Chapter 62

Li Xuewu looked at the wall clock; it was past 12 o'clock, already Friday.

Li Xuewu leaned on the sofa and smoked, not entering the room to wake up Li Xueli.

After sitting for more than twenty minutes, his second aunt came back first.

"Xuewu, Section Chief Su's side has agreed; he wants 3,000 jin, but he doesn't have a convenient warehouse on his side, so I have to ask your second uncle about this."

His second aunt hesitated for a moment and then said, "Section Chief Su can't come up with so much money so late, so he can only exchange it with the welfare goods in the warehouse. They are all Northeast specialties. He wrote a list, and the prices are marked on the back. You see what you want."

Li Xuewu was just hoping to exchange for Northeast specialties, so he hurriedly took the list and looked at it, also comparing it with Beijing prices in his heart.

Baijiu 80 cents, in Beijing it's 1 yuan per jin;

Chinese cabbage 1 cent, in Beijing it's also 1 cent per jin;

Radish 1 cent, in Beijing it's also 1 cent per jin;

Potatoes 1.5 cents, in Beijing it's 2 cents per jin;

Frozen hairtail 50 cents, in Beijing it's 55 cents per jin;

Frozen river fish 65 cents, in Beijing it's 75 cents per jin;

Rice 10 cents, in Beijing it's 14.3 cents per jin;

White flour 15 cents, in Beijing it's 17.6 cents per jin;

Corn flour 7 cents, in Beijing it's 9.5 cents per jin;

Soybean oil 70 cents, in Beijing it's 75 cents per jin;

(The data in this book is for readers to establish a value system and will not appear many times, so please read carefully.)

There weren't many varieties, and they couldn't get such rich holiday benefits now.

His second aunt pointed to the white liquor and said, "It's the Da Linquan from the old cellar mouth. The hairtail is from Andong, the frozen river fish is from Chagan Lake—carp, crucian carp, catfish, mixed. The grain and oil are all local."

It was obvious that this Section Chief Su knew the market price; the gap wasn't large, but there was still profit to be made.

Li Xuewu thought for a moment and said, "Second Aunt, it's not easy to get cash so late, so let's exchange it all."

Li Xuewu wrote 2,400 yuan on the list and wrote down the required amount after each category.

Baijiu 1,000 jin, Chinese cabbage, radish, potatoes, corn flour 5,000 jin each, frozen hairtail, frozen river fish 200 jin each, rice, white flour 1,000 jin each, soybean oil 850 jin.

Li Xuewu handed the written list to his second aunt and asked hesitantly, "Second Aunt, do you have so many things in your unit's warehouse? Another thing is, your unit can't eat 3,000 jin of large white pears, right?"

Taking the list, his second aunt placed it on the table and looked at it carefully, then looked up at Li Xuewu and said, "Section Chief Su is 30 years old this year. Why do you think the leadership let him be the most important logistics section chief at such a young age? Why would there be so many types of materials in the warehouse?"

"Furthermore, this is the Northeast. We say it's the richest; who in the country dares to say otherwise?"

Li Xuewu understood instantly. Putting the right person in the right position is the core of leadership work.

What a logistics section chief should do is to provide logistics support for the worker brothers. If he can't get anything, why be a logistics section chief?

Secondly, the Northeast at this time was truly wealthy, with vast land and few people, abundant products, developed heavy industry, a high proportion of workers, and a good economy.

Seeing Li Xuewu's understanding expression, his second aunt said again, "Which department in Chuncheng doesn't need railway help? It's very easy to communicate and exchange. We don't have to leave all 3,000 jin of pears; we can just exchange them again."

After finishing her words, his second aunt didn't explain to Li Xuewu anymore, stood up, took the list, and went out to find Section Chief Su.

In less than ten minutes, his second aunt came back, saying that the other side was preparing and waiting for your second uncle's call.

Just like that, Li Xuewu continued to wait at home with his second aunt for his second uncle. About half an hour later, his second uncle came back.

His second uncle asked his second aunt, "How much does Old Su want?"

His second aunt answered while helping his second uncle change clothes, "He wants 3,000 jin. It has to go through the forestry warehouse; we don't have a hidden warehouse, and it's all material exchange. Xuewu has already set the list."

His second uncle sat down and drank a mouthful of water, then said, "First come, first served. Old Yang was preparing to want it too, so let's give Old Yang 3,750 jin. The location will be at the timber processing plant warehouse of the 213 Forestry Farm outside the city. I'll take you there in a while; it'll take more than half an hour to ride a bike."

His second uncle also took out a list from his pocket and handed it to Li Xuewu, looking at him and saying, "It's so late and so urgent, Old Yang can't come up with so much cash either. I know the output of the forestry farm, so I've set a list for you. See if it works."

Li Xuewu took the list to check.

Fur mixed with sable, deer, wolf, and tiger skins, calculated at 10 yuan per piece, 100 pieces, 1,000 yuan, all well-tanned skins.

Wild mushrooms, black fungus, and daylilies are all dried goods, calculated at 2 yuan per jin, 50 jin each, totaling 300 yuan.

Red dates, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pine nuts are all dried fruits, calculated at 1 yuan per jin, 200 jin each, 800 yuan.

Six roe deer, about 60 jin each, calculated at 50 cents per jin of meat, 180 yuan.

Timber, 3-meter-long logs, 2 yuan per piece, 300 pieces, 600 yuan.

Cash 120 yuan.

Li Xuewu knew he was going to make money this trip; several thousand yuan was certain.

"That's good, Second Uncle, let's do as you say. I'll go make a call now and let them deliver it in an hour. Is the place easy to find?"

His second uncle smiled, "Everyone in your office is a local; who doesn't know? It's just that it's dark at night; you can see it from far away during the day."

His second uncle stood up, walked to the window, pointed to the gatekeeper's room, and said, "I've already talked to Old Sun at the gate; just go."

Li Xuewu said goodbye to his second aunt and went downstairs. He walked quickly to the gatekeeper's room. An old man was sitting in the room. Li Xuewu politely handed him a cigarette.

Literature website.

The gatekeeper Old Sun asked a question and then went out to smoke.

Li Xuewu picked up the phone, turned his back, pretended to dial, muttered a few words, hung up the phone, went out, and stuffed a pack of Beijing economic cigarettes to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper didn't say anything and went back into the room.

Not long after, his second uncle pushed his bicycle over.

Li Xuewu took the handlebars, carried his second uncle, and rode toward the outskirts of the city according to the directions. After riding for more than half an hour, they arrived at the pitch-black timber processing plant.

The timber processing plant only worked during the day; there was only an old man on duty at night. The warehouse door was built outside the factory area to facilitate shipping.

His second uncle entered the factory gate, went into the duty room to get the key, took Li Xuewu to the warehouse, opened the door lock, and pulled open the gate.

Pulling on the electric light, the warehouse looked very large, with processed timber placed against the wall.

His second uncle pointed to the large warehouse and said, "There's enough space. When you're done, go to the factory gatekeeper's room to find me; I'll go chat with the gatekeeper."

Seeing the timber, Li Xuewu grabbed his second uncle's hand and asked, "Second Uncle, what kind of wood is this? How do I choose? I'll let them load the large logs first."

Seeing Li Xuewu looking at the timber area, his second uncle pointed to the timber area with his finger and said, "Over there, in order, are red pine, white pine, birch, Karas, paulownia, linden, and water willow. Record what you load and tell me."

Li Xuewu nodded and said okay, then sent his second uncle out.

He smoked two cigarettes at the door, took a leak, and looked around; there was really no one there.

It was almost 2:30, so he had to hurry up and work.

Li Xuewu closed the warehouse door and stacked the baskets of large white pears against the wall in his space.

After tossing for more than twenty minutes, he went to the timber area and loaded 300 cubic meters of logs of various types, each 3 meters long, neatly into his space. They all looked like dried timber, and the smell was very fragrant.

He sat and waited for another half hour.

Li Xuewu pushed open the gate, squatted against the wall, smoked two cigarettes, and then walked toward the gatekeeper's room. He didn't enter the room and knocked on the door.

Seeing his second uncle come out, Li Xuewu gave his second uncle a wink, leaned close to his second uncle's ear, and said, "They are all loaded on average. The transport didn't go far and is waiting for the signal."

His second uncle nodded, entered the room, made a call, and hung up before it was connected.

His second uncle led Li Xuewu to the warehouse and saw baskets of large white pears densely packed against the wall.

Li Gan didn't think much about it. He hadn't heard the sound of a car just now. It seemed they were transported by animal-drawn carts. He sighed inwardly that the sales department of the rolling mill had capable people.

The two waited for more than twenty minutes, and two trucks came, with more than ten people getting off.

A cadre-looking person followed his second uncle into the warehouse. Not long after, the cadre went out and waved his hand, and the trucks and people went in. His second uncle followed and closed the door from the inside.

Except for the sound of the cars, the people didn't make a sound.

Li Xuewu didn't follow in and just stood in the dark corner of the factory gatekeeper's room wall smoking, really a bit sleepy.

The warehouse side was pitch black. Standing here, he didn't hear any other sounds. Ten minutes later, the trucks went out and disappeared into the night.

Ten minutes later, two more trucks came, also carrying people. They went into the warehouse without hesitation, and half an hour later, they also left.

After his second uncle came out, he gestured to Li Xuewu. Li Xuewu walked toward this side, and his second uncle walked toward the gatekeeper's room. They passed each other without speaking, took the cigarette Li Xuewu handed over, and went to the gatekeeper's room.