Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 301 Happiness comes too suddenly

Seeing the seriousness in Li Zhe's tone, Sun Tao was taken aback for a moment, then quickly stood up straight: "Brother Li, please speak, I'm listening."

Li Zhe first talked to him about the recent situation of Sijiqing Company: "You know that Sijiqing Company has expanded its planting scale. Now there are more employees, and there are a lot of management problems - tardiness and violations of regulations happen frequently."

"I and several other key employees of the company are all from farming backgrounds and don't have much management experience. This time, I came to Beijing specifically to ask Manager Liu of the Beijing Vegetable Company for help and borrowed an experienced HR manager to go back and reorganize the company."

Sun Tao nodded. Although he had never been to Sijiqing Company, he had heard Li Zhe mention the management difficulties several times.

Li Zhe then changed the subject and got to the point of the conversation: "The newly opened supermarket is over 500 square meters. It's too big for the two of us to manage, and I can't possibly be there every day."

So I'm thinking of hiring someone with management experience to be the store manager. You can temporarily be his assistant and learn management from him. What do you think?

"Hey, I thought it was something serious!" Sun Tao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Brother Li, to be honest, I've been thinking about this for the past few days too."

When I first heard that I could manage such a large supermarket, I was very excited, but I was also a little nervous – I had only managed a vegetable store before, how could I know anything about supermarket operations?
I was just about to ask you if I could find someone knowledgeable to mentor me, but your arrangement makes me feel much more at ease.

Li Zhe patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Take it slow, we're still young. This year you learn from the store manager and gain experience. When we open a new store next year, you'll be able to handle things on your own."

“Okay! I’ll listen to you!” Sun Tao was full of enthusiasm—he never doubted Li Zhe’s words. He had only opened a vegetable shop last winter, and this year he already had a 500-square-meter supermarket. With such a speed of development, there would definitely be more opportunities in the future.

Li Zhe had communicated with Sun Tao beforehand because he was afraid Sun Tao would have any ideas. Now that they had talked things out, neither of them had any concerns.

In the afternoon, Li Zhe went to the building materials market and inquired about the prices of materials such as floor tiles, paint, and wires. After comparing them, he found that Chen Yongfa's price was reasonable and not inflated.

The next morning, Chen Yongfa arrived with the revised design plan.

In the new drawings, the cashier area has been expanded to ten square meters, with two additional cashier counters; the aisle width has been increased to 1.2 meters, and the turning space for shopping carts has been specifically marked; the storage area has added ventilation openings, and the office area has been partitioned into small cubicles.

Li Zhe was very satisfied after seeing it and signed a renovation agreement with him on the spot without trying to lower the price further. He knew that in business, you have to leave room for negotiation. The buyer is never as shrewd as the seller. If you give the other party a reasonable profit, they will work hard.

That afternoon, Chen Yongfa arrived with more than twenty workers.

He stood at the entrance of the ground floor shop, holding the blueprints and assigning tasks to the workers: "Old Zhang, you take three people to demolish the walls, be careful not to touch the load-bearing columns; Old Wang, you and Xiao Li are in charge of the water and electricity renovation, run the pipes according to the locations on the blueprints, and leave a few extra sockets; the rest of you come with me to move the materials, first unload the floor tiles and cement to the corner..."

The workers each performed their duties, and the site immediately became busy.

For the next three days, Li Zhe went to the construction site every day to monitor the progress, while Chen Yongfa arrived earlier and left later than the workers.

Every morning at seven o'clock, he would first walk around the construction site to check the quality of the previous day's work.

On the first day of the water and electricity renovation, a worker tried to take the easy way out by running a diagonal line. Chen Yongfa stopped him on the spot and personally squatted down to draw the line: "You have to run a straight line according to the specifications. It will make future maintenance easier. You can't be lazy!"

Seeing that a wall tile was laid crookedly, he instructed the workers to redo it, telling them as he laid the tile: "When laying tiles, you must first hang a line, and the mortar thickness must be uniform. Even a difference of one millimeter can easily cause hollow spots, and it will be more troublesome to redo it later."

One day at noon, the workers wanted to save time and pile up the unused cement by the window. Chen Yongfa saw this and immediately stopped them: "Cement is afraid of moisture. It is easy for water to seep in by the window when it rains. If it gets damp here, it will be ruined. Quickly move it inside and separate it from the new cement."

He not only oversaw quality but also the order of the site. Every day before the work was over, he would urge the workers to put their tools back in their place and clean up the waste. After three days, although the construction site was busy, it remained neat and tidy.

Li Zhe saw this and his liking for Chen Yongfa grew even stronger—he admired people who were "observant and skilled," and he felt more at ease entrusting the renovation to such a person.

That morning, Li Zhe came to the supermarket to check on the construction progress as usual. Just as he reached the entrance of the store, he saw Chen Yongfa squatting on the ground discussing something with the electrician, holding up blueprints in his hand.

Chen Yongfa looked up and saw Li Zhe, immediately stood up to greet him, dusted off his hands and said, "Mr. Li, you've arrived. Let me tell you about the progress. The wall demolition is complete, and the water and electricity points have been marked. We can start laying pipes and wires this afternoon."

Li Zhe nodded and followed him around the construction site. Only after confirming that the progress and quality were both in order did they stop.

Chen Yongfa hesitated for a moment, but still extended an invitation: "Mr. Li, if you are free tonight, I would like to invite you to dinner to thank you for trusting me and entrusting me with such a big job."

This was the second time the other party had invited him, and Li Zhe did not refuse again. "Okay, I also have something I want to talk to you about."

Chen Yongfa was overjoyed and immediately ran to a nearby public phone booth to book a private room at the barbecue restaurant.

At 7 p.m., Li Zhe drove his white Volga sedan to the barbecue restaurant.

It was lunchtime, and there were many bicycles and motorcycles parked in front of the restaurant. There were also seven or eight people queuing at the entrance, and occasionally you could hear noise coming from inside.

Chen Yongfa was already standing on the steps at the restaurant entrance, waiting. When he saw the Volga sedan arrive, he quickly went to greet Li Zhe and opened the car door for him: "Mr. Li, you've arrived."

"Manager Chen, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Li Zhe got out of the car and shook hands with Chen Yongfa.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Yongfa led Li Zhe into the restaurant.

As soon as you enter the main hall of Kaorouwan, a rich aroma of roasted meat wafts over you. There are more than a dozen square tables in the hall, almost full of customers. Some are chatting, while others are waiting for their meat to be served. The waiters are wearing blue uniforms and carrying plates as they move between the tables.

Several wooden plaques hang on the wall, bearing the words "Centennial Brand" and "Famous Chinese Snacks." Several trophies are displayed in a cabinet in the corner, exuding the gravitas of an old Beijing restaurant.

“Mr. Li, the private room we booked is on the second floor. It’s quieter upstairs, and it’s easier to talk there,” Chen Yongfa explained as he led Li Zhe toward the stairs.

Upon reaching the second floor, he pushed open the door to a private room with a wooden sign that read "Pine and Crane"—the room was small, about ten square meters, with a round table against the wall and a round grill embedded in the center of the table. Next to the grill were small shovels, small brushes, and small dishes for seasonings.

As soon as the two sat down, the waiter came in with a teapot, poured them tea, handed them the menu, and introduced with a smile: "Bosses, our family is a century-old restaurant. Our specialty is grilled meat, which is made with lamb from Xilingol in Inner Mongolia. It is freshly cut to order, and the meat is very tender and not gamey."

Besides grilled meat, sesame flatbread, pickled garlic, and mixed shredded tofu are all perfect accompaniments to grilled meat. Would you like to try them?

Chen Yongfa pushed the menu in front of Li Zhe: "Mr. Li, please order first. Order whatever you like."

Li Zhe flipped through the menu, looked up and asked the waiter, "Besides lamb, do you have any other barbecue options to recommend?"

"The beef is exceptionally good too!" the waiter immediately replied. "Our roast beef is made from beef tenderloin, thinly sliced, and grilled to a perfect crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Dipped in our secret dry seasoning, it's absolutely amazing!"

“Alright, I’ll do as you say.” Li Zhe closed the menu. “Two jin of roasted mutton, one jin of roasted beef, four sesame flatbreads, a serving of mixed tofu strips, a serving of smashed cucumber, and a pot of plum juice to cleanse the palate.”

"Okay! Please wait a moment, the meat will be ready soon!" The waiter replied, took the menu, and left.

Chen Yongfa took out a bottle of Moutai from his bag, unscrewed the cap and said, "Boss Li, I bought this last year, but I've been reluctant to drink it. Let's have a good drink together today."

He poured Li Zhe a glass, then filled his own, and raised his glass: "Let me toast you first, thank you for trusting me and entrusting me with the supermarket renovation. I will definitely do a good job."

Li Zhe raised his glass and clinked it against his: "It's been a pleasure working with you."

He took a sip of the liquor and felt a different sensation – in the past, he would buy the liquor himself and treat others to it, but this time someone else was treating him. The liquor was just as strong, but the feeling was exceptionally different.

Chen Yongfa poured Li Zhe some more wine and asked curiously, "Mr. Li, I really admire you—you're so young, yet you've built such a large business. I've always been curious, what kind of business did you do before?"

Li Zhe took a sip of tea and replied with a smile, "I used to be a vegetable grower."

"Don't joke with me!" Chen Yongfa waved his hand, clearly not believing it. "How can growing vegetables earn so much money, let alone opening such a big supermarket?"

Li Zhe put away his smile and said seriously, "Manager Chen, I'm not lying to you. I do grow vegetables, but I grow them in semi-underground greenhouses, so I can grow fresh vegetables even in winter, which is why I can sell them for a higher price."

Chen Yongfa frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly slapped his thigh: "Hey! I remember now! Last winter, I went to Quanjude with my friends. It was almost Chinese New Year, and Quanjude still had fresh green cucumbers."

"The waiter later told me they were grown in greenhouses. Is this the kind of greenhouse vegetable you grow?" Li Zhe smiled and nodded: "Since last winter, I've been supplying Quanjude with cucumbers, and we haven't run out of supply since. The cucumbers you ate at Quanjude were most likely grown by me."

"Hey! No wonder you can make money, that's really impressive!" Chen Yongfa couldn't help but exclaim.

He still remembers that when a plate of cucumber strips at Quanjude cost five yuan, he and his friends complained, "What's the difference between this and robbery?" He never expected to meet the "cucumber supplier himself" today, and he was both surprised and impressed.

Just then, a knock sounded on the door, and the waiter came in carrying several plates of meat and side dishes. He placed the meat on the grill pan on the table, then picked up some tongs and said, "Gentlemen, let me grill it for you. We have to control the heat when grilling our meat; it won't taste good if it's overcooked."

Chen Yongfa waved his hand: "No need to trouble you, I can grill it myself." The waiter smiled and replied, "Then call me if you need anything," before leaving.

After the waiter left, he picked up the tongs and carefully turned the meat over. "This barbecue is still the best when you grill it yourself."

The lamb is roasted until it sizzles and drips with oil, then sprinkled with salt and pepper, and its aroma is irresistible.

Li Zhe picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. The meat was tender and fresh, and it was indeed not gamey. He couldn't help but praise, "It's really delicious. It's even more authentic than what I ate at Donglaishun."

“Of course, Kao Rou Wan is an old brand, the taste is definitely not bad.” Chen Yongfa also ate a piece, and then picked up his wine glass, “Mr. Li, have another drink.”

The two had another drink, and Li Zhe asked, "You used to do quite well at the state-owned construction company, why did you decide to go solo?"

Chen Yongfa put down his chopsticks, sighed, and said, "State-owned enterprises are too focused on seniority. I was young back then, and no matter how hard I tried, my superiors always said, 'You're not senior enough.'"

Later, I finally got a chance to be promoted to supervisor of technicians, and I thought I was all set—in terms of experience, I had spent five years on construction sites and worked on more than a dozen projects, big and small; in terms of ability, I had overseen the completion of several of the company's most difficult technical tasks. But guess what happened?

The person who got promoted in the end was a colleague who joined two years after me. That guy couldn't even understand blueprints, let alone work on a construction site. He just took the opportunity because his uncle was the company's deputy manager and he had connections and influence.

He paused, took another sip of wine, and continued, "From then on, I understood: in state-owned enterprises, I am young and have no connections. No matter how hard I work, I may not have a chance to get ahead."

So I simply resigned and went into business on my own. I even took a leave of absence without pay, thinking that if things didn't work out on my own, I could still go back to my old job as a backup plan.

Unexpectedly, this job lasted for two years. With the help of a few friends who introduced me to work, the company gradually started operating and even made some money, finally stabilizing.

Looking back now, I'm so glad I made the decision to resign; otherwise, I'd still be stuck at my current job, just getting by.

After listening, Li Zhe nodded in agreement—he could understand Chen Yongfa's choice, after all, everyone wants to make a name for themselves through their own abilities.

The two ate and chatted, and before they knew it, it was past nine o'clock.

As he was leaving, Li Zhe suddenly asked, "Manager Chen, besides the workers who renovated the supermarket, does your company have any other skilled workers?"

Chen Yong paused for a moment, then replied, "Not really for now, but there's a project that'll be finished in two or three days, and we'll be able to free up a few workers then."

He pressed further, "Mr. Li, do you think the supermarket construction is progressing slowly? Do you want to increase manpower?" He paused, then added, "Actually, the space is only so big. Too many manpower can sometimes reduce efficiency. The current manpower is just right."

Li Zhe smiled and shook his head: "It's not about the supermarket. A few days ago, I bought a house and would like to ask you to help with the renovation."

Chen Yongfa's face immediately lit up with joy, and he quickly said, "No problem! I can find someone to remove the old renovations first, and after the previous project is completed in a couple of days, I'll be free to renovate your house. I guarantee it won't delay anything."

Li Zhe nodded: "Okay, I'll take you to see the house tomorrow."

"Alright!" Chen Yongfa picked up his wine glass again and clinked it with Li Zhe's. "Mr. Li, thank you for taking such good care of me. I'll definitely decorate the house to your satisfaction!"

……

Xidan Huayuan residential community is located about 800 meters west of Xidan North Street, a 15-minute walk from Xidan Shopping Mall, and adjacent to Xihuangchenggen South Street. It is a quiet community in a bustling area, close to the commercial center but avoiding the noise of the main road.

Around 8 a.m., just after the morning mist cleared, Chen Yongfa rode his bicycle to the apartment building.

He pushed his cart around the entrance of the residential area, looking at the gray-brick and tile buildings, the neatly trimmed holly bushes in front of the buildings, and a few residents carrying vegetable baskets walking by slowly. He couldn't help but show an envious expression on his face.

This neighborhood is much cleaner and tidier than the courtyard house he lived in, and the location is also better. Living here is much more comfortable than squeezing into the alley. He secretly sighed, "Boss Li has a really good eye for choosing houses."

When I have money in the future, I will also live in an apartment building. Don't be fooled by the fact that he does a lot of construction projects; he doesn't actually have much spare money.

Before long, a white Volga sedan slowly drove into the residential area and parked in the open space in front of the building.

Li Zhe got out of the car, and Chen Yongfa immediately parked his bicycle in the shed next to him, quickly walked up to him, and greeted him with a smile: "Boss Li, you're here! I just arrived a little while ago."

"Thank you for making this trip. Let's go upstairs and take a look at the house." Li Zhe said, taking out the keys from his pocket and leading Chen Yongfa into the stairwell.

The hallway was paved with light gray cement, the walls were clean, and there was no clutter as is common in hallways.

The two went up to the third floor. Li Zhe opened the east door, and the wooden door made a slight creaking sound when he pushed it open.

The apartment is a two-bedroom unit of over 80 square meters with a small common area. The living room is spacious and bright, and the south-facing window has an old-fashioned wooden frame. Sunlight shines through the glass onto the cement floor, casting fine shadows of dust.

Both the master bedroom and the second bedroom have square windowsills. The second bedroom also has a balcony of about three square meters outside. The balcony railing is made of white-painted iron railings. You can see the green trees in the community from the balcony.

The kitchen and bathroom are on the west side of the house. They are not small, but the walls are yellowed and the floor tiles are cracked in a few places, showing that it is an old house. However, the overall layout is square and there are no unnecessary corners, making it very suitable for renovation.

Li Zhe led Chen Yongfa around the house, explaining the renovation requirements as they walked: "The walls need to be repainted white to make it look bright; the floors should all be tiled."

Upon reaching the bathroom, which had a bright window and was quite spacious, he stopped and added, "We need to replace the squat toilets with seated toilets, and put a bathtub against the inner wall; replace all the rusty water pipes, replace the electrical wires, and install more sockets."

Finally, he walked to the doors and windows and pointed to the warped wooden door frames: "These wooden doors and windows all need to be replaced with aluminum alloy ones. In addition, the garbage generated during construction must be removed in a timely manner and not piled up in the stairwell. Also, construction should be carried out during the residents' rest time as much as possible so as not to disturb the neighbors' rest."

Chen Yongfa took out his pen and wrote down these requirements one by one, occasionally pausing to ask questions like, "What size floor tiles should we choose?" and "Which brand of waterproof coating should we use?"

After Li Zhe finished speaking, he walked around the room again, squatted down and tapped the floor tiles, touched the walls, and then offered his suggestions:

"Mr. Li, we can add an insulation layer under the north-facing window to block out the cold in winter; we should also do another waterproofing in the bathroom to prevent leaks in the future; and if we're not going to replace the iron railings on the balcony, we should repaint them with anti-rust paint to prevent the paint from peeling off and rusting."

Li Zhe found these suggestions to be very reasonable and nodded in agreement, saying, "Okay, we'll do it your way."

Chen Yongfa put the notebook back in his pocket and said with a smile, "Then I'll go back and calculate the material and labor costs, and I'll send you the contract quote first thing tomorrow morning."

“Okay, don’t worry about it. Use reliable materials and don’t skimp on costs.” Li Zhe patted him on the shoulder and added, “I also bought a two-story shop in Xidan, nearly 500 square meters, and I plan to open a restaurant there. If the house is decorated well this time, I’ll leave the restaurant’s decoration to you.”

This house was prepared for Tan Jingya—he wanted to wait until it was renovated before telling her, to give her a surprise; telling her now would diminish that sense of anticipation.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yongfa's eyes lit up instantly, and his smile widened: "Don't worry! I'll definitely decorate this house beautifully, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

He was both surprised and delighted. He had originally thought it was just a house renovation, but he never expected to get a restaurant renovation job. This was a big business opportunity.

The two checked a few more details inside the house before going downstairs together and leaving.

Chen Yongfa pushed his bicycle out of the residential area, still pondering what had just happened. He was happy but also a little worried: his workers were currently renovating the supermarket, and if he were to take on the residential and subsequent restaurant projects, he would definitely not have enough manpower. He would have to recruit a few more experienced craftsmen...

(End of this chapter)