Chapter 358: This Move is Truly 6

Chapter 358: This Move is Truly 6

  The 15th of the first lunar month.

  Mountain Heart Village, Songwang Town.

  The Zhu family was hosting a full moon celebration for their newborn. Besides the family and friends of the Zhu family, the Party Secretary and the Town Mayor, who had received the news, also brought gifts to attend the celebration for Zhu Shiba's full moon.

  For this full moon celebration, the Zhu family slaughtered a pig and set up over a dozen tables of feast.

  Actually, if they really wanted to invite people, it wouldn't be a problem to have even a hundred tables. However, Zhu Junjie, as the vice-county magistrate, had to be mindful of the impact. Hosting the celebration like an ordinary family was sufficient; there was no need to make it too grand.

  Deng Shirong and others were naturally warmly welcomed by the Zhu family.

  Now, the families of Zhu Dage, Zhu Erge, Zhu Sansister, and Zhu Sisister had all followed Deng Yunzhen's advice and set up stalls to sell shrimp crackers in the county town and various towns and villages. This small investment with quick returns had indeed made a lot of money for the Zhu family and their relatives.

  Although there were stingy people like Zhu Dage's wife and Zhu Erge in the Zhu family, Zhu Dage, Zhu Erge's wife, and other family members were grateful.

  Therefore, it was only natural that they warmly welcomed Deng Yunzhen's family.

  ...

  After the 15th of the first lunar month, students from all over the country returned to their campuses.

  Beijing.

  Tsinghua University.

  A male dormitory.

  Yu Zhenping walked into the dormitory, threw his luggage onto the bed, and lay down, complaining, "Mom, traveling by train during the Spring Festival is really a nightmare. I'm really scared; I plan to follow Yunsong's example and stay at school for the next Spring Festival."

  Deng Yunsong, who was reading a book in the dormitory, couldn't help but laugh, "I was scared after just one trip. I don't want to take the train again unless it's absolutely necessary."

  Tan Chuan added, "Getting on the train is really a matter of life and death. Fortunately, I went with a fellow townsman. If I had gone alone, I probably wouldn't have even made it onto the train."

  Zuo Chuanfeng, the dormitory's physical powerhouse, laughed, "It's no big deal for me. Not many people can push me around on the train."

  Yu Zhenping sat up from the bed, looked at his roommates, and said, "We're all here, except for Lao Qiu!"

  Just as he finished speaking, Qiu Yongnian's voice came from outside the dormitory, "Brothers, I'm back!"

  Zuo Chuanfeng asked immediately, "Lao Qiu, did you see our Second Brother this Spring Festival?"

  Qiu Yongnian laughed, "Not only did I see Second Brother, I even invited him to my home for the New Year. You didn't expect that, did you?"

  Deng Yunsong was surprised and asked, "No way, Lao Qiu, you invited my Second Brother to your home for the New Year?"

  Qiu Yongnian grinned, "Second Brother stayed at my place for two days before returning to the county town."

  Yu Zhenping gave him a thumbs up, "Lao Qiu, you're awesome!"

  The others also gave him a thumbs up, "Awesome!"

  Although they were roommates, Deng Yunsong's Second Brother was a county leader. Inviting a county leader to spend the New Year at home was, in modern terms, a truly 6 move!

  ...

  As the Spring Festival travel rush was coming to an end, another car accident occurred on the Dapuling Neck.

  The Dapuling Neck had several sharp turns. Last year's accident happened at the first turn, while this year's accident occurred at the third turn.

  Last year's accident resulted in seven people being seriously injured, but no one died. This time, however, someone died in the accident.

  When the news reached the Tenglong Passenger Transport Company, Deng Shirong convened an emergency meeting with the clan members, emphasizing the importance of driving safety.

  After the meeting ended and the drivers left, Deng Shirong asked, "Changyu, how much money have we made from the Spring Festival travel rush so far?"

  Deng Changyu replied with a smile, "Ninth Uncle, we've made over 2 million yuan so far!"

  The Tenglong Passenger Transport Company, after more than four years of development, now owned 56 large buses. Fifty of them ran the Guangdong route, four ran the Nanning route, and two ran the Nayie route.

  Among all the routes, the most buses were running between Guangzhou and Shenzhen, with 12 buses each, to cater to the increasing number of migrant workers.

  Of course, this many buses were only needed during the Spring Festival travel rush. After the rush, the number of passengers would decrease, and the bus schedules would be reduced accordingly.

  Deng Shirong nodded, "Not bad. Last year, we used all the clan's savings to establish the food company. This year, we need to give everyone more dividends to ease their financial burdens."

  "Ninth Uncle, what about 1000 yuan per share this year? What do you think?"

  "Alright, 1000 yuan per share it is!"

  ...

  A few days later.

  The annual clan dividend meeting was held as scheduled.

  In the past, the company's dividend distribution was held at the old ancestral hall. This year, Deng Shirong decided to hold the meeting at the entrance of the new ancestral hall.

  The construction of the new ancestral hall in Nayie Deng's clan was almost complete, with only some final carvings remaining. It was expected to be fully finished in about half a year.

  At 11:00 AM, Deng Shirong stepped onto the stage and said, "Fellow clan members, this year's dividend from the passenger transport company is 1000 yuan per share. Those whose names are called will come up to collect their money.

As soon as these words were spoken, the clan members erupted in cheers.

Indeed, last year, to secure more shares in the food company, most of the clan members had sold everything they could, using all the money they could gather. As a result, their finances were indeed a bit tight.

The following dividend distribution process doesn't need to be detailed. Deng Shirong received 360,000 yuan from his 360 shares.

After the dividend distribution, the clan members did not leave.

According to tradition, the clan head would always have something to say.

And indeed, after putting the money into a burlap bag and setting it aside, Deng Shirong stepped onto the stage and said, "Fellow clan members, today, besides the dividend from the passenger transport company, I have two things to discuss with everyone."

"Ha, I knew the clan head had more to say."

"Not just you, everyone knows. If it was just a simple dividend distribution, the clan head probably wouldn't have come back from the county town."

"I wonder what good news the clan head has for us."

"Probably something about the instant noodle factory..."

Amidst the clan members' discussions, Deng Shirong raised one finger and said, "The first thing is about the instant noodle factory. I believe everyone has heard about its development last year.

"Here, I can give you a definitive answer: our instant noodle factory's Master Kang Red-Braised Beef Noodles have been a huge hit. As of now, orders from all over the country have piled up to over 20 million packets, and this number is still rising rapidly. The product is in a state of high demand."

As soon as these words were spoken, the clan members cheered.

Although this news was not a secret and everyone had already known that the Master Kang instant noodles had been a hit during the New Year, it was all just rumors without official data.

Now, with these words coming from the clan head, it was the most authoritative data, and the clan members naturally cheered.

After the cheers subsided, Deng Shirong continued, "Starting last year, the instant noodle factory invested seven to eight million yuan to build a branch factory in Wuhan, Hubei. The construction of the branch factory is almost complete. Next, we will purchase production lines and install and test them. Once the Wuhan branch factory is operational, the daily production capacity of instant noodles will reach 1.65 million packets. That will be the time when our food company will make huge profits."

"My God, a daily production of 1.65 million packets. Will there be an oversupply?"

"You're worrying for nothing. Didn't you hear the clan head say that our instant noodles have been a hit? There are already over 20 million packets of backlogged orders, and this number is still growing. This proves that our instant noodles are really in high demand. We don't have to worry about selling them."

"Who can do the math quickly? How much can we earn with a daily production of 1.65 million packets?"

"As long as we can sell them all, even if we only make 10 cents per packet, we can earn over 160,000 yuan per day."

"Damn, are you sure you didn't miscalculate? Over 160,000 yuan per day?"

"I'm at least a middle school graduate. How could I get such a simple math problem wrong?"

"My God, 160,000 yuan per day. How much can we earn in a year?"

"160,000 yuan per day, 1.6 million yuan in ten days, 16 million yuan in a hundred days, and 365 days in a year. I can't calculate the exact amount right away, but it's at least 50 million yuan or more."

"At least 50 million yuan per year. Is our Nayie Deng clan going to get rich?"

"Definitely, we're all going to get rich!"

"..."

Deng Shirong also heard the clan members' discussions. He didn't specify how much they would earn in a year. They would know when the company distributes the dividends.

After the clan members' discussions settled down, Deng Shirong raised his second finger and said, "The second thing is to discuss the idea of building villas uniformly in the village."

Deng YunGui asked, "Ninth Uncle, what are villas?"

Deng Changbao also looked puzzled and asked, "Ninth Grandfather, what are these villas you're talking about?"

The other clan members were all confused, not understanding what villas were.

"Villas are a type of house, like the mansions, estates, and villas of the rich merchants and landlords in the past."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "I plan to build villas uniformly on both sides of the Dahan River (the largest river in the village). While building the villas, we can also beautify the river. I plan to invite architectural design experts to help with the design, transforming our village into the most beautiful village in the country.

"By then, not just the girls from the entire county, but girls from all over China will be vying to marry into our village. No one will have to worry about finding a wife, and the only worry will be which girl to choose."

These words immediately caused the clan members to laugh heartily. Although they still didn't understand exactly how the clan head planned to build the villas, the scene he described was something everyone wanted to see.

Thus, the clan members all expressed their support.

"Clan head, whatever you say, we will do."

"Clan Head, whenever you give the order, we'll contribute money or labor as needed."

"Clan Head, we don't understand what villas are, but whatever you decide, we'll support you unconditionally."

"Clan Head..."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "As long as you all agree, that's fine. This isn't urgent right now. Even if we decide to build, we will have to wait until the food company starts distributing dividends to start raising funds. I'm just letting you know so you can be mentally prepared."

After some days of contemplation, Deng Shirong had a clear plan for building the villas.

He planned to build the villas along the largest river in the village, improving the river at the same time, turning it into a scenic river similar to the Li River and Two Rivers and Four Lakes in Guilin. Once the lighting technology improves, they could use it to create a truly beautiful riverside view.

Of course, to achieve this, they would need to negotiate with the villages upstream, such as Jima Slope and Deepwater Field (both part of Bangjie Village's jurisdiction), and San Zhang Pond (part of Zeng Village's jurisdiction), as well as Naqing Village.

They would need these villages to also protect the river, ensuring that the water remains clear, unlike the polluted state it might become in the future.

This place was Deng Shirong's hometown, where he had lived for nearly a century in two lifetimes. His feelings for it ran deep. In his previous life, he lacked the ability to do much, but now that he had the means, he was determined to contribute to beautifying his hometown.

At the very least, he would not allow the village's only river to be polluted into a stinky ditch in this lifetime.

"Uncle Nine, if you're building uniform villas, will everyone's houses be the same?"

"The architectural style will be the same, but the size of the houses can be adjusted according to everyone's needs."

"Uniform architectural style for all houses will definitely look very beautiful. I'm looking forward to these villas."

"..."

Since building the villas was at least a year away and the clan members were not clear on how the Clan Head planned to build them, they did not discuss it further.

Seeing that the clan meeting was about to end, Deng YunGui quickly said, "Uncle Nine, Spring Equinox is coming soon. After Spring Equinox, we'll start clearing the mountain. Our Nayie Deng clan hasn't held an ancestral worship ceremony for many years. Do you think we should hold one this year?"

Deng YunQiang also remarked, "Yes, it's been many years since we last held an ancestral worship ceremony."

Deng Shirong said, "The new ancestral hall will be completed this year. I think it's better to start the ancestral worship ceremony next year. If we start this year, the construction of the ancestral hall will be exposed to the various branches of the clan."

Deng Changbao smiled and said, "Uncle Nine is right. The ancestral hall has been under construction for so long, and now it's only the final touches. If we expose it to the branches now, they won't be as surprised when the hall is completed."

Deng ChangXiong added, "Indeed, our ancestral hall is so magnificent, and we want to make a strong impression on the branches. We shouldn't expose it prematurely due to the ancestral worship ceremony. I also agree to hold it next year."

Deng YunGui smiled and said, "That makes sense. I didn't consider that. Let's hold the ancestral worship ceremony next year!"

People have a natural desire to show off, and although the clan members present did not fully understand the concept, they all subconsciously hoped that the magnificent ancestral hall would be revealed to the branches after its completion, to impress them greatly.

Seeing that everyone agreed to hold the ancestral worship ceremony next year, Deng Shirong did not say more and announced the end of the meeting.

...

Time flew by, and soon it was the fifth lunar month.

Litchis, jackfruits, watermelons, and pineapples began to ripen one after another.

As these fruits started to ripen, Deng Shirong began to run around to purchase them. This year, his fruit purchases would be much larger than in previous years because he had decided that after this year, he would no longer buy fruits.

In the past few years, he had been dealing with fruits mainly due to financial constraints.

Now that his children's businesses were on track and no longer required financial support from him, and with the strong rise of Master Kang's instant noodle factory, it was clear that even ordinary clan members would become wealthy. With his share in the food company, Deng Shirong no longer had to worry about money.

Therefore, it was time to stop the fruit business.

While Deng Shirong was busy purchasing fruits, Deng YunHeng in Fujian was not idle. Under his strong promotion, the first shrimp farming base in Fujian had been established in Qiu Yongnian's village.

With expert technical guidance, financial support from the bank, and the active participation of the fishermen, the shrimp farming project was proceeding smoothly. The first batch of fishermen had already established several thousand acres of shrimp farming bases.

Once these first fishermen made money, the other fishermen who were still observing would definitely join in.

After all, shrimp farming offered significant benefits. It allowed them to earn a lot of money without risking their lives at sea, and no one wanted to miss such a good opportunity.

Once the scale of shrimp farming increased, it would strongly boost the local economy, which was what Deng YunHeng hoped to see.

Therefore, the success of the first batch of shrimp farmers was crucial, and it must succeed.

...

At the Suifeng Restaurant.

Deng Shirong and Zhang Guangzong were drinking and chatting.

Looking at Deng Yunhua, who was eating with his head down, Zhang Guangzong smiled and asked, "Xiaohua, you're about to take the college entrance exam. Do you think you can get into university?"

Deng Yunhua smiled bitterly and said, "Grandpa Zhang, you know very well that with my academic performance, it's already a big deal that I finished high school. There's no way I can get into university."

Zhang Guangzong laughed and said, "Whether you get into university or not doesn't matter. Your father has already laid the groundwork for you and your siblings."

Deng Yunhua looked at his father and asked, "Dad, you've prepared a hotpot restaurant for Second Sister. What will I do after I graduate?"

Seeing that his fourth son was about to take the college entrance exam and soon enter society, Deng Shirong didn't hide anything from him and said directly, "I'm planning to set you up with a large supermarket to sell big appliances like televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners."

Upon hearing this, Deng Yunhua's eyes lit up. These appliances were valuable items, and while he didn't know how profitable selling them would be, he knew that the business prospects were definitely good, especially considering that his father's business acumen was acknowledged by the entire clan.

Deng Shirong said, "Although I don't expect you to get into university, you should still take the college entrance exam seriously. It's the final test of your 12 years of education."

Deng Yunhua laughed awkwardly and said, "I'll take the exam seriously."

...

Three days later.

The 1988 college entrance exam officially began.

It turned out that knowledge was something you either had or you didn't, and how seriously you took the exam didn't make much of a difference.

During the exam, Deng Yunhua took each subject very seriously and put effort into every question, but he knew deep down that he couldn't answer more than half of the questions on each paper.

After the exam ended, Deng Yunhua let out a long sigh of relief.

From this moment on, he could finally leave the school he had been in for 12 years and no longer face the questions that gave him headaches.

...

In the seventh lunar month.

Deng Shirong brought an unprecedented amount of fruit to the capital. After renting a temporary warehouse, he went to the Ruyi Fresh Fruit Shop to meet his business partner, Zhou Shengli.

When they met, Zhou Shengli was naturally overjoyed. Every year at this time, he could make a fortune, and this fortune often exceeded what he earned in an entire year. Therefore, he always looked forward to Deng Shirong's arrival with great anticipation.

After exchanging greetings, they sat down in the back warehouse.

Deng Shirong started with a shocking statement. He looked at Zhou Shengli and sighed, "Mr. Zhou, before we talk business, I have to tell you a very unfortunate piece of news. This year will probably be our last time working together."

Zhou Shengli was taken aback and said in a panic, "Mr. Deng, did I do something wrong?"

Deng Shirong waved his hand and said, "Mr. Zhou, it's not your fault. We've had a good partnership over the years. I'm saying this is the last time because we are changing our business and no longer doing the fruit trade."

Zhou Shengli first breathed a sigh of relief and then said with disappointment, "Mr. Deng, why are you changing your business? The fruit trade is still quite profitable!"

Deng Shirong explained, "The profit margin in the fruit trade is actually not very high. We have found a more profitable business, so we have to give up this one that consumes a lot of manpower and resources but doesn't bring in much money."

Hearing this, Zhou Shengli let out a long sigh. This was indeed bad news for him. Losing this exclusive business would be a significant loss. However, Deng Shirong had made it clear that his team had found a more profitable business. If he were in the same position, he would also choose to abandon his current business without hesitation.

Quickly, Zhou Shengli regained his composure and asked, "Mr. Deng, how much cargo did you bring this year?"

Deng Shirong replied, "This year, the amount of cargo has doubled. If you can handle it, we'll give it all to you."

This was the last chance to make a big profit. Zhou Shengli made a quick decision and said, "Mr. Deng, we'll take it all. We can handle it."

Deng Shirong nodded and said, "Alright, let's stick to the old rules. The price will be the same as last year, and you can pick up the goods here tomorrow morning."

In fact, due to the loss of control over credit funds and the increase in the money supply, the country was experiencing a shortage of goods, leading to a buying frenzy. Market prices were rising, and inflation became a hot topic of public discussion, remaining high and difficult to bring down.

The purchase price of this batch of fruit was higher than in previous years, and he could have raised the wholesale price. However, since this was the last time they would work together and they had had a good partnership over the years, he didn't raise the price. He wanted to end their years of cooperation on a good note.

Zhou Shengli clearly understood this and said gratefully, "Mr. Deng, you are truly a man of high moral character!"

...

PS: I had planned to put in a lot of effort this month, but the monthly votes gave me a setback. It seems I overestimated my influence. I'll adjust my mindset and come back with a burst of energy to thank those who have voted and supported me today.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end