Chapter 107 A Brand New Year
Time flies by like a white horse. At the end of August 1980, China made a major decision to set up special economic zones in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou in Guangdong Province and Xiamen in Fujian Province.
This news was like a bolt from the blue, causing a huge uproar across the country and also stirring up waves in Jiang Ruoxi's heart. She keenly realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime development opportunity. Once seized, she would not only be able to create a better life for herself and her family, but might also be able to contribute to social development.
Jiang Ruoxi couldn't wait to discuss it with Lu Tingxiao. After careful consideration, the two decided to go to Guangdong Province during the summer vacation of 1981 to explore development opportunities. Lu Tingxiao had been looking forward to embarking on this challenging and unknown journey with Jiang Ruoxi. The couple would work hand in hand to explore new horizons together.
However, plans could not keep up with changes, and the army arranged for him to fully prepare for the large-scale military exercises in North China in September. This was a mission of great significance and arduous responsibility, which was related to the combat effectiveness of the troops and national defense security. Lu Tingxiao knew that he could not slack off in the slightest, so he could only reluctantly give up his plan to travel with Jiang Ruoxi.
Even though he couldn't be there in person, Lu Tingxiao tried his best to provide support and protection for Jiang Ruoxi. He carefully selected a group of outstanding veterans from the army. These soldiers all have excellent physical fitness, strong sense of discipline, and possess indomitable will and hard-working spirit.
Lu Tingxiao hoped that they would accompany Jiang Ruoxi to Guangdong Province. On the one hand, this would provide Jiang Ruoxi with more security during her trip, and on the other hand, it would also give these veterans an opportunity to broaden their horizons and seek new development.
Previously, Jiang Ruoxi and Lu Tingxiao had discussed the employment and placement of veterans many times. Both of them felt that this was a social problem that needed to be solved urgently, so they came up with the idea of starting a company to place veterans.
When Jiang Ruoxi heard about the establishment of a special economic zone, she asked Lu Tingxiao to select a group of veterans to go with her to investigate whether the development environment there was suitable for realizing their entrepreneurial ideas.
On the day of departure, the sun was particularly bright. Jiang Ruoxi, with her carefully packed luggage and full of expectations, gathered at the station with the selected veterans.
Lu Tingxiao came to the station early to see her off. He held Jiang Ruoxi's hand tightly, his eyes full of concern and reluctance: "Wife, the journey is long and the place is unfamiliar. You must be careful. If there is anything, send me a telegram at any time!"
Jiang Ruoxi nodded slightly, with a determined light in her eyes: "Don't worry, I will take good care of myself and take everyone to investigate. You should also concentrate on preparing for the exercise in the army. I will wait for your triumphant return!"
The train started slowly. Lu Tingxiao stood on the platform, watching the train go farther and farther away until it disappeared into the distant horizon. Jiang Ruoxi sat in the carriage, looking at the scenery outside the window that was constantly receding, with a myriad of thoughts in her mind. She was well aware that this trip was a heavy responsibility, not only concerning her own future, but also the livelihoods and future of these veterans.
After a long journey, they finally arrived in Guang Province. As soon as you get off the train, you are greeted by a booming atmosphere of development. The streets are crowded with busy figures everywhere. New high-rise buildings are springing up like mushrooms after a rain, and various promotional slogans and investment advertisements can be seen everywhere. Jiang Ruoxi and the veterans were deeply shocked by the scene before them. They realized that this place was indeed full of infinite possibilities.
In the following days, Jiang Ruoxi led everyone to run around and gain an in-depth understanding of local policies and regulations, market demand and investment environment. They visited factories and enterprises one after another, communicated with local entrepreneurs and government workers, and did not miss any potential development opportunities.
During the inspection, Jiang Ruoxi found that the electronic manufacturing and clothing processing industries were developing rapidly in the local area and the market demand was huge. She thought that these industries were labor-intensive and might be able to employ a large number of veterans, which would coincide with their previous entrepreneurial ideas.
However, the road to entrepreneurship is not always smooth. They encountered many difficulties in finding a suitable venue and partners. Due to limited knowledge of local conditions and limited funds, many venues are either too expensive or have undesirable locations.
The selection of partners also took a lot of effort for them. Although some partners were capable, their conditions were harsh and it was difficult to reach a consensus; others had poor credibility and posed potential risks. Faced with these setbacks, Jiang Ruoxi and the veterans did not become discouraged. Instead, they encouraged each other and worked together to find solutions to the problems.
During the busy days of traveling around Guangdong Province, many difficult problems came one after another, making Jiang Ruoxi feel a little overwhelmed. When she was on the phone with Lu Tingxiao, she couldn't help but pour out all her worries, her words full of exhaustion and helplessness.
Lu Tingxiao felt distressed when he heard about his wife's troubles, and at the same time he quickly thought of a solution in his mind. Suddenly, he remembered that his elder brother had served as a group leader in Guangdong Province and had accumulated a lot of connections. With the idea of giving it a try, Lu Tingxiao called his eldest brother.
When the call was connected, Lu Tingxiao told his eldest brother everything about Jiang Ruoxi's situation. After listening, his eldest brother immediately said that he would do his best to help. Coincidentally, one of my brother’s good comrades-in-arms opened a factory in Guangdong Province. After Lu Tingxiao learned about this, he immediately asked his elder brother to contact this comrade-in-arms and help Jiang Ruoxi find some opportunities for cooperation.
The eldest brother acted swiftly and decisively. After hanging up the phone with Lu Tingxiao, he immediately dialed the number of his comrade-in-arms. After some warm greetings, the eldest brother explained the purpose of his visit and introduced his younger sister-in-law Jiang Ruoxi in particular, praising her intelligence and courage, as well as her determination to seek development in Guangdong Province.
When the eldest brother's comrade heard this, he readily agreed to help and said that he had worked in Guangdong Province for many years and was very familiar with the local market environment, and might be able to provide Jiang Ruoxi with some useful suggestions.
The eldest brother also learned that his comrade's factory was engaged in the currently popular electronics business, which had many similarities with Jiang Ruoxi's entrepreneurial direction. This ignited hope in the eldest brother's heart, and he felt that this might be the key to opening up the situation. So, he told his comrade in detail the address of the guesthouse where Jiang Ruoxi was currently staying, and asked him to take time to go and meet with Jiang Ruoxi.
After hanging up the phone, the eldest brother called Lu Tingxiao back to inform him of the progress and to reassure him. Lu Tingxiao was extremely grateful and thanked her repeatedly. After hanging up the phone, he immediately told Jiang Ruoxi the good news. After Jiang Ruoxi learned about this, the fire of hope was rekindled in her heart, and her originally tired face also showed a bit more anticipation.
A few days later, Jiang Ruoxi was sorting out documents in her room in the guesthouse when there was a sudden knock on the door. She opened the door and saw a middle-aged man standing at the door with a smile on his face. After he introduced himself, Jiang Ruoxi realized that the man was her eldest brother's comrade-in-arms, whose surname was Han and whose name was Han Jingshuo.
Han Jingshuo was very enthusiastic. After a few pleasantries, he got straight to the point. He gave a detailed introduction to his factory's operations, business scope, and the current development trends and potential opportunities of the Guangdong electronics market. Jiang Ruoxi listened very carefully, raising her own questions and ideas from time to time, and the two had a very pleasant conversation.
During the communication, Jiang Ruoxi found that Han Jingshuo was not only experienced but also sincere, and was also very interested in her entrepreneurial plan. Han Jingshuo said that he has always wanted to expand his business, and cooperation with Jiang Ruoxi might achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. After in-depth discussions, the two reached a preliminary intention to cooperate and agreed to further discuss the details of the cooperation later.
This meeting gave Jiang Ruoxi hope of success, and she couldn't wait to tell Lu Tingxiao the good news. On the other end of the phone, Lu Tingxiao was also sincerely happy for her and encouraged her to seize this opportunity.
With the support of Lu Tingxiao and the help of his elder brother and comrades, Jiang Ruoxi's entrepreneurial journey began to get on the right track. Afterwards, she communicated with the man frequently, jointly developed cooperation plans, and prepared various matters for the new company. Although she will still encounter various problems in the process, with the support of solid partners and family, Jiang Ruoxi is full of confidence and firmly believes that she can create a world of her own in this land full of opportunities, realize her dreams, and create a bright future for those veterans.
Later, by chance, Jiang Ruoxi met a local entrepreneur, Boss Li, through Han Jingshuo. Boss Li has been working in the electronics manufacturing industry for many years and has accumulated rich experience and resources. He is generous, honest and reliable.
After an in-depth conversation, Boss Li highly recognized Jiang Ruoxi's entrepreneurial plan and ideas. He expressed his willingness to provide venue and technical support and cooperate with Jiang Ruoxi to establish an electronics manufacturing company. This news made Jiang Ruoxi and the veterans ecstatic, as if they saw the dawn of hope.
As the cooperation progressed gradually, Jiang Ruoxi began to formulate detailed corporate planning and management systems. She developed a scientific and reasonable training program based on the characteristics of veterans to enable them to adapt to their new jobs as quickly as possible. At the same time, she also actively contacted customers and expanded market channels to lay a solid foundation for the development of the company.
Lu Tingxiao, who was far away in the north, also kept an eye on Jiang Ruoxi's progress after completing a large-scale military exercise in North China. He often wrote to Jiang Ruoxi, providing her with advice and encouragement. With the support and help of Lu Tingxiao, Jiang Ruoxi's entrepreneurial journey was full of hardships, but she moved forward steadily step by step.
Since Jiang Ruoxi had to continue her studies at the start of the school term, she selected two relatively outstanding veterans to lead the rest of the people to complete the cooperation with Boss Li. Jiang Ruoxi rushed back to Beijing to go to school first, and then came to attend the opening ceremony of the electronics factory they were cooperating with.
A few months later, the electronic manufacturing company jointly established by Jiang Ruoxi and Boss Li officially opened. On the opening day, colorful flags were flying, gongs and drums were beating, and many local government leaders, business representatives and media reporters came to congratulate.
Jiang Ruoxi stood on the stage, looking at the expectant faces below the stage, feeling filled with emotion. She knows that this is just the beginning and there is still a long way to go in the future, but she firmly believes that as long as everyone works together, they will be able to create their own glory in this land full of hope.
And those veterans have also found their own value in their new positions and started a new chapter in their lives. Their stories have also become a moving story in the development history of the special economic zones.
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