Perfumery

81-90

Chapter 81 Renting a Shop

Since Cheng Wenren had already started helping him find a shop, Bai Xin returned home and told his family about his intention to rent a shop.

The Bai family members are all content with their fate. They are very satisfied with the money they make now, so they dare not think about renting a shop. They were all shocked after hearing this, fearing that they would lose money. Fortunately, now that they have seen Bai Xin's ability, they have followed his lead. They forced themselves to swallow their objections and looked at Cao. Cao had a sad face and opened and closed her mouth. In the end, she asked without any confidence, "Renting a shop will cost a lot of money, right?"

She was not blindly opposed. Bai Xin was already very satisfied. He hurried over and grabbed his mother's hand, as if to give her strength, "Mom, now I have made a name for myself. I just regret that I only have a small stall. I may not be favored by those wealthy ladies. If I open a shop, the business will be more formal, and the place I choose will be more convenient." The place is also prosperous, with people coming and going, so why worry about no business?"

Mrs. Cao was not very smart. Seeing that her son made money to support the big family, she gave up her power and let him be the head of the family. But she couldn't help but worry and asked a question or two, but Bai Xin comforted her with a few words. She felt relieved and didn't forget to instruct, "If you want to rent a shop, I don't object, but you must choose a busy place for the location and storefront, and ask the neighbors in advance to see if the feng shui is good and whether there are any taboos. Don't think that they are all crowded areas, some shops are not good, maybe they conflict with something, just like the 'Zhen Wantang' in our town used to have customers on both sides, but his shop was deserted, as if the plague god was haunting it. This means there is no fortune."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Bai Xin smiled and agreed one by one.

A few days later, Cheng Wenren wrote back. He was smiling and looked very proud. When he met Bai Xin, he told him everything, "I've arranged it for you, I've arranged it. The shop is on Panlou Street, surrounded by prosperity and bustling people. It's next to Panlou Hotel. The market closes at 5 a.m. every day. Further east, there is a ghost market where lights are lit at 5 a.m. and close at dawn. I know you sell rouge and powder. To the south of that place is Sangjia Wazi, and to the north is Zhongwa and Cili Wa. There are more than 50 stalls of various sizes, as well as brothels, all the way to Xincheng."

Bai Xin's eyes widened when he heard this, but he felt a little timid and didn't even dare to ask the price.

Cheng Wenren didn't notice Bai Xin's slightly distorted facial features, and continued to talk incessantly, "And the rent there is not expensive. The previous shop sold quail, rabbit, pigeon and other wild game, but someone died a while ago, so they had to close down. Immediately, several companies targeted them, but some people are afraid of bad luck, and it's not good to sell food again after someone died before. I thought you sell rouge and powder, and repainting, it's not something to be eaten, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Bai Xin seemed to be worried, having heard him say that the rent was not expensive. It was understandable that the two of them had different concepts about money. But the other party didn't say how much it was, but just kept talking about this and that. Bai Xin really wanted to pry open his mouth and take out the specific price.

"It's a three-story building. The first floor is a storefront, and the second and third floors can be used for living. Your whole family can be accommodated." Cheng Wenren had prepared enough, and finally stretched out two fingers to compare, "The rent is only two hundred and forty taels a year."

Although Bai Xin was mentally prepared, he was shocked when he heard the price. Two hundred and forty taels was almost the annual salary of a small official, and the price was more than ten times the house they were renting now. He liked that place in his heart, but the money saved in his family was only about one hundred taels in total, not to mention the money he had to set aside to repaint the shop and buy spices.

He was reluctant to leave, but he had no choice but to refuse.

Cheng Wenren saw his intention and said hurriedly, "Don't give up so quickly. I have talked to the owner. He said that the minimum payment can be made quarterly, and the money can be paid back every three months. It only takes 60 taels each time. Just pay it on the agreed time."

"Can it really be paid quarterly?" Bai Xin's eyes lit up when he heard this, and his mind became active. If he paid 60 taels of silver each time, the money under his hands would be more flexible. Although the investment is large, he had earned nearly 100 taels of silver in a few months when he set up a stall before. It doesn't make sense that if he has a formal stall of 800 taels of silver, it would be worse than before.

Cheng Wenren also laughed with him, "Of course, my family and that person are also familiar with each other, so this matter is no problem."

Bai Xin didn't know how to thank him, and immediately made an appointment to go to that street in the evening.

At night, Panlou Street was indeed bustling, with magnificent buildings, clothing, calligraphy and painting, rhinoceros jade, rare animals, and everything else. Not far away were big and small tile shops, singing and dancing, and it was very lively.

Cheng Wenren pointed to a shop with a closed door and said, "This is it. You can refer to the layout of the other shops." After that, he pointed upwards and said, "The second and third floors can be used for living. There are about seven or eight rooms on the two floors. If they are idle, they can be used as warehouses."

Bai Xin took the opportunity to look at the layout of the jade shop next door. He liked the square, bright and regular house. He also saw that the shops were doing a booming business, welcoming and seeing off customers, and he was 80% sure that this was the place.

"This place is really good, but can you give me a day to think about it? I'll give you an answer tomorrow morning."

Cheng Wenren nodded, "Such an important matter must be considered carefully."

After he finished speaking, he pointed to the front and said, "I'll take you to my shop for a look."

Bai Xin obeyed respectfully and followed him strolling forward. After walking for about an incense stick of time, he saw a large satin shop in front of him. It was very imposing, with an ancient signboard that read "Jinxiu Cloth Shop" hanging upright above it. When a waiter inside saw Cheng Wenren, he hurried out to greet him and respectfully called him "Second Young Master."

Cheng Wenren smiled indifferently, "You go and do your work, I'll take my friend to have a look."

The guy nodded and bowed in response, secretly glanced at Bai Xin, with a strange expression, and you don't need to guess that he was wondering why his son had made such a poor friend so long ago.

Bai Xin looked around casually and saw all kinds of silks and satins, with exquisite and beautiful patterns and bright colors. Even Bai Xin couldn't help wanting to buy a piece of cloth to make clothes at home.

At night, Bai Xin returned home. He and Cheng Wenren had some wine, and now he was a little drunk. His elder sister hurriedly prepared a bowl of sobering soup for him. After Bai Xin drank it, he sobered up a lot. He couldn't stop smiling and excitedly told his family about the new shop. Although he was still drunk, he knew that he couldn't tell them how much rent he wanted, so he just said it was a hundred or so taels of silver.

Everyone heard it, gasped, sucked their teeth, and sighed, saying that the capital city was really expensive. Bai Xin swallowed a mouthful of sobering soup, looked at everyone's reaction, and thought that if he told them the actual price, they would be scared to death.

Cao and the others knew that this place was found by Cheng Wenren, and that they could pay quarterly, so they felt relieved, and kept praising him, and prayed for the Bodhisattva to bless him.

Bai Xin thought carefully for a night, and felt that there was nothing wrong with the place, and that there might be no such shop after this village, so the next morning he told Cheng Wenren that he wanted to rent the shop.

Cheng Wenren was also overjoyed, as if he was going to open a shop, and he hurriedly ran around and contacted the owner of the shop. Both parties wanted to do it as soon as possible, so the next day, with Cheng Wenren as a witness, Bai Xin and the owner signed the lease, which stipulated a one-year lease, but specified quarterly payments. After it was written, the three of them signed and sealed, and each kept a copy.

The landlord's surname was Xie. He had a broad face and a square mouth. He was always smiling and eloquent. After taking the sixty taels of silver, he put it in his arms without even looking at it, and praised Bai Xin vigorously. "Bai Sanlang looks honest and loyal. He is also a friend introduced by Second Young Master Cheng. I feel relieved to rent the shop to you. I heard that you sell rouge and powder, so you won't make my house full of smoky air. I would like to wish Bai Sanlang a prosperous business in advance. When the shop opens, I will ask for a glass of wine to celebrate with you." "

Bai Xin quickly crossed his hands in agreement. After the landlord left, Bai Xin couldn't help but ask suspiciously, "Did this guy really not even look at the money?"

Cheng Wenren waved his fan violently, covering half of his face. "He has a lot of houses under his control, so he probably doesn't care. Besides, you are my friend. Does he worry that you have mixed fake silver with it?"

Bai Xin thought about it, and maybe the other party really did it for Cheng Wenren's sake, so he just ignored this little thing and focused on the shop. Because this shop used to sell food, it was indeed a bit dirty, with a greasy and black roof, and there was not a single piece of furniture left in the house. I heard that the previous owner was involved in a lawsuit, so he had to sell everything that could be sold in the shop, which made it easier for Bai Xin to clean up.

He did not dare to delay. If he delayed for a day, he would just burn money. He hurried out, thinking that he would have to hire someone to repaint the shop, order some furniture, make signs, and stock up on goods. He bowed to Cheng Wenren apologetically and said, "Thank you for your help this time, Brother Wenren. When my shop opens, I will definitely treat you to a drink at Panlou Hotel. But I really have something else to plan today." Cheng

Wenren knew that it was not easy for him to make money, so he did not bother him. Instead, he urged him to leave quickly and said that if he encountered any trouble, he could go to the Jinxiu Cloth Shop in front to find him.

Bai Xin locked the shop and left in a flash.

Cheng Wenren also walked to his shop at a leisurely pace. When he returned to Jinxiu Cloth Shop, Mr. Xie was waiting for him. "Second Master Cheng, you are back."

After saying that, he took out the cloth bag from his arms, which was exactly the sixty taels of silver that Bai Xin had just given him. He handed it over and said, "Second Master Cheng, please keep it. I haven't touched a penny of this money."

Cheng Wenren took it and put it on the table beside him without even looking at it. He crossed his arms and said solemnly, "Mr. Xie, thank you very much for this time."

"No, no, I didn't do anything. You paid the rent in advance, Second Young Master. I just cooperated with you. It's not even a small effort." He said, and looked at Cheng Wenren again. Seeing that he was smiling, he couldn't help asking, "But I don't understand. Since that person is a good friend of Second Young Master, why don't you tell him directly so that he knows that he owes you a favor? Otherwise, how would he know that the shops on Panlou Street pay less, let alone quarterly payments, even if they pay yearly." Speaking of

Bai Xin, Cheng Wenren felt proud. Proud, with a smile on his face, "He doesn't like to owe favors to others, and he does things according to the rules. Even if he likes your shop, he won't ask others for money if he can't afford it. I will help him if I can, and it's best if no one knows about it, so he won't have any grudges in his heart."

After hearing this, Mr. Xie was convinced, as if he remembered something, and couldn't help but sigh: "Second Master Cheng treats his friends sincerely. Which businessman in this world doesn't put profit first? People like Second Master are really rare."