Chapter 254
After returning to the capital, Zhou Jiani first went to the store and looked at the accounts for this period.
The temperature in the capital has dropped a bit in the past few days, so Jiang Xinfeng and the others all put on thin cotton jackets.
Zhou Jiani had already asked someone to set up a stove in the store, and before leaving, she reminded them to light the stove as soon as the weather got colder. However, the elderly were used to living frugally, and they felt that as long as the door was closed and they were wearing cotton trousers and jackets, the temperature felt fine, not enough to light the stove.
Zhou Jiani came over and lit the stove, saying with a smile, "We don't need to save the charcoal money. The house is warm, so customers will stay and be happy to stay a while. Who knows, they might even buy something they hadn't planned on buying before."
Another thing is that when they are not busy, they are doing handicrafts. Zhou Jiani is afraid that their hands will be frozen, so she would rather burn more charcoal to ensure the temperature in the room.
Besides, grandma is old, and Aunt Zhang is even older than her mother. How painful would it be if she caught a cold?
Yue Cuiyun is younger, but she has a leg injury and is worried that the room is too cold for her leg to bear.
Speaking of which, Yue Cuiyun had planned to treat her leg since last year, but then suddenly decided not to go for the procedure.
Old Mrs. Jiang asked Yue Cuiyun several times before she told the truth. She said that they had been to the hospital for a check-up and that they needed surgery, but someone needed to take care of her. Zhang Lihai was unable to spare the time, and Yue Cuiyun didn't want him to miss work. There were many people at his workplace who were eyeing his car, and if he was delayed for ten days or half a month, they were afraid that someone would take his place when they returned. So the couple discussed spending some money to have someone from Cuiyun's family send to take care of her.
The in-laws definitely don't expect it, and if they really come, they will definitely not say anything unpleasant. Zhang Lihai also knows his own mother, and he is embarrassed to make this suggestion.
Yue Cuiyun lost her mother and had two sisters-in-law at home. Sometimes she would send the rare things that Zhang Lihai brought back to her two brothers' homes. She thought it should not be a big problem, but her sisters-in-law took the opportunity to put forward conditions, wanting Zhang Lihai to introduce their men to the transport team.
How easy is it to find a job these days?
Zhang Lihai is just a truck driver, not a unit leader. If he really has a position, the relatives of the leaders above him can't even be arranged. How could he have that power?
The apprenticeship unit is saturated.
Yue Cuiyun was angry, so she stopped asking her family for help and put the treatment of her leg on hold for the time being.
At that time, Old Mrs. Jiang advised her that she should seek treatment and not be angry with herself. She should spend money to find someone to stay in bed with her for a few days. Besides, she and Aunt Zhang were there, and they could visit her in the hospital from time to time to support her.
Yue Cuiyun had her own ideas. First, she wanted to continue saving money. Second, she wanted to wait until the end of this year to have the surgery so that Zhang Lihai would not have to drive during the New Year, which would make it convenient for him to take care of her.
Old Mrs. Jiang tried to persuade her several times, but seeing that she insisted on her plan, she stopped trying.
After the stove was lit, Zhou Jiani once again reminded them not to be reluctant to use charcoal and to pay attention to ventilation. Then she started to take inventory with Yue Cuiyun. They counted all the inventory and then combined it with this year's sales to judge which goods were easy to sell and which were slow to ship, so that they would have a reference for future purchases.
Anyway, dried cowpeas sell very well in the city, and many people love to eat them.
Rice noodles and vermicelli are also shipped quickly.
Zhou Jiani now places an order with Zhao Hai, with the minimum order of one thousand kilograms of each item each time. Zhao Hai now supplies goods exclusively to her, and helps her receive the goods in his spare time, including peanuts, walnuts, red dates and melon seeds.
However, peanuts are not sold in the store. Strictly speaking, peanuts at that time are still a commodity that is purchased and sold in a unified manner. Zhou Jiani keeps some for frying and eating at home, and posts the extra ones in the group to start a group purchase.
She also buys dried cowpeas, rice noodles, and vermicelli. She puts some in the store and keeps some for herself to make her own circle.
After that, I returned to school and started busy writing research reports and papers.
While she was busy as a top, Qiu Zeming finally finished his three-month special training for freshmen. He went to the store to see Grandma Jiang first. The store happened to be a little busy, so he stood by to help greet customers or pass things.
He only went to Huazhong University of Science and Technology in the afternoon when he was not busy.
Zhou Jiani almost buried herself in books during this period. She was so busy every day that she was dizzy. When she suddenly saw her boyfriend standing there looking at her, she felt dazzled for a moment.
"Ze Ming!"
Zhou Jiani calmed herself down, trotted over, and looked at him with bright eyes: "Are you on vacation?"
Qiu Zeming looked at her with a smile in his eyes and said softly, "There are three days of vacation."
Ever since the two families verbally finalized their marriage in the first half of the year, Qiu Zeming felt that this year had passed exceptionally slowly. Now that he thought that it was still a whole year before Jiani graduated, he felt that the days were even harder to bear.
Especially now that his family has started preparing for his marriage, when she got home this morning, her mother talked about the house decoration and asked the couple to discuss it. Jiani can draw, so she can draw a picture according to her own preferences so that they can start looking for someone to decorate it.
Qiu Zeming asked, "Do you have classes this afternoon?"
Zhou Jiani shook her head: "I'm just about to go to the store."
"Okay, let's go to the store." He added, "When are you free tomorrow? Let's go to Shichahai and discuss the renovations."
Zhou Jiani already had a plan in her mind. Since the house where she and Qiu Zeming got married would be where they would live permanently in the future, they had to make it as comfortable as possible.
The next morning, Zhou Jiani only had one class, and after class she went to Shichahai with Qiu Zeming who came to pick her up.
There are no permanent residents here, so Du Yunxin usually comes to clean, and Zhou Jiani also comes to clean sometimes. Although it is deserted, the house is very clean.
Zhou Jiani liked the earthen kang in the house very much and wanted to keep it. Qiu Zeming suggested finding someone to knock it down and build a new one.
This was the house where he and Jiani got married. It was their new home and they didn't want to sleep on the kang left by the previous owner.
The idea of him and Jiani sleeping on the same kang in the future suddenly crossed his mind. Although the room was so cold that it could freeze, Comrade Xiao Qiu felt hot and broke out in a thin sweat.
Zhou Jiani didn't notice anything unusual about her partner. She took a ruler to measure his size and said, "Then let's re-do it, but if we do it again, we'll just do a 1.8-meter one."
This is a kang that is one and a half meters long.
A room of 1.8 meters is more spacious, so that children can sleep comfortably in the future.
Well, she and Qiu Zeming were standing one inside and one outside, and their little child was lying between them.
This scene flashed through Zhou Jiani's mind and her face turned slightly hot.
We were just planning to build a kang, how come the child came out?
When he turned around, the blush on Qiu Zeming's face had not faded, and there was a deep tenderness in his eyes.
Zhou Jiani was stunned for a moment, and before she could react, the man had already kissed her. It felt more passionate than before, as if he wanted to eat her. In the end, Zhou Jiani almost collapsed in Qiu Zeming's arms, all thanks to his big hand supporting her lower back.
It was not until they heard the clanking of a bicycle passing through the alley that the two of them separated, breathless.
Zhou Jiani glared at her, but the look had no deterrent power. Her eyes were shimmering, and Qiu Zeming almost confessed.
The two of them then behaved themselves, measuring dimensions, recording, and discussing the renovation plan.
Basically, Zhou Jiani spoke and Qiu Zeming was responsible for nodding.
When they were about to leave, Zhou Jiani chuckled and said, "Don't you have any suggestions?"
Qiu Zeming: "Your design is very good, no suggestions needed."
Zhou Jiani gave him a sidelong glance, and the two of them locked the door and left.
On the way, Qiu Zeming pedaled the bicycle. Seeing that there were almost no people on the road, Zhou Jiani put her arm around his waist. Qiu Zeming said, "We have a holiday during the Chinese New Year this year. When the time comes, our family will go to Qiyang and formally discuss the marriage with my uncle and aunt."
Zhou Jiani acted arrogant and shook her legs: "Who wants to marry you?"
Qiu Zeming smiled and said, "Even if you don't marry me, I will stay with you forever. Anyway, I have decided on you for this life."
Zhou Jiani curled her lips: "Slippery tongue."
But as soon as the "smooth-tongued" guy returned to school, Zhou Jiani started to miss him again.
But soon she couldn't take care of it anymore. Besides adjusting the purchase of goods for the shop, she was also busy with exams and revising the paper she had written before. She was busy until the winter vacation.
During this period, Zhou Jiani brought in vegetables from the Qianjin Brigade several times, and each time she delivered them here in truckloads.
It was not other rare things that made Qianhui Department Store so popular, but the fresh vegetables shipped in during the winter suddenly became popular, and there was an unusually long queue in front of the store.
Qianhui Department Store is a small private store. Its supply is not arranged by the state, and it does not require any certificates. Even though the prices of fresh vegetables are a little higher in winter, everyone can accept it, and they are almost sold out.
Since then, many customers have come here frequently. Even if they can't buy fresh vegetables, they will buy some dried goods to take away.
The shop is profitable.
The Qiu family is also preparing to formally propose marriage.
The Qiu family still invited Qiu Zeming's aunt and uncle. After all, these two were the matchmakers who proposed the marriage last time, so they naturally had to accompany them to formally discuss the marriage this time.
This time we didn't take the train. Instead, we arranged two cars to drive all the way from the capital to Qiyang.
Zhou Jiani had returned with her grandmother a long time ago, and the store was left to Bai Haoyang.
It was already late at night when the Qiu family arrived in Qi Yang. They found a guesthouse to rest for the night and went to the dormitory of the Second Textile Factory the next morning.
Two military vehicles drove into the dormitory area of the Second Textile Factory, causing a sensation in the entire dormitory area.
In recent years, many gossipy neighbors have repeatedly predicted the bad luck of Zhou Jiani's earlier arranged marriage. Even though Qiu Zeming later proved time and again that their relationship was still going on, as long as there was no movement for a while, people would speculate behind the scenes.
This time, many people were completely shut up.
The Liu family, who hated Zhou Jiani the most, murmured "Pooh" and said of her: "She looks alluring and charming, but she's always hooking up with men, and she won't let go for years."
A neighbor who couldn't stand it anymore said speechlessly: "Jia Ni is not only good-looking but also talented. Do you have a top student from Hua University in your family?"
This Lu Cuilan is mentally ill and has been looking at the Zhou family with displeasure all day long.
In the beginning, it was their daughter who was causing trouble for Zhou Jiani, but in the end, it seemed as if the Zhou family owed their family something. It was really unlucky for the Zhou family to have such a neighbor.
However, most of the neighbors were saying that Zhou Jiani had found a good family and that they valued the Zhou family's daughter. Some were also wondering what kind of family background the Qiu family had...
There was a lot of discussion outside, and the Zhou family was bustling with activity, with the small house full of people.
Zhou Jiani was familiar with the Qiu family and was not shy at all. She greeted them openly.
While Jiang Xinfeng was talking to the old man, Zhou Wanli and Yu Huifang were busy greeting Qiu Dongshu and his wife and Ze Ming's aunt and uncle.
Qiu Zeming was teasing his two brothers-in-law on the side.
Since both families are satisfied, they naturally speak positively of the situation.
Besides, the Qiu family has even bought a house, and Zhou Jiani has started looking for someone to decorate it based on the design drawings she drew herself.
In other words, the yard is still decorated according to the daughter's own preferences. What else can the Zhou family say wrong?
In short, the two families had a very pleasant conversation. After the lively discussion, they went to a restaurant for dinner. The next day, they kept Qiu Zeming and asked him to help his future father-in-law's family prepare for the New Year. The elders drove back to the capital.
The Zhou family loved their son-in-law so much that they would never let him work. Instead, they took into consideration that their two children were usually busy and rarely had free time, so they sent them out to see a movie.
In the cinema, Qiu Zeming hooked his hand around his girlfriend's and kept rubbing it. He didn't pay any attention to what was going on in the movie. He was a little distracted and whispered, "Jia Ni, after we graduate at the end of this year, let's go get the certificate first, okay?"
He actually hoped that they would get a marriage certificate and hold a wedding as soon as Jiani graduated. He was eager to be the groom, but he also had to consider the feelings of his father-in-law's family. At least he wanted to let Jiani spend the New Year at home again.
You can get a marriage certificate first and choose a date for the wedding after the New Year.
Zhou Jiani chuckled and said, "Strictly speaking, it's still nearly a year away. We'll talk about it then."
Qiu Zeming sighed, yes, there is still a year, another year before he can marry his wife.
Why does the time go by so slowly?
In fact, time didn't pass slowly. He didn't realize that it was already the 29th day of the lunar year. He felt that he would have to go back to the capital in a blink of an eye. If it weren't for the bad influence, he would have wanted to stay here to celebrate the New Year.
After leaving reluctantly, the man came back on the second day of the new year, and Bai Haoyang came with him. However, Bai Haoyang came to wish the Zhou family a happy new year, and left the year-end account book and dividends to Zhou Jiani, and then went to please his mother-in-law.
Zhou Jiani has not returned to the capital since she came back a few years ago. Bai Haoyang has been there all the time, settling everyone's wages, watching over the store until the goods are packed up, and counting the accounts before closing the store.
On the fourth day of the New Year, Zhou Jiani and Qiu Zeming returned to the capital. That night, they went to the Qiu family to celebrate the New Year. On the fifth day, they went to the hospital to visit Yue Cuiyun, who had just undergone surgery a year ago.
Yue Cuiyun's surgery was performed by Du Yunxin.
Zhang Lihai did not dare to be careless when it came to his wife's health. He did not bother to be polite with Qiu Zeming and asked the wife of his former leader, Du Yunxin, to perform the surgery on Yue Cuiyun.
He is recovering well and will be discharged from the hospital in a few days.
The couple did not go home for the New Year this year.
Zhou Jiani said to Zhang Lihai, "Brother Zhang, you should be going to work soon, right?"
Zhang Lihai was about to discuss with Zhou Jiani: "Sister-in-law, I want to hire someone to take care of Cuiyun for a month. I might disturb you during this period..."
Yue Cuiyun lives with Zhou Jiani, so if she wants to hire someone, she must discuss it with Zhou Jiani.
Zhou Jiani waved her hand and said, "Why bother you? My grandma will be back after the Lantern Festival, and I just want to hire someone to take care of the house. If the person you hire is reliable, I will keep him and ask him to take care of my sister-in-law and help my grandma with cooking."
Grandma has to take care of both the store and the family, and she is worried that the old woman will be exhausted, so she has wanted to hire someone for a long time.
But the old lady probably wouldn't be happy without a suitable excuse. This time, using Yue Cuiyun's excuse to recuperate was the most appropriate.
Zhang Lihai said hurriedly: "I'll pay their salary first..."
Zhou Jiani disagreed: "If you think it's okay, then don't worry about it. I'll hire you."
Zhang Lihai felt bad about it, and the two argued for a long time. In the end, Zhang Lihai paid one month's salary, and if Zhou Jiani wanted to keep the person, she would be responsible for his salary.
Yue Cuiyun was also anxious to be discharged from the hospital. She was also thinking about making money. Even if she didn't go to the store to operate the sewing machine, she could still make hair bands or decorations by hand and earn at least a few dollars.
On the sixth day of the New Year, a string of firecrackers was set off to start the business.
There were not many customers after the New Year. Zhou Jiani was stringing beads, Aunt Zhang was working on the sewing machine, and Lu Minjuan was using another machine, making hair bands while discussing thesis with Zhou Jiani.
Zhou Jiani revised her paper several times, and Lv Minjuan felt that she had a high chance of publication.
However, Zhou Jiani did not plan to submit her paper to the departmental journal. Instead, she wanted to try submitting it to Economic Science, a more authoritative economics journal in China. So she has been polishing her paper since she finished the survey before the New Year.
She was also worried about whether her manuscript would be approved.
Lv Minjuan did not consider Economic Science, she wanted to submit to the departmental journal.
Feng Ya sat obediently by the stove and read a book.
There weren't many customers that morning, but the shop was open. An auntie came in and bought five pounds of rice noodle wrappers and five pounds of vermicelli noodles. Seeing two baskets of vegetables on the ground, she immediately took most of the baskets and sighed, "Oh my! I never thought I could buy fresh food during Chinese New Year."
This aunt lives far away, and she didn't know about this small department store before the New Year. She was busy at work before the New Year and didn't get much supply. These days, she was entertaining guests at home and was about to run out of food to serve them, so she heard about this small store from her relatives.
She hadn't bought any ready-made items from the supply and marketing cooperative near her home in the past two days. She also went to the department store, but the counters were empty and the clerks were sitting there knitting sweaters.
After walking around for most of the day, I remembered the store my relative mentioned, so I rode my bike for 40 minutes to find it, just to give it a try.
She was worried that the store might not be open yet, but she didn't expect that not only was it open, but it also had everything she wanted ready-made and even fresh vegetables.
Looking at the hair ornaments hanging on the wall, she also thought they were beautiful. She immediately ordered five in different colors and styles. With a smile on her face, she said, "When did you open this shop? There are so many more of them than in the department store."
It's useful to be able to buy things during the year.
Zhou Jiani found it funny. She couldn't compare with places like department stores. These vegetables were stored in the cellar in the yard by Bai Haoyang before the New Year. The leafy greens were a little wilted, but the onions, eggplants, potatoes and carrots were still well preserved.
The celery leaves were a little wilted, but it didn't affect the taste. The aunt took the whole bunch of celery.
It is true that it is hard to buy elsewhere.
Qiu Zeming went home to visit relatives today, and took Zhou Jiani to visit his aunt Ge's house the next day. Zhou Jiani also accepted a red envelope and felt a little embarrassed.
However, Aunt Ge revealed to her that the factory had already made several new versions of spring clothes that would be on the market before the New Year. She thought they were pretty good, so if Zhou Jiani could get the goods early, she should prepare them quickly.
Zhou Jiani became busy.
After sending her boyfriend off to school early, she started visiting clothing factories to discuss spring clothes.
I went back to Qi Yang during the Lantern Festival to pick up my grandma, and then started to get busy with school.
There is a new sister-in-law named Jiang in the family. She not only takes care of Yue Cuiyun, but also helps Jiang Xinfeng with cooking and cleaning the yard.
Jiang Xinfeng knew that it was Zhang Lihai who hired someone to take care of Yue Cuiyun, and she didn't think much about it, but she did feel relieved.
After Yue Cuiyun started working, Zhou Jiani felt that Mrs. Jiang was a nice person, so she discussed with her grandmother about keeping her. Jiang Xinfeng thought about it and felt that it would be much more convenient to have someone around, so she could focus on the shop.
The spring clothes were already on sale, and they were the ones Jiani bought during the Chinese New Year holiday. She had to help her granddaughter sell these clothes, so she accepted the offer naturally.
At the end of March, when everyone was still immersed in the joy of the men's volleyball team winning the ticket to the World Cup, the paper she investigated on rural economic reform a few years ago was successfully published in "Economic Science", causing a small stir in the Economics Department.
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