Chapter Sixty-Seven: Renaming

Chapter 67: Acquiring the Property

Lin Qiuran wondered how the deal was settled, but with customers still on the first floor, she couldn’t leave the stove to inquire.

She glanced over and saw Shopkeeper Shi unsteady on his feet, with Zhao Guangcai supporting him. Shopkeeper Shi waved his hand, slurring his words, "Brother Zhao, you’ll have to stay a while. I’m afraid I can’t speak clearly right now…"

Zhao Guangcai replied, "I’m in no hurry. Sit and rest for a bit."

Unable to hear their conversation from the kitchen, Lin Qiuran only saw Zhao Guangcai helping Shopkeeper Shi. She found an empty clay pot and simmered a pot of honey-ginger soup.

Once it was ready, she asked Lu Fan to deliver it.

Finally, after closing time, Lin Qiuran served up the unsold dishes. The group gathered around a corner table to eat and talk.

Shopkeeper Shi had drunk quite a bit earlier—he was the one hosting the drinking, while Zhao Guangcai handled the negotiations. Shopkeeper Shi had been drinking with several people and was now passed out.

Lin Qiuran asked, "Brother Zhao, how exactly was the deal worked out?"

Zhao Guangcai, who had also had some alcohol, replied, "Old Mr. Chen only returns to Yu’an twice a year. He owns more properties than just the neighboring shop, so that one isn’t essential to him. He was willing to sell it. After all, it’s worth over a hundred taels of silver. Selling it for a good price is better than collecting semi-annual rent."

The rent for the neighboring shop was six taels for half a year, well below the market rate in the area. Old Mr. Chen wanted convenience, and this offer was a welcome opportunity.

Zhao Guangcai ate his meal, sipping honey water. As he drank, he added, "Besides, Old Mr. Chen is getting older. The trip has gotten harder for him these past two years."

He looked to be around fifty years old. According to the teahouse owner, he once even forgot to collect the rent. His family was concerned, so this time, his grandson had accompanied him back.

The teahouse owner had a good impression of Xiao Family Eatery. Since the renovation, Lin Qiuran would send gifts during festivals, and he had put in a good word for her as well.

Lin Qiuran nodded. "I see. So, what was the final price?"

She was most concerned about this. While she was happy the deal went through, she was the one paying, after all, so she had to know the price.

Zhao Guangcai smiled proudly. "One hundred thirty taels of silver."

Lin Qiuran’s eyes lit up. "That’s lower than I expected."

She had thought it would be at least one hundred forty taels, and had even considered one hundred forty-five taels acceptable. She had previously asked Zhao Guangcai about it—shops like the neighboring one were on the books at the broker’s for one hundred thirty taels. With some negotiation, it might be knocked off by three to five taels, but the final price depended on whether the seller was eager to sell or the buyer eager to buy.

Old Mr. Chen didn’t live in Yu’an and only returned twice a year, each time for just a few days. There was no time to haggle, and he wasn’t going to bother. As the buyer, Lin Qiuran had expected to pay a bit more.

Zhao Guangcai said with a laugh, "I told the teahouse owner that you’re partners with the Xu family."

Of course, Zhao Guangcai didn’t know the details of the business, and nobody asked for details. He hadn’t lied—Xu Yuanhang often visited, and he had even attended the celebrations for Lin Qiuran’s son’s first month. The teahouse owner had likely mentioned this to Old Mr. Chen, so it was credible. The Xu family was well-known in Yu’an, and the name alone commanded respect.

Zhao Guangcai also brought up Xiao Xun, though not directly. He said, "Do them a kindness, Old Mr. Chen. Her husband isn’t here—she’s looking after a child and her husband’s parents by herself, trying to make a living with her skills. She’s scraping together the money for a shop, and it hasn’t been easy."

Old Mr. Chen, who wasn’t familiar with the local situation, asked, "Where is her husband?"

Zhao Guangcai replied, "He’s in the Xuzhou military camp. I believe he’s now a deputy battalion commander."

Old Mr. Chen chuckled dryly. "...That is difficult. Since I don’t return to Yu’an often anyway, I may as well sell it."

With a table full of excellent food and drink, Old Mr. Chen was satisfied, and the price was quickly settled.

Zhao Guangcai said to Lin Qiuran, "The deal is settled for now, but to avoid any hiccups, it’s best to get the money together soon and finalize the purchase."

A handshake deal isn’t set in stone—there was always a chance the other party might change their mind.

He hadn’t mentioned that Lin Qiuran was the owner of the eatery, but it wasn’t a big deal. Zhao Guangcai had never seen anyone selling a property ask what the buyer plans to do with it.

Lin Qiuran smiled. "Thank you so much for your help today, Brother Zhao. I’ll prepare some nice thank-you gifts and visit to express my gratitude another day."

Zhao Guangcai waved her off. "It’s nothing."

Lin Qiuran had always been a good customer. If the eatery expanded, she would likely need more staff, and she’d probably turn to him for help.

Although he wouldn’t receive payment for brokering this deal, he had enjoyed a fine meal today. Lin Qiuran’s cooking is unmatched, and Old Mr. Chen’s satisfaction had played a part in sealing the deal.

Besides, regardless of future prospects, the two families had a good relationship, so he was happy to help.

Lin Qiuran didn’t let his modesty stop her. Zhao Guangcai was being polite, but she wouldn’t skip showing her gratitude. She planned to bring gifts when she visited, see how his wife was doing, and make the children happy.

Zhao Guangcai said, "Well, that’s all for now. I’ll head back."

With that, he stood up.

Lin Qiuran offered, "Let me have Lu Fan see you out."

Zhao Guangcai declined. "I’m fine. Old Shi had too much to drink—have Lu Fan take him home instead."

Shopkeeper Shi was still drunk. After drinking the honey water, he had lain down on a reclining chair.

Lin Qiuran nodded. After Zhao Guangcai left, she said to Lu Fan, "Take the shopkeeper home. You don’t need to stay after that—head home yourself."

Lu Fan asked, "What about you and Lin Dong?"

These days, with Xiao Dashi away, Lu Fan usually escorted them home before returning. Lin Qiuran replied, "We’re two capable women—we’ll be fine. There are plenty of people around, so don’t worry."

Wan Niang had already left earlier. Lin Qiuran and Lin Dong tidied up the kitchen and dining area, waited for Auntie Liu to finish washing the dishes, and then closed up and headed home.

On the way, Lin Dong asked, "Madam, are we buying the neighboring shop to expand the eatery?"

She had overheard parts of the conversation during the meal but didn’t fully understand.

Lin Qiuran replied, "It’s not just expanding the eatery—it’s more like our family will soon have a large restaurant."

With two floors and a spacious layout, the teahouse could accommodate over a dozen tables on the first floor and five or six private rooms on the second. Calling it just an "eatery" would be an understatement.

Lin Dong smiled, feeling a sense of pride, as if she had contributed to this success. She still practiced her knife skills daily, never slacking. But her excitement soon turned to concern. "Won’t that mean we’ll be even busier?"

She still only knew how to cook a few stir-fried dishes, far from matching Lin Qiuran’s skills.

Lin Qiuran said, "There’s no rush. We’re just buying it for now—we still need to renovate."

The teahouse’s layout was completely different from the eatery’s, so everything would need to be torn down and redone. Both floors required work, and the first floor of the eatery was too simple, so Lin Qiuran planned to improve it as well.

The renovation would likely take over a month. During that time, they could hire and train new staff, teaching them simple dishes first, just as they had with Lin Dong. Having both shops in the same location was ideal—Lin Qiuran could oversee the renovations to ensure everything met standards and avoid damaging their reputation.

Lin Qiuran suddenly thought of Wan Niang, who had been working at the eatery for over four months. She had handled serving duties well today and had a gentle temperament. Her knife skills and sense of timing were better than Lin Dong’s. Teaching her would be much easier than training someone entirely new.

Although she trusted Wan Niang, Lin Qiuran still hesitated to take the risk.

Besides, Wan Niang might not be willing. Her current tasks of prepping ingredients were relatively light, and with Ying Jieer still young, taking on more work would make it harder to care for her child.

Lin Qiuran recalled Shopkeeper Shi slumped in the reclining chair, drunk. He had been a tremendous help this time, just as he had been before—both instances were crucial to the eatery’s growth.

His monthly wage was one and a half taels. Even if it were raised to two or three taels, Lin Qiuran felt it wasn’t enough.

Everyone had families to support. Shopkeeper Shi was just a salaried employee, yet he had devoted so much effort to the eatery. How could Lin Qiuran accept this without feeling guilty?

Lin Qiuran was considering giving Shopkeeper Shi a profit share while still paying him his monthly salary, with a smaller share to start, leaving room for future increases.

This should amount to more than just a raise in his monthly pay. Moreover, if he truly receives a share, the more the shop earns, the more he will get. Once both sides of the business are up and running, with such a large space, Lin Qiuran will have to focus on cooking, so she will need Shopkeeper Shi to keep an eye on things.

Others are also dedicated and hardworking, and if they perform well, their wages will increase in the future.

The two chatted as they walked and soon arrived home.

Tangyuan was still awake tonight. It seemed he knew Lin Qiuran would return around this time. Sometimes, even when extremely sleepy, he would stubbornly wait for her, refusing to sleep until he saw her. If Sun Shi or Lady Xu tried to comfort him to sleep, he would cry.

Tangyuan wasn’t usually a crier, but when he did cry, tears would fall like beads, his eyes and nose turning bright red as he sobbed. The two women had no choice but to stop trying to make him sleep.

He would stop crying but kept yawning.

Today, since Lin Qiuran returned late, Tangyuan cried again. When Lin Qiuran entered, his nose was still sniffly from sobbing.

Lin Qiuran was quite tired today, having prepared an extra table of dishes with carefully thought-out recipes. But seeing Tangyuan reaching out for her made her forget her worries for a moment.

She smelled of cooking oil and was afraid it would bother him, so she didn’t hold him at first. But Tangyuan kept fussing in his small bed, so Lin Qiuran picked him up.

Sun Shi asked, "Why are you back so late today? Tangyuan was really worried."

With Lady Xu present, Lin Qiuran couldn’t say much, so she simply replied, "There was something at the eatery."

Sun Shi asked, "What was it? Was it urgent?"

Lin Qiuran smiled and shook her head. "Mother, don’t worry, it was nothing major."

She held Tangyuan and comforted him for a while until he fell asleep. His eyes were closed, but tears still clung to his eyelashes, making him look pitifully adorable. Lin Qiuran took a handkerchief to wipe his tears, held him a little longer, and once he was sound asleep, she kissed his cheek, laid him in his small bed, and tucked him in.

Tonight, Lin Xia was taking the evening shift, so Lin Qiuran and Sun Shi came out together.

Seeing Lin Qiuran’s tired expression, Sun Shi asked, "You must be exhausted today. What happened?"

Lin Qiuran said, "You know the teahouse next door? It couldn’t stay in business, so the owner agreed to sell the shop. We haven’t paid yet, but today Brother Zhao came to discuss it. Mother, could you check the storeroom at home and pick out some items? I’ll find time to deliver them to someone."

Sun Shi nodded. "Do we have enough money?"

Sun Shi didn’t understand business matters and didn’t offer advice—she simply trusted Lin Qiuran’s decisions. It was because the family listened to Lin Qiuran that the eatery had grown, business had improved, and their lives had become more prosperous. If she or Xiao Dashi tried to give suggestions, they would likely only cause trouble.

Lin Qiuran smiled and nodded. "We have enough."

The family had 130 taels, and she herself had over 200 taels. Although the money was kept separately, they would use it together when needed.

Sun Shi nodded. "That’s good. Didn’t you say you wanted to bathe this morning? I boiled two pots of hot water."

Now, Sun Shi and Lin Xia only cooked for Lady Xu and watched Tangyuan to prevent him from being stolen. The work was light, and during the day, Sun Shi had time to make clothes for the family. It was early spring, and everyone was still wearing old clothes.

Occasionally, she felt that since Lin Qiuran worked outside every day, wearing shabby clothes wasn’t dignified—the old garments didn’t match the jewelry she wore.

Lin Dong and Lin Xia had also grown, and their old clothes no longer fit. Lin Dong’s sleeves were too short. Sun Shi had also made clothes for Xiao Xun, though she didn’t know when he would return. With him away from home, Sun Shi always felt she had failed Lin Qiuran.

"Probably we’ll need to hire or take on more people," Lin Qiuran said, not elaborating since it was late. "Mother, I’ll go bathe now."

Not being heavily pregnant, Lin Qiuran warmed the room and managed to change and pour the water herself. She had to bathe, and so did Lin Dong. As a cook, one had to be clean; otherwise, customers wouldn’t feel comfortable eating the food.

After bathing, Lin Qiuran towel-dried her hair and took out the money.

Buying the shop would cost 130 taels. Since they negotiated directly with the owner, there was no intermediary fee. Including taxes, the total came to 131 taels and 3 mace. Old Mr. Chen was responsible for canceling the lease agreement with the teahouse owner, which involved inspecting the property for damages, returning the deposit, and preventing future arguments.

One hundred thirty taels was just the beginning. The renovations would probably cost another thirty taels. They needed to hire at least two cooks, which would take twenty taels. They needed to hire two workers—one server would be enough. Shopkeeper Shi said Xiao Zhao next door was pretty good, so they would try him out first. But they still needed to hire a dishwasher; with more work, they couldn’t let Auntie Liu do it all.

Lin Qiuran made notes on paper. She would check out the shop tomorrow, and once it was bought, she could make arrangements.

Zhao Guangcai helped all the way through and came again the next day. He showed Shopkeeper Shi around the shop—there were no major problems. The teahouse was elegant; customers who came for tea didn't stay long. The place was quite nice.

Old Mr. Chen learned today that the buyer was the owner of the eatery next door, but he didn’t say anything.

After handling what needed to be done, Lin Qiuran also looked over the paperwork, confirmed everything was correct, and signed her name.

With Scribe Wang there, things went quickly. He congratulated Lin Qiuran, remembering that around New Year's, the Xiao family had bought land, and now they were buying a shop already—their business must really be doing well.

Scribe Wang then changed the subject and said, "By the way, will you have any free time in the coming days, Mrs. Lin?"

Lin Qiuran said, "Why? Is something going on?"

Scribe Wang said, "It’s spring planting time, and inspectors from the capital are coming. I’m a bit worried—do you have any ideas, Mrs. Lin?"

The court placed great importance on agriculture, and officials came every year. Lord Zhao was honest and wasn’t particular about food, but good meals would still be preferable. The problem was, he preferred not to dine out. Scribe Wang remembered that Lin Qiuran had done well when she cooked at the post station last time.

But they had met Xiao Xun, and since Xiao Xun held an official position, it wouldn't be proper to have his wife come cook at the post station.

Lin Qiuran was a bit hesitant. Her eatery was too busy, unless it happened to coincide with the renovations, but that was unlikely. Besides, she wasn’t as desperate for money as before. Four mace a day was really too low.

Also, someone had already ordered banquet catering, scheduled for the beginning of next month. Lin Qiuran really couldn’t free up the time.

But thinking about the future, Tangyuan might go to the prefecture for studies when he grew up. Having some connections was better than having none.

Lin Qiuran didn’t give a definite answer. She said, "I don’t have much free time, but I can try to think of a way."

Scribe Wang said, "That would be really great."

He thought that even though Xiao Xun wasn’t in Yu’an, Lin Qiuran had a good temperament, and he could have his wife socialize more with her. But since things had been unpleasant back then, he wasn’t sure if it would work out.

Lin Qiuran and Shopkeeper Shi returned to the eatery. The teahouse owner went with them to pick up some things he hadn’t moved yet.

Time was tight, so Lin Qiuran just checked the rooms. She wouldn’t start renovations tomorrow anyway; they could take their time moving everything out.

The teahouse owner didn’t lose money—Old Mr. Chen directly refunded the deposit, thanks to Lin Qiuran. He was happy and said cheerfully, "Mrs. Lin, there’s some unsold tea left in the teahouse. Would you like to take a look?"

Lin Qiuran said, "Shopkeeper, go take a look."

Shopkeeper Shi understood what Lin Qiuran meant—if it was suitable, they’d buy it, since the eatery would need tea anyway.

Shopkeeper Shi went to check and bought some Longjing and Tieguanyin tea at a low price.

The teahouse owner also gave them some broken tea leaves for free. After all, Lin Qiuran had helped him sell the place, so he didn’t lose too much money. He planned to go south and try some other business—he wasn’t going to mess with teahouses anymore.

Shopkeeper Shi sincerely wished him prosperity and great profits. "Have a smooth journey!"

They had left in the morning. Lin Qiuran returned to the shop and got straight to work. Wan Niang and Lin Dong had mostly prepped the ingredients, and Lin Qiuran marinated what needed to be marinated.

After a while, Shopkeeper Shi brought the tea over.

Lin Qiuran took a look, then another look. "This much?"

Shopkeeper Shi said, "It was only twenty taels of silver, and it’s all good tea. He’s going elsewhere to do business, and selling it piecemeal would be troublesome, so he gave it to us cheap. This pack of broken tea leaves was thrown in for free."

Lin Qiuran saw there was quite a bit of broken tea. She said, "Use the broken tea for the first-floor customers—no charge. Anyone who wants some can take a little home."

There's too much to use up, and aged tea loses its flavor.

Lin Qiuran took some Longjing tea, planning to add a dish of Longjing Shrimp to the menu for the table that ordered lighter dishes on the second floor. If there were plenty of river shrimp, she’d add it to the first floor as well.

This dish requires first heating the lard until fragrant, then adding the brewed tea leaves. The tea should not be steeped for too long. The shrimp should be tender and crisp, with a subtle tea aroma. This light and refreshing dish, paired with Longjing tea, has a delightful flavor.

After eating too much braised pork, a bite of this can cut through the richness.

Today, she’ll let everyone try it first. If they like it, it’ll go on the menu.

Shopkeeper Shi took a bite and said, "It has a distinct flavor profile."

Lin Qiuran was worried that people here might not like it, but she was glad they did. While eating, she told everyone about acquiring the place next door. They were overjoyed and excited, but Shopkeeper Shi remained calm and composed, as he had already known about it and had nothing to be surprised about.

Soon, Shopkeeper Shi heard Lin Qiuran say, "The place needs renovation, and we’ll need to hire more people. It might be busy for a while. Shopkeeper Shi has been a great help, working tirelessly, so I’d like to give him a share of the shop’s profits—though not much, just one percent of the profits to start."

Shopkeeper Shi was completely stunned. It was only when Lu Fan nudged him that he coughed twice and said, "Madam Lin—is... is this for real?"

As the shopkeeper, he handled the accounts and knew exactly how much the eatery earned.

A shopkeeper might handle dozens or even hundreds of taels (a unit of currency) of silver, but what they actually earn is just their wages. They see a lot but often remain poor.

The eatery’s monthly profit was several dozen taels. One percent of that would be a few qian (a fraction of a tael). He remembered some months when profits were higher, around sixty or seventy taels, which would mean six or seven qian. Combined with his wages, he’d earn over two taels a month.

He was over thirty and had worked for more than a decade in various places, but he had never seen a boss willing to give a profit share.

Lin Qiuran nodded and said, "You’ve contributed to the eatery. This is what you deserve."

She then looked at the others and said, "If anyone makes significant contributions to the eatery in the future, they can also receive a profit share."

Wan Niang and Lu Fan’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm. One earned eight qian a month, the other five qian—after recent raises. If they could also get a profit share, their lives would be quite different.

Lu Fan was particularly envious. He had been the one to notice the teahouse moving out, but he hadn’t thought of this idea at the time. If he had, maybe he would have been the one getting a raise.

Lin Dong didn’t dare hope for a profit share. She was content just to save some money. Her monthly wage was two qian, less than others, but after all, she was purchased, and money had been spent on her.

Shopkeeper Shi held back a smile and tried to start thinking in the eatery’s best interests right away. He suddenly remembered something and said, "Madam Lin, if we’re expanding, wouldn’t the name 'Xiao Family Eatery' sound a bit too small-scale?"