Sitting at the slightly worn desk in the dormitory, Cheng Jemin was engrossed in flipping through a black notebook. No, to be more precise, he was intently reading a page in the black diary.
"…These merchants are really shrewd. They take ordinary apples, wrap them in colorful paper, and during Christmas, they become 'peace apples.' Couples walk by, hugging each other, and seeing the envious look in my wife's eyes, I decided to buy one for her. But when I asked, one apple cost ten yuan."
"Ten yuan, they really have the nerve to ask for that much. I was about to grit my teeth and buy it, but my wife firmly stopped me from taking out the money, saying that ten yuan is enough to buy two days' worth of vegetables for the family. If you buy it, I'll throw it away…"
"Poverty makes everything sad. Romance, indeed, does cost money…"
Cheng Jemin had read this passage dozens of times. After sending Gu Xixi home, Cheng Jemin began to ponder this text. He decided to help Sun Xiaozhu and the others sell apples, partly out of sympathy and partly because the vague records in the diary made him think it was a good business opportunity.
There were only two days left until Christmas. Even if an apple only sold for one yuan, he could still make a profit. Helping Sun Xiaozhu and the others while also benefiting himself, why not do it?
"The guy who wrote this diary, why didn't you write more? How did they sell them? And how did they create the atmosphere? If you had written it clearly, I wouldn't have to rack my brain so much!" Cheng Jemin muttered to himself, full of complaints.
But despite his complaints, he still had to continue with what needed to be done. After a half-hour of serious contemplation over the diary's content, Cheng Jemin solemnly picked up a pen and began writing his first-ever business plan.
First, create the atmosphere. To sell things at a high price, you need to create an atmosphere that makes people feel they have to buy.
Second, target customers. The 'peace apple' is a romantic thing for young people.
The fountain pen scribbled on the manuscript paper, and in half an hour, Cheng Jemin had already written three pages. After making some adjustments based on the content of the black diary, he was finally satisfied. It was already eleven o'clock.
Lying in bed, Cheng Jemin's mind was filled with the business plan he had just made. A surge of excitement made him wish he could start implementing his plan right away. He tossed and turned until after midnight before finally falling into a drowsy sleep.
In the morning, Cheng Jemin washed his face and took out four thousand yuan from his locked cabinet. After hesitating for a moment, he took out another stack of money and went downstairs.
"Jemin, have you had breakfast? My wife made eight-treasure porridge, have a bowl."
"Brother Cheng, we made authentic spicy soup today. You'll want more after you drink it. Come, have a bowl!"
Faced with these warm greetings, Cheng Jemin still smiled. If it were his old self, he wouldn't have been able to smile, but now he felt quite relaxed.
After politely declining the last neighbor's invitation, Cheng Jemin naturally sat down at a small stall near the door. After ordering his favorite tofu pudding and an egg pancake, he couldn't help but think about the colleagues who had greeted him.
Human relationships are naturally cold and warm, and he seemed to have been influenced quite a bit by that diary!
"Jemin, you're here, come sit." When Cheng Jemin entered the office, Xiao Huang, who was tidying up, saw him and came out from behind his desk with a smile. The others in the office also greeted him warmly, forgetting the coldness of the past few days.
Cheng Jemin smiled and greeted them, but his eyes were on Dong Huacheng. Dong Huacheng had a serious look on his face, pretending to read the newspaper. Cheng Jemin sneered inwardly but still smiled and said, "Director Dong, busy?"
Dong Huacheng knew he had offended Cheng Jemin, and being overly friendly now wouldn't help. So he grunted, "Xiao Cheng, what brings you to the office?"
Cheng Jemin chuckled and leaned in close to Dong Huacheng, whispering, "Director Dong, I have a question. Which apple do you think tastes better, the one that costs fifty cents or the one that costs thirty cents per pound?"
Cheng Jemin's voice was low, but it felt like a needle pricking Dong Huacheng. Once someone does something wrong, they become particularly sensitive to such matters.
"Ha ha, just joking with you, Director Dong." Cheng Jemin patted Dong Huacheng's shoulder and said, "Director Dong, your concern for the young people is well-known in the office. You should take more care of me in the future!"
Dong Huacheng looked at Cheng Jemin's smile. He was a smart man and instantly understood the meaning behind Cheng Jemin's words. Cheng Jemin was warning him that if he didn't behave, he wouldn't hesitate to expose the matter.
Weighing the pros and cons, Dong Huacheng forced a smile and stood up from his desk. "Jemin, you're a thousand-mile horse in our office. It's only right that I take care of you!"
Cheng Jemin smiled and walked toward his usual spot by the door. Dong Huacheng quickly stopped him, saying, "Jemin, your position is temporary. I've already had the old cadres department clean it up for you. Go there for now."
"Director Dong, I'm going to support the countryside in a couple of days, so there's no need to trouble you," Cheng Jemin waved his hand, magnanimously.
"Jemin, you're a key player in our office. How can we let you make do? The old cadres department is a bit far from our office. How about this, Xiao Huang, you and the others move Jemin's desk to my room. We'll squeeze in for now," Feng Changhai said, walking out of the office with a smile.
Xiao Huang and the others looked at Cheng Jemin with envy. In the Water Resources Department, having a private office was a benefit for section-level officials and above. Even Deputy Director Dong Huacheng wasn't allowed to move into Feng Changhai's office.
Cheng Jemin smiled and approached Feng Changhai, saying, "Director Feng, I'll just make do here. I don't want to trouble you..."
"Jemin, don't be so formal! If you sit here, how will outsiders view our office? It would be obvious that we don't respect talent!" Feng Changhai waved his hand, his expression firm.
Cheng Jemin looked deeply at Feng Changhai. Feng Changhai was trying to win him over and make up for the coldness of the past few days. Since Feng Changhai had said so much, refusing would create a rift. Humans are social beings, and sometimes you need to know when to stop.
"Thank you, Director Feng."
Cheng Jemin's quick agreement made Feng Changhai's smile even brighter. As the office director, he wasn't afraid of Cheng Jemin, but he didn't want to create an enemy who seemed to be favored by Director Li.
After a few more jokes, Cheng Jemin got to the point, "Director Feng, I have some things to do these next few days..."
"Go ahead and take care of them. You're going to support the countryside, so you have a lot to prepare. Just make sure your pager is on in case Director Li needs to reach you," Feng Changhai said straightforwardly before Cheng Jemin could finish.
Walking out of the office, Cheng Jemin sighed. Different positions meant different treatment. If it were a few days ago, asking Feng Changhai for leave wouldn't have been so easy.
"Jemin, about the other day... I'm really sorry," Dong Huacheng suddenly appeared as Cheng Jemin was about to leave, rubbing his hands nervously.
Cheng Jemin laughed, "Director Dong, let bygones be bygones. The wheels of history move forward, and we need to look ahead, right?"
"Right, right, look ahead." Dong Huacheng's face showed a hint of flattery, "Jemin, when you have time, let me buy you a drink."
"Sure, I'll treat you when I have time," Cheng Jemin said with a smile.
Watching Dong Huacheng leave, Cheng Jemin's lips curled. After learning from Sun Zhihai that Dong Huacheng had taken a kickback on the apple purchase, Cheng Jemin began to think about how to handle the situation.
If it were his old self, he would have reported it to Li Zhonghua to teach Dong Huacheng a lesson. But after some thought, Cheng Jemin realized that doing so would be too immature.
In government offices, taking small kickbacks wasn't a secret. Some leaders might even be aware of it, but as long as it wasn't excessive, they would turn a blind eye.
If he reported it, given Li Zhonghua's dislike of Dong Huacheng, Dong Huacheng would certainly be punished. But doing so would put him at odds with some powerful people in the office.
Punishing Dong Huacheng might feel good, but it would also create many enemies, which would be counterproductive. Moreover, Cheng Jemin didn't want to be seen as someone who tattles, as many leaders, while needing such people, don't like them.
If you can report on others, you can also report on me. Who would like a potential time bomb in their midst?
Now, a proper warning to Dong Huacheng, making him understand that he has a hold over him, would be more useful than simply taking him down.
"Brother Cheng, where are we going today?" As soon as Cheng Jemin walked out of the Water Resources Department, Sun Xiaozhu came up to him.
Looking at Sun Xiaozhu's eager face, the plan that had been etched in Cheng Jemin's mind was instantly activated. He patted Sun Xiaozhu's shoulder and said, "Let's go to the wholesale market and take a look!"
PS: A new week, and I need your support! Whether Xiong can rise depends entirely on all of you!