I've been reborn, I'm definitely going to become an internet celebrity!

Chapter 122 [What a nuisance]

"And the third year? If it increases again, the rent will be almost seven thousand, which is close to the six thousand five you mentioned."

In front of the unfinished shop, under the rolled-up shutters, Liu Zhuohao looked into the landlord's eyes and said, "Of course, you can choose not to raise the price. It all depends on your opinion and how well my business performs in the first, second, and third years."

"To put it bluntly, maybe after a year I've really built up the popularity of this street, making it almost as popular as Paifang Street, then you won't be thinking about how to raise my rent, but how to keep me here."

2

The landlord fell silent again.

Liu Zhuohao wasn't in a hurry; he just waited for him to make a plan in his mind.

After a long while, the landlord suddenly sighed and said, "There's one more condition."

He threw the cigarette butt on the ground, stomped it out, and looked up.

Liu Zhuohao was secretly delighted, but he remained outwardly calm: "Please speak."

The landlord's gaze was sharp, as if trying to see panic in his eyes. "After you sign the contract, you can't sublet. You must run the catering business yourself. You can't just run it for six months and then leave. No! You have to stay for three years!"

Liu Zhuohao looked him straight in the eye, his eyes full of smiles. "Why doesn't the landlord take a look at my little stall at the night market before making a decision?"

The landlord shook his head: "No need, I've been to your stall, the steak was pretty good."

"OK."

Liu Zhuohao replied, "I've been in the catering business for three years."

The landlord nodded and extended his hand.

"make a deal."

They clasped their hands together and shook them.

"Alright, the terms are settled then." Liu Zhuohao released his grip, took out his phone from his pocket, and glanced at the time. "It's almost noon. How about we find a place to sit down, have lunch, and go over the contract?"

The landlord nodded: "Okay, where's convenient for you? There's a fried kway teow place up ahead, it's pretty good. Shall we go there to buy some, and then have some tea and eat at the teahouse in the back?"

"Let's go."

The two pulled down the roller shutter door, the landlord got on his electric scooter, and Liu Zhuohao walked beside him. The two of them rode south along the sidewalk.

After walking about a hundred meters, the two stopped in front of a fried rice noodle soup restaurant.

"Dry-fried or wet-fried?"

The landlord was a regular customer; he didn't even need to look at the menu. He just asked himself a question first, and then went inside to drink.

Before long, two servings of stir-fried beef rice noodles were brought out.

He put the rice noodles in the basket at the front of the electric scooter, then deftly led himself toward the teahouse next door.

Liu Zhuohao watched his movements; they were leisurely and at ease.

Although he had messy hair, wore slippers, and rode an electric scooter, his demeanor was something that those dressed in suits and driving luxury cars simply couldn't match.

Of course, having that big bunch of keys hanging on his waist is a huge advantage.

Upon arriving at the teahouse, the landlord was the first to push open the glass door and go inside. There were five or six tables inside, and not many people were there at this time of morning. Behind the counter sat a woman in her fifties who greeted the landlord familiarly, "Old Xie, still Dancong?"

"Yes, here's some freshly brewed tea, esteemed guest." The landlord found a seat by the window, took out a stack of neatly folded A4 papers from his bag, and said, "I brought a draft of the contract. Take a look at it first, and we can revise it on the spot if there are any changes needed."

Liu Zhuohao took it, unfolded it, and found a printed lease contract with detailed terms.

The details of how water and electricity are calculated, who pays the property management fees, whether the walls can be altered during renovations, and how to handle breaches of contract are all clearly stated above.

He read down line by line.

"This one."

Liu Zhuohao pointed to one of the clauses: "During the lease term, Party B shall not sublet the property without authorization." He asked, "If I want to register a company in the future, can I use this address?"

"OK."

The landlord said, "Registering a company is no problem. I'll cooperate with you through the procedures. Just tell me what documents you need."

Liu Zhuohao nodded and continued reading.

Midway through, the elderly woman came over with a small tin of tea and refilled their teacups.

"Wow, high mountain tea, 1200 yuan a pound!" The landlord clicked his tongue and looked at the old lady, "I said I was coming to brew some good tea, but I didn't say I wanted this much."

"Oh dear, we should save where we should and spend where we should."

The older woman didn't give them a chance to refuse; she had already added boiling water and brewed the tea for them. "Judging from your appearance, you must have made some money today, right? Treat yourself to a good cup of tea."

The two exchanged pleasantries and seemed to know each other well.

Liu Zhuohao didn't say anything, looking at the contract and the tea leaves at the same time.

tea!

He lowered his head and said, "Landlord, the rent we just discussed, five thousand five hundred, two months' deposit and six months' rent in advance, a three-year contract, with a 10% increase in the second and third years, all of these must be written in the contract."

"Definitely."

The landlord took a pen out of his pocket. "Tell me what you want, and I'll revise it on the spot. I'll print it out later."

"So cheap?"

The older woman watching from the side asked, "That's the rented apartment?"

"That beef hot pot restaurant that went out of business."

The landlord replied casually.

"What?!"

The older woman's eyes widened. "Old Xie, are you crazy? That apartment is so spacious, and you only rented it for five thousand five hundred?"

She slammed her teacup on the table, her voice rising an octave: "Are you out of your mind?"

The landlord was a little exasperated by her outburst, but the two seemed to have a good relationship, so he waved his hand and said, "You don't understand, you don't understand."

"What do you mean I don't understand?" the old lady persisted. "Didn't you say yourself that it was so spacious, the only one on the whole street, that it should rent for at least seven thousand? And now, you've given it away for only five thousand five?"

The landlord gestured to Liu Zhuohao with his lip: "That's what he does, the one who was on the news a while ago, the one who sells steak at the night market."

The older woman paused for a moment, then looked Liu Zhuohao up and down again.

"oh-

'

She drawled, "It's that one."

Liu Zhuohao felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, but he didn't show it on his face. He simply picked up his teacup and took a sip.

This tea is indeed fragrant, smooth on the palate, and leaves a sweet aftertaste in the throat after swallowing. Even the breath exhaled through the nose seems to carry a hint of tea fragrance.

He put down his cup and suddenly spoke up: "Sister, your teahouse must have been open for quite a while now, right?"

The older woman paused for a moment, then laughed: "Who are you calling 'big sister'? 'Auntie' would be more appropriate."

Liu Zhuohao laughed and continued, "Okay, Auntie, I really don't know much about tea. I'd like to ask you something. I just heard you say that this tea costs 1,200 yuan per jin?"

He pointed to the can of tea: "Why is this so expensive? What are the benefits of drinking it?"

The elderly woman and the landlord exchanged a glance, both with smiles in their eyes.

"You young lad."

The older woman smiled and shook her head, then sat down on a chair next to her. "Such a smooth talker, she's got business acumen."

She picked up the can of tea, opened the lid, and pushed it towards Liu Zhuohao: "Smell it first."

Liu Zhuohao lowered his head and smelled it. It was fragrant, but not overpowering. It had a very light and delicate aroma, completely different from the tea he usually drank.

"This tea," the old lady said, putting the lid back on, "is expensive, but it's definitely not because of its effects. When it comes to tea, all teas have pretty much the same effects—refreshing, cutting through grease, and scraping away oil—they're all the same."

She paused, then pointed at the tea canister with her finger: "The high price is due to the cost. This kind of high-mountain tea can only be picked for a few days a year. After picking, it still needs to be sorted. A pound of fresh leaves can only make a few ounces of dried tea. Add to that the labor, transportation, and packaging costs, and the price goes up layer by layer."

"But to be honest..."

Liu Zhuohao nodded, listening attentively.

"It's just like what you young people buy when you get married."

The older woman thought for a moment, then made a gesture, "Diamonds, yes, diamonds."

"What's the point of that thing? It's just a rock. It looks nice but is useless. You'd be better off buying some gold."

"Buy some gold. It can be made into jewelry for your wedding, and it can be passed down to your children when they get married. Isn't that great?"

The landlord chuckled beside him.

The older woman glared at him: "What are you laughing at? Am I wrong?"

"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right." The landlord quickly waved his hand, picked up his teacup, and drank some tea, suppressing his smile.

Liu Zhuohao also laughed; these words were actually quite prescient.

He picked up the teacup and took another sip.

This tea is indeed delicious; in theory, the demand for it should be greater than that for baijiu (Chinese liquor).

However, in his memory, tea seemed to be difficult to sell.

It was already past eleven o'clock when the contract was signed.

Liu Zhuohao stood at the shop entrance, watching the landlord get on his electric bike and disappear into the alleyway in a flash.

The old lady was still standing at the entrance of the teahouse, holding her teacup and looking this way, I don't know what she was thinking.

He turned around, took out his keys, and opened the roller shutter door himself.

This time, the creaking sound when the door was pushed up was particularly pleasant to hear.

He walked into the store, but didn't stay in the front hall; he went straight to the corner of the back kitchen.

The planks were still there, standing there covered in dust. He turned the top plank over and wiped the dust off with his sleeve.

"Chaoshan beef hot pot?"

Liu Zhuohao stared at those words for a while, put the wooden board back, stood up, and patted the dust off his hands.

The cold storage is readily available, the smoke exhaust is readily available, the water supply and drainage are readily available, and the gas pipeline is readily available.

The rent is 5,500. It will not increase in the first year, but will increase by 10% each year in the second and third years.

He twirled the key in his hand and suddenly wanted to laugh.

This price is much better than he expected.

I originally thought it would cost at least seven or eight thousand, and possibly even ten thousand. Now I got it for five thousand five, and the money I saved is enough to buy several sets of equipment.

You can breathe a sigh of relief when renovating – no major changes to the plumbing and electrical systems, no need to redo the walls. Just these two aspects alone can save you 40,000 to 50,000 yuan.

He took a couple of steps in the store, his shoes making a soft, rustling sound as they rubbed against the non-slip floor tiles.

Sunlight streamed through the glass door, making the dust on the floor sparkle.

"Hey, Mr. Liu."

A voice came from the doorway.

Liu Zhuohao turned around and saw the clothing store owner standing at the door. She looked to be in her early thirties, wearing a light purple sweater, with her hair hanging down from her left shoulder, revealing a silver earring on her right ear.

She just stood there, not coming in, one foot on the threshold, one hand holding the door frame, her body slightly tilted, as if she were enjoying the cool air at her own doorstep, casual, yet somewhat attractive.

"You looked familiar, I didn't realize it was you."

The clothing store owner spoke in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, with a hint of local dialect at the end, as she stretched out a finger and twirled it around her hanging hair.

"----Hello."

Liu Zhuohao replied politely, "We'll be neighbors from now on. Come over for tea when you've moved in."

You're too kind.

The proprietress smiled and looked him up and down.

The look in their eyes wasn't unpleasant; it was the kind of look neighbors give when they see something new, a mix of curiosity and admiration.

When she looks at people, her eyes curve into two crescent moons, with a few fine lines at the corners. She doesn't look old; instead, she seems to love to smile.

"He's really young and promising."

As she spoke, her gaze lingered on his face. "I saw you on TV before; I think you just graduated high school?"

"Yes, I just graduated."

Liu Zhuohao nodded. "Just lucky."

"That's not just good luck, it takes ability."

The proprietress took a step forward and stood in the middle of the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest.

This posture made her look more relaxed, as if she had plenty of time to stand and chat.

"My daughter is just like you, a high school student." She sighed, her brow furrowing slightly. "Every night she runs out to rollerblade in the square, and I can't get her back no matter how much I call her. If I say anything to her, she talks back."

She shook her head, her hair swaying slightly. The finger that had been wrapped around her hair tapped in the air; it was long and slender, with short, clean nails, no nail polish. "Compared to you, it's like heaven and earth."

"----daughter?"

Liu Zhuohao paused for a moment, then glanced at her again.

She has a cool, fair complexion—truly fair, not the kind of fair that comes from foundation, but a natural, translucent white. Her face is almost wrinkle-free, with only a few fine lines around her eyes when she smiles.

My lips weren't covered in any makeup, but the color was quite nice, a light pink.

Early thirties, has a daughter who is a high school student?

He thought for a moment, then she must be at least forty, right?

But you can't tell from his face. You can't tell from his body either.

Underneath the sweater, her waist was defined, her hips were defined, and she stood there with a graceful curve.

"What, doesn't it look like her?" The proprietress smiled at his expression, her eyes curving into two crescent moons. "I was born when I was twenty, she's seventeen this year, and I'm thirty-seven. It's a perfect match."

Liu Zhuohao wasn't embarrassed at all. He smiled and was very polite: "No, I just didn't expect it. I almost called you 'sister' just now."

After all, he's quite old.

"elder sister?"

The proprietress burst out laughing, this time a genuine laugh, not the polite laugh from before. Her shoulders trembled, and her hair shook as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Calling me 'sister' is fine too, it makes me sound younger."

She stopped laughing, but a slight upturn remained at the corners of her mouth. She lowered her hand from her mouth, took a step back, and stood outside the threshold. "I'm leaving now. I have a shop right next door. If you need anything, come find me. I know all the shops on this street. It'll be easy for you to ask me anything."

Liu Zhuohao casually changed the way he addressed her, "Okay, thank you, sis."

The proprietress raised an eyebrow, didn't reply, but just glanced at it again with interest before turning and leaving.

She walked slowly, her figure standing out against the gray sky. She wore a light purple sweater, and her black hair swayed gently on her back as she walked. She wore jeans and flat shoes, the soles of which made a soft rustling sound as they scraped against the ground.

She took two steps, then turned back.

"By the way, don't go to that fried chicken place."

She raised her hand and pointed across the street, "You young people like fried chicken, but theirs is oily, um, no good."

She shook her head, her face full of disgust.

Liu Zhuohao responded again, thanking her for revealing this inside information.

After they left, he turned around, his smile quickly fading, and he breathed a sigh of relief: "————What a hassle."

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