Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 242 Activists (Long Chapter)
The next morning.

The dew on the homestead hadn't even dried yet when Liu Jinliang arrived with about ten workers.

The excavator drove into the site with a "putt-putt-putt" sound. With a single shovel, it dug up half a cubic meter of soil. The yellow soil mixed with broken bricks was piled up to the side, and the outline of the foundation soon became visible.

A breeze blew through the poplar grove, carrying the warmth of early spring, and a group of villagers had already gathered to watch the spectacle. A ruddy-faced old man took a cigarette from behind his ear, put it in his mouth, and lit it with a match, muttering, "Good heavens, the Li family is using an excavator to build their house?"

Wang Dajiao, carrying a vegetable basket, squeezed to the front of the crowd, pointing to the ground line and chatting with the people next to him: "Look at this land, it's even more spacious than the village committee compound. Old Li's family has really made a fortune!"

"Good heavens, where did his family get so much land for building houses?" someone muttered.

Wang Dajiao snorted: "Bought it, of course. With money, why would they be afraid of not being able to buy a plot of land? I heard they're even building a two-story house. How impressive!"

Wang Ermazi squatted silently to the side. He had already made up his mind that this winter he would definitely join Li Zhe in greenhouse farming, even if he had to beg him for help. But right now, the bank loan required interest payments, and his parents absolutely refused to agree… Sigh…

Everyone else was thinking the same thing. The Li family had even started building a new house, which meant they had truly turned their lives around.

Amidst the murmurs, the excavator had already dug a half-meter-deep foundation trench. Liu Jinliang directed the workers to lay gravel into the trench, and the clanging of shovels drowned out the villagers' chatter.

The vegetable greenhouses in the distance gleamed with a bright white light, while the machines roared on the nearby homestead. The villagers' discussions, like seeds in the spring breeze, quietly settled in everyone's hearts—this house under construction is not only the Li family's new home, but also a living example of how growing vegetables in greenhouses can lead to wealth in the eyes of the villagers.

Want to get rich? Grow in greenhouses!
Just then, the village's loudspeaker suddenly creaked twice, and Wang Tietou's booming voice came through: "Attention all villagers! Attention all villagers!"

Li Zhenhua's family in Group 4 has leased land in the west of the village to grow cash crops and is now recruiting ten workers. They are required to be hardworking and diligent, earning two yuan per day, with additional subsidies during busy farming seasons…

As soon as the broadcast ended, the crowd erupted in uproar.

"What? The Li family is hiring again?" Someone forgot to smoke their cigarette. "They just built a new house and they're hiring workers again? Are they expanding the greenhouse again? Didn't they just build it a few days ago?"

Wang Dajiao's eyes lit up, and he grabbed Aunt Zhang next to him: "Auntie, isn't your Lei Zi idle at home? You have to give this job a try! It's two yuan a day, much more reliable than going out to do odd jobs."

Aunt Zhang was troubled: "But Zhu Zi just went to the construction site in the county town with his uncle a few days ago... Should I go home and have the old man go instead?"

"Your old man is almost sixty, do you think he'd even want you?" Wang Dajiao curled her lip, then turned to the young men beside her, "Daqiang, Erhu, why don't you two strong men give it a try?"

A few young people were rubbing their hands in hesitation when a commotion suddenly broke out at the back of the crowd.

Wang Ermazi was just worrying about the loan when he heard the words "Li Family is hiring" on the radio. The cigarette butt in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and he froze for two seconds.

"Hey? What's wrong with Er Mazi?" Before anyone could react, Wang Er Mazi suddenly jumped up from the ground, pushed through the crowd, and rushed out, running faster than a rabbit, his cloth shoes kicking up dust on the dirt road.

"What's wrong with this kid? Is he going to sign up for a job?" Wang Dajiao stood on tiptoe and looked in the direction he was running. "That's not the way to the village committee, is it?"

The red-faced old man glanced in the direction Wang Ermazi had run and coughed, "That kid's clever. He didn't go to the village committee to report; he went straight to the Li family's greenhouse!"

Wang Ermazi rushed off to the vegetable greenhouse in the north of the village.

From afar, you could see Old Li standing by the rammed earth wall, pulling on the straw mat. He shouted across the field ridge, "Uncle Li! Uncle Li!"

Old Li was startled by the sudden shout. He rolled up the straw mat to secure it before turning to look at him: "Isn't this Er Mazi? Why are you running so fast? Is there a dog chasing you?"

Wang Ermazi ran up, panting heavily, his face flushed red from the pockmarks on his knees: "Uncle Li... I... I heard your family is hiring?"

"Oh, the village office just made an announcement over the loudspeaker." Old Li looked at him with a puzzled expression. "You want to sign up?"

"Yes, yes!" Wang Ermazi nodded quickly. As long as he could work with the Li family, he could learn the techniques of growing vegetables in greenhouses, and then his parents' opposition might be less intense.

This winter, he will be able to build his own vegetable greenhouse.

Old Li sized him up. This kid was quite efficient at his work and had a good attitude: "Okay, count you in."

"Thank you, Uncle Li! I will definitely work hard for you." Wang Ermazi's face was beaming with joy, and he patted his chest loudly.

Become!

Old Li glanced westward. After finishing his work, he still had to take a look around the construction site. Although Liu Jinliang was keeping an eye on things, he was still worried about not having his own family members around: "Alright, I'll leave the work for you. Go back and rest. Come to work first thing tomorrow morning."

"What are you waiting for, Uncle Li!" Wang Ermazi rolled up his sleeves and was about to get closer to the rammed earth wall. "I can get started today. I can lift the plastic film, water the fields, and pull weeds. I don't need to wait until tomorrow!"

His mind was filled with the idea of ​​learning greenhouse techniques, and he couldn't wait to get his hands on the tools right now.

"What's the rush, kid? Trying to lift the greenhouse film? The vegetables in the greenhouse will freeze to death." Old Li quickly reached out and grabbed him, his smile fading. "I need to make this clear to you, this job posting isn't for working in the greenhouse."

Wang Ermazi abruptly stopped, as if frozen in place, and after a long while asked blankly, "No...not building greenhouses?"

“The greenhouse has just been expanded, there’s no need for so many people.” Old Li gestured with his chin toward the east end of the village. “The newly rented forty mu of land is for open-field farming, specializing in pickled cucumbers and green beans, which will be sent to the cannery after harvesting. It’s just open-field farming work like tilling, sowing, and watering, no need to build trellises.”

"Growing vegetables in the open air?" Wang Ermazi's face turned pale instantly, his eyes widened, and his previous enthusiasm vanished in an instant.

Why has it suddenly become open-air farming? How is this any different from the villagers growing corn and soybeans? How can you make a lot of money from it?

Seeing his dazed expression, Old Li deliberately frowned and asked, "What's wrong? You don't want to do outdoor work anymore? You think it's more comfortable in the greenhouse than being exposed to the wind and sun?"

"Of course I'm willing! Why wouldn't I be!" Wang Ermazi suddenly came to his senses and hurriedly replied, though his voice sounded a little weak.

He felt as if a jumble of bitterness had been spilled in his heart, a mixture of bitterness and stagnation. But then he thought, working for the Li family was better than staying idle at home. At least he could earn some wages, and maybe he could gradually figure things out and then ask Li Zhe to teach him greenhouse techniques.

He forced a smile and moved closer to Old Li: "Uncle Li, you're joking. How could I complain about being tired? Farmers aren't afraid of wind and sun, are they? Don't worry, I'll be the first one there tomorrow!"

Old Li saw the barely concealed disappointment in his eyes, understood perfectly, but didn't point it out. He just patted his arm and said, "Alright, go back and get ready. Bring a water bottle tomorrow. The work in the fields is rough, so you need to drink more water."

Wang Ermazi sighed and turned to walk back.

The path under his feet was uneven, and he felt uneasy—could cucumbers and green beans grown in the open field really sell for the price of greenhouse vegetables?
However, Li Zhe's judgment shouldn't be bad, right? The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. When he passed by the crowd watching the new house, he didn't even hear Wang Dajiao calling him. His mind was filled with images of open-air vegetable gardens and greenhouses.

……

The tenement buildings on Guangqumen Inner Street.

A white Volga sedan was parked steadily downstairs, its gleaming body reflecting the bed sheets swaying on the clothesline.

As soon as he opened the car door, he saw Grandpa Song from the stairwell come over with his sleeves tucked in, his eyes darting around the car, muttering, "Whose car is this? It's so impressive, could it be a leader from some organization coming to inspect?"

Li Zhe was wearing a black leather jacket, zipped all the way up, which made his eyebrows and eyes look even more energetic.

Grandpa Song squinted at him for a long time, feeling that he looked familiar but not daring to recognize him: "Comrade, which unit are you from? Who are you looking for?" Grandpa Song asked, rubbing his hands, his tone somewhat cautious.

Li Zhe couldn't help but laugh, revealing two rows of white teeth: "Uncle Song, we've met before. I'm Li Zhenguo's nephew, Li Zhe."

"Oh my! It's a relative of Old Chen's! No wonder he looked familiar!" Grandpa Song slapped his thigh in sudden realization, his eyes widening as he circled the Volga halfway around. "Where did you get this car? Are you a driver for some big company?"

The neighbors used to think of Li Zhenguo as a son-in-law who had come from the countryside to visit his wife, and they often gossiped behind his back. Who would have thought that his nephew would come to visit in such a nice car? "Grandpa, you can rest here. I'm going upstairs to visit someone." Li Zhe didn't elaborate, but turned around and opened the trunk, which contained two bulging net bags.

Just as I pulled the net bag out, a chubby little boy with a schoolbag came running from a distance.

"Second Brother! You're here!" Li Huijing smiled, revealing two dimples on his round face, but his eyes were fixed on Volga.

Li Zhe asked with a smile, "Huijing, did you just get out of school?"

"Mmm," the chubby boy responded, his eyes still fixed on the car. "Second brother, did you drive this car here? It's really beautiful."

"Just bought these." Li Zhe handed him the net bag, the oil paper package inside making a rustling sound: "These are for you."

Normally, Li Huijing would be glued to the food, but today he was more curious about the car. "Second brother, can I come in and sit for a bit?"

Li Zhe waved his hand: "Get in the car, I'll take you for a spin!"

"Great!" After receiving a positive reply, he put the net back in the trunk, threw his backpack in as well, and quickly climbed into the passenger seat.

The car had dark brown faux leather seats, and the gauges on the dashboard gleamed in the sunlight.

Li Huijing hurriedly fastened his seatbelt, his nose almost touching the car window: "Second brother, there's a radio in this car!" He fiddled with the knob, and Fan Linlin's singing came through: "My home is on the Loess Plateau, the wind blows across the slope..."

"Hold on tight." Li Zhe started the car, and the Volga smoothly drove out of the alley.

Li Huijing excitedly rolled down the car window, the wind making his hair a mess.

As the car crossed the intersection, he saw his classmate Ma Qianjin walking with his schoolbag on his back. He immediately leaned out and waved, "Ma Qianjin! Look what I'm riding?!"

Ma Qianjin was so shocked that his mouth dropped open. He stood there, staring blankly as the car drove away. Li Huijing shrugged back triumphantly, his face trembling with laughter.

"Second brother, how much is this car?" the chubby boy asked, touching the door handle with admiration in his eyes.

"Less than 30,000." Li Zhe looked ahead, a smile playing on his lips.

"Thirty thousand!" Li Huijing gasped. His father's monthly salary was less than one hundred. This amount of money was enough for the family to save for more than twenty years without eating or drinking.

He secretly sized up Li Zhe, making a vow in his heart: when I grow up, I must be like my second brother, make a lot of money, buy a courtyard house, drive a car, and make all my classmates envious.

"Is Uncle busy lately?" Li Zhe turned the street corner and drove towards the tenement building.

"I'm so busy!" Li Huijing counted on his chubby fingers. "The cannery is always busy with overtime. My dad doesn't get off work until after 7 p.m., and he doesn't get home until almost 8 p.m."

Li Zhe was thinking to himself that he had originally planned to discuss the lease of the cannery with his second uncle today, but it seemed he would have to reschedule.

He parked the car back downstairs at the tenement building, took a net bag from the trunk and handed it to Li Huijing: "I brought you some donkey rolls, malted milk powder, chocolate and braised beef, and some other food for Grandma and Aunt."

The net was heavy; it took the little chubby boy two hands to hold it securely.

"Second brother, come up for dinner! My mom came back early, so I'll have her cook for you!" Li Huijing invited, looking up with his round face.

"No, my second uncle isn't home, so I can't get anything done up there." Li Zhe rubbed his head.

The Chen family's house wasn't big, and the uncle wasn't home either, so Li Zhe would only cause trouble if he went.

The chubby boy quickly said, "There's a public phone at the newsstand downstairs! My dad can call you back whenever he's free!"

"Okay, go back." Li Zhe waved his hand, watching the chubby boy run upstairs with the net bag in his arms.

Li Zhe returned to the car, started the engine, and the Volga slowly drove away from the tenement building...

Not far away, Grandpa Song silently watched the car drive away, muttering to himself, "Hey, they're really something, the Chen family has really climbed the social ladder..."

……

The next day.

Evening, Chongwenmen West Street.

Li Zhenguo rode his old-fashioned bicycle to the Shuxiangju restaurant, his trouser legs still stained with oil from the canning machine.

The setting sun made the restaurant sign shine, and the white Volga sedan parked at the entrance was particularly eye-catching—it must be the one my son had been talking about yesterday.

He gripped the brakes and brought the car to a stop, his feet on the ground. He couldn't resist circling the car halfway around, reaching out to touch it, then pulling his hand back. A feeling of envy welled up inside him: "Hey, this kid's really something."

Li Zhenguo parked his bicycle in the roadside parking area, straightened his faded work jacket, took a deep breath, and walked into the restaurant. As soon as he reached the door, a waiter in a red jacket greeted him with a smile: "Welcome! How many of you are dining?"

"Is your boss, Mr. Li, here?" Li Zhenguo rubbed the calluses on his hands, his tone a little reserved.

"Yes, and who are you?" the waiter asked, looking him up and down.

“I am his uncle.”

"Please have a seat." The waiter quickly led him to a square table in the front hall. "Please wait a moment, I'll go to the kitchen and call Mr. Li."

The kitchen was filled with the spicy aroma of Sichuan cuisine. Li Zhe was trying out a new dish when he heard the waiter say that his uncle had arrived. He gave him a few instructions and then left the kitchen.

Seeing Li Zhenguo sitting on the bench, he quickly greeted him with a smile, "Uncle, you've arrived. The kitchen is just testing new dishes, and we'll let you try them in a bit."

Li Zhe led his uncle up to the second floor.

Li Zhenguo walked around, looking at the restaurant. He had been there when it was in its trial operation, and now it seemed to have changed a bit. He entered a private room and saw a traditional Chinese ink painting of bamboo hanging on the wall, as well as a clothes rack and a small cabinet.

The waiter followed them in, quickly setting out a teapot and teacups, pouring in warm jasmine tea, and then bringing over a plate of snacks and a fruit platter: "Mr. Li, Uncle Li, please enjoy your meal."

Looking at the free snacks on the table, which were much more thoughtful than during the last trial opening, Li Zhenguo couldn't help but exclaim, "Your restaurant is getting better and better; the service is much better than that of state-run restaurants."

Li Zhe took off his coat and sat down next to his uncle: "State-run restaurants have a safety net, but we don't. If we want to make money, we can only focus on improving our service."

“That makes sense.” Li Zhenguo picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and asked, “Huijing said yesterday that you wanted to see me about something?”

Li Zhe nodded and briefly explained his desire to lease a cannery to produce his own brand of canned goods.

"You're going to rent the factory yourself?" Li Zhenguo paused, his teacup agape, his eyes wide with surprise. "This is no small matter. There are many intricacies to canned food production. You've never dealt with it before. Can you handle it?"

"That's why I'm asking for your advice." Li Zhe leaned forward. "You've worked in the cannery for over ten years, you have plenty of experience. Do you think this plan is feasible? Are there any things we should be aware of?"

(End of this chapter)