1994: Starting with unpaid leave

Since they didn't know that Dong Jianguo and Zhang Cunyi were coming, the second aunt prepared only home-style dishes for lunch.

Three Treasures of the Earth (a dish of potatoes, green peppers, and eggplant), dried tofu with green peppers, pork skin jelly, and vegetables with dipping sauce...

Although it was simple and not very oily, it was still a decent home-cooked lunch.

Because he had to drive, Dong Jianguo didn't drink alcohol, but he insisted on pouring two ounces of loose liquor for his second uncle and Zhang Cunyi each.

The second uncle's four grandsons had all gone to their maternal grandmother's house, leaving only the four of them sitting around the dining table, eating and chatting.

Upon learning that Dong Jianguo planned to invest in a farm in Angxi District after the New Year, the second uncle nodded in agreement.

"I think this business is good. Having a farm is like having a stable source of goods. Your food factory's profits might even double in the future!"

Dong Jianguo smiled:

"The benefits should not be limited to these... The farm's profitability is average, mainly because it needs to supply the canteens of its superiors at low prices and provide holiday benefits for its employees. These expenses are basically not reflected in the accounts."

"Another aspect is wholesaling agricultural products at low prices. For example, wholesaling cut-up chickens at low prices..."

"After I invest, Secretary Guo needs to focus on rectifying these two aspects. The farm itself also needs to be profitable..."

Uncle Er frowned, a hint of worry creeping in.

"Jianguo, your move has affected the interests of many people..."

Dong Jianguo nodded:

"Although I started out making money by profiting from the price difference when I sourced goods from farms, the farms still made a profit based on my purchase price."

"But I asked Uncle Guo, and he said that the farm's most profitable business, cut-up chickens, was almost going out of business because Liu Degui had driven down the prices."

"Since I've invested money, I can't just look after these people's interests and stand by and watch the farm go bankrupt without doing anything about it."

Dong Jianguo believes that even if you go to the ends of the earth, you will still encounter human relationships and social customs.

When scientists are at the dinner table, they should offer a toast as appropriate; there's nothing wrong with that.

Even a scientist as great as Stephen Hawking, who was in a wheelchair, still went to Lolita Island to play with people, didn't he?

The key is that interpersonal relationships and incidents should not hinder development and progress.

This is the case with several farms in Ang Khe district.

You can't even survive yourself, yet you still care about human relationships...

He simply couldn't do that.

Uncle Er nodded after hearing this:

"You're right... I'm just afraid... Oh well, I'm retiring anyway, so it doesn't matter to me whether I keep my reputation or not. If anyone really causes you trouble, just tell me!"

Dong Jianguo knew that his uncle was also referring to Liu Degui, the son of the factory director.

However, that guy was both cowardly and stupid, and didn't seem like he could cause any trouble.

Besides, he wasn't taking everything. In addition to the Hongqi and Bayi farms that he planned to acquire, there were two other farms that were supplying Liu Dewei with low-priced cut-up chickens.

Dong Jianguo understood the principle of leaving an opening when besieging an enemy, so Liu Degui probably wouldn't risk everything just because he lost income...

He smiled at the old man: "Don't worry, Uncle, I know what I'm doing. Don't just drink, eat some food too..."

Zhang Cunyi, who was standing to the side, did not interrupt this time, but just listened quietly.

He felt that what Dong Jianguo said made a lot of sense and was very suitable for use in the novel he was currently conceiving...

……

After lunch, Dong Jianguo originally planned to go home and take Xiuyun to the hospital.

Then the pager went off. It was Tian Lina, the factory's accountant, saying that a reporter from the Hecheng Evening News had come to the factory gate to conduct an interview.

Upon seeing that free publicity had unexpectedly come to his door, Dong Jianguo drove the slightly tipsy Zhang Chunyi back to Xijuzhai and picked up Xiuyun in the car.

"Why did you pick me up? If you have an interview, you can go by yourself. I won't say anything..."

"How can that be? You're the boss's wife at our factory. I plan to develop you into an IP, making your image and printing it on our packaging!"

"How could you not be there for such an important opportunity to show your face?"

Wang Shouyi, Lao Gan Ma (Old Godmother), Zhou Xiaoling...

The method may be rustic, but it has stood the test of time!

Besides, my wife is much prettier than any of them!

It's destined to be a game-winning shot from the very first appearance!

After persuading Xiuyun to come downstairs, she saw Zhang Cunyi fast asleep in the back seat of the car as soon as she got in.

His face immediately showed displeasure:

"Why is he here too?"

"It's nothing, I just came to check it out. Besides, it's all in the past. If you've changed, you're a good comrade," Dong Jianguo said with a smile, brushing it off.

He could tell that Zhang Cunyi had encountered quite a few setbacks lately.

That's just how people are; they're always naive if they haven't experienced hardship.

Perhaps this time we can change his bad temper.

Zhou Xiuyun still felt uneasy when she thought about that previous conflict.

But since her man has said that...

Of course we should listen to him!

……

The Hezhiwei Food Factory is bustling with activity.

The female workers chattered and laughed, huddled together, their faces beaming with smiles they had never seen during previous New Year celebrations.

Two tricycles were parked in the yard.

Three fat pigs, cut in half, were left to dry in the air.

The reddish-white pork, still covered in ice crystals, exuded a freshness that made one's heart throb with warmth.

The three pigs, with their heads and entrails removed, weighed over 1000 jin (approximately 500 kg) in total. That was just enough for the factory's 50 workers, with each person receiving 20 jin (approximately 10 catties) of pork.

The extra pork was given as a reward to workers who had performed well recently, as an extra perk.

No one in the room objected to Director Dong's decision.

This year's situation is severe; everyone was originally sent home by the warp knitting factory.

Now we not only have a stable monthly income, but also benefits that the old knitting factory didn't have. How could we not be happy?

Inside the gatehouse, Tian Lina served each of the three guests a cup of hot tea.

"The conditions are simple and the hospitality is inadequate; we hope the journalists won't mind..."

There were three reporters who came to interview us.

A middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties had half his hair turned white; he was clearly the team leader.

The other man and woman both looked very young, around 20 years old.

The young male reporter was clearly drawn to the commotion outside. He pressed his face against the window of the gatekeeper's house, staring intently through the transparent plastic sheet at the pork on the tricycle, his mouth watering.

"Pork tenderloin can be used to make sweet and sour pork; pork belly can be used to make braised pork; pork ribs can be used to stew potatoes..."

It wasn't until his female colleague patted him on the shoulder that he snapped out of his daze and wiped his mouth.

"Sorry, your factory's benefits are so good, they're making me envious..."

Tian Lina's words made him both laugh and cry, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

The female reporter was unconvinced:

"Our newspaper's benefits are pretty good too. This year for Chinese New Year, the newspaper gave everyone 10 jin of eggs and 5 jin of soybean oil! How much is too much for you?!"

Upon hearing this, Tian Lina immediately found common ground:

"Eggs? We got eggs too, 20 jin each... They're not anything valuable anyway, the factory manager said it's so everyone can have a good New Year..."

The young male reporter almost cried upon hearing this, and gave his female colleague a look that said, "Look at her!"

However, at least there are five catties of soybean oil to balance things out.

But he still couldn't help but wonder:

It's all the same work, so why is there such a huge difference between people?!