Lin He’s eyes immediately grew moist. This was the money Old Man Qin had gotten from selling his family’s ox, money he had intended to use for his own later years, yet now he was offering it. Lin He paused, then accepted the money.

It was a genuine gesture from Old Man Qin; by offering it, he considered them family. If she refused, the old man would surely feel uneasy. She would accept it now and arrange for her mother to return the money with extra silver next year.

Lin He said to Old Man Qin, “Grandpa Qin, then I won’t be polite with you; I’ll take it. If you ever need money, tell my mother.”

Old Man Qin chuckled. “Silly girl, where would I need money? I am old, and Xiao Jun is young. We eat and live at your place, and you give us two hundred dàqián a month. I can even earn some silver when I go to the market. Without you all, who knows what we would be doing now.”

Old Man Qin knew that in truth, they barely served any function at Lin He’s house; they mostly just fed the ox and did nothing else. Lin He’s family was essentially supporting two idlers. He had only shamelessly stayed because he and his grandson had nowhere else to go.

Seeing Old Man Qin, Lin He understood his feelings and spoke up, “Grandpa Qin, although it’s winter and there isn't much to do around the house, you just focus on the ox. When spring arrives, our fields will depend on you. My brother is still small, and only Father is left to do the farm work. Furthermore, Father doesn't know how to use an ox. We will rely on you entirely then.”

Old Man Qin nodded, his eyes fixed on the distance, lost in thought.

Returning home, Madam Huang was overjoyed to hear that the dried sweet potatoes had actually sold for money. She resolved to take out all the remaining sweet potatoes the next day to dry and sell, hoping it could at least supplement their food budget this winter.

Lin He gave the silver Old Man Qin had given her to Madam Huang. Upon hearing it was from Old Man Qin, Madam Huang immediately scolded, “You child, what is this? How could you take Old Man Qin’s money? This is his retirement fund. I’ll take it right back to him.”

Lin He stopped Madam Huang and explained her reasoning. Although Madam Huang didn't entirely agree with Lin He's logic, she didn't insist on returning the money. Besides, they genuinely needed the silver, and Lin He’s point was valid. If they treated him as family, acting so formally would make others uncomfortable. Either way, they would find an excuse to return the money next year.

Meanwhile, the scholar had returned from his break. Da Bao and the others had to attend school every morning now. The children had already lost the novelty of starting school. Farm children were all like this; few enjoyed studying. They had been wild outside before, and being suddenly confined felt awkward. However, since the scholar had been hired, they would have to study even if forced; they would absorb something eventually.

A few more days passed, and the weather grew colder day by day, almost entering December. Everyone had changed into thick winter clothing. Each person had two sets of winter wear, and even Xiao Jun and Old Man Qin each had a cotton-padded winter coat with an outer smock.

This winter seemed manageable. One coat was sufficient for the cold, and the outer smock, made of coarse cloth, was worn over the padded coat. When changing clothes, only the smock needed swapping. This year, the household was not short on these necessities.

Not long after, a waiter from the Cai Die Xuan shop arrived, announcing that the renovation was complete and inviting Da Bao and Lin He to inspect it. Lin He hadn't intended to go, but Da Bao still couldn't manage alone, and she was genuinely curious to see how the shop would look based on her designs, so she went along.

When they reached the town, the carriage stopped directly in front of the "He Cai Doll" entrance. The shop door was closed, and from the outside, there was nothing particularly striking. Only after Lin He stepped inside did she feel a sense of awe.

The shop's decoration was far more beautiful than she had imagined. The walls were kept the original white, while the shelf shaped like Mickey Mouse’s head directly opposite the entrance was painted a striking, vivid red. On it sat some light-colored teddy bears. The shelf to the left was painted pale yellow, holding plush toys like Doraemon and pirate ships in various colors, packed tightly together.

The wooden shelf opposite was pink, displaying little foxes and Big Mouth Monkeys of different colors. Every plush toy had a unique color; there were no duplicates. Many of the toy colors were even more appealing than the ones Lin He had originally specified.

The low shelves in the center of the room were painted magenta, immediately catching the eye. The plush toys on them were a size smaller than the original ones. Lin He recalled specifying a light purple for the cashier’s counter, and she felt Boss Wen truly had a knack for business; his mind worked so quickly. Children would undoubtedly fall in love with the shop the moment they stepped inside.

As Lin He was observing, Boss Wen emerged from the back. Seeing Lin He, he asked, “He’er, how is it? Are you satisfied with the renovation?”

Lin He smiled. “Uncle Wen, you are truly amazing. I just mentioned a few things, and you’ve decorated the shop so beautifully. I am absolutely satisfied. I expect it will be completely mobbed when we open tomorrow.”

Boss Wen laughed. “That’s exactly the effect I want. Tomorrow, we need to make the ‘He Cai Doll’ brand famous. From now on, whenever people mention toy dolls, they should think of this shop.”

He then added, “But we still have too few varieties.”

Lin He replied, “Uncle Wen, I know. We only have a few types right now, but in the future, we will release one or two new styles on fixed dates every month. We will accumulate more slowly. Moreover, we are selling children’s items; later, we will sell other things besides just dolls. We can take it slow; no need to rush.”

Boss Wen laughed heartily at Lin He’s mature demeanor. “You’re right, slow and steady. It seems I was too shortsighted. Forgive my poor consideration, He’er, for making you see such a thing.”

Lin He blinked and smiled back. Then, Boss Wen led Lin He to the backyard to see the shop sign, saying he would hang it only after Lin He approved. Lin He looked at the plaque and found it very innovative.

The entire plaque was painted pink, and the four characters ‘He Cai Wa Wa’ were rendered in several different colors. The Mickey Mouse head outline was very prominent. Unusually, in the lower-left corner of the plaque, a small lotus leaf was painted, matching the symbol they sewed onto the toys. Lin He couldn't help but admire Boss Wen's thoughtfulness.

Thinking this, she voiced her question, “Why did you put the lotus leaf at the bottom, Uncle Wen?”

Boss Wen said, “We plan to open branch stores in the future, so this lotus leaf will serve as our shop’s emblem. Placing it there is both elegant and pleasing, don’t you think? When He’er opens her own shop later, she can use it as her store's mark too.”

Lin He was deeply grateful to Uncle Wen. He was the first person she had met here, apart from her family, who made her feel a genuine warmth. This action now confirmed to Lin He that Uncle Wen was a good person, thinking so far ahead for her benefit, something she herself hadn’t even considered.