Chapter 51: Former Romantic Interest Huang Yuwei

The two of them took it, and Helper Huang patted Xie Zhao on the shoulder. “If you get any good stuff in the future, bring it to me! As long as you’re the one bringing it, the price is negotiable!”

Xie Zhao chatted with him for a few more minutes, then walked out of the State-Owned Restaurant with Xie Youzhen and Xie Cheng.

As soon as they stepped outside, Xie Cheng couldn’t help but ask, “Why didn’t you let me speak just now? Our scale at home clearly showed one hundred and seventy-eight catties! How did it lose three catties for no reason when it got to him?”

“And another thing, didn’t we buy the wild boar? Why did you say you were helping someone sell it?”

Xie Cheng rattled off a barrage of questions.

Xie Zhao chuckled.

“To make more money, of course!”

Xie Zhao said.

Make more money?

Xie Cheng looked completely baffled, and Xie Youzhen was also a bit dazed.

No.

No matter how they calculated it, they had lost out!

“He’s worked in the back kitchen for so many years using his connections, and now he’s buying wild game. Think about it, can our county’s State-Owned Restaurant really consume so much wild game?”

“He’s definitely sending it to the provincial capital, or selling it himself. In other words, this business is his own, not the State-Owned Restaurant’s.”

In reality, this was a classic case of Xie Zhao giving up small gains to secure larger profits.

In business, everyone wants to snag a bargain. The fact that Helper Huang could produce three hundred and seventy yuan all at once meant there was a high probability he was partnering with someone else.

And those missing three catties were what he pocketed for himself.

In other words, that was the profit he could pocket.

If they had exposed him to his face, he might have become angry out of embarrassment and refused to buy the wild boar. That would have been the real trouble.

The same logic applied to saying someone else had asked him to bring it over to sell.

Since Xie Zhao wasn’t the actual seller of the wild boar, Helper Huang couldn’t squeeze him too hard even if he wanted to bargain. Xie Zhao could quote a slightly inflated price, and then pretend to sacrifice his own interests to meet Helper Huang’s target price.

That way, even if two yuan per catty didn’t meet Helper Huang’s lowest target, he would still be satisfied.

Xie Zhao had yielded some profit.

In other words, he had flattered him just right.

Helper Huang felt pleased and satisfied, which meant he now owed Xie Zhao a favor.

Xie Zhao’s explanation left both Xie Cheng and Xie Youzhen dumbfounded.

Huh?

There were actually so many tricks to this!

“Going to school really is useful!”

Xie Youzhen took a couple of puffs on his pipe and sighed with emotion.

As they spoke, the mule had already walked out of Hongxing Street and reached a fork in the road.

To the left was Limin Avenue, where Hudong County’s only high school, Hudong No. 1 High School, was located.

Next to the high school was a department store built just last year, which sold some imported goods and higher-grade fabrics.

Xie Zhao thought for a moment, then turned to Xie Cheng and Xie Youzhen. “Dad, Big Brother, I’m going to the department store. I want to see if they have any good fabric to make a padded vest for everyone in the family.”

The Supply and Marketing Cooperative also sold fabric.

But their materials were just the most ordinary single-ply cotton and polyester.

They weren’t quite warm enough for winter.

Xie Zhao remembered seeing wool vests in there last year, with long, snow-white fleece. They would definitely be very warm if worn close to the body.

“Alright. Your mother hasn’t had any new clothes in years, and the same goes for your younger sister and your wife. Go take a look. If there’s anything suitable, buy one for each of them. Your brother and I don’t need any. We do physical labor every day, so we don’t get cold.”

Xie Cheng nodded.

“When I went to the mine last year, Mom made me two padded cotton vests. I don’t need one.”

Xie Zhao acknowledged them and jumped down from the mule cart.

“Then you two go deliver the wild vegetables to the wonton stall, and then go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy the wooden buckets. Take a look around to see if we need anything else while you’re at it. I’ll meet up with you soon!”

With that, he waved his hand and headed straight for the department store.

…

Hudong County was a large county.

Shishui Village was located at the southernmost tip, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with a river winding around it.

At the northernmost end of Hudong County, however, was a medium-sized canal that flowed downstream for a hundred li before emptying into the Yangtze River.

Therefore, in an era when water transport was more developed than land transport, Hudong County had brought wealth to many of its people thanks to this canal.

The department store had emerged to meet this demand.

It housed quite a few good things.

As soon as Xie Zhao walked through the door, he saw silk scarves hanging on the outermost rack.

Their bright red color was eye-catching and flashy. Made of real silk, even a small scarf cost five yuan.

Transparent glass display cases filled the store. Incandescent lights illuminated the shop, making the goods inside the glass cases gleam brilliantly and look incredibly tempting.

Displayed near the entrance were snacks, imported candies, beautifully packaged Xiaolongren milk candies, and hard fruit candies. Walking further inside, the fragrant scent of cosmetics wafted through the air.

There was Friendship vanishing cream in white porcelain jars with green lids, as well as brands like Pechoin and Wanziqianhong.

Scented powder was the most popular item among young girls.

The Holiday and Jieli brands were slightly cheaper, while the Shanghai Brand scented powder was more expensive.

It had a fine texture, elegant packaging, and a lovely fragrance, drawing groups of young girls over to take a look.

Xie Zhao walked straight to the clothing section.

The sales assistant was a young girl wearing a nice suit, black tights, and wedge heels. Her hair was permed in the most fashionable curls of the day and styled with mousse. With lipstick on her lips, she stood behind the counter, puffing out her chest proudly.

“Can I help you find something?”

She asked.

Xie Zhao’s appearance was highly deceptive.

He wore a very ordinary black padded jacket, polyester trousers, and cotton shoes. At the moment, his cotton shoes were caked in mud, making him look rather disheveled and poor.

But his face was far too deceptive.

He had fair skin, thick eyebrows, and beautiful peach-blossom eyes that always seemed smiling and affectionate when he looked at someone.

It made one’s heart flutter involuntarily.

“Do you still have wool vests?”

Xie Zhao gave the girl a polite smile and said, “The kind worn underneath. I’d like to take a look.”

Seeing Xie Zhao smile at her, the girl’s face flushed. She thought he looked a bit familiar but couldn’t place him. She quickly looked away and pointed to a vest hanging on the wire rack behind her. “Is it this one?”

Xie Zhao nodded. “Yes, let me take a look.”

At that moment.

Outside the department store, two young girls walking in arm-in-arm paused in their tracks.

One of them wore a goose-yellow cashmere sweater, an import that could only be bought in the provincial capital.

Below, a pair of black stretch pants outlined her shapely, straight legs, and she wore imported sneakers on her feet. Her hair was tied up high, revealing a snow-white neck.

She even wore makeup, with curved black eyebrows and bright red lips that made her look both beautiful and fashionable.

She stared at Xie Zhao, her eyes widening slightly in surprise, her lips parted.

“What is he doing here?”

Huang Yuwei was astonished.

She was a student at Hudong No. 1 High School.

To be more precise, she used to be Xie Zhao’s classmate.

During their freshman year, Xie Zhao’s enrollment had caused quite a stir at Hudong No. 1 High School.

The youth was tall and handsome with a straight posture, sporting a side-parted haircut. He had thick eyebrows, peach-blossom eyes, a high-bridged nose, polite manners, a good family background, and a naturally warm, smiling face.

How many girls had stolen glances at him back then?