Chapter 31
Of course, Comrade Xiao Qiu still respects the elderly and loves the young, so how could he let Zhou Wanli choose heavier dishes?
Putting the heavier burden on his shoulders, Zhou Wanli picked out relatively lighter woven items.
Yu Huifang had just been taking care of her daughter, and only then did she see these beautiful baskets, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.
She helped her daughter carry her bag and followed her as she said, "Nini, was this made by someone from your team? It's so beautiful!"
A woman carrying a military green handbag walked alongside them. She glanced over subconsciously, her eyes filled with surprise and admiration. She leaned over and asked Zhou Wanli, "Comrade, where are you sending these baskets, or are you selling them directly?"
The people who were hurrying around also slowed down their pace and pricked up their ears with curiosity.
Zhou Wanli quickly looked at his daughter.
Qiu Zeming also nodded with interest. He was looking forward to what Comrade Xiao Zhou would say next.
Since we were already in the provincial capital, we definitely couldn't use the same excuses from this morning. Xiao Zhou then took over the conversation, saying, "Sister, this is a woven product made by our local craftsmen. We're on a business trip to the provincial capital, and the team leader assigned us a task: to take it to the department store and ask about it. We hope that things made in our small village can also enter the big city."
Now that she has arrived, she can of course start selling it right away. She just needs to keep some samples for herself to start group sales and take to department stores.
Yu Huifang echoed her daughter, saying, "They're full of skilled craftsmen. Last time, my daughter sent me two exquisite baskets."
No one around looking at this side could deny this point. The basket was indeed beautiful. The one with raised ends had a bottom, and the lace one next to it was also nice. Not only was it woven densely, but the style was also nice. No matter if you bought it to store dry food or use it as a vegetable basket, it was beautiful.
There are also beveled ones. I don't understand why they are beveled. Is it because of lack of material or is it intentional? But it doesn't look bad.
"Little girl, how much is this?"
Zhou Jiani became reserved again and said awkwardly, "Our village accountant told us to talk to the department store first. We can't quote prices to outsiders before we agree on the price."
The more she said this, the more curious everyone became. The first woman to speak up said gently, "Little girl, I'm also on a business trip. I'll only be staying for two days. You can come up with a price. I won't say anything about the price. Just give me two."
"Yes, young comrade, we're not sure if we can close the deal with the department store yet, so why not sell two here first?"
Zhou Jiani looked embarrassed, biting her lip, as if she was having an ideological struggle.
Before coming, they discussed the price issue with the team and set the price based on size.
This batch of baskets is different from the one she ordered last time. The overall size is larger. Except for the Yuanbao model which can be ordered at two yuan, the other three models are priced at 90 cents. This is because they are different from the other baskets. If the price is higher, she is worried that they will not be sold.
Zhou Jiani felt that if she negotiated with the provincial capital, she would have to take the transportation costs into account. The Yuanbao model had complicated craftsmanship and had a lid and a base. She planned to quote 2.78 yuan, but her ideal price was 2.5 yuan.
The lace-shaped basket is priced at 1.5 yuan, and my ideal price is 1.3 yuan; the two slanted ones are priced at 1.3 yuan, with the lowest price being 1.1 yuan.
It is another matter if the department store bears the transportation cost itself.
It is not possible to negotiate for all four models, but even if we can negotiate for one, it will be worth the trip.
But no matter what, she will definitely not get the goods, because she has a group buying group to support her.
Coasters and pot holders, small ones are 8 cents, large ones are 15 cents. She was already prepared to not agree on this. Her family used cardboard to line the pots. Even if her family was well off, Comrade Yu Huifang would still have a few complaints if she asked them to spend 15 cents to buy a pot holder.
But many people in later generations like these little gadgets.
As they were about to leave the station, the female comrade hurriedly said, "Young comrade, I'll be leaving in a few days. It won't affect your cooperation with the department store."
The more she looked at these baskets, the more she liked them. She had never seen such a style anywhere else.
Zhou Jiani said, "Then, how about we first accept the price offered by our captain. If you can accept it, then accept it. If you can't accept it, then forget it."
"Okay, just tell me a number!"
Others also urged.
Zhou Jiani then reluctantly quoted her desired price, saying, "The Yuanbao one is 2.5 yuan, the lace one is 1.3 yuan, and these two are 1.1 yuan."
Sure enough, when there was no quote, everyone was talking at once and urging us to buy it, but when a price was actually given, they started to complain that it was not worth it.
One woman exclaimed the loudest, "Oh my god, that costs two dollars and a half. You can buy a bigger wicker basket in the village for two dollars and a half."
The wicker basket that costs two yuan and a half is the kind of portable basket with a diameter of about half a meter. There are larger ones that cost more than three yuan.
This ingot basket, including the two raised ends, is no more than 50 centimeters in size and a little more than 30 centimeters in width, but it is complicatedly made and has a lid.
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "Auntie, we can buy the wicker basket you mentioned for 2.5 yuan here. But this basket is not only complicated in craftsmanship, but also has a lid. Look at the handle on the lid, it is integrated with the lid. Not every craftsman can twist the handle. But when the lid is buckled onto the basket, it looks like a big ingot, which has a good meaning."
She lifted it up again to show everyone: "There's an extra piece at the bottom, so it looks good no matter where you put it."
The onlookers' eyes were glued to the basket, but they kept trying to come up with all sorts of excuses to devalue it: "It's not as practical as a wicker basket. It's so sturdy. People use it to carry soil and bricks when building a house. It never breaks down..."
A wicker basket and a basket are not the same thing, how can they be compared?
Yu Huifang was furious and tried to apply to join the battle, but Zhou Jiani stopped her and said with a smile, "The basket is sturdy and can hold soil and bricks. It's also very durable. How much does it cost for you to buy one?"
One said his family spent more than 20 yuan to buy the basket, another said it cost 30 yuan, and another said he bought it from a craftsman in his hometown for only 10 yuan.
Prices vary.
Yu Huifang whispered, "The three-liter basket in our house was bought by your grandma. She bargained for it for a long time and only got twenty-five yuan back."
Zhou Jiani continued to say to the person, "Auntie, are you going to say how exquisite the craftsmanship of the bamboo basket is again? But this basket is also exquisite. Have you seen this style anywhere else? We can't compare like this. If we want to compare, we should compare the same material and style. Comparing a wicker basket with a basket is incomparable. They have different uses, right?"
The old lady shut up, but her eyes were still fixed on the basket of gold ingots.
The woman who asked first didn't have time to bargain. She had already seen the person coming to pick her up and quickly said, "Little girl, I want one of each."
Then he laughed again: "No wonder your village sent you out to sell goods, you can talk."
Four baskets cost a total of six yuan, and Zhou Jiani gave her a dime.
An old lady came over hesitantly and asked for a basket of gold ingots.
In addition, a lace basket was sold.
They hurried over to meet up with Liu Qin.
Zhou Jiani was surprised: "Why is Aunt Liu here too?"
Yu Huifang said unhappily, "She's afraid I'll withhold the dried cowpeas you brought her."
Zhou Jiani smiled. She had already seen Liu Qin and waved her hand.
Liu Qin came over and exchanged pleasantries warmly, saying, "Exclusive update, please help! Second Dad, I'm here to help your aunts in the office get the vegetables they ordered." Then, with a wink, she said, "Did you bring the dried cowpeas?"
Zhou Jiani laughed: "I have it with me."
They went to the side to prepare the dishes.
Liu Qin saw the baskets they brought and exclaimed, "There are some goodies! I'm so glad I made this trip!"
Yu Huifang looked very proud, as this was brought by her daughter.
Of course, there is also Comrade Xiao Qiu.
Liu Qin was so relieved. She had heard Zhou Jiani mention it on the phone before, and she thought it was just an ordinary basket. She never expected the style to be so beautiful.
After weighing out four dishes for Liu Qin and taking out the dried cowpeas he had brought for her, Liu Qin smiled so much that her eyes almost disappeared. She said, "Nini, I'll send the money to you tonight."
She also wanted the basket. She knew that Zhou Jiani was representing the village to discuss cooperation with the department store. She thought that Nini was really amazing. She was much more capable after going to the countryside than when she was at home.
After seeing Liu Qin off, Zhou Wanli and Yu Huifang took the remaining vegetables in their car, while Zhou Jiani and Qiu Zeming took the tram with their woven baskets.
She was familiar with the provincial capital and arranged for Qiu Zeming to stay in a guesthouse not far from the textile factory, so they could take a bus together.
There were bound to be people on the bus looking at the basket and asking about the price. The rhetoric had become so mature that even Qiu Zeming could recite it.
From getting on the bus to getting off, I sold three ingot baskets, two lace baskets, and a set of slanted baskets.
Zhou Jiani simply didn't promote those coasters, pot holders, etc., as she had already treated them as items she wanted to put on the shelves herself.
After getting off the car near the guesthouse, Zhou Jiani pointed to the nearby terrain and said, "Comrade Qiu, that's the state-owned restaurant. You can go there for dinner tonight and rest early. I'll come to see you around nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
Qiu Zeming: "Why is it after nine o'clock?"
Zhou Jiani glanced at him and said, "We're already home, can't we just sleep until we wake up naturally?"
Qiu Zeming smiled: "Okay!"
Qiu Zeming stayed with her until her parents came, helped hang the basket on the handlebars, and watched them leave.
After they walked away, Yu Huifang whispered to her daughter, "How many people are there in Xiao Qiu's family? This boy is really good-looking..."
Zhou Jiani was speechless and quickly stopped him: "Mom, we are partners."
Yu Huifang smiled from ear to ear: "What a good partner, what a good partner! We've become a good revolutionary partner!"
Zhou Jiani simply changed the topic to something more depressing: "Mom, after the last phone call, did you come back to settle the score with the Liu family?"
Comrade Yu Huifang's expression changed instantly. She spat before cursing, "How could I let them off? By the way, did you go back and ask Liu Ailing? What did she say?"
Zhou Jiani said coldly: "Liu Ailing is very filial and is ready to put the blame on her mother."
Yu Huifang said disdainfully, "Why is that girl like this?"
"What did Liu Ailing's mother say?"
Yu Huifang sneered: "Oh, she's pushing the blame onto Liu Ailing, saying that's what her daughter wrote in the letter."
Zhou Jiani smiled: "That's great."
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