Chapter 113 Join
Walking on the dirt road home with the bouncing twins, Gu Qiuyue's thoughts were still lingering under the old elm tree.
Chen Cuifen's words "Who are you going to sell it to?" were like a small thorn that stuck in the bubble of entrepreneurial enthusiasm, but it was not fatal. She looked down at her daughters' carefree little faces, both of which were looking up, and then at her son Huahua who was concentrating on kicking the stones on the roadside. The slight ripple in her heart was soon replaced by a solid warmth.
Life must go on and we must take one step at a time.
The next day was the day to officially report to the town’s No. 1 Middle School.
After sending the two little ones to the nursery, Gu Qiuyue took a deep breath, straightened her white shirt, and walked briskly into the gate of the town's No. 1 Middle School. The sun shone through the tall sycamore leaves, casting spots of light. The air was filled with the unique scent of books and ink and the vigorous youthful spirit of young people.
Principal Wang, a vigorous veteran teacher, personally took her to familiarize herself with the environment, his words full of admiration: "Teacher Gu, you're finally back. I mentioned it to Assistant Teacher Xie, and I didn't expect to actually hire you! What subject do you want to teach?"
"I'm fine with either." Gu Qiuyue said.
"Okay, then, you can teach Chinese at the junior high school. We're still short of teachers," Principal Wang said as he introduced Gu Qiuyue to the other teachers. "You should also be aware that the country has just started the college entrance examination and is paying more attention to students' education, but there's a shortage of teachers."
Then he came to an office and introduced the teachers inside to Gu Qiuyue. Several colleagues in the office also looked at her in a friendly manner and introduced themselves. A middle-aged female teacher named Sun even took the initiative to help her set up her desk.
Gu Qiuyue responded modestly, her eyes sweeping across an old newspaper spread out on the table, and a news headline about "Preparations for the Autumn Canton Fair are in full swing" inadvertently caught her eye.
She felt a slight movement in her heart. The Canton Fair... that was a place where merchants from all corners of the world gathered.
The thought was only a fleeting thought, quickly replaced by the tasks at hand: organizing teaching materials, familiarizing myself with the course schedule, and applying for a work permit...
In the evening, the golden glow of the setting sun cast a layer of warm color on the family compound. As Gu Qiuyue turned into the gate of her own courtyard, she saw Zhang Xiumei standing at the door like a small mountain, with several large bundles of cleanly processed tough grass emitting a faint fragrance piled at her feet.
She was holding a half-finished straw object in her arms, her face showing uncontrollable excitement. When she saw Gu Qiuyue, her eyes lit up and her voice boomed, "Sister Qiuyue! You're finally back! Come, come and see what I've made!"
Gu Qiuyue smiled and opened the door to let her in. Zhang Xiumei handed over the thing in her arms as if she was presenting a treasure: it was a small coaster, woven tightly and smoothly with tough grass, and the edge was cleverly woven into a circle of wavy patterns with thin red cloth strips. The center was embellished with a small flower wrapped with strips of cloth of the same color. It was simple yet exquisite.
She dug out another basket from the haystack. The handles were obviously thickened and wrapped with soft cloth strips, which felt comfortable to the touch.
"Look at this handle. It's just like you said, with a thick straw core and wrapped in cloth. It definitely won't pinch my hand when I carry it. I was also thinking about weaving some simple circular patterns on the basket body to make it look more regular!"
"Sister Xiumei, you're so skillful!" Gu Qiuyue praised sincerely, stroking the small flower strips on the coaster. "This is a great idea, both beautiful and practical. The key to our straw-woven items lies in 'care' and 'distinctiveness'."
She pulled Zhang Xiumei to sit on a stone bench in the yard, her thoughts clearly unfolding. "I'm thinking, let's focus on making a few things that will impress people the most. For example, we'll make a wide-brimmed sun hat, which is so popular in summer. The brim must be wide to block the sun, and the top can be woven with small flowers using dyed cloth strips, or inlaid with smooth pebbles picked up from the mountains. Next, we'll make a vegetable basket with a modified handle, which should be sturdy, beautiful, and lightweight. And a cradle mat for babies, the corners must be rounded and smooth so the baby won't get stuck, and you can try weaving some simple patterns on it, like little ducks or fish. Add a modified version of your original shoulder bag and a small basket for miscellaneous items, and we'll have a set of five items to serve as the main samples."
Zhang Xiumei nodded repeatedly, her eyes shining. "Yes, yes, yes! A sun hat! A cradle mat! This is great. Hey, sister Qiuyue, your brain is just too fast..." The excitement on her face faded slightly, and she remembered Chen Cuifen's words. "What Cuifen said yesterday, although it was unpleasant, was also true. After we make these things, where can we sell them? We can't just keep them at home, right?"
Gu Qiuyue had thought about this problem a long time ago, and said calmly: "Sister Xiumei, Sister Cuifen's concerns are correct, sales are the foundation.
My idea is to take a step-by-step approach. First, we'll sell the product internally within the military compound, letting everyone use it. Word of mouth is the best publicity. Second, I'll talk to the logistics department to see if I can secure a small niche within our military service center, even if it's just consignment sales. Third, once I'm familiar with the town, I'll try to negotiate consignment deals with supply and marketing cooperatives and department stores.
You can’t get rich overnight, so let’s take it slow and steady, make our products refined first, and then we won’t be afraid of no one recognizing our products.”
Just as he finished speaking, a slight cough was heard at the gate of the courtyard.
The two turned their heads and saw Chen Cuifen standing there somewhat awkwardly, tightly clutching a palm-sized, extremely tightly and delicately woven sewing basket in her hand.
The basket was woven using a complex twisted-strand method that Gu Qiuyue had not mentioned. It had sharp and rounded edges and looked very sturdy and durable. There was no expression on her face, but her eyes were a little hesitant and tentative.
"Sister Cuifen? Come in and sit down!" Gu Qiuyue greeted her warmly.
Chen Cuifen stepped in and placed the small basket on the stone table. Her voice was quiet and a little awkward. "I... I heard you say we should do it better... braid it more tightly... This is the old way my grandma taught me. She puts in the needle and thread, and braids it tightly so the threads won't prick your hands. The edges are rounded, too."
She paused and added, "Just looks...maybe a little older."
Zhang Xiumei grabbed it and took a closer look: "Oh my! Cuifen, you have such a deep skill. The weaving is so good, it's much stronger than my basket!" She exclaimed in amazement.
Gu Qiuyue also picked up the small basket, feeling its tight and warm touch with her fingers. She exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Cuifen, your craftsmanship is not old at all. The weaving method is so solid, perfect for making load-bearing objects, such as large vegetable baskets and cradles for dolls. This structure is the safest and most reliable. This is truly a treasured skill!"
Chen Cuifen felt a little embarrassed by the two people's undisguised praise, but the usual sadness in her eyes seemed to fade a little, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly: "No way...it's just practice makes perfect. This grass needs to be old and tough, and the soaking time must be just right..."
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