Liu Fu thought about it and realized it was true, so he laughed and said, "I don't know how your little head grew, so many twists and turns. In that case, I'll go take care of the loan, and you prepare for the opening of the winery. By the way, is Uncle Yu from the tax bureau your little girlfriend's father?"
Liu Jian shook his head and said, "Dad, don't joke around, I haven't thought some things through yet."
Liu Fu laughed and said, "Then think it over carefully. A woman three years older is like hugging a golden brick, you know. Oh, right, I'm giving you that Peugeot. I'll drive this Audi and find another driver in a few days. You don't need to stay by my side anymore. Just go do whatever you need to do."
The Peugeot had been sitting in the garage. Liu Fu hadn't decided whether to sell it or give it to another leader in the factory. Today, he noticed Liu Jian was busy running around, and thought that the money from selling it wasn't worth as much as letting Liu Jian drive it, so it would be more convenient for Liu Jian.
Liu Jian received an unexpected surprise. Although he didn't like Peugeots, a car is every man's dream. This time was different from the past; Liu Fu made it clear that this Peugeot was being given to Liu Jian. Whether he drove it or sold it, Liu Fu wouldn't care.
In the following days, Liu Jian got busy, discussing the opening with the etiquette company, printing invitations. Some guests couldn't be contacted by phone, so formal invitations had to be sent. Liu Jian printed a lot of invitations and delivered them house by house. Some invitations were even delivered by Liu Fu, especially when inviting those leaders. Liu Fu would personally visit and bring a lot of gifts.
Invited guests would not come empty-handed; regardless of the amount of money, they would definitely bring a gift. Liu Jian didn't want to accept money, as it would make people think he was trying to amass wealth, so he bought a lot of Youngor shirts to give back to the guests as gifts.
Liu Jian's close friends, Sha Wanli, Gao Xiaobao, Qi Zhenyu, and Wang Yajun, were all drafted to set off firecrackers, distribute gifts, and receive guests.
In the end, Zhang Ying and Yu Miao were put together. Liu Jian didn't know how to arrange them, so he had them both write down the gift money since no one was writing it. His newly arrived younger female cousin was responsible for collecting the money. As for whether these two girls would fight, Liu Jian couldn't care less.
The loan was quickly approved. The bank leaders went through the motions at the distillery, and the collateral was deemed qualified. Of course, this was all just for show.
After that, Branch Manager Xu and Liu Fu had several more meals together. Sometimes they even went to the Pan Shi Hotel to play mahjong with Liu Fu and Section Chief Guan. As before, Liu Fu still lost, and the leaders came and went happily every day. Liu Fu had gotten used to it during this time. Losing a few thousand dollars was nothing. Everyone was happy, and this was even more effective than giving money directly. It fostered relationships and brought them closer, so why not do it?
Liu Jian's three cousins from his maternal uncle's side had already secretly entered the Sanbao Winery. Liu Jian specifically arranged for them to be in different workshops, starting as ordinary workers. Liu Fu promised that as long as they adapted to the new work and learned the skills, they would be promoted, with at least each of them becoming a team leader. They were also very satisfied with the compensation. The only slight trouble was that they all had to rent houses, but the rent was disproportionately low compared to their wages, so no one cared.
Third Uncle and Miss had arrived. Eldest Sister and her husband still needed to finish things at home before they could come.
On the day Third Uncle arrived, Liu Fu and Third Uncle drank for a long time, from when he got off the train at ten in the evening until three o'clock the next morning. Although they were brothers, they lived relatively far apart and it was not easy to get together, so they drank to their heart's content.
It was difficult to arrange something for Third Uncle, so they gave him a position as a deputy factory director for now, doing odd jobs around the factory, mainly to prepare for the printing factory. Miss went to the finance department of the distillery, first learning from Liu's mother. It is estimated that she will quickly master the skills, as the distillery's accounts are very simple.
The reopening day of Sanbao Distillery was chosen to be on a Monday, signifying a new beginning. Liu Jian had made too many preparations for this day, and he didn't sleep a wink the night before.
The event planning company did a lot of decorating. They set up a stage in front of the distillery's gate, hired a few young singers and actors to perform, and specially invited a popular female host from the TV station as the host of the opening ceremony, attracting a large crowd of onlookers. The opening time was set at 10 o'clock.
Around nine o'clock, the guests who received invitations arrived one after another. The TV station sent a camera crew to record the event specifically because they had been informed that the mayor, deputy mayor, and heads of many departments would be attending today, according to the mayor's secretary, with the intention of re-establishing Sanbao Winery as a model. The station director, upon receiving the news, didn't dare to be negligent and sent the best team.
At 9:50, Yu Guohua and Chen Sheng arrived together. Some of Liu Fu's friends were skeptical about the mayor's arrival, but when they saw the No. 2 car drive into the Sanbao Winery, the guests attending the opening ceremony became nervous. These people are also influential figures in their respective units, but they rarely have the opportunity to interact with the mayor because the level difference is too great. Usually, they only see the mayor during meetings, and there is no opportunity for private contact. They didn't expect Liu Fu to have such ability to invite not only the mayor, but also two mayors.
The people who did the ribbon-cutting were Yu Guohua, Chen Sheng, and Liu Fu: the mayor, the deputy mayor who facilitated the acquisition, and the new owner of the winery, all of whom were very representative.
Looking at Liu Fu standing on the rostrum, Liu Jian felt a surge of pride erupt from his heart. "I have changed history. This is not the end, but the beginning. There is still much I need to do, and there is plenty of time. As long as I take bigger steps, make them even bigger, and move faster, I will become the richest man in Panshi, I will become the richest man in Northeast China, and even the richest man in China!" Liu Jian had never felt so confident as he did now.
Accompanied by the host's loud voice and the roar of firecrackers, Yu Guohua, Chen Sheng, and Liu Fu each took a pair of scissors and cut the red silk ribbon. The workers on the scene cheered excitedly, and some of the older workers couldn't control their emotions and cried with their heads in their hands. After two years of being shut down, the Sanbao Winery had resumed production and taken a new step.
This day had great significance for Panshi, and also great significance for the Liu family. Decades later, when people saw the behemoth of the Xu Corporation, they would always remember that small winery from that day. From that day on, the Liu family embarked on a different path, changing the fate of countless people.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the invited guests, led by Liu Fu and his son, walked into the completely renovated factory.
The factory grounds were paved with concrete and many flower beds were built. As soon as you enter the factory gate, you can see the words "Sanbao Winery" spelled out in flowers. The group also toured the renovated workshops. The entire workshop was spotless, every worker was wearing standardized work clothes, and the machines in the workshop had been repainted after being re-inspected, looking as good as new. Yu Guohua showed a satisfied smile as he looked at the completely renovated factory.
After coming out of the workshop, Yu Guohua shook Liu Fu's hand and said, "Good, you are very good. Seeing the current state of the winery, I have full confidence in you. You saved a bankrupt factory, you changed the fate of dozens of families, and I think this is one of the best decisions I've made. I believe that handing over the printing factory to you will also be a correct decision. I will convene a standing committee as soon as possible to finalize this matter. Now you must not only focus on the production of the winery, but also prepare to take over the printing factory. I can't let hundreds of families have problems again, their future is in your and my hands."
Listening to Shen Dandan's words, the smile faded from Liu Fu's face. Looking at the expectant gaze, Liu Fu nodded forcefully. Yu Guohua smiled, patted Liu Fu's hand without saying anything more, but a look of gratification emerged on his face. This was a leader who wanted to do practical things and was willing to do practical things. Standing beside him, Liu Jian's mood also became heavy. In the reform of state-owned enterprises, how many such factories were there, how many families lost their source of income? Liu Jian kept reminding himself that he needed to do more and do better, perhaps this was the mission of his rebirth.
Liu Fu invited Yu Guohua to have dinner together at the Panshi Hotel. After considering it, Yu Guohua declined, but promised that after the printing factory was dealt with, he would definitely have a good drink with Liu Fu. After this period of contact, Yu Guohua obviously had a deep sense of identification with Liu Fu, who came from the military, and their friendship was deepening. Perhaps soon, Liu Fu would have another true friend.
The others did not refuse Liu Fu's request. Several reporters from the TV station went along. This was not just a matter of eating, but also an opportunity to exchange feelings. These people could see that the Liu family's future was bright. With the mayor as their backing, and so many powerful leaders supporting them, what could stop the Liu family?
After the meal, everyone happily left carrying gifts. The gifts weren't very expensive, but Liu Jian had put a lot of thought into them. Liu Jian even gave red envelopes to the reporters. He would definitely have to deal with these reporters in the future, so leaving a good impression would lay the groundwork for future cooperation. Having experienced the 21st century and the barrage of news, Liu Jian was deeply aware of the power of these uncrowned kings. A single report from them could sometimes determine the fate of a company, so Liu Jian wouldn't skimp on the money that needed to be spent.
The whole process was relaxed and pleasant, with only Liu Fu and his son being busy.
After the guests left, everyone returned to the Sanbao Winery and sat in the office, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Everyone had been so busy entertaining that they hadn't eaten much.
Mother Liu sat down and said, "Finally, production has started. All this time, I've just been watching the money go out, it was driving me crazy."
Liu Fu asked, "Xiaojian, how are the sales preparations coming along?"
Liu Jian smiled and said, "Salespeople have been sent out a long time ago. According to the plan, we've reached agreements with many hotels. Right now, we're mainly promoting 'Xi' wine. Many hotels saw our red bottles and bright red packaging and were very satisfied. It all depends on the quality of the wine now. This wine is not expensive, so the quality shouldn't be a problem. We just need to work overtime to produce it, although the profit won't be very high. As for Panshi Laojiao, don't launch it for now. Wait until the market is hot before launching it; it's in the hype stage right now."
Liu Fu nodded and said, "Okay, that puts my mind at ease. I haven't had a good night's sleep these past few days. I won't be able to relax until the sales results of the distillery are out."
Liu Jian's third uncle, Liu An, asked, "Big brother, I've been here for a few days and haven't had anything proper to do. How about I go down and help Xiao Jian with the marketing? I've done that before. It's no good just staying here!"
Liu Jian laughed and said, "Third Uncle, don't think about slacking off. You need to get up to speed on the distillery's affairs quickly. My dad won't have much time to take care of this soon. If you get the factory in order, you'll be the one to be the factory director."
Liu An was stunned and looked at Liu Fu. Liu An had come to Panshi with the idea of helping his brother, and he hadn't really cared about the benefits. He didn't have high demands for a specific position, as long as he could help his older brother. Liu Fu had given him the position of deputy director, but Liu Fu was still in charge of the main things, and he hadn't had any specific tasks. Liu An was someone who couldn't stay idle, and after a few days, he was already feeling restless. This kind of hanging around made him very uncomfortable, and he'd rather go down and find something to do. He hadn't really understood Liu Fu's intentions, and only today did he realize that he was being asked to be the director.
Liu Fu nodded and said, "Third brother, the winery is almost on track. Next, it's about management, and you need to adapt as quickly as possible. I don't have much time to give you. I'm still in talks to acquire a factory on my side, and my main energy will be focused there in the future. The winery is up to you."
Liu An hesitated and asked, "Big brother, can I do it? Such a big factory, I've never managed one before. Can I handle it?"
Liu Fu smiled and said, "Sure, why not? We have a production manager for production, your sister-in-law for finance, Xiao Jian for sales, Li Si for security, and Li Wu for purchasing. Everything is on track. But the next step depends on you. How much money we can make depends on you, brother."
Liu An took a deep breath, knowing how much trust this was, and nodded, saying, "Okay, brother, don't worry, I will definitely work hard and won't let you down."
After everyone chatted for a while, Liu Fu and the others went to the workshop to take a look. The workers were very enthusiastic. Restarting production meant a new beginning. The factory environment was good, and there weren't many workers, so everyone had to work hard. There were no idlers. The officials were all Liu Fu's relatives and confidants, so everyone worked very seriously.
While in the workshop, Liu Jian suddenly received a phone call. He answered it and it was Yu Miao: "Xiao Jian, where are you? Come and tell me what's going on with her?"
As soon as he hung up, Zhang Ying came looking for him, looking at Liu Jian with a resentful expression, making Liu Jian feel like he was about to collapse. Sha Wanli and the others, who always loved to stir up trouble, started whooping and hollering. Liu Fu and Liu's mother smiled, shook their heads, and left.
Embarrassed, Liu Jian pulled Zhang Ying out of the workshop. At the factory gate, he saw Yu Miao dressed in casual clothes. Yu Miao's eyes were also red, perhaps she had just cried.