Chapter 966

"Hey! Chicken and potato stew with mushrooms!"

"And let's add a signature dish, spicy mapo tofu!"

Sha Zhu lightly tossed the large ladle in his hand onto the stove and casually scooped a ladle of cold water, splashing it into the pot.

He shouted that everything was ready; the six dishes for tonight were now all served on the table.

Zhu Laoba and Lao Jiu were willing to help out in the kitchen, taking the opportunity to learn the craft while assisting him, and he didn't mind.

Cooking has never been a top-tier trade that requires secrecy to maintain orthodox transmission; there are no rules about passing it only to sons and not daughters, or only to insiders and not outsiders.

Whether your skills are good or not depends on practice time and the degree of dedication; just for knife skills alone, no matter how smart you are, you have to put in the hard work.

As for mastering and adjusting flavors, that relies on your constant practice and repeated tasting to know exactly what the master means by "an appropriate amount."

If you want to learn the craft from a Northeast Chinese chef, you've got a lot to ponder.

Why is that?

Because the old Northeast masters will tell you to add "a pinch," "a glug," "a little bit," or "a lump"...

"Alright, stop cleaning up, let's eat first."

Sha Zhu patted Zhu Laoba on the head, signaling him not to worry about the pot on the stove, and told them to wash their hands and go inside to eat.

These two boys also had the intention of currying favor with him, and they were very proactive about helping to clean up every time.

After spending a long time together, although Sha Zhu hadn't said he would take them as apprentices, isn't it a good thing to have someone helping out?

With fewer people at the recycling station and his wife not working while drawing a salary, he had to stay busy.

Shen Guodong was a righteous man, and Sha Zhu wasn't a deadbeat either; he took care of two of the three meals at the recycling station, and on Sundays, the work was all his.

The boys were also enlightened by their studies, knowing that to survive in this world, one must have some extraordinary skills.

The six older brothers had gone out early to make their way in the world with Biao Ge and the others; although their letters said everything was good, didn't they know for themselves whether it was truly good or not?

If it were really good, why run so far away? Wouldn't it be fine to just earn a living right at home?

The boys who stayed at home had an even greater sense of crisis and urgency to learn.

The letters from the older brothers ahead all mentioned that they should cherish their time and study hard.

One only regrets having too little knowledge when the time comes to use it; only after truly coming into contact with the most intense side of social competition did they realize their own weakness.

Sales will always be the most transparent position for tempering one's will and testing one's comprehensive strength.

As the old saying goes, having many skills is never a burden; there were quite a few skilled people at the recycling station, but the only one that seemed easy to pick up was Sha Zhu's cooking.

Not to mention Er Ye's antique appraisal, which takes a long time to hone; Da Lao's carpentry requires not just strength, but also brains.

Li Xue's traditional Chinese medicine is awesome, but medicine relies not only on hard work but also on intuition.

Otherwise, why do you think that among Li Xue's four children, only one inherited his mantle?

When Biao Ge first told them not to feel pressured, he said that at the very worst, they could learn to brag with him—at least that's a skill for fooling people.

After hearing Biao Ge's words, they felt even more pressure; other boys were holding books to study mathematics, wanting to learn accounting from Sister-in-law Yafang, or learning carpentry from Grandpa—at the very least, they could become lumber workers.

Zhu Laoba and Lao Jiu were the smartest, choosing a trade that would keep them from starving.

When they entered the room, the east room was lively because of Li Xuewu's return and the six dishes on the table.

The two of them squeezed into the seats already saved for them, first greeting Er Ye and Grandpa at the end of the table, and then smiling and greeting Li Xuewu.

Grandpa had a kind heart, smiling and waving his hand to signal them to eat quickly.

Er Ye, seeing that the boys were polite and well-bred, was happy in his heart, and a few more smiles appeared on his face.

Shen Guodong waved at Sha Zhu as he walked into the room and said, "Brother Zhuzi, come, let's have a drink."

"No, no, your drinking capacity is too poor."

Sha Zhu stood at the doorway with a smile, watching everyone eating happily, which made him even more satisfied.

When Er Ye told him to come to the table to eat, he just held a cup of tea and responded, "You eat first, I'm not hungry yet."

It's an old habit of a chef; once the meal is cooked, the stomach isn't hungry anymore.

"What are you doing? Were you sneaking food in the kitchen!"

Yu Li teased him with a smile, then turned to Diliya and said, "Sister-in-law, Brother Zhuzi's belly is about to catch up with yours."

"Yeah, just right for having twins!"

He Yu Shui teased her brother, saying, "Looking at that belly, my brother might give birth before my sister-in-law~"

Diliya, teased by them, smiled and gently bumped Yushui, her gaze turning to Sha Zhu as she said, "His appetite has indeed grown a lot recently; it might be from the medicine he's taking."

"It's from being tired!"

Sha Zhu sat on the edge of the kang, holding his teacup and scolding them, "You think about it, how busy I am every day!"

"Starting from the morning, burning the stove, dumping coal ash, making breakfast, and boiling hot water!"

"After a full day of work, I still have to braise offal, cook dinner, wash clothes, and clean the house when I get home!"

He complained, "The current me is a chef and a maid all in one; I've been worked fat!"

"You really have a way with words!"

Yu Li scolded him with dissatisfaction, "It's as if we women are meant to serve you men, and now that we're pregnant, you can't even serve us for a few days, right!"

"Diliya!"

She turned her head with a smile and said, "A man like this has no sense of responsibility at all; let's find another one later and find a good father for the child!"

"Hey! Hey! Hey!"

Sha Zhu waved his hand and said to Yu Li, "I've heard of people tearing down temples, but I've never heard of people tearing down marriages; I haven't offended you!"

"You didn't offend me, I'm just envious of you!"

Yu Li glared at him and said, "Are you complaining? Or are you showing off!"

"Speak!"

Yushui followed along and chimed in, "Are you happy or unhappy to serve my sister-in-law? Are you willing or unwilling?"

"I..."

Sha Zhu saw his wife's gaze sweeping over, quickly stood up, and said to Shen Guodong, who was watching the fun, "Why haven't you poured the wine yet? I said I wouldn't drink, but you insisted."

"Hahaha!"

Shen Guodong set a wine cup at the seat next to him and teased, "You didn't come to this table of men, but insisted on challenging the 'Three Mothers Teaching the Son' situation; now you're obedient, aren't you!"

"Don't talk about me either!"

Sha Zhu sat down and said to Shen Guodong, "My today is your tomorrow; when Xiaoyan is pregnant, you'll know your brother's bitterness."

"That's not necessarily true!"

Shen Guodong smiled and retorted, "Serving a pregnant wife, no matter how hard or tired I am, I won't complain."

"Damn it~!"

Sha Zhu held his wine cup, widened his eyes, and looked at him, saying, "Good! You stabbed me once at the kang table, and now you're stabbing me again!"

"Drink!"

He pushed his wine cup and said loudly, "I must get you drunk today!"

"Hmm~ I'm so scared!"

Shen Guodong picked up his wine cup and clinked it with his, teasing, "I'll just see if you can pick up a second cup after finishing this one!"

"Hiss~"

Sha Zhu finished a cup of wine, turned his head to look at the kang table, and seeing Diliya's gaze sweeping over, he widened his eyes.

"What are you looking at! After I finish this cup, no one is allowed to persuade me! Even if you're my wife, it won't work!"

He turned around, slammed his wine cup down, and said stubbornly to Shen Guodong, who was looking over with a smile, "I said I won't drink, so I won't!"

"Brother Zhu, you're really tough! A real man!"

Shen Guodong was very mischievous; how could he let him off now? He kept teasing him.

Xiaoyan sat on the edge of the kang, afraid they would go too far, and scolded Shen Guodong, "Alright, learn from Brother Zhu; he's family-oriented and considerate, far better than you."

"Fine! So you're afraid of someone too!"

Sha Zhu smiled and pointed at Shen Guodong to everyone, saying, "We're big brother and second brother, neither of us has much status at home!"

"I'm better than you."

Shen Guodong blinked his eyes and said with a smile, "At least I don't have a sister who favors outsiders."

"Brother, you've spoken to my heart."

Sha Zhu suddenly hugged Shen Guodong and started "crying," complaining, "You understand me the best~"

"I really shouldn't have let you guys get wives!"

Yushui glared at the two people sitting at the floor table, her gaze sweeping across the room as she said, "Men are all no good!"

"!!!"

Li Xuewu, who was holding his rice bowl and watching the fun, was suddenly stunned, turned his head to look at the kang table, and met Yushui's gaze.

Yushui saw him looking over, lowered her eyelids, and turned her head to eat again.

This sweep took in all the men eating at the floor table; Da Lao and Er Ye just smiled and didn't mind the young people's banter, while those few boys looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and continued to lower their heads to eat.

Sister Yushui said men are all no good, but they were still far from being bad guys.

Now they had to eat well, grow their bodies, and exercise more; in the future, they would also make women say they weren't good guys!

In the past, when this room started cooking, there were at least thirty people eating together; if you spoke slowly, you couldn't keep up.

But today, it was only because Li Xuewu had returned and Yu Li had also rushed back to eat that there were just nineteen people.

And that was counting Zhang Xinmin, the son of Fei Shanying; there was only one table on the kang, and the big table on the floor couldn't even be filled now.

It was still lively, just not as noisy as before; the table lacked the shouting of Lao Biaozi and the nagging of Wen San'er.

Li Xuewu hadn't said much the whole time, just listening to everyone talk and letting them chat.

After the meal, the boys scrambled to clean the table and went to clean the kitchen.

Li Xuewu followed Grandpa and the others to the west room to drink tea, and the women also followed, chattering.

Whenever Li Xuewu returned for a meal, there would inevitably be a small meeting afterward to summarize and provide help for the recycling station, the sales department, and them as individuals.

In the past, when Lao Biaozi was here, he not only managed the recycling station and the business contacts with various departments in Beijing but also had to manage Steel City and other places.

At that time, after Lao Biaozi reported the Beijing affairs to Li Xuewu, he would also talk about the work in other places.

Now that Yu Li and Su Qing have set up a management office at the club, the work of contacting recycling stations everywhere has been transferred to the office.

Even the business in Beijing has been divided into three; Shen Guodong has taken over the foreign trade work.

Xiaoyan manages the recycling station's sales department, and Grandpa manages the recycling station's scrap and furniture business.

When Li Xuewu holds a meeting again, they only report on the work they manage, basically talking about small matters at the recycling station.

Because more important work has to be reported to the management office, organized by Yu Li and Su Qing, and handed over to Li Xuewu for unified handling.

So Li Xuewu returns less often, and every time he calls a meeting, he listens more and speaks less.

They are all familiar with the work of the recycling station, and he doesn't need to teach them how to do it.

Even the accounts have to be sent to the First Prison for verification and entry, and the money is all in the bank; there's very little left for him to say.

Shen Guodong has a quick temper, especially when it comes to getting things done, so he spoke first about the business adjustments at the First Prison.

Because the papermaking and printing businesses are moving away, the sales business for stationery like small picture books, red books, and notebooks needs to be adjusted.

Raw material procurement, log procurement in Jicheng, greenhouse vegetables on the mountain, etc. —he chattered on about a lot.

There were no outsiders in the room; Fei Shanying didn't listen to these things and took her child to the backyard with Diliya, who also had a big belly.

Wang Yamei went home with Wang Yajuan, who came to pick her up after dinner, so there were only a few people left in the room.

If you had to say who had no connection, it would be the siblings Sha Zhu and Yushui; one was lying on the kang being lazy, and the other was sitting inside the kang table drinking tea.

Li Xuewu was used to sitting cross-legged on the edge of the kang, leaning against the kang cabinet; the desk happened to be right next to him, and Yu Li was sitting by the desk.

Just as Shen Guodong was chattering, Yu Li, through Li Xuewu, happened to see Yushui, who was sitting along the kang on the other side, glancing at him from time to time.

"Huang Gan told me about the First Prison."

Li Xuewu put down his teacup and said to Shen Guodong, who was complaining a bit, "Papermaking has to move sooner or later; now that it's moving, you'll have less to worry about regarding raw material procurement."

"Chadian belongs to Huang Gan's father's jurisdiction, and the paper packages are all shipped directly to the Third Prison in the Xicheng; in the future, you only need to ask Zhong Jingxue about the printing."

"Speaking of Chadian, you should think about making an appointment for Huang Gan and Zhong Jingxue to go there."

Li Xuewu reached back and patted Yushui's foot, which was kicking him from behind, and instructed Shen Guodong, "Their deputy director is a connection of Huang Gan's; it's best if you can make contact."

"Doesn't that mean I don't have to go for papermaking?"

Shen Guodong raised his eyebrows and said, "Huang Gan told me he made a contract for papermaking; half is still in our hands, and half is considered transferred from the First Prison to Chadian Farm. He'll support the management."

"Even if Huang Gan is handling it, you still have to know who you're cooperating with, don't you!"

Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "I'm telling you to make more friends and build more connections, not forcing you to go on a blind date; do you think you're a young lady!"

"So coy!"

Feeling Yushui's foot behind him being restless again, Li Xuewu turned his head and glanced at her, warning her not to go too far.

Yushui acted as if she didn't see it, lying obliquely behind Grandpa and playing hide-and-seek with him.

"You go take a look first, see how the grain they grow is, and whether it can be included in the distribution scope."

Li Xuewu took a sip of tea and then instructed, "They are brewing liquor, but the quality isn't great; next year the steel mill is going to build a distillery, so you should get a head start."

"Also, they want to produce furniture; you go negotiate the supply of logs, and then get the agency distribution for the furniture, merging it into the steel mill's joint trade project."

"Finally, there's livestock breeding."

Li Xuewu tapped the table and said, "Chadian Farm can grow crops, so they can do breeding—pigs, cattle, sheep, horses, donkeys; you find a way to coordinate it, the steel mill is going to do food processing next year."

"So it's about integrating into the supply chain, right?"

Shen Guodong understood now; combining it with the management principles Wu Ge had taught him before, he knew what was going on.

The recycling station still doesn't engage in production itself, nor does it engage in management and sales, only serving as a trade bridge between units.

With the steel mill as the core, it connects the upstream and downstream of production, providing what is needed for production and providing sales directions for all units in the trade chain.

Chadian Farm needs to broaden its production scope, so the recycling station provides project development directions.

Including equipment and raw production materials, it helps the farm move in the direction the recycling station needs.

Products are transferred by the recycling station to the food processing plant, and the products produced by the food processing plant are then distributed to various places through local offices, connecting to the recycling station for distribution.

"Get a clear understanding of the situation first before talking."

Li Xuewu didn't expect him to get it all done in one step and instructed, "Huang Gan saying it's fine doesn't mean it's fine; you have to see it for yourself to know if it's fine."

"Wu Ge is teaching you to be more cautious."

Xiaoyan walked over with a teapot to refill Li Xuewu's water and reminded Shen Guodong, "We are one family; once you step out of this door, think more when you do things."

"Hmm, I'm thinking about it."

Shen Guodong took a sip of tea, placed the teacup forward to make it easier for her to refill, and said, "One is grain, one is timber; combined with the paper mill, to talk about livestock breeding, you always have to hold one of the other party's arms to talk."

"Be flexible, don't be too tough; you're the one providing the project, you're the boss, so it's not like you have to negotiate on their terms!"

Xiaoyan refilled Grandpa and Er Ye's hot water before pouring him a cup of tea.

"When you go, don't talk about grain first; talk about papermaking and furniture first, hooking them into talking further."

"If you talk about papermaking, they have reed marshes around Chadian, so they'll definitely have something to say; lay the foundation for cooperation first."

"Then talk about furniture, talk about the Third Prison in the Xicheng, talk about the current sales situation and channels, and they'll definitely be envious."

Xiaoyan refilled hot tea for everyone and continued, "They have reed marshes, do they have forest farms too?"

"Then you mention the Jicheng forestry project, then talk about the steel mill's trade project, and they'll have to respect you by three points."

"You can count on your fingers how many people have the ability to transport timber into the pass; they themselves have to weigh who you represent."

"They naturally won't be willing to let go of the small distillery they run themselves; if you want their grain, you have to give them a better choice."

"At this time, mention livestock breeding again, promise to provide improved breeds, and guarantee meat procurement, and won't you have everything?"

"Hmm-hmm~"

Sha Zhu, lying on the kang and watching Shen Guodong "listening to the lecture," curled his lips and smiled, "Why don't you swap places with Xiaoyan? You stay inside, and let Xiaoyan go outside."

"Listen to you, you're everywhere."

Shen Guodong punched him, and seeing him dodge, he didn't chase him, instead turning back to look at Wu Ge opposite him with a somewhat sheepish expression.

Xiaoyan gave her partner face and smiled, borrowing Sha Zhu's words, "It's fine for me to give him advice, but if I really had to go, I'd be nervous too."

"I know what to do now."

Shen Guodong, having been given face by Xiaoyan, picked up his teacup and said, "Tomorrow I'll contact Jicheng first, then ask about the situation in the frontier, and then go to the First Prison to find Huang Gan."

"Take it slow."

Li Xuewu looked at Xiaoyan, nodded, and said, "The steel mill's distillery and food plant are expected to start production by the end of next year; you have time to handle this slowly."

"But for the vegetables and breeding on the mountain, you have to keep it in mind; whether you talk to Uncle-in-law or Commissar Xiaoqin, it's best to expand the area; isn't it quite profitable now?"

"It is quite profitable."

Shen Guodong scratched his chin and reported, "We don't need to look outside; just the steel mill, the branch bureau, and a few other departments can consume all of it."

"I met Commissar Zhao last time; he mentioned expanding the greenhouse planting area next year and increasing the supply of winter vegetables."

"Hmm, you handle this."

Li Xuewu pinched his nose and said, "I'm going to Tianjin on a business trip tomorrow; when I come back, I'll bring a batch of vegetables; you think about contacting them in advance, and I'll give you the address when the time comes, and you contact the motorcade to pick them up."

"How much?"

Shen Guodong was stunned, not knowing why Wu Ge suddenly said he was going to bring back a batch of vegetables.

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "I don't know, maybe fifty tons or so; there's a variety, also greenhouse vegetables."

"That's worth a lot of money."

Shen Guodong's eyes lit up and he said, "After winter starts and the greenhouse vegetables come down, the price will double several times; it's not easy to buy even if you want to."

"Hmm, you think about handling it."

Li Xuewu said nonchalantly, "There should be about four batches, lasting until after the New Year."

"This is really..."

Shen Guodong's surprise increased a bit more, and the people in the room looked at him in a daze.

"Wu Ge, won't there be any trouble?"

Others might not understand the nature of large-scale winter vegetable supply, but Shen Guodong, who has been working on this supply, knows it best.

There are several greenhouse vegetable planting bases around Beijing, the kind where the whole commune grows vegetables.

In the past, they couldn't even meet the vegetable purchase needs of urban residents, let alone this year.

The reclamation area of the Wei Third Regiment on the mountain set up a large area of greenhouses; when the off-season vegetables came down, besides supplying the training ground's canteen, the rest were supplied to the canteens of various units through his contacts.

Just the steel mill's canteen is a big procurement account, with a supply volume of over 10,000 people every day; no matter how much you fill in, it's not enough.

Of course, off-season vegetables are too expensive, so even the procurement department doesn't dare to ask for too much at once.

The small canteen for cadres has fresh vegetables, while the big canteen is still mainly potatoes and cabbage.

Besides supplying these canteen units of the steel mill, the rest were all supplied to the supply and marketing cooperatives through Director Ma.

Just this one item of greenhouse vegetables, after three months, all the initial investment had been recouped, and the following months were all pure profit.

Why else would you say that the Wei Third Regiment didn't need his reminder? Only a fool wouldn't do a profitable business.

After working hard for a whole year, they had the production investment for this year and next year.

Qi Yaowu's ambition is very big; he wants to build a complete training base on the mountain, a large base that can accommodate tanks, artillery, and even helicopters.

Now he has a regiment; if he does well, maybe he'll have a brigade next year.

The current situation is very special; people are constantly coming down from above, so there must be people to fill the gaps below.

Qi Yaowu naturally wouldn't take the initiative to pull anyone down, but with vacancies appearing, relying on his own efforts and the current achievements of the Wei Third Regiment, he would eventually get ahead in the garrison area.

A vegetable links the fate of so many people; as long as they are related to this line, no one dares to underestimate their common interests.

Shen Guodong represents Li Xuewu and intervenes in this relationship as the recycling station; he has to be cautious and careful.

Li Xuewu knows very well how these vegetables in his hands came to be; they are not the illegal channels Shen Guodong is worried about.

But he can't explain it too clearly to Shen Guodong, fearing he'll get too carried away.

"There's no trouble; you just think about being steady."

Li Xuewu took a sip of tea and instructed, "As long as it's distributed through existing channels, there won't be any problems."

"Hmm, understood."

Shen Guodong is just like this: cautious, sensible, and obedient.

Li Xuewu kept him at the recycling station because he saw that his personality wasn't suitable for going out to open up markets.

"Calculate the proceeds of this batch and use them to pay off my summer loan."

"Hmm, I'll make a note of it."

Shen Guodong knew which account Wu Ge was talking about; starting from May, a batch of vegetables from the mountain would be sold separately by Wu Ge every Saturday.

Until October, when all vegetable supplies were cut off, the money from these vegetable sales was recorded as a loan in the accounts.

Because of the special nature of this matter, Wu Ge personally contacted the accountants who managed the accounts, and this money has been hanging on the books.

Although the recycling station's business belongs to everyone, only Wu Ge himself can open the green light to make loans and keep them for such a long time.

Even Third Uncle and the others far away in Hong Kong can't do it; accounts are accounts, and money is money.

They don't know what Wu Ge used this money for, but now, before the year-end settlement, paying it off in one go and still having a surplus is something he didn't expect.

This money, the accounts, and these vegetables—even if you beat him to death, he wouldn't think there was any connection between the three.

Li Xuewu, however, was calculating in his heart that after these two hundred tons of vegetables were sold, the deficit caused by Sister Lou and the others going to Hong Kong, as well as the recruitment and training of the club and the Dongfeng fleet, would basically be cleared up.

They hadn't failed to make money through their hard work this year, including the club, which was losing money, but had operating profits.

All the ships of the Dongfeng fleet had gone to sea; from Hong Kong to Tianjin, besides undertaking the freight business of the Tianjin Port terminal, they also undertook the material transport business of the steel mill's Yingcheng Shipyard.

The construction investment of other recycling stations this year was not small, but they were continuously creating benefits.

Overall, Beijing is the base camp, where operations are the most steady and solid; guarding the steel mill, just trade and distribution alone made a lot of money.

Added to the revenue from other projects, judging from the operating report given by Sister-in-law Zhao Yafang today, this year wasn't a waste, but there wasn't much cash that could really be taken out.

The investment in Hong Kong was quite costly; the gold given to Sister Lou was just hard currency, used to boost confidence in the bank vault, and the goods brought to Hong Kong by the fleet were the capital for their operations.

These two hundred tons of vegetables naturally don't count as capital in the face of so many projects and such large investments.

But they became the last piece of the puzzle for Li Xuewu to fill the revenue deficit this year.

Filling this money is not just to make the account statements look good, but also for the normal operation of other projects.

Including building the supply chain, continuing to invest in the fleet, buying ships, recruiting crew members, and providing training funds, etc.

Er Ye saw that the atmosphere in the room was a bit dull, tapped the tobacco pipe in his hand, and said to Li Xuewu, "Our antique business is going to stop."

"Hmm, hmm?"

Li Xuewu had just come back to his senses, and after answering casually, he looked at Er Ye in surprise.

Er Ye raised his head slightly and explained, "The wind seems to have blown over; there are no more people coming to sell antiques, and fewer people coming to exchange for red books and badges; I haven't met one in over ten days."

"Even the little brats on the street are fewer."

Shen Guodong echoed, "I haven't heard of people blocking homes to raid them anymore; I heard that those from out of town are all being sent back to their original places."

"Hmm, I know this."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "If it's stopped, then stop it; this wind will pass sooner or later."

Er Ye smoked a puff of tobacco knowingly and asked slowly, "Should we put up a sign to collect directly?"

"I know your concerns."

He looked at Li Xuewu, nodded, and said, "What I want to say is, we should still collect in the name of scrap, but quietly increase the acquisition price or raise the exchange standard."

"What do you think?"

Li Xuewu glanced at him, moved his body backward, and sat directly on Yushui's feet, not letting go even when she kicked him again.

He asked Er Ye what he thought, but actually, he wanted to ask what Yushui thought; what did she want to do?

Since coming to this room after eating, she first got on the kang and squeezed into the corner in front of the kang cabinet.

Whether it was because it was warm here or because there was something to lean on, why did she stretch her feet over after he sat here?

While he was holding a meeting and talking to everyone, she wasn't honest either, making a fuss.

She pretended not to see the warning just now, so he directly performed a "Mount Tai pressing the top"; even if Sun Wukong came, he would have to call him master before he let go.

Er Ye couldn't see this side, as Grandpa was blocking it; he only heard Li Xuewu ask, so he replied, "From my personal perspective, it's a pity; there are too many good things."

"From the perspective of our shop, and from your perspective of collecting, I think we can adjust appropriately; even if we pick up one more, it counts as a treasure."

"Gold in troubled times, collectibles in prosperous times."

Er Ye shook his head and said, "I don't believe our situation will always be like this; every dynasty must have a prosperous age."

"I don't know how long it will take for this prosperous age to come, but this business you're doing will definitely not lose money."

"Hmm, that's hard to say."

Li Xuewu smiled, looked at Er Ye, and said, "Maybe three to five years, or thirty to fifty years; I don't know when this prosperous age of antiques you're talking about will arrive."

"Of course, if you like it and feel it's a pity, we can be cautious; don't mention the price, just use the radios in the shop or other items for exchange."

"It won't lose money."

Er Ye felt somewhat guilty and gave Li Xuewu a guarantee; this business suggestion was proposed by him, and if it really caused trouble or lost money, he would really feel sorry for Li Xuewu.

Especially those radios or valuable trades—selling them directly would also be money.

It's different from collecting in batches like before; this has capital.

Seeing his concern, Li Xuewu smiled and comforted him, "You like it, and I like it too; otherwise, I wouldn't have told you to collect these, would I."

"Guodong, tell the finance department that this money is to be accounted for separately, still under my name."

Li Xuewu turned to instruct Shen Guodong; from the beginning of this antique business, it was a part he bore personally.

Even brothers must settle accounts clearly; antiques can't be eaten, can't be sold as goods, and can even attract trouble and disaster.

It was he who proposed to engage in these, so naturally, he should bear the operating costs of this part himself.

Of course, if it really reaches the prosperous age of collecting that Er Ye mentioned, these antiques will also be his personal collection, unrelated to the other brothers.

Li Xuewu saying he likes it is true; these witnesses that carry historical charm and mark the glorious civilization of China for five thousand years should naturally be well preserved.

Later, he will build a big house, place these things inside, and tell future generations how rich the ancestors' legacy is.

And this house will also become the cultural representative of his enterprise, and even his personal cultural representative symbol.

You say you are a tycoon, a banker, an aristocrat, a prince here, or a princess there—it's useless here!

Your family has big villas, big ships, and big planes; my family has a history museum.

I can earn money to buy your villas, ships, and planes; can you buy my history museum with money!

Li Xuewu thought, when Li Shu goes to school or works in the future, and hears people say there is this bronze tripod or that white jade plate in history.

She won't have to envy others; she can just tell the other party, this thing is kept in our house!

A whole bunch, whatever kind you want, you have it; you can see it whenever you want!

Antiques require a certain quality to see or appreciate, and aristocrats often use these things to flaunt their facade.

Li Xuewu just wants to make his facade solid and use these things to suppress future luck.

Everyone knows the truth or falsehood of investing in gold, and instruments can be used to invest in jade, but investing in antiques requires a certain amount of knowledge and ability.

The threshold for this thing is really too high; it lacks comparability and asset evaluation.

No matter where Li Xuewu goes in the future, as long as this museum exists, he will have confidence in whatever he does.

Er Ye thinks exactly the same; he has experienced too much in his life and seen too much; flowers bloom and fade for decades, and he can guess roughly without kneeling and worshipping gods.

Li Xuewu using his influence to lead these little brothers to engage in such a big career confirms his guess about the future.

These antiques are not scrap, nor are they Li Xuewu's burden; they will be of great use in the future.

Li Xuewu, feeling Er Ye's consideration for him, took the initiative to pick up the teapot and refill his hot tea.

Yushui took the opportunity of him lifting his butt to pull out her feet, still feeling unsatisfied, and kicked him again.

Li Xuewu didn't mind this and said to Er Ye, "When there is time, when it's convenient in the future, please identify my things one by one so I can have a count in my heart."

"I look forward to that day."

Er Ye smiled, picked up his teacup, and said, "Just for these words of yours, I must live well and live a few more years."

"You will definitely have a long life!"

Li Xuewu smiled and refilled Grandpa's teacup, saying, "Looking at your face, you are a person of longevity; your eyebrows are quite long."

"I've wasted half my life; reaching you, I consider myself fortunate; it's all fate."

Er Ye had seen through everything, sighed with emotion, and drank the tea in his hand.

Grandpa held his teacup and raised his head slightly, understanding Er Ye's sigh very well.

A person lives a lifetime; what is in one's fate is already destined; fighting and snatching is useless; even if it's in your hands now, it might not be yours in the future.

Take these antique artifacts, for example; the owners of these things in the past never thought they would suffer such a disaster.

How many things passed down through dynasties have become disasters today.

If you say these things are valuable, they wouldn't feel so heartbroken if someone snatched them; but having them smashed and burned in front of them is not just the pain of losing things, but also mixed with regret and pity.

Er Ye remembered Li Xuewu taking them in, raising orphans, observing that he followed rules and was organized in his work, leading the little brothers to get rich together without arguing, living in harmony, and taking care of their families.

Why else would he talk about good fortune? It's just that these antiques carry luck; those without fortune can't enjoy them, and those with fortune will have their luck increased.

"Wooden ones can be collected according to old furniture."

Da Lao added for the two, "It doesn't matter if you use new furniture to exchange or buy with money; I'll handle it."

"Don't rush, take it slow."

Li Xuewu smiled and agreed, and seeing that Er Ye had finished speaking, he asked about the operation of the sales department.

Xiaoyan spoke more concisely than Shen Guodong, first talking about the furniture sales, which were much better than before.

There was no requirement for vouchers, trade-ins were allowed, and there was a delivery service, which was very popular.

Many people from the Xicheng or South City came here by reputation, just because they liked that furniture here didn't require furniture vouchers.

Although the price was slightly more expensive, without the restriction of vouchers, they naturally chose with their feet.

Then she talked about the braised food business in the shop; it didn't sell well in the summer, and for fear of backlog and spoilage, they could only make a little.

After the weather cooled down and the situation stabilized, the braised food business got better again.

The business of second-hand electrical appliances was getting harder and harder to do; it might be hitting a bottleneck, as families in this era who own appliances are very cautious and wouldn't be willing to ruin things.

Even if they broke, they would repair them again and again, unwilling to sell them directly for new ones.

The only thing the recycling station could do for trade-ins was radios, and the radio manufacturing plant at the First Prison had stable production capacity.

Wen San'er was gone, so the door-to-door repair business was gone; even those sent for repair could only be transferred to the First Prison for repair, making little money.

Not only was this business hard to do, but the business of red books and badges was also fading.

The little brats had passed their impulsive period, and now that things had calmed down a bit, they had no blind desire to buy.

However, small picture books were selling better and better; I don't know if it was because of the sudden decrease in cultural reading products.

Overall, the sales department's operations were slowly returning to their previous state; sales of some categories had increased, but overall, it was in a state of decline.

Xiaoyan was a bit anxious, but there was nothing she could do; the success of these categories in the beginning was all due to Li Xuewu's advance planning and borrowing this east wind.

"It doesn't matter; people know they need to rest after running until they're tired."

Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "With fewer people, you should reduce the business categories; take this time to organize the sales department and clean up the recycling station."

As he spoke, he looked at everyone and asked, "There's only a little over a month left until the New Year, right? Everyone has worked hard; let's have a good New Year this year!"