Chapter 166: Chapter 145: The Son Panicked, Is the Venture Over?
"It’s nothing, Lady Boss. Really, it’s just part of my job." The moment Chen He finished speaking, he realized he’d said the wrong thing.
After all, Jiang Yixia had told him last time not to call her "Lady Boss" anymore.
This time, however, Jiang Yixia didn’t press the issue, only reminding him, "You can head home now, Chen He. I’ll watch the shop."
"Alright, alright."
Chen He quickly left the flower shop and walked over to Lu Fan’s side.
Lu Fan glanced into the shop as he ate his oden.
The aroma of the oden made Chen He swallow. He asked curiously, "Is it good, Boss?"
"It’s delicious. What, you want a bite?" Lu Fan asked.
"Can I? If you don’t mind, I’d love to have a taste," Chen He said excitedly.
But Lu Fan replied, "Nope. Yixia bought this for me. If you want some, go buy your own from the stall up front."
"Alright... It’d be nice if an oden shop opened up around here."
The comment was made casually, but it gave Lu Fan an idea.
Lu Fan thought it was a great idea.
He looked around and walked over to the shop next to the pastry store.
It was a barbershop.
When the owner saw Lu Fan walk in, he asked enthusiastically, "Sir, need a haircut?"
"I’m not here for a haircut," Lu Fan said with a grin.
The owner was puzzled. "Then what can I do for you, sir?"
"Is this shop for sale?" Lu Fan asked, glancing at the interior.
"My shop isn’t for sale! Business is good, why would I sell it?" The owner shook his head vigorously.
Lu Fan, however, remained calm. "That’s fine. Just name a price."
"I’m not selling for any price. I rely on this shop to make a living," the owner said, preparing to show Lu Fan the door.
"Considering the decor and layout, how about this: I’ll give you 500,000. You have one day to pack up all your things and leave. I just want the empty space."
The owner was about to refuse, but his eyes shot wide open. "How... how much?! 500,000?!"
After Lu Fan nodded, the man stared at him in disbelief. "Are you sure, sir? This isn’t something to joke about."
"We can sign a letter of intent right now, and I’ll transfer you a 100,000 deposit. How does that sound?" Lu Fan replied.
Upon hearing this, the owner immediately bellowed toward a back room, "Wife, get out here and start packing! We’re moving the shop!"
Then, Lu Fan called Old Luo. "Hey, Old Luo, is oden difficult to learn how to make?"
"I’ll have to ask the chef at our manor."
"Oh, okay. No worries. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll just go find that vendor from a minute ago and have him teach me."
Lu Fan’s thinking was simple. ’There’s no problem in the world money can’t solve.’
’And if there is, it just means you aren’t using enough money.’
Of course, he was now facing a problem that money couldn’t solve: how to get Jiang Yixia to forgive him.
’It’s going to be a long and difficult road.’
「Meanwhile.」
After dinner, Jiang Sifan was taking Jiali to check on their workshop when he unexpectedly received a message from the owner of the wholesale shop.
"Jiang Tongxue, your work efficiency is abysmal. It’s been over ten days, and you still haven’t finished my shop’s books. I’m terminating the contract!"
After seeing the message, Jiang Sifan immediately replied with an explanation: "I’m sorry, Boss Chen. We’ve been a bit busy with our studies lately. Rest assured, we’ll definitely get it done for you by the deadline stipulated in the contract."
"No. You’re working too slowly. I paid a good amount, but your efficiency is terrible. Just forget it. I’m terminating the contract."
Jiang Sifan was suddenly in a tight spot.
Normally, if one party terminates the contract early, they’re supposed to pay a cancellation fee.
But back then, in his eagerness to secure clients, he had removed that very clause.
This was exactly what Lu Fan had emphasized during the seminar he gave: don’t compromise your principles for the sake of business, and always build a risk firewall.
At the time, Jiang Sifan had thought all these shop owners were easygoing and that a situation like this would never happen.
Now, it had come back to bite him.
’Still, it’s just one client, thankfully. The loss isn’t too great.’
But just as he was breathing a sigh of relief, two or three other clients started demanding updates on their accounts.
And after just a few messages back and forth, they all brought up terminating their contracts as well.
This time, Jiang Sifan truly began to panic. ’Is this where my startup journey ends?’
