"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on my little sister, and she definitely won't let her studies slip. Besides, Ding Chen is a good kid, quite honest."
Gu Xingdong knew she was sensible and didn't say anything more.
After returning from the Ding family's dinner, Gu Xingping went to do her homework, while Chen Lishu began packing for Gu Xingdong's departure the next day.
Several catties of braised meat, three jars of mushroom and meat sauce she made at home, along with Gu Xingdong's change of clothes, were all neatly packed into bags by Chen Lishu.
The next day, Chen Lishu got up extra early. She made several steamed wheat pancakes for Gu Xingdong and also brewed some bone broth. There wasn't much good food on the train, so she wrapped the remaining pancakes in oil paper and also boiled a few extra eggs, packing them all for him to eat on the journey.
Not long after seeing Gu Xingdong off, Zhou Bin came to pick up the goods. Chen Lishu became busy again, which helped to alleviate the sense of loss from the farewell.
After supplying Zhou Bin with the goods, Chen Lishu decided to reduce her workload and focus on her studies once she finished the order for Nan Haitao's one hundred pieces and the gauze fabric she had on hand.
Meanwhile, after Gu Xingdong returned to his unit, he took the opportunity to share some of the braised meat and mushroom meat sauce Chen Lishu brought him with the Wu family.
He had just knocked twice on the Wu family's door when, as the door opened, a dark shadow suddenly shot out. Gu Xingdong didn't dodge but naturally extended his arm to catch it.
"Meow~" The Great King cried out aggrievedly as it landed in his arms. Gu Xingdong comfortingly reached out and stroked its small head. The Great King immediately narrowed its eyes in comfort.
"They say animals take after their owners. I can see it now, your cat has the same stubborn temper as you, it's impossible to tame." Wu Zheng looked at the cat purring in Gu Xingdong's arms, his eyes immediately filled with envy.
He had always been eager to pet the cute kitten, the Great King, whenever he visited the Gu family. However, every time he got close and wanted to show it affection, it would alertly jump away and run.
This time, Gu Xingdong had come home for a visit, and Wu Zheng thought his chance had come. He eagerly brought the cat over, but the esteemed feline, as usual, ate and drank as it pleased, and if he wanted to touch it, it was impossible.
"My wife made it, and she specifically told me to bring it to you," Gu Xingdong said, handing the braised meat and mushroom meat sauce to Wu Zheng.
"Your sister-in-law is so thoughtful." Wu Zheng immediately emerged from his disappointment at not being favored by the Great King. He took the items and gestured for Gu Xingdong to enter, saying, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? It's just you going back alone, so you might as well eat here."
Gu Xingdong thought for a moment and agreed.
"Brother Gu, you're back?" Lin Xiaohui heard Gu Xingdong's voice and came out of the room. Her eyes lit up when she saw that it was indeed him.
Gu Xingdong nodded, holding the Great King as he sat down on a chair nearby. Seeing this, Lin Xiaohui sat on another chair not far from him.
Gu Xingdong subconsciously frowned at her seating position.
"Brother Gu, do you know that in a few days I'll be a teacher at the newly built kindergarten at the unit?"
As more and more families followed the troops, the leaders paid great attention to the educational issues of the children accompanying the military. While setting up an elementary school was more troublesome, a kindergarten could be established first.
"Oh."
Gu Xingdong replied with a slightly downcast gaze, his expression indifferent.
Although he appeared indifferent on the surface, he was actually quite pleased, as this related to the education of his future child with Chen Lishu. Having a kindergarten would make things much more convenient.
"Dinner's ready." Wu Zheng took the items to the kitchen and then returned to set the table.
Soon, Lin Xiaoyue brought the dishes to the table, and she specially sliced the braised meat that Gu Xingdong had brought.
"Xiaohui, you should try some too. Your Sister-in-law Gu's braised meat is very fragrant and flavorful." Lin Xiaoyue smiled and put a piece of meat into Lin Xiaohui's bowl.
After taking a bite, Lin Xiaohui frowned in distaste, "Really? I think the seasoning is a bit too strong."
Hearing her words, Wu Zheng and Lin Xiaoyue's expressions immediately turned unsightly.
"If it's too strong, don't eat it. It wasn't made for you anyway."
Gu Xingdong glanced at Lin Xiaohui indifferently, quickly finished the rice in his bowl, and stood up. "I'm full, I'm leaving." With that, he called out to the dozing Great King and turned to leave.
...
"Sister, I have a big business deal, do you want to do it together?"
One day, Zhou Bin came to visit Chen Lishu while she was reading at home, his eyes filled with unconcealable excitement.
Chen Lishu smiled, "What big business deal?"
"I know a friend from the Municipal Second Construction Company. He told me that the slaughterhouse near the food acquisition station is going to be expanded. It's not a large project, but the timeline is tight, requiring completion in half a month. Their construction company is fully booked, so he asked if I wanted to take on the job."
Chen Lishu's eyes lit up when she heard him speak: Outsourcing?! If there was anything that would be most profitable later, it would definitely be construction and real estate development.
In her previous life, she had worked on construction sites for several years. Because she worked in the canteen, she had come into contact with many leaders and, through osmosis, had learned a lot about the construction industry.
The country's construction industry had started relatively late, beginning to emerge in the 1980s. By the mid-to-late 1980s, real estate had officially entered its commercialization phase.
The first real estate bubble that followed appeared in Hainan. She remembered a popular saying at the time: "To make money, go to Hainan; to get rich, speculate in pre-sale housing."
If she started getting involved now, accumulated experience and initial capital, could she also make a fortune by riding this wave?
Thinking of this, Chen Lishu's heart couldn't help but surge with excitement.
"Brother Zhou, what is the expansion area? Will the other party provide an advance payment, or will we pay first and get paid after the project is completed? How much is the other party prepared to invest? What is our project budget?"
Zhou Bin was a bit stunned by her barrage of questions. After a moment of thought, he scratched his head and said, "I'm not too clear about the specifics. My friend just mentioned it was an expansion of the slaughterhouse. The acquisition station will pay an upfront deposit of one thousand yuan, and the rest will be paid in full after handover."
Zhou Bin paused after speaking and continued, "How big can a slaughterhouse be? It won't require much material. You also know that in my line of work, besides red bricks, I can get sand and cement at cost price. It's just that I lack manpower. I know you come from the countryside, Sister, so finding people should be very convenient."
As soon as Zhou Bin finished speaking, he quickly explained, "Sister, I don't mean anything else. Otherwise, I wouldn't have..."
Chen Lishu smiled and waved her hand, indicating that she didn't mind, "Finding people shouldn't be a problem, but we still need to conduct an on-site inspection for the cost. After all, it would be a loss if we worked for nothing without knowing the full picture."
Hearing her hesitant tone, Zhou Bin asked again, "Sister, have you agreed?"
"If the deal is profitable after inspection, I will definitely do it."