Six months later, Shen Heng also received his graduation certificate, and he devoted himself to the factory.

Although they had graduated, Shen Heng and Jian Shao remained in close contact. Jian Shao often helped Shen Heng with favors, and Shen Heng also helped Jian Shao with many tasks assigned by his superiors.

"Shen Heng, I'm entrusting the matter of taking in the laid-off employees to you. With your help, I can save myself half the trouble."

The number of self-employed individuals in Yancheng is increasing, which is impacting the job security of state-owned enterprises. Some state-owned factories are struggling to survive and are planning to lay off employees.

Many of these employees are used to holding positions without doing any work, and Shen Heng is unwilling to take them in. However, he now wants to expand the scale of the factory and needs another piece of land, preferably on the original site. Therefore, he inevitably needs Jian Shao's help to operate the business.

The master and apprentice each got what they wanted, and both benefited.

"That's no problem. My factory is about to expand and needs a batch of workers. It's just that the pay will definitely not be as good as before."

"Isn't your factory doing well? In theory, maintaining the previous wages shouldn't be a problem, but I think it's better not to cut them too much."

Shen Heng said, "In my factory, we've always paid according to our abilities. The factory is all assembly lines, so there's not much technical skill required, and the wages aren't high. Of course, if there are master craftsmen, I'll definitely promote them accordingly."

"Then you should try to calm them down. These working-class people have also made a lot of contributions to the country."

Jian Shao instructed.

Shen Heng and Jian Shao had finalized the land deal, and Jian Shao invited him to his home for dinner.

"No, Ms. Jian, I've already made plans with Jiaojiao to go back for dinner."

"You two have a really good relationship. Now you can go."

Shen Heng bid farewell to Teacher Jian. Hearing Jian Shao say that they had a good relationship, Shen Heng felt smug.

"Brother Heng, I have something to tell you."

As soon as she got home, Bai Jiaojiao said with a serious expression that she wanted to discuss something with him.

Shen Heng frowned: "What is it?"

"Well, this is a long story."

"Sit down and talk slowly."

Shen Heng sat on the sofa and let Shen Shi play on his shoulder.

"It's Xu Yue. Didn't she get a boyfriend last time, and then she caused that mess?"

"How long has it been? What, did that man reveal that she was pregnant?" Shen Heng guessed after hearing Bai Jiaojiao's words.

Bai Jiaojiao said indignantly, "Pretty much, that man is a scoundrel. The department store he works at is laying off staff. They said that the higher-ups are only keeping one department store in this district, and the two department stores are going to merge, so they don't need that many people. Now that he's unemployed, he doesn't care about anything anymore."

Shen Heng said, "A department store can't possibly be that bad. It's just a few small shops. How long has it been? How could it possibly bankrupt a department store?"

"It's not that it's going bankrupt, it's just that it's being merged. The original department store did have low foot traffic, and it seems they're going to use that building for something else."

The government is getting richer and richer, and it has many plans for urban planning. Bai Jiaojiao doesn't know much about the real situation in this regard.

Shen Heng asked, "Why did he go to Xu Yue and cause trouble?"

“His family is not well-off, he has lost his job and can't find a partner. He is 26 years old this year and wants to get back together with Xu Yue. He has something on Xu Yue and said that if Xu Yue doesn't marry him, he will expose the fact that Xu Yue got pregnant out of wedlock!”

Bai Jiaojiao knew that not all marital relationships were as harmonious as hers and Shen Heng's. Even without love, many men wanted a wife to do their laundry, cook, and clean, and then have a child with someone else's womb.

As for whether there were past feuds or whether the wife harbored resentment towards the family, these men didn't care.

Shen Heng said, "This man is truly inhuman."

“Brother Heng, this is what I’m thinking. The reason he hasn’t bothered Xu Yue for so long is because he’s afraid of ruining his work. Now he’s acting like this because he’s fearless. Why don’t you make an exception and give him a job to keep him calm down first, and then deal with him slowly?”

"I have a million ways to teach him a lesson. Fine, let him come over. I'm not bothered by the itch now that I have so many lice." Shen Heng waved his hand arrogantly.

"Doesn't it tickle? What does that mean?"

"Teacher Jian called me over today to assign me one hundred positions to take in laid-off workers."

Bai Jiaojiao calculated the time and was surprised that the wave of layoffs in Yancheng had started so soon. She thought she would have to wait at least ten years.

"Thank you for your hard work, Heng-ge."

“These are minor matters. I need to make sure you and your friend have an explanation.”

“It was her fault, but I couldn’t bear to stand idly by. I thought Xu Yue had forgotten about it after all this time, but now that it’s been brought up, Shu Manling told me that she often heard Xu Yue crying secretly at night.”

Xu Yue seemed carefree and decisive at the time, and Bai Jiaojiao was completely fooled by her.

"Ultimately, it's because that guy is a scumbag. I despise people like that the most."

Shen Heng, who is good to his wife, naturally wouldn't associate with a man like Qiu Mao.

"Then leave it to your brother Heng. It would be best if he had no way to complain!"

"Leave it to me. Don't worry about this little thing. I think he won't hesitate at all when it comes to work and Xu Yue. But if this matter is to be truly resolved, Xu Yue probably can't stay in Yancheng anymore. Otherwise, unless I kill the entire Qiu family of three, he'll be controlled by them for the rest of his life."

Bai Jiaojiao pursed her lips. Xu Yue and Shu Manling would graduate in a year, and her intention was to stay in Yancheng to work with Shu Manling.

After all, Yancheng is a big city, and there are like-minded friends there. The teachers and classmates she met in college are Xu Yue's best connections. If she leaves Yancheng, she will lose all of these.

Bai Jiaojiao said, "I will talk to Xu Yue. Maybe going back to Zhuzhou is a good option for her."

“That’s right. I had forgotten that she was from Zhuzhou. It’s already good that she was able to go back to her hometown.”

Shen Heng nodded, feeling that this was the best solution.

Otherwise, Xu Yue will not only be unable to get married, but she will also be unable to hold her head high in life.

Bai Jiaojiao went back and told Xu Yue about it. Xu Yue was helpless, but could only bear the consequences of her mistake.

"Please thank Shen Heng for me, and give me another year. I'll leave Yancheng after I graduate, so he can't find me."

"When you were dating him, did you tell him you were from Zhuzhou? Did you tell him your home address?"

Shu Manling had experience in this area, and she thought Qiu Mao was a scoundrel who might chase her all the way to Zhuzhou.

Xu Yue thought about it carefully: "He only knew that my family was from Zhuzhou, but I didn't say exactly where."

There are so many place names in Zhuzhou, even if Qiu Mao knew them all, he might not remember them all.