Ling Ze was taken back by Ling Xiao, and Fei Ge also returned. There was no need to worry about the black market anymore, so Xing Zhaozhao was relieved. The next day, she took the clothing patterns she had prepared in advance and went to the door to talk to Xiao Xu, the peddler, about cooperation. She also went to Xunlan Teahouse to deliver a letter from Fu Lan to Fu Hong.
Upon reaching the door, Xing Zhaozhao immediately called Gao Mingcheng, wanting him to accompany her to meet Xiao Xu, the street vendor. After all, it was her first time negotiating a collaboration, and she wanted him to give her his opinion.
Gao Mingcheng didn't answer the phone immediately this time; it rang several times before he finally picked up: "Zhaozhao?"
"Okay." Xing Zhaozhao didn't mind and responded, then said directly, "Mingcheng, I'm going to talk to Xiao Xu about cooperation right away. Come with me."
Gao Mingcheng hesitated.
Xing Zhaozhao sensed something was wrong. She paused in her steps down the mountain, frowned, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Gao Mingcheng apologized, "I'm sorry, Zhaozhao, I have something to do today and I'm not in Lanyuan, so I can't go with you."
Xing Zhaozhao took it as a work-related matter. Although Gao Mingcheng had long since retired, with his ability and prestige, he would still come to her for help from time to time, so she didn't pay much attention to it: "Okay, you go ahead and do your work. I'll go by myself."
In a luxury hotel room in Qingxi Town.
Gao Mingcheng sat upright on the sofa. As he put away his phone, the gentle warmth that had just lingered on his face quickly disappeared, replaced by a cold expression and sharp eyes as he looked at the old man sitting opposite him.
His wrinkled skin covered his already thin and gaunt face, making it look even more sinister. His seemingly cloudy triangular eyes drooped, but they couldn't hide the malicious and calculating glint that occasionally flashed in them. You could tell at a glance that he was no good. He was the elderly version of Ling Yongde.
Beside him sat Ling Xue, who was covering her face and sobbing softly. Her mother, Aunt Ling, held her daughter with heartache and looked at Gao Mingcheng with resentment in her eyes. Uncle Ling and their son and daughter-in-law, Brother Ling and Sister-in-law Ling, stood behind Aunt Ling and Ling Xue, looking at Gao Mingcheng with righteous indignation.
Behind Gao Mingcheng were Gao Hongfei and Ying Rongrong. Gao Han and Ling Shuang, who should have been on their round-the-world trip, had also returned at some point, accompanied by Gao Lianzhou. The whole family looked at the Ling family in front of them with uncontrollable rage, especially Gao Lianzhou, who was about to explode with anger. The shameless family had actually schemed against his great-grandfather.
Only Ling Shuang had empty, lifeless eyes, and her pale face couldn't hide the disappointment, even despair, in her expression. But when she looked at Ling Yongde, she still couldn't help but tremble with fear.
Ling Yongde looked at Gao Mingcheng and grinned: "Zhaozhao? Is that the rumored little lover of yours, old general? You're still going strong for your age."
As he spoke, Ling Yongde quickly wiped the smile off his face, his expression darkening. He said, "However, I didn't expect that they would actually bully my eldest granddaughter this time. Do they really think our Ling family has no one left? If you can't give me an explanation, I will absolutely not let this go, even if you are a renowned iron-blooded general."
Gao Mingcheng looked at Ling Yongde, a sharp glint flashing in his slightly narrowed eyes. He never expected that someone his age would still suffer such a setback.
Xing Zhaozhao was unaware of Gao Mingcheng's situation. She went directly to the pedestrian street and found Xiao Xu, a street vendor.
The peddler, Xiao Xu, had been waiting for news from her for the past few days. As soon as he saw her, he couldn't wait to ask, "How did it go, Sister Xing? How did your discussion with the tailor go?"
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and nodded: "No problem, we can cooperate."
The vendor, Xiao Xu, jumped up excitedly: "Great! I'll tell my dad right away." After saying that, he immediately called his father, Factory Director Xu. Factory Director Xu quickly made a decision: "My dad said we can talk at his factory, which isn't far from here."
“Okay,” Xing Zhaozhao readily agreed.
"I'll take you there," said Xiao Xu, the street vendor, abandoning his stall altogether.
Xing Zhaozhao looked on with concern and asked, "Is it alright for you to leave this stall here unattended?"
The vendor, Xiao Xu, said dismissively, "It's alright, no one's stealing it."
Xing Zhaozhao: "..."
Since the stall owner himself didn't care, Xing Zhaozhao didn't bother to worry about him.
The original location of the textile factory was redeveloped a few years ago and incorporated into the business district. It has since been relocated, but fortunately the new location is not far from the old one. Xing Zhaozhao followed the vendor Xiao Xu through several winding alleys and arrived in less than ten minutes.
In contrast, the textile factory in her area is still a rare job that most people would fight tooth and nail to get into. Now, the textile factory is deserted and looks like a withered mountain, and business is indeed not good.
Xiao Xu, the street vendor, took Xing Zhaozhao directly to his father, Factory Director Xu's, office.
In Director Xu's office, besides Director Xu, Xing Zhaozhao unexpectedly discovered that one of the old men she used to meet on the street when she first arrived was also there.
When Grandpa Xu saw Xing Zhaozhao, he looked surprised and suddenly stood up from his chair: "Isn't this Xiao Xing?"
Xing Zhaozhao greeted Grandpa Xu with a smile: "Long time no see, Grandpa Xu."
Both Factory Director Xu and Little Xu the street vendor were surprised and asked, "You two know each other?"
Grandpa Xu puffed out his chest proudly: "Of course. Back when Xiao Xing first came out of the mountains, he often went to the street in front of our community to sell wild mountain products. The wild mountain vegetables and wild berries that I used to bring back were all from Xiao Xing."
As Grandpa Xu spoke, his gaze toward Xing Zhaozhao became somewhat mournful: "It's a pity that Xiao Xing is a very busy person now, and we rarely see her anymore."
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and said, "I'll go into the mountains again in a while and get some good stuff. Then I'll go visit you gentlemen."
Grandpa Xu frowned and said, "Is the thing important? The sentiment is what matters."
Xing Zhaozhao raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "Then... you don't want the things?"
Grandpa Xu hesitated for a moment: "Well... we still need the stuff. Get more, we brothers aren't short of money. If it's too little, it won't be enough to go around, and we'll fight over it."
Xing Zhaozhao chuckled: "Fighting isn't a good idea, is it? Friendship is the most important thing."
Without a second thought, Grandpa Xu shook his head and said seriously, "That's impossible. What does friendship matter? What matters most is what you have in your hands. Plastic brotherhood should be discarded when necessary."
Xing Zhaozhao chuckled with delight: "Alright, I'll make a lot then, so that the gentlemen don't actually start fighting."
Seeing Xing Zhaozhao chatting and laughing with Grandpa Xu, Factory Director Xu breathed a sigh of relief: "I didn't expect Miss Xing and Dad to have such a relationship. It seems that this cooperation will be easy to discuss."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Grandpa Xu slapped Factory Director Xu on the head with a loud "smack": "What are you saying? Affection is affection, and business is business. How can you mix them up? If you dare to bully Xiao Xing or mistreat her, I'll beat you to death."
Factory Director Xu covered his head: "..." Is this still his biological father?
Seeing his father get beaten, the peddler, Xiao Xu, chuckled smugly.
Factory Director Xu's face darkened, and he slapped the street vendor, Xu, on the head: "Are you so happy to see your father get beaten up? You unfilial son."
Little Xu, the street vendor, covered his head, his face contorted in despair. He regretted not being happier.
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