1994: Starting with unpaid leave

"Jianguo, this is the final list of employees that Xiuyun and I selected. Xiuyun told them to go for a medical check-up first thing tomorrow morning, and they can start working at the factory once they get their health certificates."

Upon returning to the food factory, Zhao Hongmei immediately took out her notebook and went to Dong Jianguo to report on her work.

Dong Jianguo took the notebook and glanced at it. It only contained the names and ages of three female workers.

They are all familiar faces from the factory, people who used to work there quickly and efficiently, so I feel comfortable using them.

He casually flipped to the next page and was surprised to find that the second page of the notebook was filled with densely packed names.

"Why are there so many people? Did they all arrive this afternoon?"

"Um……"

Zhao Hongmei bowed her head and responded.

Clearly, she was also upset to see so many of her coworkers coming to her for help.

"How many people came in total?"

"A total of 67 people came, and a few of them were clearly over the age limit..."

Zhao Hongmei reported the facts truthfully.

"Jianguo, these 67 people..." Zhao Hongmei hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.

"I know you've worked hard."

Dong Jianguo was not referring to her refusing to work for more than 60 people, but rather to the psychological pressure she experienced when she refused to work for more than 60 people.

Dong Jianguo's fingers tapped lightly on the table, producing a dull sound:

"67 people, 67 mouths to feed. The current economic climate is bad, the factory is not doing well, and everyone is anxious."

"But our food factory can't afford to support that many people right now, so we can't manage it for the time being."

Zhao Hongmei nodded silently.

Even so, Dong Jianguo still clicked his tongue inwardly, feeling equally uneasy.

It's not some so-called "saintly heart," but simply empathy.

Humans should be empathetic beings.

Seeing his former coworkers unemployed, Dong Jianguo couldn't bring himself to criticize them for not working hard enough or not knowing how to improve themselves...

We are all human, so who is more noble than whom?

"Sister Hongmei, don't be too sad. The current situation is not good, but things will get better sooner or later."

"The factory just received a new order for 300 boxes of braised eggs. This batch needs to be delivered by the afternoon of the day after tomorrow. Is there a big problem?"

Hearing about the new order, Zhao Hongmei's mood improved.

However, she was also facing a dilemma:

"The egg marinade itself is fine, but packaging it might not be quick enough; we only have one packaging machine..."

"The packaging machine isn't a problem; I've gotten two more."

"Ah, that should definitely be enough to finish! We could even make double the amount!"

Dong Jianguo nodded: "Let's start with double the quantity."

After saying that, he glanced at the names on the second page of the list, his gaze lingering on a few names for a moment before he handed the notebook back to Zhao Hongmei.

"By the way, Jianguo, you'd better go to the workshop and check on Xiuyun; she cried for a while this afternoon..."

Dong Jianguo nodded.

Not a family, do not enter the door.

Seeing so many people come to her for help, and ultimately having to refuse them, Xiuyun must have been in a very bad mood.

Upon entering the braising workshop, Dong Jianguo immediately spotted his wife sitting alone beside the braising pot.

Hearing the sound, Xiuyun turned around and saw that it was her husband who came in. Before she could say anything, two tears welled up in her eyes.

"Hey, why are you crying all of a sudden?"

Dong Jianguo stepped forward and reached out to wipe away his wife's tears.

Xiuyun buried her face in Dong Jianguo's arms, her voice trembling with sobs:

"It's nothing, I just feel pretty useless... If my braised dishes were tastier and sold better, maybe I could help everyone more..."

"You're talking nonsense again. What's it to you?"

"How can it be alright?"

Hongmei was present when she refused the requests for work from her fellow workers that afternoon.

Although no one said anything particularly offensive.

But seeing those disappointed eyes made her even more upset than being verbally abused.

In addition, with no new orders coming in from the factory, she became increasingly doubtful of her own skills.

Dong Jianguo hugged his wife and gently comforted her, "But don't worry, we'll be able to help more people soon."

"I plan to hire a few more older women as sales staff!"

"Huh? Really?"

Upon hearing Dong Jianguo's words, Xiuyun looked up at her husband with teary eyes.

Dong Jianguo looked down at his wife and smiled, saying:

"Have you forgotten? Didn't you say this morning that you wanted to visit the convenience stores more often?"

"We've got a new order in Harbin, but the new employees haven't received their health certificates yet, so I have to stay at the factory and keep an eye on production."

"Although Erzhuzi can help, his time is limited; he has to go out to sell newly laid eggs this afternoon."

"There are so many convenience stores in Hecheng, how can just a few of us possibly run them all? I've thought about it carefully, and I think we need more talkative older women to help us out."

Upon learning from Zhang Zhiyi that his family's braised eggs were fine and had been very popular on the train during the National Day holiday, Dong Jianguo was brimming with confidence.

Now that it has passed market validation, it's time to take bigger steps.

Dong Jianguo was just worried that Xiuyun would get angry and upset, so he decided not to tell her about the mess that was going on with Director Jiang of the Hecheng Passenger Transport Section...

"Um!"

In any case, being able to help a few more acquaintances made Xiuyun feel a little less upset.

Xiuyun wiped her tears on Dong Jianguo's clothes, remembering the task Dong Jianguo had given her that morning:

"By the way, the pickled chicken feet you mentioned are almost done braising, but I haven't marinated them for very long. Would you like to try them first?"

"OK."

"Wait a minute!"

As Xiuyun spoke, she got up and went to the factory next door.

Not long after, a plate was brought out.

On the plate, several white and tender pickled chicken feet were sitting quietly.

The chicken feet are carefully deboned, leaving only plump and thick skin and meat, which are translucent milky white. The skin and meat, which have absorbed the soup, look as if they were carved from the finest mutton fat jade under natural light.

The most wonderful thing was the few strands of wild mountain peppers and small red chilies that Xiuyun had scooped up on the plate, floating among them, their emerald green tinged with a hint of red.

Just by looking at it, it's no less appealing than the "top-quality goods" that Dong Jianguo wholesaled in his supermarket in his previous life!

Before you even get close, a powerful, complex aroma hits your nostrils.

The sharp, pungent acidity of white vinegar had a penetrating power, instantly opening up the sinuses;

Next comes the unique fermented aroma of pickled peppers, spicy yet not pungent, mixed with the numbing fragrance of Sichuan peppercorns and the spiciness of ginger and garlic, weaving an invisible net in the air.

Dong Jianguo's appetite was whetted. He took the chopsticks, picked up a piece, and eagerly swallowed it into his mouth.

When you put it in your mouth and gently bite down, there's a soft "pop" sound, and the tight skin breaks instantly.

In an instant, the long-accumulated sour and spicy sauce exploded in my mouth!

First comes the sourness, a vibrant, lively sourness, like countless tiny bubbles bursting on the tip of the tongue, instantly sweeping over the entire taste buds;

Next comes the spiciness. The spiciness of wild chili peppers is mild and lingering, slowly sliding down the throat and bringing a warm, burning sensation.

Finally, the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns followed closely, leaving a tingling, numb aftertaste on the lips and teeth.

Looking at Xiuyun's expectant face, Dong Jianguo licked the juice remaining on his lips:

"Wow! Honey, well done! That's the way it's done!"