Ruling the Historical Romance Novel as the Female Supporting Character-Chapter 369: The Aunties’ Visit

Despite the slightly higher prices, the sales impact was minimal. Zhu Zirui calculated that with a cost of one jiao for twenty jin of materials, their daily expenditure came to about twenty-five yuan for materials and eighty for labor. Adding rent, utilities, meals, and transportation, that totaled around one hundred twenty yuan. With an average price of fifty cents per accessory, selling 1,300 pieces would bring in six hundred fifty yuan. After splitting with the supply and marketing cooperative, they would net five hundred twenty yuan. Subtracting costs, their daily profit was around four hundred yuan.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Zirui decided not to wait for three months and directly hired one hundred fifty more workers. This increased demand for materials, leading those without jobs to start scouring the shores for shells and small sea creatures. To ensure a steady supply, they agreed to accept materials as long as they reached twenty jin.

Many idle residents from the city began combing the long beaches for shells, and with tight regulations in place, no one dared monopolize the resources. News spread to the teams, and even the Aunties joined in the effort, but the sheer number of collectors meant that individual finds were minimal. Many of them calculated that it wasn’t worth the effort compared to other tasks, resulting in a significant drop-off in participation.

However, the materials remained insufficient. Pang Jingling called the heads of other islands to discuss the collection of materials, and after some back-and-forth, they finally managed to resolve the supply issue. Su Yijia felt genuinely pleased with the success of the accessory factory. It was only now that she understood the old adage that the 1980s were the best time for entrepreneurship—especially when state-run factories could easily connect with the supply and marketing cooperative without competition.

But her peaceful days didn’t last long, as several Aunties showed up at her door, filling the living room to capacity. Each carried small gifts: one brought a pound of brown sugar, another two cans, while others brought fruits and meats. No one came empty-handed.

"Miss Su, you’ve been so busy lately; we haven’t seen you out," Auntie Ju said, placing the fruit on the table. "This is the first harvest from my friend’s jujube tree. I thought they were sweet, so I brought you some."

In reality, Auntie Ju had purchased the jujubes on the black market, but this explanation made it easier to avoid rejection. The other Aunties looked regretful, wishing they’d thought of such a clever excuse for their gifts.

Finally, one quick-witted Auntie turned to Qin Kaize, who was standing next to Su Yijia. "Commander Qin, we heard you were injured and haven’t had a chance to visit. We brought these cans for you to help you recover."

The room buzzed with a mix of concern and camaraderie as the Aunties rallied around Qin Kaize, all eager to show their support. Su Yijia smiled, appreciating their good intentions but also sensing the underlying motivations behind their sudden interest in her household.

"Right, this fruit is for Commander Qin to help him recover," another Auntie chimed in, following suit.

Even with such good intentions, Su Yijia firmly declined. "Thank you for your kindness, Aunties, but Kaize is getting better, so we really don’t need these. Please take them back. You all have children at home; it’s better to save these for them."

"Miss Su, are you still upset with us?" one Auntie asked cautiously, recalling their last encounter.

Su Yijia smiled sincerely, "No, that was a while ago, and it wasn’t a big deal. Besides, Kaize is up and about now, so it wouldn’t be right for us to accept your gifts. And with so many of you bringing things, it could add up, which might raise questions later. We’re truly grateful for your concern; you’ve done enough already."

"It’s just small stuff; how could it be a problem?" the Auntie who initially spoke protested, but Su Yijia had already shifted her gaze back to Auntie Ju.

"Auntie, you didn’t come just to see Kaize, did you? If there’s something you need, feel free to ask. I won’t turn you away if it’s within my ability to help."

Auntie Ju was taken aback by her directness, her heart racing as she felt like they were being cast in an unfavorable light. They hadn’t intended to pressure Su Yijia; they simply wanted to check on things.

After a moment of hesitation, another Auntie piped up, "Miss Su, we’ve noticed someone frequently visiting the island looking for you. He looks familiar—wasn’t he the director of that new accessory factory in the city?"

"Yes, that’s him," Su Yijia confirmed without hesitation.

The Aunties exchanged excited glances. "We’ve heard the accessory factory is doing quite well, and they’ve been hiring more employees. We wanted to ask when they’ll be recruiting again and if we could apply." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Auntie Wang spoke cautiously, knowing they had to tread lightly. Having been turned away once before, they were hesitant to assume anything this time. They were simply looking for an opportunity through proper channels; the idea of backdoor deals was no longer an option.

Su Yijia furrowed her brow slightly at their request. Sensing their apprehension, some Aunties quickly reassured her, "We’re not asking you to pull strings for us. We just want to participate in the hiring exams. If they don’t want us, we’ll accept it."

"Yes, it’s just that there aren’t many job arrangements in the team right now. We have several children to care for, and one salary barely covers our family expenses, not to mention sending money home to support our parents. It’s tough to save up for other opportunities," they lamented.

"I wish I could help, but this isn’t something I can influence. The accessory factory is run by the city’s leadership team to provide stable jobs for families on the nearby islands. Without these jobs, many won’t have the means to survive," Su Yijia said, feeling helpless as she spread her hands.

The Aunties exchanged worried looks. They understood the gravity of the situation but felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could secure a better future for their families through this new venture.