Age: Passionate youth, starting from graduation assignment

Chapter 271 Selling Seafood

Tong Guoliang waved his hand and declined Xu Jichang's kindness: "No, no need. My home is not far from here."

However, Xu Jichang did not listen to him and insisted on sending Tong Guoliang downstairs to his house.

Tong Guoliang has already bought a house according to Xu Jichang's suggestion.

Xu Jichang paid attention when he delivered it to the place and found that the room he bought was allocated to a certain government unit. The area and location were pretty good.

With this house alone, my old boss will be in trouble for the rest of his life.

……

……

With the elimination of the dealership, its business functions were officially transferred to Pioneer Distribution Corporation.

Xu Jichang took into account that each salesperson in the unit had his own customers, so he decided to recruit a new person to be responsible for planning internal fertilizer sales.

Fang Runsu was in charge of the recruitment work, and Xu Jichang was too lazy to take care of it anyway.

The distribution company has been idle recently, and Xu Jichang is mainly here with Chen Xiaoen, working on the electrical appliance repair business with her.

"Does our electrical appliance repair shop need to expand?"

On the weekend, after Xu Jichang and Chen Xiaoen were busy with repair business all morning, he said to her while eating, "The current place is a bit insufficient."

"I've looked for it several times, but I can't find it."

Chen Xiaoen put a piece of potato into the bowl and said with a depressed expression, "How about we go look for it together after we finish today?"

"Then close the stall early today."

"There will be no rest at noon."

Xu Jichang hurriedly took two bites of rice and said to Chen Xiaoen.

Chen Xiaoen agreed immediately and also speeded up his eating.

This was the case in the early days of starting a business. Whether eating or doing anything, we had to do everything quickly to avoid delaying business.

Before Xu Jichang crossed over, he was doing small business and working his way up step by step, and he was very adaptable to this lifestyle.

But it was Chen Xiaoen who impressed him with admiration.

As a lady of the world, she has been held in the palm of her hand since she was a child, and she never suffered much even when she jumped in line.

But since she started the maintenance business, she has never complained and never avoided the pain and difficulties. This is really beyond Xu Jichang's expectation.

After eating, the two immediately returned to the neighborhood committee courtyard and continued to take care of business. By 04:30 in the afternoon, they closed the stall early.

After transporting the collected electrical appliances back to Chen Xiaoen's home, Xu Jichang and her began walking along the streets, looking for suitable expansion targets.

Forget about the courtyard of the neighborhood committee.The vast majority of neighborhood committees are very tight on housing, and there are no vacant houses at all.

Private housing is even more impossible.As the educated youth returned to the city, every household was very short of housing. All the large courtyards were temporarily built, and there were no spare houses for rent.

Xu Jichang and Chen Xiaoen strolled along the street until they reached the junction of the suburbs.

"Jichang, look there, it seems there is an ownerless house."

On the street where tile-roofed houses and red-brick houses intersect, Chen Xiaoen pointed to a house with dusty windows and said excitedly.

Xu Jichang looked in the direction of Chen Xiaoen's finger and shook his head slightly in his heart.

He disagreed with Chen Xiaoen's judgment that this should not be an ownerless house.

The reason is simple. The houses nearby are also shabby and small.If there really was an ownerless house, they would have occupied it long ago.

However, he still led Chen Xiaoen up: "Go and have a look."

"It's so cold."

At dusk in the northern winter, the two of them breathed white air and trotted to the empty house to check it out.

This time, Xu Jichang and Chen Xiaoen saw clearly.

I saw a metal plate staring at the door of the house, with a small line of words written on it: Chaoyang District Non-staple Food Company Warehouse, Private Occupation is Strictly Prohibited.

Okay, that's what I thought.

Chen Xiaoen was a little discouraged when he saw this: "I thought it was a house that no one wanted..."

"I'm overthinking it. Housing in the capital is so tight right now. I want to build houses on trees for people to live in. Even if there are people without owners, it's not our turn."

Xu Jichang still said indifferently, "But I think this house is empty."

"You might as well contact the grocery company and ask them if they are willing to rent it out."

Chen Xiaoen was a little hesitant: "Lease it to private individuals for business? Will they agree?"

"It depends on what you say. We also hired educated youths who have returned to the city, and they are currently engaged in simple manual labor."

"As long as you explain the reason reasonably, the other party should relent."

Xu Jichang said firmly, "We will go find them together at noon tomorrow."

"That's right... now everyone from top to bottom is emphasizing on helping the educated youth who have returned to the city to solve their employment problems."

"We are responding to policy."

When Xu Jichang mentioned this, Chen Xiaoen showed a happy expression: "Yes... why didn't I think of this level?"

"It's better if you can find an angle to look at the problem."

……

As agreed in the evening, after getting off work at noon the next day, Xu Jichang and Chen Xiaoen went to Chaoyang Food Company and asked to see the leader of the other party's housing management office.

The security guard at the gate saw that the two men were neatly dressed, so he left the post to help report.

"Go in. In the third office after going upstairs on the second floor, Director Wang from our housing management office has just finished his meal."

After returning from the office building, the security guard pointed to the office corridor inside.

"Thank you."

After Xu Jichang finished speaking, he handed the other party half a pack of cigarettes. The security guard did not refuse, took it and put it directly into his pocket.

The office area of ​​the non-staple food company is a patio structure with office buildings on three sides and a courtyard enclosed in the middle.

Xu Jichang and Chen Xiaoen went to the office building in front of them and found their location according to the security guard's instructions.

Xu Jichang knocked on the office door diligently: "Hello, Director Wang, we are here to rent a house. Is it convenient for us to talk?"

"Come in. Someone just told me."

A slightly sleepy voice came from inside.

Xu Jichang opened the door and saw that the other party had just finished eating as the security guard said. The camp bed on the ground was set up, and he seemed to be preparing for a nap.

This time I have to keep the story short.

Xu Jichang thought to himself, and immediately said what he wanted according to the words he had prepared in advance.

"Oh, helping educated youth find employment, that's a good thing."

After hearing this, Director Wang nodded slightly and said, "Actually, according to convention, the houses in our unit can only be rented to insiders."

"But considering that your business is beneficial to society, I can approve renting it to you. The rent is only 5 yuan per month. Can you accept it?"

"Five dollars is five dollars. You pay monthly, right?"

Xu Jichang was delighted, but still maintained a calm expression.

"Yes, take this and go to the staff in the next room to get it stamped."

Director Wang opened the drawer, took out a printed contract, filled it in for a while, signed his name, and handed it to Xu Jichang.

Xu Jichang also signed his name on it and walked out of the office to have it stamped.

"What you say is really helpful."

After leaving the gate of the non-staple food company, Chen Xiaoen said happily, "Now we have a new place."

"Send the two educated youths you recruited."

"We go around from time to time to see how they are doing, whether they are honest or not."

Xu Jichang put the sealed rental contract into the inner pocket of his coat and said to Chen Xiaoen, "I'll hire someone to clean that room after get off work tonight."

"Excluding salary expenses and rent, I estimate that we can earn a thousand yuan a month there."

When Chen Xiaoen heard Xu Jichang's profit forecast, he opened his mouth and showed his teeth: "That would be great."

"We just want to get bigger as soon as possible and accelerate expansion while there are not many people doing this business." "You are right."

Xu Jichang gave him a look of affirmation, "Today's is just the first step."

……

The next day, Xu Jichang and Chen Xiaoen opened their first repair shop.

According to prior arrangements, two educated youths who had returned to the city were in charge of this store.

Xu Jichang went to the door of the store early in the morning and explained some key points of business operations to two educated youths. Finally, he said earnestly: "Remember, harmony brings wealth."

“Whether it’s with customers or neighbors, the main thing is to resolve conflicts.”

"When you encounter difficult situations, don't solve them on your own. Come to me at the distribution company."

"Okay, Manager Xu, we remember it."

"Don't worry, we won't make trouble."

The two of them agreed one after another.

When Xu Jichang and Chen Xiaoen left the door of the store, people were already coming to repair them.

For Xu Jichang and Chen Xiaoen, these are red tickets.

On the way back, the two passed by Dongfang Fertilizer Factory and saw a long queue waiting in the factory's office building. The queue snaked from inside the building to the carport.

"It seems that the rates have been reduced."

Xu Jichang said with great experience, "They are going to have a holiday."

Chen Xiaoen noticed that Xu Jichang used them when referring to the cadres and workers of Dongfang Fertilizer Factory.

"When do we have a holiday?"

Chen Xiaoen asked.

"Just tomorrow."

Xu Jichang thought for a while and said, "But I can't take a vacation just yet."

"The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and many residents want to buy new year's goods."

"I'll see if there's any business I can do."

"That's right. I'm thinking about what I'm missing most during the New Year."

Chen Xiaoen said with light in his eyes.

Xu Jichang also recalled what he usually saw and heard, trying to find business opportunities.

During the New Year and festivals, there is nothing more than food and clothing.

Different from the 60s, in 77, most families in Beijing were able to have enough rice and noodles, and they could also eat meat during the holidays.

In terms of clothing, even if Xu Jichang could obtain raw materials, he would not be able to sell ready-made clothes.

If you want to make money on New Year’s goods, you have to find another way.

“I feel like it’s hard to eat seafood here in the capital.”

Xu Jichang thought for a while, stopped and said, "If we can sell some seafood here, it will definitely be an opportunity."

"Seafood?"

Chen Xiaoen was moved by Xu Jichang's idea, but she also felt that there was a problem that was difficult for customers to solve. "Even if we can get the goods, it will be difficult to transport it, right?"

"You don't have to worry about it, I have a way."

Xu Jichang said confidently, "I will buy a boat ticket this afternoon."

……

The next morning, Pioneer Distribution Company announced the Spring Festival holiday, and Fang Runsu paid the last salary of the year.

At noon, Xu Jichang boarded a long-distance bus and headed for Qinwang Island with the ticket he bought.

It was already afternoon when we arrived at Qinwang Island. Xu Jichang hurriedly boarded the passenger ship bound for Liao Province without even having time to eat.

Liao Province is located in the northeast, but it is only separated by the Bohai Bay.

After Xu Jichang got on the ship, he had a hasty dinner and fell asleep in his bunk.

He had been on the road since noon, and now he was really tired.

Early the next morning, the ship arrived in Liao Province on time.

Xu Jichang did not rest after landing. He asked about the way to the fishing village and set off immediately.

On the way, he found a state-owned department store and bought a steel scale inside.

Not long after, he arrived at the place.

This is a small fishing village with an extremely dilapidated environment, and its economic conditions are much worse than those of villages that rely on farming for a living.

Many people live in thatched houses, and tile houses are rarely seen.

In an era when transportation was inconvenient, the catch could not be sold, and this was the result.

According to Xu Jichang's understanding, many fishermen in this era have to exchange seafood for food, otherwise they will not be able to eat rice.

There is a small forest at the entrance of the village. Xu Jichang walked into the woods, took out two bags of rice weighing fifty kilograms each from the space shelf, and carried it into the village.

"Exchange for food, exchange aquatic products for food."

He carried the grain and scales to the center of the village and shouted, "Hurry up if you want to change."

With this shout, the originally silent village seemed to come alive.

The doors of several thatched huts opened, and dark faces appeared behind the doors, all holding wooden barrels in their hands.

Immediately afterwards, more doors were opened, and the members who appeared behind the doors were all dark-skinned.

This is the result of years of fishing, wind and sun.

A middle-aged man wearing a jacket, carrying a rustling wooden barrel, walked up to Xu Jichang first: "Young man, how do you change it?"

Xu Jichang thought badly: he came in such a hurry and forgot to ask about the market price of food exchange for seafood.

Of course, he remained calm on the surface and showed no timidity at all: "Follow the old rules."

The middle-aged man nodded after hearing this, put the bucket on the ground, and pointed his finger into the bucket: "It's the same rule, right? That's two kilograms of blue crabs and one kilogram of rice. My bucket of blue crabs weighs nearly twenty kilograms."

Xu Jichang glanced at the blue crabs crawling around in the barrel, feeling ecstatic in his heart.

Two pounds of blue crabs and one pound of rice. What is the exchange rate?

In future generations, the rice exchanged for these twenty kilograms of blue crabs would probably be enough to feed the whole family for a year.

"I'll weigh it."

Xu Jichang picked up the bucket and said, "You can pour it out."

"Fall down."

After the middle-aged man finished speaking, he helped him pour the blue crabs out of the bucket.

The green crabs were spitting bubbles and crawling around on the ground. Xu Jichang finished weighing the barrel as quickly as possible, picked up the blue crabs one by one and weighed them again.

The wooden barrel weighs 3 kilograms, plus 22 kilograms and 5 taels of blue crabs, it is indeed nearly twenty kilograms.

"43 kilograms of rice, the extra three kilograms are considered as buckets of money. You go back and get a bag."

Xu Jichang said to the middle-aged man.

"I have it on me."

The middle-aged man dug inside his jacket, took out a cloth bag, and opened it in front of Xu Jichang.

Xu Jichang weighed more than 40 kilograms of rice for him as promised and accepted the wooden barrels as well.

Then, the next one.

This store sells razor clams, which are very big.

The exchange rate for razor clams is even more exaggerated: 5 pounds can be exchanged for one pound of rice.

Although the other party brought a sack, in the end he only exchanged 10 kilograms of rice from Xu Jichang.

(End of this chapter)