Chapter 13 — Locking my card to leave, I left my husband's family stranded in a seven-star hotel

Three days after the exchange, I received an unexpected call.

“Excuse me, is this Ms. To Niem?”

“I am Chu Lam, editor of Times Women magazine.”

“We want to do a feature interviewing female entrepreneurs and would like to invite you to participate.”

“Women of the Times” is the city's most influential women's trade magazine, both online and offline.

“Next Tuesday, we will send reporters and photographers to your studio.”

"No problem."

After hanging up, I started cleaning up the studio. Before, I always worked from home. But recently the number of applications is so large that I rented a loft apartment of more than one hundred and twenty square meters nearby. The upper floor is an office. The lower floor is used as a warehouse. The interview went very smoothly. The reporter asked me about my entrepreneurial journey, the difficulties I encountered and my thoughts on women doing business. I didn't mention divorce. Just tell about the process of building a shop from scratch, along with the changes after being selected for the support program. The female reporter closed her notebook.

“Last question.”

“In your opinion, what is the most important quality of women entrepreneurs?”

I thought for a few seconds then answered:

“Do not depend on anyone.”

A week later, the interview was posted. The title is:

“From an income of 10,000 yuan to 300,000 yuan per month, this 9x girl only took three years.”

The article spread very quickly among local women. My shop received another burst of new traffic. In just one day, it gained more than three thousand new followers. But at the same time... trouble also came. The next day the article aired, my phone almost blew up. Not customers. It's a member of the Tran family. First is Tran My Hoa.

“Nien Niem, I read the article, you're really good now.”

“That… I have something to discuss with you…”

Next is Tran Hao.

“Sister-in-law… no, sister To Niem.”

"I was wrong about what happened before, I'm sorry."

“See if you can help me with something…”

Finally, there is Trinh Tu Lan. Incorrect. It's Ms. Trinh Tu Lan. She changed her number and sent me a long text message.

“Nien Niem, I read the article, I'm very happy for you.”

“I know I did wrong before, I'm sorry.”

"Phong's life is not good now, the company is about to cut staff, he may be unemployed."

“Even though we were divorced, we lived together for a while.”

“Can you help him?”

“It's okay for me to kneel down and beg you.”

I read every message. Then block each person in turn. After reading the article, Phuong Vien immediately called me.

“Nien Niem, you're angry.”

“Not to that extent.”

“It only spreads in a small area.”

“What more modesty are you?”

“My circle of friends is full of people sharing your posts..”

“Oh right, is there any movement on Tran Phong's side?”

“His family all came to look for me.”

“I blocked them all.”

“Deserve it.”

Phuong Vien smiled coldly.

“Before, I considered you an ATM.”

“Now that I see you making money, I'm clinging to you.”

“Don't be soft-hearted.”

"No."

I really won't be soft-hearted anymore. The other three years... were enough lessons. By the third month of the support program, my shop's monthly revenue exceeded three million yuan. Net profit: 520,000 yuan. I started thinking seriously about the capital raising plan that Deputy General Ly once mentioned. That weekend, I arranged to meet Deputy General Ly at his office. He showed me the platform's investment terms. Capital injection of 2,000,000 yuan. Exchange for 15% shares. At the same time, provide supply chain resources and prioritize traffic. Deputy General Ly pushed the contract towards me.

“This condition among the brands we have invested in is already considered very favorable.”

“You just keep thinking about it.”

“I need a week.”

"No problem."

Leaving his office, I went downstairs to the coffee shop and sat for an hour. I read the terms and conditions three times. Then I called Phuong Vien's cousin. She works at an accounting and auditing company and is quite familiar with these types of investment contracts.

“Very standard terms.”

After watching, she said:

“There are no big traps.”

“15% of shares in exchange for 2,000,000 yuan plus platform resources, with your current scale is extremely profitable.”

“If in the future my annual revenue exceeds 50,000,000 yuan…”

“This 15% could be worth twenty or thirty million yuan.”

A week later, I signed the investment contract. The day 2,000,000 yuan was successfully transferred, I stood in front of the studio window looking at the bustling stream of people below. Half a year ago... I was sitting in a standard room on the third floor in Sanya, calculating how much money my mother-in-law was planning to extort from me. And now... I am the founder of a brand with investment capital. The phone vibrates. As manager Ha.

“General To, I have good news for you.”

“Next month the foundation celebrates its founding anniversary.”

“We chose three brands as the main nominees in the central hall.”