I Returned to the Day He Brought His First Love Home-Chapter 112: Besides Being a Mother, You Are Still Yourself
"Hayley? What brings you here so late?" Grace looked at Hayley in surprise.
Hayley still looked tired, but her eyes were sparkling. "Grace, what do you think? If I didn’t run the clothing store, could I just do this ring toss game instead?"
Grace understood immediately.
’Hayley must have made a lot of money today and gotten a bit carried away.’
Her expression turned serious. She looked at Hayley and said earnestly, "Hayley, how do you think you did today?"
"Great! Our net profit for today alone was a little over a hundred. If it’s like this every day, that would be a profit of over three thousand in a month."
"We’ve been running the clothing store for over half a month and have only made a little over four hundred."
Hayley’s face was full of yearning.
Especially when she mentioned a profit of over three thousand, the light in her eyes was impossible to contain.
But Grace shook her head. "Hayley, right now it’s only because you’re the only one doing it. You don’t have any competition yet. Plus, it’s new, and the economy has just started recovering, so many people are willing to give it a try."
"Think about it, will someone who tries it once come back for a second time?"
"For just a dollar, people are willing to pay for a bit of fun."
"But no one is going to spend that dollar every single day. They might do it once a month at most, or just every now and then."
"How big is the population of Prospera Town?"
"Older people won’t play this kind of game at all, and the very young don’t have any spending money. As for the people who can afford it, you’ll have earned all their money in half a month at most."
"This business might seem incredibly profitable at first, but it can’t last in the long run."
"Besides, it’s very easy to copy. As soon as imitators show up, they’ll cut into your business."
"At that point, forget about making over a hundred a day; you’ll be lucky to make ten."
"But with your clothing store, you’re currently the only one in Prospera Town who can get this merchandise. No one else has so many new styles. You have a market advantage."
"As long as you maintain that advantage, you won’t have to worry about business."
"Is a net profit of four or five hundred a month that small?"
"It’s not small at all. Many people only make that much in an entire year."
"And this is just the beginning. Once you’ve slowly built it up, you can open branch stores, even expand to other places, and eventually have your clothing stores all over the country."
"So which of the two do you think has the real advantage?"
After speaking, Grace looked calmly at Hayley.
Hayley had a quick mind.
She immediately understood the key points.
"I get it. I’ll only do the ring toss for a few more days. Once the clothing store opens, I’ll have your brother watch the stall. I’ll keep my focus on the store."
"After we sell off all the little trinkets we bought, we’ll stop this business."
Hayley quickly made her decision.
"It doesn’t matter if you can’t sell them all. You can give them away with clothing purchases," Grace reminded her. "People love getting a little something for free."
Hayley nodded quickly. "You’re still the smart one, Grace."
The two sisters-in-law chatted for a while longer before Hayley hurried home.
She had been busy all day and hadn’t even eaten yet.
No sooner had she left than Irene Lynch hurried into Grace’s room.
"Grace, are you planning to sell all the gold bars to buy a house in Coronet?" Irene Lynch brought the gold bars over and pressed them into Grace’s hands. "Here, take it all. If you want to go, then go."
"Your father and I have already discussed it. We’re not comfortable with you going so far away all by yourself, so we’ll go with you. That way, we can take care of you."
Grace was deeply moved when she heard this.
’Gregory Winslow and Irene Lynch never thought of themselves. Their hearts and minds were completely filled with her.’
Grace reached out and hugged Irene Lynch. "Did you have any dreams when you were young, Mom?"
"Something you really wanted to do but never did."
Irene Lynch looked a bit lost in thought. After a moment, she began, "Back then, our family wasn’t well off. My biggest wish was just to have enough to eat."
"After I married your father, I got greedy. I didn’t just want enough to eat for myself; I hoped my children could all eat their fill, wear warm clothes, and have jobs."
"As long as you’re all doing well, healthy and safe, there’s nothing more I could ask for."
"But Mom, besides being our mother, you’re also your own person. How could anyone not have things they want to do? Whether it’s wanting enough to eat or wanting to do something else, those are still desires of the heart, aren’t they?" Grace looked at Irene Lynch and couldn’t help but sigh.
’Irene Lynch had dedicated her entire life to her family and children, neglecting her own needs.’
Irene Lynch stared at Grace, stunned. An image suddenly surfaced in her mind. She gave a faint, bitter smile. "You’re right. I did have a dream once. When I was little, I used to watch my grandmother make clothes and pastries every day, and I wished I could be just like her when I grew up."
"But my sewing skills are no good; I didn’t learn a single thing from her. My pastry-making, on the other hand, is decent. I learned from her for a few years and got pretty good at it."
"You’re right. I really should find something of my own to do."
"Now, your older brothers don’t need my help with the kids anymore, and you’re all grown up."
"Grace, if we go to Coronet, do you think we could really open a pastry shop? But we don’t have that much money, do we?"
"We’d have to buy a house, and then get a storefront to open the shop..."
"Housing there isn’t cheap."
Irene Lynch’s face was filled with hesitation.
But Grace didn’t care about any of that. She put her arm around Irene Lynch’s shoulder. "What’s the big deal? If we run out of money, we can just earn more! I get a state grant for college, so my meals and things don’t cost anything. I can even earn money every month."
"Besides, when I went to discuss a partnership with Mr. Osborne, I met a boss from Port Elysia. He really likes my designs. If I’m ever truly broke, I can just draw a few designs and sell them to him to make some money."
"You just focus on doing what you want to do. And who knows, if your pastry shop takes off, I can come home and freeload off you!"
"I don’t care! I’m going to rely on you and Dad for the rest of my life. I’m just going to live off you two."
Grace hugged Irene Lynch’s arm, acting playfully spoiled.
Irene Lynch couldn’t help but laugh. She reached out and ruffled Grace’s hair. "Alright, alright. Then you can freeload off your father and me for the rest of your life. We can still afford to support you."
Grace chuckled.
That night, Irene Lynch ended up sleeping in Grace’s room.
The mother and daughter talked for a long time, dreaming about the future.
They didn’t fall asleep until very late.
Gregory Winslow came by in the middle of the night to check on them. He saw the two of them sleeping messily, with no regard for their image, the blanket nearly falling off the bed. He had a look of fond exasperation on his face.
He helped pull the blanket back over them. Gazing at his sleeping wife and daughter, he silently made a resolution.
