The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Back to Square One

Ten slots might not seem like many, but with the five-tael fee acting as a barrier, they weren’t so easy to fill.

It took about a week, but the slots were finally filled.

Hu Liang asked Ji Huan why, if she had anticipated this, she hadn’t set the fee lower. That way, more people would have signed up, and she would have earned more from the franchise fees.

Ji Huan, of course, had her reasons for doing so.

Running a stall selling hot and spicy soup involved waking up early and going to bed late. It was exhausting, and the profits were slim.

Since the Hu Family could no longer continue, and Ji Huan had no intention of taking over the business herself, she had come up with this "pseudo-franchise" idea.

She called it a "pseudo-franchise" because, unlike the chain franchises of later generations, she wouldn’t be providing market strategies or research, nor would she be involved in advertising, brand imaging, promotional plans, or site selection.

There were only two basic things she could provide.

First, while Golden Pair wasn’t a major brand yet, it already had a relatively stable market in Juyong Town. This meant less risk for the franchisees and a certain guarantee of profit.

Second, she would ensure the franchisees received the core recipe and basic service training. For those new to business, feeling their way forward like this greatly increased their chances of success.

Beyond that, there would be no new product development, technical upgrades, or follow-up services whatsoever.

Simply put, her version of a franchise didn’t require her to help with site selection or provide equipment. She was only responsible for training the staff. Everything else was up to them. Just pay the fee, and that was it.

Of course, she could have charged less, or even taught them for free.

But doing so, while dealing a blow to the Cao Family, would have also single-handedly destroyed the potential and future of Golden Pair.

Just imagine if dozens, or even hundreds, of stalls selling Golden Pair products popped up overnight in Juyong Town. The "gold" in its name would soon be worthless.

More is not always better. She preferred quality over quantity, rather than letting the market become flooded. To do otherwise would be irresponsible to the franchisees.

Based on this line of thinking, she had set the fee at five taels.

For one, it ensured fair competition, so no one could complain.

For another, trying to start a business without any savings was simply unrealistic.

Once the slots were filled, they chose a day to gather the ten new recruits, and Hu Liang began the training.

It would have been more convenient for Widow Xie to do the teaching, but Ji Huan specifically insisted that Hu Liang be the one to do it.

On the first day of training, all ten people arrived early.

Among them were Aunt Wang and Second Sister-in-law Xu, both familiar to Ji Huan. The other eight were women she didn’t normally interact with but who came from well-off families and had decent reputations.

The courtyard was abuzz with chatter as they discussed things excitedly.

They say one woman is as noisy as three hundred ducks. Ten women together were livelier than a grand opera.

Hu Liang, surrounded by a crowd of aunties and matrons, felt an indescribable mix of emotions.

But he was a seasoned veteran, in a manner of speaking, and he quickly found his footing.

As Ji Huan had suggested, he first went over the theory before leading everyone into the kitchen for hands-on practice.

Widow Xie felt a pang of bitterness and didn’t join them, so Ji Huan stayed with her in the east room.

"Wuan, my family has failed you. We couldn’t hold on to the stall..."

Ji Huan felt a little helpless. Widow Xie had been saying this a lot lately, almost sounding like a broken record.

"Aunt Xie, I’ve told you before, once I taught the recipe to your family, it became yours. How could you possibly have failed me? If anything... I’m just glad you don’t blame me."

In truth, even though the Hu Family had promised the Cao Family they would stop selling Golden Pair products and had signed an agreement, they could have found a way to back out of it if they’d really wanted to. They didn’t necessarily have to give up the business.

But for one thing, Widow Xie refused to be so dishonest.

And for another, Ji Huan felt the Hu Family needed to learn a lasting lesson—especially Hu Liang.

In Ji Huan’s eyes, this disaster hadn’t come from nowhere. Hu Liang bore a great deal of the responsibility.

Losing the hot and spicy soup stall was the biggest lesson he could learn.

A person’s growth is something money can’t buy, but for that growth to stick, the lesson has to be unforgettable.

If the lesson was painless, something that didn’t cut to the bone, he would eventually forget the pain once the scar healed, as soon as his guilt and regret faded.

Therefore, a void had to be carved into the path of his life, leaving a regret that could never be mended.

Only then would he learn that regret is the most useless thing in the world.

"How could I possibly blame you? You discussed it with me, and I agreed to it myself."

Widow Xie handed her a bulging money pouch.

"This is fifty taels. Take it. You have to. The recipes for the hot and spicy soup and the fried dough sticks are yours. It was you who gave us the authority to... to do this franchising. So it’s only right that you take the franchise fees. Or do you really want me to get on my knees for you?"

Ji Huan knew Widow Xie’s temper and didn’t argue, accepting the money pouch.

"In that case, Aunt Xie, if your family runs into any trouble, you must tell me."

Seeing her take the money, Widow Xie breathed a sigh of relief.

"We ran the stall for over half a year and made a decent amount. What trouble could we possibly have?"

In reality, Widow Xie wasn’t being entirely truthful.

According to countryside custom, if the man’s family breaks off an engagement, they typically don’t get the betrothal gift back. In other words, the fifteen taels they had given the Cao Family was gone for good.

They had earned a good amount from the stall, but Granny Xie needed medicine year-round. They also bought special goods for the New Year, then new winter, spring, and summer clothes for the children, not to mention replacing some bedding and furniture...

The money they’d saved up to build a new house had been extorted by the Cao Family as compensation for Cao Fugui’s injuries...

Now, the family truly had very little money left.

But Widow Xie was a proud woman. No matter how poor they were, she wouldn’t take a single cent that wasn’t rightfully hers.

Not only did the fifty taels rightfully belong to Ji Huan, but if they calculated it properly, their family still owed Ji Huan her share of the profits...

Just because Ji Huan didn’t bring it up didn’t mean they could play dumb.

Widow Xie had already told Hu Liang that they would have to tighten their belts and find a new way to earn money, but first, they had to pay back what they owed Ji Huan.

Even if the family had to go back to scrimping and saving, it was a mess of their own making. They had no one to blame but themselves.

Half a day flew by, and Hu Liang’s training session came to an end.

It went rather smoothly. After all, everyone present had spent years hovering over a stove. They might not have understood grand principles, but when it came to cooking, they were quick studies.

But no matter how quick they were, learning to replicate the original flavor perfectly in one go was still a challenge.

The women clamored for another session. Hu Liang had already planned for this, so he readily agreed, setting a time for their next meeting before seeing them all out.

After three training sessions, everyone had more or less mastered the recipe, and Hu Liang officially concluded the course.

The group left the Hu residence in high spirits, ready to prepare for their grand opening.

Hu Liang gazed at the now-empty courtyard, and a profound sense of loss washed over him.

He used to be busy, but it was a fulfilling kind of busy, one that gave him a sense of accomplishment. Now, the "business" he had built his life around was gone, and he was right back where he started.

He looked at the familiar tools and equipment in the yard, a small bit of comfort welling in his heart. ’At least these are still here.’

But the very next day, even that last small comfort was taken from him.

Widow Xie sold all of it—the pots, bowls, tables, and stools—to Aunt Wang for a cheap price.

"A memento? What do you need a memento for? Have you forgotten we still have to live? If you want to live, you move forward. A living person isn’t going to die from holding in their pee."

Widow Xie’s every word struck a blow to Hu Liang’s heart.

He bowed his head low.

"I understand, Mother."

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