Chapter 16: Zhang Wanwan's Plan, Agreed

“Mom! I want to go sell milk tea at Century Square!” Zhang Wanwan stopped beating around the bush and stated her purpose directly. She was afraid that if she kept stalling, she would pass out from anger caused by her parents.

Mother Zhang stared at Wanwan with wide eyes for several seconds before placing her hand on the girl's forehead. “You don't have a fever! Why are you thinking about such nonsense?”

“Mom, I’m serious!” Wanwan said with a solemn expression. “I’ve even prepared a business plan. Just listen to me—I’m just setting up a stall, not opening a shop. I only need to rent a tricycle and have Dad make a display stand for me. That won't cost anything. The cost of milk tea is low; I just need to buy some cups and straws from the industrial wholesale market. I'll buy a small amount at first, and if it sells well, I'll buy more. As for the ingredients, most milk tea shops nowadays use powders, which don't taste good. I’ve tested other recipes myself; although the cost is a bit higher, the taste is ten times better than what they sell in shops. It will definitely sell. I’ve saved up some pocket money over the years, so I have enough to buy the supplies. You won't have to pay for anything. I just need Dad to make the stand in the beginning, and after that, you won't have to worry about it.”

After finishing her speech, seeing her parents remaining expressionless and silent, Wanwan pleaded, “Will you let me? Dad? Mom?”

The shout snapped Mother Zhang back to her senses. She turned to look at Father Zhang. This matter wasn't necessarily big, but it wasn't small either; she didn't know whether to agree.

In the end, it was Father Zhang who felt for his child. He couldn't bear to see Wanwan disappointed, so he gritted his teeth and agreed.

Since Father Zhang had agreed, Wanwan took advantage of the momentum, urging him to go downstairs to rent a tricycle and build the stall.

In their old residential compound, there weren't many differences; there were plenty of elderly people, almost all of whom had a tricycle for transportation. In some families, the elderly had passed away, leaving the tricycles idle; in others, the elderly were still around but had limited mobility, so the tricycles were used less often. Renting one was easy and inexpensive, as long as they ensured it wasn't damaged.

As for the milk tea stall itself, it was even simpler. They just needed some wooden boards or cardboard and could print pictures at a print shop to stick on them. Because Wanwan was fully prepared and had even made the blueprints, as soon as Father Zhang cut the boards to size, Wanwan had already measured the specifications and rushed to the print shop.

The two worked until after nine in the evening to finish. Many people in the compound watched curiously, realizing upon seeing the finished product that the Zhang family was planning to set up a street stall.

Granny Huang came up and asked, “Jianye, are you planning to change careers?”

Father Zhang grinned at Granny Huang. “No, no. It’s just my girl says she wants to experience life and plans to run a stall. Since she has two months of vacation with nothing to do, I’m just letting her be.”

Hearing this, Granny Huang showered Wanwan with praise.

By the next day, everyone in the entire compound knew that Zhang Wanwan was going to set up a stall. When Wang Chunhua heard about it, she couldn't stop mocking her. She stood below the building, spreading rumors to a group of neighbors: “I bet that girl failed her high school entrance exams and has to sell things on the street because she has no school to go to.”

Granny Huang was immediately displeased. “You shouldn't say such things! Wanwan is a very good student!”

“A good student?” Wang Chunhua acted as if she had heard the greatest joke in the world. “If she were a good student, she wouldn't have failed to get into Yucai Middle School! Auntie, don't believe a word Li Meilan says! I live right across from them; I know much more than you do!”

Just as she finished speaking, seeing that no one was engaging with her, Wang Chunhua froze. She turned her head just in time to see Zhang Wanwan riding her bicycle toward them with a stony face. As she passed by, Wanwan said, not too loud but not too soft, “Busybody.”

“Eh? You little brat, who are you talking about?” Wang Chunhua was so angry she put her hands on her hips, ready to confront Wanwan.

The bystanders quickly intervened, “Alright, alright, don't hold it against a child.”

It was true that they had been talking behind her back and had been caught red-handed. Those with even a shred of shame made excuses to leave, and the commotion dispersed in a moment.

Unable to find anyone to vent to, Wang Chunhua stomped upstairs in a rage. As she opened her door, she made a point of cursing loudly, intentionally making sure Wanwan heard her.

Wanwan curled her lips in a sarcastic smirk and ignored her entirely, continuing to count her supplies. She had just gone out to purchase all the raw materials. Because her funds were limited, she bought a megaphone but didn't buy a cup-sealing machine; instead, she bought milk tea cups with lids. The style was quite modern and the price was a bit higher, but they were convenient. She purchased other materials in moderate quantities as she couldn't buy too much. The main issue was that heavy cream was too expensive and fresh milk wasn't cheap, whereas honey and tea leaves were the most affordable.

The pearls and tea could be boiled in advance at home, and things like ice could be frozen in the family refrigerator to be crushed later. After checking once more and seeing that nothing was missing, Wanwan finally relaxed.

When Father and Mother Zhang returned in the evening, they saw the items in the fridge and asked Wanwan, “Are you planning to start the stall?”

Wanwan nodded. “I’ll set up at nine tomorrow morning and arrive at Century Square around nine-something. Once I'm prepared, I can start selling.”

Worried, Mother Zhang asked, “Do you want Mom to go with you?”

Wanwan shook her head without a second thought. “You don't have the day off tomorrow. If you go out with me all day, I'm afraid you'll worry about your wages! My dad already took two and a half days off for my entrance exams, so he can't take more leave. I can do it myself, don't worry.”

Father Zhang reminded her, “Then find a shady spot to set up. Don't stand out in the scorching sun!”

Wanwan couldn't help but laugh. “Dad! Don't worry, your daughter isn't stupid.”

Seeing Wanwan's confidence, Father Zhang stopped hesitating. If a fledgling wants to fly, how could he stop it?

The next day, after Father and Mother Zhang left for work, Wanwan began boiling the pearls and tea. At this time, the pearls weren't actually as delicious as they would be six years later. Wanwan added a tiny drop of Spirit Spring water to them to enhance their texture. She didn't waste the water used to boil the pearls, instead pouring it into a large basin to cool down.

Black tea was even easier to prepare. She boiled a large pot and added the Spirit Spring; it wouldn't taste astringent but would have a hint of sweetness. She would also need to add mineral water when mixing the milk tea, so a pot of black tea would definitely be enough.

After packing the pearls into containers, Wanwan moved the rest of her supplies onto the tricycle downstairs. The vehicle was packed to the brim. With a beaming smile, Wanwan rode off, politely greeting any acquaintances she encountered.

Everyone who saw her felt the need to offer a compliment. Regardless of whether the child was just fooling around or actually capable of making money, her spirit of hard work and perseverance was worthy of praise. Of course, that was the thought of a normal person. Someone with a twisted mindset like Wang Chunhua believed the Zhang family was too poor to send Wanwan to school, which was why she was selling things on the street. She told everyone she met, though very few actually believed her.

(End of Chapter)