Step by step, a gentle breeze leads to a smooth path

"Big brother, little brother, I know you're worried about me! But I'm worried about you too. We're siblings, we should help each other out. My money's just sitting there anyway..."

“But when you were suffering, we didn’t help you at all, we weren’t by your side.” Zheng Ruidong choked up, interrupting Ting Nan, and Zheng Xiangqian’s eyes also reddened.

"Do you think what I've endured is just suffering? But it's precisely these hardships that have made me who I am today! Big brother, little brother, I'm grateful for these hardships, which have forged me into a strong and courageous person. They also gave me a good mentor and a good teacher, and I've changed my uncle and the others..."

Zheng Xiangqian and Rui Dong remained silent.

"Think about it, who doesn't suffer? Who hasn't experienced hardship? Mom, eldest brother, younger brother, eldest sister, you all have your own hardships. Even Tang Sanzang had to go through eighty-one tribulations on his journey to the West..." Listen to Nan Xiaozui's chatter, it's something she's learned from doing business.

"Big brother, how much money do you need? If you still consider me your little sister, just be quick about it, otherwise... I won't come back."

"No, listen to Nan, you are our little sister, how can you just deny it like that?" Zheng Xiangqian winked at Ruidong.

“Little sister, I feel uncomfortable taking yours.” Zheng Ruidong’s face turned red again.

"Why are you feeling unwell? Just consider it a loan from me. I'll make your clothes without hesitation. I saw a clothing factory in the county town, and there are men there who make clothes. They're in high demand."

"Really? There really are men there?"

"Of course, my teacher is from a big city like Shanghai, you know? She said that's called a fashion designer. They can design clothes for adults and children, men and women. As long as your design is approved by a manufacturer, they will buy it at a high price and then mass-produce it."

"Of course it's true, you should study hard first. The better you study, the more knowledgeable you'll become. There are books on fashion design in the library!" The county library doesn't actually have any, but Teacher Zuo's place definitely does. Let's appease the young man for now.

"Alright, little sister, I'll borrow your money, and I'll borrow yours too. I'll pay you back double, and I'll make you lots of beautiful clothes. Big brother, how much is it in total? How much are you short?"

"Eighty yuan in total, still sixty short," Zheng Xiangqian said in a muffled voice. That's far from enough. Bamboo hats are only 1 yuan each, and bamboo baskets are 1.5 yuan each. Even if Nan deducts money, it's still a pittance—very little.

Zheng Ruidong was also somewhat frustrated, as sixty yuan was an astronomical figure for them at the moment.

"Cough cough cough... I think I forgot to mention, I also smuggled in some goods, which I sold secretly without having to pay any bills." Ting Nan took out sixty yuan directly from her waist bag and handed it to her older brother.

This fanny pack was specially made by her grandmother for her to wear around her waist, so it would be safe to carry money. Tingnan also asked her grandmother and aunt to make a few more so she could sell them to small business owners.

When she came back this time, Tingnan made a point of bringing all the ten-yuan notes she had saved up in her private stash. After taking out six, there were still some left.

“Ting Nan, you’ve struck it rich…” Zheng Xiangqian looked at the brand-new ten-yuan note and felt somewhat ashamed of himself.

"Brother, now that the egalitarian system is over and land is distributed to individual households to bear their own profits and losses, the policies have been relaxed, and everyone has started doing business. You're quick-witted, you could consider doing something too?"

"Really? What do you mean?" Zheng Ruidong went to write an IOU, while Zheng Xiangqian stuffed the money into his pocket and began to focus on "doing business."

"Brother, I've probably been out and about a lot and seen a lot, so I've heard a lot too. Nowadays, people in all walks of life are trying their hand at this business in the county. For example, when I came here, there were several breakfast stalls at the ferry crossing and the market, and business was pretty good!"