Chapter 89: Invitation for Foreign Guests

Chapter 89: Invitation for Foreign Guests

For her, having enough money to spend was sufficient. Although the salary of a poverty alleviation cadre wasn't much, she had the courtyard left by her grandparents and had no intention of buying a house in a big city or getting married and having children. She didn't indulge in extravagant spending and was debt-free.

She wanted to do something meaningful.

When she was young, her grandparents always told her how difficult life was back then and how hard farming was. Their hardships were imprinted in her mind.

Perhaps influenced by the elders, she resolutely became a poverty alleviation cadre and remained steadfast despite encountering many misunderstandings. She did this work not for those bad people but for those who needed help and were grateful.

When the villagers learned that she had become a poverty alleviation cadre, they all praised her grandparents for raising a capable child and felt proud of her.

For a while, she thought it was important to bring honor to her grandparents and be more accomplished than her stepmother's children.

After her grandparents passed away, she realized that doing what she truly wanted was crucial.

After crossing over, she had no desire to become the richest person or buy courtyard houses in the capital during a boom. She even had little interest in moving to the city.

This was because the Forward Brigade had given her much warmth, making her feel as if she were with her grandparents again.

Of course, once society developed further, she wouldn't resist moving to the city; she would go with the flow.

Now, she still maintained that entering the Cannery was just an added bonus, but she was a lifeline for the Forward Brigade.

Without her and Feng Chen, they would indeed be impoverished until the 1990s, relying on government assistance to change their lives.

This was the real future of places like Tangjia Village, and she wasn't being conceited or boastful.

Once she and Feng Chen moved to the city, she was certain that the eco-farm of the Forward Brigade would fail.

Managing a farm is not easy, especially when the rural folks are uneducated and lack discipline. Without strong cohesion, they could easily fall apart and harm each other.

She had built up the farm, and if she left midway, they would lose confidence, thinking it was useless and hopeless, making things worse than before.

So she couldn't leave.

She smiled and said, "Director Lu, whenever our factory needs us, just give us a call, and we'll come immediately."

Director Lu couldn't understand why someone wouldn't want to enter the factory. He was genuinely curious, as other young people desperately wanted to get into factories, and the educated youth who went to the countryside were trying their best to stay in the city.

Yet Tang Yuan seemed sincere in not wanting to come, without any pretense or ulterior motives.

He now understood Yamaguchi's feelings—this girl was mysterious.

At least he hadn't met anyone like her before.

"Sure, we will also support your brigade in setting up the cannery. Before your cannery is established, you can send the extra pigs to our factory."

Tang Yuan replied cheerfully, "Thank you, Director Lu. Our brigade is fortunate indeed."

Secretary Wen then discussed the compensation for Professor Cheng with Director Lu.

They didn't give it on the spot because Professor Cheng would refuse. They would find an opportunity later.

Director Lu generously suggested, "Professor Cheng has helped us greatly. How about one hundred? Is that too little?"

Secretary Wen originally planned to give fifty, as it was his friend, and giving too much might cause dissent among the factory workers.

According to the market rate, twenty yuan per day should suffice for translation work.

Since Director Lu offered one hundred, he naturally agreed; Cheng Xianian deserved it.

Director Lu looked at Tang Yuan and added, "Little Tang and Feng Chen should also receive compensation."

Tang Yuan immediately waved her hands, "No, no. I eat and drink here and learn from Professor Cheng. Besides, we need your factory's support for our brigade, and our cannery will be under your factory anyway. We're family, so it's only right."

Director Lu and Secretary Wen laughed. This girl knew how to make people feel good.

Tang Yuan then suggested not giving Professor Cheng money but instead sending him meat regularly or waiting until he needed it for something specific.

Giving him money now would surely be refused.

Maybe he would need it for his children's job transfers in the future?

Secretary Wen agreed with this suggestion, and Director Lu followed suit.

That night, Tang Yuan and Feng Chen transcribed and organized the contract in the office. The next day, they went to the provincial import-export department with Zheng Yingju to have it typed into an official document.

Nowadays, government offices and large units used typewriters to print official documents in both Chinese and English.

The English typewriter had a mechanical keyboard with a spherical print head engraved with letters and punctuation marks. Typing was similar to using a computer keyboard but required high precision, as any mistake meant starting over. The keys were stiff, causing finger pain after typing a few pages.

The Chinese typewriter was a miniature version of typesetting printing, with thousands of characters carved on templates. It had a handle like a telegraph machine, guiding the printer's roller and needle to search for the needed characters. Finding and pressing them down allowed for typing twenty characters per minute with practice.

In this era, the government urgently needed foreign exchange and prioritized export policies. Therefore, staff members were accommodating to businesses with export orders, always prioritizing their needs.

A leader immediately assigned a female worker skilled in typing English to prepare their contract, which would be ready the next day.

Tang Yuan learned that they typed the text onto wax paper, which could then be duplicated using an oil printer. They could produce as many copies as needed.

Tang Yuan found this method convenient, as they wanted to print some contracts as templates, leaving spaces for handwritten details such as product names, amounts, taxes, dates, and delivery times.

This way, they wouldn't need to type everything every time.

Inside the typing room, the clacking sounds continued uninterrupted. The staff members were entirely focused, as the cost of mistakes was too high.

Tang Yuan glanced through the glass above the door, admiring their dedication while also feeling that the typists must suffer from occupational injuries from constant typing.

Especially those who type in English. Modern mechanical keyboards are quite hard; typing two pages might leave their fingers numb and sore.

So the next day when they came to pick up the contracts, Tang Yuan proactively asked Zheng Yingju to buy a pound of milk candies to distribute. There were several typists, and each would get a handful, so it wouldn't be considered a formal gift.

Zheng Yingju was puzzled. "Why should we buy them candy? This is their job; it's what they're supposed to do."

He only gave gifts to the head of the typing room, not to the staff within.

Tang Yuan: "This is to thank them. They sit there typing all day long."

Zheng Yingju refused, being very frugal at this moment. Since this wasn't a place where the factory allowed gifts, he couldn't claim reimbursement.

In the end, Tang Yuan had him pay for the ticket while she paid for a pound of milk candies.

Zheng Yingju then had someone issue an invoice.

Tang Yuan distributed the candies to the typists, who were quite surprised and thanked her with smiles.

They had typed many documents for the Cannery before but had never been given any candy.

The Cannery did send gifts, but these were for the leaders, not for them. If the leaders felt generous, they would share; otherwise, they kept it all.

They now had a very good impression of Tang Yuan and even found Zheng Yingju more likable as a result.

Tang Yuan and the others took the contracts back to print them out, while Yamaguchi and his team arranged transportation. Both parties signed the contracts and stamped them.

The Japanese celebrate New Year's Day, so the delivery needed to be made by December 20th.

The canned goods would arrive just in time for the New Year's shopping rush and sell quickly.

Yamaguchi and his team had other places to go, so they bid farewell to Director Lu and the others.

Wu Chaoqun privately suggested preparing some gifts for Director Lu, mainly canned meats that they could eat on the train.

Director Lu wasn't stingy and had a bag of canned goods prepared, including meat, pickles, and fruits.

Party Secretary Wen added a can of steamed lunch meat from the Forward Brigade.

After Yamaguchi and his team left, Tang Yuan and Feng Chen followed Director Lu to learn about production planning after receiving orders, such as how many live pigs to reserve, how to deliver them, and how to schedule daily production.

Near noon, Tang Yuan and Feng Chen were heading to the canteen when Party Secretary Wen called them back.

Party Secretary Wen had a delighted expression. "You and Feng Chen saved two foreign guests, didn't you? They specifically called to express their gratitude and invited you to have dinner at the hotel. Get ready; the driver will come pick you up soon."

A car?

Tang Yuan realized the privileges these foreign guests enjoyed in China.

The Cannery didn't even have a car, yet for Yamaguchi, they could apply to borrow one from the government, complete with a driver.

Did Ivan Feng and Lin Fulong also enjoy such privileges?

It made sense though. In this era, foreigners coming to China were mostly international friends, either for cultural or political exchanges or business. There were no idle visitors.

Whether to build good relations with foreign guests, maintain the country's image, or better track their movements, close service was necessary.

Letting them wander freely was unsafe for both China and the guests.

Didn't Ivan and Lin Fulong encounter a robbery?

Before leaving, Tang Yuan asked Ma Huiyou to bring a few cans of pork from the brigade and some delicious fruit cans.

She wanted canned lunch meat, pig's feet, tripe, and liver.

French people prefer strong flavors; maybe they would enjoy them?

"It's not good to visit the sick empty-handed. Canned goods are perfect for such occasions."

Ma Huiyou gave a thumbs-up. Little Tang was a natural salesperson, always thinking about business opportunities!

From how Tang Yuan handled Yamaguchi and Director Lu, he could see that this young girl was fearless and unafraid of foreign businessmen, unlike them who felt inferior around foreigners.

Party Secretary Wen even mentioned this to Director Lu.

Director Lu laughed heartily, saying, "If Little Tang brings in another order, we might have to work overtime. We might even need help from our sister factories. Ha ha."

In the past, they only helped others, rarely asking for help themselves.

This year was truly fruitful. While the Foreign Minister visited France, they signed orders domestically.

At Friendship Hotel.

Yamaguchi and Sato had packed their luggage, with Wu Chaoqun accompanying them.

Yamaguchi glanced at the room next door. They stayed in a higher-priced suite with a better view, while a French and Hong Kong guest occupied the adjacent room.

He had Wu Chaoqun inquire about them. One was named Ivan Feng, and the other Lin Fulong.

In this era, no foreigner visiting China was simple; they were either wealthy or influential. Of course, wealth meant influence abroad too.

Yamaguchi, an active businessman, knew some famous European and Southeast Asian tycoons.

The surname Feng was prominent in France, and he knew of an old capitalist family with significant status.

Could they be from that family?

He recognized Lin Fulong, as Hong Kong was small, and there were only a few well-known families. Unfortunately, Lin Fulong... despised Japan.

Yamaguchi had encountered Lin Fulong at several trade fairs, including this one in Guangzhou, but Lin Fulong had ignored him coldly and arrogantly due to his height advantage.

Yamaguchi also had his pride and self-respect. Although he smiled and said it was nothing, he was seething with anger inside.

Although he didn't want to deal with Lin Fulong, he wanted to meet Ivan and make as many connections with wealthy businessmen from developed countries as possible—perhaps one of them could bring him business.

However, the other party had four Chinese bodyguards providing close protection, prohibiting strangers from approaching casually.

Just then, Ivan and Lin Fulong came out of the room, followed by four sharp and strong soldiers in military uniforms acting as bodyguards.

Yamaguchi instinctively led the two others into the stairwell, while Ivan and his group entered the elevator.

The Friendship Hotel was ten stories high and had an elevator.

After hiding in the stairwell, Yamaguchi felt a bit awkward and laughed as if nothing had happened, "Ha ha, let's take the stairs and stretch our legs."

Wu Chaoqun and Sato, dragging their suitcases: "..."

When they went downstairs, they unexpectedly saw two newly acquainted acquaintances in the lobby: Tang Yuan and Feng Chen!

Yamaguchi: "Mr. Sato, how do they know Ivan?"

He silently roared in his heart. He had thought Tang Yuan and Feng Chen didn't look like ordinary country folk or pure Chinese; they exuded a mysterious aura.

Sure enough, as he had suspected. No wonder they understood ecological farms—did they have French backing?

Hmph, what's so great about the French?

Aren't they just the ones who surrendered overnight? How can they compare to the samurai spirit of the great Empire of Japan!

Although he really wanted to connect with Ivan and learn more about Tang Yuan's farm, he didn't dare approach them rashly.

He would quietly gather information, see how long Ivan would stay in China and what his itinerary was, and then decide how to introduce himself.

He might go through the Chinese government, saying he wanted to find foreign investors and ask the government to help facilitate introductions.

As for why Ivan had four bodyguards, whether it was because of his distinguished status and China specially assigned bodyguards to protect him, or because he needed protection and sought assistance from China, he didn't know yet.

He asked Wu Chaoqun to discreetly inquire at the front desk, but the front desk didn't know either.

Yamaguchi didn't linger and left with his secretary and translator in a car borrowed from the government to head to the station.

Tang Yuan and Feng Chen arrived in a car arranged by Ivan and were warmly received upon meeting him.

Ivan muttered words of gratitude and reached out to hug and kiss them on the cheek, but was coldly pushed away by Feng Chen.

Feng Chen frowned, "Don't touch me."

Ivan had to settle for shaking hands instead and asked Lin Fulong to explain.

Lin Fulong smiled, shook hands with both of them, and explained on Ivan's behalf, "That's the French way of greeting, warm and friendly."

Ivan nodded vigorously, showering them with compliments, praising Tang Yuan for her beauty and figure, and Feng Chen for his handsomeness and physique.

Lin Fulong felt a bit embarrassed and didn't translate directly, instead changing it to words of gratitude.

He smiled, "I originally planned to visit your factory to thank you in person, but Ivan insisted that there was an assassination attempt against him and that I was too weak to go out. So we waited here at the hotel."

Ever since the day Ivan was robbed, he started believing in Hong Kong culture and insisted on checking the old almanac he brought, saying it wasn't a good day to go out.

How could he say that directly?

Tang Yuan smiled, "It doesn't matter. It's more convenient for us to come. We're genuinely happy to see Mr. Lin recovered."

Lin Fulong was temporarily fine, but he would undergo a comprehensive check-up back in Hong Kong and seek treatment abroad if necessary.

Seeing that they were chatting warmly without much need for him, Ivan grew anxious and asked where they should eat, in the hotel or outside.

Lin Fulong said, "I've asked around, Jufenglong is better. They have roast duck and stir-fried dishes, which are tastier than the hotel's food."

The hotel mainly served Western cuisine, which couldn't compare to Jufenglong's Chinese dishes.

Lin Fulong disliked Western food and assumed the two saviors wouldn't like it either.

Those who hadn't been abroad wouldn't know how to use knives and forks, which could be embarrassing. It was better to go to Jufenglong.

He knew that the mainland currently lacked supplies and wasn't focused on refinement yet; eating meat heartily was the most practical option.

They needed to take a car, but the four bodyguards couldn't all fit.

But leaving without any bodyguards made Ivan feel insecure.

He had initially thought that once he came to China, his cousin's reach would be limited, but he was surprised to find that his cousin's influence extended even here, arranging a robbery against him.

Lin Sheng said he was being paranoid, that the robber had been caught and investigated by the police and wasn't sent by his cousin, but he remained convinced otherwise.

In the end, Tang Yuan suggested having one bodyguard drive and accompany them, while the other three stayed at the hotel.

Ivan agreed that this was a good idea.

They took a car to Jufenglong.

Jufenglong was a traditional restaurant similar to Quanjude, known for dishes like roast duck, braised pork belly, stewed pig's trotters, nine-turns intestine, scallion-braised sea cucumber, braised ribs, sweet and sour carp, and stir-fried kidney.

Ivan pointed at the menu like a tycoon, "Bring us one of each of your signature dishes."

He had researched China's prices and found them quite cheap; thirty yuan could buy a very luxurious banquet in a grand restaurant.

A whole roast duck cost ten yuan, a plate of scallion-braised sea cucumber only five, and the rest were even cheaper.

If he wished, he could eat here every day.

Since it was a foreign guest who came to dine, the manager of Jufenglong personally served them.

He observed the group of five: a tall girl and four men. The foreigner with brown hair seemed to have the smallest appetite, while the other three men were all tall and burly, one of whom was quite fat, clearly someone with a big appetite.

Wow, it's not easy these days to gather three such tall and sturdy men together, given that most people are slim.

Although Lin Fulong had ordered a large table full of dishes, the manager didn't remind him too much, guessing they could probably finish it all.

It was rare to see such generous guests, so the manager was very pleased.

Ivan asked for wine, both red wine and Maotai, then remembered something and said to Lin Fulong, "The doctor told you not to drink, so I'll drink with Feng Chen."

Lin Fulong loved wine, but for the sake of his health, he had to hold back for now.

Tang Yuan said in English, "We won't be drinking either."

Ivan thought for a moment and then suggested to Lin Fulong, "Let's buy two bottles and let them take them home?"

Lin Fulong naturally didn't mind; no amount of Maotai could replace his life.

While waiting for the dishes, Tang Yuan took out some canned goods and introduced them to Lin Fulong and Ivan with a smile, "Congratulations on Mr. Lin's recovery. These are canned goods made by our factory. I picked a few flavors that are particularly good as a small token of appreciation."

Lin Fulong didn't refuse, thanked her, and accepted them. To show respect, he examined each can individually.

He noticed that a few cans had markings on them, labels handwritten with the words "ecological meat" besides the trademark.

Curious, he asked, "What is ecological meat?"

Tang Yuan had been waiting for this question and smiled, "It's pork from pigs raised on our ecological farm, to compare them with others."

In reality, most pigs in the country today are raised on coarse grains without large-scale use of antibiotics or hormone feed, making their meat delicious and flavorful, all considered organic and ecological.

Tan Feng, temporarily serving as a bodyguard, was familiar with the canned goods. They ate canned meat when training outdoors.

He sat silently, remaining vigilant, not saying a word.

Ivan was very curious after hearing this, plus waiting for Tang Yuan and Feng Chen had already exceeded his usual mealtime, leaving him somewhat hungry. He asked Lin Fulong to open a can and taste it.

Although peanuts were provided at the table, he... didn't know how to crack them.

Lin Fulong skillfully opened the tin can and explained to Ivan along the way.

Ivan curiously asked, "Why do you call it a tin can?"

Lin Fulong explained, "It's called a tin can because it's imported from Macau, 'Macau iron.'"

Ivan nodded as if learning something new and continued chatting with Tang Yuan and Feng Chen.

He knew basic English, and Tang Yuan was proficient, so they could communicate directly.

He also asked curiously about the ecological farm, "Does China have ecological farms? I haven't heard of them elsewhere."

Tang Yuan replied, "You just haven't heard of the concept. In Jiangnan, we practice integrated rice-fish and mulberry-fish farming, which are considered basic forms of ecological agriculture."

Regardless of whether it existed now, she confidently stated its presence!

After all, Ivan wouldn't go and verify it one by one.

Who doesn't embellish a bit during dinner conversations!

Ivan's family owned a large estate with vineyards and wineries in France, so he understood the concept of an ecological farm, as the estate broker often mentioned it during family gatherings.

He listened to Tang Yuan's introduction and did not belittle the farm due to its size. Instead, he nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shining, and praised it repeatedly, "Chickens and pigs roaming freely across the mountains? Wow, sounds very interesting and romantic! I think holding a date or wedding there would be very different." He turned to Lin Fulong, "Mr. Lin, right?"

Lin Fulong discreetly kicked him under the table, signaling him not to exaggerate. Today, they were hosting their savior, with no ulterior motives.

He poured the canned luncheon meat into a bowl and asked the waiter to heat it up slightly before tasting it.

With the cold weather, the canned food was chilly, which could upset the stomach if eaten cold.

Soon, the waiter returned with a white porcelain plate and several forks and knives.

Tang Yuan indicated that she and Feng Chen would stick to peanuts and not eat the canned goods, inviting them to taste it themselves.

With a grand meal ahead, who would eat canned luncheon meat!

Lin Fulong cut a third of the meat for Ivan and pushed the rest towards Tan Feng.

Ivan didn't hesitate, cutting a slice and putting it in his mouth. Chewing, he tasted the fresh, sweet, and savory flavor of the meat, nodding in approval, "Delicious!"

Lin Fulong was used to Ivan's expressive style. This person was spontaneous, praising street food while being picky about Michelin-starred restaurants.

He tried a small piece himself.

Hmm, it was pretty good, the meat was fresh and the paste was soft, with only a slight addition of flour.

Ivan finished one slice and started on the second, lavishing praise and giving Tang Yuan and Feng Chen a thumbs-up.

He didn't seek Lin Fulong's agreement but instead looked at the bodyguard beside him.

Tan Feng, seeing Ivan enjoying the food, couldn't resist trying a small piece.

He agreed with Ivan's assessment, nodding, "It has a better texture and taste than the canned goods we usually eat."

Ivan laughed heartily, "I agree."

As he finished two slices of luncheon meat, the appetizers began arriving, including duck tongues, braised beef, and honey dates.

The waiter served communal chopsticks and spoons, as well as knives and forks, providing very attentive service.

Soon, the hot dishes were placed on the table, emitting a warm and inviting aroma.

Ivan skillfully used his left hand to wield the chopsticks and didn't pay much attention to table manners, continuing to chat with everyone while eating, occasionally commenting on the taste and texture of each dish to Tang Yuan.

It wasn't that he didn't comment with others; mainly, Feng Chen and the bodyguards were rather quiet, focusing solely on their meal.

Lin Fulong, having spent a lot of time with him, sometimes wished he would talk less.

While eating, Ivan remembered seeing a picture of tripe in one of the cans earlier and asked Lin Fulong to find it so they could try it.

Lin Fulong glanced at the Braised Intestines on the table.

Ivan: "Try it, see how it tastes."

Lin Fulong thought to himself, comparing canned food to the meticulously prepared dishes by the restaurant chef?

I have no problem, but my savior might get upset.

Tang Yuan and Feng Chen had no issues either, letting them try freely, and even suggested heating the can in the kitchen since cold canned food could be a bit greasy. They also recommended trying the pork liver.

Once the heated cans returned, the contents looked quite appetizing in the bowls.

In an ordinary Chinese household, these would be considered delicious dishes, especially for improving meals during holidays.

Ivan immediately tasted two pieces of each, nodding while chewing, "The tripe is crispy, and the pork liver paste has a unique texture. Both taste pretty good."

He urged Lin Fulong and the bodyguards to try them too.

Tan Feng, who never refused meat, consumed a lot due to his intense training and felt he could digest anything.

Lin Fulong also tried some, "Indeed, they are quite good."

He said to Tang Yuan and Feng Chen, "Your factory's formula is indeed excellent. These cans taste better than most I've had in the market and are not far off from the top-tier ones."

Due to production techniques, controlling the texture of canned food is challenging, but the taste remains consistent despite the difficulties.

The difference in taste primarily comes down to the quality of ingredients and the formula used.

Seeing Lin Fulong affirm his comments, Ivan was pleased and said to Tang Yuan, "I want to buy some to give to my family and friends as Christmas gifts."

This year, he wouldn't be returning home for Christmas and planned to spend it in Hong Kong with Lin Fulong.

He decided to buy some special gifts for his family and friends.

Tang Yuan smiled, "Of course, no problem."

The factory still had some stock, which could be sold directly to Ivan.

For gifts, he would probably need only a few dozen or a hundred cans, right?