Chapter 616: Chen Xueru's Business Succeeds

He Yuzhu had just stepped into the Siheyuan when Yan Bugui stuck to him like a dog-skin plaster, grabbing his arm: "Zhuzi, you've finally returned! You have to help me think of a way!"

He Yuzhu frowned as he looked at this Third Master: "What's wrong now?"

"Yu Li has been on blind dates with my eldest son for quite some time, but it suddenly fell through two days ago! My eldest is acting like he's dying, and you're a big Factory Director, can you help go and mediate?" Yan Bugui fawned, not acting like an outsider at all.

He Yuzhu was almost amused to the point of anger: "Third Master, with the way you put it, can a Factory Director force someone's daughter to marry your son? I don't have that kind of ability." As he spoke, he prepared to walk toward the Zhongyuan.

Yan Bugui chased closely behind him for two steps: "But your younger sister is good friends with Yu Li's sister, did that girl Yushui say something to the Yu family?"

Once He Yuzhu heard this, his face turned black on the spot. Although he did not approve of He Yushui gossiping behind people's backs, he looked down even more on this face of the Yan family: "Third Master, don't you have any self-awareness about what your own family is like? Yu Haitang spends all day in the courtyard with my sister as soon as summer vacation starts; are they blind or deaf? Does it need my sister to say anything? Marriage is a major life event that relies on mutual willingness; if they aren't willing, then so be it, why be so thick-skinned and pester them?"

Before the words had even faded, Yan Jiecheng rushed out from the room, ran up to He Yuzhu, and gave a deep bow: "Brother Zhuzi, please help me, I truly like Yu Li!"

He Yuzhu glanced at him: "If they don't agree, then hurry up and find someone else. The whole factory is currently working three shifts to rush production, yet you are pretending to be sick at home and avoiding work. Remember, if you don't go to work tomorrow, you won't need to go in the future." After finishing, he walked away without looking back.

Leaving the Yan father and son standing on the spot, staring at each other with wide eyes.

Yan Bugui came to his senses and spat fiercely at He Yuzhu's back: "Pah! Is being some lousy Factory Director something to be proud of?"

He Yuzhu had just stepped over his own threshold when he saw Yu Haitang and He Yushui huddled together talking.

As soon as Yu Haitang saw He Yuzhu, she immediately beamed and ran over: "Brother Zhuzi, thank you for helping me settle my job!"

He Yuzhu waved his hand and asked casually: "When I walked through the main gate just now, Yan Jiecheng was acting like he was dying. Yan Bugui is shouting everywhere, saying Yushui said bad things to your family. What exactly is going on with your sister? How did they break up just like that?"

Yu Haitang sighed: "This matter really can't be blamed on me, and it has even less to do with Yushui. I had told my sister about those things in the Yan family, and at first, she didn't believe it. Later, she met with Yan Jiecheng twice, and one time Yan Jiecheng got excited himself and spilled all the dirty laundry of his family. He said his parents chased him for money every day, and if he didn't give it, he even said he would cut ties with his family after marrying my sister. Once my sister heard that, she felt that if this person could be so ruthless to his own parents, how good could he be to her? So she didn't want to continue."

He Yuzhu finally realized, it turned out Yan Jiecheng couldn't keep his own mouth shut and revealed all his cards.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the twelfth lunar month.

Ever since the factory let him go to the countryside to show movies again, Xu Damao was like a fish in the ocean, never at home all day, and simply spent his days at the widow Xie's place.

Yesterday he had sent some white flour home, and early this morning he rode his bike straight to the widow Xie's place.

He took a package out of his film reel box, wrapped tightly in three layers inside and three layers outside.

The widow Xie poked her head out to look at the curiosity: "What is this? Wrapped so tightly?"

Xu Damao chuckled: "Salted fish and dried fish issued by the factory. If this stuff isn't wrapped well, it'll make the film smell, and the other projectionists would definitely curse me if they got the copy. Look at me, I wrapped it airtight and even stuffed two bars of soap inside, and even then I still feel like there's a bit of a smell."

The widow Xie was amused: "Your unit is really quite good, issuing fish every month?"

Xu Damao sighed: "Although I hate that grandson He Yuzhu so much my teeth itch, you really can't deny that this kid has actually done some real work. He opened up wasteland in Beidahuang, letting the Rolling Mill workers receive over twenty catties of grain every month; he also set up a fishery in Beidaihe, and can issue over ten catties of dried fish every month. Even if you don't buy anything else to eat, you can still survive."

The widow Xie nodded: "This person, he's bad, but he can be considered someone who gets things done." She paused, lowered her voice, and asked: "You've been staying at my place for so many days, doesn't the one at home make a scene?"

Xu Damao curled his lips: "Hi, don't mention it. Her and I, we're just names on paper now. She's working at a garment factory with that He kid's wife, and now she's become a little leader, busy every day without a moment to rest, saying they took on some big job."

The widow Xie pursed her lips and giggled upon hearing this.

As soon as He Yuzhu entered his home in Qianmen, he saw He Zheng running wildly around the courtyard with a little dog.

"He Zheng, come here!"

The little guy acted as if he hadn't heard, not even turning his head.

"He Zheng! Come here!" He Yuzhu shouted again.

He Zheng turned his head to glance at him, then took off running into the house, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

He Yuzhu was also helpless; he didn't know which nerve this son had misfired, but he just wasn't close to him as a father, and spent all day clinging to Chen Xueru.

Chen Xueru ran out with a face full of joy, her eyes shining: "Zhuzi! Liushi Trading Company received our samples, and the clients he contacted love them to death! They gave us a huge order! The factory has to work three shifts to rush the work!"

He Yuzhu asked: "How many did they order?"

"Five thousand pieces! Isn't that amazing? If you hadn't told me to hoard fabric in advance, we wouldn't be able to make it in a month." Chen Xueru was beaming with delight.

He Yuzhu shook his head: "This is nothing, just a drizzle. I reckon once this batch of goods is distributed, the subsequent orders might be tens of thousands of pieces; you need to think about expanding production immediately."

Chen Xueru widened her eyes: "Such a simple thing, can't they make it themselves?"

"Wages have gone up over in Hong Kong, and our costs here are only one-third to one-fourth of theirs; even if they imitate it, they can't beat you." He Yuzhu analyzed for her.

Chen Xueru rubbed her hands in excitement: "Liushi Trading Company also told me to continue expanding production!"

He Yuzhu reminded her: "Don't just be happy, you need to put some effort into the fabric. If you can make that kind of fabric with elasticity, that would be even better."

Chen Xueru curled her lips: "I really can't figure out these foreigners, what's so good about wrapping their butts so tightly! But, I trust you, I've already talked to the people in Shanghai, and they said if you want elasticity, you have to mix in rubber threads. But if you put that stuff in, it might not be very durable."

"You need to change your way of thinking; wealthy foreigners might buy clothes and throw them away after wearing them for a month, it's not like our 'new for three years, old for three years, mend and patch for another three years'." He Yuzhu explained patiently.

Chen Xueru's eyes lit up, as if she had suddenly had a breakthrough: "I'll call them right now!"

He Yuzhu cautioned again: "If they really make this thing, you have to keep your guard up. You must find a way to secure exclusive distribution, otherwise, just by selling the fabric, they could make a fortune."

"I'll listen to you!" Chen Xueru's eyes shone, and that shrewdness seemed to have all returned.

These past few years she had indeed been a bit muddled, the clothing styles were the same old thing, and she, the Manager, had almost become a foreman with nothing to look forward to.

This time, she had finally found her feeling again.