It took Lin He and the others a good while before they saw Uncle Wen slowly make his way in from outside. After greeting him, Lin He and her companions couldn't wait to ask, "Uncle Wen, how did my Plum Blossom Cream sell? Did anyone buy it?"

Seeing Lin He's anxious look, Uncle Wen chuckled, "He'er, weren't you always so confident in your products? Why the sudden haste this time?"

Lin He felt a little embarrassed, smiling chidingly, "Uncle Wen is teasing me. It’s just that after so many days with no news, I got a bit anxious. Tell me quickly, Uncle Wen, how did it go?"

Uncle Wen let his smile fade. "The Plum Blossom Cream is selling very well. The forty boxes are nearly gone. My family members who used it all said it was wonderful, claiming they’ve never used anything this good, and they kept asking where I sourced the goods. I didn't notify you these past few days because I was seeing how people reacted after using the cream, checking if there were any areas needing improvement."

Lin He hadn't expected Uncle Wen to be so thoughtfully involved, personally handling these matters. Words couldn't adequately express the gratitude swelling in her heart. She opened her mouth but said nothing. Uncle Wen seemed to read her mind and smiled, "Little girl, no need to thank me. I was just casually inquiring for you; my shop is waiting on your goods to sell."

Lin He blinked, then asked, "Uncle Wen, so what was the customer reaction to the Plum Blossom Cream? And in your opinion, are there any aspects of my cream that need refinement?"

Uncle Wen replied, "Customer reactions have been excellent; quite a few people who bought it have returned to ask when the next batch will arrive. As for improvements, the external packaging box needs a complete overhaul. You must custom-order a unique box that belongs solely to your Plum Blossom Cream. The current boxes are too plain; if you don't look closely, people mistake it for ordinary rouge. Make the boxes more beautiful; you can even charge a higher price for them. Secondly, see if you can create other scents. Some customers do not prefer the plum blossom fragrance."

Hearing Uncle Wen’s advice, Lin He suddenly understood. Indeed, her thinking had been too simplistic. Running a business involved many intricate details that she, having never done business before, had overlooked. It seemed she needed to seriously rethink things once she got back.

With this thought, she told Uncle Wen, "Alright, Uncle Wen, I’ll go back and think carefully about how to improve the packaging. But if the packaging is enhanced, the price will definitely need to rise. Uncle Wen, do you think that will be alright? If the price is higher, will customers still accept it?"

Uncle Wen considered for a moment, then said, "For the packaging, if you use high-end boxes, a higher price is fine. People who come to buy these kinds of things generally don't worry about that money. Ordinary households usually don't frequent Cai Die Xuan anyway."

Lin He felt that Uncle Wen was absolutely right. Regardless of the era, only those who were well-off and never worried about food and clothing could afford such items. People struggling to eat and stay warm wouldn't have the extra funds, even if they had the inclination. Therefore, as long as the product was good, a higher price shouldn't be an issue.

Lin He nodded. Uncle Wen instructed a server to bring over the earnings from the last batch of Plum Blossom Cream. After deducting the consignment fee for the shop, there was a full twelve taels. She had spent nearly five taels on raw materials, netting a clear profit of seven taels—the profit margin was quite promising.

Uncle Wen urged Lin He to make more batches to stock the shop, explaining that they needed regular replenishment to avoid disappointing customers. This was the crucial time for launching a new product, and they needed maximum exposure.

Afterward, he also briefed Lin He on the affairs of the He Cai Doll shop, suggesting she visit when she had time. The He Cai Doll shop had expanded since before. Over these past few months, Lin He had designed over ten new cloth dolls for sale, and the monthly profit had increased accordingly. In about a few more months, the debt for He Cai Doll should be nearly cleared, and Lin He could begin drawing dividends.

Although Lin He hadn't visited He Cai Doll herself, Da Bao went several times a month, and Lin He handled the monthly accounts herself, so she was well-informed. Lin He planned that once spring arrived and Mr. Xu’s teaching days concluded, she would have Da Bao move to town. He could attend school in the morning, learn shop management from the manager in the afternoon, and stay at the shop in the evening.

Da Bao was turning eleven after the New Year; it was time for him to go out and learn things, not stay home every day.

Lin He and Da Bao visited the shop that sold small wooden boxes again, but neither found anything that matched her vision. Finally, Lin He learned that custom orders were possible: they could select the wood, and the style, size, and surface design could all be customized.

Lin He searched for a long time before choosing high-quality rosewood for the material. The size would be the same as the rouge box. For the design, Lin He requested the artisan to carve a large, pink lotus flower, surrounded by green lotus leaves and a stem below, with "Plum Blossom Cream" inscribed above—simple, direct, and with a fresh color palette. This design was settled upon.

Lin He ordered one hundred boxes. Since rosewood was expensive, and carving was required, each box cost thirty wen. One hundred boxes totaled three taels of silver. Lin He paid the deposit and left the shop with Da Bao.

Lin He and Da Bao then purchased the beeswax and almond oil needed for the Plum Blossom Cream, spending all their remaining money before heading back. This time, they should be able to produce about eighty boxes. Since the boxes wouldn't be ready for pickup until the next day, the cream could only be made and delivered to Cai Die Xuan tomorrow.

It was past noon when they returned home. Huang Shi had saved some food for Da Bao and Lin He. After eating, Lin He recounted everything that happened in town to Huang Shi. Huang Shi was delighted to hear that the Plum Blossom Cream her daughter made was profitable and that it could earn even more in the future. However, Lin He also informed her that the money couldn't be withdrawn immediately; they would have to wait until the He Cai Doll shop generated more income before funds would be available.

Huang Shi pondered for a moment, realizing her daughter was becoming increasingly capable and managed things with great prudence. She told Lin He, "From now on, give me one tael of silver every month for household expenses. Keep the rest of the money; you manage it. You don't need to ask me how you intend to use it. I will tell you if the household requires a large sum for any major expenditure."

Lin He considered it and agreed this arrangement was better. She wouldn't have to ask her mother every time she needed money, especially since she was usually the one handling the major household expenditures anyway. Agreeing, she nodded.

Er Niu was also very happy when he heard the news that evening. He strongly approved of Huang Shi letting Lin He manage the finances. Although his daughter was young, she was organized and meticulous in her actions, possessing both boldness and caution—far superior to his two sons. He felt perfectly comfortable entrusting the money to her care.

Lin He felt that with only herself, Da Bao, and Chen'er working on the Plum Blossom Cream, the labor force seemed a bit thin. She approached Old Man Qin and asked if Xiao Jun could come help. Xiao Jun was the same age as Chen'er, six years old, and usually more composed in his actions than Chen'er. She figured Xiao Jun could assist with the simpler tasks.