Seventeen Again: The Sweet Life with My Family

Chapter 49: Revenue From Opening

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Shen Jun asked, “Do you have any free time this weekend? I was thinking of taking advantage of these two days to have you complete the remaining two sets of difficult test papers and thematic exercises. If you have any questions, I can answer them on the spot. It’s best to finish the first half of the textbook by Monday this week since time is so tight. It’s best not to delay any longer.”

Shen Jun was willing to help her with her remaining tasks. If she was still picky about the timing, she would seem a little ungrateful.

Wen Nian was stunned for a second before agreeing. “No problem!”

After packing up the books and papers for the weekend, the two of them left the school together.

After setting a time to meet tomorrow, Wen Nian left. Shen Jun turned around and walked towards the Audi A6 that had been waiting by the roadside for half an hour.

Zhao Wu saw his nephew get into the car and lit a cigarette. “Niuniu, it’s your school’s anniversary celebration next Friday. You can sit beside me then.”

Shen Jun wasn’t interested in going to crowded places and participating in the celebrations. “I think I’ll pass. It’s just going to be a bunch of shows. It’s the same everytime. What’s the point?”

Zhao Wu rolled his eyes and chided Shen Jun, “Who watches shows during such an occasion? You are just supposed to look at the person who accompanied you. You’re always so pure-hearted. Be careful that you won’t be able to find a girlfriend in the future when you’re too enlightened.”

“I’m bringing you along to broaden your horizons. Learn a few moves from me and handle your girlfriend better. And while we’re at it, I’ll introduce you to some of the school officials so that those ignorant people won’t dare to offend you. Just consider it as chatting with me and shielding me from the flattery.”

Seeing this, Shen Jun could only agree. “Alright then.”

It was around six or seven in the evening, during dinner time, and the noodle shop was experiencing intense business since its opening. When Wen Nian arrived at the shop, she noticed that all of the dozen or so plastic stools in the waiting area at the entrance were already occupied. Hurriedly, she went in to assist and saw that Wen Yu had already arrived earlier to start working.

Wen Nian looked at the empty seats and was a little excited. This was her first time doing business.

She placed her bag on the shelf under the cashier counter. “Brother, arc there many people who want to join our WeChat fan club?”

Shen Jun picked up the phone in the shop and opened the “Bowl of Noodles” WeChat group. He smiled and remarked, “Wow, the group has really grown. There are now more than 50 people in it.”

Wen Nian also adopted marketing practices similar to those used by future merchants. She attracted customers by holding daily lottery draws, offering three free bowls of noodles each day. This strategy successfully caught the attention of many potential customers.

This was also a way for the shop to retain its customers. In the future, when new products were released or promotions were offered, the WeChat fan club could serve as a means to spread the word and generate publicity.

Seeing the two girls stand up, Shen Jun quickly walked over to collect the empty bowls and brought them to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Wen Nian pressed the call button and took over Wen Yu’s job of taking orders and handling the cash register.

They were constantly busy until past eight o’ clock when the number of guests began to dwindle. Finally, Zhou Mei could take a break and start cooking for her own family.

That was how it was in the food and beverage industry. The shopkeepers either had their meals before or after meal times. After 50 minutes, a table of dishes was ready – braised pork, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, chicken with mushrooms, garlic stir-fried vegetable hearts, and mustard greens tofu soup.

Zhou Mei shouted into the kitchen, “Xiao He, Xiao Li, let’s not clean up for now. Come out and eat.”

Two university students, a guy and a girl, came out of the kitchen. Only then did Wen Yu and Wen Nian had the time to greet them officially.

After dinner, Zhou Mei was worried about the students’ safety, so she asked the two students to head home first and come back to work at 11 am the next day.

When the outsiders left, Wen Yu stopped appearing calm. He was very anxious as he urged, “Dad! Mom! Let’s calculate today’s revenue!”

Zhou Mei smiled and patted Wen Yu’s shoulder. “When did you become so anxious?”

Zhou Mei, despite her statement, proceeded to the front desk to assist with the sales report. Additionally, she retrieved the cash from the cashier and the mobile phone used for online payments.

The whole family started counting together and very quickly calculated the total amount.

A total of 356 bowls of noodles were sold today, and additional drinks and dishes were also charged, resulting in total sales of 2,680 yuan. Zhou Mei inspected the remaining ingredients in the kitchen and approximated that around 2,000 yuan worth of ingredients were used throughout the day. When considering the expenses for utilities, rent, and labor, the income and expenses were almost balanced.

After reviewing the sales and expenses, Wen Nian promptly encouraged her parents. “Our main goal for opening the business is to raise awareness and attract customers to dine with us. Considering the significant discount we offered today, it’s already an achievement that we were able to break even.”

Upon hearing Wen Nian’s encouragement, Wen Xing grinned and reassured her, “There’s no need to worry. Your mother and I have gained some valuable marketing insights lately. We understand that there may be a significant decline in customer traffic once the event is over.”

Zhou Mei smiled and added, “Please don’t worry about us. We are mentally prepared for this scenario. Our top priority is to maintain the high-quality taste of our noodles. Since our location is favorable, we must rely on the consistent excellent taste to attract both new and repeat customers. After all, the foundation of a successful restaurant lies in its ability to serve delicious food..”