Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 182 Love is stronger than gold
Section Chief Wang smacked his lips: "Hey, that's why I say you're in big business, renting out the second floor too. If you rent it out as well, it'll save me a lot of trouble."

"Sister Tan, what do you think?" Li Zhe did have the idea of ​​renting the second floor, but since the two of them were going to run a restaurant together, they had to discuss it first.

Tan Jingya frowned slightly: "Going up to take a look is fine too."

The four of them then went up to the second floor. The second floor was indeed slightly larger, and it seemed like no one had been there for a while, as the house was quite dusty, and there were cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. A passageway led to the stairs, with rooms on either side.

Section Chief Wang explained, "The south-facing side is the staff dormitory for the non-staple food counter, while the north side is used as a warehouse."

The door on the south side was open, and Li Zhe pushed it open and entered the room. The room was about ten square meters, and with a simple white paint job, it could be used as a private room.

Li Zhe walked around each room. He took everything from the rooms; some rooms were a little larger, some a little smaller, so he could arrange specific private rooms according to the number of guests.

"Section Chief Wang, if we rent the entire second floor, could the rent be reduced?"

Section Chief Wang said, "Mr. Li, you're a straightforward person, so I won't beat around the bush. The first floor was originally 360 a month, but I'll reduce it by 10 yuan to 350 a month. If you rent the first and second floors together, I'll give you a discount of 600. What do you think?"

Li Zhe glanced at Tan Jingya beside him and said, "Section Chief Wang, here's the thing. As you probably know, Sister Tan and I run a restaurant together. She initially planned to rent only one floor because she felt it was a bit small. I'd like to rent the second floor as well, but I can't make that decision alone. Could you let us discuss it?"

"Okay, you two can discuss it. I'll go downstairs and sit for a while."

"This shop has been deserted for a long time, and it's chilly inside. Don't bother going downstairs. It's almost noon, why don't you go to Quanjude and sit for a while? I'll treat you to Peking duck for lunch!"

Section Chief Wang waved his hand: "Oh, that's not appropriate. How could I let you spend money again?"

"We're all friends, no need for such formalities. It's fate that we met." These days, when state-owned enterprises rent out properties, exchanging favors is the unspoken rule. Giving a small gift to cultivate a good relationship with the person in charge of renting can save a lot of trouble.

Of course, the gift shouldn't be too expensive, otherwise the other person might refuse it.

Li Zhe said to Wang Jianjun, who was standing next to him, "Brother, why don't you take Section Chief Wang to Quanjude to rest and order some dishes? We'll be there in a bit."

Wang Jianjun gestured "please" and led Section Chief Wang downstairs.

He has been in the capital for some time now, assisting Li Zhe and learning a lot along the way.

He knew perfectly well that as long as he cultivated a good relationship with this Section Chief Wang, renting the shop would be a sure thing. Moreover, the final decision on the rent rested with Section Chief Wang; a discount of fifty yuan per month would add up to six hundred yuan a year, and three thousand yuan over five years!

After watching the two leave, Li Zhe said, "This location is indeed excellent. I think renting just the first floor would be a bit too small. I think it would be better to rent the entire second floor, with the lobby on the first floor and private rooms on the second. What do you think?"

Tan Jingya did not answer immediately. She thought Li Zhe's suggestion was good, but she had some concerns.

Renting the entire second floor would increase expenses and investment. She didn't have much money and lacked Li Zhe's confidence; if she lost money, she might truly be left with nothing.

Li Zhe continued, "If we only rent the first floor, we can't even set up a proper private room. Moreover, the first and second floors are connected. If someone else rents the second floor, we won't be able to find a suitable place to expand the restaurant when our business gets better."

Tan Jingya said, "I don't object to renting the second floor, but the area will be more than twice as large, which will greatly increase the overall cost and the restaurant's risk. Aren't you worried that the restaurant's business will suffer..."

Tan Jingya didn't continue, but Li Zhe understood her meaning and said, "You should know the positioning of our restaurant. Only wealthy and influential people can afford to eat winter vegetables. Do you think they would prefer to eat in the main hall or in a private room?"

Seeing that the other party remained silent, Li Zhe said, "If you feel that the investment risk is too high, I am willing to put up more funds." Of course, the shareholding will also increase accordingly.

Tan Jingya pressed her left thumb against her right palm, her palms covered in cold sweat.

She really can't afford to lose.

She took a deep breath, as if making up her mind: "Okay, then let's rent the entire second floor!"

Li Zhe nodded: "Then let's settle on the shop first, and then recalculate and agree on the investment amount and shareholding ratio when we get back."

Tan Jingya said, "Let's include the money spent on lunch today in the restaurant's investment. I'll talk to Section Chief Wang about the price later when we eat. Six hundred yuan a month isn't cheap; we need to lower it by at least a few dozen yuan." Women have an advantage over men when it comes to negotiating prices.

The two walked around the shops again, making a rough plan. Then they locked the door and headed straight for Quanjude.

They naturally enjoyed a good lunch and negotiated the price. That afternoon, the four of them went to the Chongwen District Catering Service Company and signed a shop lease agreement for a five-year term, with a monthly rent of 540 yuan, plus a deposit of one month's rent and three months' rent in advance. At that time, the market economy was in its early stages, the commercial leasing model was not yet mature, and landlords were less aware of the potential for rent increases.

Moreover, for shops in units like this, as long as you maintain a good relationship with the person in charge, they won't haggle over small things, which can be considered a hidden benefit. Section Chief Wang never mentioned the rent increase from beginning to end.

After returning to Suzhou Hutong, Li Zhe and Tan Jingya signed a partnership agreement, which clarified the investment ratio: the total investment was 9,000 yuan, with Li Zhe contributing 7,200 yuan, accounting for 80% of the shares; and Tan Jingya contributing 1,800 yuan, accounting for 20% of the shares.

Li Zhe is responsible for supplying off-season vegetables, while Tan Jingya is responsible for the restaurant's operations. Profits and losses are distributed according to equity ratios.

After signing the contract, Tan Jingya felt at ease, or rather, she knew that she had no way out.

"Mr. Li, now that we've rented the place, shall we start the renovations?"

Li Zhe poured the other person a cup of tea, then poured one for himself, took a sip, and said, "This shop hasn't been used for a long time, and the heating was off for a while. I asked Section Chief Wang before, and he said that the shop is under the unit's heating system, so we'll wait until the heating is restored before doing any renovations. Otherwise, the room temperature will be too low, which will affect the quality of the renovations."

Tan Jingya didn't quite understand this point, and said, "That's fine, but shouldn't we find a construction team first?"

"It's so cold, I wonder if the construction teams are still taking on jobs." Li Zhe hadn't been in Beijing for long and didn't have any connections in that area.

Wang Jianjun laughed and said, "What's so difficult about that! There are people in our village who can do this job. When Brother Weidong comes tomorrow, I'll tell him to go and ask around in the village. Anyway, they drive to Beijing every day. Isn't it more suitable to hire some people from the village who we know well than outsiders? Besides, the villagers are cheaper."

Tan Jingya said, "Langfang City is not close to the capital. Would they be willing to come?"

"With no work to do in the dead of winter, who wouldn't want to earn more money for a prosperous New Year? They'd be happy to do it! Not to mention, they're even being picked up and dropped off by car, what could they possibly complain about? Besides, we don't need many people, and we don't need everyone to be happy, a few will suffice." Wang Jianjun thought to himself, it's only because he made money with Li Zhe this year, otherwise he would have taken such a good opportunity himself.

Tan Jingya said, "Okay, then I'll leave the renovation to you. Tomorrow, I'll go see Sister Yan and Brother Han and ask them to come along and give me some advice on what styles of kitchenware and equipment to buy. They have experience in this area and know more about prices."

Li Zhe said, "Tables and chairs are also a considerable expense. Let's discuss it carefully later to see whether it's more appropriate to buy ready-made ones or to have them custom-made."

The three of them discussed for a while longer, until after eight o'clock, before Tan Jingya returned to the backyard.

……

April 1st morning.

At 10 a.m., when the weather had warmed up a bit, Wang Ting finally took the bus out. However, this time she didn't go to the 365 Vegetable Store, but instead went to the supply and marketing cooperative not far from the staff quarters of the Beijing Television Factory.

Wang Ting pushed open the glass door of the supply and marketing cooperative, and the iron door frame creaked.

The supply and marketing cooperative was only about 100 square meters, but the shelves were filled with a variety of items, including food, drinks, and daily necessities. Wang Ting's gaze swept across the glass counter, taking in the goods inside: tin flashlights, Forever brand bicycle bells, lighters, abacuses, keychains...

Finally, she stopped at the counter displaying fountain pens, glanced at the pens under the glass cases, and asked the female employee behind the counter, "Comrade, I'd like to buy a fountain pen as a gift. Could you recommend one?"

She and Li Zhe hadn't known each other for long, but Li Zhe frequently gave her gifts, and each time he had a reason, making it inappropriate for her to refuse. However, she also felt embarrassed to keep accepting Li Zhe's gifts.

Tomorrow is the official opening day of 365 Vegetable Store, and she also wants to give Li Zhe a gift.

The female employee, in her thirties and wearing a blue down jacket, asked while eating sunflower seeds, "Young lady, who are you giving this to? How much does it cost?"

Wang Ting lowered her head and stared at the glass counter, then whispered, "This is for my boyfriend. Please help me pick out the best one."

The female employee took out a fountain pen with a black body and a gold clip from the counter: "This fountain pen is a Hero 100. It's very popular, and many people want to buy it but it's out of stock. You're lucky; we just restocked it yesterday."

This fountain pen has a gold nib; it's perfect except for the price. It's the perfect gift for your partner.

Wang Ting asked instinctively, "Why?"

The female employee took off the cap of her pen and pointed to the golden nib: "Our love is stronger than gold!"

(End of this chapter)