Free Web NovelChapter 44: Chapter 44: The First Business Deal
After lunch, the three of them split up. Their afternoon of hard work yielded delightful results.
In this era, administrative procedures weren’t yet complicated. Su Li spent the afternoon successfully registering the Pinjun Clothing Company. Meanwhile, Yin Cuihua and Li Hongqin found a base of operations for the company in the county—a house on the outskirts of town, which they rented for six months to serve as both an office and a workshop.
The three of them cleaned the place together. Then, before nightfall and with the help of Yin Cuihua’s husband, they moved in all the fabric and remnants they had selected that morning.
After just one day of hectic work, a third of their money was already gone.
No one was particularly wealthy in those days. Although Yin Cuihua’s family was slightly better off, she had little personal money to her name. In the end, the amount each of the three could invest was more or less the same.
They were starting the business as a joint venture with a clear division of labor: Su Li was in charge of management and sales, Yin Cuihua handled procurement and errands, and Li Hongqin was responsible for making the clothes. They invested together and would also share the profits. Li Hongqin and Yin Cuihua each received a three-part share, while Su Li received a four-part share, as she had also invested an extra portion.
Su Li’s money was all she had saved up, penny by penny. It included her dowry and the money Miao Fenghua and Su Dan had recently returned to her. All told, her entire savings amounted to just over three hundred yuan.
She invested three hundred yuan, while Yin Cuihua and Li Hongqin each invested two hundred, bringing their total capital to seven hundred yuan.
Yin Cuihua and Li Hongqin had no idea she was being so bold; they assumed Su Li, just like them, was keeping some money in reserve.
Once everything was in order, Yin Cuihua looked at Su Li. "What’s our next step?"
"So, I just start making clothes?" Li Hongqin asked, chiming in.
"Yes, making clothes. But first, I need to work on the designs." frёewebηovel.cѳm
Su Li already had a solid plan. Her original idea was to make and sell ready-to-wear garments. In those days, there were very few clothes available on the market, and the styles were extremely limited.
People’s lives were steadily improving, and their purchasing power was set to increase. With the experience from her past life, she was confident she could create clothing that not only suited the aesthetic of the times but also looked much better. A business like that was bound to do well.
Su Li’s plan was sound, but after her visit to the principal’s house last night, she decided to make a small change to her initial strategy.
’Instead of selling them one by one, wouldn’t it be better to sell in bulk?’
Brimming with energy, Su Li opened her back basket, took out a pen and paper, and looked up to see the utterly baffled expressions on Yin Cuihua and Li Hongqin’s faces.
"Designs?"
Su Li nodded and explained her idea. The three of them put their heads together and completed the designs. Afterward, they immediately got to work, staying up all night to create two complete outfits and a backpack.
By sunrise the next day, they had finally finished. Despite having been up all night, they were brimming with energy, excitedly stroking the clothes they had made stitch by stitch with their own hands.
"They’re so beautiful! Su Li, you’re incredible," Yin Cuihua said, unable to take her hands off the garments.
Beaming, Li Hongqin stood to the side. "Alright, Su Li, you should hurry off and get to it."
"Okay." Su Li carefully folded the clothes and placed them in her back basket. Under the eager watch of Yin Cuihua and Li Hongqin, she set off, carrying the hopes of all three of them.
After walking for over half an hour, Su Li finally stopped at the gates of Fengcheng First Middle School.
That’s right. Su Li had returned, and she was once again looking for Principal Zhang.
Principal Zhang was a bit surprised to see Su Li when she opened the door. "Su Li? What’s going on? Is there a problem with your enrollment?"
"No, not at all." Su Li quickly shook her head. Once inside Principal Zhang’s home, she smiled, then began to speak with a serious air.
"Principal, I’ve come today to discuss a business proposal with you."
Principal Zhang chuckled. "Business? What kind of business?"
"The school uniform business," Su Li slowly articulated the four words.
That’s right, the school uniform business. Su Li had already been targeting the apparel industry, so when she heard Principal Zhang mention school uniforms the other day, the idea stuck with her.
School uniforms are unique. They’ve existed throughout history, both in China and abroad, and carry great significance. When an entire school wears a uniform, it changes their whole spirit and appearance.
This was precisely why Principal Zhang was tempted by the idea, even though she knew that implementing a uniform for Fengcheng First Middle School would be difficult.
Su Li saw the look in Principal Zhang’s eyes and knew she must seem odd, but she didn’t offer any further explanation. Instead, she set down her back basket and took out the school uniforms they had made overnight.
"Please take a look, Principal."
Principal Zhang looked at the uniforms, then back at Su Li. Realizing Su Li was serious, her expression immediately grew cautious. Her demeanor shifted subtly; the amiable principal who dealt with students had transformed into the shrewd administrator dealing with a business proposition.
She gestured toward the clothes Su Li had brought. "You want to discuss a school uniform deal with me?"
"Yes." Su Li nodded. "After I left your home yesterday, I got right to work on this. Today, I’ve returned with the finished uniforms."
Smiling, Su Li unfolded the uniforms for the principal to inspect.
"This is the boys’ uniform, which includes a shirt, a jacket, and pants. And this is the girls’ uniform, with a shirt, a jacket, and a skirt."
In that era, school uniforms were just starting to make a comeback, and the situation was quite disorganized. Many schools had no uniforms at all. Among those that did, each school had its own unique style, with no standardized requirements. The uniforms for the neighboring county’s high school, for instance, had been chosen by their principal. They looked sharp and attractive, but they were also a little pricey.
This had been Principal Zhang’s line of thinking. But after seeing the uniforms Su Li was presenting, she thought, ’The neighboring county’s uniforms are downright ugly. They can’t possibly compare to these two sets.’
Although this was what Principal Zhang was thinking, her expression remained impassive. She sat perfectly still and said only one sentence. freewebnoveℓ.com
"I’m afraid a skirt isn’t appropriate. The students are getting older."
Su Li smiled at this. "Principal, we’re on the same page."
She picked up the skirt and lifted the hem. "It looks like a skirt, but it’s also a pair of shorts. To be precise, it’s called a skort."
It had the aesthetic appeal of a skirt but the functionality of shorts. This beautiful and practical hybrid, the skort, didn’t exist at the time. Principal Zhang was stunned for a moment but had to admit the design was brilliant. She took it for a closer look and nodded.
"You’re certainly sharp."
Su Li just smiled. "Thank you for the compliment, Principal Zhang. But Principal, you can’t see the full effect just by looking at it. Would it be alright if I put it on to show you?"
Principal Zhang looked from Su Li’s beaming face to the uniform and found she simply couldn’t refuse. She nodded.
"You can change in my room."
Principal Zhang was a woman, after all, and had a woman’s natural inclinations. Seeing beautiful clothes, she couldn’t help but feel a stir of excitement. ’If I weren’t so old, I’d want to try that uniform on myself,’ she thought with a mental cough.
While Su Li went to change, Principal Zhang took the opportunity to examine the clothes carefully. ’The fabric is decent,’ she thought, ’and the style is excellent. It looks dignified and smart, but not too flashy. It really couldn’t be more suitable for a school uniform. I just wonder about the price...’
Just as Principal Zhang was lost in thought, Su Li emerged.
When she turned her head, Principal Zhang’s pupils constricted. She almost blurted out the three words, "I’ll buy it."
She stared, transfixed, for three long seconds before managing to tear her gaze away. She shook her head. "The very picture of youthful vitality. Su Li, this uniform of yours is quite good."
’Quite good’ was an understatement.
Who would have thought that such a simple-looking uniform could be so stunning when worn? Putting it on had completely transformed Su Li.
She looked so vibrant and youthful that it was hard to look away. She was brimming with vigor, radiating a positive, upbeat energy that was immediately apparent. And yet, there was no mistaking that she was a student.
Gazing at the words "Fengcheng First Middle School" embroidered on Su Li’s chest, Principal Zhang felt a surge of emotion. She asked the most important question.
"How much does a set of these uniforms cost?"
