The problem is that Zhang Fengxia is coming back this year.
This problem gave Lu Feng a huge headache. After thinking it over, he decided to stay in Hong Kong. After all, Lu Feng felt that he had lost too much money to Zhang Fengxia.
On January 15, 1998, Huasha's year-end report was released and a copy was submitted to the shareholders. Looking at the report, Lu Feng knew that Huasha's problems had to be resolved.
The company's overall assets are already negative, with the largest outstanding payments being for construction projects, raw materials, and employee wages. It would take approximately 200 million RMB to revive the company.
Lu Feng wanted to call Jiang Xiaoyan, firstly to discuss the matter, and secondly because he felt he hadn't acted quite well that day and wanted to have a proper conversation. However, no one answered the phone.
Two weeks before the Lunar New Year, Jiang Xiaoyan took Duoduo back to her hometown. The past two months have probably been the most confusing two months of her life. She wants an answer, but she doesn't know who to ask.
Compared to last year, Jiang Xiaoyan no longer receives the adoration she once enjoyed. Some of the villagers who went to work in the factory last year haven't even received their wages yet, and they're all crowding around her doorstep asking about it.
“You’re such a big boss, you’re not short of two months’ salary. It’s only about a thousand yuan in total. If my family didn’t have that thousand yuan, we wouldn’t be able to celebrate the New Year.”
"Exactly, such a big company, you don't need to be short of money, do you?"
"If I don't have a good New Year, your family won't have a good one either."
The crowd was noisy, some pleading and others threatening and coercing, making the scene somewhat chaotic. Jiang Xiaoyan listened to the commotion and felt her head spinning. The unprecedented pressure made it hard for her to breathe.
"Stop arguing!" Jiang Xiaoyan said to everyone, her eyebrows raised. "Salaries will definitely be paid after the New Year. The current situation is temporary. Even if I have money on hand right now, I can't pay you. This has to go through the company's accounts and be recorded by the accountant!"
"Don't try to fool us with this nonsense. Isn't that company yours? The whole factory is yours. Don't try to fool us with this 'public vs. private' nonsense!"
Last year, nearly a hundred people went to the village, and this year they all blocked the door of their house. Jiang Xiaoyan's father used to be able to walk around the village with his head held high, but after the Mid-Autumn Festival last year, he didn't dare to go back to the village. Even if he hid in the city, people would come to his door to demand an explanation.
"It's not much money, just give it to them." Jiang Xiaoyan's mother said impatiently, "It's less than 50,000 yuan in total. A bunch of idiots who've never seen money before. They've caused trouble for most of the year. Even if our Jiang family is down on its luck, we're not short of this. There's enough gold dust in the house if you just sweep the floor, it'll be enough for you for a lifetime!"
Jiang Xiaoyan had never heard her parents speak so arrogantly. Their family had only been wealthy for a few years, yet they gave the impression of being some kind of rich family.
"I'm going to the city to withdraw the money. Give me your names, and I'll have the finance department check it and then I'll issue it to you!"
Jiang Xiaoyan drove straight to the city and spent two days working to calm the matter down. Neither her two older brothers nor her younger sister came back for the Spring Festival this year.
Jiang Xiaoyan's parents said they were both busy and should just live their own lives, but Jiang Xiaoyan heard different news from the village: everyone in the county knew that Jiang Xiaoyan was going to fail and that her factory was facing bankruptcy.
In the past, everyone in the village would greet me with a smile, but now they avoid me like the plague. The coldness and warmth of human relationships are particularly evident at this moment.
After lunch, while chatting on the kang (a heated brick bed) at home, Jiang Xiaoyan briefly explained the current situation. She had hoped that her parents would at least say something on her behalf, but when the elderly couple heard that the company was going to go bankrupt and that they would owe Lu Feng a large sum of money, they immediately became anxious.
"Why are you arguing with them? I heard they said the factory can't pay wages, and I thought it was just a temporary problem. What have you done?" Mom said anxiously. "Lu Feng is going to cover for you, so hurry up! How can you argue with them? All he wants is to bring that woman into the family. As long as he pays enough, I'll take care of her child."
“Let me tell you, you absolutely cannot let Lu Feng dump you. Even I, who have never left the country, know how powerful he is now. Don’t always act like your world revolves around you. He’s rich and powerful, so what’s it to him if he has a few more women?” Dad also scolded, “You shouldn’t have argued with him.”
Jiang Xiaoyan leaned against the wall, silently looking out the window. The old-fashioned window frame was painted with mottled light blue paint, and the glass was attached to the diamond-shaped window frame. Sunlight shone through the glass, drawing diamond-shaped patterns on the earthen bed.
She didn't speak, she just watched quietly; perhaps she was already dead at that moment!
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