North Family Letters

On the day Qiuju's small stall opened, there were no firecrackers or drums. She simply put up a handwritten sign and neatly arranged rows of daily chemical products on the shelves. The clear dish soap and fragrant laundry detergent were clean and labeled, which made people feel comfortable just looking at them.

She remained true to her reliable nature, arriving at the market earliest to open and closing latest every day. She meticulously inventoried each item, clearly marking prices, never engaging in price gouging or shortchanging customers. For regular customers, she would give them an extra couple of sample packs; for hesitant new customers, she would demonstrate the stain-removing effect on the spot, confidently promising a full refund or exchange if it wasn't effective. Gradually, her stall gained a reputation in the wholesale alley. Grocery stores, small supermarkets in the surrounding urban villages, and even vendors in more distant markets, all preferred to source from her, praising Qiuju's honest and reliable products.

Business gradually improved, and she rented a larger room, bringing her second sister, Xiahe, from their hometown to join her. The two sisters worked together; Qiuju went out to meet clients and manage the stall, while her sister-in-law looked after the shop, organized the goods, and checked the accounts. Life was busy yet stable. Qiuju finally had some spare money and was no longer the young girl who clung to all her capital, afraid to let go. Yet, she still dressed simply, ate simply, and never indulged in extravagance. Her sister-in-law would always smile and say to her, "Now that life is better, you should treat yourself better and not always suffer." Qiuju would just shake her head; she knew in her heart that this stability had come too hard to come by and she couldn't afford to squander a single penny.

But as the saying goes, "the taller the tree, the more the wind blows," and Qiu Ju's business became more and more successful, which eventually attracted the envy of others.

Although Boss Zhou was gone, the alleyway for daily chemical wholesalers was never without its share of people peddling secret formulas and engaging in shady dealings. A Boss Zhang, who dealt in raw materials for counterfeit products, saw that Qiu Ju's legitimate products were taking away a lot of customers. He was resentful and, following Boss Zhou's lead, approached Qiu Ju. This man was more shrewd and his methods more subtle than Boss Zhou's. He first brought gifts to her door to build rapport, subtly hinting to Qiu Ju, "Sister, your legitimate products have high costs and low profits. You work yourself to the bone and don't make much money. I have a high-end counterfeit formula. The products I make are exactly the same as the brand-name ones, but the cost is 80% lower. I can sell them for several times the price, and countless bosses are scrambling to buy them. If you cooperate with me, we can take over all the business in this alley, and I guarantee you'll be rolling in money in six months."

Looking at the so-called "high-end secret recipe" in his hand, which was exactly the same as the crumpled piece of paper that Boss Zhou had given her before, Qiu Ju felt nothing but a cold laugh. She knew that counterfeit goods seemed to have high profits, but in reality, they were infringing on intellectual property rights and were illegal, harming consumers. Once investigated, not only would her business be ruined, but she would also have to bear legal responsibility, which was completely contrary to her commitment to honest business.

She politely but firmly refused, saying, "Mr. Zhang, thank you for your kind words, but I'm not very capable. I only know how to do legitimate business and earn money honestly. I will never touch counterfeit goods. You should find someone else."

When Boss Zhang was rebuffed, his face darkened instantly. With a forced smile, he uttered a harsh remark: "Qiuju, don't push your luck. There are plenty of people in this industry who want to take shortcuts. If you don't cooperate, there are plenty of others who will. Don't regret it later."

Sure enough, trouble came knocking a few days later.

Boss Zhang began to maliciously disrupt the market. He hired people to imitate Qiu Ju's product packaging, producing inferior imitations, which he then sold at low prices. He also spread rumors that Qiu Ju's goods were simply repackaged imitations, overpriced and of mediocre quality. Many unsuspecting small vendors, attracted by the low prices, returned Qiu Ju's goods and went to buy Boss Zhang's inferior products instead. Suddenly, Qiu Ju's stall saw a sharp decline in business; the once bustling customers became sparse, and her income dwindled day by day.

Looking at the deserted stall, the second sister was so anxious that blisters appeared on her lips. She grabbed Qiuju's hand and said, "Why don't we lower the price? Or reason with him? We can't just let him bully us like this." Qiuju held her sister's hand firmly, her eyes calm but resolute: "Sister, we can't lower the price. Lowering the price would break the rules, and we can't sell inferior goods like him. We earn our money honestly. A temporary slowdown is nothing. Sooner or later, customers will see the difference between good and bad."

During that time, Qiuju was busier than ever. She took the product qualifications and quality inspection reports and went to each of her old customers one by one, patiently explaining and re-demonstrating the quality of the products. She compared her products with Boss Zhang's inferior products, letting customers see the difference with their own eyes—the inferior dishwashing liquid was as thin as water, had poor cleaning power, and had a pungent odor, while her products were thick, cleaned effectively, had a mild fragrance, and did not irritate the skin.

Some old customers were moved by her sincerity and came back to buy goods. They also advised her, "Qiuju, there are too many crooked paths in this industry. It's not easy for you to stick to your principles. We trust you and will cooperate with you in the future." However, many customers were tempted by low prices and remained hesitant. Qiuju never forced them. She just quietly did her job, ensuring the quality of each batch of goods and providing excellent after-sales service.

As if things weren't going to go wrong, just as Qiuju was busy trying to win back her clients, an even bigger crisis quietly approached.

Mr. Zhang's substandard counterfeit products, due to substandard raw materials and excessive chemical content, caused skin allergies in some customers after being sold to a supermarket, leading to complaints to the market supervision department. Following the leads, the staff located Mr. Zhang's workshop, immediately seized the substandard raw materials and counterfeit products, confiscated all illegal gains, blacklisted him from the industry, and completely expelled him from the Guangzhou wholesale market.

However, after being investigated, Boss Zhang harbored malicious intentions and falsely accused Qiu Ju of being in cahoots with him and selling counterfeit goods. Rumors quickly spread, even causing some long-time customers to become suspicious, and the stall's business plummeted. Qiu Ju was taken in to cooperate with the investigation, producing all her purchase receipts, quality inspection reports, and sales ledgers—each entry, page by page, clearly documented through legitimate channels, with no irregularities whatsoever.

Looking at the box full of receipts and verifying all the sources of goods, the investigators gave Qiuju a thumbs up: "Young lady, we've checked. This is a legitimate business, compliant throughout. Don't worry, those rumors are unfounded."

On the day the truth came to light, Qiu Ju walked out of the regulatory department. The Guangzhou sun shone warmly on her. Looking up at the blue sky and white clouds, tears she had held back for so long finally fell. These weren't tears of grievance, but tears of relief. From being ostracized by Boss Zhou to being framed by Boss Zhang, she had persevered through countless hardships, but ultimately never lost her principles and never strayed from the crooked path.

When the news reached the wholesale alley, customers who had been misled by the inferior goods came to apologize and renew their long-term supply agreements with Qiuju. They said, "Qiuju, we were foolish and greedy for small gains. We almost misjudged you. From now on, we'll only buy from your store; we feel safe and secure with your products."

After this incident, Qiu Ju's reputation spread throughout Guangzhou's daily chemical wholesale industry. Everyone knew that there was a girl from out of town named Qiu Ju who was honest, trustworthy, and never took shortcuts; all the goods she sold were of high quality. More and more customers came to her stall, which grew bigger and bigger. Later, she simply rented a larger storefront at the entrance of the alley, hired two workers to help her, and transformed from a small vendor into a well-known daily chemical wholesaler.

Looking at the booming business, the second sister smiled and said to Qiuju, "We said back then that we shouldn't be greedy for quick money, we shouldn't touch secret recipes, and we should do things steadily. We were right." Qiuju picked up the note that she had treasured for many years and that had been worn soft. The word "steady" was still clear on it. She gently stroked it, feeling a mix of emotions.

She often thought of the secret recipe paper that Boss Zhou had handed her, and of those who peddled shortcuts and swindled money. They seemed to have seized the opportunity to get rich, but in the end, their stalls were shut down and their reputations were ruined. The so-called secret recipe was ultimately just a pipe dream, a fleeting joy. But she, relying on taking one step at a time, on integrity and perseverance, truly put down roots in this bustling city and lived a stable and peaceful life.

Later, Qiuju settled down in Guangzhou and brought her parents from her hometown to live with her. Together, the two sisters expanded their business and became agents for legitimate daily chemical brands. They no longer had to brave the elements to distribute their products or suffer from the exclusion and difficulties faced by their competitors. But she never forgot the hardships she had endured, nor the secret formula that had almost led her astray. She often told those around her, "There is no such thing as a get-rich-quick scheme. The real secret is to work diligently, be honest, and stay true to yourself. Only then can you go far and stand firm."

As time went by, Guangzhou's wholesale alleys saw a constant stream of vendors. Some came, some left; some made a quick buck through shady dealings, while others stood the test of time through honest perseverance. Qiu Ju's stall remained steadily open at the alley entrance, her goods still neatly arranged, her prices still fair. She became a respected elder in the alley.

That secret recipe that once both captivated and alarmed her has long since vanished with the tides of time, becoming nothing more than fleeting smoke, carried away by those who sought shortcuts. Qiu Ju, through her life, proved the simplest truth: all the fleeting success achieved through shortcuts is ultimately futile; only diligent, down-to-earth work brings lasting rewards.