Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 193
While he was savoring his beer, someone approached the store and made a purchase.
"Gustavo."
"Karlos, it's surprising to see you here. Congratulations on getting a bigger boat."
"Thank you." Karlos laughed. "You too, congratulations on graduating from college. What was your course again?"
"It's Marine Engineering."
"Oh, so you plan on working on a ship?"
"That was the initial plan, but I'm having a hard time deciding whether I should apply to work on a ship or not. I don't want to leave my mother alone."
Gustavo was Miguel and Gloria's son. His parents had separated because Miguel cheated on Gloria and impregnated a younger woman. But Miguel was subsequently caught stealing and was currently in prison.
"So how's your mother?"
"She is..." Gustavo sighed. He also bought a bottle of beer to clear his mind.
"She is trying to do her best, but I can see that she's sad. I can't just leave her and work on a ship. I'm thinking of starting a business instead."
"I see. That's good. Starting your own business is better than working under a boss, at least you control your own time."
"You lived in Maynila, right?"
"For 18 years," Karlos confirmed.
"What do you think is the best business to start?"
"You're asking me?"
"Yeah... There are rumors going around that you're a co-owner of a shrimp farm."
"..." Karlos didn't know what to say.
'Just a few months have passed, but the news has already come out. I guess it's impossible to hide it.' Karlos thought.
"What kind of business do you want, and where do you plan to put your store?"
"Here in our neighborhood. Our house has a huge space I could turn into a shop, next to the street. What do you think of selling diesel? Our beach has a lot of boats that need diesel for every sail."
"That's not bad. But you need at least 1.5 million pesos as a start-up investment."
"That much!?" Gustavo was shocked.
"Diesel is expensive. On top of that, you need a large truck to transport liters of diesel. In the first place, do you even know a place to buy diesel in bulk?"
"At the gas station?"
"You clearly have no idea. You need a permit to buy in bulk, and the gas station won't just let you resell it in gallons. You need a supplier. Furthermore, you need to apply for a business permit, and the town office has to determine if your location poses a fire hazard or not."
"...I didn't know that," Gustavo admitted. No wonder Edmond, the sole seller of diesel in their neighborhood, was always so meticulous with his shop.
"What I recommend to you is an ice shop instead."
"An ice shop?"
"It requires a lower capital, and it only needs water and a bit of equipment. Ice in our neighborhood is always sold out. Some boats even have to visit the bay harbor just to buy ice there."
"But..." Gustavo glanced behind him, making sure that the owner of the small store wasn't listening.
"But how much will it cost to even buy an ice maker?"
"Around 200,000 to 500,000 pesos." Karlos had actually thought of starting this kind of business a few years ago when he was brainstorming possible ventures that were viable in their neighborhood.
"...That's still expensive."
"Is that so?"
Karlos looked at Gustavo and studied him. Gustavo was just one year younger than him, at 21 years old.
Gustavo had a good reputation in their neighborhood, and he possessed a huge amount of respect for the elderly. The fact that he was so worried about his mother showed what kind of person he was.
"How much can you even spend?"
"At least 250,000 pesos. But my place needs renovation if I'm going to start an ice shop."
"Well, your house is near the beach side, just a few meters away. You can buy a few carts to transport the ice... How about I invest in your business, but I want a share of the profits?"
"We have savings, but my mother hasn't been in good health since the separation, so... Wait, what?"
"Just like I said, I can invest in your business. If you want, I'll handle half of the investment, but I want 50% of the business."
"...Karlos, are you serious about this? You just bought a mid-sized bangka, which is already expensive. I recommend that you talk to your wife before making a decision." Gustavo frowned. Their conversation was moving incredibly fast.
"My wife and I are already looking for ways to generate passive income. I think she will agree if I tell her about it."
"Give me a day to make a decision." Gustavo realized that Karlos was serious. Since someone was interested in helping him shoulder the expenses, Gustavo decided to think about the offer seriously.
"You can visit our house if you want to talk to me. I'm usually done fishing around 12 noon, and you can find me at home most of the time."
"I'll keep that in mind." Gustavo gulped his beer and bid farewell. He had to study the possibility of an ice shop and how much profit it could generate.
The sun gradually disappeared, and the children were called by their parents one by one to return to their respective homes.
Karlos also called the twins and told them that it was time to leave. The twins were happy to have played with the other children, and they promised that they would play again tomorrow.
"Let's clean your clothes first." Karlos patted their clothes to dust off the sand.
When they returned to the house, the three found Maya sleeping on the couch. It seemed that Maya had used the quiet moment to recharge her energy.
"Your Mama is sleeping, don't make too much noise," Karlos whispered to Arabella and Iñigo, and the little kids nodded understandingly.
Karlos began cooking the dish and let his wife rest. By the time Maya woke up, Karlos was halfway done with the preparations.
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
"Because you were sleeping soundly. You need the rest."
[Thank you for reading this novel.]