Chapter 28: A Big Loss

She had been running this shop in the market for many years. Ever since shops were allowed to open, she had been running this clothing store. She had used some connections, and she did make a lot of money at the beginning.

But over the years, as more and more people joined the competition, her shop’s profits had been declining day by day.

But no matter what, she wouldn’t starve.

The proprietress originally thought that since she had no other skills, she was too old for any decent unit to hire her, and she didn’t have any other connections, she might as well just sell for a day and see what happens.

As long as there was business, she would continue to open the shop.

Until she couldn’t sell anything anymore.

To put it in modern terms, the proprietress was just letting things slide.

But she had been selling clothes for so many years, she still had some market acumen.

The clothes on Xia Keqing and the others were all from her shop. Looking at them individually, they were nothing special, but after being styled by this young girl, they looked completely different, as if even the quality had gone up a notch.

If this young girl could bring more people to buy clothes, would she still be short of business?

Although she was letting things slide, who would dislike more customers when selling clothes?

Why let things slide when there was business?

Why not take action?

So she immediately stood up and enthusiastically greeted Xia Keqing and the others, “Oh my, young ladies, you’re amazing! Are you wearing clothes from my shop?”

Xia Keqing couldn’t help but laugh, “Proprietress, you’re really joking. Didn’t I find the clothes in your shop? If it’s not from your shop, where else could it be from?”

He Xiaolan also said, “That’s right, proprietress, aren’t all these clothes from your shop?”

The proprietress slapped her thigh, “I’m complimenting you, young lady, for your good taste.”

Xia Keqing thought this proprietress was really interesting. She complimented her and also complimented herself.

Seeing the proprietress’s attitude, Xia Keqing knew that her idea would probably be realized, not only realized, but even get the proprietress’s full cooperation.

No need to beat around the bush.

She immediately proposed styling the clothes in the shop.

“Proprietress, do you have any plastic mannequins in your shop?”

The kind that are placed in display windows.

Most clothing stores have these display racks.

But this was a market, dominated by the low-end market, so they wouldn’t have such things.

“It’s okay if you don’t have any, you can custom-make one out of wood and foam.”

The proprietress’s eyes lit up like they were filled with a hundred-watt light bulb, “Yes, girl, you’re smart, do it like you said!”

He Xiaolan was instantly dumbfounded, “Proprietress, do you know our Keqing?”

The proprietress, Yu Hong, was also a very outgoing person.

“I know, I know. Didn’t you two young ladies just buy clothes from me? You’re students from the university across the street, right?”

In this era, those who had the guts to open a shop and do business were basically not socially anxious.

Xia Keqing suddenly remembered the fear of being dominated by a socially outgoing old lady in her previous life.

Xia Keqing wasn’t socially anxious, but modern people generally had clear psychological boundaries in their interactions.

But people in this era didn’t.

She remembered that in her previous life, an old lady moved into the village near where she rented a room. She said her house was demolished and she had nowhere to live, so she moved to the village. As a result, the old lady got to know everyone on the whole street in no time.

She could chat with anyone who passed by her.

Thinking about it, if this old lady had transmigrated back to the 1980s like her, she would be about the same age as the proprietress in front of her. Otherwise, how could she be so outgoing?

With the old lady’s example, Xia Keqing wasn’t surprised at all by the proprietress’s outgoing personality.

Since she had already extended a hand, she couldn’t refuse, so she immediately took the bait, “Yes, Proprietress, you have a good memory.”

Yu Hong waved her hand, very humble, “What proprietress, just trying to make a living.”

“My name is Yu Hong, I’m a few years older than you. Just call me Aunt Yu.”

Xia Keqing smiled and said, “Why call you aunt, Sister Yu, you don’t look much older than us!”

Yu Hong was stunned, she touched her face, “Oh my, you’re really good with words, girl, did you put honey on your mouth?”

No woman can resist being called younger.

You know your age deep down, but when someone compliments you and praises you for looking very young, any woman will inevitably fall into self-doubt: Do I really look young?

Then she’ll be overjoyed.

The three roommates weren’t stupid either, they all called her Sister Yu.

Yu Hong’s attitude immediately became even more enthusiastic.

“It’s good to be young, you look good in anything when you’re young. Do you want to take a look at the clothes in the back?”

Yu Hong had been selling clothes for so many years, she had some experience.

For example, the clothes hanging outside were all high-profit, common styles.

These clothes were cheap, good quality, and the styles were common and wouldn’t go wrong. They basically met the psychological expectations of most people. If they saw them, they wouldn’t lose anything by buying one.

It was considered a new piece of clothing.

Yu Hong was also a bit picky, she chose clothes with good quality.

But everyone had different tastes. Even if most people didn’t like the clothes she carefully selected, she was happy to hang them in the back, for her own enjoyment.

And these clothes were also of better quality.

She called Xia Keqing and the others to go inside and choose, she also meant to give them a discount.

Besides, it was easier to talk inside. There were too many people outside, and if other competitors saw her intentions and snatched this treasure away, she would be at a big loss.

Xia Keqing understood her meaning.

She immediately smiled and said, “Okay, I also want to buy an outfit today, I have to go in and see Sister Yu’s hidden treasures.”

From a modern perspective, the clothes hanging in the back were indeed more stylish and the fabrics were better.

And it was clear that Yu Hong was also trying hard to choose clothes.

But it was very possible that everyone’s aesthetic talent was innate, some things couldn’t be forced.

Of course, that wasn’t to say that Yu Hong’s aesthetics were bad, but her styling did have a lot of problems.

For example, a loose-fitting Dacron shirt paired with loose-fitting Dacron straight-leg pants.

Needless to say, it was visibly rustic.

Plus the small floral patterns, it was simply rustic to the extreme.

Xia Keqing was very grateful that she was standing on the shoulders of giants.

She immediately pointed out Yu Hong’s problems.

Yu Hong was a little unconvinced at first.

It was probably like, although you call me sister, you praise me for being young, but I’m still so many years older than you, how could a young girl like you have better taste than me?

But when they took Zhao Juan’s measurements and put on a pair of clothes for comparison, Yu Hong immediately conceded.

“Young people’s tastes are different, I’m getting old and useless.”

Xia Keqing took the opportunity to propose a collaboration, “Sister Yu, how many years have you been running this shop?”

Yu Hong told the truth, but she kept some of it to herself.

Xia Keqing continued, “Do you want to continue running it, make the business bigger and stronger?”

Yu Hong didn’t even think before smiling and saying, “Of course, who doesn’t want to do big business and make big money?”

Xia Keqing admired Yu Hong’s honesty.

…

More than an hour later, Xia Keqing and her roommates came out of Yu Hong’s clothing store, loaded with goods.