Free Web NovelChapter 255: Chapter 253
Having achieved her objective, Xie Changning didn’t linger. "Thank you, Brigade Leader. By the way, I might be coming back to the county soon to look for factories to partner with. Have the people in your village get ready. If the factories in the county town expand, it would be a good opportunity for them to interview for temporary positions."
It was a favor from Xie Changning.
The Brigade Leader’s eyes lit up at Xie Changning’s words, and he thanked her profusely.
To Xie Changning, it was just a casual remark.
But for the Brigade Leader, it was a golden opportunity!
Countless people wanted to work in the factories but had no connections. Now, with this tip from Xie Changning, he had to start preparing and go scout out the various factories!
Even if only one person got hired, it would be a great honor for his brigade!
After Xie Changning got in the car, Xie Hengsheng looked at her. "You didn’t have to tell him that."
"It’s fine. A little hint will ensure he handles things better from now on."
Sheng Yongmei marveled at how clever her daughter was. With just a few words, she had the Brigade Leader feeling deeply indebted to her. Now, her adoptive parents’ lives were bound to get even worse.
"Are you really not going to see them?"
Xie Changning was curious.
Before they came, she knew her parents had wanted to give the couple a vicious scolding.
’Have they really changed their minds?’
"No. Seeing them would just bring bad luck," Ms. Sheng Yongmei huffed.
Ms. Sheng Yongmei had discussed it with Xie Hengsheng. They both agreed that seeing the adoptive parents would only hurt Xie Changning. If they really wanted to see them, they could do it on their own time.
After all, they knew where to find them now.
In the future, if they wanted to pay a visit, they would go by themselves and not make their daughter face them.
What if the couple knelt before their daughter, using their status as elders to emotionally blackmail her?
Neither Sheng Yongmei nor Xie Hengsheng was willing to take that risk.
And so, they both abandoned the idea of confronting them.
When Xie Changning’s adoptive parents returned for lunch, they were informed that the husband’s own brother was coming to collect a debt from them.
In the adoptive father’s eyes, the debt itself wasn’t the biggest problem.
The real issue was—
His own brother was back!
And his coming to collect a debt meant they already knew what he had done.
"On what grounds are they coming after us for a debt? All our assets have already been confiscated! If they want to collect, they can take it up with the authorities! They just like to bully us poor folks, is that it?"
Xie Changning’s adoptive mother was far more acerbic than her husband.
The moment she heard they were being saddled with a massive debt, she refused to accept it and insisted on confronting Xie Changning’s parents for an explanation.
The Brigade Leader eyed them coldly. "You can go if you want, but I won’t be issuing you a travel permit. And for the record, the county magistrate has already approved the debt collection request. You two can figure out the rest on your own."
’As if they have any say in whether they’ll repay the debt or not!’
After the Brigade Leader left, the adoptive mother grabbed her husband’s arm and snapped angrily, "Why didn’t you argue with him? Do I have to be the one to take charge of everything?"
Hearing her shouting, the adoptive father was filled with irritation.
He roared back at her, "So now you decide to make a scene? I told you to treat Xie Changning better, but you wouldn’t listen! If you had just been nicer to her back then, would we be in this disaster now?"
Their situation was already difficult enough, and now it was even worse.
Their work points were going to be cut in half!
’And she still has the gall to cause a scene! This whole disaster is her fault, the shameless shrew!’
The adoptive mother was stunned by the accusation. She never imagined that after toiling so hard for this family, this was what she would get in return.
"And who do you think I was doing it for? You didn’t object when I first suggested it, did you? How dare you blame it all on me now!?"
Already down on their luck, the couple began to turn on each other, and their relationship teetered on the brink of collapse.
-
By the time Xie Changning and her parents returned to Anong County, it was already dark.
Those waiting at home saw the headlights, quickly switched on the entryway light to illuminate the courtyard, and welcomed Xie Changning and her parents inside.
Xie Changning had arranged to have the lights installed previously. With elderly people at home, it was safer and more convenient.
It wasn’t just their own courtyard; she had also had an exterior light installed for the Han’s parents’ yard.
The cost of electricity was negligible; what mattered most was preventing the elders from falling.
The elders understood Xie Changning’s good intentions, so they accepted her thoughtful gesture. When she offered to have the lights installed, they let her. freēwebnovel.com
They needed to take care of themselves so they could watch their grandson grow up.
As soon as Xie Hengsheng got out of the car and saw the lit courtyard, he rushed to support his wife. "Watch your step." ’We’re getting older,’ he thought. ’We can’t be a burden to our children.’
Ms. Sheng Yongmei shot him a look.
"You think I need you to tell me that?" She was sharp enough to have already checked the ground herself.
Looking at the pitted, uneven ground, Xie Changning made a mental note to find some bricklayers when Yue Yihan returned and have them pave the courtyard with old bricks.
That way, no one would have to worry about tripping.
(At that very moment, Yue Yihan, who was in the middle of military training, suddenly sneezed.)
Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhao came out to help the two elders, while the driver took the car back to the factory.
It had been a busy couple of days, and the driver hadn’t had a break.
So, Xie Changning gave him the next day off.
The driver was delighted.
Back inside, Mr. Han and Mrs. Han were staring intently at Xie Hengsheng and Sheng Yongmei, waiting to hear the news.
"Well? How did it go?"
"The county approved our request," Xie Hengsheng answered. "From now on, they’ll have to give half of their wages to my daughter."
Mr. Han nodded, satisfied that things had gone smoothly.
Then he asked, "So, did you do as I said? Did you give that so-called brother of yours a swift kick?" ’What a piece of work!’ he thought.
Xie Hengsheng shook his head.
"We didn’t go see them. They don’t deserve to see my daughter again."
Xie Changning chimed in, "It’s probably for the best. Dad, you’re not as young as you used to be. It wouldn’t be worth it if you threw out your back."
Hearing his daughter question his physical prowess, Xie Hengsheng rolled up his sleeves to show off his muscles.
"What, you think your old dad is some frail geezer? I’ll have you know I practice the Eight Brocades!"
’I’m perfectly healthy!’
"Alright, alright, let’s eat!"
Mr. Han was true to his word. For dinner, he served delicious, hand-pulled noodles with meat sauce that he’d made himself.
Even Xie Changning downed three bowls.
It was incredible!
Since Teacher Qin and Sheng Jiaojiao weren’t staying there, Xie Hengsheng and Ms. Sheng Yongmei stayed the night in Xie Changning’s house, while Mr. Han and Mrs. Han went home.
With her personal matters settled, Xie Changning began preparing to go abroad.
The exhibition she would be attending was the Hanover Messe, one of the world’s premier trade fairs for industrial technology.
This time, she wouldn’t just be representing Hua Country; she was going to make their products an overnight sensation!
