Qin Xiaoyu only told her cousin-in-law about it after she had completed the rental procedures for the barbershop.
"Oh, that's great! You're amazing!" My cousin-in-law said with envy in her eyes.
"Don't rush. Stay home for two years first, send Tang Long and his sister to university, and let them do something too." Qin Xiaoyu could understand her cousin-in-law. She had spent most of her life confined to this small courtyard, revolving around the stove and children. Her quick temper and loud voice were all the result of pent-up frustration.
“If there’s anything I can do, please think of it. We’re living such a tight life these days. Look at Longlong’s school, they ask for money every day, five cents today, ten cents tomorrow. Your brother’s meager savings aren’t enough.” The cousin-in-law was full of bitterness.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on things for you," Qin Xiaoyu reassured her.
The barbershop opened with great fanfare. The name of the shop was suggested by Master Wang, and it was called Xiumei. Qin Xiaoyu thought it was too old-fashioned, but she didn't object. Now everything had to be done according to Master Wang's wishes, and she couldn't let him feel disrespected, otherwise conflicts would be inevitable.
The shop was spotless, but there were hardly any customers. Because Mr. Wang had moved in a hurry, he hadn't had time to notify his regular customers. Knowing she couldn't rely on her son and daughter-in-law, she posted a notice on the door.
Her daughter-in-law was still angry, and upon hearing that she had rented a large house, she refused to listen to her explanation about her partnership with Qin Xiaoyu. She was convinced that Qin Xiaoyu had hidden money, refused to hold the wedding, and used the money to open her own shop, wishing she could kick her out. So, the notice she posted was torn down almost immediately, a helpless situation. Customers who came to her door at night were turned away; those who persisted and knocked a few more times were even verbally abused.
A neighbor took pity on her and tried to explain things to her, but it still hurt the customers. As a result, the shop was deserted, not as good as Qin Xiaoyu had hoped.
For three days in a row, he hadn't even earned enough to cover the cost of water and electricity. Mr. Wang was worried and would sit in a chair in a daze after taking a bite of lunch.
"Master, don't get upset. New stores are all like this. I'll think of a way." Qin Xiaoyu had handwritten a few flyers at home yesterday and was thinking of posting them at a nearby street corner.
She walked around, stopping frequently. She noticed a large factory ahead with a security guard at the entrance. Posting flyers wouldn't work; how could she make herself stand out?
"Little sister?" She was in a daze when she heard someone call her. She turned around and saw that it was Captain Chen from the real estate department.
"Brother Chen, are you at work?" Qin Xiaoyu smiled sweetly.
"What are you doing here? Is there a problem with the house again? Come on, let me take a look." Captain Chen was quite straightforward, assuming that Qin Xiaoyu was looking for a house and was too embarrassed to ask.
"No, Brother Chen is so meticulous in his work, how could there be a problem? I just opened a new barbershop, and business isn't great, so I was thinking of handing out some flyers," Qin Xiaoyu said with an embarrassed smile.
"Oh, you've opened a shop? Where is it? I need to get my hair cut too." Captain Chen was really not polite, and followed Qin Xiaoyu back to the shop.
Captain Chen is tall and strong, but he has very long hair, which is parted to the side. Qin Xiaoyu noticed this when they were working last time. When he sweats a little, his hair turns into a clump, which looks very funny.
"Brother Chen, let's get a new hairstyle and look younger." Qin Xiaoyu had a plan in mind and first got his consent.
"Okay, you're in charge. But let's make this clear first, if you don't cut it well, I'll have your sister-in-law come and settle the score with you," Captain Chen joked.
Upon hearing this, Master Wang became a little worried and came over to take over, fearing that Qin Xiaoyu's skills would be criticized.
Qin Xiaoyu gave her a wink, signaling Captain Chen to lie down in the chair. The old-fashioned barber chair could recline, because some people requested a shave while getting a haircut.
Qin Xiaoyu brought over the basin stand and started washing Captain Chen's hair. Men sweat a lot and don't wash their hair often, so it's inevitable that their hair will become oily. She washed it twice with soap before rinsing it clean. Then she gently massaged his scalp with her fingers in circular motions. This was something she had only seen in her previous life and had never tried, so she didn't dare to use too much force. Captain Chen seemed to be enjoying it.
Master Wang had never seen anything like this before and was completely stunned. After washing Captain Chen's hair, he was very satisfied and kept saying how comfortable it felt.
Qin Xiaoyu stood in front of the mirror, took a deep breath, thought about a modern hairstyle, and began to cut. Soon, layers of hair fell to the ground, getting shorter and shorter with each cut. Master Wang looked on in amazement, circling around them.
After the last bit of trimming was done, Qin Xiaoyu pushed Captain Chen in front of the mirror. Captain Chen jumped up from the chair, looked at himself in the mirror from left to right, and touched his hair in disbelief.
Is this me?
"Oh my, this short hair looks so neat, it makes me look ten years younger!" Master Wang said this sincerely.
"Young lady, your skills are impressive!" Captain Chen said with satisfaction, taking out five yuan from his pocket and placing it on the table. He generously said, "Keep the change. I've never had a haircut this satisfying in my life. It's worth it!"
"Brother Chen, you're just kidding me. I won't take your money this time, you can pay me next time you come." Qin Xiaoyu forced the five yuan back, and Captain Chen rode away on his bicycle.
"Master, add another item to the price list: shampoo + head massage, one yuan."
"What? A haircut is only 1.5 yuan, but a shampoo costs 1 yuan? Who would want to do that?" Master Wang kept shaking his head.
"Let's give it a try. If you don't pay, we'll just give it a simple wash, like before." Qin Xiaoyu was just testing it out and didn't take it seriously. Take those old ladies with permed hair, for example. They definitely wouldn't be willing to spend money on washing their hair, but men might be different. You know, the difference between washing your hair and cutting it properly is like night and day.
The next morning was quiet and deserted again. At noon, Qin Xiaoyu took out the food she had brought from home. She had been bringing food over these past few days, and Master Wang was only trying to save money, so he couldn't bear to eat the food.
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