Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 271 Rainy Night
After the gathering ended, Li Zhe called Zhao Bing aside, whispered a few words of advice, and then turned around and went back to sleep in the brick house next to greenhouse number 25.

As for the Guo brothers, Li Zhe didn't pay them much attention.

The reason is simple—Shouguang itself will develop the first generation of vegetable greenhouses this year, so whether or not the two brothers learn the technology from him, it will not have a significant impact on the development of greenhouses in Shouguang.

Moreover, what Li Zhe is building now is a replica of the fifth-generation winter vegetable greenhouse. It is called a "replica" because, due to the limitations of current technology, many building materials and details cannot be compared with the real fifth-generation greenhouse.

Although the fifth-generation greenhouse is more advanced than the first generation in many ways, this does not mean that the fifth generation is necessarily better. In Li Zhe's view, the first-generation winter vegetable greenhouse is still the most suitable for Shouguang at present.

As for why he himself didn't use the first generation but instead went straight to the fifth generation, the reason is simple: what's suitable is the best.

The winter temperature in Langfang is much lower than in Shouguang, which is the biggest challenge for growing winter vegetables in the area.

The biggest difference between the first-generation and fifth-generation overwintering greenhouses lies in whether or not a foundation is dug. The first generation did not have a foundation, while the fifth generation greatly enhances the greenhouse's heat preservation and storage capacity by digging a foundation, which has obvious advantages.

However, the fifth-generation greenhouse also has its drawbacks: it is expensive to build and is prone to flooding.

Fortunately, Langfang's rainfall is mainly concentrated in the summer, by which time the greenhouse films will have already been removed, so the impact on the greenhouses themselves is not too great.

……

On the second floor of the Mona Lisa Western Restaurant, the wooden floors were polished to a shine, and the air was filled with a faint aroma of butter and coffee.

Shen Yanan sat in a booth by the window, a blue-covered ledger open in front of her. She scribbled on the paper with her pen, and when she got to a crucial point, she would tap her fingertips lightly on the table.

Occasionally, she would pause writing, her gaze passing over the glass window to the bustling street below, watching pedestrians ride bicycles back and forth. After a moment of daze, she would lower her head again to calculate.

Suddenly, a white Volga sedan slowly drove up and stopped on the side of the road in front of the restaurant.

Shen Yanan's eyes lit up, and she beckoned to a waitress in a white uniform not far away: "Go to the kitchen and ask if they made Black Forest cake today? If so, send one over in a bit."

"Okay, boss." The waiter turned around and went downstairs with light steps.

Not long after, the sound of footsteps echoed down the stairs. Li Zhe, carrying a black briefcase and a beige bag with the words "Friendship Store" printed on it, quickly walked up to the second floor.

Upon seeing Shen Yanan, he smiled and waved, "Second sister, it's been quite a while."

Shen Yanan stood up to welcome him: "Brother, what have you been up to lately? It's been a while since you've come to visit."

Li Zhe didn't answer immediately. After sitting down, he put the bag on the table, took out a cylindrical can of food from it, and pushed it in front of Shen Yanan: "Second sister, this is the result of my busy work lately."

Shen Yanan quickly took it. The three bold characters "Good Taste" on the can were particularly eye-catching. The pickled cucumbers printed next to it were bright green and decorated with a few small red chili peppers. The bright colors made it look appetizing.

She stroked the can, her eyes curving into crescents: "Hey, this packaging looks authentic, much more refined than those canned goods on the market."

While Shen Yanan was examining the canned goods, Li Zhe gestured to a passing waiter and said, "Give me a cup of black coffee."

"Okay, Mr. Li." The waiter nodded in agreement.

Shen Yanan tried to twist the lid of the can, but even with all her strength, the lid wouldn't budge.

Seeing this, Li Zhe reached out and took the can, gripped the lid with his thumb, twisted his wrist, and with a "snap," the lid opened, releasing a tangy aroma. "Second sister, try some of our homemade canned goods."

Shen Yanan picked up a piece of pickled cucumber with her fingertips, put it in her mouth and chewed it. Her brows furrowed at first, then relaxed: "It's sour enough! The Russians will definitely like this taste. Send some over later, and the restaurant will use our own pickled cucumbers from now on."

"Okay." Li Zhe nodded with a smile. Having another sales channel would not only increase revenue but also enhance the reputation of "Good Taste," killing two birds with one stone.

"Brother, how many cans did you bring today? If you have a lot, give me a couple of bottles so I can let my elders at home try them." Shen Yanan's tone was full of pride. She was the second largest shareholder of "Good Taste," and she had contributed to the production of these canned goods. She felt a sense of satisfaction just thinking about handing the cans to her elders.

Li Zhe pushed the bag on the table towards you: "I brought four cans, you can have them all. If the elders in your family like them, I'll bring you more."

Just then, the waiter brought over a white porcelain plate with a steaming cup of black coffee and a slice of Black Forest cake covered in chocolate shavings. "Boss, here's your Black Forest cake. Mr. Li, here's your black coffee."

Shen Yanan pushed the cake in front of Li Zhe, "I ordered it for you."

"Thanks, Second Sister. I haven't had this in a while, and I've really been craving it." Li Zhe picked up his fork, took a small piece, and put it in his mouth. The rich chocolate and sweet cream melted in his mouth.

He wasn't a big fan of sweets, but he had to admit that occasionally eating something sweet could really lift his spirits, especially when he was feeling down.

After taking a couple of bites of cake, Li Zhe glanced at the second-floor restaurant and asked, "Second Sister, where's Da Zhuang? Didn't he come to work today?"

"He's busy at school." Shen Yanan took a sip of her lemonade and said slowly, "The courses have been packed lately, and not only him, but many part-time students have been coming less often."

Li Zhe took a sip of black coffee, the bitterness just overpowering the sweetness, when he remembered something else: "By the way, didn't Su Mingyuan say he wanted to do business with us? Why didn't he invest in 'Good Taste' when it was established?" He hadn't dared to ask Su Mingyuan in front of him last time, but now he brought it up casually.

When Su Mingyuan was dealing in canned goods before, he had invested 5,000 yuan and taken a 10% stake. It was quite unexpected that he didn't get involved this time.

“He doesn’t care,” Shen Yanan smiled. “Their college has spots for studying in the Soviet Union, and they’re vying for them fiercely right now. He’s afraid that if he really goes abroad, he won’t be able to manage the company’s affairs. He’s also concerned about his reputation and feels it’s not right to hold shares without doing any work, so he’s too embarrassed to ask.”

"This kid's got some sense." Li Zhe's lips curled up. "If he really manages to go abroad, should we prepare a farewell gift for him?"

The "Good Taste" company now has four shareholders: Hong San and Jin Baiwan each contributed 5,000 yuan, each holding 10%; Shen Yanan contributed 15,000 yuan, holding 30%; and Li Zhe contributed 25,000 yuan, holding 50%.

Shen Yanan pursed her lips: "There are only a few spots for studying abroad, and it's not easy to get one. It's not too late to prepare after he's confirmed to go."

Li Zhe nodded, not taking it too seriously. Knowing Su Mingyuan's personality, if he really got a spot, he would definitely show it off everywhere, so there was still time to prepare later.

The topic shifted back to the canned food business, and Li Zhe leaned forward slightly: "Second Sister, our company's two production lines are now operating stably. I estimate that we can produce 30 tons of canned pickled cucumbers by the middle of this month. As for the remaining 30 tons of the order we discussed for export to the Soviet Union, I want to deliver them using canned food produced by ourselves."

Shen Yanan immediately asked, "Is the price of our own canned goods cheaper than what we buy from other factories?"

“Absolutely, the cost is much lower,” Li Zhe said confidently. “We’ll do a detailed accounting once the first batch of canned goods is delivered.”

"Alright, then you can focus on production." Shen Yanan felt relieved, a hint of anticipation flashing in her eyes. "Once this batch of orders is successfully delivered, I'll talk to my elders and try to get another batch of export orders."

Li Zhe nodded, knowing that the 'thank you gift' for Shen Yanan's elders was definitely indispensable.

As they were talking, Shen Yanan seemed to suddenly remember something, leaned forward, and lowered her voice: "Brother, there's something else I'd like to ask you for help with."

"What's up?" Li Zhe put down his fork and looked at her.

“Ever since I opened this Western restaurant, my friends all know that I have foreign exchange certificates, and people come to me every day to exchange them.” Shen Yanan sighed. “At first, I could handle one or two, but now more and more people are coming to me, and the few foreign exchange certificates I have are simply not enough.”

I was thinking, if you have any extra, you could exchange some with me. Ten thousand foreign exchange certificates for twelve thousand yuan, how about that?

Li Zhe asked curiously, "What do your friends need foreign exchange certificates for?"

"What else could it be? It's all foreign goods from the Friendship Store!" Shen Yanan smiled helplessly. "A friend of mine is getting married and wants to buy a complete set of imported appliances and furniture, which will cost at least tens of thousands of foreign exchange certificates."

His elders in the family can help a bit, but he has many siblings, and they can't all take care of him alone, so he came to me for help. I do have some money, but it's not enough.

Exchanging 10,000 foreign exchange certificates for 12,000 RMB is a profitable transaction, but Li Zhe is worried about security issues.

He looked around and, seeing no other customers on the second floor, asked in a low voice, "Second Sister, isn't there a risk in exchanging foreign exchange certificates privately? What if we get caught?"

Shen Yanan waved her hand dismissively: "Don't worry, they're all for my friends in the compound. They'll just go to the Friendship Store to buy things after exchanging them, so they won't end up in the market. Besides, I'll just take the foreign exchange certificates and go straight home. Who can trace that back to the compound?"

She leaned closer and lowered her voice even further: "I have a friend whose dad works in the public security system. He even took 10,000 foreign exchange certificates from here the other day. If someone dares to investigate... hehe, that would be interesting."

Hearing her say that, Li Zhe was relieved. "Okay, I'll give you 50,000 foreign exchange certificates tomorrow."

“Okay! I’ll send you 60,000 RMB in a couple of days.” Shen Yanan immediately agreed, a relaxed smile on her face.

The two chatted about the details of canned food production. After finishing the last bite of cake, Li Zhe looked at his watch, stood up and said, "Second sister, I have something to do, so let's stop here for today."

"Okay, be careful on the road." Shen Yanan saw him to the stairwell, watched him go downstairs with his briefcase, then turned back to her booth, picked up the jar of pickled cucumbers, and cleared her throat: "Dad, these are pickled cucumbers produced by our company, take a look..."

……

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the sky was overcast and gloomy. In front of the "365 Vegetable Store" in the ground floor shops of the Beijing Diplomatic Residence, the green signboard stood out in the gray light.

The glass door popped open with a "ding," and a man in a blue and white striped shop uniform came out carrying a vermilion wooden box. The words "365 Vegetable Store" were written in small white paint on the corner of the box.

He secured the box firmly to the back of his old-fashioned bicycle, straddled it with his right leg, and started pedaling.

Li Zhe had just parked his Volga sedan on the side of the road when he glanced in the direction the man had gone before locking the car and going into the store.

"Welcome!" The waitress in the light green apron bowed slightly, her eyes lighting up when she saw who it was, and her voice rose a little: "Hello, boss!"

“Okay.” Li Zhe nodded with a smile, glancing around at the shelves where various fresh produce and groceries were neatly arranged.

Sun Tao was squatting in the fruit section arranging oranges when he saw Li Zhe arrive. He quickly dusted off his pants, carried a chair over, and said, "Brother Li, you're here."

Li Zhe sat down on the wooden chair that Sun Tao had brought over: "Was that young man who went out just now a new recruit?"

“Yes, his name is Ma Shaowei, he’s eighteen years old, and he even speaks a little English.” Sun Tao handed over a glass of cold water. “Now more and more customers are calling to order groceries, and my brother and I simply can’t handle all the deliveries.”

Sometimes, I have to keep an eye on the store and can't leave, so I hired someone who speaks some English specifically to deliver the food.

Li Zhe took a sip of water, his Adam's apple bobbing. "How's business these past few days? Have the customers had any objections to the delivery fees?"

“It’s great!” Sun Tao pointed towards the counter, where the ledger was spread out, covered in dense red and blue pencil writing. “Yesterday, Miss Lucy from Apartment 3 said it was easier than tipping. I helped her carry the food up to the third floor, and she praised our ‘Good service.’ This month’s profit is estimated to be a bit higher than last month’s!”

Li Zhe nodded. The food delivery service was something they had come up with together before, and the only thing they weren't sure about at the time was the tipping.

If we don't accept tips, we'll not only earn less, but some foreigners who are used to tipping might also feel that the service is incomplete or unprofessional, and they might even be unhappy about it.

If we collect all tips at once, we worry that customers who aren't used to tipping might feel it's a forced charge and be unhappy about it.

In the end, Li Zhe made the decision to change "tips" to "errand fees" and clearly label it as "service fees," making it easier for both types of customers to accept.

Li Zhe nodded, then changed the subject: "The greenhouses will stop supplying vegetables in July. Go to the Chongwenmen vegetable market in advance to check out the sources. If you can't make up your mind, or if their prices are too high, let me know and I'll have someone go to the suburbs to help you purchase."

Sun Tao grinned and replied, "Okay, I'll leave work early today and have a chat with Director Han." Suddenly, Sun Tao lowered his voice: "Do you know about that matter?"

Li Zhe put down his water glass. "What's up? Why are you being so mysterious?"

Sun Tao exclaimed with delight, "Director Han is going to be promoted!"

Li Zhe smiled and said, "It's settled?"

Sun Tao replied, "No, I heard it from a rumor, but everyone at the market says so, so I think it's pretty much a sure thing."

Li Zhe thought for a moment and said, "Okay, you keep an eye on it. Once things are settled, we'll prepare a congratulatory gift for Director Han."

"Without Director Han's help, our store wouldn't have been able to get off the ground."

“That’s what I think too.” Sun Tao nodded. “I’ll ask around later.”

Li Zhe stayed in the shop for more than two hours before returning to No. 7 Courtyard in Suzhou Hutong in the evening.

He drove the Volga into the front garage, and as soon as he opened the car door, he saw Wang Jianjun walk out of the back house. He was wearing a new blue shirt, his leather shoes were polished so much that you could see your reflection in them, his hair was slicked back with hair oil and combed meticulously, and he was wearing a new watch on his wrist.

"Brother, you're dressed so smartly, where are you going?" Li Zhe asked, somewhat surprised as he closed the car door.

Wang Jianjun blushed slightly and scratched his ear: "I...I made an appointment to have dinner with Officer Bai. I'm going to the police station to pick her up now."

"Oh, that's great!" Li Zhe joked with a smile. "I was saying I'd have a couple of drinks with you tonight, but since you have plans, let's get together another day."

"Hehe, I'll treat you another day!" Wang Jianjun said, then got on his bicycle and left the hospital.

Li Zhe smiled as he watched his retreating figure, then turned and walked through the hanging flower gate into the backyard.

As soon as he entered the backyard, Jinzi came running over wagging its tail, its fluffy head rubbing against his trouser leg, whimpering softly.

Flame also came running over, its reddish fur covered in bits of grass, and circled around him.

Li Zhe bent down and patted the heads of the two dogs. Jinzi rubbed against his palm obediently, while Huoyan playfully clung to his trouser leg.

After playing with the two dogs for a while, Li Zhe was too lazy to cook, so he just ate some snacks to fill his stomach.

The sky outside the window grew darker and darker. Around nine o'clock, he had just finished washing up and was lying in bed when he picked up a copy of "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" and heard a muffled clap of thunder.

Immediately afterwards, the raindrops began to pound on the roof, and the rain grew heavier and heavier.

Li Zhe walked to the window, pushed it open a little, and a damp wind rushed in, carrying the smell of earth.

He looked at the heavy rain outside, his brows furrowing slightly—he liked the refreshing feeling of rain, but the thought of the impending downpour in July made him feel uneasy.

After an unknown amount of time, a creaking sound came from the courtyard gate.

Li Zhe peeked in and saw Tan Jingya pushing her bicycle in. Her sky-blue dress was completely soaked and clung tightly to her body, outlining her graceful curves with her full breasts and slender waist.

Her hair was wet, with a few strands sticking to her cheeks, and she looked a little disheveled.

"Sister Tan, why didn't you wait for the rain to stop before coming back?" Li Zhe opened the door and called out to her.

Tan Jingya wiped the rain off her face, her voice tinged with grievance: "It wasn't raining when I left the restaurant, but the weather changed halfway there, and there wasn't even anywhere to take shelter from the rain."

She parked the car, huddled under the eaves, her soaked dress clinging to her body, her round, pert buttocks barely concealed: "Mr. Li, please rest for a bit, I need to go back inside and tidy up."

Looking at her cheeks, which were red from the cold, Li Zhe couldn't help but say, "You're soaked to the bone. If you don't take a hot shower, you'll definitely catch a cold tomorrow. There's a water heater in my bathroom. If you don't mind, you can come and take a shower there."

Tan Jingya paused for a moment, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and without saying a word, she picked up her backpack and went back to the west wing.

Li Zhe thought she was embarrassed, so he didn't try to persuade her anymore. He went back to his room, closed the window, and prepared to continue reading. However, he couldn't calm down—the image of Tan Jingya's wet body kept flashing through his mind.

After a while, there was a gentle knock on the door of the north room.

Li Zhe got up and opened the door, only to see Tan Jingya standing there holding a pink washbasin and carrying a bag of clothes, her cheeks slightly flushed: "Mr. Li, could I... use your bathroom? I'd like to take a shower."

"Of course I can." Li Zhe stepped aside to let her in. "Do you know how to use a water heater?"

"No..." Tan Jingya's voice was even lower, and her eyes were somewhat evasive.

"I'll teach you." Li Zhe led her into the bathroom, which was spacious and the white tiles were spotless.

He unplugged the water heater and pointed to the knob: "This is for adjusting the water temperature. Turning it to the left is for hot water, and to the right is for cold water. Try the water temperature first, so you don't get burned." After saying that, he turned and left the bathroom, gently closing the door behind him.

Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. The sound wasn't loud, but it reached Li Zhe's ears clearly, and he could no longer concentrate on reading.

He went into the living room, turned on the TV and VCR, and played a Jackie Chan film called "Armour of God".

The fight scenes on TV were exciting, but he couldn't concentrate on a single word. All he could hear was the sound of water, and the image of Tan Jingya involuntarily kept appearing in his mind...

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of water stopped.

A little while later, the bathroom door opened, and Tan Jingya came out wearing a pink nightgown. Her hair was still a little damp after being dried with a towel and was draped over her shoulders.

Her pajamas were thin, revealing glimpses of her curves. Her cheeks were rosy, like ripe apples, and her eyes were slightly watery, making her look exceptionally alluring.

"Mr. Li, I'm sorry to have troubled you." Tan Jingya stood in the center of the living room, looking somewhat flustered.

"Sister Tan, we're already so familiar, why are you being so polite with me?" Li Zhe stood up and pointed to the sofa next to him. "It's still early, let's sit down and watch some TV together. Perfect timing, I have something I want to discuss with you."

Tan Jingya pursed her red lips, hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down, placing the washbasin on the ground and tucking her black hair behind her ear: "Mr. Li, is it about the restaurant's operation?"

He composed himself and said, "365 Vegetable Store recently launched a 'home delivery' service. Customers can call or place an order in advance, and the staff will deliver it to their address. It's only been a few days, but the results are good, and our profits have increased significantly."

Tan Jingya's eyes lit up, and she immediately realized: "You mean you want 'Shuxiangju' to also offer home delivery?"

“Yes,” Li Zhe nodded. “Customers can call ahead to order what they want to eat, and we’ll prepare it and deliver it to them. The delivery area shouldn’t be too far; we’ll just order from the surrounding area. Also, this service is only available to members to prevent anyone from deliberately causing trouble.”

"That's a brilliant idea! The weather is getting hotter, and many people don't want to go out to eat. If we could offer home delivery, it would definitely attract a lot of customers." Tan Jingya's eyes were full of admiration.

"Mr. Li, you're really amazing. You always come up with new ideas."

Li Zhe sat down next to her. "I'm just suggesting an idea. There are still some difficulties in the specific implementation. We need to discuss it carefully."

For example, delivery personnel need to know the way, be quick and efficient, speak fluent Mandarin, and be able to communicate effectively with customers.

“Delivering tableware is also a problem.” Tan Jingya frowned slightly and said seriously, “If we want to deliver, we need to order some durable metal tableware in advance. Also, should we collect it immediately after delivery, or wait until the customer finishes eating before picking it up? If we wait until the customer finishes eating, what if the tableware is damaged, or the customer doesn’t want to return it?”

Li Zhe stroked his chin, pondering, "If the tableware is damaged, we can deduct the compensation from the membership card. We should make that clear to the customers beforehand, and there shouldn't be any problem. However, it's too wasteful of manpower for delivery personnel to come back a second time to collect the tableware. I prefer to collect the tableware promptly after delivery."

But this also requires the guests' cooperation to promptly place the dishes into their own tableware..."

The two talked back and forth, becoming more and more engrossed in their conversation, and their bodies unconsciously moved closer and closer together.

Li Zhe could smell the fragrance on Tan Jingya's body and feel her warmth.

He couldn't help but reach out and put his arm around her slender waist. He could feel Tan Jingya's body tremble slightly, her breathing became rapid, and her cheeks turned even redder.

Seeing this, Li Zhe immediately pulled her into his arms, and could clearly feel the softness of her body.

"Mr. Li..." Tan Jingya was about to speak when Li Zhe's lips sealed hers.

She instinctively pushed him, but couldn't push him away. Gradually, she gave up resisting, slowly closed her eyes, and gently wrapped her arms around his neck.

The two kissed passionately on the sofa, and Li Zhe carried Tan Jingya into the bedroom.

Tan Jingya lay on the bed, her eyes watery, showing a hint of panic, yet also exuding charm.

Li Zhe leaned down and kissed her, gently removing her nightgown; her skin glowed with a delicate sheen under the light.

The rain was still falling outside the window, its pattering sound masking the sounds inside. Only the occasional flash of light revealed the two people's intimate moment...

(End of this chapter)