Pregnant and Pampered: The Heiress in a Military Compound

So, the female director said no more.

Instead, she watched as Wang Shumei followed Xie Changning’s directions, arranging the unpatterned porcelain on the stall.

"Shumei, put out four rice bowls, two plates, four ceramic spoons, one fish platter, and one slightly larger bowl," Xie Changning instructed Wang Shumei, basing the combination on a dinnerware set she had bought in her past life.

After they had brought all the requested pieces to her, Xie Changning added, "Two of the rice bowls and the fish platter should be celadon gray."

Then, using the display stands at Wang Shumei’s stall, she arranged a full dinnerware set.

The minimalist set, with its white and blue-gray combination, looked quite distinctive among the surrounding porcelain when viewed from a distance.

"This set is 25 US Dollars. Got it?"

"Huh?"

Xie Changning’s words left Wang Shumei stunned.

A 45-piece, decal-decorated dinnerware set only cost 50 to 150 yuan, and even a 92-piece Jingdezhen porcelain set was only a few dozen US Dollars!

How could this small, unpatterned set with only a few pieces cost 25 US Dollars?

Wang Shumei looked at Xie Changning, not daring to make a sound.

"If someone asks, the absolute minimum price is 20 US Dollars. This dinnerware is targeted at the mid-to-high-end market. Abroad, a 45-piece, mid-to-high-end porcelain dinnerware set costs 150 to 400 US Dollars."

Of course, that was the price for top-tier bone china.

However, that wasn’t Xie Changning’s concern. She just needed to tell Wang Shumei the price. How it sold was something for the foreigners to worry about.

Wang Shumei looked at the various sets arranged before her.

The price of every set was dozens of US Dollars higher than what she used to sell them for, all under the fancy name of a "high-end strategy."

Wang Shumei: "..." ’As a simple worker, I really have no idea what a "high-end strategy" is!’

’This stuff is divided into high-end and low-end?’

’Foreign things are just so unnecessarily fancy!’

While Wang Shumei was complaining internally, she still committed the prices Xie Changning had stated to memory and had the others memorize them as well.

The others who had come along felt their futures darken.

’Our stall was already struggling to get started, and now no one will even bother to ask...’

Just as Wang Shumei’s staff were grumbling to themselves, a few blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners suddenly appeared at her stall, chattering away in a language they couldn’t understand.

They seemed to be discussing something.

Xie Changning turned and asked them in fluent French, "Hello, can I help you?"

Wang Shumei knew that Xie Changning could speak a foreign language, but she had never heard it herself.

Hearing it now, Wang Shumei’s jaw nearly dropped. No wonder Old Wang and Old Li both praised Xie Changning’s foreign language skills. This wasn’t just ’good,’ was it?

It was incredible!

’Look at her speed—not a bit slower than those foreigners. You can tell just by listening how amazing she is!’

(Xie Changning: ’Sister Shumei, your criteria for judging foreign language proficiency is pretty amazing too.’)

Xie Changning hadn’t expected the first foreigners to visit their stall would be the romantic people from France.

"Hello, we’d like to ask about the price of your dinnerware."

"A 12-piece set is 25 US Dollars, and a 52-piece set is 75 US Dollars."

Xie Changning’s words made the people from France frown. They asked, "Aren’t sets usually 45-piece or 92-piece? Why does your stall have a 52-piece set?"

"In our country, the number 52 sounds like ’I love you.’ It’s a number meant for gifting to a lover or someone you’re close to."

Xie Changning was spouting nonsense with a straight face.

It had to be said, Xie Changning’s fabricated story was convincing enough that the people from France started to believe her tall tale. They found the idea of a 52-piece set novel and very appealing!

"The suggested retail price is 131.40 US Dollars."

"Oh? Does this number have a special meaning too?"

"Selling a 52-piece set for 131.40 US Dollars symbolizes ’loving you for a lifetime’."

The people from France launched into a frantic discussion. Afterward, one of the women looked at Xie Changning and said, "Miss, we are very sincere about placing a custom order, but your price is too high. We can’t accept it."

Xie Changning sighed regretfully. "In that case, I can only suggest you take a look at the other stalls."

She showed no sign of trying to keep them there.

This left the people from France somewhat incredulous.

’Why isn’t this Chinese woman playing by the usual rules!?’

’In the past, whenever we asked for a discount, these Chinese people would look terrified that we might leave and then slash their prices like crazy. Why is this person different today!?’

The group from France exchanged glances, then turned and nodded to Xie Changning.

"Alright, we’ll go look around some more."

After saying that, the group turned and left.

Xie Changning smiled faintly, then turned to look at the people at Wang Shumei’s stall, especially those with anxious expressions. "Don’t worry, they’ll be back."

As she spoke, Xie Changning looked at Wang Shumei.

"Shumei, my asking price for the 52-piece set is 75 US Dollars, and they’re asking for a lower price. If you’re willing to negotiate, I can call them back for you."

They hadn’t gone far, so it wouldn’t be impossible to call out to them.

Wang Shumei frowned, thinking about the conversation she had just witnessed and the customers’ reactions.

She wasn’t a fool. When the group was leaving, she had noticed that one of them was still watching Xie Changning’s reaction.

That meant they really wanted to buy!

Wang Shumei thought for a moment, then decided to speak to Xie Changning. "Sister, I think you did the right thing. We’re not negotiating!" ’There’s... there’s no reason to discount a mid-to-high-end product!’

’No discounts!’

Wang Shumei’s staff: "..."

’The customers were clearly interested, but our deputy director actually refused to negotiate. Is she out of her mind?’

But with Xie Changning still there, they didn’t dare voice their objections and could only watch helplessly as the customers walked away.

Wang Shumei knew what the people from her factory were grumbling about, but—

’Trust those you employ, and don’t employ those you don’t trust!’

"Director Xie is the person who generated a hundred million US Dollars in foreign exchange. The things she considers are beyond our comprehension. She must have her reasons for doing this."

It was just like before, when she had thought no one would even ask about this porcelain.

No sooner had her words faded than another group of foreigners appeared at the stall, and again, Xie Changning was the one to receive them.

People from all different countries appeared at the stall, and all of them were scared off by the prices.

With no sales, the comrades at Wang Shumei’s stall grew very anxious.

"Sister, I’m really troubling you. You should be resting at the guest house, but I had to call you over to be a translator." Wang Shumei felt very guilty; after all, the other woman was eight months pregnant!

At some point, Wang Shumei had prepared a chair for Xie Changning.

But it was so busy that Xie Changning had no time to sit. It wasn’t until the crowd finally dispersed that Wang Shumei was able to place the chair behind Xie Changning.

"If we succeed in earning foreign currency, it will all be worth it."