Chapter 43 "The Working Girl" Saving the Villain's Childhood (Part 6)...
And so, Ye Xiqing and Qiu Hui spent a long period of harmonious coexistence, with one making breakfast for the other and the other bringing dinner for the other.
Qiu Hui works at a nearby auto parts factory selling parts. In the past, even if there were any unpleasant things at work, she would silently endure them. But now, for some reason, every unpleasant thing makes her silently mark a mark in her heart.
What a stupid, pig-headed boss!
That stupid, pig-headed colleague!
What an idiot, pig-headed customer!
In a workplace dominated by men, it's inevitable that there will be plenty of clueless guys trying to seduce you.
She's a woman who's been married and divorced. When she encounters people who make lewd remarks to her, she just laughs it off. But when she keeps running into these kinds of people, she starts to wonder, "Why doesn't a swine fever outbreak happen and kill them all?"
She used to tolerate these kinds of things for the sake of money, treating them as work injuries, but Ye Xiqing's words kept pounding on her defenses.
If you were to push a cart out to sell breakfast, you'd be sweltering in the summer, freezing in the winter, getting drenched in the rain, and freezing in the snow—it certainly wouldn't be a pleasant experience.
But from then on, those who bought her things were innocent and carefree children, energetic students, and busy office workers, not those lewd men who would somehow end up taking advantage of her.
She has to work hard to sell more than two hundred steamed buns in order to keep her life from going downhill.
But if it's just her and her daughter, there isn't that much pressure in life. So many people have made a fortune by running food stalls and buying cars and houses, why can't there be one more like her?
Qiu Hui was like a madwoman, searching for information about street vending every day. She would get excited when she saw someone making a lot of money and depressed when she saw someone losing money. She was caught in this cycle of anxiety and despair until the day Ye Xiqing decided to move.
Ye Xiqing came ahead to say goodbye, without mentioning the past again, but Qiu Hui impulsively said, "Wait a minute!"
She felt like she was going crazy, and all she wanted to do was run away with Ye Xiqing without a care in the world.
Ye Xiqing glanced at her and understood.
“I’ve hired a moving truck, enough to move all our belongings. If you’d like, it’s not too late.”
...
Although she said she didn't have much, after living there for five years, she could tidy up quite a bit, but Ye Xiqing was almost all alone.
Qiu Hui stared in disbelief at the moving truck Ye Xiqing had hired: "You hired one this big?"
Ye Xiqing played with her phone and said nonchalantly, "It's only two hundred yuan anyway, whatever the company gives me is fine."
Qiu Hui: ...
Are you rich?! Two hundred yuan is enough to cover a day's worth of steamed buns!
But her words were useless. Ye Xiqing spent her own money and wouldn't split it with her. She could only watch the huge truck drive in.
The truck owner's wife got out and was amused by their goods.
In the end, they grabbed everything, including pots, pans, and dishes, and only managed to fill a small half-cart. They could probably fit a bed, but that bed belonged to the landlord.
Qiu Hui and her daughter got into the driver's seat and followed the truck to move the house, while Ye Xiqing drove her little electric car and sped over there.
Don't underestimate electric bikes. In city centers where traffic jams are the norm, electric bikes have become the most mobile vehicles.
So Qiu Hui and the others arrived first, and Ye Xiqing wasn't much later.
Her hair has grown out a bit recently, and when she lifts her helmet, it's all fluffy. Qiu Hui can't help but laugh. She's a mother now, so why does she sometimes act like a child?
But she had been lured here by the "children" and had no right to say such things, so she shifted her attention and began to look excitedly at her "new home".
Ye Xiqing had made two preparations beforehand. If Qiu Hui didn't come, she would just find a cheap shared apartment to rent. If Qiu Hui did come, she would have to seriously consider the issue of "selling steamed buns".
Finally, she chose a place on the ground floor of an old building. This place used to be a private food workshop, but it didn't sell breakfast. Instead, it sold cooked food, such as cooked pig's trotters and cooked pig's head meat, which were sold to nearby cooked food shops.
The elderly in the family are in poor health and can no longer do it. The younger generation has their own jobs and is unwilling to take over, so they put it up for rent.
For ordinary families renting a house, they would complain that the environment here is too poor and the rent is too expensive.
For legitimate businesses, it's rather rudimentary and not cost-effective. They might as well put in the effort and find a better storefront that can stand out in the public eye.
These problems might be a nuisance to others, but they are just right for Qiu Hui.
She doesn't have the resources to run a large business right now, so she can only push a small food cart outside to sell her food.
However, even these private workshops need licenses. Having a prior business makes obtaining various licenses easier and saves trouble later.
The rent, which was slightly more expensive than that of a regular residence, was reasonable when split between the two of them. However, Qiu Hui felt embarrassed, as if she had taken too much advantage of Ye Xiqing, and she felt there was no need for her to accommodate her.
Ye Xiqing didn't care about this. She also had her own requirements: she wanted to stay in the best room, and Qiu Hui would take care of the meals and other chores herself.
This was only natural, and Qiu Hui agreed without even thinking about it.
Therefore, Ye Xiqing naturally occupied the upper floor, which was later modified and partitioned off, while Qiu Hui and her daughter lived in a partitioned room in the lower workshop.
Compared to the rented house she used to live in, the conditions were obviously worse, but Qiu Hui was full of hope.
She hung up on the phone without hesitation when the owner of the auto parts factory called.
As the factory's top-performing salesperson, while she was there, people would either find various reasons to deduct her wages or spread rumors about her behind her back. But after she left, they started chatting and getting a raise.
Qiu Hui doesn't want to look back on the past; she only wants to build her career.
Things will get better, as long as she tries, things will get better!
...
In the days that followed, Qiu Hui busily prepared for her steamed bun business, while Ye Xiqing did not help at all, only offering her mouth.
"You said the steamed buns cost three yuan each?" Qiu Hui looked at Ye Xiqing in shock.
She was running a small business, not as authentic as a breakfast shop, so it's one thing to not sell cheaply, but why sell it so expensively?
Ye Xiqing replied matter-of-factly, "It's precisely because you're running a small business that you have to sell at a higher price."
“Those authentic noodle shops have countless employees and professional machines. They can easily produce thousands of buns a day. They are the ones that can compete on price. What you can compete on is the human touch of handmade food.”
"But customers aren't stupid. Even if a three-yuan steamed bun is incredibly delicious, nobody will buy it..."
"This brings us to the second issue: your buns can't be the regular size; they have to be 1.8 times the price of a bun that costs 1.5 yuan on the market."
Qiu Hui: Hmm?
Realizing that the concept might be a bit abstract, Ye Xiqing stretched out her hand and gestured to her how 1.8 times the size of a steamed bun would look.
As Qiu Hui watched, she was suddenly moved.
Ye Xiqing continued speaking slowly.
“You are a human being, not a machine. It’s impossible to make two hundred buns a day. By making the buns bigger, one reason is to reduce repetitive mechanical labor and lower labor costs.”
"A bun that is 1.8 times larger will not cause consumers to feel disgusted."
"Because for most people, breakfast is not a single item, but a comprehensive one. Customers tend to focus on the overall price rather than the individual items."
"From now on, you will have two channels for your customers: one is the group that I connect with and that needs home delivery, and the other is the group that sells their products outside by pushing their own carts."
"For those who need me to deliver something, you give them a bowl of egg drop soup."
"The cost of the egg drop soup is not high and it doesn't take much effort, but for customers, it's worth it to buy 1.8 buns and a drink for three yuan."
"The most anticipated function of breakfast is to soothe the stomach, not to fill the stomach. There is no difference between two buns costing 1.5 yuan and one bun costing 1.8 yuan. However, the bowl of soup can make up for the customer's psychological needs."
“When you’re out, you can’t serve soup; you have to sell it with tofu pudding, and each bowl costs one dollar and fifty cents.”
"The purpose of having customers who pre-order is to maintain stability, and you need to offer discounts to retain them, whether it's delivering egg drop soup or home delivery, these are all benefits."
"But you have to make money from transient strangers. Even if regular customers know that you will include egg drop soup in your delivery, don't agree to give it to them for free. Rules are rules, and breaking the rules is the beginning of trouble."
"When it comes to the price range for breakfast, most people can divide it into two categories: five yuan and fifty cents and ten yuan and fifty cents."
"For people whose psychological price is around 5.5 yuan, a steamed bun and a bowl of tofu pudding for 4.5 yuan can satisfy their needs without exceeding their psychological price."
"For those who buy at 10.5 yuan, they don't even mind spending 7.5 yuan to buy two buns from you. So, from that perspective, you're actually selling them a bit cheaply. Therefore, I suggest selling them with grilled sausages as well, and many people will buy them."
Qiu Hui's eyes widened, as if her mind had been opened up and suddenly became very broad.
Looking back now, I realize how clumsy I was to try so hard to sell two hundred steamed buns every day!
Qiu Hui, whose Civic was becoming increasingly lively, excitedly pondered, "Should I also sell some snacks, like sesame balls, soy milk, and tea eggs..."
"There's no need to go to extremes in everything. Just three basic skills are enough. As a self-employed individual, you actually need to protect your energy and remember that you are a person, not a money-making machine."
"When you have deeper ambitions, what you need to do is expand your store, not expand your stalls. Don't turn yourself back into a money-making machine like before, otherwise the meaning of starting your own business will be lost."
Qiu Hui: ...
Why does everything she says sound so reasonable?
Qiu Hui could hardly contain her admiration for Ye Xiqing, but questions also arose within her—
Why does she speak so clearly, yet she herself chooses to deliver food?
In response to this question, Ye Xiqing crossed her arms, smiled but remained silent, her expression inscrutable.
That's because it's easier to say than to do. As long as she doesn't do it, she can say whatever she wants.
...
In this way, although Ye Xiqing did not exert any effort, it seemed as if she had exerted the greatest effort.
But of course, she couldn't really do nothing; as part of the delivery team, she also had her own tasks.
These days, thanks to his down-to-earth and hardworking spirit, he has not only won the favor of the restaurant owner, but also the favor of many customers, especially female customers.
When you open the door and find a female delivery person there, the sense of security you feel is something only a woman can understand!
So, over time, not only were many good long-term orders established, but also many private contacts were received.
Many customers ask her to carry personal items or to run errands that require someone else to do them, for which she will naturally pay extra.
Ye Xiqing only works for one restaurant and isn't that busy. Most of the extra orders aren't urgent, so she usually agrees to them.
As their relationship grew closer, Ye Xiqing would ask them for help, such as: "Do you or any of my colleagues need breakfast delivered?"
Of course, there is a reward for this.
Giving real money seems to change the nature of the relationship, so Ye Xiqing didn't give too much. She just promised to give free breakfast to the few people who helped with the publicity.
This kind of mutual help, where you give me a small benefit and I give you a small benefit, is actually easier for people to accept.
After all, the deeper the bond of interests, the greater the responsibility. Neither of them had reached the point of being responsible for the other, so it was best to stop after a brief encounter.
Women are generally emotionally stable, perceptive, and possess good social skills.
So Ye Xiqing's breakfast group received more than 30 orders on the first day, with orders totaling more than 150 yuan.
It was specifically mentioned in the group that the steamed buns are handmade and a bit big, so it's recommended to only make one at a time. Therefore, the number of buns is still normal.
But many people bought two yuan worth of grilled sausages, or swapped the free egg drop soup for an extra yuan to buy tofu pudding, and in total they made a lot of money.
Ye Xiqing privately returned the breakfast money transferred from the contact in the group, and then turned to encourage Qiu Hui: "I've found the people for you. Whether you can keep them is up to you."
Qiu Hui was overjoyed. Her biggest expectation for selling breakfast was to sell 200 a day. Now she realized that she was being too conservative!
With the security of these regular orders, she immediately felt brimming with confidence and was ready to show off her skills!
Ye Xiqing has always felt that cooking, like reading and writing, requires emotion. Food made with passion always tastes better.
This is also why Ye Xiqing insists that Qiu Hui maintain her physical strength and energy. If she becomes too tired and turns her beloved work into mechanical labor, the quality will be greatly reduced.
Qiu Hui is now relying on her personal style; pushing herself too hard would be counterproductive.
The two got off to a very smooth start, but the system was so frustrated it wanted to scream—
"Host! You're not really going to livestream yourself working and starting a business for decades, are you?!"
Ye Xiqing said nonchalantly, "Is it not allowed? This kind of practical information, along with real-world entrepreneurial paths, should be of great interest to many people."
"No! Please don't speculate about the audience in the higher-dimensional world. The audience is interested in you now only because of your unexpected choice, not because you can teach them anything!"
"This interest is unlikely to last long. Please make plans in advance, otherwise it will affect your rating!"
Ye Xiqing finally put down her phone, feeling quite intrigued: "So in your world, you care more about 'spiritual nourishment' than 'material nourishment'?"
"Otherwise, how could they produce such an observational program? It wouldn't seem like they were lacking in resources."
That's really interesting. Ye Xiqing started to take an interest in the audience outside the screen. What kind of group doesn't care about material things but cares about entertainment?
She didn't think for long before looking up at the system: "But if we always follow the same formula, won't the audience get bored? How do you maintain the audience?"
The system answered without hesitation: "Even the leaves on a tree will have different textures. What the audience wants is to find novelty in small things, not to completely deviate from the formula. You never know when a new path will end up dead!"
"My previous two paths were quite successful."
What success?! Both of its worlds have been destroyed!
Seeing the system's exasperation, Ye Xiqing didn't want to provoke it any further and said seriously, "But I'm already using a new approach, haven't you noticed?"
"What?" The system was taken aback.
Ye Xiqing said calmly, "System, your understanding of human nature is too simplistic. To elevate something, you must first suppress it. What's the point of simple sweet romance?"
system:……
Ye Xiqing doesn't need to teach this principle, but where should the praise be, and where should the criticism be?
Ye Xiqing looked at it, feeling exasperated: "System, please think carefully. Right now, whether it's the minor villain or the male lead, they all hate me to the core, thinking that I abandoned them for money."
"But what if the minor villain, after enjoying the good life of a rich family, comes back to seek revenge, only to find that I've been living a poor working life all along?"
The system was taken aback, then slowly realized that it sensed some prerequisites for the crematorium.
Seeing that it was beginning to understand, Ye Xiqing nodded, "You're a promising student."
“I don’t like being in a subordinate position in a relationship. In this world, my status is too low compared to the male lead. Simple sweet romance plots don’t feel safe enough to me, so I want them to feel guilty towards me, to remember me deeply, and then to give me everything.”
system:……
It never expected that Ye Xiqing would be a fan of crematorium storylines...
However, judging from her previous behavior, it is clear that she is a very controlling person. If she cannot dominate the male lead in terms of status, she may indeed want to dominate him in terms of mentality!
Haha! This world is so wonderful!
The system regained its passion and looked at Ye Xiqing with great enthusiasm: "So, host, what are your plans now?"
"I have no plans. I'll just live a miserable eighteen years and wait for your little male lead to grow up."
"This is a bit too boring...aren't there any other things to fill in the plot..."
"If you're bored, just switch the camera to the male lead and the minor villain."
The system had a sudden inspiration: indeed, adding some plot tension would enrich the content!
The system disappeared in a flash, and Ye Xiqing continued to play on her phone with her head down.
That mentally challenged person is finally gone.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
