Shu Hui didn't know where Qianmen Street was, so Chu Yu took her there. It had a strong sense of local life and a large flow of people. There were many people riding bicycles back and forth on the main road in front of the gate.
This place has a strong Beijing flavor, but unfortunately there are few houses available, they are hard to find, and you don't see anyone renting them out on the street.
"The houses here are all in the hands of the housing management bureau, and there are very few private rentals." After asking around, Chu Yu roughly knew the rent prices. Smaller storefronts cost a little over a hundred yuan each, while larger ones cost two or three hundred yuan, with no upper limit.
That year, housing prices in Beijing were not considered expensive. In the mid-1980s, there were few people doing business, and rents had not skyrocketed. Prices of two or three hundred yuan sounded frightening, but for this location and the flow of people, it was nothing.
The rent is high, and the selling price is also high, which is exactly what Chu Yu hopes for.
Increase the average order value of fast food restaurants, instead of being like roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) shops where a roujiamo only costs two or three cents, and although they are always full, they don't make much money all year round.
If Shu Hui knew what she was thinking, she would definitely criticize her. A small roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) shop can produce two people with tens of thousands of yuan a year. Isn't that a lot?
Young people need to have the right attitude. Food businesses should sell at low prices so that ordinary people can afford to eat. Shu Hui originally thought that a fried chicken set meal could be sold for a few cents, which would make money. She believed that small profits but quick turnover would be more profitable than a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) shop.
Chu Yu disagreed.
On the way to the housing management bureau, Chu Yu said:
"To make it easier for customers to order, I plan to offer several set meals. For example, a hamburger, chicken wings, and a drink would cost 4 yuan each, but the set meal would cost 2.5 yuan. Customers will get a good deal, and we can also make money."
Shu Hui's eyes widened. "2.5 yuan? That's too expensive! Who would spend so much money to eat fast food? These ingredients are not worth much at all. 2.5 yuan is enough to eat chicken for a month."
Chu Yu just wanted to laugh. If you only consider costs when doing business, what kind of business can you do? Did she really include labor costs, R&D costs, and material costs? Putting aside everything else, the cost of materials like cream and yeast alone is not a small amount.
Outsourcing bread and flatbread adds up to another expense.
We'll need to hire a few workers, right?
There are also renovation costs, Shu Hui's own labor costs, and the store needs to purchase refrigerators and have its own water purification equipment. Even if it doesn't meet the standards now, it will still be an expense in the future.
When Chu Yu did the math, Shu Hui fell silent. She hadn't realized there were so many costs involved. She always thought chicken was cheap, that frying it up and selling it for double the price would be enough, but she hadn't factored in the hidden expenses.
The mother and her two daughters went to the housing management bureau, which was quite busy. They waited for twenty minutes before it was their turn.
"Comrade, we would like to rent a storefront on Qianmen Street."
The female staff member from the housing management bureau glanced at them and asked, "What are you planning to do?"
"We plan to open a fast food restaurant, selling hamburgers, fried chicken, rice bowls, and the like. We need a relatively spacious place."
The woman was somewhat surprised, but there have been many more people doing business in recent years, and it's not uncommon for women to open shops. Although there are few Western fast food restaurants, it's not impossible for them to do so.
“There’s no suitable one right now. There’s a four-room shop with one month left on the lease. The owner’s business is losing money, so she probably won’t renew it. If you think it’s okay, I’ll give you the address and save it for you. Once she terminates the lease, you can come and renew it.”
In addition to this storefront, the woman also gave them several other options.
Chu Yu and Shu Hui returned to Qianmen Street. The four-bay shop was close to the intersection with no obstructions, so there was a lot of foot traffic. The rooms were also bright and spacious, and Chu Yu liked the shop very much.
The other rooms were also nice, but either they had pillars or poor lighting.
Chu Yu doesn't believe in feng shui, but she does believe in personal feelings, especially when renting a place in winter. She always feels that shops with good lighting, lots of windows, and warmth are more likely to attract wealth.
Shu Hui also took a liking to this house. She rented a house in Beijing, started a career, and was able to take care of her three daughters. She felt a great sense of accomplishment.
The three of them had been looking at houses all day and were a bit tired, so Chu Yu found a Western restaurant, wanting to show Chu Chu some sights.
Inside the restaurant, someone was playing the violin. To the pleasant and melodious strains, people chatted quietly, enjoying their Western food in a relaxed atmosphere. Occasionally, they would raise a glass for a sip, the red wine shimmering and making their hearts flutter, sweeping away all the dust in their minds.
Shu Hui had never been to a place like this before, and she was a little nervous at first, but Chu Yu handled it with ease. He ordered Western food for her and Chu Chu, taught them how to use the cutlery, and even paid for a violin piece for her.
The waiters were also very polite, and Shu Hui felt more relaxed than ever before.
She had never experienced romance in her life, and Zhou Jian'an had never cared for her, but her daughter gave her everything she lacked.
Shu Hui felt a deep sense of joy.
Little did she know, a group of guests at a nearby table were staring intently at her.
Zhou Jian'an took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes hard. What the hell? Was he drunk? Why did that woman look so much like Shu Hui?
That's impossible. Shu Hui is a country girl who has never left Deyang in her life. How could she possibly come to Beijing?
Shu Hui was frugal and hardworking, and she couldn't bear to spend a single penny. She would never go to a high-end Western restaurant, much less request a violin piece for herself.
Shu Hui was a country bumpkin who didn't know how to dress. It was impossible for her to wear a stylish black coat, have curly hair, and black leather boots that covered her calves.
She was illiterate, spiritually impoverished, and lacked confidence wherever she went. It was impossible for her to have a calm and serene smile like the woman in front of her.
Zhou Jian'an denied it in his heart until the girl with her back to him stood up and helped the woman take off her coat, and only then did he see the faces of the two girls clearly.
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