Chapter 485 Old Shop
News of Manager Wan of Xinglong Restaurant catching a cold quickly spread.
Many people went to Xinglong Restaurant to visit but found no one there. They wanted to visit Manager Wan at his home, but felt it was not proper etiquette.
However, some people went to Manager Wan's residence but did not see him.
Wan Qiqi, under the pretense of being sick and recuperating at home, took Wu Gousheng to wander around the town.
Of course, she wasn't idle; she was preparing for the opening of a girls' school.
To open a girls' school, one must first find a suitable location.
Guided by Uncle Xiang to the marked storefront for rent, she led Wu Gousheng through the streets and alleys.
I walked from one street to another, past many shops and houses, but still couldn't find a suitable place.
The school should not be located in a bustling area, nor should it be too conspicuous.
Nowadays, it's hard to say how many people we can recruit. We can't choose a house that's too big, otherwise the expenses will be too high, but it can't be too small either.
The ones I've seen are either too luxurious, with high rents and unsuitable for studying, or too dilapidated and needing renovation.
The two wandered the streets for several hours but still couldn't find a suitable place. They sat down at a noodle stall on the street, intending to observe the situation before making a decision.
Wu Gousheng wiped the sweat from his forehead and, seeing that Wan Qiqi's face was rather pale, said, "Sister Qi, why don't you go back and rest first? Leave the house-finding to me."
Wan Qiqi shook her head and said, "Do you know what I want?"
"I don't know, but you can tell me, and I'll help you look. I'm sure I can find something suitable." Wu Gousheng patted his chest, indicating his confidence.
Although Wan Qiqi nodded, she did not answer Wu Gousheng's question, but instead looked around at the situation.
Blindly searching like this is not a solution; walking around is tiring and can be exhausting.
She glanced at the noodle vendor, waved to him, and said, "Bring me a pot of tea." As she spoke, she placed a small piece of silver in his hand.
"Why do you need so much when eating noodles and drinking tea?" Wu Gousheng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Upon seeing this, the vendor beamed with delight, accepted the loose silver, and brought over a pot of tea. He bent down to pour water for Wan Qiqi, saying, "Madam, you have an extraordinary air about you. Why would you come to a humble stall like ours?"
"I'm looking for a shop or house nearby to store some things. Ideally, it should be easy to find but not too conspicuous," Wan Qiqi said casually, glancing around a few times.
Upon hearing this, the vendor's smile froze for a moment.
Wan Qiqi noticed this, smiled, and said, "Don't worry, I won't do anything illegal! I'm just looking for a good place to stock up on the things I need for my restaurant."
She tapped her fingers lightly on the table and said, "You're in business too, so you know there are some things you can't let other companies know, otherwise how will you make money?"
The vendor's eyes showed a hint of surprise.
He had assumed she was a lady from out of town who was preparing to buy a house, but it turned out she was a restaurant owner.
He looked around curiously again and muttered, "It's actually becoming fashionable for women to open restaurants now?"
This man was unaware that the person in front of him was the female manager of Xinglong Restaurant, whom he was referring to.
Wan Qiqi smiled faintly and said, "I wonder if this young man knows of any good houses nearby that could meet my needs?"
The merchant, having received the money and knowing the other party's high status, dared not be negligent and said, "Turn right at the intersection ahead, there is an old shop. I heard that the owner's family has encountered some trouble and he is in a hurry to sell. It has been three months and the sign is still hanging. Madam, you can go and take a look."
Wan Qiqi and Wu Gousheng followed the vendor's directions and indeed found the old shop among a row of shops.
This shop is particularly eye-catching because all the shops on either side have been renovated.
But because it's old, not many people visit or are willing to step into this building.
Compared to the shops I looked at before, this one does meet many of the criteria.
Wu Gousheng frowned slightly as he looked at the old shop and said, "Sister Qi, we can find this house ourselves. Isn't it a loss to give that merchant so much silver?"
Wan Qiqi thought about it and realized that she was indeed at a disadvantage.
However, sometimes if you want to find a shortcut, you have to use special methods.
She turned to Wu Gousheng and said, "Gousheng, remember this: when our business grows bigger, you'll need to learn how to manage your subordinates. Loyal people won't need you to do these things; but only by giving them benefits will they become more loyal to you."
"Oh." Wu Gousheng pursed his lips, not understanding what this had to do with the merchants. They were completely unrelated.
Wan Qiqi didn't mention the vendors. She walked up the steps and knocked on the old door.
After a while, there was still no sound from inside.
Wu Gousheng couldn't help but say, "Sister Qi, that merchant isn't playing a trick on us, is he...?"
Before he could finish speaking, the shop door was suddenly opened, and a middle-aged man with a full beard walked out.
With just one glance, Wu Gousheng felt that the visitor had ill intentions.
He felt that this man was not like a shopkeeper at all, but more like a bandit, with a bandit-like air about him.
"What do you want?" The stubble-faced man glared at Wu Gousheng, his tone tinged with displeasure, as if something good had been interrupted.
"Sir, we're here to look at the shop..."
A clear and pleasant female voice came from the side, attracting the bearded man's attention.
The bearded man paused for a moment when he saw Wan Qiqi, a sly glint in his eyes. His cold expression quickly transformed into a smile as he said, "Oh, so you're here to look at the shop, young lady! Come in, please!"
Wu Gousheng sensed something was wrong with this person, so he immediately grabbed Wan Qiqi's arm and pulled her a few steps to the side, whispering, "Sister Qi, I think there's something wrong with this person!"
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