Amid Song Wei’s anticipation, 1980 arrived in the blink of an eye.
By this time, the twins were almost seven years old.
Lin Ping’an had also been sent to school in town.
The emergence of self-employed businesses had brought changes to the social economic system.
However, at this stage, there were still very few self-employed individuals, and most people took pride in being factory workers.
Yet, Lin Zhen had joined Jiang Wenwu in spending five thousand yuan to buy a second-hand large truck, leaving the transport station to work independently.
Of course, only Song Wei and the family of the brigade leader knew about this.
Song Wei naturally supported Lin Zhen, but the brigade leader’s family was somewhat worried and felt uneasy, coming to chat with Song Wei every day.
Song Wei comforted Aunt Xinghua: “Don’t worry. Now that state policies allow self-employment, the worst that can happen is a few criticisms from others, but the benefits are real. With the truck they’ve rented, transporting goods between the north and south is bound to be profitable. You know about radios, right? In the south, they cost only a few dozen yuan, but up here in the north, they sell for over a hundred. There’s a significant profit margin on each radio. With such a large truck, they can bring back plenty of goods to resell in one trip.”
Aunt Xinghua: “The profit margin is that big?”
She genuinely hadn’t known, and for a moment, she was utterly shocked.
Song Wei nodded emphatically: “Not just electronics—even clothing has huge profit potential. The policy has just opened up, and because of past influences, very few people are venturing into self-employment right now. That’s why some are making sarcastic remarks. But once they see the profits, they’ll be rushing to become self-employed too. In a way, we’re getting a head start. By the time more people join in, some might not even have the opportunity anymore.”
Hearing Song Wei’s words, Aunt Xinghua, though still somewhat skeptical, felt considerably reassured.
It wasn’t until Lin Zhen and Jiang Wenwu returned from their first trip and Jiang Wenwu excitedly showed his family his bank passbook that the entire household erupted in excitement.
In just that one trip, Jiang Wenwu had earned over two thousand yuan!
He had only invested one thousand, yet the net profit exceeded two thousand.
This business was incredibly lucrative.
Now, Aunt Xinghua wasn’t worried at all. When she visited Song Wei again, she was beaming, clutching Song Wei’s hands and showering her with praise and gratitude.
“If it weren’t for your Lin Zhen willing to take him along, with his brains, how could he ever make so much money?”
Song Wei smiled and said, “Now you can rest easy, right?”
“Yes, absolutely. I’m completely at ease.”
Moreover, Lin Zhen and Jiang Wenwu had returned with another plan: they had rented a storefront in the city to specifically sell goods brought back from the south.
They didn’t have large appliances, but they had plenty of radios, wristwatches, Walkmans (which were especially popular among students), belts, fountain pens, and other such items.
And clothing.
This was Song Wei’s suggestion, and most of it was women’s fashion.
Lin Zhen’s taste in women’s clothing was limited, but he could research the most popular styles in the south and bring back those designs. He had returned with a considerable stock.
So, they also opened a clothing store.
Since Lin Zhen and Jiang Wenwu had bought the truck, they couldn’t stay in their hometown indefinitely.
They needed to seize the opportunity to make a substantial profit before others caught on.
Therefore, they needed someone to manage the two stores.
Song Wei had to take care of the children. Although the twins were now in school and the family’s animals handled the daily pickups and drop-offs without requiring her involvement, she still couldn’t completely neglect her responsibilities.
After discussing it, they decided to entrust the store management to Jiang Wenwu’s eldest brother’s family and also hire two people from their grandmother’s side of the family.
Of course, those helping to manage the stores and sell goods would receive a fixed salary.
“What? A hundred yuan per month?!!”
A monthly salary of one hundred yuan was like a dream come true for people at that time, especially those in the village.
At Great-uncle’s house, the elderly couple gasped in astonishment when they heard about the salary Lin Zhen was offering.
“Just selling some goods, and you’re paying a hundred yuan a month? That’s even higher than a factory worker’s wage! Are you sure about this? Don’t end up losing money.”
Touched by their concern for him, Lin Zhen felt a warmth in his heart.
“Don’t worry, Great-uncle, Great-aunt. We won’t lose money.”
“Alright, let us think about it.”
Great-uncle took a puff of his cigarette.
Although this was a good opportunity, it was also a delicate situation.
A monthly salary of one hundred yuan, but Lin Zhen only needed two people.
How should their family decide who would get the positions?
After learning that Lin Zhen intended to sell women’s clothing, Great-uncle thought it over and made a decision.
He would send his two daughters-in-law.
That evening, he gathered the family together, explained the situation, and announced his decision amidst everyone’s excited expressions.
“For those who didn’t get chosen, don’t be disappointed. I’ll talk to Lin Zhen another time to see if there are other ways to make money. We should find our own opportunities and not always rely on Lin Zhen.”
Everyone agreed with this.
But instead of Great-uncle going himself, a few quick-witted young men from the family went to seek advice from Lin Zhen.
After some thought, Lin Zhen told them, “How about this? We need help with the goods transportation too. You can start by working with me, learn the ropes, and then decide what you want to do on your own.”
And so, it was settled. From then on, aside from the older generation, the young men enthusiastically prepared for the store’s opening.
On the day of the opening, Song Wei also went.
She didn’t bring the twins.
It was easy to imagine how busy the opening would be, and she couldn’t risk losing track of the children in the chaos—it would be a nightmare.
Child traffickers were still rampant at that time.
On opening day, Song Wei brought along a few female cousins from Great-uncle’s family and dressed them in clothes from the store. Once styled, they looked incredibly fashionable.
With their hair done up as well, they appeared radiant and much more attractive.
Song Wei was the prettiest among the girls. The others had slightly darker skin, but Song Wei selected clothes that suited their personalities and complexions, making them look equally lovely.
The young women touched the clothes they were wearing and the hair accessories in their hair, gazing at their reflections in the mirror with delight.
“I never thought I could look this good.”
“Heavens, is that really me? Sister-in-law, your skills are magical!”
“Sister-in-law, can you check if there’s anything else I need?”
Song Wei clapped her hands. “That’s perfect. Now, we’re the living advertisements for the store. Be confident and make sure everyone notices the clothes we’re wearing.”
“Yes!”
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