TPW – Chapter 55

In mid-November, temperatures plummeted sharply, and the temperature difference between morning and evening became especially large. Walking outdoors, it was already cold enough that you had to wear at least two layers.

Summer clothes had completely disappeared from the market. Fall and winter clothing like blazers and wool coats started to go on sale. The headcount-based promotions were still ongoing, but the 10% discount event had ended.

By all accounts, after a round of quick profits, everyone should have been happy.

But throughout the Baiyun Street market, except for Xu Haizhou’s stall, all the other vendors were sighing and complaining.

Some weren’t even selling clothing, but because they learned Xu Haizhou’s “headcount marketing strategy,” they ended up overstocking, pouring in all their cash, and now, with the market saturated, a mountain of unsold goods had to be crammed into their homes.

These days, who among the people doing small business is from a rich family? They either live in communal courtyards or cramped dormitory buildings, with only so much space to spare. Trying to stuff a massive inventory into such places—there’s really no room left to even stand!

Some rejoice, some worry.

With new stock arriving and old stock stored away, Qiao Lu reorganized the store’s clothing displays.

This time, the two men had learned their lesson and didn’t buy junk blind stock. As soon as they reached the Special Economic Zone, they dashed straight to the wholesale section for woolen coats. Each grabbed 20 pieces—40 in total. Including the 10 from the past two months and some additional woolen fabrics, they essentially had enough to last the entire autumn and winter without worrying about restocking.

Naturally, the wool coats were displayed on the most prominent center wall. On the left, padded coats and various jackets; on the right, thermal pants and fall pants. Bags and “discount items” hung on the lower racks—leftover summer clothes—sold at 20% off for pricier items, or buy-one-get-one-free for the cheaper ones, not eligible for combination with other offers.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this was still the 1980s—fashion turnover in the clothing market wasn’t all that slow. Every year, there’d be “hot-selling items,” and once a new hit emerged, last year’s styles became hard to sell. So, if you had the ability, it was best to clear out summer inventory before the season arrived—no need to worry about stock the following year.

Qiao Lu specifically bought watercolor pens and cut four round pieces of sturdy white cardboard, each about the size of an adult’s palm. She painted the edges a bright yellow to make them eye-catching.

In bold red letters, she wrote things like “Winter Clearance,” “Buy One Get One,” “20% Off Summer Wear”…

Whether or not people could read, as long as they came into the store, the first thing they’d see were those flashy signs.

Seeing something so fresh, wouldn’t you feel compelled to ask about it? And that’s exactly how you’d fall into the “trap.”

Xu Haizhou and Li Hongjun, with their smooth talking, would enthusiastically explain the promotions, convincing you how much you’d save by buying now. After some back and forth, whatever doubts you had in your mind would gradually melt away.

Wave after wave of marketing tactics stimulated the customers’ minds. The once quiet little shop, tucked in a remote corner, suddenly began to rise with the same strategy.

Bit by bit, the foot traffic built up momentum and started to swell.

Now, regular shoppers on Baiyun Street all knew there was a women’s clothing shop at the far end with good quality items, a fitting room, and a no-pressure shopping experience. Even if you only bought a one-yuan vest, you’d still get a free hairpin!

Not to mention the recent launch of promotions like “Headcount Discount,” “20% Off Sale,” and “Buy One Get One.”

So the word spread fast. Without spending a cent on advertising, the store’s reputation soared.

Sometimes, people came to Baiyun Street just to grab deals from Xu Haizhou’s stall!

He had customers’ psychology perfectly pinned down.

Striking while the iron was hot, Qiao Lu rushed production day and night. Within a week, she made three wool coats. Unlike the previous hand-sewn khaki ones, these were made from claret-red fabric that Xu Haizhou had brought back!

Think about it—red, such a festive color. In a week, it would be December. In two months, the Spring Festival. Of course red would sell like hotcakes.

She poured her heart into the designs, adding subtle differences from other wool coats in terms of fit and detail.

She visited five different markets to source fine metal buttons—elegant and refined.

Since most people in Lian were shorter and slimmer, half the fabric was used to make long coats, the other half for short ones that ended two centimeters above the knee—suitable for both tall and short customers.

The hem was designed to flare outward—tight on top, loose below—making the shoulders look less broad. The collar was the classic wide notched lapel, clean and crisp. The cuffs were designed to be turned up and buttoned, perfect for shorter arms—practical and stylish.

Because the fabric was expensive, Qiao Lu didn’t outsource production to avoid waste. She made everything herself.

It took two full weeks to use up all the material, resulting in eight festive wool coats.

As soon as they were done, Qiao Lu kept one long coat for herself and brought two others to the store to test the waters.

Unexpectedly, they caused a stir on the very first day they hit the shelves.

She named them “New Year Battle Robes”, writing the name in bold red on small cards stuck to the collars—red and yellow, impossible to miss.

The two men didn’t initially understand why she named them “New Year Battle Robes.” Qiao Lu said that tagging clothes with a name made people more likely to buy.

When customers saw the name, they’d be curious and ask about it—exactly what Qiao Lu intended.

Then Xu Haizhou and Li Hongjun would explain the meaning of the “New Year Battle Robe.”

Once people heard that the coat symbolized festivity and good luck, even those who hadn’t planned to buy anything would start wondering: Should I get one for myself? For my mom/wife/daughter?

Then they’d hear it was a handmade exclusive, limited edition in all of Lian, with only seven or eight pieces in stock—and how could they not be tempted?

After the marketing goal was met, the “New Year Battle Robe” became a hot topic, and Xu Haizhou’s little stall was booming like never before.

Not just young girls—even middle-aged and older women were drawn in by the bright color.

“This color’s beautiful—perfect for New Year’s,” one woman said, rubbing the fabric, clearly in love with it. “Boss, how much?”

Xu Haizhou smiled gently and replied, “Eighty-eight.”

The woman immediately withdrew her hand in shock: “Whoa, what?! Are you joking? Is this made of gold or silver?!”

Eighty-eight yuan! That’s two months’ wages!

But Xu Haizhou remained calm, voice steady, lips curled into a warm smile: “Feel it—this is genuine wool, high-end material. I guarantee you won’t find another one like this in all of Lian.”

Entirely handmade. Unless someone counterfeited it, there was no way you’d find the same design elsewhere.

And since the fabric was rare and costly, counterfeiting was hard. Even if someone tried, they couldn’t mass-produce it like cheap bags, let alone replicate it exactly.

Xu Haizhou had full confidence in his wife’s craftsmanship.

“Oh, and sis,” he added mysteriously, “two or three years ago, even if you wanted to buy this kind of coat, you couldn’t.”

“Why not?” the woman asked, curious.

Xu Haizhou explained patiently, “These coats used to be available only in Hong Kong. Now that the mainland’s opened up, they’ve only just started coming in. Think about it—clothes from Hong Kong, could they be cheap?”

Ah… she thought about it—it did make sense. Hong Kong! So far away. She’d heard clothes there could cost hundreds. In that light, eighty-eight actually seemed… reasonable?

“All your coats cost eighty-eight?” the woman asked, still a little hesitant, even with the allure of “Hong Kong style.”

She had never planned to buy such an expensive coat—she’d get scolded at home for sure.

“No,” Xu Haizhou replied, pulling two other coats off the rack—one black and one dark brown. “These are fifty-eight each. And here’s a khaki one—also a custom style—sixty-eight. If you think the red one’s too pricey, give these a try.”

The red coat was more expensive for two reasons: higher material cost and the added value of being a “New Year Battle Robe.”

Think about it—wearing that to a New Year gathering, what a statement!

With the “battle robe” setting the bar, the other options paled in comparison. The woman looked at them with disapproval: “These colors aren’t festive enough. And the fabric doesn’t feel as nice as the red one.”

Xu Haizhou smiled. “Of course. These two are single-faced wool—rougher texture. The New Year Battle Robe is double-faced wool—completely different quality.”

“Perfect for holidays, weddings, baby showers—any festive occasion. Just imagine the impression you’d make visiting relatives.” Xu Haizhou praised the coat without hesitation.

Yes, not only for Spring Festival—it’d be stunning at weddings too.

She remembered her daughter was having a wedding banquet during the New Year—how impressive this coat would look! Both she and her husband worked, and so did her daughter and son-in-law, all in state-run factories. Surely they could afford one New Year Battle Robe?

Thinking about it, the woman hesitated: “The dress is certainly eye-catching, but my wallet won’t be…”

Xu Haizhou responded calmly, “Look, I only have two of these New Year outfits in total, and only in these two sizes. We’re already out of stock. If you like it, give it a try. If not, you can look at other styles.”

Hearing there were only two pieces, the woman quickly examined it more carefully.

“If you like it, feel free to try it on. We have fitting rooms,” he said, taking down a white cable-knit sweater from the rack. “If you don’t mind a bit of hassle, you can wear a knit sweater underneath—it goes great with red, enhances your complexion, and makes you look younger!”

That red-and-white pairing was actually Qiao Lu’s idea—she said it was more stylish and flattering, something that would make customers not want to take the outfit off. If red and white didn’t suit the buyer, red and black would be an option—more mature and elegant for older customers.

“Oh my, that slick tongue of yours! You talk like a machine gun—I’d feel bad not trying it now.”

Xu Haizhou was momentarily stunned, then couldn’t help but laugh.

Indeed, he was getting better at sales talk by the day—if he exaggerated just a little more, he’d be on par with Li Hongjun.

In the end, the woman couldn’t resist and took the “New Year outfit” into the fitting room, along with the white knit sweater, curious to see how many years younger it would make her look.

She was about the same size as her daughter—same height, same build. If she could wear it, her daughter would look even better in it. A coat that both she and her daughter could wear—wasn’t that a better value?

When she came out after changing into the coat, Xu Haizhou was already helping other customers. Two young women had their eyes on the New Year outfit, but there was only one left on the wall—and the other one was on the woman’s back…

Suddenly, she felt uneasy. Xu Haizhou brought over a mirror and praised her a bit. Looking at the rosy, glowing woman in the mirror, she couldn’t help but flick her hair and strike a pose.

The woman wasn’t fat, about 158 cm tall and petite. The coat was fitted at the top and flared at the bottom, instantly adding presence to her frame. Paired with shiny leather shoes—preferably with a small heel—it would make her appear taller. Add red lipstick, a neat hairstyle… Oh my! She looked just like a young girl!

Making a snap decision, and under the gaze of the two women whispering and eyeing her coat, she gritted her teeth, pulled out her wallet, and declared, “Boss, I’ll take it!”

Ordinarily, no one would carry eighty-eight yuan in cash. The woman first counted out sixteen yuan in small bills from her wallet and gave it to Xu Haizhou as a deposit. She’d finish grocery shopping, go home for more money, then return to pick up the coat.

Since she also wanted the white sweater, Xu Haizhou gave her a five-yuan discount. That completely sealed her decision—no one at home better dare stop her, or else!

After she left, one of the two women interested in the “New Year outfit” excitedly took the remaining piece to the fitting room, also pairing it with a white cable-knit sweater. When she came out, her friend let out an exaggerated “Wow—!”

She hurried her friend to take it off so she could try it next.

Having lived through over a decade of a black-grey-blue era, the “New Year outfit” was undoubtedly a long-awaited blessing.

That whole morning, more than twenty women inquired about the coat’s price, and without exception, all were “intimidated” by the steep eighty-eight yuan.

The two young women didn’t buy the coat—likely new workers whose income couldn’t support such an expense. They just tried it on for fun.

Fortunately, Xu Haizhou said nothing. He didn’t look down on them for just trying without buying and always maintained a warm and gentle smile, never making them feel awkward.

As the saying goes, “If the sale doesn’t go through, at least there’s goodwill.” In the end, though the coat wasn’t sold, the two women bought the white knit sweaters instead.

If they couldn’t afford the coat, they could at least afford a sweater. And with the two of them, they got a two-yuan discount!

“Boss, will you still be selling this ‘New Year outfit’ next year? I really love it. If I save for a year, I think I can afford one.”

Xu Haizhou couldn’t give a clear answer. He only said, “If we can get the fabric again next year, we’ll have more. There were only seven or eight pieces this year. If you really want one, best not to wait too long.”

“Okay, got it. Thank you, boss.”

The two women happily walked off, hand in hand with their new sweaters.

The popularity of the “New Year outfit” turned the shop’s fitting room into the most visited spot on Baiyun Street. Whether they could afford to buy or not, everyone wanted to try it on—it didn’t cost anything, after all.

At first, Li Hongjun was worried that all the try-ons would wear out the coat’s fabric. But after just two days, all six pieces that Qiao Lu had made were completely sold out.

Shoppers who came looking for the “New Year outfit” were disappointed to hear it was gone.

Some, thinking “since I’m already here,” tried on other cheaper coats in the fitting room. Gradually, with the New Year outfits sold out, the black, brown, and khaki coats also sold half their stock.

In the final week, the remaining red wool fabric was sewn up by Qiao Lu. Before the new coats even made it out the gate, they were snatched up.

One was bought by Song Qingping, and the other by Zhao Kuihua’s mother from the outer courtyard.

Qiao Lu wasn’t surprised that Zhao Kuihua’s mother bought one—after all, their family had a TV, a radio, and even an electric rice cooker sent from Hong Kong! Money wasn’t an issue for them.

But Song Qingping was a different story. When had she ever bought anything over the usual price? She’d liked a tie-dye dress Qiao Lu made earlier but felt twenty yuan was too expensive and hadn’t bought it. Now she was willing to spend eighty-eight?

Looks like the “New Year outfit” had more influence than she’d imagined. At this rate, if she sold all the wool coats this month, she could easily make three thousand yuan!

The dream of buying a house… was within reach…

In the blink of an eye, winter winds rose, cold gusts battering the glass windows and lifting fallen yellow leaves, making a rustling sound.

Qiao Lu carried a wooden basin to the well to fetch water, tightening her coat. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice outside the courtyard.

“Xu Haizhou! A letter for Xu Haizhou!”

A letter?

Hearing that word, Qiao Lu’s body instinctively tensed.

She put down the basin and hurried out. The wind felt like daggers scraping her face.

“Excuse me, is that a letter for my husband? Xu Haizhou?”

The messenger was none other than Xiao Gao, just like last winter—bundled in a thick military coat and an old lambswool hat, wrapped up tightly.

Wasn’t he in the hospital’s ICU after being slashed? How was he back at work already?

“Yes, Xu Haizhou,” Gao Xin exhaled a puff of white breath and slowly took a letter from his army-green mailbag, handing it to her with both hands. “Here.”

“Thank you.”

She took the letter. Gao Xin slowly closed his bag, pushed one foot on the pedal, and was about to ride off.

“Hey, Xiao Gao!” Qiao Lu called out.

He turned, puzzled, eyes flashing with confusion.

He knew Qiao Lu—they’d exchanged greetings often when he delivered mail to the compound, though they weren’t close.

“Um… how have you been lately? You and Xiao Zhou…” Honestly, asking this was quite forward given their distant relationship.

But Qiao Lu couldn’t help it—her mouth worked faster than her brain.

Compared to before he got hurt, Xiao Gao looked much worse—like he’d aged ten years overnight, with a certain weary look in his eyes.

He forced a smile, and in that moment, Qiao Lu saw a glimpse of the simple, youthful mailman he used to be.

“We’re doing well. We’re getting married soon.”

Qiao Lu looked surprised, then sincerely offered her congratulations. “Ah, that’s wonderful. Congratulations!”

“Thank you.” Gao Xin scratched his head and looked at her a bit sheepishly. “You… you…”

“What is it?”

Gao Xin suddenly gave a bitter smile, revealing two small tiger teeth. His eyes glistened red.

“You’re the first person to congratulate us.”

Qiao Lu paused, feeling a pang in her heart…

The first? That meant… even his parents didn’t give their blessing?

A wave of sourness welled up in her chest, but her expression remained unusually warm, like that of a big sister.

“Of course I’d congratulate you. You and Xiao Zhou are a perfect match—made for each other.”

In truth, Qiao Lu had only met Xiao Zhou once. A delicate Jiangnan girl—pairing her with someone like little Gao, a bit clumsy but honest, was actually quite fitting.

Besides, little Gao had a stellar reputation among the neighbors. These folks rarely praised anyone; if they did, it meant that person was truly good.

“Thank you.” Sometimes a stranger’s well wishes are more heartening than a family’s. Gao Xin raised his hand and waved at her, the gloom between his brows lifting, replaced by a bright smile. “I’ve got work—can’t chat. See you later!”

“Alright! Give Xiao Zhou my best wishes too!”

“Sure!”

Watching little Gao’s back as he left, Qiao Lu noticed his left arm hung limply by his side, while his right hand held the bicycle handlebar. He rode away very slowly.

Word was that Xiao Zhou had never actually been in a relationship with Qian Qiang. Instead, it was Qian Qiang who relentlessly pursued her, almost like trying to forcibly claim a virtuous woman. The Zhou family, overwhelmed by his harassment, asked Liu Xiaohong to introduce a blind date for their daughter. They thought if she had a boyfriend—or got married—Qian Qiang would back off. Unexpectedly, this move infuriated him. He showed up with a cleaver.

Little Gao is an only child. His parents had passed away, leaving only his elderly grandparents. During his time in the ICU, it was said Xiao Zhou cared for him tirelessly, day and night…

Rumor had it that the cleaver struck three times—once on the arm, once in the abdomen, and once on the shoulder… From how he was riding, it clearly left lingering effects.

After the previous incident, Qiao Lu no longer dared to open letters from the north. Who knew what was written inside? She was afraid it might put her in a bad mood.

So she simply tossed it onto the table for Xu Haizhou to read himself when he got home.

Business was slow in the winter, so they closed up shop early. When he returned, the back of his bike was loaded with bags.

As soon as he got off, he asked, “Where’s our boy?”

“What, only a day apart and you’re already missing him?” Qiao Lu teased as she went to steady the bike.

“Not exactly.” As he untied the ropes on the back seat, he suddenly pulled out a small tricolor rubber ball from the top of a sack. “Got this for An’an.”

Qiao Lu raised her eyebrows in surprise. She twirled the little ball on her fingertip. “Where’d you get this?”

“A new toy vendor set up shop across the street. Thought it was interesting, so I picked one up.”

Qiao Lu smiled and turned to shout toward the Chen household next door. “An’an! Come back!”

“Coming, Mama!”

The little guy came running out, hair fluttering in the wind. As he got closer, they saw a ring of white powder around his mouth—looked like a fluffy white beard, super cute.

“What were you eating?” Qiao Lu flicked his nose.

The little one raised his hand and said, “Grandpa Chen gave me some steamed rice cake! He shared a piece with me!”

“Always mooching food.”

Qiao An gave an embarrassed giggle.

“Look, Daddy bought you a toy.”

Only then did the boy notice the ball in Xu Haizhou’s hand. He quickly took it. “Wow! Thank you, Daddy! What is it?”

“A rubber ball. Go play with the other kids.”

“Okay!”

With a few thud thud thud, he dashed away again.

After carrying the goods inside, Qiao Lu sat back at the table to continue sorting vegetables. The radio was on, playing the latest news broadcast.

Xu Haizhou slowly walked over to her and leaned down, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

Just that one hug seemed to sweep away all the day’s exhaustion.

For a man, happiness could be as simple as this—working during the day, spending time with family at night, a regular routine. That was enough.

“What are you doing? Not hot?” she said.

“It’s winter, how could it be hot?”

Qiao Lu plucked a piece of veggie stem and brushed his nose with it. “Copying the kid again.”

“Smells good.” The stem tickled his nose, making him laugh and shift his head into the crook of her shoulder.

“It’s cauliflower, not some fragrant flower.”

Xu Haizhou chuckled lowly. “Not that. I meant your hair smells nice.”

“We use the same shampoo, don’t we?” Qiao Lu glanced at him.

“Yeah.” He rubbed his chin gently against her shoulder, making her skin tingle. “But yours always smells nicer.”

Qiao Lu laughed and nudged him with her elbow. “How long do you plan to hug me for? I’m almost done with the veggies.”

“What’s the rush? Just a little longer.” Then he leaned in for a kiss.

“Mmm—” Qiao Lu’s eyes widened, and she pushed him away. “What are you doing! In broad daylight! And the door’s not even closed!”

Her face flushed bright red, which only made the man’s eyes darken with deep affection.

He cupped the back of her head and kissed her again without hesitation.

“Mmm—” What spring fever was this?! Isn’t it winter?!

“Kissing more often improves intimacy between spouses.” Besides, they hadn’t seen each other all day. Kissing his wife was perfectly legal and proper.

“Did Li Hongjun tell you this nonsense again?”

Qiao Lu was almost breathless from his kiss. When they parted, a strand of glistening saliva connected their lips, making her heart pound. Her face burned like a freshly boiled pig!

“You don’t even check where you are. The door’s unlocked! You know the neighbors around here—don’t even knock before coming in.” She raised a fist and gave his chest a hard punch.

“Can you stop kissing people all the time?!”

Xu Haizhou laughed dotingly and wrapped his big, warm hand around her cold fingers. In no time, he had warmed her up.

“Let them see. We’re legally married.”

“I’ve got nothing more to say to you. Don’t listen to Li Hongjun’s nonsense again. That guy doesn’t even have a girlfriend—how’s he in any position to give you advice?”

“Why not? I think he makes a lot of sense.” Every time he kissed her, he felt like he loved her more… Practice makes perfect, after all!

Qiao Lu: “……”

No words.

“I’m done talking to you.” She gave him a speechless look, then picked up the letter on the table and tossed it to him. “A letter from the north. Open it and see.”