Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 261 Argument
Could it be that Wang Jianjun's aunt and Wei Suo are here too?

Li Zhe glanced around but didn't see anyone else. He subtly slowed his movements as he got out of the car, not immediately pushing the door open—he was afraid of bumping into those two at the restaurant; how embarrassing that would be.

Wang Ting, who was sitting next to him, had already unbuckled her seatbelt. Seeing that he wasn't moving, she asked in a puzzled tone, "What's wrong? Why are you dawdling?"

Li Zhe didn't hide it from her: "I saw my cousin with a woman in front of Quanjude."

"Manager Wang?" Wang Ting turned her head and saw Wang Jianjun leading Bai Xiaoyan into the store. Her eyes lit up: "Oh, it really is! Is your cousin dating someone?"

Li Zhe said, "Who knows? Maybe we shouldn't go to Quanjude today, so we don't run into them and make them uncomfortable."

"Why are you feeling uncomfortable? Do you know that girl?" Wang Ting immediately became gossipy and kept asking questions.

Li Zhe himself didn't understand what was going on, so he couldn't explain it clearly. He quickly changed the subject: "How about... we go to my house for hot pot?"

"Oh? I'm going to your house again..." Wang Ting's face flushed red, and her voice lowered slightly, sounding a little shy. "My mom said yesterday that she doesn't want me to keep going to your house, because she's afraid the neighbors will gossip."

Seeing her shy expression, Li Zhe couldn't help but laugh: "If we don't have hot pot, how about we have a barbecue in the yard? Let's get a wood-fired stove, set up a grill, cut some fresh beef and mutton, grill them until they sizzle and drip with oil, dip them in sauce, and it'll be delicious."

"You're the only one who can think about food." Wang Ting glared at him, but a smile played on her lips.

Li Zhe added, “By the way, when I moved recently, a friend gave me a piece of calligraphy by Mr. Qi Gong. It’s really well written—the strokes are strong yet not stiff, and each character exudes elegance. It’s pleasing to the eye. I put it in a rosewood frame and hung it on the north wall. It matches the mahogany furniture perfectly.”

"Really?" Wang Ting's eyes lit up immediately—her high school Chinese teacher was a die-hard fan of Qi Gong, always talking about Qi Gong's calligraphy in class and showing them calligraphy samples. Over time, she had also become quite enamored with it. "What's written on those characters?"

Li Zhe deliberately kept everyone in suspense: "You'll find out when you get there, won't you?"

Wang Ting was now completely interested and tugged at his arm: "Let's go! But I've got you covered, my mom told me I have to be home before seven, so we can't be late."

"Don't worry, I'll take you back on time this afternoon." Li Zhe said, starting the car and turning around to drive towards Suzhou Hutong.

Inside the carriage, Wang Ting continued to ask about Qi Gong's calligraphy. Li Zhe would occasionally answer a few questions, and sometimes glance at her face—her fair cheeks were rosy and full of youthful energy, making her very pleasant to look at.

……

Twenty minutes later, Li Zhe drove the car back to Suzhou Hutong. As soon as the Volga entered the front garage, before the sound of the wheels rolling over the blue bricks had even faded, Jinzi's cheerful cries came from the backyard.

He pushed open the car door, carrying two large bags of meat and vegetables, and had just stepped through the hanging flower gate when Jinzi, with its yellow hair and white face, rushed over and rubbed against his legs, followed by a fluffy little red ball—Flame, a four-month-old kitten. The little guy was all red, sniffed at Li Zhe's feet, and tilted its head to look at him, looking incredibly adorable.

Wang Ting also entered through the hanging flower gate and saw two dogs, one yellow and one red. She had seen Jinzi before, but this was the first time she had seen Huoyan. Looking at Huoyan's red fur and round appearance, she couldn't help but take two steps forward, raising her hand in mid-air before pulling it back, and asked softly, "It...it won't bite, will it?"

Li Zhe squatted down, picked up the flame's front paw and gently shook it, then looked up at Wang Ting and smiled: "Don't be afraid, it's more obedient than gold. Just stroke its back, but don't touch the base of its ears."

Only then did Wang Ting dare to reach out. As soon as her fingertips touched the soft red fur of the flames, the little guy comfortably squinted its eyes and gently swept its tail on the ground.

Jinzi, standing nearby, became unhappy and nudged Li Zhe's arm with its head, making a pitiful whimpering sound. Li Zhe smiled and rubbed its head: "Don't worry, I'll grill some meat for you in a bit."

After playing with the dog for a while, Li Zhe picked up the potted plants he had bought from the flower and bird market that morning. The pale purple hydrangeas were covered in blossoms, and he carefully moved them to the window of the west wing—just in time for the sunlight to shine through the windowpane onto the petals; the old black pine tree had strong, vigorous branches, and he placed it in the living room near the window, instantly adding a touch of elegance to the room.

Wang Ting followed behind, watching him arrange the potted plants. Then, remembering Qi Gong's calligraphy, she tugged at his sleeve: "Where's that calligraphy you mentioned? Show it to me quickly."

Li Zhe led her into the study in the east wing. Pushing open the wooden door, the calligraphy and paintings on the wall immediately caught her eye. Wang Ting leaned closer, and four slender, upright characters in calligraphy, "Tranquility Leads to Far-Reaching Vision," came into view—the characters were flat and very stable, with sharp turns as if made by a paper cutter. Below the signature "Written by Qi Gong," the bright red seal still exuded the fragrance of ink.

She couldn't resist reaching out to touch it, but quickly pulled back, her eyes sparkling: "These characters are so beautiful! They're even more elegant than the calligraphy written by our school's calligraphy teacher!"

"If you like it, look at it a little longer. I'll go make the food." Li Zhe took out the meat—he had bought it on his way back and had the chef cut it for him: the beef and mutton slices were so thin they could be seen through, the pork belly was cut into strips two fingers wide, and the chicken wings were scored so they would absorb the flavor.

He added soy sauce, cooking wine, and some minced ginger to the meat, mixed it simply, and then set up a wood-fired stove in the yard. The firewood crackled, and the iron plate heated up in no time. He first laid the pork belly on it, and oil sizzled and popped out instantly, filling the small yard with a delicious aroma.

Wang Ting moved a small stool and sat down next to him, holding lettuce and tomatoes in her hands, carefully washing them and arranging them on a plate. "Take it easy, don't burn yourself," she couldn't help but remind Li Zhe as he flipped the iron plate from time to time.

Li Zhe picked up a piece of crispy roasted pork belly, dipped it in cumin, wrapped it in lettuce, and held it to her lips: "Try it and see how salty it is."

Wang Ting opened her mouth and took a bite. The aroma of meat mixed with the freshness of lettuce spread in her mouth. Her eyes curved into crescents: "Delicious! It's even more delicious than what you get at restaurants!"

The two dogs in the yard were already squatting nearby: Gold was staring at the iron plate, its tail wagging rapidly; Flame was lying to one side, its red tongue lolling out, drool almost dripping onto the ground.

Li Zhe found it amusing, so he picked up two pieces of meat that had cooled slightly and tossed them to the two animals. Jinzi caught one in one bite, chewed it a couple of times, then spat it out, licking its lips incessantly—it was clearly still too hot.

Flame wasn't much better off; it spun around on the ground with the meat in its mouth, whimpering anxiously.

Wang Ting laughed out loud, reaching out to touch the flame's head: "Serves you right for being so anxious, now you know it's hot, don't you?"

When they were almost finished with the pork belly, Li Zhe added sliced ​​beef and chicken wings. The beef was grilled to a tender but not dry texture, and the chicken wings had a crispy skin with juicy meat inside.

The two chatted as they ate. Wang Ting talked about interesting things at school, and Li Zhe occasionally chimed in. The sun shone through the leaves onto them, making it a very pleasant time.

After dinner, the two returned to the living room. Li Zhe rummaged through the cabinet and pulled out a videotape, inserting it into the VCR: "Take a look at this, it's the newly released Hong Kong film, 'A Chinese Ghost Story.'" Wang Ting brought over a plate of sliced ​​watermelon and sat down next to him.

As soon as Nie Xiaoqian appeared on the screen, Wang Ting was captivated, staring at her intently without blinking.

Seeing the scene where Ning Caichen encounters ghosts, she couldn't help but move closer to Li Zhe, gripping his arm tightly. Li Zhe pulled her into his arms and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, it's all fake."

The afternoon flew by, and by the time the movie ended, it was already dark outside. Li Zhe checked his watch; it was almost six o'clock, so he drove Wang Ting home.

He stopped the car at the entrance of the Beijing TV Factory's residential compound and looked up at the second floor—he could vaguely see a figure standing by the window, who looked like Wang Ting's mother, Chen Shufang.

He didn't say much, but simply opened the car door for Wang Ting: "Get in." Wang Ting nodded and waved goodbye to him.

Li Zhe watched Wang Ting enter the building before driving away.

……

Back at No. 7 Suzhou Hutong, Li Zhe had just parked his car in the front yard when he saw Wang Jianjun come in from outside, carrying a net bag containing two yellow paper packets and a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor).

"Zhezi, I bought a chicken and some donkey meat, which you like. Let's have a drink tonight, you two brothers." Wang Jianjun said with a smile as he handed over the food.

“Sure, I haven’t had dinner either.” Li Zhe took the things, without mentioning that he had seen him and Bai Xiaoyan at the entrance of Quanjude in the afternoon—he knew his cousin was shy, and he would be too embarrassed to bring it up.

The two went into the kitchen together: Li Zhe poured the donkey meat out of the yellow paper package and sliced ​​it thinly; he also broke the smoked chicken apart and arranged it on a plate; he also sliced ​​a plate of cucumber and a plate of peanuts.

Soon, the food was laid out on the table: a plate of smoked chicken, a plate of donkey meat, two plates of cold dishes, and an open bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor). Li Zhe then turned on the VCR and changed the videotape to "Shaolin Temple".

Wang Jianjun usually loves watching movies, but today he seemed a bit distracted—he held a wine glass in his hand, his eyes occasionally drifting to the screen, but he wasn't really paying attention.

Li Zhe took a sip of his drink and teased him deliberately, "Brother, what's wrong with you? You usually watch movies with your eyes glued to the screen, where did your soul go today?"

Wang Jianjun sighed, rubbed his fingers along the rim of his wine glass, hesitated for a long time, and then said embarrassedly, "Um... my aunt introduced me to someone." Li Zhe already knew what was going on, but pretended to be surprised, "Oh? Which girl is so lucky to have caught my aunt's eye? Marrying you would be a life of luxury."

"Don't say that." Wang Jianjun quickly waved his hand, looking a little embarrassed. "What am I? I'm just from the countryside. How could I be worthy of someone like that?"

"Which family's girl is she? Do I know her?" Li Zhe pressed on, pretending he knew nothing.

Wang Jianjun looked up at him with a complicated expression: "You know him too? It's Officer Bai."

"Bai Xiaoyan?" Li Zhe deliberately widened his eyes. "So how are things going between you two now?"

Wang Jianjun scratched his head, a blush creeping onto his face: "We met twice in private. The first time, we just strolled around the nearby park and didn't exchange more than a few words. I thought it was hopeless."

Later, on a whim, I invited her to dinner at Quanjude today, and to my surprise, she actually went.

"So you two are dating?" Li Zhe asked with a smile.

"No way, we just had a meal together." Wang Jianjun quickly denied it, but couldn't hide the smile on his lips. "But I made an appointment to meet again. I said I would treat her to Donglaishun, but she said it wasn't good to always let me treat her, and that she would treat me next time."

"Brother, you're amazing! That's how it works." Li Zhe picked up his wine glass and raised it to him. "I think this has potential."

Wang Jianjun sighed, his smile fading slightly: "It's not as easy as you think. I always felt she was a bit cold towards me, like... distant."

Li Zhe put down his wine cup and asked in return, "Brother, is it that she keeps her distance from you, or do you feel that she's a girl from Beijing and a police officer, so you're keeping your distance from her?"

Wang Jianjun was taken aback for a moment: "I don't know either. You have a lot of ideas, can you give me some suggestions?"

Li Zhe thought for a moment, then looked at him seriously: "It depends on you. If you always feel that you are not good enough for her, even if she is interested in you, you won't be able to let go."

In my opinion, you should find a suitable opportunity to try holding her hand. If she doesn't refuse, then she has feelings for you.
If she shakes off the relationship, then she really didn't have any feelings for you, saving you the trouble of overthinking.

Wang Jianjun remained silent for a long time, gripping his wine glass tightly. Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he nodded emphatically: "Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll give it a try next time we meet."

Li Zhe picked up his glass again and clinked it with his: "Come on, cheers! Wishing you every success!"

He knew in his heart that Bai Xiaoyan's willingness to meet him twice and her initiative to invite him back meant that she had her own ideas—there was hope for his cousin's relationship.

Wang Jianjun tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp. The worry on his face dissipated a lot, and his eyes brightened.

The two drank and watched a movie, their laughter in the living room gradually drowning out the sounds of fighting on the screen.

……

At nine o'clock in the morning, a faint, sweet smell of canned food wafted through the courtyard of the Wan'an Town Cannery. A group of workers dressed in drab clothes crowded under a rusty tin shed, making a racket.

Today is the day Li Zhe comes to sign the lease agreement. Whether or not to rent the two production lines has become a thorn in everyone's side.

“Rent! Why not rent?” Zhang Baoguo put the wrench in his hand on the toolbox with a “bang”, and his worn-out work clothes swayed.

He was a well-known machine expert in the factory, and he was responsible for maintaining the equipment on the two new production lines. "The warehouse is piled high with canned goods, almost reaching the roof. If we keep dragging this out, we won't even be able to pay our basic living expenses! My wife is bedridden, and my two kids are waiting for their school fees. If Boss Li comes, we can start work. It's better than sitting here and waiting to die!"

He spoke loudly, and when he said the word "start work," he deliberately glanced at the back of the crowd—there stood several middle-aged workers like him, with elderly parents and young children to support. Some nodded quietly, while others lowered their heads in thought.

"Hmph, easy for you to say." Ma Guobin leaned against the wall, his hands in the pockets of his Zhongshan suit, the collar of his shirt still stained with the oil from his breakfast.

He was a distant cousin of Deputy Factory Director Wang. He usually managed the warehouse in the logistics department, and his job was easy. He could take some of the factory's stockpiled canned goods home during holidays.

"Last year, didn't a private factory open in our town? The boss was pushing for production every day, and we were working overtime until midnight without any overtime pay! They'd deduct money for even the smallest mistake like not tightening a screw. And you still dared to hide in the warehouse and smoke a cigarette like you do now?"

He squinted and deliberately emphasized the words "private boss". "Besides, no matter how difficult it is for the factory, it is still a public enterprise. If it really resumes work, will it lose the jobs of us old folks?"
"If we work for that guy surnamed Li, and he just rents the place for a year or two and then runs away, won't we still be starving?"

These words struck a chord with several older workers, causing an immediate commotion in the crowd. One gray-haired worker frowned and muttered, "I only have three years left before retirement. If I work for a private boss, I'm not even sure if my pension will continue..."

Several young workers in their early twenties nearby remained silent—their skills were not as good as Zhang Baoguo's, and they didn't have as many family burdens. They were eager to start working and learn new things, but they were also afraid that Li Zhe's business was unreliable. So they could only stand there, clutching their jars, their eyes darting back and forth between Zhang Baoguo and Ma Guobin.

"What's all the noise about?" Director Xie limped over, his old military green leather shoes making a steady sound as they stepped on the cement floor.

He glanced at everyone and said, "The factory has made its decision. We'll sign the contract with Li Zhe today."

Ma Guobin immediately stepped forward, his face beaming with a smile: "Director Xie, do you think we can discuss this matter again? If our factory can hold on a little longer, maybe we'll find a sales channel..."

"Stay? How?" Factory Director Xie pulled a crumpled inventory report from his pocket and handed it to him. "There are 20,000 cans of fruit in the warehouse, which will expire in two months! Now we're renting out two production lines to Li Zhe. We can get 3,000 yuan in rent every month. We'll give everyone some living expenses first. This is also the hope for the factory to resume work."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd. "Besides, Li Zhe rented a production line and needs to hire workers, giving priority to those from our factory. Isn't that a disguised resumption of work?"

"Hiring workers?" The crowd erupted in an uproar.

Zhang Baoguo took two steps forward, his voice even louder: "Director Xie, I'm definitely one of them! I know that new production line like the back of my hand!"

Several young workers also got excited, surrounding Director Xie with questions, and even the older workers who had been muttering earlier had a look of anticipation in their eyes.

Ma Guobin didn't say anything more—he had done the math, and even if he couldn't get an easy logistics job, receiving some subsidies wouldn't be a loss.

Factory Director Xie glanced at his old watch, the hands of which had just pointed to 9:15: "Alright, Boss Li is almost here. Those who want to work, come with me to the door to greet him. Maybe we can finalize the recruitment today."

As soon as he finished speaking, Director Ma came over with Deputy Directors Wang, Liu, and Zhao—all of them were dressed in neat Zhongshan suits. Deputy Director Liu's smile was much kinder than usual, and he patted Zhang Baoguo on the shoulder: "Baoguo, you'd better do your best then."

A red banner has been hung at the factory gate, with the words "Warmly welcome Comrade Li Zhe to visit and provide guidance" written in yellow paint. When the wind blows, the edges of the banner curl up, revealing the mottled wall behind it.

The workers stood at the door with the management. Some stood on tiptoe to look out onto the road, while others whispered among themselves. Ma Guobin shrank behind the crowd and quietly stuffed the last cigarette in his pack back into his pocket.

Hey, there's a car!

"It really is beautiful."

"The car is driving towards our factory, could it be..." The workers seemed to have guessed something, and their eyes showed a hint of shock.

A white Volga sedan was parked steadily at the factory gate, its gleaming body standing out conspicuously in the gray factory area.

After the car came to a stop, Li Zhe got out of the driver's seat—he was dressed in a smart black suit, with a pager hanging on his waist and his leather shoes polished to a shine.

He straightened his tie, and when his gaze swept over the crowd at the door, the previously noisy discussions instantly subsided—even Ma Guobin, who was the most unconvinced, subconsciously shrank back and took two steps back.

(End of this chapter)