After breakfast, she kissed her two little ones goodbye, and Chen Lishu took Rui Rui out. She first dropped him off at school, then headed towards the main store on the commercial street.
The main store, spanning two floors with a large area, was usually used for accommodation and storage upstairs. Therefore, Zhao Xingwang, Wang Dazhu, and the others were mostly at the main store.
When Chen Lishu arrived, only Tian Lin and Xin Ying, two sales assistants, were present. She learned that the other three had gone out to make deliveries.
Chen Lishu: "Bring me the account book."
Tian Lin responded and went behind the counter. Before long, she handed over the account book. "Sister Chen."
Chen Lishu took it and found a stool to sit on. "You carry on with your work."
Seeing Tian Lin return to her tasks, Chen Lishu's gaze fell on the account book.
Likely guided by Wang Aixiang, the young girl had kept the records quite clear, with income and expenditure details easily discernible.
As she was diligently reviewing the account book, the shop door was suddenly pushed open, and an angry young woman, about twenty years old, stormed in.
"Take a look at what your store sells! These pants are of such poor quality. You told me before that they wouldn't shrink, but they've shrunk after just one wash!"
Chen Lishu glanced up. The woman was holding a pair of dark, wide-legged jeans, which were quite popular at the moment. Chen Lishu had sourced two batches from Li Yuanchao, priced around thirty to forty yuan.
It was common for denim jeans to shed some dye and shrink slightly after the first wash. If handled improperly, the shrinkage could be more significant.
However, Chen Lishu didn't rush to explain.
Tian Lin instinctively looked at Chen Lishu. Seeing her still looking down at the account book, she said somewhat hesitantly, "Comrade, we've never said they wouldn't shrink."
The young woman: "I don't care if you said it or not. The pants have shrunk now, which is a quality issue. You need to refund me for these pants immediately."
Tian Lin glanced at Chen Lishu again. Seeing that she still showed no intention of speaking, she turned to the young woman and said, "Comrade, we've been selling these denim jeans for a long time, and we've never encountered the problem you're describing. Besides, you've already worn them. Look, the quality is perfectly fine. We really can't refund you."
Upon hearing that a refund was not possible, the young woman became agitated, her tone turning unpleasant. "The fact that you haven't had problems before doesn't mean these pants are fine. After wearing them, the entire pair feels constricting, and I can't possibly wear them out on the street. Moreover, these pants cost thirty to forty yuan. How would I know your jeans are so poor quality if I didn't wash them? Aren't you ripping people off?"
Xin Ying, standing nearby, interjected, "Comrade, please speak calmly. We need to keep the store open for business, and this is affecting our operations."
The young woman retorted, "Oh, so you also know this affects business? I spent tens of yuan on these pants, and you won't refund them. I'm here to discuss this with you to resolve the issue. Do I have to gather everyone to judge who's right?"
Seeing her persistence, Tian Lin became anxious and looked pleadingly at Chen Lishu again. "Sister Chen?"
Chen Lishu put away the account book, stood up, and walked over to the young woman. She smiled and said, "Comrade, it's so hot today, you're sweating. Don't worry, if there's a problem with the pants, we'll definitely help you resolve it. Please, come and sit down for a moment, have some water, and let's talk it through slowly."
The young woman's attitude softened considerably upon hearing this. She went to sit on a stool by the counter.
Tian Lin quickly poured her a glass of water.
Chen Lishu: "May I see the jeans you have with you?"
The young woman didn't say anything and handed the pants to Chen Lishu.
Chen Lishu first opened the pants to take a look. They were indeed from the store. She then flipped them over to check the size. Turning, she asked Tian Lin to find another pair of jeans of the same size. Comparing the two, she found that they had shrunk a bit, but not as much as she might have expected.
"Comrade, the size you bought is a small one. Honestly, it's rare to see someone with such a well-proportioned figure like yours."
The young woman blushed slightly at the compliment. "They're not as good as you say."
Chen Lishu: "I think for a girl with your delicate frame, more fitted jeans would actually accentuate your beauty."
The young woman looked at her with some doubt. "You're only saying that now because the pants have shrunk, right? Besides, you haven't seen it. After shrinking, these pants cling tightly to my backside. If I wear them out, who knows how people will look at me."
Chen Lishu smiled. "Girls wear clothes for themselves first and foremost. Why worry about what others think? How about this, you see our young comrade here? Her figure is similar to yours. Shall I have her try them on for you? If you really find them unflattering, I promise I won't force you."
The young woman hesitated for a moment after hearing this, then nodded.
Chen Lishu handed the pants to Xin Ying, asking her to help try them on.
Before long, Xin Ying came out after changing.
Chen Lishu had Xin Ying turn around in front of the young woman. "I think they look fine, not too tight. What do you think?"
The young woman: "They look good, but if I wear them out like this, won't people think I'm indecent?"
Chen Lishu smiled. "Why would they? You can clearly see the effect. Do you think she looks indecent in these pants? To be frank, we sell more than a dozen or twenty pairs of jeans from this store every day. Some customers even buy one of each style as soon as they come in. If we were really ridiculed for being indecent as you say, this store would have closed down long ago."
"Also, the fabric of denim jeans contains cotton. They will shrink a little after the first wash, but they won't shrink further. And as you wear them more, they'll actually loosen up. Perhaps you're just not used to wearing jeans for the first time. We have a short-sleeved top in our store that looks particularly good with these jeans. It has a slightly longer hem, which can provide coverage, and overall, it looks youthful and vibrant."
Chen Lishu glanced at Tian Lin, who understood and quickly went to the shelf to find a small-sized one.
Seeing their enthusiastic attitude, the young woman felt embarrassed to refuse. After taking the top, she went to the fitting room.
She was very satisfied with the overall effect of the outfit.
Watching the young woman leave happily, Tian Lin and Xin Ying felt that Chen Lishu was truly remarkable.
"Sister Chen, you're amazing! Not only did she not return the pants, but she also bought another top."
Chen Lishu: "Next time you encounter a similar situation, regardless of whether it's truly a quality issue with the clothing, try to avoid direct conflict with the customer. First, calm their emotions, then communicate and resolve the issue slowly. If it truly cannot be resolved, you can report it to me or Wang Aixiang."
Tian Lin and Xin Ying: "We understand, Sister Chen."
…
Zhao Xingwang and the others returned from their deliveries close to noon.
Chen Lishu didn't leave in a hurry. She first invited everyone to a nearby restaurant for lunch, and then asked Zhao Xingwang to accompany her to look at the land.
When he heard that she intended to buy land to build a factory, Zhao Xingwang was greatly surprised. "Are you really planning to go big?"