Business was booming

Shen Moxi assigned Shen Tao to take payments and keep the accounts. He had done the same work at the supply and marketing cooperative for several years and knew it best.

Then she gave everyone except Shen Tao a receipt book, with sheets of carbon paper tucked inside. "Whenever you make a sale, write a receipt with the amount and what they bought. Give the customer two copies. When they go to pay, have them give one to the young man at the register and keep the other."

"What's the point of making so many copies?" Shen Yuan asked as he took his.

"It makes it easier for us to check the items afterward, and it also gives customers a sense of security and reliability." Shen Moxi smiled and nodded.

They all nodded in understanding and carefully put the books into their shoulder bags.

Everyone was happy with the arrangements. Shen Tao was the steadiest of them, so he was best suited to handling payments. Shen Moxi would recommend clothes and put outfits together for the customers.

At seven fifty-five, Shen Moxi asked Song Qi to lay out the firecrackers by the entrance. The doors were opened, the curtains drawn back to reveal the entire glass wall, and all the lights switched on.

"Big Brother, one minute to go. You'll light them when it's time." Shen Moxi handed Shen Tao the matches.

"All right, little sister." Shen Tao took them and waited to one side.

Quite a crowd had already gathered by then. The flyers they had handed out yesterday had worked wonderfully.

Shen Moxi went inside and brought out two trays of fruit candies, handing one to Wang Xiaoxia. "Sister-in-law, give everyone a few pieces when they come in."

Wang Xiaoxia took it with a smile. "All right, little sister."

Standing nearby with Xiao Xuan in his arms, Shen Yuan saw this and reached out for a candy. He unwrapped it and popped it into Xiao Xuan's mouth. "Little fellow, let's share in the good cheer too."

Shen Moxi glanced at her watch and looked at Shen Tao. "Big Brother, here's the countdown. Five, four, three, two, one-light them!"

Shen Tao immediately struck a match and lit the firecrackers. Everyone nearby moved aside and covered their ears.

The crackle of firecrackers exploded in Shen Moxi's ears. Watching the scene, she felt something she could not put into words, a swelling in her heart. She could not tell whether it was heartache, gratification, or happiness.

Song Qi noticed something was different about her and put an arm around her.

Shen Moxi looked at her and smiled happily. This was only the first step on the stairway to happiness. There was still a long way to go.

Once the firecrackers had finished, Shen Moxi stepped forward and called out, "Beautiful lady comrades and handsome gentlemen comrades, Reluctant to Part with Clothes officially opens today! We have special opening offers, a prize draw, and red envelopes for you to claim, so you can have fun shopping and enjoying yourselves. Come in and take a look. Whether you buy anything or not, let's be friends!"

When Shen Moxi finished, Shen Tao and the others led the applause, and the onlookers clapped and cheered too.

They cleared the way and went to their assigned positions, while the people outside poured into the shop.

Shen Moxi and Wang Xiaoxia handed out candies at the entrance, saying things like "Thank you for coming" and "Thank you for your support."

Every woman who came in was dazzled by the lavish decor. Even a glimpse from outside had seemed breathtakingly beautiful, and once inside, they hardly dared touch anything.

"Oh, my goodness! A shop like this, and the clothes aren't even expensive! Look!"

"Exactly! Look at the prices marked here. They're all cheaper than the department store."

"I bought from this couple when they ran a street stall before. The prices have only gone up by five yuan, and that's still much cheaper than the department store. They've even put the outfits together for you."

"Look at these lights, this setting. I'd be embarrassed to walk out without buying something. These clothes are so pretty."

"My husband brought me clothes from the Capital when he went there on business, and I don't think they're as pretty as these. Look at these styles. You might not even find them in Goat City."

"Look, that's the prize draw box beside that young man, isn't it? Those hanging above it must be the red envelopes. Let's hurry and buy a few outfits so we can enter the draw!" A young woman was already unable to contain herself.

Wang Xiaoxia settled Xiao Xuan on the little stool beside Shen Tao. Shen Moxi took some snacks from a drawer and gave them to him, telling him to sit still and eat.

People streamed through the shop, and more and more of them bought clothes.

A young woman picked out a blue-and-white color-block V-neck dress and held it against herself in front of the full-length mirror.

Seeing her, Shen Moxi walked over with a smile. "Miss, there's a full-length mirror beside here. If you like it, you can go in and try it on. If the size doesn't fit, we can exchange it for you."

"Oh, you even have fitting rooms? Your shop is wonderful! The clothes are pretty and affordable, and you've thought of everything." The young woman happily took the dress into the fitting room. Shen Moxi stood nearby to keep anyone else from going in.

Before long, the young woman came out in the dress. Shen Moxi's eyes lit up at the sight. Wearing it had instantly given her a far more elegant air.

"Miss, that looks lovely on you. With that air of yours, anyone who didn't know better would think you were a socialite from a prominent family. Beautiful! Add a pair of heels, and you'll be absolutely this!" Shen Moxi gave her a thumbs-up.

"Could you find me a pair of heels to go with it? Not too high. Size thirty-seven." The young woman looked in the mirror and was very pleased with the dress too.

"Of course. Miss, take a seat over here and wait a moment. I'll pick out a pair for you." Shen Moxi had her sit on the seat beside the shoe cabinet in the middle.

Shen Moxi looked at her fair, clean feet. A pair of apricot-colored shoes would go well with the dress.

She picked out a pair of apricot-colored shoes with five-centimeter heels and handed them over. "Miss, try these. The heels are a moderate height."

The young woman took them, removed her sandals, and put them on. She stood and walked a few steps. "This height is just right. They're very comfortable."

She went over to the mirror, looked at herself, then walked back and forth again before nodding in satisfaction. "I'll take both the dress and the shoes. I'll wear them out, so I won't change back. Please pack up the clothes I took off."

"Of course, miss." Shen Moxi fetched a shopping bag and put her clothes inside, then took a shoebox, placed the sandals in it, and slipped it into another shopping bag.

"Miss, the dress and shoes come to fifty-five yuan. Once you've paid, you can enter the prize draw." Shen Moxi handed her the two bags.

Then she took a receipt book from her shoulder bag, wrote down the amount and the types of items purchased, and tore off two copies for her. "When you go to the register, give one to the young man there and keep the other."

"All right. I pay at that counter, right?" The young woman saw that someone was already paying there.

"Yes. I'll take you over." Shen Moxi extended a hand to guide her over.

The young woman handed the receipt to Shen Tao. He took it, checked it, and smiled. "Comrade, that's fifty-five yuan altogether. Once you've paid, you can draw a prize from this box."

The young woman nodded, took money from her bag, counted out fifty-five yuan, and handed it to him. "I can draw now, right?"

Shen Tao took it with a smile. "Yes, comrade. I hope you win first prize."

The young woman went up to the prize draw box, rubbed her hands together, then reached one hand inside and felt around. She pulled out a slip and slowly unfolded it.