Chapter 41 An Exclusive Adventure on Jinjiang Literature City
Old Li's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of inquiry in his eyes.
Su Ruyi was quite at ease and did not feel uncomfortable about it.
Putting herself in the other person's shoes, she would also inevitably doubt their motives if she were in the same situation.
So she patiently explained, "I heard from the owner of the steamed bun shop that you were planning to convert this grocery store into a storefront for rent. I'm currently in the hula hoop business and want to rent a storefront, so I came to ask."
"Hula hoop?"
Su Ruyi gave an explanation.
Old Li's expression remained serious as he asked again, "My place is very remote. If you open your shop here, will you be able to sell anything?"
Old Li had noticed that other people were paying higher rents for storefronts than for apartments, and since the doors opened outwards and wouldn't affect his own home, he decided to consider renting one.
However, his location wasn't exactly good. Although it was on the street, most of the customers were nearby residents, so the foot traffic was limited. At best, he could open a small shop here and do some small business with the local residents. After deducting the rent, it would only supplement his household income, and he wouldn't make much money.
Moreover, if you want to open a shop, you need to open a door outside, and once construction starts, that's another expense.
He had considered opening his own small shop, which would be more convenient than finding work outside, but the initial investment made him hesitate. He also considered renting it out, but felt that no one would be interested, so he eventually gave up on the idea.
This idea only crossed my mind when I heard Ma Lefeng complaining about the rent for storefronts rising again; I didn't really take it seriously.
"My product is currently the only one of its kind in the entire county, and I've also secured the exclusive agency rights for the provincial Hongxing Plastics Factory in our city. This means that anyone from Zhaoguang City who wants to purchase goods from that factory has to go through me, so I'm not worried about a lack of buyers."
"I also rented a stall in front of the steamed bun shop, and I'll put up an advertising sign there with the location of the main store. I was wandering around looking for a storefront, but I couldn't find a suitable one."
How do you plan to rent it?
“I’m hoping for a long-term lease, preferably a year or more, with a minimum guarantee of six months. The rest is up to you, and we can discuss it. If I rent it, I’ll build a large gate on the outside, and I’ll seal up all the doors and windows here to separate it from your place.”
Hearing this, Old Li's expression finally softened, but he still kept a stern face.
"I'll go see what that hula hoop you're talking about is. I can't sell random stuff here."
"Okay, let's go check out the steamed bun shop."
When the two arrived at the steamed bun shop, they saw a large crowd gathered at the entrance. Some people were buying steamed buns, but most were there to buy hula hoops.
There were quite a few children there, and they were making a lot of noise; you could hear them from a great distance.
It's summer vacation now, and the children don't have to go to school. As soon as they heard the news, they couldn't help but clamor to buy it.
"Business is pretty good." Old Li was quite surprised.
He felt that what Su Ruyi said earlier was a bit unreliable. Why would someone need to rent a storefront to sell a plastic hoop?
Looking back now, he realizes how narrow-minded he was.
"It's not the peak season yet. The plastic factory manager is planning a hula hoop competition to promote hula hoops. The Life Daily will publish an advertisement for the competition tomorrow, with a prize of 10,000 yuan for the first place winner."
Old Li was tempted when he heard about the 10,000 yuan prize.
"How exactly is the comparison made?"
Whoever spins the most hula hoops within a set time wins.
Old Li looked at the children who had already bought hula hoops and were walking around on the street shaking them, and after a moment's thought, he understood what was going on.
"That was a brilliant move."
Right now, most people only buy one, but with a competition like this, one definitely won't be enough.
Su Ruyi laughed and said, "Otherwise, how could others become big bosses? I just happened to seize the opportunity and plan to get a share of the profits."
"Times have changed. Now it's your era, the era of young people," Old Li sighed.
Su Ruyi: "I've already spoken to Sister Lefeng. After we close up shop this afternoon, if she's willing to continue selling, I'll give her a 50-cent commission. You can do the same. However, if you have the capital, you can also buy wholesale from me and then resell it elsewhere. That way you can earn more, but you'll also have to bear the corresponding risks, and there's a minimum order quantity."
"Five cents a piece?" Old Li was surprised; that's quite a high commission.
He'd only been standing there for a few minutes, and he'd already sold two or three. He could earn several tens of dollars a day.
Su Ruyi smiled and said, "This is a friendly price. For others, it would cost at most two cents."
Li Mei had told her privately before that the price was too high.
Su Ruyi wasn't without regrets, mainly because she sometimes didn't realize the difference in prices and would subconsciously apply the price system from her other life.
Even if she takes 50 cents from each transaction, she still makes a good profit, so there's nothing wrong with being generous.
Now that she's let go, Su Ruyi won't go back on her word.
This money also made Ma Lefeng more willing to let her use the warehouse. The hula hoop sign was made even more eye-catching than the steamed bun shop. She didn't say anything, and was even very happy because it would also help her sell hula hoops. So, all things considered, Su Ruyi still made a profit.
As for Old Li, since Ma Lefeng offered this price, they won't be stingy either, and they also intend to help them out.
This family is in such a terrible and difficult situation that anyone with a conscience would want to help them if they had the means.
Su Ruyi's frank attitude actually made Old Li feel less awkward, after all, this price was indeed very high compared to the current wage level in a small county.
Her deliberate attempt to conceal her true motives only made Old Li believe that she was just trying to help him and that she was making up an excuse to protect his pride.
Old Li was even more tempted, but he still cautiously said, "Let me go and discuss it with your Grandma Sun. She has to make the decisions about things at home."
"Okay, I'll come back tomorrow."
Su Ruyi didn't give away the steamed buns in her hand, so as not to make Old Li think too much.
When Old Li got home, he couldn't sit still. All he could see was the scene of hula hoops being sold like hotcakes in front of the steamed bun shop.
So he went straight out the door, no longer caring that people would come to see the house in the afternoon.
He's completely disheartened now. People who come to see the house try to drive the price down to the bone, and he simply can't sell it at market price.
Grandma Sun was quite surprised to see Old Li:
Why are you here now?
He wanted to ask something more, but after glancing at his grandson beside him, he swallowed his words.
Li Xiaobao was very happy to see Old Li and put down the book in his hand: "Grandpa."
"Xiao Bao, how are you feeling today?" Old Li suppressed his impatience and patted his head, asking him secretly.
"I feel much better, Grandpa. When can I go home? I don't feel bad anymore, so I can go home now."
Looking at his grandson, whose face was pale and who was so thin he was just skin and bones, Old Li felt a lump in his throat.
They didn't know that their child was sensible, worried about spending too much money at the hospital, and didn't want their grandparents to suffer.
Li Xiaobao had already passed the critical period, but he needed surgery to be completely cured. It was not impossible for them to go back, but the two elderly people could not withstand any setbacks, so they thought they should stay for a while longer and go home after things stabilized.
Moreover, they kept their plan to sell the house a secret from Li Xiaobao; otherwise, he would have been the first to object if he had known.
Li Xiaobao was reluctant for his family to spend so much money on his medical treatment. He lost his mother because of his illness, and he also hoped that Niannian would find her again.
“Xiao Bao, be a good boy. We’ll go home after you’re completely healed, so you can play and jump around like other kids.”
Li Xiaobao pursed his lips, knowing that his grandfather was lying to him. His illness was not so easy to cure, and even the best doctor in the county could not cure it.
However, he still nodded obediently, not wanting his grandparents to worry.
Old Li made up an excuse and called his wife out.
The two walked to a corner, and Grandma Sun looked distressed: "The people who came to see the house this afternoon aren't coming?"
This kind of thing happens often. Not everyone who wants to see a house tries to drive the price down to the bone, but those who are introduced to the property and are supposed to offer a normal price often end up not showing up for various reasons.
The two elders were not unaware that there was something fishy going on behind the scenes, but there was nothing they could do about it.
Old Li, his voice trembling with suppressed excitement, told his wife everything Su Ruyi had mentioned that day.
When Grandma Sun first heard about renting a house, she didn't react as strongly as Old Li, who was afraid that Su Ruyi would take advantage of them.
She has always taken care of Li Xiaobao, and Old Li has been in charge of the house. Although she knows that someone is trying to cheat their family, she hasn't faced it directly, so she doesn't have too many negative emotions. She focuses more on Li Xiaobao and also has to suppress her longing for Niannian and her daughter.
She was completely exhausted, both physically and mentally, and had no energy left to deal with those schemes.
When he heard about the commission for hula hooping, his eyes finally lit up.
"You can get 50 cents for one?! Is this stuff really that easy to sell?"
“I’m sure I’m not mistaken. I went over to check again when I came here, and people kept coming in to buy them. If there really is such a competition, even though it’s held in the province, people in our county will definitely be interested in hula hoops when they see the newspaper.”
Grandma Sun was also unable to calm down. Usually, she would do some handicrafts such as pasting firework boxes, stringing beads, and sewing shoe soles. She would be so busy all day that her neck would be stiff, but she could not earn much money.
But now a hula hoop can be sold for 50 cents, how could Grandma Sun not be excited?
"If we can sell ten or so a day, we won't have to worry about Xiaobao's medical expenses, and we can also feed Xiaobao better."
If surgery is necessary, the success rate is higher if the child is healthy.
Given his current condition, even if he had the money for surgery, he wouldn't be able to travel that far for the time being.
"I was thinking, since there's no cost involved, let's try selling it, but we'll rent the house to Xiao Su."
Old Li wouldn't dare take the risk of wholesaling; he preferred a commission-based system.
"Then let's rent it! Our house is so big, we can't accommodate all of us."
"But what if it's like before..." Old Li was still a little worried.
It was an experience they didn't want to recall; they had to outwit and outmaneuver the tenants for a long time before they finally succeeded.
This frightened them, and they haven't dared to even consider it.
Su Ruyi's coincidental appearance made Old Li worry that she had ulterior motives.
"That's our fate!" Grandma Sun said with a sense of relief. "We're already like this, what's worse than death? Just say we had bad judgment, and we can't blame anyone else."
Old Li sighed deeply, "Liu Xiuzhi has been coming to our house these past few days. I think her family also wants to buy our house."
If they rent out the house, then it will be harder to sell.
Grandma Sun was silent for a moment, then asked, "What price did she offer?"
"She didn't say, but she kept saying that her family situation was not good, so I guess she couldn't offer a high price."
"Then let it go. They're all talk and no action; they're not honest people at all." Grandma Sun had seen through them long ago.
“If it really comes to that critical moment, we’ll contact Zhou Xinyuan. After all, Xiaobao is his son. We can just give him the house and let him take Xiaobao to get treatment.”
"How can we do that! Yao Yao would hate us to death if she found out. Yao Yao has worked so hard all these years just to prevent Xiao Bao from having anything to do with that Zhou guy. If we send Xiao Bao there and give him the house too, Yao Yao will be furious!"
"She'll come back when she's angry!" Grandma Sun roared, unleashing all the emotions she had been suppressing. "My child is dead, but I wouldn't even blink if she made me kowtow to Zhou Xinyuan!"
Grandma Sun wiped away her tears fiercely with her sleeve; she could no longer bear the thought of an elderly person burying their child.
She no longer cared about past grievances; as long as her child was alive, she didn't care what happened.
"But……"
"Is there any difference between giving the house to Zhou Xinyuan and selling it to someone else at a low price? It's all cheating people! Zhou Xinyuan is still the biological father. If he doesn't care about the child, it's morally wrong. We'll kowtow to him, put up banners in front of his company, and expose him in the newspapers. We can't just ignore him."
But those who buy houses at rock-bottom prices don't care about your child's situation; they're blatantly taking advantage of your misfortune. They get a lot for a little money, and later they'll be praised for their cleverness!
Grandma Sun used to be angry with Zhou Xinyuan for being ungrateful and a despicable person.
Over the years, she would rather grit her teeth and bear it than accept Zhou Xinyuan's paltry sums, and she absolutely refused to let him come to see the children.
To save money for her child's surgery, her daughter chose to work in the south rather than beg Zhou Xinyuan for help. However, he disappeared without a trace, and she immediately regretted her decision.
Why should he, as the father, not use his money to pay for his child's medical treatment? He should bear that responsibility.
Old Li, his back hunched, picked up a cigarette butt from the ground and put it in his mouth, as if that was the only way to calm himself down.
"Alright, let's go all in. If we misjudge and get scammed by Xiao Su, then so be it."
The elderly couple finally made a decision: they wouldn't sell the house!
The next morning, Old Li went to buy a copy of the "Life Daily" and was surprised to see the words "Hula Hoop Competition" on the homepage.
The newsstand owner and Old Li were old acquaintances. Seeing Old Li's intense gaze fixed on the newspaper, the owner smiled and said:
"These days, you can find all sorts of amazing things. Hula hoops, something kids play with, are now being used in competitions. And the first place winner gets ten thousand yuan! Wow, if I were twenty years younger, I would definitely sign up too. Even if I didn't win first place, I could easily get a third prize and a bicycle."
"What competition offers a prize of 10,000?"
Someone passing by overheard this and became very curious.
The shopkeeper greeted them, "A hula hoop competition! You know what a hula hoop is? It's just a plastic hoop. Yesterday, my grandson kept asking me to buy one, and when I didn't give it to him, he threw a tantrum on the ground. Who would have thought that this thing would become such a big competition?"
"A hula hoop competition? I know those things like the back of my hand. Several kids from our factory bought some yesterday, and the ones who didn't get any threw a tantrum and got beaten up. That thing is so simple, how can you have a competition with it? How does it even work?"
"It's all written in the newspapers, you'll see when you look."
"Uncle, give me a newspaper."
Others were also very curious and bought newspapers to see what was going on.
I thought it would be some complicated competition, but when I looked at it, hey, it was just a contest to see who could spin the most hula hoops.
"Is this competition for real? Isn't this too easy? You can win ten thousand just like that?"
"This is the Life Daily, it can't be fake."
"If everyone thinks it's simple, then it's not simple."
"What is a hula hoop? I've never heard of it."
Such discussions were widespread throughout Qing Province, especially in the provincial capital, where they caused a great uproar.
The competition will be held in the provincial capital. Registration can be done at any store, by phone, or by letter. There is no registration fee, which is very simple and convenient for the people of the provincial capital.
Thus, the first wave of hula hoop sales boom exploded in the provincial capital immediately.
Lu Ting had already rented shops in several districts, and he didn't deliberately choose any particularly good locations, just like Su Ruyi.
The storefront wasn't decorated much; they just painted the walls white and made the signboard more eye-catching.
The shop owners are all factory workers or their family members; no additional staff have been hired.
These days, there's a surplus of labor; the only problem is not being able to fill all the available positions, but rather not being able to recruit enough people.
Although Lu Ting had prepared enough goods, with a considerable amount of stock in each store, they were all sold out before dark that day, and he had to hurry back to the factory to restock.
The factory kept ringing with calls, and Ma Hui was so busy that her throat was parched. She didn't even have time to eat lunch, and she was completely overwhelmed with work.
She needed to use the restroom halfway through, but it took her a long time to find a able-bodied man. He was so busy that he almost wanted to bring her a chamber pot.
Ma Hui had never seen such a grand occasion since she came to the plastics factory.
Zhao Xianghong was extremely busy, constantly receiving clients.
It has to be said that some people deserve to get rich. The newspaper published the news in the morning, and by noon, people were already picking up the goods from the factory. They have an extremely keen business sense.
The once remote factory suddenly became lively, and everyone walked much faster than usual.
Who could have known that the plastics factory had been shrouded in gloom for a long time? The workers were very worried that the factory would go out of business and close down, and some of them even cried secretly in their beds at night.
The plastic factories offer good benefits, so they are reluctant to leave, and many of them have grown up with the factories.
Many people don't quite understand why the factory is switching to making hula hoops and turning down several orders that came to them.
Seeing the growing stockpile of hula hoops in the warehouse, with machines and materials constantly being delivered for the construction of a new factory, I felt both worried and scared.
It seems the factory won't go bankrupt, otherwise they wouldn't have brought in so many machines. But the large amount of inventory in the warehouse is unsettling. Many people are wondering if the factory has been scammed again!
Similar incidents have happened before. People thought they had landed a big order, so they went all out to produce, only to find out it was a scam. The other party only paid a deposit and then disappeared.
Although Su Ruyi placed an order, it was so small that it was negligible.
Factory director Wei Dongsheng was also very worried and did not approve of Lu Ting's risky behavior.
“If you do this and the product doesn’t sell, you’ll be stuck with nothing. You don’t earn money easily; you risk your life for it. You can’t just do this recklessly.”
All of these investments were made out of Lu Ting's own pocket, so Wei Dongsheng did not agree with them but still pushed them through.
Lu Ting said nonchalantly, "If it works, I'll have another option; if it doesn't, it's just a little money, consider it a trial fee."
"You really are reckless, you do everything so impulsively."
Wei Dongsheng sighed, wanting to say why he couldn't be down-to-earth, but if Lu Ting hadn't been walking on the edge of a knife, he wouldn't have the family business he has now.
He couldn't go out on his own; he had to endure the humiliation at his previous factory.
“In my line of work, you can’t make money without taking risks.” Lu Ting patted him on the shoulder. “But it’s really not good to keep working yourself to the bone like this. After another year or two, it should be time to settle down.”
Wei Dongsheng raised an eyebrow: "What? You've got your eye on someone?"
Lu Ting smiled but didn't respond, but he didn't seem to be alright.
"Anyway, consider this an experiment for me. With me backing you up, just do as I say. If it succeeds, you'll not only make a fortune, but you'll also get your revenge. He wants to bring me down? I'll make sure he doesn't get his way. If this happened outside, I'd have shot him already!"
"Don't do anything reckless. It's one thing to do it in the no-man's-land of the border, but you can't break the law in your own home."
"Don't worry, I'm a completely innocent and law-abiding citizen at home."
Although Wei Dongsheng knew that Lu Ting would back him up, he was still panicked.
He founded the plastics factory himself, and it was like his own child to him. He didn't want to see the plastics factory go bankrupt more than anyone else.
Hula hoops are selling like hotcakes right now, and Wei Dongsheng feels refreshed after using them.
"Everyone is working overtime to increase production. Overtime pay will be double the normal wage, but we must ensure product quality!"
When the factory workers found out, they cheered. Nowadays, people aren't afraid of working overtime. As long as they can make money, they'll fight anyone who tries to stop them from working overtime.
Moreover, the factory has time limits; workers are not allowed to work more than 12 hours a day, and they can't work longer hours even if they want to.
Overtime work is not only subsidized, but the cafeteria also provides late-night snacks, and the food is much better than before, so everyone is full of energy.
Orders poured in like snowflakes, and the factory machines were practically sparking.
These days, newspapers have a huge influence, and Liulin County quickly became a hot topic, with sales increasing several times over on the same day.
Su Ruyi directly hired Uncle Wang's car to be in charge of delivering goods.
Today, not only Li Mei was selling, but Wang Huizhen also came to help. Old Li had just signed a lease for a house and was thinking of helping Su Ruyi see how to renovate the house, but Su Ruyi dragged him to sell goods.
Then I had no time to care about anything else; I was busy selling hula hoops.
By the end of the day, the warehouse was much emptier.
Upon seeing this, Su Ruyi immediately called the plastic factory, only to find that she couldn't get through at all; the line was constantly busy.
So she called Lu Ting, but this time she didn't call his mobile phone, but his pager.
She only remembered after hanging up the phone that the other party's mobile phone also charged for calls, and that phone calls were supposedly ridiculously expensive.
Lu Ting called quickly, his tone relaxed: "How are things on your end?"
"They're selling like hotcakes!"
Su Ruyi was extremely excited. She knew it would be very popular, but she didn't expect it to be this popular.
She knew that business was easy these days, but she felt that the opportunities were more abundant in big cities.
Many families in small counties are poor and have low purchasing power. She thought she could only earn so much, but now she realizes how naive she was.
As someone who chases trends, I finally know what it feels like to be at the forefront of a trend!
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