I've been reborn, I'm definitely going to become an internet celebrity!

Chapter 15: [Enjoying the gossip...]

The noodles were frying on the griddle, and there were only a few scattered customers in front of the stall.

Liu Zhuohao was quite surprised by his father's words last night.

I originally thought that having a voice was a process of "accumulation".

That's how it was, at least in my past life.

Liu Zhuohao didn't immediately gain a voice just because he graduated, started earning money, or bought things for his family.

For a year or two after he graduated, he was still a child in his parents' eyes.

Every time I go home, I always nag about not eating anything unclean while I'm out, and then I worry about whether I have enough money, or...

I would occasionally have to ask my mother if the box of coconut juice in the corner was drinkable, or if it was meant to be used for worshipping the gods.

When exactly did this change occur, and how did I grow up from being raised in my parents' eyes?

Liu Zhuohao packed up his stall and sat down to rest at the entrance of the bookstore.

"Perhaps it was the time they came to Huacheng to look for me?"

He thought to himself that when he was heartbroken after his girlfriend broke up with him, he started his own business, but it failed and he lost money. So he worked on construction sites to pay off his debts and save up some money to start over.

Liu Zhuohao forgot the specifics of the conversation, but he remembered a scene: when he returned to his rented room looking disheveled, he saw his parents waiting at the door.

He couldn't quite remember what they said or did when they met, or whether they were very excited.

But that day, the family of three had a meal together in their rented apartment, something they hadn't done in a long time.

I originally suggested we go out to eat and treat them to a nice meal.

But it seems that it was either the father or the mother who objected, saying that it wasn't clean outside and insisting on cooking at home, so they ended up eating at home instead.

"Oh, right, I remember correctly..."

Liu Zhuohao lit a cigarette, and the scene in his mind became clearer and clearer. He was so tired that he took a nap in the house. When he woke up, he saw his parents cooking hot pot on the induction cooker in the living room.

That meal...

Liu Zhuohao clearly couldn't remember it very well, but just thinking about that memory of eating hot pot made his nose tingle.

Why does it taste sour?

To be honest, I definitely wanted to go home at that time.

I can't remember if it was my father or my mother who persuaded me to go back, and they also mentioned that Zhuang Zicong and Cai Jiahao were staying in their hometown.

At that time, Liu Zhuohao really wanted to give up his burning ambition and simply take the step they offered.

Of course, it's just a thought.

From then on, whatever I said or suggested at home, they were willing to listen, and I no longer needed to try to persuade them.

"It's just a little bit of hardship."

Before he knew it, only a cigarette butt remained. Liu Zhuohao skillfully extinguished the cigarette butt, threw it in the trash can, and began to put the rest of the items back into the basket before tying them to the bicycle.

"Come on, let me help you!"

The bookstore owner strode forward, firmly gripping the back rack of the bicycle with both hands, his attitude very warm and friendly.

Liu Zhuohao's heart skipped a beat.

Unsolicited kindness is either a sign of ulterior motives or theft!

For the past month or so, the boss would at most squat at the shop entrance and smoke a cigarette with him, lamenting how difficult business was, but he never offered any real help.

Did the sun rise in the west today?

Thank you.

He remained calm and simply replied with a single sentence.

"..."

The bookstore owner stood there supporting the cart, not saying a word, but his eyes followed Liu Zhuohao's hands as he tied the ropes back and forth, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

A subtle awkwardness hung in the air, broken only by the sound of ropes rubbing against the iron frame.

After Liu Zhuohao finished packing everything, he clapped his hands and prepared to push the cart away.

"Hey, boss! Wait a minute!"

The bookstore owner seemed to have finally made up his mind. He called out to him, his smile even wider than before, yet somehow it seemed deliberate. "There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

He took a half step closer, lowered his voice, and spoke in a sincere tone: "Well, I have a nephew who just graduated from vocational school this year."

"My son is honest and hardworking, unlike my pampered son who often takes odd jobs during holidays to help support the family."

At this point, he sighed, his eyes drooping, and his tone was somewhat helpless: "But his family doesn't have any connections, so he came to me for help, hoping to find a more stable way for his child to make a living."

He abruptly changed the subject, staring intently at me with admiration: "I think your stall is great! Your skills are solid, and your business is stable. I was thinking... could my nephew set up a small stall next to yours and learn how to make scallion pancakes from you?"

He pronounced the word "learn" so lightly and softly, as if it were a trivial matter.

Before Liu Zhuohao could respond, he immediately offered his prepared sincerity, saying:

"Of course, I can't let you teach for free! How about this—your stall fee was originally a thousand a month, but starting next month, I'll only charge you five hundred! Your three months' deposit will be used to offset six months' rent! How about that, isn't that generous?"

The rent was halved, and the deposit was extended to six months.

The terms sound incredibly tempting.

Liu Zhuohao's heart sank to the bottom, but a smile appeared on his face as he replied:

"Oh dear! Boss, what are you saying!"

"That's great news! Excellent news! Your nephew's willingness to learn shows he respects my meager livelihood! No problem, absolutely no problem!"

He agreed with unparalleled ease, his smile dazzlingly bright: "When he arrives, I'll definitely teach him properly!"

He spoke the words "teach well" with exceptional clarity and perfect pronunciation.

As for how to teach, how much to teach, and to what extent to teach... that's another matter entirely.

Who doesn't know how to use polite words in business?

Liu Zhuohao pushed his bicycle away after being warmly waved goodbye.

The moment he turned his back, the smile on his face gradually faded, and he became expressionless.

Should I genuinely thank him, or is it just a formality?

It's obviously fake!

Half a year!

The three months' rent I paid, which translates to 500 yuan per month, will only last until the end of this year.

As for submitting it later?

The bookstore owner even called his nephew over, and he brazenly set up an identical hand-pulled pancake stall right next to his own, leaving no room for himself.

"It's probably been more than half a year..."

Liu Zhuohao waited at the red light, muttering to himself, "Logically speaking, it should be considered half a year."

But he was a businessman after all, so of course he wouldn't be so optimistic about the situation; he would definitely think of the worst-case scenario.

What is the worst-case scenario?

That's because the bookstore owner's nephew learned it. Once he got some business, he immediately changed his attitude and drove away the person who was stealing his business.

Of course, they probably won't be so direct; they might do something behind the scenes.

However, this is just right.

Liu Zhuohao pushed the car to a stop at the red light intersection and glanced at the bookstore in the distance.

The signboard was a bit old, but in the morning light, it and the food cart he had set up in front of the door for over a month were clearly reflected in his eyes.

"We will be temporarily closed for seven days to renovate the food truck. Thank you for your support."

After returning home, Liu Zhuohao first posted a notice on Bilibili, and then synchronized the information to the QQ fan group he created.

A seven-day closure is not a short time in the catering industry.

The post on Bilibili received little response.

But the QQ group immediately erupted in chaos:

"Seven-day closure for renovations? Are you planning to expand your business, senior?"

"Are you going to sell rice noodle rolls too? I get tired of eating scallion pancakes all the time!"

"=.= I really want to eat it, but unfortunately I'm in Meizhou."

"No way, senior! I'm going back to school tomorrow, and I'm counting on your taste!"

……

Liu Zhuohao glanced at his follower count; he already had around eight hundred followers.

Surprisingly, instead of slowing down like business during the holiday, my fan base grew even faster.

It's probably because when other people are on holiday at home and have nothing to do, they will click on their own videos to see the daily life of Master Liu, who still has to get up early to set up his stall even on holiday.

Among his fans, the majority are still local customers, with only a small number being people who like to watch his work logs due to website promotion.

But the latter is extremely rare.

Currently, Liu Zhuohao has a direction and plans to start two columns. One is for "customer fans" and is a detailed, even boring, "Master Liu's Work Diary".

Another type is dedicated food video creators who use camera work, lighting, and timing of music to make food videos that "look delicious" for all their "viewers."

However, Liu Zhuohao currently doesn't have much time to realize this.

His time has been completely squeezed out; he has to set up a stall in the morning and edit videos in the afternoon and evening.

After that, there may be more stalls set up at the night market.

When you think about it this way, you really don't have much free time to make videos.

"It has to be separated."

Liu Zhuohao turned off the computer, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh.

Currently, the only people I can trust and who are also capable are my two brothers.

……

……

In the afternoon, Liu Zhuohao pushed the Tibetan-style vehicle to a nearby local commercial kitchen equipment factory and handed it over to the modification technician he had arranged with earlier.

I also stopped by a motorcycle shop to take a look at the three-wheeled motorcycle I had bought.

Motorcycle licenses are not like car licenses; the time from registration to issuance is extremely short, and he had already taken the time to take the test during that period.

Next, he will not only need to install a grill for frying steaks, a vent for smoke extraction and a blanching pot for cooking pasta on his food cart, but also weld on hooks so that his tricycle can carry the food cart through the streets and alleys.

Of course, this is against the rules and constitutes illegal modification.

But that's how it is when you set up a stall to do business; you have no choice but to do it this way.

But in this small town, countless vendors like him make a living in the cracks of the rules.

The same will happen ten years from now.

This is the "convenience" of a small town, but also the risk that grassroots entrepreneurs have to take.

If this were in a big city, the food truck would be taken away the next day!

After finishing all that and returning home, it was already sunset.

The orange-red light painted the exterior walls of the old building corridor, a color that should have been warm.

Before he could even go upstairs, he heard a commotion in the hallway, which made him lower his footsteps and listen carefully.

"If your child doesn't study hard, don't let him ruin my Jiahao's life!"

A sharp, undisguised clamor poured down from above, and Liu Zhuohao, who had his ears perked up, recognized a familiar name.

"Such a big deal as repeating a grade, and he wants us, Jiahao, to give up with just a few words? To go and set up that precarious, unsustainable mess?!"

"Let me make this clear—you all need to mind your own business! If you're living such a miserable life, then don't ruin other people's children's future!"

The words "lived like that" were like red-hot needles piercing Liu Zhuohao's ears. He stopped abruptly, and his heart skipped a beat.

He could probably tell which family was arguing.

My own home!