Ruling the Historical Romance Novel as the Female Supporting Character-Chapter 365: Unique Colorful Posters

The headband was the same as before; she didn’t want to reveal most of her designs right at the start of the factory. They still needed to see how the factory would perform.

"The black-and-white images look good, but I can’t imagine what the actual product would be like," Zhu Zirui said honestly. Since receiving the call, he had researched all the hair accessories at the supply and marketing cooperative and the black market. However, using such small shells to create items exceeded his expectations.

"I can show you the headband," Su Yijia said, putting on one she had prepared earlier. Despite not trying too hard to dress up, her outstanding looks made her far more attractive than anyone who had been meticulously styled, enhancing the headband’s appeal.

"If we could display promotional photos at the supply and marketing cooperative or the counter, they would definitely sell well," Zhu Zirui remarked. The posters at movie theaters showcasing stars’ hairstyles and outfits often drew people in. Although his sister-in-law wasn’t a movie star, she was just as beautiful, and putting her poster up would surely have a significant impact. However, with how jealous Kaize could be, even suggesting this might lead to trouble.

"Your idea is good, but for these accessories, color is just as important as design. The conch shells reflect vibrant colors in the light, and their natural hues are key," Su Yijia said, frowning slightly. They didn’t even have color photos now, let alone video advertisements. While records showed that colored photos existed in the country thirty to forty years ago, none could be found now.

"It’s not a problem. There are skilled artisans who can colorize photos—there are two or three in Hu City who are very good. The gloss might be slightly less, but they can reproduce the colors with about ninety-five percent accuracy, though it’s a bit pricey," Zhu Zirui mentioned, already considering solutions.

Su Yijia was surprised. She truly didn’t know such technology existed at this time. "How expensive is it?" she asked, intrigued.

Taking a black-and-white photo costs about a yuan, but to make it suitable for a poster, it should be at least A4 size. The price would likely be three or four times higher.

"For regular photos, if you want an artisan to color them, it’s around five yuan each, and they need two to three days. If you want it enlarged, the cost might be about ten yuan, plus the photo fee, totaling around fifteen yuan per photo," Zhu Zirui calculated quickly.

A glimmer of joy sparked in Su Yijia’s eyes. "That’s much cheaper than I expected! We can first test it in the big cities. Jingdu City and Hu City have similar consumption levels, and the girls in Hu City love to dress up more. We can compare those two cities. Let’s put up a few posters in Jingdu City while selling normally in Hu City and see if there’s a difference. We can make four posters for four accessories, which will cost us sixty yuan. If it goes well, we can negotiate for a discount with those artisans for larger orders."

"That’s indeed the best approach, but..." Zhu Zirui paused, glancing towards the kitchen. After confirming that Qin Kaize wouldn’t be back soon, he continued, "Kaize won’t let you take those photos where everyone can see them."

Before Kaize married, they thought he would be a generous husband. But now, considering how protective he was of his wife, he was anything but.

Su Yijia chuckled helplessly. "Of course, it can’t be me. We can find a pretty girl and pay her to help with the photos."

She couldn’t be exposed in either Hu City or Jingdu City. If she looked too much like her mother, what if Mu Xiaowei and Wang Fengsong took notice and targeted her?

"Alright, I’ll start recruiting and look for suitable women," Zhu Zirui nodded, agreeing. Although he believed another woman wouldn’t have the same effect as his sister-in-law, it was the only option.

"By the way, how do we collect the shells? Should the factory workers collect them, or let the island residents do it?" Zhu Zirui asked.

"You decide," Su Yijia replied, not wanting to influence his thoughts unless he was uncertain and needed suggestions. She wanted a partner who could contribute actively, not someone who merely followed her orders.

"Let the island residents collect them. The children not in school, the elderly, and the women who can’t go out to sea can earn some extra income at home," Zhu Zirui suggested, aligning with Su Yijia’s thoughts.

She smiled inwardly, satisfied, and turned back two pages in her notebook, noting the sizes of the shells. There were three sizes for the shells, while the conchs only had two. The quantity of conchs would only amount to one-twentieth of the shells. These would merely be for decoration, not the main material.

The price for the larger conchs was eight cents for ten pounds, and the smaller ones were five cents per pound. The shells were priced at twelve cents for the large, ten cents for the medium, and eight cents for the small. Plus, both conchs and shells needed to be undamaged.

This way, the islanders could sort them as they collected, saving the workers time later. Of course, quality inspectors would still be needed.

"The dishes are ready; let’s eat," Qin Kaize announced, entering with two plates of food.

Seeing Zhu Zirui and his wife deeply engaged in conversation, his expression darkened. Thankfully, Su Yijia anticipated his mood and quickly wrapped up the topic, moving to his side.

"Thanks for your hard work, dear."

Her sweet voice melted away Kaize’s irritation, brightening his mood instantly.

"It’s no trouble at all; as long as you enjoy it," he said, a smile playing on his lips.

Su Yijia attempted to link arms with him to help in the kitchen, but he gently pushed her back into her chair.

"Just wait here while I serve the dishes."

"But I want to be close to you," she pouted, tugging at his shirt.

Her innocent demeanor stirred something in Kaize, making him grumble silently, calling her a little enchantress in his mind.

He bent down, wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting her effortlessly, almost cradling her as he headed for the kitchen.

Zhu Zirui kept his head down the moment Kaize entered with the dishes, focusing intently on his notebook to avoid any unwanted attention. He hoped that if Kaize got angry, he wouldn’t be sent off to the guesthouse to sleep.