Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Can’t Sell
Qu Fulan didn’t go to sleep immediately after returning home.
Instead, she opened her notebook, which recorded many things to be done, all sorted by priority.
Things have to be done one by one, there’s no rush.
She drew under the lamp, ever since "Journey to the West" came out, she started drawing, but the project was no small feat and wasn’t finished yet.
The next day.
Qu Fulan was about to go out to the bookstore when she was informed that another distinguished guest had come to the mansion, so she couldn’t leave.
If it were guests from the second or third house, they naturally wouldn’t fall under her responsibility, but today’s guest was the grand-nephew of the old madam, a lively and cheerful little girl, twelve years old, named Fang Yuan.
As the Princely Heir’s maid, Qu Fulan naturally needed to be present.
Fang Yuan came to stay at the Pei Family for a period every year, so she got along well with the sisters in the Pei Mansion.
But the one she was closest to was Heir Pei.
Heir Pei had no biological sisters, only treated this Fang Yuan like a dear sister to love and cherish.
So she was a bit upset about her second brother having a close maid that she knew nothing about.
"Why didn’t anyone tell me?" the little girl pouted and asked.
The old madam laughed, "It’s not like he’s getting married, does it need to be announced to the world?"
These words did not comfort Fang Yuan, especially when she went to Lixiang Courtyard and saw that Qu Fulan lived next door to her second brother.
Wasn’t her second brother known for not liking other women to be close? The previous close maid lived far away, not in the same dormitory.
Fang Yuan looked at Qu Fulan and saw that although she was dressed like a maid, her face, figure, and even the clothes she wore didn’t seem like those of a maid.
If she was right, those clothes were even made of Cicada Wing Gauze, a material she loved in summer, but it was expensive and scarce. Not even her, nor Pei Mansion’s sisters had it, and yet it appeared on a maid? Unbelievable!
Fang Yuan looked at Qu Fulan with a changeable expression, feeling as if everything she had was being taken away.
She hurried to Qu Fulan’s room and pushed the door open, and no one dared to stop her.
Luckily, the room was simply furnished, not as luxurious as imagined, making Fang Yuan feel a little better, albeit just a bit. She quickly said.
"Move her things out, I want to live in this room."
Hua Hao, who came along, naturally knew the situation. Once, Miss Fang also clamored to live in this room to be closer to her second brother, but back then she was too young and the Heir didn’t agree, not to mention now?
So she said, "The old madam has already prepared a room for the girl..."
But Fang Yuan shook her head and insisted, "I just want to live here."
Qu Fulan didn’t quite understand why, but she knew that she couldn’t have disagreements with the grand-nephew of the old madam over a room.
But to give in directly was not feasible either, she still remembered to whom she was answerable, so she said, "Miss Fang, no need to rush. Wait until the Princely Heir comes back, tell him, and if he nods, I will move out, after all, I am the Princely Heir’s maid and can’t make decisions without his agreement."
Seeing her sensibility, Fang Yuan did not persist. Anyway, when her second brother returned, after speaking with him, he was bound to agree. How could he, who once said he disliked having women close, allow a maid to live, but not allow her?
Then Fang Yuan went to play elsewhere and, through the introduction of Third Sister, met a new friend, Cheng Ru.
The two hit it off at first sight, lamenting that they met too late, and immediately became good friends.
Naturally, good friends shared no secrets.
Fang Yuan spoke about her second brother having a close maid without telling her.
"That’s not even the worst. The worst is that she actually stays next to my second brother’s room, it’s too much. I don’t know what my second brother is thinking."
Cheng Ru covered her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed, "You’re a dignified lady, why bother with a maid?"
Fang Yuan disagreed, "A maid should not live in that place."
She had never seen a maid treated so well.
Cheng Ru continued to smile gently, "She’s not an ordinary maid, at least she’s the only main maid beside the Princely Heir, naturally, it’s different."
"What’s the difference?"
"I just arrived not long ago and don’t know much, only that I heard from the servants that the Princely Heir treats her extremely well. Just yesterday, when the second miss wanted to borrow Fulan to cook a meal, she got scolded by the Princely Heir."
"When did my second brother become so unreasonable?" Fang Yuan’s eyes showed obvious surprise, and she couldn’t help but feel jealous in her heart, her second brother doted on her but never defended her like this.
Deep inside, she increasingly disliked Qu Fulan, who made her feel a sense of crisis.
Cheng Ru noticed the displeasure on her face, pondered for a moment, and said, "You and the Princely Heir, you two..."
Fang Yuan was puzzled, "What about us?"
Cheng Ru suddenly understood, if it were that kind of relationship, hearing her say this, she would surely be embarrassed, it showed that she didn’t harbor such feelings for the Princely Heir.
As they were chatting, a servant came over, saying, "The Princely Heir has returned from court."
Fang Yuan’s eyes brightened, and she immediately got up and went to find him.
Cheng Ru leisurely fanned herself in the pavilion, watching Fang Yuan walk away, the smile at her mouth unchanged.
Meanwhile, at "Ten Thousand Books Bookstore," the one hundred copies of "Journey to the West" were displayed prominently in the store, yet not a single copy had sold from morning till now.
Manager Wu was a scholarly person, proficient in writing, but not business. In his mind, at most, he would post a notice in the store, saying what good books are available today; other marketing strategies he was unaware of.
However, unlike him, Miss Qu knew, and she had already advised him on how to market, at any rate, people had been sent out to promote.
Still, there were no noticeable results.
No customers came, but instead, Manager Zhang from "Furui Bookstore" a few doors down was attracted over, this manager had once poached Manager Wu’s apprentice.
"I heard you have ’Journey to the West’ for sale here? It’s said to be a newly emerged storybook originating from a restaurant, how did you persuade them to let you sell the books? Let me tell you, your bookstore is so unpopular, you’d better let us sell it instead, at least we can move some copies."
Even Manager Zhang didn’t expect "Journey to the West" to sell well.
After all, the nobles who knew of "Journey to the West" had already heard it at the restaurant, who would spend more money to buy it again?
And those who hadn’t heard of it, either had no money or didn’t know what "Journey to the West" was, let alone buy it.
The situation called for the bookstore with popularity to promote and sell it.
In the end, Manager Zhang was refused by Manager Wu, and he left with a stern face, leaving behind harsh words.
"When you can’t sell a single copy, don’t hide under your covers and cry!"
Meanwhile, Ji Nishang’s milk tea got excellent feedback at "Tingya Building," everyone who tasted it praised it, and some clients who visited both "Flower Garden Ode" and "Tingya Building" noted the taste was identical.
Ji Nishang was delighted to receive the feedback, immediately instructing someone to inform her aunt to prepare to open a branch soon.
Such matters needed to be swift.