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墨書 Inktalez
Ye Xiaohan was completely unaware of the chaotic thoughts swirling in 6 Bei's mind. She had something more important to focus on: "The materials are all ready; now I just need to find a good location and secure a nice shop."
"I'll go with you," 6 Bei said, appearing calm as he moved closer, though his heart was racing.
"No need, I can go by myself. You wouldn't know what kind of shop I'm looking for anyway," Ye Xiaohan replied.
Noticing 6 Bei's disappointed expression, she quickly changed her mind. "I'll take a look around first. Once I narrow down the area, I'll ask you to accompany me. You're familiar with this place, and there will be plenty of things I’ll need your help with later."
Seeing that 6 Bei's mood improved a bit, she felt relieved.
Huh? Why was he unhappy? Did I really need to explain myself? Ye Xiaohan blinked in confusion, feeling somewhat puzzled.
However, she soon brushed off that feeling. After wandering around the streets for a while, Ye Xiaohan was utterly exhausted. Finding a suitable storefront was no easy task.
Either the rent was too high, far beyond what she could afford at the moment, or there were various issues that didn’t meet her requirements.
It seemed that finding a shop she liked would be quite challenging.
Ye Xiaohan prepared herself for a long battle; as the saying goes, sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the work of cutting wood. Some investment in basic infrastructure was indeed necessary.
Perhaps her open-mindedness caught the attention of fate. Just as Ye Xiaohan reached the third street, her eyes lit up.
There was a shop available for rent right in front of her, with a notice posted on the wall.
The storefront wasn’t large and was located at the end of the street—definitely not an ideal choice for most businesses. However, for Ye Xiaohan, this shop seemed tailor-made for her.
The size of the products she planned to sell didn’t require a large space; this shop was more than sufficient. Its modest area also meant that the rent wouldn’t be too high.
The shop faced a riverbank lined with weeping willows; once she put up a sign outside, it would have quite an elegant charm.
Moreover, this shop could barely be considered in the bustling city center, with heavy foot traffic that would facilitate initial promotion efforts.
Ye Xiaohan's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the shop like it was a massive gold nugget, envisioning mountains of wealth piling up inside.
She walked into the shop, where a lethargic clerk barely acknowledged her presence, offering only a casual greeting before leaving her to browse on her own.
Ye Xiaohan's eyes sparkled as she surveyed the space, not missing a single corner. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became, and she had already decided to rent the place.
"Brother, I'm not here to buy anything. I see that your shop is for rent, and I would like to discuss renting it. Please ask your owner to come out," Ye Xiaohan stated directly.
The clerk lazily glanced at her and replied weakly, "Our Shopkeeper is inside. If you want to see him, I'll go let him know."
He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "Miss, let me warn you first; this shop isn't in a great location, but the price is high. Look at our Shopkeeper; he lost quite a bit and is now eager to clear out this stock and move elsewhere. You might want to discuss it with your family before making a decision."
Ye Xiaohan looked at the large furniture and wooden carvings in the shop, feeling speechless.
Though she wasn't an expert in the home goods market, she had visited many major malls. Large items like furniture were hard to sell in ancient times when transportation was inconvenient. Tucked away in this corner and lacking a long-standing reputation, it was no wonder that customers rarely stopped by.
She kept these thoughts to herself. First, this place truly wasn't suitable for selling furniture; second, she had worked hard to find a shop she liked and was determined to secure it! If she revealed her reasons, who knew if the Shopkeeper would take advantage of the situation and raise the price? Why complicate things for herself?
With a quick shift in strategy, Ye Xiaohan decided to play the role of an inexperienced newcomer. "Thank you for the warning, but I really like this shop. It's clean and refreshing inside, and it faces the river outside, which makes it quite cool."
"Suit yourself. I've done what I can; it's up to you now. If you end up losing money, it's not my concern," the clerk yawned and slowly made his way inside to find the Shopkeeper.
It was unclear whether he always acted this way or if it was simply due to the shop's long-standing lack of business that even the clerk seemed disinterested.
Her curiosity faded quickly; these matters were not within Ye Xiaohan's focus. She calculated her family's savings and estimated the rent for the shop, frowning slightly.
It seemed she was still short by a bit.
The Shopkeeper soon emerged, contrasting sharply with the clerk's demeanor. Bursting with energy, he greeted her with a broad smile and said repeatedly, "Miss, please have a seat! Please sit!" He then turned to the clerk and scolded him, "You didn't even bring any tea? How do you do your job? Oh dear, I've really hit rock bottom hiring someone like you."
After finishing his tirade, he turned back with a smile. "Miss, you're interested in renting my shop? You truly have an eye for quality! Just look at this place—great location with plenty of foot traffic! If I weren't moving for personal reasons, I wouldn't dream of renting it out!"
The Shopkeeper wore an expression that suggested Ye Xiaohan was incredibly lucky to have found his shop. She nearly laughed out loud, especially wanting to tell him that his clerk had already spilled all his secrets.
She suppressed a laugh and haggled with the Shopkeeper, "That's not it. If this shop weren't good, would I have taken a liking to it at first glance? However, Shopkeeper, it's not that I'm picky, but your shop really isn't in a prime location. It can't compare to those truly bustling stores. Plus, the space is too small; you can't fit many items in here."
After expressing her regrets about the shop's shortcomings, she feigned indecision.
The Shopkeeper was well aware of his shop's deficiencies. The notice outside had been posted for several months, and now that a seemingly naive woman had stumbled in, he was eager to make a deal quickly.
The two of them went back and forth, negotiating for quite some time. The Shopkeeper's saliva had dried up, but Ye Xiaohan remained steadfast. Meanwhile, an assistant leaned against the counter, bored, wiping the table with a cloth.
Eventually, they finally settled on a rental price that both parties could accept.
The Shopkeeper wiped his sweat and remarked, "Miss, I didn't expect you to be so capable; you have a knack for business. I'm not trying to profit off you; let's meet halfway. This price is truly the lowest I can offer. I'm in a hurry to leave, and seeing your sincerity, otherwise this price wouldn't have been possible."
Ye Xiaohan calculated in her mind. She had done some digging beforehand, and this price was indeed surprising to her. However, with her savings, she still fell short.
First, she needed to secure the shop; she would figure out how to gather the money later. Gritting her teeth, Ye Xiaohan said, "Alright, I see that you're an honest man, Shopkeeper. Let's settle on this. However, I can't gather that much money right away; I'll need to trouble you to wait for three days. After three days, I'll have enough money and we can finalize the deal then."
"Fine then, it's settled. I'll hold the shop for you. But you need to act quickly; if someone else snatches it away before you come back, don't blame me for being untrustworthy," the Shopkeeper agreed and made his intentions clear.
As she stepped out of the shop, Ye Xiaohan lowered her head in thought about where she could find some extra money to cover the remaining rent.
"Ouch!" She was so lost in thought that she bumped into someone. Ye Xiaohan took a step back and apologized, "Are you alright? I wasn't paying attention; I'm really sorry."
A bright voice rang out above her head: "It's nothing. It was Liu who bumped into Miss Ye; please forgive me."
Hmm? Who is this person? How does he know my surname? Ye Xiaohan instantly became wary. She had witnessed the local customs before; if it weren't for encountering 6 Bei, she might have already been in serious trouble.
Moreover, she had no idea how many messes the original owner had caused; it was better to be cautious.
Ye Xiaohan discreetly assessed the man before her. He looked quite handsome but unfamiliar—she didn't recognize him at all. Judging by his attire, he seemed like a wealthy young master from a well-off family, someone beyond the social circle of the original owner.
Feigning casualness, she smiled and said, "It's fine, it's fine. There are many people here; it's easy to bump into each other. As long as you don't hold it against me, young master, I'll take my leave."
Before fully grasping the original owner's life trajectory and truly establishing herself here, dealing with such upper-class individuals was a troublesome affair that she could not afford to provoke. If she encountered one, it was best to leave quickly.
Yet, the man remained standing in front of her, seemingly oblivious. Ye Xiaohan could not walk straight ahead and planned to bypass him.
Just as she moved, he blocked her path. "Miss Ye," he said, "there are many people here. Would you mind stepping over to the tea house? There are some matters I would like to discuss with you."
Ye Xiaohan pondered for a moment, uncertain of his intentions. Judging by his demeanor, if she refused, he likely would not let it go easily. It might be better to go along; perhaps she could gather some information.
Seeing her agree, he led her into a tastefully decorated tea house. Since arriving here, Ye Xiaohan had only experienced simple meals and had been living a rather ordinary life. It had been a long time since she had visited such high-end entertainment venues.
She reminisced about the days spent enjoying afternoon tea at coffee shops, quietly sighing as she surveyed the tea room.
To others, her actions appeared as those of a naive country woman who was lost in the city. The attendant behind the gentleman displayed a look of disdain, but withdrew it after receiving a glance from his master.
"Please get straight to the point. My family has been busy lately, and I need to return soon," Ye Xiaohan said, deliberately avoiding directly addressing his identity for fear that he might truly be an acquaintance of the original owner.
The man replied, "I apologize for my oversight. Miss Ye may not know me yet; this is our first meeting. My name is Liu Yuan."
The attendant scoffed, "My master is the son of the Governor; he is very knowledgeable—who doesn't know him?"
Ye Xiaohan silently praised the attendant in her heart. Thank you, brother; that was quite a thorough addition.
So this man did not know the original owner after all, which spared her some trouble. However, this only deepened her confusion. "May I ask why the son of the Governor seeks out a village woman like me?"
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