Suddenly Became a Boy – What Should I Do? - Chapter 77.2

“Exactly!” Shang Xiaoxia replied, brimming with excitement. “Think about it—bubble tea shops near schools are insanely popular. A cup costs six or eight yuan, and the ingredients are dirt cheap. Students buy bubble tea obsessively. That money practically jumps into your pocket!”

She radiated enthusiasm. Back in high school, her dream had been to open a bubble tea shop herself—good money, easy work, and built-in vacations during the holidays.

“It sounds nice, but do I even have a storefront?” Lin Xin asked.

“Wow, you actually used your brain for once?” Shang Xiaoxia teased, impressed. “But don’t worry! Teamwork makes the dream work. Let me ask my dormmates for other ideas.”

It didn’t take long for her dorm to reach a consensus that they should sell grilled cold noodles. A street cart would cost far less than a storefront, and besides, students might think a fancy shop wasn’t “authentic” enough.

Five yuan per serving, five servings per pan. That was 25 yuan in five minutes—300 yuan an hour. It wouldn’t take long to turn a profit.

Even Lin Xin was convinced.

A brand-new cart was out of Lin Xin’s budget, not to mention the cost of all the ingredients. Thanks to a connection from the ever-resourceful Wu Lian, they managed to sneak into a municipal auction held by the urban management bureau. The goal? To outbid others for a confiscated street food cart—complete with still-usable ingredients.

Lin Xin and Shang Xiaoxia dressed up to look older and more respectable, aiming to appear as city inspector’s relatives to gain credibility. They brazenly squeezed into the front row, planning to intimidate competitors with a high bid and secure the cart in one go.

After several rounds of bidding for boxes of oranges and small stools, it was finally time for the cart. The starting bid was 800 yuan.

“One thousand five!” Lin Xin blurted out immediately.

As expected, no one dared to compete. He secured the cart without issue, though the strange looks from the crowd suggested they thought he was some kind of rich fool. Lin Xin snorted smugly and thought, “They just don’t understand. This is called early-stage investment.”

After spending an entire day practicing his cooking skills, Lin Xin was ready. Early the next morning, he set up his stall near the school gate.

But as soon as he arrived at the perfect spot, reality came crashing down.

Waiting for him were several urban management officers, already stationed at all the prime vending spots. They had set a trap, fully anticipating Lin Xin’s arrival.

Lin Xin didn’t even get a chance to shout out his menu or practice making a single order before the officers caught him red-handed. They shook their heads at Lin Xin’s bewildered expression, disappointed. “If you’re going to hand yourself over, at least pretend to run away first. Give us something to chase.”

When Shang Xiaoxia arrived to bail him out, she noticed something off. Pointing at the locked-up cart outside the bureau, she asked, “How many hands has that cart passed through?”

The staff member processing the paperwork didn’t even look up. “Including this time? Five.”

Lin Xin was devastated.

Wu Lian generously covered the fine, and Shang Xiaoxia helped Lin Xin get released. To make up for her bad advice, she assured him he didn’t need to repay the debt right away.

Lin Xin thanked them profusely. He couldn’t stop glancing back at the cart he had cherished for just one day. Dejected, he walked away in a daze.

With his savings gone and saddled with debt, Lin Xin was out of options. The only idea left was to kneel at Cheng Shiyin’s front door for 81 days straight to prove his sincerity and determination.

With no better plan, he decided to go for it.

As if the universe wanted to emphasize his misery, dark clouds gathered above him just a few steps into his journey. The once-white clouds turned gray, condensing into a single storm cloud that hovered exclusively over his head. Rain poured down miserably, drenching no one but Lin Xin.

He trudged along under the cloud, starkly contrasted with the cheerful, hopeful faces of the passersby. In a bustling city filled with opportunities, not a single one seemed to belong to him.

A roadside sign caught his attention, and its words struck a chord deep within him.

“After all, earning 10 million is far harder than winning 10 million.”

—Advertisement outside a lottery ticket shop.