Chapter Fifty: Admiration from the Heart

Wu De was truly bold in his demands—asking for three thousand right off the bat. At such a steep price, who would dare take over his shop? Chen Huajiang smiled, fully aware that Wu De was deliberately targeting him with this move. But he had plenty of ways to handle the situation.

“Take your time transferring the shop, then,” Chen Huajiang said, and returned to his own place.

A little after seven in the evening, Guo Lin arrived at Chen Huajiang’s shop. Seeing the place bustling with customers, he grinned with satisfaction. “I didn’t expect your business to be this good. It’s much better than working at my place.”

Chen Huajiang invited Guo Lin to sit at a table, served him a bowl of beef soup, and brought over some skewers. “Try it first, see how it tastes.”

Only if Guo Lin approved of his food would he have a shot at persuading him to join. Talented people were hard to come by these days, and few wanted to work in these small businesses. In this era, landing a stable job was everyone’s dream—especially one at a state-owned enterprise. Guo Lin currently worked at the Department Store, which was considered very secure.

Guo Lin showered the food with praise—after all, Chen Huajiang cooked with genuine care, never cutting corners. “The taste is excellent. By the way, you said you wanted to talk about something—do you need my help? Want me to introduce some customers?”

Guo Lin figured that was about all he could do to lend a hand.

“No, I actually want you to come work with me. Our snack shop is about to open two more branches, and one of them is in need of a manager. That’s why I thought of you.” Chen Huajiang looked at Guo Lin with sincere intent.

Guo Lin was momentarily taken aback. Did a snack shop like this even need a manager? He couldn’t quite grasp Chen Huajiang’s thinking—usually, such shops were run by family.

“Are you short-staffed, or do you have something else in mind?” Guo Lin, being relatively well-educated, guessed that Chen Huajiang must have put a lot of thought into this decision.

“Let me put it this way: in the future, I want to open thirty branches in Nanming City. I want to upgrade both the quality and the decor. This won’t be a simple snack shop—I aim to turn it into a catering company, a really large one,” Chen Huajiang explained.

His words completely changed Guo Lin’s impression of him. In Guo Lin’s memory, Chen Huajiang was always hardworking but had never displayed such ambition or vision. In the 1980s, opening branches was almost unheard of; people didn’t think that way. They were satisfied just running their own shop and making a decent living.

“When did you start thinking like this?” Guo Lin could accept Chen Huajiang’s goals—after all, he was a university graduate, which was very rare at the time.

“I only came up with it recently. I want to operate both directly and through franchising. Do you know what franchising means?” Chen Huajiang asked.

Franchising in the country only really began in the ‘90s; you could say Chen Huajiang was forging a new path in catering. But Guo Lin, who often studied foreign theories, was familiar with the term.

“I’ve read a bit about it. It’s when others pay you to use your brand, right?”

Chen Huajiang was surprised by Guo Lin’s knowledge, feeling he’d found the right person. “Exactly. I already have a franchisee in the north of the city, and his business is doing very well.”

Chen Huajiang needed Guo Lin to see his broader vision—that way, he’d be willing to join him.

“You’re moving fast. But if I come, what could I actually do? I don’t know anything about this business,” Guo Lin asked.

“I just said, in the future, we’ll become a catering company. When the time comes, you’ll be our general manager. You’re educated, you have the credentials—I believe you’re up to the task,” Chen Huajiang said, already mapping out the future.

“I’m not that capable! You’ve always been the smart one. Still, if you already have a franchisee, that’s a solid first step,” Guo Lin responded, pleased to see Chen Huajiang’s ambition. Since he was already planning two new branches, it seemed the plan was set in stone.

“As for your salary, I’ve thought it through. To start, you’ll get a hundred a month. Later on, I’ll give you shares in the business. What do you think?” Chen Huajiang stated, putting the salary on the table.

That was crucial—everyone needed to make a living, and the offer had to be better than what Guo Lin earned now, otherwise why would he come?

Guo Lin was stunned—Chen Huajiang was offering him a hundred right away. His current wage was just over fifty, so this meant doubling his income. Still, he worried that if things didn’t work out, he’d lose his stable job.

“Can you tell me how much profit you make each month?” Guo Lin asked, getting to the heart of the matter.

“I haven’t calculated it precisely, but for this small shop, the daily profit is over a hundred,” Chen Huajiang replied honestly—he had nothing to hide if he wanted Guo Lin to join.

Guo Lin nodded, seeing how well business was going. “Let me think about it. If my parents find out, you know how they’ll react.”

He’d only graduated two or three years ago. It had taken a lot to secure his position at the Department Store. If he left to join Chen Huajiang and his parents found out, they’d certainly be displeased.

“Of course I understand. Go home and think it over. I have one location partnered with my brother-in-law and another that’s a direct branch, but I’m short a manager. If you’re willing, you can take charge there for now,” Chen Huajiang said—no one else fit the bill as well as Guo Lin.

“I’ll consider it for a couple of days and let you know. Don’t rush me,” Guo Lin replied. It was impossible not to be tempted by the generous salary and Chen Huajiang’s big ambitions. If he joined, there was a real chance of making it big.

Several of his classmates had already started their own businesses after graduating—though most still followed their assigned jobs, seeking stable, reliable work.

After seeing Guo Lin off, Chen Huajiang suddenly realized there was still another pressing issue—they were short of an accountant.