Chapter 91: Shaking Things Up
Chapter 91: Shaking Things Up
The two took a cab to Gaoxiu Street, which was not far away, and they arrived in just over ten minutes. However, upon seeing the crowded street, Lu Jiaxin had second thoughts.
Gu Wenfeng suggested, "Jiaxin, let's go to the guesthouse first to drop off our luggage before we explore further."
Lu Jiaxin didn't want to stay at a guesthouse. She said, "Brother Gu, it would be more convenient if we rent a place instead."
Gu Wenfeng disagreed with the idea of renting, expressing concerns about safety, "Thieves are rampant these days. What if we're out and about, and a thief breaks into our place? Jiaxin, we still have that painting with us, too."
The 'Longevity Celebration Painting' had sold for 50,000 green dollars. Even if they couldn't sell the remaining ancient painting for as much, they should still be able to get a couple of thousand yuan for it. Renting a place was cheaper, but staying at a guesthouse was safer.
Lu Jiaxin explained that she wasn't trying to save money but wanted convenience, "My health can't take too much strain, and I'm not used to the food here. I plan to ask my fifth brother, Lu Jiajie, and Xue Mao to join me. We'll need the extra space, and I'd like to cook for myself."
She intended to live to be eighty, and she wasn't going to push herself too hard anymore. For this business venture, she would oversee the general direction, leaving the details to Lu Jiajie. As for Xue Mao, he would assist and gain some valuable experience along the way.
Gu Wenfeng asked, "Isn't your fifth brother working? Wouldn't it be inappropriate to have him help us?"
Lu Jiaxin wasn't worried about that at all. "What's inappropriate about it? He's just going through the motions at the shoe factory, slacking off most of the time. It's better for him to take a leave of absence and help me."
Lu Jiajie was currently short on money, and by helping her, he would benefit from a larger budget for a bigger and better house.
Thinking about Lu Jiaxin's generous offer to split her antique collection with him, he decided that if she didn't want it, he would donate it. Gu Wenfeng didn't argue further. Since Lu Jiaxin was so generous with herself, he knew she wouldn't be stingy with Lu Jiajie either.
"Alright then," Gu Wenfeng agreed. "Let's find a nice hotel to rest up tonight, and we can look for a place to rent tomorrow."
"Ring, ring, ring..."
Lu JiaGuang was just about to head out when the phone rang. Answering it, he heard a cheerful voice on the other end, and his expression softened. "What's got you so happy?"
Lu Jiaxin excitedly shared, "Big brother, I sold my painting! Guess how much I got for it?"
For it to excite her so much, Lu JiaGuang knew it had to be a substantial amount. He guessed, "50,000?"
"More than that," Lu Jiaxin replied with a laugh.
"Could it be... 100,000?" Lu JiaGuang asked hesitantly.
Lu Jiaxin laughed heartily. "It sold for 50,000 green dollars, which is over 100,000 yuan in our currency."
Lu JiaGuang's hand holding the receiver shook slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He suspected that this might be a scam. "Jiaxin, be careful. The buyer might be a con artist. Don't sell the painting."
Lu Jiaxin found his wariness amusing. "Big brother, don't worry. I sold the painting to the grandson of a wealthy businessman in Hong Kong City, and I already have the money in hand."
With the money safely deposited in the bank, there was no need to worry.
"Since you've sold the painting, you should come back soon," Lu JiaGuang advised. "Jiaxin, it's not safe to carry such a large sum of money around."
Lu Jiaxin had no intention of returning just yet. She shared her plans, "Big brother, since I'm here, I plan to bring back a batch of goods. I've checked both Xiushui Street and the department stores, and there's a gap in the market for shoes. If I can make stylish, waterproof, and warm shoes, they'll sell like hotcakes."
"Jiaxin, have you thought about how you'll transport the goods back and sell them?" Lu JiaGuang asked.
Lu Jiaxin had already considered this. "Big brother, I'll make all the shoes first and then take samples to find buyers. I'm confident that once buyers see our samples, they'll come to Yangcheng to pick up the goods themselves."
If buyers were willing to go to Yangcheng to collect the goods, it meant that the shoes were in high demand.
Lu JiaGuang felt that she was getting ahead of herself and tried to temper her enthusiasm. "Jiaxin, what if the shoes don't sell, and you lose all that money?"
Lu Jiaxin was unconcerned. "As long as the shoes meet my standards, they will sell. Big brother, my fifth brother has worked in the shoe factory for six years. He knows better than any of us if shoes will sell or not."
Lu JiaGuang fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Your fifth brother has a family now. He can't keep taking leaves of absence; otherwise, he might lose his job."
Lu Jiaxin understood this, "Big brother, you talk to fifth brother. I'll give him 500 yuan a month, plus 5% of the net profit as a bonus."
Lu Jiajie earned a little over 80 yuan a month, amounting to about 1,000 yuan a year. With three months left until the Chinese New Year, if he helped her until then, it would be equivalent to earning a year and a half's salary, not including the promised bonus.
Lu JiaGuang thought the wage was too high, but as he wasn't directly involved, he didn't want to interfere. "I can ask Jiajie to help you, but if he says that making the shoes will result in a loss, then you'll have to come back with him."
"Okay," Lu Jiaxin agreed.
Lu JiaGuang was a thoughtful man. He asked Lu Jiaxin to call back the next day at 5 p.m. If Lu Jiajie agreed, they could discuss the details themselves. If he disagreed, he would let her know then.
After work, Lu JiaGuang didn't go home. Instead, he went to Guangming Road and stood outside, listening to Qiangqiang and Xiaofeng's cheerful laughter. Children were resilient, and now that they had moved out, the two kids were as lively as ever.
Ma Lili was in the yard, washing clothes. Seeing him, she greeted him warmly, "Big brother, you're here. Come in and sit down."
Qiangqiang and Xiaofeng, each holding a little pinwheel, smiled and called out to their uncle. Seeing the radiant smiles on their faces, Lu JiaGuang felt they had made the right decision to move out.
Ma Lili poured him a cup of water and said, "Big brother, Jiajie went to help a friend and won't be back until tonight."
When they had first moved out, Ma Lili had been worried about the inconvenience of the longer commute to school and the extra household chores. But now, she realized it wasn't as difficult as she had imagined. Her husband sent the kids to school in the mornings when he wasn't working the night shift, and he also helped with cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children.
Lu JiaGuang got straight to the point, "The wages at the shoe factory are low, and the benefits aren't great either. Jiajie has complained to me more than once about not having enough money. Sister-in-law, I think we should let Jiajie give it a try."
A three-month leave of absence was out of the question; the factory would never approve it. What he was suggesting was a one-year unpaid leave of absence. That way, Jiajie could still earn a year's salary from this trip, gain some experience, and explore new opportunities.
Ma Lili was so shocked that her eyes nearly popped out of her head. After a moment, she asked, "Big brother, wait, let me process this. Did I hear you correctly? You said Jiaxin sold a painting she found in Gu Capital for ten thousand yuan to the grandson of a wealthy family in Hong Kong City?"
"It sold for 50,000 green dollars, which is over 100,000 yuan," Lu JiaGuang clarified.
Even though the information came directly from Lu JiaGuang, Ma Lili still found it surreal. Ten thousand yuan—Jiaxin had earned that enormous sum so effortlessly.
(End of Chapter)
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