Chapter 88 Zhao Qingda's Fate
The train chugged and rattled as it slowly glided into the station.
Wen Xiaoxiao, carrying a small bag, got off the bus behind Sun Mei.
She stood on tiptoe, peering into the crowd waiting to greet people.
“Here!” A familiar voice cut through the noise.
Wen Xiaoxiao looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zhao Fei standing next to the cement pillar at the exit, waving at her.
He wore a clean light gray jacket today, and his hair was neatly combed.
To Wen Xiaoxiao's surprise, he was holding a bouquet of flowers.
Wen Xiaoxiao's face flushed instantly. She quickly walked over and whispered, "What are you doing? Why are you doing this..."
Zhao Fei shoved the flowers into her arms and grinned, "Don't you have to bring a gift when you pick someone up? I think young people these days are into this."
“We’ve been married for so long…” Wen Xiaoxiao hugged the flowers, lowered her head to smell them, and couldn’t help but scold him, “Aren’t you ashamed?”
“It’s only right to pick up my wife.” Zhao Fei said, naturally taking the bag from her hand, and nodded to Sun Mei, “Sun Mei, you must be tired from the journey. Come on, the car is parked outside.”
Sun Mei smiled and said, "It's not hard work, it's not hard work," but her eyes couldn't help but glance at the bouquet of flowers before quickly looking away.
She followed the two of them out, watching Zhao Fei carry a bag in one hand and use the other hand to protect Wen Xiaoxiao from the crowd.
Wen Xiaoxiao held the bouquet of flowers, unable to suppress the smile on her face.
Sun Mei felt that bittersweet feeling welling up inside her again. She sighed quietly, thinking back to her blind date years ago.
Back then, she was young, and the matchmaker, Aunt Liu, described him in glowing terms: "That Zhao boy is capable! He manages three pig farms all by himself! Although his first wife is gone, he has a daughter, but his family is well-off! I've met him; he's good-looking and honest!"
When they went to meet the potential partners.
The smell on Zhao Fei made her frown, and she thought to herself: "A pig farmer, no matter how rich he is, is still a pig farmer. He smells like a pig. It's embarrassing to take him out!"
She then married Tian Changhai, a bicycle repairman.
Tian Changhai is clean, and craftsmen have a leisurely life, which she thinks is great.
But what about now?
Zhao Fei's pig farm has grown from three to five, and now he's opening a meat cannery. He's a real factory manager now!
Then look at your own man, still squatting in that greasy shed on the street corner, dealing with broken tires and tattered chains every day, covered in an indelible smell of engine oil, his face tanned dark.
My two teenage boys are causing chaos every day...
Sun Mei watched the beautiful couple walking ahead. Zhao Fei whispered something to Wen Xiaoxiao, and Wen Xiaoxiao laughed and punched his arm, her eyes shining.
The thorn in her heart had sunk even deeper.
How could I have been so short-sighted back then?
They complain about the smell, but beneath that smell lies a real mountain of gold and silver!
Then look at Wen Xiaoxiao, a divorced woman with a child in tow, who is now being treated like a precious treasure.
Why is there such a big difference in the fates of these people?
Back at "Xiaoxiao Clothing", the store was bright and clean.
Wen Xiaoxiao found an empty glass jar, filled it with water, carefully inserted the flowers into it, and placed it next to the cashier.
"You've even put it on display?" Zhao Fei asked, laughing as he took out the shipping documents.
"Of course, it's free!" Wen Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes at him, but the corners of her mouth were upturned. "Hurry up and help me unpack the box. Sister Sun, let's sort out the thick sweaters and trench coats first."
The three of them got to work.
Zhao Fei was strong and could unpack and move goods.
Wen Xiaoxiao and Sun Mei categorized, labeled, and put the items on the shelves.
"Hang this maroon wool coat here," Wen Xiaoxiao directed. "Yes, on the left side of the window. The color is perfect, and the cut is great; you'll spot it immediately."
Zhao Fei hung the clothes on the hanger, took two steps back, and looked at them: "They're not bad. How much did you pay for them?"
"Thirty-five," Wen Xiaoxiao leaned closer and whispered, "I negotiated the price for ages. Selling it for fifty-eight or sixty-eight shouldn't be a problem."
"Wow, my wife's pretty good at keeping accounts now," Zhao Fei joked.
"Get lost." Wen Xiaoxiao pushed him, but her eyes were full of smugness. "How's the deal with your cannery land going?"
"It's almost done. We can start construction next month." Zhao Fei said while helping her hold the ladder. "It's just that the equipment is a bit troublesome. We're worried that the domestic equipment might not be stable, and the imported equipment is too expensive. We're still working on it."
"We can't skimp on necessary expenses." Wen Xiaoxiao stood on a higher step and hung up a long trench coat. "This is a long-term business."
"I know. I'm aware of it."
The two chatted back and forth, talking about everyday things, but the natural intimacy between them permeated the small shop like air.
Zhao Fei would casually hand over the clothes hanger that Wen Xiaoxiao couldn't reach; when Wen Xiaoxiao saw that Zhao Fei had sweat on his forehead, she would naturally take out her handkerchief to wipe it for him.
While discussing the price, the two men huddled together, whispering to each other.
Sun Mei silently straightened her shirt, and those subtle interactions felt like needles pricking her eyes.
She forced herself to focus on the work at hand, but their conversation still got into her ears.
“Oh, right,” Wen Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered something, “Aunt Liu sent a message this morning saying that her leg is much better and she can get out of bed with crutches. She asked how we are doing here.”
"That's good. Tell her not to rush back, let her recover fully first," Zhao Fei said.
"That's what I think too. I told Sister Ma to keep doing it without worry, at least until the end of the year."
"Okay, you can arrange it as you see fit."
Hearing this, Sun Mei felt even worse.
Ma Chunying, the new nanny, seems to be doing a pretty good job.
Wen Xiaoxiao is now really acting like a boss lady, managing her staff with perfect clarity.
And what about me? I have to be subservient to everyone every day, earning a meager living through hard work…
Just as she was thinking, the wind chimes at the door jingled.
"Boss Wen! Busy?"
A gentle, smiling voice rang out.
The three of them looked up at the same time.
Zheng Shangyu stood smiling at the door, carrying a briefcase.
"Mr. Zheng!" Wen Xiaoxiao exclaimed in surprise, putting down the clothes she was holding and climbing down the ladder. "What brings you here? Please come in!"
Zhao Fei straightened up and put on a polite smile: "Mr. Zheng, what a rare guest."
"My friends are planning a trip to Northeast China and are passing through, so I thought I'd stop by." Zheng Shangyu walked in, his gaze sweeping around the shop.
He glanced at the newly hung autumn clothes, nodded, and said, "You've got a good selection." He then looked at the bouquet of flowers Wen Xiaoxiao had arranged in a vase, raised an eyebrow, and smiled, "Oh, flowers too? That's quite romantic."
Wen Xiaoxiao was a little embarrassed: "I just bought it randomly."
Zheng Shangyu smiled but didn't reply. Instead, he took out several red envelopes and a few pretty little boxes from his briefcase: "Bring some little trinkets for the kids."
"I can't accept this!" Wen Xiaoxiao quickly declined, "Mr. Zheng, you're too kind!"
"It's for the children, it's not worth much." Zheng Shangyu shoved it into her hand without further ado, then asked, "Where are the children?"
"He went to school, and the little one is upstairs playing with the nanny." Wen Xiaoxiao had no choice but to accept the gift, feeling warm inside. "Please sit down, Sister Sun, and please pour me a cup of tea."
Sun Mei responded and went to the back to pour water.
Zhao Fei looked at the red envelopes, his smile fading slightly, but his tone remained calm: "Mr. Zheng, were you tired on the way?"
"Not tired at all," Zheng Shangyu said, sitting down in the chair Wen Xiaoxiao had brought over. He accepted the tea Sun Mei offered and thanked her. "I'll take a look at how things are going with Boss Wen. Are you confident about the sales of the autumn clothes?"
"It's only just started, so it's not obvious yet," Wen Xiaoxiao said earnestly as she sat down opposite him. "But as you suggested last time, I've included a mix of high, medium, and low-end options, which should be enough to cater to different customers."
"Your approach is correct," Zheng Shangyu praised. "In retail, product structure is very important. You can't just focus on cheap prices, nor can you only focus on high-end products. The current product mix in your store looks very pleasing to the eye."
He took a sip of tea and said, "My factory recently got a small order to do OEM for a Hong Kong brand. The requirements are quite high, but it's a new path for us."
"That's great!" Wen Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up. "Mr. Zheng is a capable man after all; he opened the factory just like that."
"Let's take it one step at a time." Zheng Shangyu waved his hand and looked at Zhao Fei. "I heard from Boss Wen that Boss Zhao's cannery is also going to start construction?"
Zhao Fei nodded: "Yes, the land has been approved, and we'll start laying the foundation next month."
“That’s a big project,” Zheng Shangyu said seriously. “From breeding to deep processing, the longer the industrial chain, the stronger the ability to resist risks and the larger the profit margin. Boss Zhao has the vision.”
"Let's give it a try." Zhao Fei's tone was casual, but his eyes gleamed. "There's a good supply of local pigs, and I have some old connections in the sales channels. Let's get started first and see how things go."
"If you need any help, just ask," Zheng Shangyu said sincerely. "Although I don't know anything about food processing, I can still run errands and introduce people."
"Thank you in advance, Mr. Zheng." Zhao Fei raised his teacup. "I'd like to offer you a toast with tea instead of wine."
"You're welcome." Zheng Shangyu also raised his glass, and the two clinked glasses.
Wen Xiaoxiao looked at them and breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the scene remained relatively harmonious.
Zheng Shangyu sat for a while longer, asked Wen Xiaoxiao about the inventory situation, gave her a few suggestions on display and sales, and then got up to say goodbye: "I won't keep you any longer, I have to go."
Wen Xiaoxiao and Zhao Fei saw him to the door together.
"Mr. Zheng, please take care. Next time you come, please stay longer," Wen Xiaoxiao said.
"Okay, you guys stay here." Zheng Shangyu waved and turned to merge into the crowd on the street.
Watching him walk away, Wen Xiaoxiao turned back to the shop, saying to Zhao Fei as she walked, "Mr. Zheng is such a kind person, he even brought things for the children."
Zhao Fei grunted in response, said nothing more, and bent down to continue moving the boxes.
After a while, he said in a low voice, "His factory sounds pretty decent."
Wen Xiaoxiao sensed the awkwardness in his words, suppressed a laugh, and leaned closer to whisper, "No matter how presentable he is, it has nothing to do with us. I just feel that he knows about clothes, can teach me things, he's a teacher, a benefactor. That's all."
Zhao Fei looked up at her and saw that her eyes were bright and her smile was open. He reached out and ruffled her hair: "I know. Get to work, boss lady."
Wen Xiaoxiao slapped his hand away, laughing and glaring at him: "What are you yelling about!"
In a remote prison, high walls and electric fences create a tense atmosphere.
In one corner of the prison ward, there was an indescribable smell.
Zhao Qingda huddled in the corner of the hard bed, his eyes glazed over, the scar on his face looking even more menacing in the dim light.
His prison uniform was filthy and reeked of urine.
Although he has not been in prison for long, he has quickly "adapted" to the "rules" here.
The "care" was genuine.
His cellmates were all vicious criminals who openly despised and bullied him, a "weakling" with a disability and an unknown disease.
He naturally did the heavy and tiring work, and if he was even slightly slow, he would be beaten.
It was common for food to be stolen, and at night you might be suddenly doused with cold water or dragged out of bed and given a beating.
What tormented him even more was the damned disease in his body.
The prison conditions were poor, and there was a lack of medical care and medicine, so the illness could not be controlled and instead worsened.
The itching and ulceration tormented him day and night, and coupled with extreme fear and depression, he became incontinent.
This made him a "plague god" that everyone avoided and an object of ridicule, and also attracted even more intense "attention".
"Hey guys... got up to relieve ourselves." The burly, tattooed leader beckoned to a few men, who then surrounded Zhao Qingda...
Soon... a foul odor filled the prison uniform...
Zhao Qingda gritted his teeth and endured it. Crying would only make the abuse worse!
The leader is a complete psychopath!! He's a man! He's not a woman!!!
(Good morning, everyone! Those who called me a scumbag's mother earlier, step forward... this isn't bad enough... On the finale, Zhao Qingda will be gone! No more suspense, no more writer's block. Tomorrow, Yidi's future mother-in-law will appear—guess who she is!)
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