Reborn in 1977

Chapter 637: Mitigating Risks

Not far from Jiaoda University, less than ten minutes by car, Chen Fan arrived at the entrance of Jiaoda.

Jiaoda's school gate bridge is quite famous. Originally, it was a small bridge, and beyond the bridge was a paifang (archway). Later, the paifang was demolished and replaced with a government office-style building.

The gate opened in a 'eight-character' shape, like arriving at the entrance of a yamen (government office).

Among all university gates in the country, it is considered a rather unique existence.

(The Jiaoda gate in those years)

Chen Fan showed his work permit and smoothly drove the car in. After asking a few people, he circled half of the campus and found the teaching building of the School of Management.

Classes were in session. He waited downstairs for a short while, and when the bell rang, groups of students hurriedly walked out, heading to other places.

Soon, he spotted An Quan's figure in the crowd, still talking to a few classmates.

But their expressions were serious, as if they were discussing serious matters.

Chen Fan chuckled and waved in his direction, "Old An."

The volume wasn't loud, but it was penetrating. An Quan instinctively turned his head and his eyes lit up instantly.

He first waved to his classmates, "You guys go ahead."

Then he ran towards Chen Fan.

Pulling open the door and getting into the passenger seat, his first words were, "I got a letter of introduction from the school, wanting to buy a Yunhu van, but it turned out to be out of stock! I have to wait three months for it to be available, which would be next year. Is there any way you can cut in line?"

Chen Fan turned to look at him, "Made a fortune? You actually want to buy a car?"

An Quan laughed it off, "Made a fortune? If anyone's making a fortune, it's the school."

He then explained, "Our work-study program has made a lot of money, of which only a small portion is turned over to the school as management fees. Actually, it's just a token gesture, that money isn't even enough to cover the school's provision of the venue and relationship support.

The remaining money is all development funds for our project, used for expanding staff, increasing raw material supply, and purchasing necessary materials.

But the more we develop, the more money we make. Now there's still..."

He suddenly patted his forehead, "The next class is about to start. I forgot to ask a classmate to help me ask for leave. Can you drive me to the teaching building over there? I'll ask the teacher for leave first."

Chen Fan started the car and drove in the direction he pointed, while saying, "This won't do, you don't have any free time at all, and you still have to ask the teacher for leave.

Why can't you learn from me and finish all the courses in one semester? Look at me now, I can run anywhere I want, and I don't have to go to class."

An Quan's face darkened, "You're a beast, who can compare to you? Besides, only Wuhan University and Jiangnan University implement the credit system nationwide, our school hasn't even started yet, okay?"

In just a few words, the car drove through the crowd and stopped in front of the small building.

An Quan didn't get out of the car, but waved out the window and shouted, "Old Zhang, help me ask the teacher for leave, just say it's for official business."

A voice came from across, "Okay!"

Many people were still looking over here, whispering about the van and speculating whether the well-known "Director An" of the school had a new project.

Chen Fan looked at An Quan and chuckled, "Not bad, Old An. With this performance, you should be considered a celebrity in the school, right? The whole school knows you're doing business?"

An Quan pretended to be smug and shook his clothes, "That's right. Now, there are over 200 students in the whole school working with me. This year's freshmen only number a little over a thousand, and this whole street is full of my people.

Moreover, besides the school, I've also found a dozen people outside the school, all of whom are returning educated youth. They each found helpers, and I supply them with goods, and they sell them in their respective areas.

From the Shiliupu Wharf in the east to the Hongqiao Airport in the west, I have people selling goods. Isn't that amazing?!"

How could Chen Fan let him be smug? He immediately poured cold water on him, "Heh, are they your people? Getting goods from you is at most a cooperative relationship..."

Speaking of which, he paused and deliberately glanced at him, half-jokingly saying, "Comrade Marx said that more than seven people is considered employing workers, which makes you a capitalist. Don't make a mistake."

Hearing this, An Quan couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, turning his head to look at him, "Really?"

Chen Fan, "Can I lie to you?"

He then explained with a smile, "In Volume 23 of the 'Complete Works of Marx and Engels', there is such a passage: 'According to our assumption, he must use two workers in order to live like a worker by relying on the surplus value he occupies every day, that is, to meet their necessary requirements.

In this case, his purpose in life is only to maintain life, not to increase wealth; while under capitalist production, increasing wealth is a prerequisite.

In order to make his life only twice as good as an ordinary worker, and to convert half of the surplus value produced into capital again, he must increase the minimum amount of prepaid capital and the number of workers to 8 times the original.'

This passage clearly points out that employing more than 8 people will generate surplus value, thus being considered a capitalist."

After he finished speaking, An Quan couldn't help but blink blankly, "Can it be interpreted like this?"

Chen Fan smiled meaningfully, "Are you saying this passage has a clear standard or not?"

An Quan took a breath of cold air, his brows furrowed tightly.

Regardless of whether Chen Fan was joking or not, he took it seriously.

After a long while, he said, "Don't mention it, this project I'm doing has helped many students get rid of poverty and improve their lives, but there are still many different voices, thinking that this project has enriched a part of the people, which does not conform to our social conditions and regulations."

After speaking, he turned to look at Chen Fan, "If there can be a standard, it would be a good thing for us instead."

He pinched his chin and frowned in thought, "I have to think of a way to introduce this and improve our organization to avoid expanding risks."

Chen Fan frowned slightly, looked at him and asked, "You didn't really hire people, did you?"

An Quan chuckled dryly twice, "To say that I haven't hired anyone at all, I guess you wouldn't believe it either. There are more than twenty 'small bosses' who regularly get goods from me. They each have more or less people under them. With such a big operation, how can I not find someone to help me keep an eye on it?

Not to mention anything else, I can't neglect my courses at school. How much time do I have to run around outside? Just this financial issue alone, I have to ask someone to help me with it.

And this daily warehousing, outgoing, payment, and recovery of funds, don't I have to find someone?"

My parents, older brothers, and sisters-in-law all have jobs and don't have time to help me manage it. Keying's family is not here either. In the end, there was no other way, so I hired a few retired accountants and purchasers. Their families are not in good condition, so they come out to earn some money to subsidize their families. It can be considered that each gets what they need."

Chen Fan hummed twice, "It's not impossible for you to do this, but the risks must be controlled, especially the accounts must be straightened out, and don't let a rat come in."

Hearing this, An Quan immediately chuckled and said, "That's impossible. I've worked in grassroots finance for so many years, I'm not a complete idiot. Besides, every day after school, the first thing I do is check on the work."

Chen Fan thought for a moment, "Where did you find these people? Were they recommended by the school teachers?"

An Quan immediately shook his head like a rattle-drum, "Looking for people from the school would be foolish, wouldn't it? I initiated this project, but it's nominally a school project. Although the school agreed to let me make some money from it, no one knows how big my operation is.

If I were to find people from the school, how could I hide my little business? If they knew I made tens of thousands in half a year, they'd definitely cause trouble for me."

Chen Fan nodded with a smile, "Not bad, not bad, you're not an idiot after all."

An Quan rolled his eyes, "Get lost."

Chen Fan started the car and drove away, "Okay, I'm getting lost."

An Quan quickly asked, "Where are we going? I only asked for a leave of absence for one class."

Chen Fan said, "Let's find a place to sit, are we just going to chat in the car? Your school doesn't even have a restaurant."

An Quan retorted, "Bullshit, does your school have a restaurant? Besides, at this time of day, some people haven't even finished breakfast yet. What are you looking for a restaurant for? To have breakfast too?"

Chen Fan thought about it and realized he was right, so he simply turned the steering wheel and drove back.

After parking the car, he opened the door and got out, took out a cigarette, offered one to An Quan who followed him, and put one in his own mouth, asking, "Didn't you say you wanted to learn to drive? How's that going?"

An Quan leaned towards his lighter to light his cigarette, exhaled a puff of smoke, "I've signed up, and I've been practicing for a month. I haven't started driving yet, I'm still learning how to repair cars."

Then he turned to look at him, "Did you come all the way here just to ask about this?"

Chen Fan shrugged, not answering directly, but asking, "Is it your school's training ground, or an outside unit's?"

An Quan roughly understood what he meant and immediately said, "Of course it's an outside unit. I asked a teacher for a favor and I'm learning at the bus company's driver training department. I'm practicing with big vehicles."

After a pause, he added, "Do you want Lili or Tiantian to learn to drive? I'll have to ask the director of the training department about that, but it shouldn't be a big problem."

He chuckled as he said this, "If they know it's a favor from the famous writer Chen, they'll definitely teach them seriously."

Chen Fan ignored his joking words, thought for two seconds, took a puff of his cigarette, and said, "Since I still have to ask for favors, then forget it."

An Quan immediately said, "It's no trouble at all."

Chen Fan smiled and waved his hand, turning to look at him, "I thought your school had a cooperation with an outside unit, and with your current status, arranging for someone to go in would just be a matter of a word."

An Quan slightly raised his chin, "It's not troublesome now either."

Chen Fan still waved his hand, "You were sent in by someone else asking for a favor. It's better to owe fewer favors like that."

Before An Quan could speak, he sighed softly, "It seems I can only personally go and chat with the director of the Municipal Transportation Bureau and trouble him to help arrange two spots."

An Quan's old face immediately fell, "Damn, you have that kind of connection, and you still came to me?"

Chen Fan's face fell, "Last time at the writers' association's symposium, that old codger didn't play fair, he cheated me out of a calligraphy piece, and then shamelessly demanded a painting. I told him I wasn't good at painting, but he insisted, I suspect Ba Lao sold me out."

Saying that, he took another puff of his cigarette dejectedly, "If I go to him again, I'll definitely be extorted."

An Quan squatted next to him, not wanting to speak.

If a director were to latch onto him, he would definitely let him extort him as much as he wanted.

After finishing his cigarette, Chen Fan stood up and waved his hand, "Alright, since you're useless, then you may leave."

An Quan's face darkened, "How realistic."

Chen Fan opened the car door and got in, shouting at him, "Bring Sister Ying to my house for dinner tonight."

An Quan said, "You have to call her 'Sister-in-law'."

Chen Fan's expression was particularly sincere, "Really, I think Sister Ying is marrying down by being with you. How could such a beautiful girl take a liking to you?"

An Quan was not ashamed but proud, putting his hands on his hips and laughing, "There's no way around it, who told her she's nearsighted, she can't see clearly from a distance, only I can get close, so she can only marry me."

Chen Fan was impressed by his thick skin and could only give him a thumbs up, "As expected of you, I still need to learn from you."

Then he stepped on the gas, leaving a trail of black smoke, choking someone who couldn't speak.

……

After leaving the school, Chen Fan drove to the Transportation Bureau. As expected, he exchanged a piece of calligraphy for two driver training spots.

The driving school wasn't far from home, so they could just go to learn every Sunday.

Moreover, at Chen Fan's request, they didn't need to learn car repair, they only needed to learn some basic troubleshooting, and then they could focus on driving.

It wouldn't do to not learn car repair at all. There weren't that many repair shops these days, and you could basically only go to units with a vehicle fleet, and the number of vehicles had to be large enough for the unit to be qualified to run a car repair class.

So, most of the time, drivers needed to troubleshoot problems themselves.

Chen Fan already had plans for this.

Once the two sisters learned to drive, they would naturally use the family's van. Anyway, he wasn't usually in Shanghai, so the car would just be sitting idle. It would be better to let them drive it.

Moreover, if a car was left idle for too long, people would inevitably start eyeing it. He didn't want his private car to become a public car.

This was the main reason he arranged for the two sisters to learn to drive.

Later, he would personally give the two of them lessons, explaining the parts and maintenance of the van.

Who could understand the van better than him, the designer?!

With his personal guidance, he couldn't guarantee anything else, but repairing this van would definitely be a piece of cake.

After finishing his business, Chen Fan drove around the streets.

After a long while, he suddenly slapped his forehead, turned the steering wheel, and headed in a certain direction.

……

Street Office Property Management Office.

Seeing Chen Fan come over, Director Wang immediately stood up, feeling quite surprised, "Writer Chen, what wind has blown you here today?"

Then he took out a cigarette, "Come, come, please sit here, I'll pour you some tea."

Chen Fan took the cigarette but declined to sit down, saying with a smile, "I just happened to be in Shanghai and wanted to see how the house renovation is going."

He didn't want to sit, and Director Wang didn't mind, immediately saying with a smile, "The renovation progress is good. The small courtyard is almost finished. According to your requirements, it's being restored to its original state. The master craftsmen from the construction company said that the house is exactly the same as when it was built."

When he said this, he felt a little strange in his heart. When did a small western-style house with a garden become a "small courtyard"?

But thinking of the other large manor, the small courtyard was indeed aptly named.