There are still more than ten days until the Chinese New Year. There are fewer and fewer people in the factory and fewer and fewer pedestrians on the street.
Normally the restaurants in the small square are crowded, and sometimes there are not enough seats, so people just squat on the steps to eat. Now at least there is no need to wait for a table.
The New Year celebrations in other places are lively, but here, they are gradually becoming quieter, from the hustle and bustle to the withered vines, old trees and crows...
Ye Zhao locked his bicycle and entered Lao Kai's office.
Lao Kai called Ye Zhao to talk about the rerouting of Haixi Road. He originally wanted to help Ye Zhao to build it quickly and earn some pocket money, but what a pity.
"It's all that rubbish reporter's fault for meddling in other people's business! I don't know which bastard he accepted benefits from?!" Lao Kai cursed.
Isn't this an insult to both Xiao Baicai and Ye Zhao
Ye Zhao said: "He is a good reporter who dares to question and report."
Lao Kai sighed again: "We both have no fortune this year. I don't, and neither do you."
Ye Zhao pretended to be pitiful and said, "I have no luck in making money because of you, Uncle Kai. You made me buy this piece of land that has nothing to offer except the stench. Every time I want to go to the Purple Bamboo Forest, I can't even stand on the side of the road because it stinks. I was fooled by you. My friend scolded me to death, saying that I bought such a crappy piece of land."
Lao Kai quickly excused himself and comforted him: "Oh, don't say that. Keep it for a few years and you will definitely make money when you sell it. I will keep an eye out for you then. If someone wants it, sell it quickly."
He just said it casually, thinking in his heart that no one would want him. He had finally escaped from the sea of suffering, but Ye Zhao would have to struggle in the quagmire for a few more years.
Ye Zhao reminded: "Don't forget about the land grant."
"I'm in a hurry too, but the New Year is coming soon. Who would care about you? Let's talk about it after the New Year. When the time comes, you can ask someone to draw a blueprint of any building, and I'll use it to get approval from my connections."
“You can draw whatever you want?”
"It's not just a random drawing. At least there should be a building and some greenery. Greenery is required now. You can ask someone to draw it nicely. Anyway, you don't have to build it according to this blueprint in the future. Then you can give it a name, such as garden or building, and that's it."
Ye Zhao probably understood. This was simple. She said, "I'll give it to you after the New Year."
Lao Kai picked up the kettle to make tea, "Hey, I'm paying you to run errands. I don't know how much it costs to find connections."
"Why do I need you to pay for it? I'll give you 50,000 yuan once the land is approved."
Lao Kai said with a "tsk tsk" sound, "You deducted my money. You used my money to order me to work. You are worse than the capitalists!"
Ye Zhao couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's because you are greedy and don't keep your word. You want to sell the same piece of land to two different people. I am willing to take over your piece of land out of kindness. Why don't you go out and ask if anyone wants it? It would have been better if I had just asked for 100,000 yuan in liquidated damages. I regret it so much now."
"Okay, okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's have some tea."
Ye Zhao didn't drink tea, she was chewing ginger candy in her mouth. Song Rongji's ginger candy was really delicious and addictive.
Lao Kai asked again: "Are you really planning to build a building, or are you doing this just to get the land approval certificate so you can resell it later?"
"Do you think it's possible to build in that environment? Do you think it's possible to transfer land easily in that environment?" Ye Zhao was anxious to approve the land because she knew that the policies would become more and more difficult to approve in the future. The sooner she approved it, the more at ease she would feel.
"The garbage station and the pig farm will be moved away sooner or later, don't worry." This is how Lao Kai comforted himself a few years ago. Now he doesn't believe it himself, but he still comforts himself, "When the time comes, you can sell it and make a fortune."
Ye Zhao chuckled twice. If Uncle Kai really thought highly of the land, he would not have sold it to her. She stood up and said, "Uncle Kai, I'm leaving first. Remember to apply for land approval after the New Year."
"Don't worry, I'm more anxious than you." His 50,000 yuan is in Ye Zhao's hands.
Ye Zhao pushed the door open and found that her bicycle was missing!
The key is with her. Was the lock picked
She was finally robbed!
The thieves in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s were extremely rampant and brutal, and they took advantage of the fact that there were no cameras.
When Lao Kai heard her say that her bicycle was missing, he ran out and asked, "Hey, you bought a new bicycle, right?"
Ye Zhao was so angry that he put his hands on his hips, wondering whether he should call the police.
"There are the most thieves at the end of the year, because thieves also want to celebrate the New Year. A few days ago, someone's bicycle was stolen, and someone else's wallet was robbed. You work hard to make money, but it's no use for a thief to just stretch out his hands. It's useless to call the police. Where can the police catch the thief for you? In the end, they just give you a receipt to indicate that you called the police."
Lao Kai was a mean and depressed person. If Ye Zhao didn't need his help in approving land, he wouldn't want to bother with him.
When people from the nearby shops heard that a bicycle had been stolen, they all came out to watch the fun. Everyone was talking about how things were particularly chaotic this year. Petty theft was a minor matter, and news of carjacking and even murder was endless.
Everyone was talking about it excitedly, and it seemed that everything was going wrong, but no one was panicking, and life went on peacefully as usual.
Ye Zhao knew that calling the police was useless, but after she went upstairs to Zhao Hua's office, she still called the police. The police came to register, but there was no further follow-up.
The police are helpless as there are too many trivial cases, limited manpower and detection technology.
After the police left, as it was lunch time, everyone gathered together to eat melon seeds and chat.
Aqin and Muxin originally wanted to go home for the New Year, but Zhaohua's business was different from others. The amount of vegetables supplied to Hong Kong during the New Year holidays was even greater than usual, so they had to be busy even during the New Year. Ye Zhao said that after the New Year, he would hire two more people and everyone could take turns to use up their vacation.
Ah Qin brought out the sunflower seeds and black melon seeds and placed them on the table. "That's good. One of my fellow villagers has been queuing up to buy tickets at the train station for two days and still hasn't bought one. If he can't buy a ticket again, he has to go to Guangcheng Train Station to buy one."
Gan Xiaofeng took out a small bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts and said, "After the New Year, when we have recruited someone, you and Mu Xin cannot go back at the same time. You have to go back at different times."
"I know." Aqin said, and smiled, "Boss, do we get a year-end bonus for the New Year?"
Xiao Feng laughed and bluffed them: "Have you worked for a full year? Why are you thinking about year-end bonuses if you haven't worked for a full year?"
Ah Qin pouted and said in disappointment: "Can't you even think about it?"
Ye Zhao said: "There will be a year-end bonus, but how much it will be depends on the payment situation."
Zhaohua has been supplying food to the Ninth Floor for more than half a month, and receives payment every three days. Basically, it can make 3,000 to 5,000 yuan each time. After deducting various costs, it can make about 40,000 yuan every month.
"Recently, the payment collection has been smooth, but their finance department is on holiday for the Chinese New Year, so three accounts during that period will be delayed until after the New Year. I have already communicated with Qiantangjiang, and there is no big problem with delaying three accounts during the Chinese New Year."
This reminded Ye Zhao, and she said, "Next year when we recruit people, we need to hire a professional financial officer to do the accounting. I wanted to mention this at the last meeting, but then I forgot."
Gan Xiaofeng said, "We need to hire a financial officer. It would be too unprofessional for us to do it ourselves. We will have to report the expenses next year, and we don't know how to do it."
When Mu Xin heard that they were going to hire a financial officer, she almost cried, "Well, that's great. I'm under so much pressure this month. I'm so afraid of making mistakes in the calculations. Every time Qiantang River and Huicheng Hong Kong Vegetable Base send me the invoice, I have to check it three times. When Shijiulou sends me the bill, I have to check it three times again."
Mu Xin speaks with a baby voice and has the gentlest temperament among the girls. She usually doesn't dare to express any opinions and just handles things on her own.
Ye Zhao likes these girls very much. If they want to grow with the company in the future, they have to constantly improve themselves, otherwise they will be eliminated sooner or later. She said: "There are various correspondence courses now. I suggest that everyone sign up for classes and improve themselves. The company can reimburse part of the tuition."
Mu Xin smiled and said, "I want to study accounting."
"I want to learn management." Ah Qin smiled to herself after she finished speaking. She was afraid that Gan Xiaofeng would misunderstand her, so she added, "Sister Xiaofeng, when I have learned it, I will come to assist you."
The girls chatted about their plans for next year. Gan Xiaofeng handed a peeled chestnut to Ye Zhao. "I went to the dock to inspect the goods that day and talked to the driver from Gangcheng. It turns out that the prices of some vegetables in Gangcheng are more than ten times higher than ours. Take tomatoes for example. Our purchase price is 9 cents per catty, and we pay them 15 cents, and we have to include the freight. The driver told me that tomatoes in Gangcheng are sold for one or two yuan per catty. The profit of Shijiulou is too big."
Ye Zhao didn't eat chestnuts, she was peeling tangerines to eat, "There's nothing I can do. Food Nine also supplies to major markets, and it has to go through two or three hands before it reaches the hands of the citizens..."
While cracking melon seeds, Ah Qin hooked the trash can with her foot and said, "It would be great if we could supply directly to the markets, shopping malls and supermarkets in Hong Kong."
Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Let's do it step by step. Let's do our work well at this level first, gain a firm foothold, and make the money for this step first."
Gan Xiaofeng: "In fact, we only need to solve one step..."
Everyone looked at Xiaofeng, who picked up a chestnut from the basin on the table and said, "Pig up the talents from Food 9th Floor who are connected to various shopping malls and markets with high salaries."
Ye Zhao smiled: "It's not that easy. First of all, you have to have a company in Hong Kong City and have the qualifications to operate it..."
Xiao Feng thought simply: "Let the people we poached solve this problem."
"Since these people can solve customer problems, it won't be difficult for them to come to the mainland to purchase and solve supply problems. They can solve them by themselves, so what do they need us for? The market over there in Hong Kong must have deep connections, which is not something we can handle. Although it's okay to have dreams, don't think about this." Ye Zhao did not plan to do the vegetable supply business to Hong Kong for a long time, including the canteen. These were just the cornerstones of her start.
Ah Qin was more practical. She said, "Sister Xiaofeng, let's think about what to eat for lunch first."
After coming down from Shunfeng Building, Ye Zhao felt empty inside without his bicycle. Lao Kai happened to be smoking at the door. He asked Ye Zhao if he wanted to buy a second-hand bicycle. A friend of his specialized in reselling bicycles and motorcycles had affordable prices. The bicycles were 80% new and the price was only half of what a car dealer would charge.
Aren't second-hand bicycles all stolen goods bought from thieves? Ye Zhao shook his head: "No, I won't buy them. I won't give money to thieves."
When she got home, Auntie Qiao had just cut some shredded pork to feed Douding. When she heard Ye Zhao say that his bicycle had been stolen, she immediately cursed, "The more the Chinese New Year approaches, the more chaotic things become. The more open things become, the more chaotic things become. Before the New Year, how could I have imagined that Xiangzi would be stabbed at his own doorstep?"
Ye Zhao comforted him, "It will be fine after a few years."
"How do you know? Maybe it will be worse in a few years."
"My guess is that according to the laws of social development, now is a chaotic period of rapid development. After we develop, things will gradually get better." She understands the theory and has also seen the reality. In another 20 to 30 years, China will be the safest place in the world.
Aunt Qiao smiled and said, "You are quite optimistic."
The phone rang. Aunt Qiao put down her pork shreds and answered the phone. "Hello! Oh... what's up?"
Hearing Aunt Qiao's unpleasant tone in response, Ye Zhao guessed that this might be a call from Gangcheng. She did not go into the house, but stood aside and listened. She wanted to know if there was any information about Brother Xiang.
Aunt Qiao said, "Are you discussing this with me or informing me? He is your son, and also my son! I gave birth to him, and I raised him!"
It seems that the person on the other end of the phone is Xiang Ge’s father, a Hong Kong guy.
After listening to the other party's long string of words, Aunt Qiao was a little impatient: "I didn't say that I would force Xiangzi to stay with me. He has grown up, and he will make his own choices... Why doesn't he have the ability to choose? He is over 18 years old..."
Ye Zhao understood that Brother Xiang's father wanted to keep him there.
She didn't want to stand there and continue listening, so she picked up the fresh shredded meat on the table and walked towards Zeng Xiang's room.
After feeding Douding, Ye Zhao sat in front of Brother Xiang's desk. Everything on the desk was still arranged as before, and there were 20 little red flowers stuck to the outside of the pen holder, which had not been torn off in time but had already been exchanged.
She glanced out the window. Even Xiaotian didn't play the drums much recently. There were only her and Aunt Qiao in the house, and it was indeed a bit quiet.
After a while, Aunt Qiao came in and sighed, "Xiangzi will be back before the New Year."
Ye Zhao was overwhelmed with surprise: "Really? Brother Xiang is coming back before the New Year? Then why are you still sighing?"
"I came back to celebrate the New Year, and after that I went to Hong Kong to study, take the exams there, and apply to the university there. He asked me to go too."
She had been mentally prepared for Brother Xiang to go to Hong Kong to study, but she had never thought that Aunt Qiao would go with him.
Ye Zhao asked: "Aunt Qiao, are you going?"
Zeng Erqiao pulled aside the stool that Ye Zhao used to sit on, "I don't want to go, but I'm afraid Xiangzi won't want to leave me."
Although Ye Zhao was reluctant to leave Aunt Qiao, Brother Xiang definitely needed Aunt Qiao more than she did. She said, "Aunt Qiao, go ahead. Brother Xiang definitely doesn't want to leave you."
"Really?" Zeng Erqiao was conflicted. "Well, I'm afraid to adapt to a strange environment. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."
Ye Zhao understood that the older one gets, the less willing one is to adapt to a new environment. She said, "I'll take care of the house for you. You can come back when you're free on weekends and holidays."
"My head explodes when I think about the faces of those people in the Luo family." Zeng Erqiao sighed heavily, "You don't know how difficult it is to get along with that family. There are rules everywhere, and they want to stab your heart with a knife, but they still say nice things, which is hypocritical to death."
Ye Zhao's mind turned several times, "Luo family?"
"Xiangzi's father's surname is Luo."
Xiangzi's father's surname was Luo? Xiangge's original surname was Luo? She remembered the familiar back of Luo Shen in the magazine!
Ye Zhao bent down and dug out the entertainment magazine she had read before from under the bookshelf. She turned to the page that talked about the gossip about the wealthy Luo family. "This Luo family?"
The light in the room was dim and Aunt Qiao couldn't see clearly, so Ye Zhao reached out and turned on the desk lamp.
"Yes, it's the famous Luo family in Hong Kong, the so-called truly wealthy family."
So, Zeng Xiang is the future villain Luo Shen? And Aunt Qiao is the villain's biological mother who was killed by Luo Shen's stepmother
As expected, she is still in the original storybook full of melodrama.
What do you call this? It is easy to find something after searching for it for a long time!
She had always been unsure about saving Luo Shen, but now it was different. She would never let Xiangzi go astray. She was confident that she could lead him on the right path, and she would always be his... teacher!
Zeng Erqiao saw Ye Zhao's stunned expression. She thought Ye Zhao was afraid that the gap between her and Zeng Xiang's social status would suddenly widen, which would hinder their normal relationship...
"It's okay. No matter how rich the Luo family is, Xiangzai is still Xiangzai. As long as Aunt Qiao is here, it will definitely not affect you... Just be good friends."
Ye Zhao looked at Aunt Qiao. She couldn't let Aunt Qiao go to Gangcheng. The Luo family in Gangcheng was hell to Aunt Qiao.
Zeng Erqiao saw that Ye Zhao didn't respond, so she began to recall the past: "Luo Jiaming had an accident and drifted to our village. He stayed here for almost three years. He didn't have a household registration, and we didn't get a marriage certificate. We just had a few tables of wedding banquets and considered it a marriage. Who knew that when Xiangzi was less than one year old, he suddenly disappeared and evaporated from the face of the earth. I thought he had an accident. But three years later, the Luo family came to my house and tried to snatch my son from me."
"That year I had a tumor in my stomach and was not feeling well. I had to go to Guangcheng for treatment. I was afraid that if I couldn't be cured, what would happen to Xiangzi? So I finally agreed to let them take Xiangzi away."
Ye Zhao probably knew what happened to Zeng Xiang there. Luo Jiaming married the daughter of the Zhong family, who was a good match for him. This was the source of Luo Shen's tragedy.
"Xiangzai stayed there for a few years, and he changed completely. He became timid, withdrawn, and untalkative. When he was in primary school, his so-called aunt found a way to help send him back to Zengwuwei, and he gradually recovered. No matter what, I am Xiangzai's mother and I know him best. He will not change. His surname is Zeng, and no matter how rich the Luo family is, it will not affect him." Zeng Erqiao is very confident in her son.
Ye Zhao nodded repeatedly and said, "I believe him, too."
Zeng Erqiao was delighted, "Just believe him. Our Xiangzi shouldn't look down on him..."
"Aunt Qiao, why don't you just not go to Hong Kong City?"
Zeng Erqiao didn't understand. Didn't Ye Zhao support her going just now? She asked, "Why?"
Ye Zhao held Aunt Qiao's hand. It is said that holding hands makes it easier to convince others. She said, "If Brother Xiang's father's family is an ordinary family, I would certainly support you to go, but it's different for wealthy families. I heard that the wealthy families in Hong Kong are very repressive. You will definitely not be used to living there. I'm afraid you will have a mental breakdown."
This is what Zeng Erqiao has been worried about. She held Ye Zhao's hand, as if she had found a soulmate. The little girl was so considerate at such a young age. "They say that a home is better than your own. Of course I know that! I've only been to the Luo family once, and I never want to go there again. But I'm... worried about Xiangzai."
"The Luo family will definitely take good care of Brother Xiang. Aunt Qiao, why don't you play mahjong at home, cook your favorite food, and let Brother Xiang come back here every weekend. Don't treat yourself badly, and don't treat Brother Xiang badly..." Ye Zhao stared at Aunt Qiao's hesitant expression, and made up his mind, "I can see Brother Xiang every week..."
When Aunt Qiao heard this, she was instantly delighted. Ye Zhao's words were so clear, of course she understood! As long as she stayed here and didn't go to Hong Kong City, Xiangzi would definitely come back often.
Come back more often so that the two children will have the opportunity to interact with each other.
For the sake of her beloved future daughter-in-law, she had to stay here no matter what.
Is son more important or daughter-in-law more important
Of course, the daughter-in-law is important.
After all, her son is her own child. If he is disobedient, it is okay to scold him and beat him with a stick. But if she can't get along with her daughter-in-law, she will have to play mahjong for the rest of her life.
Ye Zhao held Aunt Qiao's hand tightly and said coquettishly: "Just listen to me, Aunt Qiao."
If you go to the Luo family in Gangcheng, you will be dead!
Aunt Qiao's heart melted, and she immediately smiled and said, "I'll listen to you, I'll listen to you, I won't go anywhere, I'll just stay at home and accompany you."
Ye Zhao shouted excitedly: "Really! Aunt Qiao, you have to believe me, this is the best decision you have ever made!"
Aunt Qiao laughed and said, "I believe it!"
She stood up and said, "I'll go heat up the food, it's all cold."
After Aunt Qiao left, Ye Zhao suddenly remembered something. If Brother Xiang and Luo Shen were the same person, then the letter she had written to Luo Shen before...
Brother Xiang must be able to recognize her handwriting at a glance! He wouldn't misunderstand that she wanted to get close to Luo Shen for other purposes, and that she was a girl who was greedy for money? Not really, Brother Xiang's mind was still clear, but... It was too embarrassing!
This might be the most embarrassing thing she would ever face in her life.
Now she can only pray that the letter she wrote to Luo Shen will not be handed over to Brother Xiang.
This is not just an unlucky day because I lost my bike!
Ye Zhao couldn't even enjoy his lunch.
Before he finished lunch, the doorbell rang. Ye Zhao went to open the door. Standing at the door was a fashionable and beautiful woman wearing a brown coat and a low-necked sweater. Oh, it was Gao Yueyue.
Gao Yueyue's lips curved slightly and she smiled, "Ye Zhao, have you eaten?"
"I'm eating now."
"I'm here to get my dividend. Gan Xiaofeng insisted that I come and tell you."
Ye Zhao replied with a fake smile: "I told you to do that."
Since Gao Yueyue dared to come up, she was mentally prepared. She stroked her hair a little embarrassedly, "I heard that you sent photos to the surname Bai."
"Did she harass you?"
"No."
Ye Zhao was a little surprised. Bai Yunlian loved to cause trouble for her before, but now she is cowardly? She said sarcastically, "It seems that the three of you get along harmoniously."
Gao Yueyue didn't take it seriously. She was open-minded and said, "It's bound to happen sooner or later. I told your dad that no one is worse than his own daughter. How can Bai Lu compare with you? Even if she is more powerful, she can't compare with you. Besides, you are much better than her. I think your dad is a man who listens to advice."
Ye Zhao smiled. She could hear that Gao Yueyue was hinting to her that her father's recent changes were all due to her whispering.
Ye Zhao remembered that her father had said before that he wanted to have a second child, "So what are your plans? Are you going to give my father a daughter or a son?"
Gao Yueyue said shamelessly: "I'll let it go. It depends on whether your father has the ability to do so."
What this means is that they didn't use any contraception, and if they got pregnant they gave birth, just following God's will.
Ye Zhao asked in confusion: "What do you like about my dad? Besides money."
Gao Yueyue: "I like the life he gives me."
"Oh, you still like his money." Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Then I wish my dad a long life, and you can accompany him until old age."
This is not a blessing for Gao Yueyue.
"Your father has a serious heart disease."
"Then what?"
"I will always have medicine for him, don't worry. Even if I have to accompany him until old age, I won't lose anything. Your father paid for me to go out and study, and then I can go to the factory to do finance." Gao Yueyue did not intend to hide it from Ye Zhao. She could not hide it anyway. She could see clearly that she would not follow Bai Yunlian's old path. She would try her best to have a good relationship with Ye Zhao. Even if the relationship was not good, she did not want to offend the future heir unless she and Ye Dingguo had their own children.
Ye Zhao really didn't understand why her father was doing this again, inserting his own woman into the financial system. How much did he distrust Uncle Su
The two stood at the door and chatted for a while. A bicycle bell rang downstairs. Ye Zhao stuck his head out and saw Ni Meng standing in the yard. He should be looking for her.
Gao Yueyue said: "I'm leaving first, Xiaofeng is still waiting for me downstairs."
Ye Zhao nodded and said nothing more.
Ni Meng ran upstairs, rubbing his hands together and saying, "It's too cold outside. I don't know why it's so cold this year. I heard your bike was stolen?"
Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Uncle Wang, did you come all the way to tell me this?"
"Of course not. Let me ask you, do you want the land next to the purple bamboo forest?"
Ye Zhao thought for a moment and asked, "Mrs. Liang wants to sell the land?"
"No, it's the piece of land between the Purple Bamboo Forest and the garbage station. It's wasteland now, and it's more than a thousand square meters. Does your friend want it?"
"It's right next to the garbage station? Wouldn't it stink even more?!"
"The garbage station will be moved sooner or later. Anyway, the Zizhulin plot of land will just lie there idle after we buy it. It's better to build it into a large piece so that it will be easier to sell it later! Let's take a chance and turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!" Ni Meng urged!
Aunt Qiao couldn't stand it anymore. "Ni Meng! What evil idea are you planning? Can you recommend something good?"
"It's cheap, Qiaojie, 120 yuan per square meter, big sale!"
Aunt Qiao: "I don't even want a hundred bucks for that piece of shabby land!"
Ye Zhao thought about it and it agreed. The current 3,000 square meters were enough. If he bought one that was too big, he would not have the money to build more in the future.
(End of this chapter)