Chapter 51 Night Talk
Guangzhou is developing rapidly, and many people have made a fortune by taking advantage of the opportunities. Gao Ming and Li Huguo also made money this way.
"In the first year, we saw that the clothing business was doing well, so we imported a lot of trendy styles from abroad and sold them locally. But after only a few days, we discovered that two new shops had appeared next door, with prices lower than ours and even newer styles..."
Chen Yun subconsciously looked up at Gao Ming's expression and met his slightly upturned eyes, which seemed to hide excitement rather than anger.
They can get cheaper and better-looking clothes wholesale because they have better connections than others.
Gao Ming knew very well that he didn't have any powerful backers or connections; the only thing he could rely on was his brains.
So the two of them used the "guerrilla warfare" tactics they used in the army, selling for two days and then moving on to another city, specifically heading to the county seat.
After two years of hard work, the two earned their first sum of money, but they did not continue with this market-style sales method.
Do you remember when our factory sold trucks?
Chen Yun nodded, then, worried that Gao Ming couldn't see, softly hummed in agreement.
Chen Yun personally experienced the layoffs in the transportation team and the sale of the idle trucks.
"Actually, it's not just Hongri Machinery Factory that's selling cars to cut costs; quite a few factories want to sell cars... so after discussing it with Li Huguo, we decided to head north..."
The two grew up in Beicheng City.
Beicheng is not only their hometown, but also the place where almost all their relatives and friends live, and their social networks are all located.
“My uncle started doing business a couple of years ago, and through him I got to know a few factories that were going to sell cars soon.” Gao Ming suddenly sighed deeply, and tightened his grip on Chen Yun’s hand. “Originally I was planning to buy two cars and run my own transportation business, but I changed my mind later… I used all my capital to buy a batch of scrap steel, and then, with my uncle’s help, I sold it and made a fortune.”
Gao Ming described the process with a nonchalant air, but Chen Yun, who had been listening attentively, could imagine from the subtle nuances in his tone that there must have been many twists and turns involved.
Fortunately, in the end, Gao Ming earned more money than he could in decades of running a transportation business.
As soon as he got the money, Gao Ming immediately bought ten trucks that were relatively new to their service life. Coincidentally, that same year the government issued a document allowing the free flow of funds from farmers and collectives and encouraging the circulation of goods in rural areas.
The right of individuals to purchase vehicles and vessels for transportation business was explicitly supported, and [Anping Transportation Company] was officially established.
Chen Yun patted Gao Ming's chest, and asked with a wry smile, "You named him Anping, aren't you afraid that Li Huguo will have something to say about it?"
"What opinions could he possibly have... That guy's a coward; he didn't dare get involved in selling scrap metal." Gao Ming chuckled.
Li Huguo is timid and prone to making mistakes, especially at crucial moments.
He was worried that the scrap steel wouldn't sell, so after much hesitation, he didn't get involved and just helped Gao Ming run errands.
This hesitation caused the two men, with the same initial capital, to differ by tens of thousands of times.
After his experience buying and selling scrap steel, Li Huguo realized that he was not cut out for business. So when the transportation company was established, he invested some money as a small shareholder and worked with Gao Ming.
"And what happens after the transportation company is established?" Chen Yun asked again.
"Later, the company focused on developing business with township enterprises, specializing in transporting time-sensitive goods such as fruits and seafood... Most of our company's employees were from factory transport teams and military transport soldiers, and there weren't many people with better driving skills than them..."
In its first year, the company almost monopolized all transportation business in ten nearby counties, and the number of its vehicles quickly increased from ten to thirty.
Later, Gao Ming felt that local industries were severely restricted, so he contacted several comrades who had transferred to work in other cities.
After a year of planning, he has successfully established a transportation network from Taipei to Guangzhou, and has successfully launched a special business to provide return transportation services for individual merchants who travel south to purchase goods.
Once the company's situation stabilized, Gao Ming and Li Huguo set off to return home.
After recounting the past four years, Gao Ming suddenly let out a long sigh and slid down to lie on his back.
"Home is still the most comfortable place!"
"You've been on the train for two days, get some rest. We can talk about it tomorrow." Chen Yun reached out and turned off the desk lamp.
A low laugh suddenly came from the darkness, and Gao Ming's somewhat hoarse voice drifted into the ears: "Aren't you going to ask how much money you've made these past few years?"
"I felt the box you sewed to the corner of your clothes while I was packing." Chen Yun smiled, winking in the darkness as she spoke, "But I didn't open it."
The person next to me suddenly sat up and hurriedly got out of bed in the dark to look for their luggage bag.
Chen Yun smiled and pulled the light cord.
The room lit up again, and under the dim light, a barefoot man squatted in front of several duffel bags, rummaging through the "surprise" he had meticulously prepared for over half a month, only to have it discovered long ago.
"I was worried about safety on the train, so I sewed it into my clothes. I only put it in my bag after I got off the train and changed my clothes... Where did I put it?"
In order not to appear in front of Chen Yun looking sloppy, Gao Ming specially changed into new clothes in the abandoned warehouse of the factory before going home. Unexpectedly, he was so happy when he got home that he forgot where he had put them.
Chen Yun chuckled softly, the curve of her eyes perfectly softening the world around her.
"In the gray bag was the blue clothes."
Gao Ming hurriedly opened another duffel bag, his ears growing redder and redder amidst Chen Yun's laughter, until his neck was also tinged with crimson.
"Found it."
I found the clothes, but I didn't have time to open them carefully. I just tore them open and took out a red box.
The box is rectangular and about the length of a skilled hand.
He turned around with the box in his hand, then sat back down on the bed. Chen Yunqing cleared his throat to stop laughing and sat up straight with a serious expression.
One looked like a leader about to present an award, the other smiled with the standard eight-tooth smile of the couple on their wedding day.
Gao Ming looked up and, equally amused, bent over with a slight bend.
Are you nervous?
As he spoke, he opened the box and mysteriously pointed the lid at Chen Yun, taking out a gold bracelet about the width of an index finger.
“I see that all the wealthy women in the city wear this. It will definitely look good on your fair skin with a gold bracelet.”
The plain bracelet without any patterns was slipped onto Chen Yun's wrist. She moved it and couldn't help but laugh and cry: "It's so heavy. My hand will hurt if I wear it for a long time."
Just from the weight of the bracelet, Chen Yun knew that Gao Ming had indeed made a lot of money in the past few years; it weighed at least three ounces, making it difficult to lift his hand.
"Then leave it there, I'll buy you two lighter ones to wear." Gao Ming smiled.
That's all?
"And there's more."
This time, she took out a necklace and a pair of earrings. The heart-shaped pendant was solid and quite heavy.
The rose earrings, however, were quite light and made Chen Yun's face look rounder, which made Gao Ming's eyes burn with desire.
Perhaps worried that he might lose control and pounce on her if he kept watching, Gao Ming coughed lightly and then took out two rings from the box.
“We didn’t buy rings for our wedding. I bought these rings after I made my first money in Guangzhou,” he said, slipping the smaller one onto Chen Yun’s ring finger and then haphazardly putting the larger one on his own.
Chen Yun noticed that the men's ring already had many scratches and textures, and curiously reached out and stroked it a few times.
“I’ve been wearing the ring ever since I bought it, so that people will know I’m married.”
"It seems quite a few girls have their eyes on you."
"Who told me to meet such an excellent wife so early on, I can't look at anyone else anymore." Gao Ming smiled radiantly, and after quietly interlocking his fingers with Chen Yun's hand that was wearing a ring, he suddenly leaned in slowly.
He slowly pressed a lip print to the corner of his mouth, and as their breaths mingled, he moved it slowly to the left.
"Mother."
Chen Yun immediately turned her head, subconsciously pushed Gao Ming away, and hurriedly got out of bed and walked towards the small bed.
"I need to pee," Gao Nianping mumbled, leaning against the crib railing. His face was scrunched up, clearly indicating he had been holding it in for quite some time.
Gao Ming smiled bitterly to himself and pulled Chen Yun aside: "Damn, there's something else in the box."
Chen Yun blushed and nodded shyly.
After eight years of marriage, they're practically an old married couple, but tonight they were both as shy as when they first met.
Chen Yun patted her cheeks and sat back on the bed.
There was also a savings book in the box. Chen Yun put all the gold jewelry away in the drawer before opening the savings book.
"..."
Before they knew it, Gao Ming had already carried Gao Nianping back into the house.
"Dad, are you still going to work?"
Gao Nianping rolled over and wrapped himself in the blanket, revealing his eyes, and asked in a childish voice.
"Dad has to go back to work."
"Then you must come back to see us often in the future, otherwise I will soon... ha... forget about you."
After two consecutive yawns, before even hearing his father's answer, Gao Nianping tilted his head and fell asleep.
Gao Ming bent down and kissed his son and daughter on the forehead, tucked them in, and then turned back to bed.
Chen Yun was still flipping through the bankbook.
I glanced at it, raised my hand and started counting, over and over again... and finally confirmed it.
"Seven hundred thousand... You earned seven hundred thousand in just one year!"
"This is just the profit that belonged to me after the Chinese New Year dividends last year." Gao Ming smiled, finally able to see more expressions on his wife's face as he had hoped.
Chen Yun climbed back onto the bed, looked up and down at Gao Ming from all sides, and finally concluded.
"Now I believe you've been wearing the ring all along. If there were such an outstanding unmarried young man around, I'd be tempted too!"
Gao Ming sighed and chuckled.
Chen Yun flipped through the passbook again and again, as if the hesitation that had been lingering in her heart was instantly shattered by the string of numbers.
When are you planning to go back to Beicheng?
clever:"……"
He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. After a long silence, he finally decided to keep his thoughts to himself.
"Ten days."
"Ten days." Chen Yun crawled back into bed, carefully tucking the bankbook under her pillow, her eyes peeking out from under the covers filled with laughter.
Looking at his wife's smile, the happiness that was about to overflow in his chest suddenly vanished, and Gao Ming even felt a little wronged.
"I just want to go back early and leave the money behind, right?"
Chen Yun, who was so happy, turned her head and saw Gao Ming's dejected look with his eyes drooping, and couldn't help but laugh.
“Money is good, of course.” Her eyes darted around, and she pulled the savings book out from under her pillow again. “With this money, my son and I won’t have to worry about food or clothing. We can even buy my parents the best writing materials…”
Gao Ming stared wide-eyed in disbelief as Chen Yun rattled off a long list of benefits without mentioning a single word about himself.
I felt even more wronged...
The more I thought about it, the more upset I became, so I simply turned over and lay down, covering my head with the blanket and making it look like I didn't want to hear it anymore.
Even though he was unhappy, he couldn't bear to turn his back on Chen Yun.
Chen Yun chuckled softly twice.
I turned off the lights, lay down, and snuggled into a warm embrace like an eel, finding a comfortable spot and letting out a sigh.
"Why didn't you mention letting us go to the North City with you? Do you have connections in the city?"
"You really know how to wrong people," Gao Ming said, reaching out to gently scratch Chen Yun's soft lower back, causing the delicate body in his arms to tremble slightly before continuing, "I wish I could hold you and sleep every day, but I also know that you can't let go of your work."
Gao Ming understood Chen Yun, and it was precisely because of this understanding that he didn't easily bring it up.
"What if I really can't bear to leave? What are you going to do?"
"Then let's try to expand the business to Kunming and An'an. That way, we can be closer to home and go home every week." Gao Mingshi had already thought of another way.
It would be a lie to say she wasn't moved. Work was quite important to Chen Yun, but her family had unknowingly become even more important.
Chen Yun wouldn't give up her job for a man, but she's willing to start over for her family.
Besides... she doesn't need to start over at all.
"I won an award for outstanding medical staff in the province's medical system this year."
Gao Ming: Work really is his wife's number one priority.
"I went to the provincial capital to attend an awards ceremony, and then presented a paper at the conference on neonatal hypoxia and growth retardation..."
"Um!"
Even though his heart was shattered, Gao Ming still responded to Chen Yun.
Then Chen Yun suddenly changed the subject and said, "I ran into the old man I rescued seven years ago at the conference. He's still in pretty good health... I received an invitation."
Gao Ming was taken aback and nervously asked, "What invitation?"
"Director of the Neonatal Department at Beicheng Workers' Hospital".
Before retiring, Mr. Li, who was rescued, was the Minister of Health of the Logistics Headquarters of the Beicheng Military Region. He had not found an opportunity to express his gratitude for saving his life a few years ago, but he had been paying attention to Chen Yun's work situation in recent years.
Upon learning that she had received the title of Outstanding Medical Worker for five consecutive years, he mentioned Chen Yun's name several times to his old friend Zheng Xiangming, the director of the Workers' Hospital.
The two of them went to Kun'an City to attend the commendation meeting in order to personally assess Chen Yun's professional abilities.
One issue led Zheng Xiangmin to decide to invite Chen Yun to work at the Workers' Hospital, and the hospital will separate a neonatal department from the obstetrics and gynecology department.
Chen Yun, who was invited, did not agree immediately, but only said that she would go home and think about it.
At that time, Chen Yun thought her husband was still in Guangzhou. The moment she saw Gao Ming, Chen Yun decided to refuse the invitation to go to Guangzhou with her husband to find a new job. With her resume, it shouldn't be difficult for her to find a position in a Class II hospital.
Unexpectedly... it all seemed like it was all planned out.
"..."
The room remained quiet for a long while. If it weren't for the violent heaving of Gao Ming's chest beneath his cheeks, Chen Yun would have thought he had fallen asleep.
"You mean you're ready to come to Guangshi with me!"
This time, it was Chen Yun's turn to widen her eyes. After all that talk, the real focus of the brilliant statement was actually in a casual remark.
Before Chen Yun could react, the tall figure descended with an oppressive aura like a mountain.
"Uh—" Chen Yun quickly reached out and pressed against Gao Ming's chest.
"Just hearing you say that is enough. I'd be willing to take a day and a night train ride home every week..."
His heavy, hot breath sprayed unhindered onto Chen Yun's nape and earlobes, sending a shiver down her spine.
"No." Chen Yun struggled, her voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz, mercilessly shattering Gao Ming's next move.
"There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
Gao Ming rolled over and lay flat, chuckling to himself in the darkness.
Chen Yun also silently curled the corners of her lips.
***
After the couple finished their conversation last night, Gao Ming made another decision.
He wanted to stay home and wait for Chen Yun to finish handing over her work before taking his family north together; he was unwilling to endure even a few days of separation.
Having made up her mind, Chen Yun quickly decided to resign from the hospital.
If it were six months ago, Chen Yun might have hesitated to speak up, but Liu Baoguo had already retired three months ago.
The new dean shares the same surname, Liu, but his style of handling affairs is completely different from Liu Baoguo's.
The first thing he did upon taking office was to reduce Chen Yun's management authority by separating the ultrasound examination and laboratory departments from the department and placing them under the direct management of the hospital director.
Seeing that Chen Yun did not object at the time, she then applied for a gynecologist, saying that she wanted to establish a specialized obstetrics and gynecology department.
Chen Yun felt that improving the hospital's medical system was a good thing, and he raised his hand to vote in favor during the meeting.
I just didn't expect... this person came specifically for Chen Yun.
The new gynecologist was highly qualified, but he was unwilling to be transferred to a remote town and refused to be assigned there.
Therefore, the new obstetrician-gynecologist has been slow to arrive.
Chen Yun had just arrived at the hospital in the morning when Duan Yun pulled her toward the nurses' station.
The hospital has expanded its workforce significantly, and now only Duan Yun and Li Hongmei remain among the nurses who are familiar with Chen Yun.
"If Dean Liu calls you later, you must not agree to anything he says."
"What's wrong?" Chen Yun put her bag on the table and waited with a smile for Duan Yun to continue. "Has there been another new regulation?"
"I really feel sorry for you." Duan Yun clenched his fist and waved it twice in frustration: "You're the one who built our hospital's reputation, but the new director is always trying to force you to take over."
Liu Hongmei nodded in agreement.
After the two finished their angry accusations, they finally got down to business.
The new gynecologist agreed to work at Huangniba Hospital, but only on the condition that he be appointed as the vice president.
"Before Dean Liu retired, he had already submitted a report to promote you to vice dean, but the new doctor snatched it away, and the key point is that the new dean agreed..."
“Isn’t this just like crossing the river and then burning the bridge?” Duan Yun said.
Chen Yun smiled at the two of them without any change in expression. After they finished speaking, she even happily started taking out local specialties from her bag.
Duan Yun then noticed the gold ring on Chen Yun's ring finger.
"Section Chief Gao... you should call me Comrade Gao now. Your wife is back?"
Chen Yun smiled and nodded.
"No wonder she didn't seem to care at all; it turns out her lover came home." Duan Yun was happy for Chen Yun, took the box of candy, opened it, twisted some, and quickly put it in her mouth: "Are you still going out?"
The gold ring and gold earrings are obvious signs that Gao Ming made money during his years away from home.
"I'll be leaving next month," Chen Yun said with a smile.
"This trip will take a long time... It's not good for you two to be separated all the time."
“So I’ve decided to go with him.” Chen Yun also popped a piece of candy into her mouth, smiling as she watched the two of them freeze in their expressions, and continued, “I’m here today to resign.”
"..."
One by one, the hospital staff left.
First, Ye Yuanjun felt that he had been treated unfairly in the hospital, so as soon as the wave of people going south to work began, he sent his elderly relative back to his hometown to work in the south.
Then it was Zuo Lingling, and now Chen Yun is leaving too.
Duan Yun didn't seem surprised at all; in fact, he was quite happy for Chen Yun.
“I’ve always felt that you should work in a larger hospital, where you can better showcase your medical skills.”
The candy on the tip of the tongue is crisp and delicious, but it's so sweet it's almost cloying, leaving a stuffy feeling in the chest.
“After I finish cleaning the house in a couple of days, you can come and see if there’s any furniture you need and take it back. I can’t take it with me.” Chen Yun changed the subject and talked about her home: “Then I’ll go upstairs to work first.”
"Go ahead and get busy, we'll see later," Duan Yun waved to Chen Yun.
It wasn't so painful when others left, but when Chen Yun said she was leaving too, Duan Yun felt like she was the only one who could stand still.
He even generously gave away his furniture, so it seems he's not just making money; he has no intention of ever coming back!
Chen Yun carried the empty bag up to the second floor. Passing by several offices with their doors tightly closed, she slowed down and took a few more glances.
The new hospital director proposed standardizing consultations, so the doctors' lounge and consultation rooms will soon be separated.
Unfortunately, Chen Yun probably won't live to see that day...
I pushed open the office door, sat down at the desk that hadn't been changed in eight years, and began the usual preparations for seeing patients.
The pen nib is worn smooth, and the characters it writes are much thicker than they were a few years ago. Moreover, the ink tube is old and can no longer draw ink.
Chen Yun had long been accustomed to twisting open the ink bottle and using a fountain pen to write.
A single dip can write about ten characters.
I had just written the ninth character when the ink color indeed became much lighter, indicating that it was time to dip the brush in ink again.
Knock knock knock—
There was a knock on the door in the quiet.
Dean Liu pushed open the door and entered, accompanied by an unfamiliar face that Chen Yun had never seen before.
Judging from his age of around forty, the slightly cramped white coat accentuated his round figure, and he was probably not as tall as Chen Yun.
"Director Chen, this is our hospital's new Vice President Zhou."
Chen Yun nodded with a smile and extended her hand: "Hello, Vice Dean Zhou."
Dean Liu smiled, clasped his hands together over his abdomen, and was very satisfied with Chen Yun's performance.
"Director Chen is still young, and he will have many opportunities in the future..."
Chen Yun listened with a smile until Dean Liu mentioned that Chen Yun had recently treated a family member of a hospital employee without charging the same fees as ordinary patients, at which point the director changed the subject and criticized her.
“Employees’ families have been paid half out of pocket and half out of pocket since the hospital was established. I don’t know what I did wrong.”
Seeing that Chen Yun was easy to talk to, this was a series of tests to see who had the bottom line.
If Chen Yun simply glosses over the matter, a new regulation will definitely be introduced in a couple of days, charging employees' family members the same fees as ordinary patients.
Chen Yun shouldn't take the blame for that!
"But none of this concerns me much." He pointed to the resignation letter on the table, the first line of which had just been written: "I am formally submitting my resignation."
"Resign!" Dean Liu's expression changed, and a hint of anger rose within him: "If Director Chen is dissatisfied with the hospital's arrangements for the vice president, he should raise it. There's no need to threaten me with resignation."
Chen Yun pursed her lips: "I don't have the guts to threaten Dean Liu. I decided to resign because I want to leave Panshui County with my wife."
"..."
"I do not agree to your job transfer."
Dean Liu guessed that Chen Yun must have been invited by another hospital, and in his anger, he resorted to the most disgusting trick.
The inability to transfer her work relationship meant that Chen Yun could not successfully join another hospital.
This threat, which sounded like that of a rogue, completely extinguished any remaining attachment Chen Yun had for the hospital. She coldly uttered three words: "Whatever."
Chen Yun believed that Zheng Xiangming would come to ask for it on his own, given their working relationship. She didn't believe that Dean Liu would actually have the guts to withhold it.
Chen Yun snorted coldly.
He dipped his pen in ink in front of Dean Liu and then signed his name.
They're too lazy to even write a resignation letter!
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