After the family concluded the rather cheerless Mid-Autumn Festival at the Zhao residence, everyone dispersed and returned home. The immediate family gathered in their own courtyard to enjoy the cool evening air and gaze at the moon. Xiao Jun and Old Man Qin were also present, and the bamboo table in the yard was laden with an array of fruits and pastries.

Whether it was due to the lack of mooncakes in this small locality or simply not having them, Lin He looked at the spread before her and found herself nostalgic for the mooncakes of her previous life. Although she had never been particularly fond of them, often spending the festival alone and only eating them if the work unit distributed them, she now felt a distinct longing for their taste.

Xiao Bao and Chen’er were much happier once they were back in their own home. They had been notably quiet at the Zhao family’s place; children are perceptive, and they simply wouldn't talk much in a setting they disliked. Now back home, the two little ones chatted animatedly with Xiao Jun, remarking on how round and beautifully large the moon was.

Lin He caught their excitement and chimed in, "Do you know who lives inside the moon?"

Xiao Bao’s eyes widened. "The moon looks so small; can people really live inside? Big Sister is tricking us, right?"

Hearing Xiao Bao’s innocent query, Lin He laughed. "The moon isn't as small as it looks to us. We are too far away, which makes it appear small. The moon is actually much, much larger than the place we live in."

This was new information for Xiao Bao and the others, and they were instantly intrigued, clustering around Lin He and begging her to tell them more. Unable to resist their persistence, Lin He recounted the tale of Chang'e. Even Old Lady Huang, Er Niu, and Old Man Qin listened with rapt attention.

When Lin He finished, they all seemed unsatisfied, wanting more. Old Man Qin praised her heartily. "He’er, you truly have a gift. To know so much at such a young age, and to tell stories so engagingly—you speak even better than a professional storyteller."

Old Lady Huang echoed the sentiment. "Yes, He’er, where did you learn all this? Did you read it in a book?"

Lin He nodded. "There are many such stories in the storybooks. If you all enjoy listening to these tales, you need to learn more characters and read more books. Then, in the future, you can tell them to me. How does that sound?"

Hearing this, Xiao Bao clapped his hands gleefully. "Good! Big Sister, I want to go to the schoolhouse! I want to learn characters so I can read the books myself and won't need Big Sister to tell me!"

Lin He thought Xiao Bao wasn't too young to start learning, but sending him to school alone made the family uneasy. She replied, "How about this: Big Sister will teach you some characters first. When you are a bit older next year, we will send you to the schoolhouse. Is that agreeable?"

Xiao Bao was delighted and kept saying yes. The adults in the family, however, felt a touch of bewilderment. Lin He had only studied for a few months, and even then, irregularly, yet she seemed to know so many characters. There were elements in the story that even Da Bao might not know. Just where had He’er learned all this? Still, Lin He had offered surprises before, so they decided not to dwell on it too much.

Once the children finally settled down from asking for more stories, Da Bao spoke up to Lin He. "He’er, Uncle Wen mentioned to me yesterday that you should try to get to town soon. Uncle Wen found a shop space in a nearby county and plans to open a branch store for 'He Cai Dolls.' He said there are matters he needs your input on."

Lin He had expected the discussion about opening a branch for He Cai Dolls; it was only a matter of time. Opening a branch in the county would certainly bring in significantly more silver. The business in town was stable now, and Lin He designed a new doll design each month for He Cai Dolls. It was time to consider expanding the venture.

The money owed for the current shop should be completely paid off this month, with some surplus likely remaining. Next month would bring actual profit—finally, money to collect.

If they were to open a shop in the county, the initial setup costs would undoubtedly be much higher than in town, but the potential returns would also be substantially greater. She needed to discuss the specifics with Uncle Wen. She told Da Bao, "You're going to town the day after tomorrow, right? I'll go with you. I can discuss the branch store plans with Uncle Wen then."

Er Niu asked with a note of concern, "A branch store already? Aren't you still in debt from the first one? Opening one in the county will require a lot of capital, won't it? Maybe we should wait a few more years before moving to the county."

Lin He smiled reassuringly. "Father, Uncle Wen is a man who commits to big things. If he thinks it’s feasible, it probably is. Besides, the He Cai Dolls business is genuinely good. The net income from the town shop each month is excellent. We’ll clear the debt this month, and we’ll start dividing earnings next month! Think about it—a shop that size in the county will only earn more."

Er Niu’s jaw dropped in astonishment. "He’er, are you sure you’re not mistaken? Opening the shop in town cost over three thousand taels of silver. Your three-tenths share alone would be over a thousand taels! You’re saying you’ll have a thousand taels in dividends in less than a year?"

Er Niu had been aware of the initial setup costs for He Cai Dolls, but as family matters grew more complex, he hadn't had time to review the ledgers when Lin He showed him at the end of the month, simply telling her to manage it herself. He had no idea how much they were earning monthly, assuming paying off the debt would take time. Paying it off in less than a year seemed almost unbelievable.

Lin He chuckled. "Father, if you don't believe me, do you not believe Big Brother? He works in the shop every day; he wouldn't get it wrong. We have paid it off."

Da Bao chimed in, "Yes, Father. The He Cai Dolls business is very popular; lots of children love coming. The wealthy families in town aren't like us country folk. If they like something, they aren't afraid to spend money—no matter how expensive, they’ll buy it. For instance, that largest White Bear doll Sister made—we sold it for twenty taels of silver apiece. That’s extremely costly, yet many people still bought them."

This time, not only Er Niu’s mouth dropped open, but Old Lady Huang and Old Man Qin stared in disbelief. Twenty taels—that much silver could buy several acres of fertile land! For an average family, it could cover years of living expenses. To spend that much on a doll that couldn't be eaten or worn seemed impossible to them.

Seeing their stunned reactions, Da Bao laughed. "It’s true. Rich people buy things just for a moment of pleasure; they don't look at the price. Uncle Wen told me the wealthy in this town aren't even the majority. If we open a shop in a larger place, that White Bear doll could sell for even more, and there would be even greater demand for them."