Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

The phone on the table rang, and Xu Damao picked up the receiver, "Hello, Propaganda Department, where can I find you?"

"Hello, Chief Xu, Xu Damao?"

"Yes, yes, where are you from?"

"Damn it, Chief Xu, you are a forgetful person. You have forgotten your brother after not contacting him for a few years. Do I, Fan Changlong, still remember him?"

"Hey, Chief Fan, Brother Changlong, how could you not remember me? My brother is still in the Joint Transportation Department?"

"Where else can I go? But man, I got promoted last year, deputy director, second in command. So you're the first person I thought of during the Spring Festival. Are you free? I'll invite you for a drink."

"You invited me to drink, how can I not be free? I'll treat you, brother. You decide the place. I'll definitely be there.

"Okay, 6pm, Cuihualou outside Chongwenmen. I've also made appointments with Wang Weiyi and Sun Shangzhi."

"Brother Fan, I will be there on time."

Xu Damao guessed what Fan Changlong wanted to ask him out for. It should be that these people asked him out to do something they did a few years ago. Xu Damao couldn't figure it out. Logically, Zhao Weiguo from the factory's purchasing and supply department was not bad. He had been in charge of the factory's purchasing and external relations in recent years. Why did Fan Changlong contact him instead of Zhao Weiguo? It seemed that there was something he didn't know about. In recent years, he had been guarding his own small piece of land and had not participated in the affairs of other departments in the factory. He ignored it.

Let's go and find out, it shouldn't be a bad thing.

At lunch, Xu Damao greeted Chen Zhiyong and said, "Xiaoyong, go back and tell your mother that you won't be home for dinner tonight. You have to go to a dinner party."

"Uncle Xu, you take care of your own business. I'm at home."

In the evening, Xu Damao rode his bicycle directly to Cuihua Building.

Fan Changlong and Sun Shangzhi from the textile factory were already there, and Wang Weiyi and Xu Damao arrived shortly afterwards.

"Brothers, long time no see. Congratulations, you have all been promoted."

Fan Changlong held a cigarette and poured tea for several people at the same time, "Brothers, I'm hosting you today and invited you all. Hey, Damao, actually it's mainly because of you. Lao Wang, Lao Sun and I are still in contact and cooperating with each other. It's you who suddenly stopped taking care of this business. Brothers have been thinking about you for the past few years. A few years ago, I heard from your purchasing section chief Zhao that you were implicated in the Yue family's affairs. Are you okay now?"

"It's okay, it's okay a long time ago. Thank you for your concern. I will definitely drink with you brothers today. Only when we drink well can we enjoy ourselves."

"Old Wang, you see, I said that brother Damao was a man of good character. He hasn't changed in a year. He's very kind. I still remember the first time I drank with brother Damao. The memory is still fresh." Wang Weiyi also talked about the time when Xu Damao went to the back door of the meat processing plant to pick up pork.

"Brother Wang, I was really at a loss that year. I had no choice but to ask you for meat. I remember it clearly. Brother Wang was very kind and gave me 50 kilograms. No questions asked. I will drink well today."

The food at Huihualou is truly delicious: stir-fried, fried, deep-fried, stewed, and pickled. It is a genuine Shandong cuisine restaurant, and the taste and environment are no worse than those at Fengzeyuan, Liuquanju, and Dongxinglou.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Fan Changlong told Xu Damao the real purpose of having dinner together today.

"Brother Damao, after discussing it, we decided that it's more reassuring to cooperate with you. Zhao Weiguo from your factory is not only a bad eater, but also a bad mouth. We don't dare to get close to him. I won't hide it from you, we have indeed been doing some borderline things in recent years."

"Brothers, what should I do? Can you give me some advice?"

Xu Damao was not vague. Since the masters looked up to him, he could not be a coward. If he operated properly, he could make money, gain favors, and gain emotions. He could not deny the opportunity to achieve multiple goals at once, not to mention that he had done it in the past few years.

If you have money but don't make it, you are a fool. Although the country is still in a bad state and materials are scarce, existence is reasonable. If you don't do it, others will do it. Isn't it also enriching the lives of the masses? It's good to have one more way.

"Da Mao, we will still follow the original rules. We will increase the price by 30% for you. You can pay appropriately. It's up to you to decide. Of course, the key lies in safety, confidentiality, and reliability. Otherwise, it would be nonsense to make money but not live to spend it."

"Brothers, how much is the monthly volume? I want to be prepared. If we are going to do it, we have to do it safely and move the goods quickly."

"We have discussed it. I will give you one ton of seafood every month, and Brother Wang will give you four pigs, which is about 10 to kilograms, not including the offal. Old Sun will give you bolts of cloth a month. That's about it. If your business is going smoothly and you want to increase the quantity, we can discuss it. The accounts will be settled every month, and this cannot be changed. There can't be any handle left in the internal accounts. Damao, what do you think?"

"Okay, Brother Fan, Brother Wang, Brother Sun, now that it's stable, I have to find a base in a remote place so that I can store goods and it will be safer. Otherwise, if there are large quantities of goods coming in and out, it will easily arouse suspicion from the Red Guards or others. Once I get the warehouse and funds in place, we can officially start, how do you say?"

"Look, Wang, you see, I told you Damao has experience. Are you relieved now? Then it's a happy decision. When you are done, call us and we will set the terms of receiving the goods then. That's all for today's discussion. We won't go home until we are drunk. Damao, is that ok?"

"I will follow my brothers' arrangements."

The four of them finally spoke loudly. The silent discussion just now was already aggrieved. If the environment of Cuihualou was not high-end enough, the four of them might have started to drink loudly.

In the end, Fan Changlong put the brakes on. Everyone was basically 27% drunk and went back to their own homes and their own mothers. Xu Damao took the opportunity to settle the bill. Including the wine, food, and two plates of dumplings, the total was yuan with change.

Xu Damao rode his bike shakily as he tried to go back to Dongsi, but before he knew it he had arrived at Fang Xiaoru's residence.

It really came true. Xu Damao had wanted to visit Fang Xiaoru for a long time. But he really didn't have time. He went there once before the New Year, but the door was locked and he didn't see her.

The knocking on the door in the dark almost woke up the people nearby. Fortunately, Fang Xiaoru opened the door in time so that no one could see anyone entering her yard.

"Xu Damao, what's the matter with you being so crazy in the middle of the night? Aren't you afraid of what others will gossip about you?"

Xu Damao was still somewhat sober just now, but when he got into the house and was blown by the warm air, he really couldn't find the cup.

"Wife, you're still awake waiting for me?"

"Drunk cat, you have drunk so much that you don't even know your last name. Who is your wife? Go find one at your own home. Widow Gu is waiting for you to serve her."

"Xiaoru, haha, you're jealous, right? You still care about me, right? Widow Gu is my wife, and you, Fang Xiaoru, are also my wife. We're all wives."

"You psychopath, stop shouting. How can you talk nonsense like this? Aren't you afraid of being heard by others? I will punish you for your bad conduct and corrupt morals."

Xu Damao came forward and hugged Fang Xiaoru, "Tell me, is she my wife?"

"Yes, it's done, right?" Fang Xiaoru was afraid that Xu Damao would yell again, so she calmed herself down first and agreed without thinking.

Xu Damao was drunk or sober, he knew what he was doing.

"Wife, pour me a cup of hot tea. The northwest wind outside is making my throat hurt."

Fang Xiaoru helped Xu Damao to the inner room, took off his coat, and let him lie on the kang. She also took two pillows to cushion him, and then filled a cup of warm water in the thermos and brought it to Xu Damao, "Drink, drink, you only know how to drink, shameless, disturbing my rest in the middle of the night. The water is here, open your mouth."