Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 298 Asking for help
A little after eight in the morning.

Asian Games Village, ground floor shops at No. 20 Beichen Road.

A man in his thirties stood next to a shop on the ground floor. He had a neatly trimmed beard, slicked-back hair, and a black leather bag tucked under his arm. He would occasionally look up at the shop in front of him and then glance down at his watch.

He had been standing for quite a while, so he squatted down, took out a pack of Hongmei cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and the smoke slowly dissipated, which slightly relieved his anxiety.

As nine o'clock approached, a white Volga sedan came to a steady stop outside the ground floor shop.

Li Zhe got out of the driver's seat, carrying a briefcase, and walked straight to the entrance of the ground floor shop.

Upon seeing this, the man with the slicked-back hair quickly stubbed out his cigarette, strode forward, and greeted him with a smile: "Hello, are you Mr. Li Zhe?"

"I am Li Zhe. May I ask who you are?" Li Zhe stopped and looked the other person up and down.

"My name is Chen Yongfa, and I am the manager of Yongfa Decoration Company." Chen Yongfa quickly opened his briefcase, took out a business card, and handed it to Li Zhe with both hands. "I was introduced by Section Chief Ma. I heard that you need to renovate your shop and I would like to talk to you about cooperation."

Li Zhe took the business card, glanced at it, casually put it in his pocket, and gestured for him to come in: "So you're Manager Chen, let's talk inside."

Pushing open the door of the ground floor shop, the interior was still empty, but much cleaner than a few days ago—Sun Tao had already had people clean it, and a square table and four stools had been placed in the middle. Li Zhe pointed to the stools and said, "Manager Chen, please sit down. The conditions are simple at the moment, please bear with us."

“We’re in the renovation business, we can chat anywhere, we don’t care about these things.” Chen Yongfa sat down, took out a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes from his bag, took one out and handed it to Li Zhe, “Mr. Li, please have a cigarette.”

Li Zhe took the cigarette and was about to take out his lighter when Chen Yongfa had already taken out his lighter first, lit it with a "click," and leaned in front of Li Zhe to light his cigarette.

He lit one for himself, took a puff, and slowly asked, "Mr. Li, I heard you're planning to open a supermarket here?"

“Yes, we’re planning to open a supermarket.” Li Zhe nodded and got straight to the point, “Manager Chen, have you done any supermarket renovation projects before?”

Chen Yongfa didn't hide anything and frankly said, "Mr. Li, to be honest, supermarkets are still a novelty in our country, and I've never done any specialized supermarket decoration before."

But I specifically bought a lot of books and materials about supermarket structure and layout, and studied them for quite a while. I now have a general idea of ​​how to arrange shelves and divide areas.

"I hope it can be completed within two months. Can you do that within that timeframe?" Li Zhe asked, his tone filled with anticipation.

"Whether the timeline can be accurately set depends on your specific requirements." Chen Yongfa took out a notebook and a pen. "For example, the supermarket's zoning, decoration style, and the materials used for the floors and walls. The more detailed you are, the more accurately I can assess the construction period and cost."

“Then let me tell you about my plan.” Li Zhe sat up straight. “This ground floor shop is a total of 500 square meters, and I plan to divide it into four areas: a merchandise area, a cashier area, a storage area, and an office area.”

The cashier area should be near the entrance for easy customer checkout; the office and storage areas should be placed in a corner, with a combined area of ​​no more than 50 square meters; the remaining space should be used for merchandise.

The product areas need to be further subdivided, such as grains and oils, chilled and frozen goods, fruits and vegetables, daily necessities, and snacks, with sufficient aisle space in each area.

"Isn't the storage area too small?" Chen Yongfa stopped writing and asked doubtfully. "Supermarkets have a lot of goods, and if the storage is not enough, it will be very troublesome to restock."

“Don’t worry about that,” Li Zhe explained. “This is just a temporary storage facility. I will rent a large warehouse nearby and allocate supplies whenever needed. The temporary storage is sufficient to hold emergency goods.”

Chen Yongfa nodded, noted it down in his notebook, and then asked, "What are your requirements regarding the decoration style and materials?"

"The floor needs to be wear-resistant and slip-resistant, preferably made of through-body tiles, so it can withstand repeated foot traffic; the walls should be painted with a light-colored, stain-resistant paint for easy cleaning; the lighting should be bright, especially in the merchandise area, so customers can clearly see the goods." Li Zhe paused, then added.

"Another important point is that the decoration materials should be environmentally friendly and should not have a pungent odor to avoid affecting the health of customers and employees."

"I have noted down your requirements." Chen Yongfa closed his notebook and said confidently, "After I get back, I will produce a detailed design drawing and project quotation as soon as possible, and give you a reply within three days."

Our company has ample manpower; all our workers are experienced professionals with five or six years of experience. Once the design plan is finalized, we can definitely complete the project within two months.

Li Zhe stood up and extended his hand: "Then I'll wait for your design drawings and quotation, and then we can discuss the details."

"Alright!" Chen Yongfa quickly grasped Li Zhe's hand. "Boss Li, I'll go back and get busy. Please wait a moment."

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and asked, "By the way, Mr. Li, could you give me your contact information? It would make future communication easier."

Li Zhe took out his business card from his briefcase and handed it to him: "My pager number and company phone number are on it. You can reach me by calling either one."

Chen Yongfa accepted the business card with both hands, carefully put it away, and then tentatively asked, "Mr. Li, do you have time at noon? I would like to invite you to a casual meal so we can get to know each other."

"Noon today is not an option, I already have plans." Li Zhe shook his head with a smile. "There will be many opportunities to cooperate in the future. We can talk about lunch another day. There's plenty of time."

"Alright, see you later!" Chen Yongfa nodded and quickly left the ground floor shop.

Li Zhe returned to the ground floor shop, took out a pre-printed job posting from his briefcase, and carefully pasted it on the wall outside the shop. Having experienced the management problems of Sijiqing Company, he became increasingly aware of the importance of professional talent. He couldn't do everything himself, and finding the right people would make all the difference.

Around noon, Li Zhe drove to the Beijing City Vegetable Company.

This was his second visit. The gatekeeper recognized him and opened the door after verifying his identity.

The courtyard was spacious, with an old locust tree providing ample shade, and several bicycles neatly parked along the wall. Li Zhe parked his bicycle and went straight up to the general manager's office on the second floor.

"Knock knock knock," came the knocking on the door.

"Come in," came Liu Jianhua's voice from inside.

Li Zhe pushed open the door, and Liu Jianhua was sitting behind his desk reading documents. Upon seeing him, he immediately stood up with a smile: "Mr. Li, what a rare guest! Please have a seat!" He poured Li Zhe a cup of white tea, "This is a gift from a friend, please have a taste."

Li Zhe took a sip and praised, "It's really good. It's refreshing and has a sweet aftertaste."

"You didn't come here just for tea today, did you?" Liu Jianhua put down his teacup and asked with a smile.

"I'm here to report on my work and also to ask for your help." Li Zhe put down his teacup and said seriously, "Currently, more than 11 growers have signed cooperation agreements with Sijiqing Company. The work of greenhouse seedling cultivation and transplanting is progressing steadily. If all goes well, we will be able to supply off-season vegetables in November."

"Great! That's wonderful!" Liu Jianhua's face lit up with joy. "But 300 mu isn't enough. Nearly ten million people in Beijing are looking forward to fresh vegetables in winter. You'll have to work even harder."

“I will definitely do my best, but the company has recently encountered some management problems.” Li Zhe changed the subject, “I used to be a farmer and have never managed so many people. Now that there are more employees, discipline and performance evaluation are not keeping up.”

We just established a human resources department a few days ago, but I have no management experience. I would like to ask for your help in seconding an experienced human resources manager to help the company develop policies and impart management experience.

Liu Jianhua was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "So you're here to borrow people! No problem, our vegetable company has many state-owned farms under its jurisdiction, and we have plenty of people who know how to manage them."

He leaned forward. "What are your requirements for the people you're temporarily transferring? Just tell me."

“There are two requirements,” Li Zhe said seriously. “First, our company is newly established, so we need to find people with sufficient experience in human resources management who can develop comprehensive systems. Second, and most importantly, they must be strict and impartial. There are many relatives and friends in the company, and if we are too lenient with personal relationships, the systems simply cannot be implemented.”

“You’re right. If there are too many people with connections, the company will run into problems sooner or later.” Liu Jianhua wholeheartedly agreed. “Leave this to me. I’ll find you the most suitable person.”

"Thank you so much, Mr. Liu." Li Zhe stood up. "If you're free at noon, let's have a simple meal together."

"Not today, I have a meeting this afternoon." Liu Jianhua waved his hand. "I'll find someone for you, then we can eat together."

Li Zhe didn't insist and said goodbye, "Then I won't disturb your work any longer. I'll wait for your good news."

Liu Jianhua saw Li Zhe to the door and said, "Don't worry, I'll give you an answer in the next couple of days."

Back in his office, Liu Jianhua frowned and pondered for a moment before picking up the phone and dialing a number: "Old Zhou, come to my office."

A minute later, a middle-aged man in his forties, of medium build and slightly overweight, walked in. It was Zhou, the vice president in charge of human resources. He nodded slightly: "President Liu, you wanted to see me?"

"Sit down." Liu Jianhua gestured to the sofa and handed him a cigarette. "Old Zhou, I need to discuss something with you. Li Zhe from Sijiqing Company wants to borrow a human resources manager from us to help him improve company discipline. Do you have a suitable candidate?"

Old Zhou lit a cigarette, pondered for a moment, and suddenly laughed: "Mr. Liu, there really is such a person. Let me tell you about him, and you can decide if it's appropriate."

"Go ahead," Liu Jianhua said, flicking his cigarette ash.

Old Zhou said with a smile, "We have a personnel manager at Daxing Farm named Yang Xingbin. He's a bit stubborn."

A while ago, the farm was making an example of someone, and they singled out his brother-in-law. Instead of trying to downplay the incident, this guy directly put his brother-in-law on unpaid leave.

Because of this, his wife had a huge fight with him, scratching his face, and would go to the farm to cause trouble every now and then.

Later, the factory director of Daxing Farm felt the impact was negative, so he simply let Yang Xingbin take a break for a while as well.

"Wow, that's interesting." Liu Jianhua laughed.

“He’s capable enough, but he’s too inflexible and doesn’t know how to adapt,” Lao Zhou added. “If you don’t think he’s suitable, I’ll find someone else for you.”

Liu Jianhua waved his hand, his tone resolute: "No need to look anymore, he's the one! His impartiality is a good thing, he'll be perfect for helping Sijiqing Company to rectify its atmosphere."

……

A white Volga sedan was driving down the street when suddenly, the pager started beeping.

Li Zhe slowed down the car, took out a pager from his pocket, and the screen displayed Lin Weimin's contact information.

He found a public phone booth along the street, stopped his car, inserted coins, and dialed: "Hello, could you please speak to Section Chief Lin?"

"Brother, it's me. You answered the call pretty quickly." Lin Weimin's steady voice came from the other end of the phone. "It's about this. I found a commercial property for sale in Xidan, and also a nice residential property. Would you be interested in coming over to take a look?"

“Of course I’m interested!” Li Zhe said immediately. “Brother Lin, when are you free? I’ll come find you, and we can go take a look together.”

“I’ll contact the property owner. If all goes well, we can meet in Xidan this afternoon,” Lin Weimin said. “My workplace isn’t far from Xidan. It’s very convenient to get there by taking the No. 102 bus, so there’s no need for you to come and pick me up.”

Ever since he helped Li Zhe buy a shop in the Asian Games Village and received the three thousand foreign exchange certificates, Lin Weimin has been particularly attentive to helping Li Zhe keep an eye out for real estate—it's a favor he's done, and the other party knows the rules, making it a very comfortable friendship.

“Okay, then we’ll meet this afternoon. You can decide the specific time,” Li Zhe replied.

After hanging up the phone, he pondered to himself—money depreciates quickly these days, especially as we approach the 1990s and the economy develops faster and faster, real estate prices are bound to rise, whether it's ground-floor shops or residential properties, buying now will definitely be a good deal in the future.

As September arrives, the weather gradually cools down, and the afternoon sun becomes less intense.

Around 2 p.m., Li Zhe drove to Xidan. As soon as he turned into the main street, he was attracted by the bustling scene in front of him. Shops lined both sides of the street, selling clothes, shoes and hats, and small commodities, with bright signs hanging at the door.
The streets were bustling with pedestrians, mostly fashionable young men and women, as well as many citizens pushing bicycles and carrying net bags to shop. Occasionally, you could also see a few foreigners with high noses. The air was filled with the shouts of vendors and the sounds of customers bargaining, creating a lively scene.

Li Zhe parked his car near the No. 102 bus stop. A few minutes later, a green bus slowly came to a stop, and Lin Weimin got off.

After the two met and exchanged a few pleasantries, Lin Weimin said, "The property owner of this ground floor shop is Xidan Commercial Service Company. The person in charge is surnamed Zhao, and he is the company's deputy manager. I arranged to meet him at 2:30."

"Brother Lin, have you seen this shop before?" Li Zhe asked as he followed Lin Weimin forward.

"Of course I've looked into it. If it weren't reliable, I wouldn't have recommended it to you," Lin Weimin said with a smile. "The property rights of this shop are clear and there are no disputes. Whether you use it yourself or rent it out, you can rest assured."

Some shops owned by certain organizations look cheap, but their property rights are often unclear. Buying one would be a liability, and I won't let you fall into that trap.

The two walked less than two hundred meters forward and saw a two-story building with a sign that read "State-run Grocery Store" hanging at the entrance, but the door was tightly closed.

Lin Weimin pointed and said, "This is it. It used to be a state-owned general store, but it's been vacant for two months due to business restructuring. Manager Zhao probably hasn't arrived yet, so let's wait a bit and take a look around."

Li Zhe glanced at his watch; it was only 2:05. He nodded and said, "Perfect timing. We still have some time. Let's take a walk around the area and get a feel for the surrounding customer traffic and businesses."

The two strolled slowly along the street. Although it was still a bit hot, the flow of people had not decreased at all.

Li Zhe took out his notebook and started taking notes as he read: The shop is less than 200 meters from the bus stop, making transportation convenient; the surrounding area is mainly composed of clothing stores and small commodity stores, as well as a few snack stalls, ensuring a stable flow of customers; there is a vegetable market and a grain store not far away, making shopping convenient.

In addition, there are three state-run restaurants nearby, a halal restaurant 200 meters away, and two Shandong and Jizhou restaurants across the street, which also have a good dining atmosphere.

When I returned to the entrance of the mall after walking around, it was already 2:27 PM.

A man in his forties stood at the door, dressed in a smart Zhongshan suit, his hair neatly combed.

Li Zhe couldn't help but take a second look—although the weather was getting cooler, it was still sweltering in the afternoon. He was wearing short sleeves, while the other person was wrapped in a Zhongshan suit, which made him feel uneasy just looking at him.

Li Zhe couldn't help but laugh when he saw the man take out a handkerchief from his pocket and wipe the sweat from his forehead. Well, it turns out this guy was hot too.

……

Many readers have asked me why I split a long chapter into two chapters for the past two days, and there are all sorts of opinions.

It's not that complicated, it's just that we didn't have enough drafts.

(End of this chapter)