Chapter 20
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On Tuesday morning, the firecrackers specially purchased for the grand opening hadn’t yet been set off when wholesale buyers began to flood the three stalls after hearing the news. Their eyes immediately caught sight of a sign posted nearby, covered with red paper, on which was written in brush calligraphy: “High-quality Export Surplus Goods – Minimum Order of 200 Pieces,” along with prices listed below.
“Fashionable down jackets: 35 yuan each.”
“Premium wool coats: 30 yuan each.”
“Trendy jeans: 12 yuan per pair.”
“Exquisite sweaters: 10 yuan each.”
“Thick wool pants: 10 yuan per pair.”
“Branded denim jackets: 15 yuan each.”
“Comfortable casual pants: 12 yuan per pair.”
“Cool T-shirts: 5 yuan each.”
“Beautiful dresses: 8 yuan each.”
“Elegant shirts: 9 yuan each.”
…
The pricing was clear and straightforward, easy to understand at a glance.
The prices were set by Li Shanshan after secretly surveying the wholesale market. They were slightly higher than what she and her father had previously paid, but the quality and styles were much better.
“You get what you pay for,” anyone with a discerning eye could tell.
Other stalls in the market offered cheaper clothes, but a quick glance revealed them to be tacky, dull, outdated, and unappealing.
By contrast, Li Shanshan’s stall displayed various samples on hangers for customers to choose from.
All the tags were intact, indistinguishable from genuine export garments.
She had also arranged several fashionable ensembles on display, stylish and eye-catching, making selection effortless.
Because original surplus stock was scarce and extremely expensive, requiring considerable financial strength, she hadn’t put that out yet.
Chen Bing had high hopes for Li Shanshan’s export surplus business and took time to visit, bringing along Secretary Qin and his driver. He was surprised to see the crowd gathered.
Was business at the wholesale market really this good?
What if a nationally renowned garment wholesale market was established here in Fengcheng?
Though the economy was underdeveloped, Fengcheng’s location was excellent, at the junction of north and south, with convenient access both ways, and transportation had always ranked highly.
Zhou Yuqi had once mentioned that domestic annual garment production reached billions of pieces; surplus goods priced below cost naturally presented huge opportunities.
There was a lot of potential here!
Li Shanshan noticed Chen Bing and came over to greet him, quickly apologizing before turning back to her work.
At the front of the crowd stood a broad-shouldered middle-aged man with thick eyebrows and a military coat. He placed a large bag in front of Li Shanshan.
“Down jackets, coats, jeans, sweaters, wool pants, denim jackets, and casual pants—I’ll take two thousand pieces of each. Also shirts; they look great paired with leather jackets. If sales go well, I’ll come back for more.”
Li Shanshan wore heavy makeup, looking more mature and dazzling.
Though no one explicitly said so, from her position and demeanor, everyone knew she was the person in charge. The savvy middle-aged man immediately spoke up upon seeing Chen Bing.
That was a face often seen on Fengcheng’s news broadcasts!
Li Shanshan smiled, “Thank you for your support, brother. Our export surplus comes from the Guangzhou Hailin Garment Factory, which manufactures for foreign brands. The quality is solid and sells well. Next time, we might not have stock, so let’s agree on that upfront. Also, we’ve already separated about 40,000 defective items, which we don’t sell to the public.”
The man immediately responded, “Add another thousand pieces of each.”
Li Shanshan’s cousin Li Aihua did a quick calculation in his mind, gasping and staring wide-eyed.
That was nearly 300,000 yuan in one go!
Li Shanshan counted and collected the money while another cousin took the man to the warehouse to pick up the goods. The warehouse was guarded by Uncle Li and his team, and they hired workers to count and move the merchandise, arranging everything meticulously.
As for the money, as soon as it was received, Li Shanshan instructed her father to deposit it promptly at a nearby bank.
With a savings balance over one million yuan, Li Shanshan was considered a VIP customer. The bank had been informed in advance and sent two armored car security guards and a manager to accompany her father during the deposit.
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Moreover, Li’s father brought along one of Li Shanshan’s cousins.
Once the floodgates opened, business expanded rapidly.
Money was literally flying out.
Compared to the first major wholesaler Bao Zhiguo, others didn’t have such boldness; most bought a few hundred to a few thousand winter garments.
Yet, Li Shanshan sold 40,000 to 50,000 pieces a day!
The cash flow was staggering.
Chen Bing observed everything and immediately arranged for security personnel to maintain order.
Others might not know, but he understood that the payment for Li Shanshan’s 400,000 export surplus items was only 300,000 yuan. Even including shipping, it wouldn’t exceed 500,000 yuan.
By that calculation, the profit margin was astronomical.
The young woman was truly striking it rich!
The previous day’s best-sellers sparked a buying frenzy the next morning; people lined up before dawn, leaving Li Shanshan, her father, and Uncle Li and his sons so busy they barely had time to eat or drink.
Painful yet joyful.
Li Shanshan knew the business was promising but hadn’t expected it to be this good.
They hadn’t even advertised in nearby cities yet!
Eventually, not only winter and spring/fall clothes sold out, but summer clothing did as well.
Whether dresses, shirts, or T-shirts, Li Shanshan’s carefully matched outfits looked great layered under leather jackets, down jackets, or wool coats.
Uncle Li and his five sons had originally planned to buy a batch to resell on behalf of their wives but didn’t get the chance.
It was the first time they realized how many wealthy people existed!
The cash delivered to Li Shanshan came in thick stacks of 100-yuan bills.
Eventually, the bank sent staff to the scene to verify the money, fearing counterfeit bills, which caused some hassle for Li Shanshan.
Within just one week, only 40,000 defective items remained in the warehouse.
Though called defective, most had minor issues; after all, the assembly line workers were trained. Li Shanshan had spot-checked: the fabric was fine. Most defects involved slightly crooked buttons or zippers, minor scratches, stains, misalignments, loose threads, or nonstandard sizes, none affecting overall structure or wearability.
A few wholesalers tried to buy these at rock-bottom prices to sell in rural areas, but Li Shanshan refused.
Starting a business, she couldn’t afford to ruin her reputation.
She already had plans for the defective goods.
During this time, a wealthy local tycoon somehow learned about Li Shanshan’s original surplus stock and drove over in a truck, buying up all remaining 10,000-plus pieces outright.
No haggling!
Though there were no French brand leather jackets, other brands were worth 4,800 yuan on the market.
Just one leather jacket.
Truly, one dared to sell, the other dared to buy.
Li Shanshan had only a dozen or so jackets without hang tags but with labels, selling each for 1,600 yuan.
Pure profit!
One style of jeans was priced at 400 yuan each and sold accordingly.
When transferring money at the bank, the tycoon exchanged contact details and introduced himself as Li Mingkai.
“Branded goods sell well in the market. That Montague shirt sells for 800 in Guangzhou, 1,200 in Shanghai, and up in the Northeast, ha, that shirt can fetch two to three thousand yuan easily! The factory price is supposedly only 160! Nowadays, even fakes can sell for hundreds. Little sister, since we share the surname Li, that means our ancestors stirred the pot together centuries ago; we’re family. I see you’re quite capable; otherwise, you wouldn’t get so much original surplus. Next time you get good stock, be sure to inform me in advance, and I’ll come straight to pick it up.”
Li Shanshan smiled brightly and agreed, “This batch is almost sold out. I’m not sure when the next shipment will come, but I’ll definitely notify you, brother.”
She especially liked wholesalers who were bold and straightforward!
Maybe she should call Zhou Yuqi to check if there was stock.
Having been married for thirty years in a past life, and now with Zhou Yuqi offering willingly rather than at her request, Li Shanshan naturally had no foolish thoughts about keeping distance.
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If we can’t be husband and wife, then friends, right?
More friends, smoother path.
That night after showering at the hotel, Li Shanshan settled accounts.
From 360,000 export surplus items, she earned 5.8 million yuan, not counting daily expenses. Adding the 1.1 million yuan pure profit from selling original surplus to the department store earlier, plus the 4.38 million yuan earned today from Li Mingkai, her savings surpassed ten million!
Wow!
She was truly rich now!
Li Shanshan’s eyes sparkled. She felt that original surplus stock made money more easily and suited her better.
Smaller quantities made things feel more manageable.
With that in mind, she jumped onto the bed and called Zhou Yuqi.
Zhou Yuqi had been quietly monitoring Li Shanshan’s booming business and chuckled softly, “The New Year is near. Why are you so busy? Why not wait until after the holidays?”
Li Shanshan was anxious, “Even if we ship now, delivery won’t be until after the New Year, so it won’t affect the holidays.”
Making money is all about timing—seizing the opportunity first.
With her earnings, how could competitors not try to snatch her business?
Zhou Yuqi was silent for a few seconds, then said, “I asked around. Among the several garment factories under Changning Holdings, there are about 800,000 pieces of export surplus. Brand-name originals are few; self-owned and OEM brands total over 30,000 pieces. The variety is vast—no more than 100 pieces per style, some only a handful. There are plenty watching both openly and secretly.”
No wonder!
Getting goods cheaply and reselling them is a big money-maker.
Li Shanshan sat cross-legged, beaming radiantly with a sweet voice:
“This truly shows Mr. Zhou’s capability! My advantage is ample capital. Your factories won’t have to spend time and effort selling small lots; you can package and sell directly to me, and I guarantee payment on delivery with no delays.”
She was now a multi-millionaire!
Knowing the huge profits from export surplus around the millennium, she still hadn’t expected to make this much.
Zhou Yuqi hadn’t immediately agreed.
“If it goes as you wish, what do I get?”
What?
He was asking for benefits?
Yang Hailin and John hadn’t asked for anything.
Li Shanshan’s eyes twinkled mischievously.
“Fifty-fifty split of the profits! Mr. Zhou, you supply the goods, I do the work; I guarantee you’ll make a big profit.”
Even if she only earned half, she’d be satisfied.
Without Zhou Yuqi, she wouldn’t even earn one-tenth.
She really had no time to find stock herself.
So, this business wasn’t something she could do long-term.
“I don’t lack money,” Zhou Yuqi’s low voice whispered in her ear.
Li Shanshan was momentarily troubled.
“If you don’t want money, I have no other benefits to offer you!”
The money she had was essentially borrowed and given as a gift.
Zhou Yuqi tugged at his tie, leaned back in his chair, smiling:
“Then just keep that in mind. When I decide what I want, I’ll tell you. Don’t break your word.”
“Absolutely, absolutely.” She’d deal with it then.
First, she’d keep Zhou Yuqi happy.
That’s how it was.