The front hall of Rice Flower Fragrance was already sizeable, but after Xia Zheng’s design, it seemed even more spacious. Adding to that, Lin Yuan had purposely arranged all the shelves against the walls and increased their height, so, with such renovations, the entire lobby appeared to have gained the space of an extra half a room. Even Meng Liangdong, who had been around the store for over a decade, was somewhat astounded.
The room was larger, but considering the grand opening today and the influx of customers, the place could have become quite chaotic if not for the shelves being on the side and the attentive greetings from Da Niu and others.
Currently, the store was temporarily divided into three sections, one with high-priced pastries specifically targeting the wealthy, another offering distinctive pastries unavailable in other shops, and the last and largest section catered to the general public with items like spicy strips and popcorn.
Beyond the unique aspects of the pastries themselves, what really opened people’s eyes were the various flowers arranged in the corners. Now in the autumn season, chrysanthemums were in full bloom while most other flowers were out of season.
However, inside Rice Flower Fragrance, one could find flowers from every season. There were delicate roses, tender white lilies, and many other varieties.
These flowers were naturally prepared by Lin Yi, who had a greenhouse specially set up in the backyard of Fuman Building. Fuman Building often needed a variety of petals for making floral teas or cooking dishes, which is why they were growing seasonal flowers in the greenhouse.
Worried about the low temperature in Rice Flower Fragrance, these flowers were only moved out from the Fuman Building greenhouse just before the store opened this morning. In addition, to keep the flowers open for an extended time, Lin Yuan had people prepare several sleeve-like items that were placed around the flower pots. Not only were they aesthetically pleasing and insulating, but they also appropriately prolonged the blooming period of the flowers.
Looking at these flowers, Lin Yuan suddenly had a bold idea. She had long thought about how to cultivate various vegetables during winter. Originally, she considered greenhouse cultivation, but without plastic sheeting or glasshouses, it seemed like a pipe dream.
But now, if flowers could be grown inside the greenhouse, why couldn’t vegetables be planted as well?
She figured that many wealthy households must have greenhouses like Fuman Building, it’s just that these affluent families had never thought of growing vegetables.
The store was filled with admiring and astonished murmurs. Even the experienced Jin Yuyu was somewhat shaken.
After wandering around the store, Jin Yuyu nodded repeatedly, her appreciation for Lin Yuan’s intelligence and unique ideas growing even stronger. Especially those pastries not found in other shops, Jin Yuyu specifically wrapped up several varieties, planning to take them back for the old lady to try.
This old lady, ever since she tasted the mooncakes made by Lin Yuan, had become increasingly picky about pastries made by others, to the point of losing her appetite.
Seeing that Lin Yuan was talking with Shopkeeper Liu from Fuman Building, Jin Yuyu’s eyes flickered, and she walked over lightly, greeting, "Boss Lin, the decoration of your store is truly unique, it leaves a lasting impression on anyone who sees it."
Even though it was a compliment, it didn’t feel contrived coming from Jin Yuyu.
Lin Yuan smiled and nodded in response, "I am indeed very fond of the decoration, and of course, I have to thank a friend for that, as well as Shopkeeper Liu for managing it for me."
When Lin Yuan saw Jin Yuyu approaching to say hello, she already understood her intention and naturally linked her with Shopkeeper Liu.
"Without Shopkeeper Liu’s excellent management and the cultivation of Liuzi, a competent lieutenant, I’m afraid my Rice Flower Fragrance wouldn’t have been able to undergo such a smooth renovation."