dkrc Chapter 11 Recruiting People
Chapter 11 Recruiting People
The road was still the same dirt road, with lush rice paddies on both sides.
The evening breeze, carrying the scent of rice paddies and the occasional wisp of smoke from cooking fires, caressed Zhang Beichuan's face. He took a deep breath—it was the smell of summer from his childhood.
After walking for about five minutes, several thatched huts came into view, constructed of bamboo poles and thatch.
"Uncle, why does everyone dislike our family?"
The reason she asked her uncle was because she had heard her parents say at noon that her uncle was a businessman in the provincial capital and must be a very capable person who could answer the questions she had.
Zhang Beichuan was taken aback by the sudden question and looked down at his "mother," who was only about ten years old.
Those clear, black and white eyes were filled with confusion and resentment.
He knew what she was asking—why the old man's family always bullied their own relatives, why some people in the village always mocked the grandparents, and why even children their own age dared to say that their family would never be able to afford a television in their lifetime.
"Because our family is having a harder time than others right now." Zhang Beichuan carefully chose his words, trying to explain in a way that his child could understand. "Some people just like to see others living worse than themselves; that makes them feel better."
The little girl nodded as if she understood, then asked, "Then why do they always say it's a sin for our family not to have a son? My parents clearly say that daughters are treasures too."
These words were like a needle, piercing Zhang Beichuan's heart.
In rural areas during the 1980s and even the 1990s, the idea of valuing sons over daughters was still deeply rooted.
Even her own mother and her two sisters got into fights with others a lot when they were young because of the words "money-losing goods".
"They're just being foolish." Zhang Beichuan stopped, squatted down, and looked the little girl in the eye. "Your parents are right, daughters are treasures too. Look at you, didn't you beat that boy down by yourself today? You can also help with chores at home, you're no less capable than boys."
The little girl's eyes lit up, but she was still somewhat confused.
"But...but if there's a boy in the family, no one will dare to bully us."
"That's not necessarily true." Zhang Beichuan shook his head. "Whether others dare to bully you doesn't depend on whether you have boys in your family, but on whether your family has the ability. If your parents make a good living, build up your house, and you three sisters grow up to be successful, who would dare to look down on our family?"
These words were spoken bluntly, and the little girl listened attentively, a thoughtful expression gradually appearing on her face.
"Then... Uncle, why did you come back from the provincial capital? Did you come back to help us?"
"Yes." Zhang Beichuan stood up, took her little hand, and continued walking forward. "Your uncle came back this time to help you. To help you repair your house and make your lives prosperous. Then, not only will you be able to afford a TV, but you three sisters can buy whatever you want!"
"Really?" The little girl's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really." Zhang Beichuan smiled and ruffled her hair. "But you have to promise me one thing."
"What's up?"
"If people gossip in the future, don't fight them so easily," Zhang Beichuan said seriously. "If you win, your parents will have to pay compensation and apologize; if you lose, you'll suffer the pain yourself. Let's try another way—once your family is better off, when you build a big house and buy a TV, those gossipers will naturally shut up."
"Of course, if you really can't stand it, just tell your uncle. He'll back you up and beat them up for you!"
The little girl thought for a moment and nodded vigorously.
"Okay! I'll listen to my uncle!"
As the two were talking, they had already arrived at the thatched hut.
Lan Xiuying, who was washing rice, looked up when she heard footsteps. She was taken aback when she saw Zhang Beichuan, but then she smiled.
"Xiao Chuan's back? How's the ID card application going?"
"The formalities are complete, but we can take the photos the day after tomorrow." Zhang Beichuan walked over and handed her the woven bag. "Sister-in-law, I bought some meat and fruit in the county town. We'll have an extra dish tonight to celebrate."
Lan Xiuying glanced at it; on top were grapes and bananas, and below was a bag full of ribs and pork.
She was startled; the value of these items far exceeded the five yuan she had given Zhang Beichuan that morning.
She couldn't very well ask where the money came from in front of her brother-in-law.
"Xiao Chuan, you're too kind. It's fine to come back, but you brought so much stuff. You've gone to so much trouble."
"It's alright, sister-in-law. You can't go home empty-handed."
Zhang Dequan, who was busy mixing mud behind the thatched shed, heard the noise, wiped his hands and came out. He smiled when he saw Zhang Beichuan.
"The youngest is back? Come in and sit down."
The thatched hut was very simple, with a rammed earth floor. The areas for eating and sleeping were separated by bamboo curtains. The only furniture consisted of a dilapidated square table and a few long benches.
Seeing this scene, Zhang Beichuan had a personal understanding. In 86, his family was in such a situation. He wondered how much effort and hardship his grandparents had put in to turn that dilapidated thatched hut into a home.
This further solidified his idea of making money as soon as possible!
Zhang Xiaoli couldn't wait to run inside and took out candy from her pocket to share with her two younger sisters.
"Big sister, where did you get this milk candy?" The youngest, Zhang Xiaocui, was only six years old, and her eyes crinkled with laughter as she held the milk candy.
The second sister, Zhang Xiaoju, was eight years old. She took the candy but first looked at Lan Xiuying, "Mom, can I eat this?"
Looking at her three daughters' longing eyes, Lan Xiuying felt a pang of sadness and nodded.
"Eat up, did you thank me, Uncle?"
"Thank you, Uncle!" the three girls said in unison.
As Zhang Beichuan watched his mother and two aunts thank him, he felt an urge to laugh, but his nose also started to sting.
My second aunt wasn't particularly good to me, but she wasn't too bad either. My youngest aunt, however, was a different story.
My first Want Want rice crackers, Milo, sneakers, and other snacks all came from my aunt.
Looking at his aunt from his childhood again, Zhang Beichuan suddenly remembered something.
He remembered that his aunt had a head injury when she was about six years old. Because of the limited capabilities of the local barefoot doctors, her hair did not grow much on the injured area of her head.
Later, when she went to junior high school, the male classmates sitting behind her would stare at that spot and laugh at her, calling her bald.
My aunt, who used to be a top student, absolutely refused to go to school anymore. Later, my grandparents found out the reason and had a huge fight with the family!
Zhang Beichuan thought for a long time, but he still didn't know how to prevent his aunt from getting a scar on the back of her head. He couldn't possibly stay by her side 24 hours a day, could he?
Having no ideas whatsoever, he had no choice but to give up for the time being.
"No need to thank me, just tell your uncle if you want some, and he'll buy it for you."
Looking at the sugar and meat on the table, Zhang Dequan felt both happy and worried.
"Youngest son, this is...too much of a waste."
"Third Brother, we're family, no need for formalities. It's just a small trinket." Zhang Beichuan sat down on the bench, took out a cigarette and lit it for him, then said seriously, "I have something I'd like to discuss with you, Third Brother."
Zhang Dequan, who was happily smoking a high-end cigarette from the provincial capital, looked at his youngest brother, whose expression had turned serious, and asked curiously.
"What's up?"
"Third Brother, building a house must cost a lot of money, right? Where are you planning to get the money?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dequan immediately frowned.
Bricks and tiles are the biggest expense in building a house, so to save money, he and his wife chose to make their own bricks and tiles. It didn't cost too much money, but it required a lot of effort and hard work.
You can find river sand yourself by sifting it in the river, and you can slowly cut down timber in the mountains and gather it up little by little.
Labor can be done without spending money, as you can exchange labor with other members of the team. However, the costs of lime, a small amount of cement, and craftsmen cannot be saved; you must find a way to raise the money.
He calculated that this part of the money would cost about eight or nine hundred yuan.
According to the two-year plan, farming can bring in about two hundred yuan a year. He has been thinking about the other half recently and is preparing to ask his knowledgeable youngest brother when he comes back.
"Youngest brother, I'm planning to go to the vinegar factory in the county town to get vinegar lees, dry them, and sell them in our town or the next town. What do you think of this idea?"
This method is exactly the same as the one Zhang Beichuan had heard of.
My grandparents did the same thing back then, carrying loads of dried vinegar residue on their backs to sell in various towns, until their backs were bent from exhaustion.
Now that he has a better way to make money, he naturally won't let his grandparents continue to suffer like this.
To make money selling lighters in a county town, you need connections and support to sustain the business in the long run; going it alone will only make you an easy target for others.
"Third Brother, your method works, but it's too slow," Zhang Beichuan said, noticing his grandfather's furrowed brow. "How about we go to the county town to sell lighters?"
When my grandparents were young, they farmed and worked odd jobs, but they found that both of those were slow ways to make money. In the end, they realized that doing business was the most lucrative option.
So I tried many businesses, but none of them were quite suitable.
Finally, in 98, he started a vegetable business in town and slowly saved up money over the years. In 03, he spent 8 yuan to buy a house for his parents in town.
He dared to suggest that Zhang Dequan go into business because he knew that his grandparents were among the most quick-witted people of their time.
"Selling lighters?"
"Yes, I can get my hands on them. Selling each lighter for 15 yuan is no problem, and the profit is 10 yuan each."
"How much? A profit of 10 yuan per unit?"
Zhang Dequan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He had thought that his youngest son's lighter would be valuable, but he never imagined it would be this valuable!
Seeing his huge reaction, Zhang Beichuan looked at his equally dumbfounded grandmother. This was after he had concealed a portion of the profits from her.
The actual cost is negligible.
"Third Brother, Sister-in-law, don't get excited, don't get excited." He pulled Zhang Dequan, who had stood up, down to sit down again and continued, "So, to do this business, it's not enough to just have goods; you also need people, people who can keep the place in check and prevent people from easily making a move."
Zhang Dequan took a puff of his cigarette, still reeling from the shock.
Hearing this, Lan Xiuying noticed that her brother-in-law's serious expression suggested he wasn't just saying something polite, and an idea immediately came to her mind.
"Xiao Chuan, you said you need help, do you have any requirements?"
Zhang Beichuan smiled, but rather than discussing selling lighters with his grandfather, he was deliberately saying it to his grandmother.