The Xiao and Song families quickly finalized the marriage arrangements. They made a detailed list of the bride price and the items that would be included in the dowry.
However, this time, Song Yanzhen decided to be cautious. She did not rush to send over the bride price. Instead, she said they would wait until Song Kuoyang returned, then have him withdraw the money from the bank before formally coming over to ask for the marriage.
After the neighbors in the residential compound heard about it, rumors began to spread that the Song family was deliberately playing tricks on the Xiao family to get revenge for the previous broken engagement.
Auntie Qian was helping the Xiao family cut radishes in their courtyard, so naturally, she could not resist telling them all the gossip she had heard.
“People are saying all sorts of things behind your backs. But I’m an honest person. I don’t go around gossiping behind people’s backs. We’re neighbors, so if there’s something you need to know, I’ll tell you to your face. The Song family’s ancestors were capitalists and landlords. Those kinds of people are rotten to the core. Last time, you embarrassed them by breaking off the engagement. Now that they have the chance, they’ll definitely try to get their dignity back. They didn’t show up for the blind date, then hurriedly agreed to the marriage, and now they’re dragging their feet about giving the bride price. I’m telling you, don’t get upset with me, but I think they’re going to wait until the very last moment and then… well… I think they’ll break off the engagement and humiliate you. You did it to them once, and now they’ll do it to you. They’re doing it on purpose!”
Auntie Qian had helped the Xiao family before, and this time they had even followed her to her relatives’ village to buy radishes cheaply. Since they owed her a favor, Grandma Xiao Ganju could not simply kick her out.
She quickly chopped the radishes and said, “Let people say whatever they want. Whoever likes to gossip can gossip. Their tongues will rot.”
Auntie Qian gave an awkward smile and repeatedly insisted, “Anyway, I’m not the kind of person who likes to gossip.”
Then she quietly asked, “A few days ago, I saw Hongmin talking with Liang Tian behind the small grocery store. Have they made up?”
Grandma Xiao pretended not to hear. Instead, she deliberately called loudly toward the house, “Third girl! Third girl! Come help me!”
Xiao Hongyao put down her work and came outside. She helped Grandma Xiao place the bamboo trays filled with sliced radishes on two benches to dry.
Just as they finished, Xiao Hongyao noticed a bicycle stopping at the gate.
She looked up and saw Tong Weiqiang waving at her.
A few days ago, she had planned to go gather wild vegetables so she could “accidentally” run into Tong Weiqiang, but the good news about her marriage had delayed her plans.
She hurried outside and greeted him with a smile.
“Brother Qiang, are you going to work or just getting off?”
Tong Weiqiang smiled broadly, his eyes crinkling and revealing two adorable dimples.
“I’ve been working night shifts lately. I have free time in the morning, so I wander around. I just happened to be passing by your house…”
Xiao Hongyao immediately seized the opportunity.
“Last time I said I would treat you to a meal. When are you free, Brother Qiang? I’ll take you out to eat.”
“I’m free right now. I’ll treat you.”
It was only eleven o’clock, a little early for lunch.
But there would be fewer people at the restaurant at this time, which would make it convenient for them to talk.
“I’m treating you,” Xiao Hongyao said with a smile before going back inside to get money and meal coupons.
Auntie Qian asked curiously, “Who is that? Isn’t he Master Tong’s son? He seems pretty familiar with Hongyao.”
Tang Yueying, who was preparing lunch in the kitchen, heard the commotion and nervously came outside to look toward the gate.
Grandma Xiao watched her granddaughter hurry out of the house. She wanted to ask something, but restrained herself.
“Grandma, I’m going out for a while.”
Then Xiao Hongyao turned to Tang Yueying.
“Auntie, I won’t be home for lunch.”
“Where are you going?” Tang Yueying asked.
Xiao Hongyao was not stupid. At a time like this, in this era, spending too much time with other unmarried young men could damage her reputation.
So she immediately used Song Kuoyang as a shield.
“Song Kuoyang’s junior apprentice, Tong Weiqiang. He helped Song Kuoyang with something before. Song Kuoyang asked me to find a time to treat him to a meal.”
Everyone was stunned.
When had Third Girl even met Song Kuoyang?
No one dared to ask further. They could only watch Xiao Hongyao leave.
Grandma Xiao immediately showed off to Auntie Qian.
“Song Kuoyang asked her to treat someone to a meal to repay a favor.”
Auntie Qian realized that she had just made herself look foolish, so she could only give an awkward smile and remain silent.
At the counter of the state-run restaurant, a small blackboard listed the day’s menu.
Xiao Hongyao and Tong Weiqiang each ordered a meat dish: stir-fried pork with garlic sprouts and stir-fried cured pork with bamboo shoots.
After ordering, the two of them competed to pay the bill.
The waitress took one look at them and immediately knew that people who fought over the bill like this were definitely not a couple. At most, they were classmates!
Afterward, they each went to the serving window and got two liang of rice before sitting beneath a sign that read, “Be Diligent and Thrifty; Cherish Food,” waiting for their dishes.
Tong Weiqiang asked, “Are you getting ready to return to work?”
“I’m going back on Friday.”
“This Friday? Then you still have two days to have fun.” Tong Weiqiang immediately offered, “Where do you want to go? I’ll take you.”
Xiao Hongyao steered the conversation toward what she really wanted to discuss.
“You still have time to take me around? Aren’t you supposed to be very busy lately?”
According to the original story, Tong Weiqiang should currently be running around borrowing money to get involved in the business of reselling fabric.
“How did you know?”
“Someone told me.”
Xiao Hongyao thought he would immediately understand that the “someone” was Song Kuoyang.
Instead, Tong Weiqiang’s mind worked differently.
He thought she cared about him and had been asking other people about him!
The corners of his mouth immediately stretched all the way to his ears.
“I’m not busy. I’m really not busy. If you need anything, just come to me.”
Xiao Hongyao was about to speak when Tong Weiqiang could no longer contain his curiosity.
“Brother Yang went to the mountains on an urgent assignment. You know that, right?”
“I know.”
“You know? Then… how are you two doing?”
“We’ve settled the marriage.”
Xiao Hongyao said it openly and without hesitation.
Tong Weiqiang’s smile froze instantly.
He lived in the western compound and had heard nothing about Song Kuoyang and Xiao Hongyao becoming engaged. Besides, Song Kuoyang had not even had time to meet her that evening. So how had they managed to settle the marriage?
Could it be that after eating pork-blood rice noodles, that shameless Song Kuoyang had secretly gone to the Xiao family’s house later that night?
He gave an awkward smile.
“Then won’t I have to call you Sister-in-law?”
“Huh?”
Xiao Hongyao felt somewhat resistant to the title.
“You can just call me Xiao, Xiaoyao, or even my full name.”
“When the time comes, I’ll give you some fabric as a wedding gift.” Tong Weiqiang felt awkward and desperately tried to find something to say.
There it was—the opening she had been waiting for!
Xiao Hongyao immediately followed up.
“What kind of fabric? Is it the fabric you’re planning to resell?”
Tong Weiqiang had been borrowing money from people everywhere, but other than Song Kuoyang, he had never openly told anyone what business he wanted to invest in.
How did Xiao Hongyao know about the fabric business?
Other than Song Kuoyang, there could be no one else.
Sheesh. He hadn’t expected Old Song to tell even his fiancée about this kind of thing.
Tong Weiqiang licked his lips and smiled.
“I do have a connection for buying and selling fabric, but I haven’t decided whether I’m actually going to do it yet.”
His maternal uncle wanted investors, with a minimum investment of 1,000 yuan. Tong Weiqiang was too embarrassed to admit that he could not raise that much money himself.
“Brother Qiang, if you decide to do this business, count me in.”
Tong Weiqiang froze.
He could hardly believe his ears.
“Huh?”
“I’m serious. I have money.”
Tong Weiqiang blinked and gave a self-mocking smile.
“Xiaoyao, you’re really a good person.”
He thought she was simply being kind and trying to comfort him.
“If everyone in China were as perceptive and kind as you, we’d have become number one in the world long ago!”
Your man, Song Kuoyang, isn’t kind enough. He’s holding China back from becoming number one in the world.
He kept that thought to himself.
Xiao Hongyao got straight to the point.
“I don’t have much money. What’s the minimum amount needed?”
Tong Weiqiang looked at her serious expression suspiciously.
“You really want to lend me money?”
“Not lend. I want to partner with you. I want a share too.”
“You want to make money too?”
“Yes.”
“You want to put up money and resell fabric with me?”
Xiao Hongyao nodded firmly.
“We’ll be partners.”
Tong Weiqiang cautiously asked, “It’s not ten or eighty yuan, and it’s not even 180 yuan. The minimum purchase cost is 1,000 yuan. I’ve managed to put together 300. What about you? Do you have 700 yuan?”
“I do.”
“Really? You’re not joking with me, are you?”
“I’m serious. I’m not joking.”
Seeing how solemnly Xiao Hongyao spoke, Tong Weiqiang pinched his own cheek. After confirming that he was not dreaming, he clenched his fists excitedly.
“I said I was missing a benefactor, and it turns out my benefactor is right here!”
He was so excited that his voice became rather loud. Even the waitresses chatting nearby could not help turning to look at them.
Xiao Hongyao gently shushed him.
Tong Weiqiang immediately lowered his voice.
“So it’s thirty percent for me and seventy percent for you? This batch of fabric is corduroy. Once the goods arrive, my maternal uncle will help us sell them. It’s guaranteed profit with no loss. My uncle is going to Guangzhou next Friday to purchase the fabric. If you really want to partner with me, I’ll go talk to him later.”
“Can we only buy 1,000 yuan worth? Can we buy more?”
Tong Weiqiang froze again.
“What are you talking about? How much more money can you put in?”
Xiao Hongyao held up three fingers.
“We can put together 3,000 yuan.”
He would contribute 300 yuan, and she would contribute 2,700.
Tong Weiqiang stared at her with his mouth hanging open as though he had never seen anything like this before.
“You have that much money? Is it because your father passed away and the factory gave your family a large compensation payment?”
Xiao Hongyao could not tell him the truth.
“Don’t ask, and don’t tell anyone. You have to keep this secret, including from my family and Song Kuoyang. I’m afraid if they find out, they’ll worry that I might lose money and stop me from partnering with you.”
“Understood.” Tong Weiqiang nodded firmly. “I’ll definitely keep it a secret.”
Then she asked, “Can your uncle be trusted? Can we increase the amount of goods?”
“He can be trusted. This isn’t the first time my uncle has done this kind of business. He knows a lot of people and has plenty of connections. As long as the goods arrive, he can wholesale them immediately. He handles both the buying and selling. The more we buy, the more he earns too. He takes twenty percent of the profit.”
After Tong Weiqiang’s uncle brought the fabric back from Guangzhou, he would immediately resell it to fabric shops and small merchants. His uncle would earn a commission from the profits.
The capital belonged to someone else, so for his uncle, it was a guaranteed-profit business.
Xiao Hongyao knew that this year would have a relatively warm winter. People would not need thick cotton clothes for very long, so corduroy should not be difficult to sell.
If they did not wholesale it and instead sold it themselves, they could make even more money.
“If your uncle handles the wholesale, how much could we make from 1,000 yuan worth of goods?”
“This batch of corduroy is from a textile factory in Guangzhou that is switching to denim production. They’re clearing out the old fabric at a very low price. My uncle has connections, so his purchase price is extremely low. We can make at least 800 yuan from every 1,000 yuan we put in. Then we give my uncle 160 yuan, leaving 640 yuan for us to split. If I get thirty percent and you get seventy, how much is that?”
Tong Weiqiang thought he was pretty good at arithmetic, but even he was struggling to calculate it mentally.
“You get 192 yuan, and I get 448 yuan.”
Xiao Hongyao had once been a bookworm. Simple mental arithmetic like this was child’s play for her.
“If you put in 2,700 yuan and I add my 300, that gives us 3,000 yuan worth of goods. You’ll make even more.”
Xiao Hongyao quickly calculated it in her head.
They could make more than 1,700 yuan.
That was no small amount in this era. Based on the original owner’s monthly salary of 45 yuan, it was equivalent to nearly three years of basic wages.
But Xiao Hongyao was not satisfied.
She knew they could make even more.
“What if we don’t let your uncle wholesale the goods? Can we do it ourselves?”
“Sure. Then we should only need to give my uncle a ten-percent commission.” Tong Weiqiang lowered his voice and asked, “Do you have another way to sell them?”
“We won’t wholesale them. We’ll sell them ourselves.”
Tong Weiqiang shook his head.
“How are you going to sell 3,000 yuan worth of fabric? Take it to the township markets? That takes time and labor. It’s a huge hassle.”
He lowered his voice even further.
“And we don’t have licenses. If we get caught, officially it would be called unauthorized buying and selling. Unofficially, it’s speculation and profiteering. The authorities aren’t as strict about it as they used to be, but what if we get caught? What then? My old man would have to come and bail me out. He’d probably beat me to death afterward.”
Xiao Hongyao suddenly thought of Liang Tian, her future brother-in-law.
Liang Tian’s older sister sold clothes and had a license to operate a private business.
Perhaps she could partner with Liang Tian’s sister.
“I’ll think of a way. Your uncle is going to Guangzhou to buy the fabric next Friday. This week, I’ll see if I can find a clothing store willing to work with us. Once everything is settled, we can sign a contract with your uncle.”
Tong Weiqiang looked at Xiao Hongyao with admiration.
He was amazed by the decisiveness of this young woman.
“You could become the director of the Women’s Federation someday.”
“What?”
“I’m serious. At the very least, you could become the director of the Women’s Federation.”
In Tong Weiqiang’s eyes, being able to become a Women’s Federation director was one of the highest compliments a woman could receive in that era.
Xiao Hongyao could not help laughing.