0139: Shop Secured

With two grown men not drinking, the meal lasted only a short half hour. Even so, Xu Lin felt he had gained a great deal. Although the man across from him seemed to be a seasoned businessman, he had been remarkably sincere. At least, that was how it felt to Xu Lin; the man had shared many business experiences and techniques, from which Xu Lin learned quite a bit. While he could learn from Chu Fengyi, managing a large corporation was ultimately different from running a small business.

"I've already taken care of the bill," the man said quickly as he saw Xu Lin reaching for his phone.

"You came all the way here to bring me a surprise, I really can't let you pay for the meal..."

"I came back mainly to visit my elders. I’m a local, so there’s no such thing as being a host. Come on, let me take you to see the storefront."

"Alright, thank you for the trouble, Uncle."

"What trouble? Let’s go!"

As the two exited the restaurant, they found the road still blocked. From a distance, Xu Lin spotted blue metal hoardings, likely indicating roadwork.

"Can we get through?"

"We're here."

"Oh?"

Following the man's finger, he saw a storefront with a rolling metal door, upon which a piece of paper was taped: 'Not for rent, for inquiries please call XXXXXXX'.

Xu Lin glanced back at the restaurant; it was only a hundred or two meters away. He had walked past this spot every day back in junior high.

"It’s two stories, sixty square meters each—not huge. But I think it’s perfect for a small snack-style business like Malatang. We have specific renovation guidelines, and we can come help, or you can handle it yourselves. Of course, that costs money, as there are expenses involved."

"Uncle Cui, whether it’s the renovation or the training, let’s just follow the standard procedures for a franchise."

To be honest, having saved tens of thousands, he felt embarrassed to ask for any more favors.

"Fine. Actually, there isn't much to the training; it mainly revolves around the Malatang base broth. As for the ingredients, everyone’s are pretty much the same."

"I see."

"Besides, Malatang is essentially a simplified version of hot pot, so it’s all about speed and convenience. I believe that as the food delivery industry grows in small cities, it will become even more profitable."

"That’s true."

Although the man had provided him with the shop for free, Xu Lin didn't dare mention his own plans to develop the Orange and Blue delivery platforms. After all, everyone is looking to make money; if the man asked to buy a stake, it would be difficult to decide whether to accept.

"You may not have gone to college, but at least you're willing to work hard now. My boy, he’s in his twenties, and all he does is create problems for me!"

"Young people today have too many ideas of their own. My parents weren't very supportive of my writing at first, but now that I've had some success, things are better."

"Sigh... perhaps it’s because his mother and I divorced. I’m busy with work and don't have time to communicate with him. But, of course, what worries me most is my daughter."

"She lives with her mother, so her daily needs are likely better taken care of, but because of our divorce, she didn't want to pursue her education despite her excellent high school entrance exam scores. Now she’s just a shut-in..."

As he spoke, Cui Niancheng, who had been smiling since they met, took a deep breath. His expression turned solemn, revealing the loneliness of a middle-aged man. Xu Lin didn't interrupt his reflections; every family has its own hardships, and life is not composed solely of happiness and joy.

"My apologies, my apologies. Seeing you reminded me of my own children, and suddenly I just..."

Half a minute later, Cui Niancheng snapped out of it, rubbed his eyes, and looked at him apologetically.

"It's alright. Parents really should communicate more with their children. Many things can actually be resolved through more conversation."

"Yes. When I have time to go back, I’ll have a talk with my son. And my daughter, of course."

"Her mother doesn't let her see me, so I haven't been calling her. I’ve been a failure as a father."

He gave a self-deprecating laugh, then shook his head. "Let's go inside and take a look! Look at me, just wasting time."

Inside the shop, apart from the floor tiles, the walls were bare—just plain white plaster and a grey ceiling.

"I bought this a few years ago and haven't touched it since. I didn't even do a basic renovation. You're saving me the trouble by doing it now."

"Haha, then maybe Uncle can provide a little subsidy."

"Now, now, don't make me angry, I don't have any spare change in my pockets!"

"Hahaha!"

The two had grown much more comfortable with each other, even joking around. Yet, hearing that his "Uncle" might get angry, Xu Lin immediately thought of his career as an online creator. Should he use the money saved today to upgrade his filming equipment? And, of course, the audio gear—that would be at least ten thousand yuan!

The two went upstairs to take a look. Xu Lin didn't know much about interior design or layout, so he decided to rely on the professionals.

"If I have the headquarters send people over to help, how long will it take?"

"It’s not a residence, just a simple snack shop, so it’s easy to renovate. Half a month at most. They will tell you what you need to buy. I wish you success."

"Yes. Uncle Cui gave me a free shop in a great location; if I still can't make it work, that would be entirely my own fault."

"Entrepreneurship isn't easy. Keep a steady mindset; persistence is what matters most."

"Understood."

They chatted a bit more about the arrangements after joining the franchise, and Xu Lin took it all to heart.

"I'll head off now."

"Uncle Cui, I was hoping to take you around for a bit. Haven't you not been back for years?"

"No, no. I still need to go visit the elders for a while, and I have to head back this evening."

"That’s quite a rush. You’ve given me such a gift, and I haven't even had a chance to return the favor."

"It's fine, it's fine. Like I said, this is a mutually beneficial arrangement. You have the keys; we can handle the paperwork later when there's time."

"Alright."

Although not signing a contract immediately was a bit risky, he figured a man worth tens of millions wouldn't bother swindling a young man like him.

"I came by taxi, you don't need to see me off. It's so jammed here, I'll just walk around the corner and catch one."

"Alright. Uncle Cui, next time you come, I'll cook for you myself and show you what I can do!"

"Good, good." With that, he waved his hand dismissively and walked off quickly.

Xu Lin pulled down the rolling shutter, locked the shop, and glanced into the distance, seeing the man disappear around the corner. He gripped the keys tightly, looked back at the signless storefront, and took a deep breath. He finally felt at peace. His first venture into entrepreneurship was about to begin. When he first arrived in this world, he had never imagined he would be running a business.

"Truly, nothing in this world is certain."

Elsewhere, sitting in a taxi, Cui Niancheng looked at the word "Daughter" on his phone. His fingers trembled for a long moment before he finally pressed the call button.

A few seconds later, a familiar yet distant voice answered—soft and tinged with timidity.

"Dad? I really don't want to go to school..."

"Zimeng, no... no, I'm not forcing you to go to school. I just wanted to ask, how have you been lately?"

As his daughter spoke, Cui Niancheng’s clenched hand slowly relaxed, and a smile returned to his face.