With the government involved, the procession became even more extravagant. The roads outside were temporarily blocked off, and police officers on motorcycles led the way, with sirens blaring all the way, as Boss Nie was taken away.
As for just how much of a big boss from Hong Kong acted, Director Gao gradually figured it out. It wasn't until Nie Zhao left that he understood something: Boss Nie went to the Sanmao factory first and then to the government. He had more influence in the government, so he had more confidence when applying to expand the factory and to give Li Xia a recommendation for university.
If city leaders come here to greet Hong Kong businessmen, how can they not give them face?
Thinking about it, he almost wanted to do a disco dance on the spot.
Chen Rou is still here, so of course we should treat her even better. But when Director Gao turned around, he saw the secretary's wife with a long face, leading the factory driver in a hurry toward the Xiali car, looking like she was going to drive away.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Director Gao was angry and immediately roared.
The Party Secretary's wife cried out, "Factory Director, my father has broken his leg! Please, could you please take him to the hospital?"
"Didn't you know to call 120 if you broke your leg? Public vehicles can't be used for private purposes." Director Gao said, snatching the keys back.
The poor secretary's wife pouted and left feeling wronged.
...
That's actually how it is.
The secretary's father-in-law used to work at the supply and marketing cooperative. A few years ago, the supply and marketing cooperative was a more prestigious unit than the city's. He had been retired for a long time and was used to being flattered. He also felt that he had connections everywhere and was not afraid of the wool mill.
He came here specifically to see just how impressive the Hong Kong businessmen who came to the wool mill really were.
If he were truly powerful, he wouldn't bully Li Xia; but if the Hong Kong businessman wasn't very impressive, he would teach Li Xia a lesson.
Just as Nie Zhao's convoy entered the factory gate, he was in the stairwell when he tripped and fell, spraining his ankle. But a sprained ankle wasn't a big deal. He angrily went back to his daughter's house, vented his anger by cursing Li Xia and Director Gao, and when he realized he couldn't maintain his local tyrant status, he prepared to go home on crutches.
As soon as he came out of his son-in-law's house, he saw three government cars rushing into the yard. The lead car had the license plate number Shenzhen A.00001, and there were police cars clearing the way from all sides. The poor old man had been extorting money and kickbacks at the supply and marketing cooperative for half his life, but he had never seen car number 1 before. As he watched the car come in, his legs went weak, and he tumbled from the third floor to the first floor, breaking his head.
He's barely breathing right now, and he's on the verge of dying.
Life is unpredictable. People are always opportunistic and sycophantic. It's pitiful that the secretary's wife, who had been a tyrant in the factory for half her life, ended up with her father bleeding from the head and stiff as a board, yet no one in the wool mill offered her a helping hand.
It's really quite tragic when you think about it.
Because Chen Rou firmly refused and repeatedly stated that she only wanted to eat some home-cooked food made by Li Xia, everyone else left.
Of course, Director Gao paid for it out of his own pocket, buying a lot of fish and meat, and even sent two female employees to help Li Xia cook, striving to serve the Hong Kong businessman's wife well.
Chen Rou found the home she had never lived in before quite novel.
There was only one bedroom, one bed, and the sheets and duvet cover were faded from washing. The two pillowcases were covered with all sorts of patches. When you opened the closet, there were a few sets of clothes inside, but you could still tell that Li Xia lived a simple life and was in dire straits.
Seeing a package tucked away in the corner of the cabinet, and hearing Li Xia still busy in the kitchen, she picked it up.
Upon opening it, one finds a stack of soft, fluffy blankets and clothes, all made of new cotton and fabric. There is also a stack of white gauze diapers, with exceptionally fine stitches. These must be the diapers she used when she was little; they feel so comfortable to the touch.
The package also contained a variety of baby powders, Yu Meijing baby face cream, and a bottle of baby cod liver oil that looked quite expensive. These were probably all prepared by Li Xia for her daughter. Chen Rou looked up at the cabinet and saw no other cosmetics, only a piece of lard moisturizing cream wrapped in oil paper. That stuff only cost 5 cents a stick when she could remember.
"Are you looking for a pair of slippers? I forgot to bring you slippers. Come and try these on. I sewed the soles myself, I crocheted them myself." Li Xia suddenly appeared in the doorway, and Chen Rou quickly pushed the things inside and closed the cabinet door.
Li Xia's slippers have plastic soles bought from outside, and she crocheted the insoles and uppers herself with yarn; they are very comfortable to wear.
She actually wanted to get rid of all the extra people and spend some time alone with Li Xia.
But that wouldn't do. She sent Afa and Xiaoding away, as Secretary An and Nie Zhao would reprimand them.
She changed into slippers and went back to the bedroom. Li Xia said at the door, "My husband only comes home once every six months. My sheets and blankets were just washed and they're not dirty. If you're tired, lie down for a while."
While one might need to be polite to others, it's unnecessary to be so at home. Chen Rou knew that Li Xia would feel more comfortable if she sat down or lay down, so she sat on the edge of the bed and said with a smile, "Okay."
Li Xia wanted to keep an eye on this young lady's daughter, but she was afraid of being impolite, so she went back to the kitchen.
Chen Rou saw a photo album on the cabinet and picked it up.
The first thing you see when you open the box is a large group photo, probably taken 10 years ago, showing a bunch of young, inexperienced lads.
She spotted her boss, Yue Guoqi, at a glance. He was 18 years old then, his neck stiff and stubborn. Her father, Chen Ke, stood beside Yue Guoqi, his usual brooding gaze carrying the stoic charm unique to men from Northwest China.
The photo shows several black blobs with their faces painted black with a pen, which look rather strange.
This was no problem for Chen Rou. It didn't matter that the photo had been overwritten with a pen; it could be seen clearly with just top lighting.
She saw a flashlight, turned it on, took the photo to the balcony, held it up in the sunlight, and found the right angle to add the flashlight beam to expose the dark spots. Upon closer inspection, she couldn't help but admire her father's meticulousness.
Among those whose faces were painted black was Song Yuanchao, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, a square face, and an upright demeanor.
So her father and Song Yuanchao were comrades-in-arms, and the evidence is in this photo.
She finally understood: these people had been to the front lines together, and this was a group photo of them before they went to the front lines.
They were all subsequently transferred to Shenzhen, some to the special forces, and others to the special police department.
For those like Song Yuanchao who were on special missions, all his comrades would black out his photo in order to protect him.
In her previous life, Chen Rou was only 16 when Yue Guoqi dragged her into the army. She grew up under his threats, intimidation, and the occasional treat of fruit. However, she never met Song Yuanchao, which suggests that he must have also sacrificed his life at a young age.
That day at the airport, when she rushed towards Chen Ke, Song Yuanchao must have been very scared.
He and her father, everyone in that photo, went through the flames of war together, and are still fighting on the most dangerous posts today. They even have to erase each other's faces in the photo for each other's safety.
And they will eventually sacrifice themselves silently in some unknown corner, becoming the cigarette that Yue Guoqi always had in his mouth when he was happy or sad, and the sentence he always said when scolding her and her comrades: "Do you know that I am the worst among my comrades? Huh? You guys, what are you so proud of? Compared with my old comrades, you bunch of little bastards are just a bunch of cowards, good-for-nothings, and immature kids!"
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