Twenty years of cold chain

Hu Shutong first agreed to Meng Qiangqiang's request, and then asked the question.

What kind of work do you want to do?

"If possible, I'd like to go to the equipment room and learn from the experienced workers. Or you could arrange for me to work in the processing workshop; I'll be able to assist them in no time."

"Why aren't you going home for the Lunar New Year? Is it convenient to talk about it?"

Hu Shutong understood Meng Qiangqiang's resistance to such questions, but he still asked them anyway.

"I know too many people in my family. My family lives in a remote mountain village, and my relatives all say that my grades are good enough for me to be a scientist or astronaut. Choosing this major makes my dad ashamed. When I mention refrigerated transportation to them, they say cold storage and trucks. They even said they were hoping I would become rich and powerful and build roads for our hometown, but now I'll be driving for others on the road. Even the tuition subsidy promised by the village chief hasn't materialized. The name of this major is really bad. If it were called Refrigerated Transportation Technology Engineering, they might think I'm making refrigerators for astronauts."

These words really amused Hu Shutong. This seemingly cold and sullen person, if you are willing to have a detailed conversation with him, you will find that he is actually very lively inside.

"I'm in the equipment room, spending the Lunar New Year away from home. I don't know how to explain it to my family. If I told you I had the exact same experience as you, would you believe me?"

Meng Qiangqiang shook his head. He felt that this kind of comfort was a bit deliberate, but he was still very happy to hear that they shared his feelings.

He smiled slightly, "Mr. Hu, I won't keep you busy any longer. I'll report to Tongxing as soon as I have a holiday."

"Since you sent tea, you can choose between the equipment room or the processing workshop."

The more Meng Qiangqiang didn't want to recall something, the more Hu Shutong would bring it up, but Meng Qiangqiang didn't react as strongly. He gripped his backpack strap and waved goodbye to Hu Shutong with a smile under the streetlight.

Hu Shutong attended a dinner for the meat industry and listened to a series of interpretations of the "Ten Measures" and vivid metaphors, such as the state "opening its granaries to release grain" and local governments "borrowing grain to replenish their granaries."

People chatted animatedly, saying that the infrastructure projects were lucrative while the service industry was meager, and that this seemingly small amount shouldn't be underestimated; in previous years, it would have been a substantial, substantial income. Some advised their peers not to be pretentious, pointing out that a small share now is equivalent to a large pot of meat in previous years. The exact timing of the funds' disbursement and arrival is still unknown, but some people are already raking in money, as if it's piled up on their pillows, their only worry being how to spend it.

By the time the banquet ended, it was past midnight.

Just as Hu Shutong was about to go back, he suddenly received a call from Li Shenglong. After exchanging only a few words on the phone, the two met at a barbecue restaurant.

This situation puzzled Hu Shutong. In recent years, whenever there was a problem, Li Shenglong would come to Tongxing to discuss it. But this time, he had arranged to meet in the city. If Hu Shutong hadn't happened to be in the city, the meeting would have been postponed until tomorrow.

"Brother Long, what can't we discuss at Tongxing?"

"I'll postpone my trip to Tongxing."

"What's wrong?"

"About two weeks ago, Baoshu asked to meet me and we talked for a long time. At first, I didn't think much of it, but I've thought about it carefully these past few days, and I still need to let you know."

As he spoke, Li Shenglong narrowed his eyes, looking deep and unfathomable, which made Hu Shutong feel uneasy.

As he reminisces, something completely unexpected slowly unfolds.

……

Late at night two weeks ago, in a chess and card room in Pingqiu County.

The hall was filled with smoke and the clattering of mahjong tiles could be heard everywhere. In a small cubicle at the very back of the card room, only Li Shenglong and Bao Shulai were present.

The two of them puffed out smoke, turning the air a deep blue.

"Do you have some misunderstanding about the 'double-hundred market'? It's not even close; it's something you can realistically achieve."

"Master Long, if you really think of 'double hundred' as just two hundred, then you're being inflexible. It's not like downloading a movie where it stops at one hundred."

"Okay, if there are two thousand nationwide, then it might be your turn, Qujiaying?"

"Master Long, you still don't understand what I mean. The Shuangbai Market is essentially supported by the government. As long as it's beneficial for sales, it will receive preferential treatment. The leading companies get a few million in support, and even small businesses like shrimp and crabs, as long as they have potential, will get several hundred thousand or even a million."

"Just tell me straight, what do you want?"

"It's not just me who wants to do this. Lao Du, Wanzi, and the rest of us have already done our research. We've looked at the operations in several counties in Qingnan and found that our wholesale markets have a greater advantage than those in Qingnan!"

"What advantages?"

"We have even more room for renovation!"

Li Shenglong frowned deeply. "You mean you want the government to pay for your renovations?"

Bao Shulai raised an eyebrow, revealing a smugness that Li Shenglong couldn't understand. "How can you call it helping? This is a political achievement project! The Shuangbai Market is a grand strategy, but it's unrealistic to expect two hundred markets nationwide to support the whole picture. The renovation of our few farmers' markets is like the renovation of tributaries. Only when the tributaries are smooth can there be a torrent!"

"Besides, you've seen how well we've fared in the last five years, especially the last three. If we had a little more money, I would have upgraded Qujiaying a long time ago."

Given his relationship with Tongxing, Li Shenglong knew that his words were indeed quite veiled.

"Boss Long, we'll accept some things; we won't compete with the big factories. Our facilities are outdated and can't keep up with the times, but can you say our locations and our consistent turnover over the years aren't important? Do you think the government will just stand by and do nothing?"

"Boss Bao, the Double Hundred Market has been around for almost two years now. Why didn't you make any arrangements before?"

Bao Shulai's gaze suddenly sharpened. "If we hadn't made arrangements earlier, the money wouldn't have reached us, and the higher-ups wouldn't have easily poured money into us. But the next few years will be very different. I know a friend who works in engineering, and he says the government is now throwing money around everywhere, and they've started hiring like crazy. The Shuangbai Market is essentially infrastructure; frankly, it's about getting things moving so people will spend more money. How could the government not pay attention? We're not trying to get government funding, but once a policy is issued, the local area has to follow suit. How can we escape the transformation of the farmers' market?"

In Li Shenglong's opinion, Bao Shulai was right about at least one thing out of all: the transformation of space.

The cotton quilt carts that still operate today, the production and sales methods still used before the new century, and the filth and disorder outside the market remain unchanged with the passage of time. This kind of space cannot be transformed even with a small amount of money.

From Li Shenglong's expression, Bao Shulai had completely realized that the man before him was no longer the same Boss Long. The Boss Long who valued loyalty and stood up for his brothers, the Boss Long who was quite heroic and dared to set foot on any territory with an imposing presence, was gone forever.

"Boss Long, we all know you have old acquaintances in several counties. Could you help us submit our renovation plan to higher-ups? That would be much easier than us trying to force our way through. Besides, it's a matter of each industry having its own path. The big factories are thriving, so it's not wrong for us to want to be as energetic as possible, is it?"

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.