"Now that we've just figured out the situation with the two stores, let's not start planning another one yet. First, we don't have enough manpower, and second, our children are still so young. If we don't take good care of them, they'll definitely get sick. Every child is the apple of a mother's eye; how could I not love them?"
Qin Xiaoniang's words implied that she didn't want her daughter to work so hard.
However, what she said was not untrue. Since arriving in Xiaoye City, it was always her daughter, who was not yet of marriageable age, who had been running around taking care of everything. If she were to open another shop now, she was afraid that she would really be exhausted.
Song He'er saw through her mother's thoughts and stepped in to smooth things over, "Mrs. Tian, your idea is good, but the timing is not good. New Year's Eve has just passed and the second day of the second lunar month is just around the corner. Many merchants have just come out and will have to return to their hometowns for the festival. Opening a shop at this critical time will inevitably make the rent several times higher. Why not wait until after Qingming Festival?"
They started working on the shop at the end of the twelfth lunar month, and now more than a month has passed. If they were to compare the accounts now, they would definitely have enough money in their accounts to take over a new shop.
But now, in Zhang Xiue's eyes, she still owes Jiang Huaifu a large sum of money, and she has to pay off her external debts first.
Upon hearing this, Madam Tian stopped trying to persuade her and instead went to Hua Jie'er's side to feed her some rice porridge.
The next morning.
Tian Niangzi stayed behind to take care of the children, while Qin Xiaoniang and Zhang Xiu'e went to Xiaoyecheng early to oversee the shop.
"The accounts for this month have been settled. After deducting the cost of ingredients and rent, we have a total of twenty-three strings of cash left in our accounts."
Upon hearing this news, Zhang Xiue beamed with joy, "Really? We can earn so much in just one month! Not to mention that all our food this month came from the store's accounts, even the money for buying a car and new clothes was paid by the store. It seems that our hard work this month hasn't been in vain!"
Song Xiaoyu forced a smile and couldn't help but mock her: "Don't be so smug. You know, we still owe Young Master Jiang a lot of money! After we've calculated it, we'll take out our monthly expenses, and the rest will all be paid back to Young Master Jiang."
Zhang Xiue nodded. "Of course I know that. I'll give the money to He'er later. She'll handle it. None of us are as close to him as He'er is."
Seeing the hidden meaning in her words, Song Xiaoyu began to remind her, "Let me tell you, Madam Qin does not approve of He'er marrying this foreign man. Don't say the wrong thing again and make both sides unhappy."
"Look at you, what did I say? I was just mentioning it casually. Besides, Madam Qin isn't that averse to Young Master Jiang anymore. Last time that boy came to the steamed bun shop, she even made him soup!"
"Ha, as polite as you are, we are the kind of people who are allowed to be thought of by others, but not allowed to think of others."
"Alright, alright, I know. You're a grown man, always thinking about these things like a girl. Hurry up and settle your accounts!"
Zhang Xiu'e casually yelled at him a few times, then turned and left the shop to go find Qin Xiaoniang and Song He'er at the steamed bun shop across the street...
But as soon as she entered, Zhang Xiu'e saw Song He'er fiddling with a bamboo food box and frowned. "He'er, Xiao Yangzhuang doesn't need us to deliver food anymore."
Song He'er looked up and smiled gently, "Third Aunt, when did I say that these were for delivering meals to Madam Tian and the others?"
"Then what are you doing?"
"Look outside our shop, what's that?"
Zhang Xiu'e looked in the direction Song He'er pointed and saw nothing but a long queue at the entrance.
"It's all people, packed tightly together, you can't even see a ray of sunlight."
“Yes, they are all people. In the past, it was merchants who came to our house to buy steamed buns, but now, the people living in Xiaoye City have also come to like our steamed buns, so they often send their servants or husbands to buy them. Rather than letting them wait like this, we might as well deliver them to our customers ourselves.”
"Wouldn't it take too much time if we delivered it ourselves?"
“We can also hire deliverymen. We can pay them a monthly wage, and if anyone needs food delivered to their door, we can pay them a commission. This would be convenient for everyone, saving time and allowing more people to enjoy our steamed buns.”
Zhang Xiue pondered for a long time and felt that this method was feasible. After all, it was a profitable business with huge returns. Whoever needed it could pay for it, which was convenient for both parties.
"So... you used bamboo baskets to weave food containers for delivery?"
"Well, if we go to buy food, the food boxes are all pretty much the same, and the workmanship is all the same. I personally go to make sure everyone can tell which ones are our family's food, so that no one with ulterior motives can mix them up and make all sorts of excuses to fool us."
Zhang Xiu'e happily took the food box from Song He'er's hand and played with it. "This thing is good, sturdy and beautiful. When you're done, give me a picture, and I'll make it for you when I get back. I guarantee it will be finished in two days."
"good."
Zhang Xiue was pleased with herself for a while before remembering the important matter. She then said, "Your third uncle has settled the accounts. He needs you to go over there in a bit, take the money, and return it to Young Master Jiang. Of course, this time it won't be enough. He'll pay it all back next month when he earns more money."
Song He'er didn't take the task of repaying the money to heart at all, so she casually agreed.
......
The next time I saw Jiang Huaifu was at an inn in Jiangning.
The way the two of them communicated was through their sister, Alu, who lived in Xiaoye City. As long as they went to Yongding Alley, they could ask her to pass on a message to Jiang Huaifu, arranging a time and place to meet.
The inns in Jiangning were all very nice, and each private room was designed to be very secluded. Jiang Huaifu chose the private room closest to the window to wait for Song He'er.
After Song He'er arrived, she placed a packet of silver coins wrapped in gold paper on the table.
"Please accept this as a token of my gratitude."
Jiang Huaifu raised an eyebrow slightly, his deep, pool-like eyes slowly glancing at the money pouch.
How much is this?
“There’s plenty, enough for you to buy a house in Jiangning.”
Jiang Huaifu smiled indifferently: "I know you have money, but that doesn't mean you have to turn around and try to fob me off with silver."
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