Chapter 53

He He received the ISBN and the printed books from the publisher. She first printed ten copies. The books were very small, just palm-sized comic books, and the covers were not designed. She chose the book covers that the publisher could choose from.

Su Xiuyun was overjoyed when she saw the book, and carefully flipped through it.

He He left her a copy, and kept one for herself as well. She really liked the story written by Su Xiuyun; it was quite different from any other book she had seen on the market, and the story was very novel.

She planned to take the remaining eight books to the small bookstall tonight and ask the owner if she could sell them there.

When He He asked Su Xiuyun to accept the book, Su Xiuyun refused to take it for free and paid three cents, a price agreed upon by the two of them in conjunction with the publisher's opinion.

Three cents is a normal price, affordable for working-class families, so there's no need to worry that no one will be willing to sell it because the price is too high.

Printing a copy only costs one cent, but the publishing cost is very high. It cost He He fifty dollars, which can be considered as the management fee charged by the publishing house.

He He only hoped that she could sell it, otherwise the fifty yuan would be a complete waste.

That evening, she brought Su Xiuyun to the stall. Chen Jingyi and Cheng Sulin were also setting up their stall that night, and the owner of the book stall next door was there as usual.

When He He saw the bookstall owner, she was relieved because she had been worried that the owner hadn't come and that she would have made a wasted trip that night.

The bookseller had been on this street longer than Chen Jingyi and Cheng Sulin, and had long accumulated a large number of repeat customers. By placing books at the bookseller's stall, He He could save a lot of trouble.

Chen Jingyi, with her sharp eyes, spotted He He approaching with an unfamiliar girl from afar. She said to Cheng Surin, who was crouching nearby, "Xiao He is here. She must have brought a book."

As the person approached, she greeted them, "Xiao He, you've arrived! This must be the future great writer."

Chen Jingyi was good at praising people. As soon as she opened her mouth, Su Xiuyun smiled shyly. She was happy but still said modestly, "No, I haven't done anything yet. You must be the Jingyi sister that Xiaohe often mentions. We should be about the same age. Can I call you Jingyi?"

Chen Jingyi: "It's just a matter of how you address me. Come over here. I've already spoken to the bookstall owner beforehand. When you arrive, just tell him and put your books on his stall to sell."

Their stalls are often next to the bookstalls, and even if they don't know each other well, they can still chat for a while over the course of a month.

He He was delighted: "Thank you so much, Sister Jingyi!"

She had told Sister Jingyi that if she put her books at the bookstall, she would give the owner a five-cent commission for each book sold. Five cents was a lot of money these days; it could buy her a hearty breakfast outside.

He He took out books from her bag. She had four books there, and Su Xiuyun also helped her carry four. After greeting the bookstall owner, the two placed the books in a corner of the bookstall.

The bookstall owner was a man in his thirties with a perpetually cheerful smile. Seeing how polite He He and Su Xiuyun were, he placed the books in the very center of the stall.

Since the country announced reform and opening up, he saw people setting up stalls on the street, so he followed suit. He set up a stall for half a year, and business was good. He made money, and his older brother and sister-in-law no longer complained that he was just eating for free at home.

He used to be an educated youth sent to the countryside. Last year, he heard that the policies were more relaxed, so he secretly returned to the city. He thought that life would be better after he came back, but who would have thought that he couldn't find a job when he went out, and his parents, brothers and sisters-in-law at home looked down on him.

But things are better now. People can earn money and have more confidence when they speak at home. After paying their living expenses, my brother and sister-in-law no longer say anything.

When the young couple next door set up their stall, he chatted with them for a bit and found out that they were also former sent-down youth like him. Now that they had something in common, he naturally felt a sense of connection and grew closer to them.

When she mentioned that a friend wanted to sell her published book at his stall, he agreed without hesitation. Moreover, there was no cost involved, and he could make five cents per book, so he was even more willing.

To be honest, he doesn't have many new books on his stall now, nor can he get any books published in the last two years. He sells books that he has collected himself, some of which he even found at a junkyard.

These are all old books, many people have read them. Many old customers have been asking him if he could find some new books. But now it's great, he can help people and also bring his old customers back to patronize him.

Although it wasn't written by a famous author, as long as the book is good, it will sell. Besides, the girl at the next stall said the book was written by a student from a normal university. Students are rare, so someone will definitely buy it.

As he expected, the regular customers, upon hearing that there was a new book, flipped through a page or two and immediately bought it.

As soon as someone made a purchase, others nearby followed suit, and in no time, all eight books they brought were sold out.

He He and Su Xiuyun were both surprised.

The five cents weren't wasted; the bookseller went out of his way to help them promote the book, praising it to the skies. He was a silver-tongued man, and when he got excited, he pointed at Su Xiuyun and said that she was the author, claiming that she was a student at the Normal University and that she might become famous someday, making it impossible to buy her books at such a low price.

After the shop owner's exaggerated claims, those who hadn't bought any books could only crane their necks to look at the books in the hands of those who had, and then stare longingly at the shop owner and Su Xiuyun, asking if there were any more books left and when they would be available again.

Su Xiuyun was surrounded by people who bought her books and asked her questions.

He He couldn't stop smiling when she saw this, and quickly assured him that she would be able to buy it in five days.

The publisher's printing plant needs time to print the books. I'll go talk to the publisher tomorrow and estimate that I can receive them in two or three days. So, setting the time for five days later is the most appropriate.

When those people heard He He say this, they were also excited. After all, they could see how much those people who bought the books and didn't leave were reading them with great interest, laughing out loud from time to time. The books looked so good that they were worried they wouldn't be able to buy them, so they all shouted that they wanted to pre-order.

He He took notes one by one, and finally twenty people wanted to make a reservation.

There are quite a few people here. It's just that those who came tonight want to buy books, and who knows how many more will come to the book stall tomorrow night if they have time. Some people even suggested getting a few books that can be borrowed, so that those who can't afford to buy books can still spend a penny to satisfy their cravings.

After discussing it with Su Xiuyun, He He agreed to leave two books at the book stall for people to browse.

Not only were they happy, but even the bookseller was happy. He made a pure profit of four cents just by talking tonight, and it also brought him a lot of new customers. He immediately told He He and Su Xiuyun to sell their books at his stall, and he could ask for a lower price, four cents per book.

He He readily agreed to the boss's offer, saying that she would give him the books to sell from now on.

The bookstall owner was arrogant, saying he could take as many as he had and sell them all.

He He held the money she earned tonight tightly in her hand. After deducting the money given to the bookstall owner and Su Xiuyun, and the printing cost of one cent per book, she earned ninety-six cents tonight.

This was the first time He He had earned money on her own, and she felt quite proud of herself. This was just a small test, and once she started selling more tomorrow night, she felt she could break even in less than a month.

He He was happy, and Chen Jingyi was happy for her too, saying, "Our Xiao He is really capable."

Cheng Surin hadn't expected He He to actually make a name for herself. He thought He He was just playing around. He gave her a thumbs up and said admiringly, "Auntie, you're really amazing. You really managed to sell them all."

He He took Su Xiuyun's arm and said, "The biggest contributor is Xiuyun. She writes well, which is why we were able to sell our books. But I also have a good eye; I was able to pick out Xiuyun's book at first glance."

Su Xiuyun looked at He He with admiration: "Xiao He has a discerning eye. Following Xiao He will make you rich."

Cheng Surin saw He He's lips curling up into a smile and said, "This female classmate, please stop praising her. If you keep praising her, she'll lose her bearings."

"Tsk, you're just jealous of me." He He patted the money after saying that. "I'm happy tonight, so I'll treat you to dessert."

There are also stalls selling sweet soup on this street, but unlike the stall owners she and Chen Jingbai encountered before who didn't provide bowls, this stall has a fixed location and can provide bowls.

Cheng Surin was minding the stall, while He He followed Su Xiuyun and Chen Jingyi to the dessert shop.

All three of them ordered white fungus soup. A bowl of hot white fungus soup is the most satisfying thing in winter. He He didn't forget Cheng Sulin and ordered him a bowl as well. She told the owner that they would wait nearby and return the bowl after they finished drinking it.

Everyone had seen the vendors on the street. The stall owner had a good memory and remembered Chen Jingyi. He wasn't worried that they would run away with his bowls. He waved his hand and said it was okay, as long as he returned them before he closed his stall.

When it came time to pay, all three of them insisted on paying. He He was adamant and threw the money into the shopkeeper's hand first, saying, "I already said it was my treat, so you're not allowed to fight with me."

Chen Jingyi: "Okay, I won't fight you for it."

Su Xiuyun: "Thank you, Xiaohe."

She was truly grateful to He He. If it weren't for He He, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to publish her book, let everyone see it, and even earn money. The two cents she held in her hand felt slightly warm.

She came from a rural area and her family was poor, but she had excellent grades since she was a child, and her family supported her through high school no matter how hard it was.

She had originally thought that after graduating from high school, she could find an easier job in the team. However, in the year she was in her first year of high school, which was last year, the college entrance examination was suddenly reinstated. While she was excited, she also knew that she could not take the exam because her family did not have the money to send her to university.

However, when her family heard that she was eligible to take the college entrance examination, they urged her to take it. With her family saving money and persevering, she took the college entrance examination and was admitted to university in one go.

Although the government provides subsidies, it still costs a lot of money to go to school every year. Two cents and four cents can feed a family of five for a day, and can also feed her two meals at school.

She earned those two cents and four cents today. Given the success just now, she can earn even more tomorrow, and she can use that money to eat more meals.

He He eagerly took a sip of the white fungus soup, holding the bowl, and said nonchalantly without even looking up, "What's the big deal? When I earn more money in the future, I'll treat you to a big meal at a state-run restaurant. You won't be so moved that you'll cry, will you?"

As soon as she said that, Chen Jingyi couldn't help but laugh, and Su Xiuyun, who was still immersed in the warmth, also stopped crying and started laughing.

After the three of them finished drinking the white fungus soup, they took a bowl back to Cheng Sulin.

He He and Su Xiuyun didn't wait for them to pack up their stalls. The books they brought sold out quickly, in less than an hour. Chen Jingyi's stall would have to stay open for another hour.

In the past, He He would have stayed with the stall until closing time, but today she didn't come alone. Considering that Su Xiuyun was also there, she accompanied Su Xiuyun back to school.