Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 302 The First Shot

The residential area of ​​Daxing Farm.

Yang Xingbin stood alone at the entrance of the family quarters, his figure appearing particularly thin.

He carried a bulging fertilizer bag on his right shoulder, stuffed with bedding, its edges worn smooth; in his left hand, he carried an old duffel bag tied with hemp rope, the zipper long broken, revealing neatly folded old clothes inside—his entire possessions.

Previously, when Yang Xingbin served as the head of the personnel department at Daxing Farm, he was known for his strict requirements and impartiality. While he earned a good reputation for being "fair," he was not popular in terms of interpersonal relationships.

Since being suspended without pay, he has had very little contact with people except for a few close colleagues, and he rarely goes out.

Two days ago, he received a notice from the farm that his superiors wanted to transfer him to a privately owned company called "Sijiqing".

He had never heard of this company before, and didn't even know its specific business operations. To him, this was undoubtedly like being "exiled." He was too embarrassed to tell anyone else about it, so he silently packed his bags and arrived alone at the agreed time to wait.

Yang Xingbin has had an exceptionally difficult time lately.

Not only was he unhappy at work, but he was also disliked at home—because of the punishment of his brother-in-law, his father-in-law's family completely cut off contact with him, and even his wife never gave him a kind look.

From another perspective, taking a job at Sijiqing Company might also be a relief for him.

Just then, a white Volga sedan slowly drove up and stopped not far away.

The car door opened, and a man in his early twenties stepped off. He was impeccably dressed, wearing a crisp shirt and dress pants, with a pager strapped to his waist and black sunglasses on his face.

The man took off his sunglasses, turned to look at Yang Xingbin, and politely asked, "Hello comrade, are you Manager Yang from Daxing Farm?"

"I'm Yang Xingbin, but I'm not a supervisor anymore. Just call me by my name." Yang Xingbin put down his luggage, his tone hesitant, and subconsciously adjusted his collar: "Who are you?"

"My name is Li Zhe, and I am the general manager of Sijiqing Company." Li Zhe said, quickly stepping forward to shake hands with Yang Xingbin.

As they shook hands, he subtly observed the other man: Yang Xingbin was thin and frail, his face gaunt, and his clothes hung loosely on him, looking somewhat ill-fitting.

"Hello, Mr. Li, I hope you will take good care of me in the future," Yang Xingbin replied politely.

Li Zhe smiled and waved his hand: "Manager Yang, you are a talent I 'begged' from General Manager Liu. In the future, we will have to learn a lot from you in terms of company management."

After saying that, he opened the trunk of the car, took Yang Xingbin's luggage and put it inside, and then warmly invited him to sit in the passenger seat.

After Li Zhe got into the driver's seat, his gaze inadvertently swept over Yang Xingbin's neck and he noticed two obvious scratch marks there.

Yang Xingbin had been wearing his collar turned up, so Li Zhe hadn't noticed until now. Although Li Zhe had some doubts, he didn't ask any questions and simply started the car slowly.

The car fell silent for a moment. Yang Xingbin hesitated for a second before tentatively asking, "Mr. Li, who is this Mr. Liu you just mentioned?"

“It’s Mr. Liu Jianhua, the general manager of Beijing City Vegetable Company,” Li Zhe replied casually.

Yang Xingbin was stunned when he heard the name—he had heard of Liu Jianhua before; he was the head of their farm's superior department. He had originally thought that going to Sijiqing Company was a "sent-down" situation, but if it was really personally appointed by this high-ranking leader, then the nature of the matter was completely different.

He suppressed his surprise and asked, "Mr. Li, what aspects of agricultural planting does your Sijiqing Company mainly engage in?"

“We mainly grow vegetables in greenhouses, and our base is located in Wan’an Town, Langfang City,” Li Zhe replied.

"How large is it?" Yang Xingbin pressed.

"The company directly operates about 60 mu of greenhouses, and also cooperates with farmers on more than 200 mu of greenhouses. There are plans to expand in the future," Li Zhe answered truthfully.

Upon hearing this scale, Yang Xingbin frowned slightly—not because he thought it was too large, but because it was too small.

It should be noted that Daxing Farm has several thousand acres of land. When he was in charge of the farm, he managed thousands of people. Now that he has been transferred to Sijiqing Company, he probably won't even be able to manage a few dozen people.

This made him even more puzzled: Why would such a small company attract the personal attention of General Manager Liu? Was there some hidden reason he didn't know about, or was this General Manager Li "borrowing power from the boss"?
He couldn't help but press further: "Mr. Li, are the greenhouses in our company used for early seedling cultivation, delayed harvesting, or are they winter-warm greenhouses that require coal for heating?"

Li Zhe shook his head and explained with a smile, "No, that's not it. What we're making is a new generation of semi-underground vegetable greenhouses. They use underfloor heating and sunlight to raise the temperature naturally, so we don't need to burn coal to maintain a suitable growing temperature inside the greenhouse. Even in winter, we can still grow fresh vegetables."

After hearing this, Yang Xingbin was initially incredulous, but then he suddenly remembered a newspaper article he had read before. The article reported on a young man who had grown fresh vegetables in a greenhouse during the winter and sold them at a high price in Beijing. However, he couldn't remember the man's name, only that he seemed to be surnamed Li.

If Sijiqing Company truly possesses such technology, then Mr. Liu's interest in the company makes sense. Thinking this, his uncertainty about the future lessened, replaced by a sense of anticipation, yet also a touch of trepidation.

The distance from Daxing Farm to Langfang City is not far. After passing the toll station, it took another half an hour to reach Wan'an Town.

Along the way, Li Zhe frequently initiated conversations with Yang Xingbin, inquiring about his hometown and previous work at the state-owned farm. Yang Xingbin answered all the questions, but he didn't say much and rarely spoke first.

The Volga sedan eventually arrived at the north side of Daying Village and parked directly in front of the canteen of Sijiqing Company. Li Zhe got out of the car first, and Yang Xingbin followed suit.

Li Zhe glanced at his watch; it was already noon. He gestured for them to go, saying, "Manager Yang, let's go to the cafeteria for lunch first. After we finish eating, I'll arrange your accommodation."

“Okay.” Yang Xingbin replied, but did not immediately follow Li Zhe—his gaze was drawn to the surrounding seedling sheds and those sheds whose bamboo frames were still exposed and not yet covered by plastic film.

"Are these all vegetable greenhouses built by our company?" he asked, pointing to the greenhouses with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yes, the weather is still warm now, so we haven't covered it with a transparent film yet. Once we cover it with the film, it will keep us warm and allow the sun to warm it up," Li Zhe explained patiently.

Yang Xingbin walked quickly to the nearest greenhouse, patted the thick rammed earth wall, and looked down at the greenhouse foundation, which was dug a meter deep and covered an area of ​​several hundred square meters. His face showed obvious surprise.

He had worked on the farm for many years and had seen many seedling sheds. He was also familiar with coal-fired greenhouses and could roughly understand the purpose of digging foundations and ramming earth walls.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, this is a huge project! Our farm's seedling shed is only a few dozen square meters in size and about one meter high. Compared to your shed, it's like children playing house."

Li Zhe said with a smile, "The project is large and the investment is high. It costs us about five or six thousand yuan to build a greenhouse like this."

"So much!" Yang Xingbin was genuinely surprised—even in a state-run farm, it would be impossible to invest such a large amount of capital in a single greenhouse.

“Yes, that’s why it’s so difficult to expand vegetable greenhouses, which is why the Beijing Vegetable Company took the initiative to approach us for cooperation,” Li Zhe said.

"Did General Manager Liu take the initiative to contact you?" Yang Xingbin was shocked again, and his voice rose slightly.

“That’s right,” Li Zhe recalled. “Last year, General Manager Liu approached us, hoping that we could supply off-season vegetables to the Beijing Vegetable Company, but at that time our output was too low, and we were willing but unable to do so. So this year we finally decided to expand the greenhouses, and General Manager Liu was very supportive of us.”

These words made Yang Xingbin feel extremely complicated.

He suddenly realized that his visit to Sijiqing Company might not have been an "exile" at all, but rather a rare opportunity.

Thinking of this, the gloom that had been weighing on his heart for so long dissipated considerably, and he gained a glimmer of hope for the future.

"Manager Yang, let's go eat first, the food's getting cold," Li Zhe reminded him again.

"Okay, okay." Yang Xingbin finally came to his senses and quickly followed Li Zhe into the cafeteria.

It was lunchtime, and the cafeteria was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of employees chatting and laughing. When Li Zhe walked in, everyone greeted him warmly: "Brother Li!" "Boss Li!"

Li Zhe smiled and nodded in response, then led Yang Xingbin to wash his hands first, before picking up his tray and heading towards the food serving window. Li Jiugang, who was in charge of serving the food, greeted them with a smile, "Hey, Zhezi's back!" Li Zhe introduced them with a smile, "Brother Jiugang, this is our company's new HR manager, Manager Yang Xingbin."

"Hello, Manager Yang!" Li Jiugang immediately became polite, filling Yang Xingbin's plate to the brim with food.

"Thank you," Yang Xingbin said politely, glancing down at the plate—it contained two dishes: minced meat and eggplant, and braised pork with potatoes, along with two snow-white steamed buns and a bowl of egg drop soup.

He exclaimed inwardly, "My goodness, this food is amazing!"

"Manager Yang, let's go sit in the small cafeteria inside," Li Zhe said, leading Yang Xingbin towards a small private room on the inside of the cafeteria. Usually, when Li Zhe is not in the company, the small cafeteria is rarely used; even department managers mostly eat in the large cafeteria outside.

After the two sat down, Li Zhe said, "Manager Yang, lunch is a bit rushed, please have something to eat first, and I will host a banquet for you tonight."

Yang Xingbin quickly waved his hand: "President Li, you're too kind. This food is already very good, almost on par with what we get at our farm canteen during holidays. Is our company canteen always this good, or is it just an occasional treat?"

Li Zhe replied, "It's always been like this. Employees need to eat well to have the energy to work. We occasionally organize dinners, but they're always after work in the evening, so everyone can eat some meat, drink some wine, and relax."

Upon hearing this, Yang Xingbin reached into his pocket and asked, "Mr. Li, how much did this meal cost? I'll reimburse the company for the meal later."

Li Zhe smiled and waved his hand: "No need to pay, the company provides free meals."

Yang Xingbin immediately insisted, "That won't do. One thing at a time. I can't take advantage of the company."

"Manager Yang, you've misunderstood. Not only you, but all employees in the company eat for free."

"Sijiqing Company provides free breakfast and lunch, and employees who need to work overtime can also enjoy free dinner and late-night snacks," Li Zhe explained patiently.

"Everyone in the company is free?" Yang Xingbin looked surprised again.

“Yes, even the militiamen patrolling the village get free late-night snacks.” After saying that, Li Zhe smiled and called out, “Manager Yang, let’s eat quickly, or the food will get cold.”

Yang Xingbin frowned slightly, said nothing more, nodded, picked up the steamed bun and ate it in big bites.

Yang Xingbin was indeed starving. He shoveled rice into his mouth, even faster than Li Zhe. Li Zhe had only eaten half of his food when Yang Xingbin's plate was empty, and he was now drinking soup from his bowl.

"Manager Yang, if it's not enough, go get more. Don't be shy, there's plenty of food," Li Zhe said with a smile.

"Okay, sure." Yang Xingbin scratched his head a little embarrassedly, but he was indeed not full, so he picked up his tray and walked out of the small canteen.

A short while later, he returned with a full plate of food, and on the plate were two large steamed buns.

By the time Li Zhe finished his meal, Yang Xingbin's second plate was almost empty. Li Zhe got up, brewed a pot of tea, poured a cup for Yang Xingbin, and handed it to him, saying, "Manager Yang, have some tea to cleanse your palate."

After finishing the last piece of steamed bun, Yang Xingbin wiped his mouth, took the teacup with both hands, and quickly said, "Thank you, Mr. Li."

Li Zhe poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and said, "Manager Yang, we build a small brick house next to each greenhouse, which is usually for the employees who look after the greenhouses to live in."

I'll have someone prepare a room for you in a bit; you can stay there for a few days. Tomorrow, I'll rent a vacant house for you in the village, and you can move in there then.

"No need, no need, Mr. Li, there's really no need to go to so much trouble." Yang Xingbin quickly waved his hand. "I live alone, a small house is enough for me. I'm not used to a house that's too big."

“Alright, you can stay here for now. If you feel it's not suitable, just let me know and I'll help you find something.” Li Zhe didn't press the matter.

"Thank you, Mr. Li," Yang Xingbin said politely, then changed the subject seriously, asking, "Mr. Li, could you tell me about the specific situation of Sijiqing Company?"

“Of course, what aspect would you like to know?” Li Zhe asked in return.

"I heard that Sijiqing Company is a private company. Who makes the decisions about the company's daily operations?" Yang Xingbin asked, his tone tinged with caution.

"I'm in charge," Li Zhe replied bluntly.

Yang Xingbin was still somewhat uneasy and asked again, "Does the company have any other shareholders?"

"Yes, the company has more than twenty shareholders," Li Zhe answered truthfully.

Upon hearing "more than twenty shareholders," Yang Xingbin frowned even more deeply: "If the company encounters issues requiring decision-making, will you consult with the other shareholders? If the other shareholders oppose your opinion, how will the final decision be made?"

Li Zhe thought for a moment and replied seriously, "If it is a major decision-making issue, I will convene a meeting of shareholders and management to discuss the issue with everyone. If disagreements arise during the discussion, I will take into account all opinions and make a relatively prudent decision."

Yang Xingbin didn't stop there, pressing further: "What if the other shareholders all oppose your decision?"

“Unless they can provide sufficient reasons to convince me, their opposition will be ineffective,” Li Zhe said firmly.

"What if most, or even all, of the shareholders disagree with your decision?" Yang Xingbin asked further, his eyes filled with inquiry.

“First of all, the situation you described is highly unlikely to occur. Secondly, even if it did happen, no one could change my decision. I hold absolute control of Sijiqing Company.” After saying this, Li Zhe asked curiously in return,
"Manager Yang, are you so concerned about this issue because you have some concerns?"

“It is indeed very important, and I’m not afraid of you laughing at me…” Yang Xingbin gave a bitter smile and briefly told Li Zhe about his experience at Daxing Farm—how he strictly enforced attendance, how he punished his brother-in-law, how he was suspended without pay, and the conflicts at home.

Finally, he sighed and said, "I did all this for the good of the farm, but in the end I'm caught in the middle... Now I'm afraid I'll encounter similar problems at the new company."

"Manager Yang, you can rest assured about this. Such a situation would absolutely never occur at Sijiqing Company," Li Zhe said confidently.
"Let me be frank with you: our company is a family business, and many of our employees are relatives or friends, which makes management very difficult—that's why I specifically sought Mr. Liu's help and wanted to invite you over."

I invited you here because I hope you can help the company establish rules. Please feel free to do so; if any employee violates company regulations, regardless of who it is, you can punish them according to the rules.

Hearing this, Yang Xingbin's concerns lessened considerably, but he still asked, "What if it's your family member who violates the rules?"

"I've already spoken to my family beforehand. If they still dare to violate company rules, don't hold back; deal with them as appropriate." Li Zhe's tone became serious.
“My father and brother also work at the company. If they make a mistake, you can handle it according to the rules.”

Yang Xingbin finally breathed a sigh of relief: "With your words, I can focus on my work."

Li Zhe poured the other person a cup of tea: "My sister-in-law is now the deputy director of the human resources department. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask her; if there's anything inconvenient, you can also ask her for help. If you can't resolve something, you can always come to me."

Yang Xingbin nodded and asked, "Mr. Li, which aspect would you like me to start with in the overhaul?"

Li Zhe thought for a moment and said, "You can decide for yourself which aspect to start the overhaul. I believe you have more experience than I do. However, my ultimate goal in overhauling the company is to improve employee productivity and ensure the quality of agricultural products."

Yang Xingbin nodded: "I understand, but this is also the most complicated matter. As long as attendance requirements are strict and supervision is in place, the results will be immediate."

Improving production motivation involves multiple aspects, requiring extensive research and the cooperation of production department supervisors to develop appropriate performance standards.

Li Zhe nodded: "You're right, that's why I haven't set any rules yet. There's no rush, take your time to understand, and we can discuss it together later."

Yang Xingbin thought for a moment, then looked down at the plates: "Mr. Li, I'd like to start by making a management suggestion regarding employee meals."

Li Zhe picked up his teacup: "Please go ahead."

Yang Xingbin replied, "I think the company cafeteria can no longer continue to offer free meals; this is not a long-term solution."

(End of this chapter)