Chapter 172 Sharing Weal and Woe
Before dawn, she was already busy in the warehouse.
Zhou Yujie's convoy arrived on time.
Autumn has arrived, the season of harvest.
The fruit in the orchard is ripe and covers the whole mountainside.
With a good harvest and stable prices, her supply was more abundant, and her business became increasingly successful.
The system has been silent for a long time.
The ripe fruit will fall off on its own and automatically be put into the bamboo basket.
Zhou Shufen couldn't explain how she did it either.
She never deliberately tried to accelerate the ripening of the crops, but the fruits and vegetables just grew faster than those outside.
Perhaps it's because the soil in this space is different, or perhaps it's because the air is more spiritually rich.
Every day when I open my eyes and enter the space, the floor is piled with neat bamboo baskets, and the vegetables and fruits are fresh and bright.
And so, the two of them worked together and earned over a million Hong Kong dollars in six months.
Zhou Yufan was responsible for finding sales channels, contacting merchants, negotiating prices, and handling procedures.
Zhou Shufen quietly stayed at home, taking care of the space's output, packing and sorting, ensuring that every truckload of goods could be shipped out on time.
They have a clear division of labor and never argue.
In just six months, they made a name for themselves in the Hong Kong Island wholesale market thanks to their stable and high-quality supply and excellent cost performance.
Every time she made money, Zhou Shufen would calculate the costs and divide the rest into four parts.
She always values rules and fairness in her work.
The cost of goods, transportation fees, and miscellaneous labor expenses are all clearly recorded.
Once the profit is calculated, it is immediately divided into four equal parts.
There were four siblings, one portion for each of them.
Zhou Yujie, Jiang Nanzhi, Zhou Yujie, and Zhou Miaoling—each of their names was neatly written in the ledger.
Zhou Shufen firmly believes that a family is supported by everyone, not by one person fighting alone.
When Jiang Nanzhi received her share, she was dumbfounded.
She trembled as she took the thick wad of banknotes, her eyes wide with disbelief.
This sum of money is so large that it could change the family's years of impoverished life.
But she knew perfectly well that she and Zhou Yujie hadn't contributed much during this time.
Thinking of this, her hands trembled even more violently.
"Shufen, your brother and I really can't accept this money."
Her voice trembled.
"This isn't helping out, it's clearly taking it for free."
"We didn't do anything, why should we take so much? You worked so hard to earn this money, how can I... how can I accept it with a clear conscience? This isn't helping out, this is taking advantage of you!"
"Sister-in-law, I'm telling you the truth."
Zhou Shufen put down the account book in her hand and sighed softly.
"I didn't divide the money like this on a whim; there's a reason behind it."
"Why am I able to run such a big business? The money I started with came from the money my parents entrusted to the Zhou family to manage back then."
Zhou Shufen began to speak slowly.
“Back then, my parents were afraid that my siblings and I would be bullied because we were young, so they entrusted a sum of money passed down from our ancestors to the Zhou family for safekeeping. They agreed that we would return it when we came of age. At first, the Zhou family paid interest on time, but then they gradually delayed and eventually simply reneged on the debt.”
“It wasn’t until two years ago that I finally got that money back, a full HK$800,000. With this capital, I dared to make large-scale purchases, open up channels, and start the business. So the foundation of this business is not my achievement alone, but the common property of our Zhou family.”
"Therefore, everyone in the Zhou family gets a share of the profits. This is a rule established by our ancestors, and I can't keep it all for myself."
"Before our parents passed away, they repeatedly told us siblings to help each other and share joys and sorrows. We can earn less money, but we must never sever our family ties. The money I have earned now is both a matter of luck and the foundation laid by the savings I made back then. Each of you should have a share; this is not charity, but your duty."
Jiang Nanzhi hesitated, then stole a glance at Zhou Yujie.
She didn't know how to respond to those words.
So she quietly turned her head and looked at her husband, who had been sitting silently beside her.
Zhou Yujie nodded, and she accepted the money with trembling hands.
"You can keep the money for now."
Zhou Shufen spoke in a very steady tone.
"Don't rush to spend it, and don't be afraid to keep it at the bottom of your drawer. I know you feel uneasy about it now, but I'm telling you, you'll understand the meaning of all this in the future."
"In two years, I'll tell you what to do, and you'll just have to do it."
Her gaze was intense, and her tone carried a hint of mystery.
"I will let you know when we need manpower. For now, focus on getting well, learning something, and preparing."
"In the future, we want to buy houses and land in Ningcheng!"
These words struck the silent room like a thunderclap.
Ningcheng, a rising new city, is a place where every inch of land is precious and everyone aspires to live there.
Buying a house?
Buying land?
For a family that has just escaped poverty, this sounds like a pipe dream.
But when Zhou Shufen said it, there was no hint of joking in her voice.
Jiangnan Zhi's eyes suddenly reddened.
She once thought she was only a burden to her family.
But now, someone is willing to pull her along and move forward together.
I've only been here from the island for half a month, and I have meat at every meal, with vegetables and fruits to eat as much as I want.
This affluent life often makes her wonder if she's still dreaming.
She helps with the accounting at the supermarket, which is very easy for her.
This job was specially arranged by Zhou Shufen; it was easy and respectable.
Compared to the hard work under the sun and wind in the past, this is a world of difference.
Zhou Yujie picks up and drops off the children at school.
He also takes care of Xiaoyuer every day.
Besides picking him up and dropping him off, Zhou Yujie also takes care of almost all the childcare tasks, including grocery shopping, cooking, playing with him, and telling him stories.
He knew his wife had been working too hard all these years.
Now that he finally has a chance to catch his breath, he wants to do everything he can to share the burden.
The doctor said his leg would need a year to heal before he could do heavy work.
Therefore, Zhou Shufen specifically instructed the whole family that he must never be allowed to carry bags and move goods again.
He heeded the advice and tried to avoid strenuous exercise, only doing what he could manage.
Zhou Qigang is already grown up, no need to pick him up.
The fourteen-year-old boy's shoulders have broadened, his steps are steady, and he can now go to and from school on his own without any problems.
Zhou Miaoling and her husband also studied diligently.
After finishing work during the day, the first thing I do when I get home at night is to open my literacy book.
Zhou Shufen bought them adult textbooks and workbooks.
They even hired a retired teacher to tutor them two nights a week.
Wen Shuli was familiar with the dock loading and unloading process, and she helped Zhou Yujie count and monitor the goods every day. The job was not difficult.
After work, the couple would pester Zhou Yujie to teach them to read and do math.
Despite his physical limitations, Zhou Yujie never refuses anything.
Seeing how motivated the younger generation was, Zhou Shufen felt a warmth spreading through her heart.
She knew that this family, which had once been on the verge of collapse, was gradually regaining hope and dignity.
After stocking up on a large amount of vegetables and fruits for Zhou Yujie, Zhou Shufen and Zhou Yufan returned to Yuxin.
Before leaving, she repeatedly reminded everyone of the precautions, such as how to ventilate, how to prevent moisture, and when to rotate the food.
After everything was settled, she boarded the bus back to Yuxin with peace of mind.
When we arrived in Yuxin, we returned to the same old place, the old house in the suburbs that no one lived in.
This house is quite old; the walls are peeling and several windows are broken.
But for Zhou Shufen and her group, this place was like a secret base.
We always choose this place for the handover of goods, as it is inconspicuous and convenient for loading and distribution.
Zhou Shufen called Yang Qingshan and the others to come and help.
"Xiao Yang, you start by moving the pile on the left. De Kang, you're in charge of registering the goods. Yun Li, check the goods at the door."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
