We agreed not to date, so why are you crying now that I've become the richest man?

A few hours ago, the numbers on the bank's self-service machine once again flashed through Ye Jianguo's mind.

Four million six hundred and eighty thousand.

This money may not be enough to make him forget the disgusting things that happened at the factory, but it's enough to keep him from bowing his head again.

Ye Jianguo picked up his water glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The bottom of the cup landed on the coffee table with a crisp sound.

"My son is right!"

He slapped his thigh.

"I'll go with your mom to complete the formalities tomorrow."

"I've worked here for twenty years, I've done my job right by this lousy factory. From now on, whoever wants to serve me can serve me!"

After saying that, he relaxed completely, and even his back stopped slouching.

Chen Xiulan wiped her eyes, but then frowned.

"But your father and I have been busy for most of our lives, we've never had a day off."

"If you suddenly stop going to work and just sit at home watching TV all day, wouldn't you get sick from all that free time?"

"I didn't mean you had to be idle. You can do other things too."

Ye Chen took over the conversation.

"I had already thought it through on my way back. I'll use a small portion of the money to open a shop first, then buy a few large courtyard houses in the county town in batches, and also rent a few storefronts."

The couple were both stunned.

Ye Chen already had a plan in mind.

For residential properties, you need to consider the property rights and the yard; for storefronts, you need to consider the location and purpose.

They can collect rent normally, and when it comes to future demolition and redevelopment, the compensation standards for commercial land are usually not low.

One asset, two returns.

"Open a shop?" Ye Jianguo was a little taken aback.

"right."

Ye Chen picked up an apple and weighed it in his hand.

"It's reassuring to keep all the money in the bank, but it keeps losing value. We should set aside enough for living expenses and use some of the rest to start a business."

Chen Xiulan didn't respond to that question, but instead asked:

"Why buy a bungalow? It's not like we don't have a place to live."

"invest."

Ye Chen delivered the prepared speech.

"At a recent high school reunion, one of my classmates' families had connections with the construction department. He heard from his family that the county town might be expanding eastward, and the old houses in our county town might be renovated in a few years."

"Houses are cheap in the county now, so we specifically choose those with clear property rights and large yards."

"Let's buy a few units first to see how it goes. If we happen to be renovated, we can either get resettlement housing or compensation, so we won't lose out."

Ye Jianguo did not nod immediately.

Is this information accurate?

That's why I told you to buy a few sets first.

Ye Chen smiled.

"They really didn't demolish it. The house and land are still there. As long as the price is right, we won't lose much."

Only after this conversation did the couple lower their guard a little.

"Houses are a long-term investment, so I need to find something productive to do in my spare time."

Ye Chen continued:

"I want you to open a clothing specialty store."

Chen Xiulan immediately waved her hand.

"Your dad and I can't even afford a piece of clothing that costs over a hundred yuan, how would we know anything about business?"

"What if we lose money?"

"Mom, do you remember when you took me to the pedestrian street to buy clothes during Chinese New Year? That Metersbonwe store?"

"Why don't you remember?"

Chen Xiulan immediately said:

"The place was packed with people back then. You had to queue to try on clothes. I even told your dad that the store must make a lot of money every day."

"Yes, so I think this type of clothing specialty store can definitely make money."

Ye Chen smiled.

"Metersbonwe already has stores in the county, and they have regional protection, so there's basically only one store in a county. I recently looked at Semir, and that brand is expanding into county towns."

"Semir?"

Chen Xiulan frowned.

"I don't think this brand exists in our county, and I've never even heard of it. Can it sell as well as Metersbonwe?"

Don't worry.

Ye Chen looked relaxed.

"When I was studying in Shanghai, I went to their store. There were just as many young people buying clothes as Metersbonwe, and business was booming. Now, big cities already recognize this brand. If we open our store early, we may not be any worse off than others."

Upon hearing the words "Shanghai," Chen Xiulan's hesitation lessened considerably.

My son went to a big city, so he's seen more things than they have.

Ye Chen continued:

"Let's go ask about the agency policy first. If the conditions are right, we'll go for it; if not, we'll switch to another brand."

Ye Jianguo listened attentively.

"We have no experience, why would they be willing to give us their agency rights?"

"Major brands have standardized store design, sourcing, and training."

Ye Chen explained it very simply.

"We'll hire a few young shop assistants. You'll be responsible for managing the accounts and inventory. If you don't know how, you'll learn gradually. It's not like we're asking you to build rockets tomorrow."

Chen Xiulan was amused.

"You make it sound so easy, kid."

Ye Chen shrugged.

"Anyway, we have over four million in cash reserves, so one store won't bankrupt us."

Ye Jianguo leaned back on the sofa and remained silent for a long while.

Being laid off is no longer the end of the world.

At most, it just means the past is over, and we can start anew on a different path.

He suddenly stood up.

"Let's do it!"

"I'll go to the factory with your mom tomorrow to get the paperwork signed."

"Then let's go look at apartments!"

Ye Chen looked at his father's straightened back and nodded.

What others see as a dilapidated and worthless old house will soon become the Ye family's first real asset.

Back in his bedroom, Ye Chen casually closed the door.

The fan of the old desktop computer was humming loudly.

He pulled out a chair, sat down, opened his browser, and typed in the search box:

Semir joins the team.

The webpage refreshed quickly, and the screen was filled with investment information.

Ye Chen swiped the mouse and finally locked onto a phone number at the bottom of the official website.

2010 was the year when branded apparel brands began to expand into second- and third-tier cities.

The consumption upgrade in county towns has just begun, and prime locations in core business districts have not yet been completely snapped up.

After figuring out the general conditions, Ye Chen picked up his phone and dialed the number on the screen.

The call was answered quickly.

"Hello, this is Semir's business development team..."

"Find the investment manager in your North China region who can make the final decision."

Ye Chen interrupted the other person directly, his tone calm.

"I have one million yuan in working capital, and I want to become the exclusive agent for Huaicheng County."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

The operator quickly transferred the call to the business development manager.

"Hello, I am Zhou Bin."

The other person's voice was polite, but it carried a set of standard rhetoric.

"One million yuan is indeed a lot of money in a county like Huaicheng, and it is a client that we welcome."

"However, capital is just the threshold. We have very high requirements for the location of our franchise stores. They must be located in the core business district with the highest foot traffic and the highest concentration of young people in the area. They must be street-front shops with a usable area of ​​no less than 150 square meters."

"Mr. Ye, where are you planning to locate your shop?"

"The Contemporary Shopping Mall in the County Center"

Ye Chen answered quickly.

"It just opened at the end of last year. It's a ground-floor shop facing the street on the right side of the main entrance, with two storefronts and an area of ​​220 square meters."

"Contemporary Mall?"

Zhou Bin's tone changed noticeably.

"right."

"The Contemporary Mall is currently in the best location in Huaicheng County. I'm allocating a budget of one million yuan. Would that be enough for you to create a county-level demonstration store in North China?"