Chapter 60 Jinjiang's Exclusive Speed

Su Ruyi's eyes lit up: "Yes, we definitely have to! How new is it? Is it still usable?"

"They're definitely 70-80% new, and even 90% new wouldn't be an exaggeration. They haven't been used for very long, so minor issues are hard to say, but there are definitely no major problems. You can check them yourself."

Approximately how many units are there? How much do they cost?

"There's plenty of stock. They're all industrial sewing machines. Some garment factories went bankrupt and my friend bought them during their clearance sale. So the secondhand prices aren't low; each one costs around 320 yuan."

A household sewing machine costs over 200 yuan for a 100-page package. Sewing machines in Liulin County are more expensive, costing over 270 yuan. In other places, you can get one for 250 yuan.

However, household sewing machines are definitely not as durable as industrial sewing machines. Buying an industrial sewing machine would be the most suitable option, as it saves you from having to run the machine continuously after starting work, which requires frequent maintenance and wastes a lot of time.

Although the price wasn't low, it was still a good deal compared to the original price, so Su Ruyi agreed without hesitation.

"I need at least a hundred of them, please keep them for me. If there are any irons or other items, I'll take them too."

"No problem, I'll take you to inspect the goods when the time comes."

Su Ruyi hung up the phone, feeling as if God was on her side.

She needed the goods, and Lu Ting happened to have the supply.

However, this was not a particularly coincidental event, as the official wave of layoffs was not far off, and many factories had already gone bankrupt because they could not sustain themselves.

The wave of layoffs initially started in industries such as textiles. At this time, signs of trouble had already emerged, with some factories going out of business and unable to survive.

Nowadays, people have higher standards for clothing; it's no longer enough to just have something to wear. They pay attention to style and other details.

Many state-owned enterprises are not adapted to the flexibility of the market economy and still retain their old ways. Although the quality is very good, they have no style to speak of and their sales methods are very simple, so they are easily impacted.

Lu Ting is a middleman, so he's very well-informed and it's normal for him to have this kind of information.

When Su Ruyi found Old Li, he was selling hula hoops by the roadside.

Besides hula hoops, he also set up a ring toss game, which earned him some money each day.

"Ruyi, what brings you here? How did things go?"

Old Li knew Su Ruyi's situation quite well, because Su Ruyi had decided that if she could rent a new factory building at the textile factory, she would set up a canteen in the factory and have Grandma Sun help out.

Li Xiaobao could also go to the factory; it's a large place, and keeping a child cooped up at home without anyone to accompany them is not good for their physical and mental health.

But it's different in a garment factory; there's plenty of space, and it's relatively safe because of the surrounding walls.

When Grandma Sun is working, he can help pick vegetables, so he can keep busy without doing anything too strenuous.

There's no pay, but you can eat there for free, which saves you a lot of money.

Normally, Su Ruyi wouldn't have mentioned something so uncertain beforehand.

It just came up casually when we were eating and chatting together.

Su Ruyi plans to rent a room from Old Li's house. Now that she has money, she no longer wants to tolerate her current living conditions.

She could adapt to everything else, but she just couldn't get used to the fact that the toilet was so far from where she slept, and she wasn't used to using a chamber pot either.

Old Li's family built their own bathroom and toilet. They are both very clean, especially Grandma Sun, who loves tidying up. Even when they had a lot of things to do and couldn't tidy up every day, their house was still cleaner and tidier than many other homes.

Now that life has hope, Grandma Sun is cleaning even more diligently. She is also a person with a great zest for life, planting flowers in the yard and decorating the house with wildflowers or interesting branches and leaves.

Old Li and Grandma Sun were so badly affected by their previous tenants that they no longer dared to rent out their house. Now that they are willing to take in people, it is because they trust Su Ruyi. Su Ruyi then casually mentioned that she wanted to rent the new textile factory.

Therefore, Old Li was also very concerned about the garment factory and wanted to know how Su Ruyi had talked to the textile factory this morning.

Grandma Sun's health is not as good as Old Li's. The old lady has been in poor health due to a series of setbacks and has been barely holding on.

Being constantly exposed to the wind and sun must be quite stressful for Grandma Sun.

Moreover, she doesn't like selling things outside; she only does it out of necessity to make a living.

It would be even better if I could work in the cafeteria, so I could also take care of my grandson.

Although there are always people outside the storefront, the elderly couple are still very worried because no one is watching Li Xiaobao.

Having already lost a daughter and a grandson, and with Li Xiaobao's frail health making him prone to illness, I always feel uneasy not being able to keep an eye on him.

"I've already rented the factory building, for a full five years."

Su Ruyi wished she could rent for ten years, but the textile factory refused, saying five years was the limit, and Su Ruyi would have to pay the entire rent upfront.

Su Ruyi gritted her teeth and paid directly. It would cost a lot now, but she was sure she wouldn't lose out. The rent would only get more expensive, and a stable place would make her feel safer.

If she succeeds in this deal, she might be able to buy the land when the state-owned enterprise is restructured.

Su Ruyi is very optimistic about the development of Liulin County. It has a good geographical location, a large population, and abundant resources, which is why there are so many factories in the county. It has a solid foundation.

Old Li was overjoyed to hear this: "Oh, that's great! Your factory will be up and running soon."

"I went to complete all the formalities this afternoon and am about to go back to get the documents."

“It’s much easier to get the paperwork done now than before, and the county also wants to support private enterprises. I know someone at the Industry and Commerce Bureau, so if you have any problems, I’ll go to him.”

"Thank you so much."

Old Li waved his hand: "I'm also thinking about letting your Grandma Sun go there to work."

After Su Ruyi saw that the people in the betting circle had left, she pulled Old Li aside.

Old Li then realized that Su Ruyi had come to see him, and hadn't just happened to be passing by.

"What's wrong?"

Su Ruyi: "Uncle Li, did you bring your medicine?"

Old Li's heart skipped a beat. Su Ruyi never spoke without reason. He subconsciously touched his chest.

"Yes, I brought it. I've kept medicine here ever since you saved me."

"I have something to tell you, but don't get excited. Lu Ting just called and said he found a child who looks a lot like Niannian, but he's not sure yet... Uncle Li!"

Old Li staggered a few steps, then quickly took out the nitroglycerin pills from his chest, opened the package, and swallowed them.

It took him a while to recover; his hands were still trembling.

"Are you... are you telling the truth?"

“Actually, we had news about Niannian before, but it wasn’t confirmed yet, and we didn’t mention it for fear of disappointing you. This time, we’ve found her, so we’re here to tell you. However, the person who found her has only seen Niannian’s photo. They said she looks very similar, but there are still big differences, so we can’t be 100% sure. It’s best to have a family member confirm it, and only with a family member can we call the police to bring her back.”

Su Ruyi didn't dare to stop and told the whole story in one breath. At this time, you must not keep people in suspense.

Old Li took a deep breath, his heart filled with anticipation, yet also with fear of disappointment.

No matter what, he would definitely go and check it out as soon as he heard even the slightest bit of news.

"I'll go with you!"

Old Li had already rallied, his eyes shining brightly.

“Whether it’s Niannian or not, I’m going to go see her. Don’t worry, even if it’s not Niannian, I’ll be fine! But I can’t tell your Grandma Sun about this. She can’t handle any more dramatic ups and downs. She can’t keep things to herself, and Xiaobao will definitely figure it out.”

Old Li paced back and forth, thinking, "What excuse should I use to leave? I need to think about it carefully."

“Uncle Li, I’m planning to go to the provincial capital to buy a batch of sewing machines. They’re all secondhand. Aren’t you quite knowledgeable about these machines? Why don’t you come with me to take a look?”

Old Li can fix a lot of things; he taught himself all of them, and his skills are quite good.

He often does repairs for his neighbors, earning less money than other repair shops, which is one of his sources of income.

"That's a good idea!" Old Li was very happy. "I can also help you make an assessment later."

Su Ruyi smiled and agreed. At that time, Old Li would definitely not be in the mood to stay in the provincial capital. Regardless of whether the child was Niannian or not, he would not be able to calm down. However, there was no need to expose him at this time.

Old Li had lost interest in running the business at this point, but he still endured it and continued to set up his stall.

If he goes back to stay there, there's no guarantee he won't reveal something. Grandma Sun and Li Xiaobao are both sensitive people, and he doesn't dare to gamble.

In the afternoon, Su Ruyi took the documents to complete the formalities.

As Old Li said, the county strongly supports individual businesses opening shops or factories. After all, the employment situation is severe now, and many factories are becoming increasingly unsuccessful. Not to mention hiring new employees, even the old employees are almost starving.

An increase in unemployment will lead to a rise in various negative social phenomena.

Now that someone is willing to open a factory and hire workers, the county can only offer its support. Moreover, Su Ruyi is very perceptive and has given the people in charge good cigarettes, while the female workers have received high-end lipsticks that are only available in big cities.

The items weren't particularly valuable, but I was already obligated to help with the process, so I was naturally happy to receive them for free; it wasn't a bribe.

"When are you hiring? I'm a girl from the countryside who just graduated this year and I'm really worried about finding a job."

One staff member asked, and the other staff members all perked up their ears.

They look down on these kinds of job opportunities, but they must have some rare relatives and friends around them.

"We'll start recruiting as soon as the paperwork is done. I'm working with a textile factory, so half of the worker positions will be allocated to them."

Upon hearing this, the staff became even more interested.

Su Ruyi didn't hide anything, knowing that such things would spread quickly, so she explained the terms of their agreement.

This also serves as a message to everyone that she has the support of the textile factory, making her less likely to be harassed.

Sometimes, troublesome people can be difficult to deal with; what should have been done in a day can take several days to resolve.

The whole process went fairly smoothly, although I made quite a few unnecessary trips in the afternoon. One department said it wasn't under their jurisdiction, and another department pushed it to yet another department. But at least it was all done, and now it's just waiting for the review and the final stamp.

The textile factory agreed to help expedite the process, so Su Ruyi just needed to wait.

As a large factory in the county, the factory director is of a high rank. If he is willing to step in and help, things will be much easier.

This is a common problem when opening a factory in a small town. Even though you're eager to attract investment, the various procedures are still complicated and can be incredibly frustrating.

Sometimes they'll deliberately obstruct you, just to try and profit from it.

If a fat sheep passes by, it would be a loss not to slaughter it.

The investment promotion office staff work themselves to the bone to attract people and funds, and even when they finally manage to do so, there's always someone holding them back.

After all that trouble, Su Ruyi returned to Old Li's house, and it was already dark.

Li Mei will be setting up her own food stall in a couple of days, so she has already moved her kitchen to Old Li's house.

Li Mei: "Ruyi, I've tidied up the house for you. You can move in tonight."

Su Ruyi asked in surprise, "So fast?"

That speed is incredible.

“I don’t mean to kick you out. I know you find it inconvenient to live at home, so Grandma Sun and I are trying to clean up the house. You’re very busy every day and need to get enough sleep. It’s also more convenient for you to go anywhere here.”

Li Mei quickly explained, afraid that Su Ruyi would misunderstand.

Su Ruyi didn't think that much about it; she had never coveted that house.

"That's great! I'll move in tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to the provincial capital with Grandpa Li to look at the machines, so we can go together."

"Oh dear, if you hadn't told me beforehand, I wouldn't have been able to prepare anything for you. I don't know if it will be too late to go out and buy anything now," Li Mei said regretfully.

Su Ruyi waved her hand: "No need to trouble yourself, we'll be there in a few hours, no need to eat on the way."

However, this is clearly not in line with people's habits nowadays. They feel that going to the provincial capital is a big deal, a long trip, and requires time to prepare.

If Su Ruyi hadn't stopped her, Grandma Sun would have packed her bags right now; she couldn't sit still at all.

Although he didn't get up immediately, he kept muttering about Old Li, wondering why he hadn't said a word when he came back. Wasn't that causing trouble?

Su Ruyi was both amused and exasperated: "The provincial capital has everything, there's really no need to be so nervous."

Grandma Sun and Li Mei both disagreed and discussed what they should prepare for them later.

However, because of this, no one noticed that Old Li was in a bad mood.

Li Xiaobao sensed that his grandfather was unusually silent tonight, glancing at him every now and then, but he couldn't quite make out what was going on.

No one thought there was anything wrong with Su Ruyi bringing Old Li along; Old Li was indeed very knowledgeable about these things and could be of help.

Moreover, this trip wasn't for nothing; there were travel expenses.

Su Ruyi had been helping their family a lot lately. She never gave them money directly, but always gave them opportunities to make money, so they had no suspicions.

After dinner, Xu Xiaonan and Xu Dianpeng came over.

Xu Xiaonan was reporting to Su Ruyi, and since it was already getting dark, Xu Dianpeng accompanied her.

"Director Su, this is everyone's work performance report and accounts for today."

Xu Xiaonan just took office today, which is why Su Ruyi asked her to report on her work that day so that any issues could be addressed promptly.

Su Ruyi glanced at it; Xu Xiaonan's handwriting was very neat, elegant, and beautiful, making it easy to read.

The records above are very detailed, and every account is very clear.

Everyone signed and pressed their fingerprints when their wages were settled today.

Su Ruyi praised, "You did a great job. I can go to the provincial capital with peace of mind tomorrow."

Xu Xiaonan hadn't expected Su Ruyi to be going to the provincial capital tomorrow. Although she had mentioned before that she would often travel for work, she hadn't really grasped the significance of it.

"Don't I need to come along?"

"No need this time, I'll go into the machine myself, but I'll need someone knowledgeable to help me."

Xu Xiaonan nodded, feeling that she still had a lot to learn.

"These people have all performed well; continue to observe them for the next couple of days. By the way, what do you think of the Zhu family father and son?"

The Zhu family, father and sons, were the three men recommended by the convenience store owner.

"They work very hard and are very capable. They all seem to be very honest people. They are also very easy to talk to and have already become one of the group."

Su Ruyi nodded, understanding the situation.

The people gathered today are all clearly reliable; not one of them let us down, and they really cherish this opportunity to work.

At the current pace, the entire factory can be set up in two days, which is extremely fast.

After all, the factory occupies a considerable area, and not only does the interior need to be tidied up, but the section from the gate to the main road also cannot be overgrown with weeds.

"If there are any difficult places to clean up, let Li Guangqian see where he can rent an excavator and a road roller. It's okay to spend some money, as long as the job is done well."

Xu Xiaonan wrote everything down meticulously, taking great care not to miss a single detail.

“I’ve already spoken to Grandma Wang. If you need any money during this period, just ask her. It’s been very hot these past few days, so tomorrow you should buy some buckets, fill them with water, and transport them over. Make sure everyone has water to drink. Order lunch for everyone; the standard amount is one yuan per person. You can decide what to buy.”

"So many!" Xu Xiaonan exclaimed.

A bowl of noodles with meat sauce only costs 50 cents now.

“You need to get some food to do manual labor. Everyone’s working so hard, I won’t be stingy. Do you know how to order food? If you really can’t, you can talk to Aunt Mei about it.”

Xu Xiaonan couldn't have been happier. Her family was poor, and she rarely had the opportunity to buy food outside. She really knew nothing about these things.

She did consider taking the job home and doing it herself, but she quickly realized that her family simply didn't have the resources to handle it; they didn't have that many pots and pans.

Moreover, she had never done it before. Usually, when it came to preparing a big meal for the New Year, it was her mother and aunt who were the main force, and she was just an assistant. She was also very afraid of messing it up.

Su Ruyi called Aunt Mei over and mentioned this matter to her.

"The meal allowance is one piece per person, as long as it includes both meat and vegetables."

Aunt Mei has been inquiring about where to source ingredients cheaply and in good quality for her stall lately.

I already have some initial plans in mind, so I'm confident about it.

She already has a vehicle; she can just cook the food and ride her tricycle over there.

Zhao Guizhi is now able to take over from her, so she can confidently hand over the business to her and do her own work.

Therefore, Li Mei agreed without hesitation: "Leave this to me, I can also practice."

“Aunt Mei, since you’ve started, why not make more and see if you can sell them at a stall? If you can’t sell them, that’s okay too. You can give some to the workers this afternoon as a reward.”

The food won't spoil in an afternoon, so everyone will definitely be willing to accept it.

Li Mei gritted her teeth and said, "Fine!"

Early the next morning, Su Ruyi took Grandpa Li to the provincial capital.

As soon as I got off the bus, I saw a familiar figure appear in front of me.

"Why are you here?" Su Ruyi asked in surprise.

Lu Ting smiled and said, "I was running errands nearby, and I thought I'd come pick you up since it was about time."

Lu Ting took the bag from Old Li. He actually wanted to help Su Ruyi carry it, but Su Ruyi raised her eyebrows and smiled in a half-smile, so he gave up.

"Uncle Li, let's go eat first. After you finish eating, you can rest for a while, and then we'll go to the police station."

Grandpa Li was extremely anxious and wished he could go there right now, but he also knew that he couldn't rush it, so he just agreed.

It took Grandpa Li a while to realize what was happening, and he kept thanking Lu Ting.

After getting on the bus, Mr. Li was completely dazed, his mind was blank, and he barely spoke the rest of the way.

He endured it all night, not daring to show anything unusual.

I'm feeling very tense and scared right now, and my reactions are different from usual.

Lu Ting and Su Ruyi understood his complicated feelings at the moment. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say, so he simply didn't open his mouth.

He was afraid that if he missed his grandson too much, he might say something inappropriate to kind people like Lu Ting and Su Ruyi. He was already very grateful for their help and couldn't ask for anything in return.

Sometimes, though I get too anxious and can't control myself, I just stop saying anything.

Lu Ting had already reported the case to the police station and asked Shi Fengyi for help, just waiting for his relative, Old Li, to come and complete the formalities.

“We’ll go there first thing tomorrow morning, Uncle Li. Please get some rest tonight. There’s a good chance of a big battle tomorrow, so please take care of yourself.”

Old Li went to the police station and finally regained his senses. Especially after seeing the secretly taken photos and the familiar people in them, he was now perfectly lucid.

In the photo, the grandson, who used to be fair-skinned and had arms as thick as lotus roots, is now dark-skinned and thin, and his big eyes have lost their sparkle.

His clothes were tattered and he was filthy.

Grandma Sun is very clean and takes excellent care of the children. Every child is clean and tidy, and they look very cute and endearing.

Their family wasn't as poor as they are now. Although Li Xiaobao wasn't in good health, he wasn't like he is now, so easily blown away. Back then, he could still go to school, as long as he didn't run and jump around, so it didn't cost much.

They were very generous to the children and often cooked them delicious meals.

Unlike Li Xiaobao, Li Niannian is not a picky eater, so she is very good-looking and has a robust and chubby face.

The child in the photo now looks completely different from before; she's so thin she's practically skin and bones. No wonder the people who found her weren't sure if it was Li Niannian; it's hard for anyone to connect the two.

But Old Li, who had watched Li Niannian grow up, recognized him at a glance—this was his grandson!

This child must have suffered so much to become the way he is now.

Old Li calmed down at this point, knowing he had to hold on and bring Li Niannian home safely.

Therefore, he eats every meal very seriously, and he can't skip meals because he's anxious; he wants to maintain his best condition.

The next morning, the group went with the police to where Li Niannian was.

Lu Ting also brought a few people with him, and the three cars set off from the provincial capital in a grand procession.

When Old Li looked through his binoculars at a child in the distance, he could no longer contain his excitement and shouted:

“It’s Niannian, he’s my grandson, Li Niannian!”