Chapter Fifty: An Encounter with an Old Friend

Gui A County.

After a full day of hard work, everyone was nearly exhausted. At this point, Lu Kun's voice was so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable. He had simply called out too many times. It was already past ten in the evening; the students had gone to rest, there were only a handful of customers left in the shop, and they were preparing to close up.

Beep!

Lu Kun had taken on the accounting duties himself tonight. The total sales for the entire day came to 11,368 yuan, with a profit of 2,873 yuan altogether. The profit was impressive. If the sales and profit margins could be maintained like this for four or five days, the money used to purchase the building would be recouped. But of course, the accounts couldn't be calculated that simply. The school supplies and daily necessities the students had bought would take them some time to use up; there was no way the business would stay this hot indefinitely.

The future could wait—right now, Lu Kun was handing out wages to his employees.

"Zhaodi, you did a great job today. Here, take your opening-day bonus. Keep up this energy, and I'll give you a raise at the end of the month," Lu Kun said, patting the girl's shoulder in encouragement.

Zhaodi was the female laborer Lu Kun had hired. She was sturdy, had previously worked as a brick carrier at a small brick factory in the county, and was both strong and honest. She was a child who had known hardship; her parents held deeply entrenched preferences for sons over daughters. Her mother had given birth to six daughters in a row, naming them Zhaodi, Liandi, Xiangdi, Niandi, Laidi, and Pandi—names all wishing for a son.

But from what Zhaodi said, although her parents were almost desperate for a boy, they had never truly neglected their daughters, managing to raise all of them through sheer grit. In other households, daughters in such circumstances would have long been given away or abandoned.

Lu Kun had put twenty yuan in her opening bonus—equivalent to half a month's wages. He understood the girl's current predicament. Indeed, Zhaodi's mother was pregnant again—for the seventh time. Her parents had even decided on the baby's name: "Zhaizhao"—meaning "Try Again."

"Thank you, boss! You're such a good person!" Zhaodi was so moved that she kept bowing to Lu Kun.

Lu Kun felt a little awkward. "So I'm being officially declared a good person, am I?"

...

"Tiechui, you rascal, today I really could've hammered you! Look at Zhaodi, then look at yourself—you're a grown man, but so frail. Where's all your strength gone? Think about it: you're still young, don't overdo things, don't ruin your health," Lu Kun admonished, his words anything but subtle, making Tiechui blush deeply.

Tiechui was the other male laborer Lu Kun had hired, from Ping'an Village. The boy was only seventeen, unwilling to stay home farming, and his parents had begged Lu Kun to take him along to see the world. He was also something of a lecher; before opening, he'd constantly pestered Lu Kun about where in town men could have fun, saying he wanted to lose his virginity. Lu Kun couldn't be bothered with him, and didn't know who he eventually approached for answers, but when he returned after a day, he looked worn out for days afterward.

Lu Kun was already considering whether, after some time, he might find an excuse to let the boy go. Still, the opening bonus was given to everyone—no exceptions. That bit of luck couldn't be withheld.

As for the temporary workers, there was no opening bonus, but their wages for the day were all doubled.

"It's getting late. Those of you who need to go home, head on back. Be on time for work tomorrow. If any part-timers can't make it tomorrow, be sure to ask me for leave ahead of time."

...

For several days in a row, though the revenue gradually declined, it wasn't a big problem. School supplies and daily necessities would be in a sales slump for a while, but Lu Kun adjusted the product mix in time, and profits remained impressive. On weekdays, after deducting the cost of goods and labor, the small supermarket still brought in nearly two thousand yuan in pure profit each day; on weekends, profits nearly reached three thousand yuan.

Lu Kun began to ponder. This campus supermarket seemed quite promising. It might not look like much, but it was a real money-maker. All the money he had invested would be recovered in less than half a month, and after that, income would be steady.

With nothing better to do, Lu Kun thought about expanding—Gui A County had two high schools and one technical school. He would have to open more campus supermarkets and set up branches soon.

...

It wasn't even February yet, but Gui'an was already unbearably hot. The worst part was the weather's instability, swinging between hot and cold, which was truly irritating.

Lu Kun was lying on a rocking chair, playing a video game called "Super Mario."

This game had been released as early as 1985, yet it remained wildly popular. It was Nintendo's most famous side-scrolling adventure. His two daughters were at school, Liu Liping was doing the accounts, and two employees were organizing the shelves. Only Lu Kun was idle. It was afternoon, and most of Gui A County No. 1 High School's students were in class. Only a few classes were having PE, and occasionally a student or two would step out to buy something.

...

"Hey, it's you! You're the one who tricked me into buying that bitter melon!" An astonished and angry voice rang out, and Lu Kun looked up in confusion.

Huh?

It turned out to be that same foolish kid he'd once coaxed into buying the bitter melon meal set—a real sucker, in Lu Kun's eyes. But why was he here in Gui A County instead of Ping'an Town? Had Liu Dexin managed to pull some strings and get this silly kid into Gui A County No. 1 High School?

"Hey, little brother, so it's you! No wonder magpies were calling at my door this morning—it must be fate bringing us together again," Lu Kun greeted him warmly. He was confident he could still hoodwink this kid.

Lu Kun handed him a bottle of soda. "Here, brother, this one's on me!"

"Hey, we've known each other for so long, but I still don't know your name. Come, come, look at all that sweat—sit here, it's cooler, there's a fan..." Lu Kun's mouth rattled on, leaving the boy no chance to speak.

"Uh...uh..." Before long, the boy was so thoroughly flustered by Lu Kun's patter that he didn't know which way was up, standing there dumbfounded.

"I feel like something's off, but I can't figure out what. What did I come here for again?" The boy tugged at his hair, still unable to remember.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Lu Kun waved his hand in front of him. "I'm asking you your name!"

"My name is...my name is...right, what is my name again?!" The poor fool scratched his head, looking completely bewildered.

Everyone in the shop couldn't help but laugh aloud. "This kid is hilarious," they thought.

Utterly embarrassed, the boy stammered, "I—I'm Liu Shixun."

He quickly lowered his head.

Lu Kun nearly burst out laughing. Liu Bapi had given his son a name hoping he’d become a high official one day, but judging by this kid’s brains, that was definitely wishful thinking!