The elderly couple couldn't sleep no matter what they did. Zhang Ma tossed and turned, then suddenly sat up. "No, we have to go and find out some information."
“Didn’t our daughter make it very clear? She’s from Sichuan Province, 29 years old, her height and age are just right, and she’s willing to buy a house near us. Although she doesn’t have in-laws, we’re here to take care of her. Without her mother-in-law, our daughter won’t suffer any grievances. Isn’t that great?” Mr. Zhang’s drowsiness was chased away.
“It’s because it’s too good to be true. He says he can buy a house in Nancheng Capital and he can just do that? It’s already 4,300 yuan per square meter there. Even if he buys the smallest apartment, it will still cost more than 200,000 yuan. What if he borrowed it all from outside? Then our daughter will have to pay off his debts with him if she marries him.” The more Zhang’s mother thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Without her parents’ help, where would a working person get more than 200,000 yuan?
“If he can really borrow that much money to buy a house, that’s his ability. What’s wrong with his daughter helping him pay off the debt? Look at Xiaomei next door, she got married even without a house, and now the couple has bought their own house, all thanks to their joint efforts. Your focus is wrong. The most important thing now is to examine that man’s character. If his character is bad, having many houses is useless.” Old Zhang sat up as well.
“I’m completely baffled by Xiuxiu. How about this, tomorrow we’ll take Hanhan to school, meet Xiuxiu’s boss, and ask her for some information.”
“You can handle this, what am I supposed to do?” Zhang’s father said, unwilling to listen.
With a snort, Zhang Ma said, "I'll go, I'll go."
Their daughter's marriage has always been a major worry for them. As Zhang Huaxiu gets older, they become more and more anxious. But being anxious won't solve the problem. When Xiuxiu suddenly said she had a boyfriend, they couldn't help but worry again. They were afraid that the other person was a liar, and that he would not treat their daughter well after marriage. In short, being a parent means having endless worries.
At five o'clock in the morning, Zhang Ma was busy going in and out. She told Wu Xiuyue that she was taking the child to school today. Wu Xiuyue was also curious and planned to go over and ask Shuyan.
"That's fine. You're familiar with Shu Yan, so it'll be easier to talk to her." After thinking for a moment, Zhang Ma agreed.
Shu Yan wasn't surprised to see Zhang Ma. It would be strange if a mother didn't inquire about a woman's boyfriend.
Shu Yan said whatever she knew, letting them decide for themselves whether it was good or bad.
"Do you think he can really afford a house in Nancheng Capital?" Zhang Ma had been thinking about this for a long time.
"Last time he told me he could pay in full for a 60-square-meter apartment, but if he wanted a larger suite, he would have to borrow some money. However, with his income, he should be able to pay it back quickly. He's good-looking and tall, and his personality is rather shy. This personality has its pros and cons. On the bright side, he has a good temper and is caring, but it's probably a bit difficult to get him to build a big career." To put it bluntly, Chen Fei is the type who likes to settle down and live a simple life.
“We don’t expect him to achieve great things. We’re just ordinary people, happy with a simple life. Xiuxiu is already 28 this year, and her father and I are so worried our hair has turned white. Last night, she suddenly said she has a boyfriend, and it kept her father and me awake all night. Xiuxiu said she’s bringing him home for dinner, so we need to find out what kind of person he is first, so I can have a better idea of what to expect.” When it comes to her daughter’s marriage, Zhang Ma has a lot of grievances to pour out.
"Of course, we're all mothers, we understand." Shu Yan smiled.
Zhang Ma got Chen Fei's company address from Shu Yan and secretly went to check it out that afternoon. Just as Xiu Xiu and Shu Yan had said, his appearance was impeccable. Zhang Ma even deliberately bumped into him, and when she knocked the things out of his hands, he wasn't angry. He first asked if she was hurt before picking up his things. Zhang Ma also deliberately asked him if he had a girlfriend, and when he shyly said yes, she was secretly pleased. He was indeed a shy young man. She also asked around about Chen Fei with the people in the neighborhood. Apart from not being very talkative, he had no other flaws.
When Zhang Huaxiu got home from get off work, she was startled to find her family sitting in the living room waiting for her.
"What's wrong?"
"Come here. Sit down." Zhang Ma asked Zhang Huaxiu to sit down in a very serious manner, and then said solemnly, "I've inquired about him for you. He's a fairly ambitious young man. He doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, and doesn't go out and spend money recklessly. He's an upright person."
"Mom, why are you still investigating other people?" Xiuxiu said somewhat unhappily.
“My daughter has a boyfriend, what’s wrong with me going to find out?” Zhang Ma glared at her. “Have you taken a liking to him yourself? If you really have, bring him home for a meal.”
"Mom, you agreed?" Zhang Huaxiu was overjoyed upon hearing this. Turning around, she saw that although her father hadn't nodded, he hadn't shaken his head either. Biting her lip, she asked, "How about this weekend?"
Zhang Huaxiu and Chen Fei acted incredibly quickly. They met over the weekend, obtained the consent of Zhang Huaxiu's future in-laws, and immediately bought a house in Nancheng Shoufu.
He borrowed some money from his uncle and bought a 90-square-meter apartment. Before Zhang's mother and the others could even mention it, Chen Fei said he wanted to put Zhang Huaxiu's name on the property deed. This made Zhang's parents even more satisfied, and they took out the dowry they had prepared for their daughter and asked them to renovate it.
"Wow, Xiuxiu, you're fast!" Yingying was very envious, not because she envied that Xiuxiu had found a good man, but because she envied Zhang Huaxiu for having parents who truly loved her.
"You'll be happy in the future too." Zhang Huaxiu's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Um, boss lady, I'm getting engaged at the end of the year. Can I invite you to the wedding banquet?"
"Of course I'll go. I'm practically a matchmaker now. The chicken leg is ready." Shu Yan said with a smile. "Besides this happy occasion, there's something else that will make you happy today."
The two looked at Shu Yan with a puzzled expression.
"Pay salaries!" Shu Yan's shop pays salaries on the 15th of each month, which is equivalent to holding back half a month's salary. This is mainly to prevent employees from suddenly resigning. If they want to leave, they will definitely say so in advance, and she can find a replacement. Otherwise, if they don't come to work the day after they receive their salary, Shu Yan will be at a loss.
"Is today the 15th? I haven't even remembered the date." The two of them had been going to work every day and had forgotten what day it was.
It's impossible that she really forgot; she just didn't dare to mention it. Xiuxiu was previously on a fixed salary, and Shuyan settled her salary until the 19th, with the calculation resetting on the 20th.
Shu Yan had already calculated their wages at home last night. She took out her notebook and calculated them again in front of them. "Last month you worked eleven days. Because of the opening and promotions, I'll count your full attendance bonus and food allowance, which is 104. Xiu Xiu's total sales were 23,565, and her commission was 235.65, for a total of 339.65, which is 340 yuan. Ying Ying's total sales were 17,435, and her commission was 174.35, for a total of 278.35, which is 279 yuan. The payslip is here; you can check it yourselves."
"No need, we trust the boss lady." Zhang Huaxiu and Yingying both shook their heads.
In fact, they all remembered their own performance and knew exactly how much they were paid. What surprised them was that the boss counted them as having worked eleven days last month.
"Okay, you can handle it yourselves later." Shu Yan handed them the prepared wages, plus a red envelope for each of them. "You all worked hard last month when the business opened. This is a bonus. Keep up the good work and strive to earn even higher wages."
"Thank you, boss." The two men accepted the red envelopes, as happy as if it were Chinese New Year.
Each red envelope contained 100 yuan. It wasn't that Shu Yan was being extravagant; they had indeed worked very hard last month. Both of them were very conscientious, arriving at 7 a.m. and working non-stop until 9 p.m. without a break. Shu Yan gave these red envelopes willingly.
Zhang Huaxiu went out for lunch. Yingying took out her morning wages, keeping only 104 yuan, and handed over all her commissions and bonuses to Shuyan. "Boss, I'll keep my money here. You can just give me my basic salary from now on."
"This is what we agreed on last time," Shu Yan nodded, took the money, wrote it down in her notebook, and then had Yingying sign it. It wasn't that she didn't trust Yingying, but it was better to be careful with money.
Before we knew it, it was December. The weather was getting cooler, and Shuyan's store had already put on winter clothes. Autumn clothes and thermal underwear were selling surprisingly well, you could say they were quite popular.
"Boss lady, I was introduced by a friend, can you give me a discount?" The woman held the thermal underwear with great interest. "Make it cheaper, I'll take four sets for 25."
"Sorry, my prices are fixed and I don't accept bargaining. If your friend has a membership card, I can give you a discount." Shu Yan was very strict about this; once she said no bargaining, she really meant no bargaining. Although she lost some customers, she subtly elevated the store's image, giving people a boutique and high-end feel.
There's also a group of people who don't haggle. They often get ripped off when buying clothes at the market. The same clothes that others can buy for ten yuan, they end up paying twenty or even more for. They prefer to buy clothes in stores with clearly marked prices. Even though they know they're being overcharged, the thought of paying the same price as everyone else makes them feel better.
Over time, Shu Yan attracted this group of customers. After confirming that Shu Yan really didn't haggle, these people were very willing to buy things. However, there were always some new customers who would try to haggle.
"Thirty, I want four sets for thirty."
"I'm sorry, I really don't bargain here." Shu Yan smiled. She couldn't let this opportunity slip by; she could offer a discount, but not a discount.
The woman threw down her clothes and stormed off, saying, "Fine, forget it then. You really don't know how to do business."
The woman walked out, expecting Shu Yan to call her, but Shu Yan simply let her go.
Many regular customers couldn't help but laugh when they saw this. They had seen this kind of thing several times before. The thing is, there's really no bargaining here. They instantly felt that buying clothes here would elevate their own status.
"Boss Shu, here are the thermal underwear for this time." Old Zhang delivered the goods, but instead of leaving immediately after taking the money as usual, he rubbed his hands together and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Boss Shu, I have something I'd like to discuss with you today. When would be a convenient time for you?"
Shu Yan glanced at the customers in the shop, told Zhang Huaxiu, and found a nearby shop where she could sit. "What's the matter?"
"Could you make these thermal underwear from your factory?" Old Zhang had previously thought that Shu Yan would definitely lose money making these thermal underwear, but recently Shu Yan has been placing orders of one or two hundred every day, and this time she even ordered five hundred sets directly, which shows that the business is booming. He quickly studied it and found that these thermal underwear really target the mind of young girls. For the sake of beauty, what does it matter if it's a little cold? Besides, because the thermal underwear is made to be relatively tight, the warmth is quite good.
“I can refuse to sell to customers in the south of the city. I can sell to other provinces. It shouldn’t affect you much,” Old Zhang said quickly when he saw that Shu Yan didn’t say anything.
"Do you have enough funds?" Shu Yan asked directly.
Old Zhang was silent for a moment, then said, "I've thought about it. I've mortgaged my house and taken out a loan from the bank. If I don't take this chance, my factory will really go bankrupt."
"Why don't we cooperate?" Shu Yan suddenly said.
"What do you mean?" Old Zhang looked at Shu Yan nervously.
“I’m entrusting you with the entire agency for this lingerie set. I’ll provide the materials, and you’ll provide the venue and labor. After deducting costs, we’ll split the profits 50/50. What do you think?” Shu Yan leaned back, waiting for Lao Zhang’s reply.
She started by testing the waters with lingerie. Actually, if Lao Zhang hadn't come, she would have partnered with Boss He. Partnering with Boss He might have been smoother, since he had clients, but the revenue split definitely wouldn't be 50/50; Shu Yan would be lucky to get 20%.
Moreover, Mr. He seems straightforward, but he's actually quite cunning. He's not as trustworthy as Mr. Zhang. Shu Yan is confident that if this outfit were made by Mr. He, he would have already secretly made it and sold it himself. Unlike Mr. Zhang, who would even ask her for her consent.
"I... let me think about it." Old Zhang couldn't make a decision for the time being.
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