Chinese people are traditionally uncomfortable discussing money.

Everyone knows money is good, but actively bringing it up seems to hurt relationships.

When small amounts are involved, not settling accounts is fine. But when larger sums come into play, it goes beyond hurt feelings – business partners can end up never speaking to each other again! The path from like-minded cooperation to parting ways involves both ideological differences and uneven profit distribution. When people quit after just a few months, what could Xia Xiaolan do when she planned to spend years developing the building materials market?

At least during her university years, this business needed to be stable!

Kang Wei coughed twice, “Sister-in-law, this business was your idea. I’m just following your lead. About equal investment shares – it’s right that you and Sister Bai should have larger shares. You control the overall business planning, and Sister Bai handles the actual implementation here in Peng City. Even this storefront was secured through Sister Bai’s efforts, wasn’t it?”

Kang Wei was diplomatic, first acknowledging Bai Zhenzhu’s contributions.

Kang Wei, his relationship with Xia Xiaolan was naturally closer due to Zhou Cheng, while Bai Zhenzhu was an outsider.

With Xia Xiaolan studying in the capital, she couldn’t frequently visit Peng City. The business would need Bai Zhenzhu’s oversight, while Kang Wei could guarantee at least one week per month in Peng City. Any more time and he’d lose his current job unless he transferred completely to the south. But who had ever heard of transfers from the capital to the provinces, except for temporary assignments? It wasn’t logical!

Kang Wei’s thoughts aligned perfectly with Xia Xiaolan’s.

Though they all invested 50,000 yuan, the workload varied, and they couldn’t ignore Bai Zhenzhu’s contribution.

Moreover, Xia Xiaolan wanted to bring in Liu Yong as a shareholder. Seeing Kang Wei bring Shao Guangrong along gave her this idea. Was Shao Guangrong just here to play? Xia Xiaolan didn’t say it directly, waiting for him to speak up. She wouldn’t give shares to Shao Guangrong for free unless he could provide resources!

One had to contribute either money or effort – at least one of the two!

If Shao Guangrong could join, why couldn’t her uncle Liu Yong? Previously, she wanted Liu Yong to focus on renovation projects, considering his limited capital. If he couldn’t handle one renovation project, he shouldn’t spread his investments. The guesthouse was an unexpected bonus – Xia Xiaolan learned that Liu Yong could make at least 100,000 yuan from it! Making money using bank loans was quick, and catching one profitable opportunity made future ventures easier.

With this money, investing twenty or thirty thousand in the store seemed feasible to Xia Xiaolan. The business currently had just one store, and she didn’t know how big it could grow. The renovation materials market was huge, and Xia Xiaolan wanted a big bite of this cake… Why not bring her uncle along? The store’s initial business would rely on Liu Yong’s “Yuan Hui” company’s support. When Yuan Hui got projects, they’d need to buy materials from the store, driving sales. Why shouldn’t Liu Yong share in the benefits?

“You’re right, Sister Bai has contributed greatly, and she’ll be watching the store most often. I agree she should have a larger share.”

As Kang Wei spoke, Bai Zhenzhu listened quietly, knowing he couldn’t make the final decision.

Everyone knew who called the shots. Without Xia Xiaolan, this business opportunity wouldn’t exist. Even if she shared the idea now, could the business develop smoothly without her? Bai Zhenzhu understood this better than others – there were many stalls in the small commodities market, but why did she earn more than others? When Xia Xiaolan guided her to set up a stall in Peng City, she chose the right merchandise!

Getting the first step right meant gaining an early advantage.

But when Xia Xiaolan suggested she take a larger share, Bai Zhenzhu spoke up:

“I disagree. If you insist on this, you’re forcing me back to street vending. I can only invest 50,000 yuan, nothing more. I won’t take a larger share!”

Bai Zhenzhu lacked confidence, fearing she couldn’t manage the business well. Her street stall’s entire inventory was worth just a few thousand – if she lost it all, she could start over within a month. This store required an initial investment of over 100,000 yuan, and Bai Zhenzhu didn’t believe she could manage such a business. She would follow Xia Xiaolan’s instructions exactly.

All three spoke sincerely, each refusing to take a larger share. Shao Guangrong listened enviously.

He had heard from Kang Wei about Xia Xiaolan’s business prowess. In September last year, she was still trading eggs, making just 0.01-0.02 yuan per egg. In less than a year, she had progressed from selling eggs to managing a business worth over 100,000 yuan. She not only made money herself but generously helped others prosper.

Shao Guangrong knew what Liu Yong was like before!

The three of them squatting at the newly opened “Blue Phoenix” entrance smoking just last year. Shao Guangrong hadn’t thought much of Liu Yong then – he was just a farmer. If not for Xia Xiaolan’s face, would he, Young Master Shao, have stooped to light Liu Yong’s cigarette? “Blue Phoenix” was Liu Yong’s first renovation project, just months ago… Now look at what Liu Yong was doing – handling million-yuan projects. Wasn’t that all thanks to Xia Xiaolan’s guidance?

Kang Wei said Bai Zhenzhu was similar – Xia Xiaolan encouraged her to set up a stall in Peng City, and now she could easily invest tens of thousands in new business!

Those high-ranking officials’ daughters in Beijing, unless they relied on family connections for good positions, couldn’t match Xia Xiaolan’s money-making ability – ten of them together weren’t her equal. Zhou Cheng was the most capable in their circle, not only outstanding himself but also sharp-eyed, choosing the best partner, truly able to turn stone into gold. The more Shao Guangrong learned, the less he cared about clinging to Zhou Cheng – now he wanted to follow Xia Xiaolan for whatever benefits he could get. Hearing them discuss shares, Shao Guangrong’s eyes and heart burned with desire, and he finally spoke up shamelessly:

“Sister-in-law, could I also buy in for a share?”

When everyone’s eyes turned to him, Shao Guangrong felt the pressure, “Though I can’t invest much capital, I can get some purchase permits. Some goods are still scarce now – manufacturers won’t supply without money up front… but I can get them to agree to credit terms.”

This wasn’t an era of manufacturers competing for market share – manufacturers held the power.

Production couldn’t meet market demand. Not only did buying electronics require connections, but all industrial products were hard to purchase.

State-owned enterprises could get goods first and pay later – you owe me, I owe them – leading to the later triangle debt crisis. While sister units could defer payments, a private distributor dreaming of the same treatment as state-owned enterprises was pure fantasy. Visit the gates of appliance manufacturers like Chang Zi now – with such limited production capacity, no goods could be obtained without cash payment. Throughout the 80s and 90s, it was common to see distributors queuing with cash and trucks!

Shao Guangrong’s suggestion was a viable solution. Getting goods first and paying later would reduce everyone’s pressure.

Seeing Shao Guangrong finally speak up, Xia Xiaolan was direct, “I’m not opposed to new shareholders in principle. In that case, I’ll also suggest including my uncle. His decoration company would benefit our business development!”