Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 253 Thoughts

"What's up?" Li Zhe leaned forward slightly.

Tan Jingya coughed lightly before slowly saying, "It's almost the end of April, and summer will be here in two months. You know how hot summers are in Beijing. If Shuxiangju doesn't install air conditioning, its business will definitely be affected."

I went to an appliance store these past few days to ask, and air conditioners are in very short supply right now, especially floor-standing units. The stores don't have any in stock; you have to pre-order.

If I wait until it gets hot to buy it, not only will the price go up, but I'll also have to wait in a very long line, and I might not even be able to get it installed by the time the hottest days of summer begin. So I'm thinking that if I want to install an air conditioner, I need to order it in advance.”

Li Zhe stroked his chin. Shuxiangju serves Sichuan cuisine. Customers tend to sweat easily when they eat spicy food. In the summer, without air conditioning, the restaurant is like a steamer. Who would want to come here?
Moreover, they target the mid-to-high-end market, with a high average spending per person. Without air conditioning, their prices would drop, which would definitely affect their business.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "How much would it cost to install air conditioning in our restaurant?"

Tan Jingya had already done the math and immediately said, "There are many people in the downstairs hall, and the space is large, so we need to install a high-powered floor-standing air conditioner. The one I asked about has a good cooling effect and is suitable for large spaces. It costs 5000 yuan a unit."

The five private rooms upstairs are relatively small, so wall-mounted air conditioners will suffice. Each unit costs 2700 yuan, so five would cost 13500 yuan. Therefore, the air conditioners themselves would cost 18500 yuan.

She paused, picked up the pen on the table, and started calculating on a blank page of the ledger, saying as she did so, "Besides the cost of the air conditioner, there are also installation and plumbing fees. The installation fee for a floor-standing unit is more expensive than for a wall-mounted unit. A floor-standing unit costs 100 yuan, while a wall-mounted unit costs 50 yuan. Five wall-mounted units would cost 250 yuan, so the total installation fee is 350 yuan."

As for the piping cost, the cabinet unit needs about 10 meters of pipe, which costs 20 yuan per meter, totaling 200 yuan; each wall-mounted unit needs 5 meters, so five units would be 25 meters, costing 500 yuan. The total piping cost is 700 yuan.

There's also a bracket fee; floor-standing units don't require it, but wall-mounted units do, at 10 yuan each, five for 50 yuan. Adding it all up, the installation, piping, and brackets total 1100 yuan.

Tan Jingya put down her pen, pointed to the numbers in the ledger, her pretty face slightly furrowed, and her tone was a little helpless: "The air conditioner costs 18500 yuan, plus these, totaling 19600 yuan. Our restaurant's profit in March was 5080 yuan, after deducting employee bonuses—we now have 4340 yuan left."

In addition, there is still 600 yuan left over from the previous restaurant business, bringing the total to less than 5,000 yuan.

Buying an air conditioner requires a deposit, and the appliance store said the minimum is 40%, but we don't even have enough money for that..."

Li Zhe was also secretly thinking that the price was indeed not cheap, but air conditioning was definitely necessary, otherwise business would be affected in the summer.

He had enough funds—but Shuxiangju was a business he and Tan Jingya shared, and he couldn't put all the money into it himself.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thought for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Sister Tan, do you have any ideas?"

Tan Jingya bit her red lips, her eyes hesitant for a moment, but she quickly made up her mind. She looked up at Li Zhe and said seriously, "Didn't we plan to have a prepaid membership promotion for May Day? Top up 200 and get 25 free, top up 500 and get 80 free."

Can the money prepaid by the customer be used in advance?

Li Zhe frowned slightly. This method was risky; if the funding dried up, the restaurant's operation would be in trouble.

But for him, this risk is nothing; he has enough money to cover it.

He looked at Tan Jingya's expectant eyes, nodded, and said firmly, "Okay, let's do it that way."

Hearing Li Zhe agree, Tan Jingya breathed a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face.

She thought for a moment, then seemed to have made up her mind, her eyes hardening as she said, "I still have some money... The phone is important to the restaurant too, so why don't we install it as well?"

“Okay.” Li Zhe is wealthy, and since Director Han helped him secure a spot, he would stay at home even if the restaurant was not comfortable with it.

……

Li Zhe came out of the west wing. It was a dark and windy night, and the outside was quiet.

Jinzi heard a noise, lazily raised its eyes, saw it was him, then drooped its head again and went back to sleep, occasionally brushing the ground with the tip of its tail, showing little energy.

After returning to the north room, Li Zhe quickly washed up and went to bed.

Li Zhe leaned back on the pillow, but his mind was racing with all sorts of random thoughts.

One moment I'm thinking about the vegetable greenhouses in the village, the next I'm thinking about the 365 Vegetable Store's home delivery service, and then I'm thinking about the cost of installing an air conditioner at Shuxiangju. Speaking of air conditioners, shouldn't the 365 Vegetable Store also install one? That's money too.

We'll definitely need to install one at home too. Both the courtyard house and the new house in my hometown are quite large, and installing air conditioning is a significant expense...

The more he thought about it, the more alert Li Zhe became. He turned over and stared blankly at the ceiling. He reached under his pillow for a cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and the smoke slowly drifted up…

He only snapped out of his daze when the cigarette butt burned his finger, and quickly stubbed it out in the ashtray next to the bed.

As the night wore on, Li Zhe's eyelids grew so heavy he could barely keep them open, and he drifted off to sleep.

The dream was filled with warm steam; the bathroom tiles gleamed damply, and water from the showerhead splashed into the bathtub, creating tiny droplets. Li Zhe lay in the bathtub, enjoying the comfortable warmth, when suddenly the bathroom door was gently pushed open.

A woman in a white dress walked in. Mist swirled around her skirt, blurring her face. Only her fair ankles, visible beneath the skirt, were visible.

She walked gracefully to the edge of the bathtub, and only then did Li Zhe see her face clearly—Wang Ting.

She didn't wear her usual ponytail today; her long hair was draped over her shoulders, with water droplets still clinging to the ends, making her look especially beautiful.

Li Zhe felt a surge of warmth in his heart, reached out and hugged her waist, took off her coat, revealing her graceful curves, long and beautiful legs, and her skin glowing with a faint pink hue in the steam.

He hugged her from behind, and could smell the faint fragrance in her hair. When their bodies were pressed together, she suddenly turned her head slowly.

Li Zhe's breathing suddenly stopped.

The face that turned around, the allure of a young woman in her brows and eyes, had transformed into that of Tan Jingya, her cheeks slightly flushed. Her lips were pursed, and her eyes seemed veiled in mist.

Li Zhe no longer cared about anything else...

"call……"

Li Zhe suddenly opened his eyes. The sky outside the window was already turning a pale white, and the bed sheet was soaked.

"Damn it!" Li Zhe cursed under his breath, grabbed the pillowcase from the headboard and wiped himself haphazardly, looking somewhat annoyed.

He took a shower, but he was still feeling a bit depressed. The saying "when you're well-fed and warm, you start thinking about sex" is absolutely true.

He and Wang Ting had been dating for quite some time, and they had even become intimate, but Wang Ting refused to take the final step...

Previously, Li Zhe had been busy with his business, but now that it's on track, it's time to focus on women.

……

August 27th.

It was just past 10 a.m.

The warehouse area of ​​Beijing Railway Station still smelled of coal smoke, and the distant whistles of trains entering the station echoed in circles among the rows of warehouses.

This is the transit warehouse of Dongfang Foreign Trade Company. The brick walls have peeled off quite a bit, and the wooden sign at the entrance that reads "Important Transit Point for Foreign Trade Materials" is worn white, but the serious atmosphere is still there.

Four Liberation trucks and a gleaming Volga drove in through the west gate of the warehouse, attracting the attention of many staff members. Several people in uniforms came over.

The Volga stopped by the roadside, and the door clicked open. Li Zhe stepped out of the driver's seat and, as soon as he stood up, saw a familiar face walking towards him from the crowd. It was Wu Shaohui, the manager of Dongfang Foreign Trade Company.

"Manager Wu, thank you for coming!" Li Zhe quickly went up to him and grasped Wu Shaohui's hands with both of them.

Wu Shaohui, dressed in a crisp navy blue Zhongshan suit, still wore the Sino-Soviet Friendship Medal on his left breast. "Boss Li, this shipment is significantly larger than last time, isn't it?" Wu Shaohui's gaze swept over the extra truck. "Indeed! This time we're transporting thirty tons of canned goods, including seventeen tons of canned tomatoes and thirteen tons of canned yellow peaches," Li Zhe replied with a smile.

At this moment, Jin Baiwan and Hong San got out of the truck behind.

The two men quickly approached Wu Shaohui and respectfully greeted him, "Hello, Manager Wu!"

Wu Shaohui nodded, then turned and shouted to the employees in blue overalls behind him, "Check this batch of goods. If there are no problems, put them directly into the warehouse." The employees responded in unison and pushed the carts toward the truck.

Wu Shaohui then said to Li Zhe, who was standing next to him, "Brother Li, come sit in my office for a while."

Li Zhe gave Jin Baiwan and Hong San a wink, then followed Wu Shaohui toward the gray brick building next to the warehouse, carrying a black briefcase and a bag.

This small building looks quite old; the gray bricks on the walls have turned black. A wooden sign hangs on the door of the office on the east side of the first floor, painted in red that reads "Manager of Dongfang Foreign Trade Company."

The two entered the office: Wu Shaohui greeted them, "Brother Li, please make yourself at home."

“Okay.” Li Zhe had been here once before and was familiar with the office layout. He walked straight to the brown leather sofa against the wall and sat down. Although the sofa was old, it looked like genuine leather, and it might even be a Soviet import.

Wu Shaohui took out a blue-and-white porcelain teacup from the cabinet behind his desk, grabbed a handful of Pu'er tea, put it in, and poured hot water over it. The tea soup immediately turned dark brown, and a mellow aroma wafted out. He gently placed the teacup on the coffee table in front of Li Zhe: "Brother Li, try this. It's an old Pu'er tea that a friend just gave me. It's been stored for several years."

Wu Shaohui sat down in the chair opposite him, crossed his hands on the edge of the table, and smiled as he waited for Li Zhe to taste the tea.

Li Zhe picked up his teacup and took a small sip. The mellow flavor of the Pu'er tea spread across his tongue, with a slight bitterness, and the aroma lingered in his mouth, making it perfect for cutting through the richness after a meal.

He put down his cup and couldn't help but praise, "Brother Wu, this tea is excellent."

Upon hearing this, Wu Shaohui laughed even harder: "I'm glad you like it. I'll pack half a jin for you to take home and drink slowly."

Li Zhe smiled and said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony. By the way, Brother Wu, if you're not busy today, I'd like to treat you to a simple lunch?"

Wu Shaohui raised his eyelids, a little puzzled: "Why the sudden invitation to dinner? Is something wrong?"

Li Zhe waved his hand, his tone sincere: "It's nothing, it's nothing! We've known each other for so long, and I've been wanting to have a drink with you for a while, but I just haven't had the time. The goods were delivered smoothly today, so I wanted to treat you to a simple meal and a chat."

Wu Shaohui laughed and said, "Okay! But I'll have to treat you."

"No, Brother Wu!" Li Zhe quickly waved his hand, "I booked a table at Tongheju this morning, and everything is ready!"

As he spoke, he handed over the bag in his hand, "Brother Wu, I brought two bottles of wine from home when I came. They're nothing valuable, just a small token of my appreciation. Please don't mind."

"Brother Li, you're being too polite!" Wu Shaohui took the bag, opened it, and saw two exquisitely packaged bottles of Moutai and two packs of cigarettes with foreign writing on them. He raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with surprise: "Brother Li, this gift is far too generous."

“Brother Wu, what are you saying? We’re friends, it’s only natural for us to visit each other. If you’re being so formal, I’ll feel embarrassed to come next time,” Li Zhe said with a smile, but he knew perfectly well that he would need Wu Shaohui’s help with the export canned goods business in the future, so it was only right to show his appreciation.

Wu Shaohui glanced at Li Zhe, then smiled and said, "Alright, then I'll accept it."

He was thinking to himself that the Moutai would be a good gift for his superiors, and the two packs of foreign cigarettes would be nice for him to smoke himself—these two items were hard currency, and this Brother Li certainly knew how to get things done.

The two chatted for another ten minutes or so, from the state of the Soviet canned food market to which areas in Beijing were currently doing good business.

Just then, Hong San knocked on the door and came in, his face beaming with joy: "Brother Li, Manager Wu, the inspection is complete! The quantity and quality are all fine, here's the receipt!" He handed over a receipt stamped with the official seal of Dongfang Foreign Trade.

Li Zhe took the receipt, looked it over carefully, and put it into his briefcase after confirming that there were no problems. Then he stood up and said to Wu Shaohui, "Brother Wu, let's go to Tongheju now. We can catch the meal if we go now."

The group walked out of the office together. Li Zhe drove the Volga, taking Wu Shaohui, Hong San, and Jin Baiwan to Tongheju.

The car drove away from the railway station warehouse area and headed west along Jianguomenwai Street.

Occasionally, a few buses can be seen driving by, with red slogans on their sides that read "Support foreign trade exports and revitalize the national economy," which sway slightly in the wind.

About twenty minutes later, the car turned into a bustling alley, with a sign at the entrance that read "Xisi North Street". Tongheju Restaurant is located in the middle of the alley and has a history of over a hundred years.

Li Zhe parked the car in the open space in front of Tongheju, and the four of them got out of the car.

The facade of Tongheju was antique and elegant, with two large red lanterns hanging on the vermilion wooden door, and a black plaque with gold characters above the door, the three characters "Tongheju" in a vigorous and powerful style.

A long queue had already formed at the entrance, including businessmen in suits and families with children. Everyone was standing on tiptoe to look into the store, and you could hear people saying things like, "I wonder how long we have to wait," and "The food here is so delicious, it's worth the wait." There were also children clamoring for sweet dishes.

Li Zhe led the three to the door and smiled at the waiter who came to greet them, saying, "Hello, my name is Li Zhe. I made a reservation before."

The waiter quickly took out a register, flipped through a few pages, and smiled: "Oh, it's Mr. Li! Your reservation is for a private room on the second floor, this way please!"

As we followed the waiter into the lobby of Tongheju Restaurant, the aroma of food wafted into our noses.

The lobby had more than twenty square tables, almost all of which were full of people. Laughter and the clatter of bowls and chopsticks mingled together, creating a noisy yet lively atmosphere.

The four followed the waiter up to the second floor. The second floor was much quieter than the first floor. There were old photos hanging on both sides of the corridor, showing Tongheju at different times. Some of the photos even showed guests wearing long robes and mandarin jackets.

The waiter led them into a private room called "Yalange". Pushing open the wooden door, they saw a round mahogany dining table in the room, surrounded by six chairs with red chair covers, which looked festive.

The waiter handed over the menu, which Li Zhe took and then passed directly to Wu Shaohui: "Brother Wu, please order first and see what you'd like to eat."

Wu Shaohui took the menu, flipped through a few pages, and said with a smile, "Since we're at Tongheju, we have to try their signature dishes! I'll order 'Sanbuzhan' and 'Braised Chicken and Fish Maw'."

Li Zhe nodded, took the menu, and ordered "Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions", "Nine-Turned Intestines" and a dish of "Cuttlefish Egg Soup". He then handed the menu to Hong San.

Hong San flipped through the menu somewhat nervously and said softly, "Then I'll order 'Stir-fried Shredded Pork with Vinegar'." Jin Baiwan took the menu, glanced at it a few times, and said loudly, "I'll order 'Braised Pork Knuckle'!"

The waiter wrote down the names of the dishes, poured tea for the four of them, and then left.

Li Zhe took out two more bottles of Moutai, unscrewed the caps, and a rich aroma of the liquor instantly filled the private room. He poured a glass for Wu Shaohui, Hong San, and Jin Baiwan, and then filled his own glass as well.

Wu Shaohui brought the wine glass to his nose and smelled it: "Brother Li, you've spent money again."

"Brother Wu, we don't have anything else to do today, just eat and drink well." Li Zhe said, taking out a pack of Marlboro cigarettes from his pocket, taking one out and handing it to Wu Shaohui, and then handing one to Hong San and Jin Baiwan respectively.

Wu Shaohui took the cigarette, took out a lighter from his pocket, lit it for Li Zhe first, and then lit it for himself.

He took a puff, slowly exhaled the smoke, and said with a look of relish, "This cigarette is good! It has a mellow taste and is really enjoyable to smoke."

Li Zhe raised his glass and said with a smile, "Come on, let me toast my three brothers!"

"Cheers!" The four men raised their glasses at the same time, clinked them together lightly, and drank them all in one gulp.

Setting down his glass, Li Zhe seemed to remember something: "Brother Wu, I remember seeing a few water pumps when I went to the foreign trade company's warehouse last time. I wonder if they're still there?"

Wu Shaohui took a sip of tea to rinse his mouth and replied, "Unfortunately, it was bought by a state-owned farm a few days ago. What do you need the water pump for?"

Li Zhe put down his chopsticks and explained, "I planted several acres of vegetable greenhouses in my rural hometown. To keep them warm, I dug a pit more than a meter deep. Now that summer is approaching and there's a lot of rain, I'm worried about water accumulating in the pit, so I'm thinking of buying two water pumps in advance."

After listening, Wu Shaohui readily agreed, "That's easy to do! When the Soviet Union ships goods next time, if there are water pumps, I'll call you immediately and you can come and pick them up! I'll give you the lowest price."

(End of this chapter)