Chapter 229: Renting A Shop
This time entering Yumian Tower without seeing Ye Beiyao, after bidding farewell to Shopkeeper Zhu, Luo Zhi’er and the others hurried to the morning market.
In the crowded market, she bought several hundred jin of high-quality sweet potato seeds, soybeans, and also many vegetable seedlings, vegetable seeds…
After eating lunch, Luo Zhi’er walked ahead, while Li Sanmao pulled Miaomiao and followed behind.
Thinking that Shopkeeper Zhu had given his wife thirty taels of silver in the morning, Li Sanmao’s heart skipped a beat; just selling one dried tofu house was thirty taels, and he didn’t know what his wife was thinking at this moment.
“Husband, I plan to open a bread shop, what do you think?”
Suddenly, his wife spoke to him…
“Wife, this is a good thing. You’ve had this idea before, but opening a shop requires quite a bit of silver. The silver that Shopkeeper Zhu gave just now is considerable, but we just bought the foundation and you still plan to build a house. For opening a shop, maybe we should hold off a bit longer…”
For some reason, whenever it came to such matters, Li Sanmao always felt helplessly inferior.
Because opening a shop, buying land plots, and building houses all cost big money!
To put it bluntly, silver is what gives confidence!
“Just say if you support it or not?”
“Do I even need to say it?”
“Then it’s settled!”
Turning around, they went to the house trading place in town, found an agent, who took them to see five storefronts.
West Main Street, Xi Shui Street, East Main Street, over on Chunxi Road, and on this main street with Yumian Tower…
In the end, Luo Zhi’er settled on one near Yumian Tower, because she was certain her bread shop needed to build a bakery room, and not just sell bread; in the future, it would also sell beverages, best able to rival that modern afternoon tea, with space inside to place books, so she chose a place with beautiful surroundings where guests could sit and look at the street view, feeling that resting for a moment was an enjoyment…
Although Li Sanmao didn’t know his wife’s specific plans, he was very cooperative, giving plenty of advice and help in finding the agent, negotiating prices, and looking at houses.
Since it was a central location, the price was naturally not cheap, even outrageously expensive; this one needed at least 60-80 square meters!
So, when the agent said the owner required a monthly rent of twenty taels, and it was to be paid upfront for four months, three months’ rent plus one month’s deposit.
That meant just the rent alone was 80 taels; she still had to hire workers for renovation, material costs—without at least a hundred taels, it was absolutely impossible.
Li Sanmao’s face flushed red, wanting to pull Luo Zhi’er away, but Luo Zhi’er touched her money bag; fortunately, she was prepared. “No problem, please go notify the owner; we’re willing to sign the contract!”
“Husband, you and Miaomiao wait here for the landlady; I’ll be right back!” Striking while the iron is hot, Luo Zhi’er didn’t explain to him and took her seal and deposit slip to the money house.
Since she had agreed outright to rent the house, the agent happily ran off to fetch the owner to sign the contract; after all, he could take a 40% commission!
Li Sanmao waited helplessly.
When Luo Zhi’er returned with the silver, that old woman landlady immediately showed contempt.
She had thought this time the client with the lion’s mouth opening was a boss, but seeing this husband and wife dressed like countryside folk…
After sizing up Li Sanmao, she was very disappointed; panic in his eyes—this didn’t look like a boss or shopkeeper at all?
When she saw Luo Zhi’er, she immediately became worried; this couple completely lacked the demeanor of wealthy masters or madames! Would they be able to pay the rent in the future? She didn’t want to end up in court over collecting rent!
“Hehe, may I ask where you two are from?”
“Landlady, we’re from Zhao Li Village. I’m Li Sanmao, and she’s Luo Zhi’er!”
“What? You live in a village? … Do you have any private property in town?”
“Uh… no.”
“Then what business do you plan to do?”
Li Sanmao awkwardly glanced at his wife, wanting to say baked bread, but Luo Zhi’er cut in: “Food business.”
“What food?”
“It’s a new food I’ve developed; sorry, I can’t disclose specifics yet!”
After all, food also needed to seize the first-mover advantage; with the shop not yet open, she couldn’t reveal it.
Aunt Li’s face darkened; this little Ding was interrupting her playing leaf cards.
“I say, Agent Ding, can you be reliable? What kind of people are you introducing to me, Aunt Granny?”
Ridiculous—just-developed food; would it have issues? Could it make money?
“Cough… Aunt Li, rest assured, this Brother Li and his niangzi are very reliable. We’ve cooperated for so many years; don’t you trust my judgment?”
“Hmph, fine then, Aunt Granny will trust you this once, but if there’s a problem later, you’ll take responsibility!”
This house had been vacant for months due to the high rent; last time there was even a lawsuit, and it took over half a year to get the rent. With someone finally willing to rent, she didn’t want to waste the resource.
“Ah, this…”
Agent Ding was a bit scared this time too; though his first impression was that Li Sanmao and Luo Zhi’er seemed decent, if there was a problem, the compensation per the contract was real silver—not a small amount. He didn’t want to pay out silver…
Wouldn’t that make him a sucker?
“Hehe, how about this, Luo Niangzi: do you know anyone in town? We’d like him to be a guarantor, what do you think…”
Luo Zhi’er had run around quite a bit today, and after checking, this shop’s location was good; she didn’t want to lose it. Since that’s the case, she’d fight for it!
“Alright then, you all wait first; I’ll go figure something out!”
The acquaintance needed to have status; Luo Zhi’er ran to the neighboring Yumian Tower. Inside, Shopkeeper Zhu was at the front sending off guests; seeing her run in sweating profusely, he came forward.
“Eh, Luo Niangzi, is something wrong?”
“Oh, hehe, no, Uncle Zhu. Actually, I have something I’d like to trouble you with…”
“Oh? What is it? Speak directly.”
“It’s like this: I want to sell baked bread in town and need to rent a house, but the landlady doesn’t trust me and Sanmao, so I want to ask you to be our guarantor!”
“Hehe, so that’s it—a small matter. Wait a moment; I’ll instruct the waiter and go with you.”
Shopkeeper Zhu stroked his beard, eyes full of smiles. Doing business in town without connections really wouldn’t work; the baked bread business was bound to be a hit. He wasn’t worried she couldn’t earn money—in fact, he was a bit disappointed that morning when she said she wasn’t selling for now!
The assets in this Luo Niangzi’s hands, just those he’d handled, probably exceeded a few hundred taels.
When that Aunt Li saw the arrival was the shopkeeper of Yumian Tower from not far next door, her mood instantly improved; she hurried forward, changing her facial expression.
“Aiya, it’s Shopkeeper Zhu of Yumian Tower! Who else could it be? I say, Luo Niangzi, you should have said so earlier! What guarantor do we need? With Shopkeeper Zhu vouching, I’m completely at ease, hahaha!”
“Hehe, Aunt Li, since signing a contract has its rules, let’s follow the rules.” Shopkeeper Zhu said steadily.
“Since Shopkeeper Zhu insists, then I won’t stand on ceremony.”
Back and forth, they signed the contract, pressed handprints, paid the rent, and before going home, with Shopkeeper Zhu’s help, found workers for the renovation.
Luo Zhi’er explained her renovation requirements and style to their foreman first, then drew the blueprint at Foreman Wu’s place.
Had to sigh that having acquaintances in town made things efficient and reliable!
…
