Chapter 95 Daydreaming: Li Yang's Career - The Teahouse of the Capital...

In the capital city, snow was falling heavily.

Following the route that Ziyan and her companions had explored the day before, Li Yang and his group inquired at each shop.

"Go away, go away," the shopkeeper said angrily when he heard that the group wanted to rent a shop to open a business. "What kind of shop are you opening? Get out of here!"

"Hey, hey, shopkeeper, you..." You Feng was furious and wanted to go up and argue with him.

Li Yang stopped You Feng, "Never mind."

"The boss, it's him!"

"Forced relationships don't work out. If this place won't do, let's try another one." Li Yang looked at the drawing in her hand. This shop was located in the Third Ring Road, which was really remote. Even if the shopkeeper was willing, she would have to think it over carefully.

The group spent the entire morning running around all the shops marked on the map, but found nothing.

"Boss, these shopkeepers are really blind to our worth. They can't even keep their own shops afloat, yet they still won't let us have them," Youfeng said angrily, shaking the meat bun.

Indeed, whether it's antique shops, calligraphy and painting shops, gold and silver shops, or even the owners of rouge shops, they would coax people away as soon as they saw them.

Exhausted, the group walked halfway before being drawn by the aroma of a tavern. They decided to have lunch first.

Li Yang turned to look at Zi Yan after hearing this, and they smiled at each other. "You Feng, when you earn some money, you should go to school and study. Don't just follow Manager Zhong around and learn nonsense all day long."

The capital city was not as civilized as Songshan Town. Although the business was bustling, there were very few women who showed their faces in public to do business, unless it was the sex trade.

The shopkeepers were furious when they saw that the group consisted of women, and they assumed they were up to some shady business.

Indeed, the flower shop was an existing property of the Chen family. She simply converted it into a teahouse. Now, everything has been reduced to nothing, and she can't even find a shop.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way. Don't you have eyes? Brother Hao is here, where are the shopkeeper's men!"

A group of people barged in, their arms flailing. The customers at the tables near the door were so frightened that they forgot to pay their bills and ran out trembling.

The shopkeeper saw it, but wanted to pursue it yet dared not.

"Hey, Brother Hao, you're here again."

"What, not welcome?" A thug-like man shoved the shopkeeper, causing him to stumble a few steps.

"No, no, I wonder what you gentlemen would like to eat? I will have someone prepare it right away."

"Hmph, stop trying to fool me!" The group of people sat down casually at a table, and only then did Brother Hao speak leisurely, "Your boss is still sick, isn't he?"

"Alas, alas, the master's health is not good..."

"Bullshit!" Hao slammed his hand on the table, making the table leg tremble three times. "Your consumptive boss was in excellent health when he was at the gambling den, but now that he's in debt, he's sick. What, are you planning to just hide like this?"

The shopkeeper secretly groaned inwardly; his damned gambling tyrant boss had gotten himself into trouble and gone into hiding, leaving him in a terrible mess.

"This, this... Brother Hao, you'll have to go find the employer about this."

Hao Ge turned his head, and several burly men went to the counter and rummaged around for a bit. "Hey, bro, look."

The leader glanced at the money box, nodded, and said, "Shopkeeper, consider this as interest. Tell your boss that if he doesn't pay back the money, don't blame me for being impolite."

Then the group went to the next place to ask for money.

The shopkeeper let out a long sigh, told someone to tidy up, turned around and went to the counter to count the remaining silver, then picked up his notebook to keep accounts.

Li Yang stared for a while, then turned to look at his side. Zi Yan was staring intently at him. Seeing her raise an eyebrow, the two of them headed towards the counter.

"Manager," Ziyan said with a smile, "do these people come every day?"

The shopkeeper was immersed in his frustration when he noticed him saying, "Yes, they come and cause trouble every few days. It's impossible to run a business properly now."

"I hear that your boss owes someone a debt. Once he pays it back, everything will be fine."

"Easier said than done," the shopkeeper said with a worried look. "If we could pay it back, we would have done so long ago..." The shopkeeper seemed to dislike the topic and changed the subject, asking, "What's wrong, gentlemen?"

Seeing this, Li Yang smiled and said, "How about we pay off your employer's debt?"

Is there really such a thing as a free lunch?

The shopkeeper was taken aback. "Young lady, don't be silly."

“Really, we’ll pay back your employer’s money.” She smiled brightly as she said this. “Please ask your employer to come out and discuss this further.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a boy, half-grown, peeked out from behind the curtain. "This kind lady is going to help me pay back my money?"

The boy looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, with a fair face and bright eyes, his eyes revealing an innocent and naive clarity.

The shopkeeper hurriedly pulled him aside, "Master, why did you run out?"

"Uncle Chen, this kind lady wants to pay off my debts."

Upon seeing the child's clear, innocent foolishness, the group couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The group explained their purpose, but the child hesitated, saying, "The shop was left to me by my parents; I can't give it up."

Seeing this, the shopkeeper quickly spoke up to explain.

It turns out that the child's surname is Bai. His parents worked hard to build this shop for him. At the beginning of last year, Mr. Bai passed away, and his mother fell ill with grief. So, this young master Bai took over the family business.

The child was too young and had been protected by his parents since childhood, so he was unaware of the wickedness of people. After only a month in charge, he was tricked into signing a loan agreement for a friend at a gambling den, and from then on, he got into trouble with that group of villains.

Ziyan knew the rules of the gambling den, and said angrily, "What a vicious mind, not even sparing a child."

The shopkeeper readily agreed.

“What do you mean, ‘I’m a child’!” the boy retorted. “I’m not a child anymore! I’m sixteen years old!” he said, puffing out his chest to show off his muscles.

Everyone was amused by his temperament; it's likely that most people wouldn't be in such a good mood in this situation.

Li Yang said seriously, "Young Master Bai, you owe the gambling den a large sum of money, and you refuse to give up the shop. The income from the shop is probably just enough to pay the interest from the gambling den. That's exactly what those people want. They come every day to plunder the money you earn, and from now on, your shop will become their possession."

“I know,” Xiaobai said dejectedly, “but, sister, this shop is what Father worked so hard to build up, and I don’t want to lose it all.”

"Then you can keep this shop." Li Yang's eyes swept over the face opposite him. "How about we discuss a business deal?"

The old shopkeeper immediately became alert, pressing down on his young master with one hand, "What does the young lady intend to do?"

"Shopkeeper, you wrote the words 'For Sale' in such small size and posted them on the counter, so you must understand that this is the only way to save your young master from the den of wolves."

"Shop transfer?" Xiao Bai looked in the direction Li Yang was pointing. "Uncle Chen, when did you say you were going to transfer it? How could you make such a decision on your own?"

"Young Master."

“Young Master Bai, your old manager is doing this for your own good; he's just reluctant to part with it. Look at this sticker, written in tiny characters; who would notice it?”

The transfer notice was practically plastered on the counter, so most people wouldn't even notice it, which made the young master's expression improve a bit.

"I'd like to rent a space in your shop to sell tea. I can pay the rent monthly or for two years at once. What do you think, Young Master Bai?" Li Yang then revealed his plan.

The shopkeeper frowned in thought, "What's wrong, young lady?"

"Uncle Chen, to be honest, my sisters and I have come to Beijing this time to sell a new tea." As she spoke, she took out some tea leaves from her bag and handed them to him. "Why don't you give it a try? I guarantee this tea is unique."

Seeing the other woman's eyes sparkle as she carefully tasted the tea, she continued, "It's not easy for women to do business in the capital. My sisters and I have been searching all morning, but we haven't found a shop that a woman is willing to sell. I have such good tea, my elder sister is an expert in tea making, and my younger sister is good at making customers from all over smile. Yet we're stuck with a shop. I'm not willing to accept this."

“In this way, I will provide the capital, you will provide the shop, and we can cooperate to not only break free from your trap, but also fulfill the business aspirations of my sisters and me. It’s a win-win situation for both of us.”

The shopkeeper pondered for a moment, but then the young master made the decision first, "Uncle Chen, what are you still hesitating about? These ladies are as beautiful as angels, kind-hearted and lovely. We've been blessed with good fortune."

These words completely shattered the old shopkeeper's original plan to negotiate a good price.

Seeing that the old shopkeeper remained silent, Li Yang was not in a hurry. "Uncle Chen, I'll leave this tea in your shop as a consignment. We'll stay at Youpeng Inn."

With that, he led the people away.

Youfeng asked in confusion, "Young Madam, that young master Bai is the owner, why don't you put some pressure on Manager Chen?"

"Forced relationships are never sweet." Li Yang didn't care at all.

"Will the shopkeeper come back looking for us?"

This time, Ziyan spoke first, "He will come."

The two pretended to be profound, while Youfeng, following behind, scratched his head in confusion. Never mind, if the boss says it can be done, it definitely can be done.

Little Deer followed behind the group, completely unaware of their presence, only looking left and right at the silver earrings on the stall and right at the velvet hairpins being sold.

As for whether the deal for that shop will go through, she doesn't care. If it doesn't, she can just go back to Songshan Town as soon as possible. What's wrong with that?

When I get back, I need to hurry and ask Brother Bifang if he has written anything. Several days have passed in the blink of an eye. Brother Bifang should have received the letter she sent. That letter writer charged her more than ten coins, which is really expensive.

Meanwhile, at the Bai family tavern, Xiao Bai pestered the old manager, "Uncle Chen, why don't you agree? They only need to rent one floor of the shop, and they can still pay back the money."

Old Chen leisurely boiled water, took a tea canister from the cabinet, put a handful of tea leaves into the gaiwan, and as soon as the hot water poured in, a fragrant aroma filled the air.

He picked up the bowl lid, held it under his nose, and waved it past his nose. His eyes lit up, and he then offered it to Xiaobai, saying, "Master, have a taste."

Old Chen has been in the Bai family's tavern for decades. Ever since Master Bai took over the shop, he has been the manager. He has watched Xiao Bai grow up like his own son, so Xiao Bai is just as reluctant as he is to give up the tavern.

Unfortunately, Xiao Bai got tricked this time, and he had no choice but to save his life or his shop.

Now that Li Yang had offered a third solution, which would save both his life and his shop, he felt relieved. With his mind at ease, he began to think about how to negotiate a better price.

Let them sit for a few days, and the price will probably go up again. Not only will the gambling den's debts be paid off, but we might even have extra money to find a wife for the young master.

Once a man gets married, he becomes more sensible and stops fooling around all day, which puts the old lady at ease.

Shopkeeper Chen suddenly felt that the sun was particularly warm this winter, making people feel lazy and wanting to have a few more sweet dreams during the day.