Chapter 492 Private Customization

"How about this, young comrade? I'll pay one cent to buy a piece of red paper, and you can cut out three pairs of window paper-cuts in front of us.

I'll take the paper-cuts you made and ask the boss for permission. If the boss agrees, then we'll do as you say!" The older salesperson took a deep breath and said with a smile.

"Sure," Xiao Jun nodded, his lips slightly curved, but he was extremely excited inside.

I didn't expect that he could replicate An Zhixia's success back then. The only pity was that the town was too small, so the effect was greatly reduced.

The salesperson really took out a one-cent note from his pocket, carefully wrote out the order and went through the process, then led Xiao Jun to sit behind the counter and carefully took out the red paper and handed it to him.

Xiao Jun took out an old pair of scissors from his bag. The pair had obvious bumps and had been repaired countless times. He carefully cut the red paper into six pieces.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, decided on the pattern in his mind, and simulated it in his mind ten times before he picked up the scissors and the red paper and started cutting.

Although he had only started paper cutting last night, he had strong overall qualities and practiced in a methodical manner. His brain was like a sophisticated instrument, issuing precise commands to his hands.

The salesmen only saw him lower his head and cut the scissors quickly, and before they could take a closer look, he had put down the scissors in about two minutes.

Xiao Jun opened the paper and split it in two, and it turned out to be a pair of round window grilles. The red sun was emitting a fiery glow, and the majestic rooster raised its neck, with the words "Golden Rooster Announces Good News" embedded in it!

"It's really beautiful," a salesperson picked it up and admired it with his colleagues.

It was impossible for Xiao Jun to get all the details right in such a short time. Fortunately, he had learned calligraphy and with a little processing, the pattern he cut out was round, beautiful and exquisite.

He smiled and continued to cut the second paper-cut. The Chinese knot was used as the frame, and the four corners were written with New Year congratulations. In the middle was still the proud rooster.

The third window paper-cut has a circular frame with a large Chinese character "Spring" made of peonies in the middle, and next to "Spring brings blessings" hanging, with a rooster standing in the belly of "Spring".

The three paintings and six window paper-cuts completely captured the hearts of the four of them, and the little exclamation also attracted the director.

Several sales clerks came forward and narrated the whole thing in a low voice from beginning to end.

The director's eyes lit up when he heard this. "Young comrade, let me ask you something. You said you learned this method from Kyoto? How effective is it?"

Xiao Jun smiled and said: "I heard from the elders in my family that at the end of 1972, a supply and marketing cooperative called Dongfeng Shili in Dongcheng District of Kyoto held a promotional event.

It means buying something and giving away window paper-cuts, oil paintings and couplets written on the spot.

Many people went to buy, and the whole Dongcheng District was in an uproar. In less than a day, the supply and marketing cooperative sold out the goods in several warehouses.

You should have heard of these, right? "

"I vaguely heard someone mention it, but I was only promoted in recent years, and I live in a remote area, so I can't receive information in time." The director waved his hand and sighed, explaining, "If the activity you mentioned is effective, then I will give you a pair of window decorations and pay you a piece of red paper as a reward, how about it?"

Xiao Jun calculated silently in his mind that one piece of red paper cost one cent, and ten pieces cost ten cents. Although it was not much, he was very satisfied now.

He agreed and signed a more formal cooperation contract with the director.

Xiao Jun placed tables and chairs at the door of the supply and marketing cooperative, then sat down and began to cut paper-cuts while shouting at the top of his voice: "Comrades passing by, don't miss it.

Today we are promoting New Year's goods in advance. Every customer who buys a dollar worth of goods in the store will receive a beautiful window paper-cut worth 20 cents!"

His advertising slogans change one after another, with an authentic Kyoto flavor and a full sense of rhythm, which makes people enjoy listening to them.

There are poor and rich people everywhere, and people who pass by the supply and marketing cooperative can't help but be tempted to go in when they hear it.

Behind Xiao Jun was a wall with some patterns he had just cut out posted on it.

When everyone saw the novel and beautiful window paper-cut samples, they couldn't help but come forward to inquire about the event.

The window decorations sold at the supply and marketing cooperatives usually cost only a few cents, but they are not as beautiful as this one.

Everyone was very excited, and since there were words with great meaning inside, they thought that they would have to buy New Year's goods sooner or later, so why not buy them during the event?

Besides, the closer it gets to the end of the year, the more expensive things become, so they all use their money and tickets to buy things, such as candies, dried fruits, and snacks, any of which costs one dollar.

Xiao Jun doesn't have An Zhixia's beautiful calligraphy, nor does he have New Year pictures carved from radishes. He simply relies on cutting window flowers on the spot.

Customers were all interested in the paper-cutting work of Xiao Jun, a handsome little boy, and would ask him questions and tease him from time to time.

Xiao Jun had a smile on his lips. He didn't speak easily, but just lowered his head and concentrated on cutting.

In order to let customers deeply appreciate that exquisite window paper-cuts are really worth two cents, he lets customers choose the styles and cuts them in pairs instead of cutting them in batches by stacking thick stacks of red paper together to save trouble.

And he could also ask a question or two and add some of his inspiration.

Xiao Jun was very fast, and he finished each pair within two minutes. He kept cutting without stopping, and he really had the hard work of An Zhixia in the past.

At noon, the director specially ordered large meat buns from the state-owned restaurant next door for everyone and stuffed three into Xiao Jun's mouth.

Each one was very big with rich fillings. Xiao Jun was so moved that he almost cried when he took the first bite.

He hadn't had a good meal of meat for four days.

Xiao Jun ate with big mouthfuls, and every time he choked, he would pat his chest.

"Don't eat so quickly, drink some brown sugar water," the director smiled and handed over a bowl of steaming hot brown sugar water, which actually contained a poached egg.

Xiao Jun looked over in confusion.

"Everyone has worked hard today, so I'm paying for your extra meals out of my own pocket."

Everyone thanked with a smile and continued to eat.

Each of them only has a few minutes to eat, and then they have to deal with a new wave of customers.

There are still several small processing plants in the town, and the family quarters are built almost next to each other, so any small matter can be spread from one end of the street to the other.

So everyone knows that you can get beautiful window decorations for free when you buy things at the supply and marketing cooperative!

And because Xiao Jun's proficiency had reached a new level, he also accepted the opportunity to cut four auspicious words into the window paper-cuts on the spot.

This is something that many old people with more than ten years or even decades of paper-cutting experience cannot do. After all, the most precious thing to them is the template, and they rarely create and figure out the things themselves.

After a day, Xiao Jun's hands were so numb that he could hardly lower his arms.

At this moment, he especially admired Teacher Xiao An. He couldn't even handle the customers in a small town, so how did she serve the entire Dongcheng District?

(End of this chapter)