Comrade Li's eyes lit up: "Are you serious? If there are new varieties, they will definitely be popular! Renewing the contract is no problem, and we can reserve the counter for you, but you have to guarantee the quality and supply."

"Don't worry, the quality is absolutely guaranteed, and the supply will keep up." Lin Wanqiu breathed a sigh of relief. With the supply and marketing cooperative as her backer, it wouldn't be so easy for Zhao Jianjun to set up the workshop. She also went to the hospital and chatted with Dr. Wang in the pediatrics department. Dr. Wang had recommended the workshop's complementary foods before, and upon hearing about the new products, she immediately placed an order.

On her way back from the commune, Lin Wanqiu passed by the village entrance and ran into Lin Moli. Lin Moli was wearing a newly made floral cotton-padded jacket and light rouge on her face. She greeted Lin Wanqiu with a smile: "Cousin, I heard that Brother Tingzhou has passed away. It must be hard for you to take care of two children by yourself. Why don't I come and help you? I don't have much to do at home, and I can also help you take care of Nianxi."

Lin Wanqiu looked at her fake smile and sneered inwardly. This Lin Moli had always been trying to sow discord between her and Shen Tingzhou, and even coveted Shen Tingzhou. Now that Shen Tingzhou was gone, she was trying to take over the workshop. "No need, I can handle it myself. Thank you for your concern, cousin." Lin Wanqiu's tone was distant as she finished speaking and walked away.

Lin Moli's smile froze, and a sinister glint flashed in her eyes as she watched Lin Wanqiu's retreating figure. She turned to look at Zhao Jianjun not far away, and the two exchanged a glance—Zhao Jianjun had lost his backer, and Lin Moli had no one to rely on. Both of them wanted to squeeze some benefits out of Lin Wanqiu's workshop, and now that Shen Tingzhou was not around, it was the perfect opportunity to join forces.

Back home, Lin Wanqiu told Brother Zhou and Sister Liu the news she had brought from the commune, and they were both very happy. "Now we're not afraid of Zhao Jianjun anymore!" Brother Zhou said, slapping his thigh.

"We can't let our guard down yet," Lin Wanqiu said seriously. "Zhao Jianjun and Lin Moli will definitely not give up, and they might do something else. Brother Zhou, you should check the warehouse more often at night to prevent anyone from stealing things. Sister Liu, the recipe in the workshop must be kept secret. No one except a few of us core people should know about it, especially Zhang Lan. Although we let her deliver things, we shouldn't let her into the workshop's operating room."

“We understand,” the two replied in unison.

Over the next few days, Lin Wanqiu juggled caring for the children, managing the workshop, and guarding against the harassment from Zhao Jianjun and Lin Moli, keeping herself extremely busy. Every day she would get up before dawn to make breakfast for the children, take Nian'an to school, then go to the workshop to arrange production. At noon, she would return to breastfeed Nianxi, and in the afternoon, she would deliver orders to the commune. At night, she would put the children to bed, and only after they were sound asleep would she review the account books, often working until late into the night. The fine lines around her eyes deepened, and new calluses appeared on her hands, but her gaze grew ever more determined—she would protect this family, protect the workshop, and wait for Shen Tingzhou to return safely.

Shen Nian'an was becoming more and more sensible. Every day after school, he would help feed the chickens, keep accounts, and play with his younger sister. One time, Lin Wanqiu was so busy that she forgot to eat, so Shen Nian'an brought her some warmed-up steamed buns and pickled vegetables to the workshop and whispered, "Mom, you should eat quickly. I've already fed my sister and helped Grandpa Zhou watch the warehouse." Looking at her son's sensible manner, Lin Wanqiu felt gratified, and all her hard work seemed to disappear.

That afternoon, Lin Wanqiu was inspecting the newly made walnut paste in the workshop when she suddenly heard an argument outside. She went out to see what was happening and saw Zhao Jianjun, along with two strange men, blocking the courtyard gate and arguing with Brother Zhou. "Zhao Jianjun, what do you want?" Lin Wanqiu walked over and asked coldly.

Zhao Jianjun crossed his arms, looking like a rogue: "Lin Wanqiu, I heard that the ingredients used in your workshop are problematic, and people have gotten sick from eating them. Today I'm here to demand an explanation!" The two men behind him chimed in: "That's right, our child ate your rice cereal and vomited and had diarrhea. You have to compensate us!"

Lin Wanqiu knew perfectly well that Zhao Jianjun had deliberately sent people to cause trouble. She calmly said, "The raw materials for my workshop all come from the commune's grain station; we have verifiable receipts. Furthermore, every batch of baby food undergoes rigorous inspection; there's no way there could be a problem. You say the children are sick from the food, do you have a hospital diagnosis? If you can't produce one, you're deliberately spreading rumors, and I can report you to the commune!"

Zhao Jianjun was taken aback by Lin Wanqiu's composure and panicked: "I...I don't care, you have to compensate me! Otherwise, I'll come here every day and make a scene so you can't do business!"

Just then, Comrade Li and Doctor Wang from the commune suddenly arrived, followed by two cadres. "Zhao Jianjun, what are you doing?" Comrade Li shouted sternly, "Wanqiu's workshop is a key individual business supported by our commune. The raw materials and quality have all been inspected. What gives you the right to spread rumors and cause trouble?"

Dr. Wang chimed in, "I'm a pediatrician at the hospital, and I haven't had any cases of children vomiting and having diarrhea from eating rice cereal recently. You're deliberately framing me!"

Zhao Jianjun turned pale with fright and quickly led his men away in a sorry state. Lin Wanqiu breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to shake Comrade Li's hand: "Comrade Li, Dr. Wang, thank goodness you came, otherwise I really wouldn't know what to do."

"No need to thank us. We heard that someone was causing trouble here, so we came to check it out," Comrade Li said with a smile. "But you have to be careful. Zhao Jianjun holds grudges and will definitely find another opportunity to cause trouble."

After seeing Comrade Li and Dr. Wang off, Lin Wanqiu returned to the workshop. Looking at the mess on the floor, she felt a mix of emotions. She knew that this struggle had only just begun, and Zhao Jianjun and Lin Moli would definitely join forces against her again. But she wasn't afraid. She had the supplies in her spatial storage, her sensible children, her loyal helpers, and the support of the commune and the hospital. More importantly, she had Shen Tingzhou's promise before he left and her own unwavering will.

It was late at night. Lin Wanqiu lay in bed, looking at her two sleeping children beside her, and reached out to touch the jade pendant at her waist. The cold wind was still howling outside the window, but her heart was warm. She remembered what Shen Tingzhou had said before he left: "Take care of yourself, and wait for me to come back." She silently replied in her heart: "Tingzhou, don't worry, I will support this family, protect the workshop, and wait for you to come back safely."