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Back to the 80s: A Cherished Marriage
Determined to make the purchase, Zhao Jin seriously negotiated with the seller. The amount of effort he put into haggling was almost equivalent to the total words he spoke in a month.
Fortunately, the final outcome was quite pleasing.
After securing the shop at a price that Zhao Jin was very satisfied with, he let out a long sigh of relief.
From then on, they were about to embark on a new chapter.
Zhao Jin firmly believed that this chapter would lead to good things.
“How about it? Yuehong hasn’t enrolled in high school yet; should you consider transferring to City?” Sitting in the shop that now belonged to him, Zhao Jin suddenly turned his head and joked with Qi Yuehong.
Of course, Zhao Jin wasn’t just asking casually.
In his view, having acquired this shop was undoubtedly a good omen. If Qi Yuehong regretted it now, it would still be possible to change her mind.
“No.” Before today’s events unfolded, Qi Yuehong had no intention of coming to City for high school. After seeing how much money her brother and sister-in-law spent on the shop, she became even less inclined to come to City.
Her brother and sister-in-law already had such a heavy burden; she wouldn’t want to add to it.
So, even though she knew that her sister-in-law genuinely cared for her and wanted what was best for her, Qi Yuehong still found it hard to accept. Instead, she felt increasingly pained and concerned about Zhao Jin’s hardships and his selfless contributions to the Qi family.
“I don’t want to either.” Unexpectedly, Qi Rui spoke up.
Compared to Qi Yuehong’s quiet demeanor, Qi Rui was more inclined towards being reserved. He wasn’t as lively as Qi Ze but also didn’t exhibit the strong indifference of Qi Zheng.
However, the usually reticent Qi Rui suddenly spoke up, making his presence felt.
Zhao Jin was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "As for Yuehong, that's understandable. Our family isn't particularly well-off right now. But Rui, by the time you enter high school, our situation might have changed significantly. By then, money won't be the primary concern for your education."
It must be emphasized that while Zhao Jin said this, she genuinely believed it in her heart as well.
That's why all along, she had only considered sending Qi Yuehong to City for high school. As for Qi Rui, he was left out of the plans.
It wasn't that she didn't value Qi Rui; rather, in Zhao Jin's plans, by the time Qi Rui entered high school, their family would no longer have to worry about finances.
At that point, sending Qi Rui to City for high school would be a natural decision, completely taken for granted. Thus, there would be no need for discussion or notification.
Who would have thought that an issue she hadn't considered would become a major concern when it came to Qi Rui? Even Qi Rui chose to stay in the county for high school, following in step with Qi Yuehong.
"Then I won't waste my brother and sister-in-law's money," Qi Rui insisted, just like Qi Yuehong.
Having experienced such poverty at home before, he and his sister almost dropped out of school. Now that he could continue his education through middle school and smoothly transition to high school, Qi Rui was already very happy.
As for whether or not to study in City, that wasn't something Qi Rui was particularly concerned about.
Moreover, he would rather spend any extra money on buying more milk powder for Guo Guo and Dou Dou than on his own education in City.
So regardless of how wealthy the family might become in the future, there were still places where money shouldn't be spent.
"You two siblings really are..." Zhao Jin shook her head. She wanted to educate and criticize Qi Yuehong and Qi Rui but was also genuinely touched by their understanding and thoughtfulness.
Sigh, never mind. After all, these two children have their own ideas. Even if they attend high school in the county, they will likely achieve the best results.
Thinking this way, Zhao Jin let out a long sigh and didn't dwell on the matter any further.
Unlike other parents, while Zhao Jin certainly hopes for her son to become a dragon and her daughter to become a phoenix, more importantly, she wishes for her children to be happy and learn joyfully.
Forcing them to do things against their will, even under the guise of doing it for their own good, should not be done.
Therefore, to some extent, Zhao Jin, as a sister-in-law, is quite tolerant. She spends money to support her siblings-in-law's education but has never demanded that these two children must achieve anything specific. It’s not that they have to be the top students in order to continue their studies.
On the contrary, as long as the two children are willing to go to school, regardless of their grades, Zhao Jin will definitely continue to support Qi Yuehong and Qi Rui's education without hesitation. She will only discuss other matters once they feel satisfied and no longer wish to study.
Throughout the conversation between Zhao Jin and the siblings Qi Yuehong and Qi Rui, Qi Zheng and Qi Ze remained silent, watching with smiles.
Although they had never held a meeting together, everyone had already formed a tacit understanding. For major family matters that Zhao Jin intervened in, it was understood that she would take charge. The others only needed to stand by and watch without interfering or disturbing Zhao Jin.
Moreover, regarding sending Qi Yuehong and Qi Rui to the city for high school, when Zhao Jin brought it up, both Qi Zheng and Qi Ze silently agreed in their hearts.
If the family has the means, they should certainly provide the best learning environment for the two children within their capacity. This point was unanimously accepted among them.
At this point, everyone's support for Zhao Jin increased significantly, and they had no intention of participating in discussions about it.
Sun Qiuer was hearing about Zhao Jin's idea of having Qi Yuehong and her brother come to the city for high school for the first time and couldn't help but feel even more respect and admiration for Zhao Jin as a sister-in-law.
Being a sister-in-law who goes this far shows that Zhao Jin truly cares deeply for the Qijia family.
No wonder the Qijia Family is willing to treat Zhao Jin so well. Sun Qiuer nodded to herself, making a decision to learn more from Zhao Jin in the future.
At the same time, Sun Qiuer felt she had to remind Zhao Jin of another issue: "But Sister-in-law, we bought the store, and someone has to keep an eye on it. We don’t live in City, where are we going to find someone to watch the shop?"
"Uncle is here!" Zhao Jin pointed at Qi Feng, her tone conveying a sense of reassurance that needed no further explanation.
Initially, Zhao Jin had also worried about this issue. She had considered Qi Ze for the job. Qi Ze was lively, had a good personality, and was family; it seemed like the most suitable choice.
However, Qi Ze had just gotten married, and it wouldn’t be right to leave Sun Qiuer alone at home. So, Zhao Jin dismissed that idea.
Later, it was Qi Zheng who suggested that Uncle Qifeng come to City to manage the Furniture Store business.
Zhao Jin was surprised by this proposal from Qi Zheng; she never expected it.
Although Qi Feng's legs had improved significantly, Zhao Jin still subconsciously worried about his daily life. Not to mention leaving Qi Feng alone in City while taking care of the store would be another consideration and problem.
However, Qi Zheng informed Zhao Jin that this was Qi Feng's own suggestion.
Upon hearing that it was Qi Feng's own idea, Zhao Jin fell silent.
Zhao Jin had always held admiration for Qi Feng. Even now, that feeling had not diminished.
When Qi Zheng mentioned Qi Feng's past character and his significant changes now, Zhao Jin paused for three seconds before nodding in agreement with the plan.
Imagine someone who was once so formidable suddenly facing a setback and being forced to lie in bed for several years. Even if they finally recover, it would be impossible to immediately return to their former heroic self.
The gap in this situation is something only Qi Feng truly understands. No matter how others think, they cannot empathize and cannot truly comprehend the suffering Qi Feng has endured.
Even though Qi Feng helps out at home by making furniture, it is still fundamentally different.
Even Zhao Jin can see that Qi Feng should not be living like this. However, despite having sensed something was off for a long time, Zhao Jin felt powerless and could not find a better way or solution to help Qi Feng.
What she did not expect was that this point she overlooked was something Qi Feng found on his own.
Thus, without any further consideration, this matter was settled.
Since it was their own shop, they could arrange it however they wanted. Therefore, Zhao Jin thought about placing a bed and other necessities for daily living in the room at the back of the store for Qi Feng.
Also, there needed to be a way to cook. Otherwise, just having three meals a day would be a significant problem.
Zhao Jin's considerations were naturally also taken into account by Qi Zheng and Qi Feng.
There was no need to worry about sleeping arrangements; eating should not be a source of concern either.
They had brought enough cooking equipment with them to ensure that Qi Feng would have three meals a day.
As a result, thanks to Qi Feng's strong support, Zhao Jin and Qi Zheng's Furniture Store could open smoothly without worrying about any other concerns.
Uncle Tao quickly drove over with a batch of furniture. At the same time, he left behind a list of contacts. The list included their partners from the Lumber Mill, and Uncle Tao was very supportive and optimistic about Qi Zheng's first Furniture Store.
In addition to Uncle Tao's assistance, even the mall inquired about furniture collaboration with Zhao Jin and Qi Zheng.
Get up, there are also fixed furniture ordering channels in the mall, and sales are quite good on regular days. However, given that Zhao Jin's clothes are selling exceptionally well, the mall can't help but pay extra attention to Zhao Jin and Qi Zheng.
As soon as they heard that Qi Zheng was coming to City to open a store, the mall immediately paid some attention. Although they did not plan to cooperate for the time being, they were prepared to keep a close watch.
Unlike the furniture positioning in the mall, Qishi Furniture Store's prices are significantly cheaper. Coupled with decent styles and guaranteed quality, under the leadership of Uncle Tao's group of old customers, Qishi Furniture Store quickly made its first profit.
Then came the second and third profits...
As more people entered and exited the store, other passersby, driven by curiosity, gradually began to move towards it.
After that, quality determined everything. When good products that are both affordable and high-quality are right in front of you, how could there be a lack of customers?
Qi Zheng and Zhao Jin's store is located in a prime area with plenty of foot traffic. Gradually, business began to thrive...
By the time the mall finally realized that the business opportunity was right in front of them and decided to collaborate with Qi Zheng and Zhao Jin, it was already too late.
Qishi Furniture Store's reputation had already spread; they no longer needed the mall to add any finishing touches.
The mall was clearly dissatisfied that this matter could not be realized. They quickly informed Zhao Jin that there were issues with her clothing sales and that they could no longer promote them vigorously.
Zhao Jin only realized after arriving at the mall that the selling space previously reserved for her had been moved from a prime location at the entrance to a remote corner.
Seeing this fact with her own eyes, Zhao Jin frowned deeply. When she heard customers asking about her Golden Accessories, only to be told by mall staff that they were sold out... Zhao Jin's expression completely changed.
At this moment, Zhao Jin should feel fortunate that her cooperation with the mall was only signed for six months.
As the last month approached, Zhao Jin sarcastically tugged at the corner of her mouth and turned to leave the mall without saying a word.
In the following month, Zhao Jin continued to purchase fabrics and make clothes, but she did not send any items to the mall.
Instead, Zhao Jin began searching for other suitable storefronts in City.
Indeed, after Qi Zheng opened the first Qishi Furniture Store, Zhao Jin also planned to open her first Clothing Store.
However, compared to the lavishness of purchasing the Furniture Store, buying a storefront for the Clothing Store was quite challenging due to the short time frame.
Initially, Zhao Jin thought that if it came to it, she could just rent a shop. After all, it was just selling clothes, and a rented space could still do business.
However, after learning about the mall's actions, Qi Zheng outright rejected Zhao Jin's idea.
The mall had collaborated with Zhao Jin before and was well aware of how popular her clothes were and how much profit they generated.
Since the mall could withhold Zhao Jin's clothes from sale, they certainly had other ways to force her to submit and back down.
Knowing the mall's ill intentions, Qi Zheng did not believe that renting a storefront would be a good decision.
If there was little business at first, it wouldn't matter much. But if business picked up later and they were suddenly forced to relocate, it would be very frustrating and infuriating.
Therefore, to prevent potential issues, Qi Zheng insisted that it was safer to buy a storefront outright.
As long as the storefront belonged to them, they could do whatever they wanted. Having control in their hands was a more effective means of protection.
With this thought in mind, Qi Zheng specifically went to find Uncle Tao. Upon hearing that Qi Zheng wanted to advance a sum of money for urgent use, Uncle Tao was taken aback and immediately asked with concern, "What happened? Is there some trouble at home? Isn't the Furniture Store in City doing well? Several of my old friends have been going directly to your store to buy furniture. They have also referred their relatives and friends to your shop, so you shouldn't be lacking in business!"
Uncle Tao knew that Qi Zheng had bought the storefront for the Furniture Store outright, which had cost a significant amount of money.
Uncle Tao was quite supportive of Qi Zheng's decision. Renting someone else's space was not a long-term solution, and a Furniture Store was not a business that could just open and close. To have a thriving and lasting business, one needed to secure a permanent location.
Therefore, when he first heard that Qi Zheng was going to open a Furniture Store in City, Uncle Tao immediately nodded in agreement and offered his full support.
Having collaborated with Uncle Tao for so long, and with the additional connection through Tao Tao, Qi Zheng naturally did not hide or deceive him. He directly informed Uncle Tao about Zhao Jin's situation at the mall in City. "Isn't this clearly bullying? Qi Zheng, you can find a storefront with the money you have; any amount is not an issue. The batch of furniture you just produced hasn't been shipped out yet, but you know very well that we have never worried about buyers. Some old customers have already contacted me; the more the merrier. If I weren't worried about you getting tired, I would have already increased your order volume." Qi Zheng's furniture was incredibly popular, and Uncle Tao had been enthusiastically promoting it day and night.
As for Qi Zheng wanting to advance money, Uncle Tao had no intention of stopping him. It was only out of concern that he asked questions. Once he understood the reason, Uncle Tao's supportive attitude was clear without further discussion.
Regarding the order volume, Qi Zheng could only gently nod in agreement. Although he had opened the Furniture Store, Uncle Tao was truly the major player here.
Compared to the newly established Furniture Store in City, Uncle Tao's sales channels were far beyond what others could reach. As long as Qi Zheng didn't mind putting in the effort, he would definitely not have to worry about making money.
This was also why Qi Zheng came to find Uncle Tao. The advance payment was not about borrowing money from Uncle Tao but rather about receiving payment for the batch of furniture that had not yet been sold.
With nearly a year of credit history backing him up, Qi Zheng was completely confident that the furniture he personally crafted would sell well. This was his source of confidence.
Successfully obtaining funds from Uncle Tao, Qi Zheng quickly purchased a corner storefront not far from the Furniture Store.
The storefront was not large, but due to its location, it was still quite expensive. However, Qi Zheng did not hesitate and paid the full amount.
Whether it was the Furniture Store or the Clothing Store, Qi Zheng and Zhao Jin both chose to set up in the bustling city center. They aimed to profit from the foot traffic, which would bring more popularity and reputation in the future.
Zhao Jin knew that Qi Zheng wanted to buy a storefront. However, she only learned that Qi Zheng had directly purchased it after Qi Zheng returned.
Blinking her eyes, Zhao Jin felt a bit of bitterness in her nose. She hugged Qi Zheng tightly and murmured softly, "You don't have to spend so much money on me."
"That's what I should do." Just as Zhao Jin had thought nothing of buying the storefront for him, Qi Zheng also wanted to present all the good things to Zhao Jin.
Zhao Jin fell silent for a moment. It wasn't that she had nothing to say to Qi Zheng, but she feared that if she spoke, her voice would crack with tears.
It was different. The kindness she showed to Qi Zheng and her decision to open the Furniture Store were because in her past life, Qi Zheng already owned a furniture city. Zhao Jin knew better than anyone that Qi Zheng would make a lot of money.
But her clothing line might not necessarily succeed. If she ended up losing money, then buying this storefront would have been pointless. Wasting so much money was simply not worth it.
Gently holding Zhao Jin, Qi Zheng's voice was particularly soft: "Don't worry, it's okay. I'm here."
"Mm." In the end, Zhao Jin nodded vigorously. Although she didn't want to cry, tears still fell uncontrollably.
She wouldn't remain passive like this forever. One day, she would make everyone who had bullied her realize that she was also quite capable.
Not long after Qi Zheng bought the storefront, Zhao Jin took Sun Qiuer along with her two sisters-in-law from her maternal family to the city.
This time, they were there to decorate the storefront.
Unlike the Furniture Store, the style of the Clothing Store is particularly important, and Zhao Jin puts in a lot of effort.
The next day, upon learning of this, Zhao Yamei led Aunt Sun to Zhao Jin's new shop.
Zhao Yamei didn't really understand these things. However, Aunt Sun knew quite a few people.
Initially, it was Aunt Sun who helped Zhao Jin establish a partnership with the mall. Now that there had been an unpleasant incident, Zhao Jin was not at fault, but Aunt Sun felt quite apologetic.
Especially since the mall had yet to inform her about this matter, which made Aunt Sun very unhappy.
Thus, upon hearing that Zhao Jin was preparing for the grand opening of her new store, Aunt Sun insisted on contributing in some way.
Zhao Jin did not expect Zhao Yamei to come over. When she saw Zhao Yamei walk into the store, she immediately went up to her: "Cousin, you're about to give birth; why are you still running around?"
"Where am I running around? I heard your new store is opening, so I came specifically to support you! Your clothes are my absolute favorite," Zhao Yamei said sincerely, not trying to flatter Zhao Jin.
Ever since becoming friends with Zhao Jin, almost every piece of clothing Zhao Yamei wore was made by her. She genuinely liked Zhao Jin's craftsmanship and had high hopes for her.
Aunt Sun felt the same way. Ever since she met Zhao Jin, she had received many gifts from her. Every time Zhao Jin asked Zhao Yamei to pass on clothes to her, they were particularly beautiful and won her heart.
At first, Aunt Sun thought she must pay for them, but unexpectedly, Zhao Jin refused to accept any money. With Zhao Yamei also persuading her not to pay, Aunt Sun ended up receiving a lot of favors from Zhao Jin and always kept that in mind.
Although Zhao Jin felt that Aunt Sun had helped her a lot, Aunt Sun believed that the favors of receiving free clothes from Zhao Jin were what truly mattered and were more significant.
While helping Zhao Jin make connections was just something she did casually without much effort or energy spent, it was different for Zhao Jin. Aunt Sun had heard about Zhao Jin's situation from Zhao Yamei. She knew that Zhao Jin's in-law family was not particularly well-off and that making clothes was entirely for supplementing household expenses. Yet despite this situation, Zhao Jin still willingly gave her clothes for free. Such kindness was truly rare and precious.
Even though it is now known that Zhao Jin and Qi Zheng have worked hard and greatly improved their financial situation, Aunt Sun's initial perceptions have already formed and are difficult to change. She believes in things that are always straightforward and, ironically, quite reasonable.
Because she has always remembered Zhao Jin's kindness, Aunt Sun became particularly angry after hearing that the mall had treated Zhao Jin unfairly. Without hesitation, she asked Zhao Yamei to bring her to find Zhao Jin.
Aunt Sun is the type of decisive and strong-willed woman. Since she came, it was to help Zhao Jin. Whether it was the design style of the store, its positioning, or even customer sourcing, Aunt Sun was deeply involved.
"Two percent lower than the mall's prices." Aunt Sun firmly declared, not wanting Zhao Jin to undervalue her clothes just because she left the mall.
"Isn't that a bit too expensive?" Zhao Jin had previously only made a two percent profit. Now she was expected to sell at eighty percent of the price, which was far from what Zhao Jin had anticipated in terms of profit margins. "It's not expensive. Although your clothes were only sold in the mall for half a year, their sales have been good. The public perception and positioning are already established and cannot be easily lowered. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to sell at high prices in the future. It may also raise customer doubts about whether you are selling counterfeit goods. However, selling at eighty percent changes everything. You can completely sell directly without sharing profits with the mall or going through distributors, which naturally makes it cheaper." Aunt Sun is a skilled businesswoman. When it comes to the intricacies of running a business, she knows better than anyone else. She unreservedly explained the business strategies to Zhao Jin. These experiences, gained only through hard work, are far more valuable than money; they are true treasures of wealth.
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