Chapter Seventy-Seven: Lin Miaomiao Wants to Build a House

Back in the modern era, Lin Miao often indulged in watermelon in winter, but ever since she arrived in ancient times, she realized that eating watermelon during winter was nothing short of a luxury. In this age of rigid social hierarchy, even eating beef was a rare privilege for her. If not for Li Yanhe, her status in this world would surely be insignificant—after all, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants were strictly ranked. Lin Miao sighed, lost in thought, and Li Yanhe, seeing her sighing and growing increasingly melancholy and then angry, found her adorable in that moment.

Approaching Lin Miao, Li Yanhe asked, “The watermelons sold for a good price this year. Do you plan to plant them again next year?”

Lin Miao recalled the moment when Li Zheng handed over the proceeds from the watermelon sales—not without surprise, for she had only supplied the goods, and Li Zheng had purchased from her at an exceptionally low price. Yet, that cunning merchant managed to turn a handsome profit. It dawned on Lin Miao that no matter the era, some people were born to seize opportunities and profit with shrewd business sense.

She couldn’t help but admire Li Zheng’s abilities, certain that she herself didn’t possess such a keen mind. Lin Miao was profoundly grateful to her mother for encouraging her to learn painting all those years ago.

In her study, Lin Miao began sketching; she planned to add a new production line for undergarments in her clothing factory, knowing that such garments didn’t exist in the ancient world. She busied herself with her designs, aided by a simple sewing machine. Although the era now boasted large textile mills, many had failed due to poor management.

Lin Miao opened her own textile factory, then further processed her own cloth, giving her a distinct advantage over competitors. Every quarter, she introduced new fabrics and also produced clothing made of silk. In ancient times, raising silkworms was a common household practice—a vital source of income. But the frequent wars in Da’an disrupted lives, and the traditional roles of men tilling and women weaving had faded; men perished in battle, leaving women to tend the fields. Lin Miao’s clothing factory provided meaningful employment for these women.

As she drew her undergarment designs, Li Yanhe returned and saw her sketching strange shapes. He picked up a drawing and remarked, “This piece of clothing is so small. I doubt anyone would buy something so tiny—it hardly seems worth it.”

Lin Miao glanced at him, making him uneasy. Before she could reply, Li Zheng poked his head in and asked, “How are your designs for this quarter’s new products?”

She handed her sketches to Li Zheng and said, “You ought to hire a female secretary. You can handle the operations from behind the scenes.”

Li Zheng shot her a disdainful look, which Lin Miao ignored. In modern times, lingerie shops grouped men’s and women’s underwear together, and since Li Zheng wasn’t shy, she as a young woman had no reason to be embarrassed.

Handing her designs to Li Yanhe, she explained, “These are women’s undergarments. You could call them ‘bellybands’—they’re meant to…”

Before she finished, Li Yanhe hastily left the study. Li Zheng gave her a complicated look, his ears flushed red, and quickly exited as well. Lin Miao couldn’t help but find their reactions amusing.

She remembered a time during her period when she went to buy sanitary pads, only to see a boy purchasing them for his girlfriend. That moment was mortifying for her, but later she told her friend, who burst out laughing and said, “He’s not embarrassed, so why should you be? Thick skin is essential for everything.”

“Awkwardness belongs to others, not yourself.” Lin Miao eventually realized the truth in that—if she wasn’t embarrassed, the discomfort fell upon others.

After Li Zheng left, he soon returned and asked, “Tell me, how many women do you need?”

Lin Miao thought for a moment and replied, “As many as you like! They’ll just be introducing the product. You manage things from the back; the staff can handle these details.”

Li Zheng nodded in understanding before departing. Lin Miao watched him leave, then stood at the courtyard gate, silently observing Li Yanhe reading with two mischievous boys. Seeing Li Yanhe’s patient demeanor, she shook her head with a smile.

Li Zheng returned with five or six women in tow, and Lin Miao nodded appreciatively at his efficiency. She gathered them in an empty room, displayed the undergarments, and explained their usage and points of attention. She trained the women, noting they weren’t shy at all, further impressed by Li Zheng’s effectiveness.

One woman named Yue’er kept asking about the details, prompting Lin Miao to ask, “Are you Li Zheng’s manager?”

Yue’er didn’t understand at first, so Lin Miao clarified, “Are you in charge here?”

Yue’er nodded. Lin Miao sighed, and after each training session, she gave Yue’er special instructions on serving female customers.

Given the strict gender separation in ancient times, Lin Miao decided to keep men out—the shop would be exclusively for women.

She doubted her undergarment designs would be well received, but after a while, Li Zheng hurried back from the capital and exclaimed, “The women are buying so many, we can’t keep up with demand!”

“Produce more—and they’re asking if there are any for men…” Lin Miao saw Li Yanhe’s cheeks flush and chuckled.

As Li Yanhe read nearby, Lin Miao said, “I thought these clothes were too small for anyone to buy, but look at things now.”

Li Yanhe glanced at her—her confident, defiant posture made him laugh as he nodded. Lin Miao, seeing he ignored her, huffed and left.

She went off to cook. Autumn had quietly arrived, and Lin Miao noticed Lin Jiwan returned home late, which struck her as odd.

She asked, “Why are you back so late today?” Lin Jiwan took a sip and replied, “The factory next door couldn’t keep going, so I bought it at a low price.”

Lin Miao gave him a thumbs-up and smiled, “Though the factory next door failed, we can take it over, renovate, and resume production.”

After a moment’s thought, she added, “Let’s also hire their workers, ask if they’d like to work in our factory.”

“Promote a deputy director from the original factory and place some of our veteran employees in the new factory. That way, we won’t have to worry about the old staff causing trouble.”

She continued, “Remember to sign contracts with everyone. The original factory’s workers should get half a month’s probationary wages.”

Lin Jiwan nodded. Li Yanhe watched Lin Miao issue clear, methodical instructions. With the opening of another branch factory, the villagers nearby were delighted.

When Lin Miao visited the village, she noticed the employees’ houses were in poor condition. She called a meeting with the local village leaders and purchased a plot of land in the center of several villages.

She began building homes, recalling how her father’s company would offer discounts based on years of service. These houses were inexpensive.

The dormitory she’d previously built was too small; now she planned modern-style single-story homes. After conducting a survey, she decided to build three-room houses.

Li Yanhe watched Lin Miao busy herself and couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. Her efforts to build homes for factory workers stirred envy among the villagers.

Lin Miao also established a brick factory in the villages; soon, bricks were produced in abundance. She discussed her plans with several craftsmen, who immediately fired bricks to her specifications. Thanks to her suggestions, they discovered the new bricks were more efficient and easier to use, which pleased Lin Miao greatly.

The first employee home was completed. At the staff meeting, Lin Miao announced, “These houses are for our employees, but they aren’t free.”

“All our employees are familiar to us. If someone’s family is struggling or their housing is poor, those with the greatest need can move in first.”