Chapter 27 Exclusive Background on Jinjiang Literature City
Zhang Qingfeng paused slightly in the hand holding the spoon, but his expression remained unchanged.
"We're still in communication. That plastics factory was only recently established, so they certainly won't agree to move so easily."
Li Yiyi curled her lip: "They're just greedy and insatiable, like those holdout residents."
"So we are still in negotiations, you don't need to worry."
Li Yiyi said anxiously, "Brother Qingfeng, you still need to acquire that land quickly, otherwise it may be too late."
Li Yiyi didn't know the exact development time of that area, only that it would be developed in the future and become the economic center of the provincial capital, much more prosperous and bustling than the old city, with ridiculously high housing prices.
The area where the plastics factory was located was the most central location in the provincial capital. Later, the tallest building in the province at that time was built there, and the surrounding property prices also soared.
All she knew was that the plastic factory owner was incredibly lucky. He bought the land during a downturn and then sold it for several times the price. He also built a high-end residential area on the new land that the government compensated him for, which was a well-known wealthy area for a long time.
Even if many new upscale residential areas emerge later with better facilities and services, they cannot replace its former status, just like the difference between old money and new money.
That boss made a fortune back then; it's said his assets could make him the richest man in Qing Province. However, he was a low-key person, so ordinary people didn't know how much wealth he had or who he was.
Li Yiyi had only heard about it; when she described it, she always referred to it as the owner of Yunyuan, but she didn't know the person's name or what they looked like.
That's right, Li Yiyi is a time traveler, and she even traveled into the novel she wrote.
Li Yiyi's original name was Li Jing. After graduating from university, she joined a well-established local company as an ordinary clerk in the secretariat. As a newcomer, she was responsible for miscellaneous tasks such as serving tea and water.
To her surprise, her job as a tea server actually caught the attention of CEO Zhang Qingfeng.
One day she was almost late and ran into him as she hurriedly got on the elevator.
The boss not only didn't scold her for arriving on time, but also showed concern for her, asking if she hadn't eaten breakfast and that she looked pale. He even told her to go eat something first before going to work.
Before joining this company, Li Jing had actually worked at another company for several months.
Those were days that Li Jing found suffocating whenever she thought about them. The salary was low and the workload was heavy. Overtime was a regular occurrence. The one-day-off-per-week was already very harsh, but she was often asked to work overtime. She had to take on multiple roles and also help her boss with family matters. Calling her a beast of burden was an understatement.
She had just graduated and was penniless. Her family not only didn't support her, but they also started asking her for money as soon as she graduated.
They've invested so much in her over the years, and now that she's graduated, it's time for them to give back to their parents. Every time they call, all they talk about is how much money so-and-so's child gives home each month, what they buy for them, and how much dowry they gave their family when they got married.
If she dares to say how difficult things are for her outside, her family will make her go back home immediately and find someone to marry.
With pressure from her family, she still had to pay rent in another city and eat regularly. These days, it's not easy for college graduates to find jobs, so Li Jing didn't dare to quit her job easily.
However, she kept looking for a better job while still employed, and finally got a job at a new company.
This new company not only has weekends off, but also rarely works overtime. The office is located in a very high-end office building, and the company alone occupies several floors.
It is said that the entire building belongs to their company boss, and the annual income from rent alone is very considerable.
The new company's CEO is completely different from the greasy CEO of the previous company. Although he is no longer young, he is still elegant, refined and wise, and has a unique charm that belongs to mature men. He is like a noble young master from a prestigious family, polite, humble and composed.
Li Jing has always had great respect for her boss.
He comes from a good family and graduated from a prestigious university. He doesn't rest on his father's laurels and has built his current business empire on his own.
This experience made Li Jing like him even more.
It was probably because she left an impression on Zhang Qingfeng that they had more and more opportunities to interact. Later, Li Jing even became his secretary because of her excellent work, mainly responsible for his various trivial arrangements.
The more time they spent together, the more Li Jing admired him, something she had never seen in her peers.
Talking with him made her realize how shallow she was. His erudition and experience nourished her, letting her know that the world has so many facets.
Li Jing didn't know when it started, but her feelings for him had changed.
During a business trip, the two accidentally had sex after drinking.
After regaining his senses, Zhang Qingfeng felt extremely guilty and annoyed that he had lost control.
After her initial panic, Li Jing chose to forgive, acknowledging that she herself had also made mistakes.
Li Jing refused Zhang Qingfeng's offer of compensation, as she did not want their relationship to become a monetary transaction.
However, Zhang Qingfeng insisted on renting a new house for her in the end, not wanting to see her living in that small and very poor place she used to live.
After Li Jing got together with Zhang Qingfeng, she realized how big the world was and how rich and colorful life could be.
Zhang Qingfeng took her to experience many of her firsts, including staying in a five-star hotel for the first time, dining in a revolving restaurant for the first time, going abroad for the first time, and skiing for the first time.
Li Jing had never been treated like a precious treasure before, which made it difficult for her to give up such pampering even though she knew the other person had a wife.
If Zhang Qingfeng has any flaws, it's that he has a domineering, greedy, and shrewish wife.
This wife trapped Zhang Qingfeng for life, preventing him from experiencing the warmth of a normal family. Despite being a billionaire, he couldn't even have a hot meal at home.
Every time I go home, it's a cold house and an endless stream of accusations and arguments.
Moreover, she not only failed to fulfill her duties as a wife in daily life, but also negatively impacted Zhang Qingfeng's work.
Zhang Qingfeng runs a company, so he inevitably has a lot of social engagements. Sometimes when he gets home late, his wife either makes a huge scene or simply locks the door to prevent him from coming home.
If he leaves to spend the night at a hotel, she'll turn around and accuse him of not coming home at all and being in some woman's bed.
She always suspected him of having affairs, was constantly paranoid, and frequently called his business partners to interrogate them about what they did together and why they didn't come home late at night.
This greatly affected his career. Everyone knew he had a crazy wife, and people dared not associate with him anymore.
This marriage was full of scheming from the very beginning. The woman, relying on her good relationship with Zhang Qingfeng's grandfather, plotted against him and forced him to marry her.
Therefore, they are particularly prone to suspicion after marriage, and their relationship has always been very bad.
That woman was vulgar and uncultured, and she kept interfering in company affairs. Zhang Qingfeng went to great lengths to get her out of the center of power and stop interfering in company matters.
However, she relied on her grandfather's favoritism and used various means, such as falsely claiming to be pregnant, to shamelessly take away most of the company's shares. If the two divorce, his business will suffer a devastating blow.
Therefore, he could not escape this marriage, as the two were too deeply entangled in interests.
Zhang Qingfeng wasn't actually concerned about the money; rather, the company was like his child. He had worked hard for it for so many years, watching it grow from nothing to its current size, and he simply couldn't bear to give it up.
So many employees will lose their jobs because of this.
If he gives up, given that woman's personality, the company will definitely be ruined.
Li Jing had also heard of this woman's reputation. She had heard some of the company's senior employees say that this woman used to be in charge of company affairs, but she often argued with the boss due to differing opinions and never gave the boss any face in front of others.
After leaving the company, he would occasionally resurface to criticize and oppose Zhang Qingfeng's decisions.
This left Zhang Qingfeng extremely exhausted, and he thus became immersed in Li Jing's tenderness.
When Zhang Qingfeng ate the meal cooked by Li Jing for the first time, he was so moved that he hugged her tightly, wishing he could melt her into his arms.
This feeling of being moved only made Zhang Qingfeng more frustrated. He had met such a wonderful girl, yet he had always let her down and couldn't marry her.
At that time, he decided to let go and let Li Jing find someone better, and even found her a blind date.
That person was indeed quite good, much better than the unattractive men my family introduced.
But this also made Li Jing appreciate Zhang Qingfeng even more, making her even more reluctant to leave him and unwilling to let him return alone to the home that had never brought her warmth.
This wasn't the first time such a situation had occurred. The inability to be together despite their love caused them great pain, but also made them cherish the time they spent together even more.
To avoid their secret relationship being discovered, the two didn't spend much time together, which made Li Jing feel lonely on many nights.
Li Jing, who was obsessed with online novels, picked up her pen on a lonely night and wrote a romance novel based on Zhang Qingfeng, with Zhang Qingfeng as the female protagonist, and posted it online.
To avoid being seen by her colleagues, Li Jing changed the man's name from 'Feng' to 'Feng', making it both relatable and not exactly the same. The female protagonist, on the other hand, only dared to use her surname.
In the original story, they overcame all difficulties to be together. She could stand openly by his side as his wife, and every time he came home, there would be delicious food waiting for him, and no matter how late he came home, there would always be a light waiting for his return.
Li Jing never expected that she would transmigrate into the book she herself had written before the novel was even finished.
Although the timeline is five years earlier than in the book, the original setting is the same.
Just like in the book, she was Zhang Qingfeng's childhood sweetheart, someone he had known since they were little. She came from a good family, had doting parents and brothers, and a face even more beautiful than the real her.
She now possesses everything she had ever dreamed of. She is no longer that poor, unloved little girl, but a pampered princess, the protagonist of this world.
Moreover, she knew Zhang Qingfeng much earlier than that woman; that woman was the third party between them!
Although Li Jing, now Li Yiyi, discovered that this world was somewhat different from the world in the novel, these were not major problems.
Unlike before, when she could only look up at Zhang Qingfeng and wait for his arrival alone in the house, she can now stand shoulder to shoulder with him, and she feels more confident in loving him.
Moreover, she foresaw the future and could help Zhang Qingfeng in his career, so that he would no longer have to compromise with that woman in order to gain his grandfather's support.
She will be a good wife and a capable helper, not only taking good care of him in life, but also becoming a support for him in his career.
Therefore, Li Yiyi informed Zhang Qingfeng about the government's plan to focus on developing the western part of the city.
Zhang Qingfeng did not doubt her source of information, because Li Yiyi's parents were both public officials; her father was a division-level cadre in charge of economic affairs.
Li Yiyi only made up a little, but Zhang Qingfeng believed her.
Zhang Qingfeng trusted her so much because Li Yiyi had previously revealed some information to him, allowing him to make a small profit.
Li Yiyi had read quite a few historical fiction novels before, so she had some understanding of this era. Although historical fiction novels are not documentary in the traditional sense, and many settings are made up by the author for the sake of enjoyment or the timeline is chaotic, it was still enough for Li Yiyi to show off her skills a bit.
"Things are looking promising, and they'll agree soon," Zhang Qingfeng reassured him.
Although the plastics factory fought back, given their current financial situation and the blockage of various sales channels, they will soon be unable to hold on.
Although Lu Ting's return made things more difficult, the plastic factory could barely survive for a while, but it couldn't turn the tide.
Zhang Qingfeng was quite confident about this.
Although Lu Ting, this international middleman, made a lot of money, he couldn't keep losing money to the plastics factory.
To cut losses in time, the plastics factory should be sold.
Zhang Qingfeng pondered this, his eyes darkening.
Lu Ting is now considering leaving the reseller business, and he doesn't mind acting as a catalyst to speed up the process.
"That's good! Otherwise, if the province starts to take action, the other party will definitely raise the price as soon as they hear a whisper of it."
Zhang Qingfeng smiled and patted her head. "These are things I should worry about. You don't need to worry. Just be your little princess."
Li Yiyi, her face slightly flushed, nestled against Zhang Qingfeng's shoulder.
Although she liked and relied on the older Zhang Qingfeng, her heart pounded even harder when she saw the younger, more handsome version of him.
Although he lacks the composure and maturity he will have decades later, his current sharp and energetic spirit gives Li Yiyi a new experience.
Li Yiyi knew that Zhang Qingfeng was different from other men. Even when he was young, he was not as self-righteous as some men. He was always so gentle and considerate.
Thinking of something, Li Yiyi sat up straight, hesitated for a moment, and then said:
"I heard that the old house hosted a guest before, and Grandpa Zhang was especially kind to her. Who was that person?"
Li Yiyi knew about this news at the time and really wanted to go to the old house to see what that woman looked like now.
She only knew how fierce and mean this person was from other people's stories; she had only met that woman once.
In a moment of impulsiveness, she wanted to confront that woman. She clearly didn't love Zhang Qingfeng, so why couldn't she divorce him and let him go?
What's the point of having someone who doesn't have his heart?
She was waiting at the restaurant that the woman frequented, a place that was glittering and luxurious, where a single meal could easily cost the equivalent of a month's or even several months' salary for an average worker.
This woman is so vain and extravagant, completely disregarding Zhang Qingfeng's hard work; she's a complete parasite.
Li Yiyi still remembers feeling so confident while waiting, looking at the lavish scene and the expensive menu.
But when she saw the woman slowly walk in, she was stunned; she was completely different from what she had imagined.
The other person looked even younger than Zhang Qingfeng; anyone who didn't know better would think she was only in her thirties. Li Yiyi couldn't remember exactly what she looked like, or perhaps she deliberately didn't want to remember. She only remembered the way the other person looked at her, as if she were an ant, completely disregarding her.
Then she was asked to leave by the restaurant staff, who said that the restaurant did not welcome her.
Li Yiyi was completely stunned at the time, and she didn't understand what had happened to her until she left.
Li Yiyi now understands that it was her inferiority complex that was causing her to be afraid.
Therefore, Li Yiyi was still a little uneasy, because Zhang Qingfeng was not disappointed or disgusted with this woman from the beginning. As a responsible man, no matter what the reason, he would treat her well after marrying her.
And that woman wasn't as bad as she thought. In fact, she shone brightly decades later.
At first, Zhang Qingfeng also wanted to live a good life with the other party. Because of this intention, he was often unguarded, which led to the majority of the company's shares being in the hands of that woman.
It was only because his partner repeatedly crossed his bottom line that the couple gradually drifted apart.
Therefore, Li Yiyi was worried that Zhang Qingfeng would develop feelings for that woman, since the two were betrothed as children.
Although it was just a joke, Li Yiyi still took it seriously.
She didn't mention this in the original text, but it exists in reality.
“She’s a little girl my grandfather met in the countryside. She and her mother took good care of him, so he valued her highly,” Zhang Qingfeng said calmly, withdrawing his hand from Li Yiyi’s shoulder.
"Oh, I see. Grandpa Zhang liked her so much, didn't she stay at Grandpa Zhang's house any longer?"
This puzzled Li Yiyi. Given that woman's vain and materialistic nature, how could she possibly refuse to stay in such a beautiful house?
"Her father has passed away, and she needs to observe mourning, so it's inconvenient for her to stay at someone else's house."
Li Yiyi understood, but couldn't help but think to herself, "This isn't ancient times, why are they still making such a fuss about mourning?"
It's better that she doesn't move in so soon, so that Grandpa Zhang's relationship with her doesn't get better and better, making it even harder for Zhang Qingfeng to break free in the future.
The sooner Zhang Qingfeng achieves success, the less control his grandfather will have over him, and the less likely he will insist that Zhang Qingfeng marry that woman after she uses a scheme that is obvious to everyone.
However, Li Yiyi was still somewhat disappointed that she didn't see the woman.
She is no longer the neglected girl from a small town. She comes from a wealthy family and is Zhang Qingfeng's childhood sweetheart. She is not only young but also very beautiful. Since transmigrating, she can outshine other girls in any situation.
What kind of expression would that woman have if she saw her like this?
Is it inferiority, timidity, or anger and embarrassment?
Li Yiyi thought that it would probably be even more embarrassing than what she had done back then, because at least she had the advantage of being younger.
But don't worry, they will have a chance to meet, and she will be even more radiant and beautiful then.
At this moment, Su Ruyi was unaware that someone was thinking about her; her eyes were fixed on the whole roasted lamb.
Lu Ting waved his hand and bought twenty sheep, saying it was also to provide extra food for the workers.
These days, everyone is living in fear and anxiety, and good food can soothe everyone's anxiety.
Uncle Liang and his team rolled up their sleeves and got to work, bustling about with great enthusiasm, while the aroma filled the entire plastic factory.
People from the residential area all rushed over to watch. Those who were still working laughed and grumbled, saying how could they concentrate on their work when it smelled so good, but their hands were still moving methodically, only faster than usual.
That's a whole roasted lamb! Even if you don't get much for yourself, it's still enough to make you happy.
These days, there are still many people who often don't get to eat meat. They work here and not only do they often have meat to eat, but they also get to have such a big meal.
"Our factory has to hold on," one worker sighed.
Such a good factory is hard to find.
Even the most profitable state-owned factories are not places that ordinary people like them without connections can get into.
"Cheer up, everyone! Our Red Star won't be so easily defeated!" A worker who was a veteran encouraged everyone.
"Yes, we just got an order. It's not a big one, but it's a good sign. Things will get better gradually."
Su Ruyi could feel everyone's excitement, not only because they could eat meat, but also because they felt that the factory had not become depressed because of the setbacks, and that their factory was still full of hope.
Lu Ting's move stirred up the mood of the entire factory again.
Although it's only temporary, and ultimately the factory has to prove itself, it's still very necessary to boost morale during this phase.
"You guys have to stick with this plastics factory. If it really doesn't work out, we can find another place. I was hoping to make a fortune off you guys," Su Ruyi said.
She saw many disabled workers while she was eating yesterday.
If the plastics factory goes out of business, these people will find it very difficult to find work in such a factory again.
Lu Ting laughed and said, "Don't worry, no one can bring down our Red Star with such dirty tricks."
They wanted to ruin their factory and then buy the land at a low price. Lu Ting sneered inwardly, thinking there was no such thing as a free lunch.
If the other party talks to him normally, he can calmly discuss it with them. He doesn't necessarily have to build a factory here; other places are also acceptable.
As long as the compensation terms are reasonable, everything is negotiable.
If he insists on using such methods, then he's not a good person.
Even if he can't hold onto this land, he won't let that scheming person succeed.
Su Ruyi didn't know Lu Ting's background or his strength, but there was no point in thinking too much about it. This matter was beyond her control; she was just a weak but strong woman.
Su Ruyi continued happily grilling lamb skewers. It has to be said that this factory truly lives up to its reputation as a place where most of the employees are veterans; their execution is top-notch.
Everything was a sudden inspiration, yet it was quickly arranged in an orderly manner, and everything was prepared.
Roasting a whole lamb would take too much time, so most of it was used for other things, but lamb skewers were a must.
After watching for a while, Lu Ting couldn't help but say, "Why don't I do it?"
Su Ruyi glanced at the mutton in her hand... or perhaps... charcoal?
Her eyes darted around, and she casually put down the skewer in her hand and ran to check on the roasted whole lamb.
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