Chunhuaâs heart was sour, but of course, Cheng Su had no idea. These past few days, she had been busy with the opening of her small restaurant, coming home late and leaving early, and was tired enough already. Even if she did know what others were thinking, she simply didnât have the "international time" to care about it.
She had plenty of matters to attend to, and she was not the type to be petty.
After taking a bath, Cheng Su took out some paper and a pen, along with the money she had left from the past few days, laying it all out.
She needed to calculate the cost of running the restaurant and see how much money was left, to see if she could make it to the opening day. It was essential to have a figure in mind; otherwise, it would be a joke if the money ran out right when the opening day arrived and there was no cash left even to buy ingredients.
Holding various receipts and a notebook for tracking expenses, Cheng Su started calculating everything meticulously, serious enough to pass for an accountant.
An hour later, she looked at the few scattered banknotes on the table and let out a long sigh.
As the saying goes, "One doesnât know the cost of firewood and rice until one keeps house, one doesnât know the bossâs troubles until one becomes a boss". In business, even if itâs just a tiny stall, you have to calculate the cost of expenses. Itâs only when everything is accounted for do you realize that everything requires money, from the large-scale operations down to a single bowl or bottle of oil.
If the funds arenât abundant, the headache of managing finances to ensure business operations becomes a reality, and running a business like this without sufficient money would likely add a couple of white hairs.
Now, Cheng Su was precisely the one who should worry about getting white hair because the money she had scraped together was running low.
Booking a food cart, printing flyers, as well as this and that purchase, she was now left with less than four Taiguo dollars.
"Money really doesnât last," Cheng Su looked at the few banknotes and felt a headache coming on again.
How was she going to open the restaurant with just a few dollars? And moreover, it wasnât even opening day yet.
So, she had to forget about decorating the restaurant; without money for ingredients, what decoration could she even talk about?
And then there was hiring staff.
The restaurant couldnât run on her alone at opening; she needed to hire someone to help. But that was not an immediate financial concern. Workersâ wages were settled after a month of work, and some employers even held back half a monthâs pay, so this was not a problem.
The decoration could wait; she could open as soon as the restaurant had a name. After she made money, she could decorate however she wanted.
The biggest issue right now was the money not being enough. She wondered how much of this small amount would be left by the opening day?
If everything was ready except for the "east wind", and it was just the money for ingredients she lacked to open the business, that would be truly embarrassing.
Indeed, dreams are full and lush, reality is gaunt and stark.
She was so enthusiastic about doing business, but it might stall due to lack of money, which would be humiliating.
With a snap, she closed the notebook and placed the pen against her nose, pursing her lips and holding it there with one hand propped against her cheek, lost in thought.
Qi Taiguo wasnât around, and even if she sought his help, his distant aid wouldnât quench an immediate need.
And borrowing money from neighbors was even more difficult. She was new in town, barely knew a few good acquaintancesâall rather casualâthey would think what of you, borrowing money so bluntly?
Okay, even if she had the nerve to ask, would people lend her the money or not?
Especially in the army, where everyoneâs daily life wasnât particularly prosperous, if they did have a bit of money, it was usually earmarked for home use, so how much could they realistically lend out?
Anytime, unless with very close friends, asking to borrow money is difficult.
Cheng Suâs nature was such; she never liked to trouble others, for troubling others was troubling oneself.
She had better think of another way.