Chapter 405: A Business Proposition (1)
Chapter 405: A Business Proposition (1)
First with the jewelry company, and now acquiring their own hotel, Nie Zhan had been busy lately and couldn't accompany Lu Jiaxin on their travels. However, it wasn't an issue; he could focus on making money while his girlfriend enjoyed herself.
Nie Zhan asked, "Didn't you promise Sister-in-law and Miss Yu that you would invite them over when you move house? Fu Ye asked me about it the other day. Have you chosen a date yet?"
Lu Jiaxin had already consulted a Feng Shui master for an auspicious date for the move. "It's set; August 22nd is a lucky day. I'll come back early. We'll hold a housewarming banquet and invite friends over to liven up the place."
Nie Zhan immediately asked, "Can we include my eldest brother, eldest sister-in-law, and fourth younger brother as well?"
Lu Jiaxin smiled, "Of course, I'll send them invitations when the time comes."
She could draw up the guest list, and the rest could be handled by Zhang Sinling. This was the advantage of having wealth; the menial tasks could be left to others.
Subsequently, Lu Jiaxin brought up He Bin's idea of opening a supermarket in the mainland, "Retail business will definitely be profitable, but the mainland market isn't fully open yet. Zhan, I want to open a few convenience stores in Hong Kong City first to establish a reputation. In a few years, when we have the experience, a good reputation, and the mainland policies are more open, we can enter the market and quickly capture a large share."
Nie Zhan laughed and said, "The jewelry company hasn't even opened yet, and now you want to venture into retail?"
Lu Jiaxin said, "Zhan, there are over a billion people in the mainland. Imagine the size of that market. If we get there first, we'll feast, but if we're late, we might not even get to sip the soup."
Nie Zhan laughed out loud. "Tell He Bin to come find me when he's back in Hong Kong," he said.
Even if they were to invest in the retail industry, they would first need to hear He Bin's thoughts on the matter. Of course, since He Bin had previously been in the real estate business, they would still need to hire relevant professionals even if they decided to invest in retail.
"Alright," Lu Jiaxin agreed.
The couple spent time together until past eleven o'clock before finally parting ways and returning to their respective homes.
The next day, after breakfast, Lu Shan prepared to leave. He had come empty-handed but was now leaving with two large suitcases. One was bought by Lu Shan himself, and the other was prepared by Lu Jiaxin.
The previous afternoon, they had gone to the wholesale market, where Lu Shan had found the items incredibly cheap and had unknowingly spent all the money in his pockets. To buy more goods, he had borrowed 5,000 Hong Kong dollars from Zong Jinghua, promising to repay the debt within half a month.
There would be a profit of at least 50% on these goods if sold in the mainland, so repaying the 5,000 debt would be easy.
As Lu Shan got into the car, Lu Jiaxin said, "If you have any problems in the future, let me know. Don't hide it from me. Even though I'm not in Si Jiucheng, I still know a few people there."
Having witnessed her financial power, Lu Shan immediately nodded in agreement.
After seeing Lu Shan off, Xue Mao asked Lu Jiaxin, "Sis Jiaxin, if I go to Mr. Nie's hotel and don't perform well, will it cause trouble for you?"
Lu Jiaxin hadn't expected him to be concerned about this. "What's difficult about that? If you don't perform well, the hotel manager will fire you according to the rules. Xue Mao, both Nie Zhan and I believe in your abilities, and you should have confidence in yourself too."
Xue Mao's determination was set after hearing this. He expressed his willingness to work at Nie Zhan's hotel, "I'll quit my job at the restaurant when I get back."
He had previously promised a few senior colleagues that they would open a restaurant together, but now he had changed his mind and didn't know how to bring it up. The opportunity presented by Mr. Nie was the perfect excuse.
Lu Jiaxin nodded, "Be mindful of your finances as well. Unless it's a matter of life and death, don't lend money to others.
"That 'someone else' was actually referring to his martial brothers. Although they've never met, Lu Jiaxin felt that La Xiemou's idea of opening a restaurant was a pit. If he had the ability, why would he wait until now?"
Xue Mao laughed and said, "Sis Jiaxin, I don't have much money on hand. Restaurant wages aren't high, and I've only saved up three thousand dollars in the past two years by being frugal."
Seeing that he had a plan in mind, Lu Jiaxin didn't say anything more.
Lu Shan returned home with two large suitcases. The gifts from Lu Jiaxin were for their little family, and half of it was milk powder for Gou Sheng.
When Da Mai saw the milk powder, she had an idea: "Shan Zi, Gou Sheng is one year old now. We can wean him."
Shan Zi felt that since she was going to stay at home to take care of the child, it would be fine to let their son drink milk until the end of the year.
Da Mai said, "I want my mother to help take care of the children, so I can go to the noodle shop to help out. During this time, I'll learn more from her, and when the time comes for us to open our own shop, we won't be in a panic."
Shan Zi hesitated, "If your mother comes to take care of the children, my older brothers and their wives might not be happy about it."
Da Mai smiled and said, "I'll pay my mother a wage. My brothers-in-law won't object to that. Shan Zi, my mother is diligent and meticulous. She'll definitely take good care of the three children."
Her mother had toiled her whole life and was still subjected to the moods of her daughters-in-law in her old age. If she could come to Si Jiucheng to help with the children, firstly, she wouldn't have to work in the fields and could take it easy; secondly, she wouldn't have to put up with her daughters-in-law every day; and thirdly, with money in hand, she would have more confidence.
Lu Shan knew that his mother-in-law was a busybody and was more efficient at housework than his wife. She would definitely take extra good care of her grandchildren. He said, "We have to ask Mother first and get her consent."
Upon hearing this, a brilliant smile lit up Da Mai's face. Knowing that her husband wasn't good with words, she said, "Shan Zi, I'll talk to Mother about this."
"Okay."
That night, after the three children were lulled to sleep, Lu Shan shared everything he had seen and heard in Hong Kong City with Da Mai, sparking her longing for that vibrant place.
Shan Zi said, "When we make more money in the future, I'll take you to that restaurant too."
Da Mai immediately rejected the idea: "Why eat there? It's not easy to go to Hong Kong City, and we'd have to trouble your sister again. The round-trip fare alone would cost a fortune. The food at that kind of restaurant must be exorbitantly priced. It would be better to use that money to buy the children a few more sets of clothes."
Shan Zi's enthusiasm cooled at her words, and he realized that such discussions were premature. For now, the most important thing was to focus on making money. The next morning, he went to work at the family noodle shop.
His second aunt, Lu Er Sao, saw him and immediately put him to work.
When it was past ten and there were fewer customers, she called him over and asked, "Did you encounter anything on your way to Hong Kong City?"
Lu Shan assured her that the trip had been smooth. "Mother, I met Sister's boyfriend, Mr. Nie. He's tall and handsome, and they look good together."
Lu Er Sao had already inquired about Nie Zhan. "Does he treat your sister well?"
"Very well. Sister listens to him in everything, and he dotes on her."
Lu Er Sao snorted coldly, "Of course, he's going to dote on your sister now that they're dating. You can't tell what kind of person he really is until after they're married."
Coming from such a prestigious family as the Nie family, he must have a lot of rules to follow. She worried that Lu Jiaxin would suffer in the future. However, with such a good match, she couldn't bring herself to object.
The mother and son were deep in conversation when someone walked in.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
