“Do you know a clothing store called ‘Shu Se’ at the end of the commercial street?”
Zhao Xingwang nodded, “The one that sells bell-bottom pants? I know it, I even bought a pair to keep up with the fashion.”
“I’m the owner of that store. I’m selling cashmere sweaters now. Could you help me show the sweaters to the foreigners who come and go, and tell them the prices? I’ll give you fifty cents for every successful transaction.”
This sounds good, and it wouldn’t conflict with renting out carts. But he simply didn’t know how to introduce them.
“But I don’t speak foreign languages.”
“It’s okay, I’ll write down what needs to be introduced in two languages beforehand. It’s essentially like a flyer. As long as someone brings the flyer you hand out, I’ll count them as your customers.”
If she had to wait outside herself, firstly she wouldn’t have the time, and secondly, in this cold weather, she definitely wouldn’t be able to endure it. It was better to hand it over to Zhao Xingwang, and he could earn some extra money, killing two birds with one stone.
Anyway, she had to guard the store, which wouldn’t affect her reselling overseas remittance coupons and would earn her extra money. There couldn’t be a better situation than this. Zhao Xingwang eagerly agreed.
After the two parties reached an agreement, Chen Lishu returned to the store first.
“Girl, how is your brain wired? I’m truly impressed. Has it been more than an hour since you went out? You’ve sold five knitted sweaters. At first, when I heard them chattering away, I was so anxious my forehead was covered in sweat. Later, I took out the note you wrote, and I understood.”
Chen Lishu smiled, “As you come into contact with more people, you’ll get used to it. You might even learn to speak a few words eventually.”
“My tongue is as clumsy as the waistband of cotton pants; I can’t learn the devil’s language.”
Chen Lishu spoke a couple more sentences with her, then took out paper and a pen from her shoulder bag and began to diligently write promotional flyers.
There were no printing or copying shops yet, and even if she wanted to print them, the cost wouldn’t be cheap. With only a few sentences in total, Chen Lishu decided to work a little harder and write them herself.
She cut one sheet of paper into two, writing thirty copies in total. Then, she explained the process of recording sales through flyers to Wang Aixiang, and went out again to give the flyers to Zhao Xingwang.
After implementing this, the store quickly saw some improvement. They sold at least two to three cashmere sweaters every day, but it seemed it would still take a long time to sell all of them.
On the weekend, Chen Lishu took two wool blankets to Chen Liyuan and Gu Xingping. Their dormitories had no heating, and they were in old bungalows heated by stoves. As the temperature continued to drop, it would surely be difficult to endure.
“If you need anything, tell your sister. Oh, did you buy the hot water bottle I mentioned last time?”
Chen Liyuan nodded and said softly, “I bought it.”
This sister had never lied to her. Seeing her like this, Chen Lishu knew she had definitely not been willing to spend money to buy one.
“A hot water bottle is only a little over a dollar. You’re a girl, you mustn’t catch a cold. I’ll be going to your sister Gu Xingping’s place to deliver the blanket soon, you can come with me, and we can ask her what she needs and I’ll take you both to the store to look.”
“I have enough. Sister, the money you gave me last time still has some left. I really don’t need to add anything.”
Chen Lishu frowned, “I’m your sister, not a stranger. Why are you being so polite with me? Your current outfit also needs changing. I’ll buy you another one.” With that, she pulled Chen Liyuan and took a bus to Gu Xingping’s school.
Gu Xingping was lively and enthusiastic. Since starting university, with Ding Chen taking care of her, she had thrived and quickly blended in with her classmates.
She was very happy to know Chen Lishu was coming to see her. After taking the wool blanket back to the dormitory, she went with Chen Lishu to the store.
Chen Lishu bought a top for each of them. Since Gu Xingping had already bought a hot water bottle, Chen Lishu bought another one specifically for Chen Liyuan. She also bought a box of face cream for each of them and then treated them to a meal outside before they parted ways.
Before returning home, Chen Lishu called Nan Haitao.
“I have a batch of cashmere sweaters on hand. The purchase price was twenty-eight, and I’m selling them for fifty… Is your department store interested in stocking some?”
They had been cooperating for so long that Chen Lishu did not hide anything and briefly explained the situation of selling the cashmere sweaters.
Having promised Han Shenglin a forty percent sales volume, she had to find a way to quickly deal with a portion of the inventory.
Nan Haitao said, “The county town is not the provincial capital, so sales will definitely be slower.”
Chen Lishu naturally knew this. Asking Nan Haitao was just a trial. In business, it was understandable for Nan Haitao to choose not to stock them.
Just as Chen Lishu was about to say never mind, she heard the voice on the other end continue, “I can’t take too many, let’s start with a hundred pieces.”
Chen Lishu couldn’t help but curl her lips, “Thank you.”
“I pay, you deliver. Besides, I have confidence in your taste.”
After hanging up the phone, Chen Lishu returned home.
One day, Chen Lishu was teaching students in the mathematics department when her gaze happened to catch a glimpse of Zhang Xue passing by the classroom door. Knowing she might have something to tell her, she finished her lecture to the students as if nothing happened and then left the classroom.
“Why did you come over?”
Zhang Xue replied, “Sister Aixiang came looking for you and said she had something important to say. She’s waiting for you at the school gate now.”
Thinking that something had happened at the store, Chen Lishu quickly hurried towards the school gate.
“Sister Aixiang, what happened?”
It was so cold that the exhaled breath turned into white mist. Wang Aixiang was pacing back and forth to warm herself up. She turned her head when she saw Chen Lishu approaching and immediately went to meet her.
“A foreigner came to the store. I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I showed him the note you wrote for me, he glanced at it and put it back. He stayed in the store for half a day and I really didn’t know what to do, so I invited him to the steamed bun shop next door. I locked the door and came to find you.”
When Chen Lishu heard that it wasn’t a troublemaker, the worry in her heart eased considerably. Just as she was about to go to the store with Wang Aixiang, Zhang Xue also got on the bus with them.
“It’s no fun for me if you’re not at school. I’ll help you out, even if it’s just cleaning.”
Soon, the three of them arrived at the shop entrance. Wang Aixiang went to open the door, while Chen Lishu went to the steamed bun shop to see the person.
“Peter?”
Chen Lishu was stunned when she saw the tall figure sitting by the wall.
Peter also did not expect to see Chen Lishu again here. He stood up happily and greeted her, “Chen, I’m so glad to see you.”
“Would you be even happier to see me?” Zhang Xue entered from the door, smiling at Peter.
He had helped her so much when she was learning spoken English, significantly improving her language sense.
Chen Lishu thanked the owner of the steamed bun shop and brought Peter back to the store.
“Oh, I didn’t expect this shop to be yours,” Peter said in surprise in English.
Chen Lishu explained, “My sister doesn’t understand English. I don’t know why you came this time?”