Huo Jingyuan looked at Xu Jinghe, his brow furrowed as he asked, “Jinghe, be straight with me. Is there really potential in selling those clothes up north?”
His aunt spoke particularly highly of Xu Jinghe; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a business prodigy. He didn’t want him to do this business just as a favor to him.
“To be honest, the South is currently embracing Hong Kong-style culture, imitating everything from clothing to food and lifestyle. The clothes from my factory are now piled up with no sales.
Sister-in-law’s suggestion could at least help us recoup the costs.”
The economic differences between North and South were significant, especially in coastal cities where many people were willing to spend half a month’s salary on clothes.
The North, however, tended to prioritize saving wherever possible.
If needed, old clothes could always be altered.
Selling the clothes in the North meant pricing them too high wouldn’t work. They could only set a price that covered the cost and shipping, which would allow them to break even.
Wen Ci curled her lips into a smile. “I can sell those clothes for more than just the cost price.”
Hearing this, Huo Jingyuan looked at Wen Ci. The confident smile on her face showed she was determined to succeed. As a qualified husband, he should support her: “Then go ahead.”
Huo Jingyuan paused, “If you need money, tell me. I’ll have my aunt wire it over.”
“Don’t!” Xu Jinghe immediately objected.
Huo Jingyuan’s aunt was abroad. Transferring money from overseas involved paying certain taxes. Besides, his small business wasn’t worth troubling such an important figure as Huo Jingyuan’s aunt!
Her business ventures abroad had even reached Wall Street.
“This little venture of ours is hardly worth bothering Auntie Huo over.”
·
That same afternoon.
Wen Ci and Xu Jinghe left the capital by plane.
Only Yu Qing and Wen Yaozu were left at home. Yu Qing was socially anxious, and the military compound cafeteria was crowded and complicated, so she had Xue Li help bring meals every day.
In the afternoon.
After Su Guilan learned about her son’s actions from the daytime, she forced him to go apologize to Wen Ci. Destroying someone’s reputation was a serious matter that could escalate.
It was considered minor because it was a family affair.
The major issue was that the person being slandered was Xu Jinghe, the former senior official’s grandson.
Although the old senior official had passed away years ago and no one from the Xu family was in the military anymore, they couldn’t stop the gossip among the women in the compound. In just one morning, the rumors had spread to the military camp.
Jiang Chen walked with a dark, unwilling expression on his face.
His regiment commander had given him an order: if he didn’t mitigate the impact of this incident, he would be temporarily removed from his position as team leader and even reassigned to a local unit.
“What’s the big deal if I, as her brother, said a few words to her?”
Su Guilan stopped walking, looking at him with an expression of utter frustration. “Were those just ‘a few words’? Don’t you know who you wrongly accused?”
“I didn’t know he was Old Man Xu’s grandson! He’s been dead for years.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Su Guilan, unable to bear it any longer, kicked him in the leg. “Do you have to keep going? Even though the Xu family isn’t in the military anymore, they have collaborations with military camps all over the country!”
Especially the military winter coats worn in the cold northern regions.
That was a deal Xu Jinghe negotiated with the military, selling them to the camps at a cost price unavailable on the open market.
“So what.”
Su Guilan was so angry she felt almost defeated. Jiang Chen used to be so obedient; why was he now becoming so unreasonable, almost like a rebellious teenager?
They arrived at Old Chief Huo’s courtyard.
The sun was shining brightly. Wen Yaozu was lying in the pavilion sunbathing, next to the books he needed to review. He muttered under his breath, “Sis, this is just too much.
She goes out without taking me, and on top of that, she actually sent someone to watch me!”
He felt like crying but had no tears. The key point was that the sister upstairs, sent to monitor him, kept threatening to use the landline to call his sister and report on him.
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