The shop was located at the beginning of Changning Street.

Next to it was a state-owned tailor shop, and just a five-minute walk across the street was the supply and marketing cooperative.

Zhao Youqin opened the door, and Li Shuping followed inside.

“Before this place was returned, it was rented by a quilt factory to sell quilts. Later, business went bad, so they left, and it’s been vacant since.”

“When the quilt factory rented it, they whitewashed the walls and applied cement on the floor. You don’t need to do much renovation—just build a stove, set up a few tables, and you can open right away.”

Li Shuping nodded, inspecting the shop. It wasn’t small—about sixty square meters or so.

The renovation was still in good condition; the paint on the walls wasn’t peeling, and the floor wasn’t cracked or uneven. Indeed, it was quite nice and didn’t require much work.

After looking at the front, the two of them went to the backyard. The yard wasn’t big, just a small courtyard paved with bluestone slabs. There was a stone water trough connected to a tap.

Facing the courtyard were two blue brick and tile houses. The one on the left was smaller; the walls were also whitewashed and the floor cemented. The inside was empty.

The right one was bigger, with a partitioned room serving as both bedroom and living room, also with white walls and cement floor.

“The back was used by the quilt shop as a warehouse, so it’s slightly renovated. Just clean it up and add some furniture, and it can be lived in right away.”

“This place is close to the supply and marketing cooperative, and there’s a lot of foot traffic. If you open a dumpling shop here, the business won’t be bad.”

“What do you think?” Zhao Youqin asked Li Shuping.

She smiled and nodded, “I think it’s pretty good.”

“Then you…”

“I’ll rent it.”

Zhao Youqin was decisive, and Li Shuping was determined; the two immediately went back to the street office to sign the contract.

The lease was for three years, rent paid quarterly, with a deposit covering three months.

Li Shuping actually wanted to sign for a longer term, but Director Zhao smiled and said to start with three years.

Li Shuping knew Director Zhao wasn’t foolish and could see the economy would definitely improve and develop, so the rent would rise.

“Director Zhao, do you know any bricklayers or masons?”

“Yes, Zhang Qiangdong next door at No. 23 courtyard is an experienced master, and his price is cheap, one and a half yuan a day.”

“Okay, I’ll go find him myself.”

After leaving the street office, Li Shuping took the keys and went to look at the shop again to plan.

On the left side, she planned to build a kitchen of about ten square meters, half-walled, with several large glass panels above and a serving window in the middle, making it a bright kitchen with an open stove.

Inside the kitchen, she planned to build a big stove, a row of countertops, two large sinks—one for washing vegetables and one for washing dishes.

Along the wall, a row of dish cabinets would be built and covered with white tiles, making it look clean and bright.

At the entrance, she planned to place a rounded cashier counter like those in shopping malls.

Inside the shop, she would arrange a dozen or so long tables like those in fast-food restaurants—more seating and space-saving.

After planning, Li Shuping happily took the keys and went home.

Passing No. 24 courtyard, she went inside and asked if Master Zhang was home.

The neighbor said he had gone out to work and wasn’t home, so she planned to come back tomorrow.

In the afternoon, when Lin Xiaoyu came back from school, Li Shuping told her about the plan to open a dumpling shop.

Lin Xiaoyu was very happy.

After dinner that evening, mother and daughter went to check out the shop.

“This room is for you to live in,” Li Shuping said, pointing to the small room on the left.

Lin Xiaoyu opened the door and walked in, looking around. “Mom, this room is so big, will I have it all to myself?”

She could finally have a room of her own.

Li Shuping smiled and nodded. “Mom will live in the partitioned room next door.”

Lin Xiaoyu frowned when she heard Mom would live in the partitioned room. “Mom, you live here, I live in the partitioned room.”

In her impression, the partitioned rooms were small; how could Mom live there?

“Come see for yourself,” Li Shuping opened the door of the big room, turned on the light, and led her daughter inside, then opened the partition door.

Lin Xiaoyu looked inside.

Though it was partitioned, it wasn’t smaller than her room and had a big window.

“Mom isn’t going to shortchange herself. Living here next to the living room means I can get a drink at night without leaving my room.”

No matter how poor, education can’t be neglected; no matter how hard, she won’t neglect herself.

In her past life, she always suffered herself and left the best for the children.

This life, she wouldn’t do that anymore.

On the way back, the mother and daughter met Qin Ye, who looked like he had just come back from working outside.

“Xiao Ye, what have you been doing these past two days?” Li Shuping asked.

Qin Ye: “Moving goods at the second-hand market.”

“Don’t go tomorrow. I have some work for you.”

Qin Ye didn’t ask what kind of work and nodded immediately.

The next morning, Li Shuping went next door to find Zhang Qiangdong.

“Is Master Zhang Qiangdong home?” Li Shuping asked at his door.

“Why do you want with grandpa?” a chubby little boy came to the door and looked up.

The child was quite cute, and Li Shuping smiled. “I want your grandpa to help me build a kitchen.”

“Grandpa, there’s work!”

A man about fifty with graying temples came to the door.

When he saw Li Shuping, he was stunned for a moment.

“Are you the one who sells dumplings at the alley entrance?”

He had bought her dumplings for his grandkids before.

Li Shuping smiled and nodded, “Yes, that’s me.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I’m going to open a dumpling shop at the beginning of Changning Street and want you to help me build a kitchen. Are you free recently?”

Zhang Qiangdong: “I have work today but will be free after that. I can come with you to the shop first, see how many bricks and how much cement you need, and you can buy the materials. Then I’ll do the work.”

“Where are we going to look?” Zhang’s wife, Lu Yuying, came up behind him and frowned when she saw Li Shuping.

Isn’t she that divorced woman next door, Li something-ping? What is she doing coming to her husband?

“Going to see Comrade Li’s shop. She wants me to help build a kitchen.”

Lu Yuying showed a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She had her business ruined, and now this woman wanted to open a shop?

“Building a kitchen is fine, but my husband charges two yuan a day.”

Zhang Qiangdong glanced at his wife. He never charged two yuan a day—it was always one and a half yuan.

Li Shuping frowned, “But Director Zhao said it was one and a half yuan a day.”

Lu Yuying: “That was before; now it’s two yuan.”

She didn’t trust her husband working with a divorced woman next door.

Li Shuping’s eyes flicked between them. “Two yuan is a bit expensive. I’ll look for someone else.”

After saying that, she nodded politely and turned to leave.

At that moment, a young man stepped out from next door. “Miss, are you looking for someone to build a kitchen?”

Hearing “Miss,” Li Shuping paused.

The young man looked about Lin Guodong’s age and actually called her “Miss.”

“What Miss? I’m old enough to be your grandma; your son is about your age,” Li Shuping said with her hand covering her mouth, laughing.

“Really? You don’t look like it. You look a lot younger than my mom.”

Lu Yuying rolled her eyes.

Cheng Hongliang was a smooth talker, but she didn’t see how young Li Shuping looked.

She just had her hair permed, making her look more fashionable than others her age.