Chapter 53 Exclusive Deflowering on Jinjiang

"Really?!" Su Ruyi couldn't help but raise her voice, attracting the attention of the hotel receptionist.

Su Ruyi gave the other person an apologetic look, turned around, and lowered her voice to say:

"I'll be going back for the competition in a couple of days. Could you please tell Aunt Zeng that we can discuss this further when I get back?"

Li Mei agreed: "Okay, your Aunt Zeng also said that the textile factory agreed to open a special production line to produce this kind of fabric, but there are conditions. We'll have to wait until you come back to tell you the details."

“Okay, I understand.” Su Ruyi wasn’t surprised by this. They were still in the negotiation stage, and it was normal for each other to fight for their own interests.

"Yunyun made it to the regional finals, which will take two more days. I've been keeping an eye on Yunyun's studies and making sure she doesn't fall behind."

Li Mei wasn't too worried when she heard this, she just gave some instructions:

"Take good care of yourselves while you're out there. If she starts making a fuss about buying something, just ignore her."

Su Ruyi hung up the phone, unable to suppress a smile.

In Zhaoguang City, some people have already started wearing leggings. Su Ruyi saw several women wearing them in competitions. She paid attention to everyone's reactions, and it was clear that this design was in line with the current aesthetic.

At the time, people around her were discussing it and were also thinking about buying it.

Therefore, Su Ruyi felt that she could still catch this trend, after all, leggings had been popular for several years, and it was not too late for her to follow the trend now.

When she was in the county, Su Ruyi had inquired about the situation. Nowadays, many factories are not doing well, so it wouldn't be difficult for her to gather people to make clothes.

Many women nowadays can make their own clothes, and Li Mei is very skilled at it; most of the clothes in her home are made by herself.

Almost every family in the workforce has a sewing machine, and the machine problem has been solved.

The production of leggings is not complicated. We can just find someone to make the pattern. Su Ruyi's target market is the low-to-mid-end market, so the requirements are not that high.

Su Ruyi's plan sounds like a very rudimentary approach, but many small factories started with this model, and even decades later, there are still quite a few of them, especially in urban villages.

Rent a cheap room, set up a few sewing machines, and you've got a small workshop.

When Su Ruyi was obsessed with Hanfu-style clothing for a while, she even worked with someone on it. The other party provided the design drawings and found the fabric, while Su Ruyi found a factory to make them and then sold them online.

Because she entered the industry early, she made a lot of money. Later, there were too many counterfeit products, and they were sold at very low prices, which squeezed out the original sellers and left them with no room to survive. Su Ruyi then became interested in other things and withdrew from the business.

Su Ruyi can earn a lot of money even while lying down, and her material desires are relatively low compared to her income, which leads her to prioritize her interests in everything she does.

I do it when I'm in the mood, but when I get bored, I quit.

Anyway, she's not short of money, and she doesn't have the ambition of some rich kids or those who got rich from land expropriation, always thinking about making achievements to prove herself.

Su Ruyi lay there knowing perfectly well that getting into university had already taken all her effort to prove she wasn't a waste, and she no longer cared about it now that she had achieved something.

The environment around her doesn't put pressure on her either, because there are too many cases of business failures leading to huge financial losses, which makes the elders afraid to mention it in front of young people. As long as she is honest, that's enough. Being unambitious is better than being a spendthrift.

Especially since Su Ruyi is a girl, the elders mostly have old ideas and don't have any requirements for her career. The most common topic around her is marriage.

Having had prior experience, Su Ruyi had a general idea of ​​how to proceed. Although different environments led to different outcomes, the principles were similar.

This gave Su Ruyi the confidence and resources to run a garment workshop while continuing her hula hoop business.

Now that we know what the next big thing is, it would be a shame not to seize it.

Su Ruyi felt that this was the first time she had worked so hard since the college entrance examination.

To reward herself for her hard work, Su Ruyi returned to her room and decided to take Tong Yunyun out for a late-night snack.

"They still sell food at night?"

Tong Yunyun, a country bumpkin from a small town, had no idea what night market culture was.

"Of course there are. Many stalls near my home only open at night. There are also some here, not far from here."

In Qing Province, only the city center has night markets, but they close up before midnight. Smaller towns don't have this concept.

This is what Wang Huiting told Su Ruyi before she came.

Wang Huiting also researched the food in Zhaoguang City. Although she didn't know as much about it as she did about the provincial capital, she still knew the more famous dishes.

"Wow, is it possible to get business so late at night?"

"Yes, the night market is very lively. You'll see when you go there later."

Tong Yunyun: "Then I'll go after I finish my homework today!"

Su Ruyi felt ashamed; she had completely forgotten about it. She had done whatever she wanted and completely forgotten about homework. Fortunately, the child was self-disciplined.

"Okay, take your time. It's still early."

The pressure of studying isn't that great these days, especially in small towns, where the workload isn't as intense.

Therefore, Tong Yunyun's workload is not heavy. As long as she focuses, she can finish all her homework quickly.

Su Ruyi corrected her work, and after Tong Yunyun made the corrections, the two went out again.

The receptionist was a friendly girl. Seeing the two of them about to leave, she quickly asked:

Where are you going?

Su Ruyi stopped and said, "I'll take my sister to the night market."

"The buses stop running at 8 p.m., and it's almost 8 p.m. now. If you go there, you won't be able to catch a bus back."

Su Ruyi was speechless at this. The bus had already stopped running at eight o'clock. In her memory, the earliest it usually ran was ten o'clock.

"It's okay, we'll take a taxi back later."

"That's still not very safe. You don't know, but just a few days ago a girl was murdered in a taxi, and that was in broad daylight!"

Upon hearing this, Su Ruyi turned back with Tong Yunyun.

Could you please explain in more detail?

There was hardly anyone around at that time, and the receptionist, bored, started talking.

"It happened just last week. A girl took a taxi from the train station and then disappeared. Later, someone found her body in a wooded area in the southern suburbs. I heard that her genitals were pierced through, it was horrific!"

The receptionist was trembling as she spoke.

Su Ruyi felt her hair stand on end when she heard this; this guy was a complete pervert!

Has the murderer been caught?

"No, the taxi was stolen by the murderer, and the driver was already dead. The girl was just unlucky; she happened to run into the murderer who was trying to escape in his car. The girl's family is quite wealthy, and her parents are offering a huge sum of money hoping someone can provide clues."

The starting fare for a taxi in Zhaoguang City is 4.8 yuan. Ordinary people simply cannot afford to take a taxi. Only people with some assets would be willing to spend so much.

Tong Yunyun was so frightened that her face turned pale. Being murdered was terrible enough, but to be treated like this was even worse.

She tugged at Su Ruyi's sleeve and said, "Sister, let's not go out."

Su Ruyi nodded. Although she was strong, she couldn't let her guard down, or she could easily get herself killed.

"Thank you so much, we had no idea about this."

The receptionist smiled and said, "It's alright. Things are very chaotic these days, so you should be careful when you go out. Apparently, this is the third case already. I don't know why the murderer has a problem with taxi drivers. One of my cousins ​​is a taxi driver, and my aunt is worried sick about him every day when he goes out to drive. Now the taxi company has even offered a reward for catching the murderer."

These days, driving a taxi can be very lucrative, but it's also very dangerous. Many taxi drivers have experienced robberies and other violent incidents, which led to the installation of an iron railing between the driver and passenger seats to protect the driver's safety.

"It's another serial murder case!"

"Absolutely! It was terrifying. I heard the taxi driver died a horrible death. He was choked unconscious and then run over by a car; his body was mangled beyond recognition. You can imagine how deep that hatred must have been!"

He was extremely hostile towards both men and women, engaging in excessive killing, and his mental state was definitely problematic.

“I don’t dare to disclose these details to the public. I only found out about them from my aunt. I’m on night shift this month, and my mom initially wanted me to quit my job. Before, in the West District, there was a hotel receptionist who was dragged to a corner and… you know… late at night.”

The receptionist was clearly a gossip; she was bored being alone here, so she couldn't help but start sharing these things.

Su Ruyi looked around and said, "It's quite safe here. Security guards are constantly walking around, and there are doormen standing guard at the entrance."

This hotel is a high-end hotel, so its various services and facilities are quite comprehensive.

Those security guards looked reliable; they must have been veterans, as they were all very upright.

The receptionist was quite satisfied with her job, proudly stating:

“Yes, our hotel is the best hotel in Zhaoguang City, unlike that private guesthouse where the receptionist was murdered. So my mom didn’t object in the end, and I earn more working the night shift than the day shift.”

The requirements for the night shift aren't as high as for the day shift. She wouldn't dare chat with customers like that on the day shift. She also gets more rest time than on the day shift, so she prefers the night shift.

"But that's not the main point. What happened next was really outrageous. Do you know what it was?"

"What?"

"That scumbag said he was drunk and didn't do it on purpose. He even said he'd marry the girl if she was willing to reconcile. Listen to that! Is that even human language?!"

Su Ruyi's fists hardened: "Pah! What a bastard! He's marrying someone else's girl and he's acting all wronged. Does he even deserve her?!"

The receptionist also looked disgusted, but then she added:

"That's not all. What's even more absurd is that the girl's family actually agreed! They even told her to tell the police to forgive the man, since she'd already given herself to him and no one else would want her anyway, so she might as well stay with him. If he goes to jail, it will ruin her marriage prospects!"

"ha?"

Su Ruyi quickly let go, otherwise the front desk table would have been crushed.

"What disgusting people! This girl is so unlucky."

"That's right. That girl was working for a relative, but the relative said she was always causing trouble. If she hadn't seduced people, why would they have chosen her? Why didn't she bully other girls? In the end, they almost didn't even pay her her monthly salary."

Su Ruyi clutched her chest; if she listened any longer, she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"What happened in the end?"

"What else could happen? The receptionist compromised and got married because she found out she was pregnant with that man's child."

Su Ruyi: ...

She really wanted to start swearing; she absolutely didn't want to eat this rotten gossip.

Isn't that unbelievable?

Su Ruyi gritted her teeth: "I was almost driven mad with anger."

The receptionist sighed, "But after this happened, quite a few people actually think this is the best solution. They've already lost their innocence, and now they have a child, so they can only accept their bad luck. Otherwise, if it blows up, the whole family will be disgraced. Tell me, what kind of mess is this?"

"Is this not shameful? What kind of people are these?!"

Su Ruyi regretted hearing about this mess; she should have stopped at the taxi incident.

“I was shocked when I heard it. I would rather jump into the river than marry a man like that. How could I have a good life if I married a man like that? My whole life would be ruined.”

"Why jump into the river? Just pretend you were bitten by a dog, and then kill that dog—no, you can't even call it a dog, that's too insulting to dogs. This kind of scum should be chopped up. Even if he's going to die, he should take someone down with him. Just pour boiling chili water on him."

The receptionist gasped, "That's ruthless."

Tong Yunyun's eyes sparkled, and Su Ruyi then realized there was a child involved. She couldn't just say things carelessly; the child would take it seriously. She quickly said:

"I'm just saying this. Everything should be left to the law. It's not worth ruining yourself for this kind of scum."

"That's true, but no matter how it ends, the girl will never be able to face anyone again."

The receptionist sighed, saying that she definitely wouldn't be able to survive if she encountered something like that.

The mere sight of others could kill her.

So although she was angry at the girl's lack of assertiveness, she also understood why the girl eventually gave in.

Because she felt so pent up inside, she couldn't help but chatter away whenever she saw someone, hoping that talking it out would make her feel a little better.

As a result, the anxiety reached Su Ruyi.

Su Ruyi returned to her room, still feeling extremely unwell. What a mess this was!

The reason she's now obsessed with solving problems through violence is simply because it's the only way she can feel good; otherwise, she can't quell her anger.

"Sister, don't worry, if I encountered something like that, I definitely wouldn't do it like that," Tong Yunyun said earnestly.

"Pah, pah, pah! Children say the darndest things, children say the darndest things." Su Ruyi pulled her along and made her spit a few times too, "Don't say such unlucky things."

Tong Yunyun nodded repeatedly.

“Our family would never allow ourselves to be bullied like that. Reputation is far less important than ourselves. Those who gossip are no good; they are accomplices. It is because of people like them that criminals become even more unscrupulous.”

The next day, Su Ruyi took Tong Yunyun to participate in the regional finals.

Backstage, Luo Youqiong took the initiative to go up to Su Ruyi to thank her.

Luo Youqiong finished second in the preliminary round and has a very good chance of participating in the finals.

"Thank you so much for your help before."

Su Ruyi smiled and said, "It's nothing, don't worry about it. Did you eat something this morning? You can't go without eating anything like last time, or you'll easily run out of energy and it will affect your performance."

Luo Youqiong nodded: "I ate it an hour ago."

Have you found an assistant this time?

There are staff members to help with the finals, but it's best to bring your own assistant for better teamwork.

“I’ve found someone. My great-aunt helped me find a neighbor’s child to help me.”

Since everyone was participating in the competition, it was difficult to find someone to help.

Things are different now; they've all been eliminated, which frees up manpower.

Regardless of whether they make it to the finals, Luo Youqiong will pay the other party; however, if they make it to the finals, they will receive more.

"That's good. Keep up the good work, and I hope to see you in the finals."

Luo Youqiong looked at Tong Yunyun beside her and said, "Let's cheer each other on and make it to the finals together."

Tong Yunyun smiled at her, looked around, and asked in confusion:

"Why don't I see the first place winner?"

The competition is about to begin, and the contestants are already backstage preparing.

Luo Youqiong also looked up and searched, but indeed did not see the first place winner.

The first place winner was also a young girl, a bit older than Luo Youqiong, probably around twenty years old. She had three more hula hoops than Luo Youqiong, and their scores were similar.

After the competition, Luo Youqiong paid close attention to the results of other contestants, wondering if she had any hope of making it into the finals.

So when she saw someone who had better grades than her, she memorized what that person looked like.

"Yeah, why hasn't she arrived yet?" Luo Youqiong asked, puzzled.

The competition is about to start, and if she doesn't come soon, she'll be too late.

Although Luo Youqiong has a higher chance of winning if her opponent doesn't come, she still hopes that her opponent will show up.

The competition is about to begin, and the contestants are entering the venue. They will compete in groups of five, starting from the last name and proceeding in order.

This is done to extend the competition and allow more people to focus on the players' performances; otherwise, it would be easy to miss them if they were all happening at the same time.

There were six groups in total, and even when the fifth group started their competition, no one had yet emerged as the first-place winner.

Tong Yunyun's competition had ended by this time. Her score was similar to that in the preliminary round, except that she gained two more hula hoops.

It seems there's no chance of being shortlisted right now. Although I'm a little disappointed, I've quickly adjusted my mindset.

"Why hasn't the girl who came in first place shown up yet?" Tong Yunyun asked anxiously. "Could something have happened to her?"

It's unlikely they wouldn't participate, considering that there are prizes for the regional preliminary rounds as well. Even if you get third place, the prize money is equivalent to two months' wages for an average worker.

Based on her performance, even if she doesn't stand out this time, getting third place shouldn't be a problem. As long as she makes it into the top eight, she'll definitely win an award.

Luo Youqiong couldn't help but frown: "Nothing is more important than the competition. If we miss it, we won't have another chance."

Such a nationwide competition is not something that happens often, especially with such high rewards.

Judging from their clothes and appearance, Luo Youqiong believed that their family background was relatively ordinary, and this money was very important to them.

Not only them, but the other contestants also noticed that the first place winner had not yet appeared, and they were all discussing it.

When the fifth group finished their match and it was time for the sixth group to take the stage, the first place winner finally arrived late.

Xu Lili rushed as fast as she could and finally reached the stadium. Her heart was pounding in her throat, and she was panting heavily.

"Is the competition over?"

"Why are you so late? Your group is about to go on stage. Are you sure you can handle this?"

The staff member came over and frowned when he saw her like this.

Xu Lili looked extremely disheveled, with beads of sweat dripping down her face and her clothes all wrinkled.

“I… I can do it,” Xu Lili said through gritted teeth.

She had to succeed, no matter what; she wasn't willing to miss any opportunity, no matter how small.

Luo Youqiong: "How about we wait until the competition is over before we start?"

There's no way she can compete like this. Shaking so many hula hoops is very tiring, and Xu Lili will definitely run out of energy.

Other contestants disagreed: "How can that be? She was late on her own. We notified everyone to come early, but she didn't do it herself. How can we make everyone wait for her?"

"Yes, they are all adults and should be responsible for their own actions."

Xu Lili took a deep breath and stood up straight:

"I'm fine, I can manage, there's no need to make special arrangements for me."

The five players quickly took to the field, and the stadium audience responded with even more enthusiastic cheers than before.

These five players represent the highest level, and their match will undoubtedly be the most exciting.

Their hula hoop counts were very close, so it was hard to say who would come in first.

Tong Yunyun watched Xu Lili's retreating figure and said, "Sister, she definitely won't get good grades like this."

Su Ruyi was also pessimistic: "There's nothing we can do about it; she was late on her own."

As expected, Xu Lili's performance this time was the worst among the five.

But the result was still beyond everyone's expectations. Her total number still exceeded one hundred, and her ranking was exactly eighth.

After the hula hoop was taken away, Xu Lili immediately knelt on the ground and vomited violently.

She couldn't vomit anything, only bile, and fainted shortly afterward.

Staff rushed over and took her to the hospital, but she was unable to attend the final awards ceremony.

This time, Luo Youqiong won first place, and when she held the thousand yuan in her hand, she burst into tears.

This is the first time she has ever earned so much money!

They're worth several tens of yuan in total, and they even have the words "Hula Hoop Competition Commemorative" printed on them, which is a kind of honor.

These are all products of Hongxing Plastics Factory. Nowadays, in addition to making hula hoops, Hongxing Plastics Factory mainly deals in household plastic products.

These rewards were a pleasant surprise for the players, as they hadn't been mentioned before, and they were all very happy.

Tong Yunyun jumped up with joy: "Sister! I get a reward too!"

She was initially quite disappointed that they couldn't even make it to the finals, which felt like a huge waste of the hula hoops they sold.

Now that there's a reward, it wasn't a waste of time, and there's no need to worry about people making sarcastic remarks when we get back.

Su Ruyi gave a thumbs up: "Awesome!"

"We didn't have enough buckets and basins at home, so we don't have to worry about that now."

With a large family and no running water in the house, we can never have too many of these things.

Back at the hotel, Tong Yunyun used the front desk phone to call home and tell Li Mei the good news.

Su Ruyi then called Lu Ting and asked him to go with her to meet the Yao sisters, and wanted to ask about Xu Lili.

The girl looks to be in very bad shape; I wonder how she is now.

"I'll pick you up from the hotel in a bit, and we can talk over dinner."

"Okay, this time it's my treat."

Lu Ting chuckled: "Alright, I'll definitely make you pay without any hesitation."

Su Ruyi got out of the car and saw the small noodle shop in front of her, her lips twitching.

"This is what you call ruthless exploitation? Who do you think you are!"

"Don't let the small storefront fool you, this noodle shop is incredibly delicious, and the chef has been a master chef for decades."

Su Ruyi glanced at him and waved her hand dismissively:

"Minimum charge of 300 today. You either eat until you drop or go to another store!"