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

Sure enough, not long after, children flocked into the alley. Some students who arrived early always liked to stop and look through the glass on the counter to see Chen Rufeng's new snacks or toys when they passed by the canteen. A little boy held his mother's hand and looked eagerly at a box of cartoon stickers on the shelf. His mother smiled and shook her head: "Brother Ru, the child has been craving your things again recently." Chen Rufeng laughed, "Then buy it for him, and give you a regular customer price." The boy's eyes were full of anticipation when he heard it.

The mother smiled helplessly and still bought the box of stickers for the child. Chen Rufeng took the money, carefully gave the change, and gave it to the boy, stuffing two more fruit candies in it. "Here, listen carefully in class today," he said. The boy was so happy that his eyes were wide open. After thanking his mother repeatedly, he took his mother's hand and ran to school excitedly.

Such scenes happen every day, and Chen Rufeng has gotten used to it. He likes to see the innocent smiles of these children, as if he sees the shadow of his own childhood in them. Whenever he sees them holding the candies or toys he sells with satisfied smiles on their faces, he always feels that his store is not just a business, but also a part of these children's daily life.

As the days passed by, Chen Rufeng's store gradually became a gathering place for parents near the school. At the end of the school day, there were always several parents standing at the entrance of the store, waiting for their children to finish school. Chen Rufeng chatted with them from time to time, covering everything from the school's teaching situation to the children's growth troubles. As the sky gradually darkened, the lanterns in the alley began to light up one by one, adding a touch of warm light to the entire alley. A middle-aged woman walked into the store. She was an old resident in the alley, her last name was Wang, and everyone called her Sister Wang. Sister Wang's daughter had just started elementary school, and after school, her parents would often take her to the store to buy some snacks.

"Rufeng, the convenience store business is good recently, right?" Sister Wang asked with a smile.

"It's okay. It's quite busy during rush hour in the morning and evening." Chen Rufeng put down the work in his hands and responded with a smile.

"I see that the snacks here are very popular among children. Have you ever considered importing some new varieties? There are quite a lot of new snacks on the market now." Sister Wang said as she helped to arrange the goods. It was obvious that she had a special concern for Chen Rufeng's store.

Chen Rufeng thought for a while and said, "We should indeed get more new things, but my small place can't just sell snacks, we have to find a balance." He has his own unique insights into this small shop. Although it sells daily necessities, he would rather use these products to make the life atmosphere in the courtyards and alleys more intense.

Sister Wang nodded, "That makes sense, but we still need to consider what the children like, otherwise they will run away. I was a little touched. In recent years, his store has attracted many old customers because of its unique hutong atmosphere and cheap and affordable goods, but it is indeed facing more and more new challenges. Several small supermarkets have opened nearby. Although they are not large in scale, they have a full range of products. His store is unable to compete with some things. In addition, the tastes of children today have changed, and traditional snacks and toys alone may not be able to keep them.

After seeing off Sister Wang, he quietly thought about the future business strategy. Although he did not seek to get rich, the store could not always stay in the old model. He began to think about how to adapt to new market demands while maintaining the characteristics of the hutong. Perhaps he could stock more new snacks that children like, or consider adding some stationery and small accessories. After all, the school was not far away, and children were his most stable customer group.

A few days later, Chen Rufeng went to several wholesale markets with these ideas. He carefully selected several trendy snacks and bought a batch of cartoon stationery and exquisite trinkets. He carefully arranged the new products and placed them in a prominent position. He waited to see the children's reactions.

As soon as the new products were put on the shelves, they really aroused the interest of many children. When a few little girls saw the cute stationery, they immediately gathered around and chattered about it. Chen Rufeng smiled and watched them, feeling much more at ease. It seemed that the store's appeal had increased.

The days still passed in a busy manner, but Chen Rufeng had more ideas about the future of the canteen. When he returned to his room at night, he would flip through some business magazines under the bedside lamp to learn about the latest market trends. Although he did not have big ambitions, he knew that times were changing and the canteen in the alley could not remain unchanged. The alley was unusually quiet, and he recalled every bit of the canteen over the years. He recalled the lively scene of children rushing into the canteen after school, and also remembered the care and support of those old customers. Gradually, he fell asleep. In his dream, his canteen was still brightly lit, and customers were coming in an endless stream. Every child and adult who walked into the store had a satisfied smile on their faces.

Chen Rufeng has recently had an expectation in his heart. This expectation has nothing to do with his store, but it makes his daily life a little unusual. This person is Ran Qiuye, a young teacher in the elementary school who was transferred to this school a few months ago. With a gentle southern accent, the parents and children in the alley are very fond of her.

Chen Rufeng first noticed Ran Qiuye on an ordinary afternoon. He was moving goods at the entrance of the store that day when he suddenly saw a woman in a plain dress. She stood at the door and hesitated for a while before finally coming in. She asked softly, "Boss, do you have any mineral water?" Her voice was gentle but a little nervous, as if it was her first time to come to such a store in the alley.

Chen Rufeng looked up and saw the woman in front of him, about 27 or 28 years old, with short smooth hair, a faint smile on her face, and a hint of sadness in her eyes. At that moment, his heart moved slightly. Although it was just a simple inquiry, he felt that she was somewhat out of tune with the surrounding environment. She seemed to be a rare outsider in the alley, with a sense of strangeness, but also intimacy.

"Yes, please wait a moment." Chen Rufeng hurriedly took out a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator and handed it over.

"Thank you." Ran Qiuye took the water, nodded gently, and then took out a few dollars from her wallet and handed it to him. When Chen Rufeng took the money, his fingers accidentally touched her hand, and at that moment, he felt a subtle warmth.

Since that meeting, Chen Rufeng began to look forward to meeting Ran Qiuye again. Her appearance seemed to have stirred a ripple in his peaceful life, making him feel that his daily life was no longer just a repetitive routine, but a new expectation.