The store sold about ten to twenty items daily for the next two days. Chen Lishu was quite satisfied with this result. Being able to sell them, no matter how few, meant that someone accepted them, which was better than selling nothing at all.
...
"Yuwei, there's a new store opened up ahead. Their clothes are quite unique. I heard they have the same bell-bottom pants as the protagonist in the movie. Do you want to go take a look?"
Jiang Yuning pointed at a shop with the sign "Shuse" Clothing Store not far ahead and turned to her cousin Jiang Yuwei.
Jiang Yuwei nodded, "Then let's go take a look."
Chen Lishu had taken Rui Rui back to the military dependents' area, and Lin Qi was also absent due to an errand. Only Wang Aixiang was in the store today.
She was tidying up the shelves when she looked up and saw two pretty girls entering. She quickly went forward to greet them warmly.
"Ladies, all the goods in our store are the latest styles for this year. If you find anything you like, we have fitting rooms for you to try them on."
Jiang Yuning glanced in the direction Wang Aixiang was pointing. She didn't expect them to have a fitting room here; it was so thoughtful.
Jiang Yuwei, however, frowned as she stared at the pants hanging up.
She had seen identical styles of these pants before. When she was in Yangcheng, she had seen a man trying to sell pants of this style to Chen Lishu. How could they be selling the exact same ones here so soon?
Jiang Yuwei glanced at Wang Aixiang, thinking she might be overthinking it.
Jiang Yuwei wasn't too fond of the style of bell-bottom pants, but Jiang Yuning loved them. After trying them on, she directly took one.
After leaving the store, Jiang Yuwei couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right. She particularly remembered that around that time, a man had gone to see Chen Lishu. Chen Lishu's explanation then was that he was a friend who happened to be there on business. How could they coincidentally meet in Yangcheng?
If her suspicions were true and Chen Lishu was actually a speculator...
Jiang Yuwei's heart suddenly began to beat faster, her eyes subtly showing excitement.
For the next two days, she would visit the entrance of the shop called "Shuse" whenever she had the chance. Finally, on the third day, she saw Chen Lishu walking into the store. She was even chatting and laughing with the saleswoman. A mocking smile appeared on Jiang Yuwei's lips.
A university student, degrading herself to become a private business owner. She wondered what everyone would think if they knew. Especially thinking about how Chen Guoping and the others looked at her before, compared to pretending to be sick, Chen Lishu was truly abandoning all pretense of dignity just to make money.
She didn't confront them directly. If Chen Lishu denied it, it would just alert her. Thinking that Sun Ling's father worked at the Industry and Commerce Bureau, Jiang Yuwei glanced at the shop again and turned to leave.
...
"Comrade, how much are the bell-bottom pants in your store?"
As Chen Lishu and Wang Aixiang were talking, four or five people walked into the store. One man directly walked to the shelves and pointed at the bell-bottom pants.
Wang Aixiang warmly stepped forward, "Eighteen yuan each."
The man turned to his companions and said, "What did I tell you? I said it was eighteen, and you didn't believe me. Now the boss's wife herself has confirmed it. Haven't I lied to you?"
"Gangzi just came back from the South and said they sell for twenty there, and the quality and style are about the same. We figured that in our northern region, it couldn't possibly be cheaper than the South. It just doesn't make sense."
"Stop talking nonsense. You didn't believe me, and now you have to pay for the pants." The man playfully punched his companion's shoulder.
"You're too stingy. It's five pairs in total, but that's two months' salary for me."
"What can you do? Your old Li didn't believe me before and argued with them. Stubborn people are poor, stubborn donkeys get beaten. Just accept your fate."
Chen Lishu's mind moved as she listened to their conversation. She smiled and asked, "Comrades, did I hear you correctly just now that these bell-bottom pants are selling for twenty-one yuan in the South?"
One of the men with a combed-back hairstyle replied, "Indeed. I don't see any difference from yours. Oh, right, there's also a type of fabric called... Denim, was it?"
Chen Lishu: "Jeans."
The man who was asked to pay interjected, "I know this one. It's the Apple brand jeans from Hong Kong. Good heavens, one pair costs over a hundred yuan, almost three months' salary for me."
"You can't afford that, but you can afford this. Hurry up and pay," another person chimed in.
With a sale of five pairs at once, Wang Aixiang became a little excited. She acknowledged them and hurried to get the goods for them.
Soon, the other party paid ninety yuan. Just as they were about to leave, three or four people wearing red armbands rushed in.
"We are from the Industry and Commerce Bureau. Someone has reported you for high-priced sales and profiteering. You are considered a typical case of speculation and profiteering. Who is the person in charge of this store? Come with us!"
The man in the lead scanned the store like a spotlight and finally landed his gaze on Wang Aixiang and Chen Lishu.
"Aren't individual businesses encouraged now? Comrade, how could we be profiteering? Is there a mistake?" Wang Aixiang's heart skipped a beat. She was so used to being chased by these people that her hands and feet trembled instinctively at the sight of the red armbands.
"Are the clothes in your store selling for eighteen yuan? A store sells them for only fourteen or fifteen yuan. And you say you're not profiteering?"
Chen Lishu walked out from behind the counter and looked at them, smiling and explaining, "Comrades, there must be some misunderstanding. That store also has leather coats for over a hundred yuan, and you can find pants for seven or eight yuan at the rural markets. The workmanship and quality are different. Selling these for eighteen yuan is really not expensive at all." She then picked up a pair of pants and handed them over, "If you don't believe me, feel the quality. We really haven't charged a high price."
The customers who hadn't left yet also spoke up to help, "Yes, comrade. Pants like these are selling for twenty yuan in the South now, and the owner is only selling them for eighteen. It's really not expensive."
The staff members didn't listen to any explanations. They knocked the pants out of Chen Lishu's hand and looked at Wang Aixiang and Chen Lishu impatiently, "Which of you two is running this store? Stop dawdling and come with us for an investigation."
Before Chen Lishu could speak, Wang Aixiang quickly said, "Comrade, I am in charge of this store. I will lock up and go with you."
She thought it through. If she was accused of profiteering and labeled as a speculator, it would be a serious crime, punishable by imprisonment. Chen Lishu was a university student. If she were to go to jail and have a record, her life would be ruined.
She was different. She had no job and no dependents. Her child was taken care of by her mother-in-law, and she had savings. Even if she went to jail for two or three years, it would be fine. Moreover, given Chen Lishu's personality, she would definitely help take care of her family, so she didn't need to worry.
"Sister, please don't step forward for this. Push everything onto me, no matter what happens. Remember, this has nothing to do with you. Just say that I asked you to come and help. This is not a small matter, you need to know the seriousness of it."
Wang Aixiang squeezed Chen Lishu's hand firmly and whispered her instructions.