If Uncle Li's whole family could move to town, then even if Chen'er married, she wouldn't be far from her maiden home or from her own parents, making it easier to look after them. It would also be simple for the two sisters to meet, which put Lin He at ease.

Lin He considered all this, and spoke with evident approval, "Uncle Li, that's a wonderful idea. Setting up shop in town will certainly have business; besides, there aren't many shops like that in Tianxin Town, and your skill is so excellent—you're sure to succeed."

Hearing Lin He say this, Uncle Li asked, quite pleased, "He'er, you really think there’s a chance?"

"Mhm, I think you can do it," Lin He nodded.

"But, He'er, if we open a shop in town, the expenses will soar. You know our family's situation; I'm afraid I can't afford a large storefront. And those difficulties I mentioned earlier—how do you think we should solve those?" As Uncle Li brought these points up, his gaze dimmed again.

Lin He looked at him, then smiled lightly. "Uncle Li, I’ve never seen you as impatient. Why are you so flustered when it comes to this? If you want to run a business, there will naturally be hurdles; nothing goes exactly as we plan."

"I was thinking, for people like you, it would be best to find a place in town that is a shop in the front and living quarters in the back. The shop doesn't need to be huge; a few rooms in the back for your family will suffice, but the courtyard must be spacious enough to allow you to work conveniently. Moreover, this way, your workshop and your shop aren't separated, and if a customer wants a small custom item, they can see the samples right there."

"But I don't think you should stop operations here either. This place can serve as your main lumber workshop. If someone orders furniture or other large items, you can still handle them here, and sourcing raw materials is also easier, right?"

After hearing Lin He’s words, Uncle Li was momentarily stunned. After a moment, he scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. "He'er, your ideas are certainly good, but we don't have much money right now. We weren't planning on going that big immediately—just selling small items would be fine, making it easier for us to manage and requiring less space. As for large furniture pieces, we haven't planned on tackling that in town yet. We can consider those later when we have more capital. However, He'er, the type of shop you mentioned for town sounds very good. Perhaps you could help us inquire about the rental price for such a place? For now, renting seems more realistic since we certainly don't have enough money to buy."

Lin He smiled upon hearing this and persuaded him gently. "Uncle Li, you might think what I’m suggesting is complicated, but it really isn't. Here at home, you already have the location and the timber; you won't need to spend much more, only two skilled craftsmen. Look, you currently have three or four men here; when you move two to town, you can hire two more here, even if they are just apprentices."

"Once the shop opens, if you are short-handed initially, don't take on large or urgent orders. Take the less time-sensitive ones. You can build up the workshop here gradually. Regarding the timber issue in town that you mentioned, that’s also manageable. Whatever materials you need, you can have the wood cut into planks here and transported from home when required. If you use a cart, it isn't too far from your current residence."

"Besides, there are other people running similar shops in town. Perhaps you can even source timber around the town area. We can figure all these things out as we go."

Lin He's thinking had covered the major aspects for Uncle Li. After pondering seriously for a while, Uncle Li found the plan feasible. He said, "Listening to He'er, I also think this arrangement is best. In that case, He'er, when you return to town, first help me ask about the shop prices. I will have Zheng'er come find you in town in a while to check."

Lin He nodded. "Okay, I'll have Big Brother and the others ask for you as soon as I get back. If they find a good one, I'll arrange for someone to report back to you, and then you can have Li Zheng come for a visit. But Uncle Li, between our families, we speak plainly. If you only ask for my opinion on this, of course, I will support you. I truly believe this business has potential. However, you must also prepare yourselves; running a business is different from the carpentry you do at home, and it might be more difficult than you imagine."

"We have considered that; it’s not a major issue," Uncle Li said with a smile.

"That’s good then. I’ll tell Big Brother and the others to start looking at shops quickly once I return," Lin He said, sounding quite eager.

"Right, thank you very much, He'er and your family," Uncle Li replied politely.

Lin He waved her hand with a smile. "Uncle Li, don't be so formal with me. This thing hasn't even succeeded yet. It’s not too late to thank me once it’s done."

"Good, no formalities. I’m almost done here. You sit in the courtyard for a bit; I’ll go to your house and let your father know," Uncle Li said, setting down his things, and calling out to his youngest daughter who had been playing by herself nearby. "Girl, come, Daddy's taking you to see Uncle Er Niu."

The little girl nearby immediately trotted over at the sound of her father's call, running into his arms.

After Uncle Li left, Lin He wandered around the courtyard alone, wondering why those two hadn't finished talking yet. Did they have so much to say? Just a moment ago, they looked like they couldn't stop chattering. Thinking this, Lin He smiled, shook her head, and walked toward the kitchen to help Aunt Xu prepare dinner.

Meanwhile, for Chen'er, after Li Zheng dragged her into the room from the courtyard, neither of them spoke, both waiting for the other to break the silence first. Li Zheng couldn't quite figure out his feelings; he still couldn't grasp Chen'er's intentions, nor did he know why she had come back this time.

Originally, Li Zheng wouldn't have dared to hope that Chen'er returned for his sake, but after hearing what Lin He had just said, a sliver of hope remained: perhaps Chen'er had come back because of him, and Lin He had also mentioned that Chen'er had something for him.

However, Chen'er's expression didn't look good right now; her lips were tightly pursed, suggesting anger. Li Zheng noticed that Chen'er was clutching a large bundle and refused to let go. When they entered the room, she still held it tightly. He reached out to take it, but Chen'er held on firmly, glaring at him fiercely.

This left Li Zheng even more at a loss. He ended up standing awkwardly by the table while Chen'er sat silently beside it.

Finally, Li Zheng couldn't bear it any longer. He walked over and sat down by the table, looking at Chen'er, and asked softly, "Lin He said you have something for me. What is it?"

Chen'er glanced at him, said nothing, and lowered her head again. Li Zheng waited for a moment, but when she still didn't speak, he sighed helplessly. "Then, Chen'er, is there something you need to tell me now that you're back?"