CHAPTER 43

After much consideration, he decided that he had to do the electronics factory business and could not give up. The land, licenses, and production permits could only be approved so easily because of his overseas Chinese status. If he gave up, it would all be in vain.

She went home to help the old man go to bed and rest, while Qin Mu took care of him in the backyard. When she came out of the backyard, her second brother and his wife were waiting at home.

Li Lao Er saw his sister coming out and quickly poured her a glass of water. Li Xia moistened her throat and said, “The work on the construction site is uncertain now.”

Before she finished her words, the second son, regardless of his wife’s disappointed face, quickly said, “Oh, then we’ll leave this afternoon. We can’t help you here, so we won’t cause you any trouble.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” The second sister-in-law immediately looked up and looked at her with burning eyes. “If you want to stay in the city, I can lend you money to open a breakfast shop, and you can pay me back when you make money. What do you think?”

The second brother said, “Your second sister-in-law is just an average cook; is this okay?”

“I’ll teach you the formula, and you just follow it. It’s not that difficult. The investment is small, and the return is quick. As long as you are willing to work hard, there will be no problem.”

The second brother thought about it and nodded. “Okay. We have some savings.”

When the second sister-in-law heard that she had to pay for it herself, she immediately shouted, “Husband…”

The second brother turned around and glared at her. You want to make money yourself, but you don’t want to invest. What? You want my sister to pay for it? Absolutely not. At most, if it’s not enough, I can borrow from her a little less. When I make money, I will pay her back first.

“Xia, let’s do as you say and run this breakfast shop. How much do you want? Let me see if what I have is enough.”

Li Xia smiled and said, “It’s okay. If it’s not enough, I can lend it to you. You guys go find a store first, a place with a good location.”

She supported her second brother and his wife to open a breakfast shop so that they could earn money independently in the city. This way, they could do their own things and not have to interfere with each other in the future. She didn’t want to deal with her second sister-in-law all day long. She just wanted to support them out of consideration for the brother-sister relationship. The factory needed help from someone close to her, so she planned to let her third brother and her sister-in-law come to stay over later.

The second brother and his wife found a shop quickly. After Li Xia helped them check it out, they signed a contract with the landlord. The second brother didn’t have enough money, so she borrowed the rent for the first year.

“Sister-in-law, you are really a kind person.”

People at that time had just come from the era of the big collective, and many people did not understand these things at all. Many people suffered losses from this kind of verbal agreement, but then others regretted it. Li Xia had seen this situation on TV, so of course she would not make a mistake.

“It’s better to write it clearly.”

The contract is for 20 years, but the rent is paid annually. The specific amount is calculated based on the situation of the year and the average rent of the year, and the landlord cannot ask for more, nor can the tenant not pay.

This is stable, and neither side suffers. After signing the contract, the couple immediately packed up the house in a hurry. There was no news from Li Xia about recovering the debt, and even Shen Yaozong couldn’t be found. Across the country, Shen Haiyang said that there was basically no hope for the money.

“What do you think about selling all three of our stores?”

Shen Haiyang was a little surprised. His wife was really bold. Maybe running an electronics factory was really profitable; otherwise, why would she be so reluctant to give it up?

“Is it enough? Probably not.”

“It’s definitely not enough. It’s far from enough.”

If it were another ten years, the money from her shop plus the courtyard would probably be enough for the current investment. Well, no one can make money from the time difference, and she doesn’t have Doraemon’s Anywhere Door.

“Looking for investment. I’ll try one company after another. I can’t just give up on this.”

She decided to close her shop and look for investment to open an electronics factory, so she went to the backyard to discuss it with the old man. He was the legal owner of the factory. She had made up her mind, and the two of them had to have a good talk.

After hearing her idea, the old man looked at her with new eyes. He thought she was very courageous as a rural woman. She didn’t deposit the money in the bank but invested in shops and houses. Now that so much capital in his factory had been withdrawn, he made a suggestion, and she made a decision in such a short time.

“What if you don’t find an investment? If you sell your shop, the price won’t be the same as it is now.”

“I know. When doing business, there are always opportunities along with dangers. It’s okay. Even if I lose, I can just start over again.”

In the late 1980s and 1990s, I knew what to do to make money. At the very least, I could earn enough for my retirement, so there was nothing to worry about.

“I still have some funds in my hand. If you are determined, I will give you all of them.”

“If you trust me, let’s do it.”

“Okay, go ahead and do it. If it succeeds, we’ll divide the factory into shares according to the amount of investment. I’ll change my will someday, and everything under my name will be yours from now on.”

In other words, after the factory is opened, apart from the investment, the rest will all belong to the couple. The old man spoke clearly, and Shen Yaozong did this, so the relationship between father and son would be resolved. He was in poor health, and Li Xia took the lead, so the financial aspects had to be clarified.

The old man had bet everything on it—his life savings. If he couldn’t find an investment, then the down payment he had paid for the production line would be wasted.

“Then I’ll look for investment.”

“I’ll give you the budget.”

After receiving the budget, Li Xia calculated the sum of money from all parties and how much investment was needed. Who should she go to? The partner had already paid part of the money in advance, and the funding gap now was the remaining part.

The old man signed a cooperation agreement with the other party. He bought the other party’s production line, and most of the core parts were also provided by the other party, and the other party also provided technical support. This kind of nature is most suitable for the mainland today. Once it goes into production and the product passes the quality inspection and is put on the market, money will soon come like a tide.

“I’ll try to contact my partner to see if I can pay on credit. First, send us 10,000 worth of goods, and then pay the rest when our funds are in circulation.”

The old man also tried his best. He didn’t know if this method would work, but he had to try it now. The down payment had been paid, and the other party had already produced so many products. If they just returned the money, it would be troublesome for them. He tried to persuade them with emotion and reason, to see if he could persuade them.

“Okay, let’s try everything.”

Selling the shop. Because she knew the future, she acted decisively. She immediately posted an advertisement for selling the shop and asked people to bring the goods. Otherwise, if the shop was sold, it would be troublesome for her to keep the goods.

“Sister, do you really want to sell it?”

Xiao Liu had been working for the shop for such a long time, and she was immediately panicked when she heard the news. She was now the shop manager, and her basic salary plus commission income was much higher than her brother’s. What would she do if the shop was sold? Wouldn’t she be despised by her mother, who favored boys over girls and sold them for a high bride price?

“I can’t help it. I need money urgently.”

“How much do you need? Can’t we all chip in?” another clerk asked.

“Don’t search your pockets,” Li Xia sighed softly. “I need a large sum of money. I’m sorry, everyone; I really can’t help it. If the people who take over the shops don’t want you, I’ll give you two more months’ salary, and you can find another job.”

It was so hard to find a job during this period. The news shocked everyone in her store. Han Jun’s eyes widened in fear. He couldn’t work here anymore. He probably couldn’t go back to his company. What should he do? He didn’t have the capital to start a business. Should he find a job? He would regret it if he threw away his stable job and looked for another one.

“Don’t worry, just follow me. You can help me with whatever I do. As long as I earn money, I will never treat you unfairly.”

His facial expression was so vivid that he had perfectly expressed his meaning without even opening his mouth. Hearing what Li Xia said, he patted his chest and finally felt relieved. She had so much money in her hands that if she didn’t do this, she would definitely do something else. Who cares what she does? As long as she doesn’t commit a crime, he will follow her.

“What about these goods? Let’s sell them as soon as possible. Otherwise, if we sell them to the shop, the other party may lower the price.”

“I also want to get out as soon as possible, but this is not something that can be imagined.”

“I will go find buyers and try to lessen the loss… Try not to make a loss, or make some money.”

“Okay.”

The shop is being resold, and the shop is being sold at a low price. As soon as this big slogan was posted, people in the mall were talking about it. Such a good business; it was so prosperous during the Chinese New Year last year; why is it being sold? People don’t know the value of this shop in the future, and if they knew, they would be even more distressed.

Zhang Qiuhua came here to check the market and naturally saw the news. She was immediately overjoyed, ran out quickly, and rode her bike all the way to find Murong Danling.

“What are you doing?”

Murong Danling opened the door for her and asked curiously when she saw that she was out of breath. They opened the door and went into the house. Zhang Qiuhua saw that Fang Zhongcheng was at home, shook her head, and whispered to her to go out for a while. After changing shoes and going downstairs, the two found a secluded place to talk.

“What did you say? Buy Li Xia’s shop.”

“Yes. Let’s buy a shop together and become business owners in the future. Apply for a business license, and we won’t have to worry about being checked.”

“Li Xia is selling her shop.” Murong Danling lowered her head and muttered to herself, thinking about something completely different from her. “It seems that her family’s problem is serious. They are so poor that they have to sell their shop. Haha…”

She laughed so hard that she looked crazy, which frightened Zhang Qiuhua. She pushed her and tried to get back to the point. “Hey, we’re talking about buying Li Xia’s shop. What the hell are you laughing at?”

“Buy her shop? Humph, I won’t buy it, and I won’t give her cash. Let her be embarrassed; there will be many more embarrassments in the future.”

“Not buying?”

“Not buying.”

Murong Danling turned and left, leaving Zhang Qiuhua in a daze. What kind of brain circuit is this girl using? Why do you care why Li Xia is selling it? We bought it because it would definitely be useful, right? Sell the goods in your hands quickly, and we will have enough money.

“You are hurting others and not benefiting yourself. Are you mentally ill? Why did I choose a partner like you?”

Murong Danling was not happy about it. She didn’t have enough money to buy a shop. She checked all the people she knew in her mind, but found that there was no one she could borrow money from.

She pushed the cart home dejectedly, and the next day she went to the mall again with a thought in her mind. She found that the store with the smallest area was already being negotiated.

Li Xia spent half the morning negotiating prices with someone. When she returned home at noon, her second sister-in-law stopped her and asked about the situation. “Are you really selling all of them? What about us? We are cleaning up our house. You are not going to rush to ask us for the rent, are you?”

“No. Just go ahead with your business.” It’s just a few dollars; I wouldn’t ask you for it.

“I thought that since you couldn’t even run a business as big as your mall, you would be even less likely to look down on this small steamed bun shop. I was afraid.”

“Don’t worry. The bun shop is to help you gain a foothold in the provincial capital. It has nothing to do with my business.”

“That’s good; that’s good. Oh, luckily I didn’t go to the mall to help you sell goods; otherwise, I would have to leave now.”

“So you should develop yourself, work hard, and lay a foundation for yourself. It is better to rely on yourself than on anyone else.”

“Oh, that’s the reason.”

The back hall of the store, rented by my second brother and his wife, was a place for rest. After packing up the store a few days ago, the two of them moved their bedding over there. Li Xia was busy looking for investment, and she came back in the evening with a happy face.

“I have contacted that lady. She said she would be returning to the provincial capital soon. We will meet then to discuss in detail.”

Shen Haiyang poured her a glass of water and said, “Then don’t worry; look at the blisters at the corners of your mouth.”

Li Xia touched it, and it really hurt. “It’s because I didn’t drink enough water. Spring is too dry. I will bring a water bottle tomorrow to replenish water at any time.”

“Well, don’t push yourself too hard.”

The man supported her so much that he didn’t even mention that the money for the shop was given to him by his father when she sold the shop. He also had no objection to his father’s suggestion of dividing the shares in the future. All the money she earned and the money from his shop were counted as her shares. With her husband’s support and protection, she had nothing to fear.

The three little ones all knew that something had happened at home recently, and they were all very well behaved. The Huihua was going to participate in the children’s competition, so she practiced after finishing her homework every day, and she didn’t even watch TV. The other two were also very self-conscious, doing their homework, practicing the piano, and going to bed on time.

The next day, a shop found a buyer. She originally sold accessories, shoes, and hats, and the other party seemed to want to continue this business, so he started to negotiate the price for the goods.

After an afternoon of bargaining, the two sides finally reached an agreement. The payment was in cash, and the store and the goods were handed over to the buyer immediately.

Li Xia took the money and got into the car. She looked up at the mall and felt disappointed. She had just warmed up the food, and it was sold out. Her business was so booming last year, and she made so much money, which was beyond her expectations.

“It’s okay. Once my electronics factory opens, I’m sure I’ll make a fortune.”

Take a deep breath and tell yourself that there is gain in loss. This is just a sesame seed, and there is a watermelon waiting for her to earn ahead. Don’t lose the big picture for the small one. You can’t catch the wolf without sacrificing the child.

Over the next few days, more people came to ask about the store, but they couldn’t agree on the price. This time, she turned around on the way to the mall and went to the drama troupe. She hired two people to perform a play for her for ten yuan. The two, a man and a woman, often played husband and wife on stage and agreed to her request. They rushed to the mall first and talked to Han Jun. When Li Xia arrived, the two families had already started arguing.

“Hey, first come, first served; we saw this store first.”

“I’ve never heard of first come, first served in buying and selling. Do you think it was the supply and marketing cooperatives of the past where people had to queue up to buy things? Now it’s a market economy; whoever bids the highest gets it.”

“Hey, you are so unreasonable. I liked it first; how come you came to snatch it from me?”

“I’ve had my eye on it for a long time and have contacted him before. But I didn’t sign the contract due to other reasons.”

The actor invited by Li Xia glanced at Han Jun while speaking, and Han Jun immediately understood and nodded quickly. The more buyers, the better. The more competition there is, the higher the price can be sold.

“Hey, our boss is here. Let’s talk to her about the details.”

The three parties sat down to discuss the price. When there was only one company, the other party tried to lower the price. Now the competitor started with the original price, and he was anxious to add another 200 yuan.

“I’ll add another three hundred.”

“I’ll add three hundred.”

Neither side had much money, so they just raised the price by two or three hundred. The two actors had already known Li Xia’s bottom line beforehand, and when the price reached a certain level, they gave up with regret. In the end, the other party completed the transaction with a price higher than Li Xia’s.

After signing the contract and transferring the property, Han Jun walked out of the mall with cash. When he returned, he learned that it was the person she hired, and he was immediately impressed.

“How could you come up with such a weird idea? We were in a hurry to sell, so the price would definitely be suppressed. But what you did was not only suppress it, but it was even higher.”

Li Xia smiled but said nothing, thinking that it was all due to watching TV. People in that period were still very simple, and business had just started to develop, so no one had so many tricks. After decades of experience, these tricks were child’s play and did not work at all.

She went home, counted her money again, and went to see the lady the next day. She was told to come back in two days and to go again in two days. After that, she went to the city construction company to discuss the start of construction.

The project was scheduled to start next week. She went home and wrote to her mother’s family, asking her third brother to bring people to the construction site. After the construction was completed, she asked him to stay and help her. A factory would need a lot of people, and she had to have a few who she could trust and rely on.