Chapter 511 Investing in Dreams

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Li Li stood tall, her face glowing with pride. She held up a recipe in her hand, speaking slowly and deliberately, “Yes, this is the recipe I’ve worked so hard to get. I’ve given my all for this family. Brother Chang Sheng, Auntie, you must treat me well from now on…”

Her words hung in the air as the mother and son duo greedily followed the recipe in her hand with their eyes. Before she could even wave it a few times, the future mother-in-law snatched the recipe away. As she read the list of spices written on it, her heart pounded with excitement, “This is the lucrative spice recipe! Son, where is our nearest spice shop? We must hurry and buy the spices.”

She didn’t fully understand the recipe, only recognizing each character. She couldn’t discern much from it, but it didn’t matter. If the meat stewed with this recipe tasted good and could make money, that was all that mattered.

Once they started making big money, she could flaunt her success at the gatherings of retired teachers. She would show those who dared to mock her, those who thought her achievements as a teacher were mediocre at best, and who believed she hadn’t even managed to teach a single decent student.

If she had had such a money-making opportunity earlier, she wouldn’t have bothered with teaching!

Upon hearing this, Chang Sheng felt a surge of energy. His life was filled with anticipation, and he hardly paid attention to what Li Li was saying.

Although Li Li felt slighted, she reasoned that their excitement was to blame. Once they started making money, they would surely appreciate her. She decided to be magnanimous.

That very afternoon, the Chang family took out their life savings to invest in their dream. They bought all the spices listed in the recipe, along with several pounds of quality pork. They didn’t bother with pig heads, hearts, or lungs – who in the city would buy those? Selling stewed pork was a much more attractive proposition, and it could fetch a good price.

The family got to work immediately after making their purchases. Li Li was in charge of washing the meat, the future mother-in-law took care of stewing the spices, while Chang Sheng and his father celebrated outside with drinks, “Dad, our good days are finally coming!” They were men, after all, and the kitchen was no place for them.

After several cups of liquor, Chang Sheng felt a pleasant warmth spread through him. He reveled in the thought that he would no longer have to rely on teaching for a living. As a grown man, he had always found it somewhat demeaning to stand in a small classroom, much like the female teachers, lecturing a group of clueless children. He had always felt that he was capable of so much more. Now, he was on the brink of a new chapter in his life, ready to become a successful businessman.

Once he had amassed enough wealth, he planned to marry an intellectual woman, someone he could proudly introduce to his social circle.

However, he knew he had to keep these plans to himself for now. His upcoming venture into selling braised pork would require extra hands, and Li Li, being a free labor source, was too good to pass up. Even if he ended up marrying her, it wouldn’t cost him much.

As the two men in the house dreamt of a prosperous future, the aroma of the braising spices wafted out, attracting the attention of their neighbors. Upon inquiry, several of them found their way to Chang Sheng’s house, asking, “Mrs. Chang, has your family struck it rich? We heard you bought a lot of pork. Are you planning to eat it all?”

Li Li, busy in the kitchen and unable to lift her head, heard her future mother-in-law respond with an air of importance, “Oh, I bought this for business, not for our consumption. How much can we possibly eat?

“I retired this year, and I can’t just sit idle. So, I spent some money to learn the art of braising pork. I plan to follow the business trend and start a small venture.

“Today, I bought some pork to braise. Once it’s ready, I plan to invite all our neighbors to taste it. If you like it, I hope you’ll support my business once it’s up and running. I’ll offer you a special discount!”

Mrs. Chang thought to herself, she would start by selling regular braised pork. Once she had established a customer base, she could cut costs by using cheaper cuts of pork, thereby increasing her profits. Eventually, she planned to hire someone to help, allowing her to comfortably oversee Li Li and the other employees. The thought of being a boss lady brought her immense joy.

Upon hearing Mrs. Chang’s plans, the neighbors couldn’t help but express their admiration. Indeed, the life of a teacher was different. Even in retirement, they could easily find other ways to make money. This was the importance of knowledge.

Some couldn’t help but flatter her, “That’s great! If you really start a braised pork business, it will be very convenient for us neighbors!”

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