Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law-Chapter 515: Choosing a Location, Love, Excitement (3)_1

So, the supermarket manager welcomed the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law into an office. The office was empty except for some furnishings. It had originally been the manager's office, but with business being poor, he had dismissed the employees he hired one by one until only two remained. That was why he had taken on the role of cashier himself.

After inviting the two women to sit down and pouring them each a cup of hot water, he apologized for the poor conditions and lack of proper refreshments. As he sat down with a smile, he frequently glanced at the four bodyguards standing behind Julia Bluen. The young lady from the wealthy Horne Family is certainly different, always having protection wherever she goes, he thought.

After exchanging pleasantries, both parties got down to business.

The manager made an exorbitant demand—three million for an empty store, insisting on taking all his merchandise with him. Mila Anderson intended to rent the space for a beauty salon, so naturally, she wouldn't want the supermarket's goods. The land the store occupied still belonged to the developers of Golden Kirin Garden, requiring monthly rent payments. Store owners here generally leased for a year or half a year at a time. However, asking three million for an empty store of two hundred square meters was simply extortion.

For a supermarket, besides the expensive rent—which, judging by the location, was likely tens of thousands per month—fitting it out, stocking up, and hiring workers would cost a few hundred thousand at most, certainly not exceeding one million. So, when the manager asked for three million, he was aiming to recoup his entire investment and earn more than half of that amount in profit on top.

"Three million, I…" Mila Anderson felt that three million wasn't much and was about to agree when Julia Bluen gently tugged her arm, signaling her to stop. She fell silent. With a faint smile, Julia Bluen asked the manager, "May I ask how much longer your lease runs?"

The supermarket manager hastily replied, "I rented it for a year, and there's still half a year until it expires. The rent and utilities cost nearly a hundred thousand each month."

Julia Bluen nodded, quickly did some calculations in her head, and then said, "Three million is too expensive. The most we can offer is one million. Not a penny more."

Hearing this, the manager grumbled inwardly, The Horne Family is so wealthy; three million to them is like three hundred yuan! And they're unwilling to pay even that? So stingy! This young lady truly lives up to her upbringing in a businessman's family—so calculating and ruthless with her bargaining. She cut the price too drastically, straight down to one million!

Despite his internal grumbling, the manager maintained a smile and said, "Mrs. Horne, at one million, I'd be taking a loss."

"Your store will continue to lose money if you keep it operating. Transferring the lease will only reduce your losses; it won't help you recoup much. Your supermarket is medium-sized, no more than two hundred square meters. The merchandise consists of everyday necessities, snacks, and children's toys. With only two employees, and factoring in the rent, your initial investment definitely didn't reach one million," Julia Bluen replied, her smile faint but her gaze exceptionally sharp.

Upon entering, Julia Bluen had already keenly assessed the supermarket's interior. The renovation isn't high-end, just a coat of paint on the walls and some tiles that look expensive but, to a discerning eye, aren't truly luxurious. The initial renovation cost probably didn't exceed two hundred thousand. The shelving for merchandise is also quite ordinary. Although the goods are priced high, they've inflated those prices; the wholesale costs are actually very low. For instance, a towel that might cost a few to around ten in other supermarkets is priced from ten to several tens here. The goods are the same, but the selling prices are higher than elsewhere. They're clearly exploiting the residents of this complex. They've accurately gauged the psychology of the wealthy: generous with money, focusing on the item, not the price. And most importantly, this transfer doesn't include the merchandise.

With an embarrassed laugh, the manager argued, "Mrs. Horne, one million is really too little; I'd genuinely be ruined by that loss. While transfers usually involve some loss, you can't expect me to lose too much. How about this: you add another five hundred thousand, making it one million five hundred thousand. What do you say?"

Julia Bluen smiled, pulled Mila Anderson to her feet, and replied firmly, "I'm only offering one million. If you feel that's too great a loss, then please continue to wait for other interested parties. We won't disturb you any longer. We'll be going now." She then turned and headed for the exit.

"Wait, Mrs. Horne, please wait! Can we discuss this a bit more?" Seeing that Julia Bluen was no longer interested in negotiating, the supermarket manager quickly stood up and hurried a few steps to call out to her. He approached a little too hastily, getting close to Julia Bluen, and the four well-trained bodyguards immediately positioned themselves between him and her, separating them.

This display of formation and protection left the supermarket manager astonished.

Julia Bluen stopped, turned her head to smile at the supermarket manager, her almond eyes twinkling as she asked, "Well?"

"Mrs. Horne, can we each take a step back? How about this: you add another hundred thousand, and we'll have a deal."

Julia Bluen smiled. "Nine hundred thousand."

The supermarket manager's smile twitched. Julia Bluen was ruthless, dropping the price by another hundred thousand! If he tries to negotiate further, will she drop it all the way to five hundred thousand? he wondered.

"Mrs. Horne, how about you add fifty thousand more?"

"Eight hundred thousand. I'm only offering eight hundred thousand now," Julia Bluen stated.

She was still smiling, but her smile was laced with a cold ruthlessness.

Her intention was to crush the greed of those asking astronomical prices.

Even if I only offer eight hundred thousand, he won't make a loss, she thought.

How can the Young Lady of the Horne Family be so formidable? Sigh, with such a capable husband, his wife is bound to be just as impressive. He started by asking for three million, and now it's been slashed to eight hundred thousand—that's two million two hundred thousand less! The manager was in agony. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Seeing Julia Bluen's smiling yet chillingly ruthless eyes, the supermarket manager knew he wouldn't gain anything by trying to raise the price further. My total investment in this supermarket—renovations, stocking inventory, rent, and staff salaries—was just over seven hundred thousand. Now, I'm only transferring an empty store; the merchandise is still mine, so I won't lose the money spent on stock. If Julia Bluen gives me eight hundred thousand... doing the math, I'll still make a profit!

Mila Anderson, standing to one side, thought Julia Bluen's bargaining was incredibly fierce. Feeling a little embarrassed, she pulled Julia Bluen aside and said in a low voice, "Julia, don't let him lose too much. This location is expensive, so his initial investment was probably substantial. And the goods here are all quite pricey."