“Remember you asked about rental shop space near your home?”
Qin Jian nodded eagerly.
“I have been keeping an eye out and there is one. Right across from Baixiang Street. About one hundred square meters and the rent is fifteen yuan a month.”
Qin Jian recognized the place. “Was it the greengrocer’s run by an elderly man?”
“Exactly. Old Master Hu owns it. He sold vegetables from his own plot there for years but he is getting on and can no longer manage so he wants to rent it out.”
“I can arrange for you to meet him if you are interested.”
“I am interested. I definitely want to rent it,” Qin Jian said quickly. “Please put in a good word for me Uncle Wei.”
“Consider it done. I will take you there after work this evening.”
Customers arrived and they were busy for the rest of the shift.
That evening Wei Hong took her straight to the shop front on Baixiang Main Street where they met Old Master Hu. With Wei Hong’s help the rent was agreed at fourteen yuan a month on a one year lease payable monthly.
“Thank you so much Uncle Wei. Without you I would never have secured it and I would have had to pay half a year’s rent in advance,” Qin Jian said sincerely. She needed to keep her capital for stocking the shop.
“We help each other. It is nothing really. I just happen to be a local so I know how things work.” Being local had made all the difference. An outsider would have found it far harder.
“What kind of business will you run?” Wei Hong asked casually.
“I plan to source local produce process it and sell it on,” Qin Jian replied. She had already earned thirty six yuan selling peanuts and knew the profit potential was high. Competition had appeared during her second day of sales so she would step back from selling directly and become the employer instead. She would buy peanuts from villagers boil them in brown sugar and supply them to other sellers. If brown sugar peanuts fell out of favor she could easily try other flavors such as garlic. She could always switch products whenever needed.
Wei Hong gave her a thumbs up. “You have a good head for business Xiao Qin. I have no doubt you will do well.”
“But once your shop opens you will not be able to keep working here will you?” he said. He was ready to wish her well and let her go.
Qin Jian shook her head. “I will stay for at least another two months.”
“Will you hire staff then?”
“Yes. Wu Han has recovered enough to work with his hands even if his leg is still healing. And his sister Wu Qiao is eight years old. Country children grow up fast and take on responsibilities early. I will pay them both properly.”
Wei Hong looked genuinely impressed. “That is very generous of you Xiao Qin.”
“It is not generosity. I just know what it is like to have nothing and wish someone had done the same for me,” Qin Jian said warmly. “You are helping me after all.”
Wei Hong smiled. “Wu Han has been staying with Granny Wu since his surgery. Little Qiao is with him. They are good honest children. You can trust them.”
Qin Jian nodded and went home. As she reached her door Granny Wang next door called out to her. “Xiao Qin someone called for you this morning.” Granny Wang came out carrying a coarse cloth sack. Qin Jian took it and opened it to find a generous portion of peanuts.
“Granny Wang what is this?”
“The visitor left it for you,” she explained straightening up and rubbing her back.
“Who was it?”
“A young girl. She said her brother is Wu Han and she is Wu Qiao. She said you would know what it is for.”
Qin Jian had not expected this. The sack held at least twenty jin worth around ten yuan. She could not possibly accept so much. She would take half and return the rest. She tipped half into her storage jar and tied the remainder back in the sack.
A knock came at the gate. She wiped sweat from her forehead and opened it. “Xiao Liu? What brings you here?”
“The Battalion Commander asked me to deliver these study materials for the college entrance exam. Are these sufficient?”
Qin Jian’s eyes lit up. She invited him in eagerly. Xiao Liu followed her to the study and laid out the books and papers. Qin Jian scanned through them quickly. “These are exactly what I need. Even past papers from the last three years including top scoring essays from different provinces. You have done a thorough job.”
“It was all the Battalion Commander’s doing,” Xiao Liu said modestly. “He contacted comrades and acquaintances with children preparing for the exams across the country. I only collected and copied them.”
“He is truly a good man. I must invite him to dinner.”
Xiao Liu smiled. “He is away on assignment. He should be back in about half a month. Shall I give him your invitation?”
“Please do.” Qin Jian calculated that would be roughly when the divorce papers would come through. It would be the perfect time to finalize things. She walked Xiao Liu out and gave him a few salted duck eggs as a gift. She had preserved them for her own use and they would also make good merchandise at the shop.
That evening she sat at her desk with the fan turning working steadily through the materials. The next day at lunch she returned five jin of peanuts to Granny Wu and told her about the job offers for Wu Han and Wu Qiao. Granny Wu’s face lit up with joy. “Thank you Xiao Qin. I will go and fetch them right now.” She set off immediately without finishing her meal. Qin Jian understood her excitement.
About ten minutes after Qin Jian had finished eating and was resting with her fan she heard the sound of a wheelchair. She looked up to see a young girl in simple blue homespun cloth pushing it. Seated in the wheelchair was a strikingly handsome young man also dressed in blue. The moment she saw him Qin Jian thought he looked remarkably familiar. He looked just like Lu Qingshen.