Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 249 Request
The afternoon sun, with its characteristic spring languor, shone through the sparse clouds onto the fields of Daying Village.

Two deep ruts were left on the dirt road north of the village by the truck. Li Zhe, slightly intoxicated, jumped out of the truck's passenger seat. The fresh, cool air from the fields cleared his head a bit.

Although Li Zhe bought a car, he still prefers to hitch a ride on a vegetable truck whenever he returns to the village.

Firstly, the truck travels between Beijing and Langfang every day to pick up vegetables, so he can ride along the way without spending extra fuel; secondly, he knows all too well how competitive the villagers are, and if he drives a shiny car back to the village, he's sure to be surrounded by all sorts of aunts and uncles asking him all sorts of questions, and that kind of attention-grabbing feeling makes him very uncomfortable.

As soon as he got to his feet, Li Zhe saw a large group of people gathered around his vegetable greenhouse.

Since the beginning of the month, when he announced that militia members and newly recruited workers would be allowed to cooperate in growing greenhouse vegetables, the news has spread like wildfire throughout the surrounding villages. Farmers from this village and neighboring villages gather around the greenhouses every day, hoping to learn his techniques and grow vegetables in greenhouses themselves.

At first, Li Zhe patiently explained to the visitors the risks of greenhouse cultivation, the rules of cooperation, and the details of signing the agreement.

But with more and more people coming and going, and after repeating the same thing dozens of times, he got really annoyed and started thinking about finding someone to do it for him.

The first person that comes to mind is Zhu Yimin—he has extensive experience in vegetable cultivation, is respected by many, and is now a core member of Sijiqing Company.

However, every time he was asked to host someone, things went wrong. He was stubborn; he could patiently talk to people he liked, but when he encountered those who only wanted to take advantage and weren't willing to work hard, he would immediately become argumentative and retort. His idea wasn't wrong, he just wasn't tactful enough.

After trying several more workers, they finally found two suitable candidates: Lin Xiaohu and Zhou Qinghe. Lin Xiaohu was quick-witted and had a sweet tongue, while Zhou Qinghe was gentle and patient. With the help of their father, Lao Li, the three of them took turns to manage the reception.

Seeing the crowd surging towards him, Li Zhe instinctively wanted to turn around and hide in the greenhouse.

He had just returned from business in town, still exhausted, and had no energy left to deal with this overly enthusiastic group of villagers. But before he could even take a step, he heard a familiar greeting from the crowd: "Brother Li, we've been waiting for you to come back!"

Li Zhe looked up and saw a man in blue overalls squeezing through the crowd. It was Xie, the factory manager of the town's cannery. "Manager Xie? What brings you here?"

With a simple, honest smile on his face, Director Xie rubbed his hands together and said, "I came here especially to thank you!"

Li Zhe briefly greeted the surrounding farmers, signaled Lin Xiaohu to take the lead in receiving them, and then led Factory Director Xie toward Greenhouse No. 3.

As soon as he lifted the plastic curtain, he saw his father, Lao Li, squatting by the table tidying up things. When he saw his son come in, he immediately pointed to the items on the table and said, "Second son, look, these are all gifts brought by Factory Director Xie. There are canned goods, eggs, malted milk powder, and pastries."

"Director Xie, you're too kind." Li Zhe pulled out a plastic stool and sat down, glancing at the enamel basin with the word "award" printed on it on the table. Director Xie quickly waved his hand: "Mr. Li, please don't say that. These aren't gifts from me; they're a small token of appreciation from the hundreds of workers in the factory."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Li Zhe picked up the enamel mug his father handed him, and the warm tea slid down his throat, dispelling much of the effects of the alcohol.

Factory Director Xie's smile grew even more genuine: "The two batches of canned goods you received from our factory a while ago, you only paid a deposit at first, and we all thought the final payment would be delayed indefinitely. Unexpectedly, a few days ago, Boss Jin went directly to the factory to settle the full amount, and even said that you specifically instructed him to do so."

As soon as the money arrived, we paid the workers several months' back wages. They were all incredibly happy and insisted on coming to thank you! Our factory manager, worried that too many people would bother you, asked me to bring some things on their behalf.”

Li Zhe smiled upon hearing this: "That's only right. In business, integrity is fundamental. How can we delay payment for goods?"

Factory Director Xie became serious: "It's just a small favor for you, but it's a lifesaver for our factory!" He took the tea that Old Li had filled up, blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface, and his Adam's apple bobbed as if he had something difficult to say.

After a moment of silence, Li Zhe spoke up: "When does your factory plan to resume operations?"

These words seemed to unlock Director Xie's floodgates. His smile vanished instantly, and his voice dropped eight octaves: "It's tough! We've sent out a lot of sales staff to explore distribution channels, but they either complain that our canned goods are too expensive or that there aren't enough varieties. We've run ourselves ragged, but we haven't closed many deals."

He paused, his fingers nervously gripping the edge of the enamel mug. "Mr. Li, to be honest, I came here today to ask if you could buy another batch of canned goods from our factory?"

Li Zhe raised an eyebrow: "Your factory also makes canned tomatoes?"

Factory Manager Xie shook his head: "The canned tomatoes sold out long ago. We have a lot of canned pork stockpiled in our warehouse, all of excellent quality. As for the price... we can sell it to you below cost price, is that alright?"

These words surprised Li Zhe. He put down his teacup and looked at the other person: "Director Xie, when Mayor Chen was there last time, he suggested that you sell below cost. Weren't you worried that the workers would object and that they wouldn't understand?"

Factory Director Xie's face showed a bitter expression: "You're right, we were indeed afraid that the workers would cause trouble. But this time is different. We sent more than 20 key personnel out to promote sales, and they all suggested lowering prices to boost sales when they came back."

The factory held a general meeting of all employees, and after a whole afternoon of heated debate, they finally reached a consensus: to sell at a low price to recoup funds.

"We've already received over 28,000 yuan worth of goods in the first two batches. Isn't that enough to keep us afloat?" Li Zhe asked, somewhat puzzled.

Factory Director Xie sighed heavily, his wrinkles at the corners of his eyes furrowing into knots: "My factory has hundreds of workers, and each of them is owed nearly half a year's wages, as well as payments to raw material suppliers."

The money had barely arrived when the workers and creditors swarmed in, using it all to pay wages and settle debts. Now the factory is empty again.

Li Zhe tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondering in his mind.

In his view, the problem with the cannery is not a lack of funds. Even if investment is injected now, it will still fall into difficulties sooner or later if it cannot find stable sales channels.

These days, we're in the midst of a dual-track system reform. The inertia of the planned economy hasn't completely faded, and the rules of the market economy aren't fully established, making the business environment incredibly complex. Sometimes, even if the price is low and the quality is excellent, without connections or distribution channels, you still can't sell your products.

Moreover, the profit margin for exporting canned pork to the Soviet Union was too low; even if purchased below cost, it was still far less profitable than canned vegetables.

If he lowers the price too much, the cannery workers might accuse him of profiteering behind his back; but if he buys at a high price, he won't make any profit, which would be a thankless task. Li Zhe wouldn't do something that would result in losing money and being criticized.

He carefully chose his words, trying to make his tone sound tactful: "Director Xie, it's not that I'm unwilling to help, it's just that the profit margin for exporting canned pork is too low, and we don't have any plans to purchase any at the moment."

The hope on Director Xie's face gradually faded, eventually turning into deep helplessness. He stood up and said, "I understand, I understand. I was asking too much of you."

Li Zhe politely escorted Factory Director Xie to the entrance of the greenhouse, watching the other man's dejected figure as he left, but his heart was not stirred.

He did have the idea of ​​leasing the cannery production line, but now is clearly not the time, and the matter has long been handed over to Jin Baiwan to follow up on.

Everyone needs to do their job to make the business last. He doesn't want to take on everything himself, or he'd be exhausted.

For the next few days, Li Zhe stayed in the village to handle matters related to the cooperative.

The Daying Vegetable Cooperative has over a hundred members, and his idea of ​​uniting farmers for large-scale planting has begun to take shape...

……

Beijing.

December 12, 1989.

The evening sunset bathed Dongzhimen Inner Street in a warm, orange glow. The flow of bicycles leaving get off work resembled flocks of birds returning to their nests, their wheels rustling and crunching on the asphalt.

Li Zhenguo pedaled his old-fashioned bicycle, which rattled everywhere except for the bell. Two bottles of Fenjiu liquor were in the basket, held in a net bag. With each jolt of the bike, the bottles clinked softly against each other.

He turned his head and asked Chen Shuping in the back seat, "Why did you and your brother-in-law suddenly invite us to dinner today?" The evening breeze lifted the stray hairs at Chen Shuping's temples and drifted onto his arm.

Chen Shuping pressed her face against her husband's back, smelling the faint scent of engine oil mixed with the fragrance of soap, and said with a smile, "Who knows? Anyway, we don't have to pay, so let's just eat when we get there." The bicycle bell jingled as it passed the shoe repair stall on the street corner. The shoemaker was stuffing an anvil into the tricycle, and hammers and pliers were clanging as they were thrown into the back of the vehicle, preparing to pack up and go home.

Turning the corner, the upturned eaves of Dongxing Building suddenly came into view.

The antique-style building with its blue bricks and gray tiles, bathed in twilight, exudes a dignified air. Wind chimes hang from the upturned eaves, tinkling merrily in the evening breeze. The three gilded characters "Dongxinglou" above the door gleam brightly under the light of the lintel, while red lanterns on either side of the door rustle in the wind.

"Wow, this place is really grand." Li Zhenguo squeezed the brakes to stop the car and craned his neck to look at the three-story building. Dongxing Restaurant, which had reopened seven years ago, was thriving. Warm yellow light spilled out from the glass doors, and the sounds of clinking cups and plates and laughter could be faintly heard, creating a lively atmosphere.

The lobby was neatly arranged with eight-immortal tables, soft cushions on the mahogany chairs, and landscape paintings on the walls. The air was filled with the aroma of soy sauce mixed with cooking wine, as well as a hint of sweet and sour flavor, which made Li Zhenguo's stomach rumble and he swallow hard.

"Comrade, do you have a reservation?" A waitress in a moon-white uniform approached and asked. "Yes, Wang Guangwei booked a private room." Li Zhenguo straightened his back a bit and raised his voice.

"The private room is on the second floor, please follow me." The waiter led them inside, and as they stepped onto the wooden stairs, they heard a soft creaking sound with each step.

The banquet hall on the second floor was carpeted with red carpet, making no sound underfoot. Turning past the carved screen, the waiter pushed open the wooden door to the "Pine and Crane Hall".

A wave of warmth wafted over them. In the center of the mahogany round table sat a celadon revolving vase, adorned with several blooming peonies. Old Mrs. Chen sat in the main seat, sipping tea, while chubby Li Jinghui fiddled with chopsticks by the table. When he saw them enter, his eyes lit up.

"Mom, eldest sister, brother-in-law," Chen Shuping greeted with a smile, the fine lines around her eyes smoothing out.

Li Zhenguo placed the Fenjiu liquor on the wine cabinet in the corner: "Brother-in-law, I brought two bottles of liquor."

Wang Guangwei was peeling oranges for Old Lady Chen when he heard this and waved his hand, saying, "I'll save your wine for later. Let's drink this today." He picked up a bulging cardboard box from the table, took out a bottle of Wuliangye liquor, and the crystal bottle gleamed like amber under the light.

Chen Shuping glanced at it and exclaimed in amazement: "Wow, brother-in-law is really going all out! I've never tasted this good wine before, I'll have to take a few sips later."

"Drink as much as you like, I brought two bottles." Wang Guangwei, his face flushed, opened the bottle caps and poured a glass of wine for everyone, the aroma of which immediately wafted out.

The waiters came in one by one with trays, and the first dish served was braised sea cucumber with scallions. The glossy black sea cucumber lay in a thick sauce and was garnished with bright green scallion segments.

"This is Dongxinglou's signature dish. I heard they use sea cucumbers from the Bohai Bay, which take seven days to soak and simmer in broth for twelve hours." Wang Guangwei picked up a piece for Old Mrs. Chen and introduced, "Mom, try this, see if it's authentic."

Chen Shuping also picked up a piece, and after taking a bite, she gasped because it was so hot, but she couldn't bear to spit it out. She mumbled, "No wonder they say Shandong cuisine is so exquisite. This bite is so fresh that my tongue almost melts."

One after another, braised cuttlefish roe soup and stir-fried tripe with coriander were served. Wang Guangwei could describe the recipe for each dish in detail. The chicken slices with egg white pudding were snow-white and tender, the fish slices stir-fried with fermented rice wine had a wine aroma, and the stir-fried chicken cubes were coated with a glistening sauce.

Li Jinghui ate heartily, his greasy little mouth glistening. Grandma Chen kept putting food on his plate, saying, "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you," while her chopsticks never stopped moving.

"Hey, why aren't Lily and Tingting here?" Chen Shuping picked at the rice in her bowl and suddenly remembered her two nieces.

Chen Shufang picked up a piece of braised pork belly with her chopsticks: "Lily is pregnant and can't stand the smell of meat. She threw up after drinking a sip of millet porridge this morning, so let her rest at home. Tingting is at school."

Wang Guangwei suddenly pulled a red velvet box out of his bag. Inside was a silver hairpin with a small jade inlay: "Mom, this is for you. Try it on and see if you like it."

"Hey, why did you buy me something again?" Old Mrs. Chen said with a smile in her eyes, but her hand reached out.

Chen Shuping took the hairpin and put it on the old lady, saying with a smile, "Oh my, Mom, you look so beautiful with this hairpin on. You look more than ten years younger."

"I'm already so old, what's the point of worrying about looking good or bad?" Old Mrs. Chen smiled, her eyes crinkling with wrinkles, but she looked at her reflection in the wine bottle on the table.

Chen Shuping chimed in, "Mom, it really looks good and suits you well."

Wang Guangwei then took out a Shanghai brand watch and handed it to Li Zhenguo: "Zhenguo, this watch is a gift for you."

Li Zhenguo's hand froze in mid-air, his dark fingers curling up slightly. He hesitated for a long time before accepting it, saying, "Brother-in-law, this...this is too precious, I can't accept it."

Chen Shuping asked in surprise, "What good thing happened today? Brother-in-law, you're treating everyone and giving away so many things. Tell us so we can all be happy."

Before Wang Guangwei could answer, Chen Shufang said with a smile, "Your brother-in-law got promoted today. He's now the deputy director of the Beijing TV Factory. He said that if Zhenguo hadn't helped him find out-of-season vegetables and give gifts to the leaders, this deal might not have worked out."

"Here you go." Wang Guangwei shoved the watch into Li Zhenguo's hand. "I've been the office director for so many years, and I've finally taken this step. Everyone should have a share, Zhenguo, so don't be shy with me."

Chen Shuping quietly nudged her husband's leg under the table, took the watch, and said with a smile, "Then we won't stand on ceremony, thank you, brother-in-law." She stroked the watch strap, but felt a little uneasy, unable to quite put her finger on it.

After a few rounds of drinks, Wang Guangwei's face turned as red as Guan Yu's, and he slurred that he would find Li Jinghui a job in the television factory, "I guarantee... I guarantee it will be a good job."

Li Zhenguo drank in silence, the spiciness of Wuliangye burning in his throat. He thought of his time in the cannery workshop, smelling the sweet, cloying aroma of canned peaches every day, all his energy wasted on the assembly line, with nowhere to expend it, and he felt suffocated.

It was almost nine o'clock when the party ended, and the night breeze was cool, making everyone shiver. Chen Shuping carried Old Lady Chen on her back, and Li Zhenguo carried Li Jinghui; the two bicycles cast long, thin shadows under the streetlights. As they passed a section of uneven ground, Li Zhenguo wasn't paying attention, and the wheel lurched violently.

"Ouch!" Li Jinghui cried out, clutching his backside. "Dad, how are you riding your bike?!"

"If you don't like the bumpy ride, get off and walk! It'll help you lose some weight," Li Zhenguo said irritably. He was already feeling frustrated, and Li Zhenguo's nagging only made him more annoyed.

"Not only is your car cold, but it's also bumpy, and you still have the nerve to complain?" the chubby boy retorted, sticking his neck out.

Li Zhenguo scoffed, "Isn't every car like this?"

"Second Brother's car isn't bumpy at all," Li Jinghui muttered. "The leather seats are so soft, and there's a radio to listen to. It's so comfortable."

Hearing the chubby boy mention his nephew Li Zhe, Li Zhenguo felt a little more at ease. His nephew was capable, and he, as the uncle, was proud of him.

Back in the tenement building on Guangqumen Inner Street, the stairwells were filled with the aromas of various families' meals: the scent of soy sauce mixed with the smell of cooking oil and the pungent smell of someone stir-frying chili peppers. Someone was washing dishes by the communal sink, making a "splashing" sound. The dim light bulbs flickered, illuminating the pile of coal briquettes against the wall, a dark, murky mass.

After washing up, Grandma Chen and Li Jinghui went to sleep quickly, leaving only soft snoring in the room.

Li Zhenguo and Chen Shuping lay in bed, neither of them speaking nor sleepy; the only sound in the darkness was their breathing.

Moonlight streamed in through the window cracks, illuminating the yellowed certificates on the wall—the technical expert award Li Zhenguo received last year, the edges of which were curled.

"Zhenguo," Chen Shuping suddenly spoke, abruptly asking, "Has the second son contacted you recently?"

Li Zhenguo turned to look at her: "No, what's wrong?"

Chen Shuping gritted her teeth, as if she had made up her mind: "Let's work with the second brother! It's better than you staying in the factory as a worker forever."

Chen Shuping knows her husband best. He has worked in the cannery for so many years and his production skills and experience are excellent, but he has never even become a team leader.

The main reason is that her husband is shy, doesn't like to scheme, and is from out of town with no connections. If he doesn't have strong connections, his life will be pretty much set in stone.

Working with my nephew might not sound appealing, but it's sure to bring benefits, and I won't have to scheme or plot, which suits my husband's personality perfectly.

Li Zhenguo revealed a bitter expression: "What's wrong? Did your brother-in-law provoke you?"

"Aren't you envious that your brother-in-law became the deputy factory director?" Chen Shuping asked rhetorically, her eyes shining in the darkness.

She knew her brother-in-law had no bad intentions; he was just having fun today.

Chen Shuping didn't have any other ulterior motives, but she just felt uncomfortable. They were sisters born of the same mother, yet their lives were so different, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Envious? Of course I'm envious!" Seeing his brother-in-law become the deputy factory director, Li Zhenguo was happy for him, but along with his happiness, he couldn't help but feel a little lost, and his chest felt heavy.

He knew that if he continued to stay at this cannery, he would be just a worker for the rest of his life, with no hope whatsoever...

Li Zhenguo remained silent for a long time, feeling somewhat agitated. He felt the urge to smoke but resisted, his fingers picking at the blanket. In the darkness, he seemed to see the new cannery's buildings, the assembly lines whirring, and his supervisor's name tag gleaming under the lights.

He took a deep breath and made up his mind: "Okay, when I have time, I'll go find the second brother and see how his cannery is going?"

(End of this chapter)