62: Chapter 62: 5th Anniversary Challenge Event! A grand prize of 100,000 awaits you!

Chapter 62: Fifth Anniversary Challenge! A Grand Prize of 100,000 Yuan Awaits!

"Does this person have a grudge against you?"

Su Yang felt that anyone who was serious about the catering industry would never choose to open a shop in such a godforsaken place.

"The people from the company recommended it!"

"What company?"

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"The franchising company!"

Su Yang was stunned for a moment. "You even need a franchise to open a noodle shop?"

"It's a Hot and Sour Rice Noodle franchise chain!"

"Then why are you selling noodles?"

Su Yang asked, pointing at the noodles in front of Ma Ran.

"Well, the Hot and sour rice noodles weren't doing well, so I thought about making something else to see if it could bring in some extra income."

"Why would you need a franchise for Hot and sour rice noodles? If you find a shop that tastes good, just pay three to five thousand yuan to apprentice yourself to them; the master would most likely teach you!" Su Yang said helplessly. "You can probably find all sorts of recipes online too. If you follow them, the taste won't be too bad."

He really hadn't tasted anything special about these Hot and sour rice noodles.

The auntie said helplessly, "It's just that we didn't have any experience!"

Su Yang finally understood.

He had encountered another pair of newbies.

Su Yang couldn't help but ask again, "So it was that franchising company that picked this location for you?"

"Yes!"

The auntie nodded helplessly.

"Was there a transfer fee?"

"Yes, the transfer fee was 130,000 yuan!"

Su Yang found it absolutely mind-boggling when he heard this.

This shop was worth 130,000?

It completely shattered his worldview!

To put it bluntly, if someone gave him this crappy shop for free, he wouldn't even take it!

"How many days did the person from the franchising company spend helping you pick the shop?"

"Three days!"

"And you reimbursed all their expenses?"

"Yes!"

They picked a shop like this in just three days?

It was simply bizarre!

Su Yang frowned and thought for a while. "I think you might have been scammed!"

The auntie also said regretfully, "We also feel like we shouldn't have joined the franchise now... Sigh!"

Su Yang estimated that this couple had lost a lot of money opening this shop.

"I'm not talking about the franchise issue. I'm saying the transfer fee for this shop seems..."

At this point, Su Yang suddenly didn't want to say any more.

He felt like he was talking too much.

This was a side effect of his recent obsession with opening shops.

It was like a mathematician watching an elementary student write '1+1=3' in their textbook.

If he didn't say it and correct it, he would feel uncomfortable all over!

"What about it?"

"Nothing!"

"Young man, if you have something to say, just say it!" The auntie said anxiously. "We also feel like we've been scammed, but there are some things we just can't figure out..."

"It's hard to say!"

"I'll give you your meal for free and give you two Tea eggs on the house. Just consider it as giving us some guidance, okay?" Auntie Chen's face was full of bitterness. "Everything we put into opening this shop was our savings from many years... I just want to understand exactly how I'm losing money!"

Su Yang hesitated for a moment, but his heart softened after all.

"Do you still have the previous owner's phone number?"

"Yes!"

"Ask him if the person from the franchising company who helped you pick the shop took a kickback."

The auntie was surprised. "Huh?"

"Give him a call and ask!"

"Okay!"

The auntie hurriedly followed Su Yang's instructions and called the previous owner.

"Auntie Chen, you were the one who wanted my shop back then. I said I wouldn't give it up, but you were practically fighting for it..."

"I know!"

Seeing that Auntie Chen didn't quite know how to handle the conversation, Su Yang took the phone and said directly in a forceful tone:

"Let me be clear with you! If you conspired with the person from the franchising company, that's fraud. If we sue, we'll win for sure!"

The man on the other end of the phone was silent for a while before saying sheepishly:

"That person indeed took a 20,000 yuan 'benefit fee' from me..."

"Originally, I didn't know Auntie Chen, but that franchise guy found me and asked if I was willing to transfer the shop at a high price. Naturally, I was willing... He wanted a cut, so I agreed. I really thought it was just a normal transfer!"

Auntie Chen, standing beside Su Yang, fell silent.

Su Yang hung up the phone and handed it back to her. "You should try to take legal action."

This unnamed franchising company was likely another 'fast-recruitment' company designed to fleece unsuspecting people!

Besides being scammed on the transfer fee, this couple...

...had probably been overcharged for various franchise fees, material costs, equipment costs, and renovation costs too!

Su Yang felt like he couldn't even finish the remaining half-bowl of Hot and sour rice noodles.

A few minutes later, the auntie selling rice noodles sat down next to Su Yang with a plastic bag containing Tea eggs and asked in a low voice, "Young man, are you in the catering business?"

"Yes, I run a hot pot restaurant!"

"Then do you think this shop can still be saved?"

Seeing how unwilling she was to give up, Su Yang sighed. "Let me think!"

He tried a Business Deduction and then asked, "Do you know how to do food delivery?"

"No!"

"Then there's no way. Other types of catering are basically hopeless. The longer you stay open, the more you'll lose..."

This shop had inherent defects and very little value.

Whether it was a breakfast shop, milk tea, or snacks, none of them would take off!

If the proprietress of this shop were beautiful enough and mastered private traffic marketing strategies...

...there might still be a chance for a comeback.

But these two were both in their forties and clearly weren't skilled in that area.

Su Yang had seen an internet-famous restaurant before.

Even though the shop was in a remote corner far from the busy areas, business was incredibly booming!

The reason was that the owner of that shop was very capable.

Not only was she beautiful, but she was also an expert at filming videos and marketing.

The renovation was very stylish, and the dish designs were constantly innovating.

Customers were willing to drive ten or twenty minutes just to eat in that remote corner!

He took another look at this shop and guessed that even if that female boss came over, she wouldn't be able to do anything!

Because this shop was too small; there was almost no room to maneuver!

"Alright then!"

The auntie still nodded helplessly.

After Ma Ran finished eating, Su Yang picked up the Tea eggs and prepared to leave.

It was impossible for him to pay. He felt that his guidance was more than enough to cover the cost of the meal!

"Boss, is this shop of yours up for transfer?"

Just then, Su Yang suddenly heard someone shouting from outside the door.

He was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected someone to actually be interested in this shop!

"Uh... yes!"

Auntie Chen glanced at Su Yang hesitantly and then walked out of the shop.

Su Yang thought for a moment and didn't say anything more.

Opening the plastic bag, he saw that Auntie Chen had given him three Tea eggs.

He peeled one and tasted it.

The feeling it gave him was that this Tea egg was clearly much tastier than the Hot and sour rice noodles.

Why were they even selling Hot and sour rice noodles?

They would be better off setting up a stall to sell Tea eggs!

Besides potentially being chased by urban management, even if a stall lost money, it wouldn't be by much.

He didn't pay any attention to what was happening outside; it wasn't his place to interfere.

Advise the other person not to rent Auntie Chen's shop?

Maybe even if he did interfere, the other person wouldn't appreciate it.

They might even think he was trying to block their path to wealth.

Su Yang had met people like that before!

And what if they were doing delivery or some other business?

Some businesses that didn't require a prime location could still be profitable!

The next morning, Su Yang arrived at the Qinglong District branch of Spark Fitness.

From a distance, he saw a huge advertising banner hanging on the Spark Fitness building:

"Spark Fitness Fifth Anniversary Challenge! A Grand Prize of 100,000 Yuan Awaits!"

Ma Ran also saw the banner and asked in surprise, "Boss, has your Spark Fitness really been around for five years?"