The painter hired by Qian Qing did as he was told. After clearing out the counter, the room became empty. Except for one or two wooden boards nailed to the wall, there was basically nothing left.

With good intentions, the decorator asked, "Comrade, if you remove all the counters, how will you put the things?"

Qian Qing had a vague idea in her mind, but she hadn't made up her mind yet: "Maybe I won't put up a counter. I want to make a clothes hanger like the one in the closet. Hang all the clothes up."

But here comes the problem. Now that the clothes hangers are made and the clothes are hung up, should they still be placed around the room as before? It seems like it would waste the space in the middle of the room.

Qian Qing paid the decorator, roughly measured the size of the house, and prepared to let Zhou Hao come up with a solution. The wooden shelves he made for Qian's mother's grocery store were very good, but selling clothes was different from selling snacks, so Zhou Hao had to take a look.

After Zhou Hao read it, he thought for a moment and then started to gesture towards the wall to help Qian Qing.

"I'll nail a few clothes racks for you, and you can hang your complete set of clothes on the wall as much as possible. Then build a few long high horizontal bars in the middle of the room, and use hangers to hang individual clothes on them. Let me see... From this place forward, I can probably put down four long horizontal bars, which should be enough."

Qian Qing: "What about trying on clothes?"

Zhou Hao thought for a moment and said, "The room is not big. If we build another dressing room, it will take up too much space. Otherwise, we can put some long wooden boards here to block the sight line, and use some curtains in front to separate three dressing rooms. What do you think?"

Qian Qing thought about it and thought this was an acceptable solution. Nowadays, most people use a curtain to block the area when trying on clothes. It is convenient, but the chaos of changing clothes affects the experience of buying clothes.

"I'll change the wires for you and put out a few more lights."

When the time comes, put two large mirrors and add lights. Qian Qingguang knows just by thinking how good the clothes will look with the lights.

"Zhou Hao, you are awesome!"

Her vague idea became more concrete as Zhou Hao detailed it. Qian Qing couldn't help getting excited at the thought of seeing the brand new store soon.

Zhou Hao was so delighted by the compliment that he couldn't help showing pride in his expression: "And your window, how about I make it bigger for you? Make it twice as big as this one, and then get a whole piece of glass, and put two clothes hangers in the room. You can put your most beautiful clothes together and put them on them, it will definitely be more attractive."

In fact, there are many people in this street who put clothes hangers in front of windows. But when the window is open, you can only put one clothes hanger. If you put two, the room will be dark and no one will want to come.

However, Qian Qing felt that it was not worth saving a little on electricity when the problem could be solved by running a few more wires. She had already spent 5,000 yuan to buy a store, so what was the point of saving a few dozen yuan on electricity?

"That's it!"

The couple went around to the back to take a look, and they also took the placement of the inventory into consideration. The 50-square-meter shop only took up 30 to 40 square meters in the front, leaving only about 10 square meters of space in the back. The small attic was a slope, so it could accommodate a bed and one or two tables and furniture.

Qian Qing plans to make good use of the ten square meters at the back so that no space is wasted. She will put up a few shelves on the wall and put all the inventory on them. Then, like the bookshelf, she will make two shelves in the middle so that goods can be placed on both sides.

After deciding on the general decoration, Qian Qing took Zhou Hao's sketch to find a carpenter to make shelves and clothes racks. Qian Qing felt a little pain in her heart to pay this money. The shelves cost more than 300 yuan, and she asked for 500 clothes racks at once. The carpenter quoted a price of one yuan. Qian Qing asked for rattan, otherwise the clothes rack would be burred and her clothes would not be able to withstand the scratches.

Add beech wood hangers, two large glass panels, and buy curtain fabrics...

Qian Qing was already dazzled by the business before it even opened.

Zhou Hao looked at her calculating with the account book and laughed, "You little money-grubber, you've made so much money, and you still care about this little decoration money."

Qian Qing sighed, "I haven't even opened my business yet, but the money I made from selling fabrics and winter clothes last year has been flowing out like water since the Chinese New Year."

First, I invested 5,000 in the pig farm, then 5,000 to buy the land, and 5,000 to buy the store. In a few days, I will have to pay for the house...

Logically speaking, it doesn’t cost much to decorate your home these days. People don’t really care about the appearance of things anyway. For a clothing seller, as long as the clothes are of good quality and low price, isn’t that enough? Who cares about your decoration?

But Qian Qing was very persistent about this matter. She wanted to open a chain of stores! Then she had to differentiate her decorations and decorate each store in the same way!

Make people feel like VIPs the moment they come in and spend money!

There will definitely be people who will follow suit, but it doesn't matter. As long as Qian Qing opens a few stores, she won't be afraid of others copying her. And it's not cheap to decorate like this, it will cost at least 1,000 or 2,000 yuan, so those who dare to copy her must be able to afford it.

But there are two more urgent matters.

"Zhou Hao, please draw a sign for me. It has to be different from other shops."

Zhou Hao is good at drawing. In the past, Qian Qing used Zhou Hao's drawings when she asked a tailor shop to make clothes for her.

Qian Qing counted on her fingers and made requirements: "It has to be simple and elegant, and also stand out. It has to take into account that some people can understand it even if they can't read. It has to be memorable..."

The way she muttered while counting on her fingers was so adorable. Zhou Hao was overwhelmed by his wife's demands one after another, and at the same time, he was immersed in his wife's cuteness and couldn't extricate himself.

"That's about it."

"I'll give you money if you finish the painting!"

Zhou Hao: ...

After Zhou Hao was promoted to deputy captain, his salary actually increased, and he could get 80 yuan a month now. But this little money was still not enough to show off in front of his wife.

His one month's salary could probably be earned by his wife in one day.

And as Qian Qing develops, the gap will widen further.

"Wife, do you look down on me..."

Zhou Hao was "heartbroken": "You think I don't make enough money..."

"When you make more money, are you going to kick me out?"

"You are such a treacherous person. I even worked overtime for you at night, and this is how you treat me?"

…

Qian Qing: …

It's a shame that you don't act in movies!

Zhou Hao's thief was devoted: "Even though you treat me like this, I won't give up. Come on, wife, let me serve you well."

Qian Qing threw a pillow at Zhou Hao's face with an expressionless face, and deeply doubted Zhou Hao's IQ. With such a father, what would happen to her child in the future?

Thinking that this little girl who combined the advantages of both of them was also a drama queen like Zhou Hao, Qian Qing suddenly felt that life was dark...

Zhou Hao is very quick, not only in some things, but also in drawing.

The next morning, when Qian Qing got up, she saw that Zhou Hao had already designed the sign.

The "moon" in the two characters is curved, just like a crescent moon. The "clear" in the two characters is written in a majestic and free-spirited manner. The two characters are very harmonious when put together.

Qian Qing rubbed his waist with satisfaction and decided to deduct Zhou Hao's subsidy!

Yes, she is a black-hearted capitalist (humph)!

****

After being interrupted by Zhou Hao last night, Qian Qing forgot that there was one more thing she wanted to say.

The store on the commercial street will be open in less than half a month, but she can't keep an eye on it all the time. Apart from other things, she will have to work on the renovation and opening of the store at Wutong University by April. In addition to Wutong University, there is also a storefront at the oil field, which is expected to be delivered in June or July.

By that calculation, she simply didn't have the time to keep an eye on one store.

So the current task is to recruit people.

Qian Qing had previously hired her own family members when she was buying goods or looking for partners. After all, it was the early stages of her business, and she couldn't afford the risk of hiring someone with bad intentions.

Now her capital is not very strong, but she has a certain ability to resist risks. And she can't do everything by herself in business. If she really does that, the money she earns will be worthless. She will be busy all day and have no time to spend money.

Finding someone is difficult, and Qian Qing wanted to discuss this with Zhou Hao just to ask him if he had anyone to recommend.

Qian Qing's requirements were not high. She just wanted someone who had graduated from junior high school, could look after the store for her and was eloquent.

Mother Qian is in a much better mood now. Her face has been rosy for some time. She came to bring Qian Qing some hen soup at noon.

The half-grown black chicken was stewed with crispy skin and tender meat. Qian's mother stewed two at once, gave one to Qian Yu, and gave the remaining one to Qian Qing.

Qian Qing drank soup from the small bowl, still a little confused: "Why did you think of making this?"

It also contains angelica and red dates, which are obviously good for replenishing qi and blood.

Mother Qian sighed, "It's your sister. She's in so much pain that her face turns pale. I asked her to go to the hospital but she kept delaying, saying she'd go after she's done with her vermicelli business."

Having seen "herself" being tortured by illness in a dream, Qian Qing's heart started beating wildly when she heard this: "My sister is also careless. Let's send her to the provincial capital for treatment in a few days. It's just in time for you to restock the store. The hospital here can treat minor illnesses, but I'm afraid that some diseases cannot be diagnosed and it will delay the treatment. I'll tell Lao Ding to make an appointment for my sister."

In the dream, she only saw her sister’s complexion becoming worse and worse, but there was no mention of what disease her sister had.

However, Qian Qing still did not dare to take it lightly. There were many things that were not said in the dream. Who knows if it was because her sister's affairs had nothing to do with her and Wan Zhenzhen's affairs that she did not say it?

"I'll advise my sister in a few days not to delay taking care of her health."

Suddenly, Qian Qing remembered that she had no candidate yet: "Mom, I'm going to open a store on the commercial street, and I'm short of staff. I want someone who has finished junior high school and can help me sell clothes to run the store. Do you have a suitable candidate?"

Qian's mother thought for a while and said, "Actually, your second uncle's cousin's wife should be suitable, but she just gave birth to a child and can't go out for the next six months or a year. Didn't you look for your classmates?"

Qian Qing: "You know my classmates, all the female students whose families support them to high school either go to college or their families arrange jobs for them. Forget about the male students, why would I need men to sell clothes?"

She did have one or two good friends when she was in school, but now they are all married and have children to take care of, so she can't go out and work.

"Or I can look for one in the compound. Someone a little older will do. I can teach you even if you don't have experience. Mom, help me find out when you were selling salty food recently."

Qian's mother went back to the match factory without saying a word some time ago, which put all the parents in the area in a difficult position.

When Qian's mother was around, she would make a pot of brine every day, but she didn't sell it at the night market. She only sold it at home. I didn't think much of it at first, but after Qian's mother left for a few days, the aroma of brine was gone, and we couldn't eat cheap and delicious brine eggs. The people living in the same building lost their appetite for food, and counted on their fingers every day when Qian's mother would come back.

It can be said that Qian's mother now has a certain influence in the compound. The women who come and go also like to go to the canteen to chat with Qian's mother and watch TV when they are free.

Qian's mother agreed immediately: "Okay! I'll find out for you."

***

On the first day of February, Zhou Hao and Qian Qing took the money to transfer the property to Yan Qingshan.

After paying five thousand yuan and receiving two documents, this large piece of land became Qian Qing's.

Qian Qing was still thinking about what Zhou Hao said about studying at a vocational university and then taking the master's exam. While Professor Yan was there, she asked, "Professor, I want to ask, what are the requirements for Wutong University's current master's program? Can graduates from a vocational university go there to study?"

Professor Yan glanced at her and said, "Why? Do you want to come and study? Wutong University doesn't require a master's degree for all majors. Some majors only require college students. But the electromechanical major that I'm in charge of has dozens of quotas every year."

Professor Yan said seriously: "My requirements are very strict. Every year, 20% of my students fail to graduate."

Qian Qing: …

There's no need to scare me, a poor student, because I'm not going to study mechanical and electrical engineering anyway.

Qian Qing took the opportunity to push Zhou Hao out: "This is my husband. He just studied on his own and got admitted to the Oilfield Vocational College. He loves studying very much and wants to get a master's degree. If his grades are good enough, will you reject him just because he is studying at a vocational college?"

Qian Qing would not be foolish enough to ask what the requirements for studying for a master's degree are. Now she can get the answer by provoking her like this.

As expected, Professor Yan was furious when he heard this: "Nonsense! As long as the students are admitted to my school based on their own abilities, how can I discriminate against them just because they did not attend a regular university!"

"You study hard. As long as you can get into the major I teach, you will be admitted! I can't say about other majors, but in my major, there will be no discrimination based on academic qualifications!"

After getting Professor Yan's assurance, Qian Qing instantly felt ten times more relieved.

After sending Professor Yan away, Qian Qing winked at Zhou Hao: "How is it? Now it's stable. You study hard and come to study for a master's degree. We happen to have a house here, how convenient."

Zhou Hao didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Vocational university takes two years to study, and he hasn't even started classes yet, but he has to consider further studies two years later?

Qian Qing took Zhou Hao's hand and went to see the land she bought, and said excitedly: "When the time comes, we will build two houses. One will be used as a storefront, which will only be rented out and not sold. The other will be my shop. The first floor will sell clothes, and the second floor will be where I live. When you come to study, we will also have a place to live."

"My uncles run a restaurant. I plan to reserve two first-floor shops for them. When the time comes, they can connect the two shops together and sell fast food on one side and take orders for main dishes on the other. I will rent out the other shops to a few people who sell snacks, books, and stationery. Oh, and I will install a telephone line here. Anyone who wants to make a phone call can pay for it."

…

But what Qian Qing said was still far away. The most urgent thing was to find someone to build a house and to look after the store. In addition, it was time for her to go to the south to purchase goods.

It was easy to find people to build the houses, and Zhou Hao had seen the blueprints. With Uncle Ding and Uncle Ding in charge, Qian Qing was not in a hurry. But she felt the pain of spending money. To build two houses, another 2,000 yuan was spent. There were also more than 20 people to feed every day, so Qian Qing paid 200 yuan to the two uncles at once and let them watch over the work.

Zhou Hao had no idea about hiring someone to look after the store, so Qian Qing formally entrusted the matter to Qian's mother and asked her to look for one slowly in the compound.

The decoration of the store on the commercial street has been completed. Zhou Hao also changed the electrical wiring and added four or five light bulbs in the store. He also used his connections to buy two large full-length mirrors. He also bought a small bed and a cabinet for the second floor, which are now being aired out to get rid of the odor. He just needs to wait for the carpenter to build the shelf and put it in, and for Zhou Hao's custom-made sign to be made. Then the store will be ready to open.

This time, Qian Qing took her family's savings of 10,000 yuan and took Ding Jie to Guangzhou in the cold early spring.