Shocking! The entire court was drooling with envy because of me.

It's a brand new day again~

Shen Qing made an appointment with Zhao Wan to go see the new shop today.

She slept until she naturally woke up, and after Zhao Wan arrived, the two of them went out together.

"Sister Shen, why are you suddenly opening a shop? What are you planning to sell?"

Zhao Wan kept asking questions all the way.

She was genuinely curious, after all, her father had previously said he would invest in Sister Shen, but at that time Sister Shen said she had no plans to open a shop.

Why are you suddenly opening a shop?

Shen Qing smiled faintly and said, "It's just that I suddenly wanted to open a shop. As for what kind of food to sell, I'm not sure yet."

This answer is practically the same as not answering at all.

However, Zhao Wan was already used to it.

Truly capable people are always quite unique.

It seems her father won't have a chance to get involved in Sister Shen's business.

"Sister Shen's cooking skills are excellent. No matter what food she sells, her business will be good. In this way, the customers are also lucky, because they won't be unable to find Sister Shen anywhere anymore."

Zhao Wan laughed heartily, her anticipation growing even stronger.

I wonder where Sister Shen's shop is? And what it's like?

Shen Qing led Zhao Wan forward, following the route provided by the system; she had no idea about the specifics of the shop.

After walking for a while, the two arrived at a rather bustling street.

The streets are lined with shops of all sizes, and there are also many vendors setting up stalls.

"Would you two ladies like something to eat? Our food is delicious and affordable, and it's very famous around here. Would you like to come in and have a taste?"

A fat, middle-aged man stopped the two of them. His small eyes were squinting with laughter, and his face was full of fat.

Shen Qing waved her hand, indicating that they should not eat.

The fat man persisted, insisting, "Try it! It won't cost much, and it has everything you could want."

"I won't eat." Shen Qing's voice was somewhat cold.

The fat man seemed unhappy, and his face immediately fell.

He muttered to himself, "Fine, they won't eat then. They're dressed so smartly, but they won't even eat a meal. How stingy! Can't they at least patronize my business...?"

He muttered softly, and Shen Qing and Zhao Wan didn't hear him.

The two bypassed the fat man and continued walking forward.

It was just a minor incident and didn't dampen Zhao Wan's anticipation.

"This place is quite lively. Sister Shen, is your shop here?" Zhao Wan asked, looking around.

Shen Qing frowned slightly, the system's voice in her mind still guiding her forward.

Walk to the end of this street, turn left, and it's the shop at the very end.

"We still need to walk a little further..."

After walking for a while, the further we went, the more something seemed off. There were fewer and fewer people, and very few vendors were setting up stalls.

At the end of the street, turn left and you'll find an even smaller street.

The street was deserted, and although there were many shops facing the street, most of the doors were closed.

Even in shops that were open, the shopkeepers inside all looked worried, their faces as if they had swallowed a bitter pill.

"Sister Shen, your shop...it can't be...on this street, can it?"

Zhao Wan looked bewildered; the location of this street was really not good.

No, it's not just not good, it's downright terrible, extremely terrible.

It's nothing compared to that lively place we just visited; it's like comparing heaven and earth.

Under Zhao Wan's anxious and inquiring gaze, Shen Qing nodded solemnly.

"It's right on this street, and it's at the very back."

"What? No way?"

Shen Qing nodded again; this was the system's guidance.

Sure enough, the system's tasks only became more and more difficult, and she wouldn't be able to complete them easily.

If a shop can become famous throughout the county within a month, it means that everyone in Ping'an County will know about it.

Now, the shop is located in a remote area and no one visits it.

The difference is enormous.

However, Shen Qing was not discouraged.

There's a saying that goes, "Good wine needs no bush," and she had great confidence in her culinary skills.

Soon, the two reached the end of the street.

A small shop came into view, locked with a thick layer of dust on the lock, clearly indicating that no one had been there for a long time.

A plaque hangs above, bearing the three characters "Zhiweixuan".

"Sister Shen, are you really going to open a shop here?" Zhao Wan looked surprised, with a hint of disdain in her eyes.

This shop is really terrible; it doesn't deserve Sister Shen's skills at all!

Shen Qing remained calm: "This is it."

She stepped forward and took out her keys from her pocket.

The key was provided by the system, and the shop's deed and other documents were all complete.

bang-

The lock is open.

With a creak, the scene inside the shop came into view.

The first thing you see is a tall counter, behind which are stoves, cutting boards, and other cooking utensils. If someone is cooking inside, you can see it from the doorway.

Next to it was a three-tiered cabinet, taller than a person, which looked like it was for storing food.

There was also a large water vat, which was already covered with spider webs.

"Sister Shen... this place..." Zhao Wan stammered, her face clearly showing that this place was unbearable.

As a wealthy young lady, she had never set foot in such a filthy environment before.

Just then, a noise came from the doorway:

"You want to do business here?"

She was an older woman, around fifty years old, thin and small, but with a kind face.

Shen Qing replied, "Yes, we plan to sell food here."

"Oh dear, young lady, listen to my advice, don't open a shop here. The feng shui of this street is bad; every shop that opens here goes bankrupt. You two shouldn't waste your money."

"I live right next door to you. I sell wontons, but I don't get much business at all. I even lose money after a month."

"If the shop hadn't been family-owned, and if my father hadn't been so obsessed with selling wontons, I would have stopped selling them long ago."

"You guys should hurry up and cancel your order. You can save some money, otherwise, you'll be in for a tough time."

The old woman spoke at length, her face etched with the marks of time, her eyes filled with the hardships she had endured.

She genuinely advised Shen Qing to leave.

Shen Qing shook his head: "Auntie, this shop isn't rented, it's mine."

"I'll tidy up my shop today and open for business tomorrow."

Zhao Wan, who was standing nearby, suddenly became anxious: "Sister Shen, please listen to Auntie's advice. Let's find another place. This shop is really not suitable."

This shop has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, neither in its location nor its layout.

She was afraid that even if Sister Shen worked hard for a long time, the shop might not open.

How disappointed Sister Shen will be then!

She was the daughter of a merchant, so she knew a bit about business. Opening a shop wasn't something you could do just because you had good skills.

If that were the case, all the chefs in the world would probably open their own shops, and who would still work for merchants?