Chapter 19: Money Is Truly Wonderful! She Must Keep Grinding!

Instinctively, Yu Zui clicked on the task bar.

[Main Quest: Turn the grocery store into a world-renowned shop]
[Progress: Little known (0.234...%)]

The main quest, which had been stuck at zero, had slowly progressed over the past couple of days.

Compared to before, it was indeed just barely known now.

But it seemed that with the “help” of that fitness influencer, the store had started to gain some recognition within a small circle.

She felt she could really get serious about social media herself.

Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaochengshu—all top-tier traffic platforms.

Previously, the drinks might have been too plain, but now with the addition of exquisite desserts, it was a different story.

Looking at the lively crowd gathered around, Yu Zui felt there would be plenty of opportunities ahead.

She then examined the new product “Spring Water Blossom” more closely.

Surprisingly, a single box of Spring Water Blossom was actually a blind box.

Of course, if one didn’t want to take the risk, buying the set box for a few extra dozen yuan was also an option.

It all depended on the customer’s preference!

As for Yu Zui, she had just pulled a box from the warehouse. She drew the Green Tea flavor, with a subtle green hue blending in the orange—exceptionally delicate and beautiful.

After snapping a photo, she took a gentle bite.

The first mouthful was soft and sweet, with a fresh tea flavor dancing on her tongue—clear and light, truly evoking the feeling of spring, full of vitality.

It was so delicious she almost wanted to bite her own tongue off.

Within a few bites, Yu Zui finished it, feeling that finishing it was the highest form of praise.

“Boss, do you have the set box?” A customer who had been searching around the single boxes finally came to ask her.

“Yes,” Yu Zui nodded.

Quickly, she fetched a Spring Water Blossom set box from the warehouse.

The bamboo box had a small handle on the side. She handed it over and added a reminder, “Once opened, try to finish it within three days.”

“Okay,” the customer said happily, taking the set box with delight.

She had an appointment with a customer today whom she believed would be very interested in this dessert.

Thanks to Yu Zui’s exquisite plating, many customers immediately noticed the desserts as soon as they entered.

More and more people stopped to take photos.

Of course, the sound of Xiaoka’s checkout was constantly ringing throughout the store.

At 88 yuan for the dessert, compared to the 188-yuan drinks, it seemed worth it.

Especially the Spring Water Blossom’s beauty-enhancing detox effect had caught the attention of many female customers.

Those who had tried the iced black tea and oolong tea and found them effective were sure that Spring Water Blossom would work as well.

One word: Buy!

Quite a few people were buying, not to mention those attracted by the store’s decor and exquisite desserts.

So, the store remained bustling and lively for the rest of the time.

Watching this scene, Yu Zui felt a warm, beautiful joy.

Later, she found a free moment to take photos of all the products in the store, then began to DIY detailed descriptions for each.

After finishing, she posted them one by one on Xiaochengshu, Weibo, and Douyin.

At the same time, she unified all her accounts under one name:

#Yu’s Grocery Store#

Seeing this name now, she already felt a promising future ahead.

By noon, as the weather grew hotter, the number of customers in the store slightly decreased.

Tang Siyuan and Zheng Hanwen came by again at this time.

As soon as they entered, they noticed the store looked different. Originally empty, though still half empty, it no longer felt so barren.

Especially with the heavy solid wood furniture paired with the antique-style store, the entire place immediately felt more upscale.

Of course, the eye-catching desserts placed on the central counter also drew attention.

“Boss, you have new products?” Tang Siyuan couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes. We’re planning to gradually release new products to keep customers’ interest fresh,” Yu Zui replied smoothly.

“The new products definitely look special,” Tang Siyuan said, then noticed a wooden price tag next to the goods.

One box was priced at 88 yuan.

The price was equally striking!

But it seemed to be targeting a premium market, and given the different clientele, the price appeared quite reasonable.

Seeing the steady flow of customers around, they figured people were willing to spend.

Feeling satisfied, the two quickly began packing a new batch of deliveries.

This time, about a dozen orders, which was relatively manageable.

After packing and moving everything, Tang Siyuan spoke up, “The boss said prices are 5 yuan per bottle for under 10 bottles, 6 yuan each for over 10, with an additional 1 yuan for every 2 extra pounds, capped at 20 yuan. This is the lowest price we could negotiate.”

After all, packing costs had to be factored in.

Thinking a moment, Tang Siyuan added, “If you handle the packing on your end and we just pick up, the price can be discussed again.”

“No need for now. Let’s just cooperate this way!” Yu Zui quickly said. Handling packing alone would be overwhelming for her.

She wasn’t ready to hire help yet.

And the shipping cost wasn’t too high for her.

“All right! Later, once I generate the orders, just pay through the backend,” Tang Siyuan said cheerfully.

This way, the couriers would actually earn more commission.

“Okay.”

Then the two left with the last batch of deliveries from the morning.

After they left, Yu Zui checked the time and immediately found her mother’s WeChat to transfer three thousand yuan.

No sooner had she sent it than the phone rang.

“Hello, Mom.”

“Why did you transfer me three thousand? Keep it for yourself!” her mother, Zeng Xiwen, said hurriedly.

She knew the sudden family emergency had drained the savings her daughter had earned from years of part-time jobs.

They had never wanted her to worry too much during university, and they already felt guilty enough.

Now, just graduated, having to shoulder the family’s burden, Zeng Xiwen felt uneasy.

“I recently changed jobs and started earning money,” Yu Zui said happily.

From the opening until today, she had made over forty thousand yuan, which truly relieved her urgent needs.

“Is the work hard?” Zeng Xiwen asked with concern.

“A bit tiring, but worth it,” Yu Zui admitted, knowing her mother wouldn’t believe otherwise.

“Then take good care of your health,” Zeng Xiwen said, feeling much relieved, then began to nag.

“What about Dad?”

“He went to the field.”

“But his leg is broken and needs proper rest.”

“He wouldn’t listen. He went with a cane, and Yu Ze was with him.”

“Yu Ze? Didn’t he say he was going to a summer job?” Yu Zui asked in surprise.

Talking about this, Zeng Xiwen felt helpless. “The store owner tricked him into working three days, saying his zodiac sign was bad for their business—it was all lies. Your brother called me crying!”

“Did you go confront the owner?” Yu Zui asked.

That unscrupulous, heartless boss.

“We did! I took him along and demanded 300 yuan in wages plus compensation for emotional distress,” Zeng Xiwen said proudly. “Your dad said to take it as a lesson. Why should they get away with it? Three days of work is work. If they refused, I was ready to call the police.”

Yu Zui smiled involuntarily.

Her father was an honest man, always bearing troubles alone. Others saw him as a nice guy but easily taken advantage of.

But her mother was different—her name sounded literary, but she was fiery and fierce. Others called her a shrew, but Yu Zui preferred it that way; she wouldn’t be pushed around.

Of course, she and her brother were the center of their parents’ world, never allowing anyone to bully them.

She just hadn’t expected her brother to face such harshness before even entering society.

“Tell him to come find me! The store I work at is short-staffed, and I need help,” Yu Zui thought to herself. Having her brother work under her watch would be better.

Besides, he was set to start university in S City in two months, so getting familiar with the environment early would be good.

“Will that be troublesome?” Zeng Xiwen asked.

“No. The apartment I rent is large enough. I can buy him a single bed. He works during the day and just sleeps there at night,” Yu Zui said without hesitation. “And my workplace really needs help. I can decide on staffing. Tell him three thousand yuan a month, weekends off, work for two months, and then he can do part-time if he wants.”

She could handle this. Having her brother help would give her peace of mind.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Yu Zui insisted.

“I’ll tell him when he gets back.”

“Great! Once Dad’s injury heals a bit, you all should come visit us and check out your brother’s university,” Yu Zui said cheerfully.

In two months, her store would surely improve further.

She would work hard to create a better life for herself and her parents.

Then, thinking of the parcels she sent, she added, “By the way, I sent some drinks home, especially milk to help with recovery. Make sure you drink them! And other beverages too—try them all; they taste great. They’re from where I work, and I bought them at employee prices.”

“Okay.” Zeng Xiwen’s expression softened.

For the first time, she felt the true meaning of relying on a grown-up child.

After some more nagging, Yu Zui made an excuse to eat and quickly ended the call.

The burden of a mother’s love!

But once the call ended, looking at her own grocery store, Yu Zui’s spirits soared instantly.

It was truly wonderful to make money!

Having money was wonderful!

She was determined to keep working hard!