Go Sell Shoes
After finally settling the matter, Lin Hai went to the brigade the next day to borrow a donkey cart. Then Su Su went to the commune together with the three boys and Mother Lin.
The house was left to Father Lin for the time being. After all, on the first day, they were afraid the boys would be too embarrassed to open their mouths and sell, and they also did not really know how to set prices.
Back when Su Su was in university, she had once run a stall at a night market, so she was very familiar with how this worked.
She found a small market, spread out four sacks, then placed the two bags of shoes they had carried over pair by pair on top. To make the shoes look newer, they had spent half the night wiping them down yesterday. Now, they truly looked brand new.
Once the shoes were laid out, the four members of the Lin family all looked at Su Su. They really did not know how to sell things.
Su Su cleared her throat and called, “Come and have a look! Bulk-sale shoes! Men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes! Cheap clearance sale, four yuan a pair! We also have pure leather shoes, high-end goods! You won’t lose out buying them. Come over, have a look, and choose a pair!”
Actually, she only needed to shout at the beginning. Once everyone knew there were shoes being sold here, they came over to ask on their own. Of course, she still had to call out from time to time, otherwise how would anyone know it was a clearance sale?
At first, people came over in twos and threes. In truth, four yuan for a pair of shoes was not exactly cheap, but it was different if they were cotton shoes. Cotton shoes were already more expensive than single-layer shoes, and most people did not dare buy them because they cost too much. But now cotton shoes were being sold at the price of ordinary shoes, so quite a few people came to look, and the crowd gradually grew.
Su Su felt her throat getting dry. She glanced at Lin Hai and said, “You call out.”
Lin Hai froze for a moment, then scratched his head. In the end, he copied Su Su, cleared his throat, and said, “Come and have a look! Bulk-sale shoes! Men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes! Cheap clearance sale!”
His voice was not loud, but at least he had shouted.
Su Su felt that perhaps she would not need to come tomorrow. Once he could call out the first time, there would be a second and a third. After all, he was already a big boy; she did not need to worry too much.
The other two younger boys probably found it fun too, so they also called out a couple of times. With more people, there was more strength. After a while, someone picked out a pair of shoes and asked for the price. Su Su saw that they were a pair of small leather shoes, so she said, “These are pure leather, but because we’re clearing stock, they’re the same price as the others. Four yuan.”
“Isn’t that a bit expensive?”
“The pair you picked is leather. If you chose another pair, we might be able to lower the price a little, but leather is always more expensive. Look at the quality of the leather. Wearing them for several years won’t be a problem, and they’re warm too.”
Su Su had sold things before, so she had some experience. She could not lower the price immediately, otherwise it might keep getting pushed down.
In this era, people were not too used to bargaining either, so the young-looking girl thought about it for a long while, tried them on, and eventually wore the leather shoes away.
It had to be said that leather shoes in this era were very stiff, but they really did look good when worn.
After that girl walked away wearing them, other people’s minds became active too. No matter the era, when people went out, they always hoped to wear something decent so others would not laugh at them. Bought shoes were definitely better than homemade ones, and the price was not too expensive.
Just like that, many more people asked about the shoes, and before long, four or five pairs had been sold. Mother Lin was simply stunned. She knew the base cost. Some pairs made three yuan profit, some made two yuan. In such a short time, they had already earned six or seven yuan.
No wonder her son had once said Su Su could make money. So it was true.
Making money was addictive. Once everyone saw profit, they all became excited. Su Su only sold for one morning before preparing to go back. Lin Chuan still needed someone to take care of him at home. Although her father-in-law was there, with a man’s carelessness, he might not even get a mouthful of hot water.
Mother Lin also agreed to let her go back and even found her an ox cart from a neighbouring village. However, after getting off, Su Su still had to walk half a li. It was not too far, so it should be fine.
Su Su also bought Lin Chuan some more red dates and goji berries. But she did not know that goji berries in this era were all picked from the mountains, not grown at home, so their medicinal effect was truly very strong. She had already forced Lin Chuan to drink all the ones she had bought before, but she still did not feel reassured. After all, the doctor had said he had lost too much blood. She was genuinely afraid that if a grown man did not replenish himself properly, he might develop anaemia or something in the future.
How could she know that the doctor had only told her to soak red dates and goji berries in water because she had looked too worried? In truth, it was not necessary. Lin Chuan had a strong constitution and did not need so much nourishment.
Su Su did not know that people in this era were so sturdy. Before she transmigrated into the book, her own father had been drinking goji berry wine for years.
When she walked home, she found the room a little cold. Lin Chuan was sitting on the kang reading. The moment he heard Su Su return, he immediately closed the book and tried to lie down.
“…” Su Su glared at him. “I already saw you. Why did you sit up again?”
“I only sat up for a little while.” So there were times when he was afraid too. Just now, when he heard Su Su come back, his heartbeat had sped up. It was the first time in all these years.
Su Su ignored him and went into the room to look at the water in the big enamel mug. There was nothing in it, and it was cold water.
Without saying anything, she picked up the mug, poured out the water, added red dates, goji berries, and brown sugar, then poured in hot water before bringing it to his side. “Why are you drinking cold water?”
“Father made it for me.”
“You should have asked him to pour you some hot water. Where is Father?”
“He went to the village to play cards.”
During the first month of the lunar year, the men in the village liked to gather and play cards, since there was not much work to do.
“Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.” For some reason, the more Lin Chuan spoke, the guiltier he felt.
“If I hadn’t rushed back, you would’ve starved yourself at home.” Su Su felt that these old men really had big hearts. One treated his son like grass, and the other was so casual, not knowing how to look after himself at all.
There was no helping it. She could only take off her shoes, change her clothes, and cook for Lin Chuan. Of course, she also made a portion for Father Lin. During the farming off-season, people usually ate two meals a day, so the timing was still fine.
Recently, under Lin Chuan’s personal guidance, she had already learned how to stick cornmeal flatbreads to the side of the pot. Of course, she had also learned how to make stewed dishes. Sure enough, people changed with their environment. Before, she had not known how to make anything, but now she had more or less learned.
She stewed potatoes with glass noodles and stuck around ten large flatbreads to the pot. Lin Chuan leaned against the doorframe while drinking his water and asked, “Why did you make so many?”
“When Mother and the others come back, they’ll definitely come to our place. Then we can all eat together, and they won’t have to cook again tonight.”
As she was tending the fire, a large hand suddenly patted the top of her head. Then Lin Chuan’s slightly gentle voice sounded above her. “Wife, you’re really good.”
He felt that he must have had great luck. Otherwise, how could he have carried back such a beautiful, capable, and filial wife from the mountains?
“Of course. That’s because your family is good.” If they had not been good people, she probably would have left this place long ago. It was also because his family was good that she had chosen Lin Chuan without hesitation.
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