After arranging things at the shop, Xia Liang gave Ji Xiaodie a key, and the group went out to eat something before returning home.
After returning home, Xia Liang organized the things she needed to bring to Guangzhou. Once she had a clear idea of what to do, she washed up and went to bed. The next morning, Xia Liang got up early. Her brother, Xia Rong, had already made preparations, so Xia Liang quickly washed up and left. When she arrived at the place she had arranged to meet Ji Xiao, the three of them had breakfast before heading to the train station.
After a long and tiring journey, they arrived in the provincial capital on the second night. They checked into two guesthouses, put down their luggage, and took quick showers. Guangzhou was incredibly hot; even without moving, they were drenched in sweat. They went out for a late-night snack, and when they returned, Ji Xiao asked Xia Liang, "Sister-in-law, are you still buying clothes this time?" Xia Liang replied, "Let's take a look first. Actually, if we find any suitable watches, we can also buy some." Ji Xiao said, "Then let's go take a look tomorrow. If we find any suitable ones, I'd like to buy some too." Xia Liang nodded, "That's fine. This place is always at the forefront of fashion. Most of the watches here are already older models; they'll still be quite trendy back home. We can get older models at a lower price." Ji Xiao nodded in agreement. The three of them went out early the next morning. They arrived at the wholesale street, which was packed with people. Xia Liang was disgusted by the crowds, but she had no choice; only here could she find the most fashionable and cutting-edge goods. Xia Liang first went to the same shop she had visited before. The shop owner remembered her and greeted her warmly. Xia Liang politely returned the smile and began looking at the shop's styles. The shop owner approached and introduced, "These are the latest trendy leggings. They make your figure look amazing. Every customer who comes in buys them; some only want the leggings and nothing else. Would you like some?" Xia Liang knew that leggings had indeed been popular for a while, but she couldn't show that she liked them. Instead, she had to put on a disgusted expression and bargain with the shop owner: "Shop owner, these pants are so ugly, will they even sell?" The shop owner gave her a look that said, "You're wrong about that." "I've sold more of these pants than all the others combined," the shopkeeper said. "If it weren't for the large factory that supplies me, we wouldn't be able to keep up with demand." Xia Liang nodded and asked, "How much are these leggings?" The shopkeeper readily agreed, "Miss, I can tell you're a straightforward person and a big customer, so I won't beat around the bush. I'll give you the lowest price, eighteen yuan a pair." She looked at Xia Liang earnestly. Xia Liang knew the shopkeeper wasn't telling the truth, so she said, "You know I need a lot. If the price can be lowered a bit, I'll take forty or fifty thousand yuan worth of goods. If it's not negotiable, I'll go look elsewhere. I'm sure my quantity will get me an even lower price." Hearing Xia Liang's words, the shopkeeper gritted her teeth and said, "Alright, fifteen yuan a pair, but the old rules apply: no credit, pay first, then take the goods." Xia Liang nodded in agreement.
They ordered 3,500 pairs of leggings from the shop owner and also asked for posters of celebrities from Hong Kong. The posters featured stunningly beautiful women wearing leggings, all very eye-catching. The stockings the shop owner had given them as a gift before were also very popular, so Xia Liang bought 500 pairs to give to clients. They went back to the fabric shop they'd previously bought from. The shop was doing brisk business, so Xia Liang and her group waited outside for a while until it was empty before going in. They bought the same fabric as before, plus the material for the leggings, planning to make them themselves. After buying their goods, the three of them ate something at a street vendor's stall outside before continuing their shopping spree. Seeing a shop selling clocks, the three went inside to take a look. Xia Liang took a liking to a digital watch and a hen pecking at rice alarm clock, ordering 500 of each. Ji Xiao also really liked the same thing, but hesitated when he saw Xia Liang go in. Xia Liang noticed his hesitation: "It's okay. The market in Beijing is so big, I can't handle it all by myself. If you don't do it, someone else will, so why don't you do it?" Ji Xiao thought it made sense and followed suit, but he ordered more. Besides the two models Xia Liang chose, he also liked another one, ordering three models, 2,000 of each. He paid the deposit, agreed to pick up the goods the next day, and the three prepared to go back. As they were leaving, Xia Liang saw several men sitting on tricycles at the entrance. They gave them a complicated look, but by the time Xia Liang wanted to get a closer look, they had already looked away. Xia Liang made up her mind but said nothing and continued walking.
Suddenly, a man appeared in front of them. He was probably in his twenties, wearing a floral shirt and bell-bottoms, and sunglasses—clearly a fashionista. He asked in a low voice, "Gentlemen, would you like some televisions? No tickets needed." Xia Liang immediately thought of smuggled goods. In those days, many people made their fortunes through smuggling. Xia Liang wanted the goods, but he didn't dare completely trust a stranger who had suddenly appeared. He could only inquire, "How many are there? How much per unit? How do you arrange delivery?" The man probably didn't expect Xia Liang to be an experienced smuggler, so he said directly, "When are you leaving? We'll load them onto the train for you, but you have to pay in advance." Xia Liang knew immediately that this man had been following them for a long time and knew they weren't locals. Xia Liang said, "What if we pay and you don't deliver the goods?" The man smiled and said, "No, boss. You can inspect the goods tonight. If it's not good enough, you can inspect them and then take them away." Ji Xiao said, "Okay, then lead the way. We'll go check the goods first." The man nodded and led the way.
The three followed the man through the alleyways for a while, until they reached a farmhouse with a stone wall. The wall wasn't very high, and after assessing the surroundings to ensure they could climb out even if trapped, they went inside. The man opened the door to the main room and led them in. They saw a pile of television sets on the floor; one was disassembled, the others were packaged. Xia Liang asked, "How many are there in total?" Seeing that Xia Liang had been the one doing all the talking, the man knew she was the owner and told her directly, "Three hundred sets, four hundred yuan each, no bargaining." Xia Liang calculated that a black-and-white television set in Beijing cost seven hundred yuan, and you needed a receipt. However, television receipts were the hardest to obtain, while hers didn't require a receipt. She figured she could sell them for a thousand yuan each. Having made up her mind, Xia Liang said directly, "We need to inspect the goods first. If there are no problems, we'll pick them up tomorrow." The man, surprised by Xia Liang's promptness, nodded happily, "Okay, let's inspect the goods first."
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