North Family Letters

The year Qiu Ju's daily chemical company gained a foothold in Guangzhou, the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse (2016) was exceptionally lively. The stall at the alley entrance was replaced by an entire floor of office space, and the shelves were no longer stocked with scattered daily chemical products, but with more than a dozen reputable brands that she personally represented, ranging from household cleaning to personal care, with complete categories and bright labels.

On New Year's Eve, Qiuju and her second sister helped their parents put up Spring Festival couplets on the balcony of their new home. Outside the window, the lights of Guangzhou twinkled. Touching the brand-new furniture, her parents' eyes reddened. "Back then, when you came to Guangzhou with that little bit of capital, we couldn't sleep at night. Now, look how well you've settled down in this big city and become bosses." Qiuju peeled a piece of candy for her mother and said with a smile, "It's all thanks to hard work. There's no luck involved."

On her desk, the worn-out note still lay there, the word "steadfast" etched a deeper brown by the passage of time. Young employees often asked her curiously, "Mr. Qiu, so many people took shortcuts to make quick money back then, why weren't you tempted?" Qiu Ju would always pick up that note and slowly say, "I've seen people get rich through secret recipes only to collapse overnight, and I've also starved myself in the market with nothing to show for it. Shortcuts may seem closer, but they're often traps; only by taking steady steps can you broaden your path."

On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the day businesses reopened, the old vendors from the wholesale alley made a special trip to visit the office building. Mr. Wang, who had been tricked into returning goods by Mr. Zhang years ago, brought his homemade rice wine and said apologetically, "Mr. Qiu, I was blind back then and almost ruined your reputation. Now your company is growing bigger and bigger, and my family's grocery store still relies on you for supplies. I really admire your honesty and integrity."

Qiuju warmly invited everyone to have tea and chatted about the turmoil of the past. Now, she was only calm and said, "It's all in the past. In the end, I still have to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to prove myself. Now, when young people in the alley ask me for business advice, I tell them, never get involved in counterfeit products or secret recipes. Although you may earn money slowly with legitimate products, it's more stable."

She kept her word and spearheaded the establishment of the "Daily Chemical Integrity Alliance" within the industry association, uniting legitimate wholesalers to combat inferior counterfeit products and providing sourcing guidance and qualification verification for newcomers. Gradually, fewer and fewer people in the wholesale alley relied on shady practices to survive, and more and more vendors followed Qiuju's lead in doing legitimate business, changing the entire atmosphere of the alley.

Second Sister Xiahe's son was admitted to a top middle school in Guangzhou. On the first day of school, Qiuju gave him a new schoolbag and told him, "You must be diligent in your studies and even more diligent in your life. Don't think about taking shortcuts." Her nephew nodded vigorously, "Auntie, I remember! You are my role model."

As the days went by, Qiuju's business became increasingly successful, yet she never lost her simple nature. She still frequently visited the stall, squatted in front of the shelves to check prices, and handed out samples to customers, just like before; she still wore simple cotton and linen clothes, preferred home-style dishes from the alleyway, and never had the slightest airs of a boss.

At an industry summit, someone asked her to share her success story. Qiu Ju didn't talk about complicated business models; instead, she took out that worn-out note and said, "I don't have any great skills in my life. I just stick to two words—honesty and integrity. Be honest in your products and in your character, and your business will last. Those so-called secrets to getting rich overnight are always fleeting. What truly stands the test of time is integrity and perseverance."

Applause erupted from the audience, including young people just starting out, seasoned vendors who had been working in the industry for many years, and even those who had previously doubted her. Looking at the determination in Qiu Ju's eyes, everyone suddenly understood that her ability to settle down in Guangzhou was not due to luck, but rather because she had "steadfastness" ingrained in her very being.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival of the Bingwu year, Qiuju, along with her family and employees, enjoyed the moon on the company rooftop. Mooncakes and fruit were laid out on the table, and the Pearl River shone brightly in the distance. Her second sister laughed and said, "If we had partnered with Boss Zhang back then, who knows what would have happened to us now. You were right." Qiuju gazed at the night sky and softly replied, "It's not that I'm right, it's that my reasoning is sound. Taking shortcuts may seem like a glamorous path, but it's ultimately futile; taking steady steps, even if slow, will eventually lead to the light."

A breeze carries the mist from the Pearl River, and the note pressed under the glass, with the word "steadfast" clearly visible under the light, becomes even more significant. It is no longer just a reminder, but a reflection of Qiu Ju's life, and a piece of advice she left for those who come after her.

Guangzhou's wholesale markets have seen generation after generation of people come and go, but Qiuju's company has always stood firmly at the forefront of the industry. Her story has become a legend in the daily chemical industry, and the saying "There is no secret to getting rich overnight, only down-to-earth hard work" has been passed down from generation to generation in the winds of Guangzhou, along with her name.

Those secret recipes that once tempted her have long since vanished with time; but the stability and longevity she gained through perseverance are like the Pearl River in Guangzhou, flowing gently year after year.