The last day of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday arrived in the blink of an eye.
Wang Yue went to the school gate early in the morning.
He had an appointment with the landlord today to look at a shop.
If all went according to plan, he would take over the shop and start his bubble tea shop venture.
Upon arriving at the shop, Wang Yue saw that the roll-up door was already open. A middle-aged man was standing at the entrance.
This man had impeccably combed hair, wore a suit, and carried a crocodile-skin bag, projecting the image of a successful businessman.
Seeing Wang Yue approach, a hint of surprise flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes.
He seemed taken aback by how young Wang Yue was.
"Young man, are you the one looking to rent the shop?"
the middle-aged man asked.
Wang Yue nodded and smiled, "Yes, it's me."
"Truly accomplished at such a young age."
The middle-aged man praised with a smile, "Take a look. This shop used to sell clothes. It's been cleared out now. What are you planning to use it for?"
Wang Yue took a brief look around the shop. It wasn't large, but it was more than enough for a bubble tea shop.
"I want to open a bubble tea shop. I'll need to renovate it. Is that okay?"
Wang Yue inquired.
"That's perfectly fine. Bubble tea shops are great; students love them,"
the middle-aged man nodded with a smile.
"Then let's sign the contract, landlord."
Wang Yue was direct and didn't waste time.
The landlord had already prepared the contract. After verifying the shop's five permits, Wang Yue promptly signed the agreement.
The rent was to be paid annually, with one month's deposit.
It was then that Wang Yue learned the landlord's name.
Wang Xuemin.
They even shared the same surname.
After signing the contract, Wang Xuemin left in a hurry.
Wang Yue, however, stood by the shop entrance, a look of satisfaction on his face.
He was going to be a boss himself now.
After a moment of indulgence, Wang Yue picked up his phone and called his childhood friend.
Wang Yue's childhood friend was Zhou Dewen.
They had been best friends since kindergarten. Zhou Dewen had always been an excellent student,
which led him to attend the best high school in their small town, the First High School.
He was also classmates with Li Xiaoman.
His family was in the renovation business.
This was why Wang Yue decided to approach him; he wouldn't be taken advantage of.
"Hello?"
After ringing for a long time, a groggy voice answered from the other end of the line.
"The sun is already high in the sky, and you're still sleeping?"
Wang Yue remarked.
"Wang Yue? What's up? If it's nothing, I'm hanging up. I didn't sleep until three last night,"
Zhou Dewen mumbled sleepily.
"It's important. I'm opening a bubble tea shop and need renovation. Tell your uncle,"
Wang Yue stated his purpose directly.
"Oh, you're opening a bubble tea shop? Alright, I'm hanging up then..."
"What?! You're opening a bubble tea shop??"
Zhou Dewen's voice suddenly became alert, and he jolted up from his bed. "What's going on? Where did you get the money to open a bubble tea shop?"
"I accidentally caught a fugitive last time, and the police rewarded me 100,000 yuan. So now I have money to open a bubble tea shop,"
Wang Yue chuckled.
"Nonsense!"
Zhou Dewen didn't believe him at all. "I could say I took down an international drug lord. Be honest, did you find a rich sugar mommy? Hmm, wait, you probably aren't even attractive enough for a sugar mommy."
"Get lost. I'm talking business here,"
Wang Yue retorted with a laugh. "Talk to your uncle about this. Pay whatever is fair, just don't rip me off. As for the construction timeline, try to finish it within a month."
Zhou Dewen patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, can my dad rip you off? If he dares to, I'll strip his underwear off. I'll go tell my dad right now."
After saying that, Zhou Dewen hung up.
What filial piety, indeed.
A few minutes later, an unknown number called.
Wang Yue answered, and a middle-aged man's voice came through, "Xiao Yue, my son said you need to renovate a bubble tea shop? Do you have any blueprints?"
"Uncle, I don't have blueprints, but I have some ideas,"
Wang Yue said with a smile.
"Okay, then come to my shop today, and we can discuss it in detail."
"Okay, Uncle."
After the call ended, Zhou Dewen's phone rang again.
"My dad contacted you, right?"
"Yes, he did."
"Good, then I'm going back to sleep."
"Sleep? I'm going to your dad's shop to discuss business. Are you coming?"
"Damn it! Wait for me."
...
Half an hour later, Wang Yue arrived at Zhou Dewen's father's shop.
"Cuiping Decoration."
The signboard at the entrance was large, and the shop itself was substantial, spanning two floors.
Zhou Dewen was inside, playing on his phone with his legs crossed.
Seeing Wang Yue arrive, Zhou Dewen ran out.
"Holy crap?! Did you get plastic surgery?"
Zhou Dewen almost didn't recognize him.
Compared to before, Wang Yue's height and appearance had improved so much that he seemed to be glowing.
"What plastic surgery? I'm just growing up,"
Wang Yue boasted.
"Damn, are you wearing height-increasing insoles?"
Zhou Dewen used to be only slightly shorter than Wang Yue, but now the difference was obvious. He immediately exclaimed.
"How can I increase my height wearing slippers?"
Wang Yue pointed to his sandals.
"Damn! Are you evolving into a tall, rich, and handsome guy?"
Zhou Dewen was so envious he felt his insides churn. "No way, I need to start exercising properly too, or no girls will look at me when we go out together in the future."
"If girls don't look at you, don't you still have guys looking at you?"
Wang Yue said with a mischievous grin. "Doesn't Liu Renkai have a crush on you?"
"Damn! Stop talking nonsense, my sexual orientation is perfectly normal,"
Zhou Dewen punched Wang Yue.
At this moment, Zhou Dewen's father, Zhou Hongtao, came down from upstairs.
Seeing Wang Yue, he warmly greeted him, "Xiao Yue, you're here. Come, have some tea."
"Certainly."
After having a cup of tea, Wang Yue shared his ideas with Zhou Hongtao.
Zhou Hongtao listened and nodded repeatedly. "We'll need to see the site. I'll have Xiao Wu go with you to take measurements, then we'll create a design and then set the price. How does that sound?"
"Okay, I'll follow Uncle's arrangements,"
Wang Yue said with a smile.
"I'll go too,"
Zhou Dewen chimed in.
Soon, a young man named Xiao Wu drove them, taking Wang Yue and Zhou Dewen to the Second High School.
Upon arriving at the site, they began taking measurements.
Zhou Dewen, feeling bored, chatted with Wang Yue.
"Let me tell you, those kids in the first and second year of high school are too wild right now."
"How so?"
"You know Li Xiaoman is the school belle of our First High School, right? Recently, boys from the first and second years keep coming to our class to find Li Xiaoman, wanting to date her. They should take a look at themselves in the mirror and see if they're good enough."
"Hahaha, and what's Li Xiaoman's attitude?"
At this point, Zhou Dewen didn't know that Wang Yue and Li Xiaoman knew each other. After graduation, Wang Yue took Zhou Dewen to karaoke with Li Xiaoman, which utterly stunned him.
"What attitude could she have? Li Xiaoman completely ignores them."
After a brief chat, Xiao Wu had finished taking the measurements and had drawn a rough sketch.
"Brother Yue, I'm done here. Let's head back,"
Xiao Wu said with a smile.
"Okay."
Soon, they returned to the shop.
After reviewing the measurements, Zhou Hongtao quoted a price of 20,000 yuan, promising to use the best materials and complete the job within two weeks.
This price was roughly what Wang Yue had expected, and he immediately signed the contract.