Shanghai in the Republican Era

Chapter 48 A Magnificent Journey: A Legendary Journey of Business and Love in the Republican Era

Splendid Attire: Lin Fangfei's Journey of Struggle in the Republican Era

The legendary business and love journey of a poor but academically gifted girl in Republican-era Shanghai.

I stood by the window of the somewhat dilapidated office in the textile factory, watching the busy workers outside, my heart filled with worry. Today was the day a new batch of fashion samples was to be completed, but the supply of raw materials had run into problems. I, Lin Fangfei, a woman from a poor family in Jiangnan, although a top student in business school, was now also struggling to cope with this practical problem as the textile factory's representative and designer.

"Fangfei, look at this." My assistant Xiaotao hurried in, holding a letter in her hand. "It's from the supplier. They say the price of raw materials is going to rise again, and their inventory is running low."

I frowned, took the letter, and quickly glanced through it, inwardly groaning. This was the second price increase this month. If this continued, our costs would rise significantly, and the price of the new fashion samples would inevitably have to increase as well. This would be extremely detrimental to the upcoming launch event and business development.

"Fangfei, what's wrong?" Gu Zixuan's voice came from the doorway. He was wearing a dark gray suit today, the tailored fit making him look even taller and more handsome. His eyes were filled with concern, and when he saw my furrowed brows, he quickly walked to my side.

I handed him the letter and said helplessly, "The supplier is raising prices again, and we don't have enough stock. What are we going to do?"

Gu Zixuan's expression turned serious after reading the letter. He pondered for a moment and then said, "We can't just sit here and wait to die. I know some other suppliers, but they're in other places, so transportation might be a problem."

My eyes lit up. "As long as we can solve the raw material problem, we'll figure out a way to transport it."

"Then I'll go contact them now," Gu Zixuan said, turning to leave.

"Zixuan, thank you." I looked at him gratefully.

He turned around and smiled gently, "We are lovers and comrades-in-arms. Your business is my business."

Watching his departing figure, my heart felt warm. In the turbulent 30s Shanghai during the Republic of China era, having him by my side filled me with strength.

A few days later, before the raw material issue was fully resolved, new troubles arose. During the production of our fashion samples, several workers suddenly fell ill, causing delays. I rushed to the workshop, my heart burning with anxiety, and seeing the unfinished samples filled me with anguish.

“Miss Lin, we didn’t want this to happen either, but this illness came on suddenly,” an old worker said to me with a face full of guilt.

I suppressed my anxiety and comforted them, saying, "Nobody did it on purpose. Now we need to find a way to catch up on the schedule."

I worked overtime with the workers to readjust the production process. During this process, I discovered some minor flaws in the previous design, so I started revising the design drawings again.

"Fangfei, you're working too hard. Your body won't be able to take it." My good friend Su Yao came to see me, holding a box of pastries, including my favorite plum blossom cakes.

I took the pastry, took a bite, and its sweet and glutinous texture brought a bit of comfort to my tired body and mind. "Yaoyao, I have no choice. The date of the press conference is getting closer and closer. If we can't finish the samples on time, all our previous efforts will be in vain."

Su Yao looked at me with concern, "I know you work very hard, but you also need to take care of your health. By the way, I heard that the Gu family's business has recently encountered some trouble, apparently due to competition from some foreign companies."

I was startled. Why didn't Gu Zixuan tell me? Was he afraid I would worry?

That evening, I worked at the textile factory until very late before getting home. As soon as I entered the door, I saw Gu Zixuan sitting in the living room. He looked tired, and his clothes were a little disheveled.

"Zixuan, what's wrong? I heard that the Gu family business is in trouble. Why didn't you tell me?" I walked up to him and asked anxiously.

He looked up and forced a smile. "Fangfei, I don't want you to worry. These are some internal issues within our Gu family business. The competition with foreign companies is quite fierce, but I will find a way to resolve them."

I took his hand and said firmly, "Didn't we agree to support each other? If you keep this from me, I'll be even more worried."

He looked at me, his eyes filled with emotion, "Fangfei, you're right. Actually, our biggest problem right now is cash flow. Foreign companies are suppressing us in the market, our goods are piling up, and our cash flow is slow."

I pondered for a moment and said, "Although our textile factory is not well-off either, I can lend you some of my funds first."

Gu Zixuan quickly shook his head, "No, your textile factory also needs funds, I can't take your money."

“Zixuan, listen to me. We’re all in this together now. If your business collapses, it won’t be good for my textile factory either. We need to work together to find a way to get through this.” I looked at him earnestly.

He was silent for a moment, then hugged me tightly. "Fangfei, thank you."

After much effort, our fashion samples were finally completed before the fashion show. On the day of the show, I wore a light blue cheongsam of my own design, embroidered with exquisite plum blossom patterns—a dress I had specially prepared for the occasion. Gu Zixuan, on the other hand, wore a strikingly handsome black tuxedo.

The press conference venue was lavishly decorated, attracting people from all walks of life. Standing on the stage, looking at the crowd below, I felt both nervous and excited.

"Distinguished guests, today we will be showcasing the latest fashion samples from our textile factory," I began my introduction.

As the models walked onto the stage one by one in our designs, applause erupted from the audience. However, at that moment, a discordant voice rang out.

“Miss Lin, I heard that your textile factory workers are paid very low wages, and that your raw materials are not sourced from legitimate sources. How do you explain this?” A woman dressed in fine clothes stood up and asked.

I was startled; this was clearly someone deliberately trying to smear us. I calmly said, "Miss, the workers in our textile factory receive relatively good treatment compared to others in the industry, and all our raw materials are purchased through legitimate channels."

"What evidence do you have?" the woman persisted.

I was speechless for a moment, because we hadn't prepared for this situation. Just as I was at a loss, Gu Zixuan stood up.

“I can vouch for this.” He walked onto the stage and took out some documents. “These are our textile factory’s worker pay slips and raw material purchase contracts. You can take a look.”

The people below the stage passed around the documents and discussed them animatedly. After a while, a businessman stood up and said, "Ms. Lin, Mr. Gu, I admire your products very much, and I would like to place an order with you."

I was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you for your trust."

After the press conference, we successfully signed several large orders. However, I know this is just the beginning, and we still have many challenges to face.

When we got home, Gu Zixuan and I sat on the sofa, both of us feeling a bit tired.

"Fangfei, something's fishy about what happened today. I think someone's pulling the strings behind the scenes," Gu Zixuan said, frowning.

I nodded. "I think so too, but who could it be?"

"No matter who it is, we must be careful." Gu Zixuan held my hand.

I leaned on his shoulder, my heart filled with anxiety about the future. Our love and careers, on the grand stage of 30s Shanghai, were like a small boat sailing on a turbulent sea, constantly at risk of danger. And the person scheming behind the scenes was like a reef hidden in the darkness, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.

Splendid Attire: Lin Fangfei's Journey of Struggle in the Republican Era

The legendary business and love journey of a poor but academically gifted girl in Republican-era Shanghai.

The morning sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, falling on my face. I slowly opened my eyes, only to find that Gu Zixuan was no longer beside me. A slight tightness gripped my heart, and an unease welled up inside me. The conspiracy behind yesterday's press conference was still unsolved; what new challenges awaited us today? I quickly got up, put on a plain cotton dress, quickly combed my hair, and left the room.

In the living room, I saw a note left by Gu Zixuan: "Fangfei, I'm going to handle some urgent matters in the family business. You go to the textile factory first, and be careful." I held the note tightly, silently praying that everything would go well for him too.

Upon arriving at the textile factory, the workers were already busy at work. Just as I stepped into my office, my assistant, Xiao Tao, rushed in, "Ms. Lin, something terrible has happened! A large order we signed has suddenly been cancelled by the other party."

My eyes widened. "What? Why?"

Xiao Tao said anxiously, "They said other textile factories offered lower prices and could deliver earlier."

I frowned. How could this be? Our prices were carefully calculated, and the delivery schedule was arranged according to normal procedures. There must be something wrong here. I decided to visit this client in person to find out the specifics.

I changed into a more formal blue cheongsam, with delicate embroidery on the collar, which I had prepared for an important business occasion. I called Xiao Tao, and we went to the client's company together.

Upon arriving at the client's company, the receptionist led us to the reception room. After waiting a while, a middle-aged man in a suit walked in. His expression was somewhat cold, and he showed no enthusiasm whatsoever when he saw me.

"Ms. Lin, I'm sorry, we have to cancel the order," he said directly.

I stood up, smiled, and said, "Sir, I'd like to know why you're suddenly canceling? We've been really looking forward to this collaboration."

The man glanced at me and said, "Miss Lin, your prices are not competitive, and the delivery time is too long."

I knew in my heart that this was just an excuse, so I said, "Sir, our prices are based on costs and market conditions, and our quality is guaranteed. As for the delivery date, we can negotiate further to see if we can bring it forward a little."

The man said somewhat impatiently, "Miss Lin, you don't need to say anymore. We have already decided to cooperate with another textile factory."

I took a deep breath and said, “Sir, I hope you can reconsider. Our textile factory has always valued its reputation, and we are constantly improving and developing.”

The man hesitated for a moment, then said, "Miss Lin, to tell you the truth, someone offered us a huge benefit in exchange for canceling our order with you."

My heart skipped a beat; someone was indeed pulling the strings behind the scenes. "Sir, could you tell me who it is?"

The man shook his head. "Miss Lin, I can't say. You'd better investigate it yourself."

Xiao Tao and I left the client's company disappointed. On the way, I kept thinking about who was targeting us. Was it our competitors? Or the same group that smeared us at yesterday's press conference?

Back at the textile factory, I saw Gu Zixuan waiting for me in his office. His expression was somewhat serious, and he immediately came to greet me when he saw me return.

"Fangfei, I heard the order was canceled. What happened?" he asked with concern.

I told him what had happened, and he frowned. "It seems our enemies are very cunning; they're trying to trip us up in every way."

I nodded. "Zixuan, we must find the mastermind behind this, or all our efforts will be in vain."

Gu Zixuan held my hand and said, "Fangfei, don't worry, I will face this with you."

Just as we were discussing our options, my good friend Su Yao arrived. She was carrying a food box and said as soon as she came in, "Fangfei, I heard you're in trouble. I made some of your favorite sweet lotus root with osmanthus. Have something to eat before we think of a solution."