Chapter 45 Things that damage one's reputation must never be done...
Zhong Xiujun pointed to the case file she had brought on the coffee table and said to Attorney He, "Your sister-in-law's friend in the mainland needs to file a lawsuit, which happens to be one of your specialties. Why don't you take it?"
She's already six months pregnant, and the fetus is still too small, yet the eldest sister-in-law actually sent her aunt over to cause trouble for her sister-in-law.
When the neighbors in Huazhi Lane encountered such disgusting things, the bride's family immediately led people to her door to cause trouble.
Nie Qingqing wanted to take it and see what kind of case it was.
Zhong Xiujun pulled her hand away, preventing her from taking it: "This is someone else's privacy. If you're not going to take it, don't look at it."
He wouldn't have answered the call anyway, but he needed to vent his anger. Otherwise, Attorney He wouldn't be able to calm down, and a bad mood would affect his sleep, which would be bad for the fetus.
Nie Qingqing said, "I've been Attorney He's assistant, and I've never seen such an arrogant client. How do you know whether to take a case or not without looking at the case file? Attorney He is very principled; he might not take a case after looking at it, but he definitely won't take one without looking at it."
Zhong Xiujun thought about it and realized it made sense: "It's her who's looking, how could you be looking?"
Nie Qingqing: "She wasn't in good spirits during her pregnancy. I was her assistant, so who else would take care of her? But it doesn't matter now whether she takes care of her or not, since Attorney He isn't taking the case."
Nie Qingqing's attitude angered Aunt Zhong: "Why are you meddling in other people's business? It won't do you any good."
How could there be no benefits? One side will always benefit.
...
Nie Qingqing made her point even clearer, not afraid of offending Zhong Xiujun.
"You mean that by helping Attorney He refuse to represent my sister-in-law's friend's case, I'll be resented by Mr. Zhong and you, which won't do me any good? So what? I don't get any benefits from you anyway. My job now is to take good care of Attorney He. Her baby is too small, so she needs to be cheerful and eat more. You're actually acting as a go-between for her, adding to her mental and physical workload. You're being used!"
"Who's using me? Explain yourself!"
"Who sent you here to act as a lobbyist? Who's using you?"
Nie Qingqing said, "Even my son Tangyuan, who just started junior high, can see through such tricks. Lawyer He is the client and can't say anything, and Mr. Zhong is considering his brotherhood and can't say anything either, but I can. I've pointed it out to you. Do you still insist on letting Lawyer He take this case?"
Zhong Xiujun wasn't stupid. She was biased towards Mr. Zhong and his wife. Her niece-in-law said on the phone that she was sorry to trouble her sister-in-law, so she took the initiative to run the errand.
Now that Nie Qingqing has spoken so frankly, if you still don't understand, then you're just pretending to be stupid.
But she was an elder and a relative of the boss's family. Even if she understood, she wouldn't apologize to Nie Qingqing and would get up and leave angrily.
...
As soon as Zhong Xiujun left, Nie Qingqing was also leaving. Her mood was not affected at all, and she even tried to comfort the couple who had gone mad.
“Attorney He, Mr. Zhong, you are in the right, so there’s no need to overthink it. Eat and sleep as usual.”
...
Mr. Zhong was truly impressed and said to Attorney He, "Your assistant is too good at judging people. In the company, she never studies interpersonal relationships or tries to win over colleagues of similar rank. I really don't understand what she wants."
"Who pays her salary, who does the work for, that's all she wants to do well."
Feeling relaxed, Attorney He surprisingly felt hungry and said, "Go to the kitchen and find something to eat, I'm hungry."
It's great to be able to eat! Mr. Zhong was very happy. He personally cooked a bowl of fragrant beef noodles for Lawyer He and ate with her before going to rest.
...
Nie Qingqing grilled two steamed buns and ordered some lamb skewers at a food stall outside the factory. She added extra chili powder and cumin. The lamb skewers, grilled until crispy and oily, smelled delicious and were very appetizing when sandwiched in the buns. She was hungry, and Song Zhao must be hungry too, working overtime. She decided to eat something before going home to sleep.
Song Zhao was in the workshop; she waited for a while before he came over.
Nie Qingqing handed him a steamed bun with lamb skewers on it and said, "Eat first, then get busy. No rush. I'm feeling particularly energetic right now. At home, I'd be waiting, but here I can see you."
Song Zhao was hungry, and the mutton in the steamed bun was perfectly roasted with just the right amount of spiciness. After eating one bun, all the energy he had used up that day was gone.
He poured Nie Qingqing a glass of water, and while revising the drawings, he asked, "You seem to be in a good mood, what's the good news?"
Nie Qingqing vividly described how she had refuted Zhong Xiujun so effectively that she couldn't retort.
"No matter how jealous Mr. Zhong's elder brother and sister-in-law are, they shouldn't make things difficult for a pregnant woman. They actually coaxed Zhong Xiujun to give Attorney He more work. I made myself so clear, and although she didn't admit it, she realized what I meant and left without saying a word. Attorney He can finally get some rest."
Attorney He is so lucky to have Qingqing working for her.
Song Zhao asked, "Aren't you afraid that Zhong Xiujun will spread what we said tonight and cause you more trouble?"
Nie Qingqing said, "No, how can family scandals be aired in public? At most, she'll complain to Mr. Zhong a bit tomorrow. Mr. Zhong will just listen because she's the eldest sister. He might even have some complaints about his eldest son and daughter-in-law. Letting her speak won't do any harm."
...
Song Zhao was busy for half an hour, and finally finished his work.
Nie Qingqing now has a car, and Song Zhao has a driver's license, so she doesn't drive home anymore. She sits in the passenger seat with her eyes closed, relaxing and enjoying the leisurely ride.
After arriving home, she told Song Zhao, "Sleeping in the car is so comfortable, no wonder Attorney He fell asleep as soon as he got in."
Song Zhao kept it in mind: "Once we make money, we'll buy our own car. It'll be much more convenient to go anywhere we want to go. I'll drive, and you can sleep."
Fearing he might actually surprise her by secretly buying a car, Nie Qingqing quickly said, "A car is worth half a house. You're not allowed to make decisions on your own if I don't buy one."
Song Zhao knew in his heart that he hadn't earned enough money yet, and that Qingqing wouldn't be so reluctant to part with it once he earned more.
...
Zhong Xiujun suffered from insomnia all night. She admitted in her heart that Nie Qingqing was right, and that she had indeed been used by Xianzong's sister-in-law.
But what about Nie Qingqing? She's just an assistant, managing the boss's affairs. Doesn't she know she's overstepping her bounds?
At noon, Zhong Xiujun came to find her younger brother for lunch and, as expected, complained about Nie Qingqing: "How could Shunyi tell outsiders about family matters? She has no sense of what's important."
Mr. Zhong asked the chef to reheat the dishes that had been delivered, and said, "Xianzong had an extra portion of the dishes that Nie Qingqing arranged for Shunyi made and sent over. I think they look good, you should try them too."
Zhong Xiujun didn't understand the situation. She tasted each dish, put down her chopsticks, and shook her head: "It's not light enough. It's too greasy for people our age."
Mr. Zhong said, "Xianzong only let us taste it, not let us eat it as a regular dish. If you want a pregnant woman to be able to eat it, you have to cook it according to her taste. Nie Qingqing knows how to take care of people."
Zhong Xiujun asked in confusion, "Are you defending her again? What I said was that Shunyi told outsiders about our family's affairs!"
Mr. Zhong was dissatisfied: "Does Shunyi even need to say that? Anyone can see it. You still come here to complain, as if you're afraid I don't know that Shunyi's sister-in-law cares a lot about her brother's wife's pregnancy? You can also tell her what I mean. If they want to fight, let the two brothers fight it out. Whoever does the business better is more capable. What kind of behavior is it to let the woman take the lead?"
...
Nie Qingqing returned to Attorney He's side for a month, and Attorney He had another prenatal checkup. Her condition was much better; the rest she received in this month was equivalent to the rest she received in the previous two months.
The fetus is still on the smaller side, but it's much better than before.
Attorney He became increasingly reluctant to move, so Nie Qingqing arranged a small bed in her office so that she could rest whenever she wanted.
Another half month passed, and Nie Qingqing stopped picking up Lawyer He in the morning. Instead, she would wait until she had lunch and a nap at home before picking him up to work for a few hours, and then take him back home for dinner and rest.
...
Hearing that Mr. Zhong was hiring an assistant today, Nie Qingqing checked in at her department and immediately ran to the human resources department.
Manager Chu, who was in charge of human resources recruitment, was wiping the sweat from his forehead, looking as if he were facing a formidable enemy.
Looking at the waiting area, with its row of young, pretty girls, Nie Qingqing thought it was a beauty pageant.
She teased Manager Chu, "With so many beautiful girls, are you so nervous that you don't know which one to hire?"
Manager Chu said weakly, "Manager Nie, don't joke around. There are at least three people here who got in through connections, and they all talked to me about it. What am I supposed to do?"
Nie Qingqing was straightforward; since Manager Chu had been honest, she would be honest in return.
"Everyone knows that Mr. Zhong and Attorney He have a marriage of convenience. Attorney He is about to give birth, which is the time when their relationship is about to be tested. Sending a beautiful assistant over like this is disgusting."
Manager Chu was trembling with fear. How could she have blurted out the truth?
He looked around, thankfully no one else heard him: "Manager Nie, you really dare to say that."
Nie Qingqing wasn't afraid and even gave Manager Chu a suggestion.
"You're in a difficult position, but I'm not. You look like you had an upset stomach this morning, but you can't miss the interview. Go and take care of it, I'll do it for you."
"Are you sure you can do it?" Manager Chu hesitated.
Nie Qingqing: "I've been Attorney He's assistant for so long, I know what kind of person Mr. Zhong needs."
Manager Chu was overjoyed. He was already in a dilemma when it came to hiring Mr. Zhong's assistant, as he was torn between offending the person who got in through connections or offending Attorney He. Manager Nie's initiative to help him out was exactly what he wanted.
...
The assistant that Nie Qingqing ultimately chose for Mr. Zhong was a senior woman who had worked in auditing at a state-owned enterprise for more than ten years. She was meticulous in her work, had integrity, and the thickness of her glasses indicated her high level of ability. She could also drive and could serve as a driver in emergencies.
Ms. Luo has two children. Her husband was laid off and is temporarily staying at home to take care of the children. She is under financial pressure and, after much consideration, chose to work for a private company because of the higher salary.
Nie Qingqing frankly admitted that the two hit it off, and Sister Luo decided to start the job that day, with a one-week trial period, so they could see if it was a good fit.
Nie Qingqing was very enthusiastic and showed her around the work process, introducing her to each department. Mr. Zhong arrived late, so it was just in time for her to get acquainted with the staff before she had a chat with him.
Sister Luo rarely praises people, so she thanked Nie Qingqing repeatedly before going back to work.
Nie Qingqing had done such a satisfying thing, so she went to find Attorney He and told her to be happy too.
...
Lawyer He laughed so hard he clutched his stomach and asked, "Did Zhong Xianzong agree to the person you chose on your own initiative?"
Nie Qingqing said, "What he wanted was a capable assistant, but the other person's abilities far exceeded his needs. He wanted to outperform Mr. Zhong. Why wouldn't he want such a talent? Since Mr. Zhong didn't refuse, we can assume he's satisfied."
After reviewing the job application resume that Nie Qingqing brought back, Attorney He thought, "How could such a talented person be poached from a state-owned enterprise to a private company if she didn't leave her previous job? Not only should we keep her, but we should also entrust her with important responsibilities and pay her a high salary, so as not to disappoint her and make her leave."
That evening, Mr. Zhong returned home looking resentful and complained to Attorney He:
“My new assistant has given me a ton of work, leaving me no time to come back and be with you. If I hadn’t told her you were about to give birth, she would have kept nagging about her work. Does she have to be this dedicated on her first day? She even wants me to have a meeting at 8 a.m. tomorrow. I’ve never had a meeting at 8 a.m. before! Can’t they just ask them to wait an hour? I’m the boss!”
Attorney He laughed heartily and ate half a bowl more than usual for dinner. After thinking for a moment, he tentatively asked, "How about you get a more obedient assistant?"
Mr. Zhong hurriedly said, "I was just complaining to you. Assistant Luo was able to seamlessly transition on her first day of work. She is very capable. With such a talented person, I can tolerate a little bit of frustration. It's no big deal. Once you've recovered from giving birth, you can help me share some of the burden, and I won't have to suffer so much."
...
Attorney He gave birth, and from the moment she checked into the hospital to prepare for delivery, Nie Qingqing refused to let any work bother her.
She had a natural birth, which lasted for several hours. Attorney He was completely exhausted and gave birth to a baby weighing just over five pounds.
Nie Qingqing noticed that Mr. Zhong turned his head to wipe his eyes, his hands and feet were uncoordinated, and he was holding the baby that the nurse had just brought out, full of love. When Lawyer He was wheeled out, he quickly took the swaddled baby forward and showed her their child.
Shumei brought over some chicken soup, and Nie Qingqing explained to Lawyer He, "Shumei has an earthen stove over there, and she learned how to make this chicken soup from my mother. Several of my friends drank soup made from more than a dozen old hens during their postpartum period. Whether it works or not, you should drink some too."
This rich chicken soup is much more fragrant than the bland soup in the nutritional meals.
Attorney He enjoys drinking, but said it's too much trouble for her friend.
Nie Qingqing told her not to worry: "Between Shumei and me, we don't use the word 'trouble.' If you like, I'll let you drink soup with more than a dozen old hens during this postpartum period."
Attorney He never eats leftovers. It was a whole chicken stew that couldn't be finished, so Mr. Zhong had a bowl of chicken soup. It was indeed tastier than the nutritious soup his chef made.
He removed the meat from the chicken leg and put it in Lawyer He's bowl. He then ate the chicken wing himself and said, "They're all the same chicken, how come they're stewed so deliciously?"
Nie Qingqing laughed and said, "I don't know. Shumei and I both learned from my mother. My stew is not as fragrant as Shumei's."
...
Attorney He had a very comfortable postpartum period and recovered very well.
She did not accept the advice from her relatives and elders to stay home and take care of the child. Instead, she hired two nannies, working in shifts on an eight-hour shift, who were only responsible for taking care of the child.
There is a childcare room in the company. When she goes to work, she asks the nanny on duty to bring the child over, and they go home together after get off work.
Attorney He needs to go to work, but she doesn't want to miss out on her child's growth, so she uses this method to balance work and childcare.
...
Attorney He returned to work after her maternity leave, with only one month left until the Chinese New Year. The Jinxiu Jiayuan residential project, which Nie Qingqing was in charge of, was about to launch its final eight buildings together.
The sales pressure was already high. Two or three months ago, rumors spread that prices were going to rise, and everyone followed suit and stocked up on daily necessities, rice, flour, and cooking oil. Nie Qingqing also bought a lot of these items.
People are worried about price increases for small items, and they're also worried about price increases for bulk commodities. The sales department is bustling with people, all coming to inquire about and look at apartment layouts. We've accumulated a large number of potential customers.
Seeing this trend, some people suggested that they could take advantage of the momentum and raise prices.
Real estate is different from other things. Once you get the pre-sale permit, the price is set. In this respect, Nie Qingqing is an honest person and would never dare to do anything illegal.
She disagreed: "These are all prices that have been filed, how can you raise them?"
The person who made the suggestion was very familiar with the situation: "It's simple. Just add a renovation package. Just paint the walls, lay the floor, and install some cabinets. You can earn an extra 10,000 to 20,000 yuan per package. For these eight buildings, that would generate a net profit of two to three million yuan. With the current momentum, half of the potential buyers are willing to pay that extra money."
The prospect of a profit of two or three million is tempting, but Jinxiu Jiayuan was originally scheduled to be delivered as a bare shell. Now they're suddenly saying they want to add interior decoration. Will people be satisfied with the developer's sloppy, simple decoration? They'll have to tear it all down and redo it after buying it, which would be a complete waste.
This is clearly price gouging and damaging to our reputation; it absolutely cannot be done.
Nie Qingqing vetoed the proposal, firmly prohibiting such forced buying and selling.
“I disagree. If you want to do it this way, don’t do it in the projects I’m in charge of. Go find another place to do it later. If you’re still not satisfied, go and complain to my superiors.”
...
Mr. Zhong was actually a little tempted. Holding his child, he followed Lawyer He around in circles: "Honey, Jinxiu Jiayuan was cheap when it was acquired, but the pricing can't keep up with the current market. Everything is going up in price now. Adding 10,000 or 20,000 yuan to a unit isn't unreasonable."
Attorney He prepared the formula, tested the temperature, and took the swaddled baby into her arms. Whenever the couple had time, they took care of the child themselves.
She laughed: "I know, I'm tempted too. You can go and tell Qingqing. I don't want my image in her eyes to decline, so I can't bring myself to say it."
Mr. Zhong said with a heavy heart, "My dad always says that integrity is the most important thing in life. I'll just keep my word and let my dad praise me."
...
Nie Qingqing disagreed with the disguised price increase, and someone complained to Mr. Zhong.
Mr. Zhong ignored this and only asked, "Were the initial goals achieved? If they were, there's no reason to criticize Nie Qingqing's decision."
He also scolded his assistant who was helping someone file a complaint: "Why are you bothering me with such trivial matters? Even if you want to bother me, you've bothered the wrong person. Go find Xianzong for important matters."
...
Nie Qingqing insisted on not raising prices or engaging in any bundled sales.
Potential customers were worried that even commodity prices would rise in the future, so the initial launch of the remaining eight buildings achieved an astonishing 90% sell-through rate.
It was even featured on television, which described Yuanda as a trustworthy private enterprise with a prestigious reputation.
Looking at the news report, Attorney He asked Zhong Xianzong, "Two or three million dollars can't buy this kind of reputation, can it?"
This sales rate is much more worthwhile than the profit from the price increase. Mr. Zhong even appeared on TV. Of course, the added value brought by the Yuanda brand in the future will not be limited to this.
Mr. Zhong was completely convinced by Nie Qingqing.
...
Nie Qingqing successfully completed the Jinxiu Jiayuan project, and she no longer needed to oversee the remaining tasks, making things much easier for her.
She spends most of her time at work accompanying Attorney He, who has been spending less time at the law firm lately and more time at Yuanda.
Especially today, Attorney He asked her to attend the meeting with him, and she wondered what had happened behind these actions.
She asked, "Attorney He, has something happened to Yuanda? You seem quite preoccupied today."
There's nothing you can hide from her. Attorney He said with a smile, "It's nothing serious, don't worry. It's just your sister-in-law's maternal uncle, who's here to participate in Zhong Xiujun's next development project."
The eldest sister-in-law's maternal uncle represents Mr. Zhong's elder brother and sister-in-law. Haven't they already divided the business? Why do they have to compete in the mainland?
Nie Qingqing became wary: "So what do you plan to do?"
Attorney He sat in the passenger seat, opened her wallet, and looked at the photo of the baby in swaddling clothes. Before, she had a broad mind, but now that her child was in her heart, she was less tolerant of others.
She said, "I agree with Zhong Xianzong. Anyone can come to the mainland to develop, take over the market, and share the pie, including his older brother. But it's not acceptable for them to use the Yuanda brand to build their own real estate."
That makes sense. Nie Qingqing said, "That's all I can do. I can't help you much, but I'll always be here for you if you need me."
Attorney He wanted to hear these words: "Qingqing, you have your strengths, I know that, and I will put you in a position where you are good at it. Putting everything else aside, you are someone I can completely trust, and trust is something that money can't buy. Today, as my assistant, you will listen in on the meeting and take a look at the current situation."
...
At the meeting, besides Mr. Zhong, Attorney He, Zhong Xiujun, Zhong Xiujun's eldest son Gao Zhuoyue, and Sister-in-law's uncle Xu Guanhai, the rest were the key management personnel of the two companies.
Nie Qingqing's current role is that of Attorney He's assistant. She didn't sit at the conference table but instead sat in a row of chairs at the back with the other secretaries and assistants.
Gao Zhuoyue did it on purpose, deliberately embarrassing Mr. Zhong in front of outsiders, and said some very unpleasant things.
He actually said that Mr. Zhong only got a good start with Yuanda Real Estate because of Attorney He, and he didn't take Mr. Zhong seriously. He only wanted to use 10% of the shares to exchange for the Yuanda brand.
"Xianzong, you've done a good job getting Yuanda, which your uncle gave you, thanks to your wife. But this time, Uncle Guanhai wants 30%, I want 60%, and you'll only get 10%, and that's only because of Yuanda's reputation."
In the past, Zhong Xianzong would have stormed off, but this time it's different. He's going to dismantle his own home and won't get involved in the Excellence Real Estate project that his aunt helped his cousin build.
Mr. Zhong laughed uncontrollably and mocked him: "If you want to use my Yuanda brand, 10% is not enough. I want 50%, and you two can discuss and divide the remaining half yourselves."
As soon as these words were spoken, it looked like an argument was about to break out.
...
Zhong Xiujun didn't want to air her dirty laundry in public, so she told everyone who wasn't family to leave: "The meeting is suspended and will continue in half an hour."
Those who had nothing to do with the matter breathed a sigh of relief; they didn't want to hear their boss's family arguing, so they quickly left. In the meeting room, Nie Qingqing was the only outsider.
Why aren't you leaving yet?
Gao Zhuoyue slammed his fist on the table. If this were an employee of Zhuoyue, and they didn't have this much sense, they would have been fired long ago.
Nie Qingqing: "Have some manners. We're not superior and subordinate, don't you have any basic courtesy? My salary is paid by Attorney He alone. She's my boss. I'm not leaving unless my boss gives the order."
Mr. Zhong laughed loudly: "Don't look at me, she's my wife's employee, not mine."
Zhong Xiujun had witnessed it all, but her younger brother was very tolerant of Nie Qingqing, so there was nothing she could do.
She rubbed her forehead, stopping her son who was about to speak, and said, "She's special. She doesn't want to go out, and no one can force her to leave. You guys should discuss it quickly."
...
Gao Zhuoyue stopped pretending: "Cousin, to be frank, this time we're not including you. You younger brothers can just enjoy the money and don't start your own businesses. If you lose money, no one will save you. We're letting you use the Yuanda brand and giving you a 10% stake, which is already very generous."
When it comes to shamelessness, Zhong Xianzong excels at it: "If you want to use my Yuanda brand, the project must be overseen by Nie Qingqing. If you don't agree, the brand won't be used. In addition, you have to increase my share to at least 30%."
Gao Zhuoyue: "Then there's nothing to talk about. Your Yuanda brand won't have much of an impact, so just keep it as a treasure. Soon no one will remember it."
Mr. Zhong had his emotions perfectly controlled. He slammed his hand on the table and said to Zhong Xiujun, "Auntie, you see? It's not that I don't want to join in, it's that my cousin doesn't include me. You can't blame me for that!"
After saying that, he walked over to Attorney He and extended a hand to her: "Honey, let's go, we're not playing with them anymore."
...
Attorney He packed up the documents, and Nie Qingqing followed him out.
This unexpected success, thanks to the support of Aunt Zhong's family, her elder brother and sister-in-law, and the smooth split, made Attorney He and Mr. Zhong very happy.
She apologized to Nie Qingqing: "I used you as a shield again."
Nie Qingqing didn't care: "It's fine. Zhong Xiujun doesn't like me anyway, so I'll use as many excuses as possible."
Mr. Zhong wasn't going to use it for nothing; he had already thought of how to compensate him: "I'm not going to use it for nothing. Here are five more days off, okay?"
"Of course! Who would complain about having too much holiday during the Spring Festival?" Nie Qingqing couldn't contain her joy: "Thank you very much."
Attorney He joked, "Don't thank him, he just wants to take an early vacation and enjoy himself."
Mr. Zhong laughed: "Wife, don't say it out loud, give me some face."
...
Attorney He and Nie Qingqing were very satisfied with the meeting's outcome, and Mr. Zhong even returned to the company and worked hard all day, which was a rare occurrence for him.
On the other side, Gao Zhuoyue and Xu Guanhai had already opened a glass of red wine to celebrate, leaving Zhong Xianzong behind and not needing to include him.
They excitedly planned their future blueprint, envisioning how long it would take to turn Yuanda into a forgotten, forgotten brand.
Only Zhong Xiujun was worried and lectured her eldest son, Gao Zhuoyue:
“You’re too impulsive and you look down on people. Xianzong has changed a lot. Even your uncle praised him. Yuanda still has a good reputation in Pengcheng. And that Nie Qingqing, she’s really reliable. Let’s talk again.”
Gao Zhuoyue retorted, "Mom, if that playboy Zhong Xianzong can do it well, why can't I? And Nie Qingqing, she just caught the policy wave, it was luck that helped her, it wasn't her own ability at all. My older cousin originally wanted to kick his younger cousin out of the project, and now that he's achieved his goal, he treats the Yuanda brand like a treasure, but I don't even care about it."
...
Zhong Xiujun couldn't convince her son, so she sighed and could only tell Mr. Zhong, "Xianzong's Yuanda will not participate in this project."
Mr. Zhong had no objections, but he said something that made Zhong Xiujun's heart skip a beat.
"Compared to this, Xianzong is not bad. I was too demanding in the past. In fact, he has already done very well."
Zhong Xiujun felt a chill in her heart and quickly asked, "What do you mean? Without Yuanda's involvement, this development can't be done?"
Mr. Zhong didn't mean that. He said, "Now is the time for opportunities. As long as you do business honestly and with integrity, you can break even, no matter how much you make. Even if you lose a little, just consider it tuition for young people."
...
Nie Qingqing takes her days off whenever she has them. Private companies have more lenient holiday policies, and since she gets an extra five days off, she can finally take her day off this afternoon after Attorney He and Mr. Xiao Zong leave.
Song Zhao's factory is doing well this year, and they still haven't been able to set a holiday schedule.
She was on holiday and had nothing to do, so she planned to go to the factory to wait for Song Zhao to get off work together and ask him when he could set a holiday date so she could buy a train ticket home in advance.
In the factory director's office, Director Min and his wife Xu Cuilan were arguing. Nie Qingqing didn't want to go in at this time, so she quickly stepped aside.
The noise was so loud that she overheard most of it from outside. Sure enough, it was because the electronics factory's profits were getting bigger and bigger, so much so that the relatives of both Director Min and Xu Cuilan couldn't resist coming in to get a share of the profits.
With high profits, Nie Qingqing was happy. With Song Zhao around, and Director Min being sensible, he probably wouldn't let his relatives in.
Soon, Xu Cuilan left in a huff, without seeing Nie Qingqing hiding in the boiler room.
Song Zhao saw this, a smile on his face, and walked over to ask, "You're on holiday? Perfect timing, I don't have to work overtime tonight, go home."
Nie Qingqing pouted and looked at the office behind him, saying, "Aren't you going to stay and keep Director Min company? He must be in a bad mood. Try to persuade him not to let his relatives into the factory."
Qingqing's words made a lot of sense, and Song Zhao listened to her. He even whispered a number in her ear, which was roughly the dividend he could receive this year.
"Then you go back first. I'll keep Director Min company and try to cheer him up."
Nie Qingqing was quite surprised. She hadn't expected the electronics factory to be on track and its profits to increase so much. No wonder her relatives couldn't contain themselves.
She nodded and went home first.
Not long after, Xu Cuilan, who had failed to achieve her goal with Director Min, came to her house, probably seeking validation.
Nie Qingqing's own relatives, her cousin and his wife, first worked at Le Han's hotel, and later went to work on a construction site tying steel bars. It was hard work, but they earned more than they did as waiters. They went to work as laborers. The young couple found the construction site themselves. It wasn't a big project. They learned the skills honestly and didn't ask Nie Qingqing for help.
Nie Qingqing couldn't give Xu Cuilan a sense of recognition, so she invited her into her home, brewed tea, and listened to her complaints before speaking.
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