Chapter 3: Making Money is Really Not Easy

After leaving Lihui Community, Jiang Qin headed straight home.

The 120-square-meter three-bedroom apartment, with the living room on the left and kitchen on the right, held almost all of Jiang Qin’s cherished memories.

His mother Yuan Youqin was cooking while wearing an apron, the chopping on the cutting board purposely extra loud, clearly indicating meat dishes, the kind with bones.

His father Jiang Zhenghong sat on the sofa reading the newspaper, humming “Clouds of My Hometown”, his slippers dangling from his toes.

Feeling this familiar warmth, Jiang Qin couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

After drifting in Shencheng for many years, he was still just a rootless duckweed. His roots that raised him were here, so this place was home that nothing could replace.

Especially seeing his parents suddenly young again felt extraordinarily wonderful.

“I’m home!”

Jiang Zhenghong squinted at him. “Done with exams?”

Yuan Youqin also poked her head out from the kitchen. “How was it? Do you feel confident?”

“I already have one foot in the door of a top school.”

“You brat, talking so big. Is that true?” Yuan Youqin sized him up skeptically.

But Jiang Zhenghong gave him face. “Daring to say that, he must have some confidence. Let’s have a good drink tonight, just us men!”

Jiang Qin waved his hand to refuse. “Dad, I’ve decided to start a business during summer break. I can’t waste any time.”

“Start a business?”

“Make money.”

Yuan Youqin thought for a moment. “Then how about you wash the dishes after eating later? I’ll give you five yuan per bowl, ten for the pots.”

Jiang Qin sighed, not arguing. “I can wash the dishes and pots, but how about giving me 300 yuan total?”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhenghong suddenly looked up. “There’s such a good deal? Then I’ll do it too!”

“Oh stop it. 300 yuan is enough for me to buy a new set. I wash pots and pans every day but no one gives me 300 yuan. Go wash your hands for dinner!”

“Alas, before it even began, this king’s entrepreneurial journey has already crumbled.”

Jiang Qin lamented but went to wash his hands and eat dinner with his parents.

Before bed, Yuan Youqin came out of the bedroom and stuffed five 100-yuan bills into his hand.

Actually, Madam Yuan knew, graduating high school was like letting a wild horse loose. Hanging out and singing with classmates all cost money. Earlier, offering him five yuan to wash dishes was just tough love.

Looking at the 500 yuan in his hand, Jiang Qin felt a slight ache in his heart.

Which big entrepreneur started with only 500 yuan? But 500 is still better than nothing.

“Madam Yuan, you’re now the mother of a chairman!”

“I’ll be satisfied if you just become a general manager. Oh right, I asked your uncle at noon. Go learn to drive at Zhengfang Driving School in a few days.”

“I’ll discuss driving lessons later. I have important things to do recently.”

Jiang Qin took the money back to his room, found Guo Zihang’s QQ number, and told him to meet on Central Street early tomorrow morning.

Guo Zihang asked what they were going to do. Jiang Qin didn’t say directly, only that he had 500 yuan now, making that guy howl “bro”.

After arranging tomorrow’s plan, Jiang Qin casually opened Baidu, intending to read some news online to try to recall some key points about demolition and renovation, policy changes, stock market conditions, market premiums, etc., to prepare for getting rich.

But before the webpage could load, his gaze stopped on the computer QQ buddy list.

Chu Siqi’s chat window was pinned to the top?

Jiang Qin moved the cursor over and directly unpinned it, then locked his QZone and changed his non-mainstream profile picture.

After doing that, he glanced at his bio and nearly knocked out a three-bedroom apartment.

[I love you, what’s it to you?]

So awkward. Jiang Qin smacked his forehead and quickly deleted it, replacing it with Yesterday’s Song.

After updating his bio, Jiang Qin noticed Chu Siqi, who had a gray avatar earlier, suddenly came online, her avatar jumping. She had clearly sent a message.

He clicked it open and then disinterestedly closed it.

She asked why he suddenly closed his QZone and ordered him to reopen it, saying she wanted to visit it.

Visiting QZone? How long had it been since he heard such an ancient phrase? Did she want to drop by a hall too?

Early the next morning, the weather was sunny with a gentle breeze.

Jiang Qin rode his bike out and arrived at the pedestrian street on Pingyang East Road.

This street was considered the most prosperous commercial pedestrian street in Jizhou. Before the old market was renovated, it was once the golden spot for various vendors fighting over, leading to intense price wars, ironically making things relatively cheaper.

Because Guo Zihang was fixated on Jiang Qin’s 500 yuan, he pedaled like mad and was already drenched in sweat by the time he reached the meeting spot.

“Bro Jiang, how are you going to spend the 500 yuan? I’ve never been to a bar. Want to try it?”

“Stop talking nonsense. See that guy selling boxed meals? Go ask how much they cost.”

Guo Zihang looked in the direction Jiang Qin pointed, his face instantly turning pale. “We’re eating boxed meals for lunch?”

Jiang Qin narrowed his eyes without answering directly. “Go ask first. Don’t worry, I won’t mistreat you.”

“Oh.”

Guo Zihang dejectedly walked over. In 2008, prices weren’t too high yet. Boxed meals with potato strips were two yuan, with some shredded meat three yuan, with a chicken leg and potato strips five yuan, and with a chicken leg and egg six yuan.

Jiang Qin glanced at the time, thought for a moment, then tossed the boss 200 yuan, telling him not to ask and just cook.

Then he found two cardboard boxes, packed some of the prepared meals, and took Guo Zihang to an internet cafe street.

Pushing open the door of one cafe, Jiang Qin first took out a pack of Yuxi cigarettes he bought on the way and handed it to the manager, then started hawking his boxed meals. The groggy overnight gamers were starving but didn’t want to go out to eat. Seeing food delivered to their door, they were instantly drooling.

Though boxed meals weren’t anything special, they were better than instant noodles, right?

So two-yuan meals sold for four, five-yuan for seven, six-yuan for nine. In the end, only two chicken leg with egg meals were left. Everything else sold out.

Busy from 7am to 1pm, the two of them made three round trips to five internet cafes, raising prices twice in between.

Guo Zihang was exhausted, sticking out his tongue panting, sweat dripping nonstop from his forehead.

Jiang Qin’s back was also soaked with sweat as he squatted on the curb wiping sweat and counting money.

200 yuan of meals sold for 378. The two remaining chicken leg meals were just right for them to each have one.

Actually, he did this not to make money, but mainly to clear his thoughts. Now it seemed his idea was sound. Money could be made, but profit margins were too thin.

But Jiang Qin wasn’t disappointed. With 200 yuan starting capital, how much profit could you expect?

It couldn’t possibly be thousands.

He hadn’t run a business before being reborn. Playing this hand today was completely to get a feel for earning money.

But to be honest, it was a bit of a loss. Five packs of Yuxi cigarettes already cost over 100 yuan upfront. Wasting half a day, the two of them were as tired as dogs, only earning 78 yuan.

But what if they had more starting funds? Flipping something more valuable? Doubling 78 yuan was still pretty good.

Jiang Qin took out five ten-yuan bills and handed them to Guo Zihang. That dog immediately stopped complaining about being tired and held the money tightly, shouting thanks bro.

“Bro, what are we doing tomorrow?”

“Do what? I’m nearly dead from exhaustion. Only made 78 yuan and gave you 50. What’s left can barely buy a pack of cigarettes.”

Jiang Qin grumbled but was actually pondering the issue of his first pot of gold.

Where could he earn his first pot of gold?

In online novels, those reborn bastards could easily run big businesses. Why didn’t it work when it was his turn?

If all else failed, he’d persuade his parents to sell their house and directly buy Bitcoin and Moutai stock.

Just then, the boxed meal cook holding a spatula came over. He first stared at Jiang Qin, then mysteriously leaned in, handing over a White General cigarette.

“How much did you sell those 200 yuan of boxed meals for?”

Jiang Qin took the cigarette, calmly raising his head. “406 yuan.”

Guo Zihang was stunned. Wasn’t it 308?

But seeing Jiang Qin’s nonchalant look, he didn’t dare speak up, just swallowed and lowered his head.

Note:

[QZone: a social networking website based in China which was created by Tencent in 2005. It allows users to write blogs, keep diaries, send photos, listen to music, and watch videos]