Shen Nanchu didn't say anything and continued browsing.
After the two female comrades left, she moved to the neighboring counter.
On the counter were displayed Snowflake Cream, Clam Oil, and a simply packaged shampoo.
She picked up a bottle of shampoo and held it up to the light.
"Comrade, how much is this shampoo? How is its grease-removing effect? Does it lather well?"
By this time, Hong Xiaoling's face was already etched with impatience.
"One yuan and twenty fen."
"Aren't there any other shampoos?" Shen Nanchu pressed.
Hong Xiaoling finally snapped.
"Are you going to buy it or not? If not, don't waste our department store's time."
She looked Shen Nanchu up and down, her eyes openly scornful of the white cotton dress Shen Nanchu wore.
"Country relatives visiting the city, right? If you can't afford it, don't ask pointless questions. Looking is a waste of time!"
Pei Yunzhou flushed red with anger. "How dare you speak like that! My sister-in-law..."
"Yunzhou."
Shen Nanchu pulled him back. She didn't look the least bit angry; instead, she smiled at Hong Xiaoling.
"Sorry about that, comrade. We were just asking to get an idea."
With that, she turned and left with Pei Yunzhou and Zheng Tongwei.
Hong Xiaoling rolled her eyes dramatically at their retreating backs.
Once outside the department store, Pei Yunzhou was still fuming.
"Sister-in-law, she was too much! What gives her the right to look down on people!"
Zheng Tongwei also frowned.
"That salesclerk's attitude was terrible. Should we try a different department store?"
"No."
Shen Nanchu already had a plan in mind.
"Her bad attitude is a good thing; it means there are management problems here. Didn't you notice? The cotton fabric prices are two fen higher than at the supply and marketing cooperative, the ready-made clothes are outdated, and there's only one type of shampoo. This is our opportunity."
Her eyes were clear and bright.
"When we were looking at the fabric earlier, did you notice those female workers buying shampoo?"
Zheng Tongwei nodded.
"They were textile mill workers, complaining about cotton fluff getting in their hair and how troublesome it is to wash."
"The shampoo they buy takes several washes to get their hair clean."
A smile spread across Shen Nanchu's face, impossible to hide.
"Our tea seed shampoo happens to meet the needs of those textile mill workers perfectly."
"As for that salesclerk, the more she looks down on us, the stronger our bargaining position will be when we meet their manager later."
Zheng Tongwei finally understood, looking at Shen Nanchu with admiration.
"You planned this all along? You even factored in her bad attitude? You intend to use that to get to the department store management?"
"Of course."
Shen Nanchu blinked.
"If we went and stated our business directly, do you think they'd see us?"
"No."
Zheng Tongwei shook his head decisively.
Pei Yunzhou also caught on. "So, we go find their manager now?"
"Not yet."
Shen Nanchu glanced at the sun.
"First, we go to the textile mill. If we secure a big order there, we can approach the department store management with a much stronger stance."
...
The Dalao City Textile Mill was in the western district, some distance from the department store.
Shen Nanchu and the other two took a bus for several stops to get there.
From afar, they could see tall chimneys belching white smoke. The factory wall was high and long, with a sign at the gate reading "Dalao City First Textile Mill."
The gatekeeper stopped them.
"What's your business? No unauthorized entry into the factory."
Shen Nanchu produced the letter of introduction written by Town Head Lin Aimin.
"Hello, comrade. We're from Wang Family Village, here to see Supply and Sales Section Chief Luo Hongyuan. This is our letter of introduction."
The gatekeeper took the letter and studied it for a long time, then looked them over carefully, his eyes especially lingering on Shen Nanchu's pregnant belly, filled with suspicion.
"To see Section Chief Luo? What for? He's very busy, you know. Not just anyone can see him."
"Town Head Lin introduced us. We have important business to discuss regarding cooperation."
Shen Nanchu's tone was calm.
"We have to be at the department store in half an hour. If you won't announce us, then you can wait until Section Chief Luo is free and pass on the message for him to come find me in Wang Family Village."
Hearing this, the gatekeeper broke into a cold sweat. After a long hesitation, he reluctantly pointed inside.
"Go ahead. The third office building on the left, third floor, look for Section Chief Luo. Remember, don't wander around. Factory rules are strict."
Entering the textile mill, the roar of machinery was deafening.
The workshop windows were open, revealing rows of looms operating at high speed. Female workers, wearing caps and masks, moved their fingers deftly over the machines. The air was thick with the smell of cotton fluff and machine oil.
Looking at the scene inside the workshop, Zheng Tongwei couldn't help but light up.
"It's huge. If we could supply our rabbit fur here, it would really open up a market."
The Supply and Sales Section office building was relatively quiet.
Shen Nanchu found the office with the "Supply and Sales Section Chief" plaque and knocked gently.
"Come in."
A somewhat impatient voice came from inside.
Opening the door, they saw a middle-aged man in a gray Zhongshan suit hunched over his desk reading documents, his hair meticulously combed. This was Supply and Sales Section Chief Luo Hongyuan.
He looked up, saw Shen Nanchu and the others, and immediately frowned. His gaze, especially when it fell on Shen Nanchu's belly, held an almost undisguised look of disdain.
"Who are you?"
He didn't stand up, his tone indifferent, clearly not taking Shen Nanchu's group seriously.
Shen Nanchu handed him the letter of introduction.
"Section Chief Luo, hello. We're from Wang Family Village. I'm Shen Nanchu, this is Comrade Zheng Tongwei, and Pei Yunzhou. Town Head Lin asked us to visit you to discuss potential cooperation."
Luo Hongyuan took the letter, glanced at it, tossed it onto the desk, and took a sip of tea from his enamel mug.
"I have to respect Town Head Lin's recommendation, but let me be blunt. Our textile mill cooperates with large factories, ones with stable supply and top-notch quality. Your village enterprise... what decent products could you possibly have?"
His words were brutally frank, practically spelling out "you're not up to our standard" on his face.
"Section Chief Luo is right. Village enterprises are indeed small in scale, but our products aren't necessarily worse than those from big factories."
Shen Nanchu spoke without arrogance or servility. She took something wrapped in oilpaper from her cloth bag.
"We came today mainly to show you this."
She unwrapped the oilpaper layer by layer, revealing something snow-white and fluffy inside—Angora rabbit fur.
This fur was specially selected: uniform in length, pure white in color, without a single impurity, gleaming with a soft luster under the light.
Luo Hongyuan, who had been leaning back in his chair with an air of indifference, glanced at the fur and was about to offer a perfunctory remark when he suddenly sat up straight, his eyes lighting up instantly.
"This is..."
"Is this rabbit fur raised in your village?"
