"Of course!" Boss Li immediately agreed. "I'll take you to the neighboring county tomorrow. I know the area well, and I guarantee I'll find you a good place!"

The next morning, the three of them boarded a horse-drawn carriage to the neighboring county. Along the way, Boss Li talked incessantly about the situation in the neighboring county: "Our neighboring county is richer than our commune. There are two main streets in the county town with a lot of people, especially West Street, which is close to the bus station and has many travelers. If we open a branch there, it will definitely be a hit!"

Upon arriving in the neighboring county, Boss Li indeed led them to West Street. At the street entrance was a two-story shop facing the street. The downstairs was spacious and bright, suitable for a shop and drying room, while the upstairs could be used for living. The rent was also reasonable. Lin Wanqiu pushed open the shop door, and sunlight streamed in through the glass windows, illuminating the blue bricks on the floor. She imagined what it would look like with a counter full of pastries, and she already had an idea in mind.

"Shen Tingzhou, what do you think?" Lin Wanqiu turned to ask Shen Tingzhou, her tone filled with anticipation.

Shen Tingzhou looked around and tapped the wall with his finger: "This building is sturdy and well-ventilated, suitable for a drying room. Plus, it's close to the bus station, so there's a lot of foot traffic and a guaranteed customer base. Mr. Li, how much is the rent for this shop?"

Mr. Li smiled and said, "We're partners now, so I'll pay the rent upfront and deduct it from future profits, how about that?"

And so, the decision to open a branch was made. In the days that followed, Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou took turns traveling between the village and the neighboring county, overseeing the expansion of the workshop while also busy with the renovation of the branch. Shen Tingzhou hired a carpenter from the county town to build an exquisite pastry counter, while Lin Wanqiu found modern store design plans in the available space and guided the workers in painting the walls and laying the floors. She also specially hung a striking wooden sign at the entrance that read "Wanqiu Food Workshop Neighboring County Branch," with strong and powerful lettering that was particularly eye-catching.

On the opening day of the branch store, West Street was bustling with activity. Lin Wanqiu specially prepared a free tasting event, with a table full of freshly baked peach shortbread and mooncakes, the aroma wafting far and wide, attracting many passersby. Aunt Wang's son, Xiaozhuzi, was sent to help at the branch store. Wearing a clean white hat, he enthusiastically handed out snacks to customers: "Auntie, please try our peach shortbread, it's all freshly baked, fragrant and crispy!"

An auntie in a cheongsam took the peach shortbread, took a bite, and her eyes immediately lit up: "This peach shortbread is so delicious, even more authentic than the ones I had in Shanghai! Weigh out two pounds for me, I'll take it back for my family to try."

"Alright!" Xiao Zhuzi quickly weighed out the peach shortbread, wrapped it in oil paper, and handed it over.

Before long, a long queue formed in front of the counter. Boss Li was all smiles, and he held Lin Wanqiu's hand and said, "Boss Lin, you're really capable! It's so popular on the first day, it's sure to be even more popular in the future!"

Lin Wanqiu looked at the bustling scene before her, feeling a surge of accomplishment. She turned to look at Shen Tingzhou, who was busy packing orders for customers, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, yet he smiled broadly. Just then, Shen Tingzhou's cousin, Shen Xiaoer, suddenly rushed in, pale-faced and panting, saying, "Brother, sister-in-law, something terrible has happened! My brother... my brother was chopping firewood on the mountain when he accidentally fell down the slope and is still unconscious!"

Shen Tingzhou's heart tightened, and the wrapping paper in his hand fell to the ground: "What did you say? How could my brother fall? Quick, take me to see him!"

Lin Wanqiu panicked as well. Although Shen Laoda usually harassed her along with Shen Laotai and Zhang Lan, he was, after all, Shen Tingzhou's older brother. A life was at stake, and she couldn't just ignore it. She immediately said to Boss Li, "Boss Li, I'm leaving this to you. We need to hurry back to the village to check on things."

Boss Li also got anxious: "You guys go quickly, I'll take care of things here, don't worry!"

The two followed Shen Xiaoer towards the village. Along the way, Shen Tingzhou's brow was furrowed, his heart filled with worry. Lin Wanqiu, seeing his anxious expression, gently held his hand: "Don't worry, let's find a doctor first. Maybe it's just a superficial injury." Although she said this, she wasn't sure. The slope on the mountain was so steep; a fall would be no small matter. She secretly touched the jade pendant on her chest, silently praying: There's a first-aid kit and wound medicine in my space; I hope everything goes well.

The carriage bumped along the rugged mountain road. Lin Wanqiu gazed at the trees rushing past the window, her mind in turmoil. She hadn't expected such an accident so soon after the joyous celebrations of the workshop expansion and the opening of the branch store. With Boss Shen injured, Zhang Lan would surely cause another scene, and who knew what trouble that would bring. But right now, the most important thing was to heal Boss Shen's injury; everything else could only be dealt with one step at a time.