Chapter Fifty-Four: Driven to Mount Liang

Li Mu’s parents still held very traditional views about running a shop and doing business. Their approach was much like Li Mu’s aunt: traveling to distant cities for merchandise, searching for a local storefront, renting and renovating it, then making multiple trips each year to replenish stock. For small business owners, sourcing goods from the south was never easy. To keep costs down, they usually endured hours, sometimes twenty or more, on hard-seat trains. Upon arrival, they would rush to the wholesale markets, personally selecting items, gathering enough to fill their inventory. What they could carry, they took back themselves; the rest was sent by logistics companies, and then, laden with goods, they hurried to catch the return train.

Li Mu’s aunt often complained that every buying trip felt like a battle, and she’d lose a pound or two each time.

But the business model Li Mu proposed amazed his parents—is there really such an effortless way to open a shop?

Seeing their surprise, Li Mu patiently explained the operation of a franchised brand store.

After listening, his parents took several minutes to digest the concept before finally understanding the partnership between headquarters and franchisees. Essentially, the headquarters handled everything except sales: product design, transportation, advertising, and promotion. They would provide comprehensive support to maximize sales efficiency, aiming for mutual success.

While there were unscrupulous brands that cheated many franchisees, Li Mu knew that several well-known clothing brands in later years thrived for decades. Metersbonwe was one of them, and now was the perfect time to join—before its rapid expansion. Next year, he predicted, would be the brand’s breakout year.

After Li Mu finished his explanation, his father asked skeptically, “How much does it cost to open such a shop?”

“Tens of thousands,” Li Mu replied casually.

His parents were startled by the sum. Li Mu had reported earnings of eighty thousand from songwriting and one hundred eighty thousand from selling software, totaling only two hundred sixty thousand. The family had little savings; this would be nearly their entire wealth.

Afraid his parents would back out, Li Mu revealed part of the truth: “Honestly, I’ve already rented the storefront. Headquarters has come for inspections. If all goes well, we’ll have an answer in a few days.”

“Oh, you child,” his mother exclaimed anxiously, “why didn’t you discuss this with us beforehand?”

Li Mu smiled, “It wouldn’t have helped; you two would never have agreed. But this is the situation—if you don’t consent, I have to go to Yanjing at the end of August for reporting, and I won’t have time to manage the shop. About a hundred thousand will go to waste.”

According to the course of history, his parents would be laid off by the end of the year, so the state-owned jobs they clung to were essentially worthless. That was why Li Mu had set this trap during the family gathering, forcing them to abandon their jobs and accept the new idea of running a franchised shop.

Li Mu’s parents finally understood the operation of a franchise. Hearing he’d already begun, and with the threat of losing a hundred thousand, they quickly compromised on the large investment.

His father spoke first: “In that case, I’ll follow your lead. When should I apply for redundancy?”

Li Mu looked at his parents and said seriously, “The sooner, the better. Best to apply tomorrow and take extended leave until the notice is official.”

“So urgent?” His parents exchanged glances; his father said, “Now that we’re idle, your mother and I don’t know what to do.”

“Go for training,” Li Mu said. “Once the notice arrives, two or three people must go to Wenzhou, Zhejiang for training. I think you both should attend, to learn the detailed operations.”

He continued, “We also need to hire a reliable, capable store manager. The manager will handle all daily affairs, which is a big responsibility, and since the sales staff are mostly young, the manager shouldn’t be too old.”

His mother asked, “How much would such a person earn?”

“If experienced, at least fifteen hundred a month,” Li Mu answered. “This person is key—if they do well, even two thousand isn’t too much.”

“My goodness!” his mother exclaimed. “That’s almost as much as both your father and I earn together each month!”

Li Mu nodded, “Mom, think about the weight of this position: managing a shop with an investment of tens of thousands, a sales team of six to eight people, and a monthly turnover of at least two hundred thousand. If the manager is strong, they could push the turnover up by tens of thousands more. A good manager has a decisive impact on the shop’s revenue.”

Having lived through this era, Li Mu knew the difference between franchise shops—even within the same brand, some stores left customers unmoved, while others, with enthusiastic and patient sales staff, could persuade visitors to buy. A good manager was crucial.

His father, stunned by the idea of two hundred thousand in monthly sales, asked, “What’s the wholesale price from the brand?”

“About fifty percent.”

“So that’s a monthly gross profit of a hundred thousand?” His father was even more amazed.

Li Mu shrugged, “A hundred thousand gross profit is nothing. With several thousand in rent, plus utilities and taxes, fixed expenses are over ten thousand, and staff salaries at least forty or fifty thousand a month. With two hundred thousand in sales, net profit might barely reach thirty thousand.”

Even the estimation of thirty thousand in net profit per month completely frightened his parents, but for Li Mu, two hundred thousand in monthly sales was nothing extraordinary.

Metersbonwe was far ahead of similar brands like Baleno, Semir, Yishion, and Jeanswest. In his previous life, when the family shop opened during the New Year, it was so popular that even the fitting rooms had lines. This frenzy lasted for nearly half a year before cooling off, but weekends still saw the store packed.

With that in mind, three hundred thousand in monthly sales was entirely achievable.

At this point, his mother suddenly suggested, “Mu, what about letting your aunt be the store manager? She has years of experience in the clothing business, and as family, she’s trustworthy.”

Li Mu frowned immediately and said without hesitation, “Absolutely not! My aunt is too jealous; we can’t let her manage our family business.”

His father agreed, “Wife, I’m not speaking ill of Yunlan, but her temperament is too narrow. Besides, Mu said the manager needs strong organizational skills—do you think Yunlan has that? With her attitude, she’d drive the staff away before she even trained them.”

Li Mu gave his father a thumbs-up, “Dad’s right. Aunt is out.”

His father added, “There’s no suitable candidate in the Li family; they’re all in the countryside and not educated.”

His mother sighed, “I can’t think of anyone suitable in the Xiao family either. Mu, didn’t you say this person needs to go to training in Wenzhou? We have to find someone in advance. If we hire someone from outside and they quit after training, what will we do?”

Li Mu was also stumped by this problem.

“I think your uncle’s wife is a good choice,” his father said after a long pause.

His mother’s eyes lit up.

“Haohao’s mother is indeed good. My parents have praised her endlessly over the years, never a complaint. Since marrying into the Xiao family, she’s managed husband, child, parents-in-law, all very well. Yun She doesn’t earn much, so she always finds extra work, never idling. My mother feels so sorry for her, and even when my father helps them financially, Haohao’s mother still won’t rest.”

Li Mu recalled his aunt-in-law—she was impeccable in conduct, always filial to his grandparents, a rare and exemplary daughter-in-law. But Li Mu wasn’t sure about her actual work ability.

When he voiced his doubts, his mother replied, a little excited, “When Wanjia Supermarket opened, your aunt-in-law applied for a sales job. After just three months, she became a group leader, earning five or six hundred a month, a hundred and fifty more than regular sales staff.”

Li Mu nodded. Her character was solid, she worked diligently, and she was trustworthy, with a good relationship with his mother. As for her business acumen, becoming a group leader in the supermarket wasn’t a huge indicator, but it did show she outperformed most. And with headquarters training before starting, Li Mu believed she could handle the job.

His uncle’s family wasn’t well-off, so if his aunt-in-law became the store manager, it would be a major improvement for their household.

Li Mu slapped his thigh, “Alright, once headquarters approves, Mom, talk to her.”

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