skills were getting better and better. After several improvements, the taste of her braised dishes was something that ordinary people simply couldn't imitate.
People in the provincial capital are more willing to spend money on food than people in the county. As long as you choose a good location, your business will be good.
That's what she thought, and that's what she told Li Mei.
"I'm still a little nervous about opening a shop in the provincial capital. I think I'll try setting up a stall first," Li Mei said anxiously.
Li Mei rented a shop in the county and worked there for half a year before she felt confident enough to start.
Being unfamiliar with the provincial capital, Li Mei would only be more cautious.
Although she has some money, she spent most of it on buying a house, so if she opens a shop, she won't have much left.
Li Mei had just arrived in the provincial capital, so she certainly wouldn't dare to take such a risk.
"How about this, I'll fund you to open a shop in the provincial capital..."
Li Mei waved her hands repeatedly to interrupt, "No, no, I can't take your money!"
“I’m not giving this away for nothing. I want to work with you. I’ll provide the money, you provide the technology, and we’ll split the profits 50/50.”
"That won't do. My skills are nothing."
“Aunt Mei, you can’t say that. Your skills are a treasure. They’re top-notch, not just in the provincial capital, but nationwide. I think if it’s managed well, it’s sure to make a lot of money. I’m investing now so I can make money off you without lifting a finger. The first shop is just a trial; we’re going to open many more chain stores in the future.”
Su Ruyi said with certainty, although she had only suddenly remembered this matter.
Li Mei's skills are truly excellent. Every time she returns to the county, she brings a lot back to the provincial capital. Lu Ting always takes half of it to give away, and no one has ever complained about it.
Su Ruyi also gave it to Grandpa Zhang, who had tasted all sorts of good things, and he liked it very much, as it suited the general public's taste perfectly.
With the basic technology in place and a mature business model, Su Ruyi felt there was great potential, especially since she had successful precedents from her previous life.
Li Mei didn't know what a chain store was, but she could guess the general meaning from the context, which gave her a real shock.
"My skills are hardly up to par for such a grand occasion!"
“Aunt Mei, you don’t believe in yourself, but you don’t believe in me either? Your skills are worth it, but those are all things that are far away. Speaking of closer things, I have a lot of faith in your shop opening in the provincial capital. I’ve already thought about the location. Lu Ting owns a shop on Zhongshan Road, the most bustling street in the provincial capital. Opening a shop there will not only guarantee a steady stream of customers, but also help you build a reputation.”
This storefront was given to Lu Ting as payment for a debt. Lu Ting couldn't collect a construction payment, so he had the storefront used as collateral. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to buy such a prime storefront now.
These days, real estate can be lucrative, but it's also extremely risky. Without some skill and connections, you'll end up with a lot of bad debts and can easily get yourself into trouble.
Last year, when the market crashed, many construction companies went bankrupt due to the volatility. Construction workers also couldn't get their wages, and as the Lunar New Year approached, they went to the provincial government to display banners.
The storefront wasn't large, so despite its good location, Lu Ting couldn't think of what to do with it and decided to rent it out directly.
Su Ruyi felt that the income from renting out the property was not as good as opening her own shop, but she hadn't thought it through at the time, so she let him keep it for a month first, giving the previous tenants a buffer period, since the location was not difficult to rent out.
"Will my skills be enough there? And is it really appropriate to use Lu Ting's shop?" Li Mei was both tempted and apprehensive.
Having run her business for over a year, she understands the importance of location very well.
If it weren't for Su Ruyi's reputation, she wouldn't have been able to set up a stall in a good location in the first place. She had seen small vendors whose businesses were so good that they were coveted and driven away.
There was an older woman who shared a stall with her. Every time she went to set up her stall, she would bring a kitchen knife with her, otherwise, she would have been bullied to death by the other woman, who was just a woman.
There have been cases of people fighting over stalls, but things were better in Liulin County; the fights weren't too serious.
Li Mei had read in the newspaper that someone had been stabbed to death while fighting for a stall. It was because of this news that she decided to rent a stall, as the rent was a major expense.
However, the facade belongs to Lu Ting. Lu Ting and Su Ruyi are now openly dating, but they are not married yet. If the woman takes too much advantage, she will be looked down upon.
“We’re not taking it for free. We have to pay rent at market price. It doesn’t matter who we rent to. If we rent to our own people, we won’t have to argue about rent for so long.”
Su Ruyi disagreed. She didn't rely on the man, but she also didn't need to completely sever ties to show her independence.
If it can be mutually beneficial, why not? As long as the finances are clearly defined in the early stages.
Li Mei was still hesitant. After all, such a good shop must have a high rent, and she wouldn't want to take advantage of it.
If business isn't good enough, it might not even cover the rent.
The more Su Ruyi thought about it, the more she felt that this path had great potential.
Although a certain brand of black duck and a certain flavor seemed to encounter various problems when she transmigrated, it did not affect the money she had earned before.
If she can make it happen, she can make a fortune even without a large scale.
Even without it, a single store could provide Su Ruyi with a considerable income without her having to worry about anything.
“The storefront hasn’t been vacated yet, and it still needs renovation. Why don’t you go to the provincial capital and do business there for a month first? If you think it’s okay, we can open a store together. If you don’t want to open one, that’s fine too. I’ll just get my goods from you directly, and you can just focus on doing the work without having to be responsible for sales.”
Hearing this, Li Mei felt a little relieved.
Although her braised food has consistently received positive feedback, she is still unsure whether it will sell well in the provincial capital.
The provincial capital was still too unfamiliar to her. She never thought she could buy a house and settle down there. When her eldest daughter was admitted to a vocational school in the provincial capital, she didn't even dare to send her to school. It was Tong Aihua who sent her.
Now that they've come all this way and are saying they want to open a shop in the provincial capital to make money, she's really scared and has no confidence at all.
At least street vending doesn't involve rent, and you can cut your losses in time if things go wrong. But renting a shop doesn't work that way.
Li Mei agreed and exclaimed, "Ruyi, thanks to you, otherwise I wouldn't dare to leave the county."
The provincial capital is nice, but she had to leave her hometown before, something she would never have dared to even dream of before.
“I also want to earn more money. Let me make this clear beforehand: our cooperation must be transparent and accountable. I won’t take advantage of you, and I won’t let you take advantage of me. We’ll sign a contract, and we need to keep things clear.” Su Ruyi said earnestly.
Li Mei nodded repeatedly in agreement, "That's for sure."
Su Ruyi was her greatest support. The reason she was able to make up her mind to go to the provincial capital was because she knew that Su Ruyi was there. She had a pillar of support and would not be isolated and helpless if something happened. She would not make enemies with her.
Not only herself, Li Mei also made sure that her three daughters got along well with Su Ruyi. Since she herself was not smart and capable, she had to learn to follow someone who was capable.
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