I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

At noon, Zhou Zhonghai got up feeling dizzy and couldn't eat a single bite of food, except for a bowl of boiled eggs with red dates.

"Yu Fu, I called you back because it's about your demobilization. I want to discuss it with you," Zhou Zhonghai said, getting down to business.

"Commander Zhou, I'll listen to you. Wherever you tell me to go, I'll go." Yu Fu chuckled.

"You're 21 now, it's time for you to have your own ideas. I've arranged two positions for you: one is to go back to your commune and become a police officer in the Public Security Bureau; the other is to stay in Huailin and go to the security department of the chemical plant."

Zhou Zhonghai presented two options for Yu Fu to choose from.

"Remove the chemical plant." Yu Fu didn't hesitate for a moment.

"There are many talented people in the chemical plant, so it is difficult to get promoted, and the salary is not high. An ordinary staff member earns only forty-something yuan."

"Commander, I'm going to the chemical plant. I want to stay in Huailin City," Yu Fu said firmly.

"Alright, Songming will get married on the second day of next month, and you'll report to the chemical plant on the third day." Zhou Zhonghai didn't insist any further.

"It's good to stay in Huailin. We're all here, so we can look out for each other." Luo Meiyun put a piece of meat on Yu Fu's plate.

"Yu Fu, we've reserved a room for you at home. You can come back and stay anytime," Qiao Qiao instructed.

"Yes, I can't bear to leave Huailin, I can't bear to leave you all." Yu Fu patted Xiao Wei's head; he was even more reluctant to leave Xiao Wei.

"Yu Fu, how are things going with Songming? Is there anything I can help with?" Zhou Zhonghai asked about Liu Songming's situation.

"Everything is fine. The wedding room is decorated, and you are the officiant. Twenty tables have been prepared in the dining hall. Minister Liu also has many relatives from his hometown who are coming. Dr. Zhong doesn't have many guests, just colleagues from the hospital. None of Dr. Zhong's parents' relatives are in Huailin."

Yu Fu introduced them one by one.

"Meiyun, Songming is getting married, and our whole family needs to give him a decent gift. Songming is my police officer, and Zhongyao is your student, so we can't be stingy with the gift."

"I'm also worried, I don't know what to give. Hey, Qiaoqiao, Wenhui, can you help me think of something?"

Liu Songming wouldn't accept money; it would be too vulgar.

Giving a bicycle, a watch, and a sewing machine as gifts is too extravagant. Moreover, these three items should be the betrothal gifts prepared by the groom's family, and it is inappropriate for outsiders to give them.

The thermos flasks and porcelain basins that I usually give as gifts are too insignificant.

After thinking for a moment, Wenhui said, "Mom, blankets are really popular now, how about we give you one?"

"Yes, the blanket is great, it's bright red, so festive," Qiaoqiao agreed.

"How much is a bed? Do I need a ticket?" Luo Meiyun asked.

"You need a ticket, it'll probably cost around twenty-something yuan per bed."

Where can I get tickets?

Twenty yuan is acceptable, but tickets are hard to come by. Even the governor's family doesn't have everything they want.

"I'll go to the union tomorrow and ask if they have any coupons. I can always exchange them for grain coupons," Zhou Wenhui said.

Zhou Zhonghai couldn't get tickets either; all his tickets were given to him by Governor Feng. Now that he was working in Huailin, he couldn't possibly go back to the provincial capital just for a blanket, could he?

Of course, if Zhou Zhonghai were to ask for anything, the factory directors would send any supplies to his home, which would be considered bribery, and Zhou Zhonghai would not accept it.

"Wenhui, go get the tickets. I'll pay for the blankets."

Zhou Zhonghai earns 292 a month, Luo Meiyun earns 180 a month, and Zhou Wenhui earns 108 a month. They are all very well-off families, but receiving only twenty-odd yuan is somewhat difficult.

The main reason was that Yao Xing took over the disinfection factory, and all the family's money was lent to him. Luo Meiyun and Zhou Zhonghai also had to pay off debts owed to the Soviet Union, and Zhou Wenhui had to bear all the family's expenses. The family, which seemed to be living a glamorous life, was actually struggling financially.

The bicycle and sewing machine that Zhou Wenhui asked Gu Quan to bring to Qiaoqiao's family were delivered after he received a month's salary in advance from his workplace.

When Yao Xing took over the disinfection plant, outsiders saw him as the factory director, and the employees all had to respectfully call him "Director Yao." In reality, however, he was under tremendous pressure.

The contract for the disinfection plant was raised with the help of Vice Governor Zhou. They didn't want interest, but Yao Xing had to pay it, and even more. Only by achieving results would Vice Governor Zhou look at him with new respect.

However, the disinfection plant only made so much profit. Yao Xing didn't do the most lucrative business of recycling medical waste, such as disinfecting used needles and selling them to the county commune clinic. He simply couldn't bring himself to do that.

If the needle carries an infectious disease, whoever gets infected will be ruined for life.

How do disinfection plants make a profit?

In addition to traditional starching and washing of linens, we also need to find our own ways to develop.

Yao Xing carefully studied the disinfection plant's license; their company was authorized to provide disinfection services for various enterprises, factories, mines, hospitals, and canteens.

In those days when people were so poor they couldn't even get enough to eat, there was no awareness of disinfection. So, fully-equipped disinfection plants only did the most basic disinfection of linens.

How can we break this deadlock?

Yao Xing decided to start with nurseries and kindergartens.

If we don't pay attention to hygiene issues, we will eventually pay attention to children's problems.

Yao Xing led several young people from the factory to visit nurseries and kindergartens all over the city and finally secured five orders.

The first project was the Songshan Road Nursery and Kindergarten. All the children there are the sons and grandsons of the leaders. The teachers are very concerned about the children's health. When they learned that the disinfection plant could disinfect the entire kindergarten, the principal readily agreed, charging 500 yuan per disinfection.

Business picked up, and Yao Xing divided the factory workers into two groups: the older women stayed in the factory to wash linens, while the younger men all learned about disinfection and went outside the factory to disinfect the premises.

Yao Xing, on the other hand, continued to travel and run business.

Yao Xing was already thin, and now he's even darker and thinner.

In the past, working was hard, but at least there were Sundays when I could cook a meal after get off work.

Now, when I get home, I'm so tired that all I want to do is sleep, but I can't. My mind is full of thoughts about the factory.

The opportunity was given to him, and how to use it to make the factory stronger and bigger was what Yao Xing worried about day and night.

Being a self-employed individual, without government support, and having to rely entirely on yourself, is really tough.

Fortunately, he had two friends, Gu Tong'an and Yao Hongbing, who gave him advice: to expand his business into kindergartens. It was Gu Tong'an who suggested it.

That day, Yao Xing, who had been running around all day, rode his bicycle home. Gu Tong'an and Yao Hongbing had already prepared dinner.

Yao Xing looked forward to Sundays every day, when his two friends would come to his rented apartment to meet up, and Yao Xing could talk to them about his stress.

"Yao Xing, you're in for a treat today! Yang Qiao made a huge jar of pickled vegetables. She said she'll send you a whole jar next week."

Gu Tong'an took out the kimchi that Qiaoqiao had given him, and cooked three dishes for dinner: pork belly stir-fried with celery, fried tofu, and cabbage with glass noodles.

"Delicious, really appetizing," Yao Xing praised after eating a piece of kimchi.

"Yao Xing, haven't you cooked anything this week? The leftovers from last time have all gone moldy," Yao Hongbing asked with concern.

"You don't know the hardships of not being in that position. I'm not in the mood to cook; I'll just eat something from the cafeteria." Yao Xing gave a wry smile.

"I thought being a factory director would be glamorous, but I didn't know it would be so hard," Yao Hongbing sighed.

"Although it's hard work, I enjoy it. I've already signed long-term disinfection contracts with five kindergartens. It costs 500 yuan twice a year, before the start of the school year, which adds up to 1,000 yuan a year. There are also two smaller kindergartens, so I only pay 400 yuan, which is still quite a lot. In total, it's 3,800 yuan."

Three thousand eight thousand is not enough for a month's wages and utility bills for the factory workers, but with these achievements, things will only get better in the future.

"If hospitals, large companies, and all office units were to disinfect twice a year, that would be ideal."

Yao Hongbing fantasized about how much money he could make.

"Large companies can't possibly hire us for disinfection; they have their own disinfection workshops. It would be incredible if we could handle the disinfection of small businesses and office buildings," Yao Xing said.

"Yao Xing, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Didn't Vice Governor Zhou and Secretary Fu promise to give you some business? You just took over, and giving you too much business will cause dissatisfaction from the former director of the disinfection plant. Your plant is not good at business, and it may not be able to handle it."

I think you should focus on developing your employees' professional skills first. That way, when big orders come in, you won't be afraid to face them, right?

Gu Tong'an has a profound understanding of issues.

"Yes, I understand. Before Vice Governor Zhou helps me, I have to prove myself and have experience in disinfecting large venues. Even if the city throws a huge object at me, I can handle it."

"Haha, I hope all the disinfection business in the city will fall into Director Yao's lap."

The three of them drank cold water instead of wine and raised their glasses in celebration.