Chapter 600: Character
Chapter 600: Character
Jiang Xia parked her bicycle outside the photo shop and walked in, asking the owner, "Boss, how much is a roll of Kodak color film?"
The shop owner glanced at Jiang Xia and quoted a price, "Twenty-two yuan."
"I'll take five, no, make it ten rolls!"
Both she and Zhao Cheng Lei loved taking photos of their children. They would snap a few every few days, especially when the kids made cute gestures or expressions, which meant they went through film pretty quickly.
Buying two rolls at a time didn't last long.
Jiang Dong also frequently took photos for his research and often forgot to buy film, so she planned to split the rolls with him.
Besides, they would need more when they visited Shuicheng, so it was better to stock up.
The shop owner's eyes lit up, and he whispered, "Are you buying this for your workplace?"
Jiang Xia, distracted by the old photographs on the wall, including some from the Qing Dynasty, didn't hear clearly, "Hmm?"
She shifted her gaze to the owner.
The shop owner took her silence as an admission.
This was a big business opportunity!
He immediately seized the chance, smiling, "I'll give you a discount of two mao per roll."
Jiang Xia: "..."
She hadn't even started bargaining yet!
"I'll write the receipt at the original price. And remember to come to our shop to develop your photos; I'll give you a five-fen discount per photo!" The shop owner held up his hand, emphasizing the discount.
Ten rolls of film meant around three hundred photos!
Developing each photo could earn several mao.
This was definitely a big deal.
He was going to make a fortune!
After saying that, he took out ten rolls of film and winked at Jiang Xia, "I know how to play along, right?"
Jiang Xia: "..."
At that moment, Dong Yan walked in with a camera, overhearing the conversation. She glanced at Jiang Xia, a look of disdain flashing in her eyes.
What kind of character is this?
Greedy over such a small amount of money?
A mother who could raise such a daughter must not have much character herself.
Like father, like son.
She ignored Jiang Xia and turned to the shop owner, speaking with an air of authority, "Boss, I need to develop some photos. Give me a five-fen discount per photo, and write the receipt accurately!"
She looked so righteous!
Jiang Xia: "..."
Is she crazy?
The shop owner: "..."
Where did this crazy woman come from?
Jiang Xia paid and said to the owner, "Thank you, boss. I don't need a receipt; I'm buying this for home use."
She took the ten rolls of film and left without a backward glance at the crazy woman.
Dong Yan watched Jiang Xia leave with the ten rolls of film, her lips pressed tightly together. Who would buy ten rolls of film at once?
Who is she trying to fool!
Jiang Xia rode her bicycle away.
She was riding a bit fast, and the midday autumn heat was still intense. The sun was scorching, and her back was soaked with sweat.
She panted as she handed the bicycle to Zhao Cheng Lei, "Old He introduced me to a few factory managers, so I was late."
Zhao Cheng Lei thought she had been detained by the principal to receive her graduation certificate, but it turned out Old He had found her.
He parked the bike and picked up the backpack from the basket, "You didn't need to ride so fast. Safety first."
The capital city had a lot of bicycles and cars.
During rush hour, you could see a sea of bicycles passing by Tiananmen Square.
Riding too fast was also dangerous.
Jiang Xia washed her hands, "The sun is too strong, I can't stand it. The film is in the backpack. You take it out while I go take a shower. I smell like smoke all over."
She had spent the whole morning in the principal's office, surrounded by heavy smokers. Jiang Xia felt her hair was saturated with the smell of tobacco.
She couldn't let the children smell secondhand smoke.
Zhao Cheng Lei also detected a faint smell of smoke on her. He decided to talk to Old He and ask everyone to refrain from smoking when Jiang Xia was around.
So, after Jiang Xia returned to school for her afternoon classes, Zhao Cheng Lei went to see Old He.
Old He saw Zhao Cheng Lei come to find him and thought he had finally come to his senses and wanted to work. But what he heard next!
What he heard next!
"What did you say?"
Old He suspected he must be going deaf.
This ungrateful son!
He had no idea what it meant to respect the elderly!
Zhao Cheng Lei: "Old Sir, if you want to talk to Xia Xia, just talk to her. Don't make everyone refrain from smoking around her because she doesn’t like the smell of cigarettes, and neither do I, nor do my three children."
Old He: "……"
Old He was so angry his beard was standing on end! If he had a beard, that is!
Old He waved his hand: "Get out of here!"
Zhao Cheng Lei turned and left.
Old He: "……"
He really left!
"Get back here!"
Zhao Cheng Lei didn’t even turn his head as he walked away.
Old He: "……"
This ungrateful son!
He couldn’t take it anymore. After work, he went to Old Zhang to complain.
"He’s gone mad! Asking a bunch of old smokers not to smoke during meetings? How is that even possible? Tell me, is there something wrong with his head?"
Old Zhang: "Not smoking is good! It’s better for your health! I’ve quit smoking recently, and I’ve even gained some weight! Lei is doing this for your own good."
Old He: "……"
Talking to a brick wall!
*
At four in the afternoon, Jiang Xia hadn’t been dismissed from school yet. Her grandmother, grandfather, and her second aunt were out with the children. Zhao Cheng Lei was busy in his study.
Li Qiufeng was knitting a sweater under the ginkgo tree.
Zhang Rui and Zhang Rong came by at this time.
Li Qiufeng opened the door.
The moment she opened it, Zhang Rui’s eyes lit up.
He took a few steps back, wondering if he had knocked on the wrong door!
Li Qiufeng greeted them: "Second Brother Zhang, Third Brother Zhang."
Zhang Rong looked at his younger brother: "What’s with you?"
Zhang Rui ignored his older brother and smiled at Li Qiufeng: "Cousin, you look beautiful today!"
Today, Li Qiufeng was wearing a new dress that Jiang Xia had bought for her. She had on a white top and a light blue skirt. Her hair, which Jiang Xia had taken her to the salon to cut, was now styled in a trendy, Lin Qingxia-like bob.
Previously, she had always worn a long braid that reached down to her buttocks, which looked quite old-fashioned.
Now that her hairstyle had changed, her whole demeanor was different!
She exuded a fresh and charming aura.
Growing up in the village, Li Qiufeng didn’t know how to handle compliments, so her face turned red.
Zhang Rong glanced at his younger brother, trying to ease the awkwardness, and greeted her with a smile: "Cousin, is Lei at home?"
Li Qiufeng quickly replied: "Yes, I’ll go call him."
She turned and walked into the courtyard, calling out: "Brother, Second Brother Zhang and Third Brother Zhang are here!"
Zhao Cheng Lei came out: "What brings you here?"
Zhang Rong: "Let’s talk in the study."
The three of them went into the study.
Li Qiufeng continued to sit in the courtyard and knit her sweater.
Zhang Rong and Zhang Rui had come to see Zhao Cheng Lei because he had asked them to keep an eye out for any clothing factories in the capital or Jin City that were struggling.
After the spring breeze blew, reforms began, and some factories started to transform. Some began to fend for themselves, no longer relying entirely on the state for production, supply, and sales.
This led to some factories failing, and Zhao Cheng Lei had his eye on these.
He wanted to take over one of them.
Now, Zhang Rong was here to discuss this matter.
Zhang Rui had come along to handle some business and to visit Zhao Cheng Lei.
He didn’t pay attention to their conversation, made himself some tea, and drank it, his gaze occasionally drifting to the graceful girl under the ginkgo tree in the courtyard.
(End of Chapter)
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