When Chen Xihua and her sister returned home, Chen Chunhua and Chen Xiuhua had also just arrived. Chen Xiaoliu was cooking in the kitchen, while the third sister, Chen Meihua, gave random instructions from the side, "Xiaoliu, put some white sugar in this meat, it'll taste better!"
"Chen San San, what trouble are you causing now! What's so delicious about something so sweet and greasy?" As soon as Chen Jinhua entered the room, she heard Chen Meihua's sweet and charming suggestion coming from the kitchen, and she immediately ran into the kitchen.
Every time it's San San's turn to cook, it always tastes weird and strange. Xiao Wu calls it some kind of "black cuisine." Now, she even wants to join in the fun when Xiao Liu cooks!
"I told you, Third Sister, Xiao Liu has only been learning for a little over a year, and his cooking is better than yours. I told you not to bother him!" Chen Xiuhua didn't like her Third Sister's cooking either, but her Third Sister usually wouldn't listen to her. Luckily, her Second Sister came back, and she would definitely kick her Third Sister out of the kitchen.
If it weren't for Xiao Wu saying that the sisters had to take turns cooking and doing housework, sometimes she would rather help her third sister do it for an extra day. She couldn't even imagine what it was like to eat vegetables that were half burnt and half undercooked; she didn't want to eat them just looking at them.
"I'm not kidding you, sweet meat is really delicious. A female classmate of mine said so, and I've seen people make it like this on TV too." Chen Meihua, who was being pulled out of the kitchen by Chen Jinhua, looked unhappy. Really, she doesn't know how to enjoy life. She just stir-fries it with salt every meal. What's so good about salty or spicy food?
The female celebrities in TV dramas eat raw fruits and vegetables, like salads. She was trying to put the stir-fried vegetables in the pan and put them away immediately, but she didn't control the heat well.
"Third sister kept getting in my way, and I almost burned everything!" Chen Xiaoliu, who had finished cooking the last dish, walked out of the kitchen complaining. When she saw Chen Xihua, she immediately pretended to be pitiful and went to her, "Fifth sister, if third sister messes things up again next time, I won't cook!"
Chen Xihua remained silent, watching Chen Xiaoliu with a half-smile, always finding excuses not to cook.
Chen Xiaoliu's ears turned slightly red from being stared at!
After Mr. and Mrs. Chen went home for lunch and a nap, the Chen sisters went back to their room to discuss important matters.
Chen's Pastry Shop now closes for two hours at noon and reopens at 2 pm.
Previously, Li Yumei was reluctant to sell the cakes and insisted on having someone watch over them all day, fearing they wouldn't sell out. Now, Chen's Pastry Shop has become famous, selling three pots of osmanthus cake and two pots of water chestnut cake every day, and customers are familiar with the shop's opening hours.
Sometimes she was quite busy, but Li Yumei still didn't ask the Chen sisters to help out at the pastry shop, to do things like washing and cleaning. One reason was that they were usually at school, and the kitchen in the pastry shop wasn't like a cooking kitchen with oil fumes, making it difficult to clean. The pastry shop mainly used steamers, which could be cleaned quickly by rinsing with water.
Another thing is that Li Yumei is only busy in the kitchen when making pastries in the morning. The rest of the time she helps sell pastries. Every time the Chen sisters go to the shop, they are the ones who collect money. Li Yumei doesn't let them go. Anyone can collect money. Why do we need a few maids to collect money?
Upon hearing the sound of Chen Lao Er and his wife opening the door and leaving the dining room, the Chen sisters began exchanging information in their room.
"Big sister, how did you and fourth sister find out at the Industry and Commerce Bureau today?" This was what Chen Xihua was most concerned about: what conditions were required to start a company at this time?
"Fifth Sister, we asked around, and it seems that registering a company only requires 65,000 yuan. I heard that it used to only require 10,000 or 20,000 yuan. Sole proprietorships don't require that, but they still need to have a business scope and address." Chen Chunhua recounted almost everything she had asked about today.
“Yes, Fifth Sister, we have enough money, but we don’t have a confirmed location. We need an address for the company’s clothing workshop!” Chen Xiuhua added, recalling the past. “The company also needs to clarify everyone’s investment details! But it can be changed later, it just means we’ll have to go through the paperwork again!”
“Okay, that’s fine then. As long as we have enough money, we can rent a house in Zhangjia Village to open a workshop. That will give us an address. As for the other details, I’ll go with my older sister to register tomorrow and we’ll also clarify everyone’s profit sharing. You will all get 8%.” Chen Xihua felt relieved after hearing this, thinking that it was probably enough.
"Fifth sister, what about the other 5%?" Chen Jinhua suddenly remembered what they had talked about at Xiaolan's house that morning.
"That can be changed later. It was taken from my account, so it doesn't affect yours. As for the company name, does anyone have any ideas? I'm thinking of 'Fanghua Apparel Co., Ltd.'!"
"Isn't it supposed to be called '5+1'?" Chen Baohua was a little nervous when he heard this. Did his fifth sister not want him to join again?
"Yes, we'll use it. '5+1' Fanghua Apparel Co., Ltd. If we open any other companies in the future, we can use the '5+1' logo plus 'Company Name'." Chen Xihua's goal is to establish the '5+1' Group Company. For now, let's take it one step at a time.
All five siblings looked up at Chen Xihua. "You want to open other companies? We haven't even opened our small workshop yet! Fifth sister (fifth older sister) is thinking far ahead! But just imagine how amazing it would be if you actually opened several companies!"
Chen Xihua briefly recounted what had happened at Xiaolan's house in Zhangjia Village that morning, and then asked her eldest sister, Chen Chunhua, to prepare the documents for registering the company tomorrow. She needed to go to Zhangjia Village again tomorrow morning to confirm the location of the workshop.
The next morning, Chen Jinhua and Chen Xihua rode their bicycles to Zhangjia Village again. Grandpa Zhang was very efficient; when they arrived, he had already found a house to rent.
“Little Fifth Sister, you mentioned yesterday that the workshop would be located in our Zhangjia Village. So I went through all the empty houses in Zhangjia Village and found that the courtyard that was built for the educated youth to live in before is the most suitable. It now belongs to Zhangjia Village and is still empty. Would you like me to take you to see it? The monthly rent is 200 yuan. There are fifteen households in the village, and they all have sewing machines!”
"Okay, Grandpa Zhang, please have Sister Xiaolan take us to visit the village. We can just look around while we're at it. You don't need to come along." Chen Xihua stopped Grandpa Zhang, who was about to go out with her. She didn't want the whole village to know!
Grandpa Zhang and Zhang Xiaolan were both a little surprised. Were they not going to rent it?
"Grandpa Zhang, Sister Xiaolan, I want to tell you that after we finalize the workshop agreement today, I'd like to entrust everything to you and Sister Xiaolan. My sister and I won't be coming here as often anymore. After all, Zhangjia Village isn't far from the county, and we don't want our parents to know." Chen Xihua realized there was a misunderstanding between the two and quickly explained.
“At first, I didn’t want outsiders to know that it was a workshop run by a few young girls like us. Others might not trust us, which made the initial work not go smoothly and would actually increase your workload. You can say that the investors are from out of town or anywhere else!”
"Yes, yes, Miss Wu is so thoughtful. I was originally planning to take you to the village to promote your idea of opening a workshop there!" Grandpa Zhang hadn't thought of that either, since he didn't treat Miss Wu like a child!
“If anything comes up later, I hope Sister Xiaolan can go to the county to coordinate with me. Of course, I will prepare the clothing design drawings in advance and give them to Sister Xiaolan,” Chen Xihua continued.
"Also, Grandpa Zhang, I hope that from the very beginning of renting the house, you can bring Sister Xiaolan with you to teach her. I really look forward to her being able to help us as soon as possible. What I want to do most is to be a hands-off manager, but I don't dare to trouble you for too long!"
Chen Xihua also thinks highly of Zhang Xiaolan. She is serious and responsible in her work, and not too rigid. If she gains confidence, she will be a very good executive manager. I heard that she has been studying high school textbooks on her own!
"Alright, Miss Wu, Miss Chen, you two go and take a look first!" Grandpa Zhang gestured to his granddaughter Xiao Lan with his eyes to lead the way. After the three girls had gone far away, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.
Is he a hands-off manager? Does that mean he completely trusts them? Then he can't let her down, especially since his granddaughter might be working alongside her in the future. The higher she rises, the better his granddaughter's achievements will be!
On the way, it only takes three minutes to get from Zhang Xiaolan’s house to the educated youth compound. The educated youth compound is located on a relatively remote open space at the westernmost part of Zhangjia Village. There are not many houses around it. The villagers live at the easternmost part of the village entrance to the middle of the village!
"Little Fifth Sister, Jinhua Classmate, we've arrived. Wait a moment, I'll open the door first!" Zhang Xiaolan took out the key her grandfather had given her, unlocked the slightly rusty lock, and pushed open the door!
The educated youth compound was a small courtyard house, surrounded by buildings on three sides, with a wall and gate in front. The central courtyard was overgrown with weeds. The main house had three rooms, and the left and right wing rooms were all large open rooms, which were empty and probably used to hold wooden beds. To the left of the gate was a small kitchen or bathroom.
Because no one has lived here for more than ten years, it looks a bit old and desolate, but the walls and roof tiles are still quite sturdy and intact, and it was a newly built house back then!
"Great, this is it, Sister Xiaolan, let's go back!" Chen Xihua glanced at each room, then looked around the courtyard again. She was quite satisfied!
"Okay, then we won't look at any other houses?" Zhang Xiaolan asked again to confirm.
"No need, this is fine!" Chen Xihua said as she walked out the door.
Chen Jinhua, who hadn't said a word the whole time, had been following behind Chen Xihua. As soon as she heard her sister say that they had decided on this place, she suddenly went outside into the courtyard, walked around it, and observed. Well, there was nothing unusual!
"Sister Xiaolan, do you have any questions or thoughts you want to ask me these past two days?" These two visits to the Zhang family were basically to discuss things with Grandpa Zhang, but Chen Xihua still wanted to confirm Zhang Xiaolan's true thoughts!
"...I...I don't know where to start, what to do first, or how to do it?" Zhang Xiaolan was genuinely nervous and a bit at a loss, unsure how to begin! She had absolutely no experience with this; the idea of managing a clothing workshop all at once seemed like a pipe dream!
She doesn't know what she's doing these past two days; she just does whatever her grandfather tells her to do, like a duck being forced onto a shelf!
"Do you want to do it? Not because of your grandfather, and not because of me and my sister!" Chen Xihua asked the most crucial question!
"I want to have something to do!" Zhang Xiaolan expressed her deepest desire! What she needed first was a job, and of course, she also hoped to build a career like Xiao Wu!
"You reject or hate the suggestion I make you do..."
"No, Little Fifth Sister, I'm not against it, I'm just worried I won't be able to do it!" Zhang Xiaolan interrupted Chen Xihua immediately, her heart pounding.
"That's good, Sister Xiaolan. Don't worry, it'll be fine. You have to trust your grandfather, and more importantly, you have to trust yourself. Besides, I'm not afraid of anything if I'm paying for it, so what are you afraid of? You can always earn more money if you run out!" Chen Xihua was relieved, as long as Sister Xiaolan was willing.
"Little Fifth Sister, thank you, I will try my best to do well!" Zhang Xiaolan was a little touched by Chen Xihua's words, but more so by Little Fifth Sister's carefree attitude, which gave her confidence. There was nothing to be afraid of!
"Yes, let's work together!" Chen Xihua kept encouraging her, hoping that Sister Xiaolan could do it boldly and without hesitation.
Money can be earned again if it's lost, and a wrong path can be corrected, but one cannot hesitate or stand still. She recently realized how desperate it is to have no one to rely on! She suddenly envied her father from her previous life, who had four special assistants by his side!
Back at the Zhang family home, Chen Xihua and Grandpa Zhang finalized the next steps of the plan. Before leaving, she added, "Grandpa Zhang, we'll need to hire someone to work as a gatekeeper at the workshop. You can find someone here, right? As for the salary, you can decide based on the situation, three to five hundred is fine!"
"Okay, sure, we can find a place in Zhangjia Village, don't worry!" Grandpa Zhang was already thinking about how to make a big splash. Even if he didn't become the village chief, he could still help provide employment for the people of Zhangjia Village!
On the way back, Chen Xihua and her sister were in a bit of a rush. It was almost midnight, and Chen Lao Er and his wife must already be home!
"Chen Jinhua and Wu Yatou are never home, and they're still not back. We don't need to wait for them."
Chunhua, there's no need to bring out any more food for them. We've already eaten. Those who have done good deeds will have their food saved, while those who haven't will not!
When Chen Xihua and Chen Chunhua arrived at their doorstep, before they even entered the house, they heard Li Yumei cursing, and she was quite eloquent in her speech!
When Chen Lao Er saw his two daughters enter, he glared at them and said, "Aren't you coming in to eat? There won't be any left! You two wild girls!"
"Sorry we're late. Dad and Mom, please eat first, no need to wait!" Chen Xihua greeted them politely and without embarrassment, then calmly went to wash her hands before returning to the dining room to sit down and start eating.
"Yes, yes, no need to wait." With her fifth sister leading the way, Chen Jinhua didn't feel embarrassed at all. After following her fifth sister's set of movements, she felt incredibly cool. What did her mother say?
At 2:30 p.m., Chen Xihua and her elder sister Chen Chunhua went to the Industry and Commerce Bureau to register the company!
"Chen Chunhua is the registered legal person. Let's check the information. Hmm, Chen Xihua is the largest shareholder?" During the process, the staff discovered that the company was registered by six siblings.
This was the first time he had ever seen something like this, and the allocation was quite interesting. One person took the lion's share, which was quite common, as it was necessary to ensure absolute control. But it was a bit strange that the majority of the money wasn't under the name of the only adult!
"Yes, my fifth sister is not yet an adult. She registered the company using my information. Once she comes of age, can we change the registration to her name?" Chen Chunhua explained nervously to the staff member, afraid that he would think she had taken over her sister's company!
"It can be changed, but it doesn't matter whether it's changed or not. As the largest founder, Chen Xihua will not be affected by who the registrant is!"
"That's good!" Chen Chunhua breathed a sigh of relief!
"Big sister, no need to change it, it's fine!" Chen Xihua didn't care who the legal representative was!
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