Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 59 Dude
Old Li, who doesn't like to compete and is content with a modest life, was genuinely frightened by Li Zhe's words.

After exchanging only a few words, Old Li went back to his room to sleep. Whether it was because he was uncomfortable with the heated brick bed or because he had drunk too much tea, he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, his mind constantly replaying Li Zhe's words.

He tried to find a loophole in Li Zhe's words, but after careful consideration, he felt that Li Zhe made sense. He could disregard the people in the capital, but he couldn't refuse the favors he had to do in the village.

If you make money growing crops in greenhouses, and your relatives want to too, will you teach them? If your family members also want to grow crops in greenhouses, will you teach them? If your neighbors and villagers want to learn, will you teach them?

You can choose not to teach, but you'll offend everyone in the village. Who will want to associate with you then?

Early in the morning, Li Zhe got up, folded the quilt, and went to the yard to wash up.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Old Li standing in the yard with panda eyes.

"Dad, what are you standing here for? Aren't you cold?"

Old Li didn't respond, but instead asked, "Second brother, what's your plan for next year? If we teach people how to grow greenhouses for free, we'll be losing money."

“Father, as the old saying goes, ‘The law should not be easily passed on, and the way should not be sold cheaply.’ I will not do anything that doesn’t bring me benefits.”

"So what do you want to do?"

"As I said yesterday, expanding sales channels, accumulating more capital and technology, and training trustworthy skilled workers—as long as we grasp these points, we can grow and become a leader in the vegetable greenhouse industry."

"Dad, I'm telling you this so you can prepare yourself. If you don't want to do it, then stay home and rest. If you still want to build a career, then you need to have a long-term plan."

Old Li asked, "How should we plan it?"

Li Zhe also had no experience in running a company, so he asked in a simplistic way, "Do you want to be a technician or a manager?"

"I don't know... what I can do."

"I'm telling you this not so you can make a decision right now, but so you can think ahead. If you don't know what you want to do, just explore it slowly. We already have these four acres of greenhouses before the new year. Expansion will have to wait until the weather gets warmer. There's no rush, take your time to figure it out."

"Okay, I'll go back and think about it." Although Old Li is a grandfather, he's not that old. His son is capable, and he's willing to help.

In the past, I just drifted through life because I could see the end from the beginning and felt that this was how my life would be, that I was destined to be a farmer.

His son's words last night opened up a whole new world for him.

The father and son heated up the leftover steamed buns from yesterday and ate a few bites with some pickled vegetables.

Old Li went to the vegetable market to sell cucumbers, while Li Zhe and Zhou Yongqiang met at the entrance of the alley and went to the Jianguomen Police Station to apply for temporary residence permits.

It's only a few minutes' ride by bicycle. Ahead is a high-walled compound with the words "Serve the People" written in red on the wall and the faded national emblem hanging above the gate.

Zhou Yongqiang rode straight into the yard, leaned his old bicycle against a locust tree, and said to Li Zhe, who rode in after him, "One of my friends works at this police station. Just throw the documents in front of her and you're all set. It's that simple."

"Brother Zhou, thank you for your help again." Li Zhe locked the car, picked up his green backpack, and followed him into the gray brick building.

Inside the hall, long queues formed at the household registration windows, filled with accents from all over the country. Behind the glass partition, a policewoman used a dip pen to scribble on a household registration booklet. "This photo is the wrong size, take another one. Next!"

Zhou Yongqiang shook his head, showing no intention of queuing. His small eyes darted around, and he peered into the duty room.

The duty room was about ten square meters, with a filing cabinet and four desks. A short-haired policewoman sat next to the desk near the heater. She was tall, with dark skin, and was seriously looking through the materials in her hands.

"Hey, I've been hiding here. I'm so glad I spotted you."

The short-haired policewoman glanced at him, her face full of disdain. "Speak, what did you do?"

"How can you talk like that? You can't be so humiliating. I'm a model worker in our factory, and even the workshop foreman says I have 'high ideological awareness and can resist bad influences'..."

The short-haired policewoman patted the brown paper bag on the table with her right hand. "Stop joking around, what's up? Can't you see I'm busy?"

Zhou Yongqiang waved to the outside, "A friend of mine just rented a place, I'm bringing him here to apply for a temporary residence permit."

"Come on, you only have two rooms in your house, and you're renting out one more. Six people crammed into one room, that's way too stingy." "What are you thinking? I wouldn't degrade myself like that. It's Master Ji's house that's renting, but he's busy, so I brought it along."

The short-haired policewoman raised an eyebrow. "Master Ji? Where did this Master Ji come from? I don't know him."

“Ji Hongbin, we’ve known each other since we were kids in the same alley, how could you not recognize me? Stop teasing me.” Zhou Yongqiang took Li Zhe’s documents and placed them in front of the short-haired policewoman.

"Ji Hongbin is fine, but 'Master Ji'? What era are we living in? Still using that kind of nonsense." The short-haired policewoman didn't take the documents, but instead asked, "He's the landlord. He should be there when the tenant applies for a temporary residence permit. What are you doing here?"

"We're all brothers, it doesn't matter who comes."

"You treat people like brothers, but they treat you like a silly kid to be taken advantage of. You're really something, all you've got is age and no sense."

Zhou Yongqiang whispered, "Xiaoyan, so many people are watching. Please give me some face, I'm begging you, okay?"

The policewoman, Xiaoyan, glanced at Li Zhe, flipped through the documents, and tossed him a "Temporary Residence Permit Registration Form." "Can you write?"

Li Zhe picked up the pen on the table, filled out the registration form, and handed it over.

"Wow, your handwriting is better than mine." Xiaoyan glanced at the registration form and put it next to Li Zhe's materials. "Go back and wait for news."

Li Zhe pressed further, "Approximately how long will it take to complete?"

"Just wait, it won't be more than a month."

Zhou Yongqiang laughed and said, "Sister, hurry up, I'll treat you to dinner later."

"We'll see," Xiaoyan said without even lifting her eyelids.

After the two left the police station, Zhou Yongqiang chuckled and said, "My sister has always had a sharp tongue, but she's incredibly reliable. Just wait, we'll hear from her in less than ten days."

Li Zhe said, "Brother Zhou, thank you for your help again today. I'll treat you to lunch."

"Let's do it another day. Something's going on at the factory today, and I have to go to work." Zhou Yongqiang was so embarrassed after being teased that he didn't dare stay for dinner.

Li Zhe didn't insist on keeping him. Just like the short-haired policewoman said, Zhou Yongqiang did come to help, but the one who should be most grateful was Ji Hongbin.

After submitting his temporary residence permit application, Li Zhe felt much more at ease and rode his bicycle to the Dongzhimen vegetable market.

Dongzhimen Market is smaller than Chongwenmen Market.

Li Zhe pushed his bicycle further in and stopped an older woman carrying a basket, asking, "Auntie, I heard there are cucumbers for sale here, do you know?"

"Hey, you've come to the right place. I just came from over there, in the southeast corner of the market. They're really greedy; they charge seven yuan a pound."

"Wow, that's not cheap. Anyone want to buy it?"

"If you really want to eat it, who can't afford it? It's just that people think it's not worth it. They ask a lot but buy little. Occasionally someone will spend money, but that's just for the novelty. Who can eat it every day?"

"You're right, it's more economical to buy two pounds of pork."

"If you're looking for bargains, don't go that way. Let's see how long he can keep selling there." With that, the woman turned and stormed off.

Li Zhe pushed the cart toward the vegetable market.

Dongzhimen Market is a fully indoor market, divided into three areas: fresh vegetables, traditional non-staple foods, and state-owned specialty counters.

When Li Zhe walked to the southeast corner of the vegetable market, he saw Sun Tao sitting behind his stall chatting with someone. There were more than a dozen green cucumbers on the stall.

"Comrade, how much are these cucumbers?"

"Seven yuan a pound," Sun Tao blurted out instinctively. He looked up and saw Li Zhe, then jumped up. "Brother Li, what brings you here?"

(End of this chapter)