Chapter 7
The next day I set up the stall and earned 9.6 yuan.
On the third day, I earned 11.4 yuan.
When returning the bucket, Lao Guo from the street office could no longer sit still. Just as Chen Lanjun was about to leave, he called out to her, "Hey, comrade Chen Lanjun, please come over here."
As the deputy director of the subdistrict office, Lao Zhang occupies a south-facing office all to himself.
The decoration is very old-fashioned, with a yellow wooden desk covered with glass and photos of Lao Guo's family under the glass. Chen Lanjun and Zhao Hong sat beside the desk and watched Lao Guo open the locked drawer and take out a small can of tea.
Lao Guo unscrewed the lid of the tea, took a deep sniff of the tea, and said, "This is good tea, authentic white tea. I only have this one can. You can have a taste."
As he spoke, he picked up the old-fashioned kettle to make tea.
The faint scent of tea immediately filled the small office. Chen Lanjun held the enamel teacup in her hand and said leisurely, "You're welcome. If there's anything we can help you with, just tell me."
Lao Guo cleared his throat and said, "It's like this. The issue of jobs for unemployed educated youth has been bothering us recently. Ah Hong is an educated youth, and you know how difficult it is to find a job."
"Indeed," Chen Lanjun agreed, "With so many educated youth in the city, it's hard to find work."
"It's really difficult." When Lao Guo heard Chen Lanjun acknowledge his difficulties, he felt a sense of resonance and thought that this was a really considerate little sister.
"But there's nothing I can do. Since I'm in charge of this job, I have to do it no matter how difficult it is." Lao Guo said with a smile, "So, I'm so happy to see you guys setting up stalls and making a lot of money recently. Well... I just want to say that it would be even better if other unemployed educated youth could set up stalls like you and earn some money."
Here it comes, Chen Lanjun thought.
She put down her teacup and said sincerely, "Only cadres who truly care about the masses would think this way. Director Guo really thinks the same as us. When we make money, we naturally want to make money with our brothers and sisters, so that the rich can help the poor, right?"
Lao Guo slapped his thigh and said, "That's a good saying. 'The rich will help the poor to get rich', that's the truth."
Chen Lanjun smiled shyly: "My brother Ahong also told me that he wanted to hold a sharing session to tell everyone about our experience in setting up stalls. If the street is willing, why not let Director Guo take the lead and organize a symposium?"
"That's good." Old Guo smiled happily after hearing this.
Chen Lanjun outlined a blueprint for him: "After the symposium, everyone's stalls will be set up. They must be placed in good locations and not too close together. Then we will prepare to set up stalls based on our experience. Oh, there is a problem."
She paused, then changed the subject: "Forget it, maybe I'm overthinking it."
Lao Guo waved his hand: "You say."
"I want to set up a stall to sell things, but how to get these things is a problem." Chen Lanjun said, "Now you have to buy everything with tickets. For a small stall like ours, the amount of oil, grain and rice consumed in the past few days is terrifying. Brother Hong's legs are thin from running too much, and he just bought enough ingredients for a week. But after that, I don't know what to do."
She sighed: "Supply is a big problem."
Lao Guo listened, thought for a while, and said, "Yes. But helping unemployed young people to make a living is something that should be supported by the whole society. Let me think... When the time comes, I will go to the Oil and Grain Bureau to see if the comrades there can help coordinate."
"That's great." Chen Lanjun smiled. "If this can be done well, then these unemployed young people who have found a way to make a living should call Director Guo their 'reborn parent.'"
"Oh, that's not necessary." Old Guo's eyes narrowed with a smile.
After discussing for a while, it was finally decided to hold an "Unemployed Youth Self-Employment Exchange Meeting" in the near future and to call on unemployed young people in the street to participate.
Chen Lanjun and Zhao Hong came out of Lao Guo's office. Tian Qiang, who was waiting outside, came over to greet them: "Sister Lan, Ahong, everything is packed up, what are you talking about?"
During these two days of setting up the stall, Tian Qiang has been helping out and working very hard.
Chen Lanjun didn't say anything, but glanced at Zhao Hong and said, "You go ahead."
Zhao Hong excitedly told the news that the street was going to hold an exchange meeting.
Almost in an instant, Tian Qiang's face looked a little ugly.
Zhao Hong also noticed it, stopped and asked him, "What's wrong?"
Tian Qiang forced a smile: "It's okay."
Chen Lanjun saw it all and said, "Okay, it's time to eat. Today, I'll treat you to a meal at the state-owned restaurant, and we can talk while we eat."
It was a restaurant, and the state-owned restaurant was full of people.
Chen Lanjun and her group waited for a while before grabbing an empty table against the wall. On the wall were eight large red characters written: "Develop the economy and ensure supply."
A large black ceiling fan was spinning rapidly, bringing up a slight breeze, but it was still hot.
The three people had just ordered their food and paid their money and food coupons when the noisy state-owned restaurant suddenly became quiet.
Chen Lanjun was sitting with her back to the door, so she didn't react immediately. She asked Zhao Hong, who was sitting opposite her, "What happened?"
Zhao Hong pointed towards the door and said, "Look."
Chen Lanjun looked back.
A young man walked in from outside the door. He was wearing a white shirt, black trousers, and a burgundy tie. His expensive suit jacket was casually draped over his arm. He looked noble and lazy, which was out of place with the blue and white clothes in the room.
Strangely enough, Chen Lanjun had a sense of déjà vu.
The young man ignored all the attention and walked straight to the counter to ask, "Is there a seat available?"
The waiter was a little confused, not sure what kind of person he was. He pointed to Chen Lanjun's table and said, "If you want one, there's an empty seat there."
"Thank you very much."
The young man turned around, walked over, and stood in front of the table: "Excuse me, can we share the table?"
Zhao Hong and Tian Qiang both looked at Chen Lanjun.
Chen Lanjun nodded gently: "Okay."
The young man sat down and calmly studied the menu hanging on the wall.
At this time, several middle-aged men rushed into the store panting. The leader, wearing a black Mao suit and carrying a briefcase, said to the young man, "Mr. Shao, is the lunch prepared by the city guesthouse not to your liking? Why are you here?"
When he heard "Mr. Shao", Chen Lanjun remembered.
This man was from a famous family in Hong Kong, and his name was Shao Qinghe. Chen Lanjun had met him once before her rebirth, and was deeply impressed.
At that time, Chen Lanjun had just started her business, but the first order could not be shipped on time due to various reasons. It was a typhoon day with No. 9 signal hoisted and heavy rain pouring down. She waited outside the buyer's company for three hours.
The other party was very firm: "That's your business, it has nothing to do with us. If you can't deliver the goods on time, you will have to pay compensation according to the contract."
Chen Lanjun stood at the company's door in a daze, hoping for a chance to explain things to the buyer's boss.
The wind and rain were strong, and the umbrella in her hand was blown away. She was soaked like a drowned rat, but still refused to give up the slightest bit of hope.
In the dim sky, two bright car lights appeared.
A silver-white car drove past her and suddenly backed up.
The car window rolled down, and Shao Qinghe asked nonchalantly: "It's raining so hard, what are you doing?"
Chen Lanjun explained the whole story to him while coughing.
Shao Qinghe's expression was as if he had just watched a boring movie in the cinema. He said "oh" softly and rolled up the car window.
The silver-white car drove away with arrogance.
Chen Lanjun was so angry that she cursed at the car after being hit by exhaust fumes.
In response to her, a car horn blew a "beep"
How could someone be so good-looking but have such a bad personality? Chen Lanjun was so angry that her teeth itched.
But after a while, a secretary came out and said that he was willing to extend the time by a week.
The secretary smiled and asked tentatively, "Does Miss Chen know Mr. Shao?"
"Mr. Shao?"
The secretary understood and smiled a little less: "It's Shao Qinghe from the Shao family."
The secretary said somewhat unnaturally: "Well, Mr. Shao said that your old umbrella was so funny, so you should use this one."
As he spoke, he handed over an exquisitely crafted oak umbrella.
After Chen Lanjun finished with this batch of goods, she wanted to ask the boss to return the umbrella, but she was told: Mr. Shao went out to sea two days ago, the boat broke down, and he was gone.
So, she and he only met once.
Seeing Shao Qinghe again, who was a few years younger, Chen Lanjun found it magical.
She sat aside and slowly looked at his face. He had a well-defined face, a slightly upturned upper lip, and a cynical temperament.
Shao Qinghe said: "I want to try some new food."
His eyes slowly glanced over: "Miss, you look at me like this, you like me? Give up, it's impossible."
Chen Lanjun smiled and said, "Sir, you are ugly and you are a weird person."
The middle-aged man quickly acted as a peacemaker and eased the awkwardness with laughter: "Hahaha, what a humor, Mr. Shao, I'll find you a separate table."
Someone around him had already shown his work ID to the waiter, moved an empty table out of the room, and asked Shao Qinghe to sit there.
The interrupted noise in the restaurant started up again.
The dishes were served one after another.
Chen Lanjun ate a few bites of food, gathered her thoughts, and returned to the present. She wiped her mouth with a white handkerchief, and then asked Tian Qiang: "A Qiang, do you have any concerns about the symposium?"
Zhao Hong also said: "Yes, just tell me what you have to say, who are we talking to?"
Tian Qiang frowned and said hesitantly: "I just feel a little... Never mind, I can't explain it."
"What?" Zhao Hong put down his chopsticks heavily.
Chen Lanjun said: "Brother Hong, we are all friends, so be careful with your attitude."
"Okay." Zhao Hong picked up his bowl and started eating again.
Tian Qiang was also very distressed. He scratched his head and said, "I... Sister Lan, I originally wanted to set up a stall by myself in the future."
"I know, and I support it." Chen Lanjun's voice was gentle. "What are you worried about?"
Tian Qiang whispered, "But if other educated youths also set up stalls, then we will have more competitors. What if they want to lower the price and force us out? I heard from my grandfather that there were many such incidents in the old society."
Chen Lanjun nodded: "You're right. But that's why we have to hold a symposium first and compete to be the person in charge."
She thought for a moment and said, "You should set up the stall first. At least you don't have to worry this month. Even if you hold a meeting, there won't be that many people who can respond."
Zhao Hong couldn't help but interrupt: "No way? Everyone knows that we are making money, and the street office encourages us to do it. Who wouldn't do it? We are not fools."
Chen Lanjun pursed her lips and smiled: "It's troublesome because they are all smart people."
She said to the two of them, "Anyway, let's just eat well and set up the stall well. As for the rest, we'll see later."
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