The Wealthy Eldest Sister Rules Supreme

“Right, you’re going to need a few days to clean this shop. So, let’s say you start renting from next month, and we don’t charge for this month.”

“Oh, and my nephew at home knows how to build stoves. If you need one, I can get him to build it for you. No charge, just feed him a meal.”

“And don’t worry about your business. I’ll be sure to be a frequent customer and will also bring in more people for you…”

“Sure, thanks Aunt…” With successive thank-yous, Zhuang Qingning and Mrs. Deng went to the bookstore next door, got Manager Liu to write the rental agreement, and they both left their fingerprints. The shop’s now leased officially.

“Here’s your key. If there’s anything missing in the backyard, feel free to take it if it’s in my house. Don’t hesitate!”

Handing over the key with a face full of smiles, Mrs. Deng, who had just obtained the first year’s rent, was delighted.

“Okay,” Zhuang Qingning nodded in agreement.

“Alright, you go ahead with your work. I’ll head home. Call me if anything comes up.” Mrs. Deng made off cheerfully with the silver coins.

“Take care, aunt.” Zhuang Qingning laughed and watched as Mrs. Deng left the shop.

“She’s all excited about your payments. Wouldn’t it be better if you let her go off a bit faster? I can tell she’s thinking about rushing home for a good meal to celebrate this deal.

Zhang Yongchang sighed heavily and gave Zhuang Qingning a glance.

“Well, I did agree to such payments, but didn’t I have Uncle Zhang’s sharp business mind to guide me? Without your words back there, could I have got all these little perks?” Zhuang Qingning said with a grin.

Zhang Yongchang blushed slightly.

He thought his performance made Zhuang Qingning look pitiable, which would stir Mrs. Deng’s sympathy and push her to supply Zhuang Qingning with more goods.

He didn’t expect Zhuang Qingning to see through him. She wasn’t as naive as he thought.

However, since she has proven not to be naive, why did she pay so high a price without negotiating downwards? He couldn’t understand why she’d acted as if she had loads to spend.

No matter how you look at it, Zhang Yongchang strongly disagreed and was not pleased about Zhuang Qingning renting this shop.

“Uncle Zhang, don’t get upset. The rent was fair.”

Zhuang Qingning smiled and explained, “I’ve told you before, I took an unusual approach this time. 1 offered a high price to keep Mrs. Deng untroubled in the future.”

“I’m sure my tofu business will be profitable after a while. Paying a high price up front could prevent Mrs. Deng from holding a grudge and acting against my interests or asking for more money when my business prospers.”

“I am being generous on this, and I maintain a good relationship with Aunt Deng. Nothing will bother her in the future. She won’t feel the need to create trouble for me. What’s the loss for showing a bit of kindness to others?” “Besides, the shop’s rent is fair market value based on the current market. I didn’t lose anything.”

“Say nothing about the Feng Shui, how can a place with poor Feng Shui be considered valuable?” Zhang Yongchang couldn’t wrap his head around that. “Are you sure the Feng Shui is accurate?” Zhuang Qingning pursed her lips, smiling. “Earlier, I asked Aunt Deng about the antiques that were sold in this shop, and she described all sorts of exquisite porcelain, jade, and calligraphy.” “Uncle Zhang, think about it. Our town is doing well, but it’s not exactly rich. Ordinary people can’t afford to buy paintings worth several dozen taels. Those who can afford them would likely prefer purchasing from the county or the capital city instead of from this local antique shop. This is why the shop wasn’t profitable.”

“As for the leg injuries, take a look.”

Zhuang Qingning stepped on the loose blue brick she’d found earlier: “Who will fix these falling apart blue bricks? Anyone who walks here often could trip over. It’s just a matter of time.”

“This is a fairly common occurrence. But with two accidents in succession and some sayings about Feng Shui, the talk that the shop had bad Feng Shui started to spread. That’s how rumors work, don’t they? They blow things out of proportion.”

“After renting this shop, just watch how well my business does, and you’ll know whether the rent is worth it.”

After listening to Zhuang Qingning, Zhang Yongchang was at a loss for words.

“Fine. You sound reasonable. Now that you’ve already rented the shop, there’s no backing out. Hurry up and clean the place. It’s better to start business sooner.”

If the past can’t be changed, then focus on the future. There’s no need to dwell. Moreover, if past problems aren’t rectified and future actions are delayed, everything will be messed up.

“Just clean up and organize what needs to be organized. After that, I’ll have Lian Rong come over and help with the cleaning,” Zhang Yongchang said.

There were also some things mentioned by Mrs. Deng, such as some usable shelves and boards from her house that would have to be transported over sooner rather than later. These things were better done promptly.

“No rush, I have plenty of time to clean it,” Zhuang Qingning quickly waved her hand.

Zhang Yongchang and Lian Rong were employees at the Fushun Tower. Inviting them to help with the labor work here might not go well with Manager Feng. He might even scold them.

“What’s the rush? Everything is better taken care of sooner rather than later. Hurry up and organize, and I’ll fetch a broom. Let’s start by sweeping the roof, so we don’t have dust falling on our heads.”

“As for Mrs. Deng, she leases these shops without even cleaning them, leaving the whole place dusty. I need to have a word with her about this. It’s not ethical doing business like this.”

Zhang Yongchang grumbled as he went to get a broom from the backyard of the Fushun Tower. Zhuang Qingning couldn’t stop him, so she went fetch some useful things. She cleaned the place and found some basins and buckets in the backyard, which she could use for cleaning the window and doors.

When Zhang Yongchang got to Fushun Tower, he called for Lian Rong and instructed him.

“Spare half an hour to help. Should we inform the shop manager?” Lian Rong wiped his hands and began to look for a broom and other cleaning tools. Once he was ready, he asked..”