Chapter 4242【VIP】
In the cold of winter, Zhao Xiaohe's heart burned. Leaving her daughters' new house, her mindset shifted. This change was sudden and inexplicable, yet it instilled in her unprecedented courage, as if she truly had the ability to start a business. This feeling, both novel and exhilarating, gave her an immediate urge to build something new.
But the beginning is always difficult. Although Zhao Xiaohe was tempted, she didn't know how to proceed. Old Madam Sheng urged her to learn from her daughters, but she was reluctant. She knew how filial her daughters were, and if she asked, she was afraid everything would be arranged for her.
Zhao Xiaohe didn't want to burden her children anymore, so she wandered around the streets every day to see which business was good and which job was easy.
One day, while she was helping Old Lady Sheng stroll around, she saw a long line forming along the pedestrian street, stretching all the way from the store entrance and then around several corners. The line was filled with young men and women. Zhao Xiaohe had chatted with her daughter and, knowing that young people were the main consumer group, she wanted to join them. However, she was still working and didn't want her host to wait in line with her, so she decided to go to the restaurant for dinner a few days later.
It turned out to be a new restaurant selling foreign food, like hamburgers, fries, fried chicken wings, and the like. And just a few potato strips, holy crap, cost four yuan. Zhao Xiaohe, a lifelong cook, knew how many potatoes were used just by weighing them. Such a small bag, which couldn't even use up a larger potato, was selling for so much.
Zhao Xiaohe sighed for several days, but Mrs. Sheng asked, "Xiaohe, why did you go buy French fries and hamburgers?"
"I saw that store was doing good business, so I wanted to learn from it and steal some of their skills," Zhao Xiaohe said with a blushing face.
Old Madam Sheng smiled and asked, "But these past two days, all I've heard you say is lamenting over other people's prices. I don't think you're trying to steal their skills, but rather genuinely trying to consume. If you wanted to steal their skills, shouldn't you think about why other people can get such a good price for a potato?"
Zhao Xiaohe was stunned for a moment, then suddenly came to her senses. That's right, why was she always thinking about how expensive the price was? This really didn't match her original intention of being a self-employed person.
Seeing that she had figured it out, Old Lady Sheng smiled and returned to her room. Since she was leaving the country after the New Year, she had a lot of things to sell or give away, leaving the room feeling empty. Sitting on the bed, she couldn't help but recall the scene when Zhao Xiaohe's daughter came to ask for a favor.
Xiao He's third daughter was really beautiful and polite. She took great pains for her mother. She brought a lot of gifts and asked her to take good care of her mother. She also said that if her mother did anything wrong, she could call her daughter and she would help make amends.
Old Mrs. Meng had never encountered such thoughtfulness and consideration in her life.
Because of Xu Shanshan's filial piety, Mrs. Meng couldn't help but give Zhao Xiaohe constant advice. You have to know that when Zhao Xiaohe first came to take care of her, she couldn't tolerate many of her habits. For example, when cooking oil was being used, she would always rub it around the bottle mouth with her finger and then put it in her mouth to suck.
However, after getting along with her for a long time, she found that although Zhao Xiaohe was confused, she was indeed kind and hardworking, and it was no wonder that she could raise such a good daughter.
Now that she is going abroad, Old Mrs. Sheng is really reluctant to let Zhao Xiaohe go.
Zhao Xiaohe naturally had no idea there was such a story behind it; she simply thought she had met a good person. Now that the old lady was leaving China, she was truly reluctant to let her go. She loved eating the pickles she made, so she pickled several jars whenever she had the chance.
Meanwhile, Xu Shanshan had already set foot on the land of the United States. She looked at the tall buildings before her, and the shock she felt was exactly the same as when she first set foot in Lin City.
Fang Zhiwen, standing nearby, hailed a taxi just as he would in China, and then politely invited the woman to sit down. The scenery outside the window was vastly different from that abroad. Fang Zhiwen smiled and said, "In ten years, the scenery at our doorstep will be even better than this."
Xu Shanshan nodded in agreement, while Zhan Hong, sitting in the passenger seat, shook her head in amusement. After all, youth is the best thing. Young kids are full of drive, daring to fight, and even more so, daring to think. Being with them makes me feel energized.
However, when checking in at the front desk, the discriminatory looks left Xu Shanshan feeling very unhappy, and her fiery heart instantly cooled. Her mind wasn't on the receptionist, but on her. She couldn't help but ask softly, "With the social atmosphere in the United States, can we really negotiate this cooperation?"
"The battle hasn't even started yet, so let's not talk about winning or losing. Put your suitcases back, and I'll take you somewhere."
The three of them put their luggage in the room. Xu Shanshan changed into a Suzhou embroidered cheongsam and silver high heels. Fang Zhiwen changed into a black suit and wore a pair of silver-framed glasses. Zhan Hong looked at them and smiled, "Zhiwen, you look good in this outfit. It has the same style as your father when he was young."
Xu Shan was dressed like a successful person, and I was stunned for a moment.
Fang Zhiwen bent down, stretched out his hand, saluted like a gentleman, took Xu Shanshan's hand and walked out the door with a smile.
When I got there, I saw that it was open.
Fang Zhiwen slapped his head and thought to himself, "Why didn't I think of this?" With the memories of his previous life, he naturally knew which stocks could make money.
However, due to the domestic foreign exchange control, they frequently bought and sold during their stay in the United States. Although the amount was not eye-catching,
Ed. Because of his father, he was full of curiosity about China. His father once said that China was a magical country.
These three Chinese people are very smart and they never lose money every time they buy stocks.
Edward Wall became interested and took the initiative to find Fang Zhiwen and the other two, asking them to help him select stocks and was willing to pay commissions, etc.
Fang Zhiwen and Zhan Hong were worried about not having enough foreign currency, and when they saw Edward Wall take out tens of thousands of US dollars at once, they looked at each other and immediately agreed.
Xu Shanshan scratched her head and thought, am I the only one who is worried about cooperation?
It's strange. Back in China, they were in good talks with Mack, saying they were willing to discuss cooperation. But when they arrived in the US, they were repeatedly denied access to Mack. It looked like they were no longer willing to cooperate.
Xu Shanshan was anxious. Seeing Fang Zhiwen and Aunt Zhan immersed in making money from stocks, she couldn't help but ask, "Aren't we going to Mike's company today?"
Fang Zhiwen and Zhan Hong exchanged a glance, then acted as if suddenly enlightened. "Right, right, right. I almost forgot about this. Let's go now."
Edward Wall took their handwritten note, and before he could ask any questions, he saw them leave in a hurry.
He bought the stock according to the handwritten note from the Chinese, never expecting it to rise ten percent in just one night. The moment he heard the news, Edward Wall nearly fell out of bed. He actually wanted to fall, at least he wouldn't have to slap himself to determine the truth.
My God, he made more than $10,000 in just one night.
Are they stock gods?
However, Fang Zhiwen and his team returned empty-handed this time. The next day, they were unable to go to the stock exchange because they were at Mike's company. That evening, the receptionist, who had a sullen face, knocked on the door with a warm smile and said someone was looking for them at the rooftop restaurant.
Xu Shanshan asked curiously, "Zhiwen, do you think it could be someone from Mike's company?"
"No matter who it is, the fish we caught is hooked."
Zhan Hong and Fang Zhiwen make money for real, and fishing is even more real.
The three of them took the elevator to the top floor of the hotel, where they found a revolving garden restaurant surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. Sitting on the sofa, they could take in the beautiful scenery. Beautiful piano music filled the restaurant, adding an artistic touch to every dining guest.
The three of them were led to the dining table by a handsome young man, and Fang Zhiwen took the initiative to pull down a chair for Xu Shanshan. The man who invited them was a man in his fifties, with a sturdy and strong build, exuding a wealthy aura.
The man, calling himself Henry, had come to discuss a possible partnership. It turned out he owned several mines abroad. While not as established and well-known as Mack's, his technology far surpassed Mack's. All the relevant patents in recent years had been filed by his company.
Xu Shanshan hadn't expected Aunt Zhanhong and Fang Zhiwen to actually land a big fish through the stock market. It turned out that Henry had made his fortune drilling in South Africa. After making his fortune, he invested in oil production, and luckily, he managed to develop two large oil fields. Today, Henry is a notorious nouveau riche in the United States, with a vast amount of liquid capital.
As a result, he was dragged into many investments, and he owned 10% of the shares in this five-star hotel.
It’s a pity that most of the entities invested in the United States were lost. Later, when I entered the stock market, everything I bought fell. It was a famous joke in the rich area.
He wanted to hire a famous stock god to take care of these things, but unfortunately he was excluded by the old money and couldn't get in.
Because of this, Fang Zhiwen and others who were buying everything came into his sight. After asking around, he learned about their intentions in coming to the United States.
Although other cooperations could not be reached, mining was his specialty.
Fang Zhiwen pretended to be embarrassed and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Henry, we still want to wait for a reply from Mike Company."
Mr. Henry smiled and said, "Unless you allow Mike to invest solely, there will be no cooperation. And as far as I know, your Chinese government won't allow this either."
Xu Shanshan frowned, having never expected Mike's company to even consider this. Was this just a show of force these past few days, meant to pressure them later?
Seeing how clearly Henry knew this, Zhan Hong smiled and said, "Mr. Henry even knows about our Chinese policies. It seems he's well prepared? Or does he have other ideas?"
It is not surprising that he knows the news about Mike Company, but what is surprising is that he also knows every detail of China's policies.
Henry smiled but said nothing, continuing to talk about stocks.
"Mr. Henry has given us this great news. We Chinese are the most reciprocal of kindnesses. I'd like to select a few stocks for you. As for cooperation matters, we can discuss them later."
Henry smiled, knowing that this Chinese guy wanted to give him more leverage. This was perfect, as he also wanted to see what these Chinese guys were capable of.
Henry likes to work with professional and capable people.
Both parties tacitly agreed to cooperate temporarily, and then stopped talking about business and slowly enjoyed the wine and food.
In the next few days, Fang Zhiwen and the other two started traveling, but as long as they came back from outside, the hotel waiters would provide them with the most considerate service.
Discrimination? No, there is no such thing.
After all, the day after Henry arrived, Edward Wall, the old money aristocrat, also came to talk to them.
As for Mac, after learning Henry's involvement, the entire board of directors was furious. Especially after learning Henry was looking at the stock market of Chinese people, they became even more disdainful, saying, "Henry is an idiot. He doesn't even understand numbers, how can he understand stocks? He didn't even check if there are Chinese stocks? He got lucky a few times, and he still takes it seriously."
After that, Mike Company joined forces with several big money families and prepared to teach Henry and the Chinese a lesson.
After that day, the stock market began to experience huge fluctuations. A technology stock that had been performing well, and which both Henry and Edward Wall had bought, fell three times in a row in one day.
The two wanted to sell, but Fang Zhiwen, who happened to know about the stock, told them to buy it at the bottom. Not only that, Fang Zhiwen also lost his US dollars.
Edward Wall didn't dare follow suit. Henry, a nouveau riche who'd made his fortune gambling, decided to take another gamble. For a moment, the stock saw a brief recovery. Then, the established money families took action, and the stock plummeted again.
Henry rubbed his face and gritted his teeth and said, "If it falls any further, will the fuse blow out?" If that were the case, he would suffer a huge loss.
At this point, Zhan Hong was already feeling a bit worried. Fang Zhiwen was still in the mood to take his wife to the Garden Restaurant to dance. Many waiters not far away looked at them anxiously.
Previously, these people had followed Fang Zhiwen in buying a few stocks and had made a lot of money. But this time, many were afraid to continue following him. However, some chose to take a gamble and go for it.
The more comfortable Fang Zhiwen became, the more worried they became. What was wrong with this Chinese guy? Was this the time to celebrate with his wife? Really? Really?
Even the stock god of the United States wouldn't dare to be so arrogant.
Xu Shanshan felt the different looks falling on her and whispered, "Is there really no need to rush? I really won't lose anything?"
"Don't worry, haven't we already asked someone to find out everything? It's the same as in my previous life. But in my previous life, Mike and the others definitely didn't sell off. This life is really miserable. Oh, I suddenly feel a little sorry."
Xu Shanshan was speechless. How could she not see any apology on Fang Zhiwen's face?
"Shanshan, don't worry. If it were a minor matter, I wouldn't be so sure. But I can't be wrong about this tech stock; after all, everyone will use it. I'm just not sure when the company developed its new product; I only vaguely remember it was this year. Thankfully, our leaders are reliable and we got accurate information. Tomorrow we'll go renew our visas, and after the press conference, we'll be small shareholders in a US tech company."
When Xu Shanshan heard that she had to renew her visa, she felt homesick and said, "Doesn't that mean we can't go home for the New Year?"
"It's just right that we can live in a world of our own."
This year, Xu Shanshan and Fang Zhiwen were unable to return to China for the New Year. Peng Shuya and Fang Yuanzhou had planned to invite Zhao Xiaohe and her daughter to a reunion dinner as usual.
But Zhao Xiaohe refused. This was probably because her eldest and second daughters from the countryside had moved to the nearby city. Plus, Xu Ruyi and Xu Meili had bought a house in the new district, so they naturally wanted to have a lively family life.
Zhao Xiaohe was also grateful for the care given to them by the Fang family, and made an appointment to have dinner with them on the first day of the new year.
New Year's Eve
A certain technology company A in the United States held a press conference. In China, Xu Yiya and Xu Daya were walking back and forth in their sisters' rooms.
Xu Yiya plopped down on the sofa, her body swaying. She said with a hint of sourness, "My sisters are really promising. This house is not cheap, is it? How much did the third sister pay?"
If I had moved to the city back then, would I have been the one to buy the house?
Xu Yiya couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Xu Daya, on the other hand, was simply happy. She said happily, "This house is so comfortable to live in. I wanted to come to Linshi to check it out when you bought the house, but I just couldn't leave home."
"Meili, Ruyi, you're finally well-off now. Even men value starting a family and building a career. So, there's still no news from you two?"
Xu Daya really didn't understand. Her two younger sisters had money in their pockets and were pretty, so why was she still single today?
Xu Yiya tilted her head and asked, "What on earth are you two thinking?"
"I haven't met the right one. As for my younger sister, she has high standards. I guess she will be single for the rest of her life." Xu Ruyi covered her mouth and laughed secretly.
Ever since they bought the house, the women in the compound have been eager to introduce potential partners to them. Xu Ruyi tried a few times, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful.
"Beautiful, what do you want?"
Xu Meili said calmly, "He must be handsome, 1.8 meters tall, a college student, preferably from a prestigious university. And he must be able to play a musical instrument and have a nice voice."
Xu Daya took a deep breath and said, "Oh dear, you little bitch, you dare to think about it."
"Think about it, it won't hurt anything. What if I'm lucky enough to hit it?"
Xu Daya said angrily, "That man must have some serious problems. You've been in the city for too long, and your heart has become wild. What kind of background do we have? How dare you think of anything? In my opinion, it's better to find someone in your hometown who knows you well. You have the ability, so it will be easy to control him."
Xu Meili shut up, not even bothering to refute her elder sister. Xu Yiya, however, angrily said, "Elder sister, did you get married just to control your brother-in-law? No wonder you're so determined to have a son? Meili, you too, can you eat a man's face? I tell you, after a while, it's just like that, all grinding teeth, shitting, and farting. You have good conditions and are of the right age, you should find a man who can help you in your career. Those guys who rely on women for their livelihood should be kicked as far away as possible."
After saying that, Xu Yiya couldn't help but glance at her brother-in-law Qiang Zhijie.
Qiang Zhijie didn't dare to talk back to his sisters-in-law. Instead, he hid on the balcony and talked with his son and brother-in-law.
The women in the Xu family are capable, and they really can't afford to offend them.
Last time, because of Hongxia's dropping out of school, he had lost face several times. This time, on their territory, he was as low-key as possible.
Zhao Xiaohe was delighted to hear her daughters chatting and laughing. She kindly offered some sunflower seeds to her sons-in-law on the balcony, but her eldest son-in-law, Qiang Zhijie, stopped her. He then whispered, "Mom, did Dad tell me to tell you something?"
When Zhao Xiaohe suddenly heard Xu Laoyi's name, she felt a little dazed, and there was a sense of disconnection between her past and present life in her head.
Everything she experienced in Chaoyang Brigade seemed like a thing of her past life.
"Then you don't have to spread the word." Zhao Xiaohe said coldly as she looked at her daughters who were chatting and laughing in the house.
Qiang Zhijie was stunned. She hadn't expected her mother-in-law to have such an attitude. She had drunk pesticide for her father-in-law, so why was she so unwilling to even hear his name now?
Zhao Xiaohe had already walked away, but after thinking for a moment, she turned back to the balcony and said, "Zhijie, you're not a child anymore. Use your brain before you speak or act. Who am I? Who is that person over there? He has a wife and a son. Why would he come to an old woman like me to pass on a message? He doesn't care about shame. Don't you understand?"
Qiang Zhijie looked at his brother-in-law and felt extremely aggrieved. His father-in-law asked him so much, and he said so much, but he didn't realize that he would offend his mother-in-law.
Qian Ping put the fruit plate in Qiang Zhijie's hand and turned around to help his mother-in-law.
Soon the New Year’s Eve dinner was ready. Zhao Xiaohe looked at the table full of daughters and drank a glass of wine happily.
"If Shanshan were here, our family would be truly reunited." When she was in the countryside, it was never her turn to sit at the table.
Now, she sat at the main table, the fish head facing her.
Zhao Xiaohe picked up a piece of fish and ate it, then suddenly said, "Old Madam Sheng went abroad after the fifteenth day of her life. Mom bought a shop on the pedestrian street. It's not quite right to call it a shop, it's the corridor of a store. I've agreed with the boss that we'll have a carpenter help partition it off after the New Year."
Xu Ruyi asked in surprise, "Mom, you want to be a self-employed person too? What are you planning to do?"
"Mom has an idea. We'll sell fried chicken legs in the winter. It's the way they eat it overseas, coated in batter, deep-fried, and sprinkled with spicy powder. It's not as troublesome as opening a restaurant like Ruyi's, where buying the food and cooking takes time and effort. My product is simple and the cooking method is simple. In the summer, I'll sell some cold drinks in bulk. There are a lot of people on the pedestrian street; young girls and boys in the city love to hang out there."
Xu Meili asked her mother for the specific address, then nodded and said, "The place Mom chose is quite suitable. It's right in the center of the pedestrian street."
Xu Ruyi also knew the place, so she said, "Then, when I go shopping for ingredients next time, I'll prepare some for Mom as well."
"No need, Mom can handle her own business. You two are busy with your own things, so don't worry about Mom. I have prepared everything, and I just want to tell you today."
Xu Yiya counted the two grains of rice in the bowl with chopsticks and suddenly said, "Mom, how about I help you?"
"No need. Mom's stall is only three or four square meters. I can't even turn around in time, let alone you. There's no place to stand. Besides, Congcong is still in school, and the child's affairs are more important." Now Hongxia and Congcong are both relying on a little girl for care. Even if she needs to trouble someone, it's not good to trouble her.
Xu Yiya looked at her fourth sister's big house, and this time, she refused to go back no matter what.
To be honest, she had earned some money in the past few years with the help of her third and youngest sisters, but no matter how much she earned, she couldn't afford to buy a house or a shop in the nearby city.
She always felt that if she returned to the village this time, she would definitely regret it in the future, and would even become more jealous of her sisters.
So, this time she said she would not go back no matter what.
But the issue of the child's education was indeed a big problem. Xu Yiya suddenly remembered that Xu Shanshan's eldest cousin's wife was a school teacher, so during the New Year's dinner, she deliberately went to Peng Shuya and asked her to help inquire about it.
Peng Shuya didn't expect that Xu Yiya actually wanted the children to study in the nearby city.
"According to the current policy, there is no problem studying during the compulsory education period as long as you pay enough tuition. But you cannot take the college entrance examination in the nearby city. You need to return to your hometown to take the college entrance examination." Peng Shuya knew this information herself.
"Auntie, as long as I have books to read, money is not a problem." The biggest problem was solved, and Xu Yiya immediately relaxed.
She told Qian Ping about this, and Qian Ping frowned and said, "What about me?"
"Of course you stay in Lin City too."
"What about the family land?"
"Just plant them for my parents." Qian Ping is the only son in the Qian family, so Xu Yiya is not worried that the two old people will have any ulterior motives.
"The land is fine. If I'm really too busy, my brother-in-law is willing to help. But are you going to stop running the family business?"
"No matter how well you make your home, can you afford to buy a house in the city? So, the stall in town will be given to your younger sister, and the fruit business will be given to my eldest sister."
Qian Ping didn't say anything for a long time before he said, "Why don't you transfer the fruit business to Boss Zhang?"
"You've lost your mind. Who is he? He calls me sister outside. Do you really think he's my brother? I know you two are close and have even gone out for drinks together. I don't know whether you spent money or not. But Qian Ping, you know the tempers of my sisters. If there's no problem, it's fine. But if there is, just wait for your son to change his surname to Xu!"
Qian Ping asked a question, but he didn't expect his wife to complain so much that he didn't dare to express any other opinions. He also thought that the fruit and vegetable business was not as good as it used to be, so he would just give it to his eldest sister. At most, he would find his eldest brother-in-law tomorrow and introduce him to Zhang Lao Da.
However, my sister's stall is making a lot of money. Looking at this, Yiya still misses her husband's family.
Xu Yiya was a very decisive person. After learning that her children could go to school in Lin City, she announced the news at home that day and asked her eldest sister, "Why don't Hongxia stay in Lin City to study as well? I'm used to taking care of two children anyway."
Xu Daya didn't want to cause trouble for Yimei, but Xu Yiya knew how much Sanmei valued the child, so she persuaded Xu Daya to change her mind.
As for Qiang Zhijie, oh, no one cares about his opinion at all.
Hongxia, on the other hand, thought about it for a while, and then, seeing that her parents' eyes were focused on her younger brother, she agreed to her aunt's proposal. However, she still felt uneasy.
Xu Meili was the first to notice her uneasiness and immediately hugged her in her arms and said, "That's great. From now on, Auntie will be able to see our Hongxia every day."
It’s not that they don’t care about Yuanyuan from their eldest sister’s family, but their eldest brother-in-law watches them too closely. Whenever they get closer to take a look, their eldest brother-in-law pretends to make an excuse and leaves.
They are not fools, and it is impossible for them not to sense other people's attitudes. After so many times, the girls no longer have any ideas.
Yuanyuan has parents who care about him so much, so there is no need to worry about the future.
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