As the year drew to a close, Lin Yan's family gathered to calculate their earnings from the past year.
In the past, Lin's father had no habit of keeping accounts. Income and expenses were all mixed together, and he had never tallied them up, only calculating the approximate profit each month.
This was the first time they had organized the hot pot restaurant's accounts. After Lin's father and mother finished sorting through the books, they discovered that after deducting rent, utilities, and raw material costs, the hot pot restaurant had made a substantial profit.
Even after subtracting the more than 100,000 yuan they had invested, there was still over 100,000 yuan left. This came as a pleasant surprise to Lin's parents.
"This is all thanks to Dad's excellent cooking! Many people come specifically to eat here!" Lin Yan said with a smile.
"You always have such sweet words. But your father's cooking is indeed very good," Lin's mother also said happily. After all, their business was thriving because of her husband's culinary skills, which brought in many returning customers.
Many people suggested that they should open a larger hot pot restaurant.
"We now have over 200,000 yuan in savings, plus the more than 100,000 yuan Lin Yan gave us that hasn't been spent. How about we lease a hot pot restaurant?" Lin's father proposed.
He truly felt now that their family should be in business. If they weren't, they wouldn't be able to help Lin Yan much.
"I agree!" Lin Yan chimed in. "Dad's soup base and ingredients are excellent, so we definitely need to open another proper hot pot restaurant. We can keep this small one open too. Let's run both of them."
"That's what I was thinking, too. This way, we can reach a wider customer base," Lin's father said.
"But can you handle it, Lao Lin?" Lin's mother expressed some concern. After all, the current restaurant relied heavily on Lin's father.
"It's just a matter of making the soup base. How could I be too busy? We can hire more staff. The current employees are already familiar with everything, so I don't need to be here all the time," Lin's father replied.
He genuinely enjoyed the feeling of earning money now, as it gave him a sense of accomplishment.
"Then let's go and look at some locations. If we find a good one, I think it's best to proceed steadily," Lin's mother still worried.
After all, Lin's father had only recently started in business. Would such a big step involve too much risk?
"It's okay, Mom. You have to trust Dad's ability. Our hot pot restaurant will definitely be able to expand and become a chain. Oh, and Dad, you can open a factory later to sell the hot pot bases," Lin Yan said, outlining future plans.
Although she spoke as if it were a joke, Lin's father began to consider it, feeling that his daughter's idea wasn't entirely impossible.
"You really think ahead!" Lin's mother said with a smile.
"This is called planning for the future!" Lin Yan declared.
She truly believed it was feasible. As long as their hot pot restaurant gained a good reputation, selling hot pot bases would definitely be a viable path.
They could also sell other hot pot accompaniments, such as meatballs, thinly sliced meats, and so on. She remembered that later on, there were even self-heating hot pots, which they could also produce.
This way, her father would only need to focus on making the hot pot taste even better. And the market was vast. As long as their food was delicious, they were sure to make money!
"I think what Yan Yan said is right. We must have a goal. And I'm confident I can achieve Lin Yan's goal!" Lin's father said with great confidence.
"Then I'll be waiting for Dad to get rich and make me a second-generation wealthy person!" Lin Yan said with a laugh.
For some reason, this comment struck a chord with Lin's mother, who added, "Lao Lin, work hard. Our family is counting on you!"
Lin's father immediately felt the weight of responsibility. But this was a sweet burden!
In a luxuriously decorated villa, a birthday banquet was underway. The protagonist of the banquet was a very adorable young girl, with fair skin, dark hair, and somewhat deep facial features. She was a mixed-race beauty, as exquisite as a Barbie doll.
Fu Yin held a gift box in her hand, standing at the entrance. She cast a fleeting glance of envy at the girl inside the villa but quickly suppressed it.
She followed a waiter into the villa. The girl celebrating her birthday today was the daughter of the Xie family. She was the only girl born to the Xie family in four generations, doted upon since birth.
This was someone more enviable than Fu Yan in her previous life. Her family background was such that even Fu Yin, now the daughter of the Fu family, had to prepare a gift and come to offer her congratulations.
Fu Yin forced a perfect smile. She had to build a good relationship with this daughter of the Xie family. If the Fu family was considered wealthy, then the Xie family was a top-tier elite family, wealthy enough to rival a nation.
At Xie Xue Qian, the daughter of the Xie family's birthday banquet, Mrs. Fu had given her a task: to befriend Xie Xue Qian. Of course, Mrs. Fu hadn't said it explicitly, but that was the implication.
Fu Yin really didn't want to do this, but she had no choice. Circumstances were beyond her control, so she had to attend this banquet and celebrate the Xie family's daughter's birthday.
Actually, if she wasn't there to curry favor with the daughter of the Xie family, she would have been happy to come. But now, she felt inferior and had to grovel her way here. This was something she, who had been smooth sailing since her rebirth, found hard to accept.
But she had no choice but to come, and she had to put on her best smile.
"Happy birthday, Qian Qian!"
Fu Yin heard a clear, young male voice say to Xie Xue Qian.
Looking up, Fu Yin froze. How... how could he be here?
Ah, right. The Meng and Xie families were old acquaintances, and he was considered a distant cousin of the Xie family's daughter. However, she hadn't expected him to look like this at this age.
She remembered the first time she met him in her previous life.
He, dressed in a white suit, descended the stairs, capturing everyone's attention. He was handsome and elegant, like a jade tree in the wind. From that moment on, Fu Yin could never forget him.
She accidentally knocked over the wine glass in her hand, and the red wine splashed onto his trousers. As everyone looked at her with reproach, he gently comforted her.
Then, he took her, whose clothes were also stained, to change into another clean gown.
It was just that truly outstanding people always had eyes only for Fu Yan. Even when Fu Yan was no longer the daughter of the Fu family.
He still insisted on their engagement. How enviable! To be loved by such an excellent man. And she had received his care only because she was Fu Yan's sister. Even without blood relation, she was Fu Yan's sister.
Thus, in such a situation, he extended a helping hand to her. But did Fu Yan deserve him? She was merely a girl from a small town. Everything she had was stolen. How could she be worthy of Meng Shuo Jing, who was like the moon in the sky?
However, Lin Yan had already left. She was truly glad that Lin Yan had chosen to leave the Fu family and return to the Lin family. This way, she wouldn't have the chance to meet and know Meng Shuo Jing, and their engagement would be off!