Chapter 23
Zeng Linlin shook her head, looked at Xu Zeli with an inexplicable look, and said, "Zeli, I
Zeng Linlin shook her head, glanced at Xu Zeli with an inexplicable look, and said, "Zeli, my mother didn't remarry. She has been living in the UK for many years. She first went to Hong Kong and then to the UK. Now she is back and wants to attend our wedding."
Xu Zeli's face changed. He had suffered from the problem of his class background for many years, and he thought that his suffering was finally over.
Not only did he get into a prestigious university on his first attempt at the college entrance exam, he also found an only child with a strong family background. Now, he was suddenly told that he had a mother-in-law who lived overseas.
Xu Zeli frowned and remained silent for a long time. Zeng Linlin stood on tiptoe, leaned forward and kissed his cheek, then said analytically, "Zelil, don't worry. Mum won't implicate us. If she wasn't absolutely sure everything was fine, she wouldn't have come back to find me. I'm her only child. How could she possibly harm me?"
Xu Zeli's complexion improved slightly, and his mind began to clear up again. He muttered to himself, "The first batch of students will be leaving for the US this June. These fifty-two people are all elites in their respective fields. We can't risk losing such a large number of talented people. Everything will be fine."
When the sound of a car was heard, the nanny came out to open the door without waiting for Zeng Linlin to press the doorbell.
Zeng Linlin sat on the European-style soft leather sofa with a bad look on her face, and threw her quilt away without any care.
A beautiful woman lay across from him and asked, "What's wrong? Is things not going well?"
She had long, wavy hair and although she was wearing a white silk nightgown, she had thick, heavy red lipstick on her lips.
Zeng Linlin said dejectedly, "Mom, Xu Zeli had a girlfriend when he went to the countryside."
Liu Hezhen did not share his daughter's hatred for the enemy. He calmly asked, "Are you married?"
Zeng Linlin said, "I'm not married, but if Zeli was married, he wouldn't be able to escape my father's scrutiny. Wouldn't you trust my father with his work?"
Liu Hezhen nodded and said, "I'm really worried about his ability to handle things. Look, he actually agreed to what you and Xu Zeli are doing."
She looked down on Xu Zeli a thousand times, but since her daughter was spoiled by her father, there was nothing she could do.
Zeng Linlin said, "Mom, if you're worried, just go check it out."
Liu Hezhen lazily sat up and said, "Xu Zeli made you angry, why are you taking it out on me? If you have any anger, take it out on him right here."
After a pause, Liu Hezhen's face became solemn, and he asked, "You don't have any children?"
Zeng Linlin said irritably, "No! She's from Shanghai too, she shouldn't be stupid. Besides, if she had a child, considering Zeli's university status and having a child, she'd definitely come to our house and cause a scene at school."
Liu Hezhen said, "That's nothing. I'm going back to my room to sleep. I played cards all night and my eyelids are drooping with sleep."
Zeng Linlin said dissatisfiedly: "Mom!"
Liu Hezhen stopped in his tracks, folded his arms, and said, "Then how do you want to calm down? You're not going to act like a tyrant at home and be gentle and considerate to that kid Xu Zeli, are you?"
Zeng Linlin frowned and said, "I don't want to get married so soon."
Liu Hezhen frowned, a pair of eyebrows that resembled Zeng Linlin's. She said, "No, you're not young anymore. You're seven years older than Xu Zeli, and your father said that starting next year, college students can't get married. If you want to postpone the wedding, you'll have to wait until you graduate. Think about how old you'll be in four years? How old will Xu Zeli be? Would that sound good to others?"
Zeng Linlin said indifferently: "Then I'll go abroad."
Liu Hezhen stared at Zeng Linlin and said, "Do you really want to go abroad? Have you made up your mind? You need to learn the language. Your father is not here abroad."
Zeng Linlin nodded and said, "Well, I've thought about it."
Liu Hezhen said angrily, "Do you think you can leave this country just by wanting to? Wasn't it your father who opened the country's gates?"
Zeng Linlin went up and hugged Liu Hezhen's arm, and said coquettishly: "Mom, do you want to help me apply for it?"
Liu Hezhen tapped her forehead and said, "Alright, don't give me any more. I'll help you with the process first, and the Xu family can find an excuse to delay it."
She had no way to deal with her daughter Zeng Linlin, because she owed her for more than 20 years.
In the summer, it is already bright at five or six o'clock.
It was not yet half past five when Bei Bitang arrived at the small vegetable market three stops away in the dim light of the sky, holding a flashlight.
Although the middle-aged man who sold her the job told her to arrive before 8 a.m., she still came early, wanting to make a good impression on her colleagues. Things hadn't been going smoothly for her since she returned to Shanghai, and now that she had finally found a transitional job, she was hoping everything would go smoothly.
The main entrance of the small vegetable market was locked with a big iron lock, and the big black iron door was closed tightly.
Bei Bitang walked around the wall and found the back door.
Even before the stalls opened and customers arrived, the back door was already bustling with activity. Army-green Jiefang trucks lined up, waiting to be weighed. Salespeople in dark blue overalls were shouting, some keeping accounts in small notebooks, and some bending over to carry goods. A truck arrived, then left, then came again.
It was so lively that it seemed as if the sky had been brightened by it.
Bei Bitang dodged the passing carts sideways, and as an idler, she felt particularly out of place.
A middle-aged saleswoman, pushing a cart of long beans, passed by her. She stopped, looked at Bei Bitang and asked, "Miss, you're early and in the wrong place."
The saleswoman thought Bei Bitang was here to buy groceries.
Bei Bitang smiled and said, "Auntie, I'm not here to buy groceries. I'm here to look for an aunt named Li Guifen. Do you know her? Can you point her to me?"
The saleswoman smiled and said, "Gui Fen, how could I not recognize her? She's not here, she's setting up the chopping board inside. I'll take you to her."
Bei Bitang thanked her quickly and stepped forward to help her push the cart.
The saleswoman saw her in a light-colored floral dress and waved her hand, refusing, "No, no, don't get your clothes dirty. It's only morning, and you'll have to wear them all day!"
Bei Bitang insisted on going forward to help, and the two walked in while talking.
Bei Bitang learned that this aunt worked in the vegetable industry and also lived nearby. Her name was Yang Jinfang and she had worked here for more than 30 years.
It hadn't rained in the past two days, so the roads outside were dry. But inside the market, it was wet, and the wetter it got the further in you went.
Yang Jinfang first put the goods she was responsible for on the stall, and then took Bei Bitang to find Li Guifen.
The vegetable section was clearly much better than the aquatic section. Tanks containing various fish were pushed through, splashing water. Some active fish and shrimp fell to the ground and were picked up again, leaving behind a salty and fishy smell. The frozen fish also had a faint stench of decay.
The muddy wheels and shoes moved back and forth on the wet ground, making it dirty and muddy. Fortunately, there was no messy garbage, but the environment made Bei Bitang frown slightly.
A female worker who was about the same age as Yang Jinfang stood in front of a pool made of white tiles, lowered her head, and used a thin water pipe to fill the pool with water.
Yang Jinfang said to Bei Bitang, "This is Guifen."
Then she called to the female worker, "Guifen, someone is looking for you."
Yang Jinfang said to Bei Bitang again: "Comrade Bei, I'm leaving first. I still have work to do."
Bei Bitang thanked Yang Jinfang again, and Yang Jinfang left in a hurry.
Yang Jinfang's face was cold and indifferent. She looked at Bei Bitang and said, "You are Bei Bitang, right? Come with me."
Bei Bitang was taken to the management office of the small vegetable market without stopping.
The people sitting in the management office were also busy at this time. The small office was full of people, all of them were busy and noisy, just like a vegetable market. This was indeed part of a vegetable market.
Yang Jinfang and Bei Bitang squeezed in with difficulty and came to the desk at the back.
She said to the middle-aged man sitting there, "Director Li, this is my distant niece, Bei Bitang. She's here to take over my shift today. Please help her with the paperwork."
Yang Jinfang had already told Li Daqiang about the replacement job.
Yang Jinfang's attitude towards this director remained the same as her attitude towards Bei Bitang.
The other party looked at Bei Bitang for a few times, didn't say much, and quickly completed the handover procedures for Bei Bitang, and explained a few rules and regulations of the vegetable market.
After leaving the office, Yang Jinfang took Bei Bitang back to the fish stall.
At this time, a middle-aged strong man was standing in front of the fish stall, smoking half a cigarette and pouring fish into the pool.
Yang Jinfang said to him, "This is Bei Bitang, Lao Jin. She will be your partner from now on."
Hearing this, Bei Bitang immediately smiled friendly at the middle-aged man.
Jin Jianghai was silent for a moment, then said with some dissatisfaction, "You found me a delicate and tender girl to be my new partner?"
Yang Jinfang's tone was still cold and indifferent. She said, "Try to teach him a lesson first. You'll eventually be able to show him some form."
Bei Bitang said politely, "Hello, Master Jin! I will follow your instructions from now on."
Satisfied with Bei Bitang's attitude, Yang Jinfang insisted on leaving. Jin Jianghai said nothing more, nodded, and said, "Follow me first and see how I do it."
Yang Jinfang said, "I'll take her to the dressing room first to change her clothes."
Jin Jianghai took a long drag on his cigarette and said, "What a hassle."
Yang Jinfang took Bei Bitang to the locker room, took off her work clothes, dark blue apron and blue long-sleeved shirt, and handed them to Bei Bitang.
Bei Bitang endured the discomfort in her heart and changed her clothes as usual, thinking that she must bring her work clothes back home to wash them when she got home from get off work.
Yang Jinfang is a head shorter than Bei Bitang, but the work clothes distributed by the vegetable market are a bit big, and they fit Bei Bitang perfectly.
As the two of them returned to the fish stall, Yang Jinfang gave Bei Bitang a few rare words of advice. She said, "Old Jin is a warm-hearted man. As long as you work hard and don't shirk work, he'll be easy to talk to."
Bei Bitang said repeatedly: "Okay, I understand. I will definitely work hard and not be lazy."
Yang Jinfang smiled faintly and said nothing more. Halfway through the walk, she left and went home.
Bei Bitang will have to face what happens next alone.
Back at the fish stall, the people in charge of the stalls around it were all there.
Someone looked at Bei Bitang and said with a smile, "Oh, this is Jin Fang's successor. Old Jin, you're not satisfied, are you? You weren't satisfied when Jin Fang came first. This one looks even less capable than Jin Fang back then."
Without even looking up, Jin Jianghai said, "Hmph, it's better than your apprentice being so cunning. He's already in his thirties and can't even handle a business. How can you retire peacefully? Now he's back to squatting in the toilet, right?"
The shame on Bei Bitang's face faded away, and she was grateful to Master Jin for speaking up for her.
Feeling the scrutiny of the people around her, Bei Bitang overcame her discomfort and said frankly, "Hello everyone, my name is Bei Bitang. I'm going to get along with you from now on. Please give me your guidance."
Someone burst into laughter, and Bei Bitang's face turned red when she heard the laughter.
Jiang Jinhai waved at Bei Bitang and said, "Come with me."
Bei Bitang hurried over.
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