Making money, taking exams and supporting the family

chapter 31: Another candlelit night

Doing business was not difficult for Lin Ze. If he wanted to, he had plenty of ways to get rich in his mind. After all, he had been working in the modern world for many years, focusing on the sales industry, which posed no problems for him.

However, he did not need that right now because, unlike other protagonists in novels, he did not possess various fortunate advantages beyond his intellect.

With no background nor absolute ability to protect himself, revealing too much would only invite trouble.

Therefore, after gaining the knowledge of the original owner of his body, Lin Ze decisively chose to take the imperial examination first. If he passed, that would be great, but if not, it’s okay. Three years should be enough time for him to establish himself firmly in this small place.

Currently, Lin Ze’s plan was not to amass a great fortune; he only needed a stable and decent income. What he was doing now was merely trying things out.

At present, his daily income from selling bread was stable at around 2 taels. However, this was only possible because of the novelty factor. As time goes on, the novelty would inevitably wear off, and the customer flow would decrease. To maintain the income, he will need to continuously introduce new products.

Lin Ze certainly had no problem with that, but he did not want to do it that way. Firstly, it was too tiring, and secondly, even if he had many dessert recipes, there would come a time when they would be all used up.

So after careful consideration, Lin Ze chooses to introduce a VIP card, specifically to make money from wealthy people!

“What’s ‘Wéi ài bǐ’*?”

*唯爱彼 = translates to ‘only love him’, and sounds like “V” “I” “P”

As people from ancient times, they naturally did not understand this modern phrase and appear somewhat bewildered.

Zhang Xiu, on the other hand, had heard Lin Ze talk about it before, but without seeing the specific implementation, he was also puzzled and unable to explain.

Therefore, it was up to Lin Ze to popularize this ‘premium’ concept. However, when he heard that everyone was struggling with the English letters, he could not help but laugh.

“Let’s stick with ‘Wéi ài bǐ’ (Only love him) then. It sounds quite artistic, like loving each other exclusively. Yes, it’s a catchy and appealing name,” Lin Ze said, struck by inspiration, as he promptly gave the VIP card a new name that suits the current environment.

“Actually, by VIP, I mean ‘贵宾’ (guì bīn), which translates to ‘distinguished guests’ or ‘privileged customers.’ It’s specifically designed for the wealthy families in town. Besides, I have a few other desserts, both in taste and presentation, far superior to bread, more than ten times better…”

“But, the preparation of these desserts is more difficult and labor-intensive. I can’t make too many at once, and the cost is very high. Therefore, the selling price won’t be cheap. Apart from those wealthy gentlemen who can afford it, ordinary folks won’t be willing to spend that much money on them…”

“So, I plan to make a limited quantity each month, exclusively selling them to those with the VIP card. They’ll need to pre-order, and whenever there’s a new variety, VIP cardholders will have priority access and discounts. This way, it satisfies the vanity of those wealthy gentlemen, makes money, and eliminates the worry of making something no one wants. Isn’t it a perfect strategy?”

Lin Ze revealed a cunning smile reminiscent of his past negotiations with clients.

Everyone was stunned by his proposal.