Chapter 168
It was noon when Qin Xiang arrived in the capital. The temperature was so hot that the whole city was like a furnace.
"I'll be leaving first. You can go back to the dorm and rest. We'll come back to the store tomorrow."
Although Qin Xiang was struggling, she didn't want to suffer. Business was now on track, and several branches were doing well. The next plan was to open a few more branches before winter arrived, so they could increase their sales. As for future plans, of course, opening a factory was the next step, but that wasn't something that could be done overnight. It required not only space and labor, but also machinery. To make good-looking machines, they needed state-of-the-art equipment that kept up with the times.
Each of these amounts is not a small sum, and she doesn't have the ability to do it for the time being.
The two of them didn't tell anyone when they came back, so no one came to pick them up at the airport. Fortunately, they could call a tricycle here, so they were able to quickly return to the city.
But it was also hot in the back of the tricycle at noon.
Qin Xiang couldn't help but sigh at the benefits of having a car, "Looks like I have to find a way to buy one."
She has enough money to buy a car, but the difficulty lies in how to buy it. Buying a car is not an easy thing these days, and you need a permit.
"I'll find a way to buy a car later."
If you can enjoy yourself, you must enjoy yourself. If you can't, you must find a way. You can't live a hard life even if you have money.
When she got home, Qin Xiang closed the gate and quickly went to take a shower. Then she went back to the room, turned on the air conditioner, and felt refreshed.
Air conditioning is a real bonus. If it weren't for the restrictions, she'd have installed it throughout her store. Imagine, on a hot day, wouldn't the store be packed with people? Even if they're just looking to cool down, they'll still want to check out the clothes, right? She's so confident in the quality of her clothes, who wouldn't want to?
But this is just a thought. Installing a fan is already a big deal.
I had a comfortable sleep with the air conditioner on, and when I got up I didn't go out. I was just about to make something to eat when someone suddenly knocked on the door.
Qin Xiang went out and took a look. She was stunned. It turned out to be Meng Huaiqing's chef. "Hello, Miss Qin. We are here on behalf of Mr. Meng to bring you some food."
Then a large stainless steel insulated lunch box was handed over.
Qin Xiang was stunned for a moment, then thanked him, "Thank you very much."
The other party said politely, "You're very polite. Mr. Meng has instructed us to take care of your meals while you're in the capital, so you don't have to do anything. Do we come to cook at a certain time every day, or do we just deliver it to you?"
Qin Xiang didn't know what to say anymore. After a moment's pause, she said, "No need. I'll explain everything to your boss. I can handle the cooking myself. I won't bother you any more."
After closing the door, Qin Xiang frowned slightly.
It's a good thing to be cared for by your boyfriend, but excessive care is not a good thing.
She couldn't accept having people coming and going to cook and deliver meals to her.
Qin Xiang opened the lunch box, which contained three dishes and a white fungus and lotus seed soup. The portions were not large, but very delicate, and there was not much left after Qin Xiang finished eating.
After washing the plates and bowls, Qin Xiang went out to the telephone booth at the entrance of the alley to make a call.
The phone rang for a while and someone finally answered.
A woman's voice came over, "Excuse me, who are you looking for?"
Qin Xiang didn't know the other person's identity, but she felt that his tone was not very good. She replied, "Hello, I'm looking for Meng Huaiqing."
The other party was stunned and his voice changed. "Looking for Huai Qing? Who are you?"
Qin Xiang frowned, "If he's not here, forget it."
After saying that, Qin Xiang hung up the phone.
But she also thought about it and felt that the other party's tone and familiar attitude probably meant that he was someone Meng Huaiqing knew.
But the hostility in the tone was inexplicable.
Could it be a close female friend?
Qin Xiang didn't doubt Meng Huaiqing because of this. It was common for outstanding people, regardless of gender, to be liked and cared for by others. At Meng Huaiqing's age and with such a family background, it was even more normal for him to be liked and cared for by others.
She doesn't care about other people's attitudes, as long as the trouble doesn't come to her.
After hanging up the phone with Yi Xun, Qin Xiang didn't have anything to worry about, so she went back and took out her textbook to study.
After all, she was still an average student. She didn't know if she could get a scholarship this past semester.
Although the scholarship is not much, every little bit counts, and the meaning it represents is different.
Qin Xiang was always so focused on her studies that she didn't even hear someone knocking on the door.
But the next day, one of Meng Huaiqing's subordinates came to ask, "Mr. Meng asked me to ask if we should install a telephone so that we can communicate more conveniently."
Installing a telephone is naturally a good thing. In fact, Qin Xiang's store had already applied to the telephone bureau a long time ago, but unfortunately it has never been realized.
It can actually be installed now? It seems that it is still installed here?
Qin Xiang could guess what the purpose was, but after thinking about it, she said, "Okay, but I plan to install it in my storefront."
Meng Huaiqing's men didn't refuse immediately and said directly, "Okay, I'll bring people over to install it later."
Installing a telephone at this time is rather troublesome, as it involves pulling telephone lines, and there may not be suitable telephone lines available near her store.
Seeing that the other party was about to leave, Qin Xiang called him back and said, "If you need anything, go talk to Qin Dong in my shop. We will cover all the expenses."
The other party was startled, and obviously had received instructions from Meng Huaiqing, and immediately said, "Okay, Miss Qin."
After the other party left, Qin Xiang went directly to the storefront, told Qin Dong about installing the phone, and went upstairs to find a suitable location.
There was a living room upstairs, which was usually used as a living room and occasionally as a meeting room. Qin Xiang also bought two desks, which were perfect for placing the telephone.
While we're dealing with you, Meng Huaiqing's men are coming with the telephone company staff.
After some measurements and calculations, they began to get busy.
The telephone and telephone line were installed after a busy morning and afternoon, and a copy of the phone number was also given to Qin Xiang.
Meng Huaiqing's subordinates also said, "This call can be made directly to Hong Kong City, no need to transfer."
At this time, it was rare to call directly from a landline to Hong Kong City; it was rather cumbersome and required registration. Qin Xiang had been able to call from Guangzhou before because her hotel was of a high standard, and the phone booth she had used to make the call yesterday was no ordinary one.
I didn't expect that I could make the call directly, it was a pleasant surprise.
Qin Xiang thanked him and asked Qin Dong to treat the other party to a meal to express his gratitude and then settle the bill. Qin Xiang finally had time to use the phone.
However, this first call, to express gratitude, was made directly to Meng Huaiqing. This time, an elderly woman answered the phone with an elegant voice, "Are you looking for Huaiqing?"
Qin Xiang replied, "Yes, thank you for your help."
The other party smiled and said, "No trouble, just wait a moment."
As he spoke, the other party called out Meng Huaiqing's name, and when the person came over, he asked again, "You are Qin Xiang, right?"
Qin Xiang was stunned for a moment, then guessed the other person's identity, "Yes, hello, Grandma Ge."
"I heard Huai Qing talk about you."
Before he could finish his words, he heard hurried footsteps, followed by a familiar voice, "Qin Xiang?"
Qin Xiang heard Meng Huaiqing's voice and responded, "It's me. Didn't I go out to work today?"
Meng Huaiqing sat down on the sofa next to him, feeling cheerful. "I just came back to have lunch with grandma. Did you install the phone?"
"Yes, I've just settled down. That's why I called you first." Qin Xiang was in a good mood when she heard Meng Huaiqing's voice. She put aside the fact that he had arbitrarily arranged her life. "Is Boss Meng happy now?"
Meng Huaiqing smiled, "Of course."
He paused and brought up what happened last night, "Did you make a phone call last night?"
"Yeah." Qin Xiang teased, "It's a pity that Boss Meng was busy. I couldn't chat for a while. It's a pity."
Thinking of what happened last night, Meng Huaiqing's expression turned much colder, but then he remembered that it was Qin Xiang on the other end of the phone, and his mood brightened again. "Let's not talk about that. Some irrelevant people came to my house last night, and some things happened. We've already dealt with it. By the way, did they come over to cook for you?"
Qin Xiang raised an eyebrow. She didn't expect that she hadn't mentioned Meng Huaiqing yet, but she took the initiative to mention it. So she said, "I went, but I already refused."
Meng Huaiqing frowned over there, but before he could ask why, Qin Xiang spoke up, "Do you think you should discuss this with me and ask if I need it before you do it?"
Meng Huaiqing was stunned and instantly realized what he had done wrong.
Although he was kind and wanted to take care of her life, he also overlooked one problem: Qin Xiang did not need his care. As long as Qin Xiang wanted to do something as trivial as cooking, she could hire a nanny instead of him doing it for her.
Meng Huaiqing immediately said, "I'm sorry, Qin Xiang, I was wrong about this matter. Although I wanted to save you from the hardship, I didn't discuss it with you in advance. I'm very sorry, and I hope you can forgive me this time."
Without waiting for Qin Xiang to speak, Meng Huaiqing said gently, "I think that any man and woman need to adjust when they are in a relationship. As long as they know their mistakes and correct them in time, they can still be good boyfriends. Don't you think so?"
Meng Huaiqing had said all that Qin Xiang could say. She couldn't get angry anymore. Qin Xiang laughed and said, "You're right. Before doing anything related to me, I hope you can discuss it with me in advance. Also, thank you for installing the telephone line."
Meng Huaiqing breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you're happy." He paused. "Actually, I did this so that I could contact you more easily."
Qin Xiang had no objection, "It's good."
After hanging up the phone, Qin Xiang started thinking about finding a nanny.
Yes, she can cook and she is quite good at it, but being able to cook doesn’t mean she likes it. Why should she do it herself when someone else can do it for her?
But it’s not easy to find a nanny these days.
Unexpectedly, Qin Baotian was immediately unhappy when he heard that she wanted to hire a nanny to cook and do housework. "It's just cooking. I can cook it for you when the time comes. Why spend that money?"
Qin Xiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "That's different. How can I let you cook for me? Okay, Dad, just help guard the warehouse. You still have to go out for performances or something. How can you have so much time?"
When this was mentioned, Qin Baotian frowned, as if he really didn't have time.
He had learned to play the erhu for a few years earlier, and unexpectedly, while out and about, he joined a senior citizen performance group. His skills were truly impressive, and he even participated in a performance during the May Day holiday.
Qin Baotian scratched his head and said, "Then I'll find one for you. After all, I know so many old men and women."
Qin Xiang nodded, "Okay, then you help me find one. You know what flavors I like, so I won't worry about it."
The weather is really hot in the summer, and the clothing industry has stabilized and sales are about the same.
In the afternoon, Tan Xiu came over from the wholesale city and said to Qin Xiang, "Boss, should we continue to open branches? I contacted Xiaofeng, and the production there is more than enough for our supply. The shipment volume at the wholesale city has also stabilized. Why don't we continue to open new stores? The cost of opening a storefront and the labor cost are relatively cheap now. I think increasing sales is a good thing. Besides, by September and October, it will be the time for the autumn collection, followed by the winter collection, and the profit will be considerable."
Qin Xiang looked at Tan Xiu and said helplessly, "I was planning to open two more stores when it's a little cooler. Going out in this weather is really not a good idea."
Although she is the boss and everything is profit-oriented, the weather this year is too hot and she doesn't want her employees to go out and run around.
But Tan Xiu disagreed. "What's there to be afraid of in the heat? Although it's comfortable to sit with a fan on every day, I feel uncomfortable all over."
Her eyes were bright as she looked at Qin Xiang and said, "Although it's hard work when we're busy, I'm very excited when I see the results. That feeling..." Tan Xiu pointed to her chest and couldn't help laughing. "Sorry, boss, I'm not well-educated, so I don't know how to describe it. I'm just very excited and proud, like a mother watching her child grow up."
This metaphor successfully made Qin Xiang laugh. "Okay, I understand what you mean and what you're thinking. However, it's not easy for us to expand to this point. I naturally want to open branches, but this time, I want to open branches in Hangzhou and Suzhou."
Hearing this, Tan Xiu was stunned. "Ah? Where are we going?"
Although Qin Xiang already has ten stores, they are all located between Ningcheng and the capital, all in the north, and still very far away from the south.
Hangzhou and Suzhou are considered to be in the south, and the economic development there is much better than in the north. Although Tan Xiu knows that her own business is booming, she is a little lacking in confidence to open stores in these two cities.
"I heard there are a lot of factories over there. Can we open a shop there?"
It’s no wonder that Tan Xiu thinks this way. Most people think that the economy in the south is more developed. After all, many new things in the north are introduced from the south.
Qin Xiang looked at Tan Xiu and smiled, "Why, you don't have confidence in our clothes?"
But Tan Xiu disagreed and shook her head quickly, "No, I just... Oh, I can't really explain it."
Qin Xiang understood what she meant and comforted her, "You're not actually lacking confidence in our clothes, it's you who's suddenly lost confidence in yourself."
Tan Xiu was stunned.
Qin Xiang took Tan Xiu's hand and said, "I was very happy when you came in and told me about opening a branch just now. Your confidence at that time was genuine. Why did you lose confidence when you heard about opening a store in Hangzhou and Sucheng? You have opened seven branches with your team. Sucheng and Hangzhou are just like other cities, just a little further away. What are you afraid of? I believe you can help me open these two stores successfully."
But it was summer vacation now, and since she had decided to open it now, she couldn't be lazy anymore. She immediately said, "But I'll go with you this time."
Tan Xiu's eyes immediately lit up, and she no longer had any doubts. "Okay, then when do we leave?"
Qin Xiang couldn't help but sigh. If possible, she would like to stay in an air-conditioned room for the entire summer vacation instead of traveling far away.
Seeing her enthusiasm, Qin Xiang said, "Let's arrange some personnel in the next few days and then we'll go there."
When there were no branches, Tan Xiu had been actively recruiting and training people. After Qin Xiang came back, Tan Xiu had sent four employees, two men and two women, to assist Miao Xiaofeng in her work.
This time, when opening a branch, each store not only needs a clerk but also a store manager, so Liu Xiaocao was selected. Another one was a local employee in the capital. After asking his willingness to go to the south, he was also taken along. As for the other clerks, they had to be selected locally because only a few of them were willing to go to other places.
After everything was arranged, Qin Xiang went to the wholesale city for another round. After she left, the place was handed over to Mi Hongjun for management.
At this time, Hao Jingjing had already started working in the capital, so Mi Hongjun was free to focus on his work.
When Mi Hongjun learned that Qin Xiang was going to Hangzhou, his first thought was to follow her to help.
But after being persuaded by Qin Xiang, he said, "Okay, go ahead and don't worry. I'll take care of it here."
When saying this, Mi Hongjun still looked in the direction of Na Qiang with fear.
Although Na Qiang has been much more obedient during this period, Mi Hongjun always feels that this guy is up to no good and may do something bad at any time, so he has to keep an eye on him every day to feel at ease.
Seeing that he knew what was going on, Qin Xiang felt relieved. So the next day, without waiting for Qin Baotian to find the nanny, she took Tan Xiu and two reserve store managers and took the train to Hangzhou.
The biggest advantage of living in the capital is the convenient transportation. For example, Hangzhou is a provincial capital, and there are direct trains from the capital.
Qin Xiang did not use Meng Huaiqing's people to buy the plane ticket, but Qin Baotian used his connections to help buy a sleeper ticket for her.
It has to be said that the elderly have their own way of socializing, and they can get to know anyone without saying anything. Look, Qin Baotian easily helped to buy it.
After getting on the train and getting into the sleeper car, Qin Xiang finally breathed a sigh of relief. Going out in the hot summer was a torture. If she had to sit on a hard seat, she would be half exhausted when she arrived in Hangzhou.
The train slowly arrived in Hangzhou. Qin Xiang and his companions went directly to the city center to find a hotel to stay in. After a night's rest, they went out for a walk.
Qin Xiang is not unfamiliar with Hangzhou, having been there twice before.
But when I came here again, I found that there were new changes and the development seemed to be better than when I came here last time.
Tan Xiu and the others had seen a lot of the world in the capital, but they couldn't help but be surprised when they came to Hangzhou. "The development here is really good."
Qin Xiang nodded, "Yes, so we should go out more often." Looking at the lights of the night market not far away, Qin Xiang said, "Let's go over there and take a look."
The night market in the city center is the largest night market in Hangzhou. It is uniformly planned and does not appear messy at all.
Before they got there, they heard someone shout, "Xiao Qin?"
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