Chapter 42 Metbon Clothing Store

"I trust you, don’t worry, it’s not much money," Jiang Butong reassured her, patting Chen Pan’er on the shoulder. He had no intention of putting pressure on her.

Chen Pan’er was amused by Jiang Butong’s words. This day had been such a whirlwind, she felt as though her heart could hardly bear it.

"You’re not lying to me, are you?" There was a hint of suspicion in her eyes. Though she’d grown close to Jiang Butong, it had only been since the start of this summer.

Jiang Butong pinched her chin with the air of a seasoned flirt. "Here I am, in your home, behaving myself—do you think I’d go to all the trouble of opening a shop just to trick you? For money or for love?"

"Stop it!" Chen Pan’er blushed and knocked away his hand. She glanced around furtively, seemingly annoyed at his crude words.

"By the way, how much is the rent here?" she asked.

"Eighteen hundred a month," Jiang Butong replied.

"That expensive?" Chen Pan’er was shocked. She remembered Chen Sheng’s home-style restaurant had rent at only fifteen hundred a month.

"Look at the location," Jiang Butong explained. "It’s pretty much a prime spot, and it’s surrounded by universities—lots of young people. That’s why I chose to sell clothes here."

Now she understood: Jiang Butong had opened a shop, didn’t pay himself a salary, and yet had given her forty percent of the shares.

Such a good thing—she couldn’t believe it had happened to her. Her heart was filled with both joy and a touch of emotion.

She was moved by how much Jiang Butong trusted her.

"Say, do you think forty percent is too little?" Jiang Butong smiled at her.

Hmm? Chen Pan’er looked at him doubtfully. "Why don’t you give me less? Twenty percent is enough for me."

"How could that do? I actually wanted to give you half at first, but I was afraid you’d think I was a swindler, so I didn’t dare say it," Jiang Butong replied.

"You think everyone is like you?" Chen Pan’er huffed inwardly.

"So, when can we open for business at the earliest?" she asked.

"Next week," Jiang Butong said. "The clothes I ordered will arrive soon, and then I’ll teach you a few things about fashion."

"Alright." Chen Pan’er wandered around the shop again and again, as if she had finally found her direction and a goal to strive for.

She began to dream—imagining, once the shop was decorated, buying a few pots of flowers to place by the door, and putting a sofa beside the cashier to offer tired shoppers a place to rest.

Jiang Butong watched her lost in thought and didn’t interrupt.

It was a long while before Chen Pan’er came back to herself.

"Can you treat me to a meal now? I’m starving," Jiang Butong said.

"You’re the boss now—you should be the one buying," Chen Pan’er shot him a cunning look.

"You clever girl," Jiang Butong laughed, pinching her cheek.

"Fine, since we’re not officially open yet, you’re not really the boss. I’ll treat you." Chen Pan’er swayed her hips as she headed outside.

"What do you want to eat?" she asked, glancing back at Jiang Butong.

Looking at her delicate features and those charming dimples, Jiang Butong thought to himself, I’d like to eat you up!

"The most expensive French cuisine..."

In the days that followed, Jiang Butong’s various ventures progressed quickly.

Thanks to the summer holidays, Chen Sheng’s restaurant business was booming, with daily sales climbing ever higher. On the busiest day, they hosted a wedding banquet, bringing in eight thousand yuan.

Short on staff, Chen Sheng recruited over a dozen helpers from Jiang Yuan’s crew.

On Jiang Yuan’s side, he had finally taken over the resources in the southern part of the city. Though the video arcade and parking lot didn’t earn much, at least his men’s wages were now secured.

Jiang Yuan could now be considered a local leader; his followers had grown to over forty, and that was with Jiang Butong deliberately keeping the core group small—otherwise, there would have been even more.

Jiang Butong’s clothing store was finally renovated. These past days, he and Chen Pan’er had been busy with shop matters.

The store was named "Metebon Clothing," specializing in men’s and women’s Korean-style fast fashion, with prices mostly between thirty and forty yuan, targeting nearby students and young professionals.

The clothing was sourced from the wholesale market, with a supplier introduced by Wang Yun. Any unsold styles could be returned to the factory and exchanged, greatly reducing Jiang Butong’s inventory pressure.

Though he still had some money, a large-scale launch would have required much more capital.

Chen Sheng had visited once and was amazed by the shop’s decor and layout—such refinement was not something a rough man like him could manage.

That afternoon, Chen Pan’er finally finished setting up the shop. She looked at her handiwork with satisfaction—the soft green tones, white tile floors, and the spotlights from the ceiling made the clothes look especially fine and attractive.

Right by the entrance, to the left, she’d placed a small sofa with a coffee table and some magazines.

In the shop windows on both sides, she’d handwritten posters advertising today’s specials and membership discounts.

Further inside were three fitting rooms and mirrors.

The sixty-square-meter shop had a style and taste that clearly set it apart from neighboring stores.

Jiang Butong lounged lazily on the sofa, gazing up at the spotlights overhead. They hadn’t been cheap, costing over a thousand yuan for the imported set, but he knew how important lighting was. Even inexpensive clothes could look classy under good lighting.

"Do you think our prices might be a little high?" Chen Pan’er asked, sitting down beside him.

"No. The shops around here charge fifty or sixty; ours are only thirty or forty, with some as cheap as twenty. It’s fine."

Jiang Butong shifted uncomfortably and propped his feet up on the table.

Chen Pan’er glanced at his slouch, frowning—he looked ill-mannered whether standing or sitting.

"Put your feet down! What if a customer comes in and sees you like that?" She smacked him.

"We’re not even open yet and you’re already in work mode," Jiang Butong teased.

"Hmph, I don’t get a salary—everything depends on commission. If business doesn’t take off, I’ll be working for free," Chen Pan’er retorted, fully aware of Jiang Butong’s strategy.

"Don’t worry. If the sky falls, the tall ones will bear it." Jiang Butong ruffled her hair, then gestured to his own chest.

Just then, a couple paused outside the transparent shop window, clearly attracted by Metebon’s decor and warm lighting, which made everything inside look especially inviting.

They knew that only the counters in big malls usually looked this refined.

They started to walk away, but the girl noticed a poster in the window: prices starting at nineteen yuan, much like those in other shops.

She pulled her boyfriend back and pointed inside.

Though Jiang Butong couldn’t hear them from that distance, he guessed the boyfriend thought it was too expensive and wanted to leave, but the girl, seeing the prices, wanted to go in.

Chen Pan’er noticed as well and nudged Jiang Butong to put his feet down.

"We’re not even open yet and already have customers," she whispered.

"Let’s greet them, then. Your turn," Jiang Butong said, lowering his feet.

Sure enough, the young couple entered.

Chen Pan’er stood up to welcome them.

At first, the couple seemed a bit nervous, worried they couldn’t afford the clothes. But when they saw the price tags, their faces lit up—the prices were not only reasonable, some were quite cheap.

And the styles were fresher than in neighboring shops, with fabrics that felt wonderful to the touch.

"Is this a new shop?" the girl asked curiously. She didn’t recall seeing it before.

"Yes, we just opened. Our boss is young too, so our tastes are similar and we keep up with what’s trendy," Chen Pan’er replied smoothly, her sales pitch ready.

Jiang Butong watched as Chen Pan’er expertly introduced the products, recommending outfits for the girl to try on.

The boyfriend, reassured by the prices, relaxed. Seeing his girlfriend chatting with Chen Pan’er and having nothing to add, he noticed Jiang Butong on the sofa and wandered over.