The county town was indeed much more prosperous than the town, with shops lining both sides of the street and vendors calling out their wares incessantly. Gan Li walked along, stopping frequently to carefully observe the passersby and the business of each shop.
She noticed that the restaurants in the county town were generally doing good business, especially those near the government offices and schools, which were packed with customers. It seemed that the cost of living in the county town was indeed much higher than in the towns.
After wandering around for most of the day, Ganli finally settled on a shop located in a bustling downtown area, but in a slightly secluded spot.
This shop used to be a teahouse, but it went out of business and is now vacant. The shop is quite large, with two floors and a small backyard.
The location is pretty good, not far from the main street, and the foot traffic is decent.
Having made up her mind, Ganli went to the brokerage firm to inquire about the shop.
Gan Kee was already famous, and when the broker heard that Gan Li was the owner of Gan Kee Restaurant, he immediately put on a fawning smile:
"Oh, Manager Gan, you have such a good eye! This shop has been vacant for a while, and we haven't found a suitable tenant yet. If you're interested, the price is negotiable!"
Gan Li didn't waste any more words with him and asked directly, "How much is the rent?"
The broker rubbed his hands together and held up five fingers: "Five hundred taels a year."
Gan Li raised an eyebrow: "Five hundred taels? You're being too greedy! This shop has been abandoned for so long, five hundred taels could buy a small house in the county town!"
The broker smiled ingratiatingly, "Manager Gan, you don't know this, but this is a prime location with high foot traffic, making business very easy. Five hundred taels is really not expensive!"
Gan Li sneered, "Don't give me that crap! Even in a county town, this house isn't made of gold. I'll only offer two hundred taels at most. If it's one more coin, I'll look elsewhere!"
Upon hearing this, the broker immediately realized that Gan Li was no simpleton and chuckled, "Manager Gan really knows how to bargain..."
Ganli made a move to leave: "It seems we can't reach an agreement. Farewell!"
The broker quickly grabbed her: "No, no, no, Boss Gan, two hundred taels it is!"
After agreeing on the rent, Ganli carefully discussed the details of the contract with the broker. Once everything was settled, she signed and paid the rent and deposit.
After settling things with the shop, Ganli immediately went to find Wang the carpenter to ask him to help renovate the shop.
She handed her design drawings to Carpenter Wang and explained her ideas in detail. Looking at the novel design on the drawings, Carpenter Wang couldn't help but marvel.
"Mr. Gan, your idea is truly... unique! If this is renovated properly, it will definitely be much more impressive than the previous teahouse!"
Gan Li smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Master Wang. As for the construction period, I hope it can be completed as soon as possible."
Carpenter Wang patted his chest and assured him, "Don't worry, Manager Gan, I will finish the job as soon as possible!"
After everything was arranged, Gan Li returned to Cangxi Town and called Gan Quan to her side: "Quan'er, I have arranged the matter of the branch store in the county town. Next, you will come with me to the county town to take charge of the preparation work for the branch store."
Upon hearing this, Gan Quan was immediately overjoyed: "Auntie, don't worry, I definitely won't let you down!"
Gan Li nodded, her expression serious: "Going to the county town isn't for fun. You need to study hard and do things diligently, understand?"
Gan Quan nodded quickly: "Don't worry, Auntie, I will definitely study hard!"
So, Ganli took Ganquan to the county town again to begin preparations for the new store.
She incorporated many modern business concepts into the planning of the new store, making detailed arrangements for everything from menu design to staff training. Under Gan Li's guidance, Gan Quan learned quickly and got the hang of things smoothly.
A few days later, the Ganji Restaurant county branch officially opened, attracting many customers on the opening day.
Ganli was overjoyed as she watched the endless stream of customers. If things continued to develop like this, wouldn't the third branch be just around the corner?
Six months later, a familiar figure appeared at the restaurant entrance. The person was well-dressed, had an extraordinary air about them, and looked very familiar. Gan Li looked closely and realized it was Gan Tao!
"Tao'er? Why are you back?" Gan Li was both surprised and delighted, and quickly went to greet her.
Ganli pulled Gantao down to sit and eagerly told her about the events of the past six months, especially the actions of Gantao's mother and Xiao Si's recent situation.
When Gan Tao heard that her mother wanted to sell Xiao Si for money, she was furious and felt even more grateful to Gan Li: "Auntie, thank goodness for you, otherwise Xiao Si would have..."
Gan Tao's voice choked with emotion, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Gan Li hugged her tightly, comforting her, "It's all in the past now, things will get better in the future."
After calming down, Gan Tao told Gan Li about her experiences in the capital over the past year. After entering the Princess's residence, she devoted herself to preparing embroidery for the Empress Dowager. Fortunately, hard work pays off. At the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, the Princess presented the embroidery, which the Empress Dowager liked very much. As a result, Gan Tao became famous.
The eldest princess even wanted her to stay in the capital, but Gan Tao insisted on returning.
After saying this, Gan Tao took out an exquisite box, opened it, and revealed various gold and silver jewels inside, all of which were gifts from the Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess.
"Aunt, I want to use this money to open an embroidery shop in the county town."
Ganli supported Gantao's decision without hesitation and helped her find a suitable shop. Gantao's embroidery workshop opened quickly, and thanks to her superb skills and extraordinary talent, the business soon flourished.
However, just as Gan Tao's business was thriving, Gan Tao's mother came knocking on her door. She was dressed in rags, looked haggard, and appeared pitiful.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
