The landlord had signed a three-year contract and intended to pay the rent once a year. Shu Yan planned to pay it for Shu Li so that she could have an easier time. However, Shu Li refused to agree to it no matter what. After talking to the landlord for a long time, the landlord finally agreed to pay it quarterly. Including the 500 yuan deposit, the total was 2,300 yuan.
"Hey Lao Hu, what should I send you? Is a carton of cigarettes enough?" Shu Li didn't know that the agent would charge a commission.
"No need, we're all friends. I'll treat him to dinner later." Shu Yan didn't say anything more; she would pay the agency fee privately.
This shop used to be a noodle shop, but business was so-so. I don't know what the previous owner was thinking, opening a noodle shop next to an elementary school, especially in this day and age. How many people could possibly eat there? The walls are a bit dirty; they need to be repainted.
"I know someone who does home renovations. I'll have him find two contractors to come over and repaint the walls, and then find two carpenters to make some shelves. That should do the trick," Shu Yan suggested after looking around.
The kitchen is in the back, but Shuli definitely won't need this big space. She'll put a wooden board to separate it, and she can cook in the back herself. The partitioned area can be used as a storage room.
One phone call later, Chen Fei arrived and agreed without hesitation. With Chen Fei's help, they could start work immediately, and he only charged for labor and some material costs, so it wouldn't cost much. Coincidentally, the original cash register from the lingerie store was still sitting in the warehouse, just sitting there, so Shu Yan had it brought over.
"Should we put two tables here? Students can read here." Lin Hui came to pick up her child and also took a look.
"No need, I'm not a high school student. Can an elementary school student sit still?" Shu Yan shook her head. This place sells all kinds of extracurricular books, workbooks, notebooks, pens, and the like.
“That’s right.” Lin Hui greeted Shu Li with a smile as she came downstairs. “Hello, Second Sister. I’m Lin Hui, a friend of Shu Yan. You can just call me Xiao Hui.”
"Hello." Shuli's Mandarin was not standard. She had been studying hard with Shuyan these past few days, but it still carried a bit of her hometown accent. "This place is all empty, there isn't even a chair here."
"No need, I sit all day, now I need to stand more." Lin Hui looked around, "This place is really nice."
"Your shop is really good, it makes so much money." Shu Yan had heard Zhang Huaxiu say that Lin Hui's shop could earn nearly 10,000 yuan a month, without much effort or worry, how wonderful.
Lin Hui smiled, didn't respond, chatted for a couple more minutes, and then took the child home. Before leaving, she said that she would buy stationery here from now on.
“Your friend seems alright,” Shuli suddenly said.
"That's fine. I made a good friend here, and now we're starting a company together. I'll introduce you to her later." Lin Hui and Wu Xiuyue were just ordinary friends. At least Shu Yan had never confided in them, and they had never confided in her either.
The landlord lives in the upstairs room. He took his clothes and bedding with him, but the bed and cabinet are still there. He can just wipe them down and use them.
Shu Yan brought over a four-piece bedding set and a quilt, saying, "I have too many at home, and I was just worried about where to put them."
There's never too many blankets. Shu Li knew Shu Yan wanted to help her, so she didn't point it out and smiled, "Then I won't be polite."
All four bedding items have been washed, and the comforters have been aired out before being brought over; you can sleep right on the bed. There are two rooms in total: one for Shuli and Pingan, and the other for Niu Niu.
“Ping An is not a little boy anymore. Boys don’t sleep well with their mothers. Why don’t we let him have his own room and you and Niu Niu share a room?” Shu Yan couldn’t help but suggest.
“Ping’an isn’t in good health, so he’s always slept with me. Besides, many kids in town sleep with their parents until they’re teenagers, so what’s the problem?” Shu Li was taken aback by Shu Yan’s words. Everyone around her had children sleeping with their parents, and she had never paid attention to this issue before.
Not to mention the town, even in their rural areas, many families have four or five people crammed into one room, and some poor families have more than a dozen people crammed into one room, but I haven't heard of anything wrong with that.
"That's because there were no conditions. If there were conditions, of course we would make better choices. No matter how bad Ping An's health is, he is still a boy and should be more independent. You don't want him to rely on you all the time in the future, do you? If you really love your child, let him be independent. We will all get old one day and can't take care of them for a lifetime. Besides, Ping An will get married and have children in the future."
Shu Li remained silent for a while, gritted her teeth, and decided to listen to Shu Yan and let Ping An have a room by herself, while she and Niu Niu would sleep together.
The room was ready in a day. Ignoring Shu Yan's advice, Shu Li moved in with her child that very night.
"I've caused you so much trouble. You should move in as soon as the house is ready." Even sisters can't keep relying on each other forever. Shuyan has helped enough.
The renovation of the first half of the room began the next day. It was just a matter of painting it white and putting in a few cabinets. Chen Fei said it would be done in a week at most. Shu Yan looked around for a while and then found an advertising shop to make a signboard. The name of the shop was chosen by Shu Li herself: Happy Stationery Store.
She said that being able to go to school was a happy thing, and being able to buy extracurricular books and practice problems was even happier. Hearing this reason, Shu Yan was silent for a long time. She really wanted to say that most of the students here were not happy.
The renovation was left to Chen Fei. The most important thing was the supply of goods. Fang Zeyu happened to have someone working as a security guard at a cultural company. They had their own printing factory and could get the cheapest goods. With Fang Zeyu's guarantee, they could pay only half the price and pay the balance after the goods were sold, saving a lot of money.
As for stationery, there are specialized stationery markets. After Shu Yan inquired about them, she took Shu Li to buy some stock, and then she knew how to buy stock next time.
From arriving in Nancheng to opening the bookstore, it only took 20 days, which is incredibly fast.
On the first day, Shu Yan, Fang Zeyu, and Hu Ruixue all sent flower baskets. Shu Li bought two strings of firecrackers herself. The bookstore officially opened, and the first day's turnover had already exceeded 600. Don't be fooled by the fact that the exercise books and pencils sold in the bookstore were only 1 or 2 mao (0.1 or 0.2 yuan). The profit was not bad at all. The gross profit of 600 could earn 300, which was equivalent to breaking even.
Looking at the pile of loose change, Shu Li really didn't expect that she could earn half a month's salary from Lü Qingwei in just one day.
"Little sister, am I dreaming?" She pinched herself. "Ouch, it really doesn't hurt. Three hundred a day, that's... nine thousand a month... My God, am I going to be rich?"
Shu Yan chuckled, "There will be more activity on the first day, but there definitely won't be as much in the future. Business will also be slow during summer and winter vacations, so you should be prepared."
"I forgot." Shuli slapped her head, finally snapping out of her daze from the pile of money. "Don't worry, I was just scared. I know what I'm doing. I'll be happy if I can make a hundred a day from now on."
"Then your wish is too small." Shu Yan laughed. "First, run this store well, and then open a branch. You can just go and check on it every day to collect the money. Save up more money and buy a house in Nancheng as soon as possible. Having your own home will put your mind at ease."
“Yes, it’s time to buy a house. Ping’an’s health has really improved a lot after drinking the old Chinese medicine, and I feel so relieved.” Shuli smiled happily. “Now I can think about other things. I want to save more money to send my two children to university and buy a house so we can have our own home.”
It's often said that money is a man's courage, but isn't it also a woman's? It's precisely because she knows she can earn money that Shuli can speak with such confidence.
In the western part of the city, Old Man Ye and Old Woman Ye rushed to the city and inquired about Shu Jianyang's home everywhere. Regardless of whether anyone was home, they kept knocking on the door.
"Who are you looking for?" Shu Jianyang's door was closed, but the door next door was open.
"We're looking for the owner of this house," Grandma Ye said, crying as she saw the neighbors come out of the door. "This family is my ex-wife's brother. My ex-wife was heartless! She took the children with her when we divorced and never let us see them again. It's been over a year, and I still don't know where my little grandson and granddaughter are. What do they look like? Have they grown taller? Have they lost weight? My dear grandchildren! This is killing me!"
The neighbors knew Shu Jianyang and had a good relationship with him, so they were a little suspicious when they heard what the old lady said.
"Knocking on the door won't do any good; he's not home," the neighbor thought, trying to stall for time.
"Where is his company? Let's go to his company to find him. We really don't mean any harm, I just want to see my grandson and granddaughter."
Just as the neighbors were about to say they didn't know and ask them to come back next time, a woman from across the street came out and, looking reluctant, told the Ye family elders the address of Shu Jianyang's company.
Upon arriving at the company, the receptionist blocked the elderly couple from entering. Grandma Ye immediately sat down on the floor, slapping her thigh and crying, "Shuyan, come out! Even if you're divorced, you can't stop me from seeing my grandchildren! My darlings! It's been over a year since I last saw you! Grandma misses you so much! I wonder if you've lost weight? Grandma raised you from birth, and now that Grandma's not around, you must be crying for me! Oh, my darlings! My grandchildren!"
"Mr. Shu, an elderly couple has come looking for you. They say they are your sister's former in-laws and are demanding to see you. The old lady is currently making a scene downstairs."
Ye Zhiqiang's parents? Shu Jianyang raised an eyebrow. "I understand."
When Shu Jianyang met Ye Zhiqiang's parents, he was taken aback. Since Ye Zhiqiang became successful, the old couple had been incredibly energetic, and they looked at least 10 years older than they did last year.
"Uncle, Aunt, what are you two doing?" Shu Jianyang glanced at the people beside him. "You two, are you just going to watch the old lady sit on the ground? Quickly pull her up and help her sit down on the side."
When the person in charge came out, Old Lady Ye stopped making a fuss. She was still a little afraid of Shu Jianyang. What if he pushed her too far and sent someone to sneak into their house and kill her and her husband?
"I heard Shuyan is back, but what about my grandchildren? Where are they? Even if we're divorced, it doesn't mean we can't see our grandchildren. This is unacceptable no matter how far we go," Grandma Ye said anxiously.
“Auntie, you know what happened back then. Ye Zhiqiang didn’t want the children. You might not believe me if I told you, but it’s written in black and white. Go back and ask Ye Zhiqiang yourselves. Didn’t he also say that the children shouldn’t look for him in the future? So I really don’t understand why you’re making a fuss with me. If you want to make a fuss, go make a fuss with Ye Zhiqiang.”
"He agreed, but I didn't. You bunch of robbers deliberately sent your brother to take the child away, tricking Tianbao out of my life." Mentioning this, Old Lady Ye felt a pang of heartache. Who would have thought that the usually obedient and docile Shuyan would suddenly change so drastically.
"Grandma, you need evidence to back up your words. When did we lie to you? The child's mother misses her child, so what's wrong with asking her brother to take the child over to see him?" Shu Jianyang waved his hand. "I'm not going to waste my breath on you. If you have something to say, call Ye Zhiqiang out. If you keep causing trouble, I'll call the police."
Ye Zhiqiang actually knew they came to see Shu Jianyang today. He now deeply regrets giving his son to Shu Yan in the first place.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
