Chapter 16: Business Must Go On!

Lu Fan could no longer recall how he had gotten so drunk. He hadn’t expected his body to have such a low tolerance for alcohol now. He had drunk at the Bai family just two days ago and hadn’t gotten drunk then—how was that possible? Could it have been fake liquor? Or was it because he was not good at drinking on his home turf? Or perhaps the drinking companions last night weren’t up to par.

Last night, it was his father who had accompanied him in drinking, whereas two nights ago, it was Liu Yue’e and Bai Lu. Bai Lu’s tolerance was poor, she only took light sips, but Liu Yue’e could hold her liquor pretty well.

The door was gently pushed open, and a head peeked inside. Bai Shuang stood at the doorway and asked, “Brother, are you awake?”

“Mm. After I got drunk last night, did I say anything nonsense or do anything inappropriate?”

Bai Shuang thought for a moment before answering, “Inappropriate? Oh, you pinched my cheek and said how I’d gotten smaller!”

Cold sweat instantly broke out on Lu Fan’s forehead. “I didn’t do anything else, did I?”

“No. Then you crawled under the table.”

“Um, what did Mom and Dad say? Were they angry?”

Bai Shuang shook her head. “No. They laughed for a while, very happy. Then Mom even kicked you twice and told Dad to find the camera to take a picture of you and one of me. In the end, Dad carried you inside, and I was the one who brought you water and wiped your face.”

Lu Fan felt a burning sensation on his face. How unreliable were his parents? Raising a child was not a game. Taking pictures would leave a lifetime of embarrassing memories for him. He was certain that when he had children, his parents would gleefully flip through the photo album, recounting his past embarrassments.

This home was no longer bearable.

“Bai Shuang, I’m planning to stay at your place for a couple of days. Do you want to go back?”

“I’ll tell Mom at noon. Maybe you should wait until the afternoon before going?”

“Forget it. You better stay at home. You won’t be of much help if you go back anyway.”

Bai Shuang was left speechless.

Lu Fan packed a few changes of clothes, as well as a toothbrush and toothpaste, stuffed everything into his backpack, and set off on his bicycle.

When he arrived at the Bai household, Bai Lu was trimming loose threads at home.

The small living room was piled high with detachable collars. Lu Fan had some vague memories of these types of collars; he recalled his father used to wear them when he was a child.

Bai Lu hurriedly got up to pour him some water, but he stopped her, pulling out two bottles of chilled drinks from his backpack and handing her one.

“Shirts are so cheap now, does anyone still wear these?”

“Well, there must be. My mom likes doing this kind of work. She says these detachable collars are easier to clean—you don’t have to flip them inside out like shirts.”

Lu Fan nodded and picked one up, mimicking Bai Lu’s method to trim the threads.

It wasn’t troublesome; it was just cutting off some long threads. Each collar had about five or six loose threads.

The bulk of the time was spent finding the loose ends.

“How much do they pay for trimming one of these?”

“Two cents.”

“What?”

“Two pennies.”

Lu Fan was deeply shocked—was the pay really that low?

“Two cents per piece, twenty cents for ten, two yuan for a hundred. How many can your mom trim in one night?”

“By herself, about 300 pieces. If I help, we can do 500 pieces a night.”

“Ten yuan? That’s pretty cheap labor. One bottle of drink costs two yuan.”

“That's already quite a bit. Ten yuan isn’t much for our family’s meals and groceries. My mom earns about 600 yuan a month working at the factory during the day.”

Lu Fan sighed. “No wonder your mom looks old beyond her years. Carrying such a heavy burden, it’s impressive she can bear it.”

Bai Lu nodded with a resolute gaze but said nothing.

Lu Fan asked again, “We didn’t clarify on the phone yesterday—does your dad’s surgery have to be postponed?”

“Yes. The doctors consulted and said he’s too weak and needs to build up his nutrition and health before surgery.”

Lu Fan nodded and asked, “Is your mom staying at the hospital with him?”

“No. Mom went to work and will be back by noon.”

“What did the doctors say about the success rate of the surgery?”

“My mom didn’t tell me directly, but from chatting with her, I know Dad has liver problems and needs a large part removed. His liver function is weak, and it could cause failure in other organs. Even if treated, he won’t be able to do heavy work again.”

“Don’t worry. I know many who recover gradually after liver surgery. Life will get better over time.”

“Mm.”

Afterward, Lu Fan and Bai Lu spent the afternoon trimming loose threads in the living room, chatting as they worked, and time flew by.

When Liu Yue’e returned, she busied herself preparing meals. After eating quickly, she rushed to the hospital to deliver food, then had to return to work—her movements never ceasing.

Lu Fan wanted to help, but she said the hospital was close to the factory, so delivering food was just on her way.

Watching her busy figure, Lu Fan felt a deep admiration. What a good woman she was.

He thought of his own entrepreneurial days when Bai Lu and Bai Shuang were just as busy, each one doing the work of several people.

It seemed that the spirit of diligence and endurance was truly hereditary.

However, hard work alone wouldn’t make one rich; it might provide a modest life, but any setback could bring one crashing back to the start.

Only business could change one’s fate.

By around three in the afternoon, Lu Fan and Bai Lu finished trimming the remaining detachable collars.

When Bai Lu packed them up, Lu Fan was surprised at the large bundle.

Patting the package, he sighed, “We earned ten yuan for half a day’s work. After deducting four yuan for these two drinks, that leaves six yuan—three yuan each. At this rate, I’m embarrassed to even eat dinner.”

Bai Lu smiled, “As long as you don’t spend recklessly, living costs are actually low; two or three yuan is enough to fill your stomach.”

“You’re easily satisfied. Come on, let’s deliver these for you so your mom doesn’t have to make another trip tonight.”

“Mm, thank you.”

“Thank me for what? Helping you trim loose threads all afternoon?”

“No, before I met you, life felt so bleak. Since you came, life feels full of hope.”

After saying that, Bai Lu turned away, looking down and fiddling with the edge of her shirt.

Lu Fan sighed, shouldered the bundle of collars, and stepped outside.

The garment factory was small, located just outside this semi-urban area.

With about thirty workers, it occupied quite a bit of land—around twenty to thirty acres. The factory buildings were arranged in two rows, likely converted from the classrooms of a village elementary school.

At the gate stood a massive pine tree.

The schools Lu Fan had attended throughout his life had a similar setup, symbolizing the idea that planting trees takes ten years, but nurturing people takes a hundred.

The two of them entered the factory, and Bai Lu handed over the collars. The plump woman in charge of receiving goods didn’t even open the package before issuing a receipt for payment.

It was clear they knew each other well and that the quality and character of Liu Yue’e were trusted.

Curious, Lu Fan glanced at the payment receipt, thinking the factory’s financial system was quite proper.

But when they went to collect the money, that notion was quickly dispelled.

Inside the office, a middle-aged man and a young woman were in the middle of a fierce struggle.

Their clothes were torn; the man’s face bore scratch marks, and his short-sleeved T-shirt was ripped open like a cardigan.

The woman had two slap marks on her face, her neck was being choked, and her eyes were swollen from crying, with tears and mucus streaming down.

They fought and cursed, hurling accusations at each other.

“Damn it, if it weren’t for your loose ways and your so-called friend doing foreign trade and making big money, why would I be stuck with so much inventory?”

“The so-called European version? European version my ass.”

“Where’s your friend? My goods are rotting in the warehouse, and your friend hasn’t said a word. Tell me, are you keeping some sugar daddy on the side?”

“Spending my money, and you can’t even behave yourself.”

“Ding Maocai, are you even human? You begged people to get you orders, then bought fake fabric to substitute for good ones. It didn’t pass inspection. Who’s to blame?”

“Blame your greed. If you hadn’t faked it, would they have rejected you?”

“You sell cheap junk domestically, fine, but this is for export. Do you think export standards are the same as domestic ones? You can just get by?”

“You’re never going to make a fortune. I must be blind to have chosen a loser like you.”

Lu Fan and Bai Lu pressed their faces against the glass outside, watching for a while before asking, “Do you know these two? Should we step in?”

“That’s the factory owner and his wife, the boss.”

“Oh, then let’s just watch a bit more.”