"That's great, my daughter's cooking skills are really good."
"She didn't rely on her family for a single penny. She opened her own factory, and the products she makes are excellent. I believe she won't let you down."
Sheng Yueqing never expected that the aloof Mr. Sheng would put on such a show of flattery and advertising for her. She felt touched but also quite bitter.
In her view, Mr. Sheng should be in a high position and be respected by others, so why would he need to smile and fawn over others for her sake?
You'd think the Sheng family had fallen on hard times and the male head of the household had to personally solicit business.
But since he had already said it, there was no need to refute his good intentions. Sheng Yueqing stood up, smiled, and handed out a box of cakes to the CEOs.
Let them take it back to their families to eat.
She even smiled and explained, "Actually, I'm just running a small business, so the uncles and elders don't need to make special connections for me."
"The main reason I'm here today is that my parents haven't been to Shanghai in a long time, and they haven't had a chance to catch up with you all. So I'm taking this opportunity to get together with you all."
Ultimately, it's mainly because of the old friendships I have with my uncles and elders.
Previously, circumstances did not allow for officials and businessmen to sit at the same table, as it would arouse suspicion.
Now that the policy has changed, it's a rare opportunity to get together.
Several CEOs were somewhat moved upon hearing this.
After all these years, they've seen a lot about people in business and have become less trusting of so-called brotherhood.
But over the years, Mr. Sheng has never harmed them; in fact, he even showed them a way out during a great calamity.
All things considered, Mr. Sheng was still kind to them.
This time, the gathering was no longer just a formality; instead, it became warm and lively.
"Old Sheng, you've risen higher and higher over the years, and we don't dare to approach you for fear of causing you gossip."
"We are touched that you still care about us."
When Mr. Sheng first gave them the invitations, they thought something terrible had happened and were quite apprehensive.
They were not clear about the specifics of what happened in Kyoto, only that Mr. Sheng was still in his position.
As for whether he summoned them to investigate them or to ask for their help, they couldn't say for sure.
So I was feeling quite anxious and uneasy when I sat down just now.
Now that I've heard what Sheng Yueqing said, I feel at ease.
Remembering that we had trained together many years ago, a bit of brotherhood arose.
Mr. Sheng also reminisced with them and chatted.
Mrs. Sheng listened from the side and quietly winked at Sheng Yueqing.
I generally praised her for being clever.
Sheng Yueqing laughed, "Actually, my small business doesn't really need to go to such lengths."
She really couldn't bear to see her elderly mother and father swallow their pride and smile obsequiously for the sake of her business.
Let's just forget about it.
It would be better for her to explore her own path in the future.
Mrs. Sheng was deeply moved. "My darling, how can you be so sensible?"
She's such a sweet little girl to her parents.
Mr. Sheng felt a warm glow in his heart.
This is the first time my daughter has ever been so doting on me.
He originally wanted to swallow his pride and help his daughter expand her business and broaden her horizons.
Unexpectedly, his daughter couldn't bear to see him smiling and begging. Seeing how distressed she was, she simply stopped selling things.
It seems the daughter still feels sorry for him.
Mr. Sheng was overjoyed.
He feels that his daughter is like a warm, comforting coat to him!
So this dinner party really turned into a simple meal, with no business discussed at all.
But those bosses were all shrewd, and they remembered that Mr. Sheng's daughter sold wedding cakes, so they had to buy them from her whenever there was a happy occasion in their families.
Sheng Yueqing naturally wouldn't let them down.
The wedding cakes sent were more than enough, and the cakes were delicious too.
The wives, children, and even the elderly in the families of those bosses all liked it very much, and they would often order some wedding cakes from Sheng Yueqing as snacks.
Moreover, more people are buying cakes.
Sheng Yueqing thought that since opening a factory to sell cakes was inconvenient, she could open a cake shop instead.
Wedding cakes, candies, and cookies can be sold together in the store.
So she went to look at the storefronts again.
This time, I still didn't choose a prime location; I opted for a quiet and easy-to-find spot.
It's best to choose a school nearby.
However, the shops near the school were not cheap, so she moved to a location that was some distance from the school but that the children could pass by on their way home from school.
Because of the aroma of the cakes, students are always attracted when they pass by, and those from wealthy families will take their children in to buy a small cake.
Because her shop sells small cakes.
Cookies are also available in small boxes, at various prices.
Some students have their own pocket money, and if they crave something sweet after school, they are willing to buy a small piece of cake to eat.
Cake scraps are also very popular.
Sheng Yueqing hired a middle-aged woman to help with the shop and make cakes.
The other party is a widow with five children to raise. Her husband's family wants to take their grandson to live with them and send their granddaughter to the countryside to save money.
But Widow Zhao did not agree and insisted on raising all five children by her side.
Her family used to be in the bread business.
However, due to intense competition and a lack of technological advancements, the store could no longer operate.
Sheng Yueqing observed her for a period of time and saw that she treated all children equally, was clean, and worked efficiently, so she invited her to give the job a try.
When Widow Zhao heard that the company was willing to teach her how to make cakes and even offer her the job of shop manager, she was overjoyed and thanked them profusely.
Sheng Yueqing instructed her to make a fixed number of cakes each day, cut them into small pieces, and arrange them on the cake.
Her requirement was that the ingredients must be clean, and the shop must also be clean.
If the ingredients spoil and cause problems for the customers, she will be fully responsible.
Widow Zhao had run a shop before and knew that if a customer got sick from the food, she would go to jail, so she dared not slack off and readily agreed.
Sheng Yueqing taught her several proportions and signed a contract with her to prevent her from selling the formula.
Since they are strangers, it's more practical to sign a contract before you've gotten to know them to a certain extent.
Widow Zhao was a woman of genuine character. Although she was a bit greedy for small gains, it was because her family was poor.
However, she is honest and doesn't steal anything left in the store.
Sheng Yueqing told her that bread would be discounted at 8 p.m.
She's an employee, so she gets a bigger discount.
A cake that costs ten yuan can be sold to her for three yuan.
Widow Zhao thought Sheng Yueqing's methods were very good; no wonder she could run her business so well.
Why didn't she think of that before?
Seeing that she kept the shop very clean and that the daily turnover was decent, Sheng Yueqing let her take over the shop.
Then she went to see a shop on an old street.
She remembered that the shops here would probably be demolished in the future, so she decided to buy one while they were still dilapidated and cheap.
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Sheng waved her hand and said, "Why buy just one? Buy an entire street!"
Anyway, it's not lively here anymore, and there aren't many people around, so now is the cheapest time to sell, almost a 90% discount.
Sheng Yueqing also felt that it was a particularly good deal to buy now.
But I'm also worried that if we don't demolish this place later, we'll lose out.
Mrs. Sheng reassured her, "It's alright, Mom trusts your judgment. Even if you lose money, Mom will earn it back for you."
Sheng Yueqing was both helpless and amused. "Alright, then let's buy it."
If this place isn't demolished in the future, then she'll develop it herself.
You can always earn back what you spend.
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