Chapter 154 Stealing the Road to Wealth
Zhang Xiuying scoffed, "Every penny the Liu family earns is hard-earned. But you, when we forced Gu Mansheng to pay compensation, we asked where your son was, and you stubbornly refused to say, as if you were afraid someone would steal your family's wealth!"
"Later, your son fell while trying to keep the medicinal herbs for himself. The whole village stayed up all night searching the mountain to rescue him. Did anyone complain? At that time, you were watching everyone like a thief, afraid that someone would steal your son's herbs! Now, the brigade leader helped you arrange a car to take him to the hospital, and you turn around and bite him?"
Villagers involved in the search and rescue couldn't stand it anymore: "That's right! We were working ourselves to the bone to save people, and she was still cursing and swearing on the side, as if she was afraid we would steal something! This kind of person has no conscience!"
Aunt Yang was rendered speechless by the rebuttal, and in the end, she could only angrily point at the crowd: "Fine! You all side with the rich! You're bullying me, a widow and orphan! I'll remember this!"
After saying that, she stamped her foot and slunk into the ward.
Everyone scoffed and didn't bother with this crazy woman anymore.
After comforting the injured woman's family, Aunt Zhou led the Liu family mother and daughter away from the hospital.
Liu Zhixia and Zhang Xiuying did not return to the village, but went to the lumber mill instead.
As soon as I mentioned expanding our business to Zhou Juan, she smiled smugly: "We've already had people coming to us about this! Several factories have contacted us to place orders. My second brother and I were worried that the order volume would be too large for us to handle, and we were also afraid of attracting too much attention, so we kept quiet about it."
Zhang Xiuying beamed with joy: "Now we're not afraid! We've found out that this business is legitimate! And we plan to involve the villagers in it, so everyone can make money together, and no one can gossip!"
Zhou Juan clapped her hands: "That's great! I'll contact one to test the waters first, let's take it one step at a time?"
"Sure! You take care of taking orders, and we'll handle production. Let's make this business bigger and stronger!"
The mother and daughter hit it off immediately with Zhou Juan, and the business deal was finalized.
Thinking of Zhang Shi, Liu Zhixia casually asked, "Is that Zhang Shi behaving herself at the factory?"
Zhou Juan nodded: "She's great. She works quickly and efficiently, and she's in charge of cleaning in the kitchen. She doesn't slack off at all. Her son is also sensible and helps with odd jobs. The head chef in the kitchen praised him and said that he would pay him a salary when the child is older."
Liu Zhixia breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. She spent too much time in that den of wolves, the Shen family, and I was worried she might have some bad habits that would cause you trouble."
Zhou Juan waved her hand: "Don't worry. This is her only way to make a living now. If she loses her job, neither she nor her son will survive. She's a smart woman; she won't do anything foolish. Besides, I'm keeping an eye on her!"
"That's good. By the way, the Shen family elders have been released. They'll probably come after her when they realize what's happened, so tell her to be careful."
“I know.” Zhou Juan took out a wad of cash from her bag. “This is the deposit for the new order, and it still has to be meat sauce. Also, the manager heard that the cheap pickled vegetables from the state-owned factory are pretty good, and he wants to try them too. You can send some samples over later.”
"Okay. Those are made with wild vegetables, so they're cheap and perfect for large-scale cooking. We'll mainly promote these three for now, and we'll introduce new ones when people get tired of them."
After saying goodbye to Zhou Juan, the mother and daughter went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some candy and malted milk powder before returning to the village.
After a series of upheavals, things finally calmed down in the village.
The Liu family officially put their pickled vegetable business into the open. With Aunt Zhou, the team leader, backing them up and leading everyone to make money together, the villagers were not envious at all. Instead, they even took the initiative to help with transportation and guarding, working with great enthusiasm.
Soon, a workshop was built on the open space in front of the Liu family's house, and the warehouse was filled with jars.
The state-owned factory placed additional orders, and Liu Xiangyang and the villagers were working tirelessly. The Liu family was also working non-stop to secure the new orders.
The whole village is working hard to have a prosperous New Year, full of hope and energy.
The village was filled with joy, but the Lu family was shrouded in gloom and despair.
After being questioned, Lu Jianping was released, looking disheveled. Upon entering the room, he heard that Lu Huaiyuan owed a huge debt, and in a fit of rage, he fainted on the spot.
Having just woken up, he pointed at Lu Huaiyuan, his hand trembling like a leaf. He stammered "you" for a long time before finally pounding the ground and squeezing out two words through gritted teeth: "Beast!"
You can criticize as you please, but the debt still has to be repaid.
He Shijie is a capitalist who eats people alive without spitting out the bones. His interest is compounded, and every day that drags on is a bottomless pit.
Lu Jianping had no choice but to swallow his pride and gather all his relatives to borrow money. But the Lu family had been relying on his prestige as the brigade leader for the past few years, and most of his relatives depended on him. Even if he knelt down and kowtowed, they could only scrape together a hundred yuan.
In just half a month, Lu Jianping's hair turned completely white from worry, and he looked ten years older.
Just as I was feeling annoyed, Lu Xiaohui returned, humming a little tune.
Lu Jianping was furious: "The family is in dire straits, and you still have the mind to sing?!"
Lu Xiaohui rolled her eyes: "I'll go to the village to make pickled vegetables to earn money, otherwise you'll starve? You look down on me? Then I'll go back to my husband's family, and I can save the money I earn myself!"
Upon hearing that she was leaving, Lu Jianping panicked and grabbed her, saying, "You brat! I raised you all these years, and you're already unhappy about supporting the family for just a few days?"
Lu Xiaohui forcefully shook off his hand and sneered, "Support me? Haven't I done enough work since I was a child? By work points, every bite of food I eat is earned by myself! On the other hand, your precious son does no work and leaves you with hundreds of dollars in debt. You can't bear to hit or scold him, but you take your anger out on me, the breadwinner? Where's your face?"
Just as Lu Jianping was about to lash out, Li Xuemei shoved him, causing him to stumble.
"What are you doing?! Instead of showing off, you should be thinking about how to make money! You've lost your position as brigade leader, and your family has no income. What gives you the nerve to boss us around?"
Lu Jianping stared wide-eyed at the mother and daughter in disbelief.
"You...are you planning a rebellion?"
Li Xuemei sneered, "You used to be the head of the household, and we relied on you for food and drink, so we put up with it. Now? You're just a nobody! My daughter and I can earn money to support the family by making pickled vegetables in the village! From now on, the Lu family will have to listen to us!"
At this moment, Gu Mansheng came out of the house, her face full of disgust: "Listen to you? Don't forget you still owe me several hundred yuan! You dare to yell at me like that? I'm hungry, go cook some food!"
Lu Xiaohui and Li Xuemei exchanged a glance and suddenly laughed, a laugh that sent chills down one's spine.
"Are you crazy?" Gu Mansheng asked, bewildered. "Even if you're crazy, you still have to cook! Don't expect me to serve you!"
The mother and daughter surrounded them from the left and right, their eyes filled with malice.
"Smack!"
Li Xuemei slapped Gu Mansheng hard across the face.
"You dare hit me?!" Gu Mansheng screamed, covering her face.
"Smack!"
Lu Xiaohui seized the opportunity to slap her again, causing her other cheek to swell up as well.
"You...aren't you afraid I'll tell on you to my uncle? You've got a lot to lose..."
"Yes! We owe your uncle!" Li Xuemei interrupted rudely. "We owe He Shijie, what's it to you?"
Lu Xiaohui looked at her with disdain: "Exactly, what do you mean by 'borrowing the tiger's power'?"
Gu Mansheng's eyes were vicious: "If I divorce Lu Huaiyuan, believe me, my uncle will chop off his hands and feet right away!"
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