Chapter 22 — Thirty Million And One Man's Worth

Chu Minh Le didn't say anything when he found out, just quietly took out a thousand years from his salary of four thousand years each month to help pay the debt, plus Thai Quoc Cuong's share, each month paid twenty-one thousand years, a little faster than expected. Hearing this story, I had a moment of thought that perhaps she was not a bad person, just in a wrong marriage, choosing the wrong way to live. But thinking that doesn't mean I forget everything she ever did, nor does it mean I forgive the times she oppressed, threatened, or stood in my way. I just don't see her as a rival anymore. Now she is my employee, and not a bad employee at all. Half a year later, "Khanh Nho" had three branches. The third branch is located on the first floor of the city's largest shopping center, with an area of two hundred square meters, monthly rent of forty-five thousand. The joint venture product line with Hoa Ngoc sold in three months achieved a total revenue of nine million six hundred thousand, causing Tran Ngoc Hoa to directly propose a new cooperation plan - opening twenty joint venture counters in the supermarket system throughout the city, with an expected annual order of fifty million. When To Dinh heard that number, he immediately dropped the rolling pin in his hand.

“Fifty million?”

“Can we bear it?”

"If you can't handle it, build a central kitchen."

“How much does a central kitchen cost?”

“About three million.”

“Three million…”

“How much money do you have left?”

I opened my phone and glanced at it.

“Forty-one million.”

The rolling pin fell again.

“You… why do you spend more and more?”

"House prices increased, funds were profitable, investment profits were still coming in, plus the profits of the three stores."

To Dinh looked at me like I was looking at a strange creature.

“You are the type of person… the longer you live, the richer you become.”

“Probably just luck.”

“Stop being modest, you're really good.”

I don't deny it, because in the past half year I've really learned too many things, from financial management, supply chain optimization, brand operations to contract negotiations, step by step, I stumbled and stood up. Thirty million is just the starting point, and the things I learned are what help that amount grow to forty million, and then more.

“Lao Chu Noodle Shop” also changed in that half a year, from a small roadside shop to a famous shop on the whole street, with people lining up every day waiting for their turn.

A video review by a food blogger reached more than five million views, with a simple description but enough to touch people's hearts—a rustic bowl of noodles, a true flavor. The comment section has more than ten thousand messages, from praising to sharing experiences, making the name "Lao Chu" gradually become a unique mark. Revenue increased from 30,000 to 80,000 per month, profits stabilized at 40,000, with a sixty square meter shop, that was already very good. Chu Minh Vien smiles every day, from morning to night, his smile is no longer forced but is relieved, like someone who has finally found his place. One night, he was lying next to me and suddenly said something.

“Understanding.”

“Do you know what my biggest feeling is right now?”

“It means living has meaning.”

I turned to look at him, his eyes lit up like fire.

“I used to work at a logistics company, every day I was tired to death and didn't know what I was trying to do. When I get home, either my sister asks for money, or my mother complains, I can't save money, and I don't see a future."

“What about now?”

“It's different now, I'm doing what I want to do, making money with my own hands, coming home with you there, that's enough.”

He turned his head to look at me, smiling.

“Besides, your wife is a millionaire.”

“I'm telling the truth.”

“Honestly, get lost.”

He laughed loudly, pulled my hand back, his voice softened.

“Understanding.”

“Thank you for winning the lottery.”

“Sounds like the lottery ticket is yours.”

“You are mine, so everything that is yours is also mine.”

“Didn't you say you don't take care of my money?”

“Money is not managed, people must be managed.”