"The manager at the municipal supply and marketing cooperative said they wanted to return the goods, saying that since our clothes had already been supplied to the state-run department store, they shouldn't be put on the shelves at the supply and marketing cooperative anymore!"
Tie Dan was panting as he spoke, and Gang Pao added from the side, "We just went to the state-run department store and sure enough, we found that they had the same style of clothes as us. The supply and marketing cooperative manager was furious and has already thrown all our goods out!"
"What?"
Ling Huanwu had just come out with Zhou Jiuzhen's help when she heard the two of them return with the message. She hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "You said that state-run department stores also have clothes of the same style as ours?"
"Yes, and the price they set at the department store was actually 50 cents cheaper than the price we set."
The two dropped another bombshell.
Ling Huanwu felt a chill run down her spine. She couldn't believe that their already meager profits from ready-made clothes could be cheaper in a place a level above the supply and marketing cooperative.
Despite her still-weak condition, Ling Huanwu insisted on going to the department store to check out the work clothes they sold, no matter how Zhou Jiuzhen tried to stop her.
Upon arriving at the scene, Ling Huanwu touched the fabric that was the same as their ready-made clothes, and her heart sank.
When making the clothes, she separated the process into different steps and only revealed the final appearance of the garment on the last day.
Despite her caution, her blueprints were still stolen and her fruits were taken away.
Zhou Jiuzhen pulled her, who was in a daze, to a corner. "Don't worry, I'll think of something. We can provide evidence to prove that those clothes were designed by us, and then sue that state-owned enterprise."
"it's useless!"
Ling Huanwu shook her head repeatedly and spoke frankly, "Supply and marketing cooperatives and state-owned department stores are both state-owned assets and will not resist each other. On the contrary, they can abandon our small cooperative whenever they want."
“Let’s send the goods back first and then figure out a solution. You’re still sick. What if you ruin your health?”
Zhou Jiuzhen wouldn't allow her to refuse, and he carried Ling Huanwu back to the hospital on his back.
Ling Huanwu looked at the several large bags of clothes temporarily piled up in the hospital, unpacked them one by one, and then folded them neatly.
Meanwhile, Zhou Jiuzhen was holding a bowl of porridge. As she sighed and opened her mouth, he quickly reached out with a spoon and took the opportunity to feed her.
Seeing Ling Huanwu sigh countless times without realizing it, Zhou Jiuzhen's bowl of porridge was also emptied without him noticing.
Zhou Jiuzhen let out a long sigh and then picked up a handkerchief to wipe Ling Huanwu's mouth.
Lin Xiaoqin and Qiao Hui were dumbfounded the whole time; their eyes almost popped out.
After arriving in the city, Tie Dan and Gang Pao were forced to wear vests, and for the first time felt cold. Goosebumps fell all over their skin, and they immediately turned around and went back to the guesthouse to find clothes to wear.
Hearing the noise, Ling Huanwu noticed that Qiao Hui and Lin Xiaoqin were exchanging glances, seemingly communicating something, while Zhou Jiuzhen was staring intently at her with an empty bowl, lost in thought.
"Don't worry, our cooperative will pay your wages on time this month!"
"Jiuzhen, give me another bowl of porridge!"
Zhou Jiuzhen immediately smiled and responded, then poured another bowl of porridge into the bowl.
Spoonfuls of porridge were blew on to cool them down and fed to Ling Huanwu. Ling Huanwu was eager to replenish her energy and ate very quickly.
Zhou Jiuzhen pressed down on the spoon, "Slow down, the doctor said your stomach hasn't recovered yet, you can't eat too much."
"Then give me a couple more sips of soy sauce, my mouth is a bit bland from just eating porridge." Ling Huanwu puffed out her cheeks and gestured toward the small dish of soy sauce next to her.
With a helpless yet doting expression, Zhou Jiuzhen dipped a chopstick in soy sauce and poked it into her little mouth, which was smacking her porridge.
Qiao Hui and Lin Xiaoqin felt their blood sugar levels spike, and once again made an excuse to go to the toilet and fled one after the other.
*
The entrance to the office building of the Municipal Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
Ling Huanwu waited for a long time, until evening, before Director He finally got off work.
"Director He, I'd like to explain to you that the clothes at the department store weren't supplied by us; someone there copied our designs..."
Ling Huanwu had only managed to explain a few words when Director He interrupted her, his face full of embarrassment. "Comrade Ling, you can't say that anymore. Both the supply and marketing cooperative and the department store are places that serve the people, and I believe you. But this batch of goods from your cooperative is no longer suitable for our supply and marketing cooperative to sell. Our cooperation will be canceled from now on."
"Cancel the cooperation?"
These four words struck Ling Huanwu like a thunderbolt.
In order to set up the cooperative, the director of Wantan Island approved the procedures for her despite pressure from higher authorities.
These days, the women in the commune have been working day and night to finish the orders.
How can we just throw away these clothes that embody the hard work and sweat of our aunties?
Moreover, canceling the cooperation would mean all their previous efforts would be in vain, and their cooperative would never have a chance to recover.
"Director He, please give us another chance. You can accept this batch of goods and sell them at a lower price than the department store. I will take measures to prevent such plagiarism and theft from happening again."
She tried to explain, but Director He pushed his bicycle across the road and was about to leave, refusing to give her a chance to explain. "Don't say anything more. Your cooperative should just dissolve as soon as possible; the losses will be smaller..."
Director He straddled the bicycle with one foot, impatiently tossed out a sentence, and tried to pedal away.
To his surprise, no matter how hard he tried with his right foot, the wheel remained as steady as a mountain and did not budge.
Turning around, he saw a tall, burly man in military uniform. One of his large hands seemed to be casually gripping the back of his bicycle, but it had immobilized the bicycle.
Director He's body trembled, and when he looked up, he met the fierce gaze of the big man, as if the righteous light in his eyes would burn him through at any moment.
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