At 2 p.m., Wen Xi and Lin Manman met on the busiest commercial street in the city center.
Lin Manman carried a backpack and held a thick stack of printed rental listings. Sweat beaded lightly on the tip of her nose as she moved briskly.
“This way! This way!”
She waved from afar.
“I already checked three places. None of them work. One is too small, one is on the second floor, and one is next to a barbecue shop—too much grease smoke. The flowers would wilt in half a day.”
Wen Xi jogged over and handed her a bottle of water.
“Take your time. No rush.”
“How can I not rush?”
Lin Manman twisted open the cap and drank a big gulp, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“The sooner we finalize it, the sooner we open. Every day delayed is a day of loss. Besides, your husband’s side—”
“He agreed,” Wen Xi said, the corners of her lips lifting unconsciously.
“He told me to go ahead without worry.”
Because what she now held was not only the two hundred thousand yuan living expenses from Fu Linfeng.
The one million yuan had also been used to repay the loan shark, pay six months of her mother’s rehabilitation and wellness center fees, and there was still nearly seven hundred thousand left.
That money felt like a heavy ballast stone, grounding her in this bustling commercial street in a way she had never felt before.
Lin Manman caught that faint smile on her lips, raised an eyebrow, but did not press further. She only let out an “oh” with a meaningful look before pulling her along.
They continued down the street, checking seven or eight storefronts.
The first one had a good location but was too small—there was barely enough space to turn around with flower buckets.
“This won’t work,” Lin Manman said after walking around. “We can’t even fit a worktable.”
The second one was large enough but located on the second floor of an old office building with no elevator, only a narrow and steep staircase.
Standing at the stairwell, Wen Xi looked up, then at Lin Manman’s expression.
“This won’t work either. It’s inconvenient for customers carrying flowers.”
Lin Manman nodded, and they left in tacit agreement.
The third one was street-facing with floor-to-ceiling windows and an excellent location—
But the rent was outrageously high, and the deposit doubled as well.
Standing at the entrance, Lin Manman stared at the rent posted on the glass door, calculated silently for a moment, then sighed.
“We can’t afford it. Forget it.”
Wen Xi stood beside her and also calculated in her mind.
But what she calculated was not whether they could afford it—
It was whether it was worth it.
She had seven hundred thousand yuan. Affording it was no issue, but she did not want to waste money recklessly.
Every yuan had to be spent where it mattered. That was something she had learned from years of poverty.
“Let’s keep looking,” she said.
They continued forward.
The sun slowly shifted from overhead toward the west, stretching their shadows long behind them.
The stack of rental listings in Lin Manman’s hand had become worn at the edges, many options crossed out, only a few circled as backups.
When they reached the very end of the street, Wen Xi suddenly stopped.
“Manman, look at that one.”
Following her gaze, Lin Manman looked over.
At the corner stood an empty storefront with a “For Rent” sign posted outside.
It was not large—about forty square meters—but the layout was square and clean, with floor-to-ceiling glass on two sides.
One side faced the street, the other faced a busy pedestrian passage.
Sunlight poured in from both directions, filling the empty space with brightness.
Next to it was a 20-plus-story office building. On the ground floor were a café and a convenience store, ensuring steady foot traffic.
Across the street was a row of restaurants, bustling during meal hours.
Lin Manman jogged over and pressed her face against the glass, muttering excitedly:
“The lighting is perfect… this wall can hold flower buckets, this side can be the workbench, and the window side can display arrangements… Oh my god, Wen Xi, come look!”
Wen Xi walked over and stood beside her, also peering inside.
The empty space had nothing in it, yet sunlight covered the floor warmly, as if flowers had already been planted inside.
Lin Manman had already called the number on the sign and arranged a viewing.
After hanging up, she turned around, both excited and conflicted.
“This location is amazing. It’s right next to office buildings—white-collar workers pass by every day. High chance of impulse purchases. And inside those buildings are advertising firms, design studios, law offices… all perfect flower shop customers!”
She counted on her fingers, then slumped slightly.
“But the rent won’t be cheap… in this location, it’ll probably start at twenty-five thousand.”
Wen Xi turned and looked across the street.
A row of restaurants stood there, and beyond them was an intersection.
On the diagonal opposite side—
Her gaze stopped.
Across the intersection stood a gray-blue glass curtain wall building. In the setting sun, the four words on the rooftop shimmered with metallic light:
Fu Group Corporation
From here to Fu Group Corporation… how far was it walking?
She estimated—only three to four hundred meters in a straight line. Cross the intersection, walk along the sidewalk, turn a corner, and it was there.
A thought flashed through her mind.
Thousands of Fu Group Corporation employees passed through here every day.
They bought flowers. The company used flowers for events, front desk reception, holiday benefits…
But she did not say it out loud.
She only glanced at the building once more, then withdrew her gaze.
“Let’s go see the place first.”
The landlord was a man in his fifties named Sun. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked both shrewd and friendly.
When he opened the door, Lin Manman rushed in first, circling the empty space repeatedly, tapping the floor, checking the ceiling, muttering under her breath.
Wen Xi followed quietly, occasionally exchanging glances with her.
Landlord Sun stood at the entrance, smiling.
“Twenty-eight thousand per month. Deposit of one month, rent paid quarterly. Minimum two-year contract.”
Lin Manman nearly choked.
Twenty-eight thousand.
Even higher than expected.
She took a deep breath, turned around, forced a professional smile, and began a long negotiation.
“Mr. Sun, twenty-eight thousand is too expensive. This place has been empty for three months, right? Every day vacant is a loss for you. Better to rent it to us long-term and stable.”
“Little girl, this location, this size—twenty-eight thousand is market price. Go ask the bubble tea shop across the street—they pay thirty thousand.”
“Bubble tea and flower shops are different. Our profit margin is lower…”
Back and forth they went, cutting from 28,000 to 26,000, then to 24,000.
Lin Manman gave it her all.
Wen Xi stood aside silently, calculating.
At 24,000 monthly rent, the deposit plus three months rent came to 96,000.
Renovation: 40,000.
Initial inventory and equipment: 30,000.
Miscellaneous costs: 20,000.
Startup capital: around 180,000 to 190,000.
She could afford it easily without affecting her mother’s expenses.
But she did not speak yet.
She observed Landlord Sun’s expression.
He had softened when the price dropped to 26,000.
At 24,000, he was already hesitating.
“Mr. Sun,” Wen Xi finally spoke.
“Twenty-four thousand is acceptable. But could we reduce the first month’s rent by half? We need time to renovate, stock goods, and prepare. The first month will generate almost no income. If you give us a buffer period, we can commit to a long-term lease and always pay on time. That would also save you trouble.”
Landlord Sun looked at her, slightly surprised.
He had assumed she was just accompanying her friend.
But her first sentence immediately addressed his core concern—stability.
The shop had already been empty for three months. Every day meant loss.
Rather than waiting for a high bidder, it might be better to rent to two reliable young women who were stable and long-term.
“Half a month’s rent reduction then,” he said. “Full rent starts after opening.”
“One month.”
Wen Xi looked at him calmly.
“We will sign for two years. No breach within that period. Give us one month for renovation. After opening, we will pay rent on time without delay.”
There was no urgency in her tone, no bargaining desperation, and no guilt of gaining advantage.
She was simply stating a mutually acceptable solution.
Landlord Sun looked into her clean eyes for a few seconds.
There was no calculation or cunning in them like seasoned negotiators—
But there was a seriousness that could not be casually dismissed.
“Alright,” he sighed.
“24,000. Half rent for the first month. One-month deposit. Quarterly payment. Two-year contract.”
“Deal,” Wen Xi smiled.