Chapter 112: Ideas
The next day, when she woke up naturally, Gu Qiuyue saw that both children were awake, dressed, and playing on the mats in the main room. When they saw her come out, they ran over and called "Mom".
Gu Qiuyue packed up and took her two children out to deliver local specialties from Beijing to several military wives with whom she had always gotten along well.
As it turned out, Sister-in-law Zhang Xiumei and Sister-in-law Chen Cuifen were not at home. Gu Qiuyue was not disappointed. She took her two children to the old elm tree in the yard where the sisters-in-law often went to look for them. Sure enough, the sisters-in-law who were unemployed were basically all there.
"Oh! Sister Qiuyue is here, come and sit down." Zhang Xiumei was the first to see the three of them, and she quickly stood up and held Shuangshuang in her arms.
The other military wives also stood up and made room for Gu Qiuyue to sit on a stool. A military wife with an unfamiliar face looked at Gu Qiuyue, who still looked like a little girl, and said in a somewhat sarcastic tone: "Tsk tsk, college students are different. They will have good jobs when they come back."
Gu Qiuyue, who was chatting about family matters with Zhang Xiumei and others, stopped and looked at the military wife who spoke. She didn't say anything, just stared at her without blinking.
The military wife felt a little uncomfortable when she was looked at by Gu Qiuyue, but she still said with her neck stiff, "I didn't say anything wrong."
"Chen Linghui, just say what you mean. Can you stop being so sarcastic? It's like everyone owes you something." Sister-in-law Zhang Xiumei said bluntly, "Everyone knows what you're thinking. You haven't even tried the town's No. 1 Middle School. It was the teachers and students who jointly rejected you. Besides, is it appropriate for a high school student like you to teach middle school students?"
Then he turned to Gu Qiuyue and said, "Sister Qiuyue, ignore her. We haven't congratulated you on being appointed as a teacher at the town's No. 1 Middle School yet."
The news about Gu Qiuyue's accident spread so quickly that before she could even confirm it, everyone in the compound knew about it. It seemed like there was still no secret at all.
Seeing that everyone was looking at her with anticipation, Chen Linghui stomped her feet in anger and left. However, no one stopped her. Instead, Gu Qiuyue asked, "What's going on with her?" The college entrance examination had just been resumed and there was a severe shortage of teachers in various schools. It was impossible to return the teachers properly.
Before Zhang Xiumei could say anything, Chen Cuifen sneered, "What else could it be? Of course it's fake academic qualifications. You're only a high school student, and you want to teach middle school students? That's just wasting their time."
Later, from the conversations of several sisters-in-law, Gu Qiuyue pieced together a general idea. Chen Linghui said that she graduated from a junior college, and when the logistics department was arranging a job, there happened to be a teaching position in No. 1 Middle School, so they recommended her there. Who would have thought that she didn't have the gold and diamond but still took on the porcelain job and insisted on teaching the graduating class. Who knew that the junior high school graduating class nowadays is much more difficult than the courses she took at that time.
Many students reported the matter to the principal, who then reported it to the army. After further investigation by the army, it was found that Chen Linghui had indeed been admitted to a junior college, but had only studied for one year and had not even received a diploma.
Gu Qiuyue was stunned when she heard this. "How did she pass the political review in her situation?"
"Who knows!" Zhang Xiumei curled her lips and changed the subject. "Let's not talk about her. Ever since she was sent back from school, she's been so sullen all day, like everyone owes her a few hundred yuan."
The topic quickly turned to the difficulties of life. Chen Cuifen sighed, her brows knitted in her usual frown. "Having a job is good, but what if we don't have one? The children are growing up, and they need food, clothing, and schooling. Everything costs money. The subsidy alone is not enough even if I count on my fingers."
"That's right," another military wife echoed, "I want to find some odd jobs to supplement my income. Our place is remote, and it's hard to even get into the city, and I can't take care of my family. It's so difficult!"
Sadness shrouded the faces of several military wives like a layer of mist.
Gu Qiuyue listened quietly, but her eyes were attracted by the straw bag next to the bench. It was a shoulder bag woven with tough straw that was unique to the mountain behind the base and had a faint fragrance. The bag was simple and elegant in style, and the handles were woven with colorful cloth strips with exquisite patterns. She picked it up, and her fingers stroked the natural texture of the grass leaves and the bright colorful cloth strips. The touch was warm and unique.
"Sister Xiumei, your bag is so beautifully woven," Gu Qiuyue said sincerely, her eyes lighting up, "and the color combination is also very fashionable."
Li Xiumei felt a little embarrassed by the compliment and waved her hands, "Hey, I was just thinking about it. I have nothing to do anyway. There's plenty of grass in the back mountains. It's not worth much."
"Who said it's the grass that's valuable?" Gu Qiuyue picked up the bag and looked at it in the sunlight. An idea quickly formed in her mind, "What's valuable is the fine craftsmanship, the ingenuity, and the unique characteristics of our mountain area! Just imagine, if we use this kind of grass, just imagine, if we use this kind of grass and combine it with other materials from the mountains, such as dyed hemp rope, beautiful dried wild flowers, or small colored stones..."
She paused, her eyes sweeping over the wives of the soldiers, clearly describing the image in her mind: "Weave something that's both practical and beautiful. For example, a straw hat for summer, with a wider brim to block the sun, decorated with dried flowers or small flowers woven from colorful cloth strips, cool and unique; weave some sturdy and beautiful vegetable baskets with comfortable handles, so that city people can carry them to buy groceries with dignity; or some exquisite small baskets, perfect for storing needles, thread, snacks and snacks; and also, a small straw cradle for the baby to sleep in, with rounded edges and corners, light and breathable, and weave some ducklings and fish patterns on it..."
Gu Qiuyue's voice was filled with infectious enthusiasm. "Let's put a 'military wife handmade' label on it, so people know it was lovingly woven by our military families stationed here. It carries the flavor of the mountains and our love. Don't you think it's interesting?"
"Oh! This is a good idea!" Li Xiumei's eyes lit up and she slapped her thigh excitedly, "Sun hat! Vegetable basket! Small cradle! Yueyue, you have a very active brain! Why did I only think about weaving baskets to hold things!" She seemed to have seen those ingenious objects being born in her hands.
"It's good, sure," Mrs. Chen curled her lips, her tone tinged with suspicion. "Who are you going to sell it to? What good things haven't city people seen? How can something from our mountain area be considered good? Don't bother trying to get it out, only to have it collect dust at home. What a waste of effort."
The excitement on Li Xiumei's face was instantly extinguished. She glared at Zhang Guifen in dissatisfaction: "Cui Fen, why do you always pour cold water on me..."
"Sister Cuifen's concerns are not unreasonable," Gu Qiuyue spoke in time, her voice gentle but with soothing power, "Doing business is bound to have risks. No matter how good the product is, you have to find the right way. There is no rush. Let's think about it first to see what new styles we can make and how to sell them. Once I settle down in school, we can slowly discuss it." She put down the straw bag and gave Zhang Xiumei a "calm down" look.
Chen Cuifen's doubts were like a small stone thrown into calm water, creating the first ripple on the road to entrepreneurship.
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