I will now translate and polish the provided Chinese text into natural, idiomatic English fiction, maintaining the original paragraph structure.

Cheng Ying couldn't fathom it; when the old man took her fish initially, he hadn't mentioned money once, yet now he was getting particular about a chair.

Perhaps cultural types had their own standards, and Cheng Ying didn't want to seem overly polite to him.

Now that this principal had come over, Cheng Ying thought he seemed like a decent fellow.

What Cheng Ying hadn't anticipated was that a whole crowd of her grandmother’s fellow opera enthusiasts would follow along.

This was truly a rare sight.

Cheng Ying was exceedingly warm to this group of old men, even though they didn't look like the type to spend much money.

But these were her grandmother’s friends; if she didn't treat them well, it would be an embarrassment to the old lady.

So, Cheng Ying specifically ushered the entire group of elderly men and women into her courtyard.

Moreover, she had Chi Wu specifically go to the market and order two full tables of dishes.

It was true that Cheng Ying hadn't sold anything when she first opened, but her promotion efforts had been quite good.

Especially Li Ge, her partner from the medicinal herbs business, who hadn't been able to tear himself away from looking at the furniture.

Cheng Ying wasn't worried.

She had chosen her business well; as the days went on, people's lives would only get better.

Hadn't they seen houses being built everywhere, getting taller and taller? Her furniture market was vast.

The opera buddies who socialized with the Cheng family matriarch spanned all social strata.

Seeing the courtyard of the Cheng family grandmother, they instantly became exceedingly chummy with the old lady.

This is what life is supposed to be like. "Oh, Sister Cheng, the grapes we're eating, they come from these vines, right?" This was said while pointing to the grape trellis in the yard.

The old lady replied, "They’re ours.

If you fancy any bunch, I’ll clip it off for you to take home later, don't stand on ceremony with me." The old lady was delighted today.

What she had merely suggested yesterday brought these people here today; this was showing face for her, boosting her granddaughter’s business.

The old lady was happy to treat them to anything.

The guests wandered around the small courtyard. "Elder Sister, your place is truly lovely.

We feel like we’re showing off our meager talents in front of Guan Gong.

We wouldn't dare talk about fish in front of you; the way you raise your fish is too exquisite." The old lady brushed it off. "What are you talking about? I’m just idle.

I can’t compare to you folks; you all have real expertise." These words made the group sweat nervously.

If this was what someone without 'expertise' could achieve, they, who claimed to have research, didn't even have a few presentable potted plants at home.

From top to bottom, inside and out, they had completely failed to realize that this Old Mrs.

Cheng was a connoisseur of refinement.

They had misjudged her entirely.

Cheng Ying happily saw off wave after wave of guests; after all, they had come to show support.

She needed to focus more diligently on the small shop going forward; this was, after all, her first venture in the city.

After tidying the courtyard, the old lady’s spirits plummeted, and the smile vanished from her face. "Yingzi, why didn't you sell a single thing? Did we invite these guests for nothing?" Yang Zhi also looked worriedly by her side.

Cheng Ying and Chi Wu followed behind the old lady. "Grandma, do you think this is soy sauce? That people will pop in anytime to grab a bottle.

This is furniture; someone has to really like it before they buy it." The Cheng family matriarch looked at her granddaughter. "If I had known, we should have kept the front noodle shop; at least we could sell soy sauce." Chi Yong turned and looked at the stones nearby, studying them intently.

He absolutely refused to go over and be cannon fodder; the old lady was getting restless.

Yang Zhi shared the old lady’s sentiment: selling soy sauce meant losing less money.

Chi Wu spoke up. "Grandma, don't worry.

Plenty of people outside are inquiring about our furniture shop.

The apartment buildings for my dad’s unit are about to be completed—that’s how many people in one building.

A few families will come here to buy furniture, and everything in our little yard will sell out." Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu; this kid had sharp eyes, already targeting the consumer market.

Cheng Ying added, "Uncle, bring your colleagues over later to take a good look.

I'll treat them to free fruit." Chi Yong replied, "You all just rest.

Our unit won't be handed over until the New Year, around April.

That’s still over half a year away." "No problem, no rush.

Oh, and Uncle, the leaves on the maple trees in the backyard have turned red, they’re quite beautiful.

Invite your colleagues over to enjoy the scenery sometime.

It's a great spot for a gathering." Chi Yong, to tell the truth, though preoccupied with political aspirations, was genuinely a scholar by training and pursued such elegant matters with fervor.

Cheng Ying’s words struck a chord deep within him.

Although marrying Yang Zhi had pulled him slightly closer to mundane life, he still harbored certain refined pursuits. "Are you really willing to let people in? Didn't you put up fences all around?" Cheng Ying replied, "What are you saying? Who are you to me? Are you an outsider? If you get along well with your colleagues, won't that make the whole family happy? Please, just come.

Others might be barred, but you are certainly welcome." These words utterly delighted Chi Yong.

His daughter was truly considerate.

Never mind his own large backyard, even wandering through the crabapple forest would be a captivating experience for many.

The old lady fretted; hosting guests cost money, but these people were Chi Yong's colleagues.

She swallowed her concerns, knowing a man needed his dignity in public; the necessary expenses had to be covered.

That evening, Chi Wu and Cheng Ying tallied the expenses behind the old lady’s back. "This money is truly being spent like flowing water, not coming back in," Cheng Ying commented.

Chi Wu countered, "Not coming in? Last week, Uncle bought you another two thousand saplings." "That's the result of several years of hard work.

Every one sold is one less.

Why be so excited about that?" Still, thank goodness for the mountain property backing them up; otherwise, the furniture shop would truly have stalled.

Even if the daily spending seemed like petty cash, it added up over the long term.

Chi Wu proposed, "Yingzi, how about I invest another ten thousand for you? What do you think?" "Such big talk! You must have saved quite a bit these past few years." Chi Wu pursed his lips, clearly in good spirits. "I can’t compare to you.

Mine is just small-time stuff.

Besides, between us, what’s the difference? What’s mine is yours." After saying this, Chi Wu lowered his head, afraid to look at Cheng Ying, unsure if the girl would understand his meaning.

Cheng Ying snorted. "Hmph.

You focus on securing the house next door first.

I have money here.

Also, what’s yours is yours, and what’s mine is mine.

Don’t think about taking advantage of me.

My future is bright; I’m going to be a leading tycoon.

Stop trying to take advantage." Chi Wu felt a little disappointed, but seeing that her future was bright and her goals lofty—a leading tycoon!—he realized he still needed to work hard to achieve his own ambitions. "Oh, right, Yingzi, Li Ge mentioned when he left that he’d like to treat you to dinner sometime to discuss this furniture shop." Cheng Ying mused, "The one dealing in medicinal herbs? Does he want to switch careers?" "Who knows.

You decide.

From his tone, he was quite taken with our furniture." Cheng Ying thought to herself that she hadn't even closed a single deal yet, and people were already eyeing her inventory.

She could only credit her foresight in choosing such a good business. "Mm, perhaps when there's a chance.

You’re right, we didn't make a sale today; I was thinking too simply, not quite adapting to societal needs.

Our pieces are good, but young people aren't keen on them.

Furniture buyers are usually newlyweds, and our pieces appeal more to the elderly and those with deep cultural appreciation.

This won't work; it doesn't suit the general public." Chi Wu felt everything Cheng Ying considered was correct. "You go ahead and work on it.

If you run out of money, I have some.

I'm going to sleep now." Chi Wu had been a bit tired these past couple of days.

He couldn't let Cheng Ying fall behind in her studies; he had been preparing for the shop's opening two days in advance.

Cheng Ying stayed up under the lamplight, sketching designs for sofas and spring mattresses.

Making money was truly difficult; this venture spanned into the realm of art.

It was all her fault for not realizing society was in a phase of rapid ascent.

Few people could truly appreciate this antique-style furniture; the nouveau riche who enjoyed showing off were still scarce.

No wonder she hadn't had a successful opening day.

When doing business, one must adapt to societal demands.

Her furniture would certainly sell well twenty years from now, but not yet.

Cheng Ying didn't sleep all night, drawing up blueprints for sofas, beds, and several sets of modern furniture.

When Chi Wu woke up and ate breakfast, he took Cheng Ying’s drawings and headed out.

In the evening, he returned with a cartload of fabric, leather, and the written instructions Cheng Ying had prepared.

When Cheng Ying assigned tasks to the craftsmen in the backyard, she gave specific instructions: The two master craftsmen from the countryside would continue polishing the solid wood furniture.

For these novel sofas, the city craftsmen and the other rural master would work together.

It had to be said that while sofas were a new item, the technical skill required wasn't that high.

They were mostly about looking good on the outside—just ensure the internal frame was solidly built; craftsmanship wasn't crucial.

The exterior just needed to be finished finely and beautifully.

The very first fabric sofa was sewn together by her own grandmother using the sewing machine.

When placed outside the small shop, it attracted immediate attention.

Inquiries about the price never ceased.

Cheng Ying hired a retired elderly lady from next door to watch the shop; she and the grandmother kept each other company quite well.

Cheng Ying wondered if she would need to hire female workers later, specifically for using the sewing machine—it seemed inefficient.

This troubled her.

The old lady waved her hand dismissively. "If they make one sofa frame, I can stitch up padding for several sets.

We don’t need to hire anyone." Alright, the old lady's skill was unmatched, but Cheng Ying couldn't exploit her like this; the grandmother was here to enjoy her retirement.

Cheng Ying asked the master craftsmen from her hometown if they had any young apprentices.

The master craftsman replied, "We do, but their skill isn't up to par yet; they haven't officially graduated." Cheng Ying said, "Uncle, I need people urgently.

Skill isn't the main requirement; they just need to be steady, hardworking, and honest." Finally, the master craftsman Cheng Ying valued most spoke up. "I have an apprentice of my own; he’s learned for several years, but unfortunately, he’s naturally not cut out for this trade.

However, the boy is very honest." Cheng Ying exclaimed, "Done! Write to your apprentice and see if he’s willing to come." Cheng Ying reasoned that hiring a woman for the sewing machine would be convenient, but it wouldn't solve other issues.

It would be better to hire a man; operating the sewing machine wasn't technical work, and tying the sofa covers required no specialized skill either.

If they hired a man, when not sewing, he could assist the masters in the backyard.

Either way, it would be more convenient.

And so, Cheng Ying's furniture shop became busier and more vibrant the more she tinkered with it.

In the beginning, they only sold a few chairs and tables, mostly to the elderly.

While the profit margin was high, the actual volume sold was meager, just enough to cover basic expenses.

When the sofas and spring mattresses launched, coinciding with the start of cold weather and a wave of weddings, Cheng Ying made a killing.

Several tricycles were parked outside her small shop, waiting specifically to haul away her deliveries— the tricycle drivers could clearly see the business opportunity.

At its peak, the solid wood furniture shop sold five complete furniture sets in a single day.

The old lady’s mouth didn't close for a whole day, she was so happy.

Cheng Ying thought, she had chosen the perfect business.

It was earning a fortune daily! Finally, she could breathe a sigh of relief.