Development of productivity started in 1981

Chapter 76 Going home for the New Year
After returning to Guangzhou, Wang Jiankun did not stay long. He asked his uncle to help buy a sleeper ticket and checked in his luggage because he had too much stuff to take with him without checking it in.

The train heading north was packed with people. Wang Jiankun saw that the waiting room was crowded with people, each carrying large and small bags. According to his uncle, most of these people had left home to work in Guangzhou and were rushing back home before the New Year.

Xingyao Electronics has also recruited some people to work, but the proportion is not large at present. Most of them are workers left over from the original resistor factory. They are all locals, so they will continue to work until two days before New Year’s Eve, and then resume work on the eighth day of the first lunar month.

Next year, we will add more than ten low-end production lines and three high-end production lines, and recruit thousands of people by then. For some simple jobs, it is definitely more cost-effective to recruit those who come from the south to work, and we will try to only recruit local people who need a certain level of education to be competent for the job.

There will be more trouble when there are more people. Wang Jiankun, who was waiting for the bus in the waiting room, encountered several waves of pickpockets. He could not do much and would use his superpowers to punish those who committed crimes near him.

Some potassium will be extracted from the body of the person who did the action. When some potassium is taken away from the body instantly, the heartbeat will suddenly speed up and the hands and feet will instantly feel weak. The person who was reaching out to the passenger will instantly fall to the ground and be caught on the spot.

The pickpocket at this time has no human rights. He will be beaten up after being caught. When the police come, they will not say much. As long as the pickpocket is not seriously injured, they will generally not punish the people who help catch the pickpocket.

After several groups of pickpockets were caught and beaten up nearby due to their own mistakes, the other pickpockets left the waiting room when they saw the situation was not good.

After waiting for more than an hour, Wang Jiankun checked his ticket and got on the bus. This time he didn't ask his uncle to take him to the station. His uncle was also very busy during this period, with constant meetings. It was also the time for their department to do the year-end summary and distribute fruits, so after helping Wang Jiankun get a taxi, he went back to the company to get busy.

The luggage was checked in, so Wang Jiankun didn't have to worry about it. He could just pick it up when he arrived at Raozhou Railway Station, which saved him a lot of trouble.

The train journey was much calmer because after those waves of pickpockets left, no other gangs dared to come for a while, and Wang Jiankun also slept soundly.

The next day when we arrived at Raozhou Railway Station, Cheng Xing and Cheng Yong came to pick us up. Because we arrived in the morning and my father had not arrived yet, I sent a telegram to Cheng Xing before leaving to ask him to help with unloading the luggage. Unexpectedly, Chen Yong also came.

"Jiankun, why didn't you come to see me when you went to Guangshi, and didn't send me a message when you came back? I only knew from my cousin that you were going back to Raozhou today."

"I was also quite busy over there, and I didn't know how long I would be busy, so I didn't bother you. I thought you would be busy until a day or two before the New Year and would not come back."

"Hey, it's not a big deal. I will definitely make time for you if you go. You and your uncle have helped me a lot."

"Okay, I'll definitely send you a message next time I go there. I haven't told you yet why you came back so early?"

"It's getting late. The New Year is just a few days away. I'll let my local brothers take care of things over there. I still have a lot of accounts to sort out when I get back."

"Oh, let's go back to your wholesale store first. I sent a message to my dad to pick me up there directly."

"Okay, let's go to the check-in point with you to pick up your luggage. I know many people there and will bring your luggage up as quickly as possible."

With the help of the two brothers of the Cheng family, Wang Jiankun came to the lighter wholesale department with five large boxes of luggage.

The wholesale department has now expanded a lot. The one at the back was also bought by Cheng Xing and used as a warehouse. The front storefront has been added to three rooms. One is used as a lighter display counter, one is used as a place for large customers to pay for wholesale, and another is used to display some rare items brought in from the south.

Some are imported, and some are produced by factories in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. For example, Wang Jiankun saw low-end electronic watches produced by Xingyao Electronics.

Wang Jiankun took a look and found that the electronic watch with a factory price of 10 yuan was sold at a retail price of 30 yuan here. In just a short while, several young couples came to buy it, and they bought one for each gender.

Cheng Xing has now hired two people to help run the store, one is responsible for the lighter shop, and the other is responsible for the shop selling rare items.

During the conversation, Wang Jiankun asked about the sales of the electronic watch. Cheng Xing said that since he imported 2 units from Guangzhou half a month ago, they were almost sold out in the past two days. Fortunately, Cheng Yong brought back another 5 units, otherwise there would be none to sell during the New Year.

"Why is this electronic watch selling so well? Can you tell me?"

"This watch is produced by a factory called Xingyao Electronics in Guangzhou. I heard that it was invested by people from Hong Kong and uses foreign technology. The electronic watch it produces looks very high-end, the bracelet and dial are very textured, and the quality is also very good. It is also very accurate, and has an alarm function more than a mechanical watch. Many people who are preparing to get married but don't have enough money to buy watches have come to me to buy this beautiful and practical electronic watch since they learned that I can buy it. Most of them buy one for each of men and women, and they also introduce people to me."

"Then you're making a lot of money selling this for 30, right? The factory price seems to be only 10 yuan, right?"

"Huh? Jiankun, how do you know the factory price? Did you go to Guangshi to wholesale this watch?"

"No, Xingyao Electronics is a joint venture between my uncle and a mainland company, so I know it more clearly."

"Ah? Your uncle? Your family is really amazing. Could it be that the lighter was also provided by your uncle?"

"Well, my uncle helped me a little, so it was easier to buy the equipment. I haven't answered how to sell a watch for 30 yuan. You are making twice as much money!"

"Jiankun, you don't know this. I'm still selling it at a relatively low price. My peers in several big cities in the north sell it for 40 to 50 yuan each, which is much more expensive than mine."

"Why is that? Aren't you afraid of losing business if you sell at such a high price? My uncle also said that he will expand the production line next year, and the output will be 7 or 8 times the current level!"

"That's okay. Some of the machinery for making watches has to be imported from abroad, and the country won't invest too much at once. The production capacity of mechanical watches has not increased, but tens of millions of young people in our country get married every year. Now a pair of watches is a must for a wedding set. It is a rigid demand. Many people borrow money to buy watches for their weddings, so there is no need to worry about the sales of watches."

"Yes, Jiankun, let your uncle's factory increase its production capacity. We will be able to purchase more goods then. The 5 we purchase now can't last for a month, and this is only my store that sells them in retail." Cheng Xing also said.

"My uncle has already made plans. He will expand the production capacity after the new year. Then you can go find my uncle. You know him already. Ask him to give you a bigger share."

"Oh, thank you so much. If we can grab the goods now, we can make money. I don't know how to thank you."

"As our largest distributor, you can make more money if you can earn more money, which is mutually beneficial. But I see that there are also electronic watches with wholesale prices of 1 or 2 yuan in Guangshi. Why didn't you buy some to sell before?"

"To be honest, Jiankun, when I went to Guangzhou, I really wholesaled a thousand or so cheap electronic watches to sell. They were sold out very quickly because they were cheap. But a few days later, people came to me one after another, saying that the watches broke down not long after they took them home. Some had missing displays, some had dead batteries, and some had broken straps. My reputation was bad for a while. Later, I refunded all those people who came to me and considered myself unlucky. In total, I lost several thousand yuan on that business." Cheng Yong said.

"The quality of products made by some small workshops nowadays is really not good. The old saying that you get what you pay for is true. Are these watches made by my uncle okay?" Wang Jiankun asked.

"It's quite good. The display is clear and detailed, the alarm sound is also very good, the appearance is beautiful and sturdy. Although it is also made of plastic, it is much better than the previous one. I tested it before buying it and it is difficult to break even if I pull it hard. This foreign technology is different."

"That's good. I don't want customers to buy lighters that break down soon after use. That would ruin our reputation. By the way, how is your export lighter business going?"

"Jiankun, I won't hide it from you. Because of the foreign exchange problem, I sold the goods at a low price and asked my partners to use the difference to buy some products from abroad and sell them back. Otherwise, I would be at a disadvantage if I exchanged the currency at the official price. I can only make up for it by importing goods."

"Well, but you have to be careful. Your shipment volume is small now, and the country doesn't have the energy to trouble you now. But if the shipment volume is large, they will definitely trouble you, and ask you to pay the fine or even put you in jail."

"Jiankun, I know. I will solve this hidden danger when the policy becomes clearer. You don't have to worry. Besides, I use different people at home and abroad, so you won't be implicated."

"I'm not afraid of implicating me, but I'm afraid you won't be able to stop in the future. It's good that you know this is a hidden danger. In the next few years, you can hire a few more agents to do this, share some of the profits, and also share some of the risks. The exchange policy will definitely be adjusted in the future, so you should pay attention to the news in this regard."

"Okay, Jiankun, I will seriously consider your advice. Let's go eat first. Let's go to the restaurant first, and then go there directly when your father arrives. I will send him a message now."

As he said that, he went to the office to get a text machine to send a message to his father.

Wang Jiankun looked at the time. It was already past 11 o'clock and his father would be arriving soon, so he went to a newly opened restaurant called Dawancai with Cheng Yong and Cheng Xing.

This restaurant is well decorated, with quaint tables and chairs. It specializes in Raozhou local specialties, and quite a few people come here to eat.

After ordering the food, the three of them chatted about business matters during the recent period, with Cheng Yong mainly talking.

"Jiankun, can you make a few more styles of lighters after the Chinese New Year? Some of my customers want more styles. Some people in the south are more picky and like more choices."

"More styles? Well, I'll give it a try when I get back. It takes some time to make new molds for new styles. How are the brass and galvanized ones selling now?" "These two styles are more expensive. I export half of them. People in Southeast Asia are richer than in China. These two styles sell better there. The green shell ones sell OK there, but I'd like more colors and patterns."

"Well, I'll make a few designs for this green model when I get back. You can sell a batch of them after the New Year."

"Okay, it's not urgent. The current sales of our products are still relatively stable."

After chatting for a while, his father arrived. Because the Cheng brothers were there, they didn't talk much about going to Guangzhou. After dinner, Wang Jiankun followed his father to the county town and put the motorcycle in the car.

On the way, Wang Jiankun talked to his father about his trip to Guangzhou and Hong Kong. When he heard that Wang Jiankun had gone to Hong Kong to see his uncle, he hurriedly asked, "Jiankun, how did you get there? It seems you didn't go to get your documents, did you?"

"Dad, don't let anything slip. Just tell mother when the time comes. Don't tell anyone else, lest they worry."

"Okay, tell me now."

"I went there secretly by boat. My uncle arranged the whole journey for me. It was very safe."

"You went there secretly? Wasn't there anyone checking?"

"I don't know about that. There are many ways. The sea is so vast, how can we manage it? My uncle also went there secretly, and he didn't get any legal documents."

"How is your uncle?"

"Well, he's about 178cm tall, very lean, and looks very energetic. He should exercise regularly. He should have an injury or scar on his forehead, so he looks a bit fierce."

"It seems that he suffered a lot in northern Myanmar before, and was injured. Did he ever say whether he would come back to the mainland?"

"It's probably not possible at the moment. He can't give up his career there, and it's getting better and better now. It's a critical time. He may come to the mainland to take a look when things are stable in the future!"

"Hey, your mother has always wanted to meet him, but it seems that this has been difficult in the past few years."

"Well, we will be able to meet in the future. This time, my younger uncle also bought a lot of things for us, and my older uncle also bought a lot of things. When you get home, you should carefully move them home and keep them. You can give some of the ordinary food to others, but keep the more expensive things and don't let outsiders know for the time being."

"Oh? What did you give as a gift?"

"My younger uncle gave me a Japanese color TV and refrigerator, and my older uncle gave me a German Siemens air conditioner. There was also a tape player that can play movies and TV series from Hong Kong, and a lot of tapes. These are the big items. There are also some smaller items that I won't list one by one."

"So many big items were sent. We really can't use them at home for the time being. Our new house is already very eye-catching. If we use these appliances, some people will make sarcastic remarks."

"Yeah, let's wait. This year, the money earned by the team members has been invested in housing and improving food. Next year, many people should be able to afford these appliances. It won't be too eye-catching for us to use them. Let's just put them in the warehouse at home for a while."

"Okay, when we get home I'll tell your grandfather and mother to put these aside for now, but you can take out the other food and daily necessities."

"Dad, how is your work in the commune? Is it busy?"

"Hey, our place has not developed much, and there has been no change. The work of a clerk is very leisurely. I ride my bike to do some work every day, then have some tea and chat with the leaders, and then go home after half a day."

"Well, that's fine. Go back and get some imported food and cigarettes to give to a few leaders. It's up to you to decide what to give them. I've written the approximate price on the package, so remember to tear it off when the time comes."

"Well, go back and ask your grandfather to help you decide how to send it better."

After arriving at the county town, Wang Jiankun unloaded the motorcycle and a small wooden box. The contents were intended to be given to the seven major disciples of the Study Society.

They were all there when the goods were being unloaded. They greeted my father and called him "Uncle". My father responded happily. He was also very happy to see Wang Jiankun making so many friends.

After his father left, Wang Jiankun called a few boys to open the wooden box, and then Wang Jiankun distributed the gifts one by one.

First, each person was given two boxes of Dove chocolate. The packaging was very delicate, with purple and gold colors in the box, and a purple ribbon tied with a bow. It looked very luxurious and the price was also very attractive. My uncle said it cost 20 foreign exchange coupons a box.

Then everyone got a canvas backpack. Zheng Qian and Yu Zirun got the smaller women's version, while the others got the larger men's version. After Wang Jiankun bought the backpacks, he used his superpowers to carve the three official script characters of "Chuan Xi She" on the zipper head.

Finally, there are two cans of milk powder for each person to nourish the disciples. They may have been overusing their brains recently. Although the food here is better, it would be better to drink some milk powder to supplement some protein.

Seeing that Wang Jiankun gave them so many things, and they looked very expensive, they didn't dare to accept them. In the end, Wang Jiankun threatened them to leave the small group before they accepted them.

After distributing the gifts, Wang Jiankun asked about their final exam results. He already knew his own result. His father went to the school to look at the transcript and sent him a message. He was still in first place with a total score of 945, with only 5 points deducted in total. When the teachers at school heard that Wang Jiankun's father had come to look at the transcript, they all congratulated him.

Several people reported their scores, and they all showed great progress. Zheng Qian still ranked first in liberal arts, 40 points higher than the second place. Her English score was 138, with points deducted mainly in listening and writing. She scored 140 in mathematics. If she continues to improve in the future, it should not be a problem to raise these two subjects by 6 or 7 points.

Yu Zirun improved by 12 places and is now ranked 23rd. Yu Min and Lang Junjian are ranked 5th and 7th respectively. Fang Guihua is ranked 6th, Hu Chunming is ranked 16th, and Cheng Ming is ranked 19th.

After hearing their test results, Wang Jiankun began to check the assigned tasks. The first one was Lang Junjian’s box-pushing game development. He has already built the program framework and is developing the first level.

Wang Jiankun checked the program code, projected it into his mind and asked Zhizi to help check it. Zhizi then pointed out several errors and provided optimization solutions for some parts.

Wang Jiankun then pointed out the error, but did not provide an optimization plan, so he asked Lang Junjian to do it according to his own ideas, and the optimization could wait until later upgrades.

Lang Junjian was very impressed that Wang Jiankun took less than half an hour to read the code he had worked hard on for a week and pointed out several errors. He had thought that he must understand more than Wang Jiankun because he was studying programs every day, but he didn't expect that he still couldn't surpass him.

Next was Yu Min’s LED preparation experiment, and he explained to Wang Jiankun what he had done so far.

After the holiday, he first carefully checked the information given by Wang Jiankun, which took him two days. Then he familiarized himself with the experimental equipment and reagents. It took him a day to debug the equipment and make it work stably. Then he started the reproduction experiment of the red light LED. Now it has been produced, and two samples seem to have a brightness higher than Wang Jiankun's requirements.

Wang Jiankun read the experimental report written by Yu Min, then looked at the actual products, and found that two samples were indeed brighter than the products available on the market today.

So he called Yu Zirun and Zheng Qian and asked them to write papers and patent documents about the two samples and hand them over to Wang Jiankun after the new year. He would submit them to foreign journals in the name of the Hong Kong laboratory, and Yu Min and the two of them would also receive corresponding rewards.

Yu Min was able to reproduce the red light LED so quickly, and he made new attempts according to the information given, and actually produced a better product. It seems that he has a good understanding, is very exploratory and careful in doing experiments, and is not limited to the information given by Wang Jiankun.

So we decided to give him a special reward of 30 yuan and give him other rewards as well.

Then it was Fang Guihua's group, who were responsible for the manufacture and testing of the game console. Wang Jiankun took a look and after listening to the three of them's explanations, he learned that they had already made a casing and soldered the circuit board, and were just waiting for Lang Junjian's program to be tried out.

Wang Jiankun asked Zhizi to test some designs and found that several of them were quite good, so he decided to let Yu Zirun and Zheng Qian write patent documents for those designs separately and also wait until after the new year to submit them.

Because it was not known whether others had submitted those designs, the rewards could only be given after the new year, but Wang Jiankun also rewarded another person with 10 yuan to encourage them.

For the next three days, Wang Jiankun stayed with them during the day, guiding them, answering their questions, and focusing on explaining to Hu Chunming and Cheng Ming the knowledge points that they had not mastered well.

At night, he went to the underground base to dig earth, and then went to Sizhou Town and Hukou Town to visit, to encourage those who were still in the transportation positions, and encouraged them to work harder. After more people were trained, they could take turns to rest and go back home for the New Year. As for those who could not go back home for the New Year this year, Wang Jiankun also made a promise that after the holiday, depending on the performance of each group, he would reward them with 1 to 3 months of basic salary.

On the morning of January 1982, 1, Wang Jiankun saw off seven disciples and then rode his motorcycle home. The Chinese New Year was coming soon, and after being busy for half a year, it was time to go home and have a rest.

(End of this chapter)