The next morning brought something Eli hadn't seen in quite some time.
Customers.
Not the occasional elderly resident stopping by to purchase a few vegetables or someone rushing in to grab a bottle of water before work. Foot traffic had noticeably increased, and more importantly, people were beginning to return.
By 8:00 AM, The Corner Pocket was already busier than it had been at the same time the previous day.
Behind the counter, Mrs Zhang was arranging freshly delivered breakfast combinations when a familiar face appeared at the entrance.
It was the office worker who had purchased two breakfast combos the previous morning.
"Morning, Mrs. Zhang. Two of the same combos again, please."
Mrs. Zhang immediately recognised him.
"Back again? I hope you aren't becoming addicted to our breakfast."
The man laughed.
"Well, the food's good, the portions are decent, and I don't have to stand in that ridiculous queue across the street. What's not to like?"
"That's what I like to hear!"
She began preparing his order.
Eli, who was standing near the entrance with a clipboard, overheard the exchange. He didn't interrupt, but a small smile appeared on his face.
A few minutes later, two university students entered.
They had previously been regular customers before SuperMartX introduced its aggressive breakfast promotions. For nearly two weeks, Eli hadn't seen either of them.
"Hey, do you still have those chicken rice bowls?" one of them asked.
"Of course," Mrs. Zhang replied. "Same price as before."
"Great. Two, please."
Eli watched as they placed their orders.
It wasn't a dramatic victory. Nobody was cheering, and there certainly wasn't a sudden crowd rushing through the entrance.
But these were returning customers.
And that mattered.
He opened his notebook and wrote down a few observations.
Returning breakfast customers.
Increased student purchases.
Repeat orders from nearby office workers.
Fewer customers leaving without purchasing.
Underneath, he wrote two words.
Customer Retention.
He knew that attracting customers through discounts was relatively easy. Keeping them was another matter entirely.
SuperMartX could afford to offer cheaper products for months. The Corner Pocket couldn't compete with that.
But if customers began developing habits around the store, if they knew the staff, trusted the vendors and genuinely preferred the experience, then perhaps the store could build something more sustainable.
It was a small beginning.
But it was a beginning.
9:25 AM – The Back Office
Eli returned to the back office and switched on the computer.
The machine took several seconds to load the spreadsheet, its ageing processor struggling with the number of tabs he had open.
He clicked on the latest sales report.
Yesterday's figures were encouraging.
Revenue had increased, and the number of returning customers was higher than expected. The breakfast promotion was performing particularly well, while the evening food stalls were beginning to attract a steady audience.
He updated the projections.
System Mission
Profit Target: 30,000 yuan
Time Remaining: 18 days
Current Progress: Improving, but still below target.
Eli leaned back.
If the current trend continued, they had a reasonable chance of reaching the target before the deadline.
However, the spreadsheet didn't account for unexpected supplier costs, electricity bills, staff wages or another aggressive promotional campaign from SuperMartX.
He highlighted the projected figures and stared at them.
There was a difference between making sales and making money.
He had learned that lesson the expensive way.
"Don't get comfortable," he muttered.
He saved the spreadsheet and closed the window.
Just then, someone knocked on the office door.
It was Mr. Duan.
"Eli, there's something we need to discuss."
From the expression on his face, Eli already knew it wasn't good news.
11:40 AM – Another Problem
The store had become quieter after the morning rush.
Mr. Duan was speaking with one of the temporary food vendors near the entrance. The man, who operated a small noodle stall, looked uncomfortable.
Eli approached them.
"Everything alright?"
The vendor glanced at Mr. Duan before answering.
"Actually, there's something I wanted to discuss."
Mr. Duan folded his arms.
"Go ahead."
The vendor hesitated.
"I might have to stop operating here next week."
Mr. Duan's expression changed.
"Why?"
"I've received an offer from SuperMartX. They want me to operate a stall inside their food court."
Eli remained silent.
The man continued.
"They're offering a fixed monthly payment, electricity included, and they'll provide the equipment. I wouldn't have to worry about setting up every morning or dealing with unpredictable customer numbers."
Mr. Duan sighed.
"How much are they offering?"
The vendor mentioned the figure.
Eli immediately understood the problem.
It was considerably more than the vendor could reliably make at The Corner Pocket.
"That's a good offer," Eli admitted.
The vendor looked somewhat surprised.
"I don't want to leave," he explained. "You've both treated me well, and the customers here are friendly. But I've got a family to support. I can't afford to gamble with my income."
Nobody could reasonably blame him.
For a small vendor, a guaranteed monthly payment could mean the difference between paying rent comfortably and spending every evening worrying about the following week.
"When do you need to give them an answer?" Eli asked.
"Tomorrow afternoon."
Eli nodded.
"Alright. Give me until tonight. I can't promise I'll match their offer, but I'd like to see whether we can work something out."
The vendor agreed before returning to his stall.
Mr. Duan watched him leave.
"Can we really afford to offer him more?"
"No," Eli replied honestly. "Not if we're simply going to throw money at the problem."
"Then what are you thinking?"
Eli looked towards the entrance.
"We need to give him a reason to stay that doesn't depend entirely on how much we pay him."
12:15 PM – Vendor Retention
Eli grabbed a marker and approached the whiteboard.
At the top, he wrote:
VENDOR RETENTION STRATEGY
He began listing possible arrangements.
1. Better Visibility
Instead of allowing every vendor to compete for attention in the same space, The Corner Pocket could introduce a rotating featured-vendor system.
Each week, one vendor would receive a prominent position near the entrance.
Their products would also be advertised on the store's Nestwork account.
2. Flexible Revenue Sharing
Rather than promising a fixed payment the store couldn't afford, Eli proposed adjusting the stall fees according to customer traffic.
During particularly busy periods, the vendor would contribute a slightly higher percentage of sales.
During quieter periods, the fee would be reduced.
3. Community Promotion
The Corner Pocket would feature individual vendors in short promotional videos.
Customers would get to know the people preparing their food rather than simply seeing another anonymous stall.
4. Special Events
The store could organise occasional food evenings, weekend markets and seasonal promotions to increase foot traffic.
Mr. Duan studied the board.
"These are reasonable ideas, but they'll take time to work."
"I know."
"And SuperMartX can still offer more money."
Eli put the marker down.
"I know that too."
He turned towards him.
"But if we start matching every offer they make, we'll run out of money before they do."
Mr. Duan gave a tired laugh.
"You're beginning to sound like a proper businessman."
"Unfortunately, I'm learning the hard way."
For the first time that morning, Mr. Duan smiled.
Meanwhile – Jin at School
During lunch, Jin sat with Mian and two other classmates near the windows of the school cafeteria.
Mian was scrolling through Nestwork when she came across a short video of The Corner Pocket.
It had been uploaded by a local food reviewer the previous evening.
The video showed several customers enjoying meals from the temporary food stalls, followed by a brief interview with one of the vendors.
The caption read:
"Briggon's little neighbourhood market is fighting back. Is The Corner Pocket becoming a serious alternative to SuperMartX?"
The video had accumulated several thousand views.
Mian turned her phone towards Jin.
"Isn't this the store where you work?"
Jin glanced at the screen.
"Yeah."
"Looks pretty busy."
"It has been."
One of the boys sitting opposite them leaned forward.
"Wait, isn't that the place with the dragon mural?"
Jin nodded.
"I helped paint it."
"Seriously? You painted that?"
"Well, I didn't do it alone."
Mian smiled.
"He's being modest. He spent practically every afternoon working on it."
Jin looked away.
"It's just a wall."
"Then why do you keep checking whether people have taken pictures of it?" Mian asked.
The others laughed.
Jin shook his head, but he couldn't completely hide his smile.
A moment later, the conversation shifted towards SuperMartX.
"They're still cheaper, though," one of the students commented.
"On some things," Jin replied.
"That's kind of the whole point of a supermarket."
Jin considered his answer.
"I guess. But people don't only shop somewhere because it's cheap."
The student raised an eyebrow.
"Then why?"
"Because they know the people there. Because they can get something prepared the way they like it. Because they don't have to walk through a massive store just to buy three things."
He paused.
"At least, that's what I've noticed."
Mian looked at him thoughtfully.
"You sound like you've been thinking about this a lot."
Jin shrugged.
"Maybe I have."
He didn't mention how worried he'd been watching Eli and Mr. Duan struggle with the store's finances.
He didn't want to make the situation sound worse than it already was.
But he was beginning to understand that the Corner Pocket wasn't just another place where he spent his afternoons.
It was somewhere he wanted to protect.
7:15 PM – A Difficult Conversation
By evening, Eli had finished reviewing the vendor arrangements.
He found the noodle vendor outside the store, packing away some of his equipment.
"Can we talk?"
The man nodded.
They moved to a small table beside the entrance.
Eli placed a sheet of paper between them.
"I've been thinking about your situation."
He explained the proposed arrangement.
The vendor would retain control over his stall and menu, while The Corner Pocket would provide promotional support, better positioning during peak hours and a revised stall-fee structure.
Eli also showed him a mock-up of the promotional material.
It featured the vendor's stall name, a photograph of his most popular noodle dish and a short introduction about his business.
The vendor studied it.
"You've already made this?"
"Just a draft."
The man looked at the photograph again.
"You know, I've been selling noodles in Briggon for eleven years. Nobody has ever bothered making something like this for me."
Eli smiled faintly.
"People should know who they're buying from."
The vendor considered the proposal for several minutes.
"But I still need to make enough money."
"Of course. I'm not asking you to sacrifice your family's livelihood for us. If this arrangement doesn't work financially, I won't expect you to stay."
That answer seemed to surprise him.
Eventually, the vendor nodded.
"Alright. I'll give it a try. At least for another month."
Eli extended his hand.
"Thank you."
They shook hands.
It wasn't a permanent victory, and Eli knew that.
But it was one less vendor walking into SuperMartX.
And right now, every little victory counted.
8:30 PM – SuperMartX Regional Office
Across the road, the atmosphere was considerably less cheerful.
Mr. Feng sat behind his desk, reading through the latest regional performance report.
Liu Min stood opposite him, holding a tablet.
"Morning customer leakage has improved at The Corner Pocket," she reported. "Their breakfast sales are recovering, and several customers who had previously switched to us have started returning."
Feng turned a page.
"What about their vendors?"
"One of the noodle vendors considered our offer. However, The Corner Pocket managed to retain him with a revised commercial arrangement."
Feng stopped reading.
"How?"
"They're offering promotional support and more flexible stall fees."
He placed the report on his desk.
"So they're adapting."
"Yes."
Feng leaned back.
For weeks, he had assumed that financial pressure would eventually force The Corner Pocket to surrender.
It was a small business operating against a company with vastly greater resources. The outcome should have been straightforward.
Yet Eli was beginning to find ways around the pressure.
"How much are they spending on these promotions?"
"Not much compared with our campaigns."
"Then why are customers returning?"
Liu hesitated.
"Community engagement, primarily. Their recent event generated considerable attention, and their vendors are becoming more involved in promoting the store."
Feng stared through the glass wall towards the brightly illuminated supermarket floor.
"Interesting."
He picked up his phone.
"Increase the weekend promotion budget. I want a new campaign ready by Monday."
"How aggressive?"
"Very."
He paused.
"But don't make it look like we're responding to them."
Liu nodded and began taking notes.
Feng returned his attention to the report.
The Corner Pocket was still losing money.
Its finances were still fragile.
And its survival was far from guaranteed.
But it was no longer collapsing as quickly as he had expected.
That was becoming a problem.
10:45 PM – The Corner Pocket
Eli was alone in the back office.
The store had closed, the staff had gone home, and the only sounds were the humming refrigerator units and the occasional vehicle passing outside.
He opened the spreadsheet one final time.
He entered the day's revenue, updated the expenses and recalculated the projected profit.
The numbers were improving.
Not dramatically.
Not enough to guarantee anything.
But they were moving.
He checked the system mission.
Profit Target: 30,000 yuan
Time Remaining: 18 days.
He still had a considerable distance to cover.
Eli rubbed his forehead and looked through the office window.
Outside, Jin's mural was illuminated by the streetlights.
The painted dragon stretched across the old brick wall, its body winding through clouds and flames. Several people had stopped to photograph it earlier that evening.
A small group of children were standing beneath it, pointing towards the dragon's head.
Eli smiled.
He remembered how Jin had struggled to believe that anyone would appreciate his artwork.
Now people were taking photographs of it.
Perhaps things really could change.
He closed the spreadsheet and began gathering his belongings.
For the first time in weeks, he didn't feel as though the store was completely helpless.
But he wasn't foolish enough to believe the danger had passed.
SuperMartX had billions behind it.
The Corner Pocket had a handful of employees, a few determined vendors and a community that was slowly beginning to rally around it.
And somewhere across the street, Mr Feng was already planning his next move.
Eli switched off the office light.
"Let's see what you've got," he muttered.
The fight for Briggon was far from over.