Chapter 73 Setting a Trap for Yang Weihong's Lunchbox Business...
Yang Weihong's boxed lunch business is selling very well.
She's all alone; she has to do everything herself—buying groceries, preparing ingredients, cooking, and selling boxed meals. She can't manage more than that in a day, so she only makes fifty or sixty boxed meals a day.
Fifty or sixty servings sounds like a lot. When business is good, they can be sold out in less than an hour. Even if business is a little slow, they can still be sold out in about two hours. Usually, it's done by noon.
She's someone who can't sit still; when she has nothing to do in the afternoon, she goes to the train station to sell mung bean soup.
While she was cooking in the morning, she also started making mung bean soup. By the time the dishes were finished, the mung bean soup was also ready. She took it off the heat and put it in cold water to cool.
In the afternoon, the mung bean soup is served chilled and ready to drink.
It's been hot lately, and the train station is crowded. People getting off the train may not have an appetite, but seeing this icy-cold mung bean soup, no one can resist buying it.
Yang Weihong is an honest person. She uses fresh ingredients in her boxed lunches and gives generous portions of mung bean soup. She sells them at cheap prices with low profit margins, but she makes a lot of money through small profits and quick turnover. After deducting all costs, she can earn more than 20 yuan a day.
Even compared to other vendors in the same square as the train station, not to mention others, she doesn't earn much.
The elderly women who often set up stalls next to her couldn't help but give her pointers. They said that she couldn't get good prices just by selling in the square. She should learn from others and sneak onto the train platform to sell to passengers on the train. That would earn her much more.
When the old lady told her, she smiled and agreed, but when she came to set up her stall the next day, she still obediently set up her stall in the square.
Yang Weihong knew that some people would sneak into the train station to sell things. The station had rules against it, but the bold would get rich while the timid would starve; some people would still sneak in to sell when the station staff weren't watching closely. Anyway, even if they got caught, they'd just get a scolding and be released.
Yang Weihong is honest and has a thin skin; she wouldn't do something like that.
Besides, she's working alone, so her production capacity is limited. She can only sell things at the station square.
She felt that she was earning quite a bit now, about twenty yuan a day, something she never dared to dream of before. Back in the countryside, she might not have earned that much in six months.
Therefore, Yang Weihong is very grateful to Mingxi. If it weren't for Mingxi's advice and guidance on selling boxed lunches, she wouldn't be able to earn so much money now.
Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, Yang Weihong rode her tricycle home, the old vehicle creaking and groaning. She thought to herself, "That piece of beef I bought at the market this morning was pretty good. I'll braise it when I get home and deliver it to Xiaoming tomorrow."
When we ate together last time, Xiaoming said she liked to eat beef.
"Wei Hong!"
As Yang Weihong was riding her tricycle, Shen Mo suddenly darted out from the roadside, spreading his arms to block the front of Yang Weihong's tricycle.
Shen Mo forced a charming smile and said, "Wei Hong, long time no see. How have you been lately?"
Yang Weihong: Bad luck.
What bad luck!
How did I end up running into Shen Mo!
She kept a straight face and didn't reply.
Even though Yang Weihong didn't reply, Shen Mo didn't feel awkward. He smiled and continued, "I thought you had already gone back. I didn't expect you to still be in Beicheng. Are you planning to stay here from now on?"
He asked himself and answered, "Actually, staying in Beicheng is quite good. After all, Beicheng is more developed than your hometown. But it's not very convenient for you to be here all by yourself, is it? You are a woman, and it's quite troublesome if something happens when you're alone. Here's what I'll do: give me your current address, and I'll give you mine too. It will be convenient for you to contact me if you need anything."
Yang Weihong's forehead was filled with a series of question marks: "Shen Mo, are you out of your mind? I'm looking for your grandpa, not you."
Shen Mo stared wide-eyed, as if he couldn't understand why Yang Weihong's attitude was so hostile.
Yang Weihong: "Pah! Are you still pretending? Get this straight, we broke up a long time ago. I feel disgusted just looking at you now!"
Shen Mo frowned, his face showing disapproval. He looked at Yang Weihong as if she were an immature child, and said, "Weihong, don't be silly. I know you're angry with me because of what happened before, but even if you're angry, don't take your safety for granted. The security situation isn't good these days, and it's not easy for a woman like you to be out there all alone. If anything happens, it's better to have a male acquaintance help you. So don't hold a grudge against me."
Yang Weihong was so angry that she laughed when she heard Shen Mo start lecturing her.
She stared intently at Shen Mo for a long time, making him feel uneasy. He asked, "What are you looking at?"
Yang Weihong: "How could someone with such a big face say such shameless things?"
She spoke without any politeness: "You still have the nerve to say that I was angry with you because of what happened before? What, you think I shouldn't be angry? Even if you took my spot in college, asked me for four years of living expenses, and then disappeared without a trace after graduation, and I traveled hundreds of miles to find you at a social event to go on blind dates with other people, shouldn't I be angry with you? Even if you see me but don't recognize me, don't acknowledge that I'm your wife, and even try to frame me, shouldn't I be angry with you? Shen Mo, do you think I'm out of my mind, or are you? Let me tell you, I want to kill you as soon as I see you now."
Yang Weihong's eyes were filled with murderous intent, and Shen Mo subconsciously took a step back, glancing nervously left and right.
He never expected that Yang Weihong didn't care about his reputation at all, and would expose his past right there on the street.
Fortunately, the place he chose was relatively remote, and few people on the road noticed their conversation, otherwise he would have lost face again.
The thought of how people at work were gossiping about him after Yang Weihong's affair was exposed made Shen Mo angry.
A hint of malice flashed in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
He forced a smile and said, "It's all in the past, why bring it up again?"
"The past?" Yang Weihong sneered, "Heh, it's in the past for you, but it's not in the past for me."
She casually pulled a wooden stick from the back of the tricycle, weighed it in her hand, and said, "Shen Mo, are you taking it as a joke that I wish I could kill you?"
Seeing her grab the weapon, Shen Mo's expression darkened, and he couldn't maintain his smile: "Wei Hong, stop making trouble. I came here today to have a proper talk with you. I admit that I did something wrong before, and I sincerely apologize to you. I was arrogant before, but now that I've calmed down, I realize that I was wrong, so wrong, so incredibly wrong."
He pursed his lips, feigning sincerity, and said, "How could I have mistakenly thought I didn't love you, that we weren't right for each other, and impulsively divorced you? Now I realize, no, that's not it. I love you, I still love you deeply. It's just that I've become so used to loving you, so used to it, that I didn't know how to cherish it. It wasn't until you left me that I realized I couldn't accept your departure. Wei Hong, come back, let's remarry!"
Yang Weihong, an elderly woman, looks at her phone on the subway.
Is this person still half asleep and talking in their sleep?
Too lazy to waste words with Shen Mo, she simply raised her hand and swung a stick at him: "You wish! Remarriage? I was blind to marry you back then, do you want me to be blind a second time?"
Shen Mo, clinging to a sliver of hope, didn't dodge, only to be struck squarely by Yang Weihong. He cried out in pain, clutching his head.
Why did you actually hit me?!
Shen Mo exclaimed in disbelief.
Yang Weihong: "Who's joking with you!"
She raised her hand and bang, bang, bang, and bang, she slammed the stick down several more times.
She'd wanted to beat this shameless woman up for a long time. She'd paid for her college education, but after graduation, she turned her back on her. When the woman came looking for her, the woman claimed to be from the same hometown. What a joke! During the divorce, she even tried to trick her into writing some kind of receipt.
If it weren't for Xiaoming's advice, she almost wouldn't have gotten her money back!
Yang Weihong beat Shen Mo mercilessly, leaving him no room for mercy and forcing him to run away with his head in his hands.
Shen Mo couldn't take Yang Weihong's beating any longer, so he said, "I'll let it go today. I'll come back another day when you're not angry anymore," and left in a hurry.
Yang Weihong: "Pah!"
That bastard Shen Mo still wants to come?
She hits me every time I come!
Seeing Shen Mo run away, Yang Weihong put away the stick, got on her tricycle and rode home, but she still felt unlucky.
What bad luck! How did that shameless Shen Mo know that she stayed in Beicheng and that she had a stall at the train station?
It was quite a coincidence, really. Ever since Shen Mo saw Yang Weihong outside the Ming family's house, he'd had designs on her.
He originally thought that Yang Weihong stayed in Beicheng to pester him, and he even planned to righteously and firmly reject Yang Weihong.
Although Shen Mo was ordinary, he was confident enough. Despite being disciplined and transferred to the boiler room to work as a boiler operator, he still thought he was remarkable, a proper worker, and that Yang Weihong, a village girl, was not good enough for him.
He then inquired about Yang Weihong's situation and learned that she was setting up a stall at the train station. He looked down on her, saying that she was indeed a country girl from the countryside who could only set up a stall to sell food in the city, which was not respectable.
Thank goodness he's divorced from Yang Weihong now, otherwise if people knew his wife was running a stall outside, they'd laugh him to death, it would be such a disgrace!
Shen Mo looked down on Yang Weihong for setting up a stall, but when he arrived at the train station and saw how well Yang Weihong's business was doing late into the night, he instantly forgot about his shameful and lowly views.
What does losing face matter? Making money is what really matters!
When Shen Mo arrived at the train station, it was after get off work in the evening. Yang Weihong's boxed lunches had already sold out at noon, and in the evening she was selling mung bean soup for five cents a bowl.
She sold her food cheaply, so many people bought it. Her stall was always crowded with people, one bowl after another. People came and went, and the stall was never empty.
Shen Mo watched for a while and saw Yang Weihong sell more than ten bowls of mung bean soup.
I earned fifty cents in such a short time!
Looking at the large insulated container behind Yang Weihong, he estimated that Yang Weihong must have earned at least ten yuan a day!
No, he also heard from others that Yang Weihong also sells boxed lunches!
In a day, you might not even earn ten or twenty yuan, but you could potentially make more than twenty.
Shen Mo was extremely envious. You see, after he was transferred to the boiler room, his salary was also reduced. Now he only earns eighteen yuan a month.
Yang Weihong, a village girl from the countryside, could earn his monthly salary in a single day. How could he not be envious?
Shen Mo was both angry and envious, wishing he could immediately run to the speculation and profiteering office, report Yang Weihong, and have Yang Weihong's stall confiscated and all the money he had earned confiscated!
As he turned to report Yang Weihong, a sudden idea struck him.
No, if Yang Weihong is so good at making money, then if he remarries her, wouldn't all of Yang Weihong's money be his?
Shen Mo, with his keen calculation skills, figured Yang Weihong could earn over twenty yuan a day, six hundred yuan a month, and over six thousand yuan a year. So, after he married Yang Weihong, why would he need to go to work or work at the steel mill? Wouldn't it be better for him to stay home and live like a king, instead of going to the steel mill and being pointed at and gossiped about by the people there?
With money, he could have any woman he wanted, as long as he hid her well from Yang Weihong and didn't let her find out.
He's rich and has a woman, so even if others look down on him for marrying a country girl, no one dares to say anything bad about him to his face!
Shen Mo was so captivated by his fantasy of a wonderful life with money and women that he didn't even consider whether Yang Weihong would agree to remarry him.
Seeing Yang Weihong packing up her stall, he immediately chased after her and made a scene of stopping her car to beg for peace.
Unexpectedly, Yang Weihong not only refused his plea for peace but also attacked him. Shen Mo was so angry that he was convulsing, muttering foul language: "Damn it, damn it, a stinking country bumpkin, she hasn't even washed the mud off her clothes yet, it's her good fortune that I've taken a liking to her! It's only because of me, if it were anyone else, who would bother with her? She didn't even want to sleep with me and dared to lay a hand on me, damn it, that bitch!"
Shen Mo grumbled and cursed, but he still hadn't given up on the idea of remarrying Yang Weihong.
He knew that his reputation was now completely ruined, and no good girl would be interested in him. Even if someone was interested, they wouldn't dare to marry him after hearing about his past.
Shen Mo doesn't fancy girls who aren't well-off.
He got married to climb the social ladder, not to pay a large dowry and marry a leech that would leech off his wife's family.
Considering all these factors, Yang Weihong is the most suitable candidate.
As for whether Yang Weihong is willing or not, is that even a question?
In Shen Mo's view, Yang Weihong, a village girl from the countryside, who was also remarried and had a grandmother who was a burden on her family, had no chance of finding a worker as a partner in the city.
If he can take a liking to Yang Weihong, then Yang Weihong should happily agree.
Shen Mo was absolutely certain of his judgment. Even though this visit hadn't gone well, he firmly believed that Yang Weihong must have been confused and hadn't thought things through. He gave Yang Weihong time to consider and would come back another day. He was confident that Yang Weihong would have figured things out by then.
Yang Weihong had no idea that Shen Mo was determined to remarry her. She couldn't understand what had gotten into Shen Mo, that he would dare to appear in front of her.
The next day, when I delivered braised beef to Mingxi, I complained about this to her.
Mingxi saw things more clearly than Yang Weihong: "I guess Shen Mo found out that you're making money from your stall and wants to remarry you."
"What?! He's after my money again!"
Yang Weihong's face flushed with anger. Shen Mo's interest in her money bothered her even more than his interest in her as a person.
Although she can earn money much more easily now than before, it is still money she has worked hard and put in a lot of effort to earn!
Yang Weihong clenched her fists: "No, I didn't hit him hard enough. If he comes again next time, I won't let him off easily!"
Mingxi: "Oh, please don't!"
She grabbed Yang Weihong and said, "You have to be careful. You're in the city now, and the city is different from the countryside. If you get into a fight in the countryside, no one might care, but if you fight in the city and someone goes too far and reports it to the police, you might get arrested."
Yang Weihong's eyes widened: "So, you mean I can't hit Shen Mo?"
Mingxi: "No, it's not that you can't hit him. I mean, you have to be careful. You can hit him, but you have to have a reason and be careful with your strength. For example, if he comes to harass you, then you have to let others know that he is wrong and that you were forced to take action because he was harassing you."
Yang Weihong nodded blankly.
She seemed to understand what Mingxi meant.
The point is to let people know that she was being bullied and that her actions were righteous.
Yang Weihong silently kept it in mind, and looked at Mingxi with even more admiration. As expected of Comrade Xiaoming, even fighting has so many stories to tell!
Yang Weihong: "Okay! Comrade Xiaoming, I understand!"
Mingxi: No, it seems like Yang Weihong has misunderstood something.
However, Yang Weihong kept it to herself, as for Shen Mo...
Mingxi pondered in her heart what kind of law she should use to punish him.
When Mingxi heard that Shen Mo wanted to take revenge on her, she prepared to teach Shen Mo a lesson in advance. Zhao Sulan even kept an eye on Shen Mo at the steel rolling mill for a period of time.
But because of the disciplinary action, Shen Mo has been unusually well-behaved lately, keeping a low profile at the steel mill and behaving obediently, not daring to cause any trouble.
Zhao Sulan couldn't find anything wrong with him.
Mingxi chatted with Yang Weihong for a while, and then Yang Weihong brought up another matter: "I bought a train ticket, for tomorrow night's train, to go back and pick up my grandma."
Yang Weihong had called her grandmother before, saying she wanted to bring her to Beicheng.
Grandma Yang was initially reluctant. She's an older woman, and she still holds onto old ideas. She doesn't want to go out, let alone travel so far.
But after hearing Yang Weihong say that business was good in Beicheng and that she could make money, and that she planned to buy a house and settle down in Beicheng after making money, Grandma Yang remained silent for a long time before finally agreeing.
Her husband died young, and her son and daughter-in-law also passed away at a young age. Her only remaining thought in life was that her granddaughter, Yang Weihong, could live a good life.
When Shen Mo was about to go to the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University, Grandma Yang disagreed. She thought that Shen Mo would become unruly after going to university and wouldn't be able to stay with Yang Weihong. Unexpectedly, her words came true, and Shen Mo disappeared without a trace after graduating from university.
After Grandma Yang learned that Yang Weihong and Shen Mo had divorced, she felt half hatred for Shen Mo and half self-reproach. If only she had stopped Shen Mo from going to university.
She managed to get the money back from Shen Mo, but the marriage was still over. Her beloved granddaughter was now a divorcee, and who knows how the villagers would laugh at her when she returned to the village. It would be even harder for her to find a partner in the future.
Grandma Yang didn't think there was anything wrong with the divorce. To her, it didn't matter whether Yang Weihong remarried or not, and she didn't mind if Yang Weihong stayed at home as an old maid for the rest of her life.
But she was afraid that Yang Weihong would be upset if she heard the gossip outside.
Now that she's heard Yang Weihong is going to settle down in Beicheng, she thinks it's a good thing.
No one in Beicheng knows her granddaughter, no one knows that her granddaughter is remarried, and no one will gossip.
Thinking this way, Grandma Yang still decided to set off for Beicheng. Her granddaughter was going to settle down here, so she had to come too. If she didn't come, would this still be considered a home?
During this time, Grandma Yang stayed at home sorting things out. She rented out the land she had been allocated to other villagers to farm, slaughtered and took with her the livestock that could be slaughtered, and gave away the livestock that couldn't be slaughtered to others to raise. She did the same with her belongings, packing up what she could take with her and distributing what she couldn't to people she was on good terms with in the village.
Over the years, the grandmother and grandson have received a lot of care from everyone in the village. Now that they are moving away, they should thank everyone for their care over the years.
After Grandma Yang had settled everything, she called Yang Weihong.
The old lady was quite stubborn, saying that she didn't need Yang Weihong to pick her up and that she could come by herself. But Yang Weihong couldn't rest easy, so she quickly booked a car for tomorrow and planned to go back and pick up Grandma Yang.
Yang Weihong came here not only to deliver braised beef, but also to say hello to Mingxi. After all, her train journey to and from here would take almost a week, and if Mingxi needed to look for her in the meantime, she wouldn't be able to find her.
Mingxi nodded: "Okay, I understand. Be careful going back alone."
She paused for a moment, then said, "Oh, right, have you bought your train ticket back?"
Yang Weihong nodded and said with a smile, "I bought them. I was lucky this time and managed to snag two sleeper berths."
Mingxi: "That's good. I was just about to say that. I have a childhood friend who knows someone at the train station. If you can't get a ticket, I can ask him to get you two sleeper tickets."
Grandma Yang is not young, and sitting in a seat for a whole day and night would be torture for her. Switching to a sleeper berth would be much better.
Hearing Mingxi say this, Yang Weihong's eyes welled up with tears.
Regardless of whether she managed to buy a sleeper berth or not, the fact that Mingxi brought it up showed that he was thinking of her, and she should be grateful for that.
Yang Weihong decided that after bringing her grandmother back, she would cook more delicious food for Mingxi!
She wanted to thank Mingxi, but she wasn't exactly flush with cash. Although she'd gotten 1,500 yuan back from Shen Mo and business had been good lately, she was still a newcomer to the business. She'd invested a lot in renting a place and buying all sorts of equipment, and hadn't fully recouped her investment yet.
In addition, Mingxi won't charge any money.
She tried to thank Mingxi last time by giving her a red envelope, but it was returned.
However, Mingxi loves to eat, so she won't return any food that Mingxi cooks and sends over. Therefore, she has been cooking and sending over quite a lot of food lately.
Yang Weihong chatted with Mingxi for a few more minutes before saying goodbye and leaving.
Mingxi brought a large box of braised beef that Yang Weihong had delivered to the kitchen: "Mom, you don't have to cook tonight. Yang Weihong has brought food over again."
Zhao Sulan glanced down and exclaimed, "Wow, braised beef! Such a big box! This girl must have made a lot!"
Mingxi: "Of course."
Zhao Sulan: "When I was buying groceries today, I saw that beef at the market was 1.3 yuan per jin, and beef shank was even more expensive. There must be about two jin of meat in this."
The beef shrinks after cooking; there must have been at least three pounds of beef before cooking.
The meat alone costs about four yuan. Add to that the braising spices, the firewood used for braising, and the labor involved, and it adds up to quite a bit.
Zhao Sulan: "Wei Hong has been sending us a lot of things lately. We can't keep taking advantage of her like this. If she sends us something again, you'll have to pay her."
Mingxi said with a troubled expression, "I was thinking about whether or not to give her the money, but I was afraid she wouldn't accept it."
Zhao Sulan thought about it and realized that Yang Weihong had brought the things to thank Mingxi. If Mingxi had offered money, she might not have accepted it.
She thought for a moment and said, "How about this, since she brings us food, we should bring her food too. Tomorrow you can go to the department store and buy some malted milk powder, canned fruit, or something to keep at home, so she can take it back next time she comes."
"Okay, this one will do."
Mingxi thought that malted milk powder and canned fruit were both suitable for the elderly, and it would be perfect to give them to Grandma Yang when she came.
She nodded: "I'll go to the department store tomorrow."
The next day was a day off, and Mingxi went to the department store early in the morning. The department store was restocking on Sundays, and some popular items were newly added, which caused a long queue to form at the entrance early in the morning. Mingxi joined the crowd and queued up as well.
While waiting in line to enter, I overheard two little girls holding hands in front of me talking. One of them said, "Wei Sijia, I heard that your mother is dating a rich man from Hong Kong."
Mingxi was taken aback, then widened her eyes to look at the other one. Coincidentally, the other little girl was none other than Bai Shuzhen's daughter, Wei Sijia.
When asked this, Wei Sijia's expression became somewhat unnatural. She pursed her lips and asked, "Who told you that?"
"Everyone's talking about it. I've heard a lot of people in the factory talking about it."
Wei Sijia said with a tense expression, "Why are these people so gossipy? Is it really interesting to spread rumors about other people's affairs?"
The girl next to her patted Wei Sijia on the shoulder: "Hey, don't be angry. Everyone was just talking, they didn't mean any harm, and they didn't say anything bad about your mother."
She touched her hair and said, "I envy your mother for finding such a rich partner. You have no idea, I heard that your mother's boyfriend has a big company in Hong Kong, and he lives in a big villa there. Do you know what a big villa is? It's like the ones in Hong Kong movies, with swimming pools, gardens, and several floors. Maybe there are even a dozen or so servants who call him 'Master' when he comes home."
Wei Sijia's expression changed: "This, this is just a capitalist."
"Yes, they are capitalists, but Hong Kong capitalists are different from those here."
Wei Sijia: "That's true..."
"Hey, Sijia, if your mom marries her boyfriend, won't you be a capitalist's daughter too? Will you go to Hong Kong with her? Don't forget you have a good sister like me when you become rich!"
Wei Sijia: "Don't talk nonsense. What do you mean by wealth or status, or whether I'm a capitalist's daughter or not? What does it have to do with me?"
"How can it not concern you? If your mother marries him, then he will be your stepfather, and also your family. You can get a share of his property. He's so rich, even if he only leaves you a little bit, you'll never be able to spend it all in your lifetime."
Upon hearing this, Wei Sijia couldn't help but be tempted.
Cao Guangping is indeed quite wealthy. If her mother marries him, wouldn't she also benefit from his wealth...?
Wei Sijia bit her lip and shook her head.
No, why is she thinking about this? She doesn't even know if her mother plans to marry Cao Guangping.
Moreover, Cao Guangping has his own daughter, and I heard he also has two sons in Hong Kong. Even if his family is wealthy, it has nothing to do with her.
Just as Wei Sijia had calmed down, she heard the other person say, "If I were you, I would hurry up and let your mother marry her boyfriend. They are both so old, how much time can they afford to waste? To put it bluntly, if something happens to the man, your mother will suffer a huge loss."
Wei Sijia: "It's not like we lost a huge amount of money..."
"How could it not be? If your mother marries him, they will be legal partners. If he passes away, your mother will be entitled to half of his assets."
Wei Sijia's eyes widened: "Half that much?"
"Absolutely! That's why I said, if I were you, I would definitely urge your mother to marry that person as soon as possible, because marriage..."
Wei Sijia was feeling dizzy listening to her companion's words, but Mingxi behind her felt that something was wrong.
She scratched her head, wondering why this person seemed to be constantly urging Wei Sijia to persuade Bai Shuzhen to marry Cao Guangping.
Mingxi couldn't help but pay attention to the conversation between the two, and sure enough, the other person kept encouraging Wei Sijia.
"Sijia, since both your families know that your mom is dating this guy, why don't you hurry up and let them get married? Do you think they're not planning on getting married yet?"
"Sijia, even if your mother doesn't think about herself, she should at least think about you and your brother. Her boyfriend is so rich, shouldn't he help you and your brother out?"
"Sijia, I heard that our factory leaders have to bow and scrape to your mother's boyfriend, but he didn't even offer to help you. He just let you be ordinary workers..."
Mingxi couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but Wei Sijia didn't think so. She simply believed that her friend was thinking of her best interests and even thought that what her friend said made sense.
Putting aside whether they get married or not, Cao Guangping is so rich and powerful, why doesn't he know to put in a good word for her and her brother in front of the leaders?
If Cao Guangping had just said one word, she wouldn't still be sitting on the sidelines in the warehouse!
Seeing that Wei Sijia's dissatisfaction had been stirred up, the girl opposite her smiled smugly.
Mingxi: Something's not right, something's very wrong.
When Mingxi returned home after shopping, he saw Ma Meixia sitting on the sofa chatting with Zhao Sulan.
Zhao Sulan: "Xibao, you're back! Perfect timing, Meixia was just looking for you."
Mingxi pointed to herself: "Huh? Looking for me?"
Ma Meixia: "Yes, I need to talk to you."
Mingxi put her things down and sat on the sofa: "What's wrong? Did you need something from me?"
Ma Meixia frowned and said, "There's something I feel is wrong, and I'd like you to help me analyze it."
She said, "I feel like there have been people trying to persuade my mother-in-law to marry her boyfriend lately. A few days ago, I ran into a friend of my brother-in-law who was trying to persuade him, and I also saw one of Bai Shuzhen's older friends trying to persuade her. When I went back to my parents' house yesterday, my mother asked me if my mother-in-law was dating an older man. She said she had heard people say that. She also told me that if Bai Shuzhen wanted to marry him, I shouldn't stop her, and even if Wei Yong'an tried to stop her, I shouldn't say anything."
At this point, Ma Meixia snorted and said, "My mom is overthinking it. Bai Shuzhen's marriage is a good thing for me and my husband, Lao Wei, and we certainly won't stop it. But, I felt something was off. Why would my mom suddenly bring up Bai Shuzhen's marriage? It has nothing to do with her, so I asked her about it. She told me she heard it from someone outside. Someone told her that Bai Shuzhen's boyfriend is powerful and influential in the city, and that marrying him would benefit Wei Yong'an. The person even told my mom that we should persuade Bai Shuzhen to marry Cao Guangping as soon as possible. My mom is honest and felt that as a daughter-in-law, I shouldn't interfere in this matter, so she didn't mention it to me."
When it came to the idea that it would benefit Wei Yong'an, Ma Meixia was very dismissive.
Bai Shuzhen was originally Wei Yong'an's stepmother. She married Cao Guangping, who could be considered Wei Yong'an's stepfather, but in reality, the two were complete strangers. They had no relation to each other, either legally or by blood.
No matter how rich Cao Guangping is or how influential he is in the city, it's useless to Wei Yong'an.
Wei Yong'an didn't care about that. He was able to get a job in the city's propaganda department at such a young age because of his own ability.
Ma Meixia pulled Mingxi aside and said, "Xiaoming, you know, my mom is just an ordinary housewife, and the people she chats with are all housewives. Logically speaking, they shouldn't know who Cao Guangping is, what he does, or his connections in the city, right?"
Mingxi nodded, "That's how it should be."
Ma Meixia: "So I felt something was wrong. I originally wanted to talk to my husband about this, but he left on a business trip yesterday. It's not good to talk about this over the phone, so I can only come to you for help in analyzing it."
Mingxi: "This is not right."
Thinking of Wei Sijia, whom she had just met outside, Mingxi said, "I ran into your sister-in-law outside. Her friend was also urging her to persuade Bai Shuzhen to get married quickly..."
She repeated what she had heard outside.
After hearing this, Ma Meixia frowned and asked, "Could it be that someone is trying to set a trap for my husband, Lao Wei?"
The timing is a bit sensitive. Her husband, Lao Wei, had just been transferred to the city, and her mother-in-law married a foreign businessman. People who dislike Lao Wei might very well use this to attack him.
Mingxi shook her head: "It's not like I'd go so far as to set a trap for your old Wei."
Although the timing of Wei Yong'an's transfer to the city government was somewhat sensitive, his position was in charge of propaganda, which was not classified. Furthermore, this was a time when the country was attracting large-scale foreign investment, so Wei Yong'an's connections with foreign businesses might not necessarily be a bad thing.
Mingxi thought about it seriously: "I think this matter has nothing to do with you and your husband, but it might have something to do with Bai Shuzhen."
Ma Meixia: "Bai Shuzhen?"
Mingxi: "I'm a little confused about it right now, but I think it might be related to Cao Guangping's family. Do you remember Cao Guangping's daughter? The one who went to the hospital last time, I don't think she's a good person."
After Mingxi reminded her, Ma Meixia remembered.
"Oh, right!" Ma Meixia nodded excitedly. "I forgot to tell you last time. My husband, Lao Wei, told me after he went back that he specifically asked around and found out that Cao Guangping's family is not peaceful. He has two sons and two daughters, and his wife treats them equally. Regardless of gender, those who are capable get promoted. Among their four children, the eldest son has the most business talent, so his wife originally planned to hand over the management of the headquarters to her eldest daughter. Last year, Cao Guangping's wife passed away from illness, right? After Cao Guangping took over, he favored his two sons and suppressed his two daughters. There's a huge commotion in Hong Kong right now. The one who came to the hospital last time was Cao Guangping's youngest daughter, Chen Jiahui."
Mingxi thought to herself, "No wonder."
No wonder she felt something was off between him and Cao Guangping when she saw him last time.
The two seemed to have a good father-daughter relationship, but it was a bit fake. They called each other "father" and "daughter" affectionately, but there was no real emotion in their eyes.
Ma Meixia: "But what does this have to do with Bai Shuzhen?"
"Could it be that Bai Shuzhen's two sons would get upset if she married Cao Guangping?"
Mingxi nodded: "It's quite possible, you never know."
Ma Meixia was stunned for a moment, thinking that it probably wouldn't happen.
But considering that most families would have a huge fight over their father remarrying, let alone Cao Guangping's wealthy family, his two sons might really get angry about it.
"So, the people who came to encourage our family and urged Bai Shuzhen to marry Cao Guangping were all sent by Chen Jiahui?"
Ma Meixia thought that, given the circumstances, the only person who would have a reason to do this was Chen Jiahui.
Mingxi nodded deeply.
She guessed it was Chen Jiahui who did it.
Cao Guangping favored his two sons over his daughter, causing them to fight constantly. Chen Jiahui brought Bai Shuzhen into the fray, hoping to profit from the conflict between Cao Guangping and his sons.
Ma Meixia quickly understood this and breathed a sigh of relief: "As long as it has nothing to do with my husband, Lao Wei, that's fine."
As for Bai Shuzhen?
That's none of her business.
Bai Shuzhen is neither her husband's biological mother nor her biological mother-in-law.
Whether Bai Shuzhen gets married or not is none of her business.
Moreover, Cao Guangping's family affairs are none of her business.
Ma Meixia didn't intend to get involved in this matter because she knew that even if she kindly went out and told Bai Shuzhen about it, Bai Shuzhen wouldn't thank her. In fact, Bai Shuzhen might even resent her for meddling.
So she was determined not to get involved in this mess.
She can just watch the show and that's it.
Mingxi shrugged. If Ma Meixia thought that way, then it was none of her business as an outsider.
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