The next day, Eli woke up feeling very excited. Today was the day he'd visit The Corner Pocket and possibly take his first real step into the business world. A small step, maybe, but one that actually meant something.
He went through his morning routine with more care than usual. Washed his face twice. Combed his hair instead of just flattening it with his hand. From his closet, he picked out the best he had: a slightly wrinkled red polo shirt, faded black jeans that still fit okay, and his, fake Hanri sneakers, their soles worn thin but still holding together.
After getting dressed, he sat on the edge of his bed and opened the system interface. A buzz sounded from his phone as his bank allowance refreshed. His current balance ticked up 49,000 yuan. Still not enough to buy a big stake in anything fancy, but for a small business that was close to bankruptcy, it might be exactly what was needed.
Eli stepped into the kitchen where Jin was just waking up, hair sticking up at odd angles.
"Morning," Eli said, pouring two glasses of water.
Jin blinked at him sleepily. "You look like you're going to a job interview."
"Sort of," Eli replied with a grin. "Going to check out that shop I told you about."
"Oh. The investment one?"
"Yeah. Wish me luck."
"Good luck," Jin mumbled, taking the glass. "Don't get scammed."
Eli chuckled, grabbed his bag, and checked the time. 8:15 a.m. Perfect.
The ride to the Briggon residential and commercial district took about forty minutes. The streets got gradually busier, livelier, as Eli moved closer to the commercial heart of the area. Briggon wasn't upscale, but it wasn't run-down either, it had the energy of a neighborhood clinging to its sense of identity, even as flashy chain stores crept in.
When he arrived, Eli parked his scooter just outside of The Corner Pocket.
The store was tucked between a bakery and a small electronics repair shop. The sign above the entrance was faded and peeling, but still legible. The Corner Pocket – One Stop for All Your Needs! The letters were cheerful, even if the building wasn't. A hand-painted cartoon of a smiling rice bag still clung to the window, one eye faded out completely.
Eli took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The first thing he noticed was the smell old wood, spices, cleaning supplies. The place was cramped but surprisingly organized. Narrow aisles lined with shelves held a hodgepodge of items: canned goods, cheap shampoo, knockoff toys, phone chargers, discount snacks, and instant noodles stacked like a wall near the back. A few regulars walked around, mostly old people chatting quietly or slowly browsing the goods.
Behind the counter, a man in his early fifties looked up. He was wrinkly probably from stress, with silver hair pulled back in a short tail, and eyes that looked like they hadn't had a full night's sleep in weeks.
"You must be Eli," the man said, setting down a ledger and wiping his hands on a rag.
"That obvious?"
Mr. Duan gave a small laugh. "Young guy, nervous energy, not from around here. Yeah, you stand out."
Eli smiled and extended his hand. "Thanks for meeting me."
"Let's talk," Mr. Duan said, gesturing toward a small table near the back of the shop, just behind a rack of umbrellas.
The table Mr. Duan led him to looked like it had once been a checkout counter, scarred wood, a stubborn tea ring that refused to be scrubbed off. A little electric fan buzzed nearby, blowing warm air.
Mr. Duan poured two cups of lukewarm green tea from a plastic bottle. "Sorry it's not fancy. My coffee machine died last year and I never replaced it."
"This is perfect," Eli said, accepting the cup with both hands.
They sat for a moment in silence. The door rang softly as someone came in and wandered toward the drinks fridge.
Mr. Duan didn't seem in a rush. "So," he said finally, "you saw the numbers."
Eli nodded. "I did. The business is barely floating. Operating at a loss, two months behind on rent. But I also saw something else, the regular customers, low overhead, good location in a mixed district. Feels like a shop that could be more."
Mr. Duan cracked a smile. "You're the first person who's said that without trying to sell me a rebranding package. Do you have any retail experience?"
"No," Eli admitted. "But I've worked in kitchens, done deliveries, side hustles. I've been broke enough to understand what people really need. And this place feels like one of those rare stores people fom the community want to keep alive. You just need a hand."
Mr. Duan looked away, his fingers tapping slowly on the table.
"This was opened by me and my wife. When she passed, I ran the business alone. I thought I could keep it running until I figured out something else." He glanced around. "That was six years ago."
Eli took a breath. "What do you need most right now?"
"Cashflow, plain and simple. I need to restock properly before the summer school season. Drinks, snacks, supplies, those sell well. But the new SupermarketX at the other side of town ,they buy in bulk and kill me with prices. I don't need millions I need maybe 30,000 to 50,000 yuan just to catch up with the competition."
"And after that?"
Mr. Duan's voice dropped a little. "Help with tech. I've got no online orders, no delivery option, not even a working card reader most days. My niece tried to set up a website once, but it crashed whenever more than fifteen people use it at the same time."
Eli chuckled. "I can help with that. Maybe not the website part, but the rest."
Mr. Duan looked at him more closely now, as if seeing him for the first time not as a curious stranger, but maybe just maybe.... a partner.
"You're serious about investing?" he asked. "It's not just a school project or something?"
"I'm serious," Eli said. "I don't have a lot. But I want to build something. And I think The Corner Pocket is worth saving."
Mr. Duan nodded slowly. "what can you offer."
Eli hesitated for only a second. "30 percent for 45,000 yuan"
Mr. Duan laughed, deep and real. "Fair enough."
They shook hands. Not a multi million dollar deal. Just the beginning for the corner pocket store.