Chapter 3: The Door of the Chamber of Commerce: Turnaround and Hope

The magnificent gate of the Chamber of Commerce seemed like some kind of barrier, isolating He Shiqing from the outside world.

The gate was tall and heavy, and the golden decorations shone brightly in the sun. She stood in front of the gate and could feel a slight chill coming in from the gate, as if a pair of cold hands were gently caressing her skin, making her shiver.

She hesitated whether to go in. After all, everything in this alien world was like a blind box to her, full of unknown surprises and shocks.

The people in the Chamber of Commerce were also secretly observing her. She seemed to be able to hear the faint whispers, like a group of small insects buzzing in her ears.

The girl looked tired and her clothes were of strange style, but the material looked valuable. She didn't look like a petty thief. However, her eyes were wandering and she seemed to be up to something, which made them even more alert.

There was a tense atmosphere in the air, like a taut string that could break at any time. The atmosphere seemed to have substance, making He Shiqing feel difficulty breathing.

He Shiqing took a deep breath, which had a faint smell of mold. She made up her mind and stepped into the Chamber of Commerce.

As soon as she entered, the magnificent decoration made her eyes light up. The crystal chandelier was shining with bright light, which made her squint slightly, and at the same time illuminated the dazzling array of goods.

She could see the fine silks, the gorgeous jewels, and all sorts of curious gadgets.

The air was filled with a faint scent of spices, which gently penetrated into her nostrils, mixed with the smell of wood, a bit like the smell of the osmanthus cake made by her grandmother when she was a child. It made her feel at ease for some reason, and reminded her of the scenes in the fairy tales she read as a child. It was so dreamy!

A short, fat man with a shrewd face walked out from behind the counter. His footsteps were heavy, and every step seemed to be stepping on He Shiqing's heart.

He looked He Shiqing up and down and said, "Miss, how can I help you?" The man's tone was cold, with a hint of subtle vigilance. His voice was low and hoarse, like rough sandpaper rubbing against He Shiqing's ears.

This person should be the boss, He Shiqing speculated secretly.

She tried hard to force out a friendly smile, "Hello, boss, my name is... uh..." She suddenly remembered that she had not yet thought of a name in this world. She couldn't still be called He Shiqing, right?

What if I'm discovered by my fellow villagers?

"My name is...Emily!" Her voice was a little nervous and her tongue seemed to be tied.

"Emily?" the man repeated, his tone full of doubt, "You don't look like a local." He Shiqing's heart skipped a beat. She could hear her heartbeat suddenly speeding up, like a rapid drumbeat in her chest. He was worthy of being the boss. His observation skills were amazing!

She stammered and explained, "I... I'm a traveling merchant. I passed by here and wanted to see if there was any business I could do." As she spoke, she bit her lip unconsciously, and a trace of panic flashed in her eyes.

The man, Boss Tom, sneered, and that laughter was like an ice knife cutting through glass, "Traveling merchant? Why have I never seen a traveling merchant like you? You can't even speak the common language here fluently." He Shiqing cursed in her heart, this boss is really an old fox!

She gritted her teeth and said, "I... I'm new in the industry, so..."

"Okay, stop making up stories," Tom interrupted her impatiently. The rude voice made He Shiqing's body shrink slightly. "What do you want to do? If you don't tell the truth, leave now and don't disturb my business." He Shiqing was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. She could feel her palms were full of sweat and sticky. She had to find a way to gain Tom's trust!

With a turn of his eyes, he came up with a plan, "Boss, although I'm new in this business, I have my own secrets!" Tom raised his eyebrows, "Oh? What secrets?" He Shiqing pretended to be mysterious and moved closer to Tom. She could smell a faint smell of tobacco coming from Tom. She lowered her voice and said, "I can..."

He Shiqing took a deep breath, and a mixture of spices and wood smelled into her nostrils again. It was a bit like the smell of the osmanthus cake her grandmother made when she was a child, and it made her feel at ease for some reason.

She knew that this might be her only chance to turn things around in the other world.

If you miss it, you might have to sleep on the streets and compete with stray dogs for bread crumbs!

No, absolutely not!

She secretly encouraged herself, still maintaining a mysterious smile on her face, but her legs were shaking slightly, like leaves in the wind.

"I can... help you make money!" He Shiqing said word by word, with confidence flashing in her eyes like two shining stars.

Boss Tom was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. The laughter echoed in the Chamber of Commerce, making He Shiqing's ears buzz and she laughed so hard that tears almost came out.

"Little girl, you are so arrogant! Do you know how much money my Chamber of Commerce can make in a day? Just you?" The guys around also started to snicker, and the laughter was like a group of crows buzzing. Lucy, a little girl with pigtails, hid behind the counter and secretly looked at He Shiqing.

He Shiqing remained unmoved. She looked around and her eyes fell on the dazzling array of goods on the shelves.

Wait, this placement...

It's too messy!

The merchandise classification is confusing and the price tags are not clear. No wonder the boss looks so sad. His business must not be very good!

She was secretly happy in her heart, the opportunity had come!

"Boss, excuse me for being blunt, but the display of merchandise in your Chamber of Commerce is... well, a bit random." He Shiqing expressed her opinion tactfully.

Boss Tom's laughter stopped abruptly and his expression turned a little ugly.

"What do you mean?" He Shiqing pointed at the shelves and talked freely: "Look, these silks and cloths are mixed together. Customers have to spend a lot of time to find the products they want. Also, these spices are not classified according to origin and fragrance, so customers can't quickly find their favorite flavors. The most important thing is that your price tags are too small and I can't see them clearly, boss!" Boss Tom's face became more and more gloomy, and the guys around him held their breath. The entire chamber of commerce was so quiet that only He Shiqing's voice could be heard. Lucy was so scared that she huddled up like a frightened little rabbit.

He Shiqing ignored their reactions and continued, "If you rearrange it according to my method, I guarantee that your business will increase by at least 30%!" "30%?" Boss Tom repeated. Although he thought the girl was a little whimsical, he had to admit that what she said did make some sense.

He has run this chamber of commerce for many years, but it has been lukewarm. Perhaps some changes are really needed.

"Tell me, do you have any good ideas?" Boss Tom's tone softened a little, but still contained a hint of doubt.

He Shiqing smiled confidently, took out a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it in front of Boss Tom.

"This is the plan I designed based on modern... ahem, some advanced business concepts..." She paused, pointed at the contents on the drawing, and began to explain incessantly.

From product classification to price tags, from store layout to promotional activities, she made detailed plans.

Boss Tom listened attentively, his eyes widened wider and wider, and he nodded from time to time to show his agreement.

The guys around also came over with surprised expressions on their faces.

Lucy widened her eyes and looked at He Shiqing with admiration.

"What do you think, boss? Consider it?" He Shiqing raised her eyebrows, looking proud.

Boss Tom pondered for a moment, his eyes flickering.

In his heart, he had actually already agreed with He Shiqing's plan, but as a shrewd businessman, he had to act with caution.

"Well..." He Shiqing saw his hesitation and immediately added: "Boss, I can help you renovate a part of the area for free. If the effect is good, we can discuss cooperation. How about it?"

Before Boss Tom could answer, He Shiqing added mysteriously: "And, I also know some..." "And, I also know some... future business opportunities." He Shiqing paused deliberately, observing Tom's reaction.

Tom really took the bait. His eyes lit up. "Future business opportunities? Tell me about it!"

He Shiqing cleared her throat mysteriously, "Ahem, according to my... uh... special channels, I learned that a transparent material called 'glass' will be very popular in the future. It can be used to make windows, mirrors, etc., and the market prospect is huge!" She secretly glanced at the "Glass Manufacturing Technology" displayed on the system interface, and was secretly happy in her heart, fortunately she had done her homework in advance.

"Glass?" Tom frowned, obviously never heard of such a thing.

"Yes! It's glass!" He Shiqing took out the glass fragments she had prepared in advance and shook them in front of Tom.

When she took out the glass fragments, the surrounding light seemed to be gathered by the glass fragments, and the entire Chamber of Commerce was illuminated by the reflected light in a small area. The light was bright and dazzling, causing the people around to squint their eyes slightly.

When Boss Tom stretched out his hand to take the glass fragments, his hands were shaking slightly. He could feel the cold texture of the glass fragments, and a strange feeling came through his fingers.

The guys also gathered around. Lucy couldn't squeeze in, so she could only stand on tiptoe outside the crowd and watch, her eyes full of curiosity.

He Shiqing held the glass fragments as if they were a rare treasure. In the reflection of the light, she had a mysterious and confident smile on her face. Everyone around her held their breath, and the whole scene seemed as if time had stood still.

"Is this thing...really as magical as you said?" Tom asked.

"Of course!" He Shiqing assured, patting her chest, "I can also predict other business trends, such as something called 'soap', which can be used to clean the body and is much better than ordinary soap!" She called up the "soap formula" from the system and was ready to show it at any time.

Tom was completely stunned by He Shiqing's magical "ability". The look he gave He Shiqing was no longer one of suspicion, but full of awe and expectation.

"Miss Emily, you are so... awesome!" He Shiqing smiled slightly, feeling secretly happy in her heart. It feels really good to fool people!

"Boss, you see, I'm so capable, why don't you let me work in your Chamber of Commerce for free for a while? If I don't make any achievements, it won't be too late for you to kick me out. How about it?" Tom hesitated for a moment, but was finally moved by He Shiqing's "sincerity".

"Okay, Miss Emily, I'll give you a chance! I hope you won't let me down!"

"Don't worry, boss! I will never let you down!" He Shiqing excitedly held Tom's hand. She could feel Tom's hand was thick and rough. At the same time, she felt that she had finally gained a foothold in the other world.

So, He Shiqing officially became a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

She looked at the dazzling array of merchandise with a confident gleam in her eyes, as if she saw countless gold coins waving at her.

"Then, tomorrow..." He Shiqing was about to discuss the next plan with Tom, when suddenly, the door of the Chamber of Commerce was pushed open...