The Amazing Son-in-Law [The Charismatic Charlie Wade] (Chinese name) Chapter: 4523

Charlie Wade asked curiously, “How long have you been running the snack street?”

Liu Manqiong thought for a moment and replied, “It’s been over ten years. My father bought it the year he got married.”

Charlie then asked, “Do you know how much it cost back then?”

Liu Manqiong looked a bit embarrassed and said, “Not really… I wasn’t very aware of these things when I was younger. I just knew I wanted to keep that street, so I let my dad buy it. I honestly don’t know the price.”

Charlie continued, “How do you know you’re losing 200,000 every month?”

“The manager told me,” Liu Manqiong explained. “Before I turned 18, my dad let me run the snack street. After I became an adult, he handed it over to me. I didn’t know much about managing it. I thought my job was just to make sure everyone operated normally and kept their rents stable. But the place was pretty messy, with a lot of trash, rats, and cockroaches. So, I hired a cleaning team to help everyone keep it tidy.”

She added, “I didn’t used to lose so much money every month, but now it’s mostly due to rising labor costs. The cleaners charge over 10,000 Hong Kong dollars a month, and that’s making the losses worse—starting from just a few thousand to 200,000 now.”

With a hint of shame, Liu Manqiong asked, “Does that mean I’m failing at this business?”

Charlie smiled and said,

“I don’t think so,” Liu Manqiong said. “Your snack street looks really busy and well-kept. I believe the land prices must have gone up a lot over the years, maybe even multiple times. And about the loss you mentioned, I bet it’s just a tiny fraction of the overall profit.”

“Is that so…” Liu Manqiong paused, realizing something. “You’re right. I haven’t thought about this for years. I always focused on how my father’s business keeps growing and that he doesn’t worry about how much the snack street loses each month. But I never considered how the value of the whole snack street has been increasing.”

She shook her head and smiled. “I really don’t have a knack for business. I’m just not cut out for it.”

Marven Ye then asked, “What about your sister? Is she good at this?”

“Yes,” Liu Manqiong replied with a smile. “My sister is really talented. She studied finance in the UK, and her biggest dream is to take over our father’s business. She works really hard towards that goal.”

Charlie Wade smiled slightly and said, “If you don’t enjoy business, you can always choose a different path.”

He then asked, “What job do you want to do the most?”

Liu Manqiong answered thoughtfully, “The Chinese department has limited job options. On Hong Kong Island, many people go for civil servant exams, just like in the mainland. Media and education are also common career paths. If I get my doctorate, teaching at a top university would be a great opportunity for me.”

“I feel strongly about this,” Liu Manqiong said earnestly.

Charlie Wade looked surprised. “Do you want to be a teacher?”

“Yes,” Liu Manqiong replied, nodding seriously. “Teaching is very important to me. If I can become a university teacher one day, I would be very happy.”

Charlie smiled and asked, “I heard you’re studying for a PhD at the University of Hong Kong. Do you want to stay there to teach?”

Liu Manqiong paused for a moment, then shook her head gently. “Hong Kong is a bit small. If I stay here too long, it might feel like I’m missing out on the world.”

She turned to Charlie with a curious look and said, “Actually… I want to explore the mainland. I wonder if Mr. Ye would welcome that?”