Chapter 157 Losing Pants

People in the 1970s didn’t have mobile phones, let alone know what the Internet was, but news spread around just as fast.

People who were getting off work rode their bikes and were about to go to Zhenghao Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy New Year's goods, carrying their newly-issued banknotes. Just as they were about to park their bikes, they were stopped by acquaintances.

"Getting off work? Are you going in to buy something? What do you want to buy? Maybe you don't know, the Dongfeng Shili Supply and Marketing Cooperative two streets away is having a promotion. It's really cheap. It's 40% off and they also give away Spring Festival couplets, window decorations and New Year pictures!"

The people nearby also gathered together and asked, "What's going on? What's going on? Tell us quickly. Didn't the supply and marketing cooperative go bankrupt? Why is it still holding an event?"

"This is a state-run store, how could it go bankrupt just because of pens?" The man smiled and shared the news with a little excitement, "For example, you can buy melon seeds, peanuts and candies here. If you don't have girls or boys who like to be coquettish, you can go to Dongfeng Shili to buy them. They are all things we need, why should we be so particular? Besides, the more we are particular, the more mistakes we will make..."

Not long after, the people who were about to enter the Zhenghao Supply and Marketing Cooperative turned around and rode their bikes into the alley, taking a shortcut to the Dongfeng Shili Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

"It's strange," a senior salesman at Zhenghao Supply and Marketing Cooperative raised his wrist to check his watch, "It's time to get off work, why are there not so many people here? Many units and factories are paying salaries today, and tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Logically, it should be packed by now, right?"

Others were also confused. They had all received overtime notices and were prepared to work overtime before the New Year, but the number of people who came was even less than when salaries were usually paid.

At this time, a young salesman who had just returned from the toilet came running over and said breathlessly: "Oh no, oh no, all our customers have been snatched away by Dongfeng Shili!"

Everyone was stunned, and they all waved their hands and laughed and said, "No way, no way. Dongfeng Shili will soon be blown away by the wind and disbanded. How can they steal our customers? They also have to have something to sell..."

At this point, one person was surprised and said, "When I first started working, Director Huang brought two young men to ask our director for the ballast goods, saying that we could use their quota from previous years. We are usually very busy, and it seems that we haven't cleared the warehouse for two or three years. All the things in the two and a half rooms were taken away.

They have something to sell!"

"Are they crazy? Will anyone buy these things? Unless they clear out the stock at a very low price, they won't make any profit. What's the point?" The big guy sneered.

But they were not happy, and soon someone went to the toilet to check it out. The whole street was crowded with people, like a weekend market!

After the man squeezed in with great effort, he saw the discount clearly, looked at the items on the counter, and couldn't help but take out money and tickets to buy some. When she returned to Zhenghao Supply and Marketing Cooperative, she saw that there were two other colleagues like her, so she became happy and whispered to her colleagues: "Hey, I'll watch the counter for you, you should hurry up and buy some. I asked our director, and the headquarters gave the Dongfeng Shili Supply and Marketing Cooperative a minimum price of 40%. If they sell more, it will be their profit, and if they sell less, they will just have to wait for closure!

I just squeezed in to take a look, they have a free gift promotion, buy 50 cents and get 20 cents, which is 40% off. And they also give away gold-sprinkled spring couplets, window decorations and New Year pictures worth several cents, doesn't this cost money?

Tsk tsk, they must be crazy because they have nothing to do. They think they can make money if they are busy. They are trying to steal our business. Just wait, when the accounts are settled, they may lose so much money that they have to pay back all the wages they paid in previous years and even lose everything!"

Everyone laughed in glee, and took turns to buy things.

Less than two hours after the Dongfeng Shili Supply and Marketing Cooperative made its move, the people of the entire Dongcheng District knew about it and were all ready to rush over. Business was so hot that Director Huang directly asked Zhenghao Supply and Marketing Cooperative for a loan.

They were not willing to help in the first place, but when they heard that there would be extra sales share as bonus after they finished the work, they smiled strangely and shook their heads, refusing on the grounds that they could not leave.

Fortunately, the state-owned restaurant was also very popular. After only three hours, the ingredients were sold out. Restaurants are different from supply and marketing cooperatives. The ingredients are limited in supply. There is no such thing as overstocking. Once they are sold out, they are gone. After cleaning up the store, no one was in a hurry to leave. Instead, they took the initiative to help the supply and marketing cooperative. The addition of six people made the staff of Dongfeng Shili breathe a sigh of relief.

Director Huang not only asked for the inventory from Zhenghao Supply and Marketing Cooperative, but also went to three other large and well-performing supply and marketing cooperatives nearby to borrow inventory, and purchased red paper, dyes and ink on a carpet-like basis to meet the needs of the event.

However, the borrowed inventory filled the seven warehouses, but was decreasing at a visible rate.

This giveaway event that ignited the enthusiasm of ordinary people in Dongcheng District lasted until four in the morning!

All the goods were sold out, not even a needle or thread was left. After seeing off the last customer, everyone collapsed on the ground, their voices were so hoarse that they couldn't speak, their arms couldn't lift, but they were extremely excited.

An Zhiqiu dragged his exhausted body and applied cold water to An Zhixia's swollen wrist. He wanted to blame her but couldn't bear to do it. He could only frown and say, "Don't mess with your body next time!"

An Zhixia nodded repeatedly, "Just once is enough to make me remember it deeply. I'm afraid I won't want to touch a brush in the past six months. I don't even want to look at a pen, pencil, or piece of paper."

Director Huang clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention, and said in a hoarse voice: "Comrades, you performed very well! Our event was extremely successful. Now you go home and rest, and come back at 2 pm to sort out the accounts together. It's a good opportunity for me to ask the headquarters for a charter."

Everyone nodded, stood up, and left with the benefits distributed today.

"Xiao An, thank you for your hard work. Go back and have a good rest. I will have to ask for your advice in the afternoon when the accounts are sorted out." Director Huang personally saw the An siblings out.

He and the old man who was guarding the door did not go home, but stayed in the room where more than a dozen sacks of money were placed. They did not dare to sleep deeply, but sat on chairs and watched the chickens pecking at rice.

An Zhixia was too lazy to ride the bike, so she just sat in the back seat leaning against her brother, hoping to enjoy the welfare of the two of them tomorrow.

When they got home, An Zhiqiu filled two thermoses with hot water and used hot and cold compresses to reduce the swelling on her wrists. An Zhixia was so sleepy that she fell asleep. She didn't know how long her brother had been tossing and turning. When she woke up, there was warm water on the bedside.

Although the swelling on her right hand had gone down a little, she was basically unable to lift it in the short term. She could only pick up the teacup with her left hand and gulp down the drink.

"Don't drink too much. I made you some red bean and coix seed soup. The book says it's good for reducing edema," An Zhiqiu shouted through the window when he heard the noise.

An Zhixia responded sullenly. When she was changing clothes, she couldn't even lift her right arm. Her muscles ached badly, just like the pain she felt when she was suspended on wires for the first time.

(End of this chapter)