Chapter 43 Chapter 43 In the early morning light, Lin Wan was bathed in the bright summer sun...
In the early morning light, Lin Wan was awakened by the bright summer sun. She got up with mixed feelings, thinking about today's sales.
Fu Xiuhuai noticed Lin Wan's strangeness and said with a smile as he put on his suit, "Don't go to the wrong place when you go out."
Lin Wan gave him a look, turned around and held Doudou to feed her.
The child woke up earlier than his parents who had to go to work, and let Fu Xiu carry him out to play, so as not to wake Lin Wan.
At this moment, the baby was sucking milk vigorously, and did not notice the excitement, anticipation and nervousness of his mother. He just sucked the milk by himself, and his chubby white cheeks bulged.
After feeding the baby, Lin Wan handed the baby to her mother-in-law and went downstairs to have breakfast. She asked Aunt Wang to have noodles today. A bowl of steaming hot noodles early in the morning gave her courage and filled her stomach.
The garment factory was just like every other quiet Tuesday, with no discernible difference, except for the undercurrents surging within, which were not visible on the surface.
The employees of the pilot project were all busy, but they had their own emotions in their hearts, waiting for news from the front to see whether it was victory or failure.
Workers in other workshops watched the clothes from the pilot project being loaded onto trucks and shipped away yesterday, and are now waiting to watch the fun. Most of them are not optimistic about those strange pilot projects, always thinking that the original ones are the best and that change always makes people daunted.
The peaceful day was about to end. In the afternoon, everyone held a meeting. At the meeting, Deputy Factory Director Wang gave a pep talk: "No matter what the outcome of this first batch of clothes on the shelves is, it's not the last chance. Everyone, concentrate and work hard on the second batch."
Deputy Director Wang had a plan in mind. Seeing that his subordinates were nervous, he only gave them a slight warning, saying that losing patience was a big taboo. Even if the first batch failed, they still had a chance.
Besides, it’s not certain.
Before the end of the day, Li Bangde from the pilot project team rushed back to report the situation: "Today, twelve department stores and shopping malls have purchased our clothes, but..."
Hearing this turn and pause, everyone's heart skipped a beat, even Lin Wan's heart sank.
Xiao Li continued, "The feedback from the department store is that a lot of customers are looking at our clothes and are interested, but they think they are too expensive."
This first batch of clothes were meticulously designed, with every detail striving for perfection. Correspondingly, the prices also soared, almost competing with goods from Hong Kong and foreign countries. It was understandable that customers found them too expensive.
"The department store is a little better. I can try them on and see them in person. I've sold a few, but not many. Some people think they're too expensive."
Xiao Li looked at the faces looking at him and felt a little embarrassed. He also wanted to tell everyone good news.
Everyone was indeed a little disappointed. Who doesn't want to have a good start? Who hasn't dreamed of becoming famous overnight? On the first day, they heard the news that the clothes were selling like hot cakes and that the company had made a name for itself in Jiangcheng.
Reality is often more cruel and different from daydreams.
"Oh, forget it, let's get on with our business."
"Our clothes are selling for over 100 yuan at once, so it's definitely not going to be easy to sell. We should all be mentally prepared."
Xiao Li was melancholy: "What about the second batch? If the first batch is destroyed, won't the second batch be even worse..."
The ten people chosen by Deputy Director Wang to join the pilot project were either calm or regretful, and Lin Wan also felt a little regretful.
When she woke up this morning, she also had a shallow daydream that maybe the clothes would sell well on the first day.
It turns out that daydreams are just daydreams.
But in a flash, she adjusted her regret and disappointment. After all, she had experienced many unfulfilled expectations. She asked Li Bangde for details: "Brother Li, please tell us more about the specific situation. What details have you received from the department store and the mall? What else did those customers say?"
Lin Wan carefully inquired about the information that Li Bangde had asked about. After get off work, she went for a stroll in the nearby department store and chatted with the salesperson of the day. Everyone saw that she was a pretty girl and said that she was a student of Jiangcheng University and came to do some clothing research. Although they didn't understand what research was, they found it interesting and couldn't help but say a few more words.
"These are new clothes from the Jiangcheng Garment Factory. They even have a pattern, but I don't see what's interesting about them. The most important thing is that they're too expensive, over a hundred yuan a piece." As the salesperson said this, his eyes were glancing at the clothes, touching them lovingly. "But these clothes are really beautiful, the material is good, and they feel so comfortable. In fact, they are better than foreign goods. But foreign goods can be sold at a high price because people know they are high-end and are willing to pay the price. How can the Jiangcheng Garment Factory have such ability? Many customers want to buy, but when they ask the price, they are shocked and walk away, looking back every few steps."
"If you ask me, this dress shouldn't be sold at such a high price. If it's only 60 or 70 yuan, it's just too expensive!"
Lin Wan asked around and looked at the salesperson's reaction, and she felt relieved. She gradually figured it out, thanked him and left.
There is a big difference between really wanting to buy something and really not wanting to buy it. There is also a difference between thinking that the clothes are not worth the price and complaining that they are too expensive, and thinking that the clothes are worth the price but the price is just too expensive.
Lin Wan felt relieved and continued working in the factory as usual for the next few days, calm and relaxed without any anxiety at all.
"Lin Wan, why aren't you anxious at all?" The ten people hand-picked by Deputy Director Wang were all bold and daring, but faced with the failure of the first batch of clothes on the market and the dismal sales figures reported every day, no matter how determined they were, they could not withstand the blow and gradually wilted.
Zhou Chuanfang from the pilot project team sighed, "On the first day, I consoled myself by saying, 'It's only the first day, don't worry, maybe sales will pick up later.' On the second day, I consoled myself by saying, 'It's only been two days, maybe sales will pick up on the third day...' But now it's the fifth day, and the flowers should be cold by then."
Zhou Chuanfang represented the voice of most people, and everyone was a little discouraged.
Deputy Director Wang returned from a meeting and was ridiculed by Director You and Secretary He, but his face remained expressionless. When he heard Zhou Chuanfang's words as he reached the office door, he said in a deep voice, "If you can't even withstand such a small blow, then what hope do we have for this pilot project?"
"Deputy Director Wang!" Everyone perked up as the leader arrived. "No, no, just some random grumbles."
Deputy Director Wang glanced at everyone, and everyone had a forced smile on their face, except for Lin Wan in the corner who was busy receiving a fax. She was calm and composed, and didn't seem to be in a hurry.
Deputy Director Wang raised his voice, "Comrade Lin Wan, you don't seem to be in a hurry."
Lin Wan smiled and said, "Deputy Director Wang, I'm anxious too. I'm anxious inside."
Lin Wan's words immediately livened up the tense atmosphere in the office, and everyone started laughing.
Lin Wan looked at the crowd and said, "I think the first batch of clothes still has a chance, so we have to wait a little longer. Our clothes are of good quality, beautiful styles, and meticulously polished details. There are many people who appreciate our products. But the price is there. It's a first-time buyer, so there's a lot to consider. We have to wait. Besides, everyone says it's expensive, so it would be a good thing if word gets out."
Everyone listened to Lin Wan's firm words, not knowing whether she really meant it or was just trying to comfort them. They didn't want to spoil her, so they simply took advantage of the situation and echoed, "Lin Wan's words make sense."
Li Bangde dealt with people in department stores and shopping malls every day, and was the most desperate person in the pilot project department. After Deputy Director Wang left, he walked over to Lin Wan and muttered, "Comrade Xiaolin is still young. Our first batch of clothes has already been wasted."
Lin Wan recalled the salesperson's lingering eyes and the customers' constant glances back at her at the department store, and she reaffirmed her inner conviction: "It's not certain yet."
Li Bangde insisted on making a bet: "If this works out, I'll call you sister!"
Li Bangde is one year older than Lin Wan and joined the garment factory three years earlier than her. He is older and more experienced than Lin Wan and is also the second youngest person in the pilot project department.
He calls everyone he meets here Brother this and Sister that, and only the youngest, Lin Wan, calls him Brother Li.
He felt that this female comrade was still young and thought things were too easy and simple. She was really successful. He immediately changed his name to call Lin Wan "sister" and would even demote himself to the youngest person in the office!
Lin Wan nodded readily, "Okay, it's just right for me to get a promotion. I don't have to be the youngest in the office anymore."
The turning point happened two days later.
On Sunday, Lin Wan was on vacation at home. The Fu family was quiet, with only two or three people in the villa.
It was a hot summer day in Jiangcheng, and the heat was unbearable. Outside the window, cicadas were chirping and birds were singing. Lin Wan was fiddling with a tape recorder at the desk, and the tape was spinning back and forth, making a melodious sound.
Along with the music was the crying of a child who had just woken up, the loud voice almost drowning out the singing.
Lin Wan held her daughter in her arms and coaxed her, then took her for a walk, looking at the wooden doors, flowers and plants, and the blue sky and white clouds to divert her attention.
Doudou is a curious baby. As her mother watched, she was really attracted by the crying. She stopped crying and her mother wiped her face. She turned into the fair and tender little girl again.
Lin Wan had some things to deal with. Her parents-in-law were out, and Aunt Wang was out buying groceries. She simply knocked on the study door with the child in her arms: "Would you like to watch Doudou for a while?"
Fu Xiuhuai was behind his desk. Just as he nodded, Lin Wan put a big fat baby on his lap.
The man in a suit held the chubby little girl in one hand and documents in the other and continued working.
Lin Wan turned on the computer accompanied by the song coming out of the tape recorder, browsed the BBS, wrote and drew on the notebook. After being busy for a long time, she looked at the time and it was 3:30 in the afternoon.
Stretching, Lin Wan got up and went to the study to check the situation. Since Fu Xiuhuai didn't bring Doudou back, he should be able to handle it.
However, when Lin Wan opened the study door and saw the scene inside, she was stunned.
Doudou, the naughty little kid, has just learned to crawl and wants to crawl everywhere. Now she is wriggling on the desk in her father's study.
Her white body was squirming with her hands and feet, grunting and working very hard. Under her was her father's documents, which were wrinkled by her.
Fu Xiuhuai stood aside, with his arms stretched out around the desk to prevent the little girl from falling.
Doudou was tired from climbing. When he finished, he looked over and didn't realize he had only crawled less than a meter. He simply lay down on the ground, drooling all over the documents. It was really...
Lin Wan felt a little headache. This girl was really amazing!
"You really let her do what she wants." Lin Wan saw Fu Xiuhuai wiping his mouth with Doudou's saliva bag, and he was obviously in a good mood.
"It's a good thing for children to exercise more." Fu Xiuhuai really recognized his daughter's energy. "I think Doudou might be an athlete. Look how energetic and active she is."
Lin Wan: “…”
It took him half a day to crawl one meter. I don’t know how the father saw that Doudou had athletic talent.
A few years ago, when our country applied to host the Olympic Games, the Chinese people were excited for a long time. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. I heard that we have to apply again in a few years.
Fu Xiuhuai had a deep and irrational feeling towards his child: "Maybe Doudou can catch up with us and participate in some event after we successfully bid for the Olympics."
Lin Wan: QAQ
Doudou had made a mess on the table. Lin Wan helped Fu Xiuhuai unfold the documents and reached out to take the child. "I'm done. I'll take care of Doudou. You can do your own thing."
"I'm done too." Fu Xiuhuai glanced at the documents covered in saliva and laughed, "There's a new restaurant in the east of the city. Do you want to try it?"
Lin Wan has been nervous lately, and for a moment she was moved: "Okay."
The east of Jiangcheng is equally prosperous, the north is old, the south is a mature development zone, and the east is an emerging development zone. Perhaps in more than ten years, there will be earth-shaking changes.
Lin Wan was sitting in the passenger seat holding her child. The scorching sun was blocked by the car window glass. The air conditioner was on in the car, so it was quite cool. Doudou was lying in her mother's arms, a chubby ball, staring at the car curiously.
Fu Xiuhuai took the steering wheel and brought up the old matter again: "Do you want to learn how to drive? It will be more convenient if you can drive yourself."
Lin Wan had been tempted last year, but her pregnancy held her back. Now that she was relieved, she was interested again: "Sign up for the driving school..."
"Don't sign up for a driving school." Fu Xiuhuai interrupted her thoughts, "I'll teach you."
"You teach me?" Lin Wan was not discriminating, she just thought that professional matters should be left to professionals.
Fu Xiuhuai could hear Lin Wan's distrust and said with a smile, "Do you look down on me?"
"That's not it." Lin Wan recalled carefully. Fu Xiuhuai drove steadily and smoothly. In fact, it was more comfortable than many taxis she had taken. This man must have excellent driving skills.
"I've taught quite a few people how to drive before."
"Huh?" Lin Wan was curious, thinking about the man's big business, "You haven't opened a driving school before, have you?"
"That's not the case. My people were just working on projects. There weren't any driving schools back then, so they just learned from a master."
When Fu Xiuhuai was leading an engineering team, they had to be able to drive to transport various materials. He was unable to handle it all by himself, so he trained several drivers.
Lin Wan thought about it and nodded in agreement.
Being able to save two thousand yuan in driving school registration fees is certainly a good thing.
Seeing that Lin Wan agreed smoothly, Fu Xiuhuai raised his thin lips slightly.
It was a rare occasion for the family of three to go out together, so Fu Xiuhuai parked the car on the side of the road. Just a few meters away, he could see the newly opened restaurant by looking up.
Doudou couldn't eat all these things yet, so Lin Wan added a small bowl of soft noodles after Fu Xiuhuai ordered the dishes.
The sumptuous meal was served, and it looked colorful, fragrant and delicious. The new restaurant had a Cantonese style of cuisine, and Lin Wan enjoyed the meal to her heart's content, feeding Doudou soft noodles from time to time.
The little girl's mouth chatters all the time, and she eats the most diligently.
Fu Xiuhuai eats quickly and soon took over the task of feeding Doudou noodles, allowing Lin Wan to eat with peace of mind.
The three of them sat at a table against the wall near the entrance. Lin Wan, who was always polite when eating, would occasionally look up at Doudou, who was eating diligently. Suddenly, something occurred to her: "Doudou eats the same way as you do."
Fu Xiuhuai smiled, quite proudly: "That's true, you eat like a little rabbit. Doudou follows me and eats with big mouthfuls."
Lin Wan didn't know what he was proud of, so she just curled her lips.
The restaurant was bustling with people and soon became full. Lin Wan was tasting the delicious roast goose with crispy skin and tender meat, but she could hear whispers from the table behind her.
"Wow, look at that guy in a suit and tie, actually feeding a child."
"Shh, keep your voice down. This handsome guy is holding a little baby. It looks quite real."
Following these words, Lin Wan looked forward and saw Fu Xiuhuai staring at Doudou with his head down, patiently waiting for the child to eat noodles, wiping her mouth from time to time. She silently agreed with these words in her heart.
However, the man had sharp ears and eyes. He heard a few words of discussion and glanced coldly across at the opposite side. The young people at the table behind Lin Wan fell silent instantly.
A man and a woman were wearing school uniforms, with the words "Jiangcheng University" wrapped in red thread on their chests. They immediately lowered their heads when they met the man's gaze.
"Look, look, I told you to keep your voice down, or someone could hear you!"
"Oh, it's okay. Big Brother isn't a bad guy, right? He wouldn't come and hit anyone."
"Where were you going?" the girl pouted dissatisfiedly, "We're going to the movies later, remember to buy tickets. Oh, and buy popcorn and Coke. After the movie, let's go shopping at the mall. I want to buy a skirt, and you have to buy one too. How about a pair of bell-bottom pants? They're so fashionable..."
The voices of the young couple behind her were faintly audible. Lin Wan listened to their flirting and sighed, "It's great to be young. Even when they go out on a date, they are so youthful and energetic."
When she looked up again, Lin Wan met Fu Xiuhuai's deep eyes: "What?"
After Fu Xiuhuai finished feeding Doudou noodles, he wiped her mouth with the bib tied around her neck. He glanced at the young man and woman at the table, pausing especially at the Jiangcheng University logo on their uniforms. "Should we go on a date too?"
"Ahem." Lin Wan was almost choked by Fu Xiuhuai's words.
I don’t know what stimulated this guy to suddenly ask for a date, but after thinking about it again and again, Lin Wan still felt horrified. Maybe her initial memory was of the state after they got married, and she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to date Fu Xiuhuai.
It didn't seem like it belonged to him.
After dinner, the three of them went to the largest department store in the east of the city to stroll around and digest their food. Now that they had a child, they both became interested in the children's clothing section. If Doudou hadn't been too small, Lin Wan would have been unable to walk when she saw the little girls in their fluffy gauze skirts.
"When Doudou grows up a little, he can wear these beautiful little clothes." Lin Wan touched it reluctantly.
Fu Xiuhuai waved his hand and said, "Buy it back first. My daughter will grow up soon."
Lin Wan understood the big boss's curiosity and, despite repeated attempts to stop him, she still let Fu Xiuhuai buy her three or four sets of small clothes so that Doudou could use them when he was over one year old.
The department store is bustling with people. Sunday is the peak shopping season. Jiangcheng is developing rapidly, and the living standards of the people are gradually improving. Everyone is willing to spend money and dress up.
Passing by the women's clothing area, Lin Wan saw at a glance the new brand launched by the garment factory on a pilot basis, which was the first batch of high-end women's clothing. Many people were touching and trying them on.
Lin Wan listened attentively. Most of them had come a few days ago, and now they came again.
Many people are attracted by the style and quality of the clothes, but are struggling with the high price. In just a few days, the news has spread like wildfire in Jiangcheng. All major department stores and shopping malls have put new clothes on. I heard that they are comparable to foreign products and are very expensive, but they are really beautiful and the materials are really good.
On Sunday, the store was packed with customers. Lin Wan saw many women dressed in jewels and gems heading straight for the women's clothing area. They looked at the high-end women's clothing launched by the clothing factory with admiration and bought them without any hesitation.
There's more than one.
"Let's go." Lin Wan withdrew her gaze and felt a little relieved. The news that had been fermenting for a few days finally took effect.
Fu Xiuhuai had naturally heard Lin Wan mention the pilot project department at the factory, and he was curious: "Why don't you buy two and support your pilot project?"
Lin Wan shook her head, her fair face serious, "No, I'll buy a few. What if others can't buy them? Let's leave the opportunity for others."
Fu Xiuhua was in Kaihua. Every time he passed by the corridor, he would hear the female employees of the company mention the new clothes from the garment factory. They were beautiful but too expensive, and their tone was full of nostalgia and regret. He also heard that those clothes did not sell well. However, the confidence in Lin Wan's eyes at this moment was intoxicating.
"That's very thoughtful of you."
Lin Wan said proudly: "That's it!"
As they were talking, Lin Wan saw several people going to buy clothes one after another, and some even went straight to the batch of high-end women's clothing, with a smile on her face.
There was even a familiar face in the crowd. Minister Wu's wife and daughter, who had been on a blind date with Fu Mingjun, also took a fancy to the clothes.
Minister Wu's wife sighed, "This dress is indeed more expensive than others, but the style is good, it's generous and fashionable, and the material is soft and comfortable. You're getting older, and you'll need something to wear for important occasions in the future. It's worth buying two."
Wu Qiaozhi happily bought two skirts. She couldn't let go of them and changed into one of them on the spot. She turned around twice with satisfaction and felt that the more than 200 yuan she spent was really worth it!
Lin Wan withdrew her gaze and left with Fu Xiuhuai, secretly looking forward to going to work tomorrow.
***
On Monday, Jiangcheng welcomed the hottest time of the summer. The sun was shining brightly at seven in the morning, and the asphalt road was steaming with hot air. When the army of 28-bar motorcycles rolled by, the heat was heavy.
The garment factory was bustling with activity. Lin Wan took a taxi and got off at the door. She followed the crowd of bicycles inside and heard a lot of people talking.
"The pilot project has been going on for a month. We've spent a lot of money, wasted a lot of materials, and even had to rely on two workshops to handle it. Now we can't sell any clothes!"
"That's not true. I was walking past a department store the other day and heard someone complaining it was too expensive."
"There are so many clothes like the ones they make on the street stalls outside. They sell them for 110 or 120 yuan each, but other people are only selling them for 15 yuan. Only a fool would buy their clothes!"
"I heard Secretary He is angry and wants to cancel the pilot program..."
"Hey, can those who followed Deputy Director Wang around and fooled around get back to their positions?"
"I don't think so. This has already failed, and we've offended Director You and Secretary He... I'm afraid our future will be difficult!"
The chattering continued. Lin Guofu, who was rushing to work, slapped his thigh when he heard this and hurried to discuss with his wife, Chen Qiuhong: "That pilot project is really going to fail. A lot of people must have offended Director You and Secretary He. Let's find a way to get Lin Wan's job. As an older sister, it's only right for her to give the job to her younger brother."
Chen Qiuhong hurried to inquire: "Okay!"
There are more and more chaotic noises in the factory. At first, some people actually thought that the pilot project department could make a name for itself, but now they see through it and realize that there is no hope.
One of the workers teased Lin Guofu and Chen Qiuhong, "Isn't Lin Wan your niece? As her uncle and aunt, why don't you help her out by using some connections? Don't let the pilot fail, or you'll lose your jobs."
Lin Guofu's face stiffened. "We don't know her well. If a girl doesn't work honestly and insists on doing this, it's her own fault if she loses her job!"
Seeing that Lin Guofu was not joking, the coworkers immediately shut up, thinking to themselves that this guy was too... He could even speak ill of his own relatives like that. It sounded like their relationship was not very close. Then why did he always brag about being a family member of Lin Wan, a college student from the factory?
Chen Qiuhong went to the factory office to inquire, precisely because she wanted to know that since Lin Wan's pilot project had failed and she could not keep her job, could she transfer the job to her son?
Qin Fang had heard too much gossip that morning and was already dissatisfied. Now she directly confronted him: "Comrade Chen, I'm not sure whether Lin Wan still has a position in the factory office, but whether she does or not, it's not your son's turn."
Chen Qiuhong was turned away and walked away with a roll of her eyes.
Qin Fang went to Lin Wan's new office to look for someone, and couldn't help but worry: "What are you going to do? Look, I told you not to mess around. But don't worry, there are no new people coming to the factory office now. We have divided your work among us. If this place really fails, you should be able to come back."
Lin Wan felt relieved and patted Qin Fang's hand: "Fangfang, you are so thoughtful. We should be able to succeed."
Qin Fang looked at Lin Wan with a complicated expression: "Hey, you're really good at comforting yourself. I've also heard about what's going on outside."
Lin Wan: QAQ
As the two were talking, Li Bangde from the pilot project department returned with the latest news. In his hand were the total sales figures for the new clothes over a week after they were released. "Our clothes, our clothes..."
There were many workers around, and seeing Li Bangde's appearance, they all watched the excitement: "Li Bangde, don't be too sad. Selling clothes is difficult. If you don't succeed, you won't succeed."
"I told you to stop messing around. Now you're stuttering."
Li Bangde was too lazy to pay attention to other people. When he saw Lin Wan at the office door, he mumbled something and finally changed it to three words: "Lin Wan - Sister!"
When she heard the word "sister", Lin Wan's eyes lit up and she understood everything.
The workers around: “…?”
Everyone frowned in confusion. Li Bangde was older than Lin Wan and had more experience, so why did he call her "sister"?
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