Chapter 528: Chapter 528: Get Some Work Done Before Leaving
Yang Qing slapped her forehead, "You’re right, we shouldn’t do that."
She didn’t want to offend a whole group just for her cousin.
Yi Chichi chuckled, "As if you’d succeed even if you wanted to do it."
Working as a canteen temporary worker was a highly sought-after job by the army wives, despite the low pay. It was within the military and allowed them to go home to see their kids.
For those wives with no jobs but heavy family burdens, this job could somewhat ease the burden.
Thus, whenever a canteen temporary position opened up, the number of wives eager to apply would be terrifying.
Yang Qing understood this too, and she said helplessly, "You’re great in every way, except for that mouth of yours."
She was implying that Yi Chichi was too blunt.
Yi Chichi spread her hands wide, "That’s just who I am. Go ahead and break up with me if you can."
Her playful tone left Yang Qing both irritated and amused, "I can’t do that, I still want to be your friend."
Not seeing Qin Jiu since she entered, Yang Qing wondered, "Where’s Xiao Jiu?"
"Taking a shower."
The distance from Beijing to Yangcheng isn’t short, and unless it’s for a special mission, Qin Chaoyang and the others take the train for their official duties, making the over two thousand kilometers trip enough to make him feel cooped up and smell musty.
He couldn’t go without a shower and a change of clothes.
Yang Qing nodded, "Going back directly tomorrow morning?"
"We’ll make a stop at the Friendship Store first."
Yang Qing’s face lit up, "Can I come too?"
"Of course, together."
She reached into her pocket to count her money but quickly remembered that she didn’t have any foreign exchange certificates, suddenly looking disappointed, "I can’t buy anything without foreign exchange certificates."
All that excitement for nothing.
Yi Chichi couldn’t directly tell her that she could get foreign exchange certificates. Besides, since she was an insider, they could directly go to the warehouse to buy stuff without the certificates.
So she suggested, "Here’s the deal. Tomorrow, tell me what you like, and I’ll help you buy it. But you have to reimburse me 20% of the sale price for the foreign exchange certificate difference."
"Sure."
Yang Qing agreed without hesitation, "I’ll have a look first tomorrow. Once I decide, I’ll let you know."
"Okay."
And with that, the topic ended.
At night, Yang Qing tossed and turned in bed, thinking about what to buy at the Friendship Store.
But when she finally got to the Friendship Store the next day, she realized that her sleepless night was purely self-inflicted.
If she could still afford items at the department store, the things she wanted at the Friendship Store just showed her that she wasn’t entitled to buy them.
It wasn’t just an issue of foreign exchange certificates; her family’s finances simply couldn’t support such high spending.
So, in the end, she only bought half a pound of White Rabbit candies that didn’t require a coupon.
Plus two boxes of Maling luncheon meat that also didn’t require coupons and were supposedly damaged.
The White Rabbit candies were for the kids, and the luncheon meat was to give Old Huang a taste of something different when he got home.
Old Huang had never eaten such canned meat before.
In contrast to her meager purchases, Yi Chichi bought a bunch according to Wen’s mother’s list and even asked Qin Jiu what he needed, getting quite a lot for him too.
Qin Jiu had money and coupons for anything, including foreign exchange certificates and national coupons.
But Yi Chichi didn’t let him pay. The only things he paid for were the toys and exquisite picture books bought for Wen Yi.
Can’t refuse a brother’s gesture.
Barring any surprises, her child would only have Qin Jiu as a brother.
Their relationship needed a little nurturing.
The Friendship Store was full of acquaintances. After buying what they needed, Yi Chichi wanted to take everyone and leave, but Gu Xinghua, who had come prepared, stopped her.
"Where do you think you’re going? Do some work before you leave."
Yi Chichi’s mouth twitched, "Uncle, you see I’m dragging the whole family along; can we do this another day when you come to draft me?"
"No, I need the drawings urgently."
Gu Xinghua, like a cold-blooded dictator, said, "You need to provide me with at least five designs for crochet products."
"Five is not much, but I can’t finish them on the spot."
Originally, she thought that saying this would make Gu Xinghua give up, but unexpectedly, he quickly replied—
"You can draw them at home and mail them over."
The island wasn’t far from Yangcheng, and it would take about four or five days by mail, a wait he could manage.
Yi Chichi realized it; her Uncle Gu had been waiting for her.
Fine, drawing at home was better than wasting a day here.
"Tell me the requirements."
With these words, Gu Xinghua knew the deal was done.
After explaining the client’s needs in detail, he gave her a deadline, "We’ll start in half a month, so you need to mail the drawings before then. Is there an issue?"
"Yes."
"What’s the issue?"
"The price of the designs hasn’t been discussed."
"The usual, as before."
This meant the original price remained.
Yi Chichi wasn’t dissatisfied; full liberalization hadn’t happened yet, and it wasn’t appropriate to raise prices.
Once it was fully open, it wouldn’t be too late to discuss a price increase.
Besides, over the years, Uncle Ning and Uncle Gu had never shortchanged her.
"Alright, I’ll start the designs once I’m back, ensuring you get them before work starts on your end."
"Great."
Gu Xinghua was pleased with her answer but still reminded her, "Try to make more designs if possible. The more variety, the more options for customers, and the more foreign exchange we can earn."
"No problem."
As long as she was inspired, a few more designs would be no issue for her.
With the business settled, a satisfied Gu Xinghua left.
Yi Chichi led everyone out through the employee exit, and on the way, they ran into Master Lu, a recently recruited embroiderer at the Friendship Store who specialized in Hang Embroidery.
She had exchanged and learned from Yi Chichi a few times, and their relationship was quite good.
Seeing her, Master Lu smiled, "When will you bring the kid over for us to see?"
"When he can talk and walk."
He was too young now and it was inconvenient to bring him along.
She replied with a smile, exchanged a few more pleasantries with Master Lu, and sent him off.
Fearing they’d run into more acquaintances and start chatting again, she urged everyone to move quickly.
They finally relaxed after leaving the vicinity of the Friendship Store.
"We can take it slow now."
Yang Qing laughed, "Why do I feel like you’re treating your coworkers like they’re some kind of monstrous threat?"
Yi Chichi sighed, "It’s not just a feeling; they really are like monstrous threats to me."
Every time she came to the Friendship Store, she could forget about peace; it was either drawing or being pulled into the embroidery room to communicate with everyone.
In the past, she would’ve been happy, but not anymore.
She was in a hurry to get back to her baby. After a day and a night apart, she couldn’t imagine how her little one would cry without seeing her.
At that moment, she finally understood the deep bond between a mother and her child.
"I’m thinking about Wen Yi; let’s hurry back."
Yang Qing missed her child too, so she quickly pulled Yu Ting along.
Qin Jiu didn’t need any pulling. The adolescent boy, who’d shot up in height, had inherited the tall genes of the Qin Family. Tall with long legs and quite strong, he was handling his luggage and most of the stuff Yi Chichi bought without breaking a sweat.
Around eight in the evening, the four of them caught the last ferry, standing firmly on the dock ground.
"Let’s hurry home."
She pulled them to sprint, but Yang Qing remembered her bicycle. Just as she was about to say she’d get it, she realized the storage attendant would’ve gone home by now, and she’d have to wait until tomorrow.
