Once the beverage shop got up and running smoothly, business kept getting better and better. They could sell around twelve hundred cups of beverages every day, and during hot weather, business was particularly good, reaching up to eighteen hundred cups at its peak.
In just half a month, they earned over ten thousand taels of silver. The high profits made Xiao Jinfeng excited every day.
The beverages in the shop were especially popular among children. Parents who doted on their children were willing to splurge occasionally and buy a cup for their kids.
“Did you bring back the drinks? I want the milky flavor,” Xiao Yuerong said to the servant who went to buy drinks.
“Got them, here they are,” replied Zheng Peier, coming out of the house with a gloomy expression.
Xiao Qingyan had already returned to the academy. The day Xiao Qingyan returned to the academy was the same day Xiao Jingting’s beverage shop opened. Xiao Qingyan went to take a look but felt that the shop was too remote and small to make a difference. After predicting that Xiao Jingting’s shop would close sooner or later, Xiao Qingyan returned to the academy, and Zheng Peier didn’t take Xiao Jingting’s little shop seriously at the time.
However, the beverage shop’s business continued to thrive. Zheng Peier had someone keep an eye on the cold drink shop and estimated that the shop’s daily income was around fifteen hundred taels.
Fifteen hundred taels! How much money was that in a month? Zheng Peier felt jealous just thinking about it.
Glancing at Xiao Yuerong, Zheng Peier thought to herself, Even my son has become a loyal fan of the cold drink shop. How could the business of the cold drink shop be bad?
Seeing Zheng Peier, Xiao Yuerong, holding her cold drink, looked a bit guilty.
The servant saw Zheng Peier and quickly greeted, “Madam.”
Looking at the flustered servant, Zheng Peier said, “Go buy ten cups of different drinks again.” She handed the servant ten taels of silver, and the servant, stunned for a moment, took the silver tremblingly and ran off.
Xiao Yuerong said with some guilt, “Mother, do you also want to drink?”
Knowing that Xiao Jingting had opened a cold drink shop, Xiao Yuerong had sneered at first. However, not long after, many children in the family started drinking it, and Xiao Yuerong couldn’t resist the temptation. She had someone buy a cup to try it, and after that, she couldn’t stop.
“Drink, drink, it won’t kill you,” Zheng Peier thought to herself. She wanted to see what was so special about the beverages in Xiao Jingting’s shop.
…
Beverage Shop.
“Total is twenty-two taels of silver,” Xiao Xiaodong said earnestly.
A graceful-looking girl pulled out the silver and casually wiped Xiao Xiaodong’s face, saying, “Little brother, you’re so cute.”
Xiao Xiaodong glanced at the girl and said seriously, “Even if you praise me for being cute, I won’t give you a discount.”
The girl giggled, “Little brother, you’re just too adorable.”
“Sister (Miss), your drink is ready,” Xiao Xianfan said.
The girl smiled brightly, “Little brother, you’re also very cute!”
Xiao Xianfan said seriously, “Sister(Miss), you’re blocking the people behind you. Please move aside.”
The girl glared at Xiao Xianfan and Xiao Xiaodong, then took her drink and left.
“Total is forty-eight taels of silver,” Xiao Xiaodong said to a young man behind the girl.
Xiao Xianfan filled a basket full of drinks and handed it over to the young man. “Sir, here are your drinks.”
“Young man, you’re very strong!” the young man said.
Xiao Xianfan nodded and said, “Yes, I have extraordinary talent. It’s all because I’ve drunk a lot of beverages. If you drink like me, you’ll become strong too.”
Xiao Xiaodong thought to himself, Just eating more only builds muscles, not brains.
“Really? I didn’t know drinks could do that. I’ll have to drink more,” the young man said with great interest.
When the shop was just starting out, due to a shortage of manpower, Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xianfan were both pulled in to help. Unexpectedly, Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xianfan became the living advertisement of the shop, and many people liked these two children.
In his leisure time, Xiao Jinfeng looked at Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xianfan and said, “Xiaodong, Xianfan, you’re very popular!”
Xiao Xiaodong turned his face away, feeling his cheeks heating up, while Xiao Xianfan, who was praised, showed a big smile.
Xiao Jingting watched Xiao Xianfan and Xiao Xiaodong at the counter from afar, feeling embarrassed. He felt shameless for using such young child labor.
“Daddy!” Seeing Xiao Jingting, Xiao Xianfan waved excitedly.
Xiao Jinfeng followed Xiao Xianfan’s gaze and indeed saw Xiao Jingting’s figure.
Putting down what he was doing, Xiao Jinfeng handed it over to the nearby shop assistant and went out to greet him.
“Why did you come, Third Brother?” Xiao Jinfeng asked.
“I came to deliver wine,” Xiao Jingting said.
“Berry wine?” Xiao Jinfeng asked.
Xiao Jingting nodded and said, “Yes! The wine is very light and sweet. It might not suit your taste, Second Brother, but don’t worry, your share has been sent by Mu’an.”
Xiao Jinfeng patted Xiao Jingting’s shoulder and laughed, “You’re thoughtful, little brother.”
Xiao Jingting rubbed Xiao Xiaodong’s head and said, “Son, I heard you’re really fast and accurate in accounting! You never make mistakes in collecting money. You’re really amazing!”
Xiao Xiaodong felt a bit overwhelmed by the praise but maintained a cool expression, saying, “It’s nothing.”
Xiao Xianfan looked at Xiao Jingting eagerly and said, “What about me, Daddy? You only praised big brother and didn’t praise me.”
“You? I heard you have a good appetite, eat a lot, and almost wet your pants,” Xiao Jingting teased.
Xiao Xianfan’s face turned red with embarrassment. “I didn’t wet my pants, Daddy! It’s been a long time since I last wet my pants!”
Xiao Jingting was speechless.
After introducing various types of beverages, the beverage shop also launched fruit wine priced at five hundred taels per bottle. Despite the high price, due to the shop’s reputation, some people still bought it to try.
The ingredients of the fruit wine were of high quality, and it was limited to six bottles per day, often selling out.
The beverage shop’s business was booming. Xu Mu’an and Xiao Jingting developed several new products to add to the shop. All the crops planted in the field by Xiao Jingting were turned into finished products and sent to the shop. Xiao Jingting counted the silver bills, his eyes sparkling.
“In total, thirty-two thousand taels! It’s really easy money,” Xiao Jingting said, after deducting the costs and giving Xiao Jinfeng his share of twenty percent, they still earned thirty-two thousand taels, which was excellent.
Looking at Xiao Jingting, Xu Mu’an said, “Now that the debts are paid off, we can buy some spirit jade.”
Xiao Jingting nodded and said, “That’s right. Let’s also buy a space ring.”
Xu Mu’an was puzzled. “Why do you like space rings so much?”
Xiao Jingting shrugged and said, “It’s a dream that many people can’t achieve in their lifetime.”
Xu Mu’an immediately understood what he meant. “You mean traveling between worlds?”
“Let’s buy one then. It’ll make delivery more convenient,” Xiao Jingting suggested.
“Spirit jade’s usefulness is diminishing. Do you have any other ideas?” Xiao Jingting asked.
Xu Mu’an thought for a moment and said, “The quality of spirit jade varies. The ones we’ve encountered so far are of poor quality. Low-grade spirit jade costs around five to six hundred taels, while medium-grade ones cost around a thousand taels. There’s also something called spirit stone, which is rare here and mostly circulated in big cities. The lowest quality spirit stone would still cost around ten thousand taels.”
Xiao Jingting was speechless.
“Let’s focus on making money first. Without money, everything else is useless,” Xiao Jingting said.
Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Alright.”
“After we have the money, let’s buy a batch of high-grade spirit jade first,” Xiao Jingting decided.
Xu Mu’an agreed and asked, “By the way, how are the Hedgerow Orchids in the space?”
Xiao Jingting shook his head and said, “They’ve sprouted, finally. But it’ll still take a long time for them to grow. It’s a relief that they’ve sprouted at least. Anyway, it’ll take a long time to reach the peak of Qi cultivation. Even I’ve been stuck at the fifth level of Qi cultivation for five or six years.”
“Indeed,” Xiao Jingting agreed. Reaching the fifth level of Qi cultivation, if one only relied on meditation cultivation each day, they wouldn’t feel much increase in spiritual energy. Like him, relying on Spring water every day to nurture themselves, they could only feel a limited increase in spiritual energy each day. No wonder Xiao Qingyan had been stuck at the fifth level of Qi cultivation for five or six years.
Sun Miaoyin looked at the beverage shop across the street and asked, “Is this the one?”
“Yes, miss, it’s this one. Look, those two kids are handling the cash. The older one is very capable, never makes mistakes, while the younger one isn’t very bright but is strong!” the maid replied.
Sun Miaoyin squinted her eyes. Not very bright was an understatement. She heard that Xiao Jingting’s youngest son became mentally disabled due to a high fever at birth!
“Just this one shop can make five thousand taels in profit every day?” Sun Miaoyin was somewhat astonished.
However, the spiritual energy contained within is limited and is most effective for young children who have just started cultivation. I heard that Xiao Jingting grows all the ingredients,” the maid explained.
“Even though it’s so expensive, people still buy it?” Sun Miaoyin asked.
“Yes! They use high-grade spirit fruits to squeeze juice, which contains spiritual energy. Not only does it taste good, but it also enhances cultivation. However, the spiritual energy contained within is limited and is most effective for young children who have just started cultivation. I heard that all the ingredients are grown by Xiao Jingting,” the maid explained.
Sun Miaoyin nodded and said, “I see. Let’s go.”
“Hello, what can I get for you?” Xiao Fan asked in a sweet voice.
“Six bottles of spirit wine,” Sun Miaoyin said.
Xiao Fan tilted her head up, earnestly looked at Sun Miaoyin, and said, “I’m sorry, but we only have three bottles left. Three have already been sold.”
“In that case, three bottles will do,” Sun Miaoyin said.
Xiao Fan cleared her throat and shouted, “Uncle, Uncle, we have a big customer here, someone’s buying wine!”
“Idiot!” Xiao Dong scolded.
Xiao Fan mumbled, “Big brother is so annoying, always scolding me.”
Xiao Jinfeng walked out smiling and said, “A big customer is here! Let me see.”
Xiao Jinfeng noticed Sun Miaoyin outside the counter, his expression changed momentarily, but he quickly recovered with a smile, “Miss Sun, you want some wine? Three bottles of spirit wine, one thousand five hundred taels.”
Xiao Dong glanced at Sun Miaoyin coldly and said, “Sincerely, one thousand five hundred taels.”
Sun Miaoyin handed over the silver notes to Xiao Dong with a stiff expression.
