Chapter 52

“Yes, this is the defective fabric I dyed. By changing the defective fabric into camouflage fabric, it’s no longer defective.” Ning Shu explained, “At the same time, your factory can produce and sell camouflage uniforms like this. My camouflage uniform has a special feature, it has cotton padding inside.”

The weather at the end of November was already cold, and although the camouflage fabric was thicker than other fabrics, it was still cold.

Ning Shu didn’t have cotton vouchers, so she tore apart old quilts and made them into small cotton jackets.

She then buttoned the cotton jackets and the camouflage uniforms together, creating what would later be called a two-piece set.

“Yi Bao, unbutton your shirt and show Manager Wang.” Ning Shu instructed.

“Okay.” One Bao unbuttoned his shirt.

Ning Shu turned Yi Bao’s shirt inside out to show Manager Wang, “You see, this is a two-piece set. When it’s hot, the small cotton jacket inside can be removed. This way, the camouflage uniform can be worn alone. When it’s cold, the two pieces can be buttoned together to be worn as a coat. Even if the outside gets dirty, you only need to wash the outside shirt, and the inside cotton jacket can still be worn.”

In this era, families had limited resources. If they could prepare a cotton jacket for their children, it was considered good. However, if a cotton jacket got dirty, washing it meant there was no second one available, and without a cotton jacket in winter, it would be cold.

With Ning Shu’s design of the two-piece set, this problem was solved.

Manager Wang, as the manager of the clothing factory, naturally saw the selling point of this design.

He was very clear that after Ning Shu’s transformation, the fabric would not only not be wasted but could also make money according to the original budget.

“We have also prepared cotton in the factory this year, and our factory will produce cotton jackets. With your design, the fabric originally used for making cotton jackets can be saved.” Manager Wang was excited.

Ning Shu was a talent, no, not just a talent. Just by looking at the color matching of the fabric, it showed that she had a great sense of color.

Looking at the clothes, it showed that her mind was very active. “Comrade Ning, why is this color called camouflage?”

Ning Shu was taken aback. It was 1970 now. Didn’t the country have camouflage colors yet?

She didn’t know the history of camouflage uniforms, only that they were introduced from abroad.

Could it be that they hadn’t been introduced yet?

Ning Shu thought for a moment and then said, “I just named it randomly. First of all, this is a colorful fabric. Secondly, with so many colors mixed together, if it’s called colorful, it’s not appropriate, after all, there are many colors. So I thought this color is like a maze, making it hard for people to distinguish the specific colors, so I called it camouflage. However, there are blue, cyan, black, and green in it, so it can also be called four-color.”

“No, no, no, camouflage color sounds better, the name is well chosen.” Manager Wang was just curious and not opposed to this color.

“Comrade Ning, I sincerely invite you to work in our clothing factory. What do you think? But rest assured, even if you come to work, I will still give you the 1500 yuan reward.”

Ning Shu: “…” Originally, if this batch of fabric was sold, she would have to give it, right? Wait a minute, if she refuses now and doesn’t come to work, will there still be a job in the future reward?

“According to our previous agreement, if I avoid the loss of 30,000 yuan, you will give me a 1500 yuan reward plus a job. Now you want me to come to work, is that job still part of the reward?”

Manager Wang: “…” Does this mean two jobs?

“No, there isn’t.” He could offer only one position at most; offering two would be inappropriate.

But speaking of work, “Comrade Ning, how did you transfer the job to Director Ning?”

Ning Shu: “Didn’t you say you would reward me with another job? I am confident in myself, so since Director Ning needs this job, I transferred it to him. I can’t occupy two positions alone.”

Although she didn’t intend to work in the factory, Manager Wang and Director Ning were familiar with each other, and their relationship was definitely better than hers with Manager Wang.

Therefore, it’s best not to mention people they both know.

Manager Wang smiled. Whether he believed it or not didn’t matter, but he liked Ning Shu’s character, direct and decisive.

“Comrade Ning, your enlightenment is truly high. However, turning damaged fabric into camouflage fabric is a skill, a secret recipe. It’s not possible for our factory to force ordinary people to reveal such a secret. But now, with so much fabric, even if we provide the dye, Comrade Ning, you alone can’t dye it all, right?”

Huh?

Ning Shu was stunned. She had never thought about this issue. She thought that by telling Manager Wang her dyeing method, she could collect the 1500 yuan reward and a position later.

She had never thought that this was a skill.

But hearing Manager Wang say this, it really was a skill.

Skills were very valuable in this era. Or rather, people with skills were highly respected in this era.

Ning Shu quickly regained her composure. “I definitely can’t dye so much fabric, and my family doesn’t have the space for it. Moreover, holding onto such a technical secret wouldn’t be useful for me. So, how about I sell this technical secret to the factory?” She paused for a moment and added, “After the factory has finished processing all the defective fabric, you can also sell this secret to textile factories. After all, clothing factories only make clothes and don’t dye fabric; textile factories are the ones who truly need it.”

So, the clothing factory wouldn’t lose out.

Manager Wang thought about how the factory would buy the secret of this camouflage fabric, but he hadn’t thought about being able to sell it again after they used it.

He couldn’t help but smile. “Comrade Ning is really…” He raised his thumb. She thought quickly and was quite shrewd.

She talked about money like this, but there was no greed in her eyes.

He really liked Ning Shu’s character. “So, how much do you want to sell this technical secret for?”

Camouflage fabric, this name was really good. There was no such fabric on the market.

When their clothing factory dyed this batch of fabric and made it into clothes, the profits for the clothing factory this year would definitely increase significantly.

This was really impressive to Ning Shu. “You can offer whatever you think is appropriate.” She handed the question back to Manager Wang.

First, after getting along, she thought Manager Wang was quite good.

Second, even if Manager Wang offered a low price, it would still be unexpected income for her.

After all, if Manager Wang hadn’t mentioned it, she wouldn’t have thought of it.

So, no matter how much Manager Wang offered, she was willing.

Manager Wang thought for a moment. “Knowing the color mix for this fabric isn’t difficult to figure out; it’s just a matter of time. So, this technical secret isn’t expensive.” He said this to give Ning Shu an idea.

Ning Shu nodded. “You’re right.” Indeed, it wasn’t expensive. While the clothing factory’s staff might not be able to replicate it, the textile or dyeing factories might be able to.

“Well… how about 200?” Manager Wang actually didn’t know how much to offer. If it was too high, it wouldn’t be worth it, and if it was too low, it wouldn’t be respectful. So, he settled on 200.

After Director Wang finished his introduction, Ning Shu thought it would only be around 100 yuan, but she didn’t expect it to be 200.

Director Wang was a straightforward person, suitable to be a partner.

So Ning Shu directly agreed, “Sure. Director, I can offer a buy-one-get-three-free deal.”

“Buy one get three free?” Director Wang had never heard such words before and found it interesting.

“What does that mean?”

Ning Shu explained, “The factory buys my technical secrets, and I will send my three sons to the factory to be models.”

Yi Son asked curiously, “Mom, what is a model?”

Er Bao became anxious, “Mom, I don’t want to be someone else’s model, I want to be your son.”

San Bao held onto his mother’s clothes tightly, “Bao doesn’t want to be sent away, Bao wants to be with Mom.”

Ning Shu chuckled at them and gently rubbed their heads, “Don’t worry, I won’t send you away. You are all my children.”

Then she said to Director Wang, “As you can see, even the best thing may need a process for people to recognize and accept it. But if camouflage fabric comes out, clothes are made from it, and they are sold in department stores, with my three sons as models at the entrance, wouldn’t more people buy them?”

It’s not boasting, but who wouldn’t want to buy for their own children when they see these adorable three children?

As for the meaning of models, Ning Shu didn’t explain, but Director Wang definitely understood.

Director Wang didn’t deny it. Indeed, he would take more notice when he saw three children dressed like that, especially since he had children at home.

So, he readily agreed, “Then according to your idea, buy one get three free. I’m still getting a good deal. Let’s first draft the agreement for buy one get three free, and then discuss the fabric dyeing.”

Director Wang called Zhang Jianyi, and quickly drafted the technical secrets of camouflage fabric.

For such a trivial matter of 200 yuan, he made the decision directly without needing to convene a meeting in the factory.

So, when Zhang Jianyi went to the finance department with the agreement, he came back with 200 yuan.

Ning Shu happily accepted the agreement and 200 yuan, then handed over the technical secrets.

“The next thing might still need Comrade Ning’s help. After we obtain the technical secrets, we’ll start dyeing the fabric. I hope Comrade Ning can come to the factory to guide us during these dyeing days,” Director Wang said, expressing his main concern.

“No problem,” Ning Shu readily agreed. “Can I bring my three sons with me? I’m the only one at home, so if I come, there will be no one to take care of the children.”

“Of course, Comrade Ning, and the three children’s meals will also be taken care of by the factory,” Director Wang replied.

Ning Shu’s eyes lit up. This couldn’t be better. She felt that Director Wang was becoming more suitable for cooperation, so she tried asking, “Director, if we look at the current clothing market, all the clothes are the same style, which has led to intense competition among clothing factories. So, it’s necessary to innovate in styles. Just like the clothes my three sons are wearing, I wonder if your factory is interested in buying my designs?”

“How do you mean?” Director Wang was also interested. Clothing factories are becoming increasingly difficult to run, and business is getting worse. If there’s a way to improve the factory’s profitability, he’s definitely interested.

“I mean, I design the styles and sell them to your factory,” Ning Shu said bluntly!