sbdcsierra Chapter 110: We must know how to settle our own accounts
Chapter 110: We must know how to settle our own accounts
“I can’t knit the patterns sold in the provincial capital’s import stores myself,” said Xie Changlin.
Wen Wan's doubts were dispelled by this. In the 1970s, China did not have the well-developed industrial chain that it has today, so many things could not be produced.
Take the simplest buttons for example. There are only two or three styles and colors, and it is impossible to make a variety of designs.
During this period, foreign countries had completed industrialization and were able to produce many beautiful accessories. Sometimes the quality of something depends mainly on the accessories.
"Since we can't knit it, even if we make the cotton yarn as soft as wool, we can't make it look as good as the ones bought in imported stores, and it's still not competitive."
After hearing this, Xie Changlin was stunned, as if he had been waiting for this sentence, and then explained: "That kind of hat and scarf is sold very expensively in the provincial capital's imported stores, and ordinary families can't afford it.
What's more, for children from ordinary working-class families, it is already very good if their parents can provide them with enough food and clothing, and they will not give them spare money to buy those things.
What I was thinking was, I should go to the bookstore and buy a book on how to knit a sweater, and try to make it as similar as possible, and if not, at least get the colors right.
The price is much cheaper than that sold in the supermarket, and people from ordinary families will be willing to buy it.”
This sentence made Wen Wan look at him with new eyes, and she praised him generously, "Not bad, young man! You already know how to analyze the group that will buy your products.
There will definitely be great things to come in the future.”
Xie Changlin felt a little embarrassed by the compliment, "You taught me last time, sister-in-law. I never thought of this."
Wen Wan thought about it and realized that it was true, but she did not take credit for it, "At that time, I just analyzed for you why Wen Ya's rice cakes could not be sold.
You can draw inferences from one example, which shows that you are smart. What you learn is your own. Don't be unconfident, you are pretty good."
"..." Xie Changlin didn't say anything else, but blushed for a moment, and said after a moment: "I can only analyze it to this point.
I spent several days in the library studying chemistry books and found several methods for softening cotton yarn and dyeing it.
I also read books on knitting sweaters, but I couldn’t quite understand them.”
These words surprised Wen Wan. She didn't expect that he really wanted to accomplish this and even thought of the specific methods and started to implement them.
If he continues to develop, he might become the richest man in the future, and then she, as the richest man's sister-in-law, will be able to benefit from it to some extent.
"Your idea is right," Wen Wan thought for a moment and said, "Well, I'll pay for it, and you buy all the things you need for dyeing and processing the cotton yarn. It would be best if you have a few types. We can do some experiments at home to see which one works.
I'll decide what pattern to knit.
Now it is the slack season for farming, and many young girls and wives in the village are idle at home with nothing to do. If I call them together and offer them a certain amount of money to weave a piece, I think they would be happy to do so.
You and your eldest brother will be responsible for selling in town. When our town is saturated, we will go to the neighboring market to sell. We should be able to make a lot of money before the New Year."
Unexpectedly, even the specific procedures were arranged. Xie Changlin was a little overjoyed and said, "Thank you, second sister-in-law, but the things I need are not available in town, so I need to go to the provincial capital to buy them.
I will talk to my classmates tomorrow and ask them to accompany me to the provincial capital the day after tomorrow."
After saying that, he felt unsure again, pursed his lips and said: "This is just an idea of mine. If it doesn't work, the money spent on buying things will be wasted."
"It's okay, just consider it as paying tuition," Wen Wan said nonchalantly.
I thought she would say something encouraging like "Come on! You will definitely succeed", but she opened her mouth and said:
"It's okay to fail once or twice. You get used to it after a few times. Just think of it as accumulating experience from failure."
Xie Changlin's expression was indescribable, as if he had already felt the emotion of failure.
Just when the atmosphere was getting weird, Xie Yuting, who had been silent for a long time, raised her hand and said, "There are many people in the village who are skillful. If we teach them, they will definitely go home and weave and sell in town. Then we will..."
Xie Yuting gradually stopped talking as several people looked at her.
Wen Wan smiled and said, "This is a good question, it shows that you also have a business mind.
They learned the patterns and were able to weave them themselves and sell them in town, but the key was that they couldn't get cheap cotton yarn.
This is the most fundamental condition for us to do this business, and it is also our competitiveness.”
"Just like the owner of a rice cake shop can get cheap rice," said Xie Changlin.
Xie Yuting breathed a sigh of relief, and everyone began to imagine a bright future.
Just as I finished my fantasy, Wen Wan poured a basin of cold water on me at an inopportune moment.
“I am an investor in this matter and I need to bear most of the risks, so I must get half of the profits.
The rest we will distribute according to the output.”
Xie Changlin didn't even think about it and said straightforwardly: "Second sister-in-law, you decide on this matter. I have no objection to how you divide it."
"Me too," Xie Yuting also rushed to say.
Trust her so much? Wen Wan raised her eyebrows, "Don't you think I'm too harsh and greedy?"
"..."
"I really don't have any opinion at all."
Two people shook their heads in unison.
I thought they had no idea about splitting the profits in half first, so I gave an example and said, "Just like this plate of ribs, I've already taken half of it when it's ready, and I have to split the remaining half equally.
For example, if we earn a hundred dollars, I take fifty first, and we divide the remaining fifty equally.
Don't you think it's unfair that I'm working so hard even though I haven't done anything, and I get the lion's share of the profits?"
Seeing Xie Changlin's awkward expression, Xie Yuting spoke on their behalf, "Sister-in-law, you can be willing to take us with you, give us good food and clothes, and pay for our schooling.
Let alone half, even if you give it all to Second Sister-in-law, Third Brother and I will have no objection."
This made Wen Wan suspicious. Human nature is selfish. Even biological children would not give up their interests to their parents without regrets like this, let alone this kind of relationship.
Such inhumane words were either said deliberately to please her or to get more from her.
If she had misunderstood the two little ones like she misunderstood Xie Changshan, then the two little ones would have known how to be grateful, and she would not have raised them in vain.
Wen Wan didn't want to analyze people in an evil direction anymore. Human nature was inherently complex. What if they were really like what she said?
We must always give young people and ourselves a chance.
But feelings are feelings and matters are matters, especially when it comes to business, we must speak frankly.
Wen Wan said: "I will teach you two lessons today. First, brothers should settle accounts clearly.
Set the rules of the game in advance so there won’t be any arguments afterwards.
Second, we must know how to settle our own accounts.
Take this matter for example, you have ideas and sources of goods.
But without my financial and technical support, you will definitely not be able to accomplish this, and if you can't accomplish it, you won't be able to use a single cent of the profit.
So, you can make money because of my support, and giving me half of the profit is what you should do.
The benefit to you is that through this incident I will know that you are the kind of person who repays a drop of kindness with a spring of water, and next time something like this happens, I will still help you.
Because for me, if I support you with funds that I don’t need temporarily, I can get considerable returns in return, so why not do it?
On the contrary, you can't think that what I do is not worth half the profit just because it's just a piece of cake for me.
I can feel that, but you can't.
If you feel the same way, you won't get my help a second time.
Not only me, but you should do the same to anyone who has helped you in the future.
To be more utilitarian, only by doing this can you get more help. "