1994: Starting with unpaid leave

Soon, the dishes were served to the table one by one by the waiters.

Dong Jianguo ordered only home-style dishes. But if a restaurant is located opposite a government office, the chef must have exceptional skills.

The dishes were prepared to be visually appealing, fragrant, and delicious.

Especially the shredded pork with garlic sauce.

Pork tenderloin is sliced ​​into thin strips and stir-fried with wood ear mushrooms and carrots. Finally, a small amount of fermented bean paste and tomato sauce are added to enhance the color and aroma and make the sauce thicker.

It perfectly suits the northerners' preference for strong flavors that aren't greasy.

"Sister Wang, if the dishes I ordered don't suit your taste, please let me know."

"That's enough, that's enough. I think it's a bit too much for three people to eat."

"There aren't three, there are four!"

"Anyone else coming?"

Seeing Wang Jie's curious expression, Dong Jianguo pointed at Xiuyun and said, "Isn't my wife pregnant with another one?"

"Oh dear, look how confused I am! Xiuyun, is that enough for you? If not, I'll give you some more."

Xiuyun pinched Dong Jianguo's arm. "Sister, don't listen to his nonsense. I can't eat that much either..."

Dong Jianguo smiled, offering no explanation, but simply took the pancake and rolled it up for Xiuyun.

A spoonful of shredded pork with garlic sauce, a few chopped scallions, and cucumber strips dipped in sweet bean sauce are rolled together and rolled into a roll.

Every time he eats spring rolls, Dong Jianguo feels he can eat at least seven or eight...

If I'm in good shape, even if I'm a little hungry, eating ten or so pancakes wouldn't be a problem.

Seeing how affectionate the two of them were, Mrs. Wang was deeply moved.

The three of them ate and chatted for about half an hour before finishing lunch.

But when Mrs. Wang picked up her bag and was about to pay, she learned from the proprietress behind the counter that Dong Jianguo had already paid for the meal.

"Hey, I said I was treating, why are you paying?"

"Sister Wang, please don't be so polite. When I bought the house, you and Director Wan saw how hard it was for me and even gave me a discount of a thousand yuan. It's only right that I treat you to a meal! Next time I go to Harbin, I'll treat you and Director Wan to a big meal!"

Mrs. Wang could only smile helplessly.

After the meal, the three of them took a taxi to Dong Jianguo's food factory.

This time, Dong Jianguo didn't pack them in boxes. Instead, he found a big bag and stuffed it full of pickled chicken feet.

"If Director Wan likes to eat, then eat more."

"But Sister Wang, you'd better control the amount he eats. Chicken feet are high in fat, and their calories are twice that of rice. If he eats too much and doesn't exercise, he can easily gain weight..."

"We northerners are already prone to high blood pressure. Once we get overweight, all sorts of diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol will come knocking on our door..."

Dong Jianguo's words of advice were all reasonable, and Mrs. Wang felt warm inside.

She could sense the sincerity in the young man's words; it was something that a sycophant could never fake.

"Don't worry, I'll definitely keep an eye on him when I get back!"

After packing the pickled chicken feet, Dong Jianguo took her on a tour of the factory.

She often cooks at home, but this was her first time visiting a food factory.

She was particularly amazed by the huge braising pot and the high-temperature sterilization equipment.

Seeing that it was almost time, Mrs. Wang said goodbye and went to the door to hail a taxi.

Dong Jianguo originally wanted to take her to the train station, but she stopped him.

"Brother Jianguo, don't bother seeing me off. It's too much trouble and all that has to go through. Besides, you have so many things waiting for you to handle at your factory."

"Okay, Sister Wang, here's my business card. It has my pager number on it. Remember to page me when you get home, so I won't worry."

"Okay... By the way, could you come here for a moment?"

"What's wrong, sis?"

While Dong Jianguo was standing in front of the taxi door, Mrs. Wang quickly took out two hundred yuan from her bag and stuffed it into Dong Jianguo's hand.

"Hey, sis, what do you mean by that...?"

"Don't mention it. Running a business isn't easy for you guys, how could I possibly take advantage of you?!"

"Let me know when Xiuyun gives birth, and I'll give you both a big red envelope!"

"this……"

Dong Jianguo tried to slip the money back through the gap in the car window, but Mrs. Wang slapped the driver's guardrail, and the taxi sped away.

Dong Jianguo was left standing there, clutching two hundred yuan and smiling bitterly.

I originally intended to give some gifts to strengthen our relationship, but I ended up making money instead.

However... this Sister Wang is worth getting to know better.

As many entrepreneurs know, on the long road to entrepreneurship, in addition to being able to persevere and endure, the help and support of mentors are indispensable.

Sometimes, the help of a benefactor is even more important than the former.

What seems like an insurmountable problem to you might just be a single sentence from a benefactor.

Fortunately, Dong Jianguo has encountered quite a few benefactors along the way.

Whether it was the second uncle who helped out, Secretary Guo from Hongqi Farm, or Sister Wang who just spoke her mind.

Moreover, Sister Wang did indeed take Dong Jianguo's matter seriously.

She boarded the train back to Harbin at 3 p.m. and arrived home around 7 p.m. Shortly after, she paged Dong Jianguo.

When Dong Jianguo found a public phone and dialed back, Director Wan answered the phone.

"Xiao Dong, I just looked into the matter you're concerned about, and there might be some misunderstandings involved."

Old Zhang plans to introduce several local specialty snacks to passengers from all over the country through the Harbin Passenger Transport Section, in order to promote the charm of Harbin.

"We've both tried your chicken feet and think they're definitely up to standard. As long as food safety meets the requirements, they'll surely leave a lasting impression on the passengers!"

Before the official selection, it was necessary to gather information about various manufacturers from the sidelines. I then casually mentioned that your older brother was also in the passenger transport section, and that Old Zhang's secretary might have contacted your older brother to save trouble.

However, Lao Zhang's secretary said that he never offered to buy your formula.

"Your older brother called back this afternoon and offered to give us a reward if we handed the formula over to the railway bureau..."

Director Wan carefully considered his words, paused for a moment, and then slowly began to speak, his tone full of earnestness:

"Xiao Dong, my wife and I actually share the same opinion on this matter. It's not easy to find a product that can generate revenue; we finally have a golden goose, why give it away to someone else?"

"If this is your own idea, are you facing some difficulty in speaking out? If so, you can tell me, and I will help you find a solution..."

Director Wan continued on the other end of the phone.

But Dong Jianguo, who was holding the phone receiver, had already figured out the whole story.

My older brother probably received the news around noon. He went home and discussed it with our parents, and then shamelessly went to ask Director Zhang's secretary.

The eldest brother had a sudden inspiration, which really made him waste a lot of his breath.

It's just that my older brother has really no foresight when it comes to doing things.

Compared to Director Wan, whom he was talking to, he was miles behind in terms of understanding!

"Jianguo, are you still there?"

"Director Wan, I'm here!"

"Yes, did you hear what I just said?"

"Never give up what you can hold onto and let shine in your own hands! I'm old now, and I've seen too many things I don't want to see. In this world, you can trust yourself more than anyone else! If you don't cherish what you have, who else can you expect to cherish it?"

"Thank you, Director Wan, I understand!"

Dong Jianguo straightened his back and said solemnly.