Chapter 42 Xiang Dong got arrested: Then he can play by himself.

Undoubtedly, the mall management was completely stunned and didn't dare to mention letting anyone else contract out the counters.

Wang Xiao understood, Wang Xiao understood very well.

Before she transmigrated into the book, she knew from reading a novel that what was even more taboo than the lower body was military and political affairs. Ordinary people had no right to speak out, so it was more prudent to just follow the crowd and hide for now.

From this perspective, the heroes of reform and opening up are true heroes; they risked their political lives and their very lives.

But if there's a tiger on the mountain, does that mean she won't go up the mountain?

How could that be? People die for wealth, birds die for food. Besides, if you can't kill a tiger, you can try to lure it away.

The sales clerk's refusal to work for Xiang Dong was a huge blow to him; but from Wang Xiao's perspective, it was actually great!

To be honest, she never expected the sales clerks in the mall to work for the self-service clothing supermarket.

Although socialism does not distinguish between different classes, in reality, everyone is clearly divided into different groups.

Nowadays, self-employed individuals are, to put it bluntly, in a similar position to wealthy Chinese merchants in Southeast Asia during the late Qing Dynasty. No matter how rich they are, they can't be considered respectable. If they walk the streets at night without hiring a Japanese geisha for company, they'll be taken to the police station for a dressing down.

Would you really want a secure job to go to a self-employed individual who could be thrown in jail any day? You'd only dare to think about it if you had several heads on your shoulders.

If it were absolutely necessary to win them over, Wang Xiao would have no choice but to use a painstaking and gradual process to subdue them.

Well, every leader who gets ahead is skilled at manipulating their subordinates; it's just a matter of degree.

But this is not unnecessary.

In this day and age, there are far more monks than porridge, and many people are searching for work everywhere.

If it doesn't work, just kick it out.

The capitalist said: I have no psychological burden.

Wang Xiao shook his head and asked Xiang Dong again, "Do you really want to run this self-service clothing supermarket?"

Without hesitation, Xiang Dong replied, "Yes, of course I want to."

Just kidding, who doesn't hate money?

Wang Xiao nodded: "Okay, you can talk to the mall again, and the sales clerk issue will be easier to handle."

What to do? Just put it on a pedestal.

She had previously read about KFC's expansion history in China. KFC was a huge success in Beijing, but it failed in Shanghai, losing money every day. It was only when the then-manager of the China region found another location that the business was able to recover and open up the Shanghai market.

This new store is also an old state-owned enterprise, and the resettlement of its long-term employees is another major problem.

So what did the manager do? He persuaded the veteran employees to train them so that they could adapt to KFC's employee needs and be re-employed?

Haha, you're so capable. You train officials, let them go down to the factory and try screwing in screws.

They're not that crazy. If they have the time to reform the old, why don't they just train new people? A blank sheet of paper is easier to draw on.

He simply asked the long-term employees to go home, while continuing to pay their salaries, allowing them to openly receive wages without working.

It's just a small amount of money each month, nothing compared to KFC's daily profits.

The person was easily dismissed, and the person who was dismissed was happy; everyone was pleased.

Now, Wang Xiaoyi is copying this method and applying it to the sales clerks in the mall.

Xiang Dong was dumbfounded; he was truly impressed by Wang Xiao. How could she have come up with such a thing?

He wants to contract all the counters in this area, which would employ 32 sales clerks in total. Even if each clerk only gets 100 yuan a month, totaling 3200 yuan a month for nothing, he'd be willing to do it.

This is less than the daily profit of a self-service clothing supermarket.

Xiang Dong even lamented, "If only we could book the whole floor, we could sell so much better. Separate men's and women's clothing, so everyone can do their own thing."

Wang Xiao was immediately excited again, thinking he had hit the jackpot.

Listen to that momentum! No wonder he's a self-made business tycoon; he's already thinking about expanding his business so quickly.

She laughed and said, "What's the rush? Let these 32 sales clerks collect salaries for three to five months without working, and then you'll see if the others are tempted."

How could I not be tempted?

To put it bluntly, she was already a multi-millionaire before she transmigrated into the book, but she still wanted to spend money to buy herself a stable job and receive a salary without working, so that if she unfortunately lost everything in the future, at least she would have a way out to make a living.

Unfortunately, by then, all new jobs required examinations, and the government was cracking down on those who received salaries without working, which forced her to become a law-abiding citizen.

Upon hearing this, Xiang Dong's face lit up, and he pointed at Wang Xiao, saying, "You're really something! It's settled then, we'll continue to cooperate. I'll make room for whatever you want to sell."

Wang Xiao smiled: "It's a deal. I'll be waiting for your good news, boss."

Finding the mall's leaders was easy, but gathering all the sales staff for a meeting was a bit troublesome, as they needed time to consider it. Therefore, Wang Xiao didn't waste any time at the mall and rushed back to the Jinning Hotel.

Two days ago, while having dinner, she happened to chat with Chef Fang about pickled fish and was surprised to find that the current mainstream way to cook this Sichuan and Chongqing dish, which has quite a history, is to stew a large pot of pickled peppers and ginger, large chunks of pickled cabbage and large pieces of fish, resulting in a glossy, reddish-brown dish that is very oily and spicy.

After taking a bite, Wang Xiao could only admit that it was braised fish with sauerkraut, and he absolutely refused to accept that this thing could also be called sauerkraut fish.

No, no, no. For her, the essence of sauerkraut fish lies in the bouncy, tender, and boneless thin fish slices; and the refreshing, oily yellow sour broth. After eating the fish slices, adding noodles is incredibly satisfying. The ratio of sour to spicy must be just right.

Otherwise, how could this guy become so popular across the country and even the world?

Master Fang was immediately interested and rolled up his sleeves to get involved in making this new style of pickled fish.

Unfortunately, the restaurant Wang Xiao frequented before transmigrating into the book claimed that the soup base was made by simmering fish bones for 36 hours, so she could only eat this pickled fish dish at noon today at the earliest.

Well, how should I put it? It's still a bit lacking. I reckon the ratio of sour to spicy is something restaurants will be working on for a long time. It always requires continuous experimentation and improvement.

Chef Fang found it strange, never expecting that black carp could be used to make sauerkraut fish. This bright orange broth, if Wang Xiao hadn't insisted it was sauerkraut fish, he would definitely have renamed it Golden Broth Fish; the name sounded much better than sauerkraut fish.

Wang Xiao didn't care at all. After all, she didn't invent it. She just had a craving and wanted to make a few hundred yuan on the side.

She was enjoying her meal when a Hong Kong businessman came to her to ask her something.

Is there really a shortage of television sets in the Moscow market? How severe is the shortage?

Wang Xiao, understanding the unspoken meaning behind the words, guessed that this fellow probably wanted to become the next Pepsi, and had invested in a television factory in mainland China in order to seize the market in the Soviet Union.

This is a good option for Hong Kong businessmen who are relocating their electronics industry to the Pearl River Delta region.

After all, major TV manufacturers in mainland China are also having a headache about how to clear their inventory, as it's difficult to sell domestically.

However, she had to remind them: "Japanese televisions are popular in the Moscow market; those made in our country are not very popular."

She spearheaded the investment promotion conference, and she couldn't afford to be short-sighted and provide people with incorrect market information, thus deceiving them and ruining her own reputation.

However, the Hong Kong businessman smiled happily, looking particularly relaxed: "Our Hong Kong televisions are different from yours."

Wang Xiao choked, and could only touch his nose to admit that it was indeed different.

Barbie's OEM factory is still in Guangdong. Can you say that it's the same company as domestic toy doll manufacturers?

If they're different, then they're different.

Wang Xiao was particularly generous and took the initiative to say, "Then I'll ask around and see if Hong Kong televisions are selling well in the Moscow market."

It's likely to be in high demand. Since Hong Kong is now under British control, Hong Kong goods are essentially equivalent to British goods. Currently, the most popular products in the Moscow market are actually American and Western European goods. The market share of domestic goods is largely due to their geographical advantage and lower prices.

She kept her word and made an international call after lunch.

They were very generous on the other end, not only immediately turning back on their offer but also stating bluntly: "Sure, as long as the price is right, we'll take all the Hong Kong-made TVs and refrigerators."

Finally, her partner eagerly followed up, "Do you have any clothes from Hong Kong? Clothes from Hong Kong are fine too."

Wang Xiao immediately dispelled his wishful thinking: "I don't have any goods on hand."

Just kidding. Even if she really did bring clothes back from Hong Kong, why didn't she just put them on the counter facing east and sell them? Hong Kong goods are very popular.

Why bother going through all the trouble of selling it in Moscow?

Although disappointed, the person on the other end of the phone immediately moved on to the next option: "What about underwear? Do you have any bras?"

Wang Xiao inherited the original owner's limited Russian vocabulary, and it took her a while to understand what the Soviets meant. She immediately laughed and said, "It should be there. Let me look for it for you."

Hey! How could she forget such a precious treasure?

Bras are a hot commodity for resellers.

She remembered seeing a joke before that said a man who has never worn a 20-layer bra is embarrassed to call himself a reseller.

It is said that female resellers eventually even took off their own bras and sold them, and still managed to get high prices.

She immediately started making phone calls everywhere, asking which clothing factories produced underwear.

Tsk, she really doesn't like the current lingerie. When she has some free time, she'll definitely redesign and customize it herself.

After busying himself with the matter, Wang Xiao confirmed the source of the goods and then called the Soviet side to ask how much they wanted and what specifications they would require.

Tang Yicheng had just returned from delivering goods when he heard her speaking in broken English. He was so frightened that he stopped sweating. After Wang Xiao hung up the phone, his voice trembled involuntarily: "Again? Will you be able to sell them all?"

They still have a lot of inventory sitting on them.

Even if there are many dealers now, and each one orders goods in units of hundreds, there still needs to be something to sell.

After all, the entire Jiangdong Province is only so big, and there are only so many people who would buy cameras and watches.

Wang Xiao laughed: "Who told you it was only Jiangdong Province? Today, people from Huaibei City in Jiangnan Province also came to do investment promotion."

Despite the fact that since the summer of 1989, the question of whether something is capitalist or socialist has weighed heavily on all individual businesses, or more specifically, private enterprises, which have collectively shrunk to a state of decline; perhaps because the country's commitment to reform has not changed, or perhaps because there is indeed a shortage of foreign exchange, the attitude of various regions towards foreign investment remains generally welcoming.

The investment promotion conference of Jinning Grand Hotel has already made a name for itself, and some places have successfully attracted foreign investment before the end of the year.

It's perfectly normal for people from the neighboring Jiangnan province to be interested in getting a piece of the pie now.

But for Wang Xiao, what interests her more is Huaibei itself.

Why?

Well, how should I put it?

The level of economic development in a region depends on favorable timing, geographical location, and human factors. The first two have an element of being blessed by nature, so the latter has a greater influence.

Before transmigrating into the book, Wang Xiao's biggest impression of Huaibei City was not its thriving private economy, since there were quite a few places like that back then.

Her deepest impression came from early 2020, when the pandemic had just broken out and there was a nationwide shortage of masks. While people were obediently and quietly isolating at home, the people of Huaibei quickly started producing mask raw material, spray-molded fleece, and the machines for producing it, on a family basis.

Regardless of whether this was illegal or not (it was probably illegal, as many people in the area were later punished), their business acumen alone was enough for Wang Xiao to give them a thumbs up and exclaim: "Impressive!"

These are people who only care about money.

No matter when, they can always spot a business opportunity, quickly enter the market, and take immediate action.

The people of Huaibei knew she had a large stock of Soviet-made cameras and watches; how could they not realize the potential profit? Once they realized it, they probably wouldn't just want to get the goods from her, but would buy up all her stock.

Tang Yicheng exclaimed in disbelief, "They have huge appetites! How can they eat so much?"

Wang Xiao laughed and said, "Don't underestimate them. They can sell all over the country."

"Then let them handle everything? That would save us trouble."

“How could that be?” Wang Xiao raised his eyebrows. “They’ve bought the whole batch, so the pricing power is in their hands. If they insist on buying the whole batch, fine. But if they buy this batch, I don’t even know when the next batch will arrive. We’ll talk about it when the next batch comes.”

Tang Yicheng had originally wanted to sit down, take a break, and have a drink of water, but now he couldn't sit still at all and asked directly, "When are we leaving? I'll go to the train station to book tickets."

Because Wang Xiao held the title of consultant at the Jinning Grand Hotel, she was able to obtain sleeper tickets through this position. Not soft sleeper, but hard sleeper.

However, for Tang Yicheng himself, a hard sleeper berth would be sufficient. He'd even taken three days and three nights by train before.

Wang Xiao was genuinely amused this time. Sure enough, people are toughened up through experience. Last time, Tang Yicheng was hesitant and wanted her to guide him before daring to go on the trade, but this time he volunteered.

"Okay, I'll send it over after I've inspected the goods."

Although she had worked with this clothing factory before, she really didn't know anything about the quality of their bras. There's a difference in craftsmanship between inner and outer garments, and she wouldn't feel at ease unless she inspected the goods herself.

As an online influencer, if you don't pay attention to product selection, you're ruining your own reputation.

Wang Xiao glanced at the time: "Let's go, we can say hello to Xiang Dong."

The self-service clothing supermarket was set up, and the counters around the supermarket were still empty, which was perfect for displaying and selling Soviet goods.

The two ran to the People's Department Store, and before they even entered the main gate, they ran into Xiang Dong.

Upon seeing Wang Xiao, he frowned and sighed, "No, they won't agree."

Huh? Wang Xiao couldn't believe her ears.

While it's true that labor is both a right and an obligation, judging from the work ethic of these older men and women, she really couldn't see how much they loved their jobs.

They've all become so slovenly, acting like customers owe them money from eight lifetimes ago. Why do they still insist on standing behind the counter?

Xiang Dong was also annoyed: "They think their jobs are noble, but I have ulterior motives."

What do you mean by that?

Well, this all started with the superhuman status of sales clerks as one of the "eight key personnel" during the planned economy era.

In times of scarcity, sales clerks, as those with direct access to goods, naturally possessed the privilege of purchasing in-demand items. And all these privileges could be easily converted into cash; consequently, they naturally enjoyed undisclosed gray income and benefits.

The sales clerks are now refusing to collect their wages without working because they feel their privileges have been taken away, and of course they're unhappy about it.

Wang Xiao was so angry he laughed.

Do these people think it's 1961 or 1971?

Which department store isn't worried about its inventory sitting idle in its warehouse these days? And which department store isn't trying to find ways to sell its goods?

They even have special privileges for trendy items? They must be living in a dream!

Xiang Dong smiled wryly: "They didn't say anything wrong. Who can say for sure what will happen in the future?"

Wang Xiao couldn't very well act as a prophet, so he could only address the issue at hand: "So what do they plan to do?"

Don't tell her they're not interested in receiving salaries without working.

She considered herself to be lacking in integrity, but she never dared to hope that others had higher integrity than her, especially those who were used to enjoying privileges.

"They want double their salary."

Wang Xiao chuckled and shook his head vigorously.

She misunderstood. Foreign-invested enterprises and individual businesses have vastly different statuses, and the tricks KFC uses won't work in the east.

“No way,” Wang Xiao said bluntly. “If you agree today, they might dare to ask for triple wages soon. It’s a bottomless pit. Even if you pay them, they can still back out at any time.”

Because he can't manage them, he doesn't have the personnel management authority over them, and the shopping mall won't offend the employees with secure jobs for the sake of such a small individual business owner like him.

If foreign companies break their contracts, they will also have to worry about the negative international impact.

For self-employed individuals, whether they are considered family or outsiders, they can do whatever they want with them.

Tang Yicheng became worried: "What will happen next? Will the self-service clothing supermarket be canceled?"

He was counting on this place to ship some of his goods.

Xiang Dong was equally unwilling to give up: "I'll go ask around at other shopping malls. Our business is doing well, don't they feel envious?"

If someone is interested and willing to let him take over the counter, he'll just move to another location and start the supermarket again.

Wang Xiao reached out to stop him: "It's better to stick to what you know than something new. You might as well continue working. Right now, it's the sales staff who don't want you to take on the contract, not the People's Department Store itself..."

Before she could finish speaking, someone inside called out, "Xiang Dong, Xiao Xiang, go to the office, someone's looking for you."

Xiang Dong's eyes lit up immediately. Could it be that there's a turning point?

Wang Xiao and Tang Yicheng were also happy: "Let's go, let's go ask them."

When they arrived at the mall management office, they sensed that something was wrong.

Why are there two police officers sitting in the office all of a sudden?

Wang Xiao still couldn't figure out which department they belonged to; many law enforcement agencies wore uniforms.

The man in the peaked cap had already stood up and asked abruptly, "You're Xiang Dong?"

Xiang Dong had no choice but to admit, "Yes, that's me. May I ask what business you have with me, comrade?"

With a sharp "crack," accompanied by the command from the officer in the peaked cap: "Take him away!"

A dark silver bracelet had appeared on Xiang Dong's wrist.

Everyone present was stunned.

Wang Xiao quickly stepped forward and asked, "Comrade, what happened? What did he do wrong?"

"What is it?" the man in the peaked cap sneered. "Speculation and profiteering!"

How should we describe the crime of "speculation and profiteering"? It is a legally recognized catch-all crime.

During a particular historical period, the range of crimes it encompassed could be described as all-encompassing.

For example, a certain tycoon who became famous overnight by trading canned goods for airplanes was arrested in 1984 on the same charge of speculation and profiteering.

His specific crime was to order alarm clocks in Chongqing for 25 yuan each and then sell them in Shanghai for 32 yuan each.

That's pretty outrageous.

If Xiang Dongyi or any other businessperson were judged by the same standards, they would all be arrested. Where does profit come from if you don't buy low and sell high? Only a madman would do business without profit.

Wang Xiao wanted to find out more about what had happened, but the officer in the police uniform had already taken Xiang Dong away.

The mall manager, however, remained flustered and urged Wang Xiao and Tang Yicheng to leave quickly.

They shouldn't have been so stubborn; they should have kicked out the individual business owners long ago.

Shopping malls in Beijing have driven away all individual business owners; how could they dare to allow them to continue contracting out their businesses? Sure enough, something went wrong.

Wang Xiao had no choice but to hurry home to find her parents. Her network of connections hadn't yet extended to the police force, and she couldn't find anyone she knew on that front.

Fortunately, Wang Tiejun and Chen Yanqiu had spent half their lives in the provincial capital, and they quickly found out that Xiang Dong was still in police custody. The charge was indeed speculation and profiteering, but the specific crimes were more complex and still under investigation.

Chen Yanqiu muttered to himself, "Oh my god, how did it get like this?"

She busied herself getting a newly fluffed cotton quilt to take to the police station. It wasn't even the end of the first month of the lunar calendar yet, and without a thick quilt to cover oneself at night, one would surely freeze to death.

Wang Xiao asked blankly, "Can you deliver it?"

She really didn't know.

Although she had been to the police station and dealt with the police before (when she saw someone harassing a young woman while having a late-night snack, she smashed a beer bottle over the head of the thug and also hit him with a chair), the police did not detain her after taking her statement. Instead, they took her to the hospital.

Who told her to be beaten even worse, almost disfigured?

She's a live-streaming e-commerce host who makes a living based on her looks.

Chen Yanqiu was taken aback; she didn't understand either.

"Let's take it with us first, then we'll talk about it."

Tang Yicheng was quite perceptive and immediately stepped forward to help carry the blanket.

Chen Yanqiu and her daughter Wang Xiao each carried a large thermos of dry-mixed dumplings, one filled with chicken and bamboo shoots and the other with shepherd's purse and pork.

Wang Tiejun made the dumplings. Unfortunately, this newly appointed workshop director was still on the production line and had to work three shifts, so he could only provide logistical support.

In the end, it was Dr. Chen who led Wang Xiao and Tang Yicheng to the police station.

Chen Yanqiu had originally intended to prepare two clean sets of clothes for Xiang Dong, but everyone agreed that this was very unlucky, as if it implied that he would be locked up forever, so they gave up on the idea for the time being.

Anyway, it's not over yet, so it won't be a big deal if a grown man doesn't change his clothes all night.

The three arrived at the police station, where the veteran officer on duty, without any sense of vigilance, took the thermos of shepherd's purse and pork dumplings and told his apprentice to lead them inside to see the person.

As Wang Xiao left, he glanced back and saw the old policeman already eating dumplings with practiced ease. He couldn't help but think to himself, "The police and the people are truly one family."

Otherwise, where did he get the audacity to just accept a bucket of dumplings and eat them? Wasn't he afraid someone would poison them?

The leftover chicken and bamboo shoot dumplings were naturally left for Xiang Dong to eat; he probably wouldn't get a decent meal at the police station anyway.

Xiang Dong seemed alright; his eyes were anxious but not listless, and there were no visible injuries on his face. In this day and age, there were no body cameras, so torture and forced confessions were nothing new; the lack of facial injuries likely meant he hadn't actually been beaten.

Upon seeing Wang Xiao and the others, he immediately craned his neck to greet them, but then hesitated to speak, fearing the young police officer watching from the side.

Seeing this, Dr. Chen quickly brought out the thermos: "Come on, come on, haven't eaten yet? Have some dumplings. Eat quickly, or they'll burn. Comrade, would you like some too?"

Then Wang Xiao stared in disbelief as the police officer actually agreed, took out his enamel mug, and divided about a third of the dumplings.

Dr. Chen kept asking, "Want some more?" I quickly picked up the enamel mug and repeatedly emphasized, "That's enough, that's enough."

Then the other person sat down and ate dumplings by themselves, leaving Wang Xiao speechless despite having so much to say. He could only call out to Xiang Dong, "Eat first."

Xiang Dong was so hungry he was dizzy. Hearing this, he thanked them and took the thermos.

The police officer was busy eating his own dumplings and didn't try to stop him at all.

Just as Xiang Dong finished off three dumplings in one go and was about to speak after calming down a bit, the door slammed shut with a "bang".

Xiang's cousin and his two fellow villagers (whom Wang Xiao had met before when he was selling suits) rushed in like a gust of wind.

According to the rules, even when visiting a suspect, it should be a one-on-one visit.

But whether it was because the rules were not strict now, or because Xiang Dong's offense was not serious, or perhaps because of their acquaintance, neither the old policeman who brought the three in nor the young policeman watching from the sidelines told anyone to leave.

When Xiang's cousin saw Wang Xiao, he said irritably, "What's with this self-service supermarket thing? It's caused such a huge commotion. And now you're happy with all this?"

Chen Yanqiu immediately frowned. How could these men talk like that? It was as if her Xiaoxiao was the one who was wrong.

Oh, when you were making a lot of money back then, why didn't your family complain about the money burning your hands?

Fortunately, before she could speak, Xiang Dong stopped his cousin, saying, "Third brother, don't talk nonsense. What does this have to do with Engineer Wang?"

Xiang's cousin, however, exploded like a firecracker: "Nothing to do? Is this the time to cause trouble? We're all wishing we could bury our heads in the ground, but you guys are just showing off! How clever, you're the nail that sticks out gets hammered down! Who else would they report if not you?"

Tang Yicheng asked first, "Who reported it?"

Xiang's cousin retorted angrily, "How would I know? Go ask the police if you dare!"

That obviously won't get you any answers; in fact, getting answers would be even more terrifying.

Wang Xiao ignored his enraged cousin and turned to ask the police officer watching them, "Can we get him released on bail? We want to bail Xiang Dong out."

Xiang's cousin immediately perked up and chimed in, "Yes, yes, bail."

He's not from the provincial capital, and he doesn't have a formal job there, so he's not qualified to guarantee the release of the person.

But Wang Xiao and his family are all city dwellers with stable jobs, so surely they should be able to get the person out first, right?

The answer is no.

The police said the case wasn't fully investigated yet and they needed to interrogate him further, so Xiang Dong couldn't leave the police station for the time being. As for when he could be released on bail, they couldn't say for sure.

Xiang's cousin became anxious: "So you're just going to keep him locked up because you can't get any answers?"

The police were already annoyed by speculators, and now they were even more annoyed: "Don't worry, if our police station can't hold them all, we have detention centers and prisons!"

The fellow villager quickly pulled Xiang Dong aside. They're all talking tough now, but Xiang Dong will be the one who suffers in the end.

Besides, when it comes to speculation and profiteering, none of them would dare to swear on their own chests that they are not speculators or profiteers.

The police didn't forbid Dr. Chen from giving Xiang Dong the quilt. After checking it and making sure there was nothing hidden inside, they gave it to Xiang Dong. The police station was also short of funds, and they didn't have any extra quilts either.

When leaving the police station, Xiang's cousin deliberately squeezed in front of Wang Xiao and her daughter and walked away angrily without saying a word.

Chen Yanqiu couldn't help but point a finger and spit, "So rude."

Panicked, she grabbed her daughter and emphasized, "Come on, Mom will take you to talk to the factory and we'll stop dealing with triangular debts. And don't do sales for any factory anymore. Look at the mess we've made, or they'll come after you next."

Tang Yicheng blurted out without thinking, "We're different. We're from a legitimate factory."

As soon as he said it, he felt guilty. They had also taken goods to sell at the counter in the east. If it was a matter of speculation and profiteering, none of them could escape the charges.

However, the factory probably won't just stand by and do nothing. Otherwise, how would all those salespeople survive?

Wang Xiao muttered to himself, "The factory..."

Yes, now the only thing that can help us get Xiangdong out of the water is the steel mill.

"Come on, Mom, let's go find the leader."

Chen Yanqiu breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her daughter finally showing fear. No one dislikes money, but seeing her daughter earning it truly made her uneasy. Their family wasn't short of money; why risk their lives for it? A life free from worries about food and clothing, and peace and safety—that was what truly mattered.

Unfortunately, her relief was short-lived, because her brat hadn't actually told the leaders to stop escalating the triangular debt issue; instead, she wanted the factory leaders to get Xiang Dong out of there.

“Without his help, the Soviet goods wouldn’t sell, and the funds wouldn’t come back,” Wang Xiao said seriously. “The Soviets just contacted me today saying they wanted more goods. I found a garment factory, and if things go smoothly this time, I can get a few million more back. But once Xiang Dong is arrested, no one will dare to lend a hand to me again.”

Tang Yicheng, who rarely followed Wang Xiao's train of thought, quickly chimed in, "That's right, we've already made arrangements with the garment factory and are on our way to the train station to buy tickets. If Xiang Dong continues to be detained, who will we ask to help us sell the goods once they're brought back?"

Are a few million dollars a small amount for a steel mill with debts exceeding 50 million? Of course not, every little bit counts.

Old Wang and his daughter have already helped the factory resolve several million yuan in debt through their repeated trips. If this continues, their factory might be able to solve the major problem of triangular debt this year.

Those who can sit in leadership positions in large companies are all incredibly smart; they are all very adept at grasping the main contradictions and solving the main problems.

Since Comrade Xiang Dong is an important part of clearing up the triangular debt problem, he must be protected, at least until the debt is cleared up.

Sigh, what crimes can a self-employed person commit? It's just speculation and profiteering. If you want to make money, how else can you do it?

Of course, when facing employees and their families, the leaders remained composed: "Let me first find out what happened. In short, the factory knows the situation, and we can't let our colleagues down."

But when the leader returned after making the call, his expression became somewhat subtle.

Xiang Dong was arrested on charges of speculation and profiteering, but the crime he was convicted of was bribery. He gave money and lavish gifts to the person in charge of the People's Department Store, which is why he obtained the contract for the department store counter.

Everyone was horrified; this was internal strife.

To put it bluntly, outsiders have no idea whether leaders accept bribes or not, and they don't even care about such things. Only those close to the leadership know the details.

As for bribing Xiang Dong, well, that's only human nature.

If you don't give gifts, is it so easy to get into a leader's house? Real society isn't a moral education textbook for elementary school students.

Using this kind of thing to target Xiang Dong is, well, a complicated matter.

The steel mill leaders also felt it wasn't a big deal. Since it wasn't a serious matter, they decided to bail him out first.

As a result, Xiang Dong spent less than 24 hours at the police station and was able to return to society smoothly the next morning.

However, the final conclusion has not yet been reached, and he remains a criminal suspect, required to be available for questioning at any time. The police specifically reminded him that he is not allowed to leave the city and must cooperate with the investigation at all times.

Xiang Dong looked bitter: "Where can I go? I still have a bunch of clothes waiting to be sold."

Wang Xiao comforted him, "It's okay, the fact that you can come out means it's not a big deal. Come on, let's go to the mall together and check things out."

However, when everyone entered the People's Department Store, their expressions changed.

Damn it! This is so unethical! When did the mall start its own self-service clothing supermarket? It's only been a short time, less than 24 hours!

When the sales clerk at the counter that Xiang Dong had contracted saw the boss arrive, she quickly ran over and whispered a complaint: "We started cleaning up last night. We thought you had reached an agreement with the mall. But they completely ignored us, and this is how it turned out this morning."

When Xiang Dong heard the news that his cousin had been released on bail, he rushed to the mall to see him. Seeing this, he understood immediately.

"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." They saw the potential in the clothing self-service supermarket and decided to throw him in jail to prevent him from interfering with their profits.

Ultimately, it was the self-service clothing supermarket that caused the trouble.

Tang Yicheng was furious: "How could they do this? Their behavior is so disgusting!"

Even if the shopping mall were to partner with Xiangdong, it would be better to share profits according to a certain ratio than to end up in this mess.

Not to mention that they even sent people to jail just to eat all the food themselves.

Wang Xiao wasn't surprised at all.

She had heard of several cases of private capital being taken advantage of by leading cadres in university classes alone, which were child's play compared to things like Prince Milk.

However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined, and this may not necessarily be bad news for Xiang Dong.

Wang Xiao turned to look east: "You should be alright now."

Let alone Tang Yi succeeding, even Xiang Dong, who prides himself on his quick wit, can't keep up with Wang Xiao's thought process. What exactly makes her make such a judgment?

"The People's Department Store has already opened a self-service supermarket, which means their internal struggle has come to a conclusion. Your matter can only be resolved by downplaying it; otherwise, someone would have to accept the bribe, and who would bear the blame? Besides—"

Wang Xiao smiled enigmatically, "If we're talking about giving gifts, which leader did you leave out? Since this is a serious matter, then of course no one can be left out."

With Xiang Dong's quick wit, he'd make sure to give gifts to every leader, avoiding any unnecessary offense. That's a basic characteristic of people in society.

Since that's the case.

Come on, let's go crazy!

Don't laugh at the crow for being black; if you're going to attack, attack a whole bunch of them.

If you drive people to their deaths, then nobody can expect peace in the world.

Perfect! By proactively confessing to more crimes and reporting others, they can even redeem themselves through meritorious service.

The person who orchestrated this whole thing considers himself a fine gem, and has no courage to clash with what they see as mere rubble.

What happened next actually confirmed Wang Xiao's guess.

The police did indeed look for Xiang Dong again, but instead of arresting him again, they fined him 50,000 yuan.

In terms of purchasing power, this is roughly equivalent to 5 million yuan in 30 years.

But Xiang Dong didn't care about this loss. He had been in business for many years, and spending 50,000 yuan was nothing to him.

What truly pained him was that he was completely kicked out of the People's Department Store. The store took back his contracted counter and forbade him from continuing to work there.

This was like going back to square one; he was beaten senseless and dizzy.

Tang Yicheng felt indignant on his behalf: "The contract hasn't expired yet, how can you just kick someone out like that? Who will compensate for the losses caused?"

He now spends a lot of time at Jinning Grand Hotel listening to people talk about investment contracts; he has a particularly strong concept of this.

Xiang Dong's cousin glared at him, his face turning as red as a frog's: "Who's talking to you about a contract? This is their territory, they can kick you out whenever they want."

Then he scolded Xiang Dong with great indignation, "I told you not to cause trouble, but you wouldn't listen. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Who else would they target if not you? Do you think it's easy for people like us to stand out? What good has ever happened to someone who stands out? Now look at all these clothes, where are you going to sell them?"

Although Xiang Dong was grateful that his cousin hadn't abandoned him when he was down on his luck, he really didn't like hearing this kind of talk: "Where can we sell it? Just take it to the market in the countryside, surely we can sell it eventually."

He was devastated even after losing the counter.

Even if time could turn back, he would still cooperate with Wang Xiao.

Because they earn a lot of money.

He's earned in the last few months what he did in the previous few years.

Fortune favors the bold; how can one do business without taking risks?

Otherwise, if everyone knows that setting up a stall can make money, why don't we see everyone going out to set up a street stall?

Isn't it because everyone knows in their hearts that if they keep doing this, they might get arrested and go to jail one day?

It's not uncommon for people to go to jail like this in their hometown.

Xiang Dong assured Wang Xiao, "It's alright, Engineer Wang, I can handle these clothes. At most, I'll earn a little less. I've really troubled you, Brother Tang, and your aunt and uncle with all this. My place is a mess, but once I've cleaned it up, I'll definitely treat you to a meal."

Wang Xiao waved his hand: "No rush, it's not time to rush to the market in the countryside. Pick out the clothes, put down the ones that can be sold later, and pick out the ones that need to be shipped out quickly."

Xiang's cousin immediately became anxious: "No, take it all. It gets hot very quickly, there's no time to wait. Aren't you doing business with the Russians? Hurry up, give it all to the Russians."

Xiang Dong finally couldn't hold back any longer and pushed him away: "Alright, Third Brother, I can handle things here myself. You go back and take care of your own business."

Xiang's cousin was pushed backward, scolding Xiang Dong, "Let me tell you, don't be so shameless. Whose fault is it that you've gotten yourself into this mess? If you were doing well..."

“It’s no one’s fault!” Xiang Dong said anxiously. “It’s the conjunctivitis that’s to blame, it’s their fault for not being able to do well themselves and not allowing others to do well.”

He finally managed to get rid of his cousin after much persuasion, then turned back to apologize to Wang Xiao, "I'm sorry, I wish I could sew my cousin's mouth shut."

Wang Xiao observed the whole scene coldly, and then smiled: "You really don't blame me?"

Xiang Dong quickly waved his hand: "It's no trouble, it's no trouble. I'm telling the truth. I didn't go to school much, but I still understand the most basic principles of being a decent human being. To be honest, even without the self-service supermarket incident, my stall selling migrant workers is doing well, and there are plenty of people who don't like me. As long as they get the chance, they will definitely cause trouble."

Wang Xiao nodded: "Okay, since you're open-minded, let's go big. Aren't they copying us by setting up self-service clothing supermarkets? Then let's make this supermarket bigger and stronger, so that it's always imitated but never surpassed."

————————

Ah Jin, covering his face, is already feeling the consequences of changing his name.

Well then, have a great weekend! It's gotten colder where I am, how about you? It feels like winter is coming overnight.