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

The roller shutter door slowly rose.

The afternoon sun slanted in through the doorway, making the dust on the ground sparkle.

The shop was empty, but it looked brighter than it did from the outside.

Ye Chen went inside and walked around, first checking the power switch and water supply and drainage, then standing at the door and glancing at the street-facing area.

There was really no choice in terms of location.

"How much is the rent?" he asked.

"Ninety-six thousand a year."

"For sale?"

Mr. Sun was delighted.

"Not for sale."

"I'm counting on this storefront to support my retirement; I wouldn't sell it for any price."

Ye Chen nodded.

Shopfronts in the core business district of the county town haven't seen exorbitant prices in the past two years, yet no one is willing to sell them easily.

He was just asking casually.

"Fine, if you don't want to sell, then forget it."

"Then I'll rent it for a longer period."

Boss Sun shook the keys in his hand.

"how long?"

"ten years."

The clinking of keys stopped.

Boss Sun looked Ye Chen over again.

"ten years?"

"Young man, how old are you?"

"eighteen."

Mr. Sun fell silent.

He turned to look at Ye Jianguo, clearly assuming that the father was the one who truly made the decision.

Ye Jianguo was also a little confused.

ten years?

He hadn't even figured out whether the store could actually be opened, but his son was already preparing to secure a spot for the next ten years.

Ye Chen remained calm.

"Uncle Sun, let me settle some accounts with you."

"It doesn't matter who you rent to for a year or two. But if you change tenants in between, there will be troublesome issues like finding tenants, leaving the space vacant, and dealing with disputes."

"I'll sign a ten-year contract, so you can relax."

"Of course, the rent can't remain unchanged for ten years. If that happens, you'll be at a disadvantage, and I won't take advantage of it either."

The smile on Boss Sun's face faded somewhat.

"So how do you plan to rent it?"

"Ninety-six thousand per year for the first three years."

"Starting from the fourth year, it will increase by 10% every two years."

"The first year's rent is paid in full upfront, plus a two-month rent deposit."

Ye Chen paused for a moment.

"However, I must say this upfront."

"You cannot close the shop prematurely within the ten-year period without a valid reason. If you breach the contract, in addition to paying three years' rent, you must also compensate us for the renovation losses."

Mr. Sun walked back and forth in the shop twice with his hands behind his back.

"Starting from the fourth year, it will increase by 10% every two years..."

He touched his chin.

"Young man, you're not that old, but you've got a good grasp of the accounts."

Ye Chen smiled.

"Let's settle the score first, so we can avoid hurting each other's feelings later."

Boss Sun looked up.

"OK."

"Sign today?"

"Sign it today."

Ye Chen took a pen out of his bag.

"Write the contract clearly, and we'll go get it registered tomorrow."

"Okay, no problem."

Boss Sun slapped his thigh.

"Come on, there's a print shop on the corner."

"Let's print out the contract right now!"

……

At the print shop.

As soon as Mr. Sun entered the door, he called out to the back of the counter.

"Old Liu, retrieve the lease agreement I saved on your computer last year."

"Change a few numbers."

The print shop owner responded and sat down at the computer to search for documents.

Boss Sun stood to the side and announced the terms.

"Ten-year lease."

"The first three years will cost 96,000 per year. Starting from the fourth year, the price will increase by 10% every two years."

"The first year's rent is paid in full upfront, with a deposit of two months' rent."

Ye Chen added from the side.

"Add three more."

"First, a 20-day rent-free period for renovations."

"Secondly, if we need to sublet due to special circumstances in the future, we will notify the landlord in writing in advance."

"Third, the responsibilities of both parties for early termination of the contract should be clearly stated, and the compensation for renovations should also be listed separately."

The print shop owner looked up and glanced at Ye Chen.

This young man looked like a recent high school graduate, but he spoke about the contract point by point, without any ambiguity.

The keyboard was being pounded loudly.

Ye Jianguo stood beside the printer, listening in a daze.

Rent-free period for renovation.

Sublease rights.

Liability for breach of contract.

He had worked in the factory for twenty years and had never touched any of these things.

Chen Xiulan leaned close to her husband and whispered:

"Jianguo, when did our son learn these things?"

Ye Jianguo shook his head.

"How would I know?"

He lowered his voice and added:

"Anyway, let's just listen to whatever he says."

The printer hummed.

Soon, two contracts, still warm from the heat, were produced.

Ye Chen read from the first item to the last, and checked the amount, lease term, and liability for breach of contract again.

Boss Sun also read it through.

Both parties signed and pressed their fingerprints.

Ye Chen went to the bank next door to complete the transfer, and the receipt was attached to the back of the contract.

After receiving the payment, Mr. Sun removed a key from his keychain.

"Here you go first."

"Once the registration is completed tomorrow, this shop will be officially yours to manage."

"Thanks, Uncle Sun."

Ye Chen took the key.

After Boss Sun drove away in that old Santana, he glanced down at it, then put the keys into Ye Jianguo's palm.

"dad."

"The shop is yours now."

Ye Jianguo grasped the key.

A trace of heat remained on the metal.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time.

Just a few days ago, he was an old worker waiting to be bought out by the factory.

Now, next to the busiest shopping mall in the county town, there is a new shop that belongs to him for the next ten years.

Chen Xiulan walked back into the shop.

She stood in the center of the empty hall, looking inside and then back at the storefronts facing the street.

After a long while, she asked:

"Chenchen".

"Has this shop really been rented for ten years?"

"The contract was signed, how could it be fake?"

Ye Chen twirled his car keys, his tone relaxed.

"Don't worry, you won't lose money in ten years."

"This place will only get more and more expensive in the future. If we can secure the location now, we won't let the landlord get jealous and raise the rent later when the shop is up and running."

"Besides, if the shop really does well, you and Dad won't be bored and have nothing to do."

Chen Xiulan's eyes lit up as she looked at the spacious shop.

Ye Jianguo gripped the keys in his hand and smiled as well.

Ye Chen opened the car door.

"Let's go home."

"Manager Zhou will arrive at the station at 10 o'clock tomorrow, let's go there early."

---

Five o'clock the next morning.

Ye Chen heard a noise coming from the kitchen.

He pushed open the door and came out. Chen Xiulan was holding an iron and pressing it back and forth on a light blue shirt.

Steam rose up, making the kitchen damp and humid.

"Mom, how many times have you ironed it?"

"The third time."

Chen Xiulan turned her shirt inside out and stared at the cuffs, looking troubled.

There's always a mark here.

"That's the fabric's weave; you can't iron it off."

"...Then I'll press it down again."

Ye Chen didn't try to persuade him any further, and turned around to go back to wash his face.

When he finished tidying up and came out, Ye Jianguo had already put on the light blue shirt and was standing in front of the living room mirror, muttering something.

"The shop is 220 square meters with a ceiling height of 4.2 meters..."

"One million in working capital..."

"A ten-year long-term lease..."

Ye Chen leaned against the door frame, holding a glass of milk, and listened for a while.

By the fifth time, Ye Jianguo had finally messed up the order.

"Working capital, 220 square meters..."