Naturally, since Zhu Shasha had said as much, he had to show some sincerity.
Hongyuan Construction Company was merely a village-run enterprise. In a place like the provincial capital, bringing them down was far too easy.
“Then I’ll thank Assistant Zhu in advance for your help.” As for when he would make his move, that would depend on when Zhu Shasha fulfilled her promise.
Seeing that he had agreed, Zhu Shasha couldn’t help but curve her lips.
Since she couldn’t touch the child, she would start with Chen Lishu. She would ensure her business never got off the ground, thus making any further ties with the He family impossible. As long as they were content with mediocrity, she could choose to be magnanimous and let them off the hook.
Chen Lishu was completely unaware of Zhu Shasha’s scheming. Ever since experiencing signs of a threatened miscarriage, she had been extremely cautious. Apart from attending school, she had stayed home for a long period and hadn’t gone anywhere.
However, she took the opportunity one day to invite Jin Kun out for a meal, and also asked Gu Xingye to join them.
“Thank you so much for your help in providing information last time, Boss Jin. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t have known what the consequences might have been.”
Chen Lishu spoke with genuine gratitude. She was truly thankful to Jin Kun; if not for him, Rui Rui might have been in real danger.
“I’m not really a boss, just trying to make a living. You can just call me by my name,” Jin Kun said, sitting down opposite her.
Jin Kun was somewhat surprised that Chen Lishu had formally invited him for a meal. Besides, his help back then was just repaying a personal favor.
Seeing Jin Kun’s gaze fall on Gu Xingye, Chen Lishu smiled and said, “This is my uncle, Gu Xingye. And this is Jin Kun.”
Gu Xingye had been training well recently. Chen Lishu would only bring people she considered important to meet him. Moreover, he had saved Rui Rui. Thus, he quickly stood up with a smile to shake Jin Kun’s hand, “Hello, Brother Kun.”
Jin Kun extended his hand, “You’re too kind.”
“I won’t offer you a cigarette, given my sister-in-law’s condition. But later, I’ll have to toast you again on behalf of my sister-in-law to thank you.”
…
Chen Liyuan was on her way to the cafeteria after work. As soon as she got downstairs, she spotted a familiar figure standing by the walkway and quickly walked over.
“Brother Qi? Why are you here? Is something wrong?”
Lin Qi met her clear eyes. As he was about to speak, he felt a tickle in his throat. He cupped his hand into a fist and placed it by his lips, coughing lightly before saying, “Are you heading for lunch?”
Chen Liyuan nodded. “Brother Qi, have you eaten?”
“Let me treat you to a meal outside.”
“Eat outside?” Chen Liyuan smiled. “Eating out would be too much of a waste. Our cafeteria food is good and inexpensive. How about I treat you to a meal in the cafeteria?”
Lin Qi thought for a moment and nodded, “That works too.” It would be a good opportunity to show some self-important people where they belonged and to mind their own business.
Soon, they walked towards the cafeteria together. Employees of the factory passing by saw Chen Liyuan with a fair-skinned, tall and thin young man beside her. They immediately teased her with knowing smiles, “Chen Liyuan, is your boyfriend here to see you? He’s quite handsome.”
Chen Liyuan’s face immediately flushed red. “Sister Zhao, don’t talk nonsense. He’s just my friend.”
Sister Zhao teased, “Boyfriend, right?”
The other two female colleagues nearby burst into laughter. Women in the workshop were generally bold and open; they even told vulgar jokes in private when men were around. Facing them, Chen Liyuan, a shy girl, couldn’t possibly handle it.
Fearing they might say something more, Chen Liyuan quickly pulled Lin Qi along and hurried forward. Once they were far enough away, she said somewhat sheepishly, “Don’t listen to their nonsense. They’re just accustomed to speaking without restraint. Please don’t overthink it.”
Lin Qi nodded, “Mm, I won’t overthink it.” As if.
If it was the past, when Chen Liyuan was younger, Lin Qi truly hadn’t thought about things in that way. Coupled with his relationship with Chen Lishu, he had treated her as a sister and looked after her.
But after Chen Liyuan suddenly held his hand and introduced him as her boyfriend last time, Lin Qi found Chen Liyuan’s image constantly flashing before his eyes for some reason after he returned home. He didn’t dwell on it too much, probably concluding that he had fallen in love.
However, he had been busy with the renovation matters, and then he brought his father and Aunt Yuan over. Once everything was settled, he couldn’t wait to come.
They arrived at the cafeteria. When the cafeteria staff saw Chen Liyuan, they all greeted her enthusiastically, “Little Chen is here? What would you like to eat today?”
“Oh, you brought your boyfriend too? He looks unfamiliar. Is he from our factory? Which department?”
Chen Liyuan repeatedly waved her hands, “No.” Boyfriend.
“Oh, not from our factory? He’s quite handsome. Which factory is he from?”
Lin Qi replied with a smile, “Not from a factory.” Because people still had prejudices against private enterprises, Lin Qi didn’t elaborate further.
The cafeteria worker nodded. If he wasn’t from the factory, then he must be from a government department. Little Chen was a university student and an accountant; they were indeed a good match.
Soon, they got their food and sat down to eat. Lin Qi asked, “Do you have time after lunch?”
Chen Liyuan nodded, “After work, I don’t have much to do.”
She didn’t work in shifts. After finishing work every day, she basically stayed in the dormitory.
“How about I treat you to a movie?”
Chen Liyuan’s eyes lit up. After Little Liu moved out, she was the only one in the dormitory now. Apart from reading, there was nothing else to do to pass the time. Lin Qi had probably only arrived in the provincial capital not long ago and must be feeling bored by himself, which was why he came to find her.
So Chen Liyuan readily agreed, “Okay.”
After the meal, they left the factory area together and headed towards the cinema.
Time flew by to mid-May. The primary school teaching building was successfully completed, and the matter of purchasing equipment was also put on the agenda.
Gu Xingye had recently secured another project to build a feed processing plant in the suburbs. He had to manage materials and arrange workers’ tasks, so Chen Lishu handed over the equipment purchasing to Lin Qi and Liu Yang.
Including the payment from the primary school project and the earnings from the clothing store and Liang Chunsheng during this period, Chen Lishu had a total of sixty thousand yuan.
Then she gave the address of her house in Beijing to the two of them. Since she couldn’t travel herself at the moment, she asked them to make a detour to collect the rent.
In June, an event that caused a sensation across the country occurred. Shougang changed the method of profit sharing between the state and enterprises, taking the lead in implementing the contract system among state-owned enterprises nationwide.
Shougang pioneered the contract system for state-owned enterprises, and in the following years, even decades, a large number of outstanding enterprise contractors emerged. The most famous was Ma Shengli, who contracted a paper mill, making him the first contractor.
Naturally, the provincial government received the news even earlier than Chen Lishu.
With the fiscal deficit and the need to reduce production and increase taxes being the policy and top priority, leaders soon gathered to discuss the subsequent coping strategies.