Xia Liang didn't say anything more. Anyway, in the future, the distribution would be based on work, and the more you worked, the more you would get. If you didn't work hard enough, your salary wouldn't even be enough to eat, and the bad apples would naturally leave.
After settling things at the garment factory, Xia Liang saw that it was still early, and since she had only spent 100,000 yuan to buy the factory that day, she decided to check out the cannery and furniture factories. If possible, Xia Liang wouldn't mind having a couple more factories; even if they didn't make money, the land could generate a fortune later. Without further ado, the two went to the cannery first. The cannery was in a better position, relatively wealthier than the garment factory. The workers had received their severance pay, and although they were upset, they didn't cause any trouble like they had at the garment factory. The cannery's factory buildings and land were larger than the garment factory's, so the price wasn't as low. In the end, Xia Liang bought the cannery's land, factory buildings, and machinery for 600,000 yuan.
It was already late when they left the cannery. Xia Liang and Ji Xiao went straight to the shop to discuss the shareholding with Xia Rong. When they arrived, Xia Rong had just seen off the last customer. Seeing his sister and Ji Xiao return, he asked, "How did the talks go?" Although he could tell from his sister's expression that things were settled, he still wanted to confirm. Xia Liang was beaming. With two factories in hand and the land theirs, they happily said, "The garment factory and the cannery have been signed. The garment factory cost 100,000, but we need to keep the workers. The cannery cost 600,000. We'll decide whether or not to keep the workers. We'll go check on the furniture factory tomorrow. Now, let's discuss the shareholding. You can decide whether to invest in all three factories or just one. Wei's only requirement is that I must be the largest shareholder." Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. After all, besides Xia Rong, there was also Ji Xiao. It was best to be upfront about the potential problems to avoid future disputes over profits.
Knowing that Ji Xiao was hesitant to speak, Xia Rong spoke first, "How about Ji Xiao and I each take 30%, and you take 40%?" She then looked at Ji Xiao, "Feel free to voice any opinions; we can discuss it further." Ji Xiao wasn't particularly interested in these businesses and didn't understand them. He was already getting a good deal by investing with Xia Liang and the others, but he felt a little guilty about taking 30%. He scratched his head and said, "Sister-in-law, I don't need that much. 10% is fine. After all, I'm just contributing money; I can't help much else." Xia Liang interrupted him, "It's not just about contributing money. You also have to be in charge of personnel. The factory will need you to recruit people in the future." Ji Xiao still refused, "Sister-in-law, that's too polite. Even if I didn't invest, you can call me if you need anything, let alone if I have 10%." Xia Liang and Xia Rong tried to persuade him a few more times, but seeing his insistence, they reluctantly agreed. The final share was Xia Liang 50%, Xia Rong 40%, and Ji Xiao 10%.
Today was just for signing the agreement; the formal transfer of ownership hasn't happened yet. Xia Liang consulted with several classmates in the industry to confirm everything was in order before starting to prepare the money. The two factories cost a total of 700,000 yuan. Xia Liang owns 50% of the shares and needs to invest 350,000 yuan. She currently has 380,000 yuan, which is enough to invest in just these two factories. She doesn't know what will happen with the furniture factory tomorrow, so she has no choice but to think of a way to get a loan. After all, the average wage is less than 100 yuan a month, and several hundred thousand yuan is not something that ordinary people can afford.
The next morning, Xia Liang went to the bank early and learned that she needed a business license and other documents to get a loan. Xia Liang suddenly realized that her clothing store didn't have a business license yet and she had to get one quickly, otherwise she would run into big trouble later. She took the necessary documents and went to the Industry and Commerce Bureau. Fortunately, she didn't know what documents were needed for a loan now, so she prepared well. Soon, she received her newly issued business license. She hadn't expected to get the loan but get the business license, but she wasn't discouraged. She would first get the garment factory and cannery settled; then she would have more assets and could probably get a larger loan amount! Back home, her two daughters were very happy to see the name "Yunzhi Clothing" on the business license. Their mother had chosen their names as the store's name.
When she returned to the garment factory, she immediately sensed a difference. She couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what was different; perhaps it was her mindset. Yesterday, she was stepping onto someone else's territory, but now it belonged to her, so of course it felt different. Things went smoothly. The money was paid, the ownership transferred, and Xia Liang became the legal representative—legitimately. Xia Liang was overjoyed and asked Zhou Xiong, who had come with her, to find the construction team to check if there were any repairs needed. After all, it was best to get things done before construction started; dealing with it afterward would be troublesome, wasting both time and money.
Having already gained experience from visiting the garment factory and cannery, she completed these tasks even faster. Afterward, Xia Liang rode her bicycle to the bank, eager to secure the loan and purchase the furniture factory as soon as possible so she could begin her own planning. She submitted her documents, and the staff told her to wait for review, saying it would take three to five days. Xia Liang was stunned; she had forgotten that this was the 1980s, unlike later years when applications were processed and funds disbursed on the same day. But there was nothing she could do in such a hurry; she could only wait for approval, as she needed their help.
After returning home, she told Ji Xiao what had happened and asked him to talk to the furniture factory to see if they could give them a few days' notice, as she needed to raise money. Ji Xiao went out after hearing this, and when he returned in the evening, he said that the factory manager said it was fine and they could wait a few days; it wouldn't make a difference if they waited a couple of days. Xia Liang was relieved. She then called a few people and took the children to a roadside stall. They had originally wanted to go to a state-run restaurant, but it was too late and they were already closed, so they could only treat them to roadside food.
During dinner, Xia Liang said to Ji Xiao, "Ji Xiao, could you help me find a reliable nanny to help with cooking at home? She needs to be of decent character, and it would be even better if she's a good cook. We can discuss the salary and everything else. You've seen how busy I am every day, and my two kids don't even get to eat properly with me. I'd like to find someone to stay home and help take care of them." Seeing his two little nieces eating so obediently, Ji Xiao readily agreed, "Leave it to me, sister-in-law."
The next day, they actually found a woman who looked to be in her forties. She was from Northeast China, and judging from her clothes, she was a clean and capable person. She trusted the person Ji Xiao had found, so she paid him 80 yuan a month to help cook at home and take care of the two children.
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