It certainly couldn’t be wasted.
Jobs weren’t easy to find nowadays, and not all of them were relatives of Branch Manager Wu. They came through various connections, had to be between 18-25 years old, couldn’t be too overweight, and couldn’t look unsightly. Among more than twenty young women, only seven were selected in the end. Branch Manager Wu had made everything clear to them – they needed to pass the “training” and complete a three-month probation period.
Only after passing probation would they become permanent employees. During probation, they would receive only a basic salary, but after becoming permanent, they would earn bonuses. The bonuses were tied to sales volume – the more clothes they sold, the more money they would make.
Theoretically, their income had no upper limit.
Branch Manager Wu conducted the selection like choosing imperial concubines, but there wasn’t much complaint because the base salary wouldn’t be less than 60 yuan, and after becoming permanent, with bonuses and commissions, monthly income would be at least over a hundred yuan.
For young women whose education and family connections weren’t strong enough to secure positions in formal institutions, this was an opportunity they had to seize.
How could they object to training in Nanluogu Alley? They had originally planned to go to Shangdu, but staying in Beijing was much better. Those who had never traveled far were afraid to leave suddenly.
The three young women from Canton felt exactly this way. Fortunately, they traveled together, spending two days on the train, looking after each other.
Chen Xiliang met them at the train station, told them to listen well to “Director Xia,” and then sent them to the courtyard house in Nanluogu Alley. The courtyard was empty and temporarily requisitioned by Xia Xiaolan to avoid wasting time renting another place. Liu Yong had already bought simple furniture, and the three from Canton would stay overnight in the courtyard while the local Beijing recruits would return home to sleep.
However, the three comrades from Canton didn’t see the “Director Xia” that Chen Xiliang mentioned upon arriving at Nanluogu Alley.
Instead, they met their seven colleagues recruited from Beijing and a very serious-looking elderly woman.
Grandmother Yu saw that everyone had arrived and could start the classes.
She had been invited by Xia Xiaolan to teach these shop assistants “etiquette.” For the service industry – how to smile at customers, how to stand while speaking, how to walk – Xia Xiaolan felt she wasn’t as qualified as Grandmother Yu.
“Training might be difficult, but every job is hard. Staying at home and shamelessly waiting to be fed is the easiest, but you can’t live like that forever, right?”
Grandmother Yu looked stern, and since the women hadn’t met “Director Xia” yet, they had to follow whatever Grandmother Yu said.
Grandmother Yu asked if they had eaten breakfast, and seeing them nod, she pointed to the wall: “All of you, stand against the wall – your head, shoulders, buttocks, and heels should all touch the wall.”
None of them were ugly, but Grandmother Yu disapproved of their posture.
Regardless of gender, standing straight was the foundation of “elegance.”
Slouching with hunched shoulders would waste any clothes worn. This wasn’t a state-owned store where you could eat melon seeds, knit sweaters, and chat. To convince customers, you need to be convincing yourself!
Grandmother Yu understood why Xia Xiaolan recruited people for this “training.” Even textile factory workers needed a master’s guidance when they first started.
Grandmother Yu was now these women’s master.
Oh, in Xia Xiaolan’s words, she was their etiquette teacher… Grandmother Yu felt it was truly nice to have something to do, helping Xia Xiaolan made her feel at ease living in Beijing.
Whether young or old, male or female, normal people needed others’ recognition and needed to feel their existence had meaning to society and others, otherwise life would be too empty.
Grandmother Yu was “needed,” and she was now full of enthusiasm about training these young women.
…
Where was Director Xia if not in Nanluogu Alley?
After handling Editor-in-Chief Cui’s matter, Xia Xiaolan withdrew some cash, bought some things, and went to the Zhou family.
On the seventh day of the first lunar month, Zhou Guobin had already returned to work, but Guan Hui’e hadn’t. Xia Xiaolan first went to Zhou Cheng’s home, left her things, and then went with Guan Hui’e to visit Zhou’s parents.
Grandmother Zhou was very happy to see her, pulled her close to ask various questions, and grabbed lots of candy for Xia Xiaolan.
Grandmother Zhou was elderly; this was how she used to treat children, and now she treated Xia Xiaolan the same way. Xia Xiaolan unwrapped one candy in front of Grandmother Zhou and put it in her mouth:
“It is sweet.”
Grandmother Zhou was overjoyed, “I told you it’s sweet. This is a foreign candy that Zhou Cheng’s aunt sent. I wouldn’t give it to anyone else, I saved it just for you. When you leave later, take all of it with you.”
Grandmother Zhou’s favoritism was so obvious; fortunately, Zhou Yi and others weren’t present today, or Zhou Yi would have been jealous again.
Xia Xiaolan patiently accompanied the elderly couple all day, leaving only in the afternoon. Grandmother Zhou wanted to keep her for dinner, but Xia Xiaolan was troubled:
“Grandmother, I still want to visit Kangwei.”
Grandmother Zhou immediately stopped insisting: “Yes, you should visit him. That child has had so many misfortunes, hopefully nothing else will happen to him in the future.”
Grandmother Zhou carefully examined Xia Xiaolan’s arm – it would leave a scar. The facial swelling had long subsided, and the scrapes had healed; young people recovered quickly. Xia Xiaolan said she was already better, but Grandmother Zhou was still unhappy. After Guan Hui’e and Xia Xiaolan left, Grandmother Zhou complained: “What kind of Hong Kong people are they, driving so carelessly? A young girl now has scars, and Kangwei’s head is split open. If anything had happened to Kangwei, several people in the Kang family wouldn’t have survived.”
“So you’re saying we shouldn’t let Hong Kong people come because of this small matter? Now it’s reform and opening up, we need to look at issues dialectically. The influx of foreign capital will certainly have impacts. Even the Hong Kong person who hit Xiaolan and Kangwei donated several hundred thousand in scholarship money to Beijing University. Can we drive them all away?”
Old Man Zhou had high ideological consciousness; Grandmother Zhou couldn’t argue with his grand principles.
But Grandmother Zhou found another angle to make her point: “How do you know about the hundreds of thousands in donations? If you weren’t concerned, why did you investigate?”
Old Man Zhou suddenly became uncomfortable, snorted, and walked away with his hands behind his back.
Grandmother Zhou cursed “old fool” and started opening the things Xia Xiaolan had brought.
Xia Xiaolan especially liked buying clothes for her and the old man, along with various health products, though with the old man’s rank, they didn’t lack these things. Since they didn’t lack food, or clothes it was. Grandmother Zhou and her husband were used to living frugally – being able to eat their fill and stay warm was enough, they wouldn’t often buy new clothes. Xia Xiaolan had thought of all this, and Grandmother Zhou thought, how could she not favor her?
Her favoritism toward Xia Xiaolan wasn’t just because of Zhou Cheng; Xia Xiaolan was thoughtful toward her and the old man, making it hard for Grandmother Zhou not to favor her.
Besides clothes and socks, Grandmother Zhou found two red envelopes.
Two thick stacks and one red envelope contained 1,200 yuan, so two made 2,400 yuan.
Xia Xiaolan had inserted a note in the red envelope saying the clothes were her filial gift, but the red envelopes were from Zhou Cheng, using his money.
Grandmother Zhou called out: “Old man, come quickly, your grandson is giving you pocket money!”