"Huh?" Wang Xirou's eyes widened: "More than 300?"
“That’s how the first batch of people made their fortunes. That’s how your father got his first batch of capital,” Lou Xiao’e said with a smile. “Starting in 1976, he secretly used his own money to open up channels in Hong Kong. Then he transported the goods to Beijing to sell. Moreover, because the reform and opening up had just begun, everyone still had some spare money. He had a pretty good eye for business.”
“The items he selects are all high-end, and the price of each item is almost ten times higher. After making a few trips, he has enough money to start a factory.”
"Of course, the reason I brought you here today is just to let you know what the domestic market is like now, so you can have a general idea."
"What numbers?" Wang Xirou asked blankly.
Lou Xiao'e covered her face.
“When you sell clothes, you need to have a clear idea of how much you want to sell them for. These small vendors usually make their items by hand, so the prices are low. You can usually buy a decent piece of clothing for around a few dozen yuan. The cost of a piece of clothing is hard to say; it depends on what kind of fabric they get from their suppliers. This is the price that ordinary people like us pay.”
"The clothes in the supply and marketing cooperatives range from expensive to cheap, and the prices aren't as outrageous as those at the street vendors. But they're not that expensive either; the most expensive is only a little over a thousand. It's not even in the same league as the luxury goods you see in France. So, you need to think carefully about how you're going to sell them?"
"Um... then I'll sell it for a little over a hundred?" Wang Xirou hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking.
Lou Xiao'e reached out and ruffled Wang Xirou's hair: "You've been too well protected by your father, you've become so slow-witted. Think about it carefully, there are many principles involved in doing business."
"What should I think?" Wang Xirou's eyes were full of circles.
She's been very busy these days.
First, Qin Jingru took her away, showing her what it really takes to run a factory.
Qin Jingru even explained to her a series of things needed to start a factory, and also told her what her competitors were like.
To be honest, even in 1988, there wasn't a single clothing manufacturer in China. By the time the Chinese people truly grasped the concept of brands, it wasn't until the 1990s. Moreover, most of these brands failed to make a significant impact.
Qin Jingru told Wang Xirou that if they were going to do it, they should make a brand, just like "Dayun".
Nowadays, everyone in China knows that "Dayun" motorcycles are outrageously expensive, costing over 20,000 yuan each. But everyone also knows that "Dayun" motorcycles are genuinely high-quality, export-grade. Being able to push a "Dayun" motorcycle around is a status symbol.
Qin Jingru told Wang Xirou that if they wanted to develop their business, they should do so in this direction.
Wang Xirou asked Qin Jingru how to proceed, and the woman said she didn't know...
She knew her mother was unreliable, but thankfully, she had Sister E.
"Think about it first, why clothes from abroad can sell for tens of thousands of yuan. Then consider our domestic products. After you figure out the reasons, you'll probably understand what the market is." Lou Xiao'e said with a smile, "Come on, let's take a walk around some more."
Lou Xiao'e took Wang Xirou to many clothing stores, both wholesale and retail. They practically visited every market in Beijing. The Tiantongyuan market was the most extensive, given its large size. Even Wang Xirou, who loves shopping, was exhausted.
After returning home, she didn't rest either.
Back in his room, he began to ponder the so-called "market".
After watching the two return, Qin Jingru saw Wang Xirou run back to her room: "Is she finally using her brain?"
Lou Xiao'e smacked her on the head in annoyance: "She's still your daughter, can't you teach her something good?"
"How can you blame me?" Qin Jingru said, looking aggrieved. "I didn't know either."
Lou Xiao'e: ...
Well, he's just a simpleton.
My daughter is a bit silly too.
She sighed, "If it were just a small-scale operation, it wouldn't be a big deal, but since she's cooperating with the Ministry of Textile Industry, there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. If things don't go well, it could cause quite a bit of trouble. Besides, I don't know what Shouren has been up to lately, but the higher-ups have inexplicably made several phone calls to the Ministry of Textile Industry, telling them to cooperate with Xirou's work."
"Moreover, they also allocated a considerable amount of funds."
In 1988, the budget was slightly looser, but overall it was still quite tight. The fact that they were willing to allocate more funds to the Ministry of Textile Industry at this time, in order to curry favor with Wang Shouren, clearly indicated that something very important was at stake. This kind of allocation wasn't something that could be negotiated face-to-face, like "you give my daughter a little something, and I'll make up for it elsewhere."
Instead, they directly offered benefits without informing Wang Shouren, simply providing him with convenience.
Not for personal gain, but purely as a reward.
She didn't even dare to think about how much was involved.
At least, since the founding of the People's Republic of China, very few people have received such an honor. That's why Wang Xirou's factory can't be mediocre; at the very least, it has to be outstanding.
The promises made earlier must be fulfilled, not just empty words. Otherwise, what seems like a reward will eventually become a death sentence, and that would be a net loss.
"Don't make things too difficult for her, she's not very bright..." Qin Jingru shrank back.
"Mom!" Wang Xirou stood behind Qin Jingru, startling her: "How am I stupid?"
Qin Jingru showed no panic at being caught, but instead spoke with righteous indignation: "You've always been stupid. You were stupid even when you were little. You fought with Ruiming over toys, and in the end, he tricked you into thinking the toys weren't fun anymore, so you went to play with other things. Another time, you wanted to play with Ruiming, but he tricked you into going out into the street to play with a puppy. And..."
The childhood of these twins can be described as a history of blood and tears for Wang Xirou.
As a child, Wang Xirou was rather naive and often fooled by Wang Ruiming. Wang Shouren, unable to bear it any longer, started advising her from behind the scenes. Because of this, Wang Ruiming also sided with Qin Jingru, offering her advice. The father and son were the strategists on their respective sides, while the two women were the generals charging into battle.
"I'm not stupid, I'm just too lazy to think! Mom, you're the stupidest one in our family!"
"Oh." Qin Jingru didn't stop there.
You even said "oh".
"Anyway, I have your father, do you? You have nothing." Qin Jingru shrugged.
Wang Xirou was completely devastated.
A novel approach to pressuring people to get married, unlike anything I've ever seen before!
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