Chapter 575: Borrowing Grain

He Yuzhu had been too exhausted at the hospital these past few days; even with He Yushui and the other young girls making a racket in the courtyard, he still lay on the sofa and fell asleep.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. He opened it to find Wang Xia.

He Yuzhu hurriedly brewed her a cup of tea and said with a smile, "Sister, your ears are sharp enough. I've been at the hospital for three days and haven't even returned home; how did you know I was back?"

Wang Xia picked up the tea, took a sip, and said, "I ran into He Yushui on the street. Zhuzi, let me ask you something: can your farm still help the Street Office solve some employment issues?"

"The farm is short on people, but I can't guarantee they'll be able to return to the Rolling Mill after working for two years; there are no quotas."

Wang Xia waved her hand and said, "I don't care if these people can return to the Rolling Mill in the future; right now, as long as you can solve the problem of them having food to eat, that's enough."

He Yuzhu was a bit surprised: "What, are there so many unemployed people in the street again?"

Wang Xia sighed: "To solve the employment of demobilized soldiers and their families, many children who graduated from junior high school lost their opportunities. Besides, those who went to the farm earlier wrote home saying they could earn fifty or sixty yuan a month there and didn't have to spend money on food. Once the news spread, some young people all wanted to go to the farm to work for two years and save some money."

He Yuzhu shook his head upon hearing this: "Sister, the conditions there are actually quite bitter. Once winter comes, it's so cold you can't even go out the door. Not everyone can handle that."

Wang Xia smiled: "I know, but fifty or sixty yuan a month is real money. After working for two years and coming back, the young people will have saved enough money to get married..."

He Yuzhu nodded: "As long as they aren't afraid of hardship, I'll take as many people as you have. However, they must be the kind who are willing to endure hardship!"

Wang Xia's eyes lit up: "Then give me a quota for three hundred people."

"Fine, it's settled."

Wang Xia suddenly remembered something else, and her expression darkened slightly: "There's one more thing. The Jiedao Factory is also in trouble recently. Many places don't want to grow chili peppers for us anymore because they have to hand over the public grain; also, the meat products like chicken, duck, goose, and pork used for canning are in severe shortage. Zhuzi, can your farm supply some?"

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and said, "Sister, my breeding scale hasn't come up yet. Even if I could supply it, it would have to wait until next year. Besides, the farm is far away; I can haul it back for you in the winter, but it's very difficult in the summer."

Wang Xia sighed upon hearing this: "It breaks my heart to watch this Jiedao Factory go bankrupt, and those workers are all getting on in years; I'm afraid no one will want to hire them anymore!"

He Yuzhu suddenly said: "Why don't you move the factory directly to the edge of our farm? You only need to keep the sales and management staff here in Beijing."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xia slammed the table: "Good idea! However, those older women still can't leave this place."

He Yuzhu laughed: "Sister, keep making the chili sauce here, but move the meat canning to the other side; plus, you can expand the scale!"

Wang Xia smiled happily: "This is a good method."

He Yuzhu said with a smile: "I estimate that in five or six years, the problem of your raw material supply shortage will be solved. By then, you can let those people come back."

Wang Xia nodded continuously after hearing this.

Just after sending Wang Xia away, Tian Dan came in in a rush.

He Yuzhu greeted her: "Sister, it's just time for a meal, let's go to He Ji Restaurant together. He Yushui insists that I treat, saying it's for the baby's three-day celebration, what they call the 'Xi San'."

Tian Dan waved her hand: "I won't eat, I'm busy."

"What, did you run into a tricky case again?"

Tian Dan shook her head: "The spy cases have decreased recently. It's not that they're gone, but they've all gone into hiding and don't dare to stir up trouble."

He Yuzhu nodded: "That makes sense. Then what are you here for today?"

Tian Dan sat down and said: "I'm now the Deputy Bureau Chief in charge of logistics, and the bureau is short on grain too. I heard you opened up one hundred thousand mu of land over there; after September, can you spare us some grain?"

He Yuzhu was in a difficult position: "Sister, the farm belongs to the Rolling Mill and the Ministry of Heavy Industry; I can't make the decision."

Tian Dan stared at him and smiled: "Do I not know you? You definitely have a way."

He Yuzhu asked: "Didn't you build a farm long ago? The one used for reforming those people; how could you still be short on grain?"

Tian Dan pondered for a moment: "We built the farm in '55, but we didn't have mechanization. Over twelve hundred people have been working until now, and we haven't opened up much land..."

He Yuzhu immediately understood Tian Dan's situation and said: "I'll help you borrow some grain first!"

Tian Dan smiled: "I was waiting for those words from you. How much can I have?"

"How much do you need?"

"Two hundred thousand jin this year, is that possible?" Tian Dan asked.

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and said: "I'll borrow two hundred thousand jin for you from Liu Shi Trading!"

Tian Dan patted his shoulder and said: "You're a real friend!"

"Three days from now, go to the East Suburb Warehouse of Liu Shi Trading to pick it up," He Yuzhu said.

"Fine, thanks." After saying this, Tian Dan left like the wind.

He Yuzhu took his family to He Ji Restaurant.

Chen Qingshan had already been waiting in the shop, and Chen Daya had also come over holding the baby.

He Yuzhu hurriedly stepped forward and shoved a large red envelope into her hand.

Chen Daya's husband, Lv Zhenxing, also gave a red envelope back to Chen Xueru.

Lv Zhenxing was a Police officer, and he was currently a team leader under Lao Zhou.

Before the founding of the nation, Xu Fugui took several Black Dogs and wanted to kidnap Chen Daya; it was the four men sent by Lao Zhou who saved her, and Lv Zhenxing was among them.

After the liberation, the two often visited each other, and as time passed, they developed feelings and eventually got married.

After the two families finished eating together, they all went home one after another.

Chen Qingshan, however, called him back: "Zhuzi, wait a moment, I have something to tell you."

He Yuzhu saw that his Siqiang's expression was wrong and sat down.

Chen Qingshan poured He Yuzhu a cup of tea and sighed: "Zhuzi, our dozen or so restaurants are likely not going to hold on much longer. Can you think of a way for us?"

He Yuzhu nodded and said: "Even if you hadn't said anything today, I would have helped you think of a way. He Yushui already told me about the situation here."

Chen Qingshan lowered his head to smoke while saying: "Now, not only is there a quota for meat, but the grain supply can't keep up either, and the stuff on the black market is ridiculously expensive; ordinary people simply can't afford to eat it. Now there are only a few tables of guests a day, and I can't even pay the wages here."

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and said: "Siqiang, my farm won't be able to expand the breeding grounds until the end of the year. By next spring, I should be able to supply you with some things."

Chen Qingshan shook his head: "Next year? I can't even survive these next few months."

He Yuzhu frowned: "It's a Public-Private Partnership; can the public-side Manager really not get anything at all?"

Chen Qingshan gave a bitter smile: "The supplies allocated from above are too scarce."

He Yuzhu suddenly asked: "Those Little Lobsters I brought back from the south, which I let you raise in Qin Family Village, how are they doing now?"

Chen Qingshan was stunned and gave a bitter smile: "There are plenty of those things. They are everywhere in the rivers, water pits, and rice paddies. Just in Qin Family Village alone, you could easily fish out tens of thousands of jin. Not to mention the villages along the main river. But I've tried a few times, cooking them for guests to taste; everyone says the flavor is good, but can we rely on selling just this one dish? We are a big restaurant, after all."

He Yuzhu shook his head: "Siqiang, how is it that the more business you do, the more rigid your brain becomes? Since you have a business license, can't you push a cart out to the street to sell? Also, can't you set up a night market? I don't believe the authorities want you to go bankrupt."

Chen Qingshan laughed: "Zhuzi, your brain is still the sharp one."

He Yuzhu laughed: "Siqiang, I suggest you join forces with a few restaurants in this vicinity to organize a night market. Make the prices more accessible. As long as you can hold out for a few months, I can provide you with a supply of meat. As for grain, I will lend it to you first; go to the East Suburb Warehouse of the Liushi Trading Company in four days to haul it."