Chapter 59 Haifeng Trading Company
In May, cicadas chirped their hearts out in the kapok trees outside the courtyard.
It was a weekend, and Jiang Suining was at home reviewing documents on the construction progress of the cold storage facility when she heard her sister-in-law calling from outside the gate.
"Xiao Jiang, are you home?"
Jiang Suining quickly opened the door and welcomed Sister Lian in. Sister Lian had a slightly furrowed brow and was fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan in her hand, clearly indicating that she hadn't just come to visit and chat.
"Sister-in-law, come in and sit down. It's so hot today." Jiang Suining poured her a cup of reed root and sugarcane juice that Lu Ye had boiled.
Sister-in-law Lian took the cup, but didn't drink it right away. She sighed and said, "Xiao Jiang, I've come today because I need your help with something."
“Sister-in-law, you’re too kind. Just tell me what it is, and I’ll do it if I can,” Jiang Suining said readily.
“It’s because of Haisheng,” Sister-in-law Lian said with a worried look. “His high school entrance exam is just around the corner in July, but his grades, especially his English and Chinese composition, are absolutely terrible! Lao Zhang and I are so worried. When we try to talk to him, he either stays silent or talks back. I’m at my wit’s end. I remember last time you came to our house for dinner, you smoothed things over with just a few words. I even heard him say that Aunt Jiang’s math explanations were clearer than the teacher’s. After that, I saw him coming over to ask questions about math more often, and his grades improved. So, I thought I’d be so bold as to ask if you could spare some time to tutor him on the weekends?”
Upon hearing about this matter, Jiang Suining looked at her sister-in-law's anxious yet expectant eyes and thought of Zhang Haisheng's cleverness. She nodded almost without hesitation: "Okay, sister-in-law, I agree to this. Let Haisheng come over, and I'll give it a try."
Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Lian beamed with joy and tightly grasped Jiang Suining's hand: "Oh, thank you so much, Xiao Jiang! You really saved my life!"
After his sister-in-law went back, Zhang Haisheng reluctantly appeared in Jiang Suining's living room with his old canvas schoolbag on his back, but dared not disobey his mother's orders.
Zhang Haisheng still liked Jiang Suining explaining problems to him, but he just didn't like English and Chinese, and he was too lazy to even ask questions, which was one of the reasons why his grades didn't improve.
Jiang Suining said that Zhang Haisheng didn't like English. Generally speaking, the smarter a child is, the less they like boring rote memorization, but for English, memorization is fundamental.
"Haisheng, let's not look at the book yet." Jiang Suining took out a piece of paper, quickly drew a few pictures, and wrote English words below them.
Curious, Zhang Haisheng leaned closer to look. The paper contained drawings of an apple, a glass of water, and a running person. Each drawing had an English word below it, which he recognized: "Apple," "Water," and "Run."
“Let’s play a game,” Jiang Suining said with a smile. “I’ll hold up a card, and you tell me what it is in English. There’s a reward if you get it right.” She had prepared a few fruit candies that Lu Ye had bought.
Zhang Haisheng became interested. He stumbled a bit at first, but with the encouragement of the candy and Jiang Suining's encouraging gaze, he gradually became more fluent. Jiang Suining then combined the cards into short sentences, such as "I eat an apple," and acted them out with exaggerated gestures, asking Zhang Haisheng to imitate and repeat after her.
“Learning a language isn’t for exams, it’s for using it,” Jiang Suining patiently explained. “Imagine you meet a foreign friend one day. How do you tell them your name? How do you ask them if they’ve eaten?” She began teaching the simplest everyday conversations: “My name is Zhang Haisheng.” “How are you?”
She had Zhang Haisheng play different roles and have him speak in dialogues. Although his pronunciation still had a heavy accent and his sentences were simple, for the first time, Zhang Haisheng felt that the gibberish foreign language didn't seem so distant or annoying anymore.
Jiang Suining also found some old English newspapers that Lu Ye occasionally brought back, pointing to the simple headlines or product logos, and told him that this is how these English words are used in the real world. Zhang Haisheng was very curious and stared at them for a long time, but unfortunately he couldn't understand them.
Jiang Suining knew she had used the right method, so she quickly explained some basic preposition usages to him, not by rote memorization, but by drawing pictures, using real objects, or giving intuitive on-site demonstrations, such as putting the book on the table in/on/under the desk.
Zhang Haisheng discovered that this learning method was indeed effective. Words that he could never memorize or understand the usage of in the past could be easily memorized by Jiang Suining by drawing them in one stroke or drawing a picture on paper. He could even speak simple sentences.
It seems that learning English isn't as difficult as he imagined, and he suddenly felt very confident.
Compared to English, Zhang Haisheng's fear of Chinese composition is even greater. In his words, "I have nothing to write about, and I can't force myself to write anything."
Jiang Suining didn't immediately ask him to write about grand topics like "My Ideal" or "The Most Unforgettable Thing." For their first essay tutoring session, she simply asked Zhang Haisheng to describe what he had done the previous afternoon.
After stammering for a while, Zhang Haisheng finally said, "Yesterday afternoon? I didn't do anything, just played outside with Da Mao and the others for a while."
"What did you play? Where did you play? What was the weather like? What did you talk about? Were you happy?" Jiang Suining coaxed patiently, "Don't think of this as writing an essay. Just think of it as chatting with your Uncle Lu or me, telling you about interesting things."
Guided by Jiang Suining's series of specific questions, Zhang Haisheng slowly opened up: "We were playing kicking tin cans in the open space behind the family compound. It was so hot, we were sweating buckets in the sun. Da Mao even cheated, insisting he didn't kick it even though he clearly did, so we started arguing. Later, Er Niu came out to be the referee. In the end, we were all sweating from running around, so we bought a three-cent popsicle at the convenience store and drank it. It was so refreshing!"
“Look!” Jiang Suining’s eyes lit up. “Isn’t this great material? It has time, place, people, events, conflicts, results, and feelings. If you write it down in order, clearly and appropriately, it will be a very vivid short narrative.”
She then offered guidance: "When writing essays, especially narrative essays, the most important thing is sincerity. Write about what you have seen with your own eyes, experienced personally, and felt genuinely. For example, you can write about the beads of sweat rolling down your forehead when you kick a can, the way your face turns red during an argument, or the moment of satisfaction when you eat an ice pop. By writing down these details, the essay will come alive."
She even specially selected several short, concise, and vividly descriptive model essays from the composition book that Zhang Haisheng had brought and read them to him, helping him analyze the structure of the essays: how to start an engaging paragraph, how to describe the process in detail, and how to end the essay naturally and powerfully.
Zhang Haisheng mentioned that he doesn't know how to use idioms and sometimes doesn't have any insights, but his teacher said that using idioms in essays and having profound insights are the keys to getting high scores.
She told him not to worry about idioms and insights, saying that the opening didn't have to be "time flies," and that he could just write "That hot afternoon, a game with my friends that still makes me laugh to this day," a straightforward and down-to-earth style.
She also comforted him, saying that the ending didn't have to be about learning some profound truth; it could simply be something like, "That three-cent popsicle seemed to take away the heat of the whole summer," which would be just as good.
Zhang Haisheng listened intently. The confusion he had had in his writing seemed to have all disappeared at this moment. He used to think that he didn't just not know how to write, but that he didn't know what to write at all. But at this moment, he realized that many things in his daily life were worth recording.
After several weekends, although Zhang Haisheng still occasionally scratched his head in frustration, the resistance he showed towards English and essay writing had noticeably lessened. He tried to memorize words using the methods taught by Jiang Suining, and when writing essays, he tried to recall details instead of simply shouting empty slogans.
One day, Sister-in-law Lian came over and happily told Jiang Suining that Teacher Haisheng had recently praised him, saying that his writing had improved.
Of course, that's a story for another time.
The first batch of clothing produced by the labor protection factory quickly sold out, and the five salesmen continued to run around the market, bringing back a steady stream of orders. Jiang Suining also increased production.
On this night, the sea breeze brought a rare coolness after the start of summer. After seeing off the sales clerk who was checking accounts, Jiang Suining sat alone in the back room of Xinfeng Clothing Store, rubbing her throbbing temples under the dim light.
An unprecedented feeling of exhaustion and powerlessness washed over me.
The cold storage is her foundation and she can't afford to relax on it; while the clothing business has just started to take off and is on a good momentum, so she needs to devote a lot of energy to grasping the design and market direction. Even if she had three heads and six arms, she would inevitably have to take care of one thing and neglect another.
Now, her brother has started his own family, and her sister-in-law Liu Hong is smart and down-to-earth. Her work at the Women's Federation of the Labor Protection Factory has also honed her interpersonal skills. Most importantly, Liu Hong is one of our own and trustworthy.
An idea became clear in her mind.
The next day, Jiang Suining deliberately chose a time when her brother Jiang Fengnian was also home before returning to her parents' home in Coconut Grove Village. After dinner, the family sat in the courtyard enjoying the cool evening air, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans and chatting idly.
Jiang Suining seized the opportunity and spoke up: "Sister-in-law, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Liu Hong was pouring water for Jiang Fengnian when she heard this and looked up: "What's going on? You're discussing it now. Tell me."
“Look, my operations have gotten a bit too big. The cold storage needs people, and the orders for clothing are piling up. I have to oversee the design, production, and sales. I’m really struggling to keep up,” Jiang Suining said sincerely. “This clothing store is the foundation. In the future, I want to use it as a design showcase and small-batch boutique customization point for our clothing business, as well as a place for large-scale clothing sales. Once the cold storage is built, we can also do seafood wholesale business. We need manpower, especially someone absolutely trustworthy and capable to lead and manage it.”
She looked at Liu Hong with clear and sincere eyes: "Sister-in-law, you've seen the production process at the labor protection factory, and you're good at communicating with people at the Women's Federation. You're also very steady. I'd like to invite you to come and work with me. You'll be in charge of the clothing business, including overseeing the production quality at the labor protection factory and handling some sales."
Liu Hong was stunned, clearly not expecting her sister-in-law to make such an invitation. She subconsciously glanced at her husband, Jiang Fengnian, beside her.
Jiang Suining continued, "Although the labor protection factory is stable, you know how unprofitable it is. Coming here, your salary will definitely be higher than what you are now, and it's our own business. If we do well, there will be a year-end bonus. If we sisters-in-law work together, we can definitely do even better."
Jiang Fengnian had been listening quietly. Now, he put down his palm-leaf fan, looked at his sister, and said in a steady tone, "Sui Sui, are you trying to get your sister-in-law to join you?"
“Brother, you can join us, but you don’t need to invest. I mainly want to ask my sister-in-law to help me, and also to help our family,” Jiang Suining said seriously. “Now is the right time. It’s always better for family members to work together than to let outsiders get involved.”
Jiang Fengnian remained silent for a moment. He understood his sister's abilities and courage, and he also knew that although his wife's job at the labor protection factory was easy, her future prospects were indeed limited.
He turned to Liu Hong and asked, "Hong, what do you think? Don't rush to answer, think it through."
Liu Hong's mind was in turmoil. Her sister-in-law's suggestion was undoubtedly very tempting: higher income, a more promising career, and working for her own family. But giving up the stable but low-paying job at the labor protection factory required a lot of courage in this era.
She hesitated and said, "I know Sui Sui means well, but it's just that I'm giving up my government job, and I'm a little unsure about it..."
Jiang Suining understood her concerns and said, "Sister-in-law, I understand. Here's what we'll do: you don't need to make a decision right away. You can first apply for a leave of absence without pay at the labor protection factory, or take a leave of absence for a while, and come over to try helping me for a period of time to see if you can adapt and if you feel there's any future in it. If you think it's okay, then we can finalize it, how about that?"
This compromise relieved Liu Hong. She looked at Jiang Fengnian, seeking his opinion with her eyes.
Jiang Fengnian held his wife's hand, a supportive smile on his honest face: "Ah Hong, I think Sui Sui's approach is right. You're meticulous, so you'll definitely be good at managing production quality. I earn a high salary at the construction company, and we don't have any burdens at home. If you want to give it a try, I support you. Even if things don't go well, you still have me, right? I'll support you."
Her husband's simple yet firm words were like a reassuring pill. Liu Hong looked at her husband, then at her sister-in-law whose eyes were full of expectation and trust. The hesitation in her heart was gradually replaced by a surge of eager courage. She took a deep breath and nodded vigorously.
"Okay! Sui Sui, Auntie, I'll listen to you! I'll talk to the factory about taking a long leave and come help you. Let's give it a try together!"
Liu Hong's official joining was like a shot in the arm for Jiang Suining, prompting her to examine her career from a higher and longer-term perspective.
At night, she sat at her desk, with the cold storage plan, the clothing business ledger, and a thick stack of orders from all over the country spread out in front of her.
Under the light, her eyes were focused and bright.
She thought of the cold storage facility that was about to be put into use. In the future, it would not only store frozen seafood, but also various fruits and vegetables. This would require a more respectable and standardized channel to sell them. Her clothing business should not be limited to the production line of the labor protection factory and those few salespeople. She could integrate resources, have her own brand, and a wider sales network.
“Trade…” she murmured, her eyes shining brighter. This word was more inclusive than “clothing factory” or “cold storage plant” and better reflected her core ideas of circulation and trade.
The next day, she told Lu Ye about this bold idea.
After listening to her analysis, Lu Ye went from initial surprise to deep thought, and finally to support: "Your thinking is very clear. It is indeed time to standardize operations and establish your own brand. However, registering a company, especially now, may not be simple. Have you thought of a name?"
“I’ve thought it through,” Jiang Suining said confidently. “We’ll name it ‘Haifeng Trading Company.’ Hai represents the island where we’re based, and it also means that our business will be as inclusive as the ocean. Feng means that we hope our products will be more abundant, and that we can work with all our partners to create a bountiful and prosperous future.”
With the name decided, the next step was the tedious preparatory work. Jiang Suining knew that in the early days of reform and opening up, it was not easy to establish a private company. It required policy permission and extensive communication with various parties. She once again demonstrated her tenacity and forward-thinking.
She meticulously prepared a detailed report, analyzing the necessity of establishing a trading company, explaining the scope of business, and highlighting that after the company is established, it will not only solve employment problems and revitalize state-owned assets, but also promote the circulation of goods on the island and their export, while increasing local tax revenue.
She also attached the approval documents for the cold storage project, the contract with the labor protection factory, recent clothing sales orders, and financial statements, using concrete data to prove the project's profitability and development prospects.
With this report in hand, she once again sought out the deputy director of the management committee who had previously supported her.
After reading the report, the deputy director pondered for a long time, his eyes full of admiration: "Comrade Jiang Suining, you've made great strides! However, the concept of a 'trading company' that you proposed, and this idea of integrating resources, does indeed align with the central government's current spirit of revitalizing the economy. You've solved employment issues and created benefits. The management committee, in principle, supports your bold attempt!"
With the initial approval from the management committee, Jiang Suining began shuttling between the industry and commerce, taxation and other departments.
She patiently explained the company's nature and business scope to the staff, providing supplementary materials time and time again, and answering various questions. Inevitably, she encountered some evasions and misunderstandings due to ambiguous policy boundaries, but she always remained sincere, argued her points logically, and let her thorough preparation and solid performance speak for themselves.
Meanwhile, she was also looking for office space for the company. In the end, she rented a small courtyard house on the street that was not too far from the labor protection factory and the dock. Although it only had three rooms, the location was convenient and it was also somewhat formal.
The walls were simply painted, and a sign with the words "Haifeng Trading Company" in black lettering on a white background was made out of wooden boards and temporarily placed against the wall.
In terms of funding, she used some of the profits from her clothing business as start-up and registered capital for the company. She also designed a simple company logo and formulated company rules and regulations; although simple, it was the beginning of everything becoming formalized.
A month later, after all the materials were complete and all the procedures were finalized, Jiang Suining finally received the long-awaited, thin yet incredibly important "Enterprise Legal Person Business License" from the relevant department.
Looking at the printed words "Haifeng Trading Company" and the bright red official seal in the lower right corner, her fingers trembled slightly, and her heart was filled with emotion.
Sunlight shone on the brand-new signboard, reflecting a dazzling light.
Jiang Suining stood at the door, looking at her family and friends, and said in a clear and firm voice: "From today onwards, we have our own 'home'! From now on, the cold storage will be our warehousing base, and clothing will be our flagship product, but our stage will not stop there! We will sell the best products from the island and bring in the latest products from outside! Let's all work together to make the name 'Haifeng' more and more famous!"
Everyone applauded, their faces beaming with excitement and hope for starting a business.
Standing beside Jiang Suining, Liu Hong looked at her sister-in-law's confident and composed profile, her heart filled with admiration and a sense of participation. She knew that she had taken the right step.
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