The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 816 Liu Mantun's Entrepreneurial History in Business!
After inspecting the work of the Second Guard Division, Liu Zhiye took some time to go back to his old house to visit his family.

Over the years, although he and his wife moved into the headquarters compound for work purposes and enjoyed the generous living conditions provided by the organization, Liu Zhiye has always missed the courtyard house that holds countless memories.

Whenever Liu Zhiye steps into the old house, looking at the familiar courtyard layout and smelling the fragrance emanating from the old locust tree in the courtyard, he feels an indescribable sense of peace.

Every brick and tile here records his growth, and every corner holds the laughter of his family.

Now, Liu Zhiye, who is over fifty years old, often stares blankly at the grape trellis in his yard.

After dedicating most of his life to the revolutionary cause, he began to look forward to a leisurely life after retirement—planting flowers and plants in the yard, playing chess with his old neighbors, or taking his grandchildren for a stroll in the alley, enjoying the simple joys of family life like that of an ordinary person.

Over the years, as Liu Zhiye's position has been continuously promoted, his time has become increasingly precious, and even it has become difficult for his family to see him.

As time goes by, Liujiazhuang is no longer what it used to be.

Strolling along the familiar streets, Liu Zhiye often felt a sense of unfamiliarity—the place retained the appearance of his memories, yet exuded a brand-new atmosphere.

Time has taken away too many familiar faces.

Few of my grandfather's generation remain, and the figures of my father Liu Jingzhai and my uncle's generation are also becoming increasingly rare.

Most of the older generation who fought alongside Liujiazhuang, such as Lei Laoliu, the "Yangshi Lei," have passed away.

Today, Liujiazhuang is undergoing tremendous changes.

Skyscrapers rise from the ground, and modern facilities are readily available, showcasing the grandeur and style of an international metropolis.

The only thing that still brings Liu Zhiye some comfort is that part of the old area on the west bank of Liujiazhuang still retains his memories.

Liu Zhiye sometimes lamented that people start to reminisce as they get older.

Pushing open the red-lacquered gate, Liu Zhiye found that the old pomegranate tree in the yard was still lush and leafy, but there were a few more marks of time on the trunk.

His wife, Gan Ning, was tending to the newly planted roses under the grape trellis. When she saw him return, she quickly put down the shovel and came to greet him: "Old Liu, why didn't you say hello when you came back today?"

"Hehe, I didn't have time to report to the 'organization,' where's Mom?"

The familiar aroma of soy sauce wafted from the kitchen; it turned out that his elderly mother, Deng Ru, was stewing his favorite braised pork.

Hearing the noise, the nearly ninety-year-old man peeked out shakily: "Oh dear, Zhiye is back? I'll call your dad right away, that old man's gone fishing again..." Liu Zhiye's eyes welled up with tears, he could tell that Old Ma missed him very much.

"Hehehe, Mom, don't rush. Please sit down, let's talk for a while." Liu Zhiye quickly went over to help Deng Ru.

"Okay, okay, Zhiye, Mom misses you. I don't know why, but these past few days I've been dreaming about your grandma, grandpa, uncle, aunt... and all the old ladies in our neighborhood, like the first and third aunts..."

"Sigh! I wonder if it's time for me to see Mom too..."

"Mom, no, you will definitely live to be a hundred years old." Liu Zhiye looked at his mother's full head of white hair and aged face, and felt very sad.

He was furious at how quickly time had flown by.

These past few days, Liu Zhiye put aside everything and spent a good few days at home with his parents.

Then, he and his wife Gan Ning strolled through the old town of Liujiazhuang, searching for memories in the familiar yet unfamiliar streets.

The lives of the people in Liujiazhuang have indeed changed dramatically in recent years, and the old town has become almost unrecognizable.

The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, but the alleys on the east and west banks of the Yongding River in Liujiazhuang were already filled with the breath of life.

The cooing of pigeons across the sky, along with the shouts of breakfast vendors, create a unique symphony in this old town.

Grandpa Liu Mantun is just an ordinary note in this symphony.

He is over sixty years old this year, but he is still strong and energetic. His daily routine is to carry his cloth bag and stroll to Yongdong Riverside Park to practice a set of flowing Tai Chi with a group of old friends.

Grandpa Liu always had a calm and serene smile on his face, as if the years had not left him with vicissitudes, but with wisdom.

The neighbors all enjoyed chatting with Grandpa Wang. He had a very good temper and could always use a few simple words to ease people's worries.

Xiao Wang, a young man who had recently moved into the neighboring courtyard, works at some kind of internet company in the East Coast District. He leaves early and returns late every day, under immense pressure. Seeing how leisurely Grandpa Liu is, he feels both envious and curious.

That morning, Xiao Wang got up very early and happened to run into Grandpa Liu at the alley entrance, who was about to go out.

"Uncle Liu, have you eaten yet? How many years have you been practicing Tai Chi?" Xiao Wang asked with a grin, rubbing his hands together.

Grandpa Liu smiled with his eyes narrowed: "It's been almost a dozen years since I retired."

He patted Xiao Wang on the shoulder, "Young man, want to come with me to the park?"

"It's done!"

In the park, the morning light filters through the leaves of the plane trees and falls on the bluestone slabs.

Grandpa Liu stood among a group of elderly people, performing the starting posture, cloud hands, and palm push, his movements as smooth as flowing water.

Standing to the side, watching the old man's relaxed posture, Xiao Wang suddenly felt the pent-up frustration in his chest slowly dissipate with the old man's movements.

"This boxing style is all about 'relaxation'," said Grandpa Liu, wiping his sweat after finishing his practice. "Your body needs to be relaxed, and your mind even more so. You young people always tend to be too tense."

Xiao Wang nodded thoughtfully.

Just then, a sparrow landed on Grandpa Liu's shoulder. The old man didn't chase it away, but just smiled and took out a few grains of millet from his cloth bag.

Sunlight shone on his wrinkled face, each wrinkle seemingly filled with the serenity of time.

"Shall we come together for coaching tomorrow?" Grandpa Liu asked as he was leaving.

"Alright, then please take me with you, sir." Looking into the old man's gentle eyes, Xiao Wang nodded solemnly.

From then on, the father and son became acquainted and "friends".

That afternoon, Grandpa Liu sat on a small stool in front of his courtyard, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan, watching the passersby.

When Xiao Wang got home from get off work, he greeted the old man with a tired look on his face: "Grandpa, taking a break again? I really envy your life."

Grandpa Liu smiled and pointed to another stool next to him: "Tired? Sit down for a while."

Xiao Wang plopped down and sighed deeply: "Sigh, in our line of work, we risk our lives for money. Unlike you, you just collect your pension when it's time to retire, so peaceful."

Hearing this, Aunt Zhang chimed in, "Little Wang, you don't know, Old Liu doesn't have a pension."

"Huh?" Xiao Wang's eyes widened like saucers. "No pension? Then... then you live a more comfortable life than those of us with salaries! How do you do that?"

As soon as the question was raised, several neighbors who were cooling off gathered around and all turned their curious eyes toward Liu Mantun.

Yes, in this era where not having a pension feels like the sky is falling, how can an old person live so dignifiedly, or even so gracefully?

Everyone knows that Grandpa Liu leads a regular life and is kind to others, but no one knows his source of income.

Liu Mantun did not answer directly. He slowly sipped his tea, his gaze fixed on the old locust tree at the entrance of the alley, his eyes full of stories.

His composure and the curiosity of the crowd created a wonderful tension, as if a long-sealed door was about to be slowly pushed open, behind which lay an astonishing secret spanning thirty years.

At that moment, everyone held their breath, waiting for him to reveal the answer.

Let's turn back time thirty years and return to the 1970s, a time full of opportunities and changes.

Back then, Liu Mantun was not the carefree old man he is now, but rather a section chief in his prime, full of vigor and ambition.

He held an important position in a large, highly profitable factory in Liujiazhuang, where he managed a key business department.

In those days, a household with 10,000 yuan was still a rarity in other places, but Wang Mantun's monthly income had already firmly reached the threshold of 10,000 yuan. This was not just a salary, but a symbol of status, a secure "golden rice bowl".

Back then, the various enterprises and institutions in Liujiazhuang provided housing with generous benefits, and people were respected wherever they went.

The welfare and salary benefits in Liujiazhuang are really high. According to statistics, it ranks first in the country, far higher than that in Shanghai.

In other places, a monthly salary of three to five hundred yuan is considered a high wage, but here the average is three to five thousand yuan.

Back then, people would fight tooth and nail to get a spot as an ordinary worker in the Liujiazhuang Development Zone.

It's like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each displaying their unique abilities.

Every time major companies in Liujiazhuang expand their recruitment, it causes a sensation in the surrounding provinces and cities of Yanjing.

In the eyes of his relatives and friends, Liu Mantun's life had reached its peak, and he was the envy of everyone.

His wife, Gao Xiulan, also works at a public institution in Liujiazhuang. Their son has just started junior high school. It's a perfectly happy family.

However, just when everyone thought he would continue down this promising path, Liu Mantun made a decision that left everyone speechless—he resigned.

The news caused an uproar at the workplace.

"Are you crazy? Giving up such a good job?"

"Did you offend someone?"

"Someone outside must be trying to poach him with a high salary!" Various speculations abound.

It's easy to imagine how few people would understand Liu Mantun's sudden resignation.

Liu Mantun's immediate supervisor, Factory Director Wang, personally spoke with him, earnestly persuading him for three hours, discussing everything from the company's prospects to personal development, from family responsibilities to social status, but Liu Mantun only smiled and shook his head.

"Factory Director, thank you for your guidance," Liu Mantun said calmly, but his eyes were unusually firm. "I just feel that life shouldn't only be lived in this one way."

Factory Director Wang couldn't understand and slammed his fist on the table, saying, "What do you mean there's more than one way to live? You're living the best way you can right now! So many people are fighting tooth and nail to get in, and you're walking right out!"

There was even greater resistance at home.

Gao Xiulan's eyes were red from crying, and her parents were so angry they couldn't speak.

The old father pointed his finger at him and scolded, "Are you trying to push this family into a fire pit? Have you had enough of a peaceful life? Why do you have to cause trouble?"

Liu Mantun went through a painful internal struggle before making this decision. He understood his family's concerns, but the voice in his heart became clearer and clearer.

He felt that job was like a gilded cage—safe, but also imprisoning his soul.

The repetitive work he did every day, and the prospect of retirement that he could see all along, filled him with a sense of inexplicable panic.

Liu Mantun yearns to create and to control his own destiny, rather than becoming a stable cog in a giant machine.

He wanted to see what kind of world he could create with his own hands and mind.

Ultimately, Liu Mantun submitted his resignation despite everyone's objections.

As Liu Mantun walked out of the company gate, he looked back at the familiar office building. He felt no reluctance, only an unprecedented sense of ease and anticipation for the unknown.

Liu Mantun knew that this was not only a career change, but also a huge gamble on his life, with everything he had at stake.

The days after resigning were far more difficult than Liu Mantun had imagined.

Without a stable source of income, the family's expenses suddenly became a struggle.

The gazes of those around him shifted from envy to sympathy and incomprehension, and even some schadenfreude.

Those colleagues who used to be on friendly terms with Liu Mantun now just nod awkwardly when they meet and quickly walk away.

During that period, even the air felt bitter, filled with doubt and self-doubt.

Liu Mantun had no time for sentimentality; he devoted all his energy to exploring the world of entrepreneurship.

He tried many different things, including dealing in clothing, selling electronic products, and even thinking about opening a small restaurant.

Although the tide of reform and opening up was surging, for someone who had never been to sea before, every step was like stepping into a swamp, sometimes deep, sometimes shallow, and he could be swallowed up at any moment.

Countless sleepless nights, Liu Mantun studied the market, analyzed policies, and calculated costs under a solitary lamp.

The study was filled with all sorts of newspapers and books, covered with dense markings.

Although Gao Xiulan initially objected, seeing her husband's persistence and hard work, she eventually chose to silently support him.

She took on all the housework, cared for the children, and lived frugally, using her resilience as a woman to support this family in its precarious situation.

Failure is commonplace.

Liu Mantun's first batch of fashionable bell-bottoms imported from the south ended up piling up in the warehouse because he didn't understand the Beijing market, resulting in a huge loss.

He wanted to open a restaurant and even found a suitable shop, but due to procedural issues, he couldn't get the permits approved and eventually gave up.

During that period, Liu Mantun lost a full twenty pounds, and his temples turned gray prematurely.

During the most difficult times, he even wavered and doubted whether his choice was really wrong.

On a snowy winter night, Liu Mantun sat alone in the empty warehouse, looking at the unsold goods, his heart filled with despair.

He remembered Director Wang's advice and his parents' worries, and a huge sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.

However, just when Liu Mantun was about to give up, a chance opportunity arose.

He learned through a friend that at that time, handicrafts produced by some small factories in China were very popular abroad, but they did not have export channels.

Liu Mantun keenly realized that this might be a breakthrough.

He didn't understand foreign languages, so he went to the night school in Liujiazhuang to learn; he didn't understand foreign trade procedures, so he studied the books one by one.

Liu Mantun rode a Cc-50 motorcycle made in Liujiazhuang, traveling to dozens of small factories in Liujiazhuang and the surrounding areas of Yanjing. With his sincerity and perseverance, he persuaded several factory managers to let him give it a try.

Although this project was small, it was like a ray of light, illuminating his path forward.

Liu Mantun's life has entered a completely new chapter through these restarts and attempts.

He didn't know what the future held, but he knew he was walking a path that truly belonged to him.

Although doing foreign trade improved Liu Mantun's life, the hardships and uncertainties in the process made him realize that relying solely on a business to withstand risks is far from enough.

Tight cash flow, credit issues with overseas clients, policy changes—any mistake in any of these areas could send him back to square one.

This experience, unwittingly, opened a new door for Liu Mantun – investment.

Initially, Liu Mantun knew nothing about investing.

This concept was still very distant and vague for most ordinary people at the time.

Liu Mantun only heard bits and pieces about stocks and government bonds from conversations with some business partners.

Unlike those who are keen on short-term speculation and pursue overnight riches, Liu Mantun is an extremely steady and patient person at heart.

Instead of blindly following the trend, he began to systematically learn about financial management, just as he had done when he was studying foreign trade.

(End of this chapter)