The shopkeeper continued to look at Li Ke with an indescribable expression. Li Ke asked sincerely, "What's wrong? Is there a problem? Don't be fooled by how much stuff there is; I have the money and I can definitely take it all."
The shopkeeper sighed and said, "But we don't have such a complete selection here! Young man, is this your first time doing something like this?"
Li Ke looked surprised: "Boss, how did you know?"
The boss had a knowing look on his face and said, "You're lucky you ran into me. If it were someone dishonest, dealing with a businessman like you would have left you penniless. We can only find two or three of the items on your list here, but the quantity is guaranteed. You can get as much as you need. However, I still suggest you go to the big markets in the city center to buy everything. That way, it'll be faster and you'll have a better selection, allowing you to complete your task more efficiently."
"Boss, you're such a kind person. I heard the auntie call you Old Liu, so I'll call you Uncle Liu. You have such a keen eye. This is indeed my first time doing business outside of work. You don't know, and I know you're right, but my dad insists that I collect these things from these places. What can I do?"
He even said this was a test for me, and as his son, I could only accept it. Uncle Liu, you're an expert, so you don't need to look at my list. I think you're a living encyclopedia, the master of lists!
"Please help me, how can I buy as much of this stuff as possible in one day? There's no limit to the supply of basic necessities like rice, flour, and cooking oil. As long as the goods arrive today and are of good quality, I'll take as much as I can, and I can settle the bill when I receive them today. Of course, I'll also need Uncle Liu to help me find a warehouse to receive the goods; I won't skimp on the rent." Li Ke pleaded sincerely.
The boss listened to the implication in Li Ke's words and noticed a change in his expression. It seemed that this kid came from a wealthy family and was here to learn how to work. He was really quite naive.
Li Ke continued, "Uncle Liu, please help me. I'll come back to you next time I need something."
The shop owner was already very interested, and upon hearing Li Ke's words, he had no more hesitation. He said, "Wait a minute, I'll find you a warehouse right now and contact suppliers for you. Many of my things come from there. I'll also help you contact other shops and stores in the area. I know all these owners well, and I'll make sure you don't get ripped off when they deliver goods. Sit down and rest for a while, and I'll get back to you after I finish my call."
Li Ke quickly thanked him and then reminded him, "Uncle Liu, please tell all the bosses that I only accept cash payments here. If anyone is unsure about the amount of money, they can bring their own money counter."
Hearing Li Ke's sincere words, the boss couldn't help but laugh. He was clearly a naive young man with little social experience. In their line of work, how could anyone be so unsure about money?
The shopkeeper laughed and said, "I see that your list doesn't include cigarettes or alcohol. These things aren't cheap. I'll help you choose the best ones, but if you do that, your two million won't be enough. Are you going to pay for the rest in cash? Why did you bring all cash? Although this place isn't big, bank transfers via mobile phone are very convenient these days."
Hearing this, Li Ke smiled sheepishly and said, "When my family's company gave out New Year's benefits, they gave out cash. My dad said it was a good omen, and that the coming year would definitely be smoother and better. I thought that since this was my first time doing business, I wanted everything to go smoothly in the future, so I withdrew all the cash. I thought that everyone would be happy to receive the cash on the spot. Then, in a moment of foolishness, I just did it this way."
Li Ke made up a story on the spot, and he was somewhat impressed with his own quick wit.
The boss was taken aback for a moment after hearing this, but quickly recovered and praised, "Your dad is right, and you're not wrong either. Everyone will be happier to get the money as soon as possible. This is a win-win situation for everyone, it's really great!"
Li Ke hurriedly said embarrassedly, "It's all thanks to you, Uncle Liu. I'm realizing that I'm still too inexperienced and seem a bit too foolish. I even boasted to my dad that I could handle it myself and didn't need anyone's help. Now I regret it."
The boss offered Li Ke a few more words of comfort, saying that everyone has a first time, and everyone goes through this phase; they'll get used to it after a while.
The boss took out his phone and started making calls right in front of Li Ke. One minute it was "Brother Li," another said, "I need you to deliver some goods over here." The next it was "Third Sister," another said, "Brother's got you some business... just deliver the goods here, and I'll settle the payment in cash later."
After making the call for half an hour, Mr. Liu's own phone battery died, so he quickly charged it and asked his daughter to bring his mother's phone. He continued making calls, each lasting at least ten minutes. If there was anything that needed to be added or anything he didn't understand, Mr. Liu would simply ask Li Ke, who was sitting next to him.
Mr. Liu's daughter came over twice to serve tea. After hanging up the phone, Mr. Liu told his daughter, "We have guests at home today, so please cook a few more dishes for lunch."
Then he turned to Li Ke and asked, "Brother Zhou, what's your taste? Do you have any dietary restrictions?"
Li Ke thought about how much help Boss Liu had given her, and how he would be there every day, so she didn't refuse to eat: "I'm not picky, and I don't have any dietary restrictions, anything is fine with me, Uncle Liu, don't make Auntie too busy, I'm fine with whatever I eat."
Then Mr. Liu said to his daughter, who was waiting on the side, "Yuhe, did you hear that? Go ahead and make some dishes that you and your mother are good at at noon. We can't neglect our guests."
The girl named Yuhe readily agreed and went to the back, leaving another young couple to continue laughing and counting their inventory.
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