Chapter 130: Going to the City Where You Are

Li’s father was not particularly worried about Li Mu’s concerns. He said, "If I just give your uncle money, he won't be willing to accept it. However, opening a shop also concerns your sister's future. People in rural areas marry young; in another two years, she'll likely be talking about marriage. If she's still doing odd jobs in town by then, how could she be looked upon with any respect? If there’s a family business, she’ll be able to find a better match later. And there’s your younger brother—if he wants to get married in the future, we’ll need to build a new house back home. All of this takes money."

He continued, "I’ve thought it through. I can’t just tell him I’m opening a shop for him; his pride wouldn't take it. I want to use the method you used on your mother and me: start the investment and preparation first, and when it’s almost ready, tell him I spent money to open a shop but don't have the time to manage it, so I need his help. I'll offer him half the shares. If he refuses, I’ll tell him that his older brother will lose tens of thousands of yuan, and let's see what he does then."

Li Mu smiled and nodded. He had indeed used this exact tactic to corner his parents back then. He had said it nonchalantly: if they didn't agree, it didn't matter, but the family would lose over a hundred thousand yuan. Once his parents heard that, they had no choice but to agree.

Li Mu then asked, "How much investment is needed to open a wholesale store in town? What’s the income like? Have you looked into it, Dad?"

Li’s father replied, "Renting a storefront of about a hundred square meters in town only costs a little over a thousand yuan a month. A wholesale store doesn't need much renovation; just get some counters and a signboard, and you're good to go. It’s all about selling cheap goods in high volume. Stocking up doesn't cost much either. People in rural areas love to bring small gifts when visiting relatives, like inexpensive cigarettes, alcohol, and beverages. Snacks and fruits also sell very well."

Li Mu thought for a moment and said, "Low barrier to entry means high competition. It might not be easy to run, and products in a wholesale store aren't exactly unique. If we’re going to do this, we have to be better than others in certain areas."

Li’s father frowned. "We’re all selling the same things, and expensive items won't sell. What could we possibly be better at?"

Li Mu laughed. "I’m not an expert, but I feel that instead of just opening a typical town wholesale store piled high with goods, we should add a little more investment and put some effort into the decor. Make it look more decent than the other shops in town. Ideally, combine a small supermarket with a wholesale store. It’s really just about the flooring, walls, lighting, and shelves—it wouldn't cost much. Twenty or thirty thousand yuan at most. But for the merchants in town, that’s more than two years' rent; they might not be willing to spend that kind of money."

Li Mu had visited the local wholesale stores. They were all identical: plain, unfinished rooms with a counter, some shelves, and piles of cardboard boxes at the entrance. That was it. If you went at night, there was only a dim bulb hanging in the room, which felt depressing and offered no incentive to enter.

In such a competitive environment, even just laying down cheap white floor tiles, giving the walls a simple coat of white paint, and fixing the lighting would put them a step ahead of the others.

Li’s father nodded repeatedly. "I understand. Once we get back from Wenzhou, I’ll go back to town to scout around. If there’s a suitable storefront, I’ll rent it. Is that okay, honey?"

Li’s mother had no objections. She said to the father and son, "It hasn't been easy for Da-guang to take care of his parents; it’s a good thing to help him open a wholesale store. I certainly have no objections."

Li’s father exclaimed, "My wife is truly broad-minded!"

Li’s mother smiled, though she looked at Li Mu with a hint of apology. "Son, as for buying you a house in Beijing, I'm afraid that will have to wait until after the New Year."

Li Mu waved his hand with a smile. "Mom, if there’s a way to make money, use the funds for investment. Hoarding property is necessary, but prices won't skyrocket in the next few years."

Li Mu still had a clear memory of current property prices. In the next two years, domestic real estate wouldn't truly take off. Even in tier-one cities like Beijing and Shanghai, prices would at most double. If there was a project that could double in value within two years, it was better to invest the capital there. For Li Mu, hoarding property was just a lazy man's investment strategy.

...

Hearing that Li Mu was back, his aunt brought her husband and child over to visit that very evening. During Li Mu's absence, she had heard rumors that the decision to open the Metersbonwe franchise was entirely Li Mu's idea. This made her look at her nephew with newfound respect. A nineteen-year-old with the courage to make his parents undertake such a massive business venture—and to bet so accurately—left her no choice but to be impressed.

Knowing this, she realized that Li Mu was the one truly calling the shots in the family business.

The aunt didn't yet know that Li’s parents had decided to launch the Semir brand; she only felt that she had misjudged them for years and wanted to seize the chance to mend her somewhat strained relationship with her sister's family. Furthermore, she really wanted to work at Li Mu’s store, as her own children's clothing shop was no longer profitable.

Seeing his aunt this time, it was the first time in Li Mu's memory that she appeared humble. With his thirty-something mindset, he forgave her for her past behavior. In front of his aunt and uncle, he revealed the family’s plan to open a Semir store.

Upon hearing the news, his aunt was both excited and anxious.

She had seen the ability and value demonstrated by Li Mu’s aunt-in-law at the Metersbonwe store and knew her income was shockingly high. It was impossible not to be envious. She had originally hoped to work as an assistant, but Li Mu’s sudden mention of opening another store ignited her hope of becoming a manager. However, thinking back on her past harshness toward her brother-in-law, she feared she wouldn't get the opportunity.

There were many things his parents felt awkward saying directly, but Li Mu didn't mind. He told his aunt his requirements for a store manager, implying that he wouldn't mind her taking the role, provided she met those standards.

Though it felt strange for her junior to act like a leader, the aunt didn't mind at all. She kept promising that she would work hard to meet the requirements, her attitude remarkably sincere.

That was enough.

Li Mu wasn't someone who kept all the gains to himself, and his parents were even less so. When a small family prospers, helping other family members live better lives is a duty; that is what relatives should do. No one in the extended family had thought of this before, but now that the responsibility fell on his parents, it was a good thing for them too—Li Mu knew they didn't care much about money.

He gave his aunt a non-committal answer; the rest would depend on her performance and ability.

...

Ever since Li Mu returned, Chen Wan’s heart had felt like that of a seventeen-year-old girl.

She would lie on her bed at night, tossing and turning, checking her phone for a message from him. When nothing came, she’d mutter to her phone, "Bad boy, you finally came back, and you don't know how to contact me? At least ask me out for a late-night snack?"

People from Haizhou loved to eat, especially late-night snacks. From March to the end of November, the night markets and barbecue stalls were in peak season. Perhaps because she was hungry, or perhaps because she wanted to see Li Mu, Chen Wan always hoped he would suddenly text her to grab a bite.

She waited anxiously for a long time, wrinkling her bedsheets, but Li Mu remained silent.

Finally, Chen Wan sent him a text, pouting, "This bad boy... never takes the initiative in anything..."

Li Mu was currently lying in bed with his laptop on his stomach, browsing Tieba and feeling thrilled by its rapid growth. When his phone buzzed, it was a text from Chen Wan: "Hey, want to go for a late-night snack?"

Li Mu replied, "If you go out this late, won't your aunt and uncle mind?"

"They aren't in Jiangcheng; they're in Jinling. I came back alone. I'm hungry and want barbecue, are you going or not?"

Li Mu checked the time—five minutes to midnight. It was the perfect time for a late-night snack. He replied, "Will you drive over to pick me up?"

Chen Wan scrambled out of bed in excitement, replying as she changed her clothes: "Get ready, I'll be there soon!"

Although Chen Wan was from Haizhou, she had gone to Jinling for high school and Shanghai for college, so she had almost no friends in Haizhou. Most importantly, her father’s business focus was gradually shifting to Jinling, meaning the family rarely returned to Haizhou anymore.

The only reason Chen Wan insisted on coming back was Li Mu. Other than him, she couldn't think of any reason that would attract her back.

Chen Wan soon arrived at the entrance of Li Mu’s apartment complex. Li Mu slipped out quietly and got into her Audi.

Twenty meat skewers, a dozen oysters, and a mug of draft beer. Chen Wan ate the skewers unhurriedly, while Li Mu focused on the oysters. Haizhou was a coastal city, and though the city center was dozens of kilometers from the coast, the Jintai County area was right on the shore, home to many seafood farms. Consequently, the local seafood was both cheap and fresh.

The oysters grilled with garlic and vermicelli were delicious. Li Mu used his chopsticks to down them almost one per mouthful, taking a sip of beer after every two. Before long, he had polished off most of the dozen.

"Boss, is the other dozen ready yet?" Li Mu asked urgently, seeing they were almost finished.

"Almost, almost, just a few minutes!"

"Don't grill them too long, just bring them over now!"

Oysters could be eaten raw, and once Li Mu’s appetite was whetted, he couldn't stop.

Chen Wan giggled as she watched. "Look at you, like you're in battle. Do you really like oysters that much?"

"They're delicious, nourishing, and... good for vitality."

"Pfft!" Chen Wan pursed her lips. "You little brat, what kind of vitality do you need?"

Li Mu chuckled but didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Don't you want a few?"

"I don't want any. I don't need a boost to my vitality."

Li Mu raised an eyebrow, just about to tease her, when Chen Wan’s expression turned serious. "I’ve decided to apply for an internship at CCTV and Beijing TV. If I pass, I’ll be able to go to the city where you are."

Li Mu choked on his beer, coughing repeatedly as he asked, "Really?"