Chapter Ninety: Kaleidoscope

“You need to eat even when you’re making money! Who doesn’t let people come home for meals? What kind of people are they?” Grandma grumbled about the customers while watching her grandson and youngest daughter eating.

“Mom, I’m not tired. Do you know how many jobs I took today? Just making pants, there were eight orders, ten yuan each—that’s eighty yuan. And there were several orders for clothes, too. I even sold a few sample pieces I’d made before. I haven’t counted the money yet, but I figure it must be nearly three hundred yuan… Hehehe… three hundred yuan!” Her youngest daughter laughed as she ate, pulling a bulging handkerchief bundle from her pocket, stuffed full of cash.

“I’m not tired either, look!” The third cousin, a bit more sophisticated than Hongtao’s aunt, took out a small paper bag from her pocket. It was also full of money, though hers was a bit more mixed—besides the five and ten yuan notes, there were quite a few ones and twos.

“Old man… isn’t this too much? Can we even keep this?” Grandma was startled by the pile of money her youngest daughter had produced. She shuffled over to lock the door and then whispered to Grandpa.

“Hongtao, isn’t this a bit much? I thought earning ten or eight yuan a day would already be great, but hundreds in a single day—isn’t that going to be a problem?” Grandpa, too, was at a loss this time. This situation was far beyond what he was used to, and he didn’t know how to handle it.

“It’s not too much. Aunt’s working alone and can barely keep up. I’m thinking of hiring another helper for her, and the same goes for Cousin. In a few days, I’ll be back at school and won’t be able to help, so she’ll need someone too—for support and to take on more work. As for the money, didn’t you hear what that official said this morning? If you make money with your own skills, there’s nothing to fear. Not only will the state not crack down, it’ll encourage you. The more you earn, the more honorable it is!” Hongtao knew exactly what to say to put his grandparents at ease. That deputy district chief’s speech might have been full of platitudes, but to his grandparents, it was as good as an imperial edict.

“That’s right. No need to be afraid anymore, times have changed. Poverty isn’t an honor now. Help Yumei keep it for now, and we’ll tally it up at the end of the month.” Grandpa thought for a moment and felt reassured. Hongtao was right—the world wasn’t just about to change, it already had.

“So much money—where am I supposed to keep it? What if it attracts thieves?” Grandma picked up the cash and put it down again; she’d probably never held so much money at once in her life.

“Ai, I must be getting senile too. Tomorrow, we’ll have Shiming run to the bank and deposit it. Just leave the passbook at home and there’s nothing to worry about. Actually, I’d better go myself; that boy is too unreliable.” Grandpa smacked his own head. Too much money wasn’t all good—it was making him nervous when he used to eat and sleep without a care.

“It’s better for Aunt and Cousin to go themselves. They’ll have to deposit money every day—it’s not practical to wait for you each time. Tomorrow, let them go together; it’s good practice, and the bank is just a short walk away.” Hongtao didn’t agree with Grandpa’s arrangement. Depositing money wasn’t a one-time thing; after settling accounts each day, they’d have to deposit the next morning. Aunt and Cousin needed to handle this themselves.

“You’re right—the kids are grown and should take responsibility. You don’t need to worry about it anymore. If Yumei and Daling can’t come home for meals, let Shiming bring food to his sisters—it’s not far, just outside the alley.” Grandpa agreed with Hongtao. Only now did he realize that the kids who had been underfoot just days ago seemed to have grown up overnight.

Those who have been starved fear nothing more than suddenly having a feast set before them; few can resist eating their fill at once. And those who have known only poverty fear nothing more than discovering they can make money—few can think far ahead; all they want is to grab as much as they can, right now.

“Auntie! What happened to your hair? Daling, did you not sleep well last night?” Early the next morning, when Hongtao finished his run and went for breakfast at his grandmother’s, he found his aunt and third cousin both sporting dark eye circles—and his aunt’s long braid was gone, replaced by a short stubble.

“I stayed up last night finishing all the work I took on during the day…” Aunt spoke with half a boiled egg in her mouth. Her position in the household had soared; now she even had eggs for breakfast.

“What about your hair?” Hongtao still didn’t get it. Staying up late and your hair gets shorter? If everyone had that ability, barber shops would all go out of business!

“I… did it myself. I was practicing cutting hair and got a little carried away. You’ll have to fix it for me…” Daling chimed in.

“So neither of you slept? How are you going to get through work today if you don’t sleep?” Now Hongtao understood—they’d been up all night, one at the sewing machine, the other with scissors behind her, cutting away.

“We couldn’t fall asleep…” Daling and Aunt replied in unison.

“Well, why don’t you sleep now and go to the shop this afternoon? I’ll cover for you in the morning.” Hongtao understood their state—excitement, pure and simple, and a bit over the top.

“No! …Hahaha. We’re fine, not tired at all!” Again, they answered together, exchanging amused glances.

“Sigh, it’s not that you’re not tired—it’s your hormones acting up. In a few days, you’ll know what exhaustion really is. You might even get sick. Let me warn you: in two weeks, I go back to school. If you two fall ill, your shop will have to close, understand? Once you close, it’s not easy to get customers back. If you don’t believe me, try it!” Hongtao knew exactly where this was heading—once the excitement faded, their immunity would drop and illness would follow, at the very least a fever. In Beijing slang, they’d “overdone it”—in other words, burned the candle at both ends.

“But I really can’t sleep! I want to, but I’m not the least bit sleepy…” Aunt was alarmed by Hongtao’s warning. She didn’t want to ruin the job she’d finally come to love.

“Tonight, get some sleeping pills from my mother. Take a little each—whether you think you can sleep or not, force yourselves to rest!” Hongtao had no better solution; desperate times called for desperate measures.

“Hey! Hey! There you are! What time do you call this? Hurry and open up! I took a half-day off to come; I’m first in line, don’t mess up the order!” After breakfast, as Hongtao and the others strolled toward the shop, they saw two lines already forming outside the door. The woman at the front had refused to leave the night before; Grandpa had barely managed to shoo her away, and now she was back, first in line again.

“Hey… hey… we’re here! Good morning, ladies and aunties! We’ll be opening right away. Please keep your own order—I’m not organizing the line for you!” Hongtao helped his aunt and cousin take down the wooden panels from the door while greeting the customers.

“Little Master! Give me a good cut today—I’m going to a wedding in a couple of days.” The woman at the front couldn’t wait and helped Hongtao move the boards, chatting with him all the while.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you look better than the bride. But you have to be careful—if you go home looking this stunning, won’t your husband get suspicious?” Hongtao had no qualms joking with these married women—they were bolder than most men. In factories, these married workers often made a sport of teasing the men; if you worked in a textile or wool mill, you’d get picked on constantly.

“Ha! What if I look good? That’s for his sake! Even if I did have a wandering eye, he’d have to put up with it! Little Master, if you were a few years older, maybe I really would run off with you!” As he’d expected, the woman in her thirties wasn’t angry but instead stood hands on hips, showing off her spirit, and then pinched Hongtao’s cheek for good measure.

“Hahaha… Why don’t you just take him home, share a bed, and get your hair done without ever waiting in line again?” The others in line burst out laughing, eager for a bit of risqué banter. Only a few unmarried girls kept silent but grinned on the sly. The mood, previously a bit tense, relaxed at once.

“I like you, sister—straightforward! Why not wait a few years for me? Maybe we could make a go of it!” Hongtao could banter as easily as drinking water.

With women customers, you have to put them at ease. That way, whether they’re happy or upset, this is the first place they’ll think of. They need a place to vent, someone to listen. Your skills, or whether talking helps—those are secondary. As long as you meet this need, your shop becomes their second home, and they’ll look after it even more than you do.

“Hahaha, never mind me—maybe I’ll bring my daughter next time. She’s starting school next year, and I’ll betroth her to you!” The woman plopped down in a chair, no longer in a hurry for her haircut or worried about taking time off. She wanted a good chat first.

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