Chapter 48 Chapter 48 (Minor Repair) The team mentioned...
The application submitted by the brigade was quickly approved by the commune. The application listed the business plan, personnel arrangements and expected profits, and the words between the lines all indicated that it was for all the disaster-stricken families in the brigade to help themselves.
However, although the commune issued a red-headed document approving self-help business, it clearly stipulated that the business period was only one month. After the one-month period, the temporary license would be immediately invalidated, and if there was any further stall operation, it would be treated as speculation.
Cheng Xin calculated the time carefully and found that one month was enough to process all the corn that the families in the brigade had harvested in advance, and there would even be time to re-elect the brigade's cadre team.
Wang Fugui’s serious dereliction of duty implicated all brigade cadres, who were dismissed from their posts. The dismissed cadres are not allowed to participate in the members’ voting and election within five years.
They were the cadres elected by the members with high hopes, but they did not do their job and not only failed to serve the people, but also obeyed Wang Fugui's orders.
Cheng Xin didn't care much about the election, it had nothing to do with her anyway. She had been so busy these days that she had no time to rest. She had suggested setting up stalls to do business in order to help the villagers save themselves, so she naturally couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
She personally demonstrated how to make popcorn and corn juice. From the selection of corn kernels, the control of the heat to the proportion of seasonings, every step was explained in detail.
In order to eliminate everyone's concerns about making money by setting up stalls, Cheng Xin and her aunt decided to lead the way with practical actions. They would first make popcorn and corn juice from their own corn and sell them in the city. When everyone saw them making money, they would no longer have any worries.
Cheng Xin used charcoal to plan the sales plan on a discarded blackboard. She followed the strategy Geng Yunye taught her and suggested that everyone disperse to different areas to sell. After all, there was only one cinema in the commune, and the whole team couldn't squeeze in. Not only would it affect sales, it might also cause management chaos.
She gave priority to allocating stalls in places with heavy traffic, such as cinemas, department stores, and entrances to train stations, to members from families in difficult circumstances, such as those with a labor shortage and only half-grown children who could move to the city.
The members all expressed their support for Cheng Xin's proposal. In their opinion, as long as they could earn money to make up for the grain lost this year, it didn't matter if they had to go to a few more places and work harder. It was better than not having food to eat.
This time when they went out to set up the stall, Cheng Xin and her aunt also brought Aunt Li and Aunt He with them as helpers.
Aunt Li and Aunt He are well-known activists in the team. On the one hand, they can help out, and on the other hand, they can see for themselves whether the business is really as easy to do as Cheng Xin said.
Cheng Xin considered all aspects carefully. She did not borrow a tricycle with Geng Yunye's favor, but openly used the brigade's ox cart. The brigade is now in a period of cadre replacement. There is no person in charge who can speak out. There are only two cadres sent by the commune to temporarily manage it.
Besides, this was a collective business of the brigade, and Geng Yunye was not a member of the brigade. His help was out of favor. The brigade's mess had nothing to do with him, and she didn't want Geng Yunye to work for nothing.
Before leaving, Geng Yunye told her that he was going on a long journey and might not be back for half a month, but he memorized the phone number of the Yingzui Cliff Brigade.
Geng Yunye said that Guangdong City is about to hold the Autumn Fair, which is a grand event that gathers business opportunities from all over the country. He wants to go and take a look to find development opportunities for the Gengjiawan Brigade.
Even though Cheng Xin was reluctant, she understood that adults should have their own pursuits and responsibilities instead of indulging in romantic relationships.
On the day of departure, the oxcart was loaded with several barrels of cooked corn juice and two baskets of packaged popcorn. In addition, it was equipped with two stoves, two pots, pre-ground corn juice, processed sun-dried corn kernels and various seasonings.
We set out early and headed for Haiwan Commune as soon as the roosters crowed. The ox cart was so full of goods that there was no room for people to sit, so we had to walk behind the cart. Fortunately, it only took more than an hour to walk from the brigade to Haiwan Commune.
It was bad luck. Geng Yunye had helped raise the height of the Cheng family's barn, so when the brigade encountered heavy rain and flooding, the Cheng family was the only lucky one to keep the food.
However, the last time Cheng Xin was making popcorn, her brother took the bag of corn out of the barn and carelessly did not put it back, causing most of the bag of last year's corn to get damp and had to be dried and made into popcorn.
The ox cart stopped in front of the Haiwan Commune Cinema. After unloading the goods, the driver, Old Liu, pulled the ox to find a place to graze. He did not want to set up a stall with the ox cart, but to go and herd the cattle.
Cheng Xin and her aunt's stalls were placed next to each other, and you would have thought they were from the same family. The relationship between the two families had always been harmonious. Her aunt was straightforward and said what she thought. She never spoke ill of others behind their backs and would argue with them in person.
Aunt He looked at the deserted streets around her and looked worried: "Aren't we just standing here like this? Don't we have to go from street to street to shout?"
Cheng Xin explained to her, "The Haiwan Commune has different policies from ours. It's still early now. There will be more people on the street after eight o'clock. We'll have to ask you two aunts to help us then."
Aunt He and Aunt Li immediately patted their chests and assured, "Don't worry, we are not good at accounting, but we are very good at work."
Sure enough, at around seven o'clock, people started setting up stalls on the street.
It is still the morning market time, mainly selling vegetables and daily necessities. When the morning market is over at 9 o'clock, it will be the turn of the snack stalls to "take over".
It was the first time for Aunt He and Aunt Li to see such a scene. Haiwan Commune was full of ordinary people doing business. The sounds of shouting and bargaining were heard one after another, and the two were stunned.
Just after seven o'clock, more and more people came onto the street, and the cinema behind us also opened for business.
Cheng Xin and her aunt put popcorn and corn juice on the table, while Aunt Li and Aunt He were making preparations in an orderly manner.
As the flow of people increased, someone soon came to the stall and looked at it curiously: "Popcorn? I didn't expect that there are people in the south who can make it."
Cheng Xin could tell at a glance that the other party was a self-employed businessman. She showed no fear at all and introduced with a calm smile: "Uncle, the popcorn is made from our own corn. It tastes crispy and sweet. The caramel flavor is 50 cents, and the salty flavor is 30 cents. The corn juice is the tender corn that matures early in the field. It is nutritious and delicious. It's 20 cents a bowl."
The uncle took out the money without hesitation and said, "Give me a caramel one to try."
The other person grabbed a handful and put it into his mouth, his eyes lit up, "It tastes good! Although the price is not cheap, the taste is worth the price." After that, he bought another one and left with two servings of popcorn, contentedly.
By two o'clock in the afternoon, the two baskets of popcorn were empty and most of the corn juice had been sold.
Cheng Xin took the time to drink some water; her throat was almost smoking.
My great aunt has learned how to make popcorn, and the freshly made popcorn fills the entire street with the smell of caramel.
The lady from the stall next door came over, her face full of envy, "I've been selling here for so long, and this is the first time I've seen business so prosperous!"
Cheng Xin smiled and responded, "Big sister, this flavor of popcorn is rare. Once everyone's excitement wears off, business will naturally slow down."
The sun was setting, and only a few popcorns and the last bit of corn juice were left at the stall.
Cheng Xin looked at the few remaining goods and felt a sense of accomplishment.
Wang Xiuping wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits: "Thanks to your good idea, now everyone has hope."
As they were talking, the last portion of popcorn and corn juice was sold, and the customers in front of the stall gradually dispersed.
Aunt He and Aunt Li were so tired that their backs ached, but their faces were filled with unprecedented excitement and joy: "Today is really an eye-opener, the business is better than we imagined!"
Cheng Xin was too busy to wipe the sweat off her face. Her eyes curved into a crescent shape: "Thanks to your help today, otherwise my aunt and I wouldn't be able to handle it."
After packing up the stalls, everyone started their journey home. Everyone was talking about today's business, and laughter echoed throughout the road.
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