A short while later, Wen Qing, Aunt Xiao, Zhang Xiuying, and Lao He got off the bus.
"Old He, go help Wen Qing," Zhang Xiuying said, carrying a bag of clothes.
"Okay." Old He jumped onto the bus and carried Wen Qing's clothes and shoes off.
"Thank you, thank you, Boss He," Wen Qing and Aunt Xiao said repeatedly.
"Don't mention it, just make us more clothes next week," Old He said.
"No problem," Aunt Xiao said with a smile.
Zhang Xiuying, carrying the clothes, smiled and said, "It's a deal then, Lao He. Let's go home; maybe we can sell a couple more pieces."
"Alright!" Old He picked up seventy-five pairs of shoes and followed Zhang Xiuying.
Wen Qing and Aunt Xiao waved to Zhang Xiuying and her husband. Less than two minutes later, another shopkeeper rushed over to pick up the goods, paid for 100 sets of clothes and 75 pairs of shoes on the spot, and also paid 800 yuan for clothes and shoes for next Monday. He thanked Wen Qing again and again, and happily carried the clothes and shoes away.
Aunt Xiao couldn't help but exclaim, "They're really rich!"
Wen Qing smiled and said, "Fortunately, among the clothing stores on the pedestrian street, they have the greatest potential for development."
"How did you know?" Aunt Xiao asked.
“Location, clothing style, and the shop owner’s enthusiasm and ambition determine the development of their respective shops. Besides, do you think they just sell individually? They also supply goods to various counties under the city. So, even if we give them 500 sets of clothes and 500 sets of shoes, they won’t complain about it being too much,” Wen Qing said.
Aunt Xiao stared in disbelief: "Now everyone loves to buy clothes and doesn't like to make them anymore. Has everyone become so rich?"
Wen Qingxiao: "In the future, every family in China will have a television, a refrigerator, a washing machine, and a car."
"How could that be?" Aunt Xiao didn't believe it.
Wen Qing smiled. People of this era naturally cannot imagine the development of China's economy in the later period, let alone imagine that televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and cars, which are now considered luxury items, are actually nothing special in the future.
"Wen Qing, aren't we going back?" Aunt Xiao asked, seeing Wen Qing walking straight ahead.
"Let's go buy something first," Wen Qing said.
"What is that?"
"Zipper".
What is a zipper?
You'll find out when we get there.
Wen Qing took Aunt Xiao to the city's main market and, following Zhang Xiuying's advice, found the only shop in Nanzhou that sold zippers.
Zipper is also called a zipper. People in Nanzhou at that time called zippers "zippers".
"This is a zipper?" Aunt Xiao looked at the strange contraption in her hand. It was like a gear with a small train engine-like component attached. Pulling it closed it, and pulling it open it again. "What's the use of this?"
“Aunt Xiao, you’ve forgotten, Zhang Xiuying’s purse has this thing on it.”
"You want to make leather bags?"
"No, it's for making clothes."
Can this be made into clothes? Aunt Xiao certainly had never seen it before.
"Boss, how much is this zipper?" Wen Qing asked.
"Seven cents a piece," the shopkeeper said.
"Seven cents, so expensive?" Aunt Xiao exclaimed.
Wen Qing didn't think it was expensive, but said, "Boss, can you give me a discount if I buy more?"
How much do you want?
One hundred.
The shopkeeper glanced at Wen Qing. He hadn't been selling zippers well, but today he was able to sell a hundred at once. He immediately reduced the price by one cent and said, "Six dollars and ninety cents."
Aunt Xiao still complained that it was too expensive, but Wen Qing said, "Okay."
Wen Qing immediately took out six yuan and ninety cents and told the shopkeeper that he would come here to buy zippers again in the future.
The shop owner chuckled and said, "I'll give you a 50-cent discount next time."
"Thanks."
After buying the zipper, Wen Qing saw a public telephone booth in the market, so she called Tang Quan, asked him for a favor, and asked him to come to the county town on Sunday.
Tang Quan agreed without hesitation.
Wen Qing smiled and hung up the phone, then hurriedly caught the last bus of the day with Aunt Xiao.
"Wenqing, I think we could install a telephone too," Aunt Xiao said.
Wen Qing nodded: "It will be installed in a couple of days. How much does it cost?"
"I've never had it installed, so I don't know, but it must be quite expensive."
"Ask about it later."
As the bus traveled, it got closer and closer to the county town.
Aunt Xiao then recalled the commotion caused by the Ji family that afternoon and said somewhat pessimistically, "With them making such a scene, I wonder what the neighbors will say about them. It might be difficult to find a tailor next time."
Wen Qing smiled and said, "Aunt Xiao, don't worry, things will get better and better for us, while their reputation may get worse and worse."
Why do you say that?
"Because we have the strength, and strength can powerfully shatter all falsehoods and convince them."
As soon as Wen Qing finished speaking, the ticket seller started shouting: "We've arrived at the four-way intersection in the county town. The last bus won't go into the town. Everyone get off here."
At the ticket seller's shout, the carriage began to stir. Wen Qing looked out and immediately saw Yao Shiling and Wen Peng waiting at the four-way intersection. Wen Qing was overjoyed and didn't forget to tell Aunt Xiao, "Aunt Xiao, don't let my mother know that the Ji family came to cause trouble today, and my brother can't know either. Please tell the people at the shop."
"Baohong didn't already tell, did she?"
"Probably not. If my mom knew, she'd be frowning right now. So, she probably doesn't know yet."
"good."
As soon as the bus stopped, Wen Qing jumped off, and Yao Shiling and Wen Peng went up to her.
"Wen Qing".
"Big sister."
Wen Qing greeted them with a smile: "Mom, Pengpeng, when did you arrive?"
"Big sister, today we had a cow with a thorn on its tongue that wouldn't eat grass. We caught the cow at home, held its head up, and rubbed salt on its tongue to remove the thorn, so we're late. My mom and I had just reached the intersection when we saw a bus coming. I didn't expect you to actually be here," Wen Peng said, rambling on and on.
Wen Qing glanced at Aunt Xiao, implying that her mother and brother were unaware of the trouble caused by the Ji family, so the shop shouldn't spread the word. If anyone was going to say anything, it would be better for her to do it herself.
Aunt Xiao nodded, greeted Yao Shiling and Wen Peng, and then asked Wen Qing, "Are we going to the shop again?"
"I'm not going. My mom and I are going home."
Aunt Xiao mentioned a hundred zippers: "Alright, I'll head back now. It's getting dark, please be careful."
Wen Qing nodded: "Okay, Aunt Xiao, if they're here, just tell them that I'll pay everyone's wages tomorrow morning. I mean it. You and Bao Hong will get paid too."
Aunt Xiao smiled and said, "Yes, we believe you. There's no need to emphasize it."
Wen Qing smiled, and then walked with Yao Shiling and Wen Peng to Datu Road.
Yao Shiling asked, "Wen Qing, do you have the money to pay your workers?"
Wen Qing didn't say anything, but took out a bulging, palm-sized cloth bag from his pocket. With a "pop," he unfastened the hidden clasp, revealing a thick wad of one-hundred and fifty-yuan bills.
"So many!" Before Wen Peng could finish speaking, Yao Shiling covered his mouth and said sternly, "What are you yelling about?"
Wen Peng immediately fell silent. Yao Shiling looked around and asked in a voice so soft it was almost a gasp, "Where did you get so much money?"
"The clothes and shoes have been sold."
"So fast?"
"Um."
Yao Shiling quickly covered Wen Qing's hand: "Hurry up and put it away, don't let anyone see it."
Wen Qing smiled and obediently put the money into her pocket.
"Don't put it there! Put it in your chest!" Yao Shiling was afraid that Wen Qing would lose the money due to carelessness.
"There's no pocket on my chest," Wen Qing said.
Yao Shiling said, "You still have to keep it in your pocket. What if you lose it?"
"Keep it," Wen Qing said, handing over the money.
Yao Shiling rarely carried much money; an extra pocket was like an extra piece of cloth. So she didn't have a pocket on her chest. But she was worried about Wen Qing holding the money, so she took it, saying, "I'll keep it for you." Then she clutched it tightly in her hand and tucked it into her chest, afraid that others would discover she had money or that it would be lost.
In the past, she, Wen Qing, and Wen Peng would walk along the dirt road at a leisurely pace, but this time they were in a great hurry.
"Mom, why are you walking so fast? I can hardly keep up." Wen Peng tugged at Wen Qing's clothes and ran alongside her.
"Don't you want to eat braised pork knuckle anymore?" Yao Shiling asked. Knowing that she would be back on Friday, Yao Shiling was so pleased that she bought pork knuckle early in the morning when she delivered shoes to Aunt Xiao, spending a whole dollar on it.
"Yes." Wen Peng ran off as soon as he heard the word "eat."
Wen Qing smiled to herself, thinking that she should have known better than to tell her mother that she had so much money on her; look how nervous her mother was.
Once inside the courtyard, Yao Shiling went straight to the east room, sat on the bed, and only then did she relax after taking out her sweaty money.
"Mom, it's just a few thousand yuan, don't be so nervous," Wen Qing said with a smile, trying to calm Yao Shiling down.
Yao Shiling deliberately rolled her eyes at her: "What do you know, you're just a kid. Money can kill people, you know? Take Sister Zhou next door, for example. Her mother went to the county town and lost five yuan. She was so upset that she went home and drank pesticide. If she hadn't been found, she would have been dead long ago."
"Okay, I understand." Wen Qing obediently stepped forward and sat on the bed opposite Yao Shiling. Yao Shiling handed the money to Wen Qing, who then carefully explained to Yao Shiling how the money was earned, how much profit it generated, and how it was distributed. Yao Shiling nodded repeatedly, "Okay, you're a person of your own mind. Mom will listen to you."
"good."
After Wen Qing put the money away, the family gathered together for a sumptuous dinner. Wen Qing ate until her belly was round and exclaimed that it was delicious, especially delicious!
After the meal, Wen Qing asked Wen Peng to go to the village and call over the neighbors who had come to her house to make shoes, so that she could pay them their wages.
Wen Peng immediately said, "Okay, big sister, after I call out, I can play with Da Dao on the main road, okay?"
"You and Da Dao have become good friends again?" Wen Qing asked. Last time, when Er Hu Zi set fire to the wheat straw, Da Dao did not provide an alibi for Wen Peng, and Wen Peng had been holding a grudge and ignored Da Dao, even though Da Dao followed him around every day. How come they are playing together again now?
"Da Dao said it wasn't that he wasn't loyal, it was that his mother locked him in the pigsty, so he couldn't get out."
Wen Qing smiled and said, "Okay, go ahead."
"Don't panic, Wenpeng, come here and wash the oil off your mouth before you go play," Yao Shiling shouted as she fed the cows in front of the cowshed.
Wen Peng obediently walked to the porcelain pot, scooped up some water, smeared it on his lips, and ran away without caring whether it was clean or not.
“Look how playful this child is,” Yao Shiling said, pointing to Wen Peng’s retreating figure. “It’s so late at night.”
Wen Qing laughed: "Mom, don't all the kids in this area play on the muddy roads? It's okay."
After running out of his own yard, Wen Peng went to Sister Zhou's house first: "Sister Zhou, my sister is back. She wants you to go and collect your wages."
Sister Zhou was washing the pots when she heard about getting her wages. Overjoyed, she quickly threw down the loofah and, while untying her apron, called out, "Honey, come quick, come wash the pots! Wen Qing is back and wants me to get my wages!"
"You've already received your wages so quickly!"
"Mmm!" Sister Zhou was so happy she couldn't stop smiling. She wished she could run to Wen Qing's house in one step, but she couldn't show that she was too eager, since she hadn't been to the other five houses yet. So she crouched down and huddled at the entrance of her own fence, listening to the sounds on the road.
I didn't hear any sounds from the road, but I did hear Aunt Wang shouting, "Wang Da, I'm going to pay your wages!"
"That woman has a really loud voice," Sister Zhou muttered to herself.
Aunt Wang walked and laughed as she headed from the east end of the village toward Wen Qing's house. Unlike Sister Zhou, who was still somewhat reserved, she called out directly from Sister Zhou's door, "Zhou family, wages are paid! Come on, let's go to Wen Qing's house to collect our wages!"
Sister Zhou then came out from the fenced yard, looking as if she had just found out, and said, "They're giving out money already?"
"There's still money!" Aunt Wang was overjoyed.
Five people, including Aunt Wang and Sister Zhou, arrived at Wen Qing's house together.
Wen Qing was sitting at the large table in the main room, with Wen Liang and Yao Shiling sitting on either side of the table. There was a kerosene lamp on the table.
Wen Liang was reading a book by the light of a kerosene lamp.
Yao Shiling is making shoes.
Wen Qing seemed to be writing something, and there was a lot of money in front of her. Although it was only a few dozen yuan, it was a lot for Aunt Wang and the others.
"Wen Qing is back!" Aunt Wang called out with a smile.
Wen Qing and Yao Shiling quickly stood up to greet them: "Aunt Wang, you've arrived."
Yao Shiling quickly offered them seats, and the five of them sat around the large table.
Wen Qing scribbled in her notebook and then said, “Aunties and sisters, I’ve seen the shoes you made, and I’m very satisfied. The customers are satisfied too. I’ve also heard from my mom that you’ve been coming to make shoes every day at the same time for the past week without slacking off. So, as I promised to pay you, I’ll pay you for a week today.”
"Wen Qing, you're too kind," Aunt Wang said, rubbing her hands together and smiling, barely containing her excitement.
The others chimed in.
Undeniably, Aunt Wang, Sister Zhou, and others were extremely excited at this moment.
Including Yao Shiling, there were a total of six people. Wen Qing called out their names one by one. Except for Aunt Wang and Yao Shiling, who were paid seven yuan and fifty cents each, the others were paid five yuan.
After receiving their wages, everyone was overjoyed and felt a surge of admiration for the young Wen Qing. Holding the tangible wages in their hands, they were even more eager to finish the shoes quickly and efficiently.
Wen Qing gave a brief morale boost and then told the five men to come back for more shoes tomorrow.
The group of people, holding their wages, excitedly left Wen Qing's courtyard.
As soon as I stepped out of the yard, I saw many villagers crowding around and asking, "Have you really received your wages?"
"How much? Five yuan? That much?"
"You can make five yuan a week by making a few pairs of shoes without any hard work or exposure to the elements? That must be a lie."
Aunt Wang was furious when she heard this: "Who are you calling a liar? Who are you calling a liar? Wen Qing is so capable. If you make me listen to your nonsense again, I'll tear your mouth apart!" Aunt Wang had received seven yuan in wages from Wen Qing. Wen Qing was like a second mother to her, saving her whole family's lives. Anyone who dared to say a bad word about Wen Qing would have their mouths torn apart by her!
Regardless of what other villagers said, five people, including Aunt Wang and Sister Zhou, received their wages. This was a fact, and everyone couldn't help but envy them. Anyone can make shoes. Those who had previously spoken ill of Wen Qing for not being able to pay wages and for being young and incompetent now felt ashamed and secretly tried to curry favor with Wen Qing's family.
Even Da Dao's mother couldn't help but poke Da Dao and say, "Da Dao, aren't you friends with Peng Peng? Go ask Peng Peng if Wen Qing still needs anyone to make shoes?"
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