Chapter 96: Three Thousand Finished Pieces

“All right! No problem at all! Absolutely perfect!”

Director Pei, whose words had been abruptly cut off by Wu Ya, suddenly held back the pride swelling in his chest. His face was clouded with displeasure.

Wu Ya’s unexpected offer was like a tempting piece of meat that instantly left him speechless. His mind went completely blank, and all he could do was mechanically nod in agreement. Deep down, he knew this was good news.

“Director Pei, I’ll be going now. The production line will arrive the day after tomorrow. I want to see the machines running and products hitting the market!”

Wu Ya nodded and then took Liu Qian’s hand as they left. Director Pei was left alone in his office, still standing there, dazed and stunned. Happiness had come too suddenly. He needed time to process it all.

“Aunt Chai, how have things been these past few days?”

After Wu Ya sent Liu Qian home, he didn’t return to the tailor shop. Instead, he went straight to the marketplace. The tailor shop’s output had already reached its peak. Whether he returned early or late, it made no difference. The pressing matter now was how to maintain stable sales.

Though his student uniforms were in constant high demand every day, precisely because of this shortage, sales risked declining—simply because he couldn’t supply enough. And Aunt Chai needed to make a living too.

This created an irreconcilable conflict. Unless Aunt Chai was willing to sacrifice her booming sales and profits by not sourcing goods from outside to make up for Wu Ya’s production shortfall—which she was willing to do—could Wu Ya accept that?

He could not. Aunt Chai had a family to support. Such a rare opportunity was too precious to watch slip away simply because of supply shortages. Would she stand idly by as market share was handed over to outside merchants? How could she bear it?

Moreover, if this continued, she would lose her local price advantage and allow outside goods to monopolize the market, ultimately erasing her competitiveness in a ruthless price war.

Aunt Chai sighed deeply the moment she saw Wu Ya. There was no joy in her expression, only profound regret.

“What choice do I have? The entire market used to be monopolized by us. But as the supply gap widened, goods from outside finally squeezed in. Now, they occupy nearly half the market! To resist them, I stopped wholesaling. But even so, my stock only lasts half a day. At most, for a few more days, the retail partners I painstakingly developed might start sourcing from others.”

Then, Aunt Chai unleashed a torrent of complaints. The situation was dire.

Aunt Chai was known for her resilience. Even when facing bullies who maliciously suppressed her, she had never felt such despair. But now, her heart was heavy with worry.

This was no longer the old days; people sourcing from outside was normal business practice now, and one could not stop it. She could only watch them prosper while left with no goods to sell. Half her sales volume was being lost.

Her profits had taken a huge hit. The hard-won achievements of her early efforts were swiftly fading into dust. One could imagine how dejected she must feel.

“Wu Ya, if things continue like this, I won’t be able to hold on. I’m running a small business; I can’t just leave money on the table, can I?”

Sure enough, Aunt Chai voiced her concerns. She had supported Wu Ya from the start, so it was understandable that she might now hesitate. The market pressure left no room for delay.

The fashion industry is fleeting; once a trend passes, you must wait for the next wave. When that will come—no one knows.

So, there was no need for pretense between them. Speaking plainly might still preserve their partnership.

But Wu Ya didn’t head back to the tailor shop directly. Instead, he came here—not to listen to Aunt Chai’s complaints or see her faltering—but to bring her good news and surprise her. To renew their shared journey through thick and thin.

“Aunt Chai, my production line is already on its way! Once operational, it will produce at least three thousand finished pieces daily. Will that be enough to meet your sales and wholesale demands?”

Three thousand pieces a day? Aunt Chai was stunned.

Three thousand—it was twenty times the current daily output! Not just for her daily sales, but enough to fully supply all the retail partners she had cultivated!

What she didn’t realize was that this was only the output of a single production line, and only for one shift. With three lines running three shifts, the daily output would be unimaginable—far beyond what Aunt Chai could handle.

Wu Ya’s gaze was already fixed on the distance. Once the production line arrived and staff were assembled, he intended to restructure the entire Morning Thought company.

On top of the existing departments, he would add a finance department, a purchasing department, and—most crucially—a sales department.

They must expand outward. Morning Thought’s products needed to break beyond Huaiyuan Province and reach all of China.

The ultimate goal was to fill the global market, making Morning Thought a shining beacon among domestic brands.

“Hahaha, three thousand pieces! Wu Ya, are you sure you’re not just bragging to soothe me? Making up stories to make me feel better?”

Aunt Chai laughed heartily, tears sparkling in her eyes.

For so many days, she had watched others’ businesses flourish while she was left despondent. Her market share shrinking, her profits meager. So many times, she was reminded that she was merely Wu Ya’s partner, not his equal.

In these supply shortages, she could have easily found another supplier to protect her own interests and maintain her market lead. But the first person to bring her such great fortune in all these years in the marketplace was Wu Ya. It was he who had helped her seize the trend and become a leader in fashion.

She knew she owed him deeply and could not forget that.

So, she had been torn for days, planning to confront Wu Ya at the right moment. But he arrived first, bringing such a grand surprise.

Though she knew it was true, she still wanted to confirm it once more.

“Aunt Chai, I wouldn’t dare lie to you or make wild promises just to make you happy. The production line is arriving soon, and we’re still recruiting workers!”

Wu Ya’s expression turned serious as he spoke earnestly.

Now Aunt Chai was certain.

“Hahaha, finally the clouds part and the moon shines! I told you, when sales outpace production, you’d find a way. But I didn’t expect you to unveil such a trump card! A production line churning out three thousand pieces daily—that will monopolize the entire marketplace. I wonder how those smug merchants will even show their faces around me now!”

“Oh? So some vendors have been giving you a hard time recently?”

Wu Ya’s eyes widened at her surprise.

“Yes! Sales have been sluggish, profits sharp down, and those people have mocked and sneered at me. Life’s been tough. But now, thanks to you, I see hope again!”

Though Aunt Chai’s tone still held some resentment, the hope shining through softened it considerably.

Wu Ya could sense the level of exclusion she had endured these days.

It was understandable. When she sold so well before, others envied her. When she ran out of stock later, they finally had their chance to shine. Jealousy made them vent their frustrations all at once.

They shouted loudly about their booming sales right in front of her, made snide remarks, and even tried to lure customers away with lower prices. The humiliation was immense.

“Aunt Chai, rest assured. Everything you’ve gone through will become the foundation of your rise tomorrow. Those who mocked you will one day look up to you.”

Wu Ya’s voice was firm and filled with a resolute confidence that was deeply reassuring.

From his perspective, every grievance Aunt Chai suffered was because of him. Compensation was only right.

After all, she was his partner, not his shareholder. She endured these hardships because she insisted on selling his products. Otherwise, with her network, she could have sourced elsewhere and kept her top spot.

Anyone who dared look down on her now would be the one to suffer.

So Wu Ya was already formulating a plan: to support Aunt Chai as he expanded nationwide, making her the primary sales agent for Morning Thought across the country.

But then—

“Wu Ya, I believe in you. I know a man as talented as you won’t be confined to this small city. Your future is bright. But I’m old. As long as you don’t forget me and keep my income as good as it is now, I’ll be content. Beyond that, I simply don’t have the energy or ability.”

Aunt Chai saw through Wu Ya’s intentions and recognized that his words were almost a promise.

But as she said herself, she was getting old. A woman just needs to support her family. Striving more than that was beyond her capacity.

Though she knew Wu Ya’s potential was extraordinary and little effort from her would still bring wealth—because this guy had a conscience—she could never convince herself that she could earn without effort.

Such money would never feel secure in her hands.

Wu Ya was stunned, a sudden, inexplicable sorrow swelling in his heart.

He knew that as he expanded rapidly, Aunt Chai would become just a passing figure in his life. Another regret was inevitable.