That evening, upon returning home, Liang Yuan approached Huang Mei about making a headband and hairpins. Huang Mei initially doubted she could do it, but after Liang Yuan's persuasion, she finally agreed. Once Huang Mei agreed, Liang Yuan took out her notebook and sketched some designs overnight. She'd been feeling anxious for a while, and she loved crafting to relieve stress. She knew everything about current trends, not just the styles of the next few thousand years.
Seeing her diligence, Zhu Youliang followed suit and wrote a list of notes. As he was writing, a question suddenly occurred to him. While the rules were being relaxed, small-scale operations were possible. If they wanted to expand, they would have to find another way. If they were to register with the village and become a village-run factory, regardless of whether the village would contribute, management would be a major challenge. It was fine when the villagers didn't have a vested interest, but when they did, no one's advice would matter.
Soon, he thought of another solution. He could contact the textile factory through Wu Dahai and register this factory under the textile factory. This would make sense for his mother to be the factory director. Of course, to convince the textile factory, he would need to give up some of the profits, which could be discussed later.
Liang Yuan didn't think too much about it; she was drawing enthusiastically. The next morning, she showed the notebook to Huang Mei, who immediately thought she could do it. Her grandmother used to work as a maid in a wealthy family's needlework room, and her embroidery skills were exceptional. Liang Yuan also learned a bit, and she could draw patterns, so she had some understanding of beauty. But later, she got married and got a piece of land. She spent all day in the fields, and not only did her hands become rough, but she also gradually forgot this skill. After all, nothing was more important than living. In the past few years, she was worried about being reported. Looking at the hair ornaments in front of her, childhood memories suddenly flooded back, and she couldn't help but shed tears.
Although Liang Yuan was surprised, he didn't ask what was going on.
Huang Mei wiped her tears and pointed at a pig intestine hairband with patchwork cloth. "I still have the rubber bands I tore at home, and the floral fabric you brought back last time. I'll go try it now."
Liang Yuan didn't stop her and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Zhu Xingtong heard the noise and came out to help her light the fire, throwing a few chestnuts into the fire.
When Old Zhu came back from herding cattle, he saw Liang Yuan in the kitchen and couldn't help but ask, "Why are you cooking? You finally got a day or two off, and I'm asking you to cook, and your wife is starting to make trouble too?"
Liang Yuan smiled and said, "Dad, it's you and Mom who spoil me. If this happened in someone else's house, I'd be the one being criticized. Mom is working in the house, and I don't have much to do. It's my responsibility to make breakfast. You two elders work hard every day, too."
Old Zhu was surprised. After he led the cow to the backyard and tied it up, he went into his room and saw Huang Mei sewing cloth. He couldn't help but say, "You old woman, when can't you sew clothes? The children finally came back, and you are willing to let them cook."
Huang Mei slapped her head and said, "I forgot to cook. I'll make it right away."
"Okay, Xiaoyuan's doing it, and she even spoke up for you. What are you doing over there now?" Old Zhu said, peeking at the notebook. "Is this the hair ornament they were talking about yesterday? Do you really want to be a factory manager?"
He was there yesterday when Liang Yuan talked about it. He didn't hear much, except that an old woman could become a factory manager.
"That's right. Look at all these styles. Even an old woman like me is tempted by them, let alone young girls. They're sure to sell well." Huang Mei said as she finished her last stitch. After cutting off the thread, she added, "It's not difficult to make a hair ornament like this. Why can't I be the factory manager?"
Old Zhu said, "If you become the factory director, you have to find a job for me. I can't be much worse than you."
"That depends on what you can do. These are women's things, why should you do them? Can you sew or embroider?" Huang Mei said arrogantly.
Old Zhu thought for a while, then said, "I can watch the door for you if I have nothing to do."
Huang Mei nodded and said, "You are capable of doing this job."
"Wouldn't that mean we both become workers?"
"That's wishful thinking. This is just the beginning. Although it looks good, it has to be sold." Huang Mei became worried again.
"If you can think of it, Youliang must have thought of it too. If he says it can be done, then it will definitely be possible." Old Zhu said affirmatively.
Huang Mei stood up and said, "I have to show this flower to Yuanyuan."
Old Zhu said from behind, "Look how cocky you are! You're trying to take credit for it! Everyone knows you're a good needleworker. Xiao Yuan saw it and praised you so much that you couldn't stop smiling."
"That's also what I can do. You old man can just be jealous." Huang Mei ignored him and went straight to the kitchen.
Liang Yuan was making egg soup, perfect with flatbread. They also grew wheat here, and in the summer they liked to bake flatbread in the stove. It was toasted until crispy and charred, perfect with the egg soup.
Seeing Huang Mei bringing the hairpin over, she hurriedly put it on the spatula and wiped her hands before taking it. "The stitches are neat and fine, without any loose threads. They are better than those sewn by a sewing machine. Mom, your needlework is really amazing." Liang Yuan said and gave her a thumbs up.
Zhu Xingtong also said from the side: "This flower is really beautiful."
"It looks good. Let me braid your hair." Huang Mei happily went back to the house to get a comb and tied her hair into a ponytail.
Zhu Youliang got up early, skipped breakfast, and rode his bicycle to the city. Considering Wu Dahai was still at work, he went straight to the textile factory, spent a pack of cigarettes, and got some information from the gatekeeper. Not only that, the gatekeeper's son also worked at the factory, a junior cadre. With the gatekeeper's help, he agreed to sell him some scraps of cloth for five yuan. It was supposed to be a little, but it turned out to be two sacks.
Zhu Youliang took two sacks of rags and bought a bag of black clips from the roadside. They included flat clips, spring clips, and duckbill clips. He was about to go back home when he saw Jiang Xiaoyu, trapped by a man, against a wall. He stopped his bike and called out, "Jiang Xiaoyu, do you need help?"
After hearing this, the man who trapped Jiang Xiaoyu ran away without looking back.
Zhu Youliang waited until the man ran away, then prepared to ride away. Jiang Xiaoyu was a proud person, and she was afraid that he would feel embarrassed here.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Xiaoyu ran over and said, "Mr. Zhu, thank you. That guy was a blind date someone introduced to me. It was my first time meeting him and I had no idea he was such a person. If it weren't for you, I really don't know what I would do."
After not seeing each other for many years, Jiang Xiaoyu seems to have matured a lot.
"It's okay. I'll introduce someone to you next time. Ask your family to inquire more. I'm going back first." Zhu Youliang said and was about to leave.
Jiang Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, but still called him, "Engineer Zhu, are you still in contact with Engineer Zhang?"
Zhu Youliang sighed softly in his heart, then replied, "No."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
