Chi Yun’er’s mind was brimming with ideas to keep the commissary’s business booming. However, as she chewed on the end of her pen, her thoughts turned to the earth-shattering changes that would happen two years down the road.
’I need to think long-term,’ she mused. ’A plan that can balance my own personal development with the hospital’s financial well-being!’
The next morning, Chi Yun’er rushed to the commissary with a steamed bun in her mouth.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, but Zhao Jinming and Xu Chengfang were already bustling about inside the shop.
They were cleaning, taking inventory, and writing out stock lists on paper. When they saw Chi Yun’er, they greeted her with a smile before immediately getting back to work.
Chi Yun’er put down her bag and walked around the small gatehouse, finishing her bun.
The hospital of this era was different from the ones she knew from the future. It didn’t have a modern glass facade, just a conventional brick wall set with standard-sized windows.
She mulled it over for a moment, pacing back and forth to measure the area with her feet. Once she’d finished her bun, she called Zhao Jinming outside.
"Director Chi, what are your orders?" Zhao Jinming came forward eagerly. He slung the rag he was holding over his shoulder and gave a theatrical bow, asking in a playful tone.
Chi Yun’er let out a snort of laughter. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she shot him a mock glare. "Comrade Zhao Jinming, don’t get carried away!"
Zhao Jinming chuckled and dropped the act. "I’m all ears."
Chi Yun’er shared her plan with him. "Business was pretty good yesterday. While none of us can predict how the commissary will do in the long run, I’m confident we won’t be operating at a loss."
"Since this is going to be a long-term venture, we should prepare for expansion right from the start."
"I want to build an extension onto the gatehouse. It would be as wide as the space between the gatehouse and the main corridor, and it would extend in length to the window of the first office."
Zhao Jinming traced the dimensions in the air with his hands and nodded. "We definitely need to expand. There aren’t many spots in the hospital suitable for a commissary, but this one is perfect. An expansion here would be convenient for people coming from both inside and outside the hospital grounds."
"Plus, if we put up a brand-new sign with red lettering, it’ll be super eye-catching. Think about it—cold winters, windy springs, hot summers, and rainy autumns. Is anyone really going to go out of their way when we’re right here?"
"Our stock from out of town hasn’t even arrived yet, and this tiny gatehouse is already proving to be too small. We have to expand!"
Chi Yun’er chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "So, for such an arduous and magnificent task... shall we have our very own Comrade Zhao Jinming handle the application?"


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