Li Weimin, who was in his previous life, finally went to work in a department store, and after moving goods for a few years, he relied on giving gifts to the leaders and became a small cadre in logistics, but in the end he was laid off.

Of course, Li Weidong didn't want his younger brother to follow the old path of his previous life.

The Western Suburbs Department Store was originally a supply and marketing cooperative, but it was later expanded and turned into a department store. In the early 90s, two floors were added to the original foundation and became the Western Suburbs Department Store.

In the mid-90s, the state-run department store industry ushered in the first wave of closures, and the western suburbs department store was also restructured and was acquired by a large enterprise and was no longer a state-owned unit.

After entering the 21st century, large supermarket chains have appeared one after another, and Carrefour, RT-Mart, Suning, Gome and other departments have moved into Qinghe, which has once again suppressed the living space of department stores. At this time, the department store could only survive and survive on some traditional old customers.

The emergence of large shopping malls has become the last straw that crushes department stores. Wanda Plaza and the like, all of them are one-stop shopping, and there are many brands, and the shopping experience is much better than that of traditional shopping malls.

In terms of price, department stores are not as competitive as e-commerce, and those who want to buy bargains go to e-commerce platforms, even the elderly, and rarely go to department stores.

In the end, the western suburbs department store had to go bankrupt. The owner of the department store made hundreds of millions of dollars by selling the land, but Li Weimin, who was in his forties at the time, became a laid-off worker.

He was laid off in his forties, had no skills, and had no hope of reemployment, but Li Weimin was still unwilling to endure hardships, and it was a shame to let him set up a stall, so he stayed at home and ate his old capital.

Next is the rich brother, from time to time to help the poor brother, Li Weidong has to "lend" Li Weimin 180,000 every year, of course, Li Weimin has not repaid a penny.

It is precisely because of these circumstances that Li Weidong opposes his younger brother going to work in a department store, and he does not want Li Weimin to follow the old path of his previous life.

However, Li Weimin is very interested in going to work in a department store.

So Li Weidong opened his mouth to persuade: "A department store is nothing more than a place to sell things, and it is such a big place, and the development potential is not as good as that of a power plant, let alone a construction company." ”

At this time, the second sister Li Chunyan walked in with a plate of freshly fried vegetables, and said at the same time: "Weidong, I think the department store is very good, you think about working in the supply and marketing cooperative, how popular it is!"

"In the past, the supply and marketing cooperatives were popular because of the insufficient supply of materials, but now it is different, the supply of materials will be more and more sufficient, and there are more and more places for people to buy things. If nothing else, let's talk about the market on the west side of the station, where all kinds of small goods are available, and the prices are cheaper than those of the supply and marketing cooperatives. ”

Li Weidong paused, and then said: "For another example, I used to go to the supply and marketing cooperatives to buy pork, but now who still goes to the supply and marketing cooperatives? When I go to the small vegetable market, I can always meet a meat seller. In the future, there will be more and more such stalls and vendors, and there is no need for ordinary people to go to the supply and marketing cooperatives to buy things. ”

"How can those stalls be compared with department stores? Department stores are state-run after all, they sell good things, and the quality of their products is guaranteed. Besides, even if the department store doesn't sell meat, but sells other things, business is booming, and bicycles are parked in front of the department store during the holidays. The second sister Li Chunyan said.

"Second sister, we have to look at this matter in the long run. Li Weidong continued: "In the past, the supply and marketing cooperatives were unified purchasing and selling, and the supply and marketing cooperatives mastered the procurement channels, and some good commodities went to the supply and marketing cooperatives.

But now it's different, now it's all self-procuring and self-selling, what you can buy in department stores in the western suburbs, those stall vendors can also buy it, and people's operating costs are lower, and things can be sold cheaper.

What's more, in Qinghe City, there is not only one department store in the western suburbs, there is already a Baiyun department store in the center of the city; the supply and marketing cooperatives of the Electric Power Bureau have now become Kyushu department stores; and the supply and marketing cooperatives of our transportation company, I heard that they will also be changed to transportation department stores.

In the department store industry, there will be more and more competition, and maybe in the future, foreign-funded department stores will be opened, and when the time comes, Americans, Europeans, and Japanese will all open department stores.

"No matter how big the competition is, the common people always have to buy things!" Li Dengke said from the side: "The key is that Wei Min is willing to go to work in department stores." That construction company and power plant, after all, is too hard, and I don't want Weimin to go!"

The old man still spoils his youngest son, and he is reluctant to let his younger son suffer.

Mother Zhou Yunxiu also came over and persuaded him: "Wherever Wei Min wants to go, let him go, the key is to have a formal job." It's not that you don't know your brother, who has been naughty since he was a child, if you find him a job he doesn't like, it won't take him three days!"

On the matter of where Li Weimin should go to work, other family members felt that the department store was a good unit, and Li Weidong opposed it alone, which was obviously difficult to support alone.

In the 80s, there was still a shortage of materials, and the department store was definitely a fat shortage, and the people at that time could not have expected that the department store would close down one day.

......

In Jicheng, the provincial capital, Ma Dexing took Li Weidong to the newly established foreign exchange adjustment center.

Before 1994, China implemented a dual-track exchange rate system, with one official exchange rate published by the government, and another exchange rate when exporters made foreign exchange settlements.

For example, in 1980, the official exchange rate of the US dollar against the renminbi was 1.5 yuan per US dollar, and the exchange rate obtained by enterprises that earned foreign exchange from exports was 2.8 yuan per US dollar when they made foreign exchange settlements.

The reason why this is so is that the actual exchange rate of the renminbi is not as high as the official exchange rate announced.

Even if the export-earning enterprise has another exchange rate, this exchange rate is much worse than the real exchange rate, which means that if the settlement is based on the real exchange rate, the enterprise can earn more.

In 1986, in order to encourage enterprises to export, the state decided to establish a foreign exchange adjustment market.

The so-called foreign exchange adjustment market is a market in which enterprises and institutions buy and sell foreign exchange quotas and receive each other outside the official market. Therefore, the price of this foreign exchange adjustment market is floating.

There are also many restrictions on trading in the foreign exchange adjustment market, and buying foreign exchange is not something you can buy and sell if you want to.

Enterprises that want to buy foreign exchange quotas must be approved by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange before they can buy them, while enterprises that sell foreign exchange quotas also have to go through a series of approvals.

It is precisely because of the need for approval that Zhu Shicong had no way to get foreign exchange to buy imported weaving machines.

The foreign exchange adjustment market in various localities is run by the Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, and even if a bank wants to enter into an agency transaction, it must be approved by the foreign exchange management department.

Enterprises that earn foreign exchange through exports sell their foreign exchange quotas to the local foreign trade and economic cooperation bureaus, and in the same way, enterprises that need foreign exchange buy foreign exchange from the local foreign trade and economic cooperation bureaus.

In that year, the more foreign exchange in the hands of the local foreign trade department, the greater the right to speak, the greater the power, so after the emergence of the foreign exchange adjustment market, all localities began to desperately engage in exports, and China's foreign trade also quickly changed from a deficit to a surplus.

Today, Li Weidong came to Ma Dexing to exchange the foreign exchange quota earned by the garment factory into RMB.

Ma Dexing personally entertained Li Weidong and took Li Weidong to the Foreign Exchange Adjustment Center of the Foreign Trade Department to handle business.

"Director Li, you see, the current official exchange rate is 1 US dollar to 3 yuan 7 cents and 1 cent, you come to our adjustment center to exchange, I can talk to you according to 1 dollar to 4 yuan and 2 cents! This is already the highest price. ”

Ma Dexing paused, and then said: "In October last year, the state announced the maximum price limit for foreign exchange adjustment, which is 4 fast and 2 cents, so we really can't increase it for you." ”

"I understand, thank you, Director Ma. Li Weidong said.

According to the exchange rate of 4.2, Li Weidong's 4 million foreign exchange can be exchanged for 16.8 million yuan, deducting various costs of garment factories and paying personal income tax, Li Weidong can get at least 10 million personally. In other words, the current Li Weidong has successfully promoted to multimillionaire!

In 1987 and 1988, there was no fluctuation in the exchange rate of the renminbi against the U.S. dollar, and the median parity was 3.722 yuan per dollar, while the maximum price in the foreign exchange adjustment market was also 4.2 yuan per U.S. dollar, which was unchanged.

It was not until 1988 that the state announced the abolition of the maximum price limit in the foreign exchange adjustment market, and the exchange rate of the renminbi against the US dollar began to fluctuate.

Therefore, the 4 yuan and 2 cents given by Ma Dexing is already the highest price stipulated by the state.

Li Weidong continued: "Director Ma, do you think it is possible for our factory to apply for foreign exchange retention?"

Ma Dexing thought for a moment and shook his head with a look of embarrassment: "Now that the state has such strict control over foreign exchange, it is impossible to reserve foreign exchange for you." As far as I know, the foreign exchange retention policy is a policy that can only be enjoyed by enterprises in the Special Economic Zone and foreign-invested enterprises, and foreign-funded enterprises can enjoy a foreign exchange retention of 1 yuan for exporting goods of 1 US dollar. State-owned enterprises also do not have such treatment. ”

"Sure enough, I still have to wait another year!" Li Weidong sighed lightly.

After all, the policy of '87 was relatively strict, and it was not until 1988 that the policy was loosened a little, and enterprises that earned foreign exchange through exports were able to retain foreign exchange.

Ma Dexing continued: "Director Li, although I can't get you foreign exchange, but other policy matters, I may be able to help you, for example, if you need any raw materials that are not easy to get, our Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau can still help you solve it, even if it is a raw material controlled by the state, our Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Department can also think of a way." ”

"Can you get the materials controlled by the state?" Li Weidong was slightly surprised, he didn't expect that the energy of the Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Department was really not small.

"Of course, if you ask me to enrich uranium to make an atomic bomb, we won't be able to get it. Ma Dexing said half-jokingly.

"Director Ma, I really have something I want to ask you for. Li Weidong continued: "Can you help me approve the car?"

"Aren't you the third industry of the transportation company, why do you still need me to give you a car?" Ma Dexing asked with a smile.

Li Weidong immediately replied: "What I want is not a business vehicle, but the kind of car I drive." ”

"Is it a car?" asked Ma Dexing.

Li Weidong nodded: "Yes, if you have a car, it will be much more convenient to go out to talk about business." ”

"No problem. Ma Dexing thought for a moment, and then asked, "Can you wait?"

"Can't you get a car in the hall?" asked Li Weidong.

"There are cars, but they are not very good, and now the only thing I can get is Ford's Serra. Ma Dexing replied.

"Forte Serra, to be honest, kind of ugly. Li Weidong said with some disgust.

The Ford Sierra is a car that Ford has launched specifically for Europe, and as an American car, the wheelbase of 2.6 meters is also considered small among B-segment cars.

The performance of the Ford Sierra is still very good, especially with a displacement of 2.8 liters, equipped with a V6 engine, which is very powerful in the B-segment. And this car also has a metamorphosis model, which was once marketed in South Africa, equipped with a 5.0-liter V8 engine, and dares to PK with the Porsche 911.

However, this car has a relatively big shortcoming, that is, ugly!

The front design of the Ford Serra is called "avant-garde". In fact, it was ugly, which did not conform to the aesthetic vision of the time, so after this car was introduced to China, most of them were made into taxis.

Li Weidong felt that Fortesella was a little ugly, so he asked, "Director Ma, if I wait, how long will I have to wait?"

"We'll have to wait until next year. According to the plan of the hall, in the first quarter of next year, the hall will introduce a batch of Nissan big blue birds, with high-end models with electric windows. Ma Dexing said, lowering his voice: "I'll tell you this news, don't spread it, otherwise the units will come to ask for a car, and they will annoy me to death!"

"That's supposed to be the seventh generation of Bluebird, this is the originator of front-wheel drive cars, it's a good car!".

Thinking of this, Li Weidong opened his mouth and said, "Director Ma, then I'll wait for a few more months." You'll have to keep one for me then. ”

"Don't worry, as long as the car comes, I will give you a batch of strips first, and you can choose all kinds of colors at that time!" Ma Dexing patted his chest and promised.