Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 192 Fulfilling the Promise
Early in the morning.

No. 7 courtyard in Suzhou Hutong.

A military green truck was parked at the entrance.

After the car came to a stop, the passenger door opened, and Wang Xiuying got out of the car with a smile on her face. This was her second time in Beijing this year.

No, according to the Gregorian calendar, it's already Chinese New Year. This is the first time I've come here this year.

She came last November because Li Zhe needed to rent a house in Beijing, and she helped him tidy up. Who would have thought that just over two months later, her son would buy the entire courtyard house?

Looking at the imposing courtyard wall in front of her, she thought to herself, "This will be our Li family's home from now on."

Good heavens, I wouldn't have dared to dream of this just a few months ago!

My second son is really capable!
Li Zhe came out to greet her, "Mom, was the journey smooth? Did you get carsick?"

Wang Xiuying laughed and said, "Why would I get dizzy in such a nice car? Master Liang drives very smoothly and it's very comfortable."

Little Li Na jumped out of the driver's seat, her voice full of excitement, "Brother, I've come to see you too!"

Li Na has gained a lot of weight and is much stronger than before. Her clothes are a bit tight, and her pants don't look like her own; they're probably hand-me-downs. However, it was common for rural children to wear other people's old clothes in those days.

Li Zhe patted her head: "Have you eaten? If not, I'll take you out to eat."

Li Na squinted and smiled, "I've already eaten. Mom steamed some egg cakes this morning. They were so fragrant and tender, so delicious." Li Na is a lot like Li Zhe in one respect: they both have a sweet tooth. Whenever the two of them sit together, they talk about food.

Old Li got off the train and carried a basket of vegetables down with him: "Second brother, your vegetable shop just opened, and you need manpower right now. We hope our visit today won't interfere with your work?"

Li Zhe said dismissively, "Sun Tao is keeping an eye on things over there. That kid is clever and hardworking, and he can manage everything in the shop."

"Aunt, Uncle, you're here!" Wang Jianjun hurriedly came out to greet them.

“Jun’er, you child, why haven’t you come back to visit for so long? Your father has been nagging you a lot at home.” Wang Xiuying looked her nephew up and down, but it had been a while since she had seen him. “I must say, after staying in the capital for so long, you look quite stylish. Your hair is even longer than before.”

“That’s how young people in Beijing do things.” Wang Jianjun scratched his head and continued, “Although life in Beijing is more relaxed, you still need people around. I asked Zhezi to tell my dad to come and stay for a few days, but the old man just wouldn’t have it. Can’t you believe it?”

Wang Xiuying shook her head: "Fine, you and your son are both stubborn, so neither of you can argue with the other. Wait until the New Year, and I'll have your second son give you a few days off so you can go back and rest properly."

“Okay, I’ll do as you say.” Wang Jianjun replied with a smile, then said to Li Zhe, who was standing to the side, “Zhezi, you stay home with your aunt and uncle. I’m going to deliver the groceries today.”

Wang Jianjun carried a basket of cucumbers into the house, then got into the driver's seat and drove off.

Li Zhe led his parents and sister into the living room and said, "You sit down and rest for a while, have some tea. After Boss Hong and the others bring the vegetables, I'll take you to the backyard, and then we'll go shopping at the Friendship Store."

"No, no, I heard that's where foreigners shop, and it's really expensive. Let's just go to a regular market." Wang Xiuying knew her son didn't earn money easily, so she was a little reluctant to go.

Li Zhe laughed and said, "You might browse but not necessarily buy. Since you're here, you should at least see it. Otherwise, when you go back to your village, if the villagers ask you what goods the 'Friendship Store' has and what the foreigners look like, and you can't answer them, wouldn't that be a waste?"

Wang Xiuying was also curious. "Okay, let's go take a look." Then, she looked down at her clothes and asked with some worry, "With so many of us from rural areas, will they let us in?"

"It's alright, they'll let us in if we have foreign exchange certificates." Li Zhe glanced at his parents' and sister's clothes; they really needed to get them some new outfits. The saying "clothes make the man" is no exaggeration; a person's appearance can influence their inner self, especially children. Wearing a nice new outfit can make a person more confident and cheerful.

Back then, Li Zhe felt extremely awkward entering foreign-related venues wearing his old clothes.

Why didn't my brother and sister-in-law come today?

Old Li laughed and said, "We can't all come at once. The greenhouses at home need someone to watch them, and the work needs to be done. We'll come in batches."

Wang Xiuying pouted: "Your sister-in-law also wants to sit in the driver's seat, how could she come with us..."

Old Li interrupted her: "Alright, stop talking nonsense in front of Xiao Na."

"I'm not right..." Wang Xiuying was about to argue when there was a knock on the door.

Li Zhe got up to open the door and saw Boss Hong standing outside.

Li Zhe gestured for him to come in, "Boss Hong is here, please come in."

Mr. Hong was somewhat surprised to see that Old Li and his family were all there, and he quickly greeted them.

Before long, the other people who had brought cucumbers arrived. Li Zhe distributed the cucumbers to them, exchanged a few simple pleasantries, and then saw them to the door.

Old Li closed the door and asked in a low voice, "What date did they sign the agreement for buying cucumbers from us?"

"The end of January, the day after tomorrow." Li Zhe responded, then said to his mother and sister, "Come on, I'll take you to see the backyard."

Yesterday, Li Zhe changed all the locks on the doors of the entire courtyard. He took the key and opened the hanging flower gate directly, entering the backyard through the hanging flower gate.

This was Wang Xiuying's first time visiting the backyard. Seeing the large courtyard, she was immediately awestruck. "My goodness, this courtyard is truly magnificent! Second brother, how big is this courtyard house?"

"More than 660 square meters."

"My goodness, it's so big!" she exclaimed, then looked at Old Li beside her. "How big is our family's land plot? If we build two plots together, will it be half this size?" Old Li did some mental calculations and said, "A plot of land in our village is 12 by 16 meters, which is 192 square meters. Two plots together are nearly 400 square meters, which is not small. Besides, my second son said he wanted to build a two-story house, so it's enough for him."

Li Na walked along the covered walkway and touched the red pillars. "Brother, this house is so beautiful, just like the one in the painting."

Li Zhe smiled and said, "I'll save you a room later. You can come and stay here for a while when you're on vacation."

The door to the west wing was locked. Tan Jingya had already gone to the restaurant's shop; she had been keeping an eye on that place for the past few days.

Li Zhe showed his parents the east wing and the north room.

Wang Xiuying liked it more and more as she looked at it. "This house is decorated so beautifully, but it's bare and there isn't even a piece of furniture."

Li Zhe said, "The original owner's furniture was too expensive, so I didn't buy it because I didn't think it was suitable. I was too busy before the New Year, so I'll buy it after the New Year."

Old Li nodded: "After all, it's a house that someone else has lived in. It's good to let it air out for a while so that we can move in next spring."

Li Zhe glanced at his watch: "Let's go, I'll take you to the Friendship Store."

Wang Xiuying swallowed hard: "Second brother, are we really going?!"

"That can't be false."

On such a cold day, Li Zhe didn't want to ride a bicycle, so he simply took his parents to take the bus and let them experience it.

Li Na skipped and hopped as she walked, seemingly oblivious to the cold. Once on the bus, she kept staring out the window, as if she wanted to press her face against the glass.

Li Zhe sat next to her and reminded her, "Xiao Na, don't get too close to the glass. You might hit your head if you brake suddenly or turn."

Li Na nodded: "Yes, brother, Beijing is great. After I graduate from high school, I want to come to Beijing to help you."

Wang Xiuying snorted, "What a good-for-nothing girl, she doesn't even think about going to university."

Li Na retorted, "Mom, how easy is it to get into university? Our teacher said that graduating from high school is already a great achievement. Our teacher herself only graduated from high school."

The four chatted and time flew by; before long, they arrived near the Friendship Store.

The four of them walked to the entrance of the Friendship Store. Li Na saw a blonde, blue-eyed white woman and couldn't take her eyes off her. "Brother, is that a foreigner? Why doesn't her skin look very fair?"

"Don't keep staring at people, it's impolite," Li Zhe reminded them. "There are plenty of foreigners at the Friendship Store, you'll have plenty to look at in a bit."

Led by Li Zhe, the four entered the Friendship Store. The three of them were immediately amazed by the store's dazzling array of goods.

Wang Xiuying's mouth was agape, unable to speak; she felt that her eyes alone were not enough.

Li Na clung to Li Zhe's arm, following behind him somewhat timidly.

Li Zhe first led the three to the food counter. "Xiao Na, Dad, Mom, what would you like to eat? Pick whatever you like."

The prices were marked on the goods, and Wang Xiuying's palms were sweating as she looked at them. She asked in a low voice, "Second brother, are these all paid for with foreign exchange certificates?"

“Yes, it’s all paid for with foreign exchange certificates. Dad, Mom, buy whatever you want to eat, don’t worry about the price.” Li Zhe couldn’t afford the luxury goods in the store, but he could still afford to feed his family.

The four of them wandered around for a while longer. But neither Lao Li, Wang Xiuying, nor Li Na chose a single item.

Li Zhe felt he had to set an example for them. Otherwise, they simply wouldn't be willing to spend the money—or rather, they'd think it was too expensive and wouldn't dare to buy it.

Li Zhe walked to the liquor counter and said to the clerk, "Hello comrade, I'd like two cases of Moutai."

In 1988, the state deregulated the price of liquor, but Moutai was still subject to rationing due to its scarcity.

Moutai is a luxury item, and its circulation is strictly controlled. It is difficult for ordinary people to obtain, and it is mainly obtained through unit quotas, foreign channels, or special relationships. It is not distributed publicly.

Moreover, even if you have liquor coupons, the supply and marketing cooperatives often run out of stock, making it still very difficult to buy them.

The most direct way to get your hands on Moutai is either through connections or by having foreign exchange certificates.

A bottle of Moutai costs 140 foreign exchange certificates. Two cases of Moutai cost more than a thousand foreign exchange certificates. Even though Old Li had been longing for Moutai, his legs trembled when he heard the price: "Second brother, why don't we buy two more bottles to try?"

“Dad, this wine won’t spoil, so let’s keep it and drink it slowly. Besides, I’m not giving it all to you; I’m keeping a case for myself.” Li Zhe couldn’t help but laugh as he said this.

When he first started building his vegetable greenhouses, his parents disagreed with him taking out a loan because it required too much capital. In order to win over his father, Li Zhe made a promise to him: as long as he worked with him to build greenhouses, he would buy him Moutai liquor for the Chinese New Year.

In Li Zhe's view, the promise he made has come true, which is more meaningful than Moutai itself.

He asked with a smile, "Dad, I wasn't lying to you, was I?"

"No, no." Old Li was beaming from ear to ear. "The best thing I've ever done in my life is supporting you in building the greenhouse."

Li Zhe nodded, finding his father more and more pleasing to the eye. At around forty years old, he was at the prime of his career, and could at least continue working for another twenty years.

(End of this chapter)