"Li, Manager, is the salary really counted from today?" someone thought they misheard and asked again.
"Yes, I'll notify you when there's definite work."
The meeting ended. After everyone left happily, Gu Xingye hesitantly said, "Third sister-in-law, it's not certain when there will be work. You're already calculating their salaries. Everyone lives in the same village, and the salary is already quite high. If you talk to them, they'll definitely understand."
Chen Lishu looked at him and smiled, "Fourth brother, if you want everyone to have confidence in you and be willing to work hard for you, you have to give them some benefits. Besides, this is a company. Outside of work, everyone is from the same village and takes care of each other, which is fine. But at work, you need to have the right attitude to establish authority. If I have to ask them for a favor today, will they expect me to give them face later?"
Gu Xingye nodded, seemingly understanding.
Chen Lishu didn't expect him to understand immediately. He would naturally figure it out later.
After the meeting, Chen Lishu went up the mountain again. The first crop of melons yielded over two thousand jin, and they were all sold out in just three days.
According to Chen Mantun's observation, the next crop would take at least another week.
The more than two thousand jin of melons sold for over eight hundred yuan, with several hundred yuan more expected.
Chen Lishu handed all the money to Hu S'er and Lin Da Zhong.
"Fourth Uncle, Uncle Lin, if you have time, use this money to build a pigsty. If you find any piglets, buy a few to raise. We planted sugar beets this year, so we can feed them for a while."
The two nodded in understanding.
"I've already spoken to the sugar factory about the sugar beets. I'm still waiting for a reply from the medicinal materials company. I have some business in the provincial capital that requires me to leave in the next few days. I'll send someone over when it's time for the harvest, so don't worry."
After arranging her work, Chen Lishu went down the mountain and returned home, where she began packing.
Lin Qi had not yet received any news from the Lin County Medicinal Materials Company, but Chen Lishu had decided not to wait any longer. She didn't know what the situation was in the provincial capital, and it would be bad to miss the bidding.
It was mid-July, and there was still over a month before school started, so Gu Xingping was not returning with her.
Chen Lishu brought Gu Xingye with her on this trip back to the provincial capital.
Although he had some exposure to renovation and construction, his experience was still limited, and he had much to learn.
Meanwhile, Jin Kun and a few of his brothers stood in front of a nearly vacated residential building. The word "拆" (demolish) was painted in large red letters on the wall.
"What do you guys mean?" a middle-aged man asked, looking at them with an unfriendly gaze. Although he felt a bit intimidated, he still tried to maintain a calm demeanor.
Jin Kun: "I heard you haven't signed your demolition compensation contract yet?"
"This doesn't seem to be your business."
"You're wrong, this is precisely our business now." Jin Kun said, handing a contract to the man. "Everyone else has signed. It's just yours that's missing. How about doing me a favor? I'll owe you one."
The man had been holding out for a long time and wasn't going to sign just because of a few words. "Give you face? Do you think you're that important? If you want me to sign, raise the compensation by fifty percent, or give me another apartment."
"Brother, greed can be a bad thing. So many people have agreed, why can't you be like them?"
"If you don't agree, I definitely won't sign." The man said, trying to leave. An arm suddenly stretched out from the side, blocking his path. The man turned his head and saw that it was Jin Kun.
"It's better to take advice. Signing is for your own good." As soon as Jin Kun finished speaking, two men came up from behind, blocking the man between them on either side.
"What are you doing? How dare you lay a hand on me in broad daylight? Aren't you afraid of the law?"
"What law, you scoundrel!" Zhao Liang hit him on the back of the head. "Not signing, huh? From today onwards, you're not going anywhere. You can sign when you've thought it through."
"You, you're going too far! Believe it or not, I'll call the police and have you all arrested."
Zhao Liang: "You have a wife and children, right? And your parents live with you? If you want them to be safe, you'd better sign obediently, otherwise, we can't guarantee that something won't happen to one of them."
The man's face suddenly turned pale.
He had previously heard that the family of another person who refused to sign had an accident. That person had been even more vocal than him, refusing to sign no matter what, but in the end, only he was left.
Considering his family's safety, the man finally compromised. Da Feng Novel Network
"Brother Kun, we've resolved the last household. The contract clearly stated that if the task is completed on time, besides the thousand yuan, there's an additional two hundred yuan bonus."
It took them less than half a month to clear out the holdouts in the area designated for the vegetable market.
As the last family moved out, Jin Kun went to report his success. The leaders of the demolition office breathed a sigh of relief.
The higher-ups had urged him several times. It was already July, almost August, and if the project wasn't implemented soon, the cold weather would push it to next year.
...
After Chen Lishu returned to the provincial capital, she first settled Gu Xingye on the second floor of the shop. After a day of rest, she called Chen Guoping the next day to ask if it was convenient to visit.
Chen Guoping agreed that she could come over after he got off work. Chen Lishu then hung up.
It wouldn't be appropriate to visit someone's home empty-handed for the first time, but a gift that was too expensive might cause trouble for Chen Guoping. So, Chen Lishu finally decided to buy only two types of fruit.
Chen Guoping's home was on Jianshe Street, not far from the Provincial Government. It was a five-story building, and the Chen family lived on the third floor.
When Chen Lishu knocked on the door, a gentle woman in her forties opened it. Chen Lishu smiled and introduced herself, "Hello, Auntie. My name is Chen Lishu. I spoke with Uncle Chen earlier and came to see him."
Sun Yongmei found the name somewhat familiar and, after thinking for a moment, finally remembered, "Are you Professor Chen's student? Old Chen will probably be back in a while, so please come in and have a seat."
Chen Lishu entered as instructed and was greeted by a green-tiled wall. Near the wall were two single sofas with lace covers on their backs, separated by a coffee table.
Not long after Chen Lishu sat down, Chen Guoping returned, carrying his briefcase. Seeing him enter, Chen Lishu stood up and called out, "Uncle Chen."
Chen Guoping beckoned her to sit first, changed his shoes, and then sat down beside her.
"I guess you're here about the vegetable market bidding, aren't you?"
Chen Lishu smiled, "I came to see you, Uncle Chen, and to ask about the situation."
Chen Guoping sighed. Although he felt reluctant, he told her the truth, "Little Chen, I'm afraid your wish won't come true. I just received news yesterday that this project has already been awarded to the Provincial Construction Engineering Corporation."