1994: Starting with unpaid leave

Chapter 155 Buying the Red Flag Farm (Part 2)

In the spring of 1995, the air still carried a bit of chill, but the sunlight had become generous, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone-paved playground through the branches of the poplar trees.

The school bell rang like a pardon, instantly igniting the silent school building.

After a good rest during the holiday, Dong Weiguo got busy again.

Compared to his previous job as a fitter in the factory, he increasingly enjoys doing business at the school store.

Every time class ended, the children's innocent calls of "Boss!" made him feel needed.

"Ring ring—"

Almost before the bell had even finished ringing, a group of junior high school students in blue and white school uniforms rushed out of the classroom like wild horses.

Their goal was clear—the small shop, less than ten square meters, next to the playground.

Dong Weiguo was already standing behind the counter.

He was wearing a faded blue overall, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms.

He enjoys this job and watching these energetic children.

Compared to my previous life in the factory, where I was surrounded by cold machine tools and flying iron filings every day, with only monotonous roaring in my ears, the world here is purer and more real.

Yes, just like life.

"Boss, a bottle of soda, please!"

"Boss, do you have any instant noodles?"

The children's clear shouts rose and fell, and their sweaty, expectant faces crowded in front of the small window.

Dong Weiguo worked swiftly, collecting money, giving change, and handing over goods, a simple, honest smile always on his face.

"Alright, here you go, Arctic Ocean."

"Here, here's your change."

Before the Lunar New Year, his younger brother Dong Weiguo forced several boxes of a newly released snack called "spicy strips" on him, asking him to help sell them.

Unfortunately, I received the goods just before winter break, and I haven't been able to sell them yet. Today, though, I can give it a try.

At this moment, several boys who were usually the most mischievous squeezed to the front. The one in the lead was Zhao Xiaojun, the "king of the kids" in Class 3 of the second year of junior high school. His school uniform zipper was never properly zipped up, and a few strands of his hair stubbornly stuck up.

"Boss, any new gadgets?" Zhao Xiaojun leaned over the counter, his eyes scanning the shelves.

He pointed to several unopened boxes of spicy strips in the corner: "Here, the new stuff, spicy strips, wanna try some?"

"Spicy strips? Never heard of them!"

Another tall, thin boy walked over, picked up a bag, and realized what was going on when he saw the flying crane pattern printed on the plastic packaging.

"Isn't this Hezhiwei? They used to make pickled chicken feet and braised eggs, but unfortunately they were too expensive —"

He smiled and said, "These aren't expensive, only 50 cents a pack. Want some?"

The boys exchanged glances and began to pool their money.

Unfortunately, with the economy in a slump, even if the children have pocket money, it's not much.

Dong Weiguo took the money and handed them a package.

Several boys eagerly tore open the packaging, and a smell mixed with chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns and some kind of peculiar spice immediately filled the air.

They carefully pinched out a shiny, spicy strip and put it in their mouths.

The first second is sweet.

The second second, it's salty.

In the third second, a spicy smell suddenly rushed into my nasal cavity and straight to the top of my head!

"Hiss—ha! That feels great!"

Zhao Xiaojun took a deep breath, his eyes widened instantly, and his face flushed red, but his mouth stretched to his ears in a wide grin: "It's so—so delicious!"

The strong aroma filled the convenience store, and many children who came to buy things sniffed the air, drawn in by the smell.

"Xiaojun, what's this?!"

"Spicy strips!"

"Boss, I want a bag of spicy strips too!"

"Me too! Me too!"

The boys and girls were drawn in by the strange smell and readily opened their wallets to buy it.

Everyone is short of money, but if they pool their resources, they can still afford it.

The air in the convenience store was filled with the strange smell of spicy strips.

The students gasped incessantly.

During the ten-minute break between classes, most of the newly opened box of spicy strips was sold out.

With class about to start, the students, holding their spicy snacks, hurried back to their classrooms.

Seeing that the spicy strips were selling quite well, Dong Weiguo thought for a moment.

This product is inexpensive, so students can afford it.

After school tonight, I need to go to my brother's factory and buy a few more boxes.

My younger brother, Dong Jianguo, is really talented; he always manages to do something remarkable.

What he didn't know was that even back in the classroom, the students were secretly spreading the word about the power of spicy strips.

The students in the front row of the classroom were relatively well-behaved, but the students in the back row completely let loose.

While the teacher was writing on the blackboard, I bent down and took a bite.

The boy next to him tugged at his school uniform and handed him one.

Then, a layer of burnt oil appeared on the corner of the other person's mouth.

One pass ten, ten pass a hundred.

In just one class period, countless children in the school learned about this snack called spicy strips.

During the next break, the counter of the convenience store was packed with children.

The previously unknown spicy snack strips instantly sparked a buying frenzy.

"Boss, I want to buy spicy strips!"

"Boss, I want spicy strips too!"

"Give me two packs!"

"Don't push, don't push, there's enough for everyone!"

Dong Weiguo was startled by the sudden turn of events, but he quickly recovered.

While loudly maintaining order, shouting, "Don't push! Line up! One at a time!" he busily unpacked boxes, took out goods, and collected money.

A newly opened box of fifty packs of spicy strips sold out before the end of the break!

He watched the children licking the remaining red oil off their fingers with satisfaction, listening to them discuss the "power" of the spicy strips as they walked away. That feeling of being needed was stronger and more real than the machining of any precision part in a factory.

Looking at the empty shelves, Dong Weiguo already had a plan in mind.

He had to call his younger brother Jianguo right away and ask his factory to send over two more boxes—no, five boxes—of spicy strips that afternoon, no matter what!

"Hey, Jianguo, I need five more boxes of spicy strips. Have Erzhuzi deliver them later!"

"Is this your second brother, Weiguo? I'm Tian Lina. Jianguo isn't here, so I'll make a note of you and have someone send it over later."

After hanging up the phone, Dong Weiguo was stunned.

Why isn't my younger brother staying at the factory? Where has he gone off to party again?

At this moment, Dong Jianguo was in his office at the Hongqi Farm in Angxi District.

The office was small, but it was packed with people, filled with smoke and shadowy figures.

Today is the day that Hongqi Farm is being sold to the public.

Although Hongqi Farm has always operated well, it has not only not lost money, but also made a profit on its books.

However, the superior unit was facing loan cut-offs and withdrawals from banks and urgently needed to recover funds.

-

So before the Lunar New Year, it was already rumored that the farm would be sold as a whole after the holiday.

The auctions at that time were not very formal.

A group of interested business owners sit together and simply raise their hands to make an offer.

As the farm's Party Secretary, Uncle Guo cleared his throat, his tone tinged with melancholy: "The entire asset package of Hongqi Farm, including land, factory buildings, and ancillary equipment, has a starting price of 150,000 yuan. Each bid must be at least 5,000 yuan higher. The auction begins now!"

"160,000!" A middle-aged man wearing glasses in the front row raised his hand.

"165,000!" A timber business owner followed closely behind.

Prices were slowly climbing, but when they reached the 200,000 mark, significantly fewer people raised their hands.

Two hundred thousand was not a small sum at the time. Buying this mess meant taking over the workers resettled on the farm.

If the business continues, workers' wages must still be paid.

It's unclear how long it will take to get this money back.

Most of the people present were shrewd businessmen, and no one wanted to be taken advantage of.

Sitting at the back of the crowd, Dong Jianguo saw that the price was stuck at 200,000 and no one was bidding higher, so he raised his hand: "220,000!"

"Hmm!"

Everyone was bidding in increments of five thousand, following a tacit agreement. One person raised the price by twenty thousand in one go, clearly determined to win.

"Two hundred and twenty-five thousand!" a voice rang out again.

Dong Jianguo exhaled a smoke ring and slowly raised his hand: "Two hundred and fifty thousand."

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Depending on the farm's performance, it would take at least 5 or 6 years to recoup the cost at this price.

"He's gone mad—"

Someone in the crowd muttered something under their breath.

This drew a burst of sneers from the interested businessmen present.

Secretary Guo didn't speak, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "Two hundred and fifty thousand is it? Is there anyone asking for more?"

He asked three times in a row, but no one answered.

"Snapped!"

He slammed his hand on the table. "Deal! Congratulations, Mr. Dong Jianguo, Hongqi Farm is yours!"

Dong Jianguo stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, patted the ash off his clothes, and didn't show much expression on his face.

If you want to work in an industry, you must first have a thorough understanding of that industry.

After several months of contact, he genuinely felt that the farm's business had better potential for development.

As long as the cut-up chicken business doesn't supply cheaply to external suppliers, the profits should be much higher than what's on paper.

As the crowd dispersed, Secretary Guo walked up to Dong Jianguo.

"Liu Degui didn't come today—"

"Um.

""

"Jianguo, I'm at ease handing the farm over to you. But you've suddenly cut off his source of income, and I'm worried he might cause you trouble later—"

Secretary Guo's expression was complicated.

"We can't let the people on the farm go hungry while that Liu Degui eats until he's fat and bloated."

"Besides—I doubt he'd dare do anything."

Since causing a scene at Hezhiwei before the Lunar New Year, Liu Degui has disappeared completely, as if he had vanished into thin air.

Therefore, Dong Jianguo was not worried that he could cause any trouble.

Dong Jianguo took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to him: "Uncle Guo, have a smoke."

Taking the cigarette and letting Dong Jianguo light it for him, Secretary Guo took a deep drag and exhaled a puff of smoke: "Jianguo, I've worked here most of my life. I've watched this farm grow from scratch. Now that it's in your hands, I don't expect it to become huge or great. I'll be at ease if the farm can keep operating and the employees can continue to support their families."

Dong Jianguo was taken aback: "Uncle Guo, what do you mean? Didn't you promise to continue being the person in charge of my farm?! From what you're saying—you don't want to help me anymore?"

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just that my body can't keep up! Isn't your second uncle about to retire too? I'm not much better off than him!"

That's how people are. They used to feel resentful, but as they get older, they find themselves lacking the strength and will to continue.

"I can only work for you for another month or two at most. If you have a suitable candidate, send him over. I'll train him for a while, and once he's ready to take over, I'll retire."

Looking at Secretary Guo's weathered face, Dong Jianguo was filled with mixed emotions.

The first pot of gold I earned was thanks to Secretary Guo's help, so hearing that he was retiring naturally filled me with reluctance.

"Uncle Guo—I think you're in good physical condition, why don't you work a little longer! Besides, it'll be boring at home. Staying here and keeping busy, with people to talk to every day, is much better than staying home, that would be so boring—"

"Jianguo, don't try to persuade me anymore. It's settled then. When you find a suitable person, send them to me."

After saying that, Secretary Guo turned and went back to his office.

Looking at his somewhat hunched and forlorn back, Dong Jianguo sighed and said nothing more.

In fact, he could more or less understand Secretary Guo's feelings.

For others, a farm might be just a job, a means of making a living, but for Secretary Guo, it represents the culmination of most of his life's work.

The farm that he had been working so hard to maintain was now being handed over to someone else by the higher-ups as if it were a burden. If it were Dong Jianguo himself, he would inevitably feel disappointed.

After a while, staff members sent by higher authorities to supervise the resale of the farm came out of the office.

Upon seeing Dong Jianguo, he immediately smiled and said, "Boss Dong, the contract is signed. Let's go to the bank to transfer the money first, and then the transaction will be completely completed."

"Let's have a meal together after the transfer is done—"

"Oh? We don't need to eat, do we?!"

Seeing that Secretary Guo was in a bad mood, Dong Jianguo also lost interest in having dinner.

But the other party didn't think so: "That won't do! Your 250,000 yuan is a huge help to us. The leadership instructed that whoever buys Hongqi Farm, we must treat them with the highest level of hospitality!"

"If we don't provide adequate hospitality, won't the leaders blame us?"

"Besides, you don't need to pay for meals; your company will reimburse you."

Looking at the other party's eager eyes, a hint of helplessness flashed in Dong Jianguo's eyes.

During the meal, just as they had said, everything was handled with the highest level of hospitality.

The four of them ordered a table full of food, most of which Dong Jianguo, who had traveled all over the country and lived two lives, could not even name.

In the middle of the dining table was a huge turtle.

The turtle's open head was facing Dong Jianguo, and strings of skewered turtle eggs were arranged around the plate.

Just by looking at the exquisite plating, you can tell that the food on this table is definitely not cheap.

Not only that, when Dong Jianguo was leaving after the meal, he saw the staff who had treated him go to the hotel front desk and take away two bottles of wine and three cartons of cigarettes.

Then, with a grin, he asked the hotel girl to help him get the invoice.

Mass layoffs have arrived, and in people's eyes, large factories are no longer a safe haven from the storms of life.

No one still on board ever imagined how the ship sank.

Instead, he kept thinking about how to salvage a plank from the sinking boat.

Little did they know that it was precisely because everyone acted this way that the wooden boat upon which everyone depended for shelter sank faster and faster.

How did the world become like this?