Chapter 56: Interested in Internet Cafes

"This internet café is up for sale?"

Ma Xiaoshuai pointed and said, "Look, the notice is even posted right there."

Chen Fan turned his head and saw that a notice was indeed pasted on the wall pillar beside them.

Curious, he walked over and took a look. The content written on it was very simple.

Because the owner was in urgent need of money, she had decided to transfer the internet café at a low price. Interested clients were requested to contact the owner.

A contact number was left at the bottom.

Chen Fan was somewhat puzzled. According to the current market trends, opening an internet café in recent years was basically equivalent to owning a cash cow.

Especially in the next two years, when games like *Mirage*, *Legend*, and *World of Warcraft* launched, internet cafés would usher in a true peak period.

Basically, anyone who opened an internet café during those years made a fortune.

Choosing to transfer an internet café at this moment was definitely an unwise choice.

Had the owner really run into financial difficulties?

On the way back to school, Chen Fan kept pondering this question.

He wondered, what if he bought this internet café?

Originally, this option had not been included in his business plan.

But right now, no suitable buyer had appeared for the domain name website.

He couldn't just keep waiting indefinitely; he had to find a profitable project.

Opening an internet café seemed like a pretty good choice.

Of course, the premise was that he had enough capital to buy the internet café.

Right now, his total assets added up to just over fifty thousand, which was definitely not enough.

However, Chen Fan was very curious about how much the owner intended to sell it for.

The more he thought about it, the more curious he became. Even when the lights went out at night and he lay in bed, this thought refused to go away.

The next day, Chen Fan secretly went to the Global Village Internet Café by himself.

He found the front desk and said, "I'd like to see your boss."

The young girl at the front desk raised her head and glanced at Chen Fan.

"What do you want with our boss?"

Chen Fan pointed at the notice at the entrance.

"Isn't your boss transferring this internet café? I wanted to ask about it."

The receptionist looked somewhat surprised, sizing Chen Fan up from head to toe.

"You're a student, aren't you?"

Chen Fan smiled.

"Who says students aren't allowed to buy things?"

The receptionist was momentarily stunned. "Wait a moment."

With that, she picked up the desk phone in front of her and dialed a number.

She spoke a few words to the person on the other end.

"The boss isn't at the shop; she's out taking care of some things."

"She said if you're genuinely interested, you can go to The Years We Spent together in an hour. Our boss will meet with you there in person."

Chen Fan asked, "The Years We Spent together is that coffee shop on West Second Road, right?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I understand. Thank you."

Stepping out of the internet café, Chen Fan glanced at the notice at the entrance again, then walked out onto the street, casting his gaze over the row of street-facing buildings before him.

After thinking about it all night, Chen Fan grew increasingly convinced in his mind that this venture was viable.

According to memories from his past life, Chen Fan remembered that this row of street-facing commercial properties would be demolished two years later due to urban development.

By then, a bustling commercial and cultural street would be built right here.

Because it was located right next to Yunhai University, the property values of the shops on this street would only rise year by year.

He had the advantage of foresight.

If he bought this shop in advance—of course, Chen Fan's target wasn't the internet café itself.

It was the commercial space where the internet café was located.

He would buy it, continue running the internet café for two years, and then wait for the demolition to collect a hefty payout in compensation.

The money earned by then would undoubtedly be several times his current investment.

This deal was absolutely worthwhile.

The only question now was how much the owner of Global Village intended to charge for the transfer.

Furthermore, did she actually own the commercial space housing the internet café?

He had two specialized classes in the morning, but Chen Fan had already decided to skip them.

He walked directly toward The Years We Spent together on West Second Road.

West Second Road wasn't very far from Yunhai University; walking there would take about half an hour.

As he walked, Chen Fan observed the surrounding environment while comparing it to the future changes in his mind.

He realized that if he had sufficient capital, he could purchase some commercial properties or plots of land in advance.

For example, choosing a few old houses in the downtown area, or buying a property along the planned subway route in advance...

Once demolition began, he would hardly have to do anything at all except wait to collect the money.

Could there be any job easier to make money than this?

Chen Fan sighed with emotion as he walked.

Unfortunately, he still didn't have money right now.

Of course, there was still time, and he had enough time to prepare.

Arriving at The Years We Spent together more than twenty minutes early, Chen Fan stepped inside and casually chose a table by the window to sit down.

A pretty waitress walked over and asked what he would like to drink.

Chen Fan glanced at the menu; the prices were a bit steep.

"Just bring me a glass of plain water, please. I'm waiting for someone."

"Alright, please wait a moment."

Chen Fan was on his third sip of water when a middle-aged woman in her forties walked in.

Her gaze swept around the lobby.

Chen Fan stood up and walked over. "Excuse me, are you the owner of Global Village?"

"You're the one who wants to see me?"

The woman looked at Chen Fan in astonishment, sizing him up from top to bottom, and her brow immediately furrowed.

She felt as though she had been played with.

Chen Fan made a gesture of invitation with his hand.

The woman hesitated for a moment, but still walked over with a dark expression and sat down opposite Chen Fan.

Her gaze once again fixed on Chen Fan, studying him intently.

"Judging by your appearance, you must be a student at Yunhai University, right?"

Chen Fan found it amusing in his heart; as expected of the boss and employee from the same establishment, they asked the exact same questions.

"Yes. I'm a freshman at Yunhai University."

Upon hearing this answer, the trace of expectation remaining on the woman's face vanished entirely.

It instantly turned into utter disappointment.

As if completely oblivious to the change in her expression, Chen Fan smiled and continued.

"However, who says students aren't allowed to buy an internet café?"

The woman cast a sidelong glance at Chen Fan.

"Are you really planning to buy my internet café?"

"Of course. Otherwise, why would I have nothing better to do than run over here? I have no particular interest in coffee."

Chen Fan smiled. "Naturally, I'm here to inquire about your transfer price first."

Though still filled with suspicion toward Chen Fan, the woman figured since she had already come, she might as well call over the waitress and order a cup of coffee.

When the coffee was served, the woman took a slow sip.

Sitting across from her, Chen Fan was likewise observing the woman.

From her attire and grooming to her manners and speech, as well as her elegant way of drinking coffee.

One could deduce that this woman had received a good upbringing and came from a fairly well-off background.

As for whether she was currently facing financial difficulties, however, remained to be seen.

After taking two sips of coffee, the woman finally spoke.

"My shop has only been open for three years, with a floor area of over two hundred square meters and around eighty computers."

* * *

"At the time, the cost just to purchase the computers was over five hundred thousand, not including the venue fees, renovation costs, various electronic equipment expenses, and so on."

"The total cost was nearly six or seven hundred thousand."

Chen Fan smiled. "As you mentioned just now, this shop was opened three years ago. Whether it's the computers or the equipment, depreciation costs simply cannot be ignored."

"Besides, your renovation and equipment expenses have nothing to do with me. Even if I take it over, I will need to spend money to renovate it all over again, and I'll have to specifically hire workers and pay an extra garbage removal fee..."

Hearing this, the woman looked at Chen Fan in surprise.

She hadn't expected that a college student discussing business with her could articulate things so logically and clearly.

In an instant, she couldn't help but put aside her contempt for Chen Fan.

"Do you really want to buy it?"

Chen Fan smiled.

"If I didn't want to buy it, why would I be sitting here talking with you?"

The woman hesitated for two seconds, then suddenly gritted her teeth.

"Alright. As long as you're truly sincere about buying it, I'll sell it to you for five hundred and fifty thousand."