2003: Starting with Foreign Trade

Chapter 22 Preparation before departure
Ningbo is a coastal city whose economy mainly relies on industry. It has given birth to countless nationally renowned enterprises, as well as many leading companies in niche industries that I have never heard of before.

Migrant workers and business people from all over the country gather here, and restaurants of all kinds of cuisines spring up like mushrooms after rain.

The two brothers found a restaurant that looked decent, ordered a few stir-fried dishes and two bottles of beer, and that was their celebration.

There were quite a few people dining at this time, and it took a while for all the dishes to be prepared.

"Cheers!" Zhang Xupeng said with a smile to Tan Jincheng.

"Cheers!" Tan Jincheng responded with a smile.

It's clear that the two brothers are quite happy; the first deal has a very high probability of being profitable, which is a good start.

Zhang Xupeng downed his drink in one gulp with a flourish, then looked at Tan Jincheng and asked, "What do we do next?"

Tan Jincheng took a leisurely sip and said, "There shouldn't be anything going on tomorrow. Let's see if the real estate agent will call us to show us the house."

"Should we rent a place? Hotels are quite expensive these days. I asked the workers in the workshop today, and they said a decent room costs three or four hundred yuan."

"Okay, but we don't want to rent one of those, the kind that costs three or four hundred yuan, where it's not even convenient to take a shower."

"Oh, I see. So where should we rent?"

By the end of the day, Zhang Xupeng had gotten used to Tan Jincheng's level of knowledge about Beicang, even knowing small things like that Tianrunfa had shuttle buses that went down to the towns to pick up people.

Anyway, Xiao Tan wouldn't tell me where he got these strange rumors, so I just gave up asking.

"Let's stay nearby. It's convenient to go anywhere and buy things. Besides, there's a university here, which will make it easier for us to find part-time employees in the future."

The accommodation there is quite poor, and the people you come into contact with are mostly elderly people and migrant workers.

If I were to continue running a fast food business like in my previous life, it wouldn't matter where I lived; being closer to my business community would actually be better.

Now that the two are running a foreign trade business, there's no need for them to live in an environment like an urban village anymore.

Living here means you can go shopping and check out the latest styles whenever you have free time. Even if you just stay at the company, it's still better than living in Xiaxi Village.

Save money, but there's no need to save in this area.

Based on his own experience, Tan Jincheng firmly believes that young people just entering the workforce should choose an area that suits their lifestyle when renting a place, rather than simply seeking the cheapest option.

"Then stay here. There are a lot of college students around here, hehe."

"What does it matter to you how many college students there are? We'll talk about it when you're rich."

"What a disappointment! Why don't you just think about it? Hurry up and drink. You're so slow, I'd like to see when you finish this bottle of beer."

"Alright, alright, then you can think about it."

As night fell, the two didn't rush back after dinner. Instead, they strolled slowly along the street to digest their food, which felt quite pleasant.

It would be even better if the person next to you wasn't a strong, dark-skinned man, but a woman.

Nothing was said that night, and the two slept in the next day.

After getting up, Tan Jincheng first called home to report on the situation over the past two days and to reassure his family.

I've been here for two days, and I've been so busy that I haven't called home yet. I'm sure I'll get another scolding.

Calculating the time, Mom's due date is about a month away. In her previous life, Tan Jinyue was born on November 26th, the same day as her father's birthday.

I wonder if it will be the same this time. Meanwhile, Zhang Xupeng is also calling home to report on the past two days, his voice filled with excitement.

There was really nothing much going on today, so after thinking about it, Tan Jincheng decided to go rent a house with Zhang Xupeng.

I remember there's a residential complex opposite Ningbo Vocational College where apartments are frequently available for rent. After Zhang Xupeng finished his call, Tan Jincheng took him to a real estate agency near his complex to inquire.

Upon inquiry, it turned out that there were indeed such places; in the days before housing prices skyrocketed, monthly rent was also not expensive.

A two-bedroom apartment, depending on its size, will typically cost between 700-800 yuan and 1500 yuan in rent.

Size doesn't matter, as long as the basic facilities are complete. I chose a unit with a monthly rent of 1200 yuan and could sign the contract on the same day.

The rent is paid every three months. Including the deposit and agency fee, the total cost is 6000 yuan, 3000 yuan per person, and then we get the keys.

Next, the two cleaned the room again; barring any unforeseen circumstances, this will be their home for a long time to come.

"Let's go buy some more daily necessities tomorrow, and then we'll be ready to check in. We can cancel the hotel reservation then, haha."

Two days is a pretty good time, and Tan Jincheng is very satisfied.

“That’s right. We’ll settle ourselves in these next couple of days, and I’ll be heading to Guangzhou in a few days. You need to get familiar with the environment here as soon as possible, because this place will be in your hands from now on.”

"No problem. I'll wander around first, memorize the main roads, and familiarize myself with the terrain."

"Yes, the roads here are easy to remember. Apart from the small roads, just remember that the main roads are for water and mountains."

"What do you mean?"

"The road we're on now is Lushan Road, you see, it has the character 'mountain' in its name, right? When you get to the end, where it intersects with Lushan Road, that road is called Zhonghe Road, it has the character 'water' in its name, right?"

"Yes, that's right; is this how most main roads are designed?"

"Yes, apart from Dagang Road and Xinda Road, most other main roads are designed like this, with mountains and rivers intertwined. If you remember this, it will be easier for you to find your way."

"So that's how it is. You're quite something, kid. You even discovered this pattern."

If you stay in this place for more than 10 years, it will be hard for you not to notice.

"By the way, when are you going to Guangzhou?" Seeing that Xiao Tan just smiled and didn't say anything, Zhang Xupeng asked again.

"The sooner the better. I'm ready to get the samples. If there are no problems with the samples, I'll set off. If the office space is available, you'll be in charge of keeping an eye on it."

"Okay, but I've never done this before, I'm afraid they'll rip us off."

"We're renting a place today too, the process is pretty much the same; the location shouldn't be too far from where we live now, it just needs to be cheap, a small place is fine."

"Alright then; by the way, do you have enough money? We still need to go to Guangzhou, so how about I give you the rent money first, it's better to be frugal on the road."

"There's still over ten thousand left, that's enough; it's not like we're staying there all the time, how could we possibly spend over ten thousand?"

"I saw on the news online that it seems less safe over there than here; will you be alright going alone?"

"I'm going to attend an exhibition. What could possibly happen if I stay in a hotel? If things don't look right, I'll just run away," Tan Jincheng said nonchalantly.

Actually, I was still a little scared; news reports suggested that the environment there wasn't very friendly during that era.

I have never been there in my past or present life, so I don't know what the situation is like or if anything might happen there.

(End of this chapter)