Uncle Wen looked at Wen Ningxuan and nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Xuan'er’s analysis is absolutely correct. He'er’s thoughts coincide with mine; I have the same plan. I intend for the nearby shops to continue sourcing their supplies from He'er's household for now. Meanwhile, we should find a slightly more distant location to build a factory. If we decide to open branch stores later, we won't immediately need to construct another facility. As for the exact location, where do you both think would be best?"

"Once a factory is established, it's not just a matter of distance; the most crucial factor is ease of management, and the location shouldn't be too remote," Wen Ningxuan spoke up after a moment of thought.

"Indeed. The biggest issue with building a factory is manpower. These people must be trustworthy, diligent, and hardworking. Most importantly, we need skilled laborers—that is even harder than building the facility itself," Lin He remarked.

"He'er, tell me what you think of this: I propose we build this new factory near Qinghe County. Xuan'er will be visiting often, which might make management easier for you both in the future. As for the people managing things there regularly, see if you can spare a few trusted individuals from your household to live there permanently. Regarding the workers, since He'er mentioned needing skilled hands, you can allocate some from your side, and the rest can be sourced from reliable individuals purchased through brokers," Uncle Wen suggested.

Lin He rolled her eyes inwardly at Uncle Wen's words, wondering if he was doing that intentionally. She glanced up at Wen Ningxuan, whose expression remained perfectly composed and calm. Lin He considered it; honestly, the location wasn't bad. Despite the greater distance, Qinghe County was indeed superior to other places. Wen Ningxuan would frequent that area, and she already had a shop there, meaning she would likely visit in the future too. Moreover, Wen Ningxuan was more familiar with the area, which would speed up getting things set up. As for the staffing issue Uncle Wen raised, Lin He realized she could spare a few maids from the ointment workshop at home. That was manageable, though the location remained quite far.

Uncle Wen noticed Lin He frowning and asked, "He'er, do you find this unsuitable?"

"Not entirely, I just feel Qinghe County is a bit too far. Building a factory there won't significantly benefit the shops here. Wouldn't it be better to build closer?" Lin He inquired.

"He'er, you cannot only look at the immediate future. We have already established the shops in this vicinity, and your home can still provide sufficient goods. By building the factory in Qinghe County, my intention is to develop that region primarily. It’s closer to the Capital and generally more prosperous, which is why I suggested it. Besides, Xuan'er is there, so you won't have to work quite so hard," Uncle Wen said, a hint of amusement coloring his voice.

Lin He felt Uncle Wen’s last remark was a gentle tease. She didn't immediately agree, but she reflected on it. She realized she had been shortsighted; Uncle Wen’s plan was indeed the most sensible in the long run.

Seeing Lin He look slightly embarrassed, Uncle Wen stopped smiling and said, "He'er, this is my suggestion regarding the matter. Go back and think it over thoroughly. If you have any thoughts, discuss them with Xuan'er; I am handing the entire execution over to him. However, if you decide on building the factory there, you must make the decision quickly. Furthermore, you should personally go and stay there for a significant period; no one understands the construction of workshops better than you do. You must also supervise the site during the initial operational phase. As for personnel arrangements, you can organize those first; it’s fine if you arrive later. We can finalize the timeline, but even though things are pressing, these matters must be arranged logically first." With that, Uncle Wen departed.

Only Wen Ningxuan and Lin He remained in the room. Seeing Uncle Wen leave, Lin He prepared to follow, but Wen Ningxuan stepped to the doorway, blocking her path, and fixed his gaze on her, speaking softly, "Have you been well staying at home these past days? I visited the pastry shop several times; Da Bao said you haven't been into town."

Lin He looked at him and replied with a light laugh, "What could be wrong with me at home? I’m quite fine. I mentioned it to you last time; with the weather turning cold, I haven't been venturing into town unless there’s something special."

Wen Ningxuan nodded but remained standing silently by the door. Lin He glanced at him and said, "If you're fine, I’ll be leaving now. I will handle the arrangements for this matter and have someone notify you."

Wen Ningxuan merely nodded again but did not move. Lin He smiled slightly and said, "Second Young Master, please move aside. If you stand there, how am I supposed to leave? Uncle Wen is gone, and I need to go too."

Wen Ningxuan registered Lin He's words and chuckled quietly before saying, "My father seems to know about us. He appears quite pleased."

"Did you tell him?" Lin He asked.

"No, he must have figured it out himself," Wen Ningxuan replied with a smile.

Lin He looked at Wen Ningxuan, wondering why he was smiling like that. It was just his father knowing about their relationship; did that warrant such happiness? Moreover, Lin He realized she had never seen him smile this frequently before. However, she didn't press the matter, only nodding and stating, "I will be at the pastry shop these next few days. If you need anything, you can find me there."

Wen Ningxuan nodded, opened the door, and they stepped out together. Ziyu was waiting outside. Seeing them emerge, she followed behind Lin He. When Lin He and her group returned to the pastry shop, they saw Da Bao busy inside, conversing with the shop assistants, a faint smile on his face. He seemed slightly cheerier than before, perhaps suggesting that some things simply required time to fade.

Da Bao followed Lin He to the back courtyard and asked, "You went to Cai Die Xuan quite early today. Did Uncle Wen need to see you about something?"

Lin He nodded and explained the plan to build the factory in Qinghe County. Da Bao readily agreed, "At this point, the existing production sites at home can no longer keep up with the demand; building a new place is necessary. Uncle Wen likely has his reasons for choosing that location; it should be viable."

Lin He mostly agreed with their perspectives, but selecting the lead personnel was still somewhat vexing. Lin He considered the situation clearly: currently, the household operations were primarily managed by Ziqing and Ziyu. If personnel were needed for the new site, apart from herself, the choice fell between Ziqing and Ziyu. The ideal candidate would be Ziqing, as Lin He could oversee her work locally. Ziyu wasn't as adept in management as Ziqing, so the less experienced one could remain at home.

As for the other maids, pulling some from home would necessitate hiring new maids for the existing operations. The ointment workshop currently employed about ten people. Lin He planned to select Ziqing plus five others to transfer. Those with longer tenure and more maturity would be sent under Ziqing’s initial leadership. Furthermore, over the next few months, Ziqing would need to train two replacements. Once at the new factory, Ziqing couldn't handle everything alone. Additionally, she would need to check if Wen Ningxuan had any reliable staff—such as errand boys or carriage drivers—as those positions required utmost trust.