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Chapter 80
Chapter 80: Zhao Yanyan in Disarray
Su Lin looked at Zhao Yanyan with a baffled expression. She was supposed to be aloof, but Su Lin couldn’t detect any sign of that trait.
“Yanyan, Su Lin, what are you guys talking about? You seem so happy,” Lin Xiaowan asked as she approached them.
Zhao Yanyan winked at Lin Xiaowan, “Nothing much, just something you guessed right, quite amusing.”
Lin Xiaowan quickly understood the implication of Zhao Yanyan’s words and shot Su Lin a glare, to which he just shrugged. To Su Lin, anyone would take a second glance at Zhao Yanyan’s long legs; it was perfectly normal.
“Yanyan, don’t bother with Su Lin; he’s always like this. Let’s head back,” Lin Xiaowan suggested.
Su Lin, maintaining a serious face, nodded and opened the car door to get in.
Zhao Yanyan, curious, asked, “Is your supermarket really busy?”
Lin Xiaowan nodded affirmatively, “Extremely busy.”
“Why don’t you hire more staff then?”
“More staff? We have enough employees already. Oh, Yanyan, it’s too much to explain right now, but you’ll understand once you see for yourself.”
Just then, Lin Xiaowan’s phone rang again.
Zhao Yanyan overheard a bit of the conversation and was astonished. Lin Xiaowan ordered another 500 cans of foreign milk powder. Could they really sell that much?
Noticing Zhao Yanyan’s intrigued expression, Su Lin thought she was probably underestimating their business. Thankfully, she didn’t make a premature judgment.
For the next twenty minutes, Zhao Yanyan witnessed a never-ending stream of phone calls, leading her to ask Su Lin, “Is Xiaowan always this busy?”
Su Lin shook his head, “It’s just because of the grand opening today. The promotions and the May Day holiday attracted a lot of people. Normally, it’s not this busy.”
“How’s the business at your supermarket?” Zhao Yanyan inquired with curiosity.
Su Lin smiled, “It’s doing quite well, probably the first comprehensive supermarket in Zhongjiang.”
“Oh~!!” Zhao Yanyan fell into thought, wondering why Su Lin hadn’t received a single call while Lin Xiaowan was so busy. She decided to wait and find out the mystery herself.
Upon arriving at the supermarket, Zhao Yanyan was again taken aback. The three-story building, complete with elevators, was something rarely seen in Donghai, let alone in Zhongjiang.
Although she couldn’t see the entire depth of the store, just the front view told Zhao Yanyan that this supermarket was no small venture. The bustling crowd coming in and out with bags full of purchases, and the packed parking lot, spoke volumes.
“Wow…”
Lin Xiaowan explained, “We couldn’t have a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning because it was too crowded. Sorry, Yanyan.”
Zhao Yanyan shook her head, “With so many cars, who needs a ribbon-cutting? The business at your supermarket is amazing, Xiaowan. How much do you make in a day?”
Lin Xiaowan shrugged, “I’m not sure at the moment, but today’s sales probably exceed a million already.”
“What!!! A million?”
Lin Xiaowan nodded, “Today’s foot traffic was enormous. Su Lin’s extensive promotional campaign made everyone in Zhongjiang aware of our grand opening and the special deals, so they all came to take advantage.”
Hearing this, Su Lin smiled, “Everyone thinks they’re making a bargain, not realizing that the real profit is mine.”
Standing at the entrance for five minutes, Zhao Yanyan estimated that at least a hundred people had come and gone.
With such foot traffic in just five minutes, how much would it be for the entire day? Especially since it was already past eleven, lunchtime, and still so crowded. Considering all this, Lin Xiaowan’s claim of a million in daily sales seemed very plausible.
“Xiaowan, you’re only eighteen, still in your senior year, and you’ve built such a huge business. A daily turnover of a million…”
“And here I am, feeling proud of being praised by my mom for dancing well. Compared to you, our worlds are so different,” Zhao Yanyan said, feeling a bit disheartened.
Zhao Yanyan felt like she and Lin Xiaowan were worlds apart. While she was still living in a child’s world, Lin Xiaowan had stepped into adulthood, running her own business. The disparity among their peers was immense.
Lin Xiaowan understood Zhao Yanyan’s psychological gap. She had experienced a similar disparity when she first interacted with Su Lin. She knew exactly how Zhao Yanyan felt.
Approaching Zhao Yanyan, Lin Xiaowan asked, “So, Yanyan, do you want to join us?”
“Join… you guys?” Zhao Yanyan was surprised and somewhat enlightened. She had suspected that Lin Xiaowan’s invitation to come over wasn’t just a simple catch-up, but she hadn’t expected it to be this significant.
“Yes, join us! We plan to open a branch in Donghai, and Su Lin thinks you could be the manager. What do you say? Interested?”
Zhao Yanyan, pointing at the supermarket, was shocked, “Manage such a big supermarket? All by myself?”
Su Lin nodded, “It might even be more than one store. Yanyan – I’ll call you that too, if you don’t mind – Xiaowan told me about your capabilities.”
You’re capable, a student leader in school, organized many performances and public classes, and even sports events. I think your leadership skills are more than capable.”
“Quan Le Gou needs to expand, and time is money. Originally, Xiaowan and I planned to go there after the summer vacation, but knowing she has a friend like you, I think we have a better approach.”
“So, the plan is to have me join you? But I’ve never done this before. Running a supermarket is business, not like school debates or sports events.”
Su Lin pointed at himself, “Did I ever run a supermarket before? Did Xiaowan? We were both new to this and didn’t understand much, but look at our success.”
“You’re different, Yanyan. With a branch in Donghai, we can share our experiences with you, helping you avoid many mistakes. We can also train staff for you; we have been building our talent pool. So, you won’t have to do much.”
“What would I need to do?”
“Find locations, purchase properties, oversee renovations, contact suppliers,” Lin Xiaowan answered.
Zhao Yanyan felt overwhelmed, “I have to buy properties?”
Su Lin laughed, “Not buy, just search first. There’s still a month until the college entrance exam. We can start searching and negotiating, and by summer, we could finalize everything. Xiaowan and I will help you in Donghai.”
“Yes, I’ll be there too,” Lin Xiaowan added.
Zhao Yanyan, her mind in disarray, raised her hand, “Let’s… let’s put this aside for now. Let’s go inside and have a look first. My mind is too cluttered to give you an answer right now.”
Su Lin thought it might not have been the best time to discuss this right after getting out of the car, but he and Lin Xiaowan had gotten carried away.
Su Lin nodded, “Take your time to think, Yanyan. But the sooner the better, so we can start preparing.”
“Right, Yanyan!” Lin Xiaowan agreed.
Zhao Yanyan, looking at the supermarket and Lin Xiaowan, felt her resolve wavering. She had spent years dancing, but in the end, it was still performing for others.
Business, however, was different. Seeing Lin Xiaowan’s radiant demeanor and Su Lin’s confident eyes, Zhao Yanyan admitted she envied them.
“Let’s not talk about this now. Later, let’s have a good meal with Xiaoyu and Yangzi, and welcome Yanyan properly.”
“Sure!”
“Yanyan, come with us to the second floor and see.”
“Ah… Okay.”
Zhao Yanyan followed Su Lin and Lin Xiaowan into the elevator, curious about what the second floor held.
Seeing her inquisitive look, Su Lin once again had an idea. He and Lin Xiaowan exchanged a glance, both seeing the smile in each other’s eyes.
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