Chapter 97: Chapter 91 Shaking People
The two took a taxi to Gaoxiu Street. It wasn’t far, and they arrived in just over ten minutes. However, seeing the crowd bustling inside, Lu Jiaxin chickened out.
Gu Wenfeng said, “Jiaxin, let’s first go to the guesthouse to drop off our luggage, then come back!”
Lu Jiaxin didn’t want to stay at a guest house. She said, “Brother Gu, let’s rent a house instead. It’s more convenient that way.”
Gu Wenfeng disagreed with renting a house, believing it was unsafe, “There are so many thieves now. What if we go out to do business and a thief breaks into the house? Jiaxin, we still have a painting in our hands!”
The Longevity Painting sold for fifty thousand greenbacks, so even if the remaining antique painting didn’t fetch as much, it should still be worth twenty to thirty thousand Hua currency. Renting a house might be cheaper, but staying at a guest house was safer.
Lu Jiaxin explained that renting wasn’t about saving money, but for convenience: “I can’t overexert myself with my health, and I can’t get used to the food here. I plan to have my Fifth Brother and Xue Mao come over. We’ll have enough room if we rent, and we can cook for ourselves.”
She was planning to live to eighty and didn’t dare overdo it anymore. So, with this business deal, she only intended to oversee the general direction, leaving the rest to Lu Jiajie. As for Xue Mao, he would help run errands and gain some experience on the way.
Gu Wenfeng said, “Your Fifth Brother has a job. Isn’t it inappropriate to ask him to help?”
Lu Jiaxin wasn’t worried about this at all and replied, “What’s inappropriate about it? Anyway, he’s just slacking off at the shoe factory. He might as well take a leave to help me.”
Lu Jiajie was short on cash at the moment. Helping him now meant that later on, when they had a bigger budget, they could buy a bigger and better house.
Thinking of Lu Jiaxin’s generosity to share one-third of her antiques, Gu Wenfeng decided not to protest further. If she could be so open-handed with him, she would definitely be generous with Lu Jiajie.
Gu Wenfeng said, “Alright then, let’s stay at a hotel to get some good rest, and look for a house tomorrow.”
Lu Jiaguang was about to go out when the phone rang. Picking up, he heard a cheerful voice, and his expression softened, “What’s making you so happy?”
With glee, Lu Jiaxin said, “Big brother, I’ve sold my painting. Guess how much it went for?”
Knowing she wouldn’t get this excited over a small sum, Lu Jiaguang guessed fifty thousand,
Lu Jiaguang hesitated before venturing, “It can’t be one hundred thousand pieces, can it?”
Lu Jiaxin laughed heartily, “It’s fifty thousand greenbacks, which converts to more than one hundred thousand RMB.”
The hand holding the phone for Lu Jiaguang became slightly unsteady, but he quickly regained his composure, fearing that the sale might be a scam, “Xinxin, the buyer might be a swindler. Don’t sell the painting!”
Lu Jiaxin found his caution amusing and reassured him with a laugh, “Don’t worry, big brother. I’ve sold my painting to the grandson of a tycoon in Hong Kong, and I’ve already received the money.”
Once the money was deposited in the bank, there was no problem.
Lu Jiaguang said, “Since the painting’s sold, come back quickly. Xinxin, it’s not safe to carry such a large sum of money on you.”
Lu Jiaxin couldn’t possibly go back now; she shared her plan, “Brother, it’s rare for me to come here, and I definitely intend to take a batch of goods back with me. I’ve looked at both Xiushui Street and the department stores, and there’s a big gap in the shoe market. As long as I make attractive, waterproof, and warm shoes, they are sure to sell well.”
“Xinxin, have you thought about how you’ll transport the goods back and how you’ll sell them?”
Lu Jiaxin had already considered this issue, “Brother, I’ll make all the shoes first, then take samples to buyers. I believe that once buyers see our samples, they will take the initiative to come to Yangcheng City to pick up the goods.”
For someone to take the initiative to go to Yangcheng City to pick up the goods, they must be hot items.
Lu Jiaguang thought she was getting ahead of herself and threw a wet blanket on her enthusiasm, “Xinxin, what if the shoes don’t sell and all the money is lost?”
Lu Jiaxin didn’t have this worry at all, “As long as the shoes meet my standards, there’s no way they won’t sell. Brother, Fifth Brother has been working at the shoe factory for six years, and he knows better than us whether the shoes will sell well or not.”
Lu Jiaguang fell silent for a moment and said, “Your Fifth Brother now has both a son and a daughter and can’t always take time off; otherwise, he might lose his job.”
Lu Jiaxin naturally understood this, “Brother, tell Fifth Brother I’ll give him five hundred a month, plus an additional five percent of the net profits as a bonus.”
Lu Jiajie made just over eighty a month, with an annual income of around one thousand. With three months until the New Year’s, working for her until then would be equivalent to a year and a half’s salary, and that didn’t even include the promised bonus.
Lu Jiaguang thought that the wage was too high, but since he wasn’t the one involved, he hesitated to speak for Jiajie, “I can let Jiajie go help you, but if the sample shoes made result in a loss, as per your Fifth Brother, then you two should come back.”
Lu Jiaguang, always thoughtful, told Lu Jiaxin to call again at five o’clock the following afternoon. If Jiajie agreed, he would let the two of them talk it out themselves; if not, he would give her an answer.
After work, Lu Jiaguang didn’t go home but instead went to Radiance Road, where he could hear Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng’s cheerful laughter from outside the door. The children recovered quickly; after moving out, they were as lively as before.
Ma Lili was washing clothes in the courtyard, and when she saw him come in, she stood up to greet him, “Big Brother, you’re here, come inside and have a seat.”
Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng, each holding a little pinwheel, called out to their uncle with gleeful smiles. Seeing the brilliant smiles on their faces, Lu Jiaguang felt they should have moved out sooner.
Ma Lili poured him a glass of water to drink and said, “Big Brother, Jiajie is helping a friend with something and probably won’t be back until the evening.”
When they moved out, she was very worried: first, because it was inconvenient to fetch the children from school due to the distance; second, because everything from laundry to cooking was hard work when done by oneself. But after moving, she realized it was not as difficult as she thought; when her husband wasn’t working night shifts, he would take the children to school, cook, clean, and care for the children at home.
Lu Jiaguang explained his purpose, “The shoe factory’s wages are low, and the benefits are not great. Jiajie has complained to me more than once about not having enough money. Sister-in-law, I was thinking you could let Jiajie give it a try.”
It was impossible to take a three-month leave as the factory would never approve it. His suggestion was to arrange for a year’s unpaid leave; after all, this trip would earn him a year’s salary, and he would have the opportunity to scout and learn.
Ma Lili was so shocked that her eyes nearly popped out; after a long pause, she asked, “Big Brother, hold on a second, let me sort this out.”
After a while, Ma Lili finally said, “Big Brother, you just said that the painting Jiaxin found in Ancient Capital is a masterpiece, sold to a wealthy young master in Hong Kong for one hundred thousand pieces. Big Brother, I heard that correctly, didn’t I?”
“She sold it for fifty thousand greenbacks, which is over one hundred thousand in Hua currency,” he confirmed.
Even though Lu Jiaguang was the one speaking, Ma Lili still found it fantastical. One hundred thousand pieces, just like that, Jiaxin had easily earned it.