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

Watching the children leave happily, Chen Rufeng suddenly felt warm in his heart. He knew that he was once such a carefree child, and now he has become a part of these children's lives. This feeling makes him feel fulfilled and meaningful.

However, with the arrival of children, the operation of the canteen has become complicated. Children's needs are very different from those of adults. Snacks are their favorite, especially some beautifully packaged snacks and toys. Although the profit of these products is not high, the sales volume is amazing. Every time he purchases goods, he will deliberately bring more things that children like, and will also pay attention to some newly launched snacks, thinking that these little guys will definitely like them.

Once, he bought a batch of new cartoon pencil cases, which were brightly colored and printed with children's favorite cartoon characters. As soon as they were put on the shelves, there was a rush to buy them, and several children even quarreled over the styles they liked. Chen Rufeng hurried over to mediate and patiently persuaded them. In the end, every child left with their own pencil cases in satisfaction. Seeing their happy faces, Chen Rufeng couldn't help but smile, and there was a hint of pride in his smile. He felt that he was not just the owner of a small store, but more like a friend of these children.

However, as these children became more and more dependent on his store, Chen Rufeng began to feel a little worried. Although he was happy to see the children happy, he didn't want them to spend all their pocket money on snacks and toys. He thought of his own childhood, which was materially scarce but full of simple happiness. Today's children seem to rely more on these material satisfactions.

One day, he was busy tidying up the shelves when a little boy about ten years old opened the door, walked to the counter, and stared at the candies without saying a word. Chen Rufeng recognized the boy, named Xiaodong, who was a well-known naughty boy in school. Chen Rufeng asked him, "Xiaodong, what do you want to buy today?"

Xiaodong raised his head with a hint of hesitation in his eyes: "Uncle Chen, my mother said that I can't buy candy anymore. It's bad for my health."

Chen Rufeng nodded and said with a smile: "Your mother is right, eating too much sugar is bad for your teeth. Do you want to look at other things, or buy some school supplies?"

Xiaodong was silent for a while, and finally took out a coin from his pocket and whispered, "I'll just buy one, okay? Just one."

Looking at Xiaodong's eager eyes, Chen Rufeng felt a pang of pain in his heart. He knew how simple the child's wish was, but he also knew that overindulging the child's desire was not the right choice. So, he took out a small bag of peanuts from behind the counter and handed it to Xiaodong: "Here's how, this is free, take it home as a snack, it's better than candy."

Xiaodong took the peanuts and seemed a little surprised, but he still smiled happily and thanked him repeatedly. Chen Rufeng watched him leave, but he was thinking in his heart whether the products in the canteen needed to be adjusted, and how to meet the needs of children and help them develop good consumption habits.

In the following days, Chen Rufeng gradually reduced the types of high-sugar snacks in the store and added some healthy snacks, such as sugar-free biscuits, dried fruits and dried fruits. He even deliberately placed some books suitable for children in the store, hoping that they would be interested in books while buying snacks. These books are not expensive. Chen Rufeng paid for them himself and even made a small bookshelf at the door of the store for children to borrow for free.

Once, Xiaodong came to the store again. This time, he did not go directly to the candy section, but stood in front of the bookshelf and looked through the books. Chen Rufeng felt relieved and walked over to ask, "Xiaodong, you are not buying candy today?" He grinned and said, "Uncle Chen, I think these books are interesting. Can I take them home to read?"

"Of course." Chen Rufeng patted him on the shoulder and felt a sense of accomplishment. He realized that he was not only running a small shop, but also inadvertently influencing the growth of these children.

Day after day, Chen Rufeng's store gradually became a part of the nearby community. Not only did the children like to come here, but the adults also gradually regarded it as a gathering place. Especially those parents who took their children to and from school would often come in to chat with Chen Rufeng and buy some daily necessities. In communicating with these parents, he learned a lot about children's education and understood more about the role he could play in the growth of children.

However, as time went on, Chen Rufeng also realized that although the store was doing well, the operating pressure was also increasing. In particular, facing the rising purchase costs and store maintenance costs, he began to consider whether he needed to raise prices or find more distinctive products to attract customers.

One evening, the setting sun painted the courtyard with a golden glow. Chen Rufeng sat at the door of the store, thinking about his future plans. He knew that the store could not remain unchanged and had to adjust with the changing times, but he also did not want to lose the simple human touch and warmth between neighbors.

At this moment, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts: "Uncle Chen, I'm here to see you!" He looked up and saw that it was Xiaodong and a few classmates who came to see him after school. The appearance of these children always made him happy. He stood up with a smile and greeted the arrival of these children, and the complicated thoughts in his heart were temporarily put aside.

Chen Rufeng has been looking up at the door from time to time while busy at the store recently, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes. This feeling is new, and it makes him feel a little strange. He knows what he is looking forward to - to be exact, who he is looking forward to seeing. Ran Qiuye, a young woman who works as a Chinese teacher in a primary school near the courtyard, has been frequenting his store recently.

The first time I noticed Ran Qiuye was on a breezy afternoon. That day, Chen Rufeng was sorting out the newly arrived books. The wind chimes at the door rang softly. He looked up and saw a woman in a plain long dress pushing the door open. Her hair was neatly combed, and her bright eyes were gentle. She walked straight to the bookshelf and began to carefully read the children's books. Her demeanor revealed a quiet and elegant temperament, which made Chen Rufeng look at her a few more times.

Ran Qiuye seemed to have noticed his gaze, and she smiled at him. Her smile was like the sunshine in spring, which warmed Chen Rufeng's heart. She asked softly, "Boss Chen, are these books for children? They are really well selected."