Shopkeeper Wu hesitated for a moment: "So your meaning is..."
Xin He raised her eyes to look at him, her lips curved slightly: "The banquets at the Flower House can be handled by the Guilinju, but I want a share of the profit of Guilinju!"
Shopkeeper Wu laughed: "That’s easy to say, naturally we’ll share the profit with you."
However, Xin He shook her head: "What I’m talking about isn’t just the profit of the Flower House, but the profit of all industries in Lian’an Town with the Guilinju sign, including the money earned in Guilinju’s restaurants."
Shopkeeper Wu’s eyes widened: "How can that be?!"
Xin He had anticipated Shopkeeper Wu’s reaction, so she didn’t find it strange. Indifferently, she said: "Shopkeeper Wu, although we are friends, we must still calculate the accounts clearly, right? Let’s be frank, Shopkeeper Wu probably knows why Guilinju has achieved its current success."
Shopkeeper Wu said: "Naturally it’s inseparable from Miss Ji’s help, with her pickles and grape wine, they’ve become the exclusive features of Guilinju, making our reputation even more resounding. For this, I’ve always been grateful, but..."
Xin He interjected: "Since Shopkeeper Wu can understand this, that’s good. In fact, all the previous assistance can’t be considered me helping you, as Guilinju and Qinghe complement each other, both profiting and winning. So Shopkeeper Wu doesn’t need to feel indebted to me."
Shopkeeper Wu nodded, finding this reasonable.
Xin He then continued: "But this Flower House is not the same as our previous small transactions. After all, although the Flower House is a brothel, which guest comes only to eat and drink without looking for a girl? Moreover, I intend to make the Flower House extraordinary, it may eventually become a place for officials and nobles to entertain distinguished guests, rather than just a place for men to have fun. It’ll be a brothel as well as a restaurant. Do you understand my intentions, Shopkeeper Wu?"
Shopkeeper Wu hesitated: "You intend to make it a restaurant?"
"Not exactly a restaurant, but it will have a greater emphasis than a regular brothel, so the profits will be much bigger. If I just give such a large profit to Shopkeeper Wu casually, wouldn’t I suffer a huge loss?"
Xin He took a sip of tea and continued: "If Shopkeeper Wu didn’t come to find me today, I was actually going to take full responsibility for the banquet part of the Flower House on my own, which means that I would operate and profit from it. In that case, Guilinju wouldn’t benefit, and the business Guilinju would lose in the future could be considerable. Shopkeeper Wu should know best about the competition within the same industry."
Shopkeeper Wu’s face changed a few times before he asked: "Can you really make the Flower House so big?"
Xin He smiled lightly: "Whether I can do it or not, Shopkeeper Wu probably has an idea in his heart. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to find me today. I don’t do things without confidence. I’m determined to make the Flower House a success, and my ambitions aren’t just limited to running a brothel. Once the Flower House grows, I will inevitably get involved in the restaurant business. I didn’t have to tell Shopkeeper Wu all these things, but I shared them today out of consideration for our good relationship."
Shopkeeper Wu pursed his lips, obviously pondering over something.
Xin He said: "If Shopkeeper Wu is willing to cooperate, I will be sincere. I want 50% of Guilinju’s profits in Lian’an Town, including both the brothel and the restaurant! If Shopkeeper Wu thinks it’s worth it, hand over the Flower House’s banquets. If Shopkeeper Wu doesn’t think it’s worth it, I won’t force it."
"This matter... I still need to think it over." Shopkeeper Wu said in a deep voice.
Xin He nodded: "This is a big matter, and Shopkeeper Wu must give it careful consideration. I’m not in a hurry. There’s still a month before the Flower House officially opens. I’ll give Shopkeeper Wu a week. Once you’ve made up your mind, just come to me."
Finally, Shopkeeper Wu stood up: "Alright, I’ll take my leave first."
"Shulan, see Shopkeeper Wu out," Xin He said.
Just as Shopkeeper Wu was about to turn and leave, he hesitated for a moment before turning back and looking at Xin He with doubt: "Where do you get the confidence, thinking that I would consider giving you 50% of Guilinju’s profits, just for the catering contract of Flower House? If your Flower House eventually doesn’t attract customers or make money, wouldn’t I just be giving away Guilinju’s profits for nothing?"
Xin He smiled: "In business, you can’t be timid. You have to take a gamble. If you win, Shopkeeper Wu will profit, but if you lose, you’ll bear the loss. It’s that simple. The reason I’m confident that Shopkeeper Wu might agree is because I know he is an ambitious and courageous person. However, I’m not overly concerned about your final choice."
This is a gamble. If Shopkeeper Wu chooses Xin He, and he wins, he will gain the banquet profits of both Guilinju and the Flower House. But if he loses, he will have to pay half of Guilinju’s profits.
If Shopkeeper Wu doesn’t choose Xin He and wins, then her Flower House will not thrive, and it won’t pose a threat to him. If he loses, her Flower House will not only prosper but also steal business from Guilinju, therefore causing Guilinju to suffer.
Xin He didn’t hide anything, she told Shopkeeper Wu everything clearly, it seemed as if his decision wouldn’t actually affect her in any way.
"So..." Shopkeeper Wu hesitated for a long while before asking: "Do you plan to expand the Flower House all over the country, like your Qinghe store, if it becomes a huge success?"
Xin He laughed and shook her head: "No, no matter how successful Flower House becomes, there will always be only one in the entire Da Qian!"
Shopkeeper Wu was taken aback: "Why?" If such a business became big and well-known, it should naturally be expanded to the most prosperous and profitable places like the capital city!
This was also the reason why Shopkeeper Wu had always found it strange. If Xin He really had such grand ambitions, why did she not stay in the capital city to open this brothel, but instead return to Lian’an Town?
Xin He’s eyes drooped slightly, why? Because she wanted to make Lian’an Town more prosperous than the capital city!
Shopkeeper Wu only knew that her ambitions were great, but he did not know that her ambitions were even greater than he had imagined!
Xin He raised a smile: "The reason will become clear to Shopkeeper Wu in the future. For now, Shopkeeper Wu only needs to remember the words I give him today, if you choose me today, you will never regret it in the future."
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