During famine years, I had a divination slip in hand, and my whole family ate chicken, duck, fish, a

The four of them worked all morning and filled five large baskets to the brim.

Li Chunyan was holding a basket of wild vegetables as if they were gold ingots, and she kept muttering to herself as if in a dream.

"These pears are so sweet... How did we end up in such a blessed place..."

When we returned to Kaoshantun, it was just past noon. As soon as we entered the courtyard, we heard a clanging and banging noise.

After lunch, the three Zhao brothers had nothing to do, so they chopped firewood in the yard.

Upon seeing Ye Qingqing return, the three of them immediately put down what they were doing and stood up in unison.

"Master!"

"The master is back..."

Old Zhao, being of a simple and honest nature, looked at Ye Qingqing respectfully and said...

"You're back? It's cold and snowy, and the three of us brothers have nothing better to do than chop some firewood."

"Master, the kang (heated brick bed) is still burning, come inside and warm up!"

Zhao Lao Er was very observant. He not only ran around taking things, but also arranged to serve tea and water. "The food on the stove was made by Miss Cuicui, and it's still warm!"

Third brother, quickly bring some hot water to pour tea for the host...

Thank you for your trouble.

Ye Qingqing nodded, pointed to the baskets of spoils, and said calmly, "There are quite a lot of vegetables, fruits, and fish today. You three brothers can help pick and organize them."

Go boil some water first; we'll use it to wash the vegetables later.

Zhao Laosan was only sixteen years old, a lively and active age, as clever as a monkey.

He grunted in agreement and then dashed off to the kitchen to boil water.

Zhao Lao Er didn't rush to make a move.

He walked over, squatted down, looked at the wild vegetables and fish in the basket, and his eyes lit up.

"Boss, this fish is excellent! This silver-whiskered carp is a hot commodity in town."

Zhao Lao Er wiped his face and lowered his voice, saying, "I saw you say yesterday that you wanted to open a shop. I was thinking, how rare are these mountain products and fresh vegetables? I want the people in town to remember what the shop sells right away!"

But to make this a long-term business, there have to be some rules: for example, the vegetables can't be piled up haphazardly, they have to be separated, bundled into small bunches, and kept clean and tidy, so that no one can find a single weed.

That just goes to show how expensive it is! Also, these fish need to be kept in a large tank, and it's best to catch them fresh before selling them to ensure freshness.

Ye Qingqing looked up at him and said, "Well said, continue."

Upon receiving the master's praise, Zhao Lao Er's face immediately broke into a smile. After a pause, he added,

"Also, there must be someone in the shop who can do the accounting and keep things in order!"

The world is in such a mess these days, there are bound to be some scoundrels and ruffians in town, it would be beneath your dignity to deal with them yourself.

You need to find a capable manager who can handle things well, someone who is eloquent and, ideally, someone who can also take action…”

Ye Qingqing raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhao Lao Er indifferently.

This person is quick-witted and has a good understanding of the business. He explained the shop's affairs in great detail, and seems to have the makings of a businessman.

"Not bad. Second brother, you're quick-witted! What, interested in doing business?"

Ye Qingqing didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "Once Aunt Zhen has found a shop, you can stop working as a guard at home and become my shopkeeper."

Think about the rules of the shop first, and then write them down for me later.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Lao Er was so excited that he shuddered and knelt down with a thud.

"Master! You...you really trust me?"

"Trustworthy".

Ye Qingqing raised her hand slightly, offering a helping hand, and said calmly,

"You three brothers are family, so I trust you. Because apart from me, your family of five probably won't find any other jobs here!"

The eldest son is steady and honest. From now on, he will stay at home and guard the house for me. The safety of the family is in your hands.

"The third one is clever. From now on, he'll be your second brother's partner and learn how to do business. My business, Ye Qingqing's business, won't be limited to just this one in the future."

The three Zhao brothers looked at each other, trembling with excitement, and then all knelt down before her.

"Master, if the three of us brothers ever disobey you again, may we be struck by lightning!"

……

After lunch, Ye Qingqing directed Zhao Lao Er to organize his ideas for opening the shop while waiting for news from Aunt Zhen.

But deep down, I can't help but think about the black bear drawn on that fortune slip.

"Those who live near the mountains live off the mountains... Bear paws, bear gallbladders, and bear skins are all valuable commodities."

She thought to herself, if she could catch a bear, not only could she make a lot of money, but she might also get to taste the most delicious delicacy... bear paw!

Just as I was pondering this, a clear and charming laugh came from outside the courtyard gate.

"Is Brother Liang home? Second Sister...we have guests!"

Aunt Zhen?

Ye Qingqing's brow twitched. The divination slip said that she could find a shop today, and Aunt Zhen indeed came to the door.

"Coming, coming, Aunt Zhen, please come in!"

She quickly got off the kang (heated brick bed), put on her shoes, and rushed out to greet them.

A carriage with a sidecar was parked outside the courtyard gate, much more luxurious than her family's carriage. Miss Zhen, wearing a light red fox fur coat and a red gold hairpin in her hair, stood smiling at the door.

Two young men followed behind her, carrying two large red food boxes.

"Aunt Zhen!"

Ye Qingqing greeted her warmly and quickly stepped forward to take her hand.

"Why did you come in person on such a cold day? Is there anything you could have told someone so I could come to town to see you?"

Ye Youliang, leaning on his crutch and limping, came out to greet him, smiling憨厚ly as he said...

"Hey girl, what brings you here? You should call Er Ya to see you, she's a junior... Come on in, it's cold outside."

Miss Zhen didn't rush into the house. She first looked around the yard, then at the three Zhao brothers who were busy in the yard, and finally her gaze fell on Ye Youliang. Her voice suddenly became a little choked up.

"Brother Youliang, I haven't been to this courtyard in so many years, let me take a good look around..."

Ye Youliang's eyes reddened as well. "It's still the same as before, everything's so pretty. Come on in, girl."

Ye Qingqing took Zhen's arm and warmly invited her into the house.

"Aunt Zhen, please take another look. My dad and I have discussed it, and we'll build a new house and yard next spring. We'll invite you to come and celebrate the housewarming then!"

Miss Zhen chuckled and poked her forehead.

"Okay, but if you don't give me the invitation by then, I won't accept it!"

"Alright, Second Sister, enough of this small talk. I've taken care of things at the shop for you."

Ye Qingqing's eyes instantly lit up like two stars.

"real?!"

"I came in person, so how could it be fake?"

Miss Zhen raised an eyebrow smugly and said casually,

"You know what, the timing of finding this shop was pretty good! I had someone spread the word, and we got news last night."

The shop is located on the main street, not far from my leather goods shop... It has three storefronts and a small courtyard in the back.

The shop owner said the whole family was moving south and wouldn't be working in town anymore; they were in a hurry to sell the shop for money...

Without hesitation, Ye Qingqing said, "If Aunt Zhen approves of it, then this is it."

"What's your hurry? I haven't finished speaking yet."

Miss Zhen patted her hand and said with a half-smile, "I've looked around at the storefront, the location, and the interior layout. To be honest, it's not bad. We can use it as soon as we get there!"

The only downside is that we can't seem to negotiate the price down.

Li Chunyan nervously gripped the teapot. "Aunt Zhen, how much do they want?"