Chapter 118

“The clothing factory is going to be sold?” Zhenzhen perked up with interest. “I’ll give Sun Rende a call later and have him transfer the funds to you first. As long as the government doesn’t treat us like suckers, we must secure this factory.”

Wang Xinzhi sounded confident and ambitious. “Don’t worry, boss. I will make sure we get this factory.”

Zhenzhen chuckled lightly. “From now on, the clothing factory will be entirely your responsibility. As for the furniture factory, make sure you hand things over properly to Director Sun. Don’t let him get so busy that he doesn’t even have time to eat.”

“I know. Otherwise, Mrs. Sun will be unhappy,” Wang Xinzhi said with a hearty laugh. “I’ve already discussed the candidate for deputy with Director Sun. Once you approve, we can finalize it.”

Zhenzhen immediately said, “No need for my approval. Since I’m handing the factory over to you both, it means I trust you to handle everything well.”

Wang Xinzhi was deeply moved by Li Mingzhen’s trust. A soldier dies for a confidant, as the saying goes. Having an investor who only provides funding but is also willing to delegate power and trust him wholeheartedly, allowing him to fully unleash his business talents—Wang Xinzhi felt that Li Mingzhen was truly his benefactor.

Zhenzhen didn’t notice Wang Xinzhi’s emotional state. Twirling the phone cord around her finger, she asked curiously, “Last time we did a few deals with the clothing factory. Logically, if operations were normal, they should’ve lasted at least until the end of the year. Did Director Si make another strange decision?”

Wang Xinzhi recalled the warehouse full of military green cotton fabric and immediately felt a headache coming on. “He bought a lot of military green cotton fabric to make green military uniforms, thinking they could capture the autumn clothing market.” Wang Xinzhi laughed helplessly as he spoke. “But nowadays, who wants to wear that kind of thing as outerwear? As soon as the samples were made, they hit a dead end—no store wanted to stock them. I think if it weren’t for the special circumstances a few years ago when people could only wear fixed styles, the clothing factory would’ve gone bankrupt long ago under Si Yaren and his team.”

Zhenzhen nodded in agreement. In past years, the streets were filled with green military coats and gray jackets. From the young to the old, no one had to worry about what to wear—there were only a few options. Anything even slightly colorful would get you publicly criticized, let alone new styles. Back when Zhenzhen was applying to college, there were even schools that had strict rules refusing to admit anyone wearing jeans. But then again, if it hadn’t been for those years of repression, the clothing business wouldn’t be booming now.

After thinking briefly about the upcoming fashion trends, Zhenzhen came up with an idea. “Once we acquire the clothing factory, don’t let that batch of military green cotton fabric go to waste. Turn them all into military coats.”

“Military coats?” Wang Xinzhi was puzzled. To him, military coats weren’t much more fashionable than green uniforms.

Zhenzhen smiled. “Right now, the number of dance halls in the Imperial Capital has increased from one to three, attracting a lot of trendy young people. According to the trend, dance halls will become increasingly popular among fashionable youth. People who are dating or trying to impress girls all go there. Nowadays, when young people go out, they either walk or take the bus. Those from better-off families ride bicycles. Spring, summer, and fall are fine, but come winter, they want to wear light and beautiful clothes to dance. Without a warm coat, that won’t work.”

Following Zhenzhen’s logic, Wang Xinzhi could see the usefulness of military coats, though he still thought they were ugly. Zhenzhen laughed softly. “Although people’s lives are better now, their financial means are still limited. High-end fur and pelts are far beyond their budgets. Trendy winter jackets are too short and not very warm. Military coats may be a bit ugly, but they’re not expensive—half a month’s salary can buy one. Think about it, there’s no clothing warmer, thicker, or more wind-resistant than a military coat. Young people may love to look good, but they’re afraid of the cold too.”

Thinking about the current living standards, Wang Xinzhi had to admire Zhenzhen’s sharp insight. Once she identified the target consumer group, he immediately thought of a marketing strategy. “When winter comes, we can have a few of the young guys and girls from the factory wear military coats to the dance halls. Trends are all about imitation—once enough people wear them, others will follow. Besides, military coats are a simple traditional style. If we can revive this trend, I think even middle-aged people, seniors, and government officials will start wearing them. After all, when it comes to warmth, nothing beats a military coat.”

Zhenzhen smiled. “We don’t need to worry about that batch of military green cotton fabric going to waste. Even if we just chase short-term TV drama trends, the factory can still survive. But if we want to make the clothing factory big and strong, we need to create our own brand. To do that, we must have professional designers. Xinzhi, if we want our clothing to become a nationally recognized brand like Tengda Furniture Factory, it won’t happen overnight.”

Wang Xinzhi’s smile faded, replaced by a more serious and solemn expression. “Don’t worry. I’ll work on both short-term and long-term planning for the clothing factory. I will make sure it thrives under my leadership.”

Zhenzhen smiled. “Alright, then I leave it entirely in your hands. The profit-sharing ratio will be the same as the furniture factory—20% equity and 40% of annual net profit as your bonus.” Wang Xinzhi opened his mouth but was too emotional to speak.

After hanging up, Li Mingzhen called Sun Rende to arrange the funding for Wang Xinzhi, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

Stretching, she looked at Xi Junjie’s profile as he read under the desk lamp. Zhenzhen walked over, hugged him from behind, and kissed him on the cheek.

Xi Junjie turned around, pulled Zhenzhen into his arms, and sat her on his lap. “All done?”

“Mm.” Zhenzhen leaned against Xi Junjie’s chest and let out a long sigh. “With Sun Rende and Wang Xinzhi at the factory, I don’t have to worry too much. It’s just that I don’t have enough capable people. Most of the factory workers are the type who only move when told—there are very few who actually think for themselves.”

Xi Junjie wrapped his arm around Zhenzhen and helped her brainstorm: “Right now, there aren’t any schools in China specifically training talents in business management. You can only try to train some quick-witted and enterprising young people to see if you can pick out a few who are both loyal and have management skills. Otherwise, like Wang Xinzhi, you’ll have to bring in high-level talent from abroad. But…” Xi Junjie sighed, “It’s really rare to find someone like Wang Xinzhi, who majored in business management and is also willing to return to China to start a career.”

“Exactly,” Zhenzhen crossed her arms and sighed, “Meeting someone like Wang Xinzhi was already incredibly lucky for me. Finding another one like him would be too difficult. I’ll have to think of other ways to recruit management talent.”

Xi Junjie gently stroked Zhenzhen’s hair and asked curiously, “You’ve come up with another money-making idea, haven’t you?”

Zhenzhen nodded and looked at Xi Junjie mysteriously, “Let me ask you, whose money is the easiest to earn?”

Xi Junjie was stunned for a moment. After thinking for a while, he hesitantly answered, “Could it be rich people? They tend to spend lavishly, so relatively speaking, it should be easier to earn their money.”

Zhenzhen laughed and ran her finger across Xi Junjie’s face, “Wrong. The easiest money to earn is from women’s pockets! Especially women who love beauty!”

This answer opened Xi Junjie’s mind. After all, having spent years in the fashion capital, he was deeply impressed by how dedicated French women were to beauty. He raised his eyebrows as an idea formed in his mind: “You already have a clothing factory, so what are you planning to do? Are you thinking of acquiring a cosmetics factory to create your own brand, or something more direct, like opening a beauty salon?”

Zhenzhen immediately sat up straight and planted a big kiss on Xi Junjie’s lips: “You guessed it! I want to open a beauty and hair salon. But this is actually harder than opening a furniture or clothing factory.” Zhenzhen leaned softly into Xi Junjie’s arms and sighed, “For the furniture and clothing factories, we just acquired existing ones. As long as we have excellent management, market-leading designs, and a solid sales strategy, we’re good. But beauty is different. It’s still a brand-new field in China—no one’s really touched it yet. There aren’t even experienced workers, let alone seasoned professionals. So if I want to open a beauty salon, I first need to find some trustworthy and exceptionally skillful young women, send them to Hong Kong or even abroad for training. Then I need a management talent who can run the salon well—preferably a woman—only then will we have the basic conditions to open.”

Zhenzhen got out of Xi Junjie’s arms and took out a piece of paper to sketch and jot down ideas: “If we want to build our own beauty brand, moving into the cosmetics industry later is essential.” Her hand paused, and she scratched her head in frustration: “People. I’m short on people.”

Xi Junjie chuckled, “There’s no rush for the cosmetics factory, but I do have someone in mind for the beauty salon.”

“Who?” Zhenzhen’s eyes lit up with excitement as she looked at Xi Junjie.

Xi Junjie smiled, took Zhenzhen’s hand, and softly said, “My mom.”

***

Back when Ling Xiulan went to France with Xi Changbo, as the wife of a diplomatic ambassador, she had to attend many high-society events in France. Attending such events wasn’t as simple as washing your hair and changing clothes—getting a full beauty treatment at a salon was essential to show respect. If you wanted to be more extravagant, high-end salons would even help match your outfit with appropriate dresses, shoes, and bags, and create a beautiful hairstyle to go with the look. Only then was the service considered complete.

Ling Xiulan had lived in France for over a decade. Besides attending banquets, she would regularly go to salons for skincare and hairstyling. Thanks to this routine, even though she was now in her forties, she still looked like a woman in her thirties, without even a hint of deep wrinkles on her face.

When Zhenzhen heard her mother-in-law’s name, she nodded immediately, but then hesitated: “Running a beauty salon isn’t easy. There’s no established experience in the country—we’d be feeling our way through. And in the early stages, someone has to go abroad for training and research. What if mom gets worn out?”

Xi Junjie stroked Zhenzhen’s hair: “Ask mom and see if she’s interested. Ever since she returned to China, she’s put her career on hold. Other than gardening, she doesn’t have any hobbies. If she had something meaningful to do, she might actually be happy.”

Zhenzhen nodded, “I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

The next day was a workday. It wasn’t until after dinner, when the family was sitting together drinking tea and chatting, that Zhenzhen brought up the topic. At first, she wasn’t sure if Ling Xiulan had any interest in starting a business, so after some hesitation, she tentatively asked, “Mom, I’ve noticed that over the past couple of years, women in China have gradually started to change their mindset and are paying more attention to their appearance. They like to follow the latest trends in clothing and hairstyles from TV. Since the female market has such great potential, I’m thinking of opening a beauty salon. What do you think?”

Ling Xiulan’s eyes lit up instantly. She excitedly stood up and grabbed Zhenzhen’s hands, rattling off questions: “Do you mean a salon that does skincare treatments?” When Zhenzhen nodded, Ling Xiulan praised sincerely, “That’s a fantastic idea. Women must take care of themselves, and regular treatments are essential.” She didn’t even bother to finish her tea. Resting her chin on her hand, she thought for a moment and said, “I think this can really work, and there’s huge potential. Don’t underestimate women’s obsession with beauty just because people aren’t that wealthy yet. If it were me, I’d rather skip meals than skip my beauty treatments.” The more she spoke, the more excited she became. “Zhenzhen, where do you plan to open your salon? Have you figured out where to get the equipment?”

Seeing how excited Ling Xiulan was, Zhenzhen shook her head with a wry smile. “Right now, it’s just an idea. It’ll take some time before it becomes a reality. I’m working at Huaguo News to broaden my horizons and build up connections and capital, so I can’t quit just yet to focus solely on opening a beauty salon. To be honest, I already have the store space and the funds. What I’m lacking is the personnel. My plan is to find someone knowledgeable in beauty to manage the salon, and then send a few skillful young women to train at professional beauty salons abroad. That way, we can truly offer customers something that feels worth their money.”

“That’s a great idea!” Ling Xiulan nodded in agreement, then furrowed her brows slightly. “As for the person in charge of the beauty salon…” She paused, then suddenly smiled. “What do you think about me?”

Ling Xiulan’s words were a delightful surprise to Zhenzhen. She had only intended to subtly sound her out, but before she even had a chance to bring it up, Ling Xiulan had already volunteered.

“Mom, you’re really willing to do it?” Zhenzhen’s excitement was hard to put into words. Seeing Ling Xiulan smile and nod, she immediately said, “It would be perfect if you could run the beauty salon. You’re beautiful and look young—just walking into the shop would make you a living advertisement for our salon. But…” Zhenzhen’s tone shifted, and a hint of concern appeared on her face. “Running a beauty salon won’t be easy. You won’t have as much leisure time as you do now.”

“If I have a career I love, who wants to sit idle at home?” Ling Xiulan scoffed. “Zhenzhen, let me tell you, a woman with her own career and life will be more vibrant and youthful. When your dad and I first came back, the domestic situation was pretty tense—it completely extinguished my passion for building a career, not even a spark was left. Things have gotten better in the past couple of years, but I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do. The longer you stay idle, the lazier you get. I’ve been so bored at home for years that I even counted flower petals and stopped using my brain.”

“Your brain’s working again now?” Xi Changbo poured tea for everyone and looked at Ling Xiulan teasingly.

“Of course.” Ling Xiulan’s eyes sparkled as she talked about something she loved. “The beauty industry is still a blank slate here. Someone like me, returning from a fashion capital, has to be a pioneer.”

Looking at Ling Xiulan’s confident expression, Zhenzhen couldn’t help but laugh. “Mom, so it’s a deal?”

“It’s a deal!” Ling Xiulan clapped her hands decisively. “You prepare the documents over the next couple of days, and I’ll take care of the business registration. Also, finalize the store location quickly. Once we get it cleaned up, we can start recruiting, training, and bringing in equipment.”

“A beauty salon needs a big space. I have several locations, each with four or five connected storefronts.” Zhenzhen was mentally reviewing the commercial properties she had bought, but before she could decide which one to use, Ling Xiulan had already handed her a pen and paper. “Write down the addresses. I’ll go check them out tomorrow.”

After Zhenzhen wrote down the addresses, she hugged Ling Xiulan’s arm with a big smile. “Mom, from now on, we’re partners.”

Ling Xiulan patted Zhenzhen’s hand with a laugh. “Not just partners—you’re also my boss.”

****

Ling Xiulan was the type to act as soon as she made a decision. That morning, just as Zhenzhen and Xi Junjie finished getting ready and headed to the front hall for breakfast, Ling Xiulan had already eaten and gone out. By the time Zhenzhen returned home in the evening, Ling Xiulan had already cut out numerous pages from magazines she had brought back from France years ago to prepare design ideas.

“Mom, what are you busy with?” Zhenzhen took off her coat and peeked at the thick stack of magazines on the table. Without even looking up, Ling Xiulan flipped to a page with a photo of a beauty salon and began cutting it out. “I’m thinking about the interior design. But I’m not great at drawing design plans, so I’ll need you to do the sketching.”

“You’ve already picked out the store location?” Zhenzhen picked up a few messy sketches and, judging by the floor area written on them, guessed the location. “You’ve got your eye on the East Chang’an Street area?”

“Exactly,” Ling Xiulan said while continuing to sketch. “That area has heavy foot traffic—it’s the busiest part of Imperial Capital. Just people-watching there draws more crowds than other places. Plus, the store is close to the Imperial Capital Hotel, which makes it easier to attract high-end clients. The only issue is that there’s currently a clothing store operating there. Business seems to be booming, so if the lease isn’t up, the tenant might not want to move.”

Zhenzhen smiled. “That’s a store I opened during college just for fun, to earn some pocket money. If you’ve chosen that location, I’ll have it cleared out right away.”

Ling Xiulan hadn’t expected her daughter-in-law to not only run a factory but also own a clothing store. She couldn’t help but praise her. “Zhenzhen, you really have an eye for business. I saw the clothes in that shop—very trendy. The location is great too. You’re a natural entrepreneur.”

Zhenzhen laughed and wrapped her arm around Ling Xiulan’s. “Mom, don’t flatter me too much or I’ll start blushing.”

Ling Xiulan chuckled, rubbed her neck, and realizing it was getting late, stood up and held Zhenzhen by the shoulders. “Come on, let’s eat. After dinner, we’ll sit down and really go over the store design.”

The beauty salon had now become a top priority for Ling Xiulan. Even during dinner, she was constantly distracted. Every now and then, she’d shake her head and mutter, “No, that design won’t work.” Or she’d suddenly slap the table in excitement, as if she’d had a breakthrough, startling everyone at the table.

After a nerve-wracking meal, Zhenzhen had just finished rinsing her mouth when Ling Xiulan grabbed her and dashed off. The two men stood there dumbfounded, watching the women disappear, and sighed in unison.

“I’m starting to think it wasn’t such a good idea for Zhenzhen to partner with my mom,” Xi Junjie said with a troubled sigh. “How did she suddenly turn into such a workaholic?”

Xi Changbo, thinking about how his study had been taken over by his wife, simply brewed tea in the front hall. “It’s good that your mom has something to focus on. I used to worry she was losing her energy the longer she stayed idle. When someone lacks spirit, they age faster. For someone like your mom, who cares so much about her appearance, that’s unbearable. Now that she’s found something she loves, she’s become a workaholic. Even if it’s tiring, as long as she enjoys it, she’ll be happy to do it.”

Xi Junjie sighed with a gloomy face. “I feel like my mom is full of energy now, but I’m about to lose mine.”

Sure enough, that night, Xi Junjie waited in his room until ten o’clock and still hadn’t seen Zhenzhen return. Although Zhenzhen was just in the main courtyard in front, and the corridor she would pass through was well-lit, Xi Junjie still worried and put on a thick coat to go pick up his wife.

As he walked into the main courtyard, bright lights shone through the glass. Xi Junjie was about to go in when he noticed that the side room was also lit, so he turned and headed to the east wing. Pushing the door open, he saw Xi Changbo already in his pajamas, leaning against the bed reading a book. A bad feeling immediately crept up on him. “Dad, why are you sleeping here?”

Xi Changbo looked at Xi Junjie with a helpless expression. “Your mom and your wife are deep in conversation. I don’t think they plan to sleep anytime soon. Your wife is in the study, and I didn’t feel right staying in the bedroom, so I just brought my pajamas over to the east wing. Good thing tomorrow’s Sunday and everyone can sleep in. If it were a workday, your wife would definitely be late.”

Seeing the despair on his son’s face, Xi Changbo looked at him sympathetically. “It’s okay. You two said you’re not planning on having kids for a few years anyway, so sleeping alone isn’t a big deal.”

“Who says it’s not a big deal?” Xi Junjie looked like a resentful wife. “I’ve only been married for less than a month, and I’m already sleeping alone? No way, I’m going to talk to my mom.”

Xi Junjie turned and walked out. Xi Changbo sat by the window full of hope, thinking that if Xi Junjie managed to pull Zhenzhen away, he could go back to his own room to sleep. But he waited and waited, yawning endlessly, his eyelids growing heavier, until finally he grumbled, “Useless kid,” and reluctantly lay down to sleep.

At eleven o’clock, Xi Junjie watched his mother enthusiastically overturn all her previous plans and excitedly talk about rebuilding a three-story building on the original site to create a professional and luxurious beauty salon. At that moment, Xi Junjie decisively picked Zhenzhen up and slung her over his shoulder. Noticing that her clothes weren’t warm enough, he simply grabbed the small blanket Ling Xiulan had used for her afternoon nap and wrapped it around Zhenzhen.

Ling Xiulan stared in shock as her son carried off her daughter-in-law like a bandit. As he left, he tossed back a sentence: “Don’t wake us up tomorrow morning.”

Ling Xiulan stroked her chin and mischievously shouted after her son, “Got it! I’ll prepare some kidney-nourishing health soup for you two in the morning!”

Xi Junjie paused mid-step, then angrily shouted back, “I don’t need it!” and quickly left the main courtyard.