But on the plus side, Li Ji's family seemed to be wealthy enough, they didn't even try to negotiate with Tang when they heard the betrothal present was 20 taels.
Lu Tong had also heard about Li Ji's tough mother, she couldn't help but think she had to have a son, otherwise that Li Ji would give everything to Li Ji and his first wife's son!
The more Lu Tong thought about it, the more perplexed and anxious she became, how she wished she could annul this engagement! But she knew that would be impossible, her mother was counting on that 20 taels to throw a big wedding for her brother!
Their entire family was occupied by her brother Lu Cheng Yu's wedding, it looked like no one had noticed that she was going to get married soon.
Lu Tong was heartbroken, but there was nothing she could do about it. She walked to Tang's room this day, trying to talk to her mother.
"Are you sure we need to buy a gold hairpin?" Tang and Lu Cheng Yu were talking when Lu Tong walked to Tang's door.
Lu Cheng Yu nodded, "I'm afraid so, mother. They want some decent jewelries."
"Does it have to be gold? I think a silver one will do." Tang still didn't give up.
"She is a lady from the town after all, I heard her elder sister has 80 taels, three gold hairpins and two pieces of brocade fabric as betrothal presents." Replied Lu Cheng Yu.
Tang sighed and said in a low voice, "But her sister married the Secretary General, of course we aren't as affluent as an official."
"I know mother, but we can't look too shabby, people will laugh at us! Plus Li Fang Yue's family is rich, I think her parents will prepare a handsome dowry for her." Lu Cheng Yu tried to change Tang's mind.
"But, son, we still need money to pay for the banquet, I don't think we have enough money." Tang sounded so frustrated.
Lu Cheng Yu observed her mother's facial expression for a while and said, "Well, we can sell some farmland as a makeshift plan."
Tang shook her head promptly, "But we've just sowed the seeds, selling farmland now sounds like a bad idea."
"Mother, I can buy more land for you after I become a Xiucai."
Tang let out a deep sigh.
Lu Cheng Yu ran into Chen Jing the other day, the two were sworn enemies after that farce at school.
Chen Jing said provokingly, "We are all Tongsheng now, you really should stop being so arrogant in front of me! Maybe I can become a Xiucai earlier than you considering how unlucky you are."
Lu Tong couldn't stand that insult, but he didn't want to have a fight with Chen Jing, so he just walked away in a huff.
But enough of that episode.
Tang squinted her eyes and said, "I have a better idea, Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin are rich, we can borrow money from them!"
Lu Cheng Yu shook his head, "No way! What if Chen Xiao Mi makes a scene on my wedding day?"
Lu Cheng Yu didn't want to have anything to do with Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin, he wanted to hide the fact that his family sold Lu Lin for 10 taels of silver from his future brother-in-law.
Tang gnashed her teeth, she really hated the idea of selling farmland.
Lin Xiu'er kept sighing in despair, too.
She didn't like the idea that Lu Cheng Yu would invite around 100 guests on his wedding day, she couldn't help but think about Lu Lin, they didn't spend a cent on Lu Lin's wedding, they married Lu Lin off on two pieces of door planks.
Lu An cast a glimpse at Lin Xiu'er with impatience, "Why do you mention that? Cheng Yu goes to school in town, of course he follows the wedding customs in town."
Lin Xiu'er countered, "Why doesn't he pass the exam and become a Xiucai like some of his classmates in town already? Our entire family has supported him for years, but he is still a Tongsheng! I say Lu Lin is way better than him! Lu Lin works hard when he was in this family, and he earned 10 taels of silver for us when he got married."
"Maybe Cheng Yu's fiancé can help us, she is the Secretary General's sister-in-law after all."
Lin Xiu'er sighed, "I certainly hope so, how many taels is Cheng Yu going to offer her as betrothal present?"
"Around 30."
"What! That's outrageous!" Lin Xiu'er was shocked to the core, "We are going to lose both Lu Lin and Lu Tong's betrothal presents?"
"And that's far from enough, we also need to prepare fabric and jewelries, maybe the total amount is 50 taels, more than 50 taels." Lu An sighed.
Grandfather Lu had asked Lu An to ask for three month of advance payment to help out, but Lu An had turned him down because he didn't want to leave a bad impression on his boss.
Lin Xiu'er suddenly felt the outlook for her future was so gloomy, this Li Fang Yue was the Secretary General's sister-in-law, chances were their entire family had to wait upon her.
'Tang alone is enough, and now a lady from the town!' Lin Xiu'er wanted to scream!
Mountain People
In Chen Xiao Mi's house.
Chen Xiao Cai munched on his food while talking to Chen Xiao Mi, "Lin Gege, I heard Grandpa Lu is planning to sell farmland, 2 mu."
"Sell farmland? I guess Grandpa Lu is willing to do anything for Lu Cheng Yu, the future scholar and official!" Lu Lin's voice dripped sarcasm.
"Sell farmland?" Chen Xiao Mi was surprised to hear that, his eyeballs kept rolling around and he was lost in thought.
Lu Lin guessed Chen Xiao Mi was thinking about buying farmland from the Lus.
Lu Lin had also thought about buying farmland, but he had zero interest in buying farmland from the Lus. He didn't want to get entangled in the Lus' drama.
"How much are the Lus spending on Lu Cheng Yu's wedding ceremony?" Chen Xiao Mi asked, he didn't understand why the Lus were reduced to selling farmland for money.
Lu Lin thought for a while and said, "I'm afraid it's at least 40 or even 50 taels, otherwise they wouldn't plan to sell farmland for money."
Chen Xiao Cai raised his head in astonishment, "40 or even 50 taels?"
That was a large number for Chen Xiao Cai who grew up in poverty and was kept in dark about the fact that they had made a fortune already.
Lu Lin smiled and said, "I'm afraid so, it looks like the Lus has a strong economic foundation after all."
Chen Xiao Mi lied prone to the kang and said, "Grandma Lu and Grandpa Lu really dote on this grandson."
"So true." Lu Lin sighed and nodded his head. He felt so sorry for the host Lu Lin, he wasn't heartbroken or anything knowing Grandma Lu and Grandpa Lu were willing to spend so much money for Lu Cheng Yu yet they refused to even pay 'single tax' for him. But he couldn't imagine how the host Lu Lin was going to feel if he knew about this. He and his parents had worked so hard for the big family, but he was sold by them for money.
Grandpa Lu would rather send the host Lu Lin's father to the army and risk his life on the battlefield than sell any farmland. But now he was willing to sell 2 mu of farmland for Lu Cheng Yu's wedding ceremony.
Lu Lin shook his head, he decided to not torture himself with those thoughts, he was Lu Lin from modern society who had nothing to do with the Lus.
The Lus had been preparing for Lu Cheng Yu's wedding ceremony with great fanfare while Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi had been going into the mountains.
Lu Lin would just look around and go for his fruit trees hunting adventures while Chen Xiao Mi was busy setting up traps.
Most fruits on the trees were bitter and sour, but Lu Lin was lucky enough that he had found some edible ones.
Chen Xiao Mi suddenly frowned, "Lin, I heard something, we are not alone!"
Lu Lin looked around, "Are you sure?"
Chen Xiao Mi nodded, "I've definitely heard some footsteps, but how strange, I don't see a soul either."
"Maybe some other hunters from the village are here too."
Chen Xiao Mi shook his head, "I don't think that's the case, other hunters usually wouldn't venture this deep into the mountain. And look, these footprints are very fresh!"
Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi walked around to look for more information, and suddenly they heard someone crying.
Lu Lin frowned, he was a bit horrified on hearing crying deep mountain.
Chen Xiao Mi was amused by Lu Lin's expression, "Are you scared?"
Lu Lin smiled embarrassedly, "No, not really."
Lu Lin didn't want to seethe ghosts or spirits in the mountain, he became a bit superstitious after he was transmigrated. But he felt so embarrassed on seeing how calm and collected Chen Xiao Mi was.
"Maybe it's some mountain people who are compelled to leave the mountain and they are just lamenting."
Lu Lin heaved a sigh of relief on hearing that. The mountain people were like the hunters in the villages, but there were some differences. Hunters usually resided in the villages, they only go to the mountains for hunting, while the mountain people resided in the caves in deep mountains and they still kept a primitive lifestyle.
They lived in extreme poverty, a lot of elders suffered from malnutrition and other diseases, but mountain people were exempted from military service and they could have meat from time to time.
The disadvantages of their primitive lifestyle definitely outweighed the benefits. They all so impoverished that they couldn't afford a doctor or any medicine, a lot of kids would die of minor illness that had worsened into serious illness.
Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi kept on walking and they saw two kids, one was eleven or twelve years old, the other one was younger, probably eight or seven. The younger one was crying, it looked like he fell and hurt himself.
The older one started at Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi watchfully.
Lu Lin looked at Chen Xiao Mi with a bewildered look, "How come there are two kids in such a dangerous place?"
Chen Xiao Mi cast a glimpse at the two kids and sighed, "I'm afraid something has happened."
Mountain people usually forsook society and lived alone, kids of this age usually lived with their parents. Chen Xiao Mi was worried maybe something had happened to the kids' parents.
Strong emotion welled up in Lu Lin. Living was a daunting task for some people in that time and space. Lu Lin couldn't help but think about Chen Xiao Cai and Chen Xiao Mai on seeing the two kids in front of them, he dreaded to think what would become of Chen Xiao Cai and Chen Xiao Mai if, Heaven forbidden, something had happened to Chen Xiao Mi.
Lu Lin tilted his head and looked at Chen Xiao Mi with affection in his eyes. Then he asked the two kids what they were doing in deep mountains.
The elder one looked at Lu Lin and said, "I'm Qin Lang, this is my younger brother Qin Ming, our father is sick and we are on the way to look for a doctor for him."
Their father Qin Yi was attacked by a wild animal days ago, and now he suffered a high fever. Their mother died two years ago from a severe cold.
There was no other adult in their family, Qin Lang and Qin Ming had to shoulder the responsibility to look after their father, they left their cave, hoping to find a doctor for Qin Yi. The two had learned a few hunting skills from their father, but they were still very green and inexperienced, they got lost in the mountain and they kept going in circles for hours, now they were both going cold and hungry.
Chen Xiao Mi looked at the two and sighed, "This is dangerous for you guys."
There were no doctors in the neighboring villages, Chen Xiao Mi didn't think the doctors in town would be willing to travel all the way to the mountains to give medical treatment to Qin Yi even though Qin Lang and Qin Ming had enough money to pay the doctor.
Qin Lang gnashed his teeth and said, "But we have to find a doctor for our father! Father is our world, we will leave no stone unturned for father!"
Chen Xiao Mi stared at the two kids for a while and asked, "Is your father Qin Yi? Uncle Qin?"
Qin Lang looked confused, "How come you know my father's name?"
"I've met him before."
Qin Yi resided in deep mountain where few people treaded. Chen Xiao Mi had lost his bearings when he first ventured into the deep mountains, he had met Qin Yi a few times, Qin Yi had showed him the way for a few times. There was one time when Chen Xiao Mi was chased after by a wild animal, it was Qin Yi who had helped rescued Chen Xiao Mi from the siege.
Qin Lang's eyes sparkled on hearing that, he looked at Chen Xiao Mi like he was a life-saving straw, "Can you help us, I can pay you!"
Lu Lin asked tentatively, "How much do you have?"
But Lu Lin deeply regretted asking that question, he had zero interest in taking their money, life-saving money!
"I have 500 cents." Replied Qin Lang.
Lu Lin frowned and thought, 'I don't think 500 cents in enough to send for a doctor!'
And once again had Lu Lin realized how rich he was now, some family's entire saving was as little as 500 cents!
Doctors were revered in this time and space, but unfortunately, there were some quacks who lived on swindling. Lu Lin was worried for the kids.
"500 cents is not enough, Qin Lang, no doctor will travel all the way to deep mountains to treat your father." Chen Xiao Mi analyzed the hard cold reality.
"I've thought about carrying father to town to get treatment, but father is unable to move, he is bitten by some wild animal." Qin Lang lowered his head, how he wished he and his brother were stronger so they would carry their father to town.
Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi followed the two kids home to have a look at Qin Yi's situation. Qin Yi was already in a coma, he had a high fever and his wound was inflamed.
Lu Lin was shocked on seeing that, "Mi, have you seen someone in a similar situation before?"
Chen Xiao Mi shook his head, "No, I haven't", with that Chen Xiao Mi lowered his voice, "but I've heard of it. People say even doctors can't cure someone in this situation, it just depends on luck now, if all depends on whether you can power through it. Many hunters have died of inflamed wounds from wild animals bite."
Lu Lin exclaimed in his heart that the medical level was horrific in this time and space. They indeed in world where a cold could devitalize a human being's life.
Chen Xiao Mi asked in a low voice, "In your hometown, will people die from wild animal attacks?"
"I don't think so, people who are bitten by wild animals will get some injections, so the wound won't be inflamed. The injections can be painful, but people won't lose their lives."
Chen Xiao Mi said in an admiring tone, "That sounds so great! People can survive after being bitten!"
Lu Lin asked Qin Lang and Qin Ming to fetch some water, the boys were a bit uncomfortable leaving their father like this, but they did what they were told anyways.
Chen Xiao Mi asked Lu Lin, "Why did you send them away with that excuse? You know how to treat Qin Yi?"
Lu Lin looked hesitant, then he said, "I know the general pathology behind this, and I think it deserves a try, he is in a coma already and he will die soon if we do nothing. But at the end of the day, it all depends on the will of Heaven."
"That is true, desperate time calls for desperate measures. I heard even the imperial physicians can't cure this, so let's just do one's best and leave the rest to Heaven." Chen Xiao Mi nodded.
Lu Lin closed his eyes and fetched a bottle of liquor from the shop. There were strong liquors in Lu Lin's shop, but he had never showed them before. And now he needed some strong liquor to disinfect the wound.
Lu Lin opened the bottle, Chen Xiao Mi sniffed and exclaimed, "Such strong alcohol fragrance!"
Lu Lin smiled and said, "Thanks to modern brewing technology."
Lu Lin sterilized Qin Yi's wound with liquor, Qin Yi woke up by the acute pain and he screamed in pain.
Qin Lang and Qin Ming who were back with water heard that by the door and burst the door open.
Lu Lin mixed some antibiotic pills into the water that he had fed Qin Yi. Lu Lin was so glad that he had some OTC medicines in his shop, otherwise he would be at a loss what to do.
With that Qin Yi collapsed in the bed again.
Qin Ming asked anxiously, "What happened to father? We just heard him screaming!"
Lu Lin looked at Qin Lang and Qin Ming, he wanted to comfort the two boys so bad so he explained, "I just treated him with a secret treatment I've heard from a highly skilled doctor. I used some liquor to kill something called germs that is hurting your father. That liquor is something you can buy from those fancy restaurants in town, it is worth 3 tales per bottle, it must be good."
Lu Lin was being modest by saying it was worth 3 taels per bottle, he was confident that he could sell this bottle for at least 10 taels.
Qin Lang and Qin Ming were both dumbfounded by that high price.
"I have cleaned your father's wound, let's just wait and see." Continued Lu Lin.
Qin Lang and Qin Ming's stomachs started to grumble as they were waiting, they blushed in embarrassment.
Chen Xiao Mi hunted two rabbits. Lu Lin roasted one and stewed one for them, he and Chen Xiao Mi didn't eat much, but the two boys had wolfed the food down. They were starving, they hadn't had a proper meal for so long.
It was getting dark, Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi had to say goodbye because Chen Xiao Cai and Chen Xiao Mai were home alone.
Chen Xiao Mi murmured on the way back home, "Hopefully Qin Yi can make it, otherwise I'm afraid Qin Lang and Qin Ming will starve to death in the deep mountain."
Lu Lin's heart contracted in pain as if stabbed by a knife when he heard that. Many people were dying from starvation in troubled times like this.
Chen Xiao Mi planned to go back to Qin Yi's cave the next day, there was not much he could do, but he wanted to bring some food to the boys. Qin Yi wouldn't be able to go hunting for a while even though he could survive this. Chen Xiao Mi didn't have the heart to just sit back and do nothing when he knew Qin Yi's kids were likely to starve to death.
Property Hunting
Chen Xiao Cai had cooked dinner when Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi arrived home.
Chen Xiao Cai used to cook dinner for his brothers when Chen Xiao Mi ventured into mountains, he wasn't great at it, but it was the thought that counted.
Lu Lin had been responsible for cooking since he married into this family, but Chen Xiao Cai would still occasionally cook when Lu Lin was too busy. Chen Xiao Cai's cooking skills had improved a lot thanks to all the observing he had done when Lu Lin cooked.
"Big Brother, Lin Gege, why are you guys so late today?" Chen Xiao Cai asked.
Chen Xiao Mi told Chen Xiao Cai what had happened in the mountain.
"Those mountain people are leading a hard life, aren't they?" Chen Xiao Cai shook his head.
Chen Xiao Mi and his two little brothers had spent a few nights in the mountains before hunted the tiger and bough the house they were living in, so Chen Xiao Cai felt so sorry for the Qins because he knew what poverty could do to people firsthand.
Seeing how sad Chen Xiao Cai looked, Lu Lin changed the subject by asking him whether he had heard anything interesting in the village.
Chen Xiao Cai was popular among the kids, the other kids would just tell him all matters, whether important or trivial.
"The Lus are officially selling farmland now, they are selling a mu of inferior farmland for 10 tales, the villagers all say the Lus are robbing money."
"What? 10 tales for a mu of inferior farmland, that's ridiculous!" exclaimed Chen Xiao Mi. Farmland were less valuable in trouble times like this. A mu of inferior farmland's market price was 7 or 8 taels, a mu of average farmland 11 or 12 taels, a mu of great farmland 15 taels.
The Lus were selling their inferior farmland for the price of average farmland, they were just being greedy. However, there were some villagers who were looking to buy some farmland, so maybe the Lus could have their way.
"What a shame it's the Lus who are selling farmland." Chen Xiao Mi shook his head.
Lu Lin gave Chen Xiao Mi a meaningful look as if he were absorbed in thought.
Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi went to see the Qins the next day, they brought rice and some preserved meat with them.
Qin Yi was doing better and now he had come round. The Qins were so grateful for Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi, Qin Yi struggled to lean against the bed to express his thanks in person.
Lu Lin exclaimed in his heart that the mountain people had sturdy physique, he couldn't believe it just took Qin Yi a day to come round.
Lu Lin guessed Qin Lang and Qin Ming must have told Qin Yi about the expensive liquor because Qin Yi appeared a bit embarrassed on seeing them, he kept saying he would return them. He had even asked his kids to kowtow to them. Lu Lin turned him down sternly.
As a person who was transmigrated from the modern society, Lu Lin was neither gullible nor innocent, but he also wasn't cold-hearted, he would never just sit back and watch someone die in front of him.
Lu Lin let out a sigh of relief when he and Chen Xiao Mi left the Qins'. He was thrilled that Qin Yi now was getting better.
They went back home in high spirit, but they saw Chen Xiao Cai sitting by the house gate with a gloomy look from afar.
"Cai, is everything all right?" Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi quickened their footsteps.
"The Lus were here." Replied Chen Xiao Cai.
Lu Lin sighed, the Lus wouldn't come to him if they hadn't something to ask of him.
"What did they say to you, Cai?" Chen Xiao Mi asked.
Chen Xiao Cai pouted, "They say they'd like to keep the goodies within the family, and they want us to buy their farmland since we don't have any."
"Did they mention how much they want from us?" Chen Xiao Mi looked interested.
"12 taels per mu."
"For inferior farmland?" Chen Xiao Mi rolled his eyes.
Usually, farmland would sell like hot pies among the villagers, but the Lus were just so greedy, they tried to sell seconds at best quality prices. The record high for inferior farmland was 8 taels, the current market price for them was between 6 and 7 taels. The Lus demanded 10 taels from the villagers, and they went even further with Lu Lin!
Lu Lin shook his head, "Those people, let's just ignore them."
Chen Xiao Cai nodded.
In the Lus' house.
"Have you heard anything back from Lu Lin?" asked Grandma Lu.
Tang shook her head, "No, I don't think he is interested."
Lu Lin and Lu Cheng Yu were cousins, the villagers always liked to compare them with each other. In Tang's eyes, Lu Lin and her son could not be mentioned in the same breath. However, Lu Cheng Yu failed in the imperial examination time again, and Lu Lin had been leading an affluent life since he got married. Tang was pissed off about that.
Grandma Lu asked sulkily, "Aren't they rich now? How come they can't afford to buy 2 mu of farmland?"
"Maybe they are not as wealthy as people are saying, rumors are rumors!" Tang said bitterly.
Grandma Lu nodded in approval, "That Lu Lin is ill-starred, no way will he become rich! You are right, the villagers have got it all wrong, rumors are rumors!"
Lu Cheng Yu's wedding was just around the corner, the Lus had to lower the price. They sold the 2 mu of farmland for 16 tales in total, and the buyer was Granny Shen who had worked for Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi.
Granny Shen's gesture had provoked an uproar from the villagers. Fancy an old lady like her having 16 tales! The villagers still thought 8 taels for a mu of inferior farmland was a bit unreasonable, and they were more looking forward to seeing Lu Cheng Yu's wedding ceremony, they were curious to see how grand it was going to be.
In Chen Xiao Mi's house.
Chen Xiao Cai saw the land deed in Lu Lin's hand and he asked curiously, "Lin Gege, was it actually you who bought the farmland from the Lus?"
"Yes and no."
Lu Lin didn't want to do business with the Lus directly, so the thing was Lu Lin lent some money to Granny Shen, Granny Shen bought the farmland from the Lus. Then Lu Lin bought the farmland from Granny Shen, as a result, the land deeds now were in Lu Lin's hand.
"What makes you want to buy farmland?" Chen Xiao Mi chimed in.
Lu Lin smiled, "You have always wanted to have some farmland, don't you? Plus we have the money."
Chen Xiao Cai's eyes would glow every time they talked about farmland, Chen Xiao Mi was better at hiding it, but Lu Lin could tell how much Chen Xiao Mi wanted to have some farmland as well. Farmland was like the ultimate goal for people in that time and space.
Chen Xiao Mi blinked with a broad smile, "Farmland is great!"
Lu Lin nodded, "I think we can manage to take care of 2 mu of farmland by ourselves."
Chen Xiao Mi cast a glimpse at Lu Lin and whispered, "Do you know the old you used to take care of 5 mu of farmland by yourself?"
Lu Lin knew Chen Xiao Mi was talking about the host Lu Lin, he lowered his head in embarrassment. Lu Lin wasn't able to endure hardships like the host Lu Lin, but he was proud of his progress.
Lu Lin and Granny Shen had kept their deal a secret, Granny Shen had already sowed seeds in the farmland, so they agreed on transferring the land after Autumn Harvest. Granny Shen felt sorry that she kept the farmland longer than she should, and Lu Lin felt sorry for using Granny Shen as a middleman. In the end, Lu Lin managed to convince Granny Shen to feel less sorry.
Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi counted their savings again, they had over 300 tales of silver in hand now, and they decided to buy a shop in town. Buying a commercial property seemed like the smart thing to do.
The two went to town for an on-the-spot investigation.
"Lin, there are 3 shops or sale now, which one should we get?" Chen Xiao Mi asked.
The 3 shops on sale had vast differences. Two of them were rather small, they both charged for 50 taels, but neither of them was at great location. The third one was 250 tales, it was at the best location in town, and it was so spacious, the shop was in the front and the residence area was in the back. The residence area consisted of a huge hall, two main bedrooms and several small rooms for maids and servants.
Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi both fell in love with that property, it was spacious, grand, clean and well-decorated, their only concern was money, 250 taels was a huge amount of money.
Lu Lin squinted, "Why don't we settle a matter at one go? We don't have anything urgent that needs money, right?"
Chen Xiao Mi wasn't surprised to hear that from Lu Lin, he remembered how Lu Lin loved that property when they visited together.
The owner of that property was a renowned landlord, his first son had passed the highest imperial examination and was appointed as governor in some other province, their entire family would move together with the son, that was why the landlord was selling such a great property.
It was a rare opportunity, 250 taels for a commercial house with spacious residence area. But not a lot of wealthy people in town had that amount of cash, they had invested their money in either their business or real estate. Therefore, the commercial house was still available when Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi were interested in buying a shop in town.
"That shop is close to school as well." Lu Lin said casually.
Chen Xiao Mi snorted, "So what it's close to the school, the scholars in town won't admit Cai and Mai due to my reputation."
"That's okay, we can work on that. The shop is close to school, that means we won't be out of business, students are the bet customers. Take the Lus for an example, their entire family is living frugally, but they will support Lu Cheng Yu's study in every possible way in the hope that Lu Cheng Yu will bring glory to the family."
Chen Xiao Mi looked intrigued, "What kind of shop do you want to open then?"
"We can sell stationery." Lu Lin smiled.
"Stationery? As in writing brushes, ink sticks, paper and inkstones?" Chen Xiao Mi asked, then he recalled Chen Jing's inkstone, his grandmother spent 2 taels of silver on that inkstone! He didn't dare touch it, he knew he would get a good beating if he had mishandled that inkstone.
Lu Lin shook his head, "Nope, the profit margin on those isn't great. Plus there are already shops which are selling those, the market is saturated, and I don't want us to offend them."
Chen Xiao Mi asked with confusion, "What else can we sell then?"
Lu Lin squinted his eyes and said, "We can consider selling schoolbags."
Those designer bags in modern society were so damx expensive, Lu Lin thought he might be able to make a fortune if he sold some original and cool schoolbags.