stingy landlady

Chapter 121 Revisiting the Plants and Trees (1)

In the past two days, Madam Qian and her brother have looked at many shops through brokerage firms. The rent for a good location is several tens of taels of silver a month, while the rent for a smaller, more remote shop is at least ten taels of silver.

It was nothing like the spacious shops nestled among the grass and trees! The secluded shops were dirty, old, and dilapidated!

The broker said:

"Sir, every shop owner has to renovate it themselves before renting it out!"

The key is that the rent here is cheap! I repainted it myself and replaced some tables and chairs, and it still looks brand new!

Ms. Qian felt heartbroken.

"Little brother! Let's go back and discuss this with your brother-in-law again!"

The two discussed it on the way.

"Sister! You didn't like it? This place is in town, after all! It's normal for the rent to be high! Besides, what the broker said is right, if you rent a shop, you'll definitely have to renovate it to make it look brand new!"

"Little brother! The shop in Caomujian is spacious and bright! Everything is brand new! My eldest brother has four daughters, but no sons! Who knows who they'll end up with! I don't care if they're far away, but this is right here, and if it gets given to someone else, I'll never be happy about it!"

No way! Send your brother-in-law back to his older brother! Mrs. Li is easily swayed! I'll go back and put in a good word for her! I'll have her whisper sweet nothings in her ear!

If your brother-in-law and I can establish ourselves among the grass and trees, and if we ever make some money, we'll definitely help you out!

After the Qian siblings parted ways, the younger brother went home to discuss the shop with his elderly mother.

"The cheapest shop is a bit far from the main street of town! It's dilapidated and old and needs to be renovated! We need to buy new tables, chairs and benches! The rent is ten taels a month, payable in full for a year! After much pleading, they finally agreed to pay every six months! I don't even know if the business will be good! The initial investment will be at least seventy or eighty taels of silver!"

Old Mrs. Qian muttered:

"I don't know what got into your sister! She's made a little money and she's completely out of her mind! What's with all this talk about coming from so far away?"

"Mother! That's setting your sights too high!"

"Yes! My youngest son knows more characters! Your sister is just too ambitious. Doesn't she see that making boxed lunches is a good job?"

Why do you have to open a shop?! You have so much capital! If you lose it all, you'll have nowhere to turn to cry!

"My dear son! We're not getting involved! There are so many of us in our family, we can't afford to lose money! The little bit of money we make selling boxed lunches—your family spends some, your older brother's family spends some, and then there's my and your father's living expenses! There's practically nothing left!"

"Mom! My sister said that my eldest brother built his big house because he made money from opening a shop! And he only had four daughters! Hehe! My sister is thinking of saving every penny she can! Hehehe!"

"Your sister's mind is all crooked! Eating offspring is so delicious! Many people end up fighting tooth and nail over it! With your sister's small frame, forget it!"

Don't let the enemy suffer a thousand casualties while you suffer eight hundred casualties yourself!

My dear son, let me tell you! Your sister is very strong-willed! That's your brother-in-law's family matter! You're not allowed to get involved! Not only will you not get anything in return, but you might also ruin yourself!

Brother Qian nodded.

"Mom! I know! I just thought I could help my sister, so I helped her out as well! I won't let my brother-in-law know!"

With her mind entirely focused on the plants and trees, Qian Shi took advantage of Wang Yifei's absence from his business trip to hand over the boxed lunches to her younger brother to sell. She sent her son to the private school and then, with her daughter in tow, went to the plant and tree farm with Wang Yifei!

When Wang Yifei first came to Caomujian, from the outside it looked like an antique wooden house with the three big characters "Caomujian" written on the plaque!

Simple and unadorned! It gives people a sense of tranquility and rustic beauty!

Inside the shop, however, was bustling with activity, with groups of three or five students sitting around tables, discussing academic matters or enjoying the food. Upon closer inspection, Wang Yifei was utterly dumbfounded.

Wang Yiyun was skillfully packing dumplings into the food box and collecting coins. Was this still the old lady's precious treasure? She was afraid it would melt if she held it in her mouth, and afraid it would fall if she held it in her hands?

Is this still the same fifth brother who was always engrossed in his books, reciting classical Chinese phrases every day, seemingly detached from worldly affairs?

Wang Yifei and his two companions stepped forward and called out, "Fifth Brother!"

Wang Yiyun looked up and saw Wang Yifei, and asked in surprise:

"Third Brother! Third Sister-in-law? Xiaoli? What brings you here? Haven't you eaten yet? Guizhi! Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law are here!"

Guizhi heard Wang Yiyun call her and came over to see Wang Yifei and his family of three. She asked:

"Third Uncle! Third Aunt! Little Li! You're here! Haven't eaten yet? What would you like to eat? I'll serve you!"

"Dad, Mom! I want to eat dumplings!"

Madam Qian looked at Guizhi, who was dressed in the same coarse cloth clothes that were neither new nor old, just like when she last came! Then she looked at her youngest daughter, who was wearing a peach-pink embroidered chrysanthemum-patterned brocade dress and a peach-pink silk flower in her hair. Her every word and smile revealed the delicate charm of a young girl!

Looking closer, Guizhi was not wearing any ornaments, while Guixiang and Guihong were wearing silk flowers and silver earrings.

But both of them were dressed in coarse cloth! Looking at herself, she was wearing a light blue brocade skirt with begonia-patterned floral design, and touched her newly bought cloisonné cloud-shaped hairpin. Qian thought to herself:

"What's the use of Li Shi having so much money if she's unwilling to spend it and doesn't know how to dress up her daughter?"

Wang Yifei had already taken his daughter to eat dumplings on the side, and Qian was about to go around behind the counter to help.

"Fifth brother! Those hands of yours are for holding books and pens! Let your third sister-in-law do these rough jobs!"

Guizhi handed Wang Yiyun's special food box to him from behind and said to the two of them:

"Third Aunt! You don't need to come over! You and Third Uncle go eat dumplings, and Fifth Uncle goes too! We don't need that many people here!"

Fifth Uncle! Your fun of filling dumplings and collecting coins is over! Go and have dinner with Third Uncle and Third Aunt!

At the dinner table, Wang Yifei asked Wang Yiyun:

"Fifth brother! Why haven't I heard you mention that eldest brother and the others have a shop here?"

"Hehe! Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law! It hasn't been open for very long!"

Third Brother, did you see the plaque at the entrance? "Amidst Grass and Trees," doesn't it sound nice?

Amidst the grass and trees, half a day of leisure in this fleeting life!

Later they changed their mind and said they wanted to make fast food, which would appeal to both refined and popular tastes!

Wang Yiyun was smug!

Mr. Qian asked:

"Fifth brother! Did you build the house yourself? It looks brand new everywhere!"

Wang Yiyun nodded and replied:

"My older brother thought his nieces were exposed to the wind and rain while selling boxed lunches, so he originally wanted to build a shed to shelter them from the wind and rain! But then the contractor said that building it as a house or shop would keep it warm in winter and cool in summer!"

The eldest brother dotes on his daughters, and that's how Caomujian came about!

Looking at the thriving business among the plants, Qian asked again:

"Fifth brother! Big brother's business is so good! He must have made a lot of money! Otherwise, how could the family have built such a nice house!"

Wang Yiyun shook her head and said:

"Third sister-in-law knows me! I only focus on studying the classics; I've never paid attention to anything else!"

Wang Yifei deliberately rolled his eyes at Qian Shi before saying:

"You too! Fifth Brother studies at the academy every day! How could he possibly know anything about Eldest Brother's family affairs! Instead of asking him so many questions, you should go home and ask Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law!"