Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 521 The Way to Get Along

Xiao Wei said, "You don't need to praise me. I'm not as capable as you all say. Who doesn't want to make money? Who doesn't want to make more money? But people have to survive in society. You can't live alone. You have to deal with all kinds of people and do transactions. So if you want to live well and comfortably, you need to have friends."

This is a relationship-based society; the more friends you have, the smoother your life will be. As the old saying goes, "More friends, more paths; more enemies, more walls." I don't really understand many grand principles, and I haven't had much formal education, but I know that if you want long-term relationships, don't test the limits of someone's personality.

Relationships between people are quite complex. Everyone has their own living environment, their own thoughts and understandings. To maintain a long-lasting friendship, it's essential to find common ground and avoid points of conflict. Like me, Xiaohui and Lao Xia are like brothers to me; they're always very considerate of my feelings because it's not easy for them to have true friends.

Regarding money, the three of us are quite similar in our thinking. We're content with earning and spending; we're not too calculating. We're happy together, so there's no need to be so particular about money. But Xu, perhaps because of your age, you're more concerned with financial matters. We can't get along like I do with the other two; that wouldn't be proper."

Old Xu nodded and said, "That makes sense. Who doesn't want a few true friends? Maybe, like you said, we're getting older, we have too many thoughts. Our generation has experienced and seen too much, so it's practically impossible to put our minds at ease and make friends."

The money I'd spend on starting a factory is like a star to me—something I can only look at but never touch. But to you, it's like a few apples on your table—something you don't even care about.

I had considered borrowing money from you guys, but I just couldn't bring myself to ask. You don't need to tell me; I understand that we're not at that level yet. Even if you lent me money, our friendship would be over. What you've done is perfect. You didn't lend me money for nothing, and I've made progress. We're even, which is why I said you're generous. I truly admire you.

Xiao Wei said, "I didn't think that much about it. I was just trying to earn more money."

Old Xu nodded and said, "Don't worry, leave it to me. Even if it's just for my own sake, I have to do it well. Although you guys don't care about this, for me, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Xiao Wei said, "It's not that serious. The economy is getting better and better, and people's lives are getting better and better. There are plenty of opportunities."

Xiao Wei's gaze swept over a group of young people playing cards diagonally across from him. They wore red or printed shirts, jeans, sneakers, or dress pants and leather shoes—all the most fashionable attire at the time. Their hair was clearly permed and styled in a side part or a full head. They looked like a young Andy Lau.

The typical way of dressing in this era: shirts tucked into trousers, with a brand-new pager clipped to the belt.

In fact, Xiao Wei and Lao Xu's two apprentices were also dressed like this, but Xiao Wei had a buzz cut. Neither he nor Chen Hui liked long hair, while Xia Maosheng did, and his naturally curly hair was always carefully styled into a flowing hairstyle.

Back in 91, society in Northeast China wasn't as turbulent. Large factories and mines had been doing very well in recent years, leading to continuous wage increases. Most people were content with their lives, and when they heard someone was wealthy, they would simply remark, "They're really rich." There wasn't much envy or comparison among them.

In areas with fewer large factories and mines but more small businesses, the polarization is more severe. Some employees are content, while the unemployed and laid-off work tirelessly day and night just to make ends meet, leading a much more difficult life. However, overall, as Xiaowei said, this era offered plenty of opportunities. It was a time of political stability, social harmony, and widespread revitalization.

Later generations described this era as one where making money wasn't about capital, but about courage and vision. It was the decade in Chinese history when making money was easiest and fastest. Look at today's wealthy and powerful businessmen—how many of them didn't rise to prominence during this period?

Old Xu glanced in that direction along with Xiao Wei, then turned back and asked, "When will things start in Fengtian? Approximately?"

Xiao Wei thought for a moment and said, "Next month? The earliest is next month. Xiao Hui is currently looking for a house and negotiating prices everywhere."

Old Xu stroked his chin and thought for a moment before saying, "If we include the billiard hall in Andong, it'll take at least a month. If we do that, I might not be able to find time to go to Fengtian. How about you find a place in Fengtian to set up the factory first? I'll give you a list of machinery and equipment, and once it's ready, I'll take the people there and start production. That way, it won't waste any time. As for the wood, I'll make a phone call to contact them."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, I'll ask Hong Liang to find a place to buy land over there and see if that works. If not, I'll look for someone else. What's the deal with the machinery and equipment? We don't know anything about this."

Old Xu shook his head and said, "No, what's there to say? Carpentry equipment is the most basic. The most expensive thing is the motor. It still mainly depends on the person. Now there are multi-functional planers. Those things can do all kinds of work. There's nowhere to use the skills of the old masters."

Xiao Wei said, "I heard that thing is quite dangerous. They say a lot of people have been injured, cut their hands and feet."

Old Xu said, "Yes, quite a lot indeed. There's no way to put protective gear on woodworking machines; you have to be careful before you start working. If that saw is spinning at high speed, you'll get a piece of meat on it, no doubt about it. It all comes down to carelessness. People who are smoking or drinking are just asking for trouble. I have rules here: no smoking on the machines, the floor must be clean, and people who have been drinking are not allowed to enter the workshop."

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "We need to be careful. We can't hire anyone with an unstable personality. All workers who come to the factory must sign an agreement. If they violate the regulations and cause an accident, they will be responsible for the consequences. I definitely won't take responsibility. You should make that clear to them in advance."

Old Xu said, "That's what they say, but if something really happens, can they really just ignore it?"

Xiao Wei said, "I really don't care. I mean what I say. Go ahead and report me to the government or have them punish me, I'd rather the factory go out of business than pay them a single penny. Why should I be responsible for someone who can't even take responsibility for himself? I'll install cameras in the workshop, and anyone who violates the rules will be fired immediately."

Old Xu looked at Xiao Wei and said, "If he really cuts off his hand and then gets fired, the whole family will be ruined by the medical treatment and rehabilitation."

Xiao Wei said, "What does this have to do with me? He ruined it himself. There are rules that aren't being followed, and I'm supposed to take responsibility afterward? Why don't we just shut down the factory and he doesn't have to come to work? I can just take the money and distribute it among them, right?"

Old Xu thought for a moment and said, "If we really have to sign this agreement, I'm afraid the workers won't dare to come. It's a bit unreasonable for the factory to ignore things if something happens."

Xiao Wei said, "You need to distinguish between the concepts. It's not that the factory won't take responsibility if something goes wrong, it's that they won't take responsibility if something goes wrong due to violations. These are two different things, okay? We're running a factory to make money, not to invite a 'grandpa' to come and serve us. Someone who doesn't even dare to sign this agreement shows that he never intended to abide by the rules. I don't want people like that, not even if you give me money."

(End of this chapter)