Chapter 18 – Rich man
Chapter 18 – Rich man
“Look, that is Feng Yu from class two. He acted like he knows everything in the morning but in the afternoon, the cat is let out of the bag. I think he it is difficult for him to go to high school. Most likely he will be admitted to Vocational School.” One student said.
“Really? This afternoon our class teacher still asks us to learn from Feng Yu. So, this Feng Yu is selective in his subject. If he failed his math and physics, which high school will not want him!” Someone replied.
After school, Feng Yu walked calmly from the classroom to the canteen, and then back to the dormitory. Along the way, there are many students pointing at him.
Feng Yu can’t be bothered with them. He carried a small bag and slowly walked to the dormitory management teacher’s door.
Knock, knock, knock!
“Mr. Xiong, I would like to use the phone.”
“Use the phone? Is there any emergency? Remember to hang up after two rings and wait for the other party to call back. This way, it is cheaper.”
Feng Yu smiled and did say nothing. He watched Mr. Xiong unlocked the wooden box, containing the telephone, and started dialing.
“Hello, Post Office. Who would you like to speak to?” Someone answered.
“I am looking for Li Shiqiang. My name is Feng Yu.” Feng Yu replied.
Seeing Feng Yu’s call got through, Mr. Xiong stared hard at him. The cost for answering phone calls is 20 cents per minute and the calling party cost 50 cents per minute. This kid’s family is rich and allows him to spend money like this.
“Hello? Xiao Yu? Is this about the Treasury bonds? I tell you, this week alone, we had made a few thousand.” Li Shiqiang said excitedly, trying to keep his voice down.
“Calm, Brother Li. It is only a few thousands. Wait for another two months and you will be earning tens of thousands. When that time comes, you won’t be able to stop smiling.”
Feng Yu said these casually but Mr. Xiong, who was sitting on a chair, pricked up his ears. “What? One month can earn up to 10,000 RMB? What are they doing that can let them earn so much? One-month earnings is equivalent to more than his 10 years’ salary!”
What does the child’s family do?
Feng Yu then continued: “That’s good. Are those you hired trustworthily? Set a target on how much to acquire for each of them. If they are able to push the price down further, don’t care. Let them keep the difference. It’s March soon. Calculate their salaries and give them before the month ends.”
“They only worked a few days in February and we have to pay them now? We can just pay them everything at end of March.” Li Shiqiang felt that this is unnecessary. How can he pay them when they had not even worked for one month? Li Shiqiang replied.
Feng Yu shook his head. This Li Shiqiang can’t think out of the box and just stick to the rules. This is a way to motivate the workers. How can Li Shiqiang be a leader in future?
“Brother Li, didn’t I told you to promise them that their salaries will be paid out at the end of the month? If some of them had acquired a lot of bonds, give them 5 or 10 RMB as incentives. Although they had not worked for one month, it is still month end. We will give them their salaries now and they will be working harder next money. March is a critical month for us. We must change all our cash to Treasury bonds!” Feng Yu said.
“Ok. Then I will give them their salaries based on how many days they had worked at the end of the month.” Li Shiqiang replied.
“Brother Li, don’t forget to count the weekends. They also worked during the weekends. Also, give everyone an incentive of 5 RMB.” Feng Yu reminded Li Shiqiang.
“It’s fine to count the weekends but why are we giving them incentives?” Li Shiqiang asked.
“Brother Li, this is to keep them motivated. This way, they will be working harder and furthermore, their job is tiring.” Feng Yu answered.
“That’s true. Going door-to-door in the cold is indeed hard work. All right, I will listen to you. Oh yes, I bought a new coat for you and I had sent it to your school. You should be receiving it in two days’ time.” Li Shiqiang said.
“Thank you, Brother Li. Take care of my sister and don’t let her work too hard. Let her know that good days are coming soon.” Feng Yu replied.
The two chatted for a while. Basically, it was Feng Yu giving some instructions regarding some minor details and Li Shiqiang listened. After hanging up, Feng Yu smiled. This brother-in-law treats everyone so well. Must let him and his family have a good life!
“Teacher Xiong, how much is it?”
Teacher Xiong looked at the wall clock. Oh my god! This phone call actually lasted 16 minutes!
Fifty cents a minute, that will be 8 RMB. Does this kid have 8 RMB?
But if Teacher Xiong doesn’t collect from Feng Yu, he will have to pay for Feng Yu at the end of the month. His little salary cannot afford to pay for Feng Yu. But it was all his own fault. If he had not been so engrossed in Feng Yu’s conversations, he would have reminded Feng Yu.
“Child, didn’t I told you to hang up after the phone rang and keep your conversation short? Why did you talk so long on the phone? It cost 8 RMB in total. You go back and inform your family?” Teacher Xiong said, with a sullen face.
8 RMB is not a small sum of money. If this child’s family knows that he had spent so much for a phone call, will they give him the money?
Teacher Xiong never expect Feng Yu to just say “ok” and took out 10 RMB and pass to him.
“Teacher Xiong? Teacher Xiong? My change?” Feng Yu asked.
“Is this money for you to buy meal tickets? If you give me this money, what are you going to eat?” Teacher Xiong asked Feng Yu.
Feng Yu took out a stack of meal tickets from his pocket and showed to Teacher Xiong: “My meal tickets are all here. Should be enough for more than a month.”
Teacher Xiong opened his mouth wide with astonishment. How rich is this child’s family to give him so much spending money? This child is just wearing normal clothes and there is nothing special. How come he is spending money this way?
Teacher Xiong’s expression suddenly became serious: “It is not right to steal from home!”
Feng Yu is getting frustrated. It is not a good thing for a teacher to be too responsible. Everything seems suspicious to him.
“Teacher, my parents gave me these monies to spend. We have a 55 horse-powered tractor and a 512 harvester (a machine to harvest soybeans, wheat, etc.). We had earned quite a lot.” Feng Yu said with a “my family is fucking rich” expression.
Teacher Xiong sighed. So, his family is really from home. In this era, to own a 55 horse-powered tractor can already let one earn a lot of money and with a 512 harvester, it can bring in at least tens of thousands RMB.
“Ok. But you shouldn’t be spending your money this way. Don’t make such long phone calls. This is your change of 2 RMB and hurries back to your dorm.” Teacher Xiong said.
Where the money comes from? Of course, it was from the three Vocational School students. Feng Yu had already spent the money brought from home on meal tickets.
Feng Yu took out some sweeten haw sheets (a type of preserved fruit snacks) and “Big White Rabbit” sweets from his pocket for Teacher Xiong and thanked him for his concern.
Teacher Xiong kept the snacks and sweets. He intends to take these home for his children.
Feng Yu did not return to the dormitory but went back to the classroom for self-revision. This era, self-revision in the evenings is voluntary. Most students who come for self-revision are those that are hardworking and wanted to be admitted into high schools. As for those who want to go to Vocational School will be playing poker in the dormitory, or making snowmen outside.
“Li Na, how do you do the question? Can you teach me?” Feng Yu asked.
Li Na glanced at Feng Yu: “Didn’t you tell me that you are a genius in the morning? Didn’t you know everything? Why are you still asking me?”
The little girl is having resentment over what happened in the morning. But Feng Yu still have a killer move. He took out his snacks and put it on the table.
“I am good with Russian but not the rest of the subjects. I will give you one big white rabbit sweet or one sweeten haw sheet for one question.” he said with the attitude like those tyrants in films: “one piece of clothing for one stack of cash! I have nothing else except for money!”
Li Na looked at the big White Rabbit sweets and said unyieldingly: “You don’t try to bribe me!”
Feng Yu laughed to himself: “I can clearly see you swallowing your saliva.”
“How can this be bribery? This is friendship between classmates. You help me with questions which I don’t know and I share my snacks with you. This is friendship.” Feng Yu argued.
“Well, if that’s the case, which question you do not understand? Bring it over, let me take a look.”
Before looking at the question, Li Na took the wrappers off a big white rabbit sweet and pop it into her mouth, smiling happily.