Chapter 51 — IAVD (QT) Chapter 51

After receiving unanimous approval from Huang Taohua and the Ji family, it was time to prepare for opening the shop.

Ji Xiu had already stocked up in advance on a full thirty jin of sunflower seeds, asking Li Shiyue to roast them whenever she had time.

Once roasted, they were poured into a leather sack and tightly tied shut to keep out moisture, then taken into the city to the movie theater.

Next to the ticket booth of the theater, there was a recessed, wind-sheltered spot, about two square meters in size.

This was the place Ji Xiu had negotiated with the theater manager.

Ji Xiu was allowed to sell there, and the theater would not send anyone to chase him away. However, if someone reported it and it was discovered, Ji Xiu was not allowed to reveal the theater’s stance.

Ji Xiu agreed readily and officially started his small business there.

He ordered many small paper bags, putting one or two liang of roasted sunflower seeds into each. Based on his observations after spending half a day there, he set the price at one jiao two fen per portion, targeting young boys and girls in particular.

At this time, movie ticket prices varied greatly. When officially issued, they usually ranged from one jiao to five jiao. However, since individuals couldn’t freely purchase tickets and they were often taken up by factories as employee benefits, after being hyped up and resold, prices could rise to anywhere from one yuan to five yuan.

Whether they were people willing to give up the profit from reselling tickets to watch the movie themselves, or those who had spent a large sum to buy a ticket, all of them were well-off.

For people with money, one jiao two fen for sunflower seeds wasn’t expensive. Even if the portion was small, this was a movie theater—higher prices were only natural. They didn’t have time to run to the supply and marketing cooperative just to buy a jin of sunflower seeds and then come back to watch a movie.

Moreover, Ji Xiu had done his market research and specifically targeted young people.

Most customers in this group didn’t yet have independent financial means and relied on money given by their families, so they weren’t particularly careful about spending.

Besides young people, children were also his major customers.

By two in the afternoon, Ji Xiu hurried back home, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. Without saying a word, he picked up the enamel mug and drank, gulping down a full mug of water in one go.

Li Shiyue quickly spoke up, telling him to slow down.

When Ji Xiu finally put the mug down and relaxed, she hesitantly told him about what had happened that morning.

Ji Xiu looked unconcerned. “It’s fine. I’ll just go over there once.”

Li Shiyue was worried. “If it really doesn’t work, you should just talk it out with them. You can’t let yourself be misunderstood…”

“Relax, relax. I know what I’m doing. Leave it all to me.”

Ji Xiu was still wearing that carefree expression. His handsome, heart-stirring face carried a roguish air, not even a hint of a frown, making him seem both reliable and strong.

He wiped the sweat off his face, pulled out the day’s earnings from his pocket, and handed the whole thick wad to Li Shiyue.

“You keep it. Count it, record it. I’ll head over to the Ji house right now.”

He moved decisively and energetically—setting the money down and leaving at once. Li Shiyue couldn’t even call him back.

Li Shiyue frowned, sighed with a troubled expression, and put the money away. She glanced at her daughter, who was taking a nap inside, carefree and unconcerned, and felt a surge of envy.

She was truly afraid that Ji Xiu and the Ji family would end up in a conflict, with one side getting hurt.

Both Ji Xiu and the Ji family treated her very well. If things really came to a clash, she genuinely wouldn’t know which side to stand on.

So worried she couldn’t sit still, Li Shiyue refused to wait inside and stubbornly stood at the doorway, waiting for Ji Xiu to return.

Half an hour later, Ji Xiu came back with something in his hand.

From afar, seeing Li Shiyue standing at the door, he asked in surprise, “Wife, why aren’t you resting inside?”

“I was worried about you. Are you okay?” Li Shiyue asked, her eyes full of concern.

Ji Xiu waved his hand. “What could happen? Here—this is what Mom gave me. Put it away.”

Li Shiyue stared in disbelief. “Mom gave it to you?”

Ji Xiu smiled. “Yeah. The moment Mom saw me, she said I’d lost weight and insisted on stuffing me with eggs and cured meat. I couldn’t refuse, so I brought them back.”

Li Shiyue: “…”