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It was getting late, and after dinner, everyone went their separate ways home.

At departure, there were naturally all sorts of polite exchanges, and Liang Zi’s mother even stayed till the end, her face flushed as she spoke to Lin Yuan.

Feeling the simplicity of Liang Zi’s parents, Lin Yuan’s smile grew even wider.

In ancient times, people generally celebrated New Year until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival. Therefore, Lin Yuan planned to open for business on the sixteenth.

However, considering that business would surely boom on the day of the Lantern Festival, Loudmouth suggested opening a few days earlier, and Chen’s Sister-in-law agreed.

Mo Sanniang also mentioned that the shops in town usually opened on the tenth day, so Lin Yuan decided to move up the date. Of course, if anyone had things to attend to at home, they could come after the sixteenth or ask for leave on the fifteenth.

After sending everyone off, Lin Wei and Xiao Linshuang went upstairs to sleep.

It was too late today, the weather was cold, and the road was not easy to travel, so the three sisters didn’t go home.

Lin Yuan, however, did not follow her sisters inside.

Instead, she talked to Shopkeeper Liu about a few matters.

Shopkeeper Liu had already taken good care of everything for Old Mr. Cheng, not only buying various household items but also finding a kind and attentive young servant to look after him. This put Lin Yuan at ease.

Being a restaurant, Fuman Building did not close for New Year’s. Fortunately, the establishment had many staff with neither families of their own nor places to go on holidays, like Shen Dajun.

But Lin Yuan couldn’t stay away from home, so these days she could only trouble Shopkeeper Liu to look after the place.

Shopkeeper Liu’s home was right next to Fuman Building, and he had spent New Year’s this way in the past, so he didn’t find it hard at all.

Thinking of a plan for the coming year, Lin Yuan specifically spoke to Shopkeeper Liu, "Actually, I have something I want to ask you, Shopkeeper."

"Please speak, Miss," he said.

"That is, our restaurant has a cellar specifically for storing vegetables and fruit, right? I was wondering, do we have a cellar for storing ice blocks?"

Although he did not know why Lin Yuan was asking, Shopkeeper Liu knew that with her usual manner of doing things, this question must be important, perhaps very important.

Shopkeeper Liu nodded, "An ice cellar? Yes, we have one. Every winter, the Young Master instructs us to haul some ice from the river to store in the ice cellar. We use it in the summer to cool off and to chill fruits. It’s very useful."

So there was one. That would save quite a lot of trouble. It was uncertain if the river water was clean. It was okay for cooling off, but for eating, it was not reassuring.

Lin Yuan, pleased, said, "That’s great. Shopkeeper Liu, while it’s still cold these few days, have the staff fill barrels with clean water and make ice blocks to be stored in the ice cellar.

I’ll need it next summer for making food.

Oh, and prepare extra, I dare say, this thing is definitely going to sell like hotcakes! "

If Lin Yuan said it would be a hit, it surely would be. Shopkeeper Liu’s eyes lit up. Without even asking what Lin Yuan had in mind, he immediately agreed and had the staff prepare ice blocks that very night.

When she returned to the room, Xiao Linshuang had already changed and was snuggled up in the quilts, sleeping like a little pig.

Lin Wei was still awake, sitting blankly at the desk, lost in thought. Seeing Lin Yuan enter, she began preparing hot water for her to wash her face while chatting in a disjointed manner. Somehow, the topic shifted to the tofu shop.

"Big sister, has the tofu shop closed for the holiday?"