Chapter 32: Business

Although Old Mr. Ji had a fiery temper, he was not an authoritarian parent with narrow-minded views. If he were, when Ji Jun took a liking to Ye Minshu, he could have done everything possible to ruin it. How could a little ballet dancer like Ye Minshu stand up to him?

In his lifetime, he has lost many people: comrades, siblings, parents, brothers and sisters, wives, and even children. He places great importance on the few things that remain. If Ji Ze really wanted to do business, he would have done it without asking for permission first. Even if he knew, he wouldn’t destroy the hard work his child had put into it, forcing the other person back onto what he considered the right path. Even if Ye Minshu wanted to do something, for the sake of his grandson and the peace of the entire family, he would still help suppress Ye Minshu.

So, when Ji Ze went to great lengths to obtain his consent first, it was pretty intriguing.

Old Mr. Ji looked at his grandson and indeed saw a fleeting look of discomfort on his face, the ripples caused by those words instantly disappearing. “Which project have you set your sights on?”

In this day and age, what makes money the fastest? Of course, it’s taking on the projects from above. As long as you can get it, you don’t have to do it yourself; you can just subcontract it to others and still make a profit. There’s even a kind of no-investment business, but if Ji Ze dares to mention it, the old man could break his legs. He probably doesn’t have the guts for that.

Ji Ze shook his head, “No, I want to engage in the electrical appliance industry.” That means it has nothing to do with these, and the old man looked slightly relieved. After all, whether doing it oneself or outsourcing it, it wasn’t just about doing business; it was about making money. He picked up the teacup, wanting to take a sip, but realized too late that Xu Li had prepared water for him, so he put it down and waited to hear what his grandson had to say next.

Ji Ze continued, “I’ve thought it over. Our country currently lacks everything, and we can’t import everything from abroad. There is definitely a market for doing real business.”

“But Grandpa, you know that the West has been imposing a technology blockade on us. No matter what we do, we have to import production lines from abroad.”

“Do you want your uncle to help make the connections?” The old man immediately thought of Ji Yan’s husband.

“No, I already have a way to do that. I want you to help me out by giving a heads-up to the bank for a loan.” The country has policies supporting personal loans for business purposes, and Old Mr. Ji knows this too.

“How much do you want to borrow?”

“About tens of millions.” Ji Ze’s voice was weak. Seeing the old man frown, he quickly explained, “Introducing a production line costs this much. If you don’t believe me, ask your uncle. However, this money doesn’t need to be repaid immediately. You repay a little each year, and if the business runs well, it can be paid off in a few years.

Just because the amount is large, he wanted the old man to help make an introduction. Although the country has policies, that doesn’t mean a bank will lend money to anyone. Banks aren’t just fools who know how to throw money around. He wasn’t worried about finding a way, but the other party had to check with his family before they would give him the green light. What if his family disagreed with him doing business? It would be a waste of effort and would offend people.

This number made the old man a bit silent, but Ji Duo spoke up again, not about the loan, but about something else, “The connection you mentioned, is it Yu Jin from the Yu family?”

Ji Ze showed a bit of surprise, and Ji Duo calmly said, “Among your childhood friends, he’s the only one who can deal with foreign trade.”

“I knew I couldn’t hide anything from you.” Ji Ze felt a bit down. He had been eyeing this for a long time, and with a childhood friend working in the relevant department, he dared to have this idea. But his uncle saw through him immediately. His mother still hopes that he will be more successful than his uncle in the future, she really thinks highly of him.

Ji Duo had no reaction to this, “Your group, besides you, who else wants to do this business?”

“There aren’t many, just me and Chen Weiguo.” He didn’t want to rely too much on his family, and Chen Weiguo was someone the family couldn’t count on. The rest, even if they had ideas, were only looking for an easy way out.

“What about Yu Jin? Has he ever thought about going into business?”

Another question came flying in. Ji Ze thought for a moment, “With the current reforms and opening up, his unit is quite popular right now. He probably hasn’t thought about going into business.”

“What about the other members of the Yu family? Any relatives from the Yu family thinking about getting a loan to introduce production lines?”

This time, Ji Ze didn’t say anything.

Ji Duo slowly glanced at him, “You don’t know anything, yet you’re daring enough to take out tens of millions to buy equipment?”

From the moment he started asking about Yu Jin, the old man Ji sensed something was off. Seeing his grandson not speaking, he directly asked his son, “Is there a problem with this?”

“Not necessarily a problem, but it’s not as foolproof as he thinks.” Ji Duo withdrew his gaze from his nephew. “When Sister Yan returned before my wedding, I talked to her. Right now, our country seems like a big piece of meat to others; everyone wants to take a bite, and they want to sell us their outdated and unsold products.”

The large influx of Sakura Country appliances into the domestic market are those that have been eliminated and unsold in their own country. One could say the domestic market has saved countless of their companies.

This is unavoidable, after all, they were blocked for so long that even their discarded products are beyond our current technology. But appliances are appliances, and production equipment is production equipment. The amounts involved are too large. If it were just their discarded items, it would be fine, but what if there are quality issues?

The old man is a wise person. Ji Duo doesn’t need to say anything more; he can figure it out himself. He frowned, “This isn’t very reliable.”

Ji Ze had made many preparations and considered countless possible situations, but it was dismissed before it even started. He felt a bit unwilling: “Yu Jin grew up with me. We have a close relationship; he shouldn’t betray me.”

Ji Duo only looked at him, not saying a word.

Yu Jin grew up with him since childhood, so he wouldn’t necessarily betray him, nor would he be willing to offend the Ji family for this small benefit. But does Yu Jin know the background of the other party? Since no one in the Yu family has this idea, can it be said that Yu Jin himself is not entirely confident about this matter?

Some things, when said too much, inevitably provoke resistance. Not saying them, on the other hand, can allow the other person to figure things out on their own.

Soon, Ji Ze fell silent, his head drooping as if all the courage and anticipation he had just felt had been doused with a bucket of cold water.

Seeing his nephew like a drowned dog, Ji Duo changed his tone, “But this business isn’t completely off the table.”

Ji Ze perked up instantly, “What do you mean?”

Old Mr. Ji also looked at his son, “Are you saying you support Xiao Ze starting a business?”

“Whether or not to start a business is his choice. I only want to tell him that if he wants to be seen as more than your grandson or my nephew, he shouldn’t rely on the family for everything.”

Ji Duo stood up, his height immediately imposing on Ji Ze, his aura even more so, “Don’t you have annual leave? If you really have the ability, try to earn your first pot of gold on your own. You need to have that capability for the family to support you. If you haven’t even figured out the situation, don’t come to your grandfather for help.”

He never believed in plans or expectations. To him, wanting the family to support him in taking out a loan to buy equipment without any business experience was nonsense.

After saying what needed to be said, Ji Duo glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. Lin Qiao is still waiting for me.”

“Then you go back, and I’ll think about this some more.” Old Mr. Ji didn’t keep him.

As soon as Ji Duo left, Old Mr. Ji even sent his grandson away, “Your uncle’s words make sense. You should go back and think it over carefully.”

Ji Ze’s mind was a bit chaotic. On one hand, he felt that this matter might work out; on the other hand, he thought his uncle was right. He hadn’t done anything yet, so why should the family support him?

He nodded, “Grandpa, you should also get some rest early.”

As he was about to head to the backyard after leaving the study, he saw Ji Duo, who had just said he was returning to his room, closing the door and walking out of the living room. He was taken aback, “You haven’t gone back yet?”

“Yeah, just making a phone call.” Ji Duo was brief, and his expression was as usual.

But who could he be calling so late? Didn’t he worry about disturbing someone?

Ji Ze was puzzled, but since Ji Duo didn’t say anything, he didn’t dare to ask. After greeting his uncle, he went back to his room in the backyard.

Of course, Ji Duo’s phone call was no problem because it was still daytime on Ji Yan’s side. But Ji Yan’s reaction to the call wouldn’t need to be elaborated on further. As he walked back in the night, the lamp in the room was still left on for him. It wasn’t very bright but warm enough, just like the days he occasionally came back late during the past month of marriage. Unlike before, whether at home or in the dormitory, he was always greeted by darkness and desolation. From this perspective, getting married didn’t seem so hard to accept.

Ji Duo pushed open the door and glanced around, finding that the little ungrateful one hadn’t waited for him and had already fallen asleep on the bed.

Hearing the noise, she vigilantly opened one eye, and when she saw it was him, she closed it again. Her face was flushed from sleep, and because it was hot, the blanket was only loosely draped over her waist, exposing her arms and legs. Her sleeveless shirt had been pushed up, revealing her smooth skin.

Yeah, he wasn’t wrong; she was indeed not small anymore.

Ji Duo casually helped her adjust her clothes and was about to undress and get into bed when Lin Qiao turned over, exposing a large part of her back. He paused, frowned, and helped her pull down the back of her shirt to cover her.

In her sleep, Lin Qiao lifted her leg, her small foot kicking his waist. Her entire calf rested on his leg, the pale skin almost blinding.

This time, Ji Duo held her delicate ankle, which was barely graspable, for a while before finally getting up and going outside to wash up again.

As soon as Lin Qiao woke up in the morning, she noticed Ji Duo was particularly energetic, specifically in a certain aspect. It wouldn’t be because she didn’t wait for him last night, would it?

She scooted her little butt forward, then moved again, just about to leave when she was pulled back into his arms.

“What time is it?” The man’s voice was deep with a hint of hoarseness.

Ignoring his serious demeanor, this person actually had a bass voice, and hearing him whisper like this in her ear was quite ticklish.

Lin Qiao pushed him away this time, picked up the watch on the bedside table, and looked at it. “Just past five-thirty.”

That meant it was time to get up. Yandu was a bit far from the military district, and both he and Lin Qiao had work, so they had to be at their units before eight in the morning.

Ji Duo didn’t pull her back again, got out of bed, and picked up the shirt draped over the back of the chair. They didn’t get up too late, but by the time they left the room, Ji Ze had already left.

“Xiao Ze said he has some other matters to attend to, so he won’t be taking your car.” Aunt Zhang had already prepared breakfast, and as soon as Xu Li saw them, she brought it out.

After saying so much last night, that kid must have thought it over carefully. He probably feels uneasy facing him, especially with Lin Qiao in the car. Ji Duo wasn’t surprised.

Lin Qiao wasn’t familiar with this nephew and didn’t ask much. Instead, she inquired about liquid soap.

Upon asking, it turned out there wasn’t any liquid soap available. However, there was something called laundry paste, which was similar to laundry powder and contained granules of laundry powder. The use of this product was very limited, at most it could be used for washing hair. It wasn’t as versatile as liquid soap. Moreover, laundry paste was essentially just a paste form of laundry powder. The granules of laundry powder needed some time to dissolve in water and create foam, making it less convenient than liquid soap.

Xu Li already used Lin Qiao’s liquid soap in the morning. “I think it’s good for washing your face too, too; it’s more moisturizing than soap.”

“Handmade soap is more moisturizing than industrial soap, but it’s still unsuitable for washing your face. If you want to use it for that, I’ll adjust it next time.”

“Let’s forget about next time.” Lin Qiao’s response clearly made Xu Li happy, but she still refused. “You worked hard. Take some time to rest.”

“It doesn’t take much time, and I still have a lot of oil left. A pound of oil can make dozens of bottles.”

Last time, Lin Qiao made a big bucket, planning to give some to Xu Li and some to Ji Ze, who helped her with the oil and kept the rest for herself. Since this product hasn’t been sold yet, she felt it would be a waste not to try selling it, given her luck.

Back at the unit, Lin Qiao filled a canning jar with liquid soap and took it to school. As a teacher, she had to write on the blackboard every day, and washing hands was frequent. There was a faucet right at the entrance of their office, with a cement basin below it for washing hands and mops, similar to the one newly installed at Lin Qiao’s home, saving them from having to squeeze into the student washroom. In those days, the pipes were all external, and a bar of soap was on the pipe next to the faucet, which the school uniformly purchased.

Lin Qiao found an unused thermos cap and placed it next to the soap. “I brought some liquid soap. You can use it when you wash your hands.”

“Liquid soap? What kind of little experiment are you doing now?”

At first, everyone only looked at it out of curiosity. After all, when this term is mentioned, most people, like Ye Minshu, think of soapy water. And soapy water for washing hands isn’t as good as soap—it’s thin and not smooth.

However, as a man, Group Leader Gao wasn’t too particular about using soap. Since Lin Qiao brought it, he decided to give it a try after class. To his surprise, it lathered up even faster than soap. After all, soap needs to be rubbed repeatedly on the hands, but this liquid soap dissolved as soon as it touched the water, and a few rubs were enough to wash his hands.

After washing his hands, Group Leader Gao couldn’t help but pick up the thermos cap to take a closer look. “Where did you get this? It’s quite good.”

If it were handmade soap, Lin Qiao would have said she made it herself and wouldn’t mind sharing the recipe with others. After all, it’s quite simple, and anyone with some knowledge of chemistry could figure it out. But since she planned to sell the liquid soap, she couldn’t say she made it herself. She only smiled and said, “If you find it useful, go ahead and use it. When it’s finished, I’ll bring more from home.”

Group Leader Gao, being a straightforward man, didn’t pay much attention to these things and just asked casually without overthinking.

The other female teachers in the office were different. When they heard it was good, they all came over to try it and quickly discovered the benefits of this liquid soap. “Xiao Lin, where did you get this?”

This time, the question was asked more sincerely, and Lin Qiao also sincerely made up a friend. “A friend of mine made it and asked me to see if it’s worth selling. I thought I couldn’t decide on my own, so I brought it to the office to see what most people think.”

In those days, no one understood that “I have a friend” actually meant “I made it.” Some hesitated, while others asked directly, “How does your friend plan to sell it?”

“By the pound, one yuan per pound.” Lin Qiao had thought about this for a long time. Currently, soap on the market mainly costs four mao per bar, laundry paste costs one yuan and twenty cents per pack, and a pack is also a pound. Selling liquid soap for one yuan per pound was just right. Although it had a high water content, it was versatile and more moisturizing than soap and laundry paste.

The female teacher who asked probably liked it and immediately ordered a pound from Lin Qiao.

“Do you want to bring it over directly, or should I bring a bottle?”

In those days, plastic bottles were not yet invented. Many things, like soy sauce and vinegar, were sold in bulk, and people were used to filling up their own used wine bottles.

“Bring a bottle this afternoon,” Lin Qiao said. “I’ll bring a small bucket and weigh it for you directly to save trouble.”

This way, it saved the hassle of carrying it back and forth and avoided any disputes over the quantity given.

Some people initially thought it was fine to buy or not to buy, but upon hearing that Lin Qiao would bring a bucket in the afternoon, they immediately wanted a bottle too. In the science office where Lin Qiao was, she sold three pounds before noon. By the time she got off work at noon, people in the liberal arts office had also heard about it and wanted to try it.

Lin Qiao brought the liquid soap to school so they could try it. Whether they bought it or not was up to them.

Of course, she couldn’t bring too much to avoid anyone taking advantage and secretly taking some home.

When Ji Duo came home at noon, he found Lin Qiao fiddling with her liquid soap again. He paused at the kitchen door and asked, “Are you giving it away again?”

“No, I sold a few pounds.” Lin Qiao was obviously in a good mood but not so happy that she forgot herself. As soon as she saw him come back, she started talking non-stop. She had been inquiring about liquid soap since last night, and Ji Duo guessed she had some idea. He didn’t expect Ji Ze to start a business yet, but she had already begun.

Ji Duo looked away. “I had someone take it to Xiao Ze.”

In the morning, when Lin Qiao was packing things, she also had him take a big bottle to Ji Ze, along with several bars of handmade soap, as a thank-you for giving her the oil.

“It’s good that it was delivered.” Lin Qiao asked, “Do you want to take some to your workplace?”

“No need.” Ji Duo was clearly not interested in these things.

Well, let him be rough. If he doesn’t take care of himself now, who will want him when he’s old?

Lin Qiao didn’t bother with the man anymore. After lunch and a short nap, she prepared to take five pounds of liquid soap to school.

“I’ll have Xiao Fang give you a ride,” Ji Duo called out to her as she was leaving.

Actually, the school and the military camp were not in the same direction, and it wasn’t far from home, so they always went their separate ways to work. But today, since she had to carry things and walk such a long distance under the sun, it would be a bit of a hassle. Lin Qiao didn’t stand on ceremony with him and got into the car with the bucket.

It took ten minutes to walk, and even less time by car. In no time, they arrived at the school.

Lin Qiao didn’t let Xiao Fang drive to the entrance. As soon as she got out, she ran into Qi Huaiwen and Li Xiaoqiu. The two were standing in a corner by the wall, talking about something. When they saw her, Li Xiaoqiu visibly tensed up and put her hands in her pockets.

Qi Huaiwen, on the other hand, looked as usual and even glanced at the jeep starting behind her. “Did someone give you a ride?”

Is this early romance? Otherwise, why would he be so nervous seeing her?

In Lin Qiao’s impression, Li Xiaoqiu was quite well-behaved and good at studying. Except for when she dropped the chalk, she didn’t have much presence in the class. Qi Huaiwen has also been behaving better recently. He still clashed with Vice Principal Qi in physics, but his chemistry was improving, and he might even make progress by the end of the term.

It’s funny; Lin Qiao was only two years older than them, yet she was worrying about whether her students were in early romances. She decided not to overreact and lifted the bucket in her hand. “I brought some things today.” She would observe and decide later.

Unexpectedly, Qi Huaiwen took the bucket from her hand. “Where do you want to take it?”

It was not common to ask students to carry things for you. Lin Qiao was about to refuse, but the boy had already started walking with big strides. Li Xiaoqiu, however, stood still. “Then, teacher, I’ll go back to the classroom.”

Lin Qiao looked at the still uneasy Li Xiaoqiu, then at Qi Huaiwen, who was looking back at her, and suddenly realized. Was this kid trying to divert her attention from Li Xiaoqiu?

After putting the things in the office, Qi Huaiwen left without talking much to Lin Qiao along the way.

The female teachers who had ordered liquid soap from Lin Qiao in the morning had already brought bottles, some were wine bottles, and some were canning jars. Those who hadn’t ordered were watching the commotion. Someone asked Lin Qiao, “Can’t you give us a discount? We’re all colleagues. You know how little we earn.”

Lin Qiao didn’t say she made it herself for this reason. Some people think that because they have a connection, your things aren’t worth much, and asking for a discount is the least of it. Some even directly ask for things or the recipe.

Without hesitation, she refused, “I’m just helping someone sell it. They only give me a commission, not a bulk supply, so I can’t decide the price.”

Helping someone sell things without any benefit is impossible. By being straightforward, others wouldn’t suspect her.

The person wanted to say more, but the first female teacher who wanted to buy in the morning urged, “You didn’t buy it, so why are you bargaining? Let us weigh it first.”

This female teacher was the head teacher of Class Three. Lin Qiao had improved the chemistry grades of Class Three, which meant improving their overall grades, so she naturally had a good impression of Lin Qiao.

There were only five pounds in total, and the female teachers quickly divided and sold it.

In a short time, Lin Qiao earned five yuan, and after deducting costs, there was still a considerable profit. No wonder so many people wanted to do business. Some teachers even quit their jobs to sell pork with their husbands. After all, the salary was too low in those days, especially for teachers, who earned only thirty to forty yuan a month.

Unfortunately, raw materials were hard to get, and mass production would be a problem with shelf life and packaging. For now, Lin Qiao could only do small-scale business.

If Ji Duo decided to do business, she could cooperate with him, contributing technology. With Ji Duo’s family background and connections, getting raw materials and setting up a packaging production line wouldn’t be a problem. But she didn’t know if he would be interested in her small business.

A friend mentioned that male protagonists in JJWXC novels now have to be extremely wealthy, with a billion-dollar fortune, to be considered protagonists. Even in period novels, they have to be future tycoons.

Thinking of this, Lin Qiao paused while packing the empty bucket.

It’s already late June, and they’ve been married for almost two months. Why hasn’t this man shown any interest in doing business?