Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 161 Renting a Bigger Shop

The streets were lined with shops and bustling with activity. Jiang Man and Wang Xiu's small restaurant had been open for several years and business had always been good.

Every morning, there is always a long queue in front of the shop, waiting to eat a bowl of steaming noodles or a few fragrant steamed buns.

Jiang Man and Wang Xiu were busy and happy, but seeing the satisfied smiles of their customers filled them with a sense of accomplishment.

That day, Jiang Man was busy in the kitchen, while Wang Xiu was greeting guests in the front hall.

The afternoon sun streamed through the windows into the shop, making it warm and cozy.

After clearing the table, Wang Xiu walked to the kitchen doorway and, seeing Jiang Man's busy figure, said, "Sister-in-law Man, our business is getting better and better. How about we open another branch?"

Jiang Man stopped what he was doing, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked up at Wang Xiu: "Xiu, do you really think it's necessary to open another store?"

Wang Xiu nodded and said seriously, "I think it's necessary. Our shop is small now, and there aren't enough seats for all the customers when it's busy. If we could open a larger branch, it would definitely attract more customers. Besides, our skills are so good, if we could expand, we might even be able to build a brand."

Jiang Man thought about it and realized that Wang Xiu made sense. In recent years, the small restaurant's business had indeed been getting better and better, especially on weekends and holidays, when the restaurant was always packed with people.

Sometimes when customers come, there's nowhere to sit, and they have to stand and wait. Opening a larger branch would definitely solve this problem.

"Alright, let's give it a try. But finding a shop isn't easy; we'll have to look carefully."

As Jiang Man spoke, she continued with her work. Wang Xiu nodded, "Yes, I'll inquire around in the next few days to see if there are any suitable shops for rent or sale."

From that day on, Jiang Man and Wang Xiu began searching for a suitable shop. Every day after finishing their business at the shop, they would ride their bicycles around the streets and alleys of the town, looking for a suitable store.

In the 1990s, most shops in small towns were storefronts facing the street, where rent was relatively cheap, but good locations were often hard to find.

One day, Wang Xiu discovered a shop for rent on a street in the town center.

She excitedly ran back to tell Jiang Man, "Sister-in-law Man, I found a shop in a great location, right on the street in the center of town, where there's a lot of foot traffic."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Man perked up: "Let's go take a look."

They arrived at the street and saw the shop from afar. The shop sign had the words "For Rent" written in large characters, and there was a piece of paper pasted on the door with the rent and contact information.

Jiang Man and Wang Xiu walked into the shop, which was much larger than their current small restaurant, about 30 or 40 square meters, and also had a small kitchen.

Jiang Man looked around and a satisfied smile appeared on his face: "This place is good. It's spacious and well-lit. If we can rent this place, we can definitely make it work."

Wang Xiu nodded: "Yes, I just asked, and the rent isn't too expensive, only two thousand yuan a month."

Jiang Man thought about it and felt the price was reasonable. She took out her phone and dialed the landlord's number: "Hello, I'm the person who wants to rent this shop. I'd like to ask how long the lease is?"

The landlord said on the phone, "This shop can be leased long-term; a three- to five-year contract is no problem."

Jiang Man then asked, "How are the water and electricity bills calculated?"

The landlord said, "Water and electricity bills are calculated by meter; you'll have to pay them yourselves."

Jiang Man thought the terms were pretty good, so she arranged a time with the landlord to come and discuss the contract the next day.

The next day, Jiang Man and Wang Xiu arrived at the landlord's house with the contract and some necessary documents. The landlord was a middle-aged man in his fifties who seemed very kind.

He warmly invited Jiang Man and Wang Xiu to sit down, and then began to discuss the contract.

The landlord said, "I plan to rent this shop to you for five years, with the rent paid annually at 24,000 yuan per year. You will be responsible for your own water and electricity bills. I am only responsible for the structural issues of the building."

Jiang Man and Wang Xiu discussed it and felt the terms were acceptable. Jiang Man said, "Okay, let's sign the contract then." The landlord took out the contract, and Jiang Man and Wang Xiu carefully read it over. Finding no problems, they signed it.

The landlord signed the papers and handed the keys to Jiang Man, saying, "This shop is now yours. You can start renovations."

Jiang Man took the key, feeling extremely happy.

She and Wang Xiu walked out of the landlord's house, both extremely excited.

Wang Xiu said, "Sister-in-law Man, now we have a big store, and we'll definitely be able to make more money in the future."

Jiang Man smiled and said, "Of course, we need to renovate properly and make the shop look beautiful."

Over the next few days, Jiang Man and Wang Xiu began to busy themselves with decorating the new store.

They hired a renovation team to repaint the walls of the shop and re-tile the floor.

A new stove and range hood were installed in the kitchen, and new tables and chairs were also purchased.

Jiang Man even went to the market to buy a few potted green plants and placed them in the shop, adding a touch of life to the space. The construction workers were working enthusiastically, while Jiang Man and Wang Xiu helped by handing over tools and moving materials.

Although they were exhausted and covered in sweat, they were very happy to see the store becoming more and more beautiful every day.

After about a week of renovations, the new store is finally finished.

Jiang Man and Wang Xiu stood at the shop entrance, looking at the newly renovated shop, their faces full of smiles.

Jiang Man said, "Xiu, this store is really well decorated. It will definitely attract more customers in the future."

Wang Xiu nodded in agreement: "Yes, our store has a great location and beautiful decor, it's bound to be a hit."

After the renovations were completed, Jiang Man and Wang Xiu began preparing for their opening. They went to the market to buy new ingredients and new tableware.

Jiang Man even went to a printing factory to print a batch of flyers, intending to hand them out to passersby when the business opened.

The day before the opening, Jiang Man and Wang Xiu were busy at the store all day.

They cleaned the shop thoroughly, prepared the ingredients, and even placed flyers on the table by the door.

In the evening, they were exhausted, but looking at the beautifully decorated shop, they felt a great sense of accomplishment.

The next morning, Jiang Man and Wang Xiu arrived at the shop early to welcome their first customers. They opened the shop door, placed flyers at the entrance, and then stood at the door, warmly greeting passersby.

Not long after, customers walked into the store.

The first customer was a middle-aged man. He walked into the store, looked around, and then smiled and said, "This store is really nice; it's beautifully decorated."

Jiang Man greeted them warmly: "Welcome, please make yourself at home, the food will be served shortly."

The middle-aged man nodded and found a seat. A few more customers came in shortly after. Jiang Man and Wang Xiu were busy serving them, but seeing the increasing number of customers made them especially happy.

On the first day of business, business was exceptionally good. All the seats in the store were occupied, and Jiang Man and Wang Xiu were extremely busy.

But they were very happy, feeling that their efforts had not been in vain.

Business was good for the first few days after opening. The new store had a good location, beautiful decor, and delicious food, which quickly attracted more customers.

Jiang Man and Wang Xiu are extremely busy every day, but they feel very satisfied looking at the bustling scene in the store.