As she was checking, Brother Zhou suddenly leaned over and whispered, "Wanqiu, yesterday I went to the commune to deliver rice cereal. I heard that Zhao Jianjun has been hanging around the workshop a lot lately, even asking people about our recipe." Lin Wanqiu's heart sank—Zhao Jianjun's father had been arrested for embezzlement, and without his backing, he should have been more obedient, but she hadn't expected him to still be eyeing the workshop. She calmly said, "Brother Zhou, if he asks again, just say the recipe is a family heirloom, not to be shared. Also, be careful when you buy raw materials; don't let anyone tamper with them."

"I understand." Brother Zhou nodded, then took out a slip of paper from his pocket. "This is an order for pumpkin puree from Dr. Wang at the hospital. He wants thirty catties, to be picked up at the beginning of next month. Dr. Wang also said that if we have any new complementary food products, the hospital would be willing to give them a try." Lin Wanqiu took the slip of paper and breathed a sigh of relief—the hospital and the supply and marketing cooperative were the workshop's two major clients. As long as these two channels were stable, the workshop would have no worries about income.

Around noon, Lin Wanqiu was breastfeeding Shen Nianxi when she heard Old Mrs. Shen's voice from the courtyard gate, which was much gentler than usual: "Wanqiu, are you home?" Lin Wanqiu was a little surprised—since Old Mrs. Shen and Zhang Lan reconciled, she hadn't come to the house to cause trouble much. Why did she suddenly come today? She handed Shen Nianxi to Sister Liu and got up to greet her.

Old Mrs. Shen was standing in the yard, leaning on her cane, with Zhang Lan following behind her, carrying a basket of sweet potatoes. "Mom, what brings you here?" Lin Wanqiu's tone was flat, neither warm nor cold.

"Isn't this because the weather is getting cold, so I brought some sweet potatoes for the children?" Grandma Shen's tone softened considerably. Her gaze fell on Shen Nianxi, and she couldn't help but reach out and pat the little one's head. "Xixi has grown so much. The last time I saw her, she was just a tiny little thing." Zhang Lan also chimed in, "Wanqiu, we were wrong before. We always had conflicts with you. From now on, we're all family, and we'll help each other out."

Lin Wanqiu knew that their change in attitude stemmed from two reasons: first, Zhao Jianjun had lost his backer, leaving them with no one to rely on; second, their workshop business was booming, and they wanted to get some benefits from her. But she didn't expose them, simply smiling and saying, "Thank you, Mom and sister-in-law. Come inside and warm up."

After entering the house, Old Mrs. Shen sat for a while before hesitantly saying, "Wanqiu, I heard the workshop has been quite busy lately. It must be hard for you to take care of two children by yourself. Why don't you let Zhang Lan come and help out at the workshop? She doesn't have much to do at home and can lend you a hand." Lin Wanqiu sneered inwardly but remained outwardly calm: "Mom, the workshop has enough staff, and making baby food requires careful attention. Sister-in-law Zhang Lan is impatient, so I'm afraid she's not suitable. But if she's willing, she can help deliver things to the workshop in the future, and I'll pay her for her work."

Grandma Shen and Zhang Lan exchanged a glance, and Zhang Lan immediately smiled and said, "Yes, yes, I can handle delivering things!" Grandma Shen nodded in satisfaction and sat for a while before leaving. Watching their backs, Sister Liu couldn't help but say, "Wanqiu, why did you ask Zhang Lan to help? She used to bully you quite a bit."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Lin Wanqiu said with a smile. "Letting her deliver things keeps her from accessing the formula, but it also gives her something to do, so she won't always be looking for trouble. Besides, Grandma Shen's attitude has softened now, so let's not make things too tense, after all, she's Tingzhou's family."

In the evening, Shen Nian'an came home from school and handed her a note as soon as she entered the door: "Mom, Li Xiaohua said her mother saw Zhao Jianjun go to the warehouse behind our workshop today, and it seemed like he was secretly watching something." Lin Wanqiu took the note, her fingertips slightly cold—Zhao Jianjun hadn't given up after all, and had actually set his sights on the warehouse. She patted Shen Nian'an's head: "Nian'an did a good job. If something like this happens again, remember to tell Mom right away."

After dinner, Lin Wanqiu put her two children to sleep and sat alone at the table, reviewing the account books. The flickering flame of the kerosene lamp illuminated her tired yet determined face. She opened her spatial storage and looked at the neatly stacked supplies inside—rice, flour, milk powder, medicine, and some modern farming tools and seeds. These were her resources, but she also knew that the spatial storage could only provide temporary relief; what truly allowed her to stand firm was her own abilities and the support of her fellow villagers.

Suddenly, a slight noise came from outside the courtyard gate. Lin Wanqiu immediately became alert, grabbed a pair of scissors from the corner of the table, and hid them behind her back. She walked to the door and looked out through the crack. She saw a dark figure loitering at the warehouse entrance; it was Zhao Jianjun. He was holding a wire and trying to pick the warehouse lock, his movements furtive.

Lin Wanqiu's heart leaped into her throat. The warehouse contained freshly ground rice flour, prepared baby food, and some precious ingredients. If Zhao Jianjun stole or destroyed them, the loss would be enormous. She took a deep breath, not speaking immediately, but quietly retreating back into the house. She lit another kerosene lamp and deliberately raised her voice, calling out, "Brother Zhou, why are you back again? Did you leave something behind?"

The dark figure outside the door paused noticeably, followed by hurried footsteps, indicating they had fled. Lin Wanqiu breathed a sigh of relief, her palms already sweating. She knew Zhao Jianjun wouldn't give up so easily; he would definitely find other ways to take over the workshop.

The next morning, Lin Wanqiu made a special trip to the commune to find Comrade Li at the supply and marketing cooperative. Comrade Li was tidying up the shelves when he saw Lin Wanqiu arrive. He immediately greeted her with a smile: "Wanqiu, you've come at the right time. The jujube paste we delivered yesterday was very popular. Many customers have asked when we'll restock."

"Comrade Li, I've come here today to discuss something with you." Lin Wanqiu got straight to the point. "Our previous supply contract is about to expire, and I'd like to renew it. Also, I've developed several new complementary foods, such as walnut paste and millet paste, which are suitable for children of different ages. Could you perhaps reserve a larger counter for us at the supply and marketing cooperative?"

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