The next day, Cheng You wanted to send Qi Chengyan off to the army.
He was unwilling, not wanting to see her leave alone.
So Cheng You stayed home, only escorting him to the door.
No sooner had Qi Chengyan left than Song Jingtang arrived.
His purpose was simple: to plead with Cheng You.
Seeing that Qi Chengyan was not there, he asked, "Where's A'yan?"
"He's returned to the army."
Song Jingtang stood up in shock, "Is he really reinstated?"
Cheng You paused in her actions, "No, he's starting over, as a new recruit."
Song Jingtang felt as if a fist had struck his heart, heavy and闷闷的.
This required immense courage.
Few people in the army didn't know Qi Chengyan, and there were plenty waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
Under such immense pressure, his difficulty in starting over was far greater than when he first joined the army.
He smiled bitterly, "It's not surprising. A'yan was never one to be confined to a small pond."
He would not be content to live like this forever.
Cheng You poured him a cup of tea and said, "If you've come about Xiao Wan, then spare me your words. I won't speak for you to her."
"Why? Cheng You, I genuinely love her..."
"Can genuine love fill a stomach? Can it help her with her mother-in-law? You two can continue, but what about the future? After getting married, will you have a place to move out to? When you and Xiao Wan are in college, living on school subsidies, will that be enough for rent? When she clashes with your mother, will you unconditionally stand by her side?" Cheng You challenged.
Qi Chengyan would.
Song Jingtang was rendered speechless. It was his own inadequacy.
For the past twenty-something years, he had been supported by his family and had never felt any pressure.
This was the first time he experienced the feeling of being unable to move forward.
"Although I haven't met your family, I understand everything Xiao Wan has told me. Song Jingtang, ask yourself honestly, aren't your parents being unreasonable?"
Song Jingtang murmured, "Unreasonable."
More than unreasonable, they were utterly irrational.
"If the roles were reversed, and Xiao Wan's parents asked you to give your university spot to their niece, and after marriage you would stay home to do chores and raise children, how would you feel?"
Song Jingtang hung his head dejectedly. But he couldn't cut ties with his family.
And he couldn't bear to let go of Sun Xiaowan.
He despaired, running his hands through his hair, "Cheng You, then tell me, what can I do? What else can I do! On one side are my parents, on the other is Xiao Wan, what can I do!"
Cheng You said, "Come up with practical solutions. Xiao Wan and your parents don't get along, so they should see each other less. As for how to see each other less, that's your own business."
This was not something to be settled with mere words.
Song Jingtang made a decision in his heart, and after a moment of silence, he stood up.
"Cheng You, thank you. Please help me check on Xiao Wan more often during this time."
Cheng You nodded, "Everyone is undergoing military training these days, she should have no time to overthink."
Song Jingtang thanked her and walked towards the door.
Cheng You shook her head secretly, wondering what solution he had come up with.
...
With Qi Chengyan gone, Cheng You found the house empty and boring, and basically went out every day.
Qin Jianzhong said he had found a source for the goods, and the first batch was already on its way. The remaining task was to find a shop to open.
As Cheng You also wanted to find a place with a storefront and a back workshop to open a pharmacy, she accompanied him out every day.
The general store was to be located near the People's Department Store. Several shops had already opened there, but there was no general store yet.
They quickly secured the lease. Due to its good location, the monthly rent was ten yuan.
Once they were financially stable later, they could consider buying the shop.
The remaining matters were left to Qin Jianzhong.
Cheng You also had her eye on a pharmacy location. This shop was quite large, with another room inside, and further in, a backyard.
This backyard would be perfect for setting up a pharmaceutical factory.
"This location is a bit out of the way," Qin Jianzhong said.
For business, one couldn't choose such a remote place.
Like that Hui Chun Tang, its location was excellent.
He had taken his wife to see it last time, and it was always crowded.
Although Cheng You's choice was spacious, it was too remote to easily establish a brand.
Cheng You smiled, "Good wine needs no bush. As long as my medicine is good, people will come."
This was precisely what she was counting on.
It was a pity Qi Chengyan wasn't here, otherwise, she could have discussed it with him.
Cheng You looked at the old man next to her and asked, "How much to buy it?"
The old man was taken aback, "You're not renting?"
"Initially, I thought of renting, but now I want to buy."
"Young lady, this is not cheap."
Cheng You smiled, "Give me a price, and I'll know."
The old man held up two fingers.
Cheng You estimated the money she had on hand. She could afford it.
Once the medicinal herbs from Wujing Village and Qili Village were collected, it would be another income.
But two thousand was too much.
"Sir, it's a bit expensive. This location isn't considered good."
The old man smiled, "If it's not good, why are you still opening a shop here?"
"It's my business to open a shop here, but that doesn't change the fact that the location isn't good."
The old man closed his eyes and shook his head, "It can't be any less. It's two thousand. My place is spacious. Take another good look."
Cheng You stopped looking and walked out with Qin Jianzhong.
"I'm not looking anymore. Let's go."
Seeing that they seemed to be really leaving, the old man hurried after them.
"Young lady, you're really not looking? Our shop has a good layout, it's spacious, and even the feng shui master said it's good. It will guarantee your business is booming."
Cheng You chuckled, "No matter how booming the business, I can't afford to buy it."
It was difficult to rent out a shop with this kind of layout.
If it was too expensive, no one would rent it; if it was too cheap, he felt he was losing out.
In fact, he had wanted to sell it for a long time.
"Alright then, what price can you accept?"
Cheng You stopped and said, "Fifteen thousand."
Dropping five thousand at once made the old man frown in pain.
"Add a bit more, add a bit more!"
This wasn't five hundred, it was five thousand!
Every hundred more was a hundred more.
"No more, just fifteen thousand. It's already very reasonable," Cheng You stated firmly.
The old man hesitated, "I need to go back and discuss it with my son. Can you come back tomorrow morning?"
"Yes, if it doesn't work out, we'll look elsewhere," Cheng You said with a smile, looking as if she wasn't being forced.
She walked out with Qin Jianzhong.
He asked in shock, "You're not actually planning to buy it, are you?"
"There are other shops in the vicinity that aren't too remote. It's just that the location isn't as good as Hui Chun Tang. The main thing is the layout and size, I really like them."
With the current Zhen Shan Tang, they could only temporarily operate as a front shop and back workshop.
Qin Jianzhong didn't try to persuade her further, "Then so be it. You decide. Oh, by the way, why didn't I see Captain Qi?"
"He's returned to the army."
"Reinstated?"
Cheng You gave a bitter smile, "It's not that easy. He's just going back as a new recruit."
Qin Jianzhong's face turned pale. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say, so he remained silent.