Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 520 Old Xu's Thoughts

Old Xu said, "We need to prepare some. I'll get some old material back later. That kind of material will be thoroughly dried so there's no worry about it warping. These ones, although they don't seem to have any major problems, will definitely twist a bit. I need to be more considerate of you, my big client. Don't let me leave."

Xiao Wei said, "Where are you running off to? We're getting along perfectly well, why are you running away? You're not going to betray me, are you?"

Old Xu said, "Why are you suddenly changing your mind about making them? What's wrong?"

Xiao Wei said, "The main problem is that I don't know anything about this. Besides, I can't manage a large business like this. The restaurant and cake shop are about to open in the three northeastern provinces. I'll be spending most of my time traveling around, so I won't have time to take care of this place."

Old Xu shook his head and smiled, saying, "I know you think the conditions are too harsh. There's nothing I can do; I don't have the final say. How about this? I'll bring in some people, and we can start a new business together in Fengtian. You can give me 40% of the profits."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "Why don't you do it yourself? You have the manpower and the skills, you can just set up your own business."

Old Xu took a puff of his cigarette and said, "I've been thinking about it every day lately. One problem is the huge capital investment. We'll have to rely entirely on external suppliers for the timber, which will tie up our money. Another problem is the customer base. I think it's too difficult to start. If things go wrong, we could lose everything. Unlike you with your big business, a loss like this would be a serious blow to me."

"You have many projects and big business. If I partner with you, I won't have to worry about this aspect. I can just focus on doing a good job, and it might even help us grow faster. Otherwise, I'll be busy finding clients, negotiating with them, designing, and preparing materials, which is a waste of time. I've thought it through. I'm not making much money like this anyway, so I might as well stay with you guys. Now that I've figured it out, I feel much more at ease."

Xiao Wei said, "Think it through carefully, otherwise it will cause problems in the future. You should really think about this kind of business partnership a lot."

Old Xu said, "Forget it, I've thought it through. We can put it in the contract that if I ever have other ideas and want to break up the partnership, I'll compensate you. It'll be like putting a chain on me. I know my own flaws. To put it nicely, I'm good at thinking things through; to put it bluntly, I have too many ideas and am a bit selfish, but in reality, I don't have the ability to do so. I'm almost forty, so I'd rather just make some stable money for a few more years."

Xiao Wei said, "I didn't care about this part. At that time, I was just thinking that I would have to do it eventually, so I might as well do it myself. But then again, how can one person finish all the work and earn all the money? It's unrealistic, so I didn't mention it again."

Old Xu said, "Take me under your wing. To be honest, I've really thought it through. Although I'm much older than you, I'm not as good at things as you, and I'm convinced of that. Once we're set up, I won't get involved in anything outside. I'll just focus on running the factory well, doing the work properly, and training a few apprentices for you."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "Let's talk about it when we get back. I really don't have much energy right now. Let me think about it."

Old Xu said, "This is a government business now. I'm just eating and drinking a little. You're spending a lot, and in the end, who knows who benefits from the money? Don't you think that makes sense? Besides, Longcheng doesn't have much development potential; its economic foundation is what it is."

I reckon you'll have to find someone else to handle things in Dalian, right? It's too far. But it's different if it's your own business. Don't even mention Dalian, you can do it in Jibei or Longjiang. At worst, you can just start production, right? So I have to keep an eye on you about this. That's just how I am; once I've thought it through and decided to do it, I don't hesitate or regret it. If I wait until you find someone else, that's when I'll truly regret it. And then it'll be too late.”

Xiao Wei laughed, shook his head, lit a cigarette, reached out and opened the window, and said, "Well, I'm not really a loner. I can't earn all the money by myself, and I'm happier with good friends than alone. But, how should I put it? Partnerships are a bit complicated. I think it's really not worth it to have conflicts and entanglements over money, and I'm too lazy to get involved."

Brother Xu, you're not a bad person, and you're reliable in your work. But, I don't know if what I'm saying is right, so please don't be too critical. I feel that you have a somewhat selfish personality, always wanting to monopolize things or take the lion's share. Strictly speaking, that's not a problem; who doesn't want to earn more? But this personality isn't really suitable for partnerships, to be honest.

We can be friends. I'll give you any work I can find, as long as the conditions allow. But partnerships? Seriously, forget it. I don't want a financial relationship with you. Everything's fine as it is, but if something happens, we might lose our friendship. It's not worth it.

Old Xu said, "I admit that. When you mentioned contracting this out last time, I wasn't really keen on it because I wanted to. I was thinking that if I did it well, I could make money, and I'd be doing the work myself, so splitting the profits with someone else wouldn't feel right. But over this period of time, I've realized that I don't actually have the ability, so that's why I came to talk to you about it."

Xiao Wei said, "It's not that you lack ability, it's that you lack money. This might not sound nice, but that's the truth. Right now, you seem to have figured it out because you need funds to develop and do things, but what if you have money in the future?"

"It doesn't take much, just a year. In a year, you should have several hundred thousand or even a few million. Will you still have the same mindset then? Do you even believe it yourself? What will you do then? Quit? I invested money to develop this business, why should I quit? Then you'll definitely quit and go solo. Will we even see each other again? And what will you do with the factory you left there?"

Old Xu didn't say anything, leaning back in his seat in a daze. Xiao Wei turned his head to look out the window at the mountains, rivers, flowers, trees, and telephone poles rushing past.

After a while, Old Xu finished smoking his cigarette. He was burned and jolted awake. He threw the cigarette butt out of the car, smoothed his hair, and said, "If I had money, I would definitely have some ideas, but it wouldn't be like what you said, would it? But I can't be sure. To be honest, Xiao Wei, you see things clearly, and I admire that." He looked a little dejected.

Xiao Wei said, "Brother Xu, how about this? You're saying you want to build a new factory in Fengtian, which means you can't accept the contracting conditions at the timber yard, right? Okay, let's build a new factory in Yuhong."

However, I can't partner with you in this factory. How about this: the new factory will be as you said, I'll invest and you'll run it, and you'll take 40%. But the contract has to include a clause that you have to work there for three years. And that 40% is just your commission, not shares.

"After three years, Brother Xu, you should have some money by then. It'll be your decision whether to continue or go out on your own. I won't stop you. If you continue, we'll sign a new agreement, you become a shareholder, I'll give you 55% and you 45%. If you go out on your own, then let's part ways amicably, and we'll continue as before."

Old Xu lit another cigarette, thought for a while, and said, "I agree. Xiao Wei, you're really magnanimous; you handled things better than I did. I'm impressed."

18,000 words, that's my limit. It's not that my thoughts are failing, it's just that my body can't take it! I'm getting old. Time to sleep, need to lie down for a while! Please vote and give me a tip!

(End of this chapter)