Liu Fen's Transformation

Beixian'an, East Street.

Liu Fen froze on the spot, as if she couldn't believe her own eyes.

It was already surprising enough that this out-of-town son-in-law managed to scrape together enough money to open his first fruit store.

But now, he was opening a second one so soon, with an investment of 1.6 million?

A store like this, even if placed within the Third Ring Road, would be considered a top-tier luxury fruit supermarket.

Standing at the entrance of East Street, even Song Huamin was left in shock.

Three questions immediately came to mind:

1. Where did the money come from?

2. How did Chen Pingsheng manage to run a fruit supermarket so efficiently in such a short time?

3. And of course, how did he acquire this level of business acumen?

Well, the answer was simple—he had spent years grinding it out in the fruit market.

He signed the lease on the first, completed the site clearance on the third.

On the fourth, the renovations and signboard installation began. By the fifth, the interior design was already underway.

Liu Fen had been involved in the entire process, watching it unfold step by step.

Her emotions were a chaotic mix—excitement, shock, and something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

No matter what, if Chen Pingsheng could successfully launch this second store, then he would have truly cemented his foothold in the capital.

With two stores as his foundation, who would dare look down on him as just a former street vendor selling durians?

People only care about the present.

As long as you have money, it doesn't matter whether you once sold fruit or something far less respectable—when you return home, you'll be welcomed like a king.

Liu Fen never expected that not only could Chen Pingsheng run his first store well, but he could also expand so quickly.

With this level of capability, buying a house in the capital was only a matter of time.

Her mindset shifted, and she became more enthusiastic about helping out.

The location was already a well-renovated supermarket, so only a few minor adjustments were needed before it was ready for business.

The signboard took three days to complete, while the interior setup took about a week.

By March 10th, the second branch of Tengsheng Fruits officially opened on East Street.

The business strategy was identical to the first store—starting with a promotional deal of three pounds of apples for just one yuan.

All other fruits were sold at cost price.

The logic behind this approach was simple—it drove foot traffic higher every single day.

Shoppers were creatures of habit—they flocked wherever they could find the best deals.

This time, his plan was to run this promotional campaign for two full months, building a strong reputation and a steady stream of customers.

Then, he would launch a massive membership recharge event.

With a single month's revenue, he could make a year's worth of profits.

After that, he would adjust the prices back to normal and continue business as usual.

He firmly believed that this business model could be replicated across multiple markets.

…

The neon lights of the capital flickered against the night sky, adding to the city's liveliness.

With the opening of the second store, Tengsheng Fruits had officially gained a foothold.

At least in Beixian'an, both of the largest fruit stores now belonged to them.

Song Yanxi even got herself a high-end computer, primarily for financial management.

Both stores now had receptionists, so she no longer had to stay at the store all day.

Instead, she could relax in the office on East Street, sipping tea while observing the bustling business outside.

She was in an excellent mood.

"Yanxi, your first store should be distributing dividends soon, right? How did things go last month?"

Liu Fen had started dropping by more often, sometimes bringing relatives along.

Her intentions were clear as day.

Song Yanxi poured her a cup of tea. The 15th of every month was dividend day—Chen Pingsheng had set that rule himself.

Originally, they could have distributed profits every three months.

But he saw no reason to wait.

Nothing was more motivating than seeing a return on investment within just over a month.

It also boosted the confidence of Liu Jing and Chen Hao.

With a satisfied smile, Song Yanxi pulled out a small ledger.

"Last month, the first store received 1.1 million yuan in membership top-ups. Pingsheng decided to set aside 300,000 as a buffer, and the rest will be distributed. After accounting for promotions and expenses, the net profit is around 280,000."

Setting aside 300,000 was a precautionary measure—a safety net for unforeseen circumstances.

The first store's total revenue last month was 1.6 million, and since most of the prepaid funds hadn't been spent yet, the profit margin was exceptionally high.

Now that the recharge event was over, the monthly net profit should stabilize at 50,000 to 60,000 yuan.

A very solid number.

Liu Fen was stunned.

She had done her research and discovered that this out-of-town son-in-law had only invested 300,000 to acquire the first store.

That alone had left her speechless.

But hearing that he had made 280,000 in profit within a month, while still setting aside a 300,000 risk buffer?

That level of success was beyond shocking.

Liu Fen had her own little schemes. Now that this son-in-law had proven himself, she started thinking even further ahead.

"Did he mention how he plans to manage the money going forward?"

Song Yanxi rolled her eyes at her mother.

"Mom, Pingsheng said all the profits from the fruit stores will be managed by me. I can buy whatever I want."

"At least he has a conscience."

Liu Fen was both relieved and emotional.

This was the reward for enduring hardships together—her daughter had suffered so much, but now life was finally turning around.

She could truly put her worries to rest.

By the time Liu Jing and Chen Hao arrived, Song Yanxi had already finished calculating the accounts.

Now, it was time to distribute the dividends.

Their family held the majority share—51%—which meant their February dividends alone amounted to 150,000 yuan.

Once the money was handed out, everyone was instantly fired up.

Liu Jing grinned. "Old Chen, the second store's performance is identical to the first. At this rate, in two months, it'll be the top fruit store in Beixian'an."

"Absolutely." Chen Hao laughed. "When we run the next membership recharge event here, I bet we'll bring in three to four million easily."

Chen Pingsheng smiled faintly.

A week after the second store opened, business was already exceeding his expectations.

Daily foot traffic had surpassed 200 customers.

"Unless something unexpected happens, this store is stable. I plan to open three more this month."

Expanding a franchise—the hardest part was the first store.

Going from one to three was just a matter of replication. The key was standardizing processes.

The fruit business had no real barriers to entry—anyone with money could jump in.

That meant competition was fierce.

Every street corner, every residential area had fruit shops.

His goal for rapid expansion was to establish a strong brand presence.

With a recognized brand, customers would trust him enough to invest in prepaid memberships.

Once he launched a large-scale recharge event, the money would multiply several times over.

As for the stores' long-term net profits—that was just pocket change for his wife, Song Yanxi.

His real focus was on the explosive revenue from the recharge periods.

With that in mind, he was eager to open more stores.

Liu Jing and Chen Hao were startled by his ambition—they didn't have his "golden touch" and preferred a steadier approach.

Still, after receiving their dividends, their confidence soared.

They had officially transitioned from street vendors to store managers with 20% shares in each location.

A proper, respectable profession.

Given the choice, who wouldn't prefer making money while standing tall?

Now that they had options, they were all in.

Chen Pingsheng had no plans to make massive investments in the next three stores. First, after opening the new shop on East Street, he had less than three million left in his account.

Second, Beixinan was only so big—it couldn't sustain five giant fruit supermarkets at the same time.

As for expanding beyond Beixinan, he wasn't considering it for now.

By focusing on this area, he could quickly establish brand recognition and achieve regional dominance.

It would also help block major outside fruit suppliers from entering the market.

There were plenty of advantages, but to sum it up in one sentence—he needed to establish himself as the top dog in a small territory first.

As for future store locations, he wouldn't need to search for them himself. Liu Jing, Chen Hao, and the others would naturally keep an eye out for prime spots.