Going home for the Chinese New Year with a year-end bonus of 100 million

In mid-September, the university town was bustling with the start of the new semester.

At 10 a.m., the "Qianweifang" hot pot restaurant was already full of customers at three tables.

Lin's mother was simmering the fifth pot of soup base in the kitchen, Wang Xiuying and Li Cuihua were busy in the cleaning area, and Yang Xiaoya was calmly receiving the customers who kept coming into the store at the front desk.

Yang Fan stood by the second-floor window, looking at the bustling street below, but his mind was on something else.

The investment rebate system has already given him a generous return—Zhou Jin's e-sports hotel project was a success, returning six million system funds and thirty thousand investment coins.

Zhou Yao's billiards hall is also operating steadily and is expected to break even by the end of the year.

Now is the time to consider investing in your family.

But he knew that this matter could not be rushed.

People of the older generation are used to being hardworking and honest. If they suddenly hear that their son wants to invest in them, they may feel uneasy and even suspect that their son has too much money to spend.

We need to find a suitable way to make them accept help without making them feel like they are being given charity.

"Brother, what are you thinking about?"

Yang Xiaoya came upstairs at some point, carrying two cups of tea.

Yang Fan took the tea and smiled, "I was thinking about things at home."

"At home?" Yang Xiaoya asked, somewhat puzzled. "Everything's fine at home. My parents are tired from running their stall, but they're happy every day. Haozi's job is stable too."

"It's precisely because everything is going well that we want to make it even better for everyone." Yang Fan took a sip of tea.

"Xiaoya, do you think Mom and Dad would accept it if we invested some money in the vegetable stall to upgrade the equipment and environment?"

Yang Xiaoya thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook her head:

"I'm afraid they won't accept it."

"They feel that they can earn enough money by setting up a stall, and you don't need to spend any more money."

"What if it's under the guise of investment?" Yang Fan asked.

"It's not a free gift; it's a legitimate investment."

"I provide the money, they provide the labor, and we split the profits proportionally."

Yang Xiaoya's eyes lit up: "This... is something I could consider. But brother, is a small business like a vegetable stall really worth the investment?"

"Whether it's worth it or not depends on how you run it." Yang Fan walked to the window and pointed to the students coming and going downstairs.

"Tens of thousands of students in the university town need to eat every day."

"Although the vegetable stall is small, if it can be developed into a high-quality and standardized community fresh food store, the prospects are promising."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, investing in family isn't just about making money."

"More importantly, it's about letting our parents see that what they're doing is valuable and worth investing in."

Yang Xiaoya understood.

She recalled her mother's anxiety and inferiority when she first came to the provincial capital, and then she remembered the smile on her mother's face when she was busy in the store every day—a smile of being needed and recognized.

"Brother, you're right," she said softly. "Then what about me? What can I do?"

Yang Fan turned around and looked at her: "Can you help me think of how to tell Mom and Dad about this?"

"You're a girl, and you speak gently, so they're more receptive to you."

"Okay." Yang Xiaoya nodded vigorously. "I'll give it a try."

……

By 3 p.m., the peak season for vegetable stalls had passed.

Yang Jianguo and Yang Jianmin were finally able to sit down and rest for a while.

The two took out their thermos cups, drank the tea they had brewed that morning, looked at the remaining vegetables on the stall, and pondered what to stock up on for tomorrow.

Just then, Yang Fan and Yang Xiaoya walked over.

"Dad, Third Uncle," Yang Fan greeted them, "How's business today?"

"Not bad, not bad!" Yang Jianguo said with a smile.

"We sold over 800 this morning, and 400 this afternoon alone. That's enough to break even!"

Yang Jianmin nodded in agreement: "It's much better than back in my hometown."

Yang Xiaoya went to the side and bought four bottles of water, handing them to the two elders:

"Drink some water. It's hot, don't get heatstroke."

"Hey." Yang Jianguo took the water. "Why did you guys come over? Isn't the shop busy?"

"There aren't many people around now." Yang Fan sat down on a stool next to him.

"Dad, Third Uncle, I have an idea that I'd like to discuss with you."

"Go ahead," Yang Jianguo said, putting down the water.

Yang Fan carefully chose his words: "This is what I think. The vegetable stall business is stable now, but I feel we can do even better."

He pointed to the stall: "You see, our stall has a good location, but the equipment is too basic."

"The electronic scale is old-fashioned, and the plastic bags are the cheapest kind."

"There aren't enough display shelves, and many dishes are piled together, making it inconvenient for customers to choose."

Yang Jianguo looked at his stall and scratched his head:

"It's a bit basic... but it works, so it's fine. We're selling vegetables, not home renovations."

"Dad, times have changed," Yang Fan explained patiently.

"When students buy things, they not only look at whether the product is good or not, but also at the environment."

"If we keep our stall clean and tidy, replace the equipment with new ones, and arrange the display racks neatly, customers will feel more comfortable and be more willing to come and buy."

"And," he added, "I plan to add a freezer next to the stall to sell cold drinks and fruit."

"In the hot summer, students can buy a bottle of water or a piece of fruit when they pass by, which gives me an extra source of income."

Yang Jianguo and Yang Jianmin exchanged a glance, both somewhat tempted.

"Then... how much will it cost?" Yang Jianmin asked.

"I've already calculated it." Yang Fan was prepared.

"The new electronic scale, display rack, freezer, and some other miscellaneous items cost about 20,000 yuan."

"Twenty thousand?" Yang Jianguo gasped. "That much? Our stall only makes about ten thousand a month. It'll take us two months to save up twenty thousand!"

"Dad, I'll pay for this," Yang Fan said, "but not for free; it's an investment."

"Investment?" Yang Jianguo was stunned.

"Yes," Yang Fan said earnestly.

"I'll invest 20,000 yuan to upgrade the stall."

"The profits we make in the future will be divided according to our investment ratio."

"For example, if I can earn an extra 3,000 yuan per month after the upgrade, then I will take 1,500 yuan, and you will take 1,500 yuan."

He paused, then looked at his father: "This isn't just free money; it's a legitimate investment. You provide the labor, I'll provide the capital, and together we'll expand the business."

Yang Jianguo fell silent.

He looked at his son, then at the stall, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The son has become successful and wealthy, and he's thinking of helping the family.

But how could he, as a father, take his son's money with a clear conscience?

"Xiao Fan," Yang Jianguo sighed.

"I know you mean well. But I can't accept this 20,000 yuan."

"We're fine as we are now. We can save up slowly and upgrade later when we've saved enough."

Yang Fan had long anticipated that his father would say that.

He turned to look at Yang Xiaoya.

Yang Xiaoya understood and said softly, "Dad, I think my brother makes sense."

Her voice was gentle and soft, like a spring breeze:

"Think about it, if business really improves after the upgrade, and you can earn a few thousand more dollars each month, wouldn't that be even better?"

"Moreover, this money isn't given away for free; it's an investment, and you'll have to pay it back when you make a profit."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Besides, look at this electronic scale now, it sometimes jams, and the customers get impatient while waiting."

"There's no freezer, and the vegetables wilt easily in hot weather."

"Upgrading is not just about making more money, but also about doing better and lasting longer."

As Yang Jianguo listened, his resistance slowly began to soften.

He recalled how impatient customers would get when the electronic scales malfunctioned.

I remember when it was hot, the vegetables would wilt by the afternoon and I had to sell them cheaply.

If... if it could really improve...

"Dad," Yang Fan pressed on, "you can consider it a loan from me to you."

"You can pay me back slowly once business improves. Besides, if the stall is upgraded and the environment is better, it might attract even more customers."

"At that time, we will not only sell vegetables, but also fruits and drinks, and our income will double."

Yang Jianmin, listening nearby, was also tempted: "Brother, I think Xiaofan has a point. Shall we give it a try?"

Yang Jianguo looked at his younger brother, then at his son, and finally nodded:

"Okay... let's give it a try. But consider this money a loan, and we'll definitely pay you back later."

"Okay." Yang Fan smiled. "Then it's settled. I'll go buy the equipment tomorrow and find someone to install it this weekend."

At the same time, at the market distribution station.

Yang Hao had just finished delivering the last order of the afternoon and was driving his car back to the garage.

He jumped out of the car and was about to go to the office to hand in the form when he saw Yang Fan standing at the entrance of the carport.

"Brother Fan?" Yang Hao was a little surprised. "What brings you here?"

"Just came to see you." Yang Fan walked over and patted the front of the car. "You've been using this car for almost half a year, haven't you? How is it? Still easy to drive?"

"It's alright." Yang Hao wiped his sweat. "It's just that sometimes there's too much cargo, and I can't finish it all in one trip, so I have to make another trip."

Yang Fan nodded: "Haozi, I have an idea, listen to it."

The two sat down on a bench next to the carport.

"You're delivering goods to the market now, and your salary is a fixed six thousand yuan, right?" Yang Fan asked.

"Mm." Yang Hao nodded.

"What if... we bought our own car, and you took orders and delivered goods yourself, earning more for more work? What do you think?"

Yang Hao was stunned.

Buy your own car? Take orders yourself?

"Brother Fan, you mean...?"

"What I mean is, investing in you," Yang Fan said directly.

"I'll pay for the car, you just need to drive it."

"Besides delivering goods to the market, you can also take other orders. After deducting costs such as fuel and maintenance, we'll split the profits proportionally."

Yang Hao's eyes lit up.

Drive your own car, pick up your own orders, the more you work, the more you earn...

This is much more promising than my current fixed salary!

"But..." he hesitated again, "Can I manage by myself? I'm not familiar with finding orders, negotiating prices, or any of that..."

"Take your time learning." Yang Fan patted him on the shoulder.