She was in urgent need of manpower right now. If she could find someone like Master Yuan, as mentioned by the two people, who was skilled and had time, the production volume would definitely increase significantly.
Thinking of this, Chen Lishu quickly hurried forward. "Comrade, I also want to get a shirt made, but I'm afraid I won't find a reliable master. I just heard you mention a master whose skill is good. Could you conveniently tell me her address?"
The girl, hearing her question, said enthusiastically, "Master Yuan is not only a good person but also exceptionally skilled. I'll tell you her address right away."
The girl quickly gave an address. After thanking the two, Chen Lishu followed the address they gave her.
Yuan Lihua was fifty-two years old. Because her previous house had been confiscated and allocated to others, the government had arranged a small single room for her in a dormitory building and also provided her with over two hundred yuan in compensation.
When she was young, she was known as "Golden Scissors" in the neighborhood. Many wealthy and influential ladies would find her to custom-make clothes. Later, during the turbulent times, she was criticized and sent down to a labor reform farm. She was finally vindicated not long ago.
As she had no job and was getting old, she had no choice but to return to her old profession. With the compensation money, she bought a sewing machine and took on some needlework privately to earn a living.
When Chen Lishu knocked and entered, Yuan Lihua was cutting fabric. Seeing someone enter, she smiled and greeted her, "You're here to get clothes made, right? Please sit there and wait a moment. I'll measure you then."
Chen Lishu nodded and found a stool to sit on.
Seeing her sit down, Yuan Lihua lowered her head and continued her work. The only sound in the quiet room was the crisp sound of her scissors.
Chen Lishu subtly surveyed the room. The furnishings were very simple. Perhaps due to the small size, combined with the orientation and lighting, the room was a bit dark.
Near the window, there was a wooden clothes rack with a finished garment on it. Although it was a very ordinary sample, the fine craftsmanship and smooth lines were evident.
After glancing around, Chen Lishu's gaze fell back on Yuan Lihua's hands. She must have done a lot of hard labor during her time being sent down. Her rough hands were covered in cracks, but her technique was very skilled. The scissors in her hands seemed to have a life of their own, and in no time, she had cut a piece of fabric.
After putting down the scissors, Yuan Lihua looked up. "What style of clothes do you want to make? Did you bring the fabric?"
Hearing her question, Chen Lishu smiled and said, "I heard that Master Yuan, you are very skilled, so I came here specifically to discuss cooperation with you."
Hearing her words, Yuan Lihua furrowed her brows. "What cooperation?"
"Processing with provided materials."
Chen Lishu looked at her and spoke directly. "I will provide the fabric and sample garments, and Master Yuan, you will produce them. A different processing fee will be given according to the sample garment. For example, for small items like underwear, which are simple to make, the processing fee will be forty cents per piece. For shirts or short-sleeved items, it will be one yuan. For more complicated procedures, it will be two yuan, and so on. You guarantee the delivery quantity to me each month, and I will settle the payment monthly. What do you think?"
At present, Li Xiulan and Zhang Qin could each make five to six "fake collars" or underwear per day. If they worked all day, a skilled worker could make more than twenty pieces a day, which amounted to two to three hundred yuan a month, definitely earning much more than taking on odd jobs.
"I'm very sorry, I can't take this job. You'd better ask someone else." Almost without thinking, as soon as Chen Lishu finished speaking, Yuan Lihua replied.
"Why?" Chen Lishu was stunned for a moment and asked in confusion.
After all, over two hundred yuan could be half a year's salary for others. Chen Lishu believed that no one would refuse such favorable terms, yet Yuan Lihua refused.
"Or do you have any other requirements? You can mention them."
After all, it was not easy to find someone who was both suitable and reputable. Chen Lishu did not want to give up so easily.
Yuan Lihua lowered her eyelids slightly. "There's no 'why.' I just don't want to do it anymore."
Chen Lishu: "..." The refusal was so straightforward.
"Why can you take jobs from others but not mine? Moreover, my job is long-term and stable, and most importantly, it pays well."
Yuan Lihua: "It's precisely because it pays well that I don't want to do it."
Chen Lishu was completely stunned. This was the first time she had heard of someone not wanting to make money.
Yuan Lihua naturally knew what Chen Lishu was thinking but was unwilling to explain further.
"I still have work to do. Please leave."
Fearing that further entanglement would cause offense, Chen Lishu had no choice but to leave for the time being. As she went downstairs, she checked the time and realized it was close to the appointment time with Nan Haitao. She hurried towards Liu Yong's small restaurant.
When she arrived, the three of them were already there, waiting for her to arrive before ordering.
"Does anyone have any dietary restrictions?" Seeing everyone shake their heads, Chen Lishu took the handwritten menu from Liu Yong, carefully reviewed it, and ordered six dishes.
Liu Yong wrote them down and turned to busy himself in the kitchen. The four people at the table began to chat.
Chen Lishu couldn't help but briefly recount the matter of Yuan Lihua.
"There's actually such a person?" Zhou Bin's surprise was no less than Chen Lishu's earlier. "To say that one month's earnings are two to three hundred yuan, my monthly basic salary is less than fifty yuan."
"Or perhaps she's not short of money at all," Nan Haitao said lazily. "When the turbulent times first began, many families with means would hide things privately, such as 'small gold bars,' and there were quite a few of them. Perhaps working was just a pretense, otherwise, how would she explain the money in her hands?"
Although what he said had some truth to it, Chen Lishu felt it wasn't quite right.
"I think what Master Yuan said might be true," Lin Qi suddenly said.
The three of them looked at him curiously, waiting for him to continue.
"You may never understand if you haven't experienced it. People who have been criticized, especially those of us who were sent down due to our background, if anyone around us was unhappy in the early years, they would find an excuse to drag us into criticism. Constantly living in a state of immense mental crisis leads to only two extremes: one is like me, completely defiant, and the other is like Master Yuan, who is afraid that any misstep will bring disaster upon herself."
Zhou Bin said, "Linzi, you mean Yuan Lihua doesn't want to make money, but is afraid to? But she was already doing clothes, what's the difference between one piece and a hundred pieces?"
Lin Qi nodded. "Of course, there's a difference. Everyone understands things that are done out of necessity. The authorities would likely turn a blind eye. But if it's for profit, then the nature changes."
The four people present understood clearly upon hearing his words.
Chen Lishu smiled and asked Lin Qi, "Do you have any good solutions?"