OBS Chapter 56 Next Door
Chapter 56 Next Door
Once on the street, Deng Xiuzhen parted ways with Chen Ma. Chen Ma initially didn't want her to leave, saying she should come along to see what clothes would suit her, lest she be tricked by the shopkeeper again.
But Deng Xiuzhen resolutely refused to go, saying that she still had many things to do at home. In fact, she was afraid to go. She knew that Chen Ma's visit to the shop owner would not be as simple as just changing clothes. Chen Ma would definitely argue with someone, curse, and absolutely give the shop owner a thorough dressing down.
Whom Chen Ma scolds is beyond her control and she can't stop her.
She wouldn't try to persuade her; what's the point? Aunt Chen wouldn't listen to advice anyway.
She doesn't concern herself with things she can't control; she's too busy.
Deng Xiuzhen walked into the alley and found that the usually quiet alley was unusually lively today.
Several households that usually keep their doors tightly shut when they get home had their doors wide open today.
The doors of those dilapidated houses that were originally uninhabited were now open, and some of the owners were wandering around, looking around.
In some cases, the homeowner brings along carpenters and bricklayers to discuss how to renovate.
When I arrived at their doorstep, I noticed that the neighbors, who had been quiet ever since they moved in, were now talking.
"Do you live here?" A woman of similar age to Deng Xiuzhen came out from the right-hand door and stopped to ask when she saw Deng Xiuzhen.
"Yes, I've been living here for a while now," Deng Xiuzhen replied.
"Hello, my name is Zhao Chunyan, it's nice to meet you." The woman smiled and nodded at Deng Xiuzhen.
"Hello! My name is Deng Xiuzhen." Deng Xiuzhen sensed Zhao Chunyan's distance and only responded with a polite smile, without saying a word more.
"Wow, our alley is so lively now!" A little boy of about three years old jumped out of the left door.
"Yangyang, don't run around, walk carefully, the ground is uneven, be careful not to fall!" As she spoke, a woman with a student-style haircut came out.
"Hi everyone!" the woman greeted Deng Xiuzhen and Zhao Chunyan warmly.
Zhao Chunyan smiled and nodded.
Deng Xiuzhen replied: "Hello!"
"When did you move in? Did you rent it or buy it?" The woman spoke like a machine gun, quickly rattling off one question after another.
Before Deng Xiuzhen could answer, she added, "My name is Yao Huaying, you can just call me Xiao Hua."
Deng Xiuzhen smiled and said, "My name is Deng Xiuzhen. I bought this house. Do you live next door?"
"Oh dear, why are you addressing me like that? It's so formal. We're neighbors, after all. There's no need for such formality between neighbors."
Before Deng Xiuzhen could answer, Yao Huaying shouted, "Yangyang, don't run!" and ran off after Yangyang.
Deng Xiuzhen turned around, nodded to Zhao Chunyan, and went into the house.
While cooking, there was a sudden knock on the door. Deng Xiuzhen had just opened the door when...
Yao Huaying led Yangyang inside, sniffing the air, and said as they walked, "Wow, are you stir-frying cured meat? It smells so good!"
Yangyang stopped being naughty and followed them inside, repeatedly saying, "It smells so good, so good, so good! Mommy, I want to eat!"
"Hmm, let's stir-fry some cabbage with cured pork. How about we have lunch at my place?" Deng Xiuzhen said, thinking about cooking some more rice and adding two more dishes.
"Mmm~ It's so delicious!" Yao Huaying picked up a piece of cured meat with her fingers, took a bite, closed her eyes, and exclaimed with a look of pure bliss.
"Mommy, Mommy, I want to eat!" Yangyang jumped up and down, tugging at Yao Huaying's hand.
"You can't eat this, it'll get stuck in your teeth," Yao Huaying said, picking up a bit of cabbage with her chopsticks and giving it to Yangyang.
Yangyang shook his head repeatedly and said, "I don't want to, I want to eat meat!"
Deng Xiuzhen picked up a piece of pork skin and gave it to Yangyang, and the little guy ate it with satisfaction.
"Please have a seat. I'll order two more dishes; we'll have lunch here."
"No, I have family at home, so I won't eat. You're not going out this afternoon, are you? I'll come see you this afternoon, okay?" Yao Huaying said.
Thinking that she wouldn't have to go out to find a place to stay in the afternoon, and there wasn't much of a rush to find one, Deng Xiuzhen agreed.
Before leaving, Yao Huaying picked another piece of cured meat. She ate the fat and lean meat herself and gave the skin to Yangyang. Yangyang took it, and Ximimi followed Yao Huaying out.
Yao Huaying said she would come in the afternoon, but she arrived before 1 p.m., when the children had not yet gone to school.
When Yangyang saw Qin Wenyu, he ran over and called him "brother." He lay down next to Qin Wenyu and watched him do his homework without making a fuss.
Yao Huaying said with a surprised expression, "It's like the sun has risen in the west! My Yangyang can be so quiet sometimes!"
Deng Xiuzhen smiled but didn't speak. Having lived two lifetimes, she was more composed than before and didn't talk as much.
"Hey, are you planning to live in this house, or do you plan to do something with it?" Yao Huaying asked.
"I'm thinking of opening a shop and starting my own business, but I haven't decided what to do yet."
"I have an idea that I'd like to discuss with you," Yao Huaying said, pausing to look at Deng Xiuzhen.
Deng Xiuzhen smiled and nodded, waiting for her to continue.
“Last month, my husband’s older brother told us that this street would be developed and that our houses here have commercial value. He asked us whether we should sell them or do something ourselves.”
After having my child, I stayed home to take care of him/her.
Now that my child is three years old, I'm thinking of using this house to start a business.
But this house is a bit cramped no matter what we do, so I was thinking, could we tear down the wall of the front room and turn it into a large room, which would be more convenient for doing business?
To prevent any future problems, we'll include the entire area.
If you don't want to be a partner, you can rent the house to me, and I'll pay you rent.
Deng Xiuzhen thought for a moment, then asked instead of saying yes or no, "What do you think would be suitable?"
Yao Huaying said, "Before I got married, I worked in a garment factory, and I knew how to make clothes."
I was thinking, let's open a clothing store. If we open up the building, we'll have a large shop. I can put a workshop in the back of my side where I can hem and flatten clothes for customers, and you can put two fitting rooms on your side.”
Deng Xiuzhen wanted to open a clothing store, but she hadn't considered partnering with anyone, and she felt that opening it in this alley was a bit out of the way.
Thinking back, it seems there are some people who have opened clothing stores in alleys, but I didn't pay attention to how their businesses were doing.
Another issue is that she doesn't have any money right now. To open a shop, she first needs to modify the building's structure and do renovations. After that, she needs to buy inventory, all of which will cost money. She's a bit undecided right now.
"Think about it first. It's not something that can be done in a day or two, so there's no rush," Yao Huaying said with a smile. She didn't know what Deng Xiuying was thinking, but since she didn't refuse, it was possible.
“Okay, I’ll discuss it with my family first, and I’ll let you know when I’ve decided,” Deng Xiuzhen quickly replied.
Yao Huaying said goodbye and went back to call Yangyang, but Yangyang refused to leave and clung to Qin Wenyu's arm.
"You'd better go back now, I have to go to school. If you don't go back, I won't play with you next time," Qin Wenyu coaxed Yangyang.
Hearing what Qin Wenyu said, Yangyang obediently said goodbye to him and then left reluctantly.