Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 408 Gift
He Yuzhu didn't set off blindly. He went to see Lao Fang and asked as soon as he entered Lao Fang's house, "Uncle Fang, how are the preparations at the dock going? These aren't just fishing boats or gunboats!"

Old Fang said, "It should be about time, right? They just said they're waiting to receive it, they didn't mention anything else."

"Don't say 'should,' you need to ask for details. Things are different now than before; there are satellites in the sky that can clearly capture what's happening on the ground. If the dock isn't protected, and it gets filmed, do you think you can live peacefully afterward?"

"Okay, I'll go check it out."

"Uncle Fang, you haven't been retired from that department for very long. This was accomplished in the west twenty years ago. Can't we be a little more professional?" He Yuzhu said irritably.

"I know I can take pictures, but how can this be so clear?"

"If you were standing there, you definitely wouldn't be able to get a clear shot, but what is it this time that you think is difficult to capture clearly?"

Old Fang slapped his thigh suddenly: "Oh dear, it was our oversight. We were only thinking about getting the stuff back. I'll call them right now."

"Don't rush. Make sure you explain things clearly to them. Also, make sure the area around the dock is cleaned up. There are eyes not only in the sky but also down below. Don't assume that ordinary people are safe. Have you forgotten what happened to me last time?"

"Hey, it has to be you again. Why didn't you want to join our department in the first place?"

"What are you going to do there? You've got a collar on you, and you're just spinning around in circles drawn on it. Fine, do you still want your things?"

"Yes, yes, I'm being long-winded again. I'll go and make it happen right away."

"Then I'll go wait at my Uncle Zhao's place. Ask him what's going on and then come call me."

"it is good."

He Yuzhu went directly to Old Zhao's house in the middle courtyard. Old Zhao was tending to his orchids in the yard. When he saw him arrive, he put down his small shovel and said...

"Oh, what a rare guest! Zhu Zi, what brings you here in person today?"

"Uncle Zhao, why are you getting more and more talkative?"

"I trained with Lao Fang."

"So you two old men have been practicing your banter all day?"

"How dare you talk like that, kid? What do you think of my orchid?"

"I can't tell the difference between good and bad. A few years ago, some people were speculating on this stuff. You didn't pay for it too, did you?"

"At the flower and bird market, it's 5 yuan a pot."

"That's okay."

What brings you here today?

"I need to see Uncle Fang about something, and I just happened to stop by to see you."

"So I was just someone who happened to be there."

"Then I won't go to the Intermediate Court next time. You're not welcoming me!"

"Who said that? Come on in, let's have some tea." Old Zhao pulled He Yuzhu into the house.

The two chatted for a while about economic development, especially local economic development, before Lao Fang came over, plopped down on the sofa, poured himself a cup of tea and gulped it down before saying irritably, "Zhu Zi, you were right. Those guys weren't prepared at all. Damn it, they were only thinking about receiving the goods, not about the trouble that would follow! I gave them a good scolding, and now they're off to rectify the situation. I told them that if they don't meet the requirements, the goods won't be able to dock!"

Although Old Zhao didn't know exactly what "thing" it was, he guessed from the expressions of the two men that it was of great importance, so he said, "It's better to be cautious. Things are different now than before; even the slightest oversight could cause a huge loss."

“Uncle Zhao is right.” He Yuzhu nodded and looked at Lao Fang. “Uncle Fang, let’s wait until they are ready before we talk about it.”

"Okay, I'll have them hurry up and let you know as soon as it's done." Old Fang sighed, "I'm getting old, my mind isn't working as fast as it used to be, I almost messed things up."

“You’re just too responsible,” He Yuzhu comforted him.

After sitting at Lao Zhao's house for a while and chatting about other things, He Yuzhu got up to leave despite Lao Zhao's offer to stay for dinner.

"Old Zhao said from behind, 'Are you looking down on our food, or are you afraid I'll make you cook?'"

"All!"

"Hey!"

"I have a lot of things to do at home, I'm off!" He Yuzhu waved his hand.

After He Yuzhu left, the two old men chatted for a while, and then Lao Fang stayed for dinner, since he couldn't cook for himself.

Since he wasn't in a hurry to go out, He Yuzhu continued to enjoy his time with his grandchildren, and Xiaoman didn't ask any questions; it was better that he didn't go out.

As the situation in the north escalated, the trading companies in Tianjin were doing better and better. He Yuzhu even transferred two ships from Hong Kong to help them transport goods, because the shipping companies there had stopped operating.

As for customs and such, Zhou Lei and Wu Yang, the two "trailblazers," took care of it directly.

However, these two lads did have some business acumen; they set up several leather and clothing production lines and built factories in Tianjin.

Of course, they had consulted He Yuzhu, who suggested that they should not only focus on imports, but also on exports.

The two guys have been cramming on foreign languages ​​lately. They plan to visit Hong Kong first after they've finished this busy period, and then travel to other places.

As 1991 began, the market economy atmosphere in China became increasingly strong.

One significant change is that the rationing system, which had been in place for many years, has become virtually defunct in most areas, and people can now buy the goods they need in the market simply by carrying cash.

On the streets of Beijing, all kinds of shops sprang up like mushrooms after rain, with a dazzling array of goods.

The Yellow River Electrical Appliance Mall is still thriving, but Li Chengru is very worried.

In a monthly report, he said to Xiaoman, "President Qiao, the situation has changed a bit. Several brands of TVs and washing machines in the south are priced lower than ours. Although the quality may not be as solid, they have newer designs and more functions, which has taken away a lot of customers who are looking for bargains. If it weren't for our strong brand, we probably wouldn't have any customers at all."

He Yuxin is too busy right now, so Xiaoman is taking over this part.

Xiaoman looked through the sales report and nodded: "What we're protecting is this brand. Competition is a good thing. Monopoly only makes people complacent. Go and talk to our suppliers. The products need to keep up, otherwise we'll have to change suppliers."

"Understood. I've already asked the purchasing department to contact new suppliers. Don't worry, we won't buy anything that's not of good quality," Li Chengru replied.

"Hmm, how's the computer business going?"

"The civilian market remains the same. Our competitors are now using a low-price strategy, but they also bundle a bunch of other products with it. Our main customers are research institutions and universities, so the impact is not significant."

“We can’t give up on the civilian market either. You know how few research institutions there are. You can divide computer sales into two departments: one to deal with enterprises and institutions, and the other to be responsible for developing the civilian market.”

"If we engage in a price war with them, our profits will be much lower."

"You can never earn all the money in the world, but we can't let our competitors grow bigger, especially their suppliers."

"You mean the north side? We are too... Sorry, Mr. Qiao, I've said too much." Li Chengru realized halfway through his sentence that if they had brought back and sold things that hadn't even been announced at the press conference, then it must be the good Yellow River stuff. This made him realize that he had only seen a small part of the whole picture.

"Just know it in your heart, and do as I say."

"it is good."

Competition is not limited to the home appliance sector. In the communications market, after initially being on the defensive, Motorola quickly adjusted its strategy.

They launched a cheaper, simplified version of the pager and increased advertising spending in several key cities in an attempt to rekindle consumer recognition of international brands.

In the conference room of Huanghe Communications, He Yaozong, the newly appointed trainee supervisor of the sales department, was reporting on the situation.

"Motorola's price cuts have had some impact on our low-end pager sales. However, our mobile phone sales remain strong, with demand exceeding supply." He Yaozong, dressed in a suit, spoke with a more composed demeanor.

Xu Damao chaired the meeting and looked at He Yaozong: "What are your thoughts on their price reduction?"

He Yaozong had clearly done his homework: "I have two suggestions. First, we can launch more targeted models of our pagers, such as a basic model for students, which can be priced lower and retain only the core functions. Second, we should strengthen our services. We have a closer relationship with the postal system and can establish dedicated repair centers in more small and medium-sized cities, which is something they cannot do in the short term."

“Good idea. Go and make a detailed plan.” Xu Damao expressed his approval and added, “In addition, you should communicate with the Hong Kong side to see if there are any new features that we don’t have here, and we should update them in a timely manner.”

"Yes, Mr. Xu."

One day in mid-September, Lao Fang entered the He family's courtyard around dinnertime, clutching a brown paper envelope. He went into He Yuzhu's study and shouted, "Zhuzi! This time it's really all set!"

He Yuzhu was playing with He Shining, and the little guy was shaking his finger happily. He looked up and replied, "Did you really get it done, or did you come here to freeload a meal?"

"Look at what you're saying. Do I need an excuse to come here for a free meal? The people Lao Fan sent just came back yesterday. The area around the dock has been cleared and covered up so the satellite can't take pictures." Lao Fang came over and handed the envelope to He Yuzhu.

"What's in here?"

"Documents and certificates, otherwise how will you hand over the work?"

"I won't hand over the goods to them; I'll leave once they're delivered."

“Then you should take it too, just in case. Also, could you get it back before National Day? It would be perfect as a gift,” Old Fang said.

"Uncle Fang, isn't this just formalism, a kind of 'gift-giving'?"

"This isn't something I wanted to do; it's what the higher-ups wanted," Old Fang said anxiously. "Besides, such a big matter needs to be resolved before the holiday so everyone can have peace of mind."

"Alright, got it." He Yuzhu placed the envelope on the table. "Which port should I send it to?"

"The specific berths at the naval port to the north are also in the envelope. Lao Fan will go there personally."

"Then just give me Lao Fan's phone number over there, and we'll see about the rest."

"Okay, when do you plan to leave?"

"There's still enough time, no rush. Let Lao Fan go first."

"can."

On the 20th, Lao Fang came again and brought over Lao Fan's phone number, as well as a spare phone number.

That evening, He Yuzhu asked Xiaoman to help him pack a change of clothes.

"The holiday is coming soon, shouldn't we wait until it's over?"

"I want to come back before the holiday to celebrate."

"Okay, take care of yourself."

The next morning, Fan Hu arrived at the gate of the courtyard on time with four of his men, all dressed in plain clothes and carrying simple luggage.

He Yuzhu came out carrying a backpack and handed it to Fan Hu: "Let's go."

"Yes, boss." Fan Hu nodded.

They drove directly to Tianjin, left their car at the trading company, and then took a boat north to Bincheng. Upon arriving in Bincheng, He Yuzhu took Fan Hu and the others to see the location of the shipyard. Sure enough, it was located at Lushunkou, and was indeed heavily guarded. He Yuzhu was quite perplexed; this was a place under close surveillance.

Then He Yuzhu led Fan Hu and the others to stroll along the beach in Bincheng.

He Yuzhu also rented a fishing boat and took them on a tour of the sea before finally choosing a newly developed port area with enough water.

He Yuzhu dared not throw that enormous creature out of the middle of the sea; that would be suicide.

After choosing a location, He Yuzhu called Lao Fan and asked him to prepare tugboats and ship pilots. Lao Fan was very excited.

"Pillar, where's the thing?"

"I'll let you know when we get there, but I should warn you, the place they chose is really bad. That place has been targeted for a hundred years, and they think people aren't paying attention to it anymore?"

"I've already asked, but time is really tight."

"We can't just make do with whatever we can. Have you thought about what to do next?"

"Anyway, we'll be fine as long as we don't leave the dock. We can deal with the rest later."

"Okay, I've reminded you anyway."

"I'll have them prepare and assemble there right away."

"Have them stand by, and prepare the vehicles and ships."

"it is good."

Another day passed, and as darkness fell, He Yuzhu told Fan Hu and the others to wait for him at the hotel. He went out by himself, went to the chosen spot, and threw the things out. He Yuzhu was swept away by the surging waves and flew about ten meters.

"Damn it, thank goodness I didn't play in the sea, or I would have really become fish food."

I quickly left the scene, found a public phone, and dialed Lao Fan's number.

"Hey, take some men to the ** dock, yes, the one that's still under construction. Be quick, take a lot of men. It seems like we're making quite a commotion; it's probably alerted the surrounding area."

Old Fan was completely stunned. Shouldn't the handover have taken place at sea? How could it have been so hasty, and they've already entered the port?

"Ah, okay, okay, I understand, I'll take people there right now."

After making the call, He Yuzhu didn't go back immediately. Instead, he found a spot and kept an eye on the port until dozens of military vehicles roared in before he left.

After changing his clothes, He Yuzhu returned to the hotel.

"Boss, what's this?"

“It’s alright, the waves are big at sea,” He Yuzhu said.

"Oh."

"Go and rest, we'll go back tomorrow," He Yuzhu said.

"Go back, go back, is the matter finished?"

"It's over." He Yuzhu said.

"Wow, so fast."

"Alright, don't ask questions you shouldn't ask," He Yuzhu said irritably.

He slept soundly, but Lao Fan and the Bincheng troops were in an uproar.

What a huge undertaking! They left such a massive object parked in a place still under construction, and there were so many unexpected things on board. Aren't they afraid people will see it?

It's understandable to be worried, but even those who see it can't tell what it is; they've never seen it before.

Taking photos was even more impossible. What could you possibly take at night? Besides, how many people even owned cameras back then?

Furthermore, after receiving the phone call, Lao Fan led his men to the newly built pier. As soon as the car stopped, a group of people rushed towards the seaside.

Before they even reached their destination, they heard the muffled sound of waves crashing against the ship. Upon closer inspection, the large ship in the darkness rose and fell in the sea like a small mountain, and their heartbeats rose and fell with it.

"Move all the tugboats that are mobile! Quickly!" Old Fan grabbed the arm of the military commander, his knuckles turning white from the force. "It must be towed into the dock before dawn, there can be no mistakes!"

Without hesitation, the person in charge grabbed the walkie-talkie and began making arrangements.

Half an hour later, eight tugboats approached, billowing black smoke.

Getting onto the big ship took quite a bit of effort, and Old Fan was so anxious he kept stamping his feet.

The front boat pulls, the rear boat pushes! The side boat stabilizes the direction!

After finally managing to tow the large ship out of the newly built dock, the person in charge shouted "Hurry up!" countless times.

As dawn broke, the large ship slowly shuffled into the empty dock, which was too small.

Just as it was secured, the steel gate slammed down, blocking out the sunlight.

Everyone wiped away their sweat; their clothes were soaked through.

Ignoring his own condition, Lao Fan grabbed the person in charge and went to make a phone call.

They were clearly very excited on the other side and strictly forbade them from investigating how the items were transported back, effectively issuing a gag order.

Meanwhile, the technicians had already boarded the ship.

Lifting the canvas on the deck revealed four fighter jets, their markings still clearly visible.

Opening the cargo hold revealed radar components and engine parts neatly arranged, with the oil seals still intact.

"The ship is intact! The power system and radar are all working properly; it's not just an empty shell!" the technical supervisor reported over the walkie-talkie in a trembling voice.

The cigarette that Lao Fan was holding fell to the ground with a "plop," and the group of people around him did the same. This surprise came too suddenly.

Then the voice from the technical supervisor came through: "The planes on the ship are carrier-based aircraft, carrier-based aircraft, my god, and the latest SU-35s too."

A group of people rushed out and scrambled to get onto the deck.

Old Fang took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He wanted to go see it too, but he knew he should report on it now. He found his office and dialed the number above.

After listening to the report, there was a few seconds of silence on the other end: "Impressive, impressive! Everyone we've been in contact with has signed off on it, not a single word can be omitted. The expert team will arrive the day after tomorrow."

"It's the chief!"

After hanging up the phone, Lao Fan began to carry out the orders, but what he was thinking was: "Zhu Zi, just how many secrets have you been hiding? This surprise almost turned into a shock!"

Our Comrade He Yuzhu, along with Fan Hu and others, strolled around Bincheng, had a seafood feast, and then took a boat back to Tianjin.

Little did he know that Lao Fang had made several trips to his house along the way, causing Lao He's family to become quite anxious, thinking that something had happened to He Yuzhu.

Old Fang realized something was wrong and quickly explained that he had looked for Zhu Zi in time, but everyone was still skeptical.

Then Lao Fang didn't dare to come anymore, and only told Xiao Man that if He Yuzhu came back, he should call Lao Fang as soon as possible.

He Yuzhu went to Tianjin to inspect the trading company and the newly built factory, and also told the two brothers to hurry up with the border trade, as there might be changes later.

The two brothers were straightforward: "Uncle, could you send a few more ships? We don't have enough."

“Okay, I’ll try my best to arrange it for you,” He Yuzhu said.

"Great! Now we're going to have to empty the Russians' coffers!" Zhou Lei said.

“I don’t have that kind of ambition, but this time we can earn enough to build a Factory 541,” Wu Yang said.

He Yuzhu was speechless. How much resentment did Wu Yang harbor towards the Mei family girl?

Back in Beijing, before I could even catch my breath, Old Fang came looking for me.

"Zhu Zi, you're finally back."

"What's wrong, Uncle Fang? Is the stuff not right, or what?" He Yuzhu asked.

"What's wrong? Yes, that's right, that's exactly right. Uncle just wanted to ask you how you did it," Old Fang said.

"Uncle, you're making a mistake. You're asking questions you shouldn't be asking."

"This is so shocking, even more shocking than when you got the information on 'Ivan'." And this, Lao Fang made a stick-like shape with his thumbs and forefingers.

He Yuzhu narrowed his eyes, and Lao Fang sensed the murderous intent.

"You brat, you even want to silence this old man like me?" Old Fang roared.

"Why do you know so much?" He Yuzhu said helplessly.

"Nonsense, only you have the ability to make it happen. What do you think I've been holding back for so many years? Do you know how hard it has been for me?" Old Fang said.

"Okay, okay, then you can keep holding it in, the same goes for this time."

Old Fang was so angry he almost spat out blood. It took him a long time to calm down.

"Come on, Uncle Fang, have some tea, calm down, calm down!"

"Hmph, you've got it all figured out this time," Old Fang said.

"What do you mean it's safe?" He Yuzhu asked, puzzled.

"What do you mean it's settled? Let's see who dares to mess with you now," Old Fang said.

"Don't be so sure of yourself. A new emperor brings a new court," He Yuzhu said.

"That has nothing to do with you. I will help you get what you deserve, including what I owe you from before."

"No, no, I said I wouldn't care about the past, otherwise it'll be too troublesome to bring up old grievances," He Yuzhu hurriedly said.

"Alright, it would be great if you hadn't gone out. Maybe there would still be a place for you up there," Old Fang said.

“Uncle, you can’t say things like that, and I didn’t have that idea either,” He Yuzhu said.

"Oh, you!" Old Fang sighed.

(End of this chapter)