Chapter 1687: Transformation

The tender, white dumplings were dropped into the pot, tumbling in the boiling water.

"I heard dumplings are cooked after three rounds of cold and hot water; should we add some cold water?" Gu Yixin held chopsticks, her bowl already filled with garlic sauce, staring at the dumplings in the pot, ready to eat.

Bi Shisan said, "That is a method for estimating time used by those who cannot grasp dumpling cooking; I do not use it. As long as the dumplings float in the pot, waiting just a little longer is enough. The logic behind this, you would not understand."

"Yes, yes, yes, only you know so much." Gu Yixin curled her lip, looking at Wang Yan, "How did you two end up together?"

"Everyone else went home, so we two kept each other company. Though we only got together today; before this, he was busy assembling computers and had no time to eat with me."

Wang Yan picked up some pickled vegetables, "Aren't there still several days left? Why did you come back early?"

"Staying at home was boring; I've seen all my classmates and friends, and anyway, I was just alone at home. It's better to come to school early; at least no one controls my staying up late or sleeping in. I can sleep however I want."

Gu Yixin also sighed heavily, obviously having slept poorly these past few days at home and been nagged extensively.

"I am different; I never sleep in." Bi Shisan watched the dumplings gradually rising in the pot, nearly cooked, "Wang Yan doesn't sleep in either; he even gets up early every day to run and exercise."

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "I am naturally blessed with good sleep and abundant energy, so one cannot judge me by ordinary standards; everyone's situation is different, requiring specific analysis for specific individuals."

While speaking, he used a slotted spoon to stir the pot twice, scooped out the dumplings, and placed them onto a plate, "Dumplings taste best when eaten piping hot; eat quickly, eat quickly."

"It's too hot; my mouth will get scalded." Gu Yixin watched Wang Yan and Bi Shisan eating together with hissing breaths, "You two look like starving ghosts reincarnated."

The development of relationships between people is very strange; ever since she started begging for food and got roasted by Wang Yan, Gu Yixin had found Wang Yan unpleasant to look at. Although she knew she was not in the right, she always felt uncomfortable in her heart. Thus, every time the two met, they would exchange sharp words, and she would often be angered half to death by Wang Yan.

Yet, through constant contact, mutual understanding increased; with more interaction, attitudes gradually softened, after all, there was no deep-seated hatred to begin with. Once viewing things with a calm mind, she discovered Wang Yan's merits. Later, learning that Wang Yan was an orphan, she felt even more pity. Combining all these factors, some fondness actually arose instead.

Enemies becoming lovers; that is how it comes about.

Bi Shisan dipped his dumplings in vinegar and chili oil, swallowing them while enduring the rising steam: "Freshly cooked dumplings taste authentic only when eaten this way. Wang Yan, this shop you found is excellent; the dumplings are delicious, there are many filling options, and it is very affordable."

Wang Yan smiled as he put more dumplings into the pot: "It is just a bit far away; the round trip consumes a lot of time, otherwise it would be quite a bargain."

"And yet I regarded you as my greatest rival. Bi Shisan, and you too, Wang Yan, don't you think? If he opens a business, would he run a money-losing trade? Look at those several people wrapping dumplings, plus several waiters, and such a large storefront; these are all costs. Furthermore, here alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are charged separately, and side dishes require an additional payment.

Look, many people have drinks and are drinking alcohol, essentially unable to eat many dumplings. They say the buyer is never as clever as the seller; they must be earning quite a lot."

Bi Shisan glanced at her: "I love eating dumplings and can eat dumplings; how much could they possibly earn from that?"

"I can eat." Wang Yan smiled cheerfully, "What you said applies to the shop owner; we are talking about ourselves. Shisan does not lose out, nor do I; you might lose a little, but it doesn't matter, I have eaten it all back double."

Gu Yixin was speechless and choked up; she had overlooked the circumstances of these two...

"I substituted the wrong identity."

She simply wanted to make money, so naturally, she considered the problem from the shop owner's perspective.

She sighed and then said, "New students' computers and cameras are almost sold out; those who need them have mostly bought them already, so next month there won't be much business..."

She seemed like someone worrying about livelihood, yet she was, to some extent, a second-generation rich kid. Even if not immensely wealthy, considering her family's ability to emigrate entirely to the great United States through proper channels, she could already be called extremely rich.

After all, such emigration was for a better life, and since they followed formal immigration procedures, it fully demonstrated the point.

She did not aim to earn a specific amount of money; after all, compared to what she possessed, the money she earned was truly negligible. She simply liked the feeling of making money, liked that sense of fulfillment from harvesting.

"As long as you want to do it, there are many businesses available." Wang Yan cheerfully picked up the conversation.

"For example?"

Bi Shisan joined in: "For example, running errands for others, delivering takeout, delivering express packages, repairing things for people, and so on."

"That is the lowest level of selling labor; I want to do high-level business."

Bi Shisan thought for a moment: "How is this different from what we are doing now? You still have to go to unfamiliar dormitories, knock on doors, and sell; you have to discuss configurations and prices with them. Jobs like running errands simply do not earn as much as selling computers and cameras. But there are benefits; money comes quickly, settled order by order."

"That is exactly why I want to take a step further and do high-level business."

"Any high-level business is built step by step; without accumulation, one is destined not to go far." Bi Shisan shook his head slightly, "There is an idiom describing your kind of thinking..."

Bi Shisan did not finish, leaving a pause, just like after he told a fable and said 'this story tells us,' giving others a chance to pick up the line.

Thus Wang Yan played the supporting role: "Aiming too high and being unrealistic."

"You two truly deserve to hang out together; indeed, birds of a feather flock together!" Gu Yixin said irritably.

"So what are you sitting here doing then?" Bi Shisan countered calmly.

Wang Yan added: "Smell!"

Gu Yixin secretly built up her qi again.

"Actually, there are other businesses available." Meeting the questioning gazes of the two, Wang Yan said, "For example, securing discounts from nearby cinemas, small hotels, and the like; or finding channels for counterfeit branded goods and overseas purchasing agents to do micro-business; we could also contact other suppliers to organize group buying.

Or, regarding the express package pickup Shisan just mentioned: our school delivers everything centrally to a station, which is some distance from the dormitories. We could develop a website allowing lazy students to place orders for pickup, while part-time student workers accept these orders; we would operate as a platform, taking a commission to ensure operations.

Adding advertisements and other promotional activities, we could gradually develop a website dedicated to community services and the like. However, getting this off the ground involves considerable difficulty, especially with competitors like Meituan already existing, but it is not without opportunity.

At the very least, we could open a shop somewhere outside the school; as for what kind of shop would make money, I do not know. After all, nowadays eight out of ten shops fail; succeeding is not easy, requiring unique features and marketing skills, but once established, it can earn a profit. One wouldn't need to do too much work personally, since money can be spent to hire staff, and during busy periods, part-time students could be recruited."

Both Bi Shisan and Gu Yixin stared blankly at Wang Yan.

Gu Yixin said, "You listed such a huge array of ideas; why don't you do them yourself?"

"That is not where my ambitions lie." Wang Yan shook his head, "However, I do have the idea of opening a shop; I want to set up a photography studio, which would allow me to take on jobs and also provide a place to stay."

"If you need help with staffing later, I can work for you." Bi Shisan spoke very decisively, "Regarding house renovation, I have certain knowledge, including current mainstream renovation materials and interior design; I can provide some references for you."

Bi Shisan possessed quite extensive work experience.

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "Perhaps you could handle the design; leave the physical labor aside. You suffer from anemia, physical weakness, and lack strength, so you cannot do much manual work; it is better to do what you are good at."

Bi Shisan agreed with a nod and continued eating dumplings...

After the three finished eating dumplings, they returned to school; Bi Shisan went back to the dormitory for an afternoon nap, while Wang Yan and Gu Yixin strolled near the school, searching for a suitable shop.

Previously, Wang Yan had no thoughts on this matter; it was only after discussing opening a shop that he remembered he had no place to live in this city. Obviously, this was not a critical issue, nor did he need to ponder or design anything meticulously; he would simply take it step by step, acting wherever his thoughts led.

"You are not in a rush, are you?" Gu Yixin stood by the roadside with Wang Yan, looking at vacant street-front shops.

"I hadn't thought about this problem before; when winter break arrives, the school will be empty, won't I have nowhere to stay? Finding a shop now, by the time renovation and decoration are complete, it should be around the time of winter break."

"You..." Gu Yixin hesitated somewhat.

"There is nothing that cannot be said; I am an orphan, after all."

"You know that I know?"

"It was you people." Wang Yan shook his head amusingly, "Just during this recent period, everyone looked at me with pity; I am not a fool, so of course I noticed. It must be that Teacher Ye told Lu Qiaochuan and Lin Luoxue, and those two spread it further, so now everyone knows.

"Still, they meant well; everyone had good intentions, so I don't hold it against them. No need to look at me like that; it's been many years, and I've grown used to it."

"Then what did you feel when others were enjoying family reunions? Didn't you feel sad?"

"Time is the best medicine. Of course, it was very painful at first, but even sorrow has its limits; gradually, it became less unbearable. I read a sentence online: 'The departure of one's parents is a lifetime of dampness.' I think that's very true. At first, it was a fierce typhoon with heavy rain, then it turned into an ordinary downpour, followed by thunderstorms, heavy rain, light rain, and finally, it just became a lingering dampness."

Wang Yan glanced at her, then stepped toward the shop next door. "Let's go in and take a look."

The layout here was mostly the same; the adjacent shops hadn't been combined either, retaining their original spaces, with only the internal partitions differing...

After wandering around like this all afternoon, they had roughly inspected the school's shops. Wang Yan and Gu Yixin ate a meal of spicy hot pot at the school gate before heading back.

"You're back?"

Gu Yixin pushed open the dormitory door, looking surprised to see Lin Luoxue sitting at the desk eating bread.

Lin Luoxue smiled brightly. "Nothing special; I just came back early. What about you? When did you return?"

"This morning."

Seeing Lin Luoxue staring at her unpacked luggage, Gu Yixin said, "I went to find Bi Shisan to ask about his progress assembling the computer, and happened to run into him and Wang Yan going out to eat at an all-you-can-eat dumpling place, so I joined them for dumplings."

"Wang Yan wants to open a photography studio near the school, planning to stay there during future holidays; you know his situation... So I accompanied him walking around near the school all afternoon, ate spicy hot pot with him, and then came back to find you."

Lin Luoxue's bright smile seemed to fade slightly. "I recall you didn't seem to think much of either of them."

"What can I do? One collaborates with me to make money, and the other has a pitiful background. Although I don't possess excessive kindness, they are all classmates; I couldn't be too harsh."

Gu Yixin offered this somewhat ambiguous explanation, then lowered her head to fiddle with her luggage, shifting the topic to ask Lin Luoxue how her outing had been.

This was because Lin Luoxue had posted moments about her travels.

Speaking of which, Lin Luoxue's moments were genuinely in the style of a socialite; she regularly posted selfies and content about eating, drinking, and having fun, with captions mostly describing her mood at the time, exuding a sense of refinement, yet without being overly conspicuous in the socialite style.

Overall, while selectively publishing details of her daily life, she had carefully edited them with a specific purpose in mind.

As for the photo Wang Yan had taken earlier, Lin Luoxue had posted it on her moments accompanied by text expressing slight sadness; presumably, her WeChat had been even busier that day...

Lin Luoxue responded perfunctorily to the chat, each harboring their own thoughts.

The next day, Wang Yan woke up early for exercise as usual. Just as he was practicing his fist forms, he saw Lin Luoxue, dressed in sportswear, jog onto the playground; she greeted him from afar but didn't approach, instead starting to jog at a leisurely pace around the track.

When Wang Yan finished two sets of forms and was about to leave, Lin Luoxue called out to stop him, then jogged over to him, wiping away sweat.

"Don't tell me you didn't even say to wait for me?"

"Everyone has their own plans and arrangements; if I had to wait every time I saw an acquaintance while doing something, I wouldn't get anything done."

"So heartless; it truly makes one sad." Lin Luoxue sighed. "Are you going to get breakfast? Let's go together; my treat."

Immediately, the two strolled toward the school gate.

"You really have perseverance, sticking to morning exercises even during the holidays."

"Didn't you get up too?"

"I just had a whim; if you asked me to wake up early every day, I definitely couldn't do it."

"I just discussed this issue with Bi Shisan and Gu Yixin yesterday..." Wang Yan explained with a chuckle.

"I've noticed your relationship with Gu Yixin hasn't just thawed; it's actually leaped forward," Lin Luoxue remarked. "You might not know, I asked her yesterday... and her face immediately turned red, and she quickly changed the subject."

"Can't help it; being too excellent always attracts suitors."

"So what do you think?"

"Why are you so gossipy?"

Lin Luoxue said, "I'm just concerned about you, good classmate."

"I think you're jealous. Are you feeling particularly conflicted right now? You give people the impression of a 'green tea' scumbag, yet few know that deep down you are sensitive and fragile, always indecisive, hesitating, and unable to make up your mind."

"'Green tea scumbag'; that sounds really unpleasant."

Wang Yan smiled. "Then are you one?"

"Obviously, to some people, I am." Lin Luoxue let out a long breath, then changed the subject. "I heard from Gu Yixin that you want to open a studio opposite the school..."

That day, Wang Yan, Bi Shisan, Lin Luoxue, and Gu Yixin acted as a group of four, spending the entire day carefully comparing various commercial properties.

Bi Shisan seemed like an outsider, but Wang Yan felt no remorse...

?? Daily thanks to the good brothers who generously donate, cast monthly votes, recommend votes, and silently read the book for their strong support!