As the popularity of the post about the school beauty and academic ace began to wane, a group of people suddenly started commenting on the thread, confirming the original poster's claims and even posting a photo of Liu Chen studying on a white carpet.
The photo showed a European-style sofa, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a vague glimpse of the C City skyline behind Liu Chen.
Subsequently, some people used this photo to trace the location to a detached villa community in C City called "Qiushui Villa."
Then, a local from C City chimed in, explaining that anyone who could afford to buy a house in "Qiushui Villa" was either extremely wealthy or influential. Many people were eager to buy, but properties there were never released.
And so...
"Liu Jie Frozen Foods" became famous.
Every day, countless idle netizens from C City, claiming to be from Hupu, came to visit and take photos. Although Liu Fang didn't understand what Hupu was or what the posts meant, she had a business acumen.
She had Wang Dong prepare hundreds of exquisitely packaged hand-grabbed pancakes. Ten pancakes were sealed in a colorful plastic bag and sold for thirty yuan.
This was cheaper than buying individual hand-grabbed pancakes outside, but considering their cost, it was incredibly profitable.
One day at school, Liu Chen glanced at the number of lottery tickets. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief. What was going on? When she checked in the morning, the number was 220, but now, at noon, it had surged to 260?
That was 20 more lottery tickets than usual for this time of day. Given that one lottery ticket was now awarded for every ten items sold, it meant they had sold 200 more items by noon today compared to normal!
Was this a joke?
Was the system bugged?
With a lingering sense of doubt, Liu Chen hurried home that evening, intending to ask her mother. However, she found her mother's room lights were already off. Thinking that tomorrow was Sunday and the market would be closed, Liu Chen decided to work on a recent mock exam from school.
She studied until half-past eleven at night, then washed up and went to bed, enjoying a night of deep sleep.
The next morning, Liu Chen was awakened by a delightful aroma. The savory scent of meat-filled buns wafted through the gap under her bedroom door, tickling her nose.
Rubbing her eyes, she got out of bed and opened her door, only to find meticulously arranged buns, fried dough sticks, and soy milk on the dining table.
If not for the small quantity, Liu Chen would have suspected that Liu Fang would have arranged them in the shape of a flower. She sat down and reached for a bun, but halfway through, Liu Fang slapped her hand away.
"They're very hot! Use chopsticks! Be more refined, like a young lady!"
Taking the chopsticks handed by her mother, Liu Chen picked up a bun. Its soup-filled exterior, the color of meat seeping through the small piece of dough, was irresistible. She took a gentle bite, and the piping hot meat juice slid down her tongue into her throat. She couldn't help but close her eyes, savoring this rare delicacy.
After eating four small steamed buns, Liu Chen finally put down her chopsticks. She took a tissue to wipe her mouth and looked at her mother, who had been humming a tune since earlier.
"Mom? Business was good yesterday?"
Liu Fang put down the remote control and sat on the sofa, turning her head and asking with a hint of surprise:
"Is it that obvious?"
Liu Chen nodded vigorously.
"Ah, a few days ago, for some reason, a large group of people started coming. They said they were from Hupu and came to our shop to take photos. I thought, with so many people just coming to take pictures, it wouldn't be very profitable, so I had Wang Dong rush to prepare a batch of exquisitely packaged hand-grabbed pancakes.
They sell for thirty yuan a bag, with ten pancakes in each bag. We make over ten yuan profit per bag. Yesterday, we sold a hundred bags! Hahaha!!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Fang couldn't help but laugh again. One hundred bags of hand-grabbed pancakes, plus the chicken tenders, pork loin, and ham sausages they bought as fillings, meant they made almost two thousand yuan more yesterday!
Upon hearing this, Liu Chen nodded in understanding. It was no wonder her mother was so happy; who wouldn't be happy when making money?
Huh?
Wait a minute!
Her mother made money because she started selling the hand-grabbed pancakes individually. Then... the mysteriously increased lottery tickets yesterday were because of the individually sold hand-grabbed pancakes?
At this moment, something clicked in Liu Chen's mind.
That's right!
Why did the system still count lottery tickets even though it wasn't a full package?
Realizing this, a triumphant smile spread across Liu Chen's face.
So, the system also has bugs~~
What else could be sold individually like hand-grabbed pancakes, not taking up much space, and selling quickly?
Drinking the sweet soy milk, Liu Chen's mind began to race.
The best-selling item at home was currently the hand-grabbed pancake. Based on her mother's feedback, the sales of hand-grabbed pancakes accounted for almost half of the daily sales. Another small portion came from ingredients like chicken tenders and pork loin, which were complementary to the hand-grabbed pancakes.
What else related to hand-grabbed pancakes hadn't her mother sold yet?
Sauces!
The sauces for the hand-grabbed pancakes!
Putting down the bowl of soy milk, Liu Chen licked the soy milk from the corner of her mouth, stood up, and sat down next to her mother. "Mom, I think we should start selling sauces for the hand-grabbed pancakes too."
"What? We sell frozen goods. Why would we sell sauces? Isn't that a silly idea? Besides, with our small volume, the manufacturers won't even send us any."
Liu Fang thought her Chen Chen had become a bit foolish from studying, forgetting what they even sold. Sauces were usually sold by people in the dry goods section, and it didn't fit with their frozen goods business.
Seeing her mother's expression, Liu Chen knew she was mentally complaining. She pondered how to persuade Liu Fang.
"Mom, we've been selling hand-grabbed pancakes for about five months now. People must have started selling them too, right?"
As a salesperson, Liu Chen knew very well that in the food industry, there was no such thing as plagiarism. After a single product became popular, countless food manufacturers would follow suit.
The big players in the industry might not be interested in their hand-grabbed pancakes, but that didn't mean that frozen food businesses below the top tier weren't.
Indeed, upon hearing this, the joy on Liu Fang's face faded slightly. She said with a hint of helplessness and resignation, "Well, that's normal. We can't possibly capture the entire hand-grabbed pancake market. It's not realistic."
Liu Chen flopped down, leaning to the side and resting her head on Liu Fang's lap, feeling the lingering scent of Herbal Essences Rose perfume on her mother from her shower last night.
"So, when customers buy hand-grabbed pancakes, they still have to go to the dry goods section to buy seasonings. Isn't that troublesome? They have to endure more cold air. Plus, we can keep the sauces in the warehouse we rent."
As Liu Chen was diligently planning and giving suggestions to her mother, Liu Fang was looking down and gently stroking her daughter's hair. "Your hair has grown longer now, and it looks even better."
As she spoke, her warm breath tickled Liu Chen's neck, making her curl up and laugh uncontrollably. She persisted, "Promise me, promise me!"
Seeing Chen Chen acting so spoiled after a long time, Liu Fang's heart softened.
"Alright, alright. But let's agree on one thing: I'll only sell to our existing customers."