Chapter 120

Hearing such a direct question from Si Yaren, Zhenzhen bent over with laughter, her crescent-moon-shaped eyes carrying a touch of playfulness and cuteness, just like her age—somewhat innocent, somewhat adorable. Si Yaren racked his brain but still couldn’t understand how such a young girl, freshly graduated and still with a hint of naivety, could be the behind-the-scenes investor who acquired two major factories.

“Unfortunately, after interviewing so many factories, I’ve only acquired the garment factory so far,” Zhenzhen said as she invited the two to sit down, then smiled and nodded at the waiter. “You can start serving the dishes now.”

Thinking back to the dire situation his factory was in before being acquired, Si Yaren smiled bitterly. “Indeed, there aren’t many businesses like mine that drove their factories to the brink of bankruptcy.”

One after another, enticing dishes were brought to the table—all signature dishes from the Imperial Capital Hotel. For someone like Si Yaren, whose salary wasn’t particularly high, being able to eat meat every day was already considered a good life. This was his first time in such a high-end restaurant.

Seeing that Si Yaren looked a bit down, Zhenzhen gestured for Wang Xinzhi to pour him a glass of beer. “Director Si, although the garment industry hasn’t been doing well these past few years, your dedication and hard work are still admirable. Otherwise, the factory wouldn’t have lasted this long.”

Si Yaren raised his glass, a self-deprecating smile on his face. “I know my ideas conflict with current societal trends. Take that ‘Yukiko shirt’ from this summer, for example—I still don’t understand why anyone would pay that much for a short-sleeved blouse. Yet all those young women and housewives not only don’t think it’s overpriced, they flock to buy it like it’s some incredible bargain.”

“That’s just fashion,” Zhenzhen said with a smile. “It’s just like how wearing green military uniforms used to be trendy. Back then, having one to wear in public was a big deal.”

“That’s not the same…” Si Yaren felt the comparison wasn’t quite right, but couldn’t articulate why.

“There’s not much difference, really. Back then, people were chasing revolutionary sentiment; now, they’re chasing celebrity influence,” Zhenzhen said, raising her glass. “Times are changing, and we must change with them to keep up. Director Si, from now on, you need to not only focus on production but also pay attention to external trends. This era is a paradise for entrepreneurs.”

Somewhat dazed, Si Yaren took a sip of beer, but his mind actually became clearer. “Reporter Li, you’re right… Tsk… Look at me, still calling you Reporter Li. I should be like Director Wang and call you Boss.”

Zhenzhen smiled and used the communal chopsticks to serve some scallion oil poached chicken to both Wang Xinzhi and Si Yaren. “Boss sounds so tacky. I’m just an investor. The factory still depends on you two to steer the ship. Enough talk—let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

The fragrant, tender chicken finally eased Si Yaren’s long-tense nerves. Wang Xinzhi served him a bowl of golden, translucent braised shark fin and earnestly explained, “This is a signature dish of the Imperial Capital Hotel. Just soaking the shark fin takes five to six hours. Then it’s simmered in a rich broth made from a whole chicken, duck, pork knuckle, dried scallops, and Jinhua ham. It has to be cooked on the stove for six to seven hours until the shark fin becomes silky and tender. Only then is the dish complete.”

Listening to Wang Xinzhi describe it so grandly, Si Yaren eagerly took a bite. The soft, velvety shark fin, soaked in a rich and flavorful sauce, immediately won him over. Before he knew it, he had finished the whole bowl. Still savoring the taste, he asked, “With so many premium ingredients, this dish must be expensive, right?”

Wang Xinzhi smiled at him. “About the same as your monthly salary.”

Si Yaren stared blankly at the half-eaten shark fin on his plate. “That’s way too expensive. That kind of money could buy enough pork to last two or three months.” But thinking back to the taste, he began to understand why the dish was so costly. “But it really is delicious—no pot of pork could compare.”

“It’s just like our Yukiko shirts,” Zhenzhen said with a smile as she served the remaining shark fin to Si Yaren. “Even though they’re expensive enough to seem unreasonable, they’re still the dream item for many young women. If you like it, what’s wrong with a little indulgence once in a while?”

Thinking of how his daughter had been willing to scrimp and save just to spend over half a month’s salary on that shirt, Si Yaren began to understand. “This must be what Director Wang meant by fashion. He actually tried to guide me before—I wanted to follow the trend, but I always seemed to go the wrong way.”

Zhenzhen laughed. “As consumers, it’s fine to chase trends. But as producers, if we also chase trends, we’ll always be a step behind. What we need to do is lead and shape the trends, not be the ones eating dust behind them.”

Wang Xinzhi’s eyebrows moved slightly, as if he had an epiphany. Zhenzhen took a bite of food and asked him, “How’s the recruitment of designers at the factory going?”

Wang Xinzhi immediately replied, “We found a young guy among the workers who has a knack for design. He’s never had formal art training, so while he has good ideas, he can’t draw them out. I’ve already hired an art teacher to give him systematic instruction. We’ve also recruited two students who majored in art. Their fundamentals are solid and they have their own ideas about fashion, though their designs are still a bit immature. I’ve arranged for them to learn garment-making from the veteran tailors first.” Wang Xinzhi had studied abroad, and the Stars and Stripes country was a step ahead of China in fashion. Though he wasn’t a professional fashion designer, his eye was still more refined than those of the three young recruits.

“They’ve just seen too little,” Zhenzhen sighed. “Sign the appropriate contracts with them, and then help them prepare passports and visas…”

“Passports? Visas?” Though Si Yaren had never been abroad, he had heard these terms from other factory directors who had gone on overseas visits. Wang Xinzhi turned to explain, “The factory plans to send a few designers abroad to learn more about fashion concepts and design. The boss has already made arrangements with a fashion institute in France and several large apparel companies. They’re willing to invite us over for study and exchange.”

“Going abroad to study?” Si Yaren was quite envious of the opportunities these young people had and was full of confidence in the future of the clothing factory. “Li Ji… Boss Li, don’t be fooled by your young age—your boldness is unmatched. Even those big state-owned factories hesitate to send someone abroad for training because they think it costs too much. But you, running a private factory, are actually sending three new recruits overseas for training all at once. Just for that, I admire you.”

“Learning should never stop,” Zhenzhen said, looking at the two of them. “In the future, all outstanding employees in our factory, including management, will have the chance to attend various training programs. Only when our personal capabilities improve can the factory have broader prospects for development.”

Seeing that the two of them nodded in understanding, Zhenzhen took out a list from her bag and handed it to Wang Xinzhi. “These are designers I personally recruited. Some have already started working in the fashion field, while others know nothing about the industry. But that’s okay—we can train them from scratch. What I value is the unique flair for fashion design they possess.”

Wang Xinzhi had great faith in Zhenzhen’s ability to discover talent. When he had just returned to China, he had originally planned to start his own business. But unexpectedly, his father passed away suddenly due to an accident as soon as he got home. His mother was devastated and fell seriously ill. After a full day and night of emergency treatment, she was finally out of danger, but the follow-up medical expenses were steep. In just half a month, the family’s savings were completely depleted. Because of this series of misfortunes, the Wang family, once seen as well-off by others, suddenly fell into decline.

At that time, not only could the family not support Wang Xinzhi’s entrepreneurial plans, but they also needed him to earn money to pay for his mother’s treatment. Facing such a daunting situation right after returning home, even with a prestigious degree in hand, no company in Imperial Capital was willing to give him a chance. They all coldly told him it wasn’t hiring season yet.

That was when Zhenzhen appeared. She not only gave Wang Xinzhi a deputy factory director position but also advanced him six months’ salary to help pay for his mother’s treatment. Back then, the furniture factory wasn’t in the dire state the clothing factory was in now. It was exporting solid wood furniture abroad and selling mattresses and modular furniture domestically, making it one of the most sought-after workplaces in Imperial Capital. With that large advance, Wang Xinzhi’s mother was able to continue treatment and eventually recover.

Wang Xinzhi had once talked with the factory director, Sun Rende, about how Zhenzhen had found him. Compared to Wang Xinzhi, Sun Rende had been in an even worse situation—jobless, abandoned by family, and struggling to even find food. Had Zhenzhen arrived two days later, Sun Rende might have already taken his own life.

Although Wang Xinzhi never figured out how Zhenzhen had learned about him and Sun Rende, or why she trusted them enough to hand over such a large factory despite only a few brief meetings, over the years, Zhenzhen had become almost godlike in his eyes. He believed that any decision she made couldn’t be wrong, that there was nothing in the world she couldn’t do, and that anyone she chose was bound to be a talent.

And indeed, these individuals would go on to become brilliant fashion designers in the future. They just hadn’t yet revealed their potential. Although signing them now meant the factory had to invest heavily in their training, Zhenzhen believed that compared to the wealth and success they would bring in the future, the training costs were negligible.

Wang Xinzhi quickly followed the addresses Zhenzhen had provided and recruited them from across the country. Aside from the two in Imperial Capital, it took considerable effort to persuade the other six from different regions. Even though working in Imperial Capital was a dream for many at the time, having a stranger show up and say they wanted to take their child away—especially when the child didn’t seem particularly talented—naturally raised doubts. Some didn’t even know how to sew clothes, let alone design them. Even with an introduction letter, many parents suspected it was a forgery with a fake stamp. In the end, Wang Xinzhi simply invited the parents to Imperial Capital themselves. After touring the factory, they finally felt reassured and allowed their children to sign contracts with the clothing factory.

Once at the factory, the eight new recruits spent their days learning garment-making from master craftsmen and their evenings studying art in the factory’s small conference room with hired teachers. Worried they might get too exhausted, Wang Xinzhi ensured they had a 90-minute lunch break and finished work at 5:30 PM, with evening classes from 6:30 to 9:30. They were also provided with three nutritious meals a day, with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables to keep them healthy.

Although these eight, along with the previous three, knew they were being specially trained as designers, they didn’t see themselves as different. Instead, they felt a bit anxious about receiving extra instruction and worked diligently, afraid of wasting the factory’s money without learning real skills.

Every evening, Wang Xinzhi would stop by the conference room to check in and privately ask the master craftsmen and teachers about their progress. Seeing how quickly each of them was improving brought him great satisfaction.

Before long, the end of the year arrived, and the three-story beauty salon building was completed. The interior was fully decorated according to Ling Xiulan’s preferences, and the luxurious bathtubs she had custom-ordered from abroad were installed in the third-floor bathrooms. Once everything was ready, Ling Xiulan and Zhenzhen brought their families to tour the beauty salon.

Upon entering, guests were greeted by the reception area and waiting zone. Stylish yet comfortable sofas were arranged in an artful, seemingly random pattern. Next to them stood a row of magazine racks filled with fashion magazines that Ling Xiulan had ordered from all over the world. Even if one couldn’t read the text, the high-quality images of exquisite hairstyles and makeup looks were enough to captivate anyone who walked in for a beauty treatment.

The reception area and the beauty and hairdressing sections are separated by a row of large glass windows, with a glass door on each side—one labeled “Beauty” and the other “Hairdressing.” Heading toward the hairdressing side, it had been designed by Zhenzhen based on the concept of modern hair salons. At the very back, there is a row of shampoo chairs, specially produced by Tengda Furniture Factory according to Zhenzhen’s specifications. The front section of each shampoo chair is equipped with a sprayer connected directly to a water heater, ensuring a constant supply of warm water at a suitable temperature.

In front of each hairdressing station is a beautiful large glass vanity table, with a custom-made rack beside it for hairdressing supplies. On the rack are hairdryers, various scissors, and combs. Additionally, a row of perming equipment is neatly arranged in an empty corner of the wall. On the other side, the beauty salon still looks a bit sparse due to the equipment not having arrived yet. Inside are eight rooms designated for beauty treatments, while the individual vanity stations outside are for makeup application.

Through the reception area, the second and third floors are the VIP sections. Those willing to spend can enjoy a full set of personalized services here. In addition to beauty treatments, there are massage therapists, bathtubs, and professional technicians to assist with bathing and massage. The best barbers provide haircuts, top makeup artists handle makeup, and there is a selection of the latest domestic and international designer clothing and fine jewelry. As long as you can afford it, you are guaranteed to receive the most professional and comfortable service. Simply put, even if someone walks in looking like a dusty, disheveled duckling from a construction site, as long as they have money and go up to the second or third floor, they are guaranteed to walk out transformed into a dazzling swan.

Old Madam Li and Wang Sufen were a bit taken aback when they heard this. “With all this—buying clothes and jewelry—it must cost at least several hundred or a thousand yuan. Will anyone really come?”

Ling Xiulan smiled and said, “Naturally, the second and third floors aren’t for the average person, but in the Imperial Capital, there are always plenty of wealthy and well-established families. For example, a few of my sisters-in-law, or even your eldest daughter-in-law, could easily afford to come once a month. And we’re not even considered among the most prominent families here. Auntie, I’m telling you, in the future, whether it’s ordinary folks or wealthy ladies, they’ll all take pride in coming to our salon for beauty treatments.”

Though Old Madam Li didn’t fully understand, she could tell that the business Zhenzhen and Ling Xiulan had started was no small venture. And indeed, Zhenzhen had already invested tens of thousands of yuan in the early stages of rebuilding the salon and training staff. This didn’t even include the cost of ordering equipment from abroad or sending personnel for overseas training.

However, large investments promise large returns. Although this market was still untapped, Zhenzhen was determined to position the beauty salon as a high-end establishment from the start, embedding the image of a luxury beauty salon in the minds of the people in the Imperial Capital. That way, even if others tried to imitate her later, they wouldn’t have the financial backing to compete.

After a period of training, Ling Xiulan selected five of the most outstanding staff members to take abroad for further study. Additionally, she and Zhenzhen recruited many highly skilled barbers from major cities such as the Imperial Capital, Shanghai, and Tianjin. Although Ling Xiulan’s beauty and hairdressing concepts left them somewhat stunned, the high salaries ultimately won them over.

The personnel from the two factories and the beauty salon scheduled for overseas training had already been arranged. However, with the Spring Festival approaching, Zhenzhen and several managers decided to postpone the plan until after the New Year. After all, celebrating the New Year in China is a big deal—especially since this would be Zhenzhen’s first Spring Festival after marrying Xi Junjie.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the twelfth lunar month, and soon it was Zhenzhen’s birthday. Late at night, Zhenzhen and Xi Junjie were fast asleep. The three clock hands on the wall—of varying thickness—slowly converged at midnight. At that moment, a faint, almost imperceptible beam of light shone down from the moon, passing through the curtains and landing on Zhenzhen. The light didn’t last long, fading after about thirty seconds. Zhenzhen seemed to sense something and opened her eyes.

She was awake but didn’t sit up. Instead, she remained lying down and used her consciousness to examine the status of her supernatural ability.

Ever since Zhenzhen was born, her abilities would upgrade every year on her birthday. However, in recent years, apart from her consciousness being able to cover increasingly wider areas, no new powers had emerged. Although she could now use her mind to observe any location on the Asian continent at will, the lack of new abilities still left her somewhat disappointed. But this time, right after the upgrade, even in her sleep, Zhenzhen sensed that something had changed. She gently opened her eyes and used her consciousness to examine her body. Nothing seemed physically different, yet there was an inexplicable sense of change.

What new ability had she acquired? Zhenzhen couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard she thought.

Since she couldn’t understand it for now, she decided not to dwell on it. After all, when the time came to use the ability, she would naturally become aware of it. Turning to look at Xi Junjie sleeping beside her, Zhenzhen smiled softly, leaned over, and gently kissed his lips before closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.

As the New Year drew closer, Old Madam Li and Wang Sufen began to feel a sense of emptiness. Since the wedding, the young couple would stop by every evening after dinner, and on weekends, both families would dine together. It didn’t feel like Zhenzhen had married out at all. But the New Year would be different—Zhenzhen would have to return to Xi Junjie’s family home with his parents, and such a large house would suddenly feel half-empty.

Though Zhenzhen usually acted carefree, she was always attentive and considerate toward her parents and Old Madam Li. Seeing the three elders feeling a bit down, she quickly called Mingdong, Mingxi, and Mingbei, asking them to send the children over first.

Mingdong had already started his holiday early, but Guihua and Roubao were getting busier as the end of the year approached, and even Doubao went along to help. Life had improved, and for any family with a bit of means, buying new clothes for the New Year had become a must. Wearing new clothes on the first day of the New Year made people feel proud when chatting with others. If a family was still wearing last year’s old clothes, even if no one said anything, they themselves would feel embarrassed—it was a sign that life wasn’t going well. As a result, not only were Guihua and Zhenzhen’s clothing shops booming, but even the new batch of clothes produced by the garment factories before the New Year had been snatched up by several stores.

While Mingdong and Tangbao were home staring at each other in boredom, Zhenzhen called. Mingdong immediately threw on his coat and called to Tangbao, “Hurry up, we’re going to your grandma’s.”

Tangbao lit up with joy and asked cheerfully while putting on her padded jacket, “Is my aunt home?”

“She’s home,” Mingdong said, putting a hat on Tangbao’s head. “She’s the one who called.”

Before leaving, Mingdong stopped by the neighboring courtyard to greet Guihua’s parents. “Mom, I’m taking Tangbao to her grandma’s.”

“Alright, send my regards to your grandma and your parents,” Guihua’s mother said, lifting a layer of gauze from the cover outside and handing Mingdong a bag of frozen sweet sticky rice buns. “I made these myself yesterday—take them for your grandma to try.”

Since it was homemade and not anything expensive, Mingdong didn’t refuse and accepted it cheerfully. He glanced into the house and saw Guihua’s father napping on the sofa, so he added, “Make sure you and Dad eat lunch. When Guihua and the girls come back tonight, please let them know I’ll be back after dinner.”

“I got it, don’t worry. I’ll make a bit more food this afternoon and have them eat here,” Guihua’s mother said, adjusting the scarf around Tangbao’s neck again. “Alright, off you go. Take it slow on the road, don’t let Tangbao fall.”

Mingdong responded and rode off on his bicycle with Tangbao. At the same time, Mingxi and Mingbei also brought their kids to the courtyard house.

A crowd of children, big and small, instantly filled Granny Li’s house to the brim. Seeing her great-grandchildren brought a beaming smile to Granny Li’s face. Even Wang Sufen didn’t have time to feel melancholy anymore. She busily instructed the kitchen to prepare more dishes for lunch and went around asking what everyone had been up to at home.

Granny Li looked at the kids, then at Zhenzhen, who was sitting among them laughing so hard she was almost falling over from some joke. Finally, she couldn’t help but ask, “Zhenzhen, you and Junjie have been married for quite a while now—how come you still haven’t had a baby?”

Zhenzhen nearly choked on the sunflower seed kernel she had just popped into her mouth. After a fit of earth-shaking coughing, she suddenly touched her belly and had a revelation—she had developed a new superpower!

So, the Mother of the Earth could also control childbirth? Zhenzhen felt a little dizzy.