“Tomorrow, you stay home and supervise Wen Yaozu’s revision.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Wen Ci put down her chopsticks, looked up into the man’s eyes, curved her lips into a soft smile, and said gently, “No need, I can manage on my own.”
“Then tonight…”
The man had just started speaking when Wen Ci shot him a glare.
Last night, he wasn’t the one tired out, lying comfortably in bed.
“Stop right there. I have to leave before dawn tomorrow.”
The market wasn’t like a department store with fixed opening hours; people started browsing as soon as it was light. She needed to be out before dawn to get to the warehouse.
The market wasn’t big enough for a large truck; it would just block the road.
She had to find a driver with a small van.
·
The next day.
Before dawn, Wen Ci was already up.
Her movements as she lifted the quilt were very light, but Huo Jingyuan still woke up. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, resting his forehead against the nape of her neck, and said tenderly,
“Darling, I don’t want to support you being in business anymore.”
“Why?” Wen Ci asked.
“You’re working too hard.”
Wen Ci laughed and replied, “What’s a little hard work? Didn’t you say your aunt is also in business? She must have gone through much more hardship than I have.”
“Besides, I like the feeling of having money in my bag.”
It filled her with confidence.
The 1980s was the easiest time to make money by diving into business. Countless people were at the forefront of the era, becoming nouveau riche; being a ten-thousand-yuan household was nothing special.
A single trip to the Peace Hotel could spend it all.
Wen Ci turned over, and by the moonlight streaming through the window, she looked at the man’s features. She leaned in and kissed the bridge of his nose, coaxing, “Be good and rest at home to recover. I’ll be back as soon as I’m done selling.”
Huo Jingyuan, finding her initiative insufficient, kissed Wen Ci’s lips.
After a long moment, he blinked his innocent eyes, his rough hand grasping Wen Ci’s, his voice hoarse, carrying a hint of danger and restraint, “But… it’s standing tall and mighty now.”
Wen Ci: “…”
She parted her thin lips and slowly uttered one word: “Scram.”
If it didn’t stand tall and mighty, that would be the real problem.
·
The canteen in the residential compound opened at five or six in the morning.
While eating breakfast, a few early-rising family members sharing her table gathered around Wen Ci and asked with a smile, “Miss Jiang, are the clothes still five yuan?”
Wen Ci shook her head: “I said yesterday, five yuan is a special benefit for the compound families. The subsidy comes from the military district’s logistics department. Today, I’m selling…”
She hesitated about whether to change the price.
She had widely advertised eight yuan per jin yesterday. Would changing it to nine yuan today be a bit unethical? Wen Ci inwardly gasped.
This was a whole one yuan of pure profit.
“Today, eight yuan. Tomorrow, nine yuan.”
After careful consideration, Wen Ci said.
The average wage in Beijing’s factories was much higher than elsewhere. Nine yuan per jin for clothes was considered cheap for ordinary Beijing residents.
“So doesn’t that mean it’s one yuan cheaper if we buy today?”
Wen Ci nodded: “Miss today, and it will be nine yuan per jin from now on. These clothes are all the latest styles brought from the South. You can feel the quality of the fabric.”
“It’s definitely good. Where will you be selling later?”
“East Market.”
“Then I’ll notify my friends right away to go check out the East Market.”
“Thank you for your patronage.” Wen Ci thanked them.
She hurriedly finished breakfast, took a bus to the warehouse, hired a small van. The busiest time at the market was just that short period in the morning.
A small van could hold a good amount of clothes.
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