Chapter 194: Don’t Understand But Gotta Respect It
After the basic regulations and rules were finalized, the next step was actual action.
The exhibition fair location was set at the Municipal Workers’ Cultural Palace, divided into men’s clothing area and women’s clothing area.
This was also to avoid bad incidents occurring with too many people.
When the contract was signed, Team Leader Xu went back to hold a meeting to notify workers from several nearby large urban area factories to attend the Hong Kong clothing exhibition fair.
This news was actually quite shocking; many people thought it was a joke after hearing about it.
The Women’s Federation Chairman of a certain city’s Textile Factory finished organizing the female staff meeting, then hurriedly went to meet with the neighboring clothing factory and Shoe Factory.
It wasn’t too far; it would only take a few hours by car. She planned to pool the vehicles together to transport the female workers to attend the exhibition fair.
The time was set for Sunday, which was rest time, but the exhibition fair time started on Sunday.
No one knew exactly how many days it would be.
Xiao Du and colleague Xiao Xue were both on the list for the first-time exhibition fair attendees, their excitement overflowing.
Both of their family conditions were very good.
Xiao Du said: “I brought five hundred yuan. Besides other things, I’m also planning to buy a windbreaker for my mom. When she was young, she envied young women who wore windbreakers, but with many children at home and difficulties, when conditions improved, she felt it wasn’t necessary. In a few days it’s my mom’s birthday; I definitely want to buy a nice windbreaker to give to my mother.”
Xiao Xue’s eyes were also shining: “I heard it’s all Hong Kong clothing, the kind they export. No cloth tickets needed; just buy as you like as long as you have money.”
At this time, no one was concerned about quality issues yet; hearing no cloth tickets were needed was enough to make hearts race.
Xiao Du said: “Then do you think anyone will bring one thousand yuan to buy clothes?”
Xiao Xue said in surprise: “Impossible, right? One thousand yuan—who would bring that much money to buy clothes? Wouldn’t that be a spendthrift?”
Xiao Du shook her head: “Not a spendthrift. What they think makes sense too. What if it’s only this once and never again? Moreover, what she’s buying isn’t for herself; there are several families of relatives at home.”
That made sense.
Such dialogues and scenes played out in many places.
In this era when supplies were still scarce, such an exhibition fair absolutely had epoch-making significance.
Team Leader Xu’s home was in Beidu; he hadn’t been home for several days.
First, work was busy; second, several relatives had come to his home.
They had come from thousands of miles away, just to buy clothes.
As a straight man, Team Leader Xu didn’t understand the shining eyes of women when they talked about clothes.
He didn’t understand but had to respect it.
Because of this, Team Leader Xu, who had felt a bit uneasy, now felt much more settled.
There were many families like his; relatives from other cities heard about such an exhibition fair and immediately took the train to rush over.
Many people didn’t understand why it wasn’t in Haicheng, Nancheng, or Beidu but in remote Jiangcheng.
Those who knew the inside story understood clearly: because Lu Qiaoge was a Jiangcheng person.
And at the Military Factory, it was basically just a notification.
Because of Lu Qiaoge’s bonus, Meng Xia, who had paid off the owed payment, didn’t plan to touch the money Qiao Ge gave her.
Instead, she counted her own money, which wasn’t much, just over ten yuan.
Actually, everyone at home had clothes; they were bought by Qiao Ge.
They were also very good export turned domestic sales.
She also had the bonus and overtime pay that Old Lu brought back a couple of days ago, a total of eighty yuan.
But hearing that a windbreaker alone cost sixty yuan, Meng Xia told Lu Qiaoge: Whatever you want to buy, buy it yourself. Mom’s giving you thirty yuan; add a bit yourself and buy a windbreaker.
Lu Qiaoge had just received a one hundred yuan bonus, which was the innovation award rewarded by the factory.
It was for that design drawing of the restructuring wheelchair.
It had to be said that the factory had really put in a lot of effort.
Lu Qiaoge said to Meng Xia: “Mom, you’re only taking living expenses from us now; you haven’t taken money from us for buying clothes either, so no need to worry about it. If Qiao Ling wants to buy clothes, let her borrow from me. If big sister-in-law wants to buy clothes, let the couple figure it out themselves. Now that the foundation is laid, living still depends on oneself.”
Meng Xia gave her second daughter a reproachful look; she seemed to have lost weight again from being busy these days.
Busier than at the Neighborhood Committee; it felt like her second daughter hadn’t had many idle days since starting work.
“Then you don’t buy for them either; what you’ve done is already enough.”
“The first batch of payment has arrived; I’m giving bonuses to the workers.”
That way, big sister-in-law and younger sister would both have money.
Meng Xia said disapprovingly: “How? You still want to use bonus money to buy clothes? They’re all spendthrifts who don’t know how to live. I think you should wait until after the exhibition fair to distribute them, or else no money will be left.”
Lu Qiaoge looked at Meng Xia and actually felt that what her mother said made some sense.
One had to learn rational consumption, right?
But the bonuses that should be given still had to be distributed to the workers.
As for what they bought, that was their freedom.
Because every worker had been very diligent, Lu Qiaoge applied for a twenty yuan bonus for each person.
One had to know their monthly salary was only twenty-eight yuan.
Because the Neighborhood Committee had transferred away the accountant and bookkeeper beforehand.
But the next day the accountant and bookkeeper reported for duty.
One was Accountant Song, an elder sister who spoke slowly and gently.
The other bookkeeper was Xu Xiaoming, a graduate of the accounting training class, a shy young man, but with very good business capability and quick to get up to speed.
Xu Xiaoming and Sister Chu brought the money to the Food Factory to distribute bonuses to everyone.
After Xu Xiaoming arrived at the Food Factory, he found that although the factory was small, it was really clean—cleaner than he had imagined.
Hu Ze assisted on the side; the three cooperated very well and quickly distributed all the bonuses.
Lu Qiaoge then saw Older Brother Chang give the twenty yuan he just received to Zhou Li, then with smiling eyes, gesticulating animatedly with his wife.
He could now produce individual syllables.
Lu Qiaoge heard him saying it was a skirt.
This was to let Zhou Li buy a pretty skirt too.
Zhou Li gave him a look and said: “Riding a bicycle in a dress is not convenient at all. Besides, it’s already August; how many more days can one wear a skirt?”
Then she saw Older Brother Chang continue gesticulating, meaning buy—a windbreaker?
It looked like Zhou Li was a bit tempted.
Lu Qiaoge got many of her news from Qin Hengzhi.
Although they were serious when discussing business, actually the two were just gossiping.
Lu Qiaoge would share new information with him, and Qin Hengzhi would also carefully deliver information Lu Qiaoge cared about into her hands.
For example, the progress on investigating Chang An’s background—it was said there was a very high possibility he was Old Lin’s stolen son.
Given Old Lin’s family conditions and background, he definitely wouldn’t let the couple continue working as collective workers at this small Food Factory.
Even though this job would have been beyond reach for them before.
It felt like the biggest possibility was still returning to Beidu.
Lu Qiaoge turned her gaze to Fan Xiaoyu again.
This treasure she picked up could take over Chang An’s position.
Fan Xiaoyu hadn’t expected that she also had a bonus, but not twenty yuan. According to her time there and contributions, she was given five yuan.
For Fan Xiaoyu, this could cover two months of rent.
But Du Shuang and Lu Qiaoling, the two little girls, had it much easier.
After receiving the money, they excitedly discussed what to buy at the exhibition fair…
