WRS – Chapter 68

When Jin Xiuzhu saw Wang Ling standing at her doorstep, she exclaimed in surprise, “What are you doing here?”

She ran forward, looking at her from all angles, sensing that something was a little off. Finally, she noticed Wang Ling’s hair had a slight curl. “What’s with your hair?”

Wang Ling awkwardly touched her hair. “How does it look? Ugly, right? I told them I didn’t want to do it, but they insisted, saying it was some trend among Hong Kong celebrities. I couldn’t refuse, so… this weird hairstyle is what I ended up with.”

Jin Xiuzhu didn’t know her that well to read between the lines, but she knew Wang Ling would never force herself if she truly disliked it. Smiling, she praised her, “Ugly? I think it looks great. It makes you look young and stylish. Where did you get it done? I want one too.”

Hearing that, Wang Ling felt happy and laughed softly. “Really? It was done in the provincial capital next to yours. I happened to be on a business trip here and thought I’d stop by to see you. Didn’t expect it to be quite far.”

“Exactly! But why didn’t you call me first?”

“It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I thought, if I want to come, I’ll just come.”

Jin Xiuzhu invited her inside. Wang Ling looked at the large courtyard and felt a pang of envy. “This place is way better than the staff apartments. You have no idea—I often miss the old courtyard houses since moving into the staff apartments. Back then, life was comfortable; after meals, you could go visit neighbors. Now, in the staff apartments, doors stay closed all the time. You’re stuck at home.”

The noise from upstairs and downstairs didn’t help either; you could hear every little sound.

Jin Xiuzhu nodded. “Right? I feel the same way. That’s why I rented this house. With kids at home, a courtyard makes everything feel more spacious.”

“That’s true.”

Once inside, Jin Xiuzhu offered her a seat, brewed tea for Wang Ling, and took out some oranges she had bought yesterday.

They ate and chatted. Jin Xiuzhu didn’t often write letters to Wang Ling alone, knowing she had no time to reply. Usually, if there was something to communicate, they would call directly. Even the letters she sent contained mostly drawings with at most a line or two of greetings.

This was different from the letters she wrote to Fang Min, which were full of mundane details of daily life—even if Liuliu ate too much meat and got an upset stomach, she would mention it, knowing Fang Min enjoyed reading such things and had time for them.

Yet despite the infrequency of letters, their relationship remained as it had always been. After such a long time apart, there was no sense of unfamiliarity or distance—they could talk just as freely as before.

This visit, Wang Ling also had some worries she wanted to share. Though she had met many colleagues over the years, she hadn’t found anyone she could truly confide in. After thinking it through, she realized only Jin Xiuzhu was the person she wanted to talk to.

“Here’s the situation: ever since the announcement that the college entrance exams would be reinstated, many have speculated that private enterprise might soon be legalized. When that happens, factories like ours will face serious pressure. Think about it—once private businesses are allowed, anyone could produce and sell fabric. The market would be flooded with textile factories, competing for raw materials, supplies, and customers. Once profits decline, factories will have to lay off workers, or even close.”

Just thinking about it gave Wang Ling a headache.

Jin Xiuzhu frowned. “Is it really that serious?”

“Serious? It’s worse than you think. Don’t assume I’m exaggerating. Factories are already shutting down in the county. Remember the shoe factory I told you about? It went under.”

Jin Xiuzhu was surprised. “That fast?”

Wang Ling shook her head. “Other factories aren’t doing well either. Ours is the only one still turning a profit, but not by much. Maybe the policy really is changing. The black market in the county is out of control. I’ve been there a few times myself. The materials there are just as good as ours, and who knows where they get them—they sell at the same price as us. No invoices required, just money, and you can buy.”

“Do you know how big the black market has become? It used to be small—you could only buy meat, eggs, vegetables, or handmade shoes and baskets. Now, you can get watches, TVs, radios, bicycles, and sewing machines—things that require lining up in the supply and marketing cooperative. Here, you just pay, and they even deliver to your home. Isn’t that frightening?”

Jin Xiuzhu felt shocked. She could handle most things, but sewing machines were different. She had wanted one before, saved enough money, but couldn’t get the ticket. Even in the big cities, you had to wait in line; in a small county, it was even harder.

Just hearing Wang Ling describe it made Jin Xiuzhu feel like a major shift was underway.

However, she wasn’t as pessimistic as Wang Ling. She had lived in countries Wang Ling described, where private enterprise was allowed. In her previous life during the Dajing dynasty, although the court suppressed merchants, they still thrived and made fortunes.

She even thought that the reason this place was so poor was that commerce was prohibited.

Wang Ling sighed. “I came down south this time because I heard that the goods on the black market come from the south. I wanted to check the situation while on my business trip. Honestly, I feel that if things continue like this, our factory might also close.”

Previously, Wang Ling could try to solve problems on her own. But the impact of major policy shifts left her feeling powerless.

She genuinely wanted to keep the textile factory running. Over the years, it had expanded and employed many people. If it closed, hundreds of families would be affected. She felt she couldn’t bear such a responsibility.

Jin Xiuzhu understood her frustration and could empathize. With great power came great responsibility. Since Wang Ling became the factory director, her fate had been tied to the factory—its success and failure was hers too.

Still, Jin Xiuzhu thought Wang Ling was limiting herself to this small factory. She couldn’t help but say, “Have you ever thought that if one day private business is officially allowed, you could go solo and buy out the entire factory?”

Wang Ling, absorbed in her worries, was momentarily taken aback. She looked at Jin Xiuzhu, dazed. “What do you mean?”

Jin Xiuzhu frowned and tried to explain clearly. “I mean, if the factory really reaches the point of closing, we could acquire it and run the business we want.”

“Many factories, after closing, are either abandoned or repurposed by the government. Our textile factory showed signs of closing too, but you managed to revive it. Honestly, Sister-in-law, your abilities are exceptional, but the rest of the staff are holding you back. If the whole factory were yours, you could select competent people to work for it, rather than having to consider everyone’s moods.”

Jin Xiuzhu didn’t know the factory’s inner workings in detail—most of what she knew came from Wang Ling. Even as director, Wang Ling had authority, but other leaders couldn’t be easily removed. Some were lazy, some shirked work, and some had backing. She could only turn a blind eye.

“If they don’t follow your plan, you could just directly fire people. Hiring should be based on ability, not on parents being workers and passing the job to their kids. Without pressure, how can there be progress?”

“And the biggest limitation right now is that we can only weave fabrics. But compared to fabrics, I think ready-made clothes bring higher profits. We could completely produce our own fabrics, make our own clothes, and open our own stores, spreading them across the country. We wouldn’t have to just sell fabrics to department stores and let them pocket the bulk of the profit.”

Wang Ling listened in shock. She never imagined it could be done this way. While she had been worrying about the factory possibly going bankrupt, Jin Xiuzhu had already thought about how to handle the factory after it closed—she was even thinking about buying it herself.

Hearing this, especially about opening stores nationwide, stirred a wave of excitement in Wang Ling’s heart—more intense than when she first became factory director. She could already picture herself at the top in the future.

For a moment, she felt she had found her goal again.

“But the factory is so big… we don’t have that much money to take it over.”

“You put up the bulk, I’ll put up a little, we can ask Fang Min to contribute a bit, and then negotiate some leniency from the higher-ups. If we can get through the first three months, it should be fine. Neither of us likes to manage things anyway—you remain the factory director, and from then on, the factory’s profits will be divided according to how much each of us invested.”

Wang Ling considered this possibility and realized it could actually work. She often had connections with county officials; when the day came, even without those connections, the county officials themselves wouldn’t want the factory to fail. That would mean a large group of workers laid off and a drop in the county’s overall economic data.

Her eyes suddenly lit up as she looked at Jin Xiuzhu.

She had to admit, after hearing Jin Xiuzhu’s words, she no longer feared the factory going bankrupt. In fact, she even felt a subtle sense of anticipation.

But the plan was so big that she didn’t know where to start. “So, what preparations should I make now?”

“Just wait. We have to wait for the policy to come through. But I think the south is more flexible than here. If possible, when we open stores in the future, we could start in the south.”

Wang Ling nodded. “Right, the neighboring province has already started. My current work is for them, and many people are waiting.”

Jin Xiuzhu gave a small nod.

Wang Ling fell silent, her mind suddenly brimming with ideas.

That afternoon, Wang Ling stayed home for lunch. When the three children came back and saw her, they were all overjoyed, chattering endlessly around her.

During the meal, Jin Xiuzhu asked about Yan Xing. Wang Ling sighed, “He’s preparing for the college entrance exam this year.”

“Ah!”

He Yan was surprised. “Why?”

Wang Ling said helplessly, “He doesn’t like that school and wants to get into a better one. Old Yan doesn’t mind; if he wants to take it, he can. The family can afford it.”

Jin Xiuzhu knew that Yan Xing had gotten into university thanks to a recommendation quota from the textile factory, though it wasn’t a particularly prestigious university.

“Ever since the resumption of the entrance exams was announced, Xing said teachers at school treated them worse, and many classmates caused trouble, opposing this policy. He feels that recommended admission to university will be increasingly undervalued, so he might as well aim for a school he likes. If he can’t make it this year, there’s always next year.”

Jin Xiuzhu nodded. “What Xing says makes sense. Since he made this decision, it shows he has confidence in himself.”

Wang Ling could only comfort herself, “I hope so.”

After lunch, Wang Ling left, and Jin Xiuzhu saw her off at the train station.

Last time, when Jin Xiuzhu’s family of five visited, they couldn’t get train tickets and had to take a bus, which was bumpy. Luckily, today Wang Ling got tickets. She was heading to the neighboring provincial capital and then transferring to her hometown.

While passing through the city streets, Jin Xiuzhu bought lots of oranges and sugarcane for Wang Ling to snack on along the way.

Wang Ling didn’t refuse, smiling as she took them and reminded Jin Xiuzhu not to slack off and to keep drawing regularly.

Jin Xiuzhu waved back with a smile.

That evening, Jiang Mingchuan returned home to find the three children wearing new clothes and curiously asked when they were bought.

Jin Xiuzhu replied helplessly, “Wang Ling came over today and brought them. They wore them right away and still don’t want to take them off.”

Jiang Mingchuan laughed and complimented, “They look good.”

Jin Xiuzhu also mentioned Yan Xing preparing for the entrance exam but didn’t mention Wang Ling’s factory plan. She knew Jiang Mingchuan might not accept her suggestion easily, as he could be stubborn in some areas. Yan Xing’s approach, however, would probably earn his admiration.

Sure enough, Jiang Mingchuan praised, “That’s good. Relying on your own ability to get into university keeps your back straight.”

On January 26, Bai Jingzhi returned with Ji Ling.

Since they had called ahead, Jin Xiuzhu took the three children to the train station to meet them. Perhaps because of the approaching New Year, the station was crowded. He Yan, being tall and seeing far, suddenly said, “I see Auntie!”

Jin Xiuzhu and her two daughters stretched their necks to look but saw nothing—just a sea of people.

Bai Jingzhi, also a bit dazed, looked left and right. Then she noticed He Yan waving from behind a tall man and reminded, “Is that your eldest nephew?”

Ji Ling had seen Bai Jingzhi and her family portrait before, though He Yan in that photo was only about ten, with a very young face. But the tall young man waving nearby had fully developed features, handsome, yet with a faint resemblance—something only Ji Ling’s sharp eyes could notice.

Bai Jingzhi followed his hand and saw that it was indeed He Yan.

She had actually noticed him waving earlier but didn’t think much of it. She turned to the side and realized that in just half a year, He Yan had grown taller.

She hurried with Ji Ling over, and as they got close, the three children swarmed them, shouting “Auntie” one after another, giving Ji Ling a headache.

He also had two nephews, but whenever he met them, the little ones hid behind their mother and peeked. Even when they called him, it was very quietly.

Seeing Bai Jingzhi speak gently to the three children, it was clear she had a very good relationship with her family.

Jin Xiuzhu helped carry the items from Ji Ling’s hands. Ji Ling laughed, “It’s fine, I can carry them myself.”

Bai Jingzhi said, “He’s strong; you let him carry it.”

Jin Xiuzhu smiled, “Okay, fine. Let’s head back first. Your brother will cook for you tonight.”

She gave Ji Ling a meaningful look, making his scalp tingle—this dinner would not be simple.

Bai Jingzhi, smiling beside him, added, “My brother cooks the best.”

Jin Xiuzhu: “Not bad, not bad. The young man is strong.”

Jiang Mingchuan: “Honey, I’m even stronger.”

He Yan: “Why compare strength? Who cares?”

Fu Yanyan: “Stop butting in.”

Liuliu: “Move aside, I’m the strongest.”