Chapter 17: Planning to Do Business

Xu Niannian knew the result would be like this; these old folks' thoughts are still stuck before the economic reform and opening up.

She busily explained to the couple.

"Dad, Mom, doing business now isn't about speculation and profiteering anymore. It's already been two years since the reforms and opening up, and the state even encourages individual entrepreneurship. Our business is supported by the government... How could it lead to wearing high hats and cutting off tails?"

"Doesn't the head of our production brigade shout slogans every day through the loudspeaker? If you don't believe it, you can go ask the head of the brigade."

"Really?" Yang Cuihua asked uncertainly. She wasn't well-educated and didn't know whether these slogans meant anything.

Not just Yang Cuihua, in this era, although there had been economic reforms and opening up, most people still clung to old ways of thinking and were afraid to change easily.

Despite Xu Niannian's repeated assurances that nothing was amiss, Yang Cuihua and Xu Dawei were still somewhat anxious and simply took a flashlight to visit the head of the production brigade at his home.

The head of the production brigade was also surnamed Xu, named Xu Aiguo, a forty-year-old with a junior high school diploma.

Seeing Yang Cuihua and Xu Dawei come over, he wondered what trouble Yang Cuihua was going to stir up this time.

It wasn't that Xu Aiguo was paranoid; it's just that Yang Cuihua had a reputation as a shrew and her visits never spelled good news.

But what could he do, since he was the head of the village brigade?

Even though he was reluctant, he still had to be hospitable.

He could act like the head of the brigade in front of others, but those airs were useless in front of Yang Cuihua.

"Dawei, what brings you here?" Xu Aiguo asked with feigned concern.

As soon as Yang Cuihua entered, she smelled the aroma of meat and said sourly, "Wow, is the brigade leader's family having meat?"

Xu Aiguo hurriedly wiped the oil from his mouth: "What are you talking about? We can't even have enough to eat, where would we get meat? Today, Dongzi's mom just added a couple of drops of oil to the vegetables. What brings you here? Is there something you need?"

Dongzi was Xu Aiguo's only son, about the same age as Xu Niannian, and he was always thinking about marrying Xu Niannian.

But Xu Aiguo disagreed; he couldn't afford to provoke this potential in-law.

Yang Cuihua snorted dismissively. A couple of drops of oil? She could tell the difference between the smell of oil and meat. How much grain might they have exploited from the common people, otherwise how could they live so well?

However, she had a purpose for coming today and it wasn't just to uncover the brigade leader's cooking habits.

And although she wasn't afraid of trouble, she didn't want to offend the brigade leader lightly, lest her family be overlooked for any future privileges in the brigade.

"Here's the thing, Brigade Head, as you know, our Niannian is educated and full of ideas. Today she's been talking to her mom and me about starting a business, and I thought, isn't that speculation and profiteering? But our daughter said it's allowed to do business now. So, her mother and I hurried over to ask the Brigade Head what's really going on."

Xu Dawei had read a couple more years of books than Yang Cuihua and spoke more eloquently, with measured approach.

Of course, Xu Dawei dared to bring up this matter because the brigade was proclaiming encouragement of individual entrepreneurship through the loudspeakers every day.

If it were before the economic reforms, Xu Dawei wouldn't have dared to ask, fearing that before he could open his mouth, he'd be detained for punishment.

So the daily shouting of slogans through the loudspeaker was not completely useless.

At least it made people dare to ask.

Xu Aiguo thought it was some other matter and was relieved. As long as Yang Cuihua wasn't stirring up trouble, everything was negotiable.

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Hearing that Xu Dawei said his daughter wanted to try her hand at doing business, Xu Aiguo quickly said, "Dawei, what are you talking about? What involution and speculation? That's all old thinking. The spring breeze of reform and opening-up has been blowing for two years now. The government is now encouraging individual entrepreneurship. Doing business is a good thing, that's responding to the government's call. Tell Niannian, it's good, and I, Xu Aiguo, will be the first to support her."

Upon hearing this, Xu Dawei immediately felt hopeful but was just worried about people talking behind his back in the village.

It's true that the government allowed for individual entrepreneurship, but if anyone were to engage in business secretly, they would still be pointed at and scolded.

And they would also be looked down upon.

Sensing Xu Dawei's hesitation, Xu Aiguo quickly added, "Dawei, you don't need to worry about this. Just let Niannian do what she wants, and if anyone dares gossip behind her back, I, Xu Aiguo, will be the first not to let them off."

Upon hearing this, Xu Dawei was overjoyed and couldn't stop smiling, and so was Yang Cuihua, thrilled beyond measure: "Then we must thank the brigade leader."

"No thanks needed, this is all part of my job as the brigade leader," he responded.

With the brigade leader's approval, Yang Cuihua and Xu Dawei were relieved and hurried home.

After they left, Xu Aiguo's wife, Ding Guihua, came out, still holding a plate of meat.

"Oh my, that scared me to death. Yang Cuihua has a big mouth, if she had seen this, who knows, by tomorrow the entire village might know we've been eating meat."

As the brigade leader, Xu Aiguo, too, could take some small advantages when the food was distributed in the collective.

But he needed to be mindful of his image, fearing others would find out and make a big fuss.

Xu Aiguo wiped his mouth, still thinking about the meat: "Exactly, that blabbermouth, who would dare to provoke her."

Ding Guihua said with a sneer, "That girl Xu Niannian has really been spoiled by Yang Cuihua, thinking about doing business and not ashamed of it. Only those without prospects and unable to earn work points would think about engaging in such shameful speculation."

Xu Aiguo didn't like hearing that.

He tapped his chopsticks against the bowl: "Comrade Ding Guihua, I must criticize you. It seems all the words I just said were in vain. What do you mean shameful? The nation is now developing, and encouraging individual entrepreneurship is a good thing. Only when the people develop can the nation develop along with them, and vice versa. If the nation is to develop, we common folks must also contribute. You need to let go of these old thoughts."

"I know, I know. I just said a few words—look how many you've said?"

Xu Aiguo laughed: "Who asked you to be the wife of the brigade leader? Your thinking has to keep pace with mine."

Yang Cuihua and Xu Dawei got back home and immediately called Xu Niannian out of her room. Xu Zhiqiang heard the noise and also came out.

Xu Zhicheng and Xu Duoyu also came out, curious to see what was going on.

The family sat down in the main room.

Xu Dawei cleared his throat: "Your mother and I went to the brigade leader's house, and we asked him about this matter."

Xu Niannian smiled with pursed lips: "What did the brigade leader say?"

"The brigade leader said there's no issue, that you can go ahead," Yang Cuihua eagerly shared the good news with Xu Niannian.

Xu Niannian wasn't surprised at all. Even if the brigade leader didn't agree with this kind of thing personally, he would definitely have to say he encouraged it publicly. And if he agreed, that was even better.

Xu Niannian explained her first business idea to Yang Cuihua and Xu Dawei. The Dragon Boat Festival was the day after tomorrow, and there would definitely be a large crowd for the dragon boat races.

Everyone would be thinking about having fun and likely wouldn't bring water. It was already hot, and it was easy to get thirsty. There were few people doing business, but it wasn't nonexistent; however, they sold fruits.

Fruits were rare commodities now, costing three or four dimes a pound, and not everyone was willing to spend that money.

So the question was, what to do when thirsty?

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