Chapter 2: How Could Such a Beautiful Young Lady Be Running a Pyramid Scheme?
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Yu Zui reluctantly opened all the doors of her shop and arranged the five newly stocked bottles of Yu’s Ice Black Tea on the shelves. Originally, she had hoped to stock more products to fill the shelves, but the prices were too high; with only two thousand yuan in her balance, she couldn’t afford to buy much. She decided to replenish gradually once she started making money.
Fortunately, the shelves looked quite upscale, with a quality finish that gave the shop an elegant and high-end ambiance.
Glancing outside, she noticed tourists occasionally passing by. Although it was summer with temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius, the summer vacation brought more visitors than usual. In particular, S City had installed misting devices along many sections of the ancient street to attract tourists.
With no shortage of foot traffic, the challenge was how to draw customers into her store.
Yu Zui resolved to thoroughly understand every aspect of running the general store first. Opening the app, the store’s information panel appeared in the upper left corner, currently expanded.
[Store: Yu’s General Store]
[Address: No. 8, Wanning Ancient Street]
[Owner: Yu Zui]
[Backpack: Goods * 999]
[Operating Amount: 0]
The background displayed a panoramic view of the general store. At the bottom were three neatly arranged icons: Tasks / Mall / Backpack.
A small red dot blinked over the Tasks tab. Clicking it revealed a list:
[Main Quest: Turn the general store into a world-renowned shop]
[Progress: Little known (0%)]
[Side Quest 1: Sell one bottle of Ice Black Tea]
[Progress: 0/1]
Yu Zui twitched at the grandiose main quest. World-renowned? They really thought highly of her!
For now, since there was no penalty, she pushed that task to the back of her mind. Instead of worrying whether the store would become famous, she focused on how to make money—at least enough to cover this month’s rent, next month’s rent, and a month’s salary.
Calculating, she needed a daily profit of 7,800 yuan.
With a 20 yuan profit per bottle, she had to sell 390 bottles a day.
If she failed early on, the cumulative sales target would only grow, increasing the pressure.
“System, you’re not going to abandon me in the red, right?” Yu Zui wondered, suddenly doubting the reliability of this so-called golden finger.
[... Unless the store is mismanaged and goes bankrupt.] The system hesitated before replying, [But the probability is extremely low.]
Damn!
Yu Zui cursed inwardly. Free lunches really didn’t come easily—this golden finger had a risk of disappearing.
Still, she understood that if she managed well, thanks to the system and the miraculous products, she might escape her current plight and become wealthy.
Afterward, she took out her phone and snapped several photos of her exquisite little building.
Once finished, she started editing posts with images and text on public platforms like Weibo, the Dazhong Review app, and the Little Orange Book app.
#NewOpening of Yu’s General Store on Ancient Street, Stunning Interior! A Must-Visit for Photo Ops#
#Yu’s Ice Black Tea on Ancient Street is Delicious! Though Pricey, Worth It!#
#Shock! Yu’s General Store Ice Black Tea Sells for 188 Yuan! Scam Shop? No!#
#Must-Visit Spots on Ancient Street: 1. Happy Time Bookstore; 2. Ancient Street Local Snacks; 3. … 5. Yu’s General Store, …#
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She posted various content across different accounts, always including “Ancient Street,” since it was a popular tourist destination in S City, guaranteeing foot traffic. Although tourists would eventually see the shop, she wanted to ensure it didn’t vanish without a trace before they arrived.
On the Dazhong Review app, she also linked the product page for Yu’s Ice Black Tea.
Meanwhile, as Yu Zui prepared, two beautiful young ladies dressed in traditional Hanfu strolled leisurely out of a nearby alley.
“This alley looks great for photos, but it lacks a certain vibe. Let’s head to the next one—the Little Orange Book says the next alley is especially photogenic.”
“Sure! But walking through that quiet alley just now felt so peaceful.”
“That’s right! It’s a calm oasis amid the bustle. Really nice!”
The two chatted happily. As northerners, they found it hard not to love the elegant and generous style of southern old architecture and planned to explore every corner of the ancient street.
As they walked and talked, one’s gaze was suddenly drawn to Yu’s General Store.
“Wow! The storefront is so exquisite! It’s all wooden carvings, and it’s two stories. That signboard is incredibly detailed—photos will look amazing here! Let’s shoot some pictures here!” Gu Xiaoya said excitedly.
Her friend Ji Shuwen followed her gaze and was equally captivated by the storefront and signboard. “Sounds good! Let’s check it out and browse around.”
They approached, but upon getting closer, they saw the shop was empty and stopped.
Hearing the commotion, Yu Zui quickly came out.
“Are you open?” the two asked eagerly.
“We’re in trial operation,” Yu Zui replied promptly.
“Can we take photos here?”
“Of course, feel free!” Yu Zui thought that if she made some decorations outside later, she could turn the entrance into a photo spot to attract customers.
The two exchanged a glance and silently followed behind Yu Zui.
Crossing the threshold, they caught a faint scent of wood.
Looking around, the entire shop was empty except for a single shelf holding a few bottles of drink.
They were stunned—just one product?
The owner must be rich and extravagant, they thought—squandering such a prime location and such a beautiful shop!
“Xiaowen, look!” suddenly Gu Xiaoya nudged Ji Shuwen and pointed to the price list hung on the wall.
Ji Shuwen glanced and instinctively exclaimed, “Damn, this must be a scam shop!”
Yu Zui remained silent.
If she didn’t know the backstory, she would also think it was a scam.
She had become Yu, the Ruthless Merchant, Zui.
Noticing Yu Zui’s gaze, Ji Shuwen quickly apologized, “Boss, sorry, I was just a bit shocked by the price.”
“That’s fine, the price is indeed a bit shocking,” Yu Zui replied gently. “You don’t have to buy anything. Feel free to look around.”
“...Okay.” Ji Shuwen nodded.
Although they hesitated, the two moved closer to the shelf and, seeing the brand name was Yu’s, paused—it was her own product after all!
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#Yu’s Ice Black Tea#
They usually drank a certain master’s ice black tea for just three yuan a bottle.
The two exchanged a glance and nodded in silent agreement.
Next moment, they prepared to leave.
They could afford it but couldn’t justify the expense!
Just as they were about to step out, Yu Zui called after them, “Wait!”
“What’s up?”
“Want to try a sample?”
“Is there a cost?” the two asked warily.
“No charge.”
Ji Shuwen and Gu Xiaoya exchanged looks, whispered briefly together, then nodded, “Okay.”
Trying a 188-yuan ice black tea could be worth a few yuan at least.
They could brag later about having tasted such an expensive tea.
Though most would probably think they were crazy.
“Wait here.”
Yu Zui quickly went to a nearby milk tea shop and borrowed some sample cups before returning.
Ji Shuwen and Gu Xiaoya felt a little awkward—they had nearly run off before agreeing.
Yu Zui opened a bottle from the shelf.
As she removed the cap, a fragrance wafted out.
It was fresh and natural, filling the air with a refreshing sensation.
“Smells so good!” Gu Xiaoya exclaimed.
Yu Zui nodded; standing close, she felt it even more strongly—just the aroma alone made it feel worth the price.
She poured two small cups and handed them over.
Without hesitation, the two drank.
“Wow, it’s so good and refreshing!”
“The taste is great, and it quenches thirst so well. Most importantly, it smells amazing!”
They exclaimed in surprise after finishing the sip.
Seeing Yu Zui smiling at them, they suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
They wished they could slap themselves.
Was it okay to say it tasted good so casually?
“Thank you. The tea really is delicious, but the price is too high,” Ji Shuwen finally said.
Though tasty, it wasn’t enough to justify spending 188 yuan.
It was just a drink—good enough to drink, that’s all.
“No problem,” Yu Zui replied quickly. “But this ice black tea is all-natural. It quenches thirst, cools you down, and regulates body temperature. You might want to pay attention to how your body reacts.”
“Uh... okay.”
They glanced at Yu Zui and then, suddenly, bolted out together.
Good grief! Such beautiful young ladies, and they think she’s running a pyramid scheme?
It’s just a drink—how could it have so many effects?