I was forced to start the second round because I was raised in poverty

Chapter 315 Ma Shuning's Attractiveness

Zhang Yangwen and Jiang Shuyue were also very curious as to why a coffee shop that was profitable every month would show a loss on its books.
"Hurry up and show me the financial statements," Su Cheng urged.

"Oh, good!"

Tang Li calmly pulled up the financial statements on his phone, but Su Cheng hurriedly snatched the phone from his hand.

Su Cheng rarely showed a worried expression in front of everyone.

This stems from Su Cheng's dislike of uncontrollable factors; he resists things beyond his control from the bottom of his heart.

Su Cheng hasn't been able to focus on the coffee shop lately, as she's been putting her energy and time elsewhere. Tang Li might just cause some serious trouble.

After carefully checking and reviewing the financial situation, Su Cheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately.

Not a big deal.

The financial issues Tang Li mentioned roughly mean that he bought some traffic on some platforms in the past two months and hired some bloggers to do soft advertising-style store visits.

They paid a high amount for advertising, but sales did not increase, so the books showed negative growth.

In other words, Tang Li wasted a lot of money.

"you……"

Su Cheng was at a loss for words and could only helplessly cover for Tang Li.

The financial statements don't show any major issues, but they do give a bad impression, especially at this crucial juncture when Ma Shuning hasn't yet demonstrated a clear investment intention.

"Alright, just do your best later, and let's not bring this up for now."

"Oh, good."

Jiang Shuyue and Zhang Yangwen looked at Su Cheng at the same time, their expressions speaking volumes.

Tang Li is a bit silly and runs things haphazardly.

Without Su Cheng's two guidance sessions, this coffee shop might have gone out of business long ago.

What can Su Cheng do? That's just how this person is.

soon.

RK's Alphard and Ma's Rolls-Royce parked in front of a coffee shop.

Su Cheng had Tang Li pay for the entire day, so today is not open for business and is only for Ma Shuning.

After entering the kitchen, Tang Li immediately entered the state of an extraordinary master chef.

It’s time to say it or not.

Tang Li is bad at business and lacks emotional intelligence, but he is quite good at making coffee.

God closed many windows for him, but left one door open for him.

He brought out C'est La Vie's flagship product, which can make more than four cups at a time. He even made it for Su Cheng and Zhang Yangwen, and there was even a bit of showing off in it.

The beans were brought directly from the store by Tang Li and boarded the plane with his suitcase.

It took them a whole day to decide which coffee shop to rent, because some shops were not suitable for rent, and some had terrible equipment.

Tang Li was somewhat satisfied with the equipment in this store, but he had no other choice.

Their actions were all aimed at ensuring that the taste Ma Shuning experienced today was the same as what she had at the Jingzhou store.

Jiang Shuyue had never tried C'est La Vie before, so she was a little excited.

She's a coffee connoisseur herself, drinking coffee from both niche brands and independent coffee shops.

When I tried Tang Li's coffee, I definitely felt something different.

Ma Shuning first sampled the three basic drinks served by Tang Li: Americano, espresso, and latte.

Americano coffee has a relatively subtle aroma, which is the scent of diluted espresso, with hints of roasted grains and nuts in a caramelized form.

The initial taste is a mild bitterness followed by a clear acidity, resulting in a refreshing and smooth mouthfeel.

purely.

balanced.

tolerate.

Tang Li interprets the pure essence of coffee in a simple way.

After rinsing her mouth briefly, Ma Shuning tasted the espresso.

She first picked up the cup and glanced at it. The bottom of the cup contained a dark, almost black, thick liquid, covered with a rich, delicate, golden-brown layer of grease.

Italian-style coffee is the ultimate test of a barista's skills. From grinding, distributing, tamping, extraction time to water temperature, every step is essential. It is the foundation of all milk-based coffees and the ultimate touchstone for quality.

Ma Shuning took a small sip first, and then experienced the most essential and intense flavor profile of the coffee beans: rich chocolate, caramel, roasted hazelnuts, blackberry sauce, and even the complex sensation of tobacco.

The aftertaste is long and strong, with a lingering bittersweet and satisfying feeling.

She downed the remaining concentrate in her glass in one gulp, savoring the burst of energy and complex symphony that filled her mouth.

Ma Shuning looked at the third latte.

She could smell the aroma emanating from the cup from about a meter away.

This is a perfect blend of concentrated richness and the natural creaminess of milk, harmonious and enticing.

The first bite is smooth, round, and full-bodied.

The natural sweetness and rich creaminess of milk envelop the robust flavor of espresso, reducing the bitterness and acidity on the taste buds, resulting in a velvety sensation.

Ouch!

That person did a good job!
If the three basic coffee drinks—Americano, espresso, and latte—that all coffee shops can make are done so well, then the quality of other products is relatively guaranteed.

Ma Shuning tried several other dishes, but only took a small sip before spitting them into the prepared bucket.

It's already late afternoon, and if it's not metabolized before I go to sleep tonight, I might experience heart palpitations.

Soon.

Tang Li came over again carrying a tray, this time with coffee and four towels on it.

"Mr. Ma, Mr. Su, I'd like to introduce you to the new product I just developed last week."

"Italian espresso at minus eighty degrees Celsius."

"You need to finish sipping it within forty seconds to enjoy the best taste."

Zhang Yangwen frowned: "But you've already given 20 seconds of introduction."

Tang Li scoffed: "So you only have 20 seconds left."

Zhang Yangwen: ...

So why didn't you tell us beforehand that you were going to make coffee at -80 degrees Celsius with a time limit, so they could prepare? That would have added 20 seconds, wouldn't it?

Jiang Shuyue: ...

This product has completely baffled Su Cheng. He asked with some concern, "Are you sure this stuff won't give me diarrhea, especially at minus eighty degrees Celsius?"

"Depending on individual tolerance to caffeine or cold drinks, the situation varies."

Su Cheng had no choice but to press further: "What do you mean?"

Tang Li replied, "The possibility of diarrhea cannot be ruled out; it depends on the individual's constitution."

This made Su Cheng, Zhang Yangwen, and Jiang Shuyue hesitate.

Ma Shuning, on the other hand, was quite interested. She picked up the towel from the tray and held the cup: "I've never seen coffee at minus eighty degrees before."

She first brought the bottle to her nose and smelled it, but couldn't detect any scent; the extremely low temperature had locked in all the essence.

How many seconds are left?

"Around 5 seconds."

Ma Shuning downed the glass in one gulp.

The four of them, including Tang Li, looked at Ma Shuning with expectant eyes, waiting for her reaction and evaluation.

Tang Li took the initiative to ask, "Mr. Ma, how are you feeling?"

Well... the extremely low temperature dulled Ma Shuning's taste buds, making it impossible to taste anything, unlike regular concentrated drinks.

Besides being icy cold, it doesn't have any other texture. If there's anything special about it, it's that refreshingly cool feeling.

The vivid analogy is the negative experience of eating hot tofu.

Therefore, Ma Shuning's answer was only two words: "Icy cold".

Su Cheng almost burst out laughing.

Ma Shuning's previous evaluations described her as a coffee master, even someone capable of serving as a judge in major competitions.

But Ma Shuning couldn't think of any good reviews for this gimmicky product; the only word she could think of was "icy cold."

Tang Li hadn't yet realized the problem: "Oh, oh."

Ma Shuning didn't linger on the coffee for long. She stopped Tang Li, who was about to continue working on other products, and gestured for him to sit down and talk.

"Mr. Tang, I'd like to know what the pricing is for your coffee shop?"

Su Cheng led RK to serve as investment advisors to the Ma family, providing theoretical and practical support and services.

However, it would be a big mistake to imagine the Ma family or Ma Shuning as ignorant nouveau riche who just throw money around and get things done.

Ma Shuning possesses the ability and qualifications to evaluate and review a plan or a store.

Otherwise, the Ma family wouldn't have sent her to connect with Su Cheng and the others.

"The prices of all the styles in our store are basically between 60 and 90 yuan, with an average order value of 80 yuan," Tang Li explained, adding, "These are the prices set for me by General Manager Su."

“There are some exceptions, for example, Mr. Ma, the drink you just had would cost 480 yuan in our store.”

Ma Shuning was taken aback after hearing this; she thought she had misheard.

480 yuan?
Ma Shuning comes from a wealthy family, but she is not out of touch with reality.

A cup of coffee costing around 30 yuan is already considered expensive. In developed regions of Europe and America, a cup of coffee costing 4 euros is only affordable for middle-class and above groups.

An average order value of 80 yuan translates to more than ten euros. Ma Shuning has never drunk a cup of coffee that costs more than ten euros in the most expensive coffee shops in the most developed areas.

Tang Li's technique and coffee quality are indeed worth the price, but 480 yuan is still a bit scary. Just that small cup already cost around 50 euros.

It's just a gimmick, something new to look forward to.

"Yes, Mr. Ma, you're right. I didn't actually intend to put it on our menu long-term. It was just for fun, and since it seemed pretty good, I decided to release it."

Tang Li gave a detailed introduction to the dynamic weekly menu that Su Cheng had created for him.

"This product is added based on the dynamic menu, and it is limited-time and released at irregular intervals."

Ma Shuning nodded meaningfully, then looked at Su Cheng with a rather appreciative gaze, expressing her approval of the dynamic menu.

"So how are your sales? I mean this coffee that's minus eighty degrees."

Tang Li proudly told Ma Shuning, "It was surprisingly good. One day it was raining and there were so many people lining up outside!"

"Mmm." Ma Shuning's two "mm"s were a tacit acknowledgment of Tang Li's skills and his innovative abilities in the coffee field. She turned to Su Cheng and said, "President Su, I'd like to have a private talk with you."

Su Cheng readily agreed and pointed to the passageway not far away: "There is a separate office in the store."

Tang Li, Zhang Yangwen, and Jiang Shuyue remained seated, while Su Cheng and Ma Shuning moved to a separate space.

This office is probably where the store manager or supervisor works, because it's a partitioned room with half a wall made of transparent glass, making it transparent both inside and out.

From here, Su Cheng can also see the three people in the hall.

"how are you feeling?"

Ma Shuning approved of Tangli's coffee: "It seems alright, but the positioning might be a bit high-end?"

Her concern was whether it could be rolled out in mainland China.

Su Cheng proactively explained, "This shouldn't be a problem. We'll just focus on first-tier cities and selectively open stores in second- and third-tier cities with strong purchasing power."

As for small towns, they are not within C'est La Vie's business scope.

C'est La Vie's target audience is primarily New Money, with a small number of Old Money.

Of course, the "socialites" and "handsome men" who bring them stable profits are also indispensable.

"Shu Ning, if you were a consumer, would you buy their coffee?"

Ma Shuning appeared calm and pretended to be thinking, but in reality, a smile was secretly welling up inside her.

Su Cheng called her Shu Ning.

This means that the relationship between the two has taken another step forward.

This shows that you have a good grasp of the relationship and are progressing smoothly little by little.

Ma Shuning doesn't consider herself Su Cheng's sugar daddy, which is why Su Cheng addresses her so politely and affectionately; she must already be feeling something inside.

The law of attraction she applies has already been working silently.

“I definitely will. It tastes great. As long as it doesn’t give me diarrhea tonight, I’ll invest in this brand.”

Su Cheng chuckled: "Alright, alright, now that we've finalized it, I'll start working on a detailed plan in the next few days?"

Ma Shuning gave Su Cheng a positive answer: "Yes."

"Should we inform Mr. Ma Ru?"

"No need, he's busy with other things, don't bother him."

"it is good."

"The only problem is..."

Su Cheng became alert: "Hmm? What's the problem?"

"Don't you think this person is a bit... well, you know..."

Are you trying to say that Tang Li is a bit stupid?

Ma Shuning meant it that way, but she was thinking about how to convey it tactfully. Unexpectedly, Su Cheng said it directly, and in the end, she could only use a smile to cover up her embarrassment.

"There's no need to worry about that. He's a very nice and kind person."

Su Cheng couldn't think of any other positive word to describe Tang Li besides this one.

"There's another matter. We want 100% equity. You and he have already discussed this, right?"

100% equity?

Su Cheng glanced at Tang Li outside the window.

Based on Su Cheng's understanding of Tang Li, he was willing to accept the Ma family's investment, but he would not relinquish 100% of his shares.

Moreover.

Tang Li doesn't have 100% either, only 85%, and Su Cheng still has 15%.

"I'm afraid this won't work."

"How much is he willing to give up?"

"I can't say for sure right now, maybe between 75% and 90%?"

“75% is too little.” Ma Shuning rejected this percentage, arguing that it was crucial for the investment.

"How about this, Mr. Su, you negotiate with him first. I want 95%, at least 90%, otherwise we won't talk."

"That might cost a bit more money."

"money is not a problem."

Ma Shuning is not bad at keeping track of accounts.

Since they're investing, they're definitely aiming for a huge success.

At that point, it won't be just a matter of a few dollars; a single point could potentially generate tens of millions in profit annually.

"Okay, I understand. I'll try to talk to him first and resolve this core issue before coming up with a solution."

"Uh-huh."

(End of this chapter)