I originally thought that all I had to do was sell myself into the household to secure a place for my elder brother, but now the cost of his tuition and meals at Mingde Academy has fallen on my shoulders. When I told my mother that the mistress had rarely asked me to serve her lately, she scolded me, saying that it must be because I wasn't serving her diligently that I had lost the master's favor.
Meng Zhao roughly knew what was going on, because it was ultimately related to her. With the employees of the Treasure Pavilion being poached by others one after another, she naturally wanted to find out the reason, and the answers she received were varied.
Some ladies appear to be very attentive to skincare, but secretly they have many concerns. They worry that if others find out they frequently come for skincare treatments, gossip will spread, and they might end up with a reputation for being "obsessed with grooming."
Others are used to doing whatever they want, and when they hear that they have to make an appointment in advance for nursing care, they feel that it is beneath their dignity.
Some more cautious customers worry that the skincare bottles and jars have been handled by countless people, and they also wonder if the bedding on the bed is really washed after each customer. Most importantly, they are concerned that they have to take off their outer clothing for comfort during the treatment, and it is inevitable that they will feel uneasy about such a private matter being carried out outside.
For them, with their wealth and power, why not simply buy a maid who knows how to take care of them and serve them personally? Wouldn't that be much simpler?
This was simple for them, but extremely difficult for Meng Zhao. The people she had trained were being poached one by one, which affected the shop's business and caused her to lose a lot of money. Could she tolerate this?
After careful consideration, Meng Zhao realized that the customers' concerns were not unreasonable. As a business owner, instead of complaining about the customers' pickiness, he should put himself in their shoes and help them solve their problems.
For customers who are concerned about the cleanliness and hygiene of the items and wish to have them changed after each customer, all skincare bottles, jars, powder, and cotton towels at Treasure Pavilion can be purchased separately for their exclusive use. If customers find it inconvenient to carry these items with them, they also provide private lockers, each with a delicate brass lock. The key is given to the customer for safekeeping, and Treasure Pavilion never keeps a copy.
This arrangement not only relieves guests of the worry that others might take advantage of their belongings, but also saves them the hassle of carrying them back and forth.
For those who don't like to make reservations in advance, Treasure Pavilion has also expanded its staff to specifically serve customers who make spontaneous decisions. However, this impromptu convenience naturally comes at a price, as the cost is higher than before.
For wealthy ladies who are worried about gossip, Treasure Pavilion immediately launched an in-home service. As long as they spend a certain amount, they can become VIPs and enjoy regular visits from a dedicated caregiver. If there is an important banquet, they can also make an appointment for a makeup artist to come to their home for makeup and styling. In this way, the reputation of the ladies is protected and they can enjoy the pleasure of care with peace of mind.
Some might ask, "Isn't this just like buying someone to serve you in your household?" In reality, it's quite different. The beauty of Treasure Pavilion lies in the fact that it introduces new skincare techniques and makeup styles every month. The masters receive regular training and master the most fashionable makeup skills of the moment.
Today it might be the Flying Clouds Makeup, tomorrow it might be the Peach Blossom Makeup, and the day after tomorrow it might be the new trend of pearl-covered faces. Such a progressive attitude is something that ordinary maids can't match.
This plan has been implemented since the Lunar New Year and has been very effective, stabilizing many customers. Qingzhi stayed for a short time and didn't learn much. When Zhenbaoge was closed during the holidays, she could get through the downtime, but when Zhenbaoge reopened, customers would naturally know which one to choose after comparing the two.
Since what had happened was already done, Meng Zhao didn't want to say anything to Qing Zhi like, "Look at how you wouldn't listen to my advice before." Instead, she asked, "So what are you planning to do from now on?"
Qingzhi shook her head blankly, "I don't know either. Although my older brother entered Mingde Academy, he still can't keep up with his studies, and Mother's health has never been very good..."
Meng Zhao was getting annoyed. "I'm asking you. What does it have to do with anyone else?"
Qingzhi was taken aback by his words, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. After a long while, she raised her head as if she had made up her mind: "I want to redeem myself."
"So how much silver do you have now?" Meng Zhao asked directly.
Qingzhi lowered her head in shame and shook her head.
Meng Zhao asked incredulously, "Where's your pay? Didn't I have Xiao Chuan give it to you privately?"
"I accepted the money," Qingzhi's voice trailed off, "but before I left, I saw how hard Mother was working, so I left it to her. I figured once I'm in the manor, I'll eat and sleep there, and there won't be any need to spend money..."
Meng Zhao was speechless for a moment. She had asked Xiao Chuan to give the money to Qing Zhi in secret because she was afraid that Qing Zhi's family would find out and take it away. Who would have thought that Qing Zhi would be so stupid? It was all for nothing that she had considered so much for her.
Having listened for so long, Gu Lanying had roughly guessed the reason for the matter. She had seen many girls like Qingzhi in the village before, and sighed, saying, "They say that soft-hearted people deserve to suffer their whole lives, and it seems that's true."
Looking at the girl in front of her, who was so naive as to be almost foolish, Meng Zhao felt a mix of emotions. She didn't really want to get involved in this matter. After all, based on their shallow relationship, she had already reminded Qing Zhi, which was more than enough. Besides, redeeming her would not benefit her at all.
But then she thought that if Qingzhi hadn't been quick-witted, she would have almost made a fool of herself in the Cui family. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to just leave. She sighed and took out the only five taels of silver in her purse.
“You just said you wanted to redeem yourself. I hope you weren’t just saying it. You helped me today, so I can’t just thank you verbally. Keep this money; consider it my contribution to your redemption efforts.”
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