Chapter 66

  Chapter 24

  "Alas, this is the difference between Chinese and Jews."

  "Oh, really?" Han Zhiqian raised an eyebrow and said with great interest.

  Jews opened a gas station in one place, business was particularly good, then the second Jew came to open a restaurant, and the third Jew opened a supermarket, this piece became very prosperous.

  A Chinese person opened a gas station and business was very good, so the second Chinese person definitely opened a second gas station, then the third, fourth... vicious competition, nobody can survive. " Fang Mo Nan recalled saying

  "A very vivid metaphor" Han Zhiqian and Liang Zishen nodded in agreement. As soon as that one catches fire, they all swarm up like a beehive, and in the end, no one makes any money.

  "It seems that you really have a broad vision and quick thinking, not only grasping business opportunities but also giving back to your hometown." Fang Mo Nan looked at Liang Zi with his thumb up, smiling with relief.

  "Haha... having seen and experienced a lot, I've put my heart into it and thought about it a lot." Liang Ziqian humbly said that the most important thing is still sufficient funding, otherwise even the best project can only be left to stare blankly.

  "Haha... Liangzi is indeed a good servant, look at this sweet mouth." Han Zhijian joked.

  "Open the door to do business, welcome guests, often interact with people, who doesn't love to hear good words, it's not hard to say a few more flattering words, and harmony generates wealth." - Liang Zidao.

  "That's right." Han Zhijian said.

  "What about sales?" Fang Mo Nan asked again.

  "Sales, apart from advertising on CCTV, our main direction is newspapers and flat media." Liang Zi said that CCTV has Han Zhiqian leading it, and also gave a discount of 80% off. The price of flat media advertising is low, and it can be settled for just a few thousand yuan."

  "Also, we are preparing to establish sales channels. This time, all provincial agents must follow our requirements and not make any concessions. This is also inspired by Shouhou and Zhiqian." Liang Zi said.

  Fang Mo nodded and sat up straight, looking at Liang Zi seriously. "Liang Zi, since you've decided to do food business, I want to say a few things. First, we must ensure that our products are genuine and reasonably priced, without cheating anyone; second, profits cannot come at the expense of people's health, making expired or spoiled food, earning money by compromising one's conscience; third, the factory environment must be good, no polluted water flowing everywhere, no flies flying around. We can only sell food that we ourselves can eat." Thinking about food safety in the future, officials eating special supplies, drinking special wine, smoking special cigarettes, air pollution... it's really unbearable. They just leave with a pat on their backs and fly abroad. Ordinary people are suffering, they can't even eat safely at home, nor dare to eat.

  In the past, when everyone was poor, eating a hot and steaming bun or dumpling could bring joy for half a day. As people gradually became richer, it was just that the monks got rich but the temple remained poor. Happiness is not even worth mentioning, as even the most basic necessities of food, drink, and survival are not guaranteed, let alone happiness, which is simply self-deception.

  Ten years of life and death, Sudan red, red square. A thousand miles of solitary grave, the ground is smooth as oil in the intestines. Even if we meet again, we should not recognize each other, thin meat, hard to guard against. Last night's dream suddenly returned home, KFC, back kitchen. We looked at each other without speaking, human flesh made into capsules. I guess every year it will be cut off, steamed bun fragrance, lemon yellow. As I read on, I felt a chill run down my spine...

  "I understand this, I will definitely write these into the employee manual, and definitely mention them during training for employees, factory directors and managers. I will make sure to drill these concepts deep into their minds and engrave them in their bones." Liang Zi solemnly guaranteed.

  Fang Mo Nan nodded comfortingly and curiously asked who was in charge of the county.

  "Pangzi personally directed and calmed down in the county." Liangzi said with a smile.

  "Oh, so Fatso is willing to go." Fang Mo Nan raised an eyebrow curiously and said.

  "You really guessed it, Fatso doesn't want to spend money on the amusement park." Liang Zihao said with a smile, "But after the factory gets on track, Long Xianghai will dig up a few professional managers who are very professional and honest. With them keeping an eye on things in Yun County, nothing will go wrong. By then, Fatso can..."

  Liang Zi said that due to the county's large-scale construction, Qiushi's brother-in-law seized the opportunity and started producing small excavators, bulldozers, windlasses, electric drills, and electric hammers. The benefits are not bad, and the market prospects in the future are also huge.

  "Nan Nan is used to being lazy, while we're busy running around all day," said Han Zhiqian. "And also, Liang Zi is about to become a father."

  "Wow, congratulations! Red Leaf is also in Beijing? Not skipping a beat. Fang Mo Nan asked."

  "It's too late today..." Liang Zi said with a silly smile.

  "This is it, I'm going to see her." Fang Mo Nan said excitedly.

  "By the way, Nan Nan, you know Ye Zhenhua and them?" Han Zhijian asked with a frown.

  "We were just on the same plane, happened to sit between them two, and chatted on the plane." Fang Mo raised an eyebrow slightly and paused for a moment before saying "Is there something wrong with those two?"

  "Ye Zhenhua is a notorious playboy in the capital, from a prominent family with many high-ranking officials in the military and government, his father being a deputy general. The person next to him hasn't been seen before, don't know what their background is, but they must be someone of similar status to be able to accompany him." Liang Zi said, having stayed in the capital for some time, although not everyone here knows each other, there are certain people who cannot be offended.

  "Oh, it's not a small matter, but I guess it has nothing to do with me," Fang Mo Nan said. It seems that we won't meet again in the future. She was just a little girl, a clever little girl after all.

  "Come on, come on, Nan Nan, hurry up and eat." Their mother called out as she entered.

  "Good." Fang Mo Nan and they walked towards the dining hall.

  "Liāng zǐ, zhì qiān you also eat some," said the old mother. On the dinner table were three bowls of noodles with shredded meat." "Good"

  "It's still better when mom makes it, has a homey flavor." Fang Mo Nan said after taking a bite.

  "This child, isn't she just an ordinary noodle? Yet so much sentiment." The old mother sat across from her, greedily watching her eat.

  After finishing eating, Liangzi and Han Zhijian stood up to bid farewell. The old mother wanted to collect the bowls and chopsticks. "Alright, mom, someone will collect them, just leave them there."

  "This kid is so quick," said the old mother. "After going out, he didn't learn anything else but learned to be lazy."

  "Mom, don't you want to look at Mo Bei and Xiao Yi's photos?" Fang Mo Nan said, having slept a lot on the plane, he wasn't sleepy at all now.

  "Ah, right away, I'll put the bowls and chopsticks in the sink first." The old mother wiped her hands with a towel and carefully looked at the photo album spread out on the bed.

  "I'll go take a bath and come out in a bit to chat," said Fang Mo Nan.

  Mom didn't even lift her head, "Okay." On the margin of the photo, there were notes about where and when it was taken, who was in it. Some were photos of Mo Bei and Xiao Yi's school life, taken by Fang Mo Nan, very natural. Some were with their instructors or professors. There were also some commemorative photos from their trip to Philadelphia. Mom gazed at them greedily, carefully touching the photo of Mo Bei, tracing her eyebrows and eyes, as if she could touch the real person.

  Fang Mosou didn't disturb her after taking a bath, sitting on the bed with the painting tools and paper that Han Zhiqian had left behind before leaving. The design drawing was quickly drawn out. While trying to recall the style of the flight attendant uniform in his mind, he made some modifications, as he wasn't sure which style was more likable. Fang Mosou drew several styles, one with a Western bias and another with more Chinese elements. This way, there would be more room for choice later on.

  The pilot's uniform is well-drawn, with the pilot's uniform in deep blue as the basic tone, emphasizing a sense of safety and vitality. The most important flight attendant uniform, she dislikes the cold tone of blue and chooses a warm but not hot, elegant and generous purple series.

  There are two sets, both in purple. One is cool purple and the other is warm purple. The alternation of cool and warm purple is like a twin set. The visual impact of the two colors is also very strong. The small standing collar with Chinese characteristics, the butterfly-like small buttons, are warm and gentle. The design of the color scheme not only highlights the noble and elegant temperament of the flight attendants but also gives people a kind of warmth like a neighbor girl next door.

  Fang Mengnan's design is a bit bolder, and after years of Han Zhijian's subtle influence, the acceptance level must be more avant-garde than before. On her design, the outerwear part, slightly gathered at the waist, shows off the beautiful physique of a young girl even more. A purple improved version of the beret, the finishing touch is the real silk scarf on the collar. Amidst the woman's warmth and elegance, there is a hint of playfulness and loveliness, youthful radiance.

  Mom looked at the photo album and saw Fang Mo Nan seriously painting, shifting her buttocks, "Wow, it's really beautiful." Mom held the design paper and looked left and right.

  "Mom, it's really beautiful," said Fang Mo Nan, lifting his head up.

  "Of course, I'm not worse than my daughter, no skipping words. Mom puffed out her chest with an unyielding look."

  "Then I'll give you a set too." Fang Mo Nan said with his chin resting on the easel.

  "No need, these years Zhiqian has been sending us and your father a lot of clothes, we can't even finish wearing them." Mom said seriously "You're not allowed to trouble others again."

  "Oh, I see." Fang Mo muttered. Allen was even more terrified, when the season changed and he tried to refuse the delivery, the shop would send it to his doorstep anyway, and protesting only resulted in them sending a little less.

  "Alright, go to sleep already, it's 2 o'clock. Stop drawing." Mom glanced at the small alarm clock on the bedside table.

  "It's almost done, just two more strokes, and I'll go to sleep right away." Fang Mo Nan said.

  The next morning, cicadas were screaming in the trees, indicating that today was another scorching hot day. Fang Mo-nan had prepared a sumptuous breakfast.

  A knock at the door.

  Fang Mo Nan wondered, "Look at the watch, it's only seven o'clock, who is this?"

  As soon as the door opened, Han Zhiqian was seen standing at the entrance with a smile all over his face, "Good morning"

  "Who's coming?" Mom asked in the dining room.

  "Big Brother Han has arrived." Fang Mo Nan said as he turned around and looked at Han Zhi Qian, "You're really early."

  "Good morning, Big Yan sister!" Han Zhiqian smiled and said "Haven't had breakfast yet?"

  "Have you eaten? Don't jump words." Mom asked.

  "No," Han Zhiqian said, sitting in his seat.

  "That's just right, Nannan made breakfast early, and this girl got up at the right time without making a sound." The old mother pretended to complain, but actually pitied her.

  "Alright, alright!" Han Zhiqian's face lit up with a happy smile.

  "No way to sleep till dawn, so I made breakfast instead." Fang Mo Nan took a bite of his crab roe bun.

  The breakfast was sumptuous, and Han Zhiqian's heart exclaimed, "Finally, I can eat her cooking again." He used to be picky about food, but now he was also a foodie.

  After dinner, they moved to the living room, where Fang Mo Nan handed over the well-designed drawings to Han Zhiqian.

  "Wah......" Han Zhiqian screamed nonstop.

  "Don't be so exaggerated." Fang Mo Nan said with a smile.

  "It's really great, if I were the Civil Aviation Administration of China, I would definitely use our design." Han Zhiqian said affirmatively, "I'm conquered." "It embodies the grandeur, elegance, gentleness and beauty of Chinese women, all the goodness."

  "I didn't expect purple to be so eye-catching, it's also what we've always said, 'purple air comes from the east', implying good fortune and auspiciousness. What a great omen." Han Zhiqian said.

  "The design is done, now it's up to you for the fabric," said Fang Mo Nan.

  "Alright, no problem, I'll take care of the rest."

  "Ah, this is what Xiao Bei gave me to give to you." Fang Mo Nan handed over the file bag to Han Zhi Qian, "It's not even, wrapped up really tightly too."

  Fang Mo Nan raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment before saying "Honestly speaking, is there something you're hiding from me?"

  Han Zhiqian's heart skipped a beat, "How could that be? I'm also very curious about what Xiaobei has installed here. Let me take a look and then I'll tell you."

  At this time, Old Mother left, and behind her was Liangzi.

  He saw Fang Mo Nan and suddenly remembered that he would go see the autumn leaves later. "Have you eaten? Don't jump to conclusions." Fang Mo Nan asked.

  Han Zhi let out a sigh of relief, just in time, timely rain

  "I've eaten," replied Liangzi.

  "Let's go take a look at the red leaves." Fang Mo Nan stood up and said to him.

  "Then you guys go ahead, I still have things to attend to, need to turn these designs into clothes." Han Zhiqian said.

  "You mind your own business, Nannan and Dayan Jie have me," said Liangzi.

  After Fang Mo Nan and Han Zhi Qian parted ways, Fang Mo Nan and her mother hugged two large boxes in the space, fortunately Liang Zi drove the car to Xicheng.

  There is an old saying in Beijing: The East City is rich, the West City is wide, Chongwen is poor and Xuanwu is broken.

  Dongcheng benefited from the dredging of Tonghui River during the Ming dynasty, and with the convenience of water transportation, it gradually developed into a gathering place for wealthy families. On the other hand, Xicheng has always been the location of mansions and residences of high-ranking officials and nobles. Therefore, most of the traditional courtyard houses that are relatively upscale are from these two places.

  "Li, are we going to Xicheng? Not skipping characters." Fang Mo Nan asked from the passenger seat.

  "I and Hong Ye are now living in a small quadrangle courtyard," said Liang Zi; "Last time when we went to the capital city together, I heard your feelings, so when we came to the capital, we decided to live in a quadrangle courtyard to experience the authentic flavor of old Beijing."

  "Is the journey still far?" Fang Mo Nan asked.

  "It's not far," said Liangzi.

  "Alright, let's go for a walk." Fang Mo Nan said, taking a stroll while the sun wasn't too harsh yet.

  Liang Zi parked the car by the side of the road and they got out and walked in.

  The Hutong culture of old Beijing is very famous, and later on, there was a special tourist feature called Hutong tour. Often seen are people dressed as Republican-era rickshaw drivers, pedaling those human-powered tricycles, pulling foreigners or overseas Chinese, the fleet of vehicles shuttling back and forth through big and small alleys.

  The main buildings in the hutongs are mostly siheyuan. This is a type of enclosed courtyard house that consists of four houses built around a square or rectangular courtyard, with the main house at the north and three other houses on the east, west, and south sides. The size and complexity of the siheyuan varied according to the social status of its residents.

  The ordinary people's quadrangle courtyard is simple in structure, with a narrow facade and low walls. Hutong, in essence, are the passages between many large and small quadrangle courtyards that are lined up tightly together.

  Siheyuan is a closed residential house, with only one street door outside. When the door is closed, it forms a self-contained world, with strong privacy, making it very suitable for single-family residence. Inside the courtyard, all four houses face the courtyard and open their doors to it, where family members live in harmony and beauty, enjoying each other's company. Due to the spaciousness of the courtyard, trees can be planted, flowers can be grown, birds can be raised, fish can be bred, and rocks can be piled up to create scenery. Residents not only enjoy comfortable housing but also fully appreciate the beauty of nature.

  Walking in the hutong, Fang Mo Nan looked more carefully than last time, and this time it was definitely more interesting than watching TV in her later life.

  "If the Liang's house is rented, I suggest you buy it." Fang Mo Nan stroked the bluestone, which was simple and heavy with historical culture. These bluestones were finely carved and polished, with a simple and elegant shape, and a bold and unrestrained style of the north.

  The brick carvings in Beijing flourished during the Qing Dynasty, with mature craftsmanship and techniques that combined relief carving, hollow carving, and line engraving. The main themes were flowers, with a style that was strict, elegant, and robust. They were mainly used on walls, door lintels, eaves, ridges, corridor walls, threshold walls, and other places. As Beijing was the capital of both the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the feudal system was strictly controlled, and decorations like glazed tiles and paintings were only allowed in large-scale buildings such as palaces and temples. Therefore, ordinary people's homes could only develop brick carvings, which became widely used in siheyuan (quadrangle courtyards). Even under the emperor's feet, brick carvings revealed a hint of official rank.

  "What I've bought is already very beautiful, and even if I renovate it again, it will still retain its original flavor." said Liang Zi.

  "Walk with your eyes closed." Fang Mo Nan said.

  "That's also thanks to your explanation." Liang Zidao said, "Now in the capital city, high-rise buildings can be seen everywhere, and many old residents who are used to living in quadrangle courtyards have begun to yearn for a life of living in buildings, so I bought it."

  "This mountain looks at that mountain high has always been human nature, but now it's a good time to buy a quadrangle courtyard." Fang Mo Nan said.

  Fang Mo Nan took the old hand and drilled in and out of one alley after another. "What's so special about Nannan, it's just an old house," said his mother disapprovingly. "It's similar to our home, but more exquisite."

  "Old mother Beijing courtyard is famous, it's the only one in the world, just like a business card of Beijing. It not only contains deep cultural connotation as a residential building, but also carries traditional Chinese culture." Fang Mengnan said. "This place is not only where people live, but also history and culture."

  "Alas, I just said one sentence, and you have so many big principles." Mom smiled and said, "If you like to watch, then go ahead and watch."

  The construction of a Siheyuan is extremely particular about Feng Shui, from selecting the land and determining the location to confirming the specific dimensions of each building, all must be carried out according to Feng Shui theory.

  Feng shui theory, in fact, is the environmental science of ancient Chinese architecture, and an important part of traditional Chinese architectural theory. This feng shui theory has guided China's construction activities for thousands of years. In addition to Feng Shui theory, the decoration, carving, and painting of Siheyuan also reflect folk customs, traditional culture, and people's pursuit of happiness, beauty, wealth, and auspiciousness under certain historical conditions. For example, the pattern composed of bats and longevity characters implies "good fortune and longevity", while the pattern of peonies in a vase implies "peace and prosperity in all seasons". The auspicious phrases embedded on door handles, door heads, and column couplets attached to eaves, as well as the excellent calligraphy and paintings hung indoors, are collections of ancient philosophers' teachings, adopting famous quotes from past and present, either praising the beauty of mountains and rivers, or inscribing worldly wisdom, or chanting the aspirations of swans and cranes. The elegant and refined atmosphere is full of rich cultural flavor, and entering this courtyard is like stepping into a palace of traditional Chinese culture.

  It was a little past eight in the morning, and the alley was very quiet. In this quietness, there was a sense of leisureliness. Occasionally, you would meet an old man who had finished breakfast and was taking a stroll to digest his food, holding a birdcage in his hand, teasing the birds from time to time, listening to their chirping. Behind him, there was usually a small dog raised by the family, wagging its tail and running back and forth. When it met people, it would run up to you and sniff around, looking up at you with its big, wet eyes blinking, making you feel affectionate from the bottom of your heart. Dogs are very spiritual animals, and at this time, they were usually a family's most intimate companion. They were not those pampered pet dogs that came later, nor did they have any so-called noble bloodline like pet dogs do. These little dogs from the countryside were the ones who truly enjoyed being close to people and had a spirituality that allowed them to communicate with their owners' hearts.

  Sometimes from the open gate, a burst of Peking Opera singing would float out. Take a peek and you'd see under the grape arbor in the courtyard, an old-fashioned radio on a stone table, an elderly grandfather with white hair sitting in a reclining chair, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan, completely absorbed in the music, one hand tapping his knee to the beat, occasionally humming along in harmony when he heard a particularly delightful part.

  The old mother looked at Fang Mo Nan, who was eager to go in, and hastily pulled her back, telling her not to overdo it, lest she be mistaken for a thief and caught. The two women quietly retreated without making a sound, afraid of disturbing the old man's self-satisfaction.

  This is the tranquility hidden in the bustling metropolis, and it's easy to find a way out from the alleys around, which are the most prosperous areas of Beijing. It really lives up to the old saying: "Find quietness in noise." The people living inside live a comfortable, leisurely, and peaceful life, enjoying family happiness, filial piety, and natural joy, creating an atmosphere that makes one feel carefree and content.

  "How are you feeling?" Fang Mo Nan asked as he walked along the road, turning his head to look at his mother.

  "In the stillness, except for the chirping of insects and birds, there was less noise and excitement of the city. My mother felt a deep sense of quiet and peace in her heart."

  Liang Zi said, "Living here, this tranquility has effectively soothed my somewhat restless heart."

  "What's this?" Fang Mo Nan turned his head and raised an eyebrow at him.

  Liang Zi furrowed his brow, "The hotel business is getting hotter and hotter, making money like flowing water... sometimes it's hard to avoid getting a big head, feeling very capable, very proud, a little self-satisfied, and having a flying high feeling."

  He paused for a moment and continued, "Although it's been said repeatedly that one should be calm, composed, and steady, but when seeing the rising numbers on the account, only then can one learn to control themselves. It's also something that requires great willpower." He looked up at the peaceful courtyard and continued, "Living here, my restless heart seems to have calmed down instantly." What Liangzi didn't say was, "With you as a role model, I want to follow closely in your footsteps even more, hoping not to fall behind."

  Is it?