Wang Xiaoyan

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood and Early Work

Wang Xiaoyan and Chi Qing grew up together until age seven, when Chi Qing moved to the city. They continued spending time together during summer and winter holidays. After Chi Qing returned to Cloud City from working elsewhere, they renewed contact and occasionally met for meals 15.

Unlike Chi Qing, Xiaoyan struggled academically and began working young. She gained experience in dessert shops and bakeries, enjoyed experimenting with baking, and later spent years at home raising her children. She is an only child and has a close relationship with her parents 15 16 34.

Divorce from Zheng Wei

Xiaoyan reveals her divorce to Chi Qing during a meeting at the village entrance. She describes years of financial strain and unequal domestic responsibilities: Zheng Wei earned 3,000 yuan a month and handed over his salary, but spent his free time gaming rather than helping with the household or children 15 16.

The immediate trigger was his relationship with a woman he called his “wife” in a game. Although he claimed they had never met, he saved cigarette money to buy her takeout and milk tea. For Xiaoyan, this compounded her exhaustion and belief that he lacked the motivation to improve their circumstances 16.

After the divorce, Miaomiao stays with Xiaoyan, while Doudou goes with Zheng Wei to his parents’ home. Xiaoyan intends to find work and eventually bring Doudou to live with her. She receives the family car and house but also assumes responsibility for the mortgage, with almost no savings available 16 17.

Her parents initially try to persuade her to reconcile. After she refuses, they accept the divorce and encourage her to work hard and raise both children well. Xiaoyan anticipates needing their help caring for Miaomiao once the business becomes busy 34.

Partnership with Chi Qing

Recognizing Xiaoyan’s baking experience, Chi Qing suggests opening a bakery. Xiaoyan estimates that rent, equipment, staffing, and ingredients would require at least 500,000 yuan—far beyond her available funds. Chi Qing offers to finance the venture while Xiaoyan contributes her work and skills 16 17.

At Xiaoyan’s insistence, they write and sign a simple agreement in a notebook, using lipstick for their fingerprints. Upon receiving the money, she adds a clause recording the amount and fingerprints it again. Her care with the paperwork reassures Chi Qing that she has chosen the right partner 17.

Securing the Premises

Xiaoyan researches bakeries throughout the city, interviews former colleagues, explores potential recruitment, and prepares a detailed proposal and budget. She meets Chi Qing at 77 Coffee Shop with Miaomiao to review the plan 42.

The meeting turns into a dispute when a waitress objects to Miaomiao’s outside milk and pressures Chi Qing to order another drink. Xiaoyan initially tries to appease the waitress, but angrily defends Chi Qing when the waitress insults her. She calms down after Chi Qing reminds her that Miaomiao is present 42 43.

After leaving, Xiaoyan identifies the location’s advantages: heavy foot traffic, an established commercial hub, and nearby residential communities. She also notes its expensive rents and lack of vacant units. Chi Qing subsequently buys the café’s storefront and four neighboring units 44 45.

When the proprietress threatens interference through her brother Jiang Tao, the mall’s engineering head, Xiaoyan prompts her to explain the threat and records it. She saves the recording online, preventing the proprietress from suppressing it by taking her phone. Chi Qing praises her foresight 46.

Preparing to Open

With the café premises secured, Xiaoyan takes responsibility for the renovation budget, recruitment, employee benefits, proposed shop names, and coordination with design and renovation companies. Chi Qing requests a distinctive new Chinese style and leaves the remaining decisions to her. Xiaoyan aims to open before the New Year; the supplied chapters do not show the opening itself 47 48.

Appearance

• At her introduction: Bare-faced and slightly haggard 15.
• Clothing: Plainly dressed during the café meeting 43.

Personality

Xiaoyan is straightforward, efficient, and capable, though financial hardship has made her more reserved in public. Her instinct during the café dispute is initially to avoid embarrassment by ordering another drink, but she becomes openly confrontational when Chi Qing is insulted 17 42 43.

She is meticulous about accountability. Beyond insisting on a written partnership agreement, she sets her own working hours, checks in and out with Chi Qing through WeChat, and submits daily progress reports without being required to do so 17 34.

Although initially worried about risking Chi Qing’s money, she chooses profit-sharing because she believes she should share the risk rather than leave it entirely to her friend. The opportunity restores her enthusiasm, and she promises to work hard rather than let Chi Qing lose money 17 48.

Abilities & Skills

Baking

Xiaoyan has practical experience from working in dessert shops and bakeries. Chi Qing has tasted her desserts and considers them excellent, believing she mainly needs some professional guidance 16.

• Experiments with baking independently 16.
• Understands that early sales revenue must be reinvested in ingredients rather than treated entirely as available profit 16.

Business Preparation and Management

Xiaoyan turns her work experience into a researched opening plan rather than relying solely on her baking ability 42.

• Surveys competing bakeries and consults former industry colleagues 42.
• Assesses locations using foot traffic, surrounding housing, rental costs, and availability 44.
• Prepares budgets and handles staffing and renovation arrangements 42 48.
• Admits limited computer proficiency, despite producing her proposal on an aging laptop 42.

Evidence Preservation

• Records the café proprietress’s threats and saves the recording online to protect their future business from interference 46.

Equipment / Items

• House and car — Retained after the divorce; Xiaoyan becomes responsible for the house’s mortgage 17.
• Old laptop — Purchased before marriage for reading novels and later used to present the bakery proposal; described as heavy and slow 42.
• New laptop, iPad, and smartphone — Purchased by Chi Qing for business use. Xiaoyan agrees to enter them in the business accounts rather than treat them as personal gifts 48.

Relationships

• Chi Qing — Childhood friend, financial backer, and business partner. Chi Qing trusts Xiaoyan to manage the shop, while Xiaoyan maintains detailed accounts and progress reports 15 17 34 48.
• Zheng Wei — Ex-husband. His gaming, lack of domestic involvement, and attention to another woman contribute to their divorce 16.
• Miaomiao — Daughter who lives with Xiaoyan and accompanies her to the bakery-planning meeting 16 42.
• Doudou — Son who initially lives with Zheng Wei. Xiaoyan hopes to bring him into her household after establishing herself financially 16 17.
• Her parents — Supportive parents who accept her decision not to reconcile and may help care for Miaomiao during the business launch 34.