Chen Zhang and Liu Pianran were taken aback. They turned around sharply and saw two ragged people emerging from behind the bushes.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Lin Haodong and his mother, their eyes filled with resentment as they stared fiercely at their hands.
Chen Zhang instinctively put away the envelope and quickly explained, "Lin Haodong, you're back. There's nothing between your wife and me, it's just that I see she and your mother are having a hard time—"
"I'll make your mother suffer—"
Lin Haodong charged over aggressively and punched Chen Zhang hard in the face.
Lin's mother, her hands thin and bony, gripped Liu Pianran tightly, screaming desperately at those around her: "Help! Look at this adulterous couple, embracing and kissing in broad daylight—"
"No, Aunt Lin, Haodong, you've misunderstood, we didn't—"
The four of them wrestled together. Although Lin Haodong and his mother were hungry and tired, Chen Zhang, who was weak and in a fit of extreme anger, was unable to break free for a while.
Because it was close to the New Year, the members of the brigade went out from time to time to buy New Year's goods. Lin's mother's shout soon attracted several villagers, and before long, the matter was brought to the attention of Brigade Leader Chen and Branch Secretary Ji.
Seeing his eldest son entangled with Liu Pianran, Captain Chen's eyelids twitched violently, and he glared at his son with a look of disappointment.
Secretary Ji frowned inwardly, and asked in as calm a voice as possible, "What's going on? Lin Haodong and his mother said that you two were having an affair. Is that true?"
"Of course it's true? I've seen them a few times. Even your eldest son, Ji Zhijun, knows about this. You can ask him if you don't believe me."
Lin's mother shouted loudly, and when Secretary Ji heard that Ji Zhijun also knew about it, his eyes darkened.
Chen Zhang quickly explained, "No, Secretary Ji, Dad, absolutely not. This is definitely not what Aunt Lin said. Zhijun also knows, but he knows that I have nothing to do with Liu Zhiqing."
If nothing happened, why did you meet with Liu Zhiqing in private?
Captain Chen glared at his son and was about to interrogate him when Secretary Ji suddenly said, "Old Chen, let's question them separately and see if what they say is true. Also, call Zhijun over."
Captain Chen found this reasonable and decided to question them separately to prevent Liu Pianran and the Lin family mother and son from secretly reconciling their testimonies and setting a trap for Chen Zhang.
Secretary Ji summoned the brigade's women's director, accountant, and other cadres, and then had someone find Ji Zhijun before the four were interrogated separately.
...
The county high school didn't start its holiday until mid-December when the final exams were completed.
Ji Xia packed up her textbooks and various learning materials, said goodbye to her teachers and classmates, and then left school with her schoolbag on her back.
Because she planned to go to Beijing to apply for the Academy of Fine Arts after the New Year, she handed over the workshop entirely to Chen Qiuyu during this period.
Now that I'm on holiday, I rode my bicycle to the small workshop to see how it's been doing lately.
As soon as they arrived at the small workshop, someone exclaimed with a mixture of surprise and joy: "Ji Xia is back! Ji Xia is back!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Qiuyu breathed a sigh of relief and said to the middle-aged man who had been pestering her for several days, "Comrade Song, I really can't make this decision. Now that our leader is here, you can talk to her!"
Ji Xia raised an eyebrow, looking at the tall, burly man in the office with a puzzled expression. After a while, she finally realized, "Boss Song?"
This tall, muscular man with a somewhat fierce appearance was the black market boss. When Chen Jing was working to secure business orders, this Boss Song had helped him a lot.
Upon seeing that it was the black market boss, Ji Xia immediately became a little nervous. While instructing Chen Qiuyu to make tea, he said with a smile, "So it's Boss Song who's here. What an honor! May I ask what brings Boss Song to our small workshop?"
Boss Song recognized Ji Xia as Chen Jing's wife, and smiled faintly as the corners of his mouth curved upwards.
"I came here to find Chen Jing, hoping to get a job by working for him. Since he's not here, I'll look for you instead!"
"Old Song, you're joking. Someone as capable as you doesn't need to come to us for a living."
Ji Xia poured him a cup of tea with great care, and said respectfully with a smile, "Boss, if you have any requests, just let us know. We will definitely do our best to fulfill them."
"You're too modest. We don't have any orders. It's just that the black market is tough lately. I've seen that you guys are doing quite well wholesaling clothes over there, so I was wondering what the terms would be for you to transfer that business to us? So that my brothers can also make a living?"
"You mean that little courtyard where they wholesale clothes?" Ji Xia asked instinctively.
Boss Song nodded: "That's right, it's that little courtyard. Our brothers also want to do this."
"Do you want to take over the small courtyard, or do you want to take over the wholesale clothing business in this commune area as well?"
"Of course we'll take the whole batch, what would we need a small courtyard for?"
Ji Xia couldn't help but ponder.
That small courtyard was originally rented because the workshop had no orders, so they found someone to distribute their products. As the number of distributors grew, they rented the small courtyard to avoid the workshop being too conspicuous with people coming and going.
But after a few months of development, they now have dozens of vendors who buy their goods and two employees in charge of wholesale. They can earn hundreds of yuan in commissions every month.
However, Ji Xia also knew that if a black market boss made a request, he was determined to get it.
This time, making demands is just a polite approach first, then a forceful one. If they don't agree, perhaps Boss Song will resort to underhanded tactics, and who knows what might happen to the small workshop then.
However, Ji Xia also knew that money could never be earned enough. If he shared some of the profits with Boss Song, there might be other gains in the future.
Having made up her mind, she asked with a smile, "Boss Song, are you sure you only want our wholesale rights?"
"Yes, I also need your agreement that you will hand over all your goods to us for wholesale?" Boss Song stated his conditions.
Ji Xia shook her head: "I can only promise you that you will be responsible for the wholesale orders from individual customers, but we will not hand over the large orders we receive to you. Of course, if the orders are brought in by you, we can give you a 5% commission at our discretion."
"Alright, Comrade Ji is indeed a man of few words. We'll do as you say. Except for the large orders, you can leave the rest of the goods to us for wholesale. Of course, I'll also find you the large orders."
"Then let's write down the terms we've agreed on, sign them, and then neither of us can go back on our word?"
Upon hearing this, Boss Song nodded with a broad smile: "No problem, I agree."
Just then, someone rushed in from outside and shouted as soon as they saw Ji Xia, "Ji Xia, something bad has happened! Your older brother and the others are in trouble!"
Ji Xia was startled and turned to Song Laoda, saying, "Brother Song, wait here for a moment, I'll go ask what's going on?"
"It's alright, just ask away. Take care of the urgent matters first, I'm not in a hurry."
Boss Song waved his hand readily, telling Ji Xia to go ahead.
Ji Xia smiled apologetically, led Liu Xiaogang out of the small workshop, and asked suspiciously, "What happened? My older brother Ji Zhijun got into trouble? What happened?"
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