Make a Fortune and Become Well-off [90] - Chapter 134

“Have they caught the Factory Manager yet?”

“He’s truly shameless. And that young woman isn’t innocent either,” said customers, gossiping as they browsed through the clothes.

In fact, when Wang Yong was around, he had spun all sorts of gossip. His uncle even had a clothing factory, and Wang Yong had visited it during his vacation. Though he didn’t fully understand how clothes were made in factories, the more details he made up, the more realistic it seemed to everyone.

Grandpa Jiang got up from his rocking chair, folding it and placing it behind the curtain to make more room for the customers. 

“Yes, these are all new clothes, just arrived last night,” he said.

“Why was that young man replaced? He was so tall and fair,” asked one of the customers.

Grandpa Jiang smiled and explained that the previous clothes had sold out, and the young man had gone back. These new ones had been sent from the factory after he returned. 

“Everyone loves new clothes,” he added with a chuckle.

The clothing factories in Guangzhou and Shenzhen all imitated the styles worn by Hong Kong celebrities, focusing on the star effect, which made their clothes naturally fashionable.

Seeing Jiang Bai dutifully ironing clothes, one customer, after buying some clothes, even took off his own shirt and asked Jiang Bai to iron it.

Jiang Bai’s hands kept moving as he said, “If I ruin your shirt, I won’t be able to afford to compensate you.”

He was wearing the coat Jiang Ning had picked for him, and underneath was a sweater that Jiang Song had left unworn, which Mother Jiang had taken apart and re-crocheted. Jiang Bai, tall and thin, stood there like a mannequin.

Originally, the shop’s women’s clothing sold well, but few bought men’s clothes. Even when they did, it was often the aunts buying for their husbands.

The focus was mainly on warmth and durability, with no real concern for looks.

However, with a handsome young man like Jiang Bai standing there, customers started asking about the clothes he was wearing and wanting to buy them for their sons.

Upon learning that only the largest and smallest sizes were available, they didn’t mind. If their son was young, they’d buy the largest size, which would fit for a couple of years. If their son was older, the largest size would still be fine—after all, it was cold in winter, and he’d need to wear at least two sweaters underneath.

As for whether the clothes fit exactly, it didn’t matter. Families bought larger sizes, passing them down from one child to the next. They could alter the clothes to be smaller, but not the other way around.

When Jiang Ning returned from the internet café and arrived at the shop, she found Jiang Bai completely swamped by the steady stream of customers. He was so busy that he looked flustered.

He was settling payments, ironing clothes, and taking great care with each piece. His eyes and hands never stopped moving.

Meanwhile, Grandpa Jiang had been pushed to the innermost part of the shop, sitting on his bed behind the curtain, simply watching the crowded shop, unable to help.

The bed, once next to the curtain, was now pushed against the wall, with all the packages stowed under the bed and by the back door. Even the curtain had been extended to the bed. Grandpa Jiang was sitting on the curtain, as Jiang Bai had instructed, so he could block everything behind it and keep an eye on things.

There were so many customers that Jiang Bai hadn’t had a chance to drink water all morning. Initially, he could find time to iron, but later, he was too busy collecting money, providing change, and helping customers pack their clothes. He had to keep an eye on the crowd to make sure no one took an extra item.

As Mother Jiang had said, Jiang Bai was sharp-eyed.

Seeing Jiang Ning return, Jiang Bai finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Ning Ning, come help collect money and prepare change,” he called.

Luckily, Jiang Ning had prepared plenty of one-yuan bills earlier, or they would have run out of change.

Jiang Bai had been collecting money all morning, and the drawer seemed filled with paper, not bills—there was so much money, he had gone from being shocked to feeling numb.

He thought they could earn at least two hundred yuan that day.

For many people, a monthly salary didn’t even reach two hundred.

Watching Jiang Bai running around, Jiang Ning saw it was lunchtime and quickly said, “Go to the cafeteria and get food. Bring some for Grandpa too.”

Jiang Bai, worried about his sister, thought there were too many people for her to handle. She and Grandpa couldn’t possibly manage it all. “You go get food,” he insisted, “I’ll buy some later.”

Jiang Bai quickly went out to use the restroom, washed his hands under the running water by the back door, then hurried back, asking Jiang Ning to prepare food.

Jiang Ning returned early, and the cafeteria wasn’t crowded yet. She got three meals first, then took the boiled water, took some hot water to the dormitory and headed back downstairs.

When He Xiaofang saw Jiang Ning, she quickly grabbed her own kettle and said, “Wait for me. I’m coming too!”

Jiang Ning stopped. “I’m not eating in the cafeteria. I’m going to deliver food to my grandpa.”

He Xiaofang felt a little disappointed upon hearing that, but still followed her and said goodbye at the cafeteria door. She watched Jiang Ning, who was carrying a pot of water and three large rice bowls, hurrying to deliver the food. Then, catching up, she offered, “You have too much to carry. Let me help.”

Jiang Ning glanced at her and didn’t refuse, so He Xiaofang followed her to the rented shop.

It seemed to be lunchtime, as many people had gone home to eat, so there were finally fewer customers in the shop. Jiang Bai took the opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief and drink some water.

He had been talking and selling all morning, and his throat was sore.

For some reason, the aunties loved asking about the Jiangnan Garment Factory, though Jiang Bai didn’t know much about it.

They also had a strange obsession with his coat. Despite many identical ones hanging outside, they wanted the one he was wearing. In panic, he zipped it all the way up and said, “This is mine. I’ve worn it for days, and it’s worn out. It’s not for sale.”

Eventually, he had to put on a stern face to dissuade them. At least twenty coats like his were sold.

With fewer people in the shop now, Jiang Bai allowed the remaining customers to browse while he sat on Grandpa Jiang’s bed, drinking water and resting.

Since He Xiaofang hadn’t been out during the weekend due to a lack of money, she didn’t know a clothing shop had opened near the school. The gossip about the Jiangnan Garment Factory had even reached No. 1 High School, but other than talking to Jiang Ning, no one interacted much with her. Xu Xiuli didn’t gossip with her either, so she had been unaware.

By then, the loudspeaker had been playing all morning and its battery was drained. Grandpa Jiang turned it off and charged the tape recorder.