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Chapter 686: The First Branch in Mainland China
Chapter 686: The First Branch in Mainland China
Liang Weibo was quick to act; after a trip to Siyucheng, he had secured both a storefront and land. Following Lu Jiaxin's instructions, he purchased the storefront and immediately began construction on the land. Simultaneously, they began recruiting employees from the public, offering especially high salaries for experienced jewelers. Successful applicants would earn in one month what an average worker would make in half a year. On top of this, there were bonuses and annual leave days. Of course, one would have to be hired first, and such high compensation naturally came with high expectations.
Due to the attractive salary, many people applied, and eventually, eight individuals were hired. Among them was an elderly master craftsman whose ancestors had once been official artisans for the Imperial Household Department. His skills were impeccable, and Wufu Jewelry offered him a monthly salary of 1,200 yuan. Of course, there were conditions attached; he was expected to take on apprentices. He didn't need to teach them all his closely guarded secrets, but he should impart the skills that would be useful in their work.
After two months of preparation, in late July, Wufu Jewelry opened its first branch in mainland China. Following traditional practices, they advertised in magazines and distributed promotional flyers. Liang Weibo had wanted to advertise on television, but Lu Jiaxin refused, opting instead to increase their efforts in flyer distribution.
Under the Wanjia Film and Television company, several movies and TV series were being aired in mainland China. Thus, the promotional brochures also featured images of the jewelry worn by the actors and actresses in these productions. The 1990s was an era when people in China adored Hong Kong entertainment, and many were enticed by this promotional strategy.
There was an opening promotion for the first three days—a 10% discount, and a free necklace for purchases over 500 yuan. The effective prior advertising meant that many people showed up on the opening day. Fortunately, Wufu Jewelry was an established company, and they had anticipated various scenarios.
Lu Hongjun had received news about the opening and, after breakfast, took the bus to the location. He had intended to show his support, but when he arrived, he was surprised to see a large crowd gathered outside. He asked in astonishment, "Isn't this shop opening today? Why aren't they letting people in yet?"
One of the young people waiting outside replied politely with a smile, "There are too many people. The manager of this store said that only 200 people can enter at a time, and each group has a time limit of half an hour."
The Wufu Jewelry branch was quite spacious, with two floors totaling over 300 square meters each. While the area was considerable, they only had 40 sales personnel, so they couldn't accommodate too many customers at once, or they might not be able to provide adequate service and something could go wrong.
Lu Hongjun was taken aback, "So many people are buying?"
The young man laughed and said, "Of course. The earrings, necklaces, and bracelets that Wendy usually wears are all from Wufu Jewelry."
Lu Hongjun tried to recall but couldn't remember anyone mentioning a Wendy. Just as he was about to ask who Wendy was, the staff of Wufu Jewelry came out with ice cream to distribute to the waiting crowd.
As some people started to rush forward, the security guards beside the staff immediately intervened and asked them to return to the queue. It was too chaotic to distribute the ice cream; if they didn't maintain order, there might be an accident.
July was still quite hot, and seeing the long line, Lu Hongjun felt that he probably wouldn't be able to get in. So, he turned around and left.
During dinner, Lu Hongjun told Lu Jiaguang and his wife about the bustling scene at the Wufu Jewelry store, "There was a crowd gathered outside the store, and they were only letting small batches of 200 people inside at a time, with a time limit. Once a group leaves, they let another group in."
Lu Hongjun often had his meals with Lu Jiaguang's family since it was dull to eat alone. Their breakfast schedules conflicted, and Lu Jiaguang and his wife rarely came home for lunch, so they usually had dinner together.
Wang Xiaojie was at work today, and she planned to take a few days off soon to visit. She never expected that Jiaxin's jewelry company would be so well-received, "That's great! With such good business, you'll be making a profit."
"Who's Wendy?"
The couple exchanged puzzled looks and shook their heads together. It was Lu Zhenzhen, who was still in junior high school, who solved the mystery for them: "Wendy is the female lead in Pretty Woman Lawyer. She's not only good at arguing cases, but she's also pretty and has a great sense of style."
Pretty Woman Lawyer had captivated Lu Zhenzhen when she watched it with her classmates one weekend. She loved the strong, independent female characters who exuded confidence and refused to rely on men. Their pursuit of their desires through their own efforts was a refreshing change from the domestic dramas and movies she was used to.
Upon hearing this, Lu Hongjun immediately understood and said, "So, the jewelry and accessories worn by those actresses in the movie were all provided by Wufu Jewelry?"
Lu Zhenzhen laughed and explained, "Not exactly bought, but sponsored. Wufu Jewelry collaborates by providing jewelry or clothing for the characters in the movie. Then, when audiences see how good it looks, they'll want to buy it."
Lu Hongjun felt that this strategy was risky. What if the movie or TV show flopped? Then the investment would be lost.
Lu Jiaguang didn't want to dwell on this topic. When it came to business, Jiaxin was the expert, and their amateur speculations were pointless. He changed the subject to something he knew would interest Lu Hongjun. "Xiao Jie, didn't you introduce Chen's niece to Lu Tao some time ago? How are they getting along?"
Wang Xiao Jie replied, "They're still dating. My younger sister-in-law is anxious for them to get married soon. But the girl's family thinks it's too early to be talking about marriage after just over a month of dating."
Lu Hongjun interjected, "Don't tell me that girl is leading Lu Tao on while she looks for a better catch."
Wang Xiao Jie's expression immediately soured. She was the one who had made the introduction, and now they were suspecting her of poor judgment? All her good intentions had earned her was doubt and resentment.
Lu Jiaguang offered an apologetic explanation, "Third Uncle, the girl just wants to take the time to get to know Lu Tao better and see if they are compatible in all aspects. I think it's a good idea. It shows responsibility towards the marriage and themselves."
Lu Hongjun didn't know much about their unit, but if Lu Jiaguang said it was fine, he trusted his judgment. "Jiaguang, Xiaojie, now that Jiajie has repaid Jiaxin's debt, can you help him find a wife?"
A home wasn't complete without a woman to take care of it. Lu Jiajie was still young and needed to remarry. Since he had to remarry anyway, it was better to do it sooner rather than later so that she could help take care of the two children. Although Lu Jiaguang and Wang Xiaojie treated the two children well, there was still no place like home. That was why Lu Jiajie and his siblings had immediately moved back home after he returned. At their uncle's house, no matter how kind the uncle and aunt were, it was still not their own home.
Wang Xiaojie said, "I've been asking him to find another wife, but he says that with so much debt, finding a wife would be like tricking her. He made me so worried that I didn't dare to ask anyone about it. Now that he's changed his mind, what made him do so?"
"He had his concerns before, but now that the debt is cleared, those concerns are gone."
Wang Xiaojie didn't quite believe him and insisted on confirming Lu Jiajie's intentions herself. "With his current situation, he can easily find a young and eligible woman."
Lu Hongjun shook his head. "Jiajie said he doesn't want a young and eligible woman. He's looking for someone who's been married before and doesn't have children, so he won't have to worry about treating Qiangqiang and Xiaofeng badly."
Hearing this, Wang Xiaojie was sure he wasn't lying. Lu Jiajie was indeed looking for a wife, and she agreed, "Alright, I'll help look out for someone suitable. But if it's a second marriage, it would be better to have another child, so the couple can be of one heart."
Lu Hongjun had also asked about this, and he smiled as he relayed Lu Jiajie's response. "Jiajie said it's fine to have another child, but he wants to wait until Xiaofeng is in middle school."
"Alright."
(End of Chapter)
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