The man carefully examined the Xingzi shirt inside and out, even feeling the fabric with his hands. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was troubled by the fact that he could not find any flaws.
After a while, he said, “This fabric… it’s not dacron, is it?”
Su Caiqing replied, “No. I deliberately chose this material. It’s light and flowing, with a natural drape when worn. That’s what allows it to match the effect of how Xingzi wears it.”
Sensing that he was probing for details about the fabric, Su Caiqing did not reveal too much.
The design of a garment depended not only on the pattern of the fabric, but also on how the material performed. Some fabrics flowed more, some were softer, while others were stiffer. These differences in texture determined how the final garment looked, though this detail was often overlooked.
The man clearly noticed her caution. Although she came from a “small place,” her prudence was no less than that of a sharp-minded Shanghainese.
After a moment of thought, he said, “You mentioned your production would be faster than Shanghai factories. If that’s the case, I want ready stock by tomorrow. Can you do that?”
Su Caiqing answered without hesitation, “Of course, how many would you like?”
“Ten pieces per size, to start.”
Su Caiqing smiled. “No problem. I’ll bring the goods to you tomorrow morning.”
At that moment, the man had to admit that Su Caiqing possessed remarkable composure and self-control. If it had been someone else, they might have thought he was toying with them and walked away angrily.
The two signed a contract specifying quantity and pricing. After signing and stamping their fingerprints, Su Caiqing extended her hand. “Thank you, Boss. This gives me a good start.”
The man did not put on airs and shook her hand.
Although the deal was small, Su Caiqing did not mind. It was an opening, and securing the first client was already a good beginning.
After leaving, she went straight to a roadside newsstand and made a call to Wang Chaoying’s office. As expected, Wang Chaoying had returned to work that day.
“Sister Caiqing! You’ve arrived in Shanghai, right? Is everything going smoothly?” Wang Chaoying asked immediately.
“I arrived before six this morning. I just finished negotiating an order. They want ten pieces per size.”
The speed shocked Wang Chaoying. She had only seen Su Caiqing off at the train the previous night, and by morning she had already secured a deal. Even if it was a small order, it was still a promising sign.
Wang Chaoying immediately launched into enthusiastic praise. “Sister Caiqing, you’re incredible! You landed a deal as soon as you got there. You always exceed my expectations!”
Su Caiqing let out a small laugh. “Of course. But they want the goods tomorrow, so arrange for Xiaozhuang to take the shipment on the train tonight. Help him buy the ticket and see him off, and I’ll receive him here.”
“Alright! I’ll go to the garment factory during lunch. How many should he bring?”
“Have him bring two thousand pieces for now. Seven hundred each of S and M, and three hundred each of L and XL. How are the polka dot skirts coming along?”
Wang Chaoying replied, “The dyeing factory delivered the fabric to the garment factory last night. The production manager said they’ll start tomorrow. Most of the factory’s lines are already focused on the Xingzi shirts, so they’re under quite a bit of pressure.”
The Xingzi shirt was becoming increasingly popular, with more and more orders coming in, and factories were fully committed to production.
“I understand. Let Xiaozhuang bring the Xingzi shirts first. Make sure he eats dinner before boarding, or he won’t eat on the train,” Su Caiqing reminded her.
“I know! Oh, and don’t worry about things here. Liang Qiheng and He Hongmei have both been helping whenever they have time. Today, Liang Qiheng is overseeing things.”
Su Caiqing was a little surprised. “He didn’t get angry?”
She had barely been managing the photo studio lately due to the clothing business, making her a rather inattentive manager.
She had even arranged recent photography work to focus on commemorative and artistic photos, postponing outdoor shoots like wedding photography due to the heat.
Anyone could see that this arrangement was somewhat self-serving.
At the mention of this, Wang Chaoying sounded pleased. “Of course he was angry, but what can he do? He can’t control you, and he still has to help you.”
It seemed Wang Chaoying had argued with him again.
Su Caiqing smiled. “Don’t push him too far. He’s still helping, after all.”
“I know. I just took the chance to win one round,” Wang Chaoying said. “Anyway, I’ve already invited him to dinner tonight.”
Since Wang Chaoying was not good at cooking, she usually ate at her parents’ or in-laws’ home, so treating someone meant going out.
“Alright, you can charge it to the company account.”
“Not necessary. He said when you come back, he wants you to treat him again!”
After discussing everything, Su Caiqing asked about the children and arranged to call Director Zhao’s home that evening before hanging up.
By the time she put down the phone, it was already past eleven. She went to eat, then called the second client, only to be told they were busy that afternoon.
“Would lunchtime be convenient?” she asked patiently.
“No time. I already have a lunch appointment,” the other party replied bluntly.
After a brief pause, Su Caiqing said, “Alright, I’ll visit another time. Sorry for the disturbance.”
Clients canceling at the last minute was common. Sometimes appointments were confirmed over the phone, only for the client to disappear without notice.
With several hours suddenly free, Su Caiqing decided to head directly to her third appointment.
The final client of the day was scheduled to meet at a department store café. After arriving, she ordered coffee and picked up a stack of fashion magazines to read.
Compared to Jiyang, Shanghai was clearly more fashionable. Bold clothing styles and hairstyles frequently appeared in magazines.
This was understandable. At the time, Chinese society’s approach to fashion was like that of a newborn, full of curiosity and exploration, lacking structure or experience, resulting in a somewhat chaotic mix of styles.
With soft music and the aroma of coffee, Su Caiqing felt relaxed and at ease.
When the time was almost up, she borrowed the phone at the counter to contact her final client.
Soon, a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a white suit arrived.
He immediately noticed Su Caiqing in her polka dot dress. After politely confirming her identity, he sat across from her.
Glancing at the magazines on the table, he said, “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Su Caiqing shook her head. “Not at all. You arrived on time. I was just relaxing with coffee and magazines. Mr. Yu Zhixin, you’re the purchasing manager of this department store, correct?”
“Yes. My role is quite important. The products we carry are key to attracting customers.”
“That’s exactly why I approached you. The Xingzi shirt is already showing signs of becoming a trend. We’ve discussed our products over the phone, so today I’ve brought samples for you to examine.”
She took out several sample pieces and handed them to Yu Zhixin.
Adjusting his glasses, he carefully examined the garments.
The Fendou Garment Factory had excellent craftsmanship, and since they often supplied Shanghai, their cutting and stitching were impeccable.
“Very good quality. The stitching is neat, there are few loose threads, and the overall garment looks light and well-shaped.”
“You have a good eye,” Su Caiqing said. “I personally selected the fabric from the dyeing factory, and the production process has been thoroughly vetted.”
“I can see the effort that went into this,” Yu Zhixin nodded.
Su Caiqing preferred dealing with clients like him, those who focused on the product rather than putting on airs.
“How much can you supply?” Yu Zhixin asked.
“Ten thousand pieces in the short term, and more in the long term,” Su Caiqing replied confidently.
After accounting for sales in Jiyang, she intended to direct the rest to Shanghai.
“That’s quite a lot,” Yu Zhixin said, without immediately committing.
Su Caiqing nodded. “Yes. Today is my first day meeting clients in Shanghai, so I still have plenty of stock. But in a few days, who knows how much will remain. The Xingzi shirt is already showing signs of becoming a trend. Once the momentum builds, it will happen within a day or two. Timing is crucial. Once more distributors catch on, supply will become even tighter.”
She was clearly signaling that although she had large inventory, demand was strong, and the pressure lay with the buyers, not her.
Yu Zhixin was deep in thought when a woman with permed hair approached and asked, “May I take a look at this clothing?”
Su Caiqing smiled. “Of course. This is the same style worn by Xingzi in Blood Suspicion. It’s very fashionable and elegant.”
“It really is beautiful. I noticed it while watching the show. It has such a refined feel. Where can I buy it? I’d like one too!” The woman held the shirt up against herself, admiring it.
“You’ll be able to find it in this department store. Fresh stock will arrive in Shanghai tomorrow,” Su Caiqing said.
Yu Zhixin added, “Yes, it will be available tomorrow afternoon.”
“What about this one? Isn’t it for sale?” The woman clearly liked it.
After a moment’s thought, Su Caiqing said, “It is. Ten yuan per piece.”
“Deal!” The woman hurried off to get her bag, returned with ten yuan, and picked up the S-size shirt.
Su Caiqing said, “Based on your figure, I’d recommend an M size. This design is meant to be loose and flowing. If it’s too tight, it won’t highlight your elegance.”
“Really?” the woman asked, somewhat doubtful.
“If you’d like, I can accompany you to the restroom to try it on,” Su Caiqing suggested.
After trying both sizes, the woman had to admit Su Caiqing was right. Due to her figure, the M size looked better on her.
Once the sale was completed, Yu Zhixin no longer hesitated. “Let’s sign the order. I’d like to place an order for fifty thousand pieces.”
Su Caiqing readily agreed. “Of course.”