Chapter 22: The First Customer

"Deal!" Such favorable terms—if Chai Yanfen didn’t accept, it would surely mean her intelligence was lacking.

After some arrangements, the two signed the consignment sales agreement. Additionally, there was an agency contract attached. From now on, Chai Yanfen’s stall would only sell Wu Ya’s clothing! Of course, the condition was that Wu Ya’s designs had to keep up with the times. If sales stagnated, the contract would be void. Moreover, Chai Yanfen now held the exclusive wholesale rights for the entire Suiyan District, even for Weiling City. She had directly become the top regional agent!

Yet, undeniably, Chai Yanfen didn't truly take these contracts seriously at the moment. The reason she agreed so quickly was simply—she wanted her stall to appear more powerful.

"Liu Qian, help me count the clothes," Wu Ya said, wasting no time. He was racing against the clock!

In his memory, it was around these two days that student uniforms suddenly became all the rage. Today was still calm, meaning tomorrow would surely see a boom. Time couldn’t be wasted.

With this urgency, he called Liu Qian from home. From the warehouse to Chai Yanfen’s stall, there were several procedures to be completed. Plus, he wanted his parents to see Liu Qian’s presence from time to time, so they could feel reassured.

"So fast? You’ve already moved all the goods?" Liu Qian stared at Wu Ya’s busy figure, her face full of astonishment. The human-powered tricycles parked at the entrance were stacked high with finished clothing. Over three hundred pieces—all sold out.

It was only just past a day, and Wu Ya had sold out everything? Liu Qian could hardly believe her eyes.

"Heh, this is nothing. Tomorrow, I’ll show you something even more astonishing!" Wu Ya grinned, full of confidence.

"Even more astonishing? It’s just selling clothes—how shocking could it get?" Liu Qian was clearly skeptical. Things had gone so smoothly, she thought he was getting carried away.

"Haha, you don’t believe me, do you? I knew you wouldn’t! Let’s deliver the goods to the market first, then tomorrow you’ll see what spectacle really means!" Wu Ya didn’t explain further. With a hearty laugh, he pulled Liu Qian’s gaze into a haze of confusion.

This man was giving her an unfamiliar feeling! The calm, unshakable demeanor—so different from the timid Wu Ya she once knew. Had a single high school graduation really transformed a boy from the inside out?

That strange thought from the other day resurfaced in Liu Qian’s mind: Wu Ya had become a man because he’d graduated.

Soon, all the clothes were in place.

"Wu Ya, if these clothes really don’t sell, you can leave them here and I’ll handle it for you, free of charge," Chai Yanfen said, looking at the variety of styles and colors occupying most of her stall. She was happy, but also worried.

Through their interactions, she had learned much about Wu Ya. His character was good. He’d helped her, making her stall the largest in the market. If these clothes didn’t move, how would she answer to Wu Ya? She felt a pang of guilt.

"Sister Chai, the stall isn’t even open yet and you’re already speaking negatively? If you still say that tomorrow, I’ll handle it right away!" Wu Ya placed a bag of clothes on the stall, meeting Chai Yanfen’s gaze with confidence.

"You mean these clothes will be a hit tomorrow?" Chai Yanfen found the idea funny. Today, she’d nearly shouted herself hoarse, yet no one had been interested. Could one night really make them popular?

He was comforting her, and hyping himself up as well.

Vision determines sales. Clearly, he wasn’t cut out for business. Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t make such old-fashioned clothes! Yet he had, and with so much enthusiasm and confidence.

A flower that’s never felt hardship doesn’t know the bite of the cold wind. His family giving him the tailoring shop was surely courting disaster!

"Sister Chai, whether they’re a hit or not, you’ll know tomorrow," Wu Ya said, leading Liu Qian away. Under Chai Yanfen’s watchful gaze, they rode off on his old bicycle like the wind.

"This kid..." Chai Yanfen shook her head and began tidying up her stall. It was a mess. Wu Ya only handled unloading and counting, not helping her set up or pack away.

The next morning, bright and early, Wu Ya called Liu Qian and headed to the market.

"So early?" Chai Yanfen looked at Wu Ya in surprise. Stall owners naturally worked from dawn till dusk.

These young people didn’t know the hardship of life—shouldn’t they be sleeping in?

"Heh, today’s business will be booming, so I have to get here early to help," Wu Ya said, smiling slyly as he busied himself. Today, he had to help Chai Yanfen set up quickly, so when the trend hit, they wouldn’t be caught off guard.

"Liu Qian, help Sister Chai hang the clothes. I’ll drag these bundles to the back."

After a full hour, the three finally finished, with Wu Ya smiling in satisfaction. The student uniforms hung in prominent places, and the stock was arranged for easy access. Everything was ready—only the east wind was missing.

Tick-tock, tick-tock... Time flew by in anxious anticipation. The blinding sun climbed toward the zenith. Everything changed as usual, except for Chai Yanfen’s stall—it hadn’t made a single sale!

Such a situation hadn’t happened in days. Could it be... these clothes were so unlucky they ruined her stall’s feng shui?

"Wu Ya, it’s almost ten o’clock. When the batwing shirts were popular, the stall was overflowing by eight. But now..." Chai Yanfen said.

"Don’t worry, Sister Chai. The time hasn’t come—be patient!" Wu Ya interrupted, sitting there with a leisurely air, as if he’d become a half-immortal, predicting the time and the market trend.

Chai Yanfen glared, displeased.

"Wu Ya, this isn’t how you do business! Success isn’t everything, but you must be diligent! You’re spending your parents’ money, and you’re just swaggering around like this—how can you live with yourself…"

"Sister, how much is this shirt?" Before she could finish, a voice interrupted!

Chai Yanfen turned and saw a customer at the front of the stall. About twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, asking about Wu Ya’s student uniform!

Chai Yanfen was stunned. Someone was interested? Unprecedented!

"This... this..." Chai Yanfen looked at the young man, unsure how to quote a price.

Wu Ya stood up. "You’re my first customer, so I’ll give you a twenty percent discount—forty yuan!"