After separating from my mother-in-law, I raised my children, built a house, and filled the granary

In just two months, Ke'an Department Store was losing money every day and couldn't even pay workers.

Du Yi had no idea that operating a department store required so much money. Not only the rent, but also the goods to fill the entire department store, all required cash.

Not to mention having to replenish stocks at all times and deal with customer complaints, it's a lot of work.

Before Shen Yunwan, no one had ever opened a department store like this. Du Yu had visited Kelian several times and thought it was just so-so.

Lin Xiangdong couldn't bear it either. When he counted at the end of the month, he found that he had lost several thousand taels of silver.

If I were to open a department store in the county town, it would definitely have to be bigger and better than the one opened by Shen Yunwan in Hehua Town.

Besides, the rent and labor costs in the county town are much higher than those in Hehua Town, so the investment is naturally greater.

This is only two months. If it continues, it will be a bottomless pit.

Du's father has ordered Du Yi to transfer or close the department store.

We can't let him go on like this. If he continues, he will squander all our family fortune.

He would rather eat, drink and have fun than do business. Eating, drinking and having fun don't cost much money. The money he loses in one month from running a department store is enough for him to have fun for a year.

Of course Du Yi will not bear it alone, he has a partner, Lin Xiangdong.

So when Du Yi showed Lin Xiangdong the loss bill, Lin Xiangdong was still confused.

"Brother Du, this is just the beginning, so losses are normal. Once the Daike'an Department Store gets on the right track, we will definitely be able to turn the situation around."

In fact, Lin Xiangdong is not as confident as he seems.

He no longer has any confidence or assurance.

But, if we don’t want to continue operating, will we just close it down?

He invested so much energy, mainly because of the boasts he had made, and he was wondering how to end it.

But Du Yu didn't care about Lin Xiangdong's ridiculous self-esteem.

He took out the contract signed by the two of them, which stated that if there was a loss, Lin Xiangdong would have to bear half of the loss.

"You told me at the beginning that I would do the work and you would pay, so why now..." When Lin Xiangdong heard that he had to bear half of the loss, he became a little panicked.

When did he sign this contract?

"You did put in some effort, but it all went to those whores."

"How can there be such a good thing in this world? The fame is yours, the profits are yours, and the losses are all mine. Do you think it's possible?"

Du Yu looked at Lin Xiangdong with disdain. As expected, the people of Ping'an Village were his nemesis. He would not have anything to do with them in the future.

"I won't invest any more money in this department store. If you don't pay out the losses, I'll sue you!"

When the guys learned that the department store was going to close down and they hadn't received their wages yet, they all moved the store's goods back home as their wages.

Lin Xiangdong fell to the ground, staring at everything in a daze.

When the news that Ke'an Department Store was going to close down reached Ping'an Village, the Lin family rushed to the county town in a hurry.

After arriving at Ke'an Department Store, I saw Lin Xiangdong sitting alone on the ground. There was no goods on the shelves, and the shelves were pushed all over the place.

Old Master Lin and Lin Chenghai helped Lin Xiangdong onto the ox cart without saying a word.

Lin Xiangdong returned home and didn't eat, drink or talk, as if his soul had been taken away.

"Son! Speak up! Don't scare me!"

When he heard Jiang Xiaofang crying, Lin Xiangdong's empty eyes showed a little fluctuation.

"Mom, it's over. It's all over."

Hearing the sound, Mr. Lin and the others also gathered over.

When she heard the word "it's over", Mrs. Lin felt like a huge rock was pressing on her chest and she couldn't breathe.

She wanted to complain, but was patted on the arm by Mr. Lin.

"Donger, as long as there is life, there is hope." Although Grandpa Lin was also anxious, he couldn't force his grandson to death.

"Yes, if anything happens, we will handle it together." Lin Chenghai patted Lin Xiangdong's shoulder.

Lin Xiangdong looked at his family in front of him, his eyes moist.

But it's useless. Even if I sell all the Lin family property, I still can't pay off the debt.

He stood up, and the contract and the account book fell to the ground.

Old Master Lin picked it up and took a look at it, his hands shaking. "Donger, didn't you say that Du Yi paid for all the money? Why do you have to bear half of it? Moreover, in just two months, we lost several thousand taels of silver! This...this..."

Old Mrs. Lin moved closer, and then her eyes went dark and she fainted.

"Mom, wake up!" Jiang Xiaofang caught Old Lady Lin.

After a flurry of activity, Old Mrs. Lin finally woke up.

After waking up, I said nothing and just cried silently.

The loss was several thousand vehicles, even if it was half, it would still be two thousand taels of silver.

Everyone was silent.

What can I say? It’s written clearly in black and white, with Lin Xiangdong’s signature and fingerprint.

Even if they have not been well educated, they know that they cannot deny this.

"I'll go and beg Yun Wan to repay her by working like a slave for the rest of my life."

Jiang Xiaofang stood up. She couldn't bear to see her son being taken to jail.

If he was sued in court, Dong'er's life would be ruined.

He is still so young and has a long way to go in the future.

Even if she were to die, she, as the mother, would be the first to die.

Now the only person she could think of was Shen Yunwan, but everyone knew that Kelian’s revenue in the past six months had not been good.

The most embarrassing thing is that Lin Xiangdong betrayed Shen Yunwan.

Now that something has happened, he is begging others for help.

This is not something that ordinary people can do.

But for the sake of her child, Jiang Xiaofang gave it her all.

The others looked at each other and followed him out the door.

After meeting Shen Yunwan, Jiang Xiaofang still had no idea how to start the conversation.

When Shen Yunwan asked if it was about Lin Xiangdong, Jiang Xiaofang's tears fell instantly.

Old Mrs. Lin beside her was also wiping away tears.

Mr. Lin explained the whole story.

However, Shen Yunwan did not pay attention to the contract signed by Lin Xiangdong and Du Yu.

"You said Xiangdong didn't eat, drink, or talk today?"

"Well, just say it and it's all over." Although Jiang Xiaofang didn't know why Shen Yunwan asked this, she responded immediately.

"How is he?"

"It feels like my soul has been sucked out, like a walking corpse."

"He is home alone now?" Shen Yunwan frowned and pretended to be serious.

Seeing Jiang Xiaofang nodded, Shen Yunwan stood up and said, "Hurry back!"

The Lin family didn't know what Shen Yunwan meant, so they quickly followed her out.

The group quickly returned to the Lin family.

Before even entering the Lin family's yard, I felt something unusual.

"Dong'er! Ah!" Jiang Xiaofang pushed open Lin Xiangdong's door and saw a dagger stuck in Lin Xiangdong's heart.

When Mr. Lin and the others heard Jiang Xiaofang's scream, they were so scared that they ran over quickly.

Seeing the situation in the room, they both fell to the ground.

Shen Yunwan stood outside the door, looking at the lifeless man lying on the bed, shaking her head in her heart.

Lin Xiangdong couldn't bear the ups and downs in such a short period of time, and he had no choice but to end his life. Jiang Xiaofang's hands were shaking, and she didn't dare to touch Lin Xiangdong on the bed.

"Yun Wan, Yun Wan! Can you save Dong'er?"

Shen Yunwan walked into the house and used her fingers to check Lin Xiangdong's breath, but he was no longer breathing.

She shook her head.

Jiang Xiaofang cried miserably.

There were two suicide notes beside the bed, one for the Lin family and the other for Du Yi.

The letter left for the Lin family expressed his regret.

What was left for Du Yi was that he would pay with his life in exchange for not harassing his family, otherwise he would not let Du Yi go even as a ghost.

Shen Yunwan went to the Du family with Lin Xiangdong's suicide note.

This was her first time dealing with Du Yi face to face.

"Lin Xiangdong is dead. He stabbed himself in the heart with a dagger and died instantly.

This is his suicide note.”

Du Yu didn't dare to take the blood-stained suicide note.

As people around him died one after another, he was afraid that ghosts would come to claim their lives.

"I didn't force him to death. It was just my bad luck. I'll bear the loss myself."

"Du Yi, tell your master behind you, if you have any tricks, come at me. I, Shen Yunwan, am not afraid of you."

She threw Lin Xiangdong's suicide note at Du Yu and left without looking back.

Du Yu was furious at Shen Yunwan's arrogant attitude, but he only dared to mutter a few words behind her back.

He picked up the suicide note on the ground. It had his name on it and couldn't be picked up by anyone else.

···

Jiang Xiaofang sat beside Lin Xiangdong's bed without moving.

Until now, she still hasn't figured out why her eldest son, whom she was so proud of, suddenly left.

It was clear that he was still the high-spirited boss more than a month ago.

Ke'an Department Store had just opened, and she had already asked Shen Yunwan for help.

Obviously...

Why was he so cruel to abandon his parents and everything at home and just leave like that?

The village head has brought the villagers to the Lin family yard.

He sighed inwardly.

Better to die than live.

Lin Xiangdong has such a bright future and is still so young, ah...

The only ones left in the Lin family now are Lin Chenghai's second son Lin Xiangnan, and the third son of the Lin family, Lin Chengyi, who has not yet married. Now that Lin Xiangdong is gone, he will be even less able to marry.

The most promising Lin Chengfeng severed ties with them again.

···

As soon as Shen Yunwan arrived home, she saw Lin Mao and his wife coming.

"Brother Mao, sister-in-law, why are you still carrying so many things?"

"I heard Chunhua's voice and knew that you were staying here tonight. I thought of coming to see you. These are grown in the fields. They are not valuable, but they taste good." Meng Ruan held Shen Yunwan's hand, his face full of joy.

"Hello, uncle. Hello, aunt." The four little ones greeted Lin Mao and his wife enthusiastically.

"Take these and eat them." Lin Mao handed the fruits to the four little ones with a simple smile.

The four little ones thanked him and started eating the fruits.

Meng Ruan did not attend Lin Xiangdong's funeral today.

Normally, almost everyone at home should attend a funeral in the village.

"Sister-in-law, are you feeling unwell?" Shen Yunwan looked at Meng Ruan, who looked a little haggard, and wanted to take her pulse.

Just as he was about to take Meng Ruan's hand, Meng Ruan refused with a smile.

"It's nothing, it's just..." Meng Ruan lowered her head shyly, and then looked at Lin Mao beside her.

Lin Mao smiled and scratched his hair, which looked like a chicken coop. "I'm going to be a father."

After saying that, he looked at Meng Ruan.

"Sister-in-law is pregnant! That's really great news. Congratulations to Brother Mao and sister-in-law."

Shen Yunwan was happy for them, she knew how much they both wanted a child.

Fortunately, after more than two years of conditioning, Meng Ruan's health has almost recovered.

"My health has improved a lot in the past two years, and these fruits and vegetables were all grown by me.

My child, I didn’t dare to hope for that.

I just thought that if I could get pregnant, I would get pregnant. If not, your brother Mao and I would spend our lives together. Although there would be regrets, it would be a blessing to be able to grow old together.

Who knew that I would get pregnant two months ago, and now it’s just been three months.

The old man said that the children were all stingy, and that they couldn't tell anyone about it three months ago. They were also afraid that the negative energy in the funeral hall would affect the baby in her belly, so they didn't go to see Xiangdong off for the last time.

There is also such a custom in Ping'an Village that pregnant women cannot attend funerals unless they are close relatives.

"It's okay. The baby is important. Let me take your pulse again and see if I should prescribe some medicine to stabilize the pregnancy."

Shen Yunwan held Meng Ruan's hand, indicating: Mother and child are in good health.

Meng Ruan will surely give birth smoothly this time, and Shen Yunwan has also swept away her previous depression and feels much more relaxed.

Lin Mao, who was standing by, kept staring at Shen Yunwan's expression. He only felt relieved when he saw Shen Yunwan smile slightly.

Although he had consulted a doctor before and the doctor said the child was healthy.

But he believed in Shen Yunwan's medical skills more. However, a lot of things had happened in Kelai'an in the past few months, so he didn't bother her.

I can't help Shen Yunwan and Ke Laian in any way, but at least I can't cause them any more trouble.

Tonight, the couple just wanted to see Shen Yunwan.

Shen Yunwan looked at the couple's nervous expressions and reassured them, "The child is fine."

Then he turned to Lin Mao and said, "Sister-in-law is in good health, don't worry, Brother Mao. From now on, just focus on taking care of the baby. Eat as much as you can in the early stages, and try to control your weight in the later stages."

Shen Yunwan also explained to Lin Mao and his wife some precautions for pregnant women, and they both took notes very carefully.

With Shen Yunwan's pulse diagnosis, the couple felt more at ease.

The next day, Shen Yunwan brought the four little ones back to town.

"Shopkeeper Shen." Seeing Shen Yunwan coming to the restaurant, Xiulan stopped the work in her hands.

"Xiu Lan, thank you for your hard work this month."

She quickly waved her hands and said, "It's not hard. I'm just doing my job."

Since Lin Xiangdong left, the restaurant has been without a manager. Fortunately, everyone is very dedicated to their work. Not only do they not slack off, they also help each other to run the restaurant normally.

The wages here are high, the benefits are good, and more importantly, the owner is kind.

They have worked here for so many years and don't want to be forced to close the restaurant because of poor business, which would cause them to lose their jobs.

Shen Yunwan invited Xiulan to sit down and said straight to the point, "Xiulan, do you have any ideas about the restaurant?"

Xiulan was a little panicked. She couldn't think of much at the moment and could only express her thoughts.

"Shopkeeper Shen, my ideas may not be mature enough. They are just some solutions I have summarized based on the opinions raised by customers during my interactions with them.

Nowadays, we have noodle shops, hot pot restaurants, and exquisite dim sum and snacks, which is very comprehensive.

But in the past two years, I have observed that hot pot and noodle restaurants have more customers in winter, but very few customers in summer, especially hot pot restaurants.

So can we convert the space of hot pot restaurants into other cuisines according to the season?

For example, can we make some food to cool down in the summer? I heard there's a kind of food out in the Great Wall, which is made by grinding mung beans and potatoes into powder, mixing it into a transparent powder, and adding honey..."

Xiulan suddenly realized that she might have said too much and stopped.

"Shopkeeper, I'm just saying this..."

"You're right." Shen Yunwan admired her very much.

"You've been here since the first day Kelian opened, and you have your own ideas about the restaurant. I hope you can take over the job of managing the restaurant."

"Boss? Me?" Xiulan's eyes were full of disbelief.