Chapter 47 Exclusive Conditions from Jinjiang
While Su Ruyi's business was booming, dark clouds loomed over her other end.
Zhang Qingfeng slammed the blanket in his hand to the ground, his usually gentle and refined face contorted with rage.
The secretary was startled and lowered her head, not daring to utter a sound.
"Alright, you can go now."
Zhang Qingfeng loosened his tie, suppressing his inner rage.
As Li Yiyi entered the room, she saw the broken pieces scattered on the floor. She was slightly taken aback. In her memory, Zhang Qingfeng always seemed to be in complete control, able to handle anything calmly and with a very stable temperament.
However, that was Zhang Qingfeng twenty or thirty years later. The current Zhang Qingfeng is still young and not as composed as he will be decades later, which is understandable.
"Brother Qingfeng, I've made you some soup. Come and have some soup first."
Zhang Qingfeng felt irritated. As a native of Qing Province, he didn't have the habit of drinking soup, but he usually wouldn't refuse Li Yiyi's kindness.
After all, these are not ordinary soups; they are good for the body and will make Li Yiyi happy.
However, he was extremely agitated at the moment and had no interest in this soup, which, no matter how carefully it was prepared, still had a medicinal taste.
"You can leave it here for now, I'll drink it later."
Li Yiyi ignored him, opened the thermos, ladled out a bowl of soup, and handed it to him.
"The soup is best drunk while it's hot, Brother Qingfeng, come and drink it quickly."
Zhang Qingfeng frowned: "I said I'm not drinking now, take it away."
"Drink up, drink up," Li Yiyi said coquettishly, scooping up a spoonful and feeding it to Zhang Qingfeng.
Zhang Qingfeng impatiently pushed him away: "I said, I'm not drinking now!"
The soup spilled onto Li Yiyi's hand, causing her to cry out in surprise, and her hand immediately turned red.
"Brother Qingfeng, what are you doing?"
Zhang Qingfeng quickly took out a handkerchief, wiped the soup off her hands, and then poured the cooled tea from the table onto Li Yiyi's hands to cool them down.
"Yiyi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
Although Li Yiyi felt uncomfortable, she didn't take it too seriously and said reproachfully, "Brother Qingfeng, what's wrong with you today?"
"Work is making me quite irritable right now, it's not that I'm ignoring you. You went to all that trouble to make this soup for me, I'll definitely drink it later."
"Brother Qingfeng, are you worried about the news from Da Mao?"
Zhang Qingfeng paused slightly in his movements. "How did you know?"
Li Yiyi was unaware of Zhang Qingfeng's wariness and said, "If it doesn't work this time, there's always next time. Now is not the best time."
The Soviet Union hadn't collapsed yet; that was when things were truly chaotic, and it was time to make a fortune.
Since the "canned food for airplanes" incident last year, more international traders have flocked here. Although the business opportunities are great, it is also extremely dangerous. Countless people have died in that line of work.
Zhang Qingfeng also got involved, hoping to make a profit.
He had already planned this, and with Li Yiyi's encouragement, he no longer hesitated.
He had already opened up the road and made a fortune by exchanging cheap daily necessities for various furs, machines and other goods. But unexpectedly, he was suddenly targeted and all the goods he sent out in the past month were intercepted.
Although such things are not uncommon on that line, he had made some connections and had been targeted several times in a row. Even if he was stupid, he would know that he was being targeted.
This infuriated Zhang Qingfeng. He had originally intended to use this method to accumulate wealth and lay the foundation for future independence, but he never expected that he would be targeted as soon as he tasted success.
Unfortunately, his opponent was clearly stronger, and he was powerless to resist. He tried to negotiate, but the opponent completely disregarded him and wanted to cut off his path.
Zhang Qingfeng didn't mention these things to Li Yiyi, but she still found out. He felt he should clean up the mess around him again.
Zhang Qingfeng thought this to himself, but didn't show it on his face: "What kind of commotion will there be over there?"
"Anyway, something big is going to happen, Brother Qingfeng. Get ready to make a fortune then."
Zhang Qingfeng tapped her nose: "Yiyi and I have secrets now too."
Li Yiyi also wanted to tell the story, but her experience was too bizarre, and more importantly, she didn't know exactly when the Soviet Union would disintegrate; she only knew this one thing.
She hadn't paid attention to these things before, and only knew a little about many historical events. She was completely clueless about why the country collapsed, the specific time, and what happened at the time.
If she told Zhang Qingfeng that she was a time traveler who had transmigrated into his own novel, and then couldn't answer any of his questions, it would be completely inconsistent with the smart and beautiful image she had created.
It's been about the last few years; being vague about it helps maintain a sense of mystery.
Li Yiyi kissed Zhang Qingfeng on the cheek. "I figured it out from the newspaper. You know I'm very perceptive in this area."
Zhang Qingfeng's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything and started drinking the soup that Li Yiyi had made for him.
It has to be said that Li Yiyi's soup-making skills are quite good. Although Zhang Qingfeng doesn't like this kind of soup, he did feel that his complexion was better after drinking it, and he could accept the taste more and more.
“Since Yiyi says so, then no matter what, I will not give up this line. Although I prefer to run a real business and provide jobs for more people rather than get rich myself, I will do it as long as Yiyi wants it.”
Li Yiyi was overjoyed. She not only felt valued, but also realized that Zhang Qingfeng was indeed someone she respected and admired, unlike those capitalists who only knew how to exploit.
"Brother Qingfeng, how's that piece of land going?"
Zhang Qingfeng tightened his grip on the bowl, his expression tense, but he quickly regained his composure under Li Yiyi's gaze.
“I’ve decided to give up that land. I’ve done my research, and many of the plastic factory’s employees are veterans, as well as many disabled people. If I take their land, they won’t be able to find such good jobs.”
This is also one of the reasons why Zhang Qingfeng lost his composure. He has been having a lot of bad luck lately, and the connections he had painstakingly built up in private were ruined by someone else.
What was thought to be a sure thing for the land acquisition turned into a joke.
That previously unknown plastic factory became an overnight sensation thanks to a single plastic hula hoop. Now, advertisements are everywhere, and discussions about hula hoops are ubiquitous, bringing the plastic factory back from the brink of collapse.
Many people in their company have signed up for the hula hoop competition, and the preliminary rounds will begin this weekend.
During breaks, you can see people swinging hula hoops in the stairwell, saying it's good for their health and helps them stretch their muscles.
The plastics factory is still expanding production, and job postings are flooding in. Even so, demand still exceeds supply, and those who entered the industry early are making a fortune.
The most ridiculous thing is that the person who was originally keeping an eye on him found out about this first, abandoned the dark side and was among the first to buy the goods, and now he even has a mobile phone!
That was like slapping him in the face.
The booming plastics factory has also brought attention to the surrounding area. Not only is the factory selling land, but people are also looking to buy more land.
Zhang Qingfeng did consider using other means to exert pressure, and even treated district leaders to a meal.
However, the fact that the other party was a factory run by veterans made people hesitant to act rashly, as they were also well-regarded by higher authorities.
In the past, many soldiers were not properly resettled due to troop reductions. The only unit that could accommodate so many veterans and their families was one that was nominally registered and could not be easily moved.
Moreover, the other party had also brought in people, and the district dared not do anything without a reasonable explanation.
Especially now, with the Asian Games as a backdrop, the hula hoop competition is generating a lot of buzz in Qing Province, and Hongxing Plastics Factory is no longer the obscure little factory it once was.
Although Zhang Qingfeng was unwilling to admit it, he had indeed lost this time.
Li Yiyi was slightly taken aback, "Didn't you say before..."
“I didn’t investigate properly before; I was only thinking about getting compensation. Now I realize they did a good job. It’s better to teach someone how to fish than to give them a fish. The compensation money will eventually run out, so it’s better to give those workers a place to work and earn money. That plastic factory is quite reputable. Anyway, there are so many other places; it doesn’t necessarily have to be there.”
Li Yiyi was somewhat disappointed. After all, that piece of land would become the center of that area in the future. Compared to the old city center, it was much more prosperous and the economic center of the entire Qing Province. It was even jokingly called "Little Pudong".
Moreover, the area was demolished not long afterward, and the plastic factory wouldn't be able to operate for long either.
However, she always unconditionally trusted Zhang Qingfeng's decisions, since there would be many more opportunities to make money in the future, and there was no need to fixate on just one.
"Brother Qingfeng, you are so kind."
Zhang Qingfeng pinched her nose: "Making money is important, but not all money has to go into your pocket."
Li Yiyi's gaze towards him became even more intense. As expected of the man she had her eye on, he was always so clear-headed, unlike her shallow self.
After purchasing the pager and completing the formalities, Su Ruyi immediately called home and gave her the number to Ms. Su Ying.
However, she didn't get to speak with Ms. Su Ying this time; she only left a letter.
For her second call, she called Lu Ting. As her benefactor, Su Ruyi couldn't forget him.
In this month, not counting the funds set aside for purchasing goods, the spare change on hand, and the 10,000 yuan sent home, she already had 100,000 yuan in her savings account!
Even decades from now, let alone in this era, it would be difficult for her to earn that much money in a month, given her abilities alone.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so generous in buying a pager that cost almost four thousand yuan, and also buying and applying for a telephone number, which would have cost her eight or nine thousand yuan.
This is all thanks to Lu Ting for giving him the sales channels in Zhaoguang City; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to accumulate wealth so quickly by relying solely on Liulin County.
Even though it was as payment for providing ideas, it was still kind of the other party to do so; others might not have been so grateful.
Su Ruyi had inquired and found that others couldn't get the goods for such a low price, and even if they did, they wouldn't offer door-to-door delivery.
Especially now that supply is falling short of demand, some people are even willing to raise prices, as long as they can ship the goods first.
Su Ruyi must maintain this partnership.
"Boss Lu, it's me, Su Ruyi. What have you been up to lately? Remember to take me with you wherever you're making your fortune!"
As soon as the call connected, Su Ruyi started chatting with the other party very skillfully, her tone like that of a middle-aged businessman.
She now wears a pager on her waist and her keychain is also fastened to her belt—she's gotten used to smart locks and always forgets to bring her keys when she goes out, so she's just like those middle-aged men who hang them like that.
To be honest, Su Ruyi felt like she was walking on air, and she almost wanted to wear leather shoes, dress pants, and a striped polo shirt. The image was too beautiful to bear.
Lu Ting was silent for a moment, then said, "Boss Su seems to be doing very well lately."
"Not bad, not bad, all thanks to you." Su Ruyi grinned.
She didn't want to act all pretentious in front of the handsome guy, but she couldn't control herself. She originally wanted to speak properly, but as soon as she heard his voice, she inexplicably did a split.
Lu Ting was clearly speechless at her glib talk, and there was no response from the other side for a long time, which made Su Ruyi feel quite awkward.
She quickly tried to salvage the situation, mentioning that she already had a pager, adding, "I'm still applying for a phone number, so installation probably won't be quick. Just call me if you need anything."
"Okay, I've written down the number. I'm going to Zhaoguang City in a couple of days."
The distance between Zhaoguang City and Liulin County is not much different from the distance between the provincial capital and Liulin County. It just sounds like you've entered Su Ruyi's territory once you arrive in Zhaoguang City.
"Are you here for a hula hoop competition? Let me know if you need any help."
Because of the large number of people who signed up, and not only people from the provincial capital who enthusiastically participated, but also many people from various cities and counties below.
Therefore, the plastics factory expanded the competition format, holding preliminary rounds in each city first, and participants could choose the region to compete in based on distance.
Su Ruyi already knew about this, and Lu Ting even called to ask her if she wanted to get involved.
Su Ruyi thought about it and still refused. She had already received enough benefits, and besides, she was unfamiliar with Zhaoguang City and couldn't be of any help. She was just there to freeload, so she gave up.
However, she still benefited from the advantage, as the preliminary rounds were held in various cities. The winners not only qualified directly for the provincial finals, but the plastic factory also covered their travel expenses to the finals.
As a result, those who had initially hesitated because they thought traveling to the provincial capital for the competition would incur travel and accommodation costs, now found themselves signing up, even those who lived closer to the city.
The number of participants from the city has increased significantly, and many people from surrounding towns and rural areas that are relatively close to the city have also participated.
As the general agent in Zhaoguang City, Su Ruyi received even more orders.
"I guess so. When you come over, bring your business cards. If you don't have any, go and get some made."
Su Ruyi was even more touched upon hearing this. "Okay, I'll go print it right away. Boss Lu, you're so kind to me."
"Among the ten cities in our Qing Province, your Zhaoguang City ranks fourth in sales volume. Considering the population base and local development, there is still room for improvement."
"Definitely, definitely."
Upon hearing this, Su Ruyi immediately felt that she could put in even more effort.
Keep in mind that she was among the first to bring hula hoops back to sell; others were a step behind, so their sales figures are indeed not very good.
People these days are really hardworking. In comparison, Su Ruyi is incredibly lazy. It's really not her place to have such a great opportunity.
Su Ruyi wasn't particularly interested in the competition, but she was thinking of taking Tong Yunyun with her to participate.
Tong Yunyun can now spin fifty hula hoops at the same time, which is already a remarkable number. This is because their hula hoops are relatively thick, not the thin and small kind, so they take up more space and are relatively heavy, making them more difficult to spin.
It's very difficult for a child to spin so many hoops at the same time; basically, most of their body is covered by the hula hoops.
Tong Yunyun practiced so diligently, even selling hula hoops during her practice sessions, that Li Mei couldn't dampen her enthusiasm. Therefore, Li Mei ultimately decided to let her go to the competition, even if it meant taking leave.
Although the competition is on Sunday, we only get one day off on weekends now. If I only travel there on the day of the competition, I won't make it in time. Also, I'll be too tired to compete, so I'll have to ask for leave a day in advance and stay in the city first.
Now that this has happened, she needs to prepare herself properly.
Su Ruyi hung up the phone and was about to go to a printing factory to print her business cards when she was stopped by someone.
The man leaned against a telephone pole, wearing sunglasses, shorts, and a floral shirt tucked into his pants. He had a cigarette dangling from his lips, tossed his heavily permed hair, and looked at Su Ruyi with an air of "Am I not incredibly handsome?"
Su Ruyi's lips twitched. She was really not used to the terrifying super short shorts worn by men in this era. She found them both offensive and a bit gay.
But nowadays, many trendy young people like to wear it, thinking it's cool, completely unaware of Su Ruyi's pain.
"Hey beautiful, let me treat you to a movie at the video arcade. It's a new movie in Hong Kong, it's super good!"
Zhao Yucheng struck what he considered his most handsome pose and addressed Su Ruyi.
Su Ruyi barely managed to suppress a laugh. A burly northerner speaking with such affected, fake Cantonese-accented Mandarin was really...
"Not interested, move aside."
"Hey pretty girl, don't be shy. Do you want to watch the newly released 'God of Gamblers' in Hong Kong? It's not available anywhere else, only I have the DVD. You know Chow Yun-fat, right? The one from 'Shanghai Bund,' he's the lead actor. Andy Lau is in it too, he's really handsome."
The mention of movies instantly banished her sleepiness. Su Ruyi looked him up and down, then said with obvious disdain:
"Who are you trying to fool? 'God of Gamblers' is a movie from last year, and 'All for the Winner' is coming out this year."
Zhao Yucheng choked, not expecting Su Ruyi to know so much about these things.
"You can watch a good movie as many times as you want without getting tired of it, and I even have autographed photos of Chow Yun-fat and Andy Lau."
Zhao Yucheng stared at Su Ruyi in surprise. Every time he mentioned this, a group of girls would surround him, trying to please him in every way. They would be happy even if they just glanced at him.
Su Ruyi remained extremely calm. She not only had autographed photos but had also taken pictures with them. Was she proud?
However, that was decades later in another life, when she met him face to face at the premiere.
Although she doesn't follow celebrities, she has friends who are professional fan site operators, so she knows a lot of gossip and inside stories. She has money and free time, so she sometimes goes to the film set with them. Therefore, she doesn't have much feeling for celebrities.
We are all ordinary people, just with different professions.
"Are you done talking? Make way, I'm busy."
Zhao Yucheng never expected that Su Ruyi wasn't tempted at all. Those were Chow Yun-fat and Andy Lau's autographs! Not to mention girls, even guys would be crazy about them.
"Don't you like them? I also have autographed photos of other celebrities."
Su Ruyi said directly in Cantonese: "Get out of the way, don't force me to hit someone."
After saying that, she gently pushed Zhao Yucheng aside and walked past him.
Zhao Yucheng felt an immense force push him away, and before he knew it, he was a meter away from Su Ruyi.
He recalled the rumors that this woman was incredibly strong!
Su Ruyi didn't care about this unwanted suitor. She was beautiful and rich, so it was normal for people to be interested in her. There was no need to dwell on it; if she didn't like him, she could just reject him directly.
Anyway, she's not afraid of the other party retaliating against her if they fail to win her over; her fists are harder than theirs.
Zhao Yucheng was not discouraged. He came over again the next day to fawn over Su Ruyi, and even bought flowers, which were plastic flowers, and handed them to her.
There are no roses grown in Liulin County, and there are no flower shops that specialize in selling flowers, so he bought bright red plastic roses and gave them to Su Ruyi.
Su Ruyi's lips twitched. These plastic flowers looked incredibly fake and cheap. How could this person have the nerve to give them to her?
"No, move aside, don't bother me."
"Hey beautiful, let's be friends. I fell in love with you at first sight, and I'm sincere, just like this rose."
Zhao Yucheng presented flowers at the entrance of the furniture factory. People were coming and going, and many stopped to watch the spectacle.
In a small county town, it's rare to see someone woo a girl by sending her flowers; those are just scenes from movies.
Now that I've seen it in person, it would be a shame not to join in the fun.
Someone nearby egged them on: "Say yes! Say yes!"
"How romantic! Just like in the movies."
Although Zhao Yucheng had a carefree and irresponsible demeanor, he was not bad-looking. He was also quite fashionable and knew how to dress up. His hair was slicked back with mousse, which set him apart from ordinary men.
"They've already put in such a sincere effort, young lady, don't be so pretentious."
"Exactly, that's enough. Don't be so disrespectful to men. You should be grateful that a man is pursuing you like this. Don't be so immature."
Upon hearing this, Su Ruyi glanced at the two middle-aged women who had spoken and said, "This good fortune is for you, do you want it?"
They thought she wouldn't understand the sarcastic remarks. Zhao Yucheng doesn't seem like a decent person. If it were their daughter, she definitely wouldn't say that.
Without wasting any words, Su Ruyi took out the three-section stick from her backpack and quickly assembled it.
Zhao Yucheng shuddered when he saw the stick.
Little did he know that it was this very stick that had sent a group of thugs running for their lives.
"Want to pursue me? Fine, you'll have to defeat me first before you have the right to say such things."
Su Ruyi swung the stick a few times in the air, and the clothes of the people standing next to her were blown up by the strong wind.
"What kind of behavior is this, a young woman brandishing knives and guns?" the old woman muttered.
"Who would dare marry someone so fierce!"
Su Ruyi glanced at her sideways, and the old woman immediately fell silent.
Zhao Yucheng immediately chickened out, slunk away with the flowers, and said as he left, "I won't give up."
Su Ruyi rolled her eyes and put the stick away.
She already knew who this person was through Li Guangqian.
Su Ruyi didn't think this person pursuing her meant he liked her; he was probably just having some pipe dream.
Su Ruyi took a few steps and saw a familiar face standing in front of her.
What brings you here?
Lu Ting walked over with a smile. He was tall and stood upright like a pine tree. His smile dispelled the menacing aura around him, but he was still imposing.
He was wearing camouflage pants and a white T-shirt, which was very similar to Su Ruyi's military green and white T-shirt.
"If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have seen this scene."
"Please excuse my poor appearance." Su Ruyi coughed lightly. "Why did you come here? Weren't you supposed to be going to Zhaoguang City tomorrow?"
Lu Ting didn't answer the question, but smiled and said, "You just said that if I defeat you, I can be with you. Is that true?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
