Chapter 338 Pretending to be a Returning Businessman in a Historical Fiction (Bonus Chapter)
In less than two months, the wasteland southeast of the Red Star Brigade had been completely transformed.
Rows of brand-new factory buildings have sprung up, their white walls and blue roofs gleaming brightly in the sunlight. Wide asphalt roads stretch from the main thoroughfare all the way to the factory gate, with newly transplanted saplings planted on both sides.
Director Li and Section Chief Zhang stood with Zhou Jue on a high place, looking at the modern factory area that was beginning to take shape, and they were too excited to speak.
"Miss Zhou, this...this is exactly the same as the ones abroad!" Director Li adjusted his glasses, his hands trembling.
He had never seen such a magnificent factory in his life; it was more impressive than any state-owned factory in the city.
“This is just the external structure.” Zhou Jue’s voice was calm as she pointed to one of the largest factory buildings: “Inside is the silk reeling workshop. The first batch of equipment will be shipped from the port next week and installed directly.”
Section Chief Zhang was writing furiously in a small notebook, muttering to himself, "Silk reeling workshop, design center, finished product workshop... My God, the scale..."
This grand blueprint, which once existed only on paper, is now becoming a reality at an incredible speed. And the creator of all this is this excessively young woman before us.
“Ms. Zhou,” Director Li took a deep breath and solemnly turned to Zhou Jue, “the people of the city will never forget your contributions.”
Zhou Jue smiled but didn't respond.
She turned to Section Chief Zhang and said, "Section Chief Zhang, preparations for the recruitment exam can officially begin now."
"Please announce to everyone that the exam date is in one week."
"In addition, the benefits of the factory's regular employees should also be made public."
"Yes!" Section Chief Zhang slammed his notebook shut, straightening his chest excitedly.
That afternoon, the commune's loudspeaker once again blared through every corner of the village.
"Notice! Notice! With the approval of the city, the 'Huaxin Silk Products Factory,' invested and built by patriotic overseas Chinese Ms. Zhou Jue, is now openly recruiting its first batch of formal workers from the entire commune!"
"Those who pass this recruitment exam will be officially recognized as state employees once hired!"
"Monthly salary: thirty yuan! In addition, there are various subsidies such as grain coupons, cloth coupons, and meat coupons!"
"Outstanding performers will be eligible for a year-end bonus! The factory provides employee dormitories and a canteen!"
"boom!"
The news caused an uproar throughout the entire Red Star Commune, or rather, several surrounding communes.
Thirty yuan!
Thirty yuan a month!
A strong laborer might work himself to the bone in the production team for a year, and in the end, he'd only get about this much! Some might even get less!
Now, if you pass the exam, you can earn thirty yuan a month! They even give you all sorts of tickets! Food and lodging are provided!
This isn't a job posting, it's like a windfall!
In an instant, everyone went crazy.
They stopped working in the fields and hoeing the land, and the lights in every household stayed on all night. What was originally a somewhat tense atmosphere of exam preparation was instantly replaced by a fanatical, almost distorted, desire.
Those young people holding books had red eyes and were muttering to themselves, as if the books were not knowledge, but the only ticket to heaven.
[Host, ever since Lin Wanwan made Zhou Xiaoman fall once, she hasn't laid a hand on her again. Now, with the news of this job recruitment exam, Lin Wanwan... is getting restless.]
"She's not just restless, she's practically being devoured by her cheat code."
Zhou Jue's divine sense, like an invisible net, enveloped the entire Red Star Brigade.
In her "field of vision," Zhou Xiaoman was still recovering from her injury, but there was no resentment in her eyes, only a trace of unwillingness and even more focus. She was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), using the light coming in through the window, carefully working out the math problems that Liu Guifen had someone copy back from the tutoring class. The originally dim aura above her head had now rekindled a faint light, tenacious and pure.
Meanwhile, in a room at the educated youth settlement, Lin Wanwan's state was completely different.
She sat at the table, with the same books laid out in front of her, but her gaze was fixed blankly on a certain page, and she didn't turn the page for a long time.
The clear, bright spirit she had shown when we first met was gone from her brows; in its place was a lingering melancholy.
The total amount of luck emanating from her was indeed stronger than when they last met, but the radiance was no longer pure.
Master! What are you still hesitating for!
The spirit carp's voice screamed wildly in Lin Wanwan's mind, filled with undisguised greed and eagerness.
【Look at those people outside! They're all crazy! Do you really think you can outperform everyone on your own? Have you forgotten that bitch Zhou Xiaoman? She has the female lead's halo! Even if she's crippled, she's still luckier than you! What will you do when she gets into the factory?】
Lin Wanwan's breath hitched. Xiao Li's voice, like a devil's whisper, continued to bewitch her.
But Zhou Jue is different! She's not from the original storyline! She's an outsider! She was brought here by your butterfly effect! Her luck is as vast as the sea! Look at everything she owns—that factory! That money! We wouldn't even dare to dream of it!
She has so much that she wouldn't even realize if she shared a little with us! This isn't stealing; it's resource redistribution!
【Master, just take a sip of her! Just one sip! Forget a mere worker's spot, the entire factory could be yours! Imagine becoming the owner of this factory! Then, who would dare look down on you? Who would dare bully you?】
The entire factory... is yours...
These words exploded in Lin Wanwan's mind like a thunderclap.
Her heart pounded uncontrollably, blood rushed to her brain, and she seemed to be hallucinating. She saw herself wearing a trench coat like Zhou Jue's, standing on a high place, overlooking the entire factory, with everyone looking at her with awe and envy.
That scene was so beautiful.
It was so beautiful that she couldn't resist it.
Her breathing quickened, her eyes darted wildly, but her heart still hesitated: "No, no..."
【Master! Would an ocean care about losing a single drop of water?! That single drop could benefit us immensely. If your conscience really bothers you, we can always make it up to her later!】
The last line of defense in my heart crumbled inch by inch in the face of immense temptation.
"I..." she began, her voice dry, "What should I do?"
"Great, Master!" Little Carp squealed excitedly.
Go see her, and use the excuse of thanking her for providing this exam opportunity for the educated youth as well! That's the best pretext!
I will imbue a trace of my primal power into the red string you've braided. Once she touches it, I can trace the thread and establish a faint connection! I promise! I'll only inhale one breath!
Lin Wanwan closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, the struggle in her eyes had faded, leaving only a kind of madness burned by desire.
...
The evening before the exam.
Just as Zhou Jue saw off Director Li, who had come to report on the final exam arrangements, there was a soft knock on the door.
"Please come in."
The door was pushed open a crack, and Lin Wanwan peeked in, her face bearing a complex smile that was a mixture of nervousness, ingratiation, and anticipation.
"Ms. Zhou...I hope I haven't disturbed you?"
“It’s you, Lin Wanwan, a former educated youth from the Red Star Brigade.” Zhou Jue’s tone was calm, as if he was not surprised by her arrival at all: “Is there something you need?”
Lin Wanwan walked in and stood awkwardly at the door, her hands tightly behind her back.
"I...I came to thank you." She lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly. "Thank you for providing us with such a wonderful opportunity to participate in the recruitment exam."
Zhou Jue looked at her without saying a word.
Lin Wanwan felt uneasy under her gaze. She gritted her teeth and stretched out her hand from behind her back, holding a carefully woven red knot in her palm.
The knot was very finely woven; you could tell that a lot of thought and effort had been put into it.
“Miss Zhou, this is a custom from our hometown,”
Lin Wanwan nervously handed over the red rope knot, her eyes darting away, not daring to meet Zhou Jue's gaze: "This...this is for you, I hope it will bless you...with peace and good fortune."
Zhou Jue's gaze fell on the red knot, and then she reached out and took it.
The moment her fingertips touched the red string, a faint but extremely cold and evil aura tried to penetrate her skin along her fingertips.
Zhou Jue's face remained unchanged; she simply held the red knot and gently rubbed it between her fingertips.
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