1994: Starting with unpaid leave

"Everything's ready! Let's get started!"

After finishing his work, the eldest brother wiped his hands with a towel as he took his seat.

The section of railway he was in charge of was in the suburbs, and there wasn't even a place to eat nearby.

A dozen or so grown men gathered together, none of whom could cook a decent meal, but the harsh environment honed his culinary skills to an impressive level.

"Sister-in-law, if there's anything you don't like, just tell your brother so I can change it next time!"

"No~ I like all the dishes that my older brother makes."

Even though she hadn't touched her chopsticks yet, Xiuyun still smiled and offered some compliments first.

I thought this dinner would be another round of heated debates, but I never expected it to be like this.

Dong Baoguo smiled and raised his glass:

"Come on, buddy, congratulations!"

Dong Jianguo was confused: "Why is my brother congratulating me all of a sudden?"

"Still pretending, huh? They've been calling my entire department today asking about you. I heard you not only opened a factory, but the Harbin Passenger Transport Section is even considering using your products as their flagship offering!"

"Um?"

Dong Jianguo was taken aback.

He himself didn't even know that this matter existed.

Dong Baoguo laughed and clinked glasses with his younger brother: "Wow! You didn't know?! When I first received this call, I had the same expression as you. I thought they had dialed the wrong number."

"I later found out it was all true. They told me not to feel guilty, saying they just wanted to understand my specific situation..."

"As you know, I'm a leader and a Party member, so it's normal for me to ask you to verify your situation."

Dong Jianguo lowered his head and took a sip of baijiu, letting the spicy taste flow down his lips, followed by a burning sensation in his chest.

His mind is as sharp as lightning.

It seems that sending those three boxes of pickled chicken feet to the leaders of the Harbin Railway Bureau last time was the right move!

My little food factory has truly blossomed in Hefei and borne fruit in Harbin.

He turned to look at his parents and found that they were just smiling at him, not surprised at all.

"You...you all knew?"

Mother Zhang Guifen nodded: "Your second brother came to our house last night, and he gave us a brief overview."

"If Weiguo hadn't told me beforehand, I wouldn't have believed this phone call at all! Wow, I never thought our family would produce a factory manager! Good job, bro!"

"Dad, my brother really made you proud, didn't he?!"

"Um……"

Dong Xuewen straightened his back, looked at his youngest son, and nodded.

Between men, sometimes there's no need to say too many words of praise.

A nod conveys a thousand words.

Seeing this, the older brother smiled and gave a thumbs up.

Dong Jianguo smiled, all the unpleasantness from the housewarming banquet completely vanished.

"Brother, what did they say on the phone?"

"I can't possibly learn all of that. I mainly wanted to praise the chicken feet your factory makes, saying they taste great and that they're sure to sell like hotcakes in the future..."

"That's all thanks to Xiuyun. She's the one who came up with the recipe. I'm just here to reap the benefits!"

Dong Jianguo smiled and attributed all the credit to his wife.

"Wow, my wife is so amazing! I never knew she was so capable!"

As Zhang Guifen spoke, she placed braised pork ribs into Xiuyun's bowl, saying with a smile:

"Come over to my house sometime when you have time and teach Mom how to make it. I'd like to try it too."

Xiuyun, who had never been praised by her mother-in-law like this before, blushed slightly: "Mom, if you like it, I'll get some for you from the factory. We braise it in a big pot there, which makes it more flavorful than the small pots at home."

Dong Jianguo chimed in, "Xiuyun is right, Mom. I'll have someone send some over to you and Dad. It's too much trouble to make it ourselves."

"Really? That's great! I never thought I'd get to eat something so readily available!"

"Brother, what else did they say on the phone?"

Dong Baoguo put down his wine glass. "Let me think about it..."

"That's all. They mainly asked about your personal experience... I only mentioned what I could, and didn't mention anything I couldn't."

"But in the end, the leader did ask one question: if the railway bureau were willing to pay to buy out your formula, would you agree?"

Dong Jianguo was taken aback: "Brother, what did you say?"

"How can I possibly answer your question on your behalf?"

Dong Baoguo lowered his head and picked up some food, looking somewhat guilty.

Father Dong Xuewen put down his chopsticks and spoke:

"Jianguo, if the railway bureau were really willing to pay money to buy Xiuyun's formula... would you agree?"

"I definitely disagree now!"

Dong Jianguo's answer was resolute.

Pickled chicken feet, like braised pork and sweet and sour pork, cannot be patented. In other words, this snack has no protective barriers and its competitive advantage is very low.

Therefore, the recipe that Xiuyun prepared can be replicated exactly by anyone else.

Even without a recipe, if an interested gourmand is willing to try, they can make it.

The only two advantages we have now are the relatively low price of raw materials in Hecheng and the fact that we already have factories and machinery, allowing us to get a head start.

If I hand over the formula, what's the point of playing this game?

Seeing his elder brother's head bowed and silent, Dong Jianguo raised an eyebrow:

"No, brother, you agreed to them?"

"No! I just promised to ask you what your opinion is on this matter!"

Dong Baoguo tilted his head back and drank a glass of wine, his tone somewhat impatient.

But judging from his appearance, Dong Jianguo felt that it wasn't that simple.

Father Dong Xuewen took over from his elder brother and asked, "Youngest son, it's just a formula, why are you unwilling to sell it?"

Dong Jianguo raised an eyebrow, realizing that today's meal was not as simple as he had imagined.

"Dad, the formula belongs to Xiuyun. Our factory plans to make this product a bestseller. Why should I hand over the formula just because of someone else's words?!"

"But they won't take it for free; they'll give you some money!"

"What, if I don't give them the formula, they won't cooperate with me?"

"But they didn't say..."

"I'm not afraid of not cooperating! If the Harbin Railway Bureau doesn't work, I'll just find other channels to sell it myself. The country is so big, how can I worry about not being able to sell my goods?"

Seeing that Dong Jianguo was unmoved by reason, Dong Xuewen sighed.

Dong Jianguo put down his chopsticks and made it clear:

"Dad, I suspect this isn't as simple as it seems. We're all family, so just say what you want to say."

Dong Xuewen glanced at his eldest son, who was looking ashamed and silent. He cursed his son inwardly for being irresponsible, but he couldn't leave it unsaid:

"Jianguo, your older brother has been stuck at the section leader position for quite a while. This formula might just be money for you, but for your older brother, it could be a stepping stone to advancement."

"We're all family. Sometimes, we can't just think of ourselves. If your brother gets promoted and becomes the deputy director of the road maintenance section... wouldn't our family have connections then?"