Chapter 47: Knocking (Third update, please vote)

"Stop chopping it, stop chopping it. Hey, Li Ye, have you ever cooked before?"

In the small warehouse at the backyard of the Second Grain Store, Li Ye was wielding a thick-backed boning knife, chopping the half-ribs with a "crackling" sound.

It was freezing outside. Jin Peng and his friends bought spareribs from the country market. They were frozen solid all the way here. Even Li Ye, who called himself a "fist master", had a hard time chopping them.

And maybe it was because the knife was not sharp enough, or maybe Li Ye did not swing the knife fast enough, after Li Ye's "cloak slashing", a lot of minced meat was blown to the ground by his blade.

Not only Jiang Xiaoyan felt distressed, but Hu Man and others also grumbled that Li Ye was too wasteful.

But this is really not Li Ye’s fault.

It had been agreed that Jiang Xiaoyan would be responsible for cooking, and Jiang Xiaoyan was very skillful and would not let anyone else interfere with tasks like chopping ribs.

In order to take care of Jiang Xiaoyan's self-esteem, Li Ye deliberately arranged for other people to set up the table and get the chairs, and did not intend to interfere.

But seeing that Jiang Xiaoyan cut a small pot of radishes but only chopped three or four taels of pork ribs as a side dish, Li Ye couldn't stand it anymore.

Why did Li Ye ask Jin Peng and others to buy groceries and cook for themselves?

Is it really because getting food from the cafeteria is a waste of time?

Bullshit, aren’t you just greedy?

During this period of time, Li Ye hated the cooking habits of everyone around him.

The meals in the cafeteria cost only a few cents per serving, and there was hardly any oil on them. A dish with meat cost 1.2 cents, and could barely be considered meat.

Occasionally when he returned home, his grandmother would say, "My eldest grandson is back, let's make something delicious today," which meant she would just put a few more slices of fat in Li Ye's bowl.

This is a family like Li Ye's. In those days, there was no one in the family who earned a salary. It was not uncommon to use chopsticks to measure the amount of oil when cooking. (My father had experienced this. My grandmother dipped the chopsticks in the oil bottle, threw the oil on the chopsticks into the pot and started to stir-fry.)

So even though Li Ye only has three dishes for one meal these days, the foodie gene engraved in his soul has already made him protest a hundred or eighty times with banners hanging.

You didn’t have the conditions before, but now you have them. Why should you still suffer injustice?

At the end of 1981, there were already private butchers selling meat at the big market in the countryside. Li Ye told Hao Jian and Jin Peng a few days ago that when they went to the provincial capital to sell sugar, they could buy goods from the market on the way. They could buy whatever was available, including chicken, duck, fish and meat.

Anyway, it's winter now, and food can be kept in a natural refrigerator for several days without going bad. There are many markets in the surrounding area, and as long as you have money, you will have enough food.

Since there is no shortage of food, why bother counting the cubes of meat to put into the pot?

Moreover, spare ribs are not as valuable as lean meat these days, and lean meat is not as valuable as fat meat. How many cents per pound? What's the point of saving?

So Li Ye pushed Jiang Xiaoyan away, picked up the bone-chopping knife himself, and chopped two or three pounds of ribs in one breath before he was willing to stop.

"In the future, when you cook, make dishes according to this standard of side dishes. It's only ten cents per meal! We must let you guys know what value for money means."

Li Ye will not cook, but he will give instructions according to the recipe.

"First, blanch the blood, then stir-fry with oil, add water and stew, it's simple."

"Did you use your oil? The ribs would be burnt with so little oil. We can't cheat you, right?"

"Not bad, not bad, add the spices and prepare to serve."

Li Ye directed Jiang Xiaoyan to cook step by step, and at every step he required her to correct her fussy habits. When the big pot started bubbling, everyone gathered around the pot, staring, pursing their lips, and swallowing their saliva.

A specially brewed meal that costs a dime, and you want us to eat this?

eng eng eng, Li Ye is really a kind person.

. . . . .

Li Ye underestimated his classmates' appetite. By the end of the big pot of pork ribs stewed with radish, only a little soup was left.

Girls like Hu Man, Han Xue, and even Jiang Xiaoyan were shy and embarrassed at first.

But when the delicious taste of oil and fat blooms on the tip of the tongue, even the most ladylike girl can no longer restrain herself. Like Jin Peng, Li Dayong and others, the girl also opens her mouth wide and gobbles down the food.

Only Wen Leyu was the most special one. She was not embarrassed, but her little mouth was mumbling at a very fast frequency like a rabbit eating grass, but she looked surprisingly elegant and beautiful.

Li Ye had already said that she, the proofreader, would receive a share of the manuscript fee.

But she didn't ask for money, she only asked for meals. These days, Li Ye always gave her a portion of the meals he got from the cafeteria.

If she sticks with Li Ye, she feels she will earn more.

Li Ye ate the last piece of radish while standing, and then went out for a walk with Hao Jian.

In the cold night, two cigarette butts flickered. After a long time, Hao Jian finally spoke.

"The shipment volume in the past half month has exceeded our estimate again. Do you think something will go wrong?"

Li Ye took a puff of his cigarette, threw the half-smoked cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his foot.

"What do you think will happen?"

Hao Jian looked at the half of the front door that was crushed by Li Ye, feeling distressed for a few tenths of a second, and then he took out a "newspaper brick" from his arms.

It was wrapped tightly in newspaper, like a brick, and inside was of course the money that Li Ye was supposed to get this period.

Hao Jian handed the money to Li Ye and said in a deep voice: "We make too much money."

“Puff~”

Li Ye laughed out loud, weighed the "bricks", and asked, "How many are there? Is it enough to be a millionaire?"

Hao Jian nodded and whispered, "Soon. If it's not enough this year, it will definitely be enough next year."

Li Ye laughed again and said, "Don't you read newspapers all day? Tell me, is it illegal to be a millionaire?"

"Ten thousand yuan household" was definitely synonymous with "extremely wealthy" in the era when the average monthly salary was 30 or 40 yuan. Although a ten thousand yuan household might not be equivalent to a "small goal achiever" in later generations, it was definitely comparable to a multi-millionaire.

But the first person to be publicly reported as a millionaire was in 1979. Now it is 1981. People like you have millions of dollars in assets each year. What is there to be afraid of?

Therefore, Li Ye believes that in the 81st year of the year, being a millionaire no longer violates any guidelines or regulations, and it is not worth worrying about it.

But Hao Jian stared at Li Ye and said slowly: "It's not illegal to be a 10,000 yuan household, but what about a 100,000 yuan household? If a 100,000 yuan household doesn't break the law, what about a 1 million yuan household?"

Li Ye was stunned. Looking at the excited Hao Jian, he couldn't help but look at him again.

When Li Ye met Hao Jian for the first time, he looked up to him.

But Li Ye really didn't expect that in just a few days, this unscrupulous businessman would have such courage and determination.

In 1981, anyone who dared to dream of becoming a millionaire was either delusional or a genius.

As long as the latter does not capsize, he will definitely become a big shot in the future.

Li Ye took out a cigarette, tried to light it, and then put it back into the cigarette box.

He was like an interviewer, interviewing senior staff and asking Hao Jian: "The threshold for the hemp candy business is not too high, do you think you can make so much money?"

Hao Jian seemed to have been prepared and said: "Yes, maybe the hemp candy can't make that much money, but the channel can, that is the channel you mentioned."

Li Ye smiled: "Have you finally figured out what a channel is?"

Hao Jian was completely excited: "I have figured it out these days. Those who sell goods for us can sell not only hemp candy, but anything else. We can only give them a little support.

I met a few southerners in the provincial capital a few days ago. They were secretly selling clothes at night. If they can sell, we can sell too, but they sell in retail, while we can sell wholesale."

Li Ye looked at Hao Jian and couldn't help but admire this talented man who only graduated from junior high school.

Although his summary of channels is specious, his mind is definitely flexible and his business sense is sharp enough.

In the past, his small capital limited his ability to act. Now, as his capital continues to increase and his horizons gradually broaden, his ambition has naturally expanded.

Hao Jian spoke for a long time before he stopped.

Li Ye smiled and nodded, saying in approval: "That's right, but some things can't be rushed. Before the hemp candy business encounters a bottleneck, you should just quietly develop retailers."

After Li Ye finished speaking, he turned around and walked back, but Hao Jian said anxiously: "Li Ye, our business is getting bigger and bigger now, can you let me meet your grandfather?"

"Um?"

Li Ye slowly turned around and looked at the anxious Hao Jian coldly without a trace of a smile.

"I've processed the procedures for you to become a rural cooperative processor. Don't you think that's enough?"

"No, no, I just have something I want to report to Director Li."

Hao Jian took several steps back before he could explain.

He didn't know what "aura" was, but suddenly, he felt that Li Ye's "kindness and benevolence" was gone, and was replaced by "coldness and sharpness".

Li Ye was indeed angry.

Hao Jian did not want to "report" anything to his grandfather, but wanted to be completely bound to the Li family and share the risks together.

Just as Hao Jian said, these days, people with an income of 10,000 yuan or 100,000 yuan will not be in much danger as long as they keep a low profile.

But it is hard to say whether there are millionaires with a millionaire income of over one million yuan. After all, Qingshui County is a relatively closed small town in the north, rather than the open fertile land in the south.

No matter how profitable the hemp candy business is, Li Ye will not allow Hao Jian, the outer protective shell, to have deep contact with his grandfather Li Zhongfa.

Li Ye finally lit up his cigarette again, exhaled a puff of mist into the winter night, and asked Hao Jian: "You are just an ordinary cooperative processor, what is there worth reporting to my grandfather?"

Hao Jian felt his mouth dry, swallowed his saliva and said: "We have made too much money, and there will be more in the future. I want to hear Director Li's opinion."

“Heh~”

[You probably want a guarantee! ]

Li Ye smiled and blew out a puff of smoke, spat the tobacco oil on the ground, and then pointed at the small warehouse of the Second Grain Store.

"Okay, I get it. Go in and call Jin Peng out for me separately."

“.”

Hao Jian's feet seemed to be nailed to the ground and he didn't move an inch.

Moreover, in this cold winter, sweat actually appeared on his forehead.

[What is he going to do? Why is he calling Jin Peng? He wants to replace me, I know it, I know it]

Jin Peng has been following Hao Jian to the provincial capital these days. When delivering goods to the bulk vendors, he doesn't say much, but Jin Peng knows every one of them.

Why did Li Ye let Hao Jian in and replace Jin Peng at this moment?

Hao Jian didn't dare to gamble.

Once he loses the bet, all his ten thousand yuan and one hundred thousand yuan fortunes will be gone.

These days, Hao Jian saw that he was making money like water and couldn't stop it, so he felt that he had done it.

But now Li Ye only needed to say a few words to bring him down to earth and make him understand what "it's all in vain in the end" meant.

Li Ye looked at Hao Jian for a long time without moving, and asked with a smile: "What's wrong? It's cool outside, you don't want to go in?"

Hao Jian struggled and twisted his body, but finally laughed.

"I'm not really that scared, but I have a wife and kids."

Li Ye looked at Hao Jian in silence for a long time before he said, "Do you know the corporate contracting documents issued by the higher authorities this year?"

Hao Jian's mind raced, and he said, "That's true, but does it have anything to do with us?"

Li Ye said: "It doesn't matter now, but it may not matter in the future. When the time comes, you can contract a small collective, and then everything will be solved, right?"

Hao Jian broke out in a sweat and immediately felt relaxed.

[You little thief, I already had plans, why didn't you tell me? ]

To contract the small collective, the Li family would definitely need help. Hao Jian felt relieved only after he was sure that he would not be abandoned at any time.

. .

Li Ye brought Hao Jian back to the backyard of the Erliang store and saw Wen Leyu, Hu Man and other girls feeding the dog with leftover bones.

But the huge yellow dog didn't even look at the pile of bones, but just whimpered at the girls.

Li Ye asked: "What are you doing?"

Wen Leyu replied: "This dog is so fierce. We need to give it something delicious, otherwise it will bite us all the time. But it doesn't even eat bones."

"Fuck~"

Li Ye cursed softly, "You guys chewed the bones cleaner than a dog. How can people eat them? Dogs have dignity too, right?"

Hao Jian, who was following behind Li Ye, almost stumbled and fell.

At this time, he finally had an epiphany and woke up from his dream.

The hemp candy business he and Li Ye were cooperating in had a 40% to 60% profit split, and Hao Jian was making a lot of money from it.

"I should be content. I should be content. Damn it. Why am I not content? What an idiot."

Hao Jian regretted not falling, but was also grateful.

The promised three updates are here. Please vote. Please give me everything. I would also like to thank the book friend "20211029110351113" for the reward. Thank you!

(End of this chapter)