Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Discussion
After having lunch with them, Feng Yiping thought, since I've come out, I might as well take a walk. So, he went to Xinhua's place next.
Xinhua and his wife's place was in an old residential area, and the location was not bad. There was a farmers' market nearby, a hospital, and a primary school two blocks away.
The places near the farmers' market are prime real estate, and newcomers like them would definitely get into trouble if they just barged in. So they are very conscious of this and set up their stall far away, along the alley at the back entrance to the farmers' market
This is actually quite good, as it takes care of both sides. Those who go to the back of these residential areas to buy food go in and out through the back door. When there are few people shopping, they ride their tricycles forward for more than 50 metres, and they will arrive at the Third People's Hospital.
When Feng Yiping arrived, the cleanly dressed Xinhua was talking about the price with a middle-aged woman carrying a woven bag with a plastic handle. Although he spoke politely, he wouldn't budge an inch on the price. The middle-aged woman weighed a catty and, when she left, grabbed a handful of vegetables from the pot, without caring if her hands were scalded.
Xinhua could only shake his head and laugh bitterly. It was okay when his wife was there, but when he was alone, he really didn't know how to deal with such a woman.
Feng Yiping asked from behind, 'Where's your wife?'
As soon as Feng Xinhua saw Feng Yiping, he immediately pounced on him and grabbed his shoulders, 'Winter vacation? When did you get here?'
He usually stays at home, but he can't stand being idle. During these days in the provincial capital, he hasn't even had a single friend. Usually, he can only talk to his wife, and I guess he's been holding it in.
'Have you eaten yet? Are you thirsty?' Back when they were together, they weren't as close as they are now. Feng Xinhua is probably just grateful that Feng Yiping's family has found him such a good business opportunity, and he is also happy to see his family again, so he is very enthusiastic.
'Where is your wife?' Feng Yiping looked around, but couldn't find his wife.
'Over there,' Feng Xinhua led him a few steps, and pointed to the corner in front of them, "That's the warehouse of the medicine company. Your wife goes there to help clean up when she's not busy. The people in charge of the warehouse just throw all the useless cardboard and wooden boxes at her, and we take them to the recycling centre to sell them. With the extra money, we can even buy a tricycle.'
'That's really good," Feng Yiping was happy for them too. It really is true that hardworking people will never go hungry.
The last stop was at Dongming's place. The place they often stayed at was by a square, surrounded by residential areas and schools, and not far from a bus stop.
They were both very happy to see Feng Yiping, and they chatted for a while, asking after each other's well-being. The cousin asked Feng Yiping, 'Yiping, do you think it would be a good idea if we sold roasted sweet potatoes? There is a vendor selling roasted sweet potatoes across from the bus stop, and it smells really good. I can see that there are quite a few people buying them.'
This is not a bad idea. Sweet potatoes are grown in every household in the old country. Originally, some were ground into flour and processed into sweet potato vermicelli. Now most people find it too much trouble and just buy all kinds of ready-made vermicelli. So, apart from drying some sweet potatoes, the rest are fed to the pigs. Speaking of cost, it is actually lower than chestnuts.
'Hey, this is not bad either, but you have to try to figure out how to make it. The roasted sweet potatoes they sell smell really good, but they have no taste at all, and many people throw them away after eating half of them.'
This is Feng Yiping's own experience. In the cold winter, roasted sweet potatoes do smell really good and are quite appetizing. He has bought them a few times, but he has never been able to finish them.
'Really? If it doesn't taste good when baked, then don't bother making it. Don't bring it. No one will even buy the chestnuts,' Feng Yiping's words were something Dong Mingge believed.
'You don't need to. Just watch how they bake it, and buy two to try. If it really doesn't taste good, try baking it in a different way. If it turns out well, won't that be an income?' Feng Yiping did want to come up with an idea, but he really didn't know how to do this.
'Then take some time to have a good look and buy two more to try,' said his cousin.
After visiting the families, Feng Yiping felt very gratified. Although their clothing and demeanour had changed somewhat, they were all as simple and hardworking as before, and they also had some business acumen. Now that they had such an opportunity to establish themselves in the provincial capital, Feng Yiping believed that their future would definitely not be limited to just that small stall pulled by a tricycle.
When he got home, Feng Zhenchang was cooking dinner. 'You're back. Where have you been all day? You didn't even come home for lunch.'
When he heard that Feng Yiping had gone to visit some other families, he immediately said, 'Tell me, and I'll drive you there. Wouldn't that be more convenient?'
Hey, that's what people who just bought a new car do. They can't wait for everyone to know. Seeing that is not impressive. Some guys who finally get the car they want will even sleep in it at night for the first few days.
At night, they still only eat together. Feng Yiping hesitated a few times before asking, 'Dad, what are your plans next?'
Feng Zhenchang had obviously thought about this. 'After the shop next to the new station opens at the beginning of the year, I want to take a few months to pay off the bank loan first, and then open a new shop.'
It seems that my parents still think the same way. They feel bad when they have debts and always want to be debt-free. 'Dad, you need to change this way of thinking. Borrowing from the bank is different from borrowing from private individuals in your hometown in the past. You don't have to pay it back early, as long as you can pay it back when it's due. Nowadays, as long as these people who set up factories and companies can borrow loans, who doesn't want to borrow more? You're lucky, you don't like the bank's money because you think it's too hot!'
'I know that too, but I'm just worried about the trouble if I can't pay it back in time!'
'It's only a little over 100,000 yuan, and the several stores combined can pay it back in less than three months, so don't worry.'
Hearing Feng Yiping say this so confidently, Feng Zhenchang asked him with a smile, 'If you're so sure, do you still have money in your hands?'
Feng Yiping of course still had some money. After New Year's Day, the last of the 1994 profits had been transferred to his account in Hong Kong.
However, he generally did not want to touch this money. For them, it was easy to exchange US dollars for RMB, but it would not be easy to exchange RMB for US dollars and transfer it outside the mainland for the next year or two.
So he could only vaguely say, 'You and Mum don't know how much I have. With so much studying going on for most of the year, I haven't had time to write novels, so where would I get the money?'
Feng Zhenchang just laughed, 'Whatever you have is yours. We can manage to transfer it now, and so can your brother-in-law. You don't need to subsidise him, just don't spend it recklessly.'
Feng Yiping didn't want to go into this issue in depth, 'I mean this noodle shop thing. Shouldn't you help other people open a few as well? Everyone knows that noodle shops make money now, and there are bound to be a lot of people who are jealous. It's fine if they're in the province, but people in the neighbourhood who go to the counties and cities below might just find a way to open one themselves, and there's nothing we can do to stop them.'
'They can just open a noodle shop and make money? It's not that simple. How many can afford to open a shop like ours?'