Flowers in full bloom

Hua Lei smiled, patted Aunt Song's hand and said, "Aunt Song, we don't have to rush. Let's go around and check the situation tomorrow.

In the afternoon, when Manager Chen and I were waiting in the yamen, I asked him about the situation in Dongcheng District, especially Qingyun Lane. Manager Chen said that there were several private schools around Qingyun Lane, ranging from elementary school to imperial examination level, so there were many scholars living here, and these scholars were potential customers of our bookstore.

Moreover, among these scholars, many came to Beijing to study or take imperial examinations. Those from well-off families may bring their families and servants with them. If their families are not well-off, they may live here alone and make do with what they eat. In that case, they may patronize our breakfast shop.

There is also a large market less than a quarter of an hour east of Qingyun Lane, where farmers from nearby areas come to sell their goods. After they finish selling their goods, they will come here to buy what they need and buy some buns and steamed buns to fill their stomachs. There should be a lot of people there.

After all, there are several restaurants on this road, but few of them provide breakfast. They usually only serve lunch and dinner. Country people may not be willing to go to restaurants, so they will patronize our breakfast shop. So tomorrow I will go to the surrounding area to see if there are any breakfast shops. If there are none or not many, we may try it.

Besides, the breakfast here is a little different from the food in our town. If it tastes good, I think many people will like it.”

"I think so too." Uncle Fu continued, "With so many of us, it's impossible to rely on just one bookstore. Besides, we don't know the current situation of the bookstore, and we can't buy land for the time being. It's impossible for so many people to waste time. If we can open a breakfast shop, it will be a way out." Ping An and others nodded.

Hualei nodded, "Yes, so let's go check out the situation tomorrow. If it doesn't work, we'll find another way." Aunt Song nodded solemnly, "Okay, then let's go early tomorrow and see more places." Hualei smiled. Everyone began to talk about their ideas.

Hualei turned around and said to Ping'an, "Brother Ping'an, when we were looking at houses yesterday, you said that the house in Chenggong Lane was good. Uncle Fu thought that the large courtyard in Chengcai Lane was cheap, and Aunt Song thought that the townhouse in Dengke Lane was feasible. But I insisted on buying this place. I will tell you now."

Everyone stopped talking and looked at Hua Lei, who said slowly, "The first compound we saw yesterday, the rent was indeed cheap, but we also saw that the environment was dirty and messy. The other families living there should all be acquaintances, but they were all illiterate, and their words and deeds were vulgar. Their economic conditions were also very poor. They should have fled here a few years ago.

I don't look down on the poor. In fact, we are also poor, but compared with them, we are much better off. If we move in, do you think we should endure this environment or change it? We can indeed clean up after ourselves, but with so many people holding you back, will you calmly follow them and clean up for them?

If we make something delicious, will you give it to us? If we don't give it, it will seem too stingy. If we give it to so many people, we can't afford it. If we give it once or twice, the third time, people will take it for granted.

Also, you and Xiaoyuan and Xiaofei are both going to study. If you live there, it will be chaotic every day. Is it okay? They came from the same place and lived together. When we see so many people, most of them are old, weak and female. What if there is friction?

Endure it? Living in the same courtyard, seeing each other every day, how uncomfortable it is. "Uncle Fu nodded thoughtfully.

“Besides, the house in Chenggong Lane is really fine once you enter the courtyard, and the environment is good. Living there won’t cause you the problems of living in a slum, and the house is cheap, only 350 taels. The houses here are not as good as those over there, and the price here is 400 taels alone.

But the "Xunfang Pavilion" on the same street is a brothel, and it is only fifteen minutes away from the house. Although I do not discriminate against the girls in brothels, do you think that if we live near a brothel, will it affect our lives in the future? You are supposed to study, and with all the lights, wine, singing and dancing there, can you concentrate on your studies?

If we live there, we will definitely rent or buy a shop nearby to do business, which will make us even closer to Xunfang Pavilion. We want to open a bookstore, and our target audience is scholars. It is not appropriate to open one near a brothel." Everyone nodded continuously.

"Let's talk about the row houses in Dengke Lane. To put it bluntly, they are just the east and west wing houses in different directions. The house type is simple. If you build a yard yourself, it will be quiet and the rent is not expensive, but we can't live there forever.

If you walk out of your own area, you will find that the people around you are businessmen who are not permanent residents, especially the Hu people from the north. There are all kinds of people there, and all kinds of things happen. The security is not very good. If a beggar comes and takes Xiaoyuan and Xiaofei away, we will have nowhere to cry. So that place is not suitable for us, the old and the young. "Everyone was impressed after hearing this.

"Miss, how come you are so smart and can think of so many things?" Xiaoxiao praised directly after hearing this.

"Young lady is very smart. She has been smart since she was young. The master once said that if she were a man, she would definitely be the top scholar in the imperial examination in the future." Aunt Song praised.

Hua Lei smiled and said, "Just think more about it when you encounter something. You don't have to pick the best. There is nothing best in the world. Just pick the one that suits you." Xiao Xiao looked thoughtful, and everyone else looked thoughtful. As they were talking, it was already late, so they asked everyone to go to rest.

Hualei took Xiaoyuan upstairs to her room. Watching Xiaoyuan take off her clothes and get into bed, Hualei turned off the light. When she turned around and walked out of the room, she heard Xiaoyuan whisper, "Sister, I will grow up quickly, I will study hard, and when I grow up and pass the imperial examination, you don't have to work so hard."

There was a bitter feeling in her eyes, tears already rushed into her eyes, Hualei held back her tears, walked slowly to the bedside in the dark, sat down, patted Xiaoyuan, and said, "Okay, then Xiaoyuan, grow up quickly, and take the imperial examination when you grow up, then your sister won't have to work hard. But before Xiaoyuan grows up, your sister will work hard to make money to support your studies, so that you, Uncle Fu, and Aunt Song can live a better life."

After a pause, he said softly, "Xiaoyuan, don't be afraid. Although grandpa is gone, I still have you, and you still have me. We still have Uncle Fu and Aunt Song. We will definitely get better."