Seeing this, Gu Wei did not refuse again.
It's just a meal anyway; we can reciprocate by inviting them back later.
He also genuinely admired the soldiers who fought bravely to defend their country, and felt a desire to befriend them. At the same time, he was also curious about the questions he wanted to ask.
When Gu Hongjie learned that Chu Baisheng was the one who made a small tank out of bullet casings, his admiration for him arose spontaneously.
Which boy hasn't dreamed of joining the army since he was a child?
There's a saying that goes, "You'll regret joining the army for a few years, but you'll regret not joining for a lifetime."
Later that evening, Gu Wei took Gu Hongjie to Old Master Chu's house to watch TV, and then drove Chu Baisheng to Lufulou on Gexin Street for dinner.
Gu Wei knew that this time-honored brand, Lufulou, had a very interesting story. Its founder, Mr. Zhu Yejin, was very similar to Zhu Kaishan, the restaurant owner in the TV series "Crossing the Guandong".
Back then, I was only fourteen or fifteen years old when I braved countless hardships to travel from the central province to Harbin.
He worked diligently and assiduously as an apprentice to learn outdoor electrical work, earning the deep affection of his master.
Moreover, Zhu Yejin had practiced martial arts since childhood and was highly skilled, capable of defeating four or five Russian strongmen who bullied Chinese people all by himself.
But Zhu Yejin always had a dream in his heart, which was to do the Zhu family's old business—running a restaurant.
So a few years later, he opened a small restaurant with only four tables in an inconspicuous place in Daoli District. Of course, the name was still the same as when he was in the central province – Fuxiang Restaurant.
Because there was no private economy at that time, Zhu Yejin was cautious and honest in his business, and upheld the cultural spirit of "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness" to make his small shop thrive.
After the reform and opening up, a Hui Muslim snack shop opened near Gexin Street, and a restaurant called Lufulou opened at the east end of the street.
In 1987, the Zhu family rented a four-story building to the right of the Workers' Cultural Palace and renovated it into the "Lufulou" Grand Hotel, hanging up four signs.
The provincial leaders at the time gladly inscribed a plaque for Lufulou, and many celebrities such as Zhao Zhongxiang, Ni Ping, and Chen Peisi came to taste Lufulou's delicacies.
When Gu Wei was researching, he also saw a color photo that Chen Daoming had taken of them in front of the Grand Hotel.
After entering the restaurant, the two ordered four signature dishes: braised beef, braised pork intestines, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, and stir-fried double-section pork, as well as a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor).
Between men, a single drink might be all it takes to quickly bridge the gap.
If that doesn't work, then two meals a day.
After half a glass of wine, Gu Wei and Chu Baisheng had shed their previous awkwardness and politeness and become familiar with each other.
"Brother Chu, didn't you say you had something you wanted to ask for my advice?"
Chu Baisheng, his face flushed from drinking, had a complex mix of emotions and grief in his eyes. After a moment's hesitation, he began, "One of my comrades sacrificed his life, leaving behind a wife and children who have had a very difficult time. For the past few years, several of us comrades have been supporting them. But suddenly, without any warning, only one of the four survived, and they all transferred to civilian jobs..."
At this point, Chu Baisheng paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. So I'd like to ask you what kind of small business is suitable for women around thirty years old to do, while also being able to take care of their daughters who are in elementary school."
Gu Wei had already heard from Old Master Chu that Chu Baisheng belonged to the prestigious XX Army, whose military history had been disbanded before it was even finished. Seeing him clenching his teeth and suppressing his pain, Gu Wei felt even more sympathy for these soldiers and their families.
"There are many small businesses they could start. Are they living in the countryside or the city now?"
Chu Baisheng also composed himself and quickly said, "My hometown is in the countryside, but my comrade's family doesn't like the mother and daughter, so they rent a house in the county town."
Gu Wei couldn't help but frown, then relaxed.
Since they're being treated badly, moving out is one solution.
There are no men in the house of the orphan and widow, and they don't know if they will be bullied by outsiders.
After asking about the situation in the county town in detail, Gu Wei gave him some advice: "If you are good at cooking and can endure hardship, you can sell breakfast or open a snack shop. If you can make clothes, you can open a tailor shop. If you don't want to work so hard, you can open a grocery store that sells cigarettes, alcohol, candy and tea."
Chu Baisheng's eyes lit up as he listened. "Gu Wei, thank you so much."
Aside from leading troops in battle, he has been out of touch with society for too long in recent years, and returning to civilian life is a process of adjustment.
I didn't have high hopes when I said I was just asking for advice, but I didn't expect Gu Wei to give me such practical suggestions.
"Brother Chu, no need to thank me. This is just theoretical. Whether it can be launched and continued depends on how capable your comrade's wife is. You can encounter all sorts of people in business."
Gu Wei understood that because the reform and opening up had only been going on for a few years, the situation was unclear, and many people were still observing.
Most people take pride in having a stable job and feel ashamed of being self-employed, so such an ordinary idea is what makes it stand out.
When the number of self-employed individuals explodes and more people make money, the prevailing social atmosphere will change accordingly.
In a future, in a materialistic and money-obsessed society, people will judge a person solely on their wealth and status, with no one caring about moral character.
As long as you have money, whatever you say is right.
That's why many people laugh at poverty but not prostitution, and dream of becoming rich.
It's a vicious cycle; there's no pure land left for people in all walks of life, even those who do academic research.
Even though Gu Wei's alcohol tolerance has greatly improved through tireless training, he still can't outdrink Chu Baisheng, who is a seasoned drinker.
Chu Baisheng genuinely wanted to express his gratitude, and it was impossible for him to get the man drunk.
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