This Mid-Autumn Festival is very busy. Strawberries need to be shipped. The shops are the busiest during the festival. There is also the bulk shipment of cosmetics factories. Shopkeeper Sun Yan and Xiao Li are in Tianjin, and Miss Qi Sanbai is in Shanghai. They start preparing for the festival one month before the festival. Chen Xuan, Wei Nian, and Wei Yin take turns to watch the cosmetics factory. In addition to the control of the quality inspection master, the three will also randomly check the quality of the goods. There are also handicraft schools and lace factories, which are watched by Qin Shu and Li.
In addition, as the lace factory expands, it is time to prepare for export. Wei Nian originally planned to go to Shanghai this year, but he couldn't spare the time now. Fortunately, Qi San and Miss Bai were there. Wei Nian sent them a box of samples and asked them to help ask around. Of course, he also sent a simple profit-sharing contract.
In addition to business matters, there are also gifts between relatives and friends during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Mid-Autumn gifts are all purchased together. After counting the number, Chen Xuan watched the purchase. Then there are a wave of activities to be held in the store before and after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Both Zhao Daya and Li Er, the shopkeepers, are too busy to handle it. Wei Yin also asked Xu Ning to recruit a few part-time female students from Peking University to help the store. In short, they are busy with all kinds of things. For the first time, Mrs. Wei did not let the two daughters-in-law intervene in the preparation of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet at home. She personally instructed Wang Damei to do it. It’s not that Mrs. Wei suddenly became open-minded and cared for her daughters-in-law. It’s really that the two daughters-in-law are very busy and have no time to cook and prepare the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.
Old Madam Wei directed An Saozi and Wang Damei, and she also had to look after the little girl. Her feet were so busy that they were swollen. Chen Xuan originally didn't plan to hire a maid, but when Wei Nian saw the situation at home, he said directly, "You should hire another maid, so you can take care of the little girl with peace of mind."
Old Mrs. Wei scolded her son, "I think you have a lot of money to burn. It's not enough to have Damei and Xiaoan! How much will it cost to hire more people!"
"I'll pay for it, just consider it as a way of honoring you, Mom." Wei Nian said.
"I don't need your filial piety, I'm afraid it will shorten my life." Old Mrs. Wei was not good at saying nice things, and these words that choked people to death were really a set of sets. Wei Nian didn't care about this, he directly found a middle-aged woman from his hometown, surnamed Liu, called Liu Saozi, to help take care of the children and do housework at home.
Old Mrs. Wei complained about spending money. Although it was Wei Nian who paid, in her opinion, her son's money was also her money. For this, Old Mrs. Wei scolded Wei Nian for three days. Wei Nian didn't care. His mother was just a nagging mouth. Sister Liu, who had just come to the Wei family, turned pale when she heard it. She was afraid that Old Mrs. Wei would not want to add a maid and send her back. Now everyone in the hometown knows that the Wei family is a kind family. Not only do they pay generous wages, but they also treat people very well.
Fortunately, although Mrs. Wei has a sharp tongue, she really can't control Wei Nian.
Furthermore, Old Mrs. Wei had no time to talk about Sister Liu, because the news that the Japanese had sent troops to occupy the three northeastern provinces had already spread to Beijing. When the Wei family heard the news, they were stunned!
Wei Shike is still in the Northeast!
Rong Yang once reminded Wei Nian to change the money in the account into gold. Wei Nian guessed that the situation had changed, but he did not expect such a big upheaval! The news in the newspapers was full of news that Marshal Zhang, who had just been the Marshal for a few years, withdrew from the three northeastern provinces without firing a shot. Wei Nian could not hide it even if he wanted to. Mrs. Wei was so anxious that she didn't fall down yet, but Old Master Wei was so anxious that his old illness recurred. He kept coughing and wheezing. Wei Nian invited an old Chinese doctor from Tongrentang to take the pulse and prescribe medicine for the old man, and he had to comfort him, "Brother has always been smart, don't worry, Dad, I sent an urgent telegram. After all, there is no war in the Northeast. In the past few years, our Beijing has also been changing the flags on the city walls, and some have become the hegemons and some have become the kings. There is no war in the Northeast. Let's see when brother will reply. If you receive the telegram, brother will definitely come back."
Old Master Wei sighed and coughed, "You are right. I was so anxious that I lost my composure. Please pay attention to the business in the store. We will sell the materials we stocked if the price is good." The Northeast was occupied by the Japanese. The situation was unstable and prices soared. The rice and flour in Weijiatun were for their own consumption, but Old Master Wei did not want to stockpile the materials for a long time. First, they were small in quantity, and second, he did not know what the situation would be like in the future. It would be better to make some money now and put the money in his pocket for reliability.
Wei Nian agreed.
You can imagine how busy Wei Nian is. When the old man fell ill, Chen Xuan and Li did not go to the shop, but stayed at home to serve her father-in-law. Old man Wei said, "My illness is not a serious one, it hasn't reached that stage yet. We are all busy now, you two go." He let the two of them do their own things, and it was enough to have the old woman around.
Chen Xuan said to Wei Nian, "Let's take the old man to a foreign hospital for a check-up." Chen Xuan remembered that Old Man Wei had not been in good health in recent years.
Wei Nian said, "Dad doesn't believe in those foreign things, he only believes in traditional Chinese medicine. Right now he is mainly worried about my eldest brother."
Chen Xuan thought that Old Master Wei was not in serious condition, so she didn't say anything more. Seeing that Wei Nian was also worried about Wei Shi, Chen Xuan said, "Don't worry, big brother will be fine." He will be back in a few days.
The three northeastern provinces were in turmoil. The Qin family sent a telegram to Beijing asking Qin Shu to return to Shanghai immediately. Qin Shu hesitated. Wei Yin advised her to go home if she was worried. Qin Shu had not been home for several years. Qin Shu said, "There are Hebei and Shandong to the north of Beiping. It is impossible for the Japanese soldiers to come to Beiping."
Chen Xuan said casually, "It will take several years for the Japs to come."
Qin Shu stared at Chen Xuan with wide eyes, and Chen Xuan nodded seriously. Qin Shu was sure that Chen Xuan must have heard some confidential information. Because Chen Xuan has always been honest, her words are highly credible. Qin Shu felt convinced by Chen Xuan again. Seeing Chen Xuan so sure, Qin Shu quietly asked Chen Xuan if there was any confidential information. Chen Xuan always said that in her previous life, it would take several years for the Japanese devils to come to Beijing.
Chen Xuan was now much smarter. She thought of an excuse in a flash and said to Qin Shu, "I don't have any gossip, but you see Mr. Ruwen and Professor Chu, they are both very knowledgeable and prestigious scholars. They are still safe and sound. What do we have to worry about? I think they must be more informed than us. When they are about to leave, that will be the critical time."
Qin Shu slapped his forehead and said, "I forgot about this."
Qin Shu had always been on good terms with Mrs. Wen. She bought some gifts and went to visit Mrs. Wen. When she came back, she called home. Mrs. Qin was extremely worried about her daughter. Fortunately, Qin Shu had grown up a lot and told her mother about her analysis. Mrs. Qin had not heard about the news that Japanese soldiers would enter the pass, but she was still worried. "You should come back to Shanghai. You can do anything you want. When you come back, I'll ask your father to arrange a position for you in the government. It's also very respectable."
"My career in Beijing has just started. As long as there is no major change in the political situation, I will stay in Beijing, Mom. If my family arranged a job for me, I would have gone back a long time ago. My lace factory has just started to pick up, Mom, please don't hold me back." Qin Shu is a very courageous girl. The Northeast soldiers withdrew from the three northeastern provinces, Shandong was in a dangerous situation, and the next step was Beijing. Qin Shu's family was in Shanghai, and after listening to Chen Xuan's judgment and personally visiting the Wen family, Qin Shu was able to stay in Beijing. This kind of courage is definitely not possessed by ordinary ladies. Because Qin Shu is not someone who has no way out.
Having a way to retreat and being able to stay shows how brave Qin Shu is.
The situation in Northeast China is not as bad as everyone imagines, but it is not as good as imagined either.
Wei Shi followed the Fu family who were outside the Great Wall and took the train back to Beijing. Although he looked a little thin, he was not out of place. Compared with the Northeast refugees who flocked to Beijing, Wei Shi was still decent.
As for Shopkeeper Fu, he has a family of his own and is not only respectable but also has a large and prosperous family.
Yes, during the years that Manager Fu was outside the Great Wall, he had already arranged for a concubine, a son, and a daughter.
The shop outside the pass was sold at a low price before Manager Fu and Wei Shi returned to Beiping. Because of the hasty handling, the money was naturally not much. Fortunately, there was no debt, and the accounts were settled. In this way, the two of them returned with nothing.
Although Old Master Wei was glad that his eldest son returned home safely, he was so angry that he almost fell ill again when he thought about the business outside the Great Wall. Wei Nian comforted his father, "Fortunately, my eldest brother finally came back, and I made a profit from the cloth I stored before. Business is not like this, there are gains and losses."
If it weren't for the money he made from hoarding cloth, Old Master Wei wouldn't have been able to keep calm. But Shopkeeper Fu, who had the guts to do it, wanted to get a job in a shop in Beijing. How could Old Master Wei accept it? He gave him some travel expenses and sent him back home. What surprised Wei Nian was that Shopkeeper Fu actually accepted the travel expenses given by the Wei family.
Wei Nian said to Old Master Wei in private, "I have seen that woman. She is wearing gold and silver. I am afraid that Shopkeeper Fu does not have much savings. Otherwise, he would not be so shameless."
Old Master Wei sneered, "If he had savings, he wouldn't have ruined his business."
Old Master Wei was in a bad mood. Business outside the Great Wall was one thing. Now that the Japanese occupied the three northeastern provinces, business outside the Great Wall was not easy to do. It didn't matter if the shop was closed. Fortunately, everyone was safe. Old Master Wei was angry because his eldest son had been outside the Great Wall for more than a year. At the beginning, the business was improving, but later it was obvious that he fell into the trap of Shopkeeper Fu. How could this not annoy Old Master Wei!
As for what his father and elder brother said in private, Wei Nian had no idea.
In short, when Wei Shi came back from outside the Great Wall, Wei Nian breathed a sigh of relief and turned his attention to business again.
Wei Nian has been communicating with Rong Yang via telegrams. Wei Nian is not concerned about the situation in Northeast China. Wei Nian is a thorough businessman. He is more concerned about the impact of the current situation on business. Rong Yang's reply is: Focus on business.
The author has something to say: ps: The first update is here, good afternoon everyone!