novelslam Chapter 34 Can I learn how to do business from you?
Chapter 34 Can I learn how to do business from you?
"Jianguo... what's wrong?"
Liu Xiulan asked in a low voice.
"You didn't drink that much, so why are your eyes red?"
Liu Jianguo didn't say anything, but picked up his glass and took another sip.
Zhou Chunxia then noticed that something was wrong with her son and said urgently:
"Oh dear... my child, what's wrong? Your sister is asking you a question!"
Feeling embarrassed by the concern shown by his entire family, Liu Jianguo blushed and shook his head repeatedly without saying a word.
Li Xiangyang and his father-in-law Liu Guangyao had both been drinking and were feeling a bit dizzy, but they were mostly sober now.
As soon as he entered the room, he sensed that Liu Jianguo was acting strangely today.
I didn't think much of it at the time.
It seems he must have suffered some injustice outside, but the more you ask a man at this time, the less he wants to talk about it.
"Oh, Mother, Xiulan, what nonsense are you talking about? Didn't you see that Jianguo is too drunk to speak?"
Li Xiangyang came to Liu Jianguo's rescue: "Right, Jianguo?"
"Yes, brother-in-law is right, this sweet potato burns my throat."
Liu Jianguo forced a smile and said softly.
"Oh, so you choked on the alcohol. I was so scared! I thought something had happened to you."
Liu Xiulan breathed a sigh of relief.
His maternal family only had one son, Liu Jianguo, and they cherished him dearly.
If something happens, what will her mother and father do?
"It's alright, it's alright. Look at your sister making such a fuss, she made me nervous."
Zhou Chunxia also breathed a sigh of relief and took the wine glass in front of Liu Jianguo, replacing it with a bowl of fish soup.
"If you can't drink much, drink less and have some fish soup instead to warm yourself up."
At that time, there was no saying that drinking alcohol was harmful to health. On the contrary, because the winter weather in Inner Mongolia was cold, people there generally believed that drinking a little alcohol could warm the body and was a good thing.
"Uh-huh."
Liu Jianguo nodded and silently drank the fish soup, not wanting to be the center of attention.
"Come on, Xiangyang, let's keep drinking."
Liu Guangyao was clearly drunk; his face was flushed, and he pulled Li Xiangyang to continue drinking.
He was very happy today, and he found Li Xiangyang much more agreeable.
He sipped a bite of venison, a bite of scallion, and a sip of wine.
Li Xiangyang sipped his drink slowly. He had to get up early tomorrow to sell fish. Even if he didn't sell fish on the black market, he still had to deliver fish to Tu Weimin at the state-run restaurant. This supply line couldn't be broken.
Therefore, he cannot compare himself to those who live a completely hibernating life.
"Smack."
Just as everyone was enjoying their drinks, Liu Jianguo suddenly slammed the ceramic bowl in his hand onto the table.
It startled everyone.
"Oh dear... Jianguo, what's wrong with you today? You're acting so recklessly. You can't even eat a meal in peace."
Liu Guangyao was somewhat displeased, having been startled.
"Xiangyang...no, brother-in-law, let me go with you to learn how to do business!"
Liu Jianguo bypassed Liu Guangyao and solemnly addressed Li Xiangyang.
His expression was very serious; it was clear he had made up his mind.
"You want to do business with me...?"
Li Xiangyang was somewhat surprised.
He remembered that not long ago, when Liu Jianguo visited his home and learned that he had gone to sell fish, he told Liu Xiulan to be careful.
I don't think he's a good candidate for selling fish; I think he's just engaging in speculation.
Why the sudden change of heart today?
Just because he said he could earn tens of yuan a day?
Something unusual must be going on. Li Xiangyang shook his head to clear his mind and asked:
"Jianguo, doing business now could get you arrested. Aren't you... afraid?"
"Yes, Jianguo, you need to think this through. Xiangyang just told you about what happened at my house last night. It was so dangerous that my hands still tremble when I think about it."
Liu Xiulan looked at her palms; they were sweating.
She was quite happy that her younger brother could go fish-selling with her husband, since it was a way to earn money and indirectly help her family.
My concern is that, as Xiangyang mentioned before, the policy hasn't been fully relaxed yet. If they go out to sell fish all day, there's still a chance they'll get caught, and my parents won't be able to handle that.
"I'm not afraid! As long as I can make money, I'm not afraid of anything."
Liu Jianguo said decisively, then stood up abruptly: "Brother-in-law, could you help me out?"
"this......"
Li Xiangyang was a little embarrassed, so he could only take a look.
The father-in-law, Liu Guangyao, was already passed out drunk, while the mother-in-law, Zhou Chunxia, was sober, but she didn't have the final say.
"I'm fine on my end. You can ask him again tomorrow after Dad sobers up."
"I don't care whether my father agrees or not, I'm going."
Liu Jianguo's tone was extremely resolute.
"Jianguo, what happened to you? Why do you suddenly want to learn how to do business?"
Zhou Chunxia suddenly said with some worry.
Their son, Liu Jianguo, has always been obedient and steady, and he always consults with them before doing anything. But today he suddenly became so stubborn.
"No...it's nothing, I just suddenly wanted to make money, and I want my family to be able to live a better life as soon as possible."
Liu Jianguo was clearly somewhat guilty when he said this.
Li Xiangyang noticed this and decided to ask him for details. If the problem was within his ability, he would help solve it.
So, he picked up the glass bottle on the table and filled Liu Jianguo's glass with sweet potato liquor.
"Oh dear, Jianguo can't drink, and you still..." Liu Xiulan panicked when she saw Li Xiangyang pouring wine for her younger brother, but before she could finish speaking, Li Xiangyang waved his hand to interrupt her:
"Jianguo... tell me, why do you suddenly want to come with me to learn how to do business?"
"I...I just want my parents to be able to live a better life as soon as possible."
Liu Jianguo took a small sip of the sweet potato liquor and said softly.
"The most important thing in doing business together is integrity. How can I trust you to work with you if you're just giving me these flimsy excuses...?"
Li Xiangyang said coldly.
"This...this..."
Liu Jianguo was clearly finding it difficult to speak.
He downed a glass of sweet potato liquor in front of him.
Cough cough... cough cough cough...
He coughed violently a few times, his face turning red, but instead he laughed.
He laughed for a while, then sighed helplessly.
"Sigh, you'll find out sooner or later, I broke up with the girl from the Wang family."
"What? You broke up with Old Wang's daughter?"
Zhou Chunxia was greatly surprised.
She knew that her son was dating the girl from the Wang family, and she was even planning to go to their house with her husband to propose marriage in a year or two.
"When did this happen? How can it just fall apart like that? Weren't you two talking about it? Didn't you give her the soap I gave you last time?"
Liu Xiulan's mouth was like a machine gun, firing off a bunch of questions in one breath.
"Oh, don't even mention it, the soap's right here."
As Liu Jianguo spoke, he pulled a small packet of butter paper from his pocket:
"She didn't want it when I gave it to her last time. She thought I was a good-for-nothing who stayed at home farming with my father and told me we broke up."
I only found out last night that she'd been dating Gu Damao, the guy next door who was learning to drive a truck.
These days, driving a big truck is indeed a rather enviable profession.
But the Wang family girl was too pragmatic! After dating for two or three years, she broke up with him without hesitation.
"Hmph, a vain woman, I'm better off without her!"
Li Xiangyang suddenly became engrossed in the moment and slammed his fist hard on the low wooden table.