Chen Xiliang was practically latching onto Xia Xiaolan.

Ten thousand sets of sportswear would be slow to sell retail, but for wholesale, this number wasn’t particularly large. With costs controlled under 15 yuan per set, Xia Xiaolan thought this business could be profitable.

The autumn sportswear sets Chen Xiliang mentioned weren’t just for athletes – if the fabric was durable, they’d suit manual laborers too. Ten thousand sets was nothing – forget Chen Xiliang’s wholesale channels, even the People’s Bridge Small Commodities Market in Pengcheng could easily absorb that many sets.

Pengcheng was full of construction workers and residents! Who had bought Bai Zhenzhu’s Western-style trousers? These affordable sportswear sets targeted the same customer base. After seeing the fabric Chen Xiliang selected, since they were investing 70-80 thousand anyway, why not go bigger?

“Talk with your brother-in-law about producing 20,000 sets total, with payments in three installments?”

Chen Xiliang also thought 10,000 sets were too few, but he’d feared a bigger number would scare off Xia Xiaolan, so he’d settled for less. Twenty thousand sets would be ideal, and actually, thirty thousand would work too… but no, just mentioning thirty thousand reminded Chen Xiliang of the thirty thousand cashmere coats still stuck in the factory, and that psychological shadow loomed large! If not for Xia Xiaolan’s suggestion that had proven effective with summer wear, He Congsheng would have already chopped him up and fed him to dogs.

Thirty thousand was too many; twenty thousand was just right.

Chen Xiliang had previously worked at Chenyu Garment Factory and knew production costs inside out. He chose the materials himself and managed to bargain He Congjun down to 14 yuan per set, ordering 20,000 autumn sportswear sets from Chenyu Garment Factory.

Chenyu would deliver by August 20th, with a total payment of 280,000 yuan split between Xia Xiaolan and Chen Xiliang in three installments.

An 80,000 yuan deposit had to reach the factory’s account before He Congsheng would agree to production.

When Chenyu delivered on August 20th, they’d pay the second installment of 100,000 yuan.

The third payment deadline, October 1st for the final 100,000 yuan, Chen Xiliang had secured by literally clutching He Congsheng’s leg and crying.

By then, autumn sportswear sales should be well underway – selling just half the inventory would cover the final payment. With profits split equally, the capital naturally came equally from both parties.

Now Xia Xiaolan could gather 80,000 yuan total – half the deposit was 40,000, no problem there.

But the second payment was due in just half a month, requiring another 50,000 from Xia Xiaolan, leaving her 20,000 short. Could she earn that 20,000 in half a month to fill this hole? Or should she temporarily use money from ‘Anxin Building Materials and settle accounts after the sportswear is sold… She rejected the second option – the building materials store wasn’t her solo venture, and since others’ investments were due on schedule, she shouldn’t make exceptions.

The 200,000 for the building materials store’s opening was barely enough; circumstances wouldn’t allow her to delay investment timing.

‘Blue Phoenix’ wouldn’t work either – after this dividend distribution, they’d enter the slow season of summer clearance sales. Late August brought new stock, requiring substantial inventory investment, leaving no money for Xia Xiaolan’s use.

If she didn’t renovate the Seven Wells Village house, it would be just enough.

But with the house already half-renovated, further discussion was pointless. Xia Xiaolan could only consider other options.

Earning another 20,000 in half a month wasn’t realistic. Chen Xiliang said the sportswear venture wasn’t really about quick money – even if sales were slow, they’d still have inventory to gradually sell-off. True “quick money” was like the previous tape recorder venture, but Xia Xiaolan couldn’t judge the actual risks – it all depended on luck!

Borrow from a bank?

Or borrow from someone else.

Better to borrow, and someone who could lend her the money was right in front of her.

Comrade Kang Wei would surely be willing to lend her money.

But borrowing from Kang Wei – where would that leave Zhou Cheng?

Without thinking, she knew Zhou Cheng would be angry!

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t so rigid – letting her do business under Zhou Cheng’s wing definitely wouldn’t work. Being merely a dependent flower in the turbulent 1980s would torment her.

Accepting cars and houses as gifts from Zhou Cheng wasn’t impossible – she had the ability to give equivalent gifts in return and would happily accept them.

But they’d both met each other’s parents, and their relationship seemed quite stable now. Borrowing 20,000 yuan from her boyfriend for working capital seemed feasible to Xia Xiaolan. Poor Manager Xia had no experience borrowing money in either of her lives, and she hesitated for several days before approaching Zhou Cheng.

When she finally spoke up, it didn’t seem so difficult after all.

Zhou Cheng, the lender, was quite happy!

He sincerely asked if 20,000 was enough, and Xia Xiaolan nodded repeatedly:

“It’s enough, I’ll repay you once I turn things around.”

“Mm, no rush. You know I don’t spend much living alone, my salary is sufficient.”

If his wife was willing, he could hand over his entire salary too – Zhou Cheng thought 20 yuan monthly pocket money would be enough for him.

Unfortunately, though he offered his bankbook, his wife wouldn’t accept it. Now that she’d borrowed money from him for the first time, Zhou Cheng was also treading carefully. This was Xia Xiaolan taking another step toward him, and he feared his excitement might scare her away! Zhou Cheng understood – Xia Xiaolan had drawn a line between them, and probably only approached him for money after meeting his family.

Zhou Cheng was slowly exploring this boundary – moving too fast would make Xia Xiaolan passively accept their relationship.

Of course, he couldn’t just stand still waiting for Xia Xiaolan to approach him.

Love was also a battle, and Zhou Cheng needed to study his strategy carefully!

For instance, regarding Xia Xiaolan’s wrist injury, Zhou Cheng’s eyes darkened. Without prying information from people around Xia Xiaolan, he could gradually uncover the truth. The day after Xia Xiaolan was injured, a patient named Xia Changzheng requiring amputation was admitted to the provincial hospital – such coincidences don’t exist. His wife always took revenge directly without harming innocents, so this must have been done by her uncle Xia Changzheng.

Then, Zhou Cheng learned that Xia Changzheng and Zhang Cui had followed Xia Ziyu to Beijing.

Zhou Cheng hadn’t originally touched Xia Ziyu, wanting to leave him for Xiaolan to handle. But Xia Ziyu and Wang Jianhua seemed to be living too comfortably. Zhou Cheng deliberately called home to ask about the Wang family’s situation, and Zhou Guobin told him someone had been actively advocating for the Wang family… For various reasons, Wang Guangping might return to the city.

“Reinstatement is impossible – his original position has long been filled. They might arrange a different position for Wang Guangping.”

Zhou Guobin and Wang Guangping weren’t close; Wang Guangping’s troubles had nothing to do with the Zhou family. They weren’t allies, having neither friendship nor grudges.

But Wang Guangping’s original position was now held by Zhou Cheng’s uncle.

“I don’t care what you think about the Wang family, but now every move our family makes is being watched. Our family members can’t get involved in Wang Guangping’s return to the city.”