The return journey was also very smooth, and because the wind was favorable, it took much longer than the outbound journey.
This trip to the capital city was incredibly rewarding for everyone in the Cheng family. Cheng Yan found his long-lost sister, Cheng Ruyi acquired items containing spiritual energy, and the rest of the Cheng family members were amazed by the world around them. In short, it was definitely a worthwhile trip!
Not long after returning, Cheng Ruyi began to devote herself to another important matter: expanding her furniture shop.
The business of Cheng's furniture shop has far exceeded their expectations. Not only are they short-handed, but the space is also becoming increasingly crowded. In addition, they have to allocate part of the space for living and selling food, making it difficult to move around inside the house.
So, for several months now, Cheng Ruyi has been looking for a suitable shop to serve as an independent storefront for the Cheng family's furniture shop, so that the shop can be officially separated from the old house.
However, the county town is not very big, and there are usually few shops that are vacant. So it took Ruyi several months to finally find a place that met her requirements.
The new shop is also in the south of the city, very close to the Cheng family's old residence, right on Nanhou Street, about a ten-minute walk away, which is very convenient.
The shop was only twice the size of the original one. Although it was only one floor, it had a backyard, two side rooms and a cellar. Although the area was not large, it was enough to house a few employees.
Currently, in addition to Cheng Yan and Cheng Yunping, there is another master craftsman and two apprentices in Cheng's furniture shop. Logically speaking, such a staff configuration is not small. However, Cheng's orders keep piling up. Before they can be processed, Cheng Ruyi has a new idea. Cheng Yan spends almost all his time with Ruyi.
Although children's strollers and similar furniture are no longer novelties in Huaishan County, and many furniture stores in the town have launched similar items, Cheng Ruyi has built a very strong brand foundation. When these novel children's furniture were first launched, the "Cheng Family Products" brand was already imprinted in people's minds. When people want to buy, they will think of Cheng Family first. Other stores can only engage in price wars or come up with their own innovations.
Ruyi had anticipated this, but she didn't intend to take the monopoly route. Instead, she felt that if this could stimulate innovation in other furniture shops, it would be a pleasant surprise, and she would be happy to see a flourishing of diverse styles.
After expanding the furniture shop, Ruyi plans to recruit two more apprentices and eventually find a master carver to gradually reduce Cheng Yan and Cheng Yunping's workload, allowing them more time to spend with their families or do things they truly enjoy.
As for whether she would be sidelined or have her ideas stolen, she wasn't worried at all. Her ideas were in her mind, and no one could steal them. Even if the shop was gone today, she could always make a comeback.
To put it bluntly, she took the shortcut. Craftsmanship and artistic heritage are their family's weaknesses, and she didn't intend to compete head-on with others' strengths by focusing on her weaknesses. Some people like simple, elegant, and practical things, while others prefer novel, quirky, and fun things; these are not mutually exclusive.
By taking paths no one has taken, they can carve out their own niche.
The shop's original decoration was quite good, and there was nothing that needed major renovation. Moreover, since they run a furniture shop, their employees are all skilled technicians with expertise in their respective fields. Their hands-on ability is beyond doubt, and they can handle simple renovations and modifications themselves.
So, about ten days later, on an auspicious day in late June, Cheng's new furniture store officially opened!
Looking at the spacious and bright new shop in front of him, Cheng Yan felt both excited and incredibly complicated.
Although decades have passed, he still clearly remembers the day he owned his own shop. Without his wife's help and encouragement, he, an ordinary countryman who was illiterate, would never have been able to reach that point.
To him, his wife was more like a respected mentor, teaching him to read and write, telling him the principles of life, and leading him step by step to a wonderful life that he could never have imagined before.
Thinking of his deceased wife, Cheng Yan felt a pang of sorrow, and his eyes welled up with tears. He wondered if she could see all of this from heaven.
"Purple Robe, do you see? We're doing better and better now, and our daughter is becoming more and more successful. She's as smart as you, not like me. Don't worry~~"
After finishing speaking to himself, Cheng Yan quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes. Today was a happy day, and he didn't want anyone to see it, or he would make a fool of himself.
On the day the new shop opened, almost all the relatives and friends she knew came to give her gifts and congratulate her, which can be said to have given Cheng Ruyi a lot of face.
The Cheng family was already quite well-known in the south of the city, and many people came to visit them. With the addition of curious onlookers, Nanhou Street was almost completely blocked, making it quite lively.
The new store opening naturally offered great discounts, which attracted not only those who came to support the store, but also many who were still observing or wanted to learn the secrets of the business. The order volume in just three days was already enough for the whole year.
Seeing the overwhelming number of orders, Cheng Yan, who had previously disagreed with hiring more people, had no choice but to compromise. After all, he was getting on in years and didn't dare to risk his health.
With the Cheng family's current reputation, they were able to recruit two apprentices and a carpenter with some experience quite easily.
Cheng Ruyi had anticipated this situation, so during the renovation, she specifically asked her father and son to make two double-decker wooden beds and place them in a slightly larger side room. This way, up to four apprentices could live there. It would certainly be a bit crowded, but with room and board provided, the apprentices could learn a skill, and there was even a monthly wage of five hundred coins. Such a job was already quite tempting.
The other room was arranged to be more spacious and comfortable, with only two wooden beds and some ordinary furniture, which was more suitable for experienced craftsmen.
Cheng Yan and Cheng Yunping naturally still live in the Cheng family's old house. Now that the shop in the old house is vacant, it can be used to sell food and some vegetables and crops grown by themselves. Although it seems a little empty, it is very suitable for Cheng Mande, who is learning to walk, so that the child has enough space to play.
Everything had been going smoothly for Cheng Ruyi lately; both the spa and the furniture store were gradually getting on track. So she never expected that someone would come to cause trouble at this time.
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