sinovels Chapter 98 The Channels Are Open
Chapter 98 The Channels Are Open
Some of them were logistics managers at the factory who wanted him to deliver goods.
Others were cadres from the commune who wanted to invite him to give a report on how to develop sideline businesses.
Qian Cheng dealt with each one, accepting those he could and declining those he couldn't.
He knew perfectly well that the size of the business depended on how much the village could supply. If they couldn't supply it, no matter how much he promised, it would be useless.
He wrote to Qian Lu, asking him to compile statistics on the village's current supply of vegetables, eggs, and meat. The letter was detailed, specifying the maximum daily and monthly supply, the availability of produce in each season, and the times when it was lacking.
Qian Lu replied that Captain Li, along with the accountant, had conducted a door-to-door survey. Currently, 120 households in the village grow vegetables, totaling over 200 mu (approximately 33 acres). 98 households raise chickens, raising over 3,000 chickens in total. 56 households raise pigs, raising over 100 pigs in total. Three fishponds have been dug, and fish fry will be released in the spring.
Attached to the letter was a table filled with all sorts of numbers.
After reading it, Qian Cheng felt more confident.
He took the form and went to the provincial capital again to find Director Chen.
Director Chen glanced at his watch and nodded.
"Your village is quite wealthy."
Qian Cheng said, "Director Chen, I was thinking, could we expand the supply a bit more? How many schools in the provincial capital are still there that we haven't reached?"
Director Chen thought for a moment and said, "There are more than a hundred primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, technical schools, and vocational schools in the provincial capital. You are currently supporting about ten of them, so there is still a lot of room for growth."
Qian Cheng said, "Director Chen, could you introduce me to someone? I'll handle it myself."
Director Chen laughed: "You're a really energetic guy."
He took out a list and handed it to Qian Cheng.
"This is a list of all the schools in the provincial capital, with addresses, phone numbers, and the names of the cafeteria directors written down. Take this and go to each one."
Qian Cheng took the list, glanced at it, and saw that it was a thick stack with over a hundred names.
"Director Chen, thank you."
Director Chen waved his hand: "No need to thank me, you did a good job, that's why I can recommend you."
After returning from the provincial capital, Qian Cheng began visiting each and every business.
Every morning, he would get up, first handle deliveries within the city, and then take a bus to the provincial capital. Once there, he would visit schools one by one, negotiating with each one before moving on to the next. Sometimes he could visit three or four schools a day, and sometimes only one or two.
After running around for half a month, I visited more than half of the schools on the list. I've reached agreements with more than twenty schools, am still considering more than a dozen, and have directly rejected a few.
Qian Cheng calculated that, including what he had been supporting before, he was now supporting more than 30 schools. He had to deliver more than 1,000 jin of vegetables, four or five hundred eggs, and dozens of jin of meat every day.
He couldn't handle it all by himself, so he hired a few more people to help. Liu Jianguo and Wang Dali both got a raise, and they also found three classmates to be in charge of delivering the goods.
Qian Lu's side also got busy, delivering vegetables to the provincial capital two or sometimes three times a week. The village bought a second-hand truck, which Qian Lu drove himself, making trip after trip.
Life goes on so busily, one day after another.
May arrived in the blink of an eye, and the weather got hot.
The vegetables in the field grow quickly, changing every day. The spinach got old, so we replaced it with green beans. The chives and scallions are still there, and we've also added cucumbers and tomatoes.
The canteen's menu changed; in winter they wanted cabbage and radishes, and in summer they wanted cucumbers and tomatoes. Qian Cheng communicated with Qian Lu to adjust the menu promptly, ensuring that the vegetables supplied were all seasonal and fresh.
The number of schools in the provincial capital has increased from more than 30 to more than 50, and then from more than 50 to more than 70.
Qian Cheng calculated that he now delivers over 3,000 jin of vegetables, over 1,000 eggs, and over 100 jin of meat every day. His monthly turnover is over 10,000 yuan, and he can earn over 2,000 yuan himself.
He looked at the account book, his heart burning with emotion.
Two thousand dollars was a large sum of money in 1979.
He wrote a letter to the village, explaining the amount of money and asking Qian Lu to discuss with Captain Li how to divide it. The letter stated that the villagers had contributed their labor and deserved their fair share. He also urged Captain Li to organize more people to grow more vegetables, raise more chickens, and raise more pigs. He explained that the business would expand further, and supply shortages would be a problem.
Qian Lu replied that Team Leader Li had held a meeting of the villagers and discussed the money matter. Everyone was very happy and said they had made the right decision to follow him. Now the village has expanded its vegetable fields by more than 100 mu, added over a thousand chickens, and several dozen more pigs. Team Leader Li said that the whole village trusts him and that he could focus on his work without worrying about his family.
Qian Cheng felt a warm glow inside after reading the letter.
He wasn't doing it alone; he had the whole village behind him.
That evening, he was doing his accounts in his dormitory when someone knocked on the door.
When I opened the door, it was Teacher Zhou.
Teacher Zhou was carrying two bottles of wine, smiling broadly.
"Little Qian, we're in a good mood today, let's have a couple of drinks."
Qian Cheng quickly ushered him in.
Teacher Zhou sat down, opened the bottle, and poured two glasses.
"Little Qian, do you know what day it is today?"
Qian Cheng shook his head.
Teacher Zhou said, "Today is my retirement day."
Qian Cheng was taken aback: "Professor Zhou, you've retired?"
Teacher Zhou nodded and picked up his wine glass.
"Sixty years, a lifetime of work, it's time to rest."
Qian Cheng picked up his wine glass and clinked it against his.
"Thank you, Teacher Zhou. I've been so grateful to you for everything over the past year."
Teacher Zhou took a sip of wine and waved his hand.
"No need to thank me, it's because you're capable. I just showed you the way, you still have to walk the path yourself."
Qian Cheng said, "Without your guidance, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Teacher Zhou looked at him with satisfaction in her eyes.
"Xiao Qian, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. Keep up the good work, and you'll be able to achieve even greater things in the future."
The two drank and chatted until midnight.
When Teacher Zhou left, Qian Cheng saw him to the door.
Under the moonlight, Teacher Zhou's back was slightly hunched, but his steps were still steady.
Qian Cheng stood there, watching his back disappear into the corridor, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart.
This teacher helped him so much.
The next day, Qian Cheng went to Teacher Zhou's house and brought some things: two chickens, a basket of eggs, and a piece of cloth to make clothes for Teacher Zhou's wife.
Teacher Zhou refused to accept it, but Qian Cheng insisted on keeping it.
"Teacher Zhou, this is just a small token of my appreciation. Please feel free to contact me anytime if you need anything in the future."
Teacher Zhou looked at him, her eyes a little red.
"Good, good boy."
After leaving Teacher Zhou's house, Qian Cheng felt at ease.
He knew that one should never forget one's roots.
Life went on like this, getting better day by day.
The number of schools in the provincial capital has increased from more than seventy to more than ninety, and then from more than ninety to more than one hundred.
Qian Cheng calculated that he now delivers over 5,000 jin of vegetables, over 2,000 eggs, and over 300 jin of meat a day. His monthly turnover is over 20,000 yuan, and he can earn over 5,000 yuan himself.
Five thousand dollars was an astronomical figure in 1979.
He wrote a letter to the village, explaining the amount of money and asking Qian Lu to discuss with Captain Li how to divide it. The letter stated that the villagers had contributed their labor and deserved their fair share. He also urged Captain Li to expand the business further, aiming to grow it bigger in the future.