Chapter 243: The Sensation in Thatchfield Village
The purpose of Deng Shirong's trip to Beijing had been achieved, and he was now ready to return home.
Since he hadn't found a suitable person to manage the courtyard houses yet, he decided to put the matter on hold until he could find the right candidate.
In fact, his second son was capable enough to manage the seven courtyard houses, but Deng Shirong didn't want such trivial matters to interfere with his son's studies. After all, his son's education was the top priority.
Of course, if Deng Shirong could find the right person to assist with management and let his second son oversee things and guide the general direction, that would be ideal.
On the way back, Deng Shirong suddenly thought of Jiang Xiaoxue and her son. They had traveled together before, so he naturally understood their situation. They wanted to escape the suffocating environment of their hometown and start anew.
However, it wouldn't be easy for a rural woman with a child to settle in a place like Beijing. Unless the child's father was willing to help, it would be difficult for them to survive. At worst, they might end up homeless or even sold.
But Deng Shirong didn't meddle in other people's affairs. He had helped Jiang Xiaoxue and her son find someone out of respect for their shared Guangxi roots. He had no personal relationship with them and no intention of interfering too much in their lives.
After all, the child's father had been found. As the saying goes, "Even a tiger doesn't eat its own cubs." Deng Shirong believed the father wouldn't truly abandon his child.
…
County Town.
Sui Feng Restaurant.
It was already 6:30 PM. Since there was no nightlife in this era, people were used to going to bed early and waking up early, so dinner time was often relatively early. By this time, there were hardly any diners left.
At one of the six-person tables in the restaurant, Deng Yuntai, Zhang Guangzong, Zhang Guofu, Bu Dashi, Bu Zhongshi, and Bu Dajun were drinking and chatting.
The banquet was to celebrate Deng Yuntai, Bu Zhongshi, and Bu Dajun obtaining their driver's licenses.
Getting a driver's license in this era was a hundred times easier than in later generations. As long as you were over 18, had the physical condition to drive, understood traffic rules, and had basic driving skills, you could apply for a license from the vehicle management authority.
After passing a simple test, you could get a trainee professional driver's license.
The real professional driver's license could only be obtained after driving safely for more than six months.
Bu Dashi took a sip of wine and looked at his brother, asking, "Zhongshi, have you really decided to go back, take out a loan, buy a car, and start a freight business?"
Bu Zhongshi nodded and said, "I made that decision when I came here to learn how to drive."
Hearing the conversation between the two brothers, Zhang Guangzong was surprised and said, "Zhongshi, I thought you came here to learn how to drive so you could ask your uncle to help you find a job as a driver. I didn't expect you were planning to take out a loan, buy a car, and start a transportation business. Do you know the risks involved in the freight business?"
Bu Zhongshi replied, "Grandpa Zhang, the main risk in transporting goods is dealing with bandits who might appear at any time. My uncle has already warned me about that!"
Zhang Guangzong nodded and said, "Since your uncle has already warned you, and you're aware of the risks, I won't say more. The most important thing when traveling is to be cautious, stay calm in dangerous situations, and know how to adapt.
If something unavoidable happens, you must be willing to sacrifice money to save your life.
Money is just an external thing. Don't risk your life with desperate criminals. It's really not worth it."
Bu Zhongshi knew the other man was speaking out of concern for his uncle, so he quickly thanked him, "Thank you for your advice, Grandpa Zhang. My uncle told me something similar. If I ever encounter such a situation, I know what to do."
"Good, I'm glad you understand."
Zhang Guangzong had drunk and chatted with the big boss many times before, so he naturally knew how knowledgeable the big boss was. It wasn't surprising that he could offer such advice to his nephew. He gave a little hint and said no more, continuing to drink his wine.
When Deng Yuntai worked at the tile factory, he often traveled to Beihai, Hepu, Lianjiang, and other places with his brother Yungui to sell goods. He chatted with the drivers during these trips and understood that the roads had been unsafe in recent years.
He shared his experience, saying, "Zhongshi, when I worked at the tile factory, I often went to Beihai, Hepu, Lianjiang, and other places to sell goods, but I never encountered bandits. It's not that there are few bandits, but we never traveled at night or on remote roads.
So after a year or two of traveling, I never faced such dangers.
If you want to do transportation in the future, try to avoid traveling at night or on small roads. It's better to take a longer detour, spend more time, and earn less money than to take unnecessary risks."
Bu Zhongshi hummed in agreement, "I understand!"
The drinking session lasted until 7:30 PM, and the topic mostly revolved around Bu Zhongshi's plan to take out a loan, buy a car, and start a transportation business.
In this era, few people had the courage to do such a thing. Most transportation companies were state-owned or collective enterprises. Bu Zhongshi entering the freight industry at this time could be considered a pioneer in individual freight transportation.
Whether he would become a billionaire depended on his luck and ability to seize the opportunities presented by the era's development.
...
Deng Shirong had gone to Beijing in early July of the lunar calendar and returned to Bobai by late July.
After staying in the county town for three days and ensuring the restaurant business was on track, Deng Shirong prepared to return to his hometown, leaving the restaurant in the hands of his children and daughter-in-law.
Before leaving, however, Deng Shirong had a talk with his nephew Bu Dashi about marriage.
"Daishi, you're not young anymore. Your parents have been asking me to find you a partner for a long time. Before you started working, it was a bit difficult to find a good match given your circumstances. But now that you have a job, it's time for me to help you find someone. Do you want to marry a city girl or a country girl?"
Hearing his uncle's question, Bu Dashi was surprised and asked, "Uncle, can I really marry a city girl?"
Deng Shirong smiled and said, "You're working in the city now, and your salary is higher than many workers. Naturally, you have the qualifications to marry a city girl."
Marrying a city girl was something Bu Dashi had never dared to dream of before. It was impossible for him to say he wasn't tempted.
However, Bu Dashi wasn't carried away. He asked, "Uncle, do you think it's better to marry a city girl or a country girl?"
"How can I answer that? Everyone has their own preferences!"
Deng Shirong cleared his throat and said, "The advantage of city girls is that they've seen the world, come from better family backgrounds, and are well-educated. Since they don't have to work in the sun and wind like rural girls, their skin is usually better.
But their shortcomings are also obvious: they can't endure hardship, have a spoiled temperament, and often can't even cook the simplest meals.
The advantages of country girls are that they're hardworking, skilled in farm work, housework, and needlework, and are generally good at managing daily life.
The disadvantages are that they haven't seen much of the world, come from poorer families, have lower education levels, and often have rougher skin.
Of course, this is just a general distinction. Not all city girls or country girls fit these descriptions. For example, your cousin's wife is a country girl, but she's naturally beautiful. Even though she worked a lot at her parents' home, her skin isn't rough, and she looks better than many city girls.
So, whether it's a city girl or a country girl, there are good and bad ones. It just depends on what kind of girl you want to marry."
Bu Dashi nodded repeatedly and said, "Uncle, I don't know what kind of wife I should marry. Why don't you help me find one? I trust your judgment."
Deng Shirong thought for a moment and said, "If you want me to help you find one, I won't look for a city girl. Instead, I'll go back to our hometown and find you a good-looking country girl. It's too difficult to find a city girl who excels in every aspect and doesn't look down on you."
Bu Dashi smiled and said, "Okay, then let's go back to our hometown and look for one. Anyway, my marriage is up to you, uncle! I don't expect a girl as outstanding as my cousin's wife, but at least find me someone presentable."
"You little brat!"
Deng Shirong chuckled, then promised, "Alright, I'll look for someone for you when I get back. I'll definitely find you an excellent match."
...
"Uncle Jiu, you're back!"
"Uncle Jiu, I heard from Aunt Yunfeng that the restaurant you opened in the county is 20 to 30 times bigger than the Double Prosperity State-owned Restaurant. Is that true?"
"Uncle Jiu, is your restaurant still short of dishwashers?"
"Uncle Jiu..."
When Deng Shirong returned to the village, everyone who saw him came over to greet him and curiously asked about the restaurant he had opened in the county town.
After Changdong's mother returned from the county town, she spread the news about Uncle Jiu's Restaurant, which immediately shocked the villagers. A restaurant 20 to 30 times larger than the Double Prosperity State-owned Restaurant was beyond their imagination.
Now, seeing the real owner, Deng Shirong, return, everyone naturally asked questions.
This wasn't something to be ashamed of, so Deng Shirong answered all the villagers' questions. He hadn't publicized it before because he didn't want to boast. Now that someone else had spread the word, there was no need to hide it.
"Yes, the restaurant covers more than 1,000 square meters, which is indeed much larger than the Double Prosperity State-owned Restaurant."
"Oh, as for profits, they're decent at the moment, slightly better than the tile factory."
"We don't have a shortage of dishwashers right now. I'll let you know if we need any."
"Hey, it's not as good as you say. The restaurant's current profits look good, but I invested a lot of money. Based on the current profits, it will take at least 20 years to recoup my investment."
"It's no exaggeration. I owe the credit union hundreds of thousands now!"
"…"
With Deng Shirong's answers, there was no doubt that his return caused a huge sensation in the village.
(End of this chapter)