Chapter 135 135 Will Pour Cold Water
Such doubts only stayed in Jiang Lili's mind for a moment, and were soon thrown behind her. Compared with paying attention to Ji Mingyue, she had more important things to do. They only lived in Huajianlouji for half a month when Jiang Jianyi came. At that time, there was no talk of airing out formaldehyde during the decoration, but Jiang Lili was still very cautious and ventilated the house before moving in. Now that they moved back to the factory area, the house was still kept ventilated.
Jiang Yulan expressed her doubts about this, but she was quickly persuaded by Jiang Lili, so the two happily decided to move in after the winter vacation. As for the other three, they were still in the final stage of handing over the house with the decoration team.
Although Jiang Lili lives on campus, she would go out and about whenever she had free time, as if doing market research. This meant that she didn't spend much time in school or the dormitory. The people she was most familiar with were her roommates. In order to maintain this friendship, she didn't refuse when her roommate Dong Qiuyun invited her to dinner for her birthday. After all, friendship needs to be maintained.
But Jiang Yulan seemed even more nervous than her. "Have you discussed with the others what gifts to prepare?"
"Not yet. I've already thought about what gift to give." Dong Qiuyun comes from a well-off family. She noticed that she liked the three little Meows very much. The small dolls on her keychain and bag are all of them. She also bought a blind box a while ago, but she was unlucky and never got the shape she wanted, so the gift she wanted to give was the blind box that she wanted but didn't get.
After hearing her words, Jiang Yulan was a little surprised: "College students also like those? I thought middle and high school students liked them the most."
"According to market research, the largest consumer group of blind boxes is college students." This was the suggestion Jiang Lili gave to Cheng Yuntian a while ago. She asked the dealers below to conduct a questionnaire survey.
"So that's how it is?" Jiang Yulan thought about it. In their era, girls who married early became mothers at this age and took on responsibilities early. Children of this age now are still real children, and their childishness is naturally still there. Thinking of this, she felt that maybe one day she should buy it and try it, just to make up for her younger self.
"Yes, this is the test paper from the questionnaire survey. Sister Cheng probably hasn't told you yet, so the next series can be modified according to the preferences of college students." Jiang Lili explained the original intention of conducting this questionnaire survey.
"That's a good idea. Do you have the styles your classmates want?" Jiang Yulan asked with concern.
"Yes, I asked Sister Cheng to reserve two sets for me. I originally planned to give Tongtong one set each." Jiang Lili thought that she should reserve a few more sets before the next limited edition comes out.
"That's good. Otherwise, I will ask Zhao Dong for you. He left a set for his daughter." This was Jiang Yulan's original plan.
"I didn't realize Brother Zhao was such a daughter slave." Jiang Lili teased with a smile.
Jiang Yulan didn't understand what she meant by "daughter slave" and explained to her, "Before, the three of us lived apart, and his wife had to take care of everything at home, so he felt he owed them. He was very good to his wife and daughter."
"Isn't this what we should do?" Jiang Lili felt that this was what Zhao Dong should do.
"It's what they should do, but few men can do it." Jiang Yulan couldn't help but smile after she finished speaking. How did their topic veer off here? She suppressed her smile and asked, "Those two sets shouldn't be in this room, right? You can take them all back this time, and we can take the rest to the new house during the holiday."
"Well, I'll go to Sister Cheng's office to get it later. Do you think we should invite them to dinner in the new house?" Jiang Lili was a little undecided. She and her daughter didn't have many friends in Beijing.
"I have this plan too. I plan to invite Xiao Cheng, Zhao Dong's family, and Hongzhe and the others. Otherwise, others will treat us to dinner every time." The last time Zhao Dong's wife and children came to Beijing, he invited her to dinner.
"Then let's get ready?" The reason why Jiang Lili was still a little hesitant was that if so many people were to eat at home, it would definitely be hard for Jiang Yulan.
Seeing the worry in her eyes, Jiang Yulan made the decision directly: "You have to celebrate your classmate's birthday on Friday, so let's do it on Saturday. I also miss the taste of hometown food, so I need your help then."
"No problem, how about we arrange a menu first?" With a menu, you will have a goal when going to the vegetable market.
"Okay, now that the weather is cold, we need a stew. The pork ribs are not oily enough, so let's stew the pig's trotters and pork ribs together." Jiang Yulan said as she decided on the first dish in her notebook. In just a moment, ten more dishes were added to the notebook.
"Mom, that's enough. It's not good to eat too much." Jiang Lili quickly stopped her from continuing.
"Prepare food for the last child." Jiang Yulan added the last dish and then put down her pen.
"Then I'll go to the vegetable market with you early Saturday morning to buy vegetables." Jiang Lili took a quick look and saw several delicious dishes. She was even a little greedy.
"There's no rush. You should go to Xiao Cheng to get your blind box first." Jiang Lili pointed to the watch on her wrist, reminding her that it was getting late.
"I'll be there right away." When Jiang Lili arrived, Cheng Yuntian was about to go back. Seeing her coming over at this time, he was a little surprised: "What's going on?"
"I'll get the blind box." Jiang Lili shook her head and nodded. Is this considered something important?
"Yes, your house has been renovated, so you can put them there. Look, they are all placed there neatly." Cheng Yuntian pointed to the cabinet next to her. Both sets were packed in cardboard boxes, and she could just carry them out.
"I kind of regret not keeping enough. I found that many people in school like this." Jiang Lili said and opened the box. These were the ones she kept for her own use, so she could quickly find the style that Dong Qiuyun liked.
"So I plan to continue producing small items like key chains and pendants. College students have strong purchasing power." There are many universities in Beijing, and Cheng Yuntian had this plan after receiving the results of the questionnaire.
"That's right. It seems like almost every girl in school has one key chain or pendant." Jiang Lili agreed with her point of view.
"Actually, I'm planning to open another production line to produce hair ties and hair clips and the like," Cheng Yuntian said.
"Ah?" Jiang Lili was a little confused.
Seeing her confusion, Cheng Yuntian explained helplessly, "This isn't a sudden idea. I just noticed that many stalls have started selling things like hairbands and hairpins with the three little characters. I obviously can't sue these manufacturers, so I figured that instead of letting them do it, I might as well make the money myself."
"But your price will definitely not be cheaper than theirs." Jiang Lili said bluntly.
"Yes, similarly, they are not refined enough. When I saw it the other day, I asked the little girl who bought the hairband, who should be a junior high school student. She said she liked money rabbits very much, but we don't produce this kind of product, so she can only buy it here. I opened this production line to produce for people in need, and secondly to let those bad manufacturers know my attitude." Of course, the three little ones were much more popular than she expected.
"Then give it a try. Things like hair ties and hairpins don't require complicated equipment. Even if subsequent sales are not good, we can bundle them with other products." It can be seen that she has made up her mind, so Jiang Lili didn't pour cold water on her. Of course, she felt that what she said just now made sense.
Thinking of Old Cheng's opposition last night, Cheng Yuntian's smile brightened a lot: "You still understand me, Old Cheng always pours cold water on me." Cheng Yuntian also considered the way she mentioned to deal with the subsequent poor sales. She thought that the two of them were really getting more and more in tune with each other.
"Uncle Cheng is worried about you too." Jiang Lili said in a gentle tone.
"My current goal is to work hard to promote Meow and the others. The greater the influence, the better. This way, I won't have to worry about my future just by relying on them." Although Cheng Yuntian had some ambitious goals before, the fact that the branch factory in Beijing has been on the right track from preparation to now makes her feel that expansion is not difficult, but maintaining the foundation is the most difficult. Therefore, she has no plans to expand again in recent years.
"That's true. The greater the influence, the more valuable it will be in the future." Later, it can be combined with other things to produce joint products. Jiang Lili thought, it seems that the original approach was right.
"That's right. In fact, you are the biggest contributor to this matter." Cheng Yuntian did not forget where this suggestion came from.
"That also requires your support, Sister Cheng, are you free on Saturday? My mother and I plan to entertain guests in the new house." Jiang Lili made the invitation in advance. After all, she is a very busy person.
"Go, I've been wanting to see your house after it's been renovated for a long time." Cheng Yuntian nodded quickly.
"Okay, just arrive before 12 o'clock on Saturday. Besides you, there will also be Brother Zhao's family and Lu Hongzhe and his friends." Jiang Lili explained to her that this was a dinner party among old friends.
"Okay, I will come on time." Cheng Yuntian understood what she meant, but it was his first time visiting, so how could he go empty-handed? She originally planned to give a red envelope directly, but now it seems that it is obviously not appropriate.
Friday, Dong Qiuyun's birthday, arrived quickly. She invited them to dinner at a hot pot restaurant near the school. Since everyone came from all over the world, hot pot was probably the perfect choice. Besides their own gifts, they also ordered a cake for Dong Qiuyun.
High schools are generally very strict, and when they go to college, girls can openly pursue beauty, so the gifts from other roommates are basically jewelry. When Jiang Lili took out her gift, Dong Qiuyun almost screamed out loud: "Oh my God, Lili, this is a hidden edition, how did you get it?"
During this period, Dong Qiuyun kept talking about blind boxes in the dormitory. Everyone naturally understood the difficulty of this hidden model. Facing everyone's curious eyes, Jiang Lili explained to them: "My mother works at Tongqu Player."
"Oh my God, that's great. Lili, do you know when the next blind box will come out?" Dong Qiuyun really likes these.
"The blind box series is released once a year, with a different theme every year." Jiang Lili told her.
"Only one model a year?" Dong Qiuyun was a little desperate. Now, including the one Lili gave her, she had already collected the whole set and had no desire to buy more.
"Yes, but I have another piece of gossip." Jiang Lili said and winked at her playfully.
"What gossip? Tell us quickly." Not only Dong Qiuyun, but everyone else also became excited.
"They will start producing things like hair ties and hair clips related to Miaowu and the others next." Jiang Lili glanced at them after she finished speaking. She thought, these are all potential customers. Hair ties and hair clips are really needed by girls.
"Really?" Dong Qiuyun was the most excited among them.
"If nothing unexpected happens, the baby should be born." Jiang Lili said very cautiously.
"That's great. You know, I saw the money rabbit hair tie when I went to the boutique last week, but it was so ugly, the rabbit's eyes were crooked." Dong Qiuyun complained.
"Then you can look forward to the products produced by Tongqu players themselves, but the price will probably be higher than what you see." Jiang Lili did not participate in the pricing, but it was definitely more expensive than those.
"Of course, it's authentic after all. I'm going to buy a whole set then." Dong Qiuyun began to look forward to it, and others also agreed. No matter how expensive the hair ties and hairpins are, they are not so expensive that they can't afford them, not to mention that they don't buy them every day.
Glancing at their reactions, Jiang Lili thought, Cheng Yuntian's decision couldn't have been more correct. Her business acumen was clearly growing stronger. This meal had actually brought her and her roommates closer. After dinner, they all chatted and laughed as they headed back to school. On the way back, Dong Qiuyun asked, "Lili, next time Tongqu Player releases a new product, remember to let me know." She was a big spender, so she needed to save up in advance.
"The next new products should be other toys. I'll remind you again about new products with elements of Meow and the others?" Jiang Lili asked.
"Yes, anything related to them will do. And those hairbands and the like, do you have any channels to get them for us in advance?" As soon as she finished speaking, the other roommates also gathered around.
Seeing their expectations, Jiang Lili curled the corners of her lips and said, "Okay, I'll try my best."
"Then we'll be waiting for your good news." Although they had not known each other for a long time, Dong Qiuyun understood her character. When she said this, it was reassuring.
"Okay, the bus is coming soon, I'll go first." Jiang Lili said and waved to them, then ran towards the bus stop in front. She didn't forget that she had to go buy groceries with Jiang Yulan early tomorrow morning.
Looking at her running figure, the others said enviously, "It's great to have a local home."
"Yeah." The others also said enviously. Fortunately, everyone's topic quickly turned to other things. When they returned to the dormitory, Jiang Lili also got on the bus smoothly.
There was a bus that went directly to the factory from the bus stop at the school gate. If she wasn't in a hurry, Jiang Lili would usually take the bus back. When she arrived, Jiang Yulan had just finished washing her hair. Seeing her come back, she remembered the question she had previously ignored: "Lili, aren't you going to invite your roommates to eat together this time?"
"Call them individually next time, otherwise they will feel awkward because they are not familiar with the others." Jiang Lili had thought about this question before. In addition to the reasons she just mentioned, there was another more important reason. She felt that they were not that familiar with each other yet.
"Yeah, they'll probably feel embarrassed then. So go to bed early tonight. You have to get up early to go to the vegetable market." Jiang Yulan actually planned to go alone, and she said this deliberately in the hope of dissuading her.
"It's okay. Don't we get up early every day to go to school? One day won't make a difference. Mom, has Sister Cheng told you about the new production line?" Jiang Lili asked.
"About the hairband and hairpin production line?" Jiang Yulan didn't expect that she knew it before her.
"Yes." Jiang Lili nodded.
"Some machines have been moved to the workshop. If everything goes well, the production line will be able to start production in two or three days. I don't know if everyone will like it." To be honest, Jiang Yulan was a little worried.
"Sales should be good. At least my roommates are looking forward to it. Except for Dong Qiuyun, they all think that blind boxes are a bit expensive and not practical. But if they are replaced with hair bands and hairpins, they will selectively buy a few." Jiang Lili dispelled her concerns.
"It turns out that we can't use our thinking to compare with today's children. I am really old." Jiang Yulan sighed.
"Not old at all, you look very young. Sister Cheng even told me in private that her father has a friend who wants to develop a relationship with you." Cheng Yuntian told her this because she thought Jiang Lili opposed her remarriage.
"Why did Xiao Cheng tell you this?" Jiang Yulan frowned in displeasure.
"Isn't she worried that you'll miss out because of my opposition?" Jiang Lili didn't blame Cheng Yuntian. She was also entrusted by someone else. Afterwards, she also said that she really investigated the person and only asked this question because she thought he was a good person.
"I know they are a kind family, but I really don't have that intention." Jiang Yulan said and shook her head.
"Mom, I support you no matter what decision you make, including remarriage. I really don't object to it." Jiang Lili expressed her attitude again.
Jiang Yulan reached out and tapped her forehead: "Don't worry, my biggest realization after divorcing Ji Yushu is that as a person, you should never put yourself in a difficult position. So my decision to refuse is because of me, and it has nothing to do with you."
"Okay, if you don't want to get married, you can fall in love with a suitable handsome uncle if you meet one. Just treat it as a spice in life." Jiang Lili said.
Jiang Yulan was amused by her and then asked, "You seem to be making a lot of sense. Have you seen any suitable male classmates in school?" Similarly, she did not object to her falling in love, but she needed to protect herself.
"No, they are all too childish." Thinking of the boys who showed their affection to her, she shook her head.
"No rush, you've only just started school. Take your time. Those who get into Tsinghua University are all top students." Jiang Yulan actually hoped she'd find someone from her school. Of course, if they weren't suitable, that didn't matter. She'd learned a lesson from her marriage: marriage isn't a necessity. Although it had been many years, she'd felt resentment when her parents urged her to marry Ji Yushu, so she didn't want Lili to harbor the same resentment.
"Yeah, it's still early, take your time." Jiang Lili is not sure whether she will get married, but she is sure that she does not reject love.
"Then go to bed quickly and take a shower after going to the vegetable market tomorrow. It will be more convenient there." Jiang Yulan urged.
"Okay, then I'll take a shower tomorrow." Jiang Lili agreed happily. Everything about living here is good. The only downside is that it's not very convenient to take a shower.
"Well, let's go to sleep." Jiang Yulan said as she rearranged the quilt on the bed.
The next morning, it was Jiang Lili's biological clock that woke her up. When she got out of bed, Jiang Yulan, who was lying next to her, got up as well. She was a little surprised: "I told you to sleep for ten more minutes."
"I'm used to it. Many people in school get up at this time every day." There are even people in their dormitory who get up early to memorize words, so her biological clock has become accustomed to this time.
"Okay, let's go directly to the vegetable market for breakfast?" The cafeteria will also be open on Saturdays.
"Okay, let's try other flavors." Jiang Lili agreed.
They chose the largest vegetable market closest to Huajianlouji. In addition to the pig's trotters and spareribs mentioned at the beginning, Jiang Yulan also bought a chicken. When the mother and daughter came out of the vegetable market, both of them were carrying a lot of vegetables in their hands. Fortunately, this place was not far from their new home.
After returning, Jiang Yulan prepared the ingredients while Jiang Lili went to take a shower and wash her hair first. When she came out, Jiang Yulan had already stewed the pig's trotters and pork ribs in the pot.
"So fast?" Jiang Lili went to the kitchen to help prepare the dishes.
"It's better to stew it early so that the soup will taste better. I plan to divide the chicken into two, one half will be spicy chicken and the other half will be cold chicken." The original menu was to make cold chicken, but Jiang Yulan suddenly remembered that Lu Ziming can eat spicy food, so she changed the menu temporarily.
"It's all fine." Jiang Lili said she didn't care.
By the time all the ingredients were ready, it was already half past ten. Jiang Yulan turned the heat down to minimum, and then the mother and daughter came out of the kitchen. She glanced at the wall clock and said, "They should be here soon."
Just as she finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. The mother and daughter looked at each other, both with smiles on their faces. Jiang Lili took a step forward and said, "I'll go open it."
As soon as the door opened, Jiang Lili first saw a box outside that was taller than her. She glanced at it and guessed that it must be a refrigerator. Before she could wonder, a familiar voice came from the door: "Master, keep moving it inside."
"Sister Cheng?" Jiang Lili recognized the owner of the voice.
"It's me, Lili. Hurry up and see where the refrigerator is. Don't waste the master's time." Cheng Yuntian reminded.
"Oh, oh, oh." Jiang Lili was still a little confused, but instinctively did as she was told. It wasn't until the master put the refrigerator in the designated location and left that she reacted: "Sister Cheng, what's going on?"
"This is my housewarming gift for you." Cheng Yuntian said.
Jiang Yulan only realized it at this moment. No wonder she had been asking about what appliances the family had bought in the past few days. It turned out that this was her purpose. She frowned and stared at the refrigerator in front of her: "Isn't this too expensive?"
"What's so expensive about it? It's just a normal household item. Don't try to reject it. The white color I chose should match the decoration of your home, right?" Cheng Yuntian asked.
"It's a good match." Jiang Lili nodded. Except for the refrigerator, they had almost bought all the other home appliances. Since it was already winter, she thought it might be cheaper to buy a refrigerator at the beginning of the year. Of course, the most important thing was that they didn't live here now, so there was no rush to buy a refrigerator. Unexpectedly, she bought it for them first.
"It's fine as long as it's compatible. Is there any food being stewed in the kitchen? It smells so good." Cheng Yuntian looked towards the kitchen.
"Yes, stew." At this point, it was impossible to refuse. At worst, she could return it after her new home was renovated. Thinking of this, the mother and daughter quickly accepted this housewarming gift.
After the three of them finished unpacking the refrigerator, Zhao Dong's family of three also arrived. They bought some fruits. Zhao Dong's wife put the fruits on the coffee table. She caught a glimpse of Jiang Yulan in the kitchen and quickly stood up to help. Jiang Lili quickly stopped her: "Sister-in-law, just sit here. My mother is in the kitchen." The preliminary work in the kitchen had been done, and they were just waiting for everyone to start cooking.
Luo Xiaoya couldn't help but look towards Zhao Dong after being rejected. Seeing Zhao Dong nod, she smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll listen to Lili."
Their daughter Lele is younger than Jiang Qitong. There were toys that Jiang Lili had prepared for Tongtong at home, so she took them out and let her play with them or watch cartoons. Lele chose the toys, and Jiang Lili started chatting with them.
"Lili, your decoration looks good. Which decoration team did it?" Zhao Dong looked at the decoration in the room and praised.
"I'll give you the contact information later, Brother Zhao, have you booked a house?" Jiang Lili asked casually. The last time she saw him, they were still looking at houses.
"Yes, we finally decided on one a while ago." Zhao Dong and his friends needed to consider more when looking for a house than they did. After all, Lele had to go to school. As they were talking, there was another knock on the door.
Jiang Lili opened the door and saw Lu Hongzhe and the other two standing at the door. They had fruits and drinks in their hands. She was a little surprised when she saw Jiang Lili: "It just so happens that my mom and I forgot to prepare some drinks."
"See, I told you it was a good idea to buy this thing." Jiang Liangbo's tone was full of pride.
Lu Hongzhe smiled and went straight into the kitchen with some fruit in his hand. "I'll wash some and let's eat together."
Hearing his words, Jiang Lili realized what she had overlooked. After the other two came in, she closed the door and followed them into the kitchen. Jiang Yulan and Lu Hongzhe were already chatting in the kitchen. Seeing this, she rolled up her sleeves and prepared to wash the fruit, but before she could reach out, someone stopped her: "The water is cold, I'll wash it."
"Okay, then you wash it, I'll go out and set up the table and chairs." Jiang Lili nodded.
"Lili, why does your house look warmer than ours even though we have the same decoration team?" Jiang Liangbo expressed his confusion.
"It's your fault for using too many cold colors. When you buy furniture, choose some warm accessories to neutralize it." Jiang Lili reminded.
"Then please give us some advice when the time comes." Lu Ziming took the opportunity to make a request.
"Okay, you finally handed over the house?" Jiang Lili asked.
"If we delay any longer, it will be the Chinese New Year. My parents said that the new house cannot be empty for the first year, so we will celebrate the Chinese New Year in Beijing this year," Jiang Liangbo explained.
"Isn't this a coincidence? We also plan to celebrate the New Year in Beijing." Jiang Lili said with a smile.
The man who came out of the kitchen carrying Guoran couldn't help but pause when he heard this. He thought, it seems that the proposal from his family last night has to be rejected.
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