Old Master Wei specially invited his two shopkeepers, as well as Old Master Zhao and Mr. He, who were on good terms with him, to help as witnesses and formally sign the contract. When signing the contract, he made it clear that the Wei family would not pay a penny for the shop, nor would they take a penny. Whether it was profitable or not, it was all the business of the two sisters-in-law.
What Old Master Wei did was, at least in his circle of friends, something new and different. Shopkeeper Li and Shopkeeper Zhao had been with Old Master Wei for many years. Old Master Zhao and Mr. He were relatives and fellow villagers, so they were even closer. When talking about it, Old Master Zhao would say, "Brother, you did a really open job!"
Ho Tung-ka also said, "Although it is a small business, it is clearer to have a contract."
Old Master Zhao asked, "I've always said that Ah Yin is still a little girl, why did the aunt and sister-in-law want to do business?"
"This matter is not worth mentioning." Old Master Wei told the story of Chen Xuan weaving hats and selling them in the shop. "Originally, my second daughter-in-law weaved a western-style straw hat, and Ah Nian wore it while doing business in the shop. But a customer saw it and insisted on buying it. How much can such a small item be worth? My second daughter-in-law is skillful, so she weaved a few more and put them in the shop. What can Ah Yin do? I have raised her over the years. Although she has learned some foreign languages recently, I don’t think she cares much about it. She is more interested in dressing up. Oh, I don’t really understand the girls nowadays. It’s just a hat. Back then, didn’t we all wear the big wide-brimmed straw hats from our hometown? They were cheap and affordable. Girls think differently from us. There are more styles of hats, sometimes with a rim, sometimes with a flower. Ah Yin told the second daughter-in-law about the styles, and the two of them made a lot of hats for her. How could the family bring so many hats? The extra ones were put in the shop, and they were actually sold? They were just little toys for fun, and they couldn’t make more than two dollars. I They said that whatever you earn is yours. This is a big deal, they are planning to open a shop. If I don’t agree, I will be unhappy. But we are a business family, and we have to follow our business rules. Although their business is not big, I have said it in advance. Whether they do business or not, their family will not lack food and drink. Since they are doing this business, they have to bear the profits and losses themselves. If they make money, it is their ability. We, as elders, hope that the younger generation will have a bright future. If they lose money, they will also bear it themselves. Doing business is not like weaving hats. If you weave a few more, even if you can’t sell them, your family can keep them. You have to set up a stall to do business. Just the rent, I wonder how they can break even.”
As Old Master Wei spoke, everyone laughed.
Doing business is not as easy as Grandpa Wei said. Let’s not talk about how expensive the shops in Dongdan are. Well, Wei Nian still rented a small shop with a storefront, but the rent had to be paid for half a year. Chen Xuan and Wei Yin were dumbfounded by the rent alone. Neither of them expected the rent to be so expensive. After discussing with Chen Xuan, Wei Yin said, “We just signed the contract. I’m afraid Dad won’t lend us a single dollar.”
Chen Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll borrow it from Brother Anian. But, Yin, let me make it clear first. Even if I can borrow it, I have to write an IOU to Brother Anian."
Wei Yin was a little surprised, "Second sister-in-law, aren't you the one holding second brother's money?"
"I'm just keeping it for Brother Anian. We usually keep our accounts very clear. Brother Anian is so good to me, I can't take advantage of him." Chen Xuan emphasized very seriously. Wei Yin really felt that her second sister-in-law was coaxed by her second brother. The money her father earned was all collected by her mother. The money earned by men should be given to women. However, they need to use it for business, so it is reasonable to write a receipt for the second brother. Wei Yin has always been reasonable and said seriously, "This is as it should be." One thing is one thing. If there is one advantage of a business family, it is that the accounts are clear.
Chen Xuan privately told Wei Nian about borrowing money, and Wei Nian asked her, "How much capital do you have?"
Chen Xuan said, "After deducting the labor and materials, the money I earned from selling hats these days is seventy-three dollars and eighty-seven cents."
"Oh, I really sold quite a lot." Wei Nian was a little surprised. Because the money from the hats was sold casually, Wei Nian would bring it back to the aunt and sister-in-law on the same day, so Wei Nian didn't know the exact amount. Speaking of the money from the hats, Chen Xuan also smiled, "I originally thought that when I had the money, I would pay back Brother Nian first. But I have to rent a shop, and the rent is still a large sum, and the previous debt cannot be repaid, so, I have to borrow another sum of money from Brother Nian. But, Brother Nian, don't worry, I have agreed with Yin that if I lend you so much money, I will write you a promissory note and put a red handprint on it. When we make money, we will definitely pay it back!"
Wei Nian smiled, "I don't expect you to pay me back. It would be better if you compensate me. If you do, you can use yourself to pay off the debt."
"You're such a jinx! You're expecting us to lose money before we even open the store!" Chen Xuan formally asked Wei Nian, "Don't say this word in the future. Say 'make money' or 'get rich' instead."
Wei Nian suppressed his laughter, "Okay, got it."
"Then Brother Anian, you agree to lend us money, right?" Chen Xuan confirmed again.
"Isn't my money all with you? Just take it."
"That won't do. With such a large sum, I need to explain it to you, Brother Anian." Chen Xuan was very methodical in her work, and now it seemed that she had some rules. "If you agree, I'll ask Yin to come over, and we'll owe you the IOU together."
"All right."
So, the money for renting the shop was borrowed from Wei Nian. Originally, Chen Xuan thought that she and Wei Yin had 73.87 yuan, and they could subtract the 73.87 yuan from the rent, and then borrow as much money as the rent was still short. Wei Yin didn't think so. He said, "We have to keep some money for turnover. We rented a shop, and the wages of the shop assistants and other expenses are all expenses. Since we are borrowing money, we can just borrow more."
Wei Nian couldn't help but say, "You're not soft-hearted. I tell you, you have to pay interest on the half you borrowed."
Chen Xuan stopped writing with a spirit of partnership, "Ayin and I borrowed these together, so let's calculate it together. Brother Anian, you can calculate the interest, but it can't be considered usury."
"That's right. You're borrowing money from your own brother and you're still charging interest. If you keep nagging me, I'll go borrow from my eldest brother." Wei Yin said to Chen Xuan, "Second sister-in-law, just write it. I won't charge him any interest."
Chen Xuan didn't know that the brother and sister were joking. She looked at Wei Nian hesitantly and thought of a compromise. "How about this, if we can pay back Brother Nian's money before the New Year, Brother Nian, you can consider it as supporting us and don't charge interest. If we can't pay it back, if it exceeds half a year, we will charge half of the interest of the state-owned bank, and if it exceeds a year, we will charge the full interest of the state-owned bank. If the delay is longer, we will pay you double the interest, how do you think?"
Wei Nian discovered that, although Chen Xuan was stupid, she could sometimes come up with good ideas. This was just a joke, Wei Nian would never charge interest from the two sisters-in-law. However, Chen Xuan's idea was really good, Wei Nian nodded, "Not bad, not bad, this is a good idea. If the loan sharks had your idea, they would be dead."
Chen Xuan felt that Wei Nian was teasing her, so she didn't answer and just wrote down all the rules. Because the amount of money borrowed from Wei Nian was quite large, she wrote a whole article on the rules. Finally, Chen Xuan and Wei Yin signed and stamped the red handprint, and gave the IOU to Wei Nian. Wei Nian shook the IOU, didn't even look at it, and gave it to Chen Xuan to put away.
It is not easy to open a shop. Before Wei Nian bought the shop, Wei Yin and Chen Xuan went to Dong'an Market and Quanyechang on Xiheyan. There are not many shops specializing in hats in Beijing. Most of them sell clothes and hats together. The two of them went there mainly to see how other people display their goods. Chen Xuan rarely goes to shopping malls, so she is always overwhelmed and dazzled. But Wei Yin can remember everything after seeing it once. Besides, she is learning to paint now. She carries a small notebook with her. She sketches a picture in the notebook when she leaves other people's shops. After the two sisters-in-law decided on the display, they went to a second-hand furniture store to buy some second-hand furniture. In order to save money, they moved everything from home if they didn't have to buy it.
Wei Jin teased the two, "You guys have to pay to move from home, right?"
Chen Xuan was always silent, but ever since Wei Yin decided to open a shop, her nature had been released. She said, "When I make money in the future and buy good things, I will return this to you." She asked the clerk to take it away.
Wei Jin murmured to Old Lady Wei, "Since they decided to open the shop, these two have become sugar cocks. Not only do they not spend a penny, but they also want to earn some from their family."
Old Madam Wei felt sorry for her little girl, "Don't even mention them. Your second brother lost all his private property because of this."
"If my second brother and his wife participate in the investment, who will? If my second brother doesn't pay, who will? My second brother and his wife have money?" Wei Jin raised the corner of her lips and whispered to her mother, "Don't say it, Ah Yin is a smart girl. She even knows to pull my second brother and his wife. They can use my second brother's money as they like."
"That's not true. They signed a promissory note for your second brother."
"Mom, do you still believe this? Isn't all my second brother's money in the hands of his wife?" Wei Jin snorted with a smile, knitting a hat non-stop while talking to the old lady, "Don't say it, my second brother's wife doesn't talk much on weekdays, but she is really cunning. My second brother was so reluctant at the beginning, but not long after she came into the family, she has coaxed him around and let him spend all the money as he wants."
"Not all men are like this." Old Mrs. Wei looked down on her second son for being inconsistent before and after marriage.
Now the second son who said one thing and one thing was another was faced with a request from the second daughter-in-law. Chen Xuan first greeted Wei Nian by serving him tea and water, and then Wei Nian said, "Brother Anian, our shop has been cleaned up. I will take you to have a look tomorrow. Brother Anian, you have a wide range of knowledge. If there is anything we are not good at, please give us some suggestions so that we can improve it."
Wei Nian glanced at Chen Xuan and said, "Just say it if you have something to say." Whenever Chen Xuan flatters someone, she must have some ulterior motive. Wei Nian saw through her.
Chen Xuan was a person who could not keep secrets and was very honest, so she said directly, "I was thinking that people who opened shops would have flower baskets sent to them. We opened a shop, have you ever thought about sending us a flower basket, Brother Anian?"
Wei Nian almost burst out laughing, thinking that although this stupid girl was a little thick-skinned, she couldn't do business well just by being thick-skinned.
The author has something to say: ps: Good morning everyone~~~~~ I feel I am getting more and more diligent~~~~ Thank you all for your mines
Su Yaya threw 1 mine without any damage. Yu Dizi threw 1 mine.