Siheyuan: Sending Shazhu into the call center, Yi Gu is useless

With the development of the city, the environment around the Siheyuan has changed dramatically. New high-rise buildings have gradually surrounded this ancient neighborhood, and the number of residents in the Siheyuan has decreased. Most of the remaining residents are elderly people and some old Beijingers who stick to this place. The surrounding commercial areas have prospered, but there are no modern facilities in the Siheyuan. Chen Rufeng realized that although the Siheyuan has a profound cultural heritage, it seems to have become a forgotten corner in modern society.

One day, Chen Rufeng and his old neighbor Lao Liu were chatting in the yard. Lao Liu lamented that he had to walk a long way to buy daily necessities, and his children were busy and had no time to take care of the daily life of these old people. Chen Rufeng listened and felt that this was indeed a problem. As he was thinking, an idea suddenly emerged in his mind: Why not open a small store to make it convenient for neighbors in the courtyard to buy things?

Chen Rufeng started to prepare for the store. He cleaned up a small room in his home that had not been used for many years, renovated it, and went to the market to buy some daily necessities, such as rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea, and some medicines and health products commonly used by the elderly. He nailed the shelves himself, which were not beautiful, but sturdy and durable.

On the first day of the store's opening, Chen Rufeng stood at the door, feeling a little nervous. People from the courtyard came to watch the fun, and the old neighbors praised his idea, saying that it would be convenient to buy things in the future. There were also a few young people who came to support him and bought some snacks and drinks. Although the business was not very hot, it was a good start on the first day, and Chen Rufeng felt more at ease.

As time went by, the store gradually became a part of the Siheyuan. Every morning, Chen Rufeng would get up early and go to the nearby wholesale market to buy goods. After returning, he would put the goods on the shelves one by one, and then sit at the door, watching the people coming and going on the street. Sometimes, some old customers would stop and chat with him, talking about the past and present of the Siheyuan, or simply talking about family matters. Chen Rufeng felt that although such a life was dull, it was full of human touch.

As time went by, the business of the store became better and better, and residents from several nearby alleys also began to come here to buy items. Chen Rufeng found that opening a store was not just to make money, but more importantly to bring some life back to this courtyard that had gradually become deserted. Every evening, several old neighbors would often gather together to chat on the stone bench in front of the store, and sometimes even bring their grandchildren to buy snacks here, and the courtyard was often filled with the laughter of children.

However, life is not always peaceful. As the business of the canteen became more and more prosperous, Chen Rufeng also began to face some challenges. The first was the type of goods. The needs of the residents gradually diversified, and some people began to ask for more special goods, such as imported snacks, daily necessities of foreign brands, etc. In order to meet the needs of customers, Chen Rufeng had to start considering expanding the purchase channels, but this meant that he needed to spend more time and energy to find suitable suppliers.

The second issue is the rent. Although the courtyard house was handed down from his ancestors, as the surrounding land prices rise, property taxes and other fees are also increasing. Although the profit of the store is decent, it is not enough to cover these rising expenses. Chen Rufeng began to wonder whether he needed to raise the prices of some goods or find other ways to subsidize these expenses. However, he was worried that once the prices increased, the old neighbors might find it uneconomical and turn to shopping in large supermarkets, which might affect the business of the store.

At the same time, with the growth of a new generation of young people, the traditional cultural atmosphere of the courtyard is gradually fading. Many young people are no longer as keen on socializing in the courtyard as their parents, and prefer to go to cafes or shopping malls outside. Although the canteen retains the traditional atmosphere of the courtyard to a certain extent, it also faces challenges brought by the changing times.

Chen Rufeng began to think whether the store also needed some changes to adapt to the development of the times. He thought of adding some modern services, such as express delivery collection and online shopping, which might attract more young people to come here. In addition, he also planned to set up a small cultural corner in a corner of the store, displaying some books and old objects related to the history of the Siheyuan for customers to read in their spare time.

Despite the challenges, Chen Rufeng is still confident about the future of the store. He believes that as long as he manages it carefully, the store can not only provide convenience for the residents of Siheyuan, but also inherit and carry forward the traditional culture of Siheyuan to some extent. For him, the store is not just a business, but also a place where he can express his deep feelings for Siheyuan.

In this courtyard, time seems to have slowed down. Chen Rufeng still gets up early every morning and opens the door to welcome the first ray of sunlight into the store. He still carefully arranges each item, still chats with old neighbors, and still thinks about how to better integrate the store into this ever-changing era.

Since Chen Rufeng's store opened in the courtyard, it has been doing a booming business. However, not long ago, a new primary school was built near the courtyard, and the students brought a lot of people to the neighborhood during school hours. The completion of the primary school made Chen Rufeng's store a "secret base" for the children. After school every day, the children always flocked to the store in groups to buy snacks, stationery, or just come here to play.

Chen Rufeng never thought that he would become "Uncle Chen" in the eyes of these children. He looked at these children with childish faces and felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction. Perhaps because he himself did not have children, these innocent faces made him feel an unprecedented sense of responsibility. He silently said to himself: "I have to run this store well, not just to make money, but also for these children."

One afternoon, a few third-grade children came to the store. They carried their school bags and crowded in front of the counter, pointing at a row of colorful candies. A little boy shouted excitedly, "Uncle Chen, I want the red one!" Another girl pulled his clothes and asked timidly, "Uncle Chen, can this be cheaper? I don't have enough money today."

Chen Rufeng smiled, handed the candy that the girl pointed to, and said softly: "It's okay, if you don't have enough money, give it to me next time." The girl showed a happy smile on her face, carefully took the candy, and walked out of the store happily with her friends.