Reborn in 1977, starting with severing ties with family.

Actually, Wang Jianguo and Jiang Sen were thinking too far ahead of their time regarding this issue.

In the planned economy era, having goods in hand was the key to success.

During holidays and festivals, clients would come with gifts to try and build relationships.

Instead of the present day, where many suppliers have to appease and coax buyers.

Having figured this out, Jiang Sen wasn't surprised at all. He nodded and said, "Jianshe, this saves us money."

Luo Jianshe nodded, "I was thinking, with my connections, is there any guest I can't invite? Fine, let them handle it, we'll show our faces later."

Luo Jianshe knew perfectly well that the Kyoto Grand Hotel wanted to use this method to establish a relationship with him.

The others, those who were there to accompany them.

Having said that, let's get back to the main topic.

All three of them wanted to try adding more business items to their operations.

After all, the situation outside is getting better and better.

Many quick-thinking individuals started small businesses.

There are more and more breakfast stalls, and more people are selling food and daily necessities on the streets and alleys. Small restaurants are also opening one after another.

Even now, when you go out to buy things, you can negotiate the price and buy them without a receipt, although they are a little more expensive.

However, they were all just small-scale operations. Jiang Sen, Luo Jianshe, and Wang Jianguo, on the other hand, had a much longer-term vision and a more ambitious approach.

Once the decision was made, the three of them started thinking about what business projects to add.

Jiang Sen was the first to speak: "I've been thinking about something."

"Hurry up and tell us!" Luo Jianshe urged. "We can't think of anything, so why don't you tell us your idea?"

Jiang Sen laughed and said, "Don't rush! Look, the situation outside is getting better and better. People have money in their hands, and when they have money, they want to spend it. But how much can they spend on food and drink? They'll definitely spend it on other things."

Luo Jianshe and Wang Jianguo became interested and looked at him together.

"For example, the furniture and such in the house have been used by several generations. Even when they break, people are reluctant to throw them away, so they repair them and continue using them. But once they have money, won't they think about replacing them with new ones?"

"Oh, I see!" Luo Jianshe said. "You want to get into furniture, right?"

Wang Jianguo pondered for a moment and nodded repeatedly, "I think it's a good suggestion! It's not just about replacing it now; what about when the children get married? Will we need to buy new furniture again? In the past, weddings were all about 'three turns and one sound' (referring to a set of three-piece furniture and a radio), but what about in the future? Will people start comparing whose furniture is better?"

"That's right!" Jiang Sen suddenly remembered, "They'll start counting how many legs the furniture has!"

"You can do that? If it works, let's do it!"

"I think it's a good idea, let's do it!"

The three of them hit it off immediately and continued to discuss how to run a furniture business.

Luo Jianshe was tasked with finding out about furniture factories in Kyoto and whether it was possible to contract one of them.

Wang Jianguo went back to his senior classmates at the school to design some furniture styles.

Jiang Sen contacted farms to purchase wood suitable for making furniture.

Furthermore, Luo Jianshe also mentioned that the supply and marketing cooperative's department store might also be contracted out.

However, whether it will be his turn to participate is another matter.

However, this is not a problem. As long as you have connections, renting an entire floor to sell furniture is not an issue.

It's November.

As the weather grew colder, Jiang Sen became increasingly anxious.

They said the old cripple was coming, but there's still no news. Could something have gone wrong again?

He called the farm every other day, and each time Li Chaoyang would say that the old cripple would have a few more days before he could leave.

He didn't know exactly what he went to do.

Jiang Sen could only continue to wait.

However, during this anxious wait, some good news cheered him up.

That is, rice cultivation in the Great Northern Wilderness has achieved great success, and the rice produced is so fragrant that it makes your teeth ache.

Jiang Sen recalled his past life, in which Northeast China's rice fed almost half of the Chinese population.

Moreover, the high output and good quality led to their eventual export.

It's oily, sticky, sweet, and fragrant; you could easily eat two bowls without any other vegetables.

However, grain could only be allocated by the central government and was not allowed to be privately produced.

Even now, if they want to eat rice or noodles, they have to go to the grain station and buy them with their grain ration book and grain coupons.

If you try to negotiate the price, you can only buy coarse grains. You have to buy them secretly from others or exchange them with others for some fine grains that you can't finish.

He called Luo Jianshe and asked him if he had any ideas.

He said he'd go ask, but he doubted it would be successful.

Even if he can't get a grain business license, Jiang Sen doesn't plan to give up. In a few years, after the complete abolition of grain coupons and ration books, legitimate agricultural and sideline product companies will be able to operate rice, flour, and cooking oil businesses.

Northeast rice – a business that's guaranteed to make money!

Time flies, and November has passed in the blink of an eye, and December has arrived.

Jiang Sen had just finished attending a banquet with Luo Jianshe, Wang Jianguo, and several key employees from the company when snowflakes began to fall.

I got into Luo Jianshe's car and we drove home.

Luo Jianshe said, "There's a furniture factory in the east of the city that's about to go bankrupt, and almost all the employees have left. The equipment and factory buildings are still usable, and the place is quite large. I think it's a good place, so I'll just lease it out. Once the permits are issued, we'll go take a look when we have time, and then we'll discuss how much it will cost and how many people we need to get it up and running."

Wang Jianguo said he'd be sober up eventually, he was still confused.

Luo Jianshe then said to Jiang Sen, "The rice business is really not going to work right now. But my dad also said that if we really want to do this, we should wait patiently for a few more years."

Jiang Sen was already mentally prepared. He nodded and said, "Then let's get the furniture factory up and running first! The farm has already said that the timber can be delivered at any time. Red pine, white pine, Scots pine, whatever is suitable for making furniture, let them send it over. Later, we'll see which type of furniture sells well and then stock more of that type."

"Okay, let's meet up again later, you idiot!"

All three of them had drunk quite a bit, and now they're too drunk to think straight. They might as well go back and talk about it when they've sobered up.

Jiang Sen got out of the car at the intersection, watched the jeep drive away, and then turned to walk home.

As soon as I entered the alley, I saw a person at the entrance, carrying a roll of luggage on his back and a large bag, looking back and forth at the entrance.

He thought the man looked familiar, and when he got closer, he exclaimed in surprise, "Old Cripple!"

The old cripple was still wearing his old cotton-padded jacket, his face weathered and travel-worn.

He smiled when he saw Jiang Sen.

"You brat, you've got it!"

Jiang Sen grinned and touched his face. "I covered it up when I got back! Come on, let's go home! I told Director Li to let me know your arrival time in advance so I could pick you up at the station! Why didn't he say so?"

"What are you saying? You won't get lost!" The old cripple chuckled as Jiang Sen helped him carry his bag, opened the door, and followed him inside.

"Yingzi! Yingzi! Look who's here!"

As Jiang Sen shouted, Yingzi came out from inside. Just as she was about to say something to him, she saw the old cripple and her eyes immediately turned red.

"Old cripple!" She dropped the groceries she was holding, ran over, looked him up and down, sniffed, and grinned. "You're finally here! It's good to be home!"

"Come on, let's go inside and warm up!" Jiang Sen grinned.

The old cripple was deeply moved.

On the way here, he kept thinking about visiting Jiang Sen's place, and if it was too small, he would find another place.

But when he arrived and saw the huge house, he thought he had come to the wrong place and didn't dare to knock on the door for a moment.

Upon entering, he was surprised to find the place was so large. Jiang Sen and Yingzi didn't stand on ceremony with him at all.

He kept saying "I'm home," which put his anxious heart at ease.

It seems he wasn't wrong about him.

Once inside, I saw the furnishings and then looked at my own clothes.

"Oh! Sit down!" Yingzi quickly said to him, pouring him some hot water. "We're home now, why are you being so polite with everyone?"

After Jiang Sen put his things down, he immediately started making arrangements, "Yingzi, quickly prepare some good dishes, and bring out the Moutai! Also, check if there's anything else we need in the next room, hurry up!"