1994: Starting with unpaid leave

Watching the couple ride away on their bicycles, Zhao Ruidong's expression was a mixture of emotions.

"Brother Ruidong, has Dong Jianguo really changed his ways? He has money but doesn't go play mahjong?!"

"Bullshit! It's only because his wife is around that he can't bring himself to do it! Can this stuff even be quit?"

Zhao Ruidong glared at his follower Ma Qiang.

"Yes, yes, yes, could it be that he's found out we set this up?"

"Setting up a trap? What kind of trap?! How would anyone know what kind of trap it is if you don't just spout nonsense?!"

Zhao Ruidong kicked Ma Qiang in the thigh, sending him staggering.

"Besides, so what if they find out?! What do I, Zhao Ruidong, have to be afraid of?!"

Ma Qiang realized he had said the wrong thing, so he promptly lowered his head, shut his mouth, and stepped aside.

Another second-generation factory owner, Liu Xiangdong, couldn't help but speak up:

"Rui Dong, these past two days it's not just Dong Jianguo, even Er Zhuzi and a few other guys who usually come to visit haven't come. It's really strange!"

"If they won't come, then go find them! The factory's list of employees on unpaid leave is still posted on the wall. They can't just run away, can they?! These people have spare cash, probably several thousand yuan combined! I don't believe these bastards can resist coming over for a couple of rounds if they have spare money!!"

"Just repeat what I just said. Anyway, Secretary Wang was inexplicably demoted to the workshop. We can tell everyone it was me who arranged it, which will make us seem like we have connections everywhere. I don't believe no one will want to play along!"

"good!"

The group agreed and split up to join the flow of people leaving get off work, quickly disappearing from sight...

……

On the other side, Dong Jianguo carried Xiuyun on his back and turned into another alley from the alley in front of their house.

"Oh dear, you've gone to the wrong place!"

"No mistake, I'll drag you here tonight and sell you for money!"

Knowing that Dong Jianguo was joking, Xiuyun was not angry.

Soon the car stopped in front of a small workshop located in a hutong.

This is a shop that specializes in noodles. In the past, when Xiuyun didn't have time to cook dinner, she would sometimes buy some steamed buns, flatbreads, and other staple foods here.

"Hey bro, you're here!"

Upon seeing Dong Jianguo, the plump proprietress of the shop greeted him with a smile, carrying two bags of steamed rice cakes.

Caozi cake is a traditional old-fashioned sponge cake from northern China.

It is generally made by baking eggs, flour, and white sugar.

It is shaped like a small round cake, with a brownish-red top and a slightly yellow bottom, and it has a strong eggy aroma.

As soon as the plump proprietress came out, Xiuyun sniffed.

She has a very keen sense of smell and knows that the aroma comes not only from eggs and sugar, but also from honey!

Dong Jianguo took the pastry: "Boss, you didn't mix them up, did you? If you did, I won't sell you eggs anymore!"

"Don't worry, I've been watching! This bag is made with crushed eggs, and this bag is made with fresh eggs. Besides, I checked, and the crushed eggs are clean!"

"That won't do either! My wife can't eat bad guys!"

"Oh, I know, I know, your wife is so precious, okay?"

The plump woman teased, but her gaze towards Xiuyun held an undisguised envy.

She had also given birth before. When she was pregnant, her husband didn't say a word, but kept telling her to do this and that every day.

I'm busy during the day, and I have to work at night too.

Unlike Brother Dong, who is so considerate!

It really proves the saying: comparing people will only lead to misery, and comparing goods will only lead to waste.

Hearing that these were pastries specially ordered for her by Jianguo, and seeing the envious look in Fatty's eyes, Xiuyun felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey.

But she still couldn't help but secretly have doubts:

It seems I've eaten quite a bit of you, you big bad guy, before.

On the way home, Xiuyun couldn't help but ask Dong Jianguo why he suddenly thought of making Caozi Gao (a type of steamed rice cake).

"How can you say that so suddenly! Now that we have so many eggs, it would be really unreasonable not to improve our lives."

Dong Jianguo replied with a smile.

However, to be precise, there was also an element of chance involved in this incident.

Before Erzhuzi returned in the afternoon, Dong Jianguo was getting a little bored and started thinking about how to deal with the broken eggs that had been cleared out.

He originally thought that he could just use up the leftovers from his own cooking, steaming eggs, and other dishes.

Looking at this amount, it would average five or six pounds a day, and even if you ate yourself to death, you still couldn't finish it.

That's why I thought of going out to make some pastries.

Unexpectedly, when the woman who makes pastries heard him say that he gets about ten pounds of broken eggs every two days, she immediately wanted to buy them.

"I agreed to sell her all the eggs that broke during transport at cost price. This way, we can reduce our losses, and she uses a lot of eggs for making pastries, so she can get raw materials at a low price. It's a win-win situation!"

"I see. But what does 'win-win' mean?"

"A win-win situation means that both parties are winners, just like when I spend some money to hire Erzhuzi to help me sell eggs."

"If he can make a living and support himself, I won't have to work so hard. I can just use my brain more. It's a win-win situation for both of us."

Xiuyun nodded thoughtfully, "Then after I give birth, I'll help you sell eggs! That way, the three of us can win!"

Seeing her earnest expression, Dong Jianguo affectionately reached out and gently pinched her nose again.

"You just focus on taking care of the baby! Leave the business to your man!"

"Look, even without my wife's help, I've already sold half of the eggs that came today."

Xiuyun was very surprised: "How is this possible? The eggs were just delivered at noon today!"

"Hmph, you really think I'm a fool!"

As soon as the two turned into their alley, they bumped into Wang Cuiqing, who was dressed up in a flamboyant manner and about to go out.

"Oh, Jianguo and Xiuyun are back!"

Dong Jianguo didn't speak, but simply nodded expressionlessly.

In high spirits, Xiuyun greeted her warmly, "Sister Cuiqing, are you going out?"

"Of course! I have business meetings at a restaurant!"

As the bicycle passed by Wang Cuiqing, she couldn't help but tease the two of them, drawn by the fragrance:

"What delicious food did you buy this time?"

Just as they were about to arrive home, the car was moving slowly. Xiuyun lightly leaped off the car.

This somewhat reckless action startled Dong Jianguo, who quickly stopped his bicycle as well.

"Jianguo bought some steamed rice cakes." Xiuyun didn't beat around the bush; she opened the bag and was about to share a piece with Wang Cuiqing: "Sister Cuiqing, you..."

Suddenly, a pair of large hands appeared from the side and blocked the bag:

"Xiuyun, don't delay Sister Cuiqing from saving the factory, let's hurry home."

"what?"

Zhou Xiuyun was taken aback, but Dong Jianguo didn't explain at all and just pulled her home, completely ignoring Wang Cuiqing, who had a long face behind them.

Once inside the courtyard, Xiuyun finally spoke up: "Jianguo, why are you doing this? We're all neighbors, it's no big deal to share with Sister Cuiqing."

Looking at his bewildered wife, Dong Jianguo sighed.

While kindness should be the foundation of being a good person, one shouldn't be too kind.

Kindness misplaced often only harms oneself.

But we can't talk about things that haven't happened yet.

Dong Jianguo thought for a moment and changed his excuse: "You weren't home this afternoon, and Wang Cuiqing was trying to seduce me through the wall!"