Lin Lisha's food stall was as usual bustling with activity, even after her training had ended Lin Chang continued to assist her, and now even Lin Hao had joined in on the action. As the days went by, more and more customers flocked to her stall, forming long queues that stretched down the street.
Tourists were also drawn to her delectable dishes, willing to wait for hours just to get a taste. Lin Lisha's daily income was now a staggering fifty to sixty thousand yuan a day, and on weekends it soared to nearly one hundred thousand yuan. Her success was contagious, as nearby stalls and restaurants began to thrive in her wake.
The once quiet Bei street in the Southern district of Qingdao had transformed into a bustling foodie haven. Lin Lisha's name was on everyone's lips, and envy was rife. But despite the competition, everyone was happy to see their own income increase, even if it couldn't quite match Lin Lisha's impressive earnings.
Her glorious tales spread like smoke through the streets, and her legend only continued to grow.
With Lin Lisha's growing popularity, there were still those who harbored a deep-seated resentment towards her success. Gao Fa, with her eyes fixed on the snaking queues in front of Lin Lisha's food stall, felt a seething rage bubble up inside her. She longed to set fire to the stall and watch it burn to the ground, along with Lin Lisha.
Turning on her heel, she stormed towards her husband, Lin Quin, who was busy hanging a discount board outside their own restaurant. Despite offering a whopping 70 percent discount, no one seemed interested in their restaurant anymore. Instead, they flocked to Lin Lisha's stall, leaving Gao Fa feeling bitter and resentful.
"When are your parents coming back, Lin Quin? Are they planning on settling down with your third sister?" Gao Fa spat out the words, her anger palpable.
"Calm down, Fa. They'll be back this weekend. What's gotten into you?" Lin Quin tried to soothe his wife's frayed nerves.
"What in the world is going on with you, Lin Quin? Are you not aware of the infamous Lin Lisha that bit*h and her stall overflowing with Coustmar? And yet, here we are, with your restaurant as empty as a ghost town," Gao Fa bellowed, her voice laced with anger.
Lin Quin, feeling the weight of the unfairness, replied, "I know, I know. I'm doing my best to attract more customers."
"Your efforts are in vain. Lin Lisha is using her daughter to lure in more Coustmar. But mark my words, as soon as your parents return, we will reclaim that stall. After all, it was your father who gave her the money to open it," Gao Fa warned, her tone commanding.
"You're absolutely right. And she will have to relinquish all the profits she's made from that stall as well," Lin Quin agreed, nodding in solidarity with his wife.
With the unwavering support of her husband, Gao Fa's fiery gaze began to simmer down, though the memory of Lin Lisha's slap still burned bright in her mind. The resentment she held towards Lin Lisha had been festering for decades, the blackest day of her life etched into her memory. It was a day that had robbed her of her most dear person her younger brother, all thanks to Lin Lisha. "You will never grow beyond your rags, Lin Lisha," Gao Fa vowed, her resolve unyielding.
As the sun set on another long day, the Lin family trudged back home, their energy sapped by the demands of the day. Collapsing onto the sofa, they let out a collective sigh of relief, grateful for the chance to rest their weary bones.
But even in their exhaustion, their minds were still buzzing with ideas and plans for the future. Lin Bao, ever the visionary, spoke up first, his eyes still closed in weariness.
"Sister, I think it's time to expand," he murmured, his voice heavy with fatigue.
Lin Lisha, always the practical one, nodded in agreement. "I've been thinking the same thing," she replied, her mind already racing with possibilities. "But we need to be careful. Qingdao city may be vast, but we can't just jump into this blindly. We need a solid plan before we even think about opening our first restaurant." She paused, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I just hope we keep up with all this hype if we do decide to branch out."
"Mom, that's not the issue here," Lin Chang spoke calmly. "We've already established our brand, and it's time to take it to the next level. We're currently situated in the southern district, far away from the bustling northern district and the vibrant north-east coastal line. Tourists can hardly reach us, and we're missing out on a huge market. That's why I think we should relocate to the city centre."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the room fell silent. Lin Chang scanned the faces of her family members, and to her surprise, they all looked at her as if she had just sprouted wings and flown to the moon.
"Are you insane?" Lin Hao's voice boomed across the room. "Do you have any idea how expensive it is to rent a house in the city centre, let alone a restaurant? Or are you still living in the past, reminiscing about your old life in the Yun Family? If that's the case, then go back to them!"
He came back 3 days ago and has been watching her. He wondered if she was someone else and felt sad. But now he got a point to get angry and yelled at Lin Chang.
"Hao," Lin Lisha interjected, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere.
Lin Chang, halted her mother's interruption and turned to face her brother, Lin Hao. "I understand that you don't hold me in high regard, and that's perfectly fine. However, could you please refrain from displaying your disdain in front of our elders?" she implored, her tone measured and calm. Lin Chang then shifted her gaze to her uncle, Lin Bao. "Uncle, I was thinking we should head back to the city centre tomorrow. We can check out some places and maybe even look for a new house while we're at it."
"Chang, but wouldn't the city center be quite costly? Perhaps we could consider finding a restaurant within the southern district instead?" Lin Lisha expressed concern, stating, "Given that we have only recently begun earning a decent income, it seems impractical to allocate a significant portion of our funds towards renting a residence and restaurant in the city center."
Lin Chang exchanged a mischievous wink with Lin Bao, who quickly grasped the implication. "Sister," he said to Lin Lisha, "my niece is absolutely right. We should expand our business in the city centre. And there's no need to worry about finances - we have nearly million in savings, and if necessary, we can always obtain a loan from bank."
"Mom, if we have enough finances, why don't we take the plunge and rent a restaurant for now? And then owning it in the future. Plus, think about it - we'll attract more customers when we relocate to the city centre. People are still hesitant to visit crowded places, and with our small kitchen and limited dining space, we're missing out on potential business. But once we move to the city centre, we'll have ample space and proper dining arrangements to cater to a larger clientele," Lin Hao proposed. He realized that his mother deserved a better life, and his initial criticism of his sister was shortsighted. As he pondered over the idea, he felt that renting a restaurant in the city centre was worth a shot.
Lin Lisha gazed upon the three beaming faces before her and let out a defeated sigh. "Very well then, let us relocate to the city centre," she conceded, prompting a chorus of cheers to erupt throughout the house. Lin Hao regarded his younger sister with a sense of fondness, but quickly dismissed the thought, unwilling to jump to any conclusions just yet.
"Tomorrow, the three of us shall make a visit to the city centre," Lin Bao declared, only to be interrupted by a sudden voice.
"I'm in too!" All eyes turned towards the door, where a grinning Wang Hai stood. "Boss, did you forget about me?" he quipped, making his way over to Lin Bao and flashing a smile at Lin Chang.
"When did you return from Tianjin City?" Lin Bao inquired.
"Just this morning. I came to visit my boss, but I never expected to hear the news of your relocation to the city centre. Looks like the boss has cut quite the number of emerald," Wang Hai smirked.
"Cut Emerald?" Lin Lisha furrowed her brow in confusion.
"Mom, he's just repeating an old saying," Lin Chang interjected, shooting a glare in Wang Hai's direction, causing him to fall silent.
"Oh," Lin Lisha chuckled, turning her attention back to Wang Hai. "It's been a while, Hai. Please stay for dinner," she invited, rising from her seat and making her way towards the kitchen.
As Lin Lisha sauntered into the kitchen, Lin Bao's barked like a gunshot. "Do you have a death wish, Wang Hai? If so, kindly inform me instead of making our difficult."
Wang Hai's eyes widened with innocence as he stammered out an apology. "I'm sorry, Bao. Sorry, Boss."
Lin Hao stood there in disbelief, his mind racing with confusion. It was one thing for Wang Hai to call his uncle "Boss" - they had been friends for decades, after all - but to hear that his own sister was being referred to as such left him utterly flabbergasted. 'What in the world is going on?' he wondered.
Lin Chang, ever the pragmatist, cut straight to the chase. "Alright, why are you here?"
Wang Hai's face lit up with excitement. "Boss, I came to invite you to Stone Gambling Street today!"
Lin Hao was taken aback by the strange name of the street. "Stone gambling street?" he repeated, his confusion evident. It was at that moment that Wang Hai finally acknowledged his presence.
"Oh, hey there nerd. Nice to meet you, Lin Hao," Wang Hai said, sounding pretty uninterested. "But seriously, why don't you go bury your nose in a book like the bookworm you are? Don't interrupt when the grown-ups are talking."
Lin Hai found it amusing as he was two years older than Lin Chang
"Boss, my friend has brought a new batch of raw jadetite from the Burma Borders. He specifically requested that I bring you back to try your luck," Wang Hai exclaimed with enthusiasm.
"That's a fantastic idea, Chang. I believe we should cherish on this opportunity, especially since we are relocating to the city center," Lin Bao added, also urging Lin Chang to consider the proposition.
Lin Chang smiled at the two old but young-at-heart men in front of her. "Alright then, tonight we'll head to the stone gambling street," she said, causing another round of laughter to erupt.