Chapter 242
Lei Tingjun did not tell Ji Wanmei in his letter that two of his relatives wanted to work at the brick factory.
Because last time, he thought he had already solved it.
There's no need to waste words writing about a minor issue that has already been resolved in a letter.
Of course, there was another reason why Lei Tingjun subconsciously avoided this matter: he didn't want Ji Wanmei to think that his relatives on this side of the family were too extreme.
Every family has some extreme relatives like this, even Lei Tingjun, who has no parents, is no exception.
He wasn't born from a rock; as long as there's a blood-related family bond, there will be all sorts of relatives.
Unexpectedly, today, when Ji Wanmei came to visit the brick factory, Lei Tingjun's two uncles came over again.
Lei Tingjun frowned and pursed his lips. Surprisingly, he did not answer Ji Wanmei's question immediately.
Ji Wanmei looked at him in surprise: "Lei Tingjun, what's wrong?"
Lei Tingjun's thin lips were pressed tightly together, and his thick eyebrows revealed a cold and indifferent expression. He silently shook his head at Ji Wanmei, and then said to Lao Cui, "Let them go back, and don't let them come here again."
Ji Wanmei stopped Lao Cui, took Lei Tingjun's hand, and said softly, "Tell me what happened, and we can work together to find a solution."
Lei Tingjun remained silent.
Ji Wanmei shook his wrist: "Don't you trust me?"
“No, how could I not believe you? It’s just…” A rare look of helplessness and annoyance appeared on Lei Tingjun’s face. “The two people who came are my relatives. They heard that I bought the brick factory and wanted me to arrange a job for them.”
“I had them work on the mud and sand, and they did it for half a month. They complained that it was too tiring and wanted to do something easier, but they are too old and don’t know how to do anything. They simply can’t do these jobs,” Lei Tingjun said, pressing his temples with obvious annoyance.
Lei Xiangshun was his uncle, and Lei Tingjun couldn't really just beat him up and kick him out, or use other means.
When Lei Tingjun returns to the Lei family home in Xiahe Village, he'll probably be criticized and gossiped about, with people saying he's become arrogant and doesn't respect his elders and relatives anymore now that he's made some money.
It is said that even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes, and Lei Tingjun is no exception.
When facing other people and competitors, Lei Tingjun's methods are decisive and swift.
Lei Xiangshun and Lao Zhang, instigated by their wives, would come to the brick factory every few days, causing gossip to spread throughout Honghe Township.
Lei Tingjun felt a headache whenever he thought of the two of them.
Ultimately, Lei Tingjun may be aloof, but deep down he still retains the kindness of a child.
If he were truly someone who had no bottom line in everything he did, Ji Wanmei probably wouldn't have fallen for him.
Ji Wanmei understood very well that loving someone's sunny side also meant accepting their shady side.
Moreover, Ji Wanmei quickly grasped a key point from Lei Tingjun's expression.
If these two relatives were important people to Lei Tingjun, or people he cared about, he wouldn't feel so bothered.
Therefore, it is highly likely that these two relatives are using their kinship with Lei Tingjun to "demand repayment for their kindness" from him.
"What kind of relationship do you have with those two uncles outside?" Ji Wanmei asked him patiently.
“Lei Xiangshun is my uncle, he’s my dad’s younger brother,” Lei Tingjun said helplessly to Ji Wanmei. “The other one, Old Zhang, is my cousin, my great-aunt’s son.”
After a pause, Lei Tingjun added, "When I was a child, my family was poor, and the school I attended was far from the village, so I boarded at the homes of these two uncles. But my grandmother paid them living expenses for both."
Oh, now Ji Wanmei understood.
Although brief, Lei Tingjun's summary did not omit any key information.
Lei Xiangshun was clearly his uncle and his father's younger brother. When he was a child, he stayed at his uncle's house because his home was far from the school.
His grandmother, who is Lei Xiangshun's biological mother, also had to pay her own son's living expenses.
Ji Wanmei immediately understood the closeness of the family relationship.
Old Cui listened silently to the sound without making a sound.
The key issue is his awkward position; if he makes a slight mistake, he'll be accused of being a busybody.
Those two older men came for his management position, and now that he's working for Lei Tingjun, he has to keep his mouth shut.
Moreover, the fact that Lei Tingjun used to board and study at Lao Zhang and Lao Lei's houses when he was a child has recently become known throughout the entire village, thanks to the two of them.
I'm afraid everyone in the whole village knows about it.
Ji Wanmei understood after hearing this, patted Lei Tingjun's hand, and smiled at him: "Don't worry, leave this to me."
Ji Wanmei turned around and said to Old Cui, who was standing to the side, "Old Cui, could you please go and invite the villagers who came to apply for jobs as kiln workers and mud workers today, as well as those two old men, into the village?"
Old Cui confirmed again: "You mean... invite them all in at once?"
Ji Wanmei nodded firmly: "That's right, let them all come in together."
Old Cui then turned around and went out to take care of it.
Lei Tingjun squeezed Ji Wanmei's hand and said apologetically, "Meimei, I really didn't know they were coming back today. I originally wanted to bring you back so you could have a happy two days of fun."
"What's the big deal?" Ji Wanmei smiled. "Just because you can't solve a problem doesn't mean I can't solve it."
"The same principle applies here. Sometimes, problems that are difficult for me to solve, you can easily solve for me too," she said. "When two people are together, isn't it about supporting and relying on each other, giving each other strength, and becoming each other's biggest backing? Don't you agree?"
Lei Tingjun's cold face softened with a smile: "Whatever Meimei says is right."
A short while later, several people followed Old Cui in.
They were all people who came to recruit workers today, mostly in their thirties and forties, and their clothing and demeanor were rather simple and honest.
Two middle-aged men, who were significantly older and had their hands tucked into their sleeves, hunched over and with their necks hunched, followed behind the group of young men.
As soon as they entered and saw Lei Tingjun, they showed anxious expressions and surrounded him without regard for anything else.
"Hey nephew, that's really unfair of you! You've already hired a second batch of people at your brick factory, but you haven't even given us two old uncles a job!"
"Look at the two of us, starving all day long. If word gets out, people will talk behind your back, Lei Tingjun's back!"
"Yeah, you're a boss now, you shouldn't forget your roots. Have you forgotten how our two families treated you back then?"
Lei Tingjun's expression darkened slightly as he listened, and his brows furrowed.
Ji Wanmei, standing beside him, could sense an unusual surge of annoyance and hostility emanating from Lei Tingjun.
It seems he really dislikes his two relatives.
Ji Wanmei smiled faintly and said, "Uncles, please tell me what's on your mind. I'm the person in charge of recruiting workers for this brick factory."
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