A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

"One-tenth?!"

Lin Wei almost jumped up, her reaction even more intense than when she was rejected and offered a 50/50 split earlier. "How can that be!"

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her tone, but her eyes became even more serious: "Sister just said that the shop, the craftsmanship, the capital, and the effort are fundamental, and that's true."

But if it weren't for my sister pointing out the way at crucial moments and dispelling the confusion, these things might have remained buried underground, never sprouting or seeing the light of day.

Since everything we each contribute is indispensable, and the deal would be difficult to close without either one, wouldn't it be underestimating your own role in putting in the effort and taking the lead if you only ask for a small share, sister?

She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice but speaking clearly: "If we only take 10% as you suggested, what is the essential difference between that and the previous proposal of selling the property and settling the transaction at a fair price?"

It's just breaking down a lump-sum payment into smaller, ongoing payments. Sister, I don't want this kind of polite but distant cooperation.

The two were deadlocked over the profit-sharing ratio. One was worried that he was taking advantage of the other for not contributing enough, while the other was afraid that his sincerity would be insufficient and make them seem distant. Neither of them was willing to back down, yet they were both genuinely considering the other's interests.

Chen Wanxing looked at Lin Wei's slightly flushed face, her heart softening, but her tone remained gentle yet firm: "Weiwei, listen to me. I agreed to try because I value our relationship even more and admire your drive to do things."

As far as I'm concerned, I neither participate in day-to-day operations nor bear any real risks; I merely offer advice and suggestions. If I were to receive too much, I would feel uneasy.

This 10% is both a token of goodwill and a matter of propriety; I think it's perfectly reasonable.

Upon hearing this, Lin Wei gently placed her hands on the table, leaned forward, and looked intently into Chen Wanxing's eyes. Her tone was more serious than ever before, even carrying a hint of sharpness that seemed incongruous with her charming appearance.

"Sister, I'll say it again, I sincerely want to work with you to do this for a long time, do it well, and even have the opportunity to expand it in the future."

What I value is your continuous intelligence, vision, and judgment, not a disposable consumable.

If I only give you 10%, then in my sister's heart, in this business, you'll forever be just a friend who occasionally helped out, not a true partner who shares both good and bad times. That's absolutely not what I want.

Chen Wanxing was taken aback by her words. Looking at the undisguised ambition and sincerity in Lin Wei's eyes, she suddenly realized that she might have been underestimating this seemingly delicate and coquettish girl.

Seeing that Chen Wanxing remained silent, seemingly deep in thought, Lin Wei softened her tone slightly, but became even more earnest and forceful: "Sister, let's each take a step back, okay?"

You feel that 50/50 is too much and a heavy burden, while 10% is too little, which would both wrong you and belittle this cooperation. So let's take the middle ground and split it 30/70, with you getting 30% and me getting 70%.

This 30% is what you deserve, and it's also a token of our sincerity in binding us together.

Chen Wanxing gazed at her for a long time before finally letting out a soft sigh. In his eyes was a subtle emotion, a mixture of admiration and a desire to challenge, that had been ignited within him.

Lin Wei held her breath, her eyes fixed straight ahead.

"Okay." Chen Wanxing withdrew his hand and said clearly, "Just as you said, it's a 30/70 split, you get 70% and I get 30%. I'll provide the strategy and direction, and you'll be in charge of operations and execution. You'll bear the main risks, but we'll discuss important matters together."

She looked calmly at Lin Wei and said, word by word, "Let's try this boat and see how far we can go together and how many sights we can see."

"Really?" Lin Wei was overjoyed, her eyes welling up with tears. Forcing herself to remain calm, she quickly reached out and firmly grasped Chen Wanxing's hands, which were resting on the table, shaking them vigorously. "It's a deal, Strategist Chen!"

"It's a deal, Mr. Lin." Chen Wanxing shook hands with him, feeling the firm strength and warmth from his palm.

Perhaps, adding such a touch of color to this originally ideal picture of life is not a deviation from the original intention, but rather an expansion of another possibility for life.

The sunlight outside the window was just right, shining warmly on their clasped hands. A new journey quietly began under the simple eaves of this spring day.

With the general framework for cooperation established, the thin veil of politeness and probing between the two completely dissipated, replaced by a pragmatic atmosphere with clear goals.

"Sister," Lin Wei rubbed her hands together, her eyes sparkling with eagerness.

"So, what should we do next? I roughly understand what you said yesterday, and I have some vague ideas in my mind, but I don't know where to start."

Chen Wanxing frowned. She also needed some time to transform the vague modern business logic in her mind into specific ideas that were suitable for the current situation and that Lin Wei could understand and implement.

"Veer," she put down the teapot, her fingertips unconsciously tracing patterns on the rough tabletop, "Yesterday we said that we couldn't compete with the established shops for the respectable gift-giving business for the time being, so we had to find another way and come up with new ideas."

So, think about it, who are the main customers who like new and exciting things?

"You like something new and exciting?" Lin Wei frowned and muttered twice, pacing back and forth, tentatively asking, "It should be a girl my age, or a young wife who has some spare money and likes to dress up, right?"

And then there are those middle-class families who aren't super rich, but can still afford to buy snacks to improve their meals from time to time?

"Yes." Chen Wanxing nodded. "Then these people are our initial target customers. What do you value most when you buy things, especially pastries?"

"When I buy things, the things I care about most are nothing more than these few things: how the product itself is, the feeling I get from the place where it's sold, and... the person selling it."

After listening to Lin Wei's words, Chen Wanxing nodded approvingly.

"You're right." Chen Wanxing guided her thinking, "Since you've mentioned the most important thing, the customer's requirements, then all that's left is for us to break them down one by one."

First, let's talk about the ingredients themselves. In our shop, it's all about whether the taste and style suit your taste.

Style? What kind of styles of pastries could this pastry shop possibly have?

The pastries on the market, including those in their shop, are all made by hand by experienced chefs, so they are either round or square. Round ones are called tuanzi (glutinous rice balls) or subing (short cakes), while square ones are called gao (cakes) or cut into pieces.

She had seen a master craftsman in a small kitchen in the prefectural city before, who could carve beautiful and exquisite designs on dough with a carving knife.

But those were only for the masters in the mansion. It was labor-intensive and time-consuming, and only a few could be made in a day. It was impossible to sell them in the shops.

Is this what you mean by "changing the style"?

As Lin Wei listened, she pondered in her mind. Although she had some doubts, she did not interrupt Chen Wanxing or ask directly.

Chen Wanxing was unaware of Lin Wei's thoughts. She paused, then looked at Lin Wei: "Our shop currently sells the most common mung bean cakes, osmanthus cakes, and candied fruits, right?"

"Yes," Lin Wei nodded, "the master chef's specialty is these few dishes. He's been making them for decades, and the taste is indeed consistent."

"Stability is the foundation, but stability alone is not enough." Chen Wanxing tapped her fingertips lightly on the table. "Just like what you felt after trying the pastries from other shops yesterday, the old shops' food tastes good, but it's also old-fashioned."

The restaurant has remained unchanged for decades. Regular customers are reassured, but new customers, especially younger ones, inevitably feel a lack of surprise.

Lin Wei frowned slightly, somewhat troubled. Those delicious recipes were hard to find these days, and they weren't cheap either. She was genuinely puzzled, so she asked:

"Sister, to create something new in this flavor, do you mean to buy some unusual recipes?"