Chapter 33
Perhaps it was because business in the shop had been poor recently, and she had nothing to do, or perhaps it was because this girl was interesting. Shopkeeper Liu led her to the inner room to discuss. Because Ning Dalang was a man, he waited outside. The waiter was also easy to get along with. After bringing him to sit down, he especially poured him a cup of tea.
Ning Dalang thanked the waiter, neither servile nor overbearing, but he was very puzzled. What else did his sister want to talk to the shopkeeper about? In the past, he thought that he knew his sister well enough. When he came out today, he realized she was much bolder than the two brothers thought.
How she shouted the price just now shocked him so much that he broke out in a cold sweat. No wonder people said that newborns were not afraid of everything. His sister was considered innocent and cute.
Ning Xiaoxiao was holding a snack and looking at Shopkeeper Liu, who was opposite her. Shopkeeper Liu’s face was filled with joy. “Do you still have this?”
Just now, Xiaoxiao had drawn a cartoon version of a tiger for her, and Shopkeeper Liu instantly loved it. Her zodiac sign happened to be a tiger, and she had collected all kinds of tiger-related items over the years, but there had never been anything that she loved so much.
Xiaoxiao ate the snacks in a few bites and supported her chin with her hand as she replied, “Yes, I have as much as you want. Do you want it, shopkeeper?”
After the joy, Shopkeeper Liu quickly regained her shrewdness as a businessman. “Do you want to do this type of business with me?” She took a sip of tea and put down the tiger cartoon. “Then do you know I can draw this picture again after seeing it?”
Xiaoxiao’s expression did not change, and Shopkeeper Liu continued, “Others can do the same.”
Xiaoxiao nodded. “Of course, I’ve thought about it.” There were no intellectual property rights in ancient times. If a shop sells this type of thing, the other shops will follow quickly. No one could stop it, but…
“If others copy one, I can draw two. If others copy two, I can draw four. In that case, can’t the shopkeeper firmly grasp the customers’ preference before they copy it?”
Shopkeeper Liu smiled again. “Little girl, you’re not calling me sister anymore?” She pointed at the drawing and asked Xiaoxiao, “Tell me honestly, how many of these drawings do you have?”
Xiaoxiao was a little humble. “Taking out the twelve zodiac signs quickly is not a problem. I can secretly rush to make a batch if you’re interested. When the time comes, you can release and sell them together. Most customers have already bought when the other shops replicate and start selling the goods. The money we can earn and the customers’ interest will naturally belong to the Ruyi Clothing Shop.”
Shopkeeper Liu confirmed that this girl was good at doing business. The two of them discussed and used an hour to finalize a contract. The general content was that Xiaoxiao and the Ruyi Clothing Shop had collaborated to create a new style with the theme of the Twelve Zodiacs.
As this drawing could not be kept a secret for too long, Shopkeeper Liu paid five taels of silver first. After the contract was established, Xiaoxiao could not sell the drawing to anyone else. It was the twelve zodiac sign, and dragon totems related to saints could not be used. Xiaoxiao returned the favor by exempting the tiger cartoon from the silver. Hence, if this transaction was successful, she could get fifty taels of silver.
The other supplementary content was to get Madam Song to help embroider a batch of tiger cartoon embroidery. There was no limit to the quantity. If it was good-looking, they would accept it. One piece would cost twenty copper coins, and the larger piece would cost fifty or more. Additionally, the Ruyi Clothing Shop would provide the needle and thread for the sake of the embroidery’s quality.
After negotiating the deal, Xiaoxiao walked out of the room valiantly and spiritedly, making Shopkeeper Liu want to laugh.
