Chapter 710
Seeing that Uncle Ma was so reasonable, Meng Sui unconsciously raised a sincere smile at the corner of his mouth.
The sunlight shone in obliquely, casting mottled light and shadows on the blue brick floor of Uncle Ma's house through the old carved window lattices. Amidst the aroma of tea, he saw the old almanac and several yellowed old photos hanging on the wall.
"Thank you for your understanding, Uncle Ma. This is why our boss bought the current shop so early. Otherwise, according to other families, they would have rented a place before their business even got off the ground."
Uncle Ma stroked his graying goatee, and the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out.
The old-fashioned wall clock was making a regular "clicking" sound, which harmonized with the occasional bird calls from the yard.
He said slowly, "Well, your boss really knows how to run a business. So what are they thinking now? They're not going to expand anymore?"
Meng Sui leaned forward slightly and said, "We want to expand, but we still want to buy one. Your shop is for rent, so it's not suitable. So our boss said we should go see if there are any suitable shops for sale nearby, and then buy it and open a branch."
Uncle Ma suddenly slapped his thigh and said, "Who said mine must be rented and not sold?"
Meng Sui's eyes widened, and she almost dropped the cup in her hand:
"Uncle Ma, are you willing to sell your shop? We have a lot of traffic in this area, and the rent is rising now. Are you willing to sell it?"
Uncle Ma waved his hand and said, "Why should I be reluctant to give it up? It's just a matter of price.
Didn’t I say yesterday when we were drinking that I don’t want to bother with so many things? If the price is right, I can just sell it directly.”
Meng Sui's eyes lit up and he said, "Is that so? I told the boss you only rent and don't sell! Then I'll go back and report to them. But Uncle Ma, what's your idea of a selling price?"
"The shop you bought now is 35,000, right? Prices have gone up in this area. My house is two stories high, so it's at least 50,000."
Fifty thousand? Meng Sui thought. He had compared the few shops in this area that were listed for sale before, and the ones in similar condition were priced between fifteen and fifty thousand.
In comparison, although Uncle Ma’s selling price is not cheap, it does not exceed the market price.
He pretended to gasp, "Fifty thousand, are shops this expensive these days? I heard a young business owner say there are a few shops in the south of the city that only cost thirty thousand."
"How can it be the same?" Uncle Ma said anxiously, "Your current location is so good! Regular customers all know it! That Sanxiwan shop might be in some corner somewhere.
Here! Go back and tell your boss about the price. I'll come over tomorrow at noon and personally show them around my place, and then I'll talk to them."
Meng Sui nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go back and tell them. We can talk about it slowly tomorrow after we see the shop."
It was already past six in the afternoon when he came out of Uncle Ma's house. He walked quickly through the busy streets, thinking that it was almost time for dinner and he should hurry back to work.
In the back kitchen, several stoves are bubbling with steam, and the aroma of the braised food has already drifted outside the store. No wonder the neighbors around often complain about being greedy.
Under the guidance of Su Yuanzheng, the newly promoted kitchen apprentice Aqiang swung a large spoon to stir-fry in the iron pan, and the oil made a crackling sound.
After cooking the dish, Su Yuanzheng asked Aqiang to help outside, leaving only Meng Sui, Su Miao and Su Yuanzheng in the kitchen.
Meng Sui told Su Miao and Su Yuanzheng everything that Uncle Ma said and the price he offered.
After listening to this, Su Miao tapped the table lightly with his fingers, thinking:
"Fifty thousand isn't cheap, but it's within the market price range. The key is that this location has natural advantages. If you think about it that way, a few thousand dollars isn't a big deal. Dad, what do you think?"
Su Yuanzheng nodded in agreement. "Yes, if we open a branch elsewhere, we'll have to cultivate a new customer base and assign more staff, which is quite expensive. If we can do like the main store in Yongcheng, connecting the two stores and doubling the scale, that would be the best option."
"Brother Sui, do you think Uncle Ma really wants to sell it, or is he testing us? Can the price be negotiated?" Su Miao asked.
Meng Sui recalled the look on Uncle Ma's face when he spoke:
"I think he's sincere. He said, 'It's just a matter of price.' I see that although Uncle Ma is asking fifty thousand, he's not insisting on it. He's just worried about the hassle of renting and wants to get rid of it once and for all."
I think we should take a closer look at the shop tomorrow, then sit down and talk it over. There's still room for negotiation."
The next day at noon, Uncle Ma arrived as promised.
He was wearing neat and straight clothes, and holding two shiny walnuts in his hands, which shone with a warm luster in the sunlight.
After greeting Master Zhou, he walked into "Su Ji" in high spirits.
Su Miao was working at the cashier counter when she saw Uncle Ma approaching her enthusiastically:
"Uncle Ma is here. Long time no see. Please take a seat. Have you had lunch?"
Uncle Ma waved his hand, and the walnut spun rapidly in his palm:
"I've already eaten. Xiao Meng told you that I came here today to discuss selling the shop with you.
Is your father here? Let me take you to see the shop first."
"Yes, I'll go call him out right away." When Su Miao turned around, the ends of her hair drew a graceful arc in the air.
Uncle Ma took Su Miao and Su Yuanzheng to the shop next door to look at it. Master Zhou had nothing to do, so he followed them. After all, he had rented the shop for so many years and was now more familiar with the layout than Uncle Ma.
"I've gathered all the blacksmithing supplies and inventory in the front hall and will dispose of them in the next few days. The first floor is the same size as yours, and I made a small compartment here, which was where I used to store my tools."
Su Miao carefully examined the walls and floors and found that although they were a bit old, the structures were very solid.
She noticed that there were several yellowed posters at the corner of the stairs, with the slogan "Learn from Daqing in Industry" printed on them. They were obviously quite old.
Seeing that room, she suddenly had an idea. Isn't this a private room? Before, they had to separate it out themselves in Yongcheng, but here they have a ready-made one.
Su Yuanzheng reached out and knocked on the wooden stairs, saying, "The solid wood stairs are really sturdy!"
Uncle Ma said proudly, "Of course. It was built ten years ago when the second floor was built. I found the materials myself. They won't break even after a hundred years.
"Xiao Su, I'm telling you, just take good care of it, don't renovate it casually. Solid wood items only gain charm over time. Look at how little patina it's had after ten years. The color will look even better in the future."
Su Yuanzheng nodded and said, "Uncle Ma, you are really an expert. When the time comes, please teach me how to maintain and oil these stairs."
"What's so difficult about this? It's a piece of cake. Hahaha!" Uncle Ma was so flattered by Su Yuanzheng's praise that he laughed heartily.
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