fictionpage Chapter 61 The Warmth of Family
Chapter 61 The Warmth of Family
The thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lunar New Year's Eve.
Early in the morning, Lin Feng was awakened by the sporadic sound of firecrackers outside the window. The aroma of breakfast already filled the house, and his mother, Li Huilan, was busy in the kitchen.
Lin Feng got up, dressed, and pushed open the door. His father, Lin Guofu, was already sitting at the dining table in the living room, reading a newspaper while eating breakfast.
"You're awake? Go wash up, your mom made sweet fermented rice with eggs."
"Okay," Lin Feng replied.
When I came out after washing up, my mother was just placing a steaming bowl of sweet fermented rice soup with eggs on the dining table.
"Come sit down," Lin Guofu said, pointing to the chair next to him.
"Eat it while it's hot. These are free-range eggs that I asked relatives in the countryside to bring back for you. You can't get them at school," Li Huilan said, then turned and went into the kitchen to bring out her own portion.
The family of three enjoyed breakfast together happily.
"Your business..." Lin Guofu began, "Besides Tang Lei, who else do you deal with?"
"It's mainly students from the school, as well as suppliers in Shenzhen, and the channel manager, surnamed Wu. There are also agents from various schools, including digital store owners and students."
Lin Guofu frowned slightly. "Are the people in Shenzhen reliable? Will there be any problems with receiving payment and shipping goods?"
"Dad, don't worry. Wu Wenjie is reliable. Besides, I'm not completely unprepared; I have two helpers in Shenzhen."
"What about the school?"
"We have agency contracts and a deposit system. I already fired one of the agents who didn't follow the rules before the new year—just to make an example of them!"
Lin Feng knew what his father was worried about: "In addition, the money will not go through personal accounts, but through the studio's corporate account, and every transaction will be recorded."
Lin Guofu nodded and swallowed a fried egg.
"Your third uncle called me last night. He has a friend who runs a law firm in Chengdu. He reminded me that as your business grows, you'll inevitably have to sign contracts and negotiate collaborations more often. If you need legal oversight, you can contact his friend; he's already put in a good word for you."
As he spoke, Lin Guofu sent the other party's contact number to Lin Feng.
"Thank you, Dad, and please thank Uncle for me too. The company will definitely need long-term legal counsel as it becomes more formalized after the New Year."
"Hmm." Lin Guofu asked again, "How many people are in your studio now? How did you recruit them all?"
"There are seven people officially counted as studio members, including me. They are all my classmates from school and the core members of the digital music club."
"All students?" Lin Guofu frowned slightly again. "Not a single one of them has any experience? Do they have enough?"
"They're all students, but they're all capable people," Lin Feng answered confidently. "And they're young, energetic, and quick learners. Our business currently mainly targets universities, so they understand best what students want."
How many people manage the finances?
"Currently, it's just one person, Liu Qian, who majored in accounting. Every transaction is recorded."
Lin Guofu shook his head. "That won't work. The accountant and cashier must be separated."
"Dad, I know what you're worried about. The company is just starting out and can't hire that many people right now. But don't worry, I plan to hire more people after the New Year to formalize the finances. We need at least two people to check and balance each other."
Lin Guofu nodded: "As long as you know what I mean."
"Finance is the lifeblood of the business. No matter how trusted the person is, rules are still necessary. Reimbursement procedures and signing authority should be established as soon as possible."
Your mother has a cousin who graduated from finance school last year and is currently working as a temporary worker at the county tax bureau. She's honest and hardworking. If you need her, you could send her to the provincial capital after the New Year to help Liu Qian out, so it's good to have someone from your own side keeping an eye on things.
"Dad, I need to think about this. I trust the person you recommended, but the company is just starting out and the position is sensitive. If we suddenly put a relative in, no matter how capable they are, others will inevitably have reservations. Let's wait and see. When the company is more stable, or when the business is split up, I'll invite my cousin over. That would be more logical."
Lin Guofu looked at his son. He wasn't old-fashioned. Having worked in the company for so many years, he understood interpersonal relationships and the balance of power.
His son was more thoughtful than him; he neither rejected his good intentions nor failed to consider the feelings of the existing team members, and he also left room for maneuver.
"You've definitely grown up," Lin Guofu finally said. "Alright, it's up to you. I'm just giving you a heads-up."
He picked up the bowl, drank the last bit of fermented rice soup, put the bowl down, and walked towards the bedroom.
Soon, Lin Guofu came out of the bedroom, holding a bankbook and handing it to Lin Feng.
"Take it."
"Dad, what is this...?"
"Keep your money safe. You said you earned two million, that's your own ability. This 100,000 is what you promised, and you fulfilled that promise, so it's yours. Your family doesn't need it."
"Dad, you and Mom keep this money. I don't need this 100,000."
"Let me finish," Lin Guofu waved his hand. "These past few months, your mother and I... haven't had a good night's sleep. Ten thousand yuan isn't a lot, but it's not a small amount either. We gave it to you because we couldn't refuse you, and we also wanted you to experience some setbacks so you'd come back obediently."
"I didn't expect you to actually succeed. And you even made such a big commotion."
Lin Guofu twitched the corners of his mouth, as if mocking himself, "Your mother and I have thought about this for half our lives and concluded that a stable job is the most secure, you won't go hungry. But you chose the path of entrepreneurship, which I didn't understand, yet you succeeded."
"Your mother and I have only this much knowledge in our lives, and we can't be of much help to you. But we won't hold you back."
"Keep this 100,000 for yourself. The bigger the business, the more money you'll need. Remember, once you make money, don't just think about investing it all back; keep some reserves for yourself. And also..."
"Don't touch things you shouldn't, and don't go astray. Our family is clean and honest, and we earn money cleanly. Remember that."
"Yes, I've got it." Lin Feng nodded.
"Also, when you're out doing business, be assertive when you need to be, and be cautious when you need to be. But don't mistreat those who work for you. People are all human; if you treat them well, they'll be willing to work hard for you. Don't let them grow cold."
"I know, Dad."
After dinner, Li Huilan went back to her bedroom and brought out two new sweaters, one navy blue and one maroon. "Xiaofeng, try these on. Mom knitted them for you before the New Year. See if they fit."
Lin Feng took the sweater; it was soft to the touch, and he knew without even trying it on that it would fit perfectly. From childhood to adulthood, the sweaters his mother had knitted for him had never been wrong.
"Mom, knitting sweaters strains your eyes. Don't knit anymore, just buy ready-made ones." Lin Feng touched the fine stitches on the sweater.
"Nothing you buy can compare to the warmth of something your mother knits!" Li Huilan couldn't help but grumble. "You're all alone in the provincial capital, so you've learned to add layers when it gets cold. This thick one is perfect for you to wear now. And this thinner one, you can wear in the spring."
After lunch, Lin Guofu was invited by his neighbor to play chess.
In the afternoon, Li Huilan returned from visiting her neighbor, carrying several red eggs in her hand.
"These were given to me by Aunt Wang downstairs. Her daughter-in-law gave birth to a big, healthy boy." Li Huilan put the eggs down and sat down next to Lin Feng.
"You didn't see it! Your Aunt Wang and the others were so envious when they heard about you! They all said I'm so lucky to have such a successful son! They used to love showing off where their kids worked, but now they're all surrounding me, asking all sorts of questions, trying to find out what big business you're doing in the provincial capital!"
As she spoke, she couldn't help but laugh, patting Lin Feng's hand: "Mom doesn't understand much, all she knows is that my son is capable! But Feng, you seem to have lost some weight since you came back. No matter how important business is, you need to eat on time, don't skip meals. By the way, when are you going to bring a girlfriend home with Mom?"
Lin Feng was both amused and exasperated by his mother's erratic thinking.
A mother's pride, her boasting, her worries, and her care are all the most genuine forms of warmth.