Chapter 157 Let's all get rich together
Zhang Xiuying quickly called Lu Xiaohui over.
Lu Xiaohui stood in the courtyard, twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands, feeling uneasy: "Auntie, I swear, I will never do anything to betray the Liu family!"
Zhang Xiuying said sternly, "What good are oaths? You know we're in the food business. If someone adds something to our food, not only will my business be ruined, but I'll also be sued for murder!"
Lu Xiaohui blushed with anxiety and was about to explain when Zhang Xiuying waved her hand to interrupt: "However, we are indeed short-handed. You know the formula, so you're a suitable candidate. Here's what we'll do: from now on, when you come to work, you must change your clothes first, you can't bring anything on your body, and you have to wash and disinfect your hands. As long as you follow the rules, I'll pay you a high wage, and we can all make a fortune together."
Lu Xiaohui was overjoyed: "Really? Thank you, Auntie! I promise I'll be good! It's just my hometown..."
"Don't worry, we'll just say you're here to do odd jobs, and we'll never reveal that you know the recipe. We'll also keep your wages a secret."
Lu Xiaohui's voice trembled with excitement: "Then... can I... deposit my wages with you? I trust your character, and I'll settle the rest when I leave, okay?"
Zhang Xiuying was somewhat surprised; it seemed this girl was determined to run away.
"Okay. I'll record every single transaction for you, and you can withdraw the money using the ledger later."
Lu Xiaohui was so happy she almost jumped for joy: "Thank you, Auntie!"
Zhang Xiuying tentatively asked, "When do you plan to leave?"
Lu Xiaohui lowered her voice: "I'm contacting my father's old acquaintances to get a letter of introduction. As soon as I get the letter, I'll leave immediately! Every penny I have now is my lifeline, so I would never harm you!"
Zhang Xiuying smiled and said, "Okay. Come to work tomorrow, and we'll pay you according to work points."
As soon as Lu Xiaohui left happily, the smile on Zhang Xiuying's face vanished instantly.
“This girl is a ticking time bomb. We still need to find a reliable person in the village who we know well.” She sighed. “It’s a pity that if my eldest son’s wife hadn’t caused trouble, it would have been most reassuring to leave this business to our own family.”
Liu Zhixia rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought: "At least she wouldn't dare to do anything reckless before she left. Otherwise, if we just leaked the news that she wanted to run away, she would have no way to escape."
Zhang Xiuying nodded: "That's right. We just need to guard against her turning on us at the last minute. That's easy to handle."
Liu Zhixia leaned closer mysteriously: "Mom, shall we go to the educated youth settlement and ask Xu how he is?"
Zhang Xiuying's eyes lit up: "That's right! That girl has a good character and keeps her mouth shut. It's just... she has classes at school, can she free up some time?"
“We have time from after school until dark, right? We’ll provide meals and pay by the hour. With Lu Xiaohui and Lao Si joining us, the four of us will definitely be efficient.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiuying was overjoyed and hugged her daughter, giving her a big kiss: "You're such a good daughter! This is a brilliant move! With Xu Zhiqing here to help, she won't have time to interact with others, and Lao Si can be with her every day. Doesn't that make the marriage secure? I'm going to find her right now!"
After saying that, Liu Zhixia was left completely bewildered, and she rushed out in a flurry.
As evening fell, Zhang Xiuying returned with a beaming smile.
"It's settled! She agreed!"
Liu Zhixia nodded in satisfaction: "Now our team is complete."
...
The village bustled with activity again, and even the Lu family quieted down considerably.
The enormous debt weighed heavily on the Lu family, making it hard for them to breathe. Lu Jianping was constantly out borrowing money, and the whole family was worried about money, so they had no time to cause trouble.
The villagers became more and more skilled, and their efficiency doubled.
The first batch of orders was delivered, and the Liu family made a fortune. The wages they distributed to the villagers were even higher than those for the state-owned factory's order!
As soon as the news spread, everyone in the village became envious and rushed to the Liu family to inquire whether they were still hiring.
Zhang Xiuying didn't completely block the way; she also brought in a few honest and hardworking people.
Zhou Juan's side was even more impressive, securing several large orders from factories and state-owned restaurants in quick succession. Liu Zhixia even commissioned someone to design the packaging and put on the "Liu Family Pickled Vegetables" sign.
In no time, the name "Liu Family Pickled Vegetables" became famous throughout the town, and demand far exceeded supply.
In the military base, Shen Yi emerged from the office with a dark expression, radiating an aura that kept strangers at bay.
Acquaintances who were about to greet him saw this and wisely took a detour.
Back in the dormitory, Shen Yi plopped down on the bed, his eyes sharp as knives.
Lu Kai pushed the door open and was startled by the murderous aura. He patted the man's shoulder and asked, "What's wrong? You look like you're about to eat someone alive? Hasn't anyone written from home?"
Shen Yi snapped out of his reverie, thinking of his young wife far away, and his eyes softened: "I haven't heard from her for half a month. She said she's busy with business and is leading the whole village to get rich."
Lu Kai chuckled: "What a joke! When I go back next time, won't the village be completely different?"
Seeing that Shen Yi didn't respond, Lu Kai's smile faded, and he tentatively asked, "What's wrong? Did the old man assign you some difficult task again?"
Shen Yi didn't say anything, but took out a document from his pocket and threw it on the table.
Lu Kai picked it up and frowned deeply: "The application to accompany Xia to the military has been rejected again? Xia has a clean background and impeccable family history. What aspect of her doesn't meet the requirements? The reason is that she doesn't have a dormitory? Nonsense! The new dormitory building was just built and it's completely empty!"
Shen Yi sneered: "Someone's sabotaging us. They failed in the last capture mission and are taking their anger out on me."
Lu Kai lowered his voice: "Stay calm. This is a critical time. No matter how much they try to suppress it, this application can't be held up indefinitely. Xia, do you understand?"
Shen Yi shook his head: "I didn't say anything. I didn't want her to worry. She's really into her business right now, I don't want to dampen her spirits."
"That's true. It's good for her to have a chance to show off her skills at home while we handle things slowly. Otherwise, if this falls through, I'll have a hard time getting married."
Shen Yi raised an eyebrow and teased, "Oh, you've already set your sights on Zhao Zhiqing so quickly?"
Lu Kai's face flushed red, and he stammered, "I heard... I heard that the first time I went back and met her, she took a liking to me. She's such a devoted girl, I definitely can't let her suffer."
Shen Yi patted his shoulder: "Okay, just don't let them down."
Lu Kai scratched his head and chuckled twice, but secretly vowed to give Zhao Dongmei an explanation.
Xu Zhigang carried in a heavy box, the bottles and jars inside jingling.
Lu Kai couldn't help but complain, "Are you carrying a bomb? You're being so careful."
Xu Zhigang placed the box in front of Shen Yi: "Here you are! Your sister-in-law sent it!"
Upon hearing that it was sent by Shen Yi's wife, the comrades who were originally joking around instantly surrounded him like cats smelling fish.
"Old Shen! Open the box! See what delicious food your wife sent this time?"
Shen Yi glared at the group of gluttons, annoyed. Ever since they got their share of pickled vegetables last time, these guys had been eyeing them, staring longingly at every package that came their way. He complained to his wife about it, but she was even more practical this time, sending a whole box of them.
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