So much money!
Everyone present stared with their mouths agape in surprise. No one could have expected that such a group of workers, who looked like paupers, would actually produce so much money!
So much cash, real gold and silver?
If Lin Jianguo alone had acted impulsively, trying to bluff his way through, it was impossible for an entire group to be like that!
Furthermore, who would carry so much money around with them? What if they lost it or encountered a pickpocket? Were they really here to buy clothes?
"You... you all..."
Du Yujuan appeared somewhat flustered by the scene. She clearly hadn't expected so many people to actually come forward to buy clothes, and moreover, they were choosing the relatively expensive mid-to-high-end items!
"Heh, what are you standing around for? Hurry up and bag these clothes for us poor folk. Remember not to dirty them with your dirty hands, or you won't be able to afford the compensation!"
Someone immediately retorted with the same words Du Yujuan had used earlier, leaving her speechless.
"You, you..."
"What do you mean, 'you'? Don't you want to work?"
Du Yujuan gritted her teeth. Seeing the bills in front of her, she decided to swallow her pride for the moment.
Hmph!
A bunch of poor wretches putting on a show of pride and suffering for appearances. Let them have their fill of boasting. What matters is the actual benefit I'm getting. There's no need to be difficult about money.
Du Yujuan thought to herself with a cold smile, and without another word, she began to pack the clothes.
As for the workers' various demands, she endured them, treating them as the barking of stray dogs!
"You..."
The kind old man was also among the shocked crowd. He looked at the workers with a complicated expression, tinged with a sense of disappointment.
"Where did you get so much money? Is your factory's performance poor, and Wang Yu paid you severance, leaving you to go to ruin? Or did you perhaps sell off the factory's equipment and materials?"
The old man's tone became increasingly serious, even stern by the end.
In those days, many factories had poor performance and couldn't pay wages. It wasn't uncommon for workers to privately sell off factory equipment and raw materials. Private enterprises would fire anyone caught doing this. As for state-owned factories, it usually depended on the individual's background and connections, leading to varying disciplinary actions like reprimands or warnings. However, regardless of where it happened, this was an undeniable taboo, a red line that couldn't be crossed!
"Hey, hey, I say, old man... that old gentleman, don't just spout nonsense!"
The workers were startled. This was no laughing matter!
Someone immediately spoke up towards the old man. The bald-headed fellow, who clearly didn't look like a good person, was none other than Wei Liangyong, who had led the fight earlier and spent a night in the public security bureau. He had instinctively wanted to curse back, but perhaps realizing that Wang Yu had always taught them to be civilized and polite, he changed his tone.
"Old gentleman, this money we have is from working hard overtime, every bit of it is blood and sweat. You can't just make wild accusations without understanding the situation!"
As Wei Liangyong spoke, he took out a small work ID from his pocket. Although it was just a crudely made card on rough paper, this burly man carefully preserved it, even wrapping it in oil paper. The card clearly bore Wei Liangyong's name and photo, with his post listed as "Machinist," and a designation of "Level Four." At the bottom was the official seal of the Jiangyang County Automobile Factory.
"I earn my money legitimately. See? A Level Four worker at the automobile factory. My basic salary alone is 60 yuan a month, plus bonuses and overtime pay. My bonus multiplier is 1.3 times. So, I get at least 300 yuan in hand each month, plus the 300 yuan holiday bonus I just received. What's wrong with splurging on a piece of clothing worth over a hundred yuan?"
Wei Liangyong said with great pride, which drew a wave of speechless reactions from the onlookers. While not as outrageous as the earlier boasts, it was still quite exaggerated. Getting over 300 yuan a month in hand? Was he working for the richest man in the land?
"What holiday bonus? What holiday is there now? Heh! If you're going to lie, at least come up with a more plausible reason."
Already, some in the crowd were showing expressions of seeing through the act. He was just trying to attract attention. This group, showing off their wealth and pretending to be big shots, was quite amusing!
Du Yujuan probably thought the same. She gave a faint smile and packed a new jacket, priced at 128 yuan, as Wei Liangyong requested, and handed it to him.
"I'll say it again, no returns or exchanges. Don't regret it later and come back to swap or get a refund."
Du Yujuan added another reminder, perhaps because she felt he looked like trouble and feared he might come back to cause problems.
"Heh, it's just over a hundred yuan. I don't have time for such fuss. Wouldn't it be better to work overtime and earn more money? It would be even better if I could be promoted to a Level Five worker."
Wei Liangyong replied with a cheerful grin, clapping Lin Jianguo on the shoulder. "Let's not bother with these ignorant folks!"
So, the workers, who should have been looked down upon, were now saying they wouldn't associate with others.
Correspondingly, the other workers also started calling out, selecting clothes and acting as if money was no object, giving the impression that they might empty out the department store! In reality, department stores of that era didn't have the abundant stock of the future, with various styles and sizes readily available. Most were common styles in one size. Clothes were replenished one by one as they were sold, so there was no concern about running out. As a result of the workers' actions, they truly ran out of clothes, and the entire shelf was almost completely cleared!
"What's going on? Aren't you department stores supposed to be very capable? Why don't you have the goods we want?"
Now it was the workers' turn to be arrogant. Even workers who had come with friends and acquaintances readily took out money to buy clothes.
"Don't you look down on our Automobile Factory? Don't you look down on workers? Don't you think our young factory director Wang Yu is a fraud? Fine, then we'll use our money to buy things from you now!"
This was the sentiment of everyone. They simply wanted to vent their frustrations, and it was also a genuine need as they had endured hard times for a long while and wanted to buy some good things! This led to a large group of workers in Automobile Factory work uniforms crowding the small clothing counter of the department store, making it impassable.
Under normal circumstances, Du Yujuan would have been overjoyed at such a situation. But now, surrounded by workers she had always looked down upon, with the pervasive smell of sweat and machine oil filling the air – although this was just her perception – and stimulated by stacks of cash and coins, Du Yujuan felt overwhelmed. She experienced a complex mix of emotions, and all the sarcastic remarks constantly assaulted her ears. Overwhelmed by anger and frustration, Du Yujuan felt a surge of blood to her head, and she promptly fainted!