Chapter 555: Chapter 186: 80s Drama Queen Forced to Become a Top Student (21)

"The building needed renovations anyway, so we don’t have to count that as a business expense. As for the merchandise on the shelves, I already made a deal with the suppliers when I got it. We can exchange anything we don’t sell that’s close to its expiration date."

"And if we ever decide we don’t want to run the shop anymore, we can return the merchandise for a full refund. We don’t have to take on any of the risk."

"So, just think of it this way: this month, every single customer who walks through that door is pure profit for us."

"Why are you so worried about how much we’re making? This is just supposed to be a hobby for you, so don’t take it so seriously. If you’re going to be anxious all day, unable to eat or sleep well because you think we’re not earning enough, then we’d be better off just closing the store now."

The old lady felt as if she’d been jolted awake by a sledgehammer. She couldn’t help but press a hand to her forehead, smiling and shaking her head. She ruffled Sheng Leyun’s soft, curly hair. "You’re right, you’re so right. My dear granddaughter is the one with a clear head. You haven’t been blinded by money."

"Grandma really got too caught up in it this time. All I could think was, ’It’s over, we’re going to lose money.’ Even when we were making a profit, I couldn’t feel at ease."

"Take today, for example. We made a net profit of twenty yuan, which is quite a bit—it’s almost a temp worker’s daily wage. But it was like I couldn’t even see it. It felt like if we didn’t clear a hundred, it didn’t count as real profit."

Sheng Leyun smiled. "Grandma, that’s just human nature. Who isn’t tempted by the prospect of profit?"

"There’s no end to making money. And what’s the use of earning it all if you don’t have the health to enjoy it? We need to adjust our mindset and enjoy life, not be weighed down by it."

The old lady nodded vigorously. ’She’s right. My life is already so much better than it used to be.’

She always felt that her father’s death from falling off a roof while doing odd jobs, her husband’s failure to survive the famine, and her son’s enlistment for the military stipend were all because their family had no money.

’I’m already a widowed old woman, yet I’m still desperately trying to hoard every penny. Isn’t this just a self-destructive way of punishing myself?’

’The young girl is right. Money is important, but good health is more important.’

’My life has already turned out this way. If I keep clinging to the past, I’ll never have anything to look forward to.’

’And I have a child right here who needs me. I have to live happily every day, take care of my health, and be there to guide her. I can’t let my dear granddaughter go down the wrong path.’

And so, the old lady truly began to relax. She set up a cotton candy machine at the shop’s entrance. Selling about ten sticks a day brought in a dollar or two!

On weekends, she could even sell twenty or thirty.

Sheng Leyun also quickly figured out a recipe for oden. To ensure the ingredients were clean, sanitary, and fresh, she had someone procure a chest freezer and a refrigerator for her ahead of time.

The oden didn’t require much effort. It tasted great, offered both meat and vegetable options, and the skewers were cheap. Any kid with a little pocket money couldn’t resist the overpowering aroma after school and would buy a skewer or two.

Some even paired their skewers with a steaming hot bun.

When they did, Grandma Guo would throw in a free brushing of her homemade sauce—either spicy or savory—and tuck in a couple of cucumber slices to eat with the skewers.

TSK TSK, the taste was absolutely divine!

Seeing the smiles and satisfaction on the children’s faces, Grandma Guo was filled with joy.

After school, Sheng Leyun went straight to the shop.

Grandma Guo would hand her a homemade stuffed bun: a fried egg, meat sauce, shredded carrots and cucumber, a spoonful of crushed peanuts, and a smear of sauce. It was clearly an upgraded version of what the others were eating.

The friends who walked home with Sheng Leyun received the same special treatment.

The old lady knew their little sundry shop had only been possible because of the connections these kids provided.

A stable supply chain, guaranteed quality, and low prices—these were the most critical factors for starting a shop.

Moreover, the fact that she and her granddaughter could earn money peacefully, amidst the envy and jealousy of others, without anyone daring to bully them or cause trouble, had a lot to do with the influential families these children came from.

Sheng Leyun had also told her grandmother that the friends received a cut of the shop’s profits.

After hearing that, the old lady treated the children even better, as if they were her own grandkids.

Sheng Leyun would say with a laugh, "Go on, eat up. Think of it as a shareholder perk. It comes out of our regular profits."

The friends couldn’t refuse and could only accept with a sigh.

And you know, for such a simple meal, it was incredibly fragrant and satisfying.

With a bun to tide them over, they wouldn’t be trembling with hunger by the time they got home.

Once the sundry shop was running smoothly, Sheng Leyun and her friends, under the leadership of Gong Zicheng, began preparing to take on all sorts of academic competitions.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.