Chapter 21 - 20: Field Trial_l
Chapter 21: Chapter 20: Field Trial_l
Translator: 549690339
“Zhenbang, your performance yesterday was something I could only look up to. I wouldn’t even dare speak like that in front of grandpa. From now on, you’re my big brother.” Nie Jiamin said excitedly as they walked the streets of Jingcheng.
Everyone had expected Nie Zhenbang to be helpless when grandpa got angry. But to everyone’s surprise, grandpa’s bark was worse than his bite, and he left. Everyone was left dumbfounded.
In fact, Nie Zhenbang had made a correct bet. Grandpa had spent his whole life doing political work. Patience and attention to detail were the key. Nie Zhenbang saw this and dared to be bold. It turned out that Nie Zhenbang’s bet paid off.
Then, Nie Zhenbang laughed and said: “Little brother, don’t mention it anymore. Let’s find a place quickly. Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali, these two restless fellows, might be back in less than a week. If we haven’t found a place by then, they might attack us.”
At that time, there was no professional commercial real estate in Jingcheng.
The street-side stores were basically state-owned units. Wangfujing Department Store was still called Jingcheng City Department Store, and only two years ago did it begin pilot separation from the government. The establishment of limited shareholding had to wait until five years later. The larger buildings basically belonged to government agencies or state-owned enterprises. Renting them was out of the question.
Just then, a wall came into Nie Zhenbang’s view. The state-owned Jingcheng Second Textile Factory.
Looking at the factory buildings near the street, which were less than ten meters from the road, and the space between the factory buildings was not very wide, at most five meters, Nie Zhenbang’s mind became active. He had fallen into a trap of thinking that he hadn’t considered factories. But the most common thing in Jingcheng city was enterprises located near the streets. Some had good productivity, but some were nearly bankrupt. This was an opportunity for him.
In the east of Changan Street, a factory suddenly came into Nie Zhenbang’s view near Wangfujing Street. The factory was less than a thousand meters away from Wangfujing Street. As the most famous commercial area in Jingcheng, this unexpected factory location was an opportunity Nie Zhenbang had not anticipated.
Central District Hardware Parts Factory. Looking at the somewhat old sign in front of him, the gate was locked, and an old man was sitting in the open air beside a reception room, sunbathing. Nie Zhenbang approached him and knocked on the iron gate: “Old man, why is your factory closed?”
The old man looked displeased and sniffed at Nie Zhenbang: “Hey, you young man, can you speak? What does it mean to be closed? The factory has moved to the suburbs. Isn’t it close to the business street here? The district was bothered by the noise when the factory was in operation. So, it moved.”
Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was overjoyed. The perfect opportunity had come so easily. He’d been looking everywhere, but he didn’t expect to find such a prime location in this commercial centre. Looking from the iron gate into the factory, it had an area of about 20 to 30 mu. There were 20 factory buildings in total. The one closest to the street was about 15 meters away. The spaces between the buildings were very small, probably because they didn’t produce large machinery and didn’t require large vehicles. The width of the factory road was only about five meters. It would be very convenient for renovation.
Based on the calculation of 500 square meters per factory building, there were 10,000 square meters of factory buildings alone. After expansion and integration of these buildings, the total business area would be at least 14,000 square meters, although it was only one storey. Yet, it was more than enough for now.
“Old man, I want to ask you a question. Does the use right of this factory belong to the district or the factory?” Nie Zhenbang took a Panda cigarette from his pocket, handed one to the old gatekeeper and started chatting.
The old gatekeeper, half-squinting his eyes and examining the filter, softened his expression. “It belongs to the factory. But after the New Year, it will belong to the district. Why, boy, do you want to rent it?”
Nie Zhenbang shook his head, stood up and laughed, “Old man, do I look like I can afford to rent it? It’s just a boss who wants to rent, and I’m helping him look around for suitable places. Old man, you go ahead. I’ll be off now.”
The Hardware Factory should have a good relationship with the Second Light Department. At this point, Nie Zhenbang was pondering. As a forty-year-old man who had suffered a great deal, although his body became young, his psychological age was similar to a forty-year-old man’s. He was not at an impulsive age to start a business entirely on his own. As long as he got a relationship he could use, Nie Zhenbang would make full use of it.
The Second Light Department, Nie Zhenbang seemed to recall, Director Guo, the aunt Huang Yuerong’s close friend, held the position of Deputy Director of the Financial Department there. After grandpa’s death and the Nie family’s downfall, Guo Xianglan had visited once, but nobody introduced her due to the situation at that time. However, she did tell Huang Yuerong her office phone number, which was quite simple. Nie Zhenbang remembered it. Guo Xianglan and Huang Yuerong were so close they could trust each other with their lives; otherwise, she wouldn’t have made a risky visit.
Having thought of this, Nie Zhenbang excitedly said, “Little brother, we’ve got a lead on our location.”
“What kind of outcome? Zhenbang, you’re being cryptic.” Nie Jiamin was confused.
“Hehe, second brother, do you know who owns this factory? It’s owned by the Secondary Light Industry Bureau of the city. What do you think? Can we rent it if we get the leaders of the Secondary Light Industry Bureau involved?” Nie Zhenbang laughed.
Nie Jiamin is not a fool, but he puckered up his face: “But we don’t know anyone from the Secondary Light Bureau either.”
Nie Zhenbang mysteriously said: “We definitely have acquaintances. However, it’s up to you to take this call. This leader is your mom’s best friend. Whether this can work out or not depends on you.”
He walked to a public phone booth and dialed Guo Xianglan’s number. The voice he was very familiar with from his previous life sounded on the other side of the phone. Nie Jiamin froze for a moment, then quickly adjusted his mentality and politely said: “Aunt Guo? I’m Jiamin. I met you last time at my house. Do you remember?”
On the other side, Guo Xianglan was stunned for a while, then soon came to her senses: “Jiamin? You are Yuerong’s son. Why did you suddenly remember to call Aunt Guo? Did you do something wrong and want me to plead your case?”
The sons and daughters of the elite in Jingcheng City have almost all used this trick, making mistakes outside and then fearing being scolded. Most of them take this path, and it seems like Guo Xianglan’s son often uses this method. At this moment, Guo Xianglan still regarded Nie Jiamin as a child and naturally thought of this.
Nie Jiamin momentarily broke a cold sweat and quickly tried to steer her away from that assumption with a laugh, “Aunt Guo, Do you think I’m that kind of person? It’s just my mom who recently wanted to go shopping, so I’m calling to set up a date with you. Also, I have a small favor to ask of you. So, I’m killing two birds with one stone.”
“You kid, you know how to sweet-talk better than my son. Go ahead, what can Aunt Guo help you with?” Guo Xianglan also began to scold and laugh on the phone. Shopping was a pretext, and discussing the affairs was the real objective. However, Guo Xianglan was glad for Huang Yuerong that her son was really not an ordinary one.
“Aunt Guo, it’s like this. Are you familiar with the Central District Hardware Parts Factory? I saw that their factory is idle, and a friend wants to rent it to do some business. But I don’t have any contacts, so can you help me ask?” Nie
Jiamin got straight to the point and started talking. At last, he added: “Aunt Guo, rest assured, it’s absolutely legitimate. They are Hong Kong businessmen who have plenty of money. There will absolutely be no problem with the rent.”
On the other side, Guo Xianglan also began to laugh: “Haha, you’re such a little generous soul. Do you really think I’m worried about you? Aunt Guo is just afraid you might get cheated. Well, it’s not a big deal, let me call the Secondary Light Industry Bureau of Central District to ask for you. Are you at the factory? Ok, wait a moment. I’ll have someone from their side come to meet you so you can stay in touch.”
Within half an hour, a jeep and a Volga stopped at the entrance of the hardware factory. Four middle-aged men got out of the car. Seeing Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin standing at the factory gate, one of them quickly came forward to greet them: “Hello, hello. Which of you is Nie Jiamin? My name is Wang Yunrong, Director of the Secondary Light Industry Bureau of Central District. Director Guo gave me a call, saying that you want to lease this factory. I specifically called the person in charge here. The two people beside me are
Secretary Qin Weihong of the Hardware Factory Party Committee and Factory
Manager Qiao Xinghua.”
As soon as he met, Wang Yunrong shook hands with Nie Jiamin very enthusiastically. Although Director Guo was only the Deputy Director of the
Finance Bureau, he held significant power. Compared to him, they were worlds apart. Although Director Guo did not reveal Nie Jiamin’s background on the phone, the mere fact that he was a son of her best friend was enough. Anyone whom Director Guo called her best friend with would definitely have quite an impressive background.
Nie Jiamin shook hands with a smile, “Director Wang, you’re too polite. I should be the one to visit you. I feel a bit guilty to have made you come in person. Hello, Secretary Qin! Hello, Factory Manager Qiao! Director Wang, let me introduce to you, this is my younger brother, my second uncle’s son Nie
Zhenbang. He’s the one who wants to rent this factory. In your opinions, how much annual rent would be suitable for this factory?”
Nie Zhenbang also smiled and greeted the three. He was very polite to Director Wang, but in front of Secretary Qin and Factory Manager Qiao, Nie Zhenbang exuded a sense of nobility.
This excited Director Wang even more. This is truly the demeanor of someone from an established family. He immediately signaled the factory manager, Qiao
Xinghua, who understood and replied: “Mr. Nie, leasing out the factory can be beneficial to us, too. In our opinion, annually… about 30,000 yuan?”
30,000 yuan for renting a 30-acre factory, if this were 24 years later, it would probably barely be enough for 30 square meters. Nie Zhenbang did not quibble over this. He looked at the three and said, “The rent is not expensive, but can the factory be tested first?”
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