Chapter 145 One Pot
Liu Xiangyang nodded vigorously: "Definitely, definitely!"
He looked at his sister, his eyes filled with gratitude. If it weren't for his sister's efforts, he would never have had the chance to get the state-owned factory business.
Just as Liu Xiangyang was about to say a few heartfelt words, a sudden idea flashed into his mind, and he slapped his thigh:
"I remember now!"
His shout startled the whole family, and they all stared at him.
Liu Xiangyang looked nervous and grabbed Liu Zhixia: "Today, Dad and I saw Gu Mansheng and Lu Huaiyuan getting out of a car at the village entrance. There was also a man in a suit who was very affectionate with Gu Mansheng. That man... is the nouveau riche we met at the black market!"
Liu Zhixia was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized: "No wonder... that makes sense. That person reported the old black market, and then started his own business in town. He has connections in both the legal and illegal worlds, and his methods are ruthless."
Liu Shouren was terrified: "This person is not to be trifled with! We should avoid Gu Mansheng from now on, lest that powerful relative of his targets get his attention. The second son's family is still in the city; we'll have to be careful there too!"
Liu Zhixia sighed softly, "Father, the tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease. We may want to hide, but it's too late. We've already become a thorn in their side."
Liu Xuejun's expression was also grave: "Yes. The state-owned factory's lucrative profits have been snatched away by our brigade, and they're definitely not happy about it. Especially the pickled vegetable recipe, Gu Mansheng is definitely still eyeing it."
Liu Shouren panicked even more: "What should we do? Are we going to live like we're guarding against thieves for the rest of our lives?"
Zhang Xiuying hugged Da Bao tightly and made a quick decision: "Old man, don't go out around these days. Stay home with me and take care of the two kids. The three of you should also be careful when you go out, don't be alone. Especially the youngest, you're their number one target!"
Liu Zhixia nodded: "Mother, I know what I'm doing."
Zhang Xiuying thought for a moment and then said, "After dinner, call my son-in-law and ask when he can join me in the army. The military may be tough, but it's safe. It's better to stay away from this troublesome place!"
Liu Zhixia gripped her mother's hand tightly, her eyes resolute: "Mother, I know you mean well. But I can't knowingly run off to enjoy myself when there's danger at home. I'll definitely make the call, though, and talk to Shen Yi about that 'nouveau riche'."
“Shen Yi previously led a raid on the black market, which means the military has connections with the local area. Tell him about this; maybe he can come up with a solution.”
Liu Xiangyang's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh: "That's right! If my brother-in-law can do it once, he can do it again! Let's find a reason to take down these troublemakers all at once!"
Liu Zhixia smiled and said, "It's not that simple, but it is indeed a breakthrough point. Let's eat first, and I'll make a call after we finish."
After the meal, Liu Xiangyang rode his bicycle to take Liu Zhixia to the commune.
The commune hadn't closed for the day yet, and the call was quickly connected. Shen Yi had just finished training, and the operator greeted him warmly with "Sister-in-law," then handed him the receiver.
After exchanging a few sweet words, Liu Zhixia got down to business: "How's the matter of accompanying the army going?"
Shen Yi was silent for a moment, then said apologetically, "The army has a big mission recently, so the report for accompanying you on military duty has been temporarily postponed. I don't want you to rush over and suffer, so please wait a little longer. Spend more time with your parents at home, okay?"
Liu Zhixia agreed softly, secretly relieved. This was perfect; she could stay and deal with that nouveau riche to the very end.
She explained the situation of Gu Mansheng's relatives in detail.
Shen Yi suddenly realized: "So it was him! He Shijie. This guy has a very powerful background. He used to be close to capitalists. We were a little suspicious when we received his whistleblower letter, but the evidence he provided was so solid that we had no choice but to believe him."
Shen Yi's tone became extremely serious: "Wife, you must be extremely careful. This man is ruthless. According to reliable intelligence, he may have even killed someone, but he just didn't leave any evidence."
Liu Zhixia's heart tightened, but she quickly calmed down: "I know. He's probably after the pickled vegetable recipe. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. If it really comes to a last resort, I'll give him the recipe. Money can be earned back, but the safety of my family is more important than anything else."
After experiencing Da Bao's kidnapping, she finally understood.
What business, what wealth? They're all worthless compared to the safety of her family. Having died once, she understands the value of those around her even more. She can always start over; she has hands and feet, and space to grow. Surely she won't starve to death.
Shen Yi remained silent for a moment, then seemed to have figured something out and chuckled softly, "Okay, I understand. Thank you."
"What are you thanking me for? We're a married couple, why are you being so polite with me?"
Liu Zhixia blushed slightly and changed the subject: "There's no rush for accompanying the army. You focus on the mission. I need to clear out He Shijie before I can go with you with peace of mind."
"Okay! I'll also try to find out more about him for you. By the way, you just said that my older brother became a squad leader?"
"Yes! Not only did Big Brother become a squad leader, but Aunt Zhou was also promoted to battalion leader! Did Kai-ge find out?"
Shen Yi exclaimed in surprise, "Really? This kid doesn't know yet! I have to tell him right away!"
"Don't worry, Aunt Zhou is here too. I'll have my brother go call her and let the mother and son chat!"
Not long after, Aunt Zhou was driven over by Liu Xiangyang. The mother and son chatted for a while over the phone. After Aunt Zhou hung up, her eyes were red, and she held onto Liu Zhixia's hand tightly.
"Xia, thank you so much! I've been so busy I've been completely confused. If it weren't for you, this silly boy would never have known about this good news!"
"Auntie, you're too kind. It was just a small favor. By the way, how have you been lately?"
Aunt Zhou's expression changed. She looked around and lowered her voice, "This isn't the place to talk. Let's go to your house!"
The group returned to the Liu family home, closed the courtyard gate, and went inside.
Seeing Aunt Zhou's serious expression, the Liu family members were on tenterhooks.
"What's wrong, Auntie? What happened?" Liu Xuejun couldn't help but ask.
Aunt Zhou took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "That woman Gu Mansheng is up to her old tricks again! She wants to recruit people from our village to go up the mountain to collect herbs, she says it's called dendrobium, and she's offering one yuan per person per day!"
"One yuan?!"
The whole family's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. These days, a strong laborer only gets a few cents a day for work points; this was an astronomical sum!
"She made a fortune?"
Aunt Zhou shook her head, her brows furrowed: "It's not that simple. She also brought some kind of 'liability waiver,' which required everyone who went to put their fingerprints on it. I felt uneasy about that thing, and I always felt there was a trap, so I didn't agree to help her promote it. But I figured that with a big reward, there would be brave men, and someone would definitely be willing to take the risk for the money!"
Liu Zhixia's heart skipped a beat.
“I know about this dendrobium. We’re all family, so I won’t hide it from you. Back then, the debt my family owed was paid off by me secretly selling dendrobium!”
Aunt Zhou gasped in astonishment: "There really is such a thing? And it's so valuable?"
Liu Zhixia nodded: "Yes, this is a very precious medicinal herb, rarely seen even on the black market. Gu Mansheng is in such a hurry to buy it, it must be because her nouveau riche relative wants it."
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