Chapter 5: Take advantage of the opportunity
Zhou Anan spent one dollar and fifty cents on a bus to the city, and then spent another dollar on a bus to the Industrial and Commercial Bureau. In an instant, her startup capital was reduced by two dollars and fifty cents, which was heartbreaking.
Zhou Anan hurriedly walked into the gate of the Industrial and Commercial Bureau, and her pace quickened. If she was a little later, her uncle would be off work. In this era without mobile phones, there was no way to contact him in advance, and it was even more impossible to call the landline at home. If her parents found out, everything would be ruined.
The gatekeeper took a quick glance and didn't react at all. He never stopped the staff's children from coming in.
The reason why Zhou Anan dared to trick Jian Rongrong into quitting her job as a waiter before deciding on the venue and opening time was because her uncle-in-law worked in the Industrial and Commercial Bureau and happened to be in charge of the land for the night market. Zhou Anan had already thought of a plan to trick her uncle-in-law.
In this era when the "invincible" army of urban management has not yet been born, the Industrial and Commercial Bureau is indeed the authoritative department that has the final say in ordinary commercial markets, without a doubt.
"Uncle."
Zhou Anan easily found her uncle-in-law's office, pushed the door open and walked in. She looked at her uncle-in-law who was busy processing documents and shouted with a smile.
"An An, why are you here?"
Looking up and seeing his eldest nephew, Cao Guoan asked in surprise and put down the work at hand.
This eldest nephew suddenly rushed over. Did something happen?
"I'm just passing by here and came to see you, uncle."
Zhou Anan poured a cup of tea for her uncle-in-law in a flattering manner, then opened a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes she picked up from her parents' bedroom and handed one to her uncle-in-law with extremely skillful movements.
"Heh, kid, when did you become so sensible?"
Taking the cigarette from his nephew, Cao Guoan pointed at him with a smile and cursed, then put the cigarette under his nose and smelled it.
He didn't expect that his nephew had the ability to deal with people in this way.
"I have always been so sensible, but you just didn't notice it."
Zhou Anan was not polite at all to her uncle-in-law who always treated her as his own son. As she spoke, she picked up the lighter on the table and lit the cigarette for her uncle-in-law.
"Tell me, what's the matter?"
After taking a puff of cigarette, a hint of surprise flashed in Cao Guoan's eyes, and then he asked a question.
Once upon a time, the taciturn nephew became so talkative.
It seems that the Zhou family has a successor.
"Well, uncle, it's been more than half a month since I finished the college entrance examination. I'm bored at home. Some classmates suggested that we open a barbecue stall together. We can gain some experience and make some pocket money. I have never done this before, so I came to ask uncle, what do you think? Do I need to apply for a business license or something?"
Zhou Anan had already considered her words, and she said them without blushing or feeling any pressure.
As a young man, there is nothing wrong with asking carefully before setting up a barbecue stall.
"Barbecue stand? You guys, don't waste all the pocket money your parents gave you."
After listening to his nephew's story, Cao Guoan raised his eyebrows and said something earnestly.
In a flash of thought, Cao Guoan didn't have too many thoughts.
He didn't know which classmates he was talking about with his nephew, but he thought they all graduated from No. 1 Middle School, so if they had the idea of doing something, it shouldn't be a big problem.
As for his eldest nephew's participation, Cao Guoan, who was at work, had no intention of stopping him. He said it was good for boys to exercise, but it required adults to keep an eye on it.
"We have no experience, so we come to ask you, an old businessman, for advice."
Seeing that her brother-in-law did not refuse outright, Zhou Anan knew that her plan was most likely fine. The next step was to test how thick his skin was.
Take advantage of as much as you can.
"Since you and your classmates are doing this together, you can set up an open-air stall at the intersection of the Gongshang Supermarket in the night market. We happen to have some unused tables and chairs in our warehouse that we can lend to you temporarily. You and your classmates can call a car and go to the warehouse to move them."
After thinking for a while, Cao Guoan began to give advice to his nephew.
He is very supportive of his eldest nephew's desire to experience life.
Although he is just an ordinary clerk in the Industrial and Commercial Bureau, he has been in this unit for decades and has rich experience, so he still has some face.
Anyway, the things in the warehouse were almost moldy from being idle, and in the end they were sold as scrap or even set on fire.
"Thank you, uncle. Do you need any documents?"
Unexpectedly, his uncle-in-law was so thoughtful that his shamelessness was of no use at all. Zhou Anan continued to ask another question.
"It's just a small stall. Why should I apply for a business license? I can just talk to our director."
Cao Guoan didn't care about his nephew's little fight and just smiled and waved his hand.
"That's fine."
In Zhou Anan's opinion, the benefits of obtaining a business license are not small.
However, seeing how casual her uncle-in-law was now, Zhou Anan decided to take it slow.
"By the way, your aunt has been checking very strictly recently, so this bag is given to me."
Cao Guoan directly confiscated the newly opened hard-box Zhonghua cigarettes that his nephew had placed on the table.
He is doing this for the good of his nephew, trying to keep an eye on his brother-in-law. Who knows if young people nowadays will smoke randomly.
"Okay, then I'll go to the warehouse to get the goods."
Seeing how her uncle-in-law was taking the cigarettes, Zhou Anan knew that the cigarettes she had taken from the pack were gone forever, so she didn't worry about it.
"If it's urgent, I'll go with you and talk to Lao Liu in the warehouse."
Cao Guoan didn't expect his nephew to be so anxious. He smiled and stood up, ready to take him to identify the person.
After all, they are young people and they are full of energy.
"Excuse me, uncle."
"When did you become so polite, kid?"
The office of the Xicheng Industrial and Commercial Bureau and the warehouse were only about fifty meters apart. While Zhou Anan and her brother-in-law were chatting, they arrived there in a blink of an eye.
"Old Liu."
Arriving in front of an old two-story house, Cao Guoan shouted to a middle-aged man in the gatehouse and handed him a cigarette.
"Lao Cao, how come you have time to come here?"
Taking the cigarette handed to him by Lao Cao, Lao Liu asked with a smile.
"This is my oldest nephew. He just graduated from the college entrance exam and wants to open a barbecue stall. I remember a batch of tables and chairs were confiscated some time ago. I will lend them to my oldest nephew for two days and return them when the time comes."
Cao Guoan spoke out without hesitation about this small matter which did not violate any major rules.
"They are all going to be destroyed anyway, so just take them, nephew. Why are you asking me to lend them?"
After hearing what Cao Guoan said, Lao Liu waved his hand generously.
"Well, it still counts as a loan."
Cao Guoan, who has always been cautious in doing things, did not appreciate this kindness. After all, the procedures still had to be followed.
Anyway, my nephew will only use it for one or two months, so it's fine if he returns it and destroys it. But if he takes it away directly, it's a matter of principle, and there's no need to be greedy for such a small amount of money.
"Okay, I'll go and tidy it up for you. Do you want me to call a car to take it to your nephew?"
Taking out the key to the warehouse from the duty room, Lao Liu said to Zhou Anan enthusiastically.
"No, no, I can just call a taxi myself. Thank you, Uncle Liu."
It would be a lie to say that she was not tempted by Lao Liu's suggestion. However, Zhou Anan, who was too bothered by the hassle, could not afford to waste too much favor on her uncle-in-law since calling a car would only cost twenty or thirty yuan anyway.
"Okay, take a look at these tables and chairs. Take any good ones. Lao Cao, I'm going back to the duty room to cool off. Let me know when you leave."
After opening the door of a warehouse, Lao Liu said something to the two of them, then turned around and walked back to the air-conditioned duty room.
Looking at the brand new composite board folding tables and chairs piled up like a mountain in the warehouse, Zhou Anan felt that she had made the right decision to find her uncle-in-law.
"These are counterfeit products we seized from a factory last time. Except for the fake trademarks, the quality is absolutely fine."
Opening a table and patting the thick desktop, Cao Guoan began to introduce things with a smile, fearing that his young nephew would have any doubts.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
