Chapter 315: Xiangxiang, You’ve Gained Weight!
With his wife Liu Lan’s selfish and ungrateful nature, Yu Shanhe knew that no matter how much the Yu family had helped them, she would never appreciate it. Instead, she always found excuses to argue with Yu Luo’s family, as if they were somehow oppressing them.
With a wife like that, Yu Luo would never consider taking him as a business partner. So, when Yu Luo mentioned the rent, Yu Shanhe immediately felt his courage wane.
“Uncle Shanhe, I’m completely serious. Tomorrow, I’ll post notices outside the city gate, listing all available shops for rent with clear pricing. The only reason my father told you about this first was because you’re family—we wanted to give you the first pick.”
Yu Luo’s serious expression only made Yu Shanhe feel even more hesitant.
“Uncle Shanhe, what I’m trying to say is that selling flatbreads alone won’t be enough. How about opening a tea shop instead? You’d need more space—at least three shop fronts, which means the rent will be higher—but I’m only allowing three tea shops in all of Luocheng. That way, competition will be limited, and you can still sell flatbreads outside your shop to earn extra income.”
“A tea shop is a great idea. You could even have storytellers or musicians perform to attract customers. At the very least, even the cheapest cup of tea in this region could sell for one qian of silver, which is much better than just selling flatbreads. After all, when people are hungry, they have plenty of food options—steamed buns, plain buns, noodles. If your flatbreads don’t have a unique selling point, you’ll face a lot of competition.”
Yu Haojie’s eyes lit up at the suggestion and immediately supported Yu Luo’s proposal, even helping analyze the business potential.
“My father is right. Besides, a tea shop doesn’t require a lot of inventory. You can buy tea leaves at the general store, along with pastries, dried fruits, and sunflower seeds to serve customers—it’s one of the easiest businesses to manage.”
Yu Luo continued her explanation, seeing that Yu Shanhe remained silent.
Unfortunately, despite their efforts to persuade him, Yu Shanhe still didn’t respond. It was clear that the idea of paying dozens of taels in rent each month had completely scared him off.
“Sigh, I know you both mean well. The tea shop idea is good—it doesn’t require any special skills, just boiling water and serving tea. But renting at least three storefronts means I’d have to pay nearly a hundred taels of silver per month. That terrifies me! To be honest, it’s embarrassing, but I only have a little over a hundred taels saved—that’s not even enough for three months’ rent.”
“Then start small. If the business does well, you can expand later.”
Seeing how conflicted he was, Yu Luo softened. She decided to offer this last bit of help, purely for Yu Xiangxiang’s sake.
Even with this compromise, Yu Shanhe hesitated. After a long pause, he finally admitted, “I need to discuss this with my family. I thought a few dozen taels would be enough, but now I see opening a shop will require a lot more. I’ll need to talk it over with them.”
Yu Luo had already given him all the advice she could. If he wasn’t willing to take it, she wouldn’t force him.
“Alright, go discuss it. But if you decide to go ahead, let us know by tomorrow. In a few days, Luo City will host a martial arts tournament, and many visitors will come. If you open early, you can start making money right away. Also, I worry that if you wait too long, the best shop locations will be taken by outsiders, leaving you with fewer options.”
Yu Luo’s advice was sincere, and Yu Shanhe knew she was looking out for him. She had only given him this opportunity because she considered him reasonable and trustworthy.
Unlike him, everyone else had already partnered with Yu Luo and Yu Haojie for their businesses, so the shop selection process was left entirely to them.
After taking everyone to choose their shops, Yu Luo and her father returned home just as the sun was setting. Ye Jiamei, Yu Xiangxiang, and Ming Ye had also come back.
Seeing Yu Shanhe unexpectedly at the City Lord’s residence, Yu Xiangxiang was surprised at first, then quickly became emotional. Her eyes reddened as she ran forward excitedly.
“I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about. Go ahead—we’re still waiting for all the food to be served anyway.”
Yu Xiangxiang sniffled and looked at Yu Luo gratefully before nodding enthusiastically. “Thank you, Sister Luo! Can I take my father to see my room?”
“Of course.”
With Yu Luo’s approval, Yu Xiangxiang eagerly led Yu Shanhe toward the back courtyard.
“Xiangxiang, you’ve gained weight! And it’s been so long since I’ve seen you smile so freely. I wasn’t able to protect you before, but seeing how happy you are now, I can finally rest easy.”
The moment he saw his daughter, Yu Shanhe was overwhelmed with emotion. He had noticed that her facial scars had faded significantly—though still visible, they were much smoother than before.
Unbeknownst to him, Ye Jiamei had used laser treatments to gradually reduce the appearance of the scars.
“Father, I know you’ve always loved me. And honestly, I’m living really well now. Even though Sister Luo technically ‘bought’ me, her entire family treats me like one of their own. They even give me monthly wages—I get three taels of silver every month! I’ve been saving all of it.”
“Good, good! Save it well. If you ever have too much, you can ask Sister Luo to help you keep it safe. She’s capable and trustworthy. Staying by her side is a blessing for you. I may have sold you, but I never wanted the money. You know what your mother is like—if I hadn’t taken the silver, she wouldn’t have let you go.
“I hardened my heart and made that choice because I knew that staying in our house would only bring you suffering. You would’ve spent your days being scolded and bossed around by your mother. It was better for you to go with Sister Luo.”
“Father, I understand. You don’t need to explain—I know everything. In that house, only you, my brother, and my sister-in-law treated me well. As for Mother and Grandfather, let’s not even talk about them.
“Look, this is my room! It’s so spacious! And my wardrobe is filled with clothes for all seasons. Lady Ye and Sister Luo prepared everything for me. Look at these winter boots—the inside is lined with fur, and they’re so warm!”
As she spoke, Yu Xiangxiang led Yu Shanhe into her room, eagerly opening her wardrobe to show off her belongings.
Seeing the neatly arranged clothes and shoes, Yu Shanhe felt his heart fill with joy. He knew that his daughter was showing him all this to reassure him, to let him know that she was truly happy.
