Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Jin Xiuzhu instructed Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan not to lay out all the fabrics at once; they should only display five bolts on the table. If anyone came to inquire, they shouldn't reveal too much information. They should simply say that they were employees who knew nothing, and if necessary, direct them to ask the deputy factory manager.

Indeed, Jin Xiuzhu wanted them to refer to her as the factory manager. If it became known that the three of them were merely employees, they might be looked down upon. It was essential to present a figure of authority.

Wang Ling had already given them instructions before they arrived, telling them to follow Jin Xiuzhu's lead. Over the past few days, Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan had witnessed Jin Xiuzhu's capabilities and now found everything she said to be reasonable.

Jin Xiuzhu mentioned that she would take a stroll around and that they should not set up their sign or clothes just yet. She would handle that when she returned.

The two nodded and, following Jin Xiuzhu's instructions, took out five bolts of fabric, neatly folded them, and placed them on the table.

The man from the neighboring booth, who had come over for paper earlier, noticed Jin Xiuzhu leaving and approached again. "You've only brought five bolts of fabric? Isn't that a bit too few?"

He reached out to touch the fabric but was quickly stopped by Zhang Mei, who gave him a cold look. "If you want to look, go ahead, but don't touch it. If you touch ours, we'll have to touch yours. We had fried dough sticks and buns for breakfast, so if anything gets dirty, it won't be our fault."

Seeing Zhang Mei's unapproachable demeanor, the man looked embarrassed and hastily explained, "Misunderstanding. I usually like to feel the fabric when I see good material, but I won't touch it this time."

Liu Hongshan stepped in front of Zhang Mei, blocking the man with an unfriendly expression.

The man had no choice but to return to his own booth, where three others were waiting. One of them whispered, "How is it?"

Although discontented, he replied, "I didn't get to touch it, but the fabric looks exceptionally high quality. It doesn't seem inferior to those from the major factories. The patterns and designs, especially when seen up close, are particularly exquisite."

Hearing this, the other employees couldn't help but glance at Zhang Mei's booth, feeling disheartened.

They hadn't secured a prime location, and they hadn't expected the neighboring booth's fabrics to outshine theirs as soon as they were displayed. This was their third exhibition, and if the results weren't satisfactory this time, they might not get another chance. That wouldn't be good news for the factory.

Another male employee remarked, "We haven't heard of this factory before. It must not be a big one."

"Only bringing five bolts of fabric shows they're not much of a threat."

"Let's just wait and see."

With that, they went back to their own tasks.

Meanwhile, Jin Xiuzhu had visited several booths. Despite the exhibition's efforts to be fair and impartial, the difference in booth locations still made a significant impact, especially those in the center of the hall, which stood out more prominently despite similar setups.

After circling around, Jin Xiuzhu observed that while the quality of the fabrics varied, even the lesser ones weren't too poor. There were countless high-quality fabrics available, including silk, wool, and cotton. However, although these materials were excellent, their patterns seemed to fall short, often featuring exaggerated designs.

Jin Xiuzhu had a clear idea in mind. Checking her watch, she saw that it was already 8:20 AM and promptly headed back.

Upon seeing Jin Xiuzhu, Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan felt relieved. They noticed that most other booths were piled high with fabrics, while theirs only had five bolts, making it appear rather sparse. They considered taking out more fabric but hesitated since Jin Xiuzhu hadn't returned yet.

When Jin Xiuzhu returned, she told them, "Hang up the sign first."

Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan nodded and retrieved the sign from their bag. The sign featured large characters written by Jin Xiuzhu. Yesterday, they had gone out of their way to find wood and tools to assemble a temporary frame, which was already constructed and only needed a few adjustments.

Liu Hongshan adjusted the frame and set it up, while Zhang Mei attached the paper to the edges.

The other textile factories, who had been watching from the sidelines, wondered why these individuals didn't bring more fabric and instead bothered with such things. However, when they saw Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan erect the sign with large characters, they realized their oversight. Why hadn't they thought of such a brilliant idea?

Attendees entering the exhibition would likely notice this booth immediately.

But it was almost time for the exhibition to start, and they didn't have the time to make any changes.

Meanwhile, Jin Xiuzhu and her team had strung up two lines below the sign and hung some clothes on them. The lower line displayed the clothes horizontally, allowing visitors to clearly see the finished garments without needing to remove them.

The fabrics used for the finished garments differed from those on the table, being more refined and attractive. The styles were also very fashionable, some resembling those sold in department stores, while others were unique but equally appealing.

Suddenly, a bell rang. Jin Xiuzhu and Zhang Mei exchanged glances and removed their worker uniforms to reveal new outfits underneath.

These actions made their booth stand out from the surrounding ones.

Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan noticed many people looking their way and felt slightly embarrassed. However, knowing that they needed to attract attention today, they tried to ignore the stares.

At that moment, figures appeared at the entrance of the exhibition hall. A group of people entered together, starting from the first booth and moving forward. Voices could be heard from the front.

More and more people entered the hall, dressed simply but exuding an air of high status.

Many attendees noticed Jin Xiuzhu's booth. It was impossible not to, as the sign was highly visible. However, due to the distance, they didn't approach immediately but continued walking while browsing.

Liu Hongshan and Zhang Mei stood behind the booth, while Jin Xiuzhu stood in front, smiling and introducing their products to those who approached.

Throughout the morning, compared to the booths in front, a considerable number of people came to visit. As a result, the surrounding booths also received more visitors. However, no orders were directly signed.

Most participants in the exhibition were clothing manufacturers or other factories related to textiles. Finding a good textile factory was usually difficult and required inquiries or recommendations. Participating in the fabric exhibition provided the most convenient and efficient way to gather information, so they wouldn't hastily sign contracts.

However, with the current trend towards simplicity, fabrics like those displayed at Jin Xiuzhu's booth would primarily be sold in department stores in large cities. Smaller clothing factories in other areas wouldn't be interested.

Despite this, a middle-aged man lingered at their booth for a long time, asking Jin Xiuzhu about the designer of the patterns and whether he could take a piece home.

Realizing his request might be unreasonable, he smiled and explained, "The fabric seems unworthy of these patterns, and the craftsmanship isn't great. With better fabric and machinery, it would look even better. I'm interested in collaborating with your factory. Is there a chance?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan furrowed their brows, suspecting that he might be trying to poach their talent. They looked toward Jin Xiuzhu.

To their surprise, Jin Xiuzhu didn't get angry but smiled and said, "Of course, it's possible. However, cooperation depends on your sincerity, such as placing an order for three hundred bolts."

Taken aback, the man chuckled. "You certainly know how to protect your interests. Let me think about it."

"Of course."

After sending the man away, Jin Xiuzhu continued greeting other visitors.

By around 10:00 AM, several people had inquired, but no orders had been placed. Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan grew anxious, while Jin Xiuzhu remained calm, engaging visitors in lively conversations at the booth.

A middle-aged woman who had passed by earlier deliberately circled back to ask Jin Xiuzhu more detailed questions. At that moment, a brightly dressed young girl carrying a bag approached. She picked up a bolt of fabric and asked, "Are these the only colors available?"

Jin Xiuzhu smiled and replied, "There are many more. Whatever color you want, we can provide."

The girl nodded, seemingly only now noticing Jin Xiuzhu's attire, and asked in surprise, "This dress was also made by your factory?"

"Yes, but our factory mainly produces fabrics; we don't make many clothes."

The girl looked again and said directly, "My father is the director of a garment factory. He couldn't come this time, so he sent me to take a look. This is my first time seeing such beautiful fabric. These patterns are exquisite; I've only seen them in the department stores in the capital. But when I asked the salesclerks before, they weren't very clear. I searched for a long time and couldn't find anything similar, which was a pity."

Jin Xiuzhu's eyes curved into a smile. "What a coincidence. The fabrics you mentioned might have been produced by our factory. They were one of our best-selling batches, all supplied to the department stores in the capital."

The girl exclaimed, "Really? No wonder it looks so familiar! I'll take it. How do we place an order? I want five hundred bolts first. If our cooperation goes well, I will definitely continue to purchase from you."

Jin Xiuzhu clapped her hands and smiled warmly. "Rest assured, our products will surely satisfy you."

She then had Zhang Mei take out a notebook to record the details.

The woman standing next to the girl couldn't help whispering to her, "Are you signing so quickly? Don't you want to examine it more carefully? There are still a few days left."

The girl beamed. "No need, Auntie. I should sign as soon as possible. I'm afraid there might be a queue later, and it could take a long time to get the goods."

The woman didn't believe her. "Is it really that exaggerated?"

The girl replied earnestly, "Auntie, you don't know. In the capital's department stores, people line up just to buy these fabrics. Each bolt costs several dozen yuan, yet they're still not enough for everyone. Regardless of how good the fabrics are, you can hardly find these patterns elsewhere. I visited many department stores and couldn't find them. When I asked the salesclerks, they wouldn't tell me either, probably fearing that I'd snatch their sources. I came here on a whim, never expecting to actually find them."

Hearing this, the woman's initial interest, which had been around fifty-fifty, increased to about seventy or eighty percent. Seeing the girl sign her name boldly, she hesitated for a moment before telling Jin Xiuzhu, "I'll take two hundred bolts."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled gently. "Of course."

After signing her name, the girl playfully pleaded with Jin Xiuzhu, "Sis, since I placed such a large order, can you give me a dress?"

Pointing at a blue coat behind Jin Xiuzhu, she added, "That one looks amazing. I love it."

The woman, eyeing the clothes hanging under the sign, also had an idea. Although she couldn't wear such beautiful clothes herself, she could bring them back for her daughter. She mustered up her courage and said, "Yes, since we both placed orders worth hundreds of bolts, shouldn't you give us something? That dress looks great."

Jin Xiuzhu showed a hesitant expression but eventually agreed after the duo's persistent pleading. "Alright, I'll give each of you a dress, but you can't tell anyone else. Otherwise, we won't be able to afford giving them away."

"Okay, okay."

"Sis, you're so nice."

Despite their words, many people noticed and it made little difference. Especially when the girl put on the dress right away and continued browsing with her bag, telling others who asked that she received it because of her large order.

By noon, Jin Xiuzhu had already secured five orders, and all five dresses were given away.

From 11:30 AM to 2 PM was the lunch break, but someone stayed at each booth.

Liu Hongshan offered to stay behind.

Jin Xiuzhu thought it safer to leave a man in charge, so she and Zhang Mei left.

After exiting the venue, Jin Xiuzhu and Zhang Mei tightly clasped each other's hands in excitement.

Zhang Mei asked happily, "We got so many orders all at once. Will our factory be able to handle it?"

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "That's for our director to worry about. Our job is to secure orders. Still, we should call the director later."

Zhang Mei nodded vigorously.

After returning, they first went to the State-owned hotel across the street for a bowl of noodles. After eating, they didn't go back immediately but instead called Wang Ling from a public phone booth downstairs. Wang Ling had returned home to rest, so it took a while for her weak voice to come through.

Jin Xiuzhu told her about the events of the past two days and the five orders they secured that morning.

Over the phone, Wang Ling exclaimed excitedly, "Great! I knew sending you would not disappoint me. Just keep securing orders, the more the better. I'll notify the factory to work overtime."

"Alright. Make sure the switchboard operator doesn't relax over the next few days. We should start receiving calls soon."

"Understood."

After hanging up, Jin Xiuzhu and Zhang Mei returned to the guesthouse. Bai Jingzhi was waiting at the entrance with her bag. Jin Xiuzhu felt sorry for her. "Why are you standing here? Haven't you eaten yet?"

Bai Jingzhi took off her new dress and hung it on her wrist. Seeing Jin Xiuzhu, she cheerfully greeted her sister-in-law. "It's fine. I'll eat when I get back to school. By the way, sis, how did I do this morning?"

Jin Xiuzhu patted her shoulder and praised her. "You did exceptionally well. Thanks to you, we secured five orders, making a significant contribution to the factory."

Bai Jingzhi was thrilled. "That's great!"

She handed the new dress to Jin Xiuzhu.

Jin Xiuzhu refused. "Since it was given to you, it's yours. Consider it a reward for your efforts today. Don't go back to school for lunch. Go have a bowl of noodles across the street."

She took out some money and tickets from her pocket and gave them to Bai Jingzhi, adding, "Your sister-in-law Wang will reimburse you. You did a great job today, so she must give you a big bonus."

Bai Jingzhi accepted them with a smile. "Thank you, sis."

Jin Xiuzhu urged her to go eat. "Be careful on your way back. Once I'm done, I'll come find you."

"Okay."

In the afternoon, when Jin Xiuzhu and the others returned, they noticed several new signs at the venue.

Liu Hongshan was somewhat angry. "They're copying us."

Jin Xiuzhu remained calm. "It's normal. We anticipated this. We just need to focus on ourselves. The orders we secured this morning were enough. From now on, it's all about luck."

Their spirits were slightly lifted by these words.

Indeed, before coming, they hadn't expected to secure any orders. With these orders, they could return next year and secure a better spot.

Over the next two days, they received three more orders at their booth.

On the last afternoon, Jin Xiuzhu told Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan that she wouldn't be going. She had arranged to meet Bai Jingzhi at the entrance of the department store.

Before leaving, Jin Xiuzhu prepared to buy some gifts for her family and also for Bai Jingzhi. Bai Jingzhi didn’t want anything, so Jin Xiuzhu simply bought two portions of food.

Bai Jingzhi was helpless, knowing one portion was for her, and took it.

Jin Xiuzhu also bought two sets of shorts for the two children, toys for Liu Liu, and a pair of shoes for Jiang Mingchuan.

Seeing Yan Yan and Xiao Yan's clothes, Bai Jingzhi couldn't help but ask, "Should we buy something for Yingxiong too?"

Jin Xiuzhu shook her head, "Not now. We can buy him something when he grows up. If we buy him something now, his father will feel uncomfortable. When the time comes, Xiao Yan can share more food with him."

Bai Jingzhi sighed, "I hope Yingxiong’s father doesn’t marry again."

Jin Xiuzhu didn’t know what to say.

Bai Jingzhi suddenly thought of something, "By the way, I think I saw Zhao Yun at the train station before."

Jin Xiuzhu looked at her.

Bai Jingzhi frowned, "But I’m not sure if I was mistaken; there were too many people. That day, my adoptive parents took my sister back to their hometown. They asked me to see them off for the last time, but I didn’t show up. I hid behind a pillar on the platform and waited until they left. Then I saw Zhao Yun walking ahead with a child in her arms."

Jin Xiuzhu was puzzled, "Zhao Yun is in S Province?"

Bai Jingzhi shook her head, "She might have just been passing through."

Jin Xiuzhu said, "Forget about it. Let’s not worry about this."

Bai Jingzhi hummed in agreement.

The next morning, Jin Xiuzhu returned home. She didn’t let Bai Jingzhi come to see her off, but Bai Jingzhi still came and sent them off at the train station.

After sitting down, Jin Xiuzhu waved to her, urging her to go back quickly.

After a day’s train ride and some waiting time for transfers, Jin Xiuzhu and her companions arrived in the city around four or five in the afternoon.

To Jin Xiuzhu’s surprise, Jiang Mingchuan and He Yan were waiting outside. Seeing her, He Yan ran over excitedly, "Mom—"

Approaching, he tried to take the bag from Jin Xiuzhu’s hand. The bag was too heavy for him, causing him to wobble as he walked.

Jiang Mingchuan quickly stepped forward and took the large bag from Jin Xiuzhu and the small bag from his son. Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan’s families had also come. Both families happily chatted about what had happened in S City.

With one hand on Jiang Mingchuan’s arm and the other holding her son’s hand, Jin Xiuzhu told them about the good things she had bought.

They took a boat to the county town and parted ways at the dock. The family of three then took another boat back to the military base.

It was already past eight in the evening when they arrived at the base, and it was completely dark. However, the light in the neighboring house was on. Hearing the door open, Fang Min came out carrying Liu Liu, with their daughter following behind.

Jin Xiuzhu patted her daughter’s head and then went to hold Liu Liu. Liu Liu looked at her seriously, then suddenly grinned, but soon after, her face crumpled, and she started to cry pitifully.

Jin Xiuzhu hurriedly cooed softly, "Don’t cry, don’t cry. Mommy’s back. Did Liu Liu miss Mommy? Mommy missed you too..."

As she spoke, she kissed her little cheek.

Jiang Mingchuan had already opened the door. As soon as they got home, He Yan and Fu Yanyan rummaged through the bags to see what good things their mother had brought back. Finding new clothes, both of them happily put them on.

Fang Min followed with a smile and asked how her days had been?

Jin Xiuzhu recounted the events of the past few days and then pulled out the gift she had brought for Fang Min. Fang Min was pleasantly surprised. Upon opening it, she found a beautiful white fountain pen.

She looked up, biting her lip as she gazed at Jin Xiuzhu, "This is too precious."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled, "I’ve wanted to give you a fountain pen for a long time. I couldn’t find a nice one in the city before, but luckily, I found this one in the department store in S City. I thought it would suit you."

Fang Min didn’t refuse and said happily, "Thank you."

Jin Xiuzhu held the child and comforted her, "I should thank you. It was all thanks to your care of Liu Liu these days."

Fang Min shook her head, "Liu Liu has been very well-behaved."

After saying this, she glanced at He Yan nearby, her expression subtle.

He Yan lowered his head guiltily and pretended to start rummaging through the bags again.

Liu Liu had stopped crying and lay on Jin Xiuzhu’s chest, her little hands clutching her clothes, looking very upset.

Jin Xiuzhu felt soft inside and gently stroked her back.

When they had finished talking, Jiang Mingchuan came out of the kitchen with a bowl of noodles. Jin Xiuzhu tried to pass the child to Jiang Mingchuan, but Liu Liu refused. Jin Xiuzhu could only eat while holding her.

However, that night, Jin Xiuzhu learned about He Yan secretly taking Liu Liu to school.

He Yan had been careful around Fang Min and his sister, but he hadn’t expected his father to spill the beans. His father had clearly promised not to tell his mother.

But in the time it took to wash the dishes, his mother had found out.

Jin Xiuzhu wasn’t angry, but she lightly tapped his forehead, "Don’t do such silly things next time. What if Liu Liu cried in class?"

He Yan proudly replied, "Liu Liu was very well-behaved and didn’t cry once. It was just that her poop was too smelly."

If it weren’t for the teacher and classmates complaining about the smell, he wouldn’t have taken his sister back. He had even wanted to compare his sister’s intelligence with Yang Yingxiong’s brother. Who was smarter, his sister or his brother?

Jin Xiuzhu put on a stern face, "Are you being disobedient?"

He Yan obediently replied, "Understood."

He touched his forehead and went to bed, feeling happy. His mother hadn’t scolded him and had even bought him new clothes. He would tell his friends tomorrow.

But after thinking about it, he decided not to. Wei Ningqing’s parents weren’t around, and no one bought anything for Yang Yingxiong. If he told them, they would feel sad.

The next day, Jin Xiuzhu had originally planned to visit Wang Ling's home in the morning, but she didn't expect Wang Ling to come over by herself early in the morning.

She came alone, her face somewhat pale, but her complexion was much better than before. When she was sick, her face had been sallow and her spirits not good.

In her hand, she held a notebook with a pen clipped to its cover.

Upon arrival, she sat down directly and began telling Jin Xiuzhu, "I want to expand the scale of the Textile Factory, buy more machines and thread, and also hire more people..."

Then she started calculating with the pen, discussing things like the factory's income and expenses over the past two years, the cost of each machine, the price of the thread, and transportation fees.

"The only thing I'm hesitant about is hiring more people. Many factories are laying off workers now. I'm not sure if business will continue to be this good or if it's just temporary. Machines can be sold later if needed, but when people lose their jobs, it affects their entire families."

Jin Xiuzhu suggested, "Let's put hiring on hold for now. If we receive more orders, then consider hiring. For now, continue using the current employees, and tell them that if they're willing to work overtime, their wages will increase. It's important to buy high-quality machines, even if we can only afford one. During the exhibition, someone mentioned that our fabrics aren't particularly outstanding. With better machines, the quality would improve significantly."

Wang Ling nodded, thought for a moment, and then decisively said, "I'll follow your advice. I'll go contact someone to purchase new machines right away. If possible, I'll replace all the old machines in the factory."

With that, she got up and left immediately, unable to wait any longer.

Jin Xiuzhu saw her out, saying, "Take care of yourself and don't overwork."

Without turning back, Wang Ling waved her hand and said, "I know, I have it under control."

Her heart was filled with excitement. She had a strong premonition that Jin Xiuzhu's return from S City brought a tremendous opportunity for both her and the factory, one that could change many people's lives.

Not only did Wang Ling feel this way; as Jin Xiuzhu watched her leave, she too had an inexplicable feeling, as if an invisible hand was guiding them together, and each person was helping the other achieve success.