CHAPTER 256: CHAPTER 226: LEAVING

Yang Lihua didn’t need to say anything; just sitting there with a drooping face, saying nothing, Mrs. Chen would stand up for her.

Outside the window, Lin Xiang could see Mrs. Chen pointing at Chen Qiqiang’s nose and scolding him loudly.

Mr. Chen and Chen Qiqiang’s sister kept offering delicious food to Yang Lihua, sitting on either side of her, fearing that she might be hurt by Chen Qiqiang’s actions.

Witnessing this scene, Lin Xiang was completely relieved.

Chen Qiqiang wasn’t a good husband, but Yang Lihua had found herself good parents-in-law and a nice sister-in-law.

Knowing their son was wrong, they didn’t blindly side with him but stood by Yang Lihua to vent her grievances.

Even in the seventies, even up to the twenty-first century, such reasonable parents-in-law are few and far between.

Just by looking at this, Yang Lihua’s life wouldn’t be too bad.

Lin Xiang was at ease.

After returning to the Ge Family, she tidied up a bit and sat in the yard chatting with Ge Yuanyi.

"My mom said, once both houses are renovated, we will move over there to live."

Aunt Ge’s street-front house shares the same layout as the one Fifth Uncle bought, with a three-story building facing the street; the bottom floor for small businesses and the upper two floors for living.

There’s a large yard at the back where they could grow some vegetables if sorted out.

Behind the yard is another row of houses; though not as appealing as the building, it’s spacious.

"The street-front house is bigger than the one we’re living in now; why didn’t you move there earlier?"

Ge Yuanyi bitterly smiled, "Ever since I was a child, our family lived here, filled with our beautiful memories. After my brother got hurt and I encountered difficulties, we all hesitated to go out, let alone move, so we stayed behind."

That house was originally meant as Ge Yuanyi’s dowry according to Aunt Ge’s plan.

But now, with Fifth Uncle and Fifth Aunt wanting to move to the new house, and Aunt Ge along with Ge Yuanxin, who’s not very mobile, finding many things inconvenient, coupled with the barbecue and spicy noodle stalls needing a new location, it’d be better to move, allowing both families to help each other, and the syrup shop’s business could continue.

"It’s really good, my Fifth Uncle and Fifth Aunt are wonderful, having them around Aunt Ge, you can be reassured in Beijing."

"Indeed." Ge Yuanyi wore a faint smile, "It’s exactly because of Uncle Lin and Aunt Lin that I can feel secure going to Beijing. Lin Xiang, I really should thank you, if not for you..."

"Stop right there!" Lin Xiang interrupted: "I don’t like such sentimental occasions. Besides, it’s true I’ve helped you guys, but you’ve also made things convenient for us."

At least during the six months of high school, thanks to Aunt Ge, or else where would Lin Xiang find such a suitable place to rent?

She didn’t care about rent, but if she were to encounter a bothersome landlord who constantly made issues for no reason, she’d be stressed to no end.

It wasn’t until after nine o’clock at night when Fifth Uncle’s family and Aunt Ge returned.

Once inside, Chunya rushed directly at Lin Xiang.

"Hey girl, do you know how much I made today?"

"Wasn’t it five bucks?"

"More than that!"

Chunya proudly recounted her experience of selling hair flowers.

The pricing was set according to Lin Xiang’s method: thirty cents for one, fifty cents for two, buy four get one free, which means one yuan for five.

But most people bought two.

Initially, there were unfamiliar people pooling money, buying five for a yuan, but it was a problem dividing the extra one.

"I kept explaining to them that buying four and getting one free equated to twenty cents each. Those taking two pay forty cents, and those taking three pay sixty cents, but still, some felt those taking three had the edge."

"Even if you took only two, it costs just forty cents, while buying two normally would cost fifty cents. I can’t understand why that is."

It’s merely a mindset of wanting to gain an advantage.

After two bouts of fussing, those coming to buy hair flowers basically stopped sharing purchases with others.

Those a little better off would directly buy five themselves, and those less well-off would buy two for fifty cents, though many bought only one.

Although buying two for fifty cents is more advantageous than one for thirty cents, for many who like them but can’t spare much money, buying two seemed like spending an extra twenty cents, whereas buying one seemed more cost-effective.

"So, for twenty-five hair flowers, I sold them for a total of six yuan and three cents!"

That’s a yuan and three cents more than expected.

Chunya, lucky she didn’t have a tail, otherwise she’d be wagging it proudly right now.

"With the scraps and elastic band I gave you, at your rate of twenty-five per day, you should manage until I return for winter break."

"Chunya, remember, don’t just keep making and selling hair flowers due to temporary good sales. Even profits depend on the market; if these items become too common, they won’t sell well."

"Besides, selling hair flowers is different from selling food; you can’t wait for customers to come to you. You have to actively find them yourself, like taking the hair flowers to sell at factories with many female workers; business will likely be better."

Chunya responded: "I’ll sell tomorrow at the cotton spinning factory!"

Lin Xiang looked at her with a complex expression, "Do you think you can sell these hair flowers at the cotton spinning factory?"

The materials for making hair flowers all come from the cotton spinning factory!

Moreover, the female workers at the factory, with skills no worse than hers, could easily make them, not to mention having a wider selection of colors.

Isn’t this practically ruining her own business?

Chunya’s face flushed with embarrassment, "I didn’t consider that; I’ll have to think where else to sell them."

"Try making different styles and occasionally introduce new ones, so people can keep feeling fresh, ensuring others don’t steal your business."

"Once I go to Beijing, I’ll buy some hair accessories there. You can create based on Beijing’s styles."

Lin Xiang had anticipated everything for Chunya, and if she still couldn’t do well, Lin Xiang would be at a loss.

Next morning, at dawn, Lin Xiang and Ge Yuanyi were ready and prepared to set off.

Aunt Ge, getting up before daylight, made lots of food, packing it into Ge Yuanyi and Lin Xiang’s backpacks.

"The train takes one to two days, make sure you eat regularly on the way, don’t let yourselves go hungry."

"The weather’s still warm, I fear if I make too much it will spoil before finished on the way. Here’s some money for you two; there are items for sale on the train; you can spend it to buy something to eat yourselves."

Lin Xiang declined Aunt Ge’s kind offer, "Auntie, I have money, thank you."