Free Web NovelChapter 190: Chapter 190: Planning
Unlike high school, university courses weren’t as demanding, so Su Li could run the bookstore herself.
She could come over to manage the shop when she was free and hire two students from her university on a work-study program. Everything would be perfect.
Speaking of work-study, Chang E was a good candidate.
After spending some time with her, Su Li had a very good impression of her character.
’Chang E would definitely be happy to come. She’d probably be willing to work for free just to be in an ocean of books,’ Su Li thought to herself as she signed the contract.
The agent who signed the contract with her had an excellent impression of Su Li.
"If you need any help in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask."
They had been working together for a while now and were familiar with each other’s situations.
The agent knew Su Li was a student at Huaguo Communication University and respected her all the more for it. When she told him she was opening a bookstore, she said,
"I might actually have to trouble you in the future. You have a wide network, so if you hear about any good wholesale book suppliers, you must help introduce me."
Su Li wasn’t being reserved.
Her ambitions were quite large; she wanted as many books as possible, both domestic and international.
"I’ll ask around when I get back," the agent immediately agreed.
"Great, thank you. You have my number, so just call me directly if anything comes up," Su Li said, thanking him hurriedly.
"You got it." The agent nodded, then brought up another matter with Su Li.
"Even if you hadn’t contacted me, I was planning to contact you. It’s about that factory you asked me to keep an eye out for. I got a tip—there’s a glass factory that’s not doing well and can’t afford the rent. Their current lease expires next month."
Su Li’s eyes lit up. "Where is it?"
"It’s at..." The agent gave her the details, including the address and size.
"It’s a little bigger than the size you mentioned, but everything else is fine. The factory owner has a good reputation."
"Bigger is fine, as long as it’s not smaller," Su Li said immediately. "Please help me make initial contact. Besides renting, buying is also an option."
"Buy?" The agent was stunned again.
That was a huge sum of money. He once again felt the need to re-evaluate the young woman standing before him.
"Yes. It would be even better if they’re willing to sell. I’ll figure out the money as soon as possible. I have a rough idea of the price."
Su Li nodded.
She was buying the factory to open a branch for her clothing company and establish Pinjun in the Imperial City. To grow the company even bigger, gaining a foothold in the Imperial City was essential.
The money to buy a factory was no small sum, but it was a company investment, not a personal purchase. With some effort, they could definitely come up with the funds.
Pinjun children’s clothing was selling well—no, you could say it was selling like crazy.
Since September, with Fengcheng County as the epicenter, Pinjun’s presence had spread to the surrounding cities, counties, and even the provincial capital.
A couple of days ago, Li Hongqin had contacted her, saying that people were already coming to them for wholesale orders.
Yes, coming to the factory to place wholesale orders.
Once the market opened up, business started coming to them without them having to go out and promote, just like with the school uniform business before.
The school uniform business didn’t require much advertising. Su Li had even stopped making sales calls, yet clients from surrounding counties and cities continued to seek them out on their own.
Businesspeople are the smartest; when there’s money to be made, they run faster than anyone.
"The factory workers are working overtime every day to rush out orders. The wholesalers keep coming, and each one wants a bigger quantity than the last."
"Su Li, that salesperson you mentioned—we hired her and she’s gotten the hang of it. That girl is the most capable one, with the highest sales commission. She’s already bought a house in the city..."
These were the exact words of Li Hongqin and Yin Cuihua. Su Li had been in constant contact with them these days. Even though she wasn’t in Fengcheng County, she was always kept abreast of the situation.
With Su Li’s guidance and the booming business, Li Hongqin and Yin Cuihua felt their confidence growing by the day.
So, when Su Li parted ways with the agent, returned home, and called them to explain the situation in the Imperial City, they didn’t panic as they might have in the past.
"We support you on this, Su Li. You handle things over there. The company has the money; we’ll take care of it."
Who doesn’t harbor the ambition to build a great career?
Su Li had gradually broadened Li Hongqin and Yin Cuihua’s ambitions and perspectives. So, although their hearts raced when they heard the news, they remained composed.
"If everything goes smoothly, you two will have to come to the Imperial City," Su Li said with a smile.
"We’ll go! We’ve been dying to go!" Li Hongqin immediately replied. "Going to the Imperial City is something countless people can only dream of. We’d be more than happy to go."
"That’s right!" Yin Cuihua chimed in, full of support.
"Haha..." Su Li laughed. After a few jokes, the three of them discussed some business matters before hanging up.
The entire call lasted nearly half an hour.
It didn’t seem like a big deal to Su Li, but on the other end, Li Hongqin was once again filled with emotion.
"A half-hour phone call... If I’d heard about that in the past, I would have cursed them out for having more money than sense, just burning it away. But now, I’m used to it."
"Isn’t that the truth? Now, I feel uneasy if we don’t talk for a while. Spending a little more on the phone bill to clarify everything with Su Li actually puts my mind at ease."
Yin Cuihua chimed in with a similar sentiment.
When it came down to it, Su Li was their anchor. If she said something was fine, they felt at ease.
As the two of them were sharing this thought, they heard another commotion from outside the factory.
They exchanged a look, their faces showing their exasperation.
Ever since Su Li left, her mother and brother had been coming to the factory to cause trouble.
They insisted the factory was theirs too and made a fuss from morning till night. If not for Su Li’s foresight in hiring two recently discharged veterans as guards to watch the gate, the factory would probably have no peace.
"We should find some time to tell Su Li about this," Li Hongqin said.
"I know, right? And then there’s her mother-in-law..." When Yin Cuihua mentioned Mrs. Tang, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Ever since Su Li left with Little Tang Mo, Mrs. Tang had been missing her grandson so much it felt like her heart was being clawed out. After she finally recovered a bit, she started coming to the factory every few days. freeweɓnøvel.com
She didn’t come to cause trouble, but to watch everyone work, acting as a supervisor.
In her words, "This is Su Li’s factory, which means it’s our family’s. Since she’s not here, I have to keep an eye on things to make sure no one is slacking off."
When she came, she would stroll around with her hands behind her back, even sweeping up dirty spots. She didn’t interfere with much else, but if she saw anyone being wasteful or lazy, she would call them out.
Although she was a bit annoying, she didn’t cause any real trouble aside from needing to be fed, getting a drink, and being a bit nosy. In fact, her supervision was quite effective; she corrected many slackers and was even better than an actual supervisor.
Because of this, Li Hongqin and Yin Cuihua mostly stopped trying to block her or manage her.
Of course, when it came to major business decisions, they didn’t listen to her, no matter how strong her opinions were.
For example, when she complained that the female workers’ food and lodging were too good, Li Hongqin and Yin Cuihua simply ignored her.
They still didn’t know that Su Li and Tang Yuanxiao were divorced. Su Li hadn’t broadcasted it, and since they’d only mentioned Mrs. Tang’s behavior to Su Li once at the beginning and saw it wasn’t causing major problems, they hadn’t brought it up again.
In any case, they handled what they could themselves to avoid bothering Su Li with every little thing.
