After seeing the true appearance of the bookstore owner, everyone lost their curiosity and went back to their own places.
Xu Jiang stood in front of the bookstore, looked it up and down, and stepped into the shop.
The hall was a little dark, but through the light coming through the glazed tiles, one could still see that wooden frames had been nailed to the walls. In front of the frames stood a row of narrow tables, with round stools placed under them for people to sit and read.
There were more than a dozen boxes neatly placed in the middle, with the locks intact, indicating that no one had moved them. This was what she had instructed in advance, and she had to personally organize and place the contents of these boxes.
Going further in, after walking about five or six meters, there is a narrow wall. In front of the narrow wall is a square counter, half a person's height, and nailed a few inches wider than an ordinary counter. It can be used for writing, cutting paper, and checking out.
There was originally a window on the wall, but Xu Jiang asked the craftsmen to change it into a low door to connect to the backyard. The door head was made into a bearing so that a curtain could be placed there to provide cover. It was now empty, waiting for Xu Jiang to personally determine the design and color.
She bent down and walked through the corner door to the backyard. The fallen leaves and weeds in the yard had been cleared away. Although it was still a little shabby, it was clean and tidy.
She walked around the courtyard a few times before entering a narrow bedroom, housing only a couch, a table, and a dressing table. They were all newly made and still smelled faintly of tung oil. The windows had also been repapered, also using oiled paper, which was windproof and sturdy.
She lay down on the couch and breathed a sigh of relief. She thought: It's a little small, but at least it's a solid place to stay. She no longer had to drag this room full of heavy books around like a melon-beast, sleep in the open air, worry about being robbed along the way, or be chased by the people in her clan.
This small, hidden bookshop became her home in Kyoto from then on. She was no longer a drifting duckweed, but a tree with roots, sheltered from the rain and the wind.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
When she had lain down long enough, she stood up, walked out the door, and looked at several other rooms.
The adjacent bedroom was converted into a carving room for carving wood blocks and printing books. One of the two utility rooms was converted into a kitchen, and the other into a toilet.
There was no large kitchen stove. By the window stood two stoves, one large and one small, a chopping board, a water jar, and a few earthenware pots. In the corner were piled some wood scraps and a few baskets of shavings, probably left over from carpenters planing wood. They would make excellent firewood.
The toilet is next to the kitchen, with hot water for bathing and changing clothes, which is very convenient. There is a hidden ditch dug underground, connected to the outside of the back wall, so that all the filth and dirt can be discharged.
She came out of the bathroom and walked to the back wall, where there was a thatched shed used to raise her donkeys. It couldn't accommodate three donkeys, but one was enough.
She shook the pillars of the hut and found it very solid. She looked carefully and found that the wooden tenons were tightened and the hut was covered with thick sedge, so she would not worry about the donkey running away or getting wet in the rain or cold.
After reading this, she felt that Xu San was a really good person. Not only was he reliable, but he was also thoughtful and honest. He was not the kind of person who liked to play tricks, cut corners, or take advantage of others.
Fortunately, he took charge of the shop renovation. If she had relied on herself, not only would she be exhausted, but she would also not be able to do the job well, and it would take an unknown amount of time.
It is true that every profession has its own expertise, and some money still has to be earned by others.
Just as he was thinking about it, he heard Xu San's voice outside, "Boss, Boss? Are you in there?"
"Yes, I'll be there soon." She hurried out from the backyard.
The man calling her from inside the hall was the porter who had just put up the plaque outside the shop, Xu San. Seeing her emerge, he said with a smile, "Boss, are you satisfied with the craftsmanship of the chefs?"
Xu Jiang nodded quickly. "I agree, I agree. It's hard for you and the other masters to work day and night to keep up with the deadline for me. I will pay you the wages later."
Xu San waved his hand and said hurriedly, "It's okay, it's okay. We trust you. I just want you to check it again to see if there's anything else that needs to be added so we can complete it all at once. It's almost the end of the year, and it will be difficult to find a craftsman to add anything later. If there's anything missing, it's best to get it now."
"Third brother, you're really thoughtful." Xu Jiang followed his advice and walked around the shop again. Then, when she came outside and looked at the empty doorway, she turned back and said to him, "Why don't we add two more flower stands here so we can display some flowers and decorate the space. We can also add a set of stone tables and stone benches to the open space under the tree. It will be a cool place to cool down in the hot summer."
After saying this, he walked under the tree and looked into the house. "It's always a little dark inside the hall. We can replace a few more translucent glazed tiles and patch up the leaks. Then it won't leak when it rains."
"Okay, I've noted them all down. Is there anything else?" Xu San asked.
Xu Jiang thought for a moment and said, "There's one more thing I really need to trouble you with."
Xu San smiled cheerfully, "Boss, just follow my orders. It's not a big deal."
"I want to sell two of the three donkeys I have at the Yunlai Inn, but I don't know the market price. I'd like to ask Brother Xu San to help me find a buyer and a fair price. I will reward you later."
"It's nothing, there's no need for payment. I happen to know a horse dealer, I can just bring them to you. Your three donkeys are really good stuff, there are many people vying for them, I guarantee you will get a good price for them."
Xu Jiang was extremely grateful and said quickly, "Yes, I'll leave it all to you. When things are done, I'll treat you and the other masters to a nice meal."
"That's great!" Xu San showed a simple smile on his face. He stood there for a while, and when he saw that she had nothing else to do, he happily went to find the carpenters to do some work.
Xu Jiang locked the door and saw the sun rising to the zenith, so she walked towards the West Market to the sound of the market drum, thinking as she walked.
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