Siheyuan: Tathagata's Palm suppresses the entire courtyard!
Chapter 397 Scattered Papers
Xu Mingjie's days passed quickly in tension and busyness. Although he tried hard to control his expenses, his inner desire for new dishes and self-breakthrough never really subsided. Every day, he tried his best in the kitchen, trying to find a balance in the existing resources, but more and more practical problems began to make him feel extremely depressed. Xu Mingjie began to realize that working in a restaurant alone could no longer satisfy his ambition to pursue higher cooking skills. He wanted to open a restaurant of his own, a place that could fully reflect his personal style and philosophy. However, once this idea sprouted in his heart, he could no longer suppress it, like a seed covered with thorns, gradually taking root and sprouting in his heart.
Xu Mingjie began to secretly plan his own restaurant. He imagined countless times that he would stand in the kitchen he designed, holding a spatula, cooking one unique dish after another, and facing the admiring eyes and satisfied smiles of customers. However, the gap between ideal and reality was much greater than he imagined.
He gradually began to look for a suitable location to open a store, investigating rent, renovation costs, equipment purchases, and various miscellaneous expenses. Every detail made him realize that opening a restaurant was far more complicated and expensive than he had originally imagined.
One afternoon, Xu Mingjie came to a shop he had long admired. It was located in the center of a food street, with a superior geographical location and a large flow of people. Standing in the empty shop, Xu Mingjie seemed to have seen it become a bustling food paradise in the near future. But just when he was full of expectations, a contract and a budget list handed over by the landlord instantly shattered his fantasy.
Looking at the astronomical expenses, his passion instantly cooled. Rent, renovation, equipment purchase, raw material reserves... every expense far exceeded his budget. He thought he had enough savings to cope with these challenges, but the facts before him mercilessly told him that he had underestimated the cost of opening a store.
"I simply can't afford these expenses." Xu Mingjie felt lost. He originally thought that with his own savings and some loans, he should be able to open a store smoothly, but now it seems that this dream is much more difficult to achieve than he thought.
The landlord saw Xu Mingjie's hesitation and said with a smile: "Young man, opening a store does require a considerable investment, but as long as you have confidence, these investments will pay off sooner or later."
Xu Mingjie forced a smile, but felt extremely heavy in his heart. He knew very well what opening a store meant. It was not only a huge investment of money, but also a replanning and test of his entire life. The reality before him undoubtedly reminded him that this road was not as easy as he imagined.
After leaving the store, Xu Mingjie walked alone on the street, his heart full of contradictions and struggles. He knew how important this dream was to him, but he also knew that if he acted rashly, he might fall into a deeper predicament. As he walked, he thought over and over again, and various possible solutions kept flashing through his mind.
"Maybe, I should consider looking for some investors? Or looking for partners?" He thought to himself, but then rejected these ideas. He didn't want others to interfere too much in his restaurant, especially those who didn't have a real passion for food. He hoped that this place could fully reflect his own ideas, rather than being influenced by other people's capital.
As the sky gradually darkened, Xu Mingjie walked back home. He sat at the table, took out a pen and paper, and began to calculate all his savings and expenses, trying to find a way to afford the cost of opening a store. However, no matter how carefully he calculated, the result still made him feel desperate.
"Even if I put all my savings in, it's still far from enough." He sighed silently in his heart, and the veins on his forehead throbbed unconsciously. He thought of the various difficulties he had encountered when he worked in a restaurant before, and now, the pressure of opening a store is much greater than those.
"Do I really have to give up?" Xu Mingjie clenched his fists, feeling unwilling. He had been pursuing this dream for so long, and if he had to give up because of funding issues, he would never be able to accept it. But the reality was right in front of him, making him almost breathless. The phone suddenly rang, pulling Xu Mingjie back to reality from his contemplation. He picked up the phone and saw Li Xiaoqiang's name on the screen. He hesitated,
"Mingjie, what's wrong with you today? You haven't replied to my message so late, I thought something happened to you." There was a hint of worry in Li Xiaoqiang's voice.
Xu Mingjie took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and forced a smile: "It's okay, I went out to check the store today and thought about a lot of things, so I came back late."
On the other end of the phone, Li Xiaoqiang was silent for a moment, as if he heard something strange in Xu Mingjie's voice. He asked tentatively, "Have you encountered any difficulties? You've been under so much pressure recently, don't keep it to yourself, tell me what's wrong, and we can find a solution together."
Xu Mingjie was silent for a moment, and finally sighed, pouring out his recent confusion and pressure to Li Xiaoqiang. He talked about his desire to open a store, and also talked about the high expenses and his limited savings, with deep helplessness and unwillingness in his voice.
After listening to him, Li Xiaoqiang said, "Mingjie, I know how you want to open a store, and I understand your current predicament. In fact, this road has never been easy, but I believe you can find a solution. Perhaps, you can consider starting from a smaller place, accumulating experience and reputation first, and then expanding step by step. He was a little shaken in his heart. But his obsession with pursuing perfection in his heart made it difficult for him to easily accept such a compromise. For him, opening a store is not only a career, but also an opportunity to prove himself.
"I know, but I always feel that it's not ideal." There was a hint of stubbornness in Xu Mingjie's voice.
Li Xiaoqiang chuckled and said, "Mingjie, ideals are good, but reality is often cruel. You can stick to your ideals, but you must also learn to find a balance in reality. You can take your time in opening a store. There is no need to overwhelm yourself all at once."
Xu Mingjie was silent. He knew that there was a lot of truth in Li Xiaoqiang's words, but it was still a difficult process for him to truly accept these suggestions.
It was late at night, and Li Xiaoqiang on the other end of the phone said a few more words of comfort, and then hung up. Xu Mingjie sat in the empty room, looking at the papers and calculator scattered on the table, feeling lost.
"Maybe I really need to calm down and plan something." His fingers tapped the table unconsciously.
You'll Also Like
-
One evolution point per second, all beasts are star level
Chapter 117 11 hours ago -
Naruto: Starting from the fusion illusion and replicating bloodline
Chapter 284 11 hours ago -
Real Elf World
Chapter 152 11 hours ago -
Short video: Shocking the world
Chapter 245 11 hours ago -
Rebirth of the Wilderness
Chapter 2040 11 hours ago -
Zongman: The Infinite Journey Starting from Inuyasha
Chapter 214 11 hours ago -
After that night, I was pregnant with the billionaire president's child
Chapter 1083 11 hours ago -
I'm in Zongman, if you mess with me, you'll die
Chapter 177 11 hours ago -
Quick Wear: Guide to the Seven Deadly Sins of Yandere
Chapter 57 11 hours ago -
The prince spared his life! The lady has been reborn to save you
Chapter 172 11 hours ago