Chen Lishu helped the two children up. After some thought, she spoke to Director Zhu again, "Director Zhu, I have a job making paper bags now. Two fen per bag, three hundred bags in total. Would you like to take on this job?"
They say it's better to help those in need than those who are poor. Giving things and money indiscriminately isn't a long-term solution. This was a method Chen Lishu thought of on the spur of the moment. When customers bought clothes from her store, she could use bags with her store's name on them to pack the clothes. Although plastic bags existed, they were not cheap and not environmentally friendly. This way, she could promote her store and help the orphanage increase its income before the New Year.
"Yes, we'll do it." Before Director Zhu could speak, Zhang Qiaoyun eagerly agreed.
The street and community sometimes introduced work folding cardboard boxes, but even such a job was not common in the welfare home, and the price was much lower than Chen Lishu's offer.
Chen Lishu played with the children at the welfare home with Rui Rui for a while longer before leaving.
...
Gu Xingdong and his men stealthily crept behind the dense bushes, like leopards ready to pounce.
As soon as they were hidden in their positions, they saw a group of dozens of people charging over.
Li Weimin, standing at a high vantage point, watched the approaching group and quickly transmitted a message to Gu Xingdong with his fingers:
'Two hundred meters away, at ten o'clock, shall we act?'
Gu Xingdong replied soon after: Wait a bit longer.
This time, they had to make sure they entered their encirclement, ensuring not a single one could escape.
Li Weimin's eyes were fixed on the approaching team, holding his breath as he waited.
The surroundings of the jungle were extremely quiet, and for a moment, only the chirping of insects and birds could be heard. Everyone was so tense that they felt they could clearly perceive time ticking by. As the enemy approached, everyone clutched their daggers tightly.
As Gu Xingdong made an action signal, Li Weimin descended from the tree trunk with lightning speed, slitting the enemy's throat with a single stroke...
While the battle was in full swing, a loud explosion suddenly erupted from a camp in the northwest direction of the jungle, followed by a large burst of flames shooting into the sky.
The enemy troops became instantly agitated, chattering excitedly, as if they were about to witness the anxiety and panic of the Chinese soldiers. However, after waiting for a while, they showed no signs of retreating. Instead, their actions became more decisive and ruthless. Before long, eight or nine people from the small team of dozens had fallen.
It seemed to be the leader of the squad. In a fit of rage, he let out another roar of incomprehensible words, finally targeting Gu Xingdong, and charged forward, raising his saber and shouting.
Wang Dazhu experienced the meaning of blood spraying on his face for the first time. The sticky, warm moisture made him freeze on the spot.
"You want to die!" Gu Xingdong roared, pushing him away from behind with a powerful shove. At the same time, his right hand, gripping the dagger, thrust forward forcefully, clashing with the enemy's saber, producing a sharp, grating sound.
...
Jiang Yuning looked at everything before her, her mouth feeling bitter, and her vision blurring.
Although she had been a doctor in the special forces before, she had always been in the safest rear. She had never witnessed such a bloody and brutal war scene. This was completely different from what she had imagined.
"Dr. Jiang, are you alright? You look a bit pale. Why don't you go rest over there for a while? I've already had someone clear a space. All your medicine and equipment are intact. Would you like to go check on them?"
Seeing her pale face, Zhou Liang kindly tried to distract her.
Earlier, it was decided that she would stay in town, where it was relatively safe. Who knew she would volunteer to join everyone? Gu Xingdong had strongly opposed it, and it was out of his personal consideration that he kept her.
After all, Jiang Yuning was a doctor, and if any unforeseen circumstances arose, she could provide timely treatment. Now, it seemed he hadn't considered things thoroughly enough, and he hoped this incident wouldn't cause too much harm to her.
He and Gu Xingdong were completely unfamiliar with the terrain here. Conversely, the enemy had been established here for a long time and had a significant advantage in terms of their surroundings.
It was clearly too late to familiarize themselves with the terrain any further. Therefore, upon discovering the enemy's traces, he and Gu Xingdong discussed it and deliberately started a fire to cook, leaving a weakness for the enemy and exposing their "base camp." Then, they planned to lure the snake out of its hole.
Gu Xingdong was responsible for attracting the enemy's attention, while he secretly evacuated everyone from the camp, intending to trap the enemy like catching a turtle in a jar.
"Ugh!" Thinking of the explosion she had just witnessed again, Jiang Yuning couldn't hold back and turned to retch violently.
"Dr. Jiang, shall I send someone to take you back to town? It's too dangerous here."
"I'm fine, I..." Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Yuning turned away again.
"Someone, take Dr. Jiang back to town." A familiar voice suddenly emerged from behind them. Zhou Liang and Jiang Yuning turned their heads in surprise.
"Old Gu, how is it? Is everyone..." alright?
Before Zhou Liang could finish, he was startled to see Wang Dazhu, his face covered in blood.
"Dazhu, what's wrong?"
Wang Dazhu wiped his face with his hand. The warmth still seemed to linger on his face, yet he reported calmly, "Report, I was splashed with blood. I'm perfectly fine."
"Go get someone to escort Dr. Jiang away," Gu Xingdong repeated with a stern expression.
"I..." After witnessing the true brutality of the battlefield, Jiang Yuning could no longer insist on staying. She allowed two soldiers to escort her away.
...
After returning from the welfare home, Chen Lishu ordered a batch of kraft paper the next day. She made a paper bag according to her memory and, satisfied with the result, delivered it to the welfare home. She arranged to pick it up ten days later and then returned to school.
Liang Chunsheng returned precisely a week later. His trip to the neighboring province had been successful. He brought back two hundred orders, each sold wholesale to shops and department stores at a price of thirty-five fen.
Having earned seventy fen in commission from his trip, Liang Chunsheng was quite exhilarated.
Chen Lishu said, "You must be tired after being away for so long. Go back and rest today. Come back tomorrow to arrange the shipment."
After the other party received the goods, the final payment was transferred to Chen Lishu's account.
At the end of November, Chen Lishu, Wang Aixiang, and Liang Chunsheng conducted a thorough inventory.
The bell-bottom pants and floral shirts had sold out. There were still over one hundred and seventy woolen coats from the latest batch, and the jackets were not selling as well as the woolen coats, with over three hundred and ten sets remaining.
As for the electronic watches and electric irons that Lin Qi had brought in, they had long since sold out. Out of twelve hundred cashmere sweaters, nearly five hundred had been sold, leaving over seven hundred.
Miscellaneous items, after deducting all costs and labor fees, Chen Lishu had earned nearly forty thousand yuan in the past six months!