“Thank you for your hard work these past few days, Sister Ai Xiang.”
Chen Lishu took out the nine yuan and two jiao and handed it back to Wang Aixiang: “This is your commission for selling the fabric. From now on, you’ll get two yuan for every bolt of fabric you sell.”
“This…” Wang Aixiang looked at the money she was being handed, a little stunned. She had never heard of getting a commission on top of a salary.
“The more you work, the more you earn. As long as you work hard, I guarantee you’ll earn as much as anyone else.”
“Thank you, little sister.”
Wang Aixiang took the money. Hearing her words, she felt a surge of excitement. It seemed her choice was the right one. Following Chen Lishu meant not just earning money, but earning big money. She’d show those good-for-nothings who had mocked her for being a widow that she, Wang Aixiang, was also capable of great things.
The two of them boarded a tricycle and headed to the textile factory. After delivering the remaining ten bolts of fabric, Chen Lishu called Zhou Bin again.
The previous batch of fabric had been made into finished garments, and Zhou Bin wanted a hundred pieces this time, with the rest going to Nan Haitao as usual.
“Hello, Brother Zhou, I’ve found a stable source of fabric. If you could put a bit more effort into the transportation, I can pay you ten percent of the profit for shipping. What do you think?”
After all, the quantity of fabric she received each time was limited, and using Zhou Bin’s vehicles was safer and more convenient.
Ten percent?
Based on the quantity of goods Chen Lishu had shipped last time, it was roughly over a hundred yuan. It was just a detour, and even after splitting it with the driver, he would still get the larger portion. Even if he only made two trips to the provincial capital a month, he would earn over two hundred yuan passively.
This was such a profitable deal that Zhou Bin readily agreed: “If there’s a vehicle going to the provincial capital, I’ll notify you, little sister, right away.”
After hanging up the phone, Chen Lishu paid the phone bill. As she walked out of the phone booth, she headed towards the bus stop, intending to return to school.
Lu Chengming had been criticized by the workshop director again today. In front of so many people, that disabled third-class man was simply jealous that he had spoken more than a few words to the girl he had been pursuing. If he couldn’t have her, he wouldn’t let anyone else try.
In a fit of anger, he didn’t go to work that afternoon and instead went to drink with his old buddies. When he stumbled out, still groggy, a familiar figure suddenly flashed before his eyes.
At first, Lu Chengming thought he was mistaken. He rubbed his eyes hard and, upon confirming it was Chen Lishu, immediately quickened his pace to catch up.
Chen Lishu had originally planned to wait for the bus at the stop. Halfway there, she suddenly spotted a scrap metal and recycling station and turned in.
Lu Chengming chased after the figure. As soon as he turned the corner, he found that the person had disappeared. Still unwilling to give up, he searched the area back and forth several times, but the person seemed to have vanished into thin air. Helpless, he had no choice but to give up and head home.
“What are you looking to sell, daughter?” the old man at the scrap metal station asked, puzzled, seeing her enter empty-handed.
“Uncle, I’m not selling anything. Do you have any books here? I’d like to look for some.”
Clearly, Chen Lishu wasn’t the first person to come here looking for books. The old man pointed towards the backyard: “Go through the back door, pick whatever you like. I’ll sell them to you cheaply.”
Chen Lishu nodded and went to the backyard in the direction he pointed. Exiting through the back door led to a small courtyard of thirty to forty square meters. Facing the back door, there were three large rooms. Chen Lishu went inside and found they were all connected. Piles of junk were everywhere, with the books stacked in the corner on the right side near the wall.
Chen Lishu walked over to the pile of books and began to search carefully.
“Daughter, what are you looking for?” the old man, seeing no movement for a long time, came over curiously. He found her squatting by the pile of books, picking and choosing as if searching for something.
“Uncle, I’m looking for a book.” After searching for a long time without finding the book she wanted, Chen Lishu stood up, ready to give up and leave.
“What kind of book is it? Tell me, and I’ll see if I remember anything.”
With a shot in the dark, Chen Lishu briefly described what the book was like.
The reason she was looking for it was that it was a three-volume set, and Chen Yinchu’s bookshelf only had two volumes, missing the last one to complete the set. So, Chen Lishu decided to try her luck at the scrap metal station.
“I don’t really remember the one you’re describing. But I did collect quite a few foreign language books before. You know, during those turbulent times, many people suffered because of them. They didn’t dare to keep them at home and sold them all to me as waste paper.”
The old man felt it was rare to have someone willing to spend money to buy things, so he spoke enthusiastically: “Have you looked in that area inside?”
Chen Lishu saw him pointing to the innermost corner and shook her head. It was filled with junk, and she couldn’t get through.
“How about this, daughter? I’ll go take a look for you.” Before Chen Lishu could refuse, the old man stepped onto the pile of books and walked over.
Soon, two foreign language books were tossed out one after another. Chen Lishu picked them up, glanced at them, and then sadly put them down.
After a while, just as she was losing hope and about to ask the old man to come back, another book flew over her head. Chen Lishu quickly dodged it. As her gaze followed the falling book, her eyes lit up: “Uncle, I found it, I found it, it’s this one!”
The old man was also happy that she had found it and soon came out from inside.
“Uncle, how much?”
“Two mao.”
For the price of a catty of waste paper, she got a book. The old man thought selling a book for two mao was quite reasonable.
However, Chen Lishu felt that he had helped her search for so long. If it weren’t for the old man, she might have missed this book. After thinking for a moment, she turned around, picked up a black, dirty object that looked like a pen holder from the side: “Uncle, let’s include this too.”
He didn’t even know when he had collected this thing. The old man thought for a moment and then bravely said: “This one, five mao.”
Chen Lishu nodded, paid the seven mao directly, and then took the two items back to school.
Having acquired a new book, Chen Lishu didn’t return to her dormitory. Instead, she went directly to the faculty and staff housing area.
“Little Chen is here.” Han Xiuyun was delighted to see her. She pulled her into the house and said with a smile: “You’ve come at the right time, we’re having chicken today. You must stay for dinner.”
“There’s chicken?” Chen Lishu exclaimed in surprise, then smiled and said: “Auntie, I won’t leave even if you ask me to.”
As Chen Lishu walked into the house, she suddenly noticed a strange man sitting in the Chen family’s home. He was in his forties and bore a four or five-tenths resemblance to Chen Yinchu, likely a relative.
“Little Chen is here.” Chen Yinchu was also very happy to see her. He gestured to the seat opposite him. Seeing her sit down, he introduced the man next to him: “This is my nephew, Chen Guoping. You can call him Uncle Chen.”
Chen Yinchu then said to Chen Guoping: “This is my student, Chen Lishu, whom I mentioned to you.”
Chen Lishu quickly stood up and greeted him: “Hello, Uncle Chen.”
Chen Guoping smiled and nodded: “Little Chen, there’s no need to be polite. Sit down.”