Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 278 Envy
At the Xidan intersection, a wave of heat, along with the acrid smell of burnt asphalt, hits you in the face.

Li Guoqing rode his bicycle, the wheels swaying slightly as they rolled over cracks in the road. He hunched over and pedaled hard, sweat trickling down his face. He wiped it away, his palm instantly damp and warm.

He looked up at the southwest corner of the intersection and instantly saw the simple and elegant signboard of "Tongchunyuan Restaurant".

The plaque is dark brown, with the three large characters "Tongchun Garden" written in gold lettering. Against the backdrop of the surrounding modern buildings, it exudes a unique charm of an old Beijing restaurant.

Red lanterns hung on both sides of the restaurant entrance, and two neatly dressed cheongsams stood at the door, politely greeting the guests.

The restaurant's exterior walls are light gray brick, and the window frames are painted dark green, giving it an elegant and dignified appearance.

Seeing this, Li Guoqing finally breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face. He muttered to himself, "Hey, we've finally arrived. I was almost dying of heat on the way here."

He parked his bicycle in the bicycle parking area in front of the restaurant, and was about to turn around and walk into the restaurant when he heard the sound of a car engine turning off.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a white Volga sedan slowly stop in front of the restaurant. After the door opened, a tall and handsome young man got out of the driver's seat.

Li Guoqing took a closer look and immediately recognized the other person. He walked up with a smile and said, "Hey, isn't this Brother Li Zhe? It's only been a few days, and you're already driving a car!"

As he spoke, he gave a thumbs-up, his tone full of admiration, "Impressive!"

When Li Zhe saw Li Guoqing, he smiled and went up to him, waving his hand and saying, "Brother Qing, don't say that. I just bought a used car, mainly for the convenience of running business and to show off. It's nothing."

"Whether it's new or used, it's still much better than my 'old-fashioned bicycle'." Li Guoqing patted the seat of his bicycle, his tone tinged with envy, but his expression remained unchanged. He gestured for him to proceed.

"Brother, it's too hot outside. Let's not stand here. Let's go inside and eat while we talk."

The two walked side by side into Tongchunyuan Restaurant. As soon as they entered the restaurant, a cool breeze greeted them, a stark contrast to the sweltering heat outside.

The restaurant's interior is decorated in a classic style, with exquisite chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The floor is covered with smooth wooden flooring, making it almost silent when you walk on it.

The hall was packed with people. At the tables by the window, guests were eating heartily with their chopsticks in hand. On both sides of the entrance, many people were waiting for a table. Some were fanning themselves with folding fans, while others were tiptoeing to peek inside, all hoping to sit down as soon as possible.

Li Guoqing walked straight to a waiter in a dark blue uniform at the door and said with a smile, "Comrade, I made a reservation before, my name is Li Guoqing."

The waiter quickly took out the reservation book and searched through it. He soon found Li Guoqing's reservation information and smiled politely, "Mr. Li, you have reserved a private room on the second floor. Please follow me."

After saying that, he led Li Zhe and Li Guoqing up to the second floor.

The private room wasn't large, but it was clean and elegantly decorated—a traditional Chinese ink painting of Jiangnan hung on the wall, a round table with a snow-white tablecloth was placed by the window, and a wooden cabinet with several blue and white porcelain vases on it stood next to it.

The waiter poured green tea for the two of them and asked with a smile, "Would you like to order now?"

"Order!" Li Guoqing took the menu and ordered two signature dishes first, "A clear stewed crab meat lion's head, and a braised shredded tofu." He then handed the menu to Li Zhe, "Brother, see what you want to eat, don't be shy."

Li Zhe flipped through the menu and pointed to two dishes: "Add another order of soft-shelled eel and another order of crystal pork jelly." The waiter noted down the names of the dishes, took the menu, and left.

After the waiter left with the menu, only Li Zhe and Li Guoqing remained in the private room.

Li Zhe took out a bottle of Moutai from his bag, unscrewed the cap, and a rich aroma of the liquor instantly filled the private room. He filled Li Guoqing's and his own glasses with the liquor.

"Hey, this wine is good!" Li Guoqing picked up his glass, smelled it, and his eyes lit up. "I'll have to drink a few more glasses today!"

"Brother Qing, with your status, do you really need a good drink?" Li Zhe joked with a smile.

“I do attend many drinking parties, but it depends on who I drink with.” Li Guoqing sighed softly, his tone tinged with melancholy. “No matter how good the food or how expensive the wine, if we don’t click, I’m not willing to go.”

He raised his glass and handed it to Li Zhe, saying, "Brother, I'm offering you this toast! Thanks to the information you gave me about vegetable greenhouses, my book on rural policy reform has gained a new highlight."

"Brother Qing, you're too kind!" Li Zhe also raised his glass, clinked it with his, and drank it all in one gulp. "When the book is published, you can just send me a signed copy."

Upon hearing this, Li Guoqing took out a thick book from his briefcase and handed it to Li Zhe: "Actually, I'm not sure if this book will be officially published. Some of the viewpoints in it may need further polishing."

However, I've already made a copy for you; take a look at it first. If it gets published later, I'll definitely send you a signed copy.

Li Zhe took the book, opened it, and saw that the pages inside were covered with dense writing, along with several charts and graphs—analyses of the characteristics of rural areas in different regions of China, policy insights, and reform ideas. One of the articles was specifically about vegetable greenhouses, and his name was mentioned in it.

Li Zhe gently closed the book clip and carefully put it away. Just as he finished, he saw Li Guoqing pick up his wine cup again and say to him, "Brother, come on, let's have another one."

Li Zhe drank a glass with him, then put down his glass and looked at him: "Brother Qing, are you troubled by something? You seem a little off. Is there a problem at work?"

Li Guoqing sighed softly, a hint of confusion in his eyes: "Brother, to be honest, I've been quite envious of you lately."

"Envious of me?" Li Zhe asked, somewhat surprised.

Li Guoqing graduated from Peking University and worked in the Rural Policy Research Office of the Secretariat. To outsiders, he had a promising future, so why would they envy him, a self-employed individual from the countryside?

"I envy you for being able to do what you want to do, and do it so successfully." Li Guoqing tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his voice lowered.

“Our department is all about seniority. If you want to get ahead, you have to follow orders. If you want to stand out, you have to wait a long time. I’m only twenty-five this year. I can see the end of my life ahead of me. I don’t know how long I’ll have to wait. Compared to this, I’d rather do what I love.”

Li Zhe's heart skipped a beat, and he tentatively asked, "Brother Qing, are you thinking of going into business?"

“I do have that idea.” Li Guoqing nodded, his eyes showing more determination. “When I actually resign, I’ll have to ask you for advice, little brother.”

"Let's learn from each other and make progress together!" Li Zhe raised his glass again, clinked it with his, and the two drank another glass.

Just then, the door to the private room was gently pushed open, and two waiters walked in carrying trays.

A tray held steaming dishes: braised crab meat lion's head meatballs, braised shredded dried tofu, soft-shelled eel, and crystal pork jelly, all placed on the table. The dishes looked enticing and smelled delicious, instantly whetting the appetites of the two.

Li Zhe picked up his chopsticks and tasted each Huaiyang dish one by one. Every dish was exceptionally delicious. He especially liked the soft-shelled eel; the fish was tender and smooth, and the seasoning was just right, leaving him with a lingering aftertaste.

The two drank another glass of wine together. Li Guoqing put down his glass, looked at Li Zhe and said, "Brother, I have something else I'd like to ask you for help with."

"Brother Qing, please speak." Li Zhe put down his chopsticks and listened attentively.

Li Guoqing organized his thoughts and slowly said, "I have a colleague who also works in the Rural Policy Research Office of the Ministry of Agriculture."

After reading the information you gave me about vegetable greenhouses, he became very interested in them and specifically asked me to put in a good word for him, hoping to have the opportunity to meet you and visit your greenhouses in person.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhe asked with some doubt, "Brother Qing, what is the purpose of your friend's visit to the greenhouse? Is he also going to write a book?"

“He doesn’t write books.” Li Guoqing waved his hand and continued, “He’s like me; he doesn’t want to just sit around at the research center and waste his days. He wants to go to the local area and do something practical to contribute to rural development.”

Li Zhe pressed further, "So, where does your friend plan to be transferred to?"

“It’s not decided yet.” Li Guoqing shook his head. “However, he mentioned to me that if your Langfang vegetable greenhouses can develop and achieve a certain scale and influence, he might consider transferring to Langfang to help develop the local vegetable greenhouse industry.”

Although Li Zhe wasn't very familiar with the rules for job transfers within the system, he understood the principle of "one person, one job," meaning you couldn't just transfer wherever you wanted.

He frowned and said uncertainly, "Brother Qing, even if Langfang can develop vegetable greenhouses on a large scale, your friend might not be able to transfer there smoothly, right? Transfers within the system shouldn't be that easy."

Upon hearing this, Li Guoqing couldn't help but chuckle: "Hehe, brother, let me tell you the truth. My family's financial situation is average; my parents are ordinary workers. We have no connections or background within the system, and we didn't want to waste our days in the research lab, so we had no choice but to go into business."

But my friend is different. He has impeccable family background, and his elders have connections and resources within the system. They also strongly support him going to the local level to do practical things and improve the lives of ordinary people…”

As he spoke, Li Guoqing gave him a knowing look and said nothing more.

Li Zhe thought about it carefully and said, "Brother Qing, the weather has been too hot lately, and the greenhouse film has been removed a long time ago. Now we can't see the complete operation of the greenhouse."

"In a few days, when the weather cools down a bit, I'd like to invite you and your friend to visit Daying Village. We can then properly tour the vegetable greenhouses."

Li Guoqing raised his glass again, "Brother, let me toast you again, thank you for giving us this opportunity."

Li Zhe also raised his glass and clinked it against his: "Cheers!"

the next morning.

The residential compound of the Beijing TV Factory was quiet. The walls of the five-story buildings were somewhat mottled, and a few lush green ivy plants climbed on the walls, adding a touch of vitality to the slightly old buildings.

On the second floor, Wang Ting was sitting in front of her dressing table, applying face cream in front of the mirror. Just as her fingertips touched her cheek, she heard a car horn beeping downstairs.

She quickly walked to the window and looked down. A white Volga sedan was parked steadily in front of the building. Li Zhe, wearing a light gray short-sleeved shirt, got out of the driver's seat, looked up and saw her, and waved with a smile.

Wang Ting waved back, her voice crisp and clear: "Wait for me a moment, I'll be right down!"

After saying that, she closed the window, turned around, and quickly walked to the wardrobe.

Wang Ting rummaged through the closet and pulled out light blue jeans and a white tank top, quickly changing into them.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her long, black hair was tied in a ponytail, and her white tank top made her skin look even whiter. Her light blue jeans accentuated her long, slender legs. Her simple outfit couldn't hide her natural beauty.

Just as Wang Ting was adjusting her collar in front of the mirror, Chen Shufang pushed open the door and walked in.

Seeing her daughter dressed up so beautifully and spraying herself with that 'super expensive' perfume, she frowned in confusion: "Hey, dressed up so nicely, where are you going?"

"I'm going out for a bit, Mom. I won't be back for lunch." Wang Ting said as she picked up her small bag from the bedside table and hurried out the door.

Seeing her daughter's perfunctory attitude, Chen Shufang felt uneasy. She walked to the window and looked down in the same direction her daughter had been looking.

When she saw the conspicuous white Volga sedan, she immediately understood and said to her daughter's back, "Didn't you promise to tutor Huijing in English this afternoon? Don't forget about it."

"Okay!" Wang Ting replied without turning her head, slammed the door shut, and hurried downstairs.

“This girl…” Chen Shufang shook her head helplessly, still standing by the window looking down.

She saw her daughter run briskly downstairs and get into the passenger seat of the car. Soon, the car started and slowly drove out of the residential compound.

Watching the car disappear at the end of the street, Chen Shufang suddenly felt a pang of envy. She'd seen plenty of cars, but she'd never actually ridden in one properly…

She sighed softly and turned to go to the kitchen to get busy.

Inside the car, Wang Ting turned her head to look at Li Zhe, who was driving, and asked curiously, "Where are we going now?"

Li Zhe smiled and glanced at her, saying, "It's been a long time since I've gone shopping. How about I take you shopping?"

Wang Ting was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh. She hadn't expected Li Zhe to suddenly blurt out an English word: "Okay! So what do you want to buy?"

"Buy some food, drinks, and household items, and some appliances too," Li Zhe replied while turning the steering wheel.

Wang Ting looked surprised: "Didn't you just buy some appliances a while ago? Why are you buying more?"

“I’ve built a new house in my hometown, and it’s still missing some appliances, so I’m taking this opportunity to buy them all at once,” Li Zhe said, pointing to the cabinet in front of him with his right hand. “There are photos of my old house over there; they were just printed recently. You can take a look.”

Wang Ting immediately became interested and reached out to open the car cabinet in front of her.

There was a brown paper bag in the cabinet. She carefully opened the bag, and inside was a stack of photos.

The first thing that caught her eye was a photo she and Li Zhe had taken during their last trip together; the two of them were all smiles in the photo. She couldn't help but laugh and say, "That auntie's photography skills are really good! She took such a beautiful picture of us."

As she spoke, she continued flipping through the photos. When she saw the picture of Li Zhe's hometown, her eyes lit up instantly, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, your yard is so big! This two-story house is so beautiful, it looks so grand."

Seeing her delighted expression, Li Zhe felt happy too, and said with a smile, "The courtyard is over 880 square meters, which is 200 square meters larger than No. 7 Courtyard in Suzhou Hutong. If you like, I'll take you back to my hometown for a few days so you can experience rural life."

Wang Ting rolled her beautiful eyes and teased him deliberately, "Aren't you afraid my mom will call the police if she finds out?"

Li Zhe also jokingly retorted, "Call the police? What crime? Kidnapping a giant panda, a Class I protected animal in China?"

Wang Ting playfully slapped him lightly: "You're so annoying! You're the panda!"

Amidst laughter and conversation, the car slowly turned onto Chang'an Avenue, drove for a while, and finally stopped in the parking lot in front of Wangfujing Department Store.

The two got out of the car and walked into the department store side by side.

The department store was bustling with people.

They went straight to the second-floor appliance section, where all kinds of appliances were displayed, with televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances neatly arranged on the shelves. There were many customers browsing around each appliance.

The area in front of the color television was packed with people, all watching the programs playing on the screen with curiosity and occasionally exclaiming in admiration.

Li Zhe first led Wang Ting to the television section, where there were many brands of televisions, and the sizes varied.

He carefully selected the items, while the customers around him watched and discussed, some even looking distressed because they couldn't find TV tickets.

After selecting a 21-inch color television, Li Zhe took out his foreign exchange certificates to pay for it.

The surrounding customers looked on with envy at the sight. Everyone knew that foreign exchange certificates were useful, but without connections, it was impossible to obtain them.

After buying the TV, Li Zhe and Wang Ting were about to look at the refrigerator when a middle-aged man suddenly hurried up to them.

The man, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit with slightly worn cuffs, looked somewhat anxious. He leaned close to Li Zhe and whispered, "Comrade, I see you have foreign exchange certificates. Could I exchange some with you? I'll use RMB to exchange them; 1.2 RMB for 1 foreign exchange certificate. What do you think?"

Li Zhe was taken aback. He did have quite a few foreign exchange certificates, but he didn't know this man or his background, so he was really worried about exchanging them.

So he shook his head and said politely, "I'm sorry, I still have these foreign exchange certificates, I can't exchange them with you."

The man, somewhat unwilling to give up, leaned forward again, his voice becoming more urgent: "1.3 yuan! 1.3 yuan for 1 yuan! My son is getting married and urgently needs foreign exchange certificates to buy a TV, please help me!"

Li Zhe shook his head again and pulled Wang Ting toward the refrigerator display.

Seeing this, the middle-aged man looked disappointed and had no choice but to turn and leave.

Afterwards, Li Zhe helped Wang Ting choose a refrigerator and a washing machine.

When choosing a refrigerator, they carefully checked its capacity and cooling performance. Since there are many people in the family, they had to buy a large-capacity refrigerator.

The washing machine is a vertical tub type. Although it is not as convenient as a fully automatic one, it is more durable.

After making his selection, Li Zhe arranged the delivery time and location with the shopping mall.

After buying the appliances, Wang Ting took Li Zhe to the cosmetics section on the first floor.

She picked out a bottle of sunscreen and, at Li Zhe's suggestion, chose a light pink dress.

Li Zhe also bought two sets of comfortable casual clothes, and went to the tobacco and alcohol section to buy six cartons of foreign cigarettes, two cases of Moutai liquor, and a lot of snacks...

Before I knew it, the morning had passed.

The two walked out of the department store carrying large and small bags. The trunk of their car was overflowing, and there were also many items on the back seat.

Wang Ting got into the car, fastened her seatbelt, and asked with a smile, "Where are we going now?"

As Li Zhe started the car, he said, "Let's go eat first, then we'll go to the 365 Vegetable Store. Sun Tao called me yesterday and said that a new vegetable store catering to foreigners has opened in the Diplomatic Residence. Let's go check it out and have a snack."

(End of this chapter)