1980: I have a spiritual spring

Chapter 43 Individual Business License

"Why aren't the Qiao siblings selling eggs today?"

"Yeah, didn't you say you came to sell eggs every day? Why aren't you here today?"

"Could he have been arrested?"

"I don't think so. They're just selling their own eggs, not engaging in speculation."

"Who knows? In the past, when rural people came to the commune to sell their own eggs, there was nothing wrong with it, as it was permitted by the state. But that was because there were very few eggs. Now, the Qiao siblings sell nearly a thousand eggs a day. Whether it constitutes speculation or profiteering is not up to us to decide."

"..."

When Qiao Erhe rode his bicycle to Cenhe Commune, he saw several middle-aged women gathered at their usual egg-selling stall, chatting about their egg-selling business. They even used terms like "speculation" and "profiteering."

As the saying goes, gossip can be a fearsome thing. Qiao Erhe naturally couldn't let them speculate wildly. He immediately parked his bicycle next to the middle-aged women and said, "Comrades, my brother and I have been selling eggs in the commune for a week. The market demand is almost saturated. So we have decided to store the eggs for the next few days and then transport them to Shashi to sell."

Once the market in the commune has calmed down, we'll come back to set up our stall again. Please let everyone know.

Also, I just heard some comrades mention speculation and profiteering. I also want to clarify this. Now that we have reform and opening up, the country encourages us farmers to develop the economy. My siblings and I applied for individual business licenses from the relevant departments more than a month ago, and the licenses have now been issued.

Therefore, my siblings and I selling eggs at a stall is a completely legal and reasonable activity, and no one will arrest us.

"So this is ah!"

"Comrade Qiao and your sister have such high awareness!"

"I've never heard of applying for a sole proprietorship business license to set up a street stall before!"

"It's true. My husband mentioned it to me a while ago. Now you can apply for a license to run a business as a sole proprietor. You don't have to hide like before."

"Reform and opening up have made all the difference."

"Comrade Qiao, you and your sister should come to the commune to set up your stall soon. I bought some eggs from you a few days ago, and I've already finished them all."

"..."

After explaining the situation, Qiao Erhe rode his bicycle towards the poultry and egg factory.

Now that a new chicken coop is under construction at home, Qiao Erhe naturally had to come over early to reorder a new batch of chicks from the poultry and egg factory.

Ten minutes later, Qiao Erhe sat down in the director's office of the poultry and egg factory again.

After exchanging greetings, Director Yang said with a smile, "Congratulations, Comrade Qiao, on your great success in raising laying hens! The news of you and your siblings selling eggs at a stall in the commune has spread throughout our poultry factory these past few days. Comrade Qiao, you truly are a rare talent in poultry farming!"

Qiao Erhe said modestly, "Director Yang, you flatter me. I was just lucky. I don't deserve the title of a breeding expert."

Factory Director Yang laughed and said, "Comrade Qiao, you are too modest. We farmers rely on technology, and there is no room for luck. The 1000 chicks you bought last time had a 100% survival rate, which is truly remarkable!" Qiao Erhe waved his hand and said, "Factory Director Yang, please don't praise me. I came here today to purchase another batch of chicks from your factory."

Factory Director Yang couldn't help but remind you, "Comrade Qiao, I need to remind you that raising chicks in winter is not easy. Are you sure you want to continue buying chicks?"

Qiao Erhe nodded and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Director Yang. I have already thought through the risks of raising chicks in winter."

Upon hearing this, Director Yang stopped trying to persuade him and asked, "Comrade Qiao, how many chicks do you plan to buy this time?"

Qiao Erhe held up one hand and said, "This time I want to buy 5000 laying hens."

Upon hearing this, Director Yang couldn't help but gasp.

During their first encounter, Director Yang had already witnessed Comrade Qiao's audacity, but he never expected him to be so bold. Expanding the scale of egg-laying hen farming in winter was already risky enough, but he never imagined he would go to such lengths.

That's 5000 laying hens!!!
After his initial shock, Director Yang said, "Comrade Qiao, our poultry and egg factory is not well-prepared. I'm afraid we can't provide you with these 5000 chicks all at once. We'll have to provide them to you in at least three batches. I wonder if you can accept that?"

Qiao Erhe asked, "Director Yang, how long should the interval be between these three batches of chicks?"

Factory Director Yang pondered for a moment and said, "I can provide you with the first batch of 1000 chicks tomorrow, and the second batch of 1000 chicks a week later. As for the remaining 3000 chicks, I'm afraid it will take three weeks to provide them."

Although Qiao Erhe was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, he could understand that the poultry and egg factory was not well-prepared, given that it was winter. Besides, it was good to take it easy so that they could have more money and wouldn't have to live a tight life. So he nodded and said, "Okay, then let's go with the time and price of the chicks you mentioned, Director Yang."

Factory Director Yang waved his hand and laughed heartily, "I'll give you the biggest discount; let's make it 9 cents a piece!"

Qiao Erhe smiled and extended his hand, saying, "Then thank you for your care, Director Yang. It will be a pleasure to cooperate with you."

Factory Director Yang reached out and shook hands with him, smiling, "Comrade Qiao, you're too kind. It's been a pleasure working with you."

……

That day, the Qiao family built a huge chicken coop, which used up the entire truckload of wood, leaving them without any wood to make feed troughs, water troughs, and egg-laying boxes.

Left with no other choice, Qiao Dajiang arranged for the brigade's forestry station to send over a truckload of timber ahead of time. More than a dozen people worked from morning until late at night before finally getting the chicken coop, feed troughs, and water troughs ready.

As for the egg-laying boxes, there's no need to rush. We can make them later. After all, the newly raised hens are still a long way from laying eggs!
The next day, the poultry farm delivered 1000 new chicks to the Qiao family.

With the weather so cold these days, when the poultry farm employees brought over these 1000 chicks, they covered the cages with a thick blanket to prevent them from freezing to death.

So when these chicks were delivered to the Qiao family, although they were all a bit listless, they all managed to survive.

To ensure the safety of these chicks, Qiao Erhe immediately prepared diluted spiritual spring water for them. The effects of this stuff are self-evident. The chicks, who were originally listless, became energetic and began to run around the chicken coop with great vitality after drinking the diluted spiritual spring water.

(End of this chapter)