Chapter 121
Old man Zhong did not accept the stack of banknotes. Instead, he sat quietly, thinking, his face covered with wrinkles like tree bark, showing sorrow.
He had known that Zhong Qiao had been independent since childhood, but divorce, raising a daughter alone, and the separation of the family were all beyond his imagination. He didn't know whether the child's precocity was a good thing or a bad thing.
Old man Zhong sighed: "Grandpa knows that you are a bold and idea-oriented kid. Are you sure you have thought it through? Once the family is divided, according to the personalities of your aunts, they will never let you come back." By then, even he will not be able to be protected.
Zhong Qiao nodded solemnly: "Yes, we must separate the family."
Old man Zhong sighed.
Although he already knew the ending, he was old and what mattered most to him was family harmony. He did not expect that he would have to divide the family property among his children and endure the pain of separation.
"Okay." Old Man Zhong looked at Zhong Qiao's serious face for a long time. Knowing that the matter was irreversible, he could only reluctantly agree.
Old Man Zhong pushed the money back.
"Grandpa won't take your money."
"You keep it. You have children to support at home and you need a lot of money. Go back and give it to your mother."
Seeing that Zhong Qiao didn't react, he stuffed the money into Zhong Qiao's pocket and said, "Grandpa knows that you made some money doing business outside, but you can't squander it like this. If you continue to spend money like this, even a million dollars won't be enough for you to squander it all."
Zhong Qiao was speechless for a moment. He refused again and again and really wanted to confess the business, but in the end he couldn't change the stubborn old man Zhong and could only reluctantly take it back.
"Have you decided where you want to live?" asked Old Man Zhong.
Zhong Qiao thought about it and said truthfully, "I haven't thought about it yet."
Old Man Zhong thought for a moment and then said, "You can live in the old house. Although no one lives there anymore and it needs repairs, it's still more cost-effective than renting a house outside."
Zhong Qiao was stunned.
She had never heard that the Zhong family had any old houses.
Old Man Zhong saw her confusion and answered, "That's where your grandmother and I lived when we first got married. Later, when your uncle was born, we moved to the compound. They didn't know about it, and neither did you. It's natural, after all, you weren't even born then."
"Don't worry, your uncles wouldn't even consider that house. As for your aunts, they don't even know this old house exists. Just take your parents there and live there. It's a little run-down, but having a place to shelter from the wind and rain isn't bad these days."
According to past custom, Zhong Qiao would have refused. This compound was originally reserved for Zhong's parents as their wedding home, but what happened? It was still plagued by the constant gossip of the aunts, making it impossible to stay there for long.
Zhong Qiao had discussed this with Zhong's parents. Since national policy does not allow private selling of houses, they would lock up the house in the compound and move to another place.
If the old house is really as remote as my grandfather said, it can still be a good place to live behind closed doors.
Old Man Zhong thought the young man was just being too proud, so he couldn't help but advise, "Hey Qiao girl, don't hesitate any longer. That old house is habitable. If you don't believe me, I'll take you there tomorrow."
"If your aunt and the others continue to cause trouble and come to my house, I will be the first one to not let them go."
Zhong Qiao's unhappiness was relieved a little by his serious tone.
"Thank you, Grandpa."
Old Man Zhong waved his hand and didn't take it seriously. This matter had come to a perfect end. As long as he had the support of his grandfather as the head of the family, those gossipy women couldn't cause any trouble.
*
Since the last time they started making samples, Zhong Qiao often brought them meals. The girls were of the same age, and as time went by, they became more familiar with each other and worked more enthusiastically.
One piece of sample clothing after another flew under their nimble hands, and finally became exactly the same as the one drawn on Zhong Qiao's drawing.
Then dye it and let it dry naturally, and you will get a beautiful blue polka dot skirt.
Zhong Qiao picked up a batch of finished products that had just been submitted, looked at them from left to right, and was very satisfied.
No matter the color or design, including the pattern, the master craftsman and Jingui supervised the whole process. After it was made, it was even more beautiful than the one she was wearing at the time, and the workmanship and quality were twice as good.
Especially the blue color after natural drying. It is not like the grayish blue of today's era, but tends to be between sky blue and lake blue, like a piece of blue amber. The polka dots on it are playful and cute, which is very suitable for some young people who love beauty nowadays.
"It's really beautiful." Even the experienced chef was amazed. "If this dress is paired with a watch, a necklace, or something, people would believe she's the daughter of a landlord."
"Master Cui, I see you like it very much. Why don't you buy one too?" Jin Gui smiled and bumped his arm.
Master Cui's face flushed: "Why should I, a grown man, wear a skirt? Aren't you ashamed?" These words made the younger girls present laugh.
"Okay, stop making trouble." Zhong Qiao clapped her hands and motioned for all the girls to stand in two rows. After they were in place, she said, "I have a task to tell you about. Of course, it's not mandatory."
It was the first time they saw Zhong Qiao look so serious, and the girls all looked serious.
Zhong Qiao said, "We're still short of one person to try it on. Is there anyone interested in being the first to try it on?"
The girls looked at each other.
What's going on? The business hasn't even opened yet. I've worked so hard to make this batch of clothes, and they haven't even sold them yet, so why are they letting them wear them first?
"Sister Zhong Qiao, how can this be possible?" Du Yalan said, "This dress is made of good material and is beautiful. If you sell it, you can make a lot of money. Why waste it on us?"
Zhong Qiao smiled and said, "Don't worry, let me explain it to you slowly. Take Yalan for example. You have a great figure and are tall. If you wear this dress, you will look great. If you walk down the street wearing it, you will be a shining signboard and will attract customers."
The girls still didn't understand.
Zhong Qiao stopped beating around the bush and spoke frankly about his thoughts.
"What I mean is that you choose four people from among you to try on this dress. And I also want you to walk around the entire town tomorrow. The more people, the better. If anyone asks you where to buy it, you can give them your contact information. As long as they buy one, you will get a commission."
"Commission?" Du Yalan looked confused. Why did Sister Zhong Qiao always say things they had never heard before?
Zhong Qiao explained: "For example, Yalan, you go out and recruit a customer. She buys clothes from us through you. The price of a piece of clothing is 20 yuan. Then you can get your commission, which is calculated at one yuan per piece."
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