“Sister Wenqing!” Bao Hong squeezed out from the crowd.
Wen Qing pushed her bicycle forward and asked what was going on.
“They’re here to apply for jobs,” Bao Hong said cheerfully.
Applying for a job? Wen Qing suddenly remembered that she had written a job posting and posted it on the outer wall last night, and she didn't expect so many people to come to apply this morning.
"Let's go take a look." Wen Qing parked her bicycle under a tree in front of the shoe repairman, locked it with a ring lock, and then walked into Aunt Xiao's tailor shop.
Inside Aunt Xiao's tailor shop, Aunt Xiao was busy asking job applicants questions.
"How many years have you been a tailor?" Aunt Xiao asked.
"It's been a year."
"One year is a bit short. Our job posting says we need more than three years. I'm really sorry," Aunt Xiao said apologetically.
The man left dejectedly.
"Aunt Xiao," Wen Qing called out as she entered the room.
"Wen Qing, you're here." Aunt Xiao stood up with a smile, handed Wen Qing a piece of paper, and said, "There are a few quite good people among them."
Wen Qing took it, looked at it, nodded and said, "Aunt Xiao, you continue. Select fifteen people based on their qualifications, address, and time. I will conduct a second round of screening later." Then Wen Qing turned to Bao Hong and said, "Bao Hong, go and buy fifteen meat buns and fifteen vegetable buns."
Buying steamed buns?
"Why did you buy so many steamed buns?" Aunt Xiao asked, puzzled.
Wen Qing: "Buy some steamed buns. Bao Hong will go buy them. You'll find out soon enough."
"Okay." Bao Hong took the money Wen Qing handed her and ran to the street to buy steamed buns.
When Bao Hong returned, there were only twenty people outside the shop. Wen Qing asked her to give each of them a meat bun and a vegetable bun as compensation for their long wait.
After receiving the meat buns and vegetable buns, everyone was overjoyed. Some even put the meat buns in their pockets, reluctant to eat them, intending to take them home for their children.
Seeing this, Wen Qing did not stop them. She explained to the twenty people that Aunt Xiao's tailor shop was just starting out and only needed ten people. She wrote down the names and addresses of the other ten people who were temporarily eliminated, and Aunt Xiao would personally go to invite them in a month and a half.
Originally, these twenty people felt it didn't matter if they weren't selected, and with the addition of a meat bun and a vegetable bun as compensation, they not only had no complaints about Wen Qing, but also praised her highly.
The ten people who were temporarily eliminated left Aunt Xiao's tailor shop. Instead of complaining or slandering Wen Qing, they said, "This girl is so young but she already knows how to do things."
"Hey, she said she'll come looking for us again in a little over a month. Is that true? The county town isn't far from home, and twenty yuan a month is pretty good. Anyway, if she really comes looking for me, I'll come."
"Me too."
"Of course we came. Look at Aunt Xiao and that young lady Wen Qing, they are both generous employers. Generous employers are hard to find."
"Um."
"..."
At this moment, only ten people remained in Aunt Xiao's tailor shop.
Wen Qing explained the working hours, wages, benefits, and job duties to the ten people, and then went over some rules.
The ten tailors had no objections.
Aunt Xiao stood aside and watched, looking at Wen Qing with newfound respect.
Then, with the help of ten people, Wen Qing transformed Aunt Xiao's tailor shop. The counter was removed, the partition wall was knocked down, and the shop became spacious. Ten sewing machines were arranged in pairs, forming five rows, with Aunt Xiao's sewing machine placed against the wall.
Wen Qing then took out Feng Qing Clothing and explained to the ten people. Since they were all tailors, Wen Qing explained in simple terms, and they understood quickly. In less than half an hour, Wen Qing finished a shirt in five parts and a pair of pants in five parts. These five parts formed an assembly line.
Once all ten tailors understood, they began their work.
The two people in the first row, plus Aunt Xiao, were the three of them, measuring and cutting the fabric. Aunt Xiao was just helping out.
The two people in the second row are stacking fabric and stitching, taking out the basic shape of the garment.
The two people in the third row are making sleeves and attaching buttons.
The two people in the fourth row finished the collars and sleeves.
The two people in the fifth row finished the job, and the clothes were completed. They were then handed over to Aunt Xiao and Bao Hong for inspection, and then ironed if necessary.
After final inspection and approval, it was placed into a cloth bag. Of course, this cloth bag embroidered with the words "Feng Qing" was also made to order.
In one afternoon, the ten tailors, still not skilled enough, only managed to make one shirt and one pair of trousers.
Aunt Xiao read it once.
Wen Qing reviewed the document again and offered reasonable suggestions on all five procedures. The ten people initially thought Wen Qing was too young to understand, but after Wen Qing's comments, they realized it wasn't that Wen Qing was ignorant, but rather that she was incredibly knowledgeable. The ten people felt ashamed of their own inadequacy.
After Wen Qing made her suggestion, the ten people started making the garment again. They made three garments in a row, but Wen Qing was not satisfied with any of them. In the end, she disassembled two of them, sat down at the sewing machine, and explained the process while operating the machine. She then made a complete set of clothes, and only then did the ten people understand.
Finally, a garment was made that satisfied Wen Qing.
Aunt Xiao pulled Wen Qing aside: "Actually, I think they did a very good job from the start."
Wen Qing: "Aunt Xiao, besides looking good, comfort is very important for clothes. If they're not comfortable to wear, no matter how good they look, people won't buy them, right? Aunt Xiao, I won't be here five days a week, so I'm asking you to make sure you check them carefully."
"Don't worry about that, I've been a tailor for so many years," Aunt Xiao said.
Wen Qing smiled and said, "Aunt Xiao, I believe you."
"I'll do a great job." Aunt Xiao smiled. She had been in a good mood these past few days. Before, she had been so worried about the business across the street being good while her tailor shop was struggling that she couldn't eat or sleep. This was competition she had never encountered before. Originally, she wanted to go head-to-head with them, but then Wen Qing said she wanted to transform her business, and she made so much money as soon as she did. She was overjoyed.
She didn't bring up the 40/60 split again. After all, the clothes were all thanks to Wen Qing, and she didn't dare to take credit for them. Wen Qing had done her family a great favor. So she suggested to Wen Qing that she get twenty or thirty yuan a month for her work. Wen Qing initially refused, but after agreeing, she offered her forty yuan a month. Forty yuan was a very good wage in the city. She declined, saying she didn't want so much. But Wen Qing said she would still give her three mao a pair of shoes. Now Aunt Xiao's tailor shop was not like before; selling a hundred or so pairs a month was not a problem.
When you calculate it this way, she actually earns much more than before. How could she not be willing to risk her life for Wen Qing!
After arranging the clothing business at Aunt Xiao's tailor shop, Wen Qing handed the shop over to Aunt Xiao and rode her bicycle back to Shuiwan Village.
As soon as we arrived at Shuiwan Village, we saw Yao Shiling teaching Aunt Wang and the others how to make shoes in the yard.
"Wen Qing is back." Aunt Wang saw Wen Qing first, and now she was extremely polite to Wen Qing.
Wen Qing pushed her bicycle into the yard.
The other four neighbors looked at the new Forever brand bicycle with envy.
Wen Qing smiled and addressed those who should be called "Auntie" as "Auntie" and those who should be called "Sister-in-law" as "Sister-in-law," saying with a smile, "You're all here! How are the shoes coming along?"
"Wen Qing, come quick! Come and see how I'm doing!" Sister Zhou called out first.
Everyone else followed suit and shouted.
Wen Qing stepped forward and gave them pointers one by one. Not only did they listen to Wen Qing's opinions, but they also discussed them with him. This made Wen Qing look at the shoe-making skills of his neighbors in a new light.
It has to be said that the shoemakers that Aunt Wang found, including Aunt Wang herself, are all top-notch shoemakers. Give them a pair of shoes, and they can all make them look quite good. Moreover, they are all quick and their stitches are even and solid, which gives Wen Qing more confidence in winter shoes.
The five neighbors sat at Wen Qing's house, sitting on shoes, until evening. As it began to get dark, they finally got up to go home.
Wen Qing handed a handful of candy to each of the five people: "Aunt Wang, Sister Zhou, take these home for your children. Consider it our team's first day of business."
"Wen Qing, you really know how to talk." Aunt Wang laughed and took the candy without ceremony: "My Erhuzi has been craving it lately."
“Take them all, take them all,” Wen Qing said.
Seeing that Aunt Wang was being so polite, the others followed suit and each took a handful of candies and went home.
After they all went home, word spread that the five of them were making shoes at Wen Qing's house.
"Were you paid?"
"They only pay us once a month, but on the first day of work, Wen Qing gave us a handful of candy and some milk."
"Tch...maybe they'll pay us back then."
"Five people, twenty yuan each, that's a hundred yuan. Wen Qing's Forever brand bicycle alone costs over a hundred yuan. How come you can't afford to pay his wages?"
This left the other neighbors speechless. Some neighbors also wanted to make shoes for Wen Qing to earn some money, but as Wen Qing had said, most neighbors adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
Wen Qing herself is quite confident in her clothes and shoes.
That evening, Yao Shiling asked, "Wen Qing, how did the shoe-making go today?"
"It's fine." Wen Qing sat at the table and continued counting the money.
"Seriously, don't be embarrassed to say it just because you're neighbors. Don't wait until you can't deliver the goods later."
Wen Qing smiled and said, "Mom, they're really great. I'm very satisfied with the shoes you made."
Yao Shiling didn't bring it up again, but instead watched her count the money and asked, "What are you going to do with it?"
"I'm going to the city tomorrow to treat Uncle Tang, Master Zhu, and Master Ye to a meal."
"How much money will that cost?" That was Yao Shiling's first thought.
Wen Qing: "It's okay, we can earn it back after spending it."
The next morning, Wen Qing watched Yao Shiling and the others make shoes for a while. After being satisfied, she went to Aunt Xiao's tailor shop. The ten tailors were quick to learn, so Wen Qing had nothing to worry about.
He left his bicycle at Aunt Xiao's tailor shop, put on his backpack, and told Aunt Xiao that she would be back after school next Friday evening.
Then I went to the four-way intersection in the county town and took a bus to the city. When I arrived in the city, I went to the Zhiben Tangquan Garment Factory.
The security guard greeted him warmly: "Consultant Wen, you've arrived."
Wen Qing laughed: "Just call me Wen Qing, I'm not Consultant Wen."
The security guard chuckled.
Wen Qing asked, "Are Uncle Tang, Master Zhu, and Master Ye here?"
"Yes, everyone is here. Mr. Tang is receiving guests."
"Guests? We have guests? Then I'll wait for them at the door for a while." Before Wen Qing could finish speaking, Tang Quan walked out of the factory with a smile, standing next to someone she knew all too well.
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