Returning wealthy individuals develop their hometowns and become rich in the 1980s

"I'd rather not have it!"

This was the first time Liang Jianjun had heard his wife's scolding in their more than ten years of marriage. Liang Jianjun was already extremely conflicted, and now, after being scolded by his wife like this, his eyes couldn't help but redden.

Seeing him like this, Ding Xiangzhi went over and hugged his head, reverting to her usual gentle demeanor. She spoke softly and gently, "Old Liang, we may be poor, but we must be poor with backbone. We've come through all the hardships. Now that Manager Chen values ​​you and has placed you in the purchasing department, things will only get better from now on. We're not short of money!"

"Old Liang, do you still remember when I married you? You were still a purchasing agent at the cotton mill. The dilapidated house that the company assigned us was so cramped that eggs would float in the sunlight and basins would be full of rainwater. We raised Guocai through such hardship. Look at us now," Ding Xiangzhi pointed to the wall.

"Ever since you were transferred to Xiaochi as the deputy head of the purchasing department, the company has treated us very well. Has the company ever shortchanged us in terms of salary and benefits?"

Liang Jianjun shook his head and remained silent.

"You drank too much at the company's annual party back then, and you even grabbed General Manager Chen, who came over to toast you, and told him that you would work hard for him for the rest of your life and strive to make Xiaochi bigger and stronger. Have you forgotten all those words?"

Liang Jianjun lowered his head in shame and whispered, "Xiangzhi, don't say anymore. Tomorrow, I'll return this money to that guy surnamed Liu. I'll figure out a way to send my son to America for studies myself!"

Ding Xiangzhi shook her head. "No, you can't give this money back!"

"what?"

His wife's words had Liang Jianjun confused. Ding Xiangzhi sighed, rolled her eyes at her husband, and said, "Where did you go for that quick wit you had when you were a purchasing agent at the cotton mill? Didn't you think carefully about how to handle this?"

"You took his money, and then thought you'd gotten away with it by returning it, as if nothing had happened?"

Liang Jianjun asked with a blank expression, "What else?"

"Old Liang, are you getting old and your brain is rusty? You should really go to the workshop and borrow a file from those master craftsmen to remove the rust from your head," Ding Xiangzhi said angrily, poking her husband's forehead with her finger.

"Hey! Just tell me, stop beating around the bush. I'm already annoyed," Liang Jianjun said angrily, slapping his wife's hand that was poking his forehead.

"Didn't you even think to report this to the company?" Ding Xiangzhi said. "You took the money, then returned it without even reporting it. If General Manager Chen and Manager Chen found out, you'd definitely be fired!"

"If I've already taken the money and then report it, won't I still get fired?"

Ding Xiangzhi shook her head and said, "That's why I said your brain is rusty. Couldn't you have used a different approach to report this? Why did you have to be so stubborn and tell General Manager Chen and Manager Chen, 'Oh! I, Lao Liang, was greedy and lost my conscience. I was easily tempted by ten thousand US dollars and agreed to help them steal the company's core technology!'"

"If you really say that, even if you were President Chen and Manager Chen's own brother, he would still fire you. Keeping you around would only corrupt the entire Xiaochi culture."

Liang Jianjun asked his wife, puzzled, "Then how should I explain this?"

"Take this money tomorrow and go to the office to talk to General Manager Chen and Manager Chen about our son's plans to study abroad. Note that I asked you to make the contact. Tell them how that guy surnamed Liu misled you, and when you realize something is wrong, just go along with it."

"You didn't really want to take this ten thousand dollars, but you can't fool that Liu guy if you don't take it. Today, I'm being honest with you two about this, and I've brought the money with me. What do you two think we should do about this?" Ding Xiangzhi clapped her hands as she said this. "This way, you've extricated yourself from the situation. The company will naturally handle the rest. You can continue to be the deputy head of the purchasing department."

Liang Jianjun slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "Now that you mention it, I really was quite foolish. Not only will I not be punished, but I can even get a reward from the company for this!"

"That's why I said you've lost your mind," Ding Xiangzhi patted her husband lightly. "Don't think too much. Go to sleep early. Tomorrow, take this money to see President Chen and the others, and explain everything I told you to them."

"I, Liang Jianjun, am so fortunate to have married such a virtuous and capable wife!"

"Stop talking nonsense and go to sleep!"

The next morning, Liang Jianjun got up early to wash up. He put the ten thousand US dollars into his briefcase, checked the zipper again to make sure it wouldn't slip out on the way, and then left the house.

Following the roads in the factory area, Liang Jianjun arrived at the office building. He mustered his courage and stepped inside. Chen Dong's office on the third floor was open, and his secretary, Qu Cai, was opening a document at a workstation near the door. Liang Jianjun saw that Chen Dong and his brother Chen Zaisheng were having morning tea and chatting.

Qu Cai saw Liang Jianjun standing at the office door, looked up and asked in confusion, "Section Chief Liang, what brings you here so early in the morning to see General Manager Chen?"

"Yes, there's something urgent I need to discuss with General Manager Chen and Manager Chen in person," Liang Jianjun nodded. The conversation between Qu Cai and Liang Jianjun reached the office. Chen Dong turned his head and looked over. "Section Chief Liang, please come in if you have something to say."

Liang Jianjun, carrying a briefcase, sat awkwardly on the sofa to Chen Dong's left. Chen Dong smiled and placed a cup of tea in front of him. "Section Chief Liang, are you here to see me about work or personal matters?"

"Mr. Chen, Manager Chen, there's something I need to be frank with you both today," Liang Jianjun said, unzipping his briefcase and taking out ten thousand US dollars in cash wrapped in newspaper, which he then spread out on the coffee table.

Chen Zaisheng stepped aside over the tea tray and glanced at the ten thousand US dollars Liang Jianjun had taken out. "Section Chief Liang, what do you mean by this?"

Chen Dong also glanced at the stack of US dollars, still smiling as he looked at Liang Jianjun, waiting for him to say what he was going to say next. Liang Jianjun then recounted the whole story in detail, from his wife asking around for ways to study abroad, to Liu Kun taking the initiative to contact him, to the dinner party at the state-run restaurant last night, and how Liu Kun used money and benefits to lure him into the trap.

He didn't hide anything or embellish anything; by the end, his voice was a little hoarse.

"President Chen, when I received this money last night, I felt like a stone was pressing on my heart. I didn't sleep a wink all night, tossing and turning all night. I'm sorry for letting the company down," he said, standing up and bowing deeply to Chen Dong and Chen Zaisheng.

Chen Dong smiled and waved to Liang Jianjun, "Section Chief Liang, please sit down and talk. The fact that you took the initiative to come and confess this to me and my second brother proves that we didn't trust the wrong person."

When Liang Jianjun saw Chen Dong say this, he glanced at Manager Chen Zaisheng sitting opposite him and saw him nodding in agreement. Liang Jianjun felt much more at ease. Then he heard Chen Dong continue, "As for Liu Kun, you continue to contact him. Whatever he asks you to do, just agree to it and tell me afterwards. I have my own way of handling it."

"As for this money, it's embezzled funds. I'll help you submit it to the police station," Chen Dong said, patting Liang Jianjun on the shoulder. "The company trusts your character!"