A reborn mother longs for her daughter's happiness.

Chapter 230 A Heart-to-Heart Talk About the Dream of a Bakery

In the bakery filled with the sweet aroma, Yang Xuexue hummed a little tune as she deftly decorated the freshly baked cupcakes. Her bright eyes were fixed on the piping tip, as if she were sculpting a rare treasure. In no time, lifelike little butter flowers bloomed on the cupcakes.

"Xuexue, your skills are getting better and better!" Uncle Zhang's loud voice came from behind. He was the owner of this bakery. He was slightly overweight, and when he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, making him look just like Santa Claus.

Yang Xuexue raised her head, her face beaming with a bright smile, "Uncle Zhang, thanks to your and Master Li's careful guidance over this period of time, I have made some progress."

At this moment, Chef Li came out of the kitchen with a spatula in his hand. He is the shop's star baker. He doesn't talk much usually, but when it comes to baking, he becomes very talkative. "Xuexue is a talented child, and she is willing to put in the effort. She is easy to teach."

Yang Xuexue was a little embarrassed by the praise, scratched her head and said, "Uncle Zhang, Master Li, I have something I want to discuss with you."

Uncle Zhang plopped down on the chair next to him, picked up a small biscuit and stuffed it into his mouth. "Oh, what's the matter? Why are you so serious? Tell me."

Yang Xuexue took a deep breath and mustered her courage to say, "I've been learning in the shop for so long, and I've grown to love baking more and more. I've also learned a lot of skills. I... I want to open my own bakery."

Upon hearing this, Uncle Zhang nearly choked on his biscuit. He quickly picked up his teacup and gulped down a mouthful. "What? Open a bakery? Xuexue, this is no joke. Do you know how difficult it is to open a shop?"

Master Li also put down his spatula and looked at Yang Xuexue with a serious expression. "There are too many things to worry about when opening a shop, from site selection, decoration, and purchasing raw materials to recruiting people and marketing. Every step is not easy."

Yang Xuexue had anticipated their response. Calmly, she pulled a small notebook from her pocket, which was filled with notes. "Uncle Zhang, Master Li, I know opening a shop is difficult, so I've been doing my homework lately. Look, I've listed out all the potential problems and solutions for opening a shop."

Uncle Zhang took the notebook, flipped through a few pages, and his eyes widened. "Goodness, you've really put in a lot of effort. But I'm still a little worried. Do you have enough funds? Opening a shop requires a lot of initial investment."

Yang Xuexue chuckled, "Uncle Zhang, I've saved up some money from my work over the years, and I also borrowed some from friends. It should be enough for my initial startup capital. Besides, I plan to open a small shop first to control costs."

Mr. Li frowned and asked, "What about the shop location? That's crucial. If the location isn't good, business will be tough."

Yang Xuexue pointed to the map in her notebook, "Master Li, I've studied it for a long time and I think that newly developed commercial street in our city center is pretty good. There's a lot of foot traffic there, mostly young people, which is exactly the target customer group for our bakery. And the rent is also within my budget."

Uncle Zhang stroked his chin thoughtfully and said, "Hmm, that place is nice, but the competition is fierce. There must be many competitors around."

"So I want to take a differentiated approach," Yang Xuexue said enthusiastically. "I plan to focus on low-sugar, low-fat healthy baked goods. Now everyone is paying more and more attention to health, so there is definitely a market for them. I also want to set up a small baking experience area in the store so that customers can make cakes themselves and increase interaction."

Master Li nodded in agreement. "That's an interesting idea, but product development isn't easy. Can you handle it?"

Yang Xuexue patted her chest confidently, "Master Li, don't you believe me? I've learned so much from you during this time, and I've also researched a lot of information online and done a lot of experiments. I've already developed several low-sugar, low-fat cakes and breads, and they taste pretty good. I'll bring them out for you to try later."

Uncle Zhang smiled and said, "Xuexue, your determination and preparation have truly impressed me. However, after opening the shop, you're bound to encounter various troubles, such as customer complaints and employee management. Are you mentally prepared?"

Yang Xuexue blinked. "Uncle Zhang, I know there will definitely be difficulties, but I'm not afraid. We'll just solve the problems as they arise. Besides, I can ask you for advice. You are all my seniors, with rich experience, and you can definitely help me come up with solutions."

Master Li smiled and said, "This girl is quite good at talking. Okay, as long as you're determined, we'll definitely help if we can."

Uncle Zhang also stood up and patted Yang Xuexue on the shoulder, "Since you've thought it through so thoroughly, I support you. But if you encounter any difficulties, don't bear them alone; come to us anytime."

Yang Xuexue's eyes welled up with tears. "Thank you, Uncle Zhang, thank you, Master Li. With your words, I have even more confidence."

In the following time, Yang Xuexue continued to discuss the details of opening the shop with Uncle Zhang and Master Li.

"Uncle Zhang, what name do you think I should give my bakery? It needs to sound good, and people should know at a glance that it sells baked goods." Yang Xuexue tilted her head and looked at Uncle Zhang expectantly.

Uncle Zhang scratched his head and thought for a moment, "How about we call it 'Sweetheart Abode'? It sounds warm and cute, and it also highlights the sweetness of our bakery."

Yang Xuexue frowned. "This name sounds nice, but it feels a bit too ordinary. I want something more unique."

Master Li pondered silently for a while, then his eyes suddenly lit up. "How about 'Xuexue's Sweet Workshop'? It includes your name and emphasizes the feeling of sweetness and handmade craftsmanship."

Yang Xuexue's eyes lit up. "Wow, Master Li, this name is fantastic! But I think 'Sweet Dream Factory' is the most suitable. It's easy to tell it's my shop just by hearing it, and it's also very distinctive."

Having solved the shop name issue, Yang Xuexue began to worry about the interior design. "I want to decorate the shop in a warm and stylish way, so that customers feel relaxed as soon as they walk in, like they're at home. Uncle Zhang, Master Li, do you have any good suggestions?"

Uncle Zhang crossed his arms and looked around the shop's layout. "I think we can use more wooden elements, such as wooden tables, chairs, and shelves, and add soft lighting to create a warm atmosphere."

Chef Li added, "We can hang some baking pictures or artwork on the walls to add a cultural touch. Adding a few potted plants will also bring more life to the shop."

Yang Xuexue listened and nodded, taking careful notes in her notebook. "Yes, these suggestions are great. I also want to set up a large display case in the store to show all the baking products I make, so that customers can see them at a glance."

After discussing the renovation, it was time to purchase raw materials. "Uncle Zhang, Master Li, do you usually have regular suppliers for your raw materials? I'd like to find some suppliers that offer good quality at reasonable prices," Yang Xuexue asked them.

Uncle Zhang took out a small notebook from the drawer, which was filled with the contact information of suppliers. "Xuexue, I'll recommend a few suppliers that I often use. Their raw materials are of good quality and their prices are relatively fair. But you can also compare a few more to see if there are any more suitable ones."

Yang Xuexue took the notebook as if it were a treasure, "Thank you so much, Uncle Zhang. With this, I can rest easy for a lot."

Master Li further reminded him, "Besides the ingredients, the baking equipment is also very important. Don't buy some poor-quality equipment to save money, otherwise it will affect the product quality and production efficiency."

Yang Xuexue nodded quickly, "I know, Master Li. I plan to go to the professional baking equipment market to learn more about the brands and products before making a decision."

As the discussion deepened, it gradually grew dark. Uncle Zhang checked the time. "Oh dear, it's so late. Let's go eat first, and chat while we eat."

They went to a small restaurant nearby and ordered some home-style dishes. While eating, Yang Xuexue thought about the issue of employee recruitment again. "Uncle Zhang, Chef Li, what should I pay attention to when recruiting employees?"

Uncle Zhang picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and said, "First of all, we definitely need to find someone with baking experience, preferably someone with good skills and a strong sense of responsibility. During the interview, we can ask them to make some products on the spot to see how good their skills are."

Mr. Li also said, "Personality is also very important. We need to find someone who is cheerful and patient, since we will be dealing with customers. Teamwork is also essential; everyone needs to be able to cooperate tacitly."

As Yang Xuexue listened, she stuffed rice into her mouth and mumbled, "Mmm, I got it. It seems recruiting employees isn't an easy task after all."

After lunch, everyone returned to the bakery. Yang Xuexue discussed marketing and promotion methods with Uncle Zhang and Chef Li, such as advertising on social media, launching a membership system, and holding opening events.

Before they knew it, it was already late at night. Yang Xuexue stretched and said, "Today was really fruitful. Thank you Uncle Zhang and Master Li for chatting with me for so long and giving me so many valuable suggestions."

Uncle Zhang smiled and said, "No need to thank me, we're all in the same business, we'll help if we can. Just focus on your work and come to us anytime if you have any problems."

Master Li nodded, "Yes, we've got your back, don't be afraid."

Yang Xuexue looked at them with emotion, "It's so good to have you all. I will definitely work hard to run the bakery well."

With the encouragement and help of Uncle Zhang and Master Li, Yang Xuexue is getting closer and closer to her dream of opening a bakery. She believes that as long as she perseveres, she will definitely be able to carve out her own niche in the world of baking.