"Is there really such a good thing?" Sun Min looked at Chen Lishu in surprise, "You know my family's situation. With several children needing to go to school, tuition fees alone are dozens of yuan per semester. My younger uncle and aunt are about to get married and need money. If there really is such a good thing, I'll definitely agree."
Hearing her say this, Chen Lishu felt relieved and then simply explained her need for her to make clothes. "There's a one-yuan commission for each piece completed. The more you make, the more you earn. Sister-in-law, what do you think?"
"What's there to think about? I'm a hundred percent willing to take such a great opportunity." Sun Min and her husband were veterans of the garment factory. Cutting and sewing clothes was as easy as pie for them. They could easily complete one piece in an evening.
After confirming with Sun Min, Chen Lishu immediately went home to get the fabric and a finished piece of clothing for them to copy. With the addition of Sun Min and her husband, Chen Lishu's workload was significantly eased.
Gu Xingye's fried goods business was also going very smoothly. In just three days, he sold over 200 jin of dried goods collected before the Spring Festival, earning forty-one yuan.
"I knew we should have collected more dried goods back then." Gu Xingye regretted not selling more, surprised at how popular things were at the train station.
"It's not just about selling these things. We have our own small plots of land. We can plant more cucumbers and tomatoes this year and take them to the train station to sell. After a long train journey, those things will surely be very popular." Chen Lishu suggested with a smile.
Gu Xingye's eyes lit up when he heard her words. "I'll tell Mom and Dad as soon as I get home tomorrow. We should also plant more melon seeds along the wall this year."
As Gu Xingye had to return to work at the team, he went home the next day. Before he left, Chen Lishu asked him to bring some fabric back for their family, as the windbreakers were already a familiar style and she didn't need Zhang Qin and the others to make new styles.
Time flew by, and it was Thursday. Chen Lishu and the Wang couple had made twenty pieces of clothing. Men's wear had fewer orders, so Chen Lishu only made two of each style, with the rest being women's wear.
At two o'clock on Thursday afternoon, Chen Lishu arrived punctually at the alley behind the department store where they had arranged to meet. Several people were already waiting there expectantly. Seeing her approach with a parcel, a rather bold young woman hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and asking in a low voice, "Comrade, are we here to sell clothes?"
"Yes." Chen Lishu glanced around warily and moved deeper into the alley before finding an empty space to open the parcel, revealing a variety of colorful clothes.
"The thick fabric ones are sixteen yuan each, and the others are fifteen yuan each, without coupons. To avoid unnecessary trouble, I hope everyone will line up and purchase in an orderly manner, and leave as soon as you're done. Thank you for your cooperation." Chen Lishu said in a low voice. Everyone lined up very obediently. Since Ding Chen and others had already helped with a rough count, the transactions were completed in less than an hour. Those who were late and missed out would have to wait for another opportunity.
With policies becoming more relaxed and wages increasing, people's purchasing power also grew. After deducting costs, Chen Lishu made over a hundred yuan from this batch alone.
Not long after, a new style of clothing called the "batwing shirt" began to quietly gain popularity in the streets and alleys of Qingshan Town, especially among young women who considered it an honor to own one.
"Sister, this time, besides 'fake collars,' please give me thirty batwing shirts as well. Our provincial capital is expected to allocate a batch of goods, and I'll be going there with a vehicle in a few days." Zhou Bin suddenly showed up one day and said.
When Chen Lishu heard that he wanted so many goods, she said with some difficulty, "Brother Zhou, it's not that I don't want to give you so many goods, but I'm limited in manpower right now. Someone has already ordered a hundred pieces. With your sudden urgent request, I might not be able to provide them." Nan Haitao, seeing the batwing shirts becoming popular, had seized the initiative and ordered a hundred pieces. Now Zhou Bin was asking for more, and Chen Lishu was truly stretched thin.
"Sister, please think of a way. It's rare for me to go to the provincial capital. If I don't bring anything back, won't it be a waste of this opportunity?"
"Alright then." After all, he was a long-term collaborator. Chen Lishu thought for a moment and said, "However, I need to make things clear beforehand. I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee how much Brother Zhou will be able to get."
"It's fine, Sister, your word is enough." Zhou Bin, seeing that she had agreed, couldn't ask for more. He nodded repeatedly, paid a deposit, and left. Looking at the money in her hand, Chen Lishu started to worry again.
As the demand for ready-made clothes grew, the limited fabric in the department stores couldn't meet her needs. Moreover, buying fabric in large quantities frequently could easily arouse suspicion. It was still a planned economy, and all goods were supplied and sold uniformly. Obtaining fabric privately was definitely not an easy task. After much thought, Chen Lishu finally decided to call Jiang Weiguo.
"Hello, Manager Jiang, this is Chen Lishu. Yes, it's the Little Chen I met twice." Chen Lishu held the receiver, patiently listening to Jiang Weiguo's official speech. Finally, Jiang Weiguo asked knowingly, "Is there something you're calling about?"
"I wanted to ask if you have any more fabric, Manager Jiang. I'd like to buy some." Chen Lishu cupped her hand around the receiver and spoke softly, afraid of being overheard.
"I don't have much stock on hand right now. Do you want some gauze fabric?"
"How much?"
"One yuan per foot." Hearing his price, Chen Lishu frowned. "Manager Jiang, the labor cloth was only nine mao last time."
Jiang Weiguo smiled. "Sister, the fabric is definitely not that expensive, but if you order it, I'll have to mail it to you, right? There are human and material costs, and I have to bear the risk. What do you say?" Jiang Weiguo knew very well that since Chen Lishu was calling him, she must need fabric, so the price naturally had to be increased.
Chen Lishu felt a bit annoyed listening to his feigned politeness. This old fox was taking advantage of her urgent need for fabric, making him so confident.
"How much fabric do you have, Manager Jiang?" Chen Lishu took a deep breath and asked in a low voice.
"The inspections have been strict lately, so I don't have much on hand..." After communicating for a while longer, Chen Lishu finally ordered five hundred yuan worth of goods. She needed to transfer the money first, and then Jiang Weiguo would arrange the shipment. Chen Lishu wasn't worried that Jiang Weiguo would take the money and not deliver the goods, as they were in the same province and not far apart. Besides, if any trouble arose, Jiang Weiguo would lose his stable job.
After hanging up the phone, Chen Lishu went to transfer the payment to Jiang Weiguo. Once everything was settled, Chen Lishu thought about it, packed two bolts of fabric that Nan Haitao had brought over recently, left a note for Gu Xingping, locked the courtyard gate, and rode her bicycle back to the village.
"Big Brother, I saw a bicycle parked in the Gu family's yard. That bitch surnamed Chen must be back." Liu Xiaobao glanced at the bicycle in the Gu family's yard and quickly ran back into the house to tell Liu Dabao.
"Damn it, that bitch is finally back." Liu Dabao cast a sinister glance in the direction of the Gu family and gritted his teeth, saying, "This time, my brother and I will definitely teach her a good lesson."