[Urban] The New Five Golden Flowers (Complete Version) - 10

(Volume 3) Chapter 4 Getting to the Root of the Problem

Chapter 4 Getting to the Root of the Problem
Monday, October 11, 1993
Zhan Dajun from Dongfang Printing Factory arrived at Dongfang Printing Factory and found Tan Chunmei, who was busy preparing to establish a printing group. Both of them were capable assistants under Fang Zhenyu and had long heard of each other, but had never met before. Upon meeting, they were both attracted by each other's beauty and temperament. Zhan Dajun laughed
and said, "Director Tan, after seeing you, I understand why our General Manager Fang is called the 'womanizing director'." Tan Chunmei didn't expect Zhan Dajun to say this as soon as they met. She was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "Don't you know that the 'womanizing director' has been promoted again?" Since winning Fang Zhenyu's love, she not only looked younger but also had a more youthful mindset. She knew that Zhan Dajun was also Fang Zhenyu's confidant, so she didn't care about Zhan Dajun's joke at all.
"Promoted what level?" Zhan Dajun didn't understand the meaning behind Tan Chunmei's words.
"You've been promoted to chairman of the board? Well, with you, Vice General Manager Zhan, the boss hasn't been back to the factory in ages." Tan Chunmei giggled, making Sun Shaomei, who was making tea for Zhan Dajun, laugh along with her.
Zhan Dajun understood and blushed, but instead of defending himself, he spoke up for Fang Zhenyu: "Director Tan, you don't need to be jealous. General Manager Fang is just too busy."
Tan Chunmei laughed: "Why would I be jealous? I'm nothing to him. Of course I know the boss is busy. He's not only busy with port construction, but also busy dealing with the siege of a bunch of beauties. Tell me, what can I help you with? You, Deputy General Manager Zhan, are a very busy person; you would never come here unless there's something wrong."
Zhan Dajun took the tea that Sun Shaomei had poured for her. She didn't care that Tan Chunmei said Fang Zhenyu had to deal with their affairs, but instead got to the point, saying, "It's about the audit."
"They want to audit, so we let them audit. What else is there?" Tan Chunmei was very annoyed with that inspection team. Although it didn't have much impact on production, it was extremely inconvenient to operate. They had been auditing for several days without finding anything, but that Feng Lihua just wouldn't give up.
"I don't care about their affairs. I just want to understand our situation," Zhan Dajun said. Fang Zhenyu entrusted her with the task of investigating the mole, and she naturally took it seriously. So, taking advantage of a lull at the port, she went home to visit her mother and also came to the Oriental Printing Factory to inquire.
Tan Chunmei was also a clever woman. Hearing Zhan Dajun's words, she immediately understood and said, "That's right, we should investigate thoroughly. How did they know about such a small account?" After the inspection team's questioning over the past few days, they also knew that the matter stemmed from the deposit paid by the head office to the Oriental Printing Factory. The head office wanted to print a batch of port development project documents and paid the Oriental Printing Factory a deposit of 100,000 yuan. The Oriental Printing Factory immediately transferred it to the workers' new village account. Someone claimed that Fang Zhenyu had misappropriated the port's construction funds for his own business.
Zhan Dajun greatly admired Tan Chunmei's quick thinking, thinking, "No wonder Fang Zhenyu trusts her so much, entrusting her with almost all of his assets." She organized her thoughts and explained the situation from the head office's perspective. At head office, only four people knew about this debt: herself, Fang Zhenyu, Li Wei, and Qian Daixin. None of these four would reveal it. She initially thought someone had mentioned it by chance, but when she asked, no one had said anything, and she hadn't even run into any acquaintances while handling the matter. Zhan Dajun said, "So I think the problem might lie with you."
Tan Chunmei glanced at Sun Shaomei and said, "Not many people here know about this either: me, Shaomei, Zhang Bei from the city factory, and Li Fanghua. But none of these people would reveal it. Shaomei, did you handle this?"
"No, Fanghua handled it personally," Sun Shaomei said.
"Then we need to ask Fanghua," Tan Chunmei said. "Should I call her over? Or should you go to the city factory?"
Before Zhan Dajun could speak, Zhang Bei walked in, and Tan Chunmei explained the situation to her. Zhang Bei said, "Fanghua isn't at the factory today. She went to collect debts with Secretary Chen."
Zhan Dajun thought that it seemed there were no traitors around Fang Zhenyu, and the matter must have been leaked unintentionally. There shouldn't be any problem. Since Li Fanghua wasn't there, he would find another time to ask her about it. He said, "Then when she comes back, you can tell her to see if anyone else was present when she was doing this, and have her tell me. I'm busy at the port, so I won't wait for her here."
As soon as Zhan Dajun finished speaking, a commotion broke out. It was a voice like a broken gong: "Nonsense! Stop helping that womanizing factory director! If I, He Weiqiang, don't drive this bloodsucking, persecuting cadre and worker-sucking vampire out of our factory, I'm not He!"
"What kind of cadre are you? You're the real parasite in our factory! Do you think I don't know how much you've embezzled during your years as deputy director? It's just that someone is protecting you." It was Hu Jun's voice.
"Nonsense! You can't just say things like that. Who said I embezzled? Show me the evidence!" He Weiqiang shouted, his tone noticeably weaker. It seemed Hu Jun had found his weakness.
As they spoke, He and Hu arrived at the factory director's office. He Weiqiang, reeking of alcohol, rushed in and said to Tan Chunmei, "Secretary Tan and Chairman Hu are both here. You have to stand up for me! Why did Fang Zhenyu fire me? I'm a veteran cadre who has worked for the Party for over ten years!"
"You brought this on yourself. Your dismissal was decided by the workers' congress, and it has nothing to do with Director Fang. If you hadn't led the strike, who could have fired you?" Tan Chunmei retorted angrily.
"I should have known! You, Tan Chunmei, are infatuated with that pretty boy Fang Zhenyu, so you're speaking up for him," He Weiqiang said, his voice betraying his guilt.
Tan Chunmei blushed. She really did have her eye on Fang Zhenyu, just as He Weiqiang said, but she hadn't done anything wrong. Of course, she wouldn't let He Weiqiang spout nonsense anymore. However, her tone became calmer. "He Weiqiang, if you keep acting like this, do you believe I'll have the security guard throw you out?"
Seeing Tan Chunmei's imposing yet calm demeanor, He Weiqiang dared not continue his rambling, but he still made a scene. Hu Jun shoved him out of the office, saying, "Aren't you going to leave? Do you really want the security guard to drag you out?"
"You're all ruthless. One day, I'll show you what He Weiqiang is all about!" He Weiqiang shouted as he left.
Zhan Dajun asked, "Who is this person?" It was the first time she had seen someone have a problem with Fang Zhenyu.
Tan Chunmei then recounted He Weiqiang's story, concluding, "Actually, the factory director has already done more than enough for him, but he still keeps causing trouble."
Zhan Dajun, however, greatly admired Fang Zhenyu's methods, sighing, "General Manager Fang's methods are always unpredictable; those of us who follow him have truly benefited immensely."
"Yes," Tan Chunmei echoed, reflecting on how much more mature she had become in handling problems after following Fang Zhenyu for the past six months.
"I understand!" Sun Shaomei suddenly exclaimed, startling Zhan Dajun and Tan Chunmei, who were reminiscing about the significant changes Fang Zhenyu had brought to them, and they both turned their beautiful eyes to Sun Shaomei's excited face.
Tan Chunmei asked reproachfully, "What did you understand? Why are you making such a fuss?"
Sun Shaomei became embarrassed. She calmed her excessive excitement and said, "I understand how they found out about that sum of money."
"Oh? Tell me about it." Zhan Dajun also became excited. Although he knew that there was no problem on his end, he couldn't figure out how the information had been leaked. He still felt that Fang Zhenyu hadn't finished the task he had been asked to do.
Sun Shaomei then shared her thoughts. That day, Li Fanghua came to collect the funds raised for the workers' new village. Because all the funds had been used to purchase goods, the Dongfang Factory was experiencing financial difficulties. This payment was already a few days overdue, and the workers' new village was in a hurry, so Li Fanghua had to keep chasing after them. Just then, the head office's deposit arrived, so Sun Shaomei said that fortunately, the boss had transferred 100,000 yuan from the port; otherwise, they wouldn't have had the money to pay her, and they wouldn't know what to do about the construction of the workers' new village. At that moment, He Weiqiang was also arguing in the office. "I think He Weiqiang must have overheard this and thought we misappropriated the port's construction funds."
Everyone agreed that Sun Shaomei's idea was correct; it seemed only someone with ulterior motives like He Weiqiang would do something so pointless. Knowing the truth, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Zhang Bei said, "I told you, there wouldn't be anyone who would betray our boss."
Zhan Dajun said, "This matter is settled, but it has taught us a lesson. We must be more careful in everything we do in the future. In front of outsiders, it's best not to talk about the head office or the printing factory, especially not about General Manager Fang, to avoid trouble like this time, even though we weren't harmed."
"Vice General Manager Zhan is right. Shao Mei, you need to be more careful in this regard. Don't think you're the only one protecting the boss's reputation. You should defend yourself no matter what happens."
"Sister Chunmei, don't worry, I won't." Sun Shao Mei became embarrassed because Tan Chunmei was telling the truth; she couldn't stand hearing people speak ill of Fang Zhenyu.
Zhan Dajun laughed, "Sister Chunmei, I think you shouldn't be so formal. Just call me by my name. 'Vice General Manager' sounds awful." She also deeply felt the strong friendship among the people at the printing factory.
Tan Chunmei glanced at Zhan Dajun, then looked at Zhang Bei, and said somewhat ambiguously, "Zhang Bei, it seems that not only Shaomei, but even Dajun wants to be our sister?"
Zhan Dajun didn't understand what was wrong with being Tan Chunmei's sister. She looked at Sun Shaomei and asked, "Shaomei, what's it like to be Chunmei and Bei's sister?"
"Who knows?" Sun Shaomei didn't answer, but her delicate face flushed red.
“There’s always something good about it,” Zhang Bei said. “If you have time, stay for lunch before you leave. Shao Mei is too shy to say anything, so let Chun Mei tell you properly.”
Zhan Dajun felt they were talking mysteriously and vaguely sensed it was related to Fang Zhenyu. He wanted to press for details, but time didn’t allow it, and he was also afraid of embarrassing himself if he continued. So he said, “President Fang isn’t home, and there’s a lot going on at the company. I won’t talk to you much today. When I have time, I’ll come with Xiang Jie and the others to chat with you. I want to see what’s going on between you sisters.”
Tan Chunmei smiled and said, “Great! Zhang Bei, you’re the future director of the Women’s Committee. You should find an opportunity for the women from both of our places to get together.”
“What Women’s Committee?” Zhan Dajun asked curiously.
Sun Shaomei explained, "There are many female workers in our three factories, so the boss asked us to organize all the female workers into a Women's Work Committee to unite everyone, protect the legitimate rights and interests of women and children, and prevent them from being bullied by our male colleagues. Our status as female workers has improved a lot."
Zhan Dajun knew that many units had such organizations, but she didn't expect Fang Zhenyu to do this in a private enterprise. However, upon careful consideration, she realized that it could indeed be very effective, and she couldn't help but admire Fang Zhenyu's methods even more. She wanted to continue chatting with them, but she really needed to leave, so she said, "It seems that I really need to find them to have a good talk with you, but I really don't have time today, so I'll have to go now." With that, she quickly said goodbye and left.
Tan Chunmei saw her to the door and whispered, "We're telling the truth, look how you've organized things. It's getting cold, how about we go to the port? That would be a good idea. Dajun, I'm setting up the group here, and I need the boss's time a lot. You down here, you have to support him a lot."
Zhan Dajun could see that Tan Chunmei had deep feelings for Fang Zhenyu, and he couldn't help but have some thoughts, but he didn't say them out loud. He just held her hand tightly and said, "I will. As long as the people from both places are united, our boss's business will definitely prosper."
"Yes. I'm completely his man here now, and I hope it's the same on your end. Let him have a stable environment wherever he is, so he can think things through easily and fully utilize his extraordinary imagination, laying a solid emotional and material foundation for our bright future."
Zhan Dajun looked at Tan Chunmei with surprise, not quite understanding the meaning behind her words, but she vaguely caught something. At this moment, she didn't have time to think about it, so she just said, "Sister Chunmei, I will definitely do my best."
"That's good." Tan Chunmei released Zhan Dajun's hand.
Zhan Dajun left with a heavy heart. Tan Chunmei watched her graceful figure and thought: She will also be a good helpmate to Fang Zhenyu.
Tuesday, October 12, 1993 Zhong Yuguang's office
Zhong Yuguang returned to his office with a heart full of joy and asked Xiao Gao, who was making tea for him, "Xiao Gao, you must be feeling much more relaxed these past few days while I was away, right?"
Xiao Gao placed the tea on Zhong Yuguang's desk, looked at the municipal party secretary who looked younger because of his marriage, and didn't know what to say for a moment. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "That should be the case, but without you, there are more things to do, and they are more difficult to handle."
"Oh?" Zhong Yuguang also noticed that Xiao Gao's expression was not right and asked nervously, "What big thing happened?"
"Nothing much, it's just that someone from the province came down to inspect and complained about General Manager Fang and his team at the Port Development and Investment Corporation. They've been calling several times a day, asking when you're coming back." Xiao Gao said with a wry smile.
"People from the province are investigating Fang Zhenyu and his group? How could I not know?" Zhong Yuguang asked in surprise. When people from the province came to investigate, they would usually notify him, the municipal party secretary. If they bypassed him, it meant he was also in trouble. But he hadn't heard anything from Xu Guanghua.
Just then, Yang Mingji came in with files. Xiao Gao said, "Secretary-General Yang knows about this. Let him give you a detailed report."
"Secretary-General Yang, tell me, what exactly happened with the investigation of the Port Development and Investment Corporation?" Zhong Yuguang asked impatiently.
"I was just about to report this to you," Yang Mingji said, glancing at Xiao Gao with some unease. He had consulted with relevant people about this matter, but to no avail. He knew it was Chen Xiangdong's group who were behind it, but he couldn't resolve it. This was truly regrettable for him, who wanted to join Zhong Yuguang's camp. Otherwise, he could have gained Zhong Yuguang's trust based on this alone.
Zhong Yuguang, of course, knew Yang Mingji's recent state of mind and felt that his attitude towards him had been somewhat harsh. So he first invited him to sit down and then said, "Don't rush, speak slowly."
Xiao Gao brought Yang Mingji some tea and then left. Yang Mingji then recounted how the Provincial Audit Office had come down to investigate, how Chen Xiangdong had used Ding Daliang's mention of the Oriental Printing Factory to steer their attention towards the Port Development and Investment Corporation, and then he described Fang Zhenyu's and his group's handling of the matter, naturally presenting both sides' versions of events.
When Zhong Yuguang heard that Fang Zhenyu was actually going to detain the people from the audit department, he couldn't help but laugh, "This Fang Zhenyu is really audacious, daring to detain even people from the province."
Yang Mingji smiled bitterly, "He's having a good time, but he's made things complicated. Originally, it was already cleared up, but that Director Feng, relying on her husband being a vice governor, just won't let it go." Then, he explained the use of the funds, sighing, "Actually, after investigating, the Dongfang Printing Factory didn't make much money in this deal, but it aroused the suspicion of the people in the audit department. They said, 'How can there be a business that doesn't make money?'"
Zhong Yuguang knew there must be a reason behind Fang Zhenyu's actions, but he didn't understand why. He asked, "How did Fang Zhenyu explain himself?" "
He didn't explain at all. He said the accounts are there, let them investigate slowly. As long as it doesn't affect his production and work, it doesn't matter how long they investigate." Yang Mingji still looked helpless. Originally, he intended to mediate between them, but Fang Zhenyu simply wouldn't listen.
"What exactly is Fang Zhenyu trying to do?" Zhong Yuguang couldn't help but ask.
"Who knows?" Even Zhong Yuguang and Fang Zhenyu's close relationship was unknown to Yang Mingji, so he was even less able to fathom Fang Zhenyu's thoughts. He handed the materials to Zhong Yuguang, saying, "These are the materials related to this inspection. Take a look first. I think those people from the province will be here soon!"
Zhong Yuguang took the materials and said, "Don't tell them I'm back yet. See if you can find Fang Zhenyu and ask him to come see me when he has time. Or, I can go see him myself."
"Secretary Zhong, isn't it inappropriate for you to go see him at this time?" Yang Mingji reminded him.
Zhong Yuguang glanced at Yang Mingji, and, wanting to completely win him over, said earnestly, "Mingji, you're a talented and intelligent person, but you lack courage. If you're always afraid of this and that, you won't get anything done, and how will you make progress?"
Yang Mingji knew Zhong Yuguang was beckoning him, so he sincerely replied, "Secretary Zhong, I understand. I'll change. Please keep an eye on me. I'm going to see Fang Zhenyu now." With that, he gave Zhong Yuguang a grateful look and left.
Watching Yang Mingji's retreating figure, Zhong Yuguang knew that another person had joined his ranks, and he was very pleased. He sat down and carefully examined the materials in his hands. The more he read, the more he felt Fang Zhenyu was bold, and at the same time, he understood even less why he had done what he did. Fortunately, Yang Mingji returned shortly after, saying that Fang Zhenyu was in the city and would be able to see him in about an hour. The thought of personally asking him why he had done this put his mind at ease; otherwise, he really wouldn't know how to deal with those officials from the province. He said to Yang Mingji, "Okay, you go take care of your business first. Tell Xiao Gao to bring Fang Zhenyu in to see me immediately when he arrives."
"Yes."
As soon as Yang Mingji left, Zhong Yuguang didn't even bother looking at the materials anymore. He knew that what he learned from Fang Zhenyu would be more useful than the materials. Sure enough, an hour later, Fang Zhenyu arrived. He explained the whole story, including why he had done a business that wasn't profitable. After that, he left. Zhong Yuguang didn't approve of Fang Zhenyu's actions, but since Fang Zhenyu had already done it, he had no choice but to find a way to clean up the mess.
After a moment's thought, Zhong Yuguang was about to send someone to arrange a meeting with the inspection team when Xiao Gao rushed in and said, "Secretary Zhong, the provincial inspection team has arrived. Secretary-General Yang can't stop them. What should we do?"
"They've come so fast," Zhong Yuguang thought to himself. He knew someone must have tipped them off, and there was no way to stop them. He said, "Have Secretary-General Yang invite them to the small conference room. I'll go see them."
Zhong Yuguang gathered his thoughts and headed towards the small conference room. As soon as he entered, Jian Pingzhi greeted him with a smile, saying, "Secretary Zhong, we haven't had a chance to congratulate you on your wedding yet!"
"Yes, you still owe me a red envelope!" Zhong Yuguang shook hands with him with a beaming smile. After getting to know Feng Lihua, who had come with Jian Pingzhi, he invited them to sit down. After the waiter brought tea, he smiled and said, "As soon as I returned, Secretary-General Yang told me that you've done a great service for Linhai City."
"Oh?" Jian Pingzhi was full of questions. He looked at Yang Mingji, wondering what good service he had done for Linhai City. Yang Mingji and Feng Lihua, standing beside him, were also in a daze.
Zhong Yuguang said, "Secretary-General Yang said that as soon as you arrived, you investigated and uncovered the false accusations made by some malicious individuals against the Port Development and Investment Corporation for misappropriating port construction funds for personal gain. Isn't that a great thing?"
"Secretary Zhong..." Feng Lihua was about to speak when Jian Pingzhi stopped her.
Zhong Yuguang, seemingly oblivious to Feng Lihua's attempt to speak, continued, "Some people just can't stand seeing someone do a better job than them, can't stand seeing others contribute to the country's development, and always try to find fault with them. Your investigation has been a relief; you've clarified the issue, restored the reputation of our Port Development and Investment Corporation, and given the people of Linhai City more confidence in port construction. I sincerely thank you!" He then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Jian Pingzhi and Feng Lihua.
"Secretary Zhong..." Feng Lihua began anxiously.
"Secretary Zhong," Jian Pingzhi interrupted Feng Lihua again, saying, "This is what we should do. We came to report to you that we've finished the investigation report this afternoon, and we'll return to the provincial capital first thing tomorrow morning." He glared angrily at Feng Lihua, thinking: This woman is so tactless. Who is Zhong Yuguang? He was Xu Guanghua's confidant, and by saying this, he had clearly shown his support for Fang Zhenyu. Continuing to do this here would not only lead to no good results, but he would also likely have to leave in disgrace. Now that there was such a good way out, why didn't he know to take it? In fact, he knew that there was nothing wrong with the head office when he first checked the accounts, but because Feng Lihua bypassed him and reported to the department that she wanted to continue the investigation, he had no choice but to continue the investigation here. Now that Zhong Yuguang's attitude was clear, how could he not take the opportunity to back down?
Zhong Yuguang laughed, "Why are you in such a hurry? I haven't even had a chance to show you my hospitality yet!"
Having finished his business, Jian Pingzhi relaxed and said, "Still in a rush? You've been away for over a week, and there's a ton of stuff waiting for you at home. Let's do it another time."
Zhong Yuguang chuckled and said, "That's true. How about this: next time you come, let me know earlier, and I'll take you to our Baiyu Beach for a good swim. I imagine you haven't had time to go this time, have you? Besides, the weather's been too chilly these past few days. Tonight, let me treat you to a small meal as an apology for my neglect."
"Okay, it's settled then. I'll go back and finish my report first, and then we'll have a good few drinks tonight, until we're both drunk. But it's a promise, your wife has to come along; I haven't met your new wife yet." Jian Pingzhi knew that this investigation was now over and was happy to enjoy himself tonight.
“Of course.” Zhong Yuguang wanted to see them out, but Jian Pingzhi refused, so Yang Mingji escorted them to the stairwell.
Seeing that Yang Mingji was no longer in sight, Feng Lihua complained, “Deputy Director Jian, how could you give up halfway?”
Seeing that no one was around, Jian Pingzhi said softly but earnestly, “Director Feng, we were wrong in this matter. If we investigated further, it would become a joke. Now, with Zhong Yuguang's intervention, we have a dignified ending.” Seeing that Feng Lihua still looked unconvinced, he emphasized, “Don’t think your husband, the vice-governor, is anything special. Does he dare to oppose Secretary Xu? In this matter, we were used. I’ll talk to you about this when we get back to the hotel.” He then fell silent.
After seeing Jian and Feng off, Zhong Yuguang breathed a sigh of relief and returned to his office. Soon after, Yang Mingji returned. Seeing the admiring look in his eyes, Zhong Yuguang smiled and said, "Mingji, I had no choice. Fang Zhenyu would never back down. Otherwise, how could I save face for them?"
Yang Mingji was deeply impressed. Although Zhong Yuguang had only spoken a few words to Jian and Feng, it contained a profound understanding of interpersonal relationships and human nature—in military strategy, this is called subduing the enemy without fighting. However, his face remained full of doubt.
As if reading his mind, Zhong Yuguang said, "You're still wondering why Fang Zhenyu would do a losing business, aren't you?"
"Yes," Yang Mingji replied honestly. He felt that he no longer needed to hide anything from Secretary Zhong Yuguang.
"He didn't lose money; he made a fortune. Once these project proposals are printed, his printing plant will have a large number of skilled senior printing workers," Zhong Yuguang exclaimed. It turned out that Dongfang Printing Plant had recently purchased a high-quality printing press, and the workers needed training. Since the port project proposals weren't urgent, Fang Zhenyu used the time to train the workers.
"President Fang is so clever! He saved money for the port construction and provided opportunities for his workers," Yang Mingji said, genuinely admiring Fang Zhenyu.
"Dongfang Printing Plant is thriving now. Because of this successful move, Luo Weisheng's pockets have filled up considerably. You should give him a good beating sometime," Zhong Yuguang laughed. "
Secretary Zhong, you made the right choice in using Fang Zhenyu," Yang Mingji said with deep admiration.
Zhong Yuguang sighed, "The path is right, but there are still many obstacles ahead. You'll have to keep an eye on things for me."
"I understand, don't worry," Yang Mingji assured him, then turned to return to his office.
Zhong Yuguang stopped him and said, "Arrange for one or two reporters to interview the inspection team and publicize it in the newspapers and on television. The tone should be as I just said: clarify the facts about the Port Development and Investment Corporation, and also publicize the Audit Bureau's support for us. If possible, publish it in the provincial newspaper as well." "
Yes," Yang Mingji replied loudly. Seeing Zhong Yuguang's approach, he thought it was a brilliant move and was very fortunate to have switched sides. He felt his future was brighter.
On the evening of October 16, 1993, Ning
Yuzhi from Ningjia Village stepped into Wenxin Xiaozhu, immediately attracting the attention of many men. Today, she wore a low-cut autumn dress, her high breasts adorned with a unique corsage, further highlighting her beautiful figure. She couldn't help but feel shy and quickly followed the waiter to the private room reserved by Wu Xuedong.
Wu Xuedong had arrived long ago. Seeing Ning Yuzhi enter, he immediately stood up and eagerly ushered her to a seat. "Yuzhi, you look even more beautiful tonight," he complimented.
"Thank you," Ning Yuzhi replied. She was used to Wu Xuedong's eager gaze and words of praise. She sat down gracefully, looking at him with affectionate eyes, and said, "You look stunning today too!"
Indeed, Wu Xuedong had dressed up deliberately, but not in a particularly striking way; he simply looked dignified. He thanked her and sat down opposite her, asking for her opinion: "Shall we have some drinks tonight?" Knowing Ning Yuzhi as he did, he didn't need to ask about the food.
"Is there some good news?"
"Of course."
"Then let's have some sweet wine."
So, Wu Xuedong ordered a bottle of sweet wine. Soon, the waiter brought the wine and food and left.
"What good news? Tell me," Ning Yuzhi said, gazing at Wu Xuedong with tender affection. Since winning Fang Zhenyu's love, she found it easier to face Wu Xuedong, and their relationship grew closer. She even began to wonder if she was being promiscuous, determined to have an extramarital affair.
Wu Xuedong, beaming with pride, said, "My first residential building is complete, and the villagers moved in today."
"Congratulations!" Ning Yuzhi was genuinely happy for him.
Wu Xuedong said emotionally, "Yuzhi, do you remember what I said I wanted to do with this building?"
Ning Yuzhi certainly remembered; Wu Xuedong had said he would use his achievements as flowers to propose to her. But she said coquettishly, "You've said so many things to people, who remembers what you said?"
Ning Yuzhi's smile was like a spring flower blooming; Wu Xuedong had never seen her smile like that before, and he was completely mesmerized. After a long while, he finally came to his senses, took a bouquet of flowers from his seat, and presented them to Ning Yuzhi with both hands. With a serious expression, he said, "I said I would use my successful career as the flowers to propose to you. Today, I propose to you, Yuzhi, marry me. I want to love and cherish you for the rest of my life."
Ning Yuzhi was overjoyed and accepted the flowers from Wu Xuedong. She placed her other hand on the table, her slender fingers waving in front of Wu Xuedong, but remained silent.
"Yuzhi, marry me? Although I am not wealthy now, and may not be in the future, I swear I will do my best to strive for our family," Wu Xuedong pleaded again, growing anxious when Ning Yuzhi remained silent.
Ning Yuzhi still held onto her delicate hand, but giggled and said, "Silly boy, where's the ring?"
Wu Xuedong was overjoyed, gripping Ning Yuzhi's hand tightly as if afraid she would pull away. He hurriedly reached for the ring, saying, "Of course I have it."
Ning Yuzhi gave him a charming look and said, "What's the rush? You're hurting my hand."
Wu Xuedong became even more infatuated, unable to get the ring out, almost knocking over the dishes on the table. He stammered, "I was afraid you wouldn't agree earlier, and now, now I'm afraid, afraid you'll leave."
Ning Yuzhi was deeply moved by his affection and simply sat down next to him, saying, "Aren't you afraid now?"
Wu Xuedong stretched out his arm and pulled Ning Yuzhi's slender waist tighter, saying, "That's more like it."
"You rascal, always trying to take advantage," Ning Yuzhi scolded playfully, but she nestled into Wu Xuedong's arms, letting go of his hand and allowing him to gently put the ring on her finger.
Having successfully completed his mission, Wu Xuedong kissed Ning Yuzhi's fragrant lips, becoming much more relaxed. He said, "From now on, you are my wife, Wu Xuedong's wife. You must obediently listen to me."
"No way! We're not even married yet, and you're already so domineering?" Ning Yuzhi cried out, trying to struggle, but how could she break free from Wu Xuedong's iron grip? Instead, he caressed her full breasts, causing her delicate body to tremble.
Wu Xuedong sensed from Ning Yuzhi's struggles that she was feigning, and was overjoyed. He held her tightly with one arm, and with the other, he stuffed a chicken leg into her mouth, saying, "I'm just that domineering. Who told you to agree to marry me? I'm going to fatten you up."
Ning Yuzhi chewed on the chicken leg, recalling the carnal pleasure Fang Zhenyu had given her, and thought to herself, "You'd better be able to satisfy my little mouth down there." She also felt strange that even lying in Wu Xuedong's arms, she still thought of Fang Zhenyu, and even of the most intimate things between men and women. She quickly chased away the image of Fang Zhenyu, enjoying Wu Xuedong's caresses, and had a warm and romantic dinner with him.
"I'll take you home."
"Okay. Do you expect me to go home by myself?" As they left the cozy cottage, Ning Yuzhi remained tightly in Wu Xuedong's arms, clutching the flowers he had given her. Love truly gives people courage. In the past, Ning Yuzhi wouldn't even dare to walk down the street with a man,
but now she dares to embrace him. Ning Yuzhi's office didn't have dormitories; she still lived at home. Wu Xuedong escorted her home and even went into her bedroom. Watching her arrange the bouquet of flowers in a vase, although he hadn't drunk much, he still felt slightly tipsy. He knew it was Ning Yuzhi's beautiful demeanor that made him reluctant to leave.
"You haven't left yet?" Ning Yuzhi finished arranging the flowers, turned around, and smiled charmingly.
"How can I leave without a kiss?" Wu Xuedong said affectionately, stepping forward to embrace Ning Yuzhi and kissing her passionately.
"No, the door's open." Ning Yuzhi struggled shyly. This was her home; it was only a little past eight o'clock. What if her parents and siblings saw them? How embarrassing!
Wasn't it supposed to be fine if she closed the door? Wu Xuedong was very excited and immediately closed the door. He turned around, took Ning Yuzhi's hand, and looked at her intently.
"Xuedong, what are you doing?" Ning Yuzhi's heart pounded. She had seen that look in Fang Zhenyu's eyes before.
Wu Xuedong gently pulled Ning Yuzhi into his arms, saying tenderly, "I want to kiss and love you properly to soothe the pain of longing I've endured these past few days." As he spoke, he kissed Ning Yuzhi's face while one hand gently caressed her full breasts.
Ning Yuzhi felt a surge of heat throughout her body. After Fang Zhenyu's repeated explorations, she was quite clear about the pleasures between men and women. Therefore, she no longer needed to think of Fang Zhenyu to feel desire. She responded to Wu Xuedong's kisses, her body tightly entwined with his, her delicate hands lightly stroking his back.
Wu Xuedong sensed the expected reaction and became even more excited. His long tongue swirled in Ning Yuzhi's mouth, and his large hand slipped under her clothes, directly caressing her smooth skin. Soon, he went a step further, undressing Ning Yuzhi.
"Ah, Xue Dong, no...no..." Ning Yuzhi struggled gently, but having tasted the pleasures of lovemaking, she wasn't truly struggling. Half-heartedly resisting, she allowed Wu Xue Dong to expose her delicate, fair body, letting out a series of ecstatic moans. When Wu Xue Dong released her, she hid on the bed, closing her beautiful eyes, her meaning clear: she was at his mercy.
Looking at Ning Yuzhi's beautiful body, hearing her moans, and seeing her like that, Wu Xue Dong could no longer restrain himself. He quickly stripped off his clothes, climbed onto the bed, and began his seductive techniques—though not entirely skillful, they weren't entirely unfamiliar—to arouse Ning Yuzhi's desire. Then he launched his attack, riding her fiercely.
Ning Yuzhi initially pretended to be shy, but under Wu Xue Dong's encouragement, she quickly became enthusiastically responsive, actively pursuing him. After two orgasms, Wu Xue Dong finally called it a day. Although he couldn't bring her the most exquisite pleasure like Fang Zhenyu, Ning Yuzhi was already quite satisfied with him. She knew from books that many women go through life without ever knowing what an orgasm is. Therefore, when Wu Xuedong ejaculated, she kissed him passionately to express her gratitude.
Encouraged, Wu Xuedong was naturally very proud. He gently stroked Ning Yuzhi's breasts and sincerely said, "Yuzhi, I'm so happy to have you!"
"Me too!" Ning Yuzhi replied from the bottom of her heart.
The two embraced for a while, then Ning Yuzhi urged Wu Xuedong to leave. Wu Xuedong, of course, knew he couldn't stay overnight, so he got up and dressed. He stopped Ning Yuzhi from getting up, tidied himself up, and then quietly left.
"Sister Yuzhi." Ning Yuzhi was about to fall asleep when she heard Zhou Xuan calling from outside. She quickly put on her pajamas and went to open the door. Sure enough, Zhou Xuan was alone outside, panting heavily.
Ning Yuzhi ushered her into the room, complaining, "Why do you always come to see me at times like this? Do you want to try Wu Xuedong's taste? I don't care if he has another woman." From Zhou Xuan's expression, she knew that she had been peeping outside again.
"Of course, because you have another man yourself." Zhou Xuan didn't care about Ning Yuzhi's complaints and whispered in her ear, then added disdainfully, "But even if I wanted to, could he do it?"
Ning Yuzhi was silent. Zhou Xuan was right; Wu Xuedong didn't have that ability. The two of them could only find true satisfaction with Fang Zhenyu. So she asked, "Is there something you need in the middle of the night?"
"Of course there is. Otherwise, who would come here to hear your moans? But let's get intimate first." As Zhou Xuan spoke, she put her arm around Ning Yuzhi's slender waist, and her jade hand slipped inside Ning Yuzhi's naked nightgown, caressing her breasts. Since sharing Fang Zhenyu's love with Ning Yuzhi, the two had become very close. Sometimes, when loneliness became unbearable, they would comfort each other.
Ning Yuzhi kissed her back, laughing, "If you're thinking about it, why don't you go back to your future husband?"
"Him? I'm afraid he'll only make you feel worse," Zhou Xuan groaned comfortably. After a while, she slowed her movements and said, "I came to see you tonight to deliver an invitation."
"Who's getting married?" Ning Yuzhi asked casually, continuing to enjoy Zhou Xuan's caresses. Given her influence in the village, she was always included in any wedding celebration.
Zhou Xuan said softly, "It's my own."
"You? Why are you getting married so early?" Ning Yuzhi was surprised. Zhou Xuan had just become the deputy secretary of the village branch; it was precisely the time for her to start her career. Getting married would mean the end of her future. Zhou Xuan
suddenly became excited, stroking Ning Yuzhi's lower abdomen and saying emotionally, "Because my son ordered me to get married."
"When did you not have a son?" Ning Yuzhi said dismissively.
“But arranging things with his son isn’t so easy.”
“You mean, the son is his?” Ning Yuzhi knew, of course, that “him” she was referring to was Fang Zhenyu. She also knew what she meant by “not easy,” because getting pregnant with Fang Zhenyu was easy, but keeping it a secret from her husband was a very difficult thing to do. So she could only sigh and say, “Should we tell him?”
“Absolutely not, Sister Yuzhi, I don’t want anyone else to know about this except you,” Zhou Xuan quickly stopped Ning Yuzhi.
“Why not?”
Zhou Xuan said earnestly, “On the one hand, it would be bad if too many people knew, and on the other hand, I don’t want him to have any burden. Besides, it might be easier for our son to succeed if he’s in a difficult environment.”
Ning Yuzhi knew that Zhou Xuan was mostly thinking of Fang Zhenyu, and she was moved. She hugged her tightly and said, “You’re right. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, and I will also work with you to properly educate your child with him.” Then, she whispered in Zhou Xuan’s ear, “I heard that children born from extramarital affairs are particularly smart?”
“Get lost!” Zhou Xuan punched Ning Yuzhi in the chest. After finishing their business, the two started playing around again.

(Volume 3) Chapter 5 The Establishment of the Group Chapter 5

The Establishment of the Group
Thursday, October 28, 1993
Sun Shaomei arrived at the Oriental Printing Factory before six o’clock. Today was the auspicious day of the founding of Linhai Oriental Printing Group. Although preparations had been thorough, she was still a little uneasy and wanted to arrive early to check everything one last time. This was not only because of her strong sense of responsibility, but also because of another thought: working for the person she loved, no matter how hard or tiring, was worthwhile; the most important thing was to do the work perfectly.
Entering the factory manager's duty room, knowing that Tan Chunmei had been on duty the previous night, she didn't even knock before pushing open the door to the rest room, intending to wake her up to check together. However, she was shocked to see something she shouldn't have: Tan Chunmei, dressed in pajamas, sat on the bed, her breasts half-exposed, her two beautiful mounds almost completely exposed. Beside her lay a naked, robust man—her boss, Fang Zhenyu. Seeing her enter, Tan Chunmei raised a finger, signaling her to be quiet, and followed her out of the outer office.
"Sister Chunmei, what about you two?" Although she had long known that Fang Zhenyu and Tan Chunmei had a deep relationship, seeing them like this still left her with a somewhat indescribable feeling.
Tan Chunmei hugged Sun Shaomei and said, "Shaomei, I couldn't bear the loneliness any longer, and besides, he's so charming, so I had no choice but to be with him. You won't blame me, will you?" "
Blame you? Blame you for what? You two are having an affair, what does it have to do with me?" Sun Shaomei said insincerely.
Tan Chunmei pinched her delicate face and laughed, "Don't be so self-righteous. You even let him have your cake and eat it, of course you're thinking about him too! Don't worry, even Sister Yufang is so open-minded, I have no reason to be jealous. I'll find a chance to let him taste your delicious peach. He's a great man, very good at bringing pleasure to women."
"Sister Chunmei, you..." Sun Shaomei blushed, realizing her thoughts had been seen through.
Tan Chunmei laughed, "Sister Chunmei is just like you, and she's even done it! What are you shy about? Come in, give him a massage. He only got back late last night, he's tired. I checked everything for the inauguration ceremony last night, I guarantee it won't interfere with your sweetheart's plans. I'm going to make him breakfast; four big steamed buns won't be enough to fill his stomach." As she spoke, she pulled Sun Shaomei into the lounge.
Seeing Tan Chunmei like this, and finding her words amusing, Sun Shaomei relaxed and entered the lounge. She saw Tan Chunmei open the back door and couldn't help but laugh, "So there's a secret way for lovers to meet here."
Tan Chunmei ignored her, smiled, and left.
Looking at Fang Zhenyu's strong body, Sun Shaomei felt a stirring in her heart. Since the room was heated, she locked the door to the rest room, took off her thick coat, and, as usual, wore only her bra and panties. She first kissed Fang Zhenyu's square and alluring lips before beginning to massage him.
"Chunmei, ah, Shaomei, is that you?" Fang Zhenyu woke up and, seeing it was Sun Shaomei, pulled the sheet over his lower body and asked, "Where's Chunmei?"
Sun Shaomei was still a little unaccustomed to the situation and said shyly, "Sister Chunmei went to prepare breakfast for you. You must be tired last night, lie down and let me relax you properly."
Although Sun Shaomei often massaged him, he had never been completely naked in front of her before. Fang Zhenyu said, "Let me put on my clothes first."
"I saw everything just now, what's there to hide?" Sun Shaomei didn't know why she was so bold, so she pulled off the sheet, exposing him completely.
Fang Zhenyu was just afraid that Sun Shaomei would be embarrassed, so seeing her like this, he didn't insist and lay down to let her massage him. For the past six months, many women had willingly offered themselves to him, so he had become accustomed to it, enjoying himself while admiring Sun Shaomei's slender yet voluptuous figure. When he saw her two breasts trembling, he couldn't help but laugh, "Actually, Chunmei doesn't need to prepare any breakfast. Your two big buns are enough for me."
Sun Shaomei stopped, her face flushed as she looked at Fang Zhenyu, thinking of the wonderful feeling she had when he suckled her breasts last time, and longing to experience it again. Knowing there was a back door here, she wasn't worried about being blocked, so she unhooked her bra and said shyly, "Eat if you want!"
On those two white jade-like breasts, the two nipples were slightly upturned because of their perky tips, so adorable. How could Fang Zhenyu resist? He propped his head up, took one of them into his mouth, and began to suckle hard, while his large hands gently caressed Sun Shaomei's smooth back.
Sun Shaomei felt a tingling sensation run through her body, and unable to stand, she collapsed into Fang Zhenyu's arms. She didn't stop there; her small mouth kissed every part of Fang Zhenyu's body she could reach, her jade-like hands trembling as she caressed his body, finally managing to touch his penis. Remembering the pleasure of blowjobs that Li Fanghua, who taught her massage, had described, she tried to change direction, finally managing to take that thick, hot thing into her mouth.
Fang Zhenyu didn't just linger on Sun Shaomei's breasts; he removed the only obstacle on her body, finally kissing her beautiful peach-like nipple. That untouched land was so lovely, a deep red, and under Fang Zhenyu's stimulation, the nipple looked even more beautiful. Early in the morning, when masculinity is at its peak, how could Fang Zhenyu resist such temptation? He suddenly pressed Sun Shaomei onto the bed and began his assault.
Sun Shaomei had long anticipated this outcome and even hoped for it. But could she handle Fang Zhenyu's thick and long member? She knew the first time would be painful. She tried to spread her legs wide, relax, and cried out, "Boss, be gentle, be gentle!" But her worries were unnecessary. After a brief, mild pain, she felt her previously empty space swell to fullness. The warm thing made her whole body tingle, and she couldn't help but moan with pleasure. With the rhythm of its movements, she felt even more wonderful, involuntarily arching her round buttocks to meet it, her cries growing louder. She tasted the exquisite pleasure of lovemaking for the first time, completely letting go. Under Fang Zhenyu's guidance, she adopted different positions, actively attacking and passively responding. Each position was incredibly pleasurable, especially when the climax arrived, Fang Zhenyu's abundant nectar spilling into her flower, making her feel utterly blissful.
"Shaomei, you must be full after eating so much soy milk and such big fried dough sticks, right?" Fang Zhenyu kissed her cherry lips and laughed. He held Sun Shaomei tightly, the two still pressed together.
"You bad boy, you took advantage of me and then you laugh at me." Sun Shaomei pinched Fang Zhenyu's nose and scolded him playfully, but her delicate face was full of tenderness and affection.
The two whispered sweet nothings and caressed each other for a while before separating. When she saw the bloodstains all over the bed, Sun Shaomei couldn't help but feel shy. Although this man was the love of her heart,
she was, after all, his lover. As she cleaned up, she said softly, "Boss, don't forget me!" Fang Zhenyu pulled her into his arms again, kissed her, and said affectionately, "Don't worry, I, Fang Zhenyu, will never forget anyone who loves me. I will do my best to give you the greatest happiness."
"I knew you would." Sun Shaomei seemed to have received Fang Zhenyu's assurance, and she perked up, leaving Fang Zhenyu's embrace to continue making the bed.
Just as they finished tidying up, Tan Chunmei opened the door and came in, carrying a large pile of steamed buns and pastries. She smiled at Fang Zhenyu and Sun Shaomei, saying, "It's almost time, hurry up and eat breakfast. Whether it's fried dough sticks and soy milk, or steamed buns and peaches, it won't fill your stomach."
Fang Zhenyu glanced at the food and saw that it was indeed past seven o'clock; the two of them had been playing for almost an hour. He took the breakfast and handed it to Sun Shaomei, saying considerately
, "Come on, Shaomei, let's have a real breakfast together." Sun Shaomei didn't take
it; instead, she nestled into Tan Chunmei's arms, saying shyly, "Sister Chunmei, I..." Tan Chunmei hugged her, interrupting her, and said, "I know, there's nothing to be shy about. There's probably no woman who can resist his charm. Eat breakfast. Now that you've won his love, you should work harder for him so he has more energy and time to love us."
"Got it? Listen to your older sister." Fang Zhenyu was extremely pleased, stuffing a small piece of cake into Sun Shaomei's mouth, saying, "Once you're full, get to work."
"You're so beautiful!" Sun Shaomei glared at Fang Zhenyu, but obediently ate breakfast with him. Her heart was filled with the happiness of being loved by her sweetheart.
Soon after, Chen Changlin, Zhang Bei, Li Fanghua, and others arrived, and the group went to the meeting place outside. The founding ceremony was held in the small square of the Oriental Printing Factory. Not only was Luo Weisheng from the Economic and Trade Bureau present, but Zhong Yuguang also came to join the fun. Of course, his arrival attracted many sycophants, keeping Zhang Bei and Sun Shaomei, who were in charge of receiving guests, extremely busy. Sun Shaomei, in particular, was having difficulty walking due to her recent loss of virginity.
Li Fanghua noticed Sun Shaomei's condition and pulled her aside, asking, "Shaomei, are you feeling unwell?"
"No," Sun Shaomei blushed, embarrassed.
Thinking back to her earlier encounter with Fang Zhenyu, Li Fanghua understood. She considerately said to Sun Shaomei, "Go and rest for a bit. I'll come over. That scoundrel, he has no sense of chivalry whatsoever."
Sun Shaomei, of course, knew that Li Fanghua had taught her massage techniques, and that Fang Zhenyu couldn't possibly resist her. So she didn't hide anything, saying, "Sister Fanghua, don't blame him, he's just too busy."
"Alright, what can we do when we're all so foolish?" Li Fanghua sighed and took over Sun Shaomei's work.
The founding ceremony of the Dongfang Printing Group was presided over by Tan Chunmei. Fang Zhenyu emphasized the significant meaning of establishing the printing group and pointed out its future direction. He called on the employees and cadres of the three printing plants to unite and work together to build the group into a leading printing company in the province and even the country in the near future. At the same time, personnel appointments and removals were announced: Fang Zhenyu was appointed Chairman, Tan Chunmei General Manager, Chen Changlin Deputy General Manager and Party Secretary of the Group, and others such as Zhang Bei and Li Fanghua held positions within the Group, though many held concurrent roles.
Fang Zhenyu's speech resonated strongly with the attending cadres and employee representatives, especially the appointment of Tan Chunmei as General Manager, which drew cheers. Clearly, in just a few months, Tan Chunmei had established her authority in the three plants and gained the support of their employees.
Following this, Zhong Yuguang also gave a speech. He hadn't intended to speak, but seeing the workers' enthusiasm, he finally couldn't resist. He fully affirmed the contributions of the three printing plants to the economic development of Linhai City, and also highly praised the pioneering spirit of the group company. Finally, he said, "Our rural reforms have achieved remarkable success. Now, the focus of reform has shifted to cities, especially state-owned and collective enterprises, which are at the forefront of reform and opening up. Dongfang Printing Group has taken a commendable step in this regard. I hope everyone will continue to carry forward the pioneering spirit and, under the leadership of Fang Zhenyu and Tan Chunmei, forge a new path for the economic take-off of Linhai City. I believe that through your joint efforts, your goals will surely be achieved, and you will surely bring a bright future to the industrial development of Linhai City."
Amidst a burst of enthusiastic firecrackers, Zhong Yuguang, Fang Zhenyu, Luo Weisheng, and the director of the Municipal Tax Bureau unveiled the plaque for Linhai Dongfang Printing Group at the former gate of the Dongfang Printing Plant. A gleaming golden signboard appeared on the left side of the gate, its dazzling light foreshadowing an even brighter future for the printing industry in Linhai City.
The meeting hall erupted in cheers. If it weren't for the fact that it was too close to the printing factory and firecrackers weren't allowed to be set off casually, the air would probably be filled with the sound of firecrackers. After more than half a year of hard work, the workers had reaped the benefits and had immense trust in Fang Zhenyu and Tan Chunmei. Now, they would lead everyone towards a higher level of prosperity. Who wouldn't be overjoyed?
Watching the workers and cadres gradually disperse, Zhong Yuguang said to Luo Weisheng with emotion, "Old Luo, if you had a few more companies like Dongfang Printing Factory under your command, then our Linhai industry would have been completely transformed."
"Yes, it's just a pity we only have one Fang Zhenyu." Luo Weisheng agreed with Zhong Yuguang's view, which also revealed the essence of the problem.
Fang Zhenyu replied, "You flatter me. The real experts are the workers. You saw it yourself. Without them, no matter how capable I am, I couldn't have run the company well. We have plenty of talented people in Linhai. I didn't contribute much to the establishment of the group at all. Chunmei and Changlin did a great job, didn't they?"
"So, the key is how to discover talent and boldly use it." Zhong Yuguang recalled how he had been very nervous when he used Fang Zhenyu, but now it seemed he had made the right bet.
After seeing Zhong Yuguang and the others off, Fang Zhenyu returned to his office and gathered his team together again. Of the three factories, Chen Changlin would concurrently serve as the factory director of the Municipal Factory, with Zhang Bei as the first deputy factory director in charge of all aspects. Hu Liping, the former director of the computer room, would also be promoted to full-time deputy factory director. Hu Jun would serve as the factory director of the Dongfang Factory, which was not yet able to be staffed with other personnel. Liu Tingwei, formerly of the Municipal Factory, would serve as the factory director of the Dongfang Second Factory, with Wei Shuping as the part-time first deputy factory director. After making some arrangements, Fang Zhenyu sighed and said, "Our most urgent task is to continuously discover and recruit talent. Look at us, if we keep doing this and that, we'll eventually be overwhelmed."
"Yes, Hu Jun, you'll have to put in a lot of effort in this area. We're severely lacking in technical personnel," Tan Chunmei chimed in.
"Don't worry, I've already trained a few. With some more practice, they'll be ready to use," Hu Jun said confidently. Since becoming factory manager, he had become a bit more serious.
Fang Zhenyu emphasized a few more points and then adjourned the meeting, leaving only Fang Zhenyu, Tan Chunmei, Zhang Bei, and Sun Shaomei in the office. Zhang Bei smiled and said to Sun Shaomei, "It seems the most valuable gift we gave the boss today was from our CFO, isn't it?" She had noticed Sun Shaomei's predicament.
Sun Shaomei, who also served as the group's CFO, blushed upon hearing this, thinking, "How come they all have such sharp eyes?" She hurriedly replied, "I'm just learning from you all, Sister Bei. I'll need your guidance in the future."
"Yes, Sister Bei has the most experience in this area," Tan Chunmei quickly chimed in, afraid Sun Shaomei wouldn't be able to handle it. Immediately, cheerful laughter filled the office.
Fang Zhenyu looked at the three charming women, all of whom had given him everything. He felt both proud and moved. He hugged and kissed each of them, saying, "I'll leave the Printing Group to you three. I have things to do at the port, so I'll be leaving now."
"Go ahead, go do what you need to do. We'll do our best here. But don't get distracted by the beauties at the port and neglect us," Tan Chunmei laughed. Zhang Bei and Sun Shaomei also laughed.
"How could I?" Fang Zhenyu smiled awkwardly and quickly left. He knew that if he continued, he wouldn't be able to win against these three women, after all, he was quite the womanizer at the port.
On Monday morning, November 1, 1993, at the port,
Li Wei called out to Lei Xiaomin, who was walking by. "Xiaomin, come here for
a moment," Li Wei called. "What's up?" Lei Xiaomin entered the office, his face flushed. He didn't understand why; after seeing so many girls at the port, he was quite natural around women, but seeing Li Wei still made him blush.
Li Wei didn't seem to notice. She said, "You're leaving the port this afternoon, why haven't you come to collect your salary yet?"
"Salary? I get a salary?" Lei Xiaomin asked in surprise.
Li Wei said, her face full of displeasure, "What are you talking about? Do you think your Brother Fang would exploit your labor?"
"Of course not," Lei Xiaomin quickly explained, seeing that Li Wei had misunderstood him. "Sister only said I was here to learn, I never thought learning would be paid."
"Of course you will. General Manager Fang will never forget anyone who has contributed to the port's construction," Li Wei always defended Fang Zhenyu's image. She took out a form and had Lei Xiaomin sign it, saying, "General Manager Fang is still paying you your salary at the section chief level."
His family needed the money, so Lei Xiaomin didn't stand on ceremony. While signing, he said, "Brother, you're really a good person."
"Of course. Xiaomin, I heard there's some development going on in your area. How's it going?" Li Wei asked.
"It's going very well!" Mentioning his development project, Lei Xiaomin became excited and no longer shy, talking incessantly about his hometown to Li Wei.
Looking at the radiant Lei Xiaomin, Li Wei felt a strange sensation. This was a man besides Fang Zhenyu who could move her heart. She couldn't help but say, "Xiaomin, I'd also like to invest a little there, but not much. Is that alright?"
Hearing about investment, Lei Xiaomin became even more excited, saying, "Sure, why not? We welcome everyone to invest there, any amount is fine."
"Okay, I'll go to the city to withdraw the money for you early Sunday morning. You have to come pick me up in the city, I also want to visit your hometown," Li Wei said earnestly.
"You really want to visit our place? We're very poor!" Lei Xiaomin was deeply moved, his big eyes fixed on Li Wei. This was understandable; it was rare to see a city girl like Li Wei willing to visit such a remote and impoverished area.
"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen anything like this before?" Li Wei said reproachfully, blushing at Lei Xiaomin's gaze. She whispered, "So what if we're poor? As long as you have ambition and the means, poverty can turn into wealth."
"Thank you for your encouragement!" Lei Xiaomin said gratefully.
"Who encouraged you?" Li Wei didn't dare look Lei Xiaomin in the eye. She counted out the money and asked, "When are you leaving?"
"This afternoon, after I accompany Brother Fang and Mr. Shangguan to check on the construction sites at Baiyutan and Linglong Island, I'll leave."
"You must come back to visit us often," Li Wei said in a low voice, barely audible to Lei Xiaomin.
Looking at Li Wei's shy expression, Lei Xiaomin understood that he had fallen in love with this petite girl, and she clearly reciprocated his feelings. But was it possible? He was just a country bumpkin, while she was a beautiful girl with a good job. Just as he was wondering what to do, the sound of cars came from outside. Several cars drove into the courtyard. He whispered emotionally, "Brother Fang and the others have arrived. I have to go. Don't worry, I'll come back to see you often." With that, he hurried away as if fleeing.
Seeing his expression, Li Wei was overjoyed. She knew Lei Xiaomin had fallen for her, and with just a little initiative, he would become her husband. Although she and Fang Zhenyu were inseparable, she knew it wasn't a long-term solution; it only satisfied her psychological and physical needs. Finding a capable man was her best destiny, and Lei Xiaomin was the perfect choice.
Lei Xiaomin didn't have time to think about it. The cars that arrived outside carried Fang Zhenyu and his entourage. Besides Fang Zhenyu and Shangguan Hao, there was also Yang Mingji, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, and an elderly gentleman surnamed Tu. He was introduced to a Taiwanese businessman, brought there by Shangguan Hao, who planned to invest in the port development zone. Fang Zhenyu and Qin Zhongping led them on a tour of the starting pier, Baiyu Beach, Linglong Island, and other places, while Lei Xiaomin, Xu Xiangjun, and Shi Xiaoyan ran around serving them.
The group first went to Baiyu Beach, where construction was in full swing. Many buildings were already taking shape. Except for one large building, all the others were three-story villa-style structures, all on stilts, with the upper floors empty and the lower floors bare. Some were designed as flower beds, while others remained just white sand. When Mr. Tu heard Fang Zhenyu say that these spaces were indeed left empty, he couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Fang, isn't this a waste of resources?"
Before Fang Zhenyu could explain, Shangguan Hao laughed and said, "That's precisely where Zhenyu's brilliance lies. Although it may seem like a waste of space, in the long run, it saves us a lot of money."
"How so?" Mr. Tu asked with great interest.
Fang Zhenyu had no choice but to explain. It turned out that he was doing this by drawing on the experience of Beihai, Guangxi, prioritizing the preservation of the original ecology. Therefore, the entire tourist area, except for the service desk, consisted of these loosely arranged buildings. Finally, pointing to several small islands in the distance, he said, "Next, we will develop these islands, transforming them into places with different national styles. Then our buildings here will form a unified whole with them."
Mr. Tu was greatly impressed and said, "That's a very good idea. Simultaneous development and protection eliminates future worries and is beneficial to the port's sustainable development."
"It's also for this reason that we are selective about the industries entering the port area," Fang Zhenyu added. Many people assumed the port was eager to attract investment and would accept any company. He wanted to preemptively address this concern, lest Mr. Tu express his opposition and dampen his enthusiasm.
Whether Shangguan Hao understood Fang Zhenyu's meaning or was also so focused on environmental protection, he also said, "That's how it should be. Linhai is one of the few remaining unpolluted places in the world. If we don't take care to protect it, we won't be able to face our future generations."
Mr. Tu laughed and said, "You two don't need to put on an act. If I were to invest, I wouldn't be willing to give up such a beautiful piece of sea."
It turned out that they had already hit it off quite well in the car, and now, discussing the actual environment, they were even more engaged and detailed. Yang Mingji, listening nearby, couldn't help but feel secretly fortunate. If he were in charge of this kind of general manager position, although he could learn, he probably wouldn't be able to reach Fang Zhenyu's level of skill within a year or two.
After visiting Baiyu Beach and the starting dock, where work was progressing quite rapidly, the underwater operations were basically completed, and the main focus had shifted to onshore construction. Hearing that the dock was basically built with funds raised from the entire city, Mr. Tu was deeply moved. Indeed, this was something that other social systems couldn't achieve.
Finally, they settled on Linglong Island. The group first walked around the island. The main construction of the temple was complete. The overall layout combined the solemnity of a temple with the tranquil and elegant atmosphere required for a tourist area. Although the island was small, the various smaller attractions made full use of its natural environment, seamlessly integrating the worship of Mazu with sightseeing. After the
tour, the group listened to the construction team's introduction in the simple office at the construction site. They learned that in another three or four months, the first phase of the island's construction would be completed, and it would soon be open to tourists. Shangguan Hao was very pleased and said to Qin Zhongping, "Zhongping, you did a great job!"
Qin Zhongping dared not take credit for it all, saying, "This isn't my achievement; it's thanks to Commander Fang's effective coordination that we were able to get it done so quickly. I simply followed his instructions and did my best."
Seeing Qin Zhongping's humility and his high regard for Fang Zhenyu, Shangguan Hao was relieved. He had initially worried that Qin Zhongping, who had studied economics and management in the United States, might not accept Fang Zhenyu's management style. Now it seemed that he had also been managed by Fang Zhenyu. He said, "You've done a lot of work in this process. I'll propose a good reward for you both at the board meeting when we get back."
"Thank you, President!" Qin Zhongping was very happy. To be honest, he had initially looked down on Fang Zhenyu, but during this period of work, he had seen Fang Zhenyu's wisdom and decisiveness, as well as his extraordinary methods of managing the economy—things he couldn't learn from books. In the end, he had to sincerely admire him.
"President Shangguan, I really envy you for having two such capable assistants," Mr. Tu said sincerely. After seeing the construction of Baiyu Beach and the starting pier, he thought it was just a government project and nothing special. But after seeing the planning and development of Linglong Island, he couldn't help but admire Fang Zhenyu.
Shangguan Hao laughed, "What two capable assistants do I have? Zhenyu isn't mine; I forced him to work for me. He's one of the top bosses in Linhai himself."
"Oh?" Although Fang Zhenyu had been with them, Mr. Tu only knew him as the chairman of the Port Development and Investment Corporation. Since government investments in mainland China are usually handled by officials, he assumed Fang Zhenyu was also a government official and didn't pay much attention to him, just like Yang Mingji. He also thought Shangguan Hao's success in mainland China was only due to Fang Zhenyu's help.
"Our Chairman Fang is also the owner of the largest private enterprise in Linhai City—Dongfang Printing Group. The plan to operate the port development as a large enterprise was his design," Yang Mingji then introduced.
Mr. Tu became even more interested and said, "Brother Shangguan, you haven't told me about this, have you?"
Shangguan Hao laughed, "Seeing is believing, but with your temperament, even if I told you, would you believe me?" The two were good friends, and Shangguan Hao knew that Mr. Tu had prejudices against people from the mainland and was quite stubborn, which was why he wanted him to see the actual situation of the Linhai Port development firsthand.
Mr. Tu wasn't offended at all and said, "You understand my personality. Alright, now I believe you. Can you tell me the truth about Mr. Fang?"
Fang Zhenyu humbly said, "Actually, it's just that Uncle Hao and Secretary-General Yang think too highly of me. How could I have such great abilities?"
Shangguan Hao shook his head and said, "Zhenyu, if you want to get money out of Boss Tu's pocket, you can't be too modest." He then recounted Fang Zhenyu's entrepreneurial journey, how he gained Zhong Yuguang's favor, and how he took on the heavy responsibility of developing the port of Linhai City. He described it in considerable detail, including some things that even Yang Mingji, who had been observing Fang Zhenyu, didn't know, as he had learned them from Wang Peiying. He had used every means at his disposal to invest in Linhai, which explained why he insisted on Fang Zhenyu becoming the general commander of Linglong Island before investing.
Who wouldn't admire such an outstanding person? Mr. Tu's old eyes were fixed on Fang Zhenyu. He said, "Brother Shangguan, you were absolutely right to arrest President Fang. No doubt about it, I'll also join in the port development, but it must be handled personally by President Fang."
"President Tu, you flatter me too much," Fang Zhenyu said, a little embarrassed, but he was very happy to have someone invest. He replied, "I will do my best to ensure your investment yields a good return."
"That's enough. What are we doing here? Let's go back and finalize the project, then have a few good drinks," Mr. Tu said.
"Oh, right, Zhenyu, I forgot to tell you, President Tu has a very high alcohol tolerance. This time you can say you've met your match," Shangguan Hao said.
"Hahaha," Mr. Tu laughed heartily, quite proud of his drinking capacity.
The group then turned back to the city. Yang Mingji was deeply moved on the way. He saw in Fang Zhenyu's achievements that being a person required not only being down-to-earth but also possessing inner qualities. Only someone with Fang Zhenyu's personal charisma could so easily attract such a large investment, which elevated his own thoughts and feelings.
On Monday, November 8, 1993,
Sun Shaomei of Dongfang Printing Group got out of bed. The strong masculine scent of Fang Zhenyu still lingered in the covers. Last night, in the factory director's duty room, this respectable and lovable man had once again given her the wonderful pleasure of intimacy between a man and a woman, until both she and Tan Chunmei were in a blissful state before he quietly left. After washing her face, she felt an unprecedented joy and happiness, her face beaming with a smile like spring flowers. Even Hu Jun, who came to take over the shift, didn't understand why she was like this.
"Shaomei, what's wrong? Did you take the wrong medicine?" Hu Jun's words were always so harsh, even after becoming the factory director, he hadn't changed much.
"Are you out of your mind?" Sun Shaomei glared at him. Of course, she wouldn't get angry at Hu Jun; she wouldn't normally, and certainly not when she was as happy as she was now.
"Then you dreamt you were rich last night."
"How could it be rich? You dreamt of your Prince Charming!" Li Fanghua said as she stepped in. Of course, she knew what Sun Shaomei was thinking, but how could she say it out loud?
Sun Shaomei glared at Li Fanghua fiercely before asking, "What are you yelling about so early in the morning?"
"To see our Director Sun's lovesick look!" Li Fanghua said, then immediately added, "Secretary Chen called me here, saying he has something for me to do." She didn't dare say anything more.
Seeing that there were two women present, Hu Jun didn't dare to speak out of turn. He knew that if he made a sound, he would definitely be attacked by the two women. Although they often bickered, they would definitely unite against a common enemy. He asked, "Secretary Chen, what's the rush? Why are you bothering our 'Goddess of Wealth'?"
"Who am I supposed to ask?" Li Fanghua replied curtly.
At this moment, Tan Chunmei walked in and said, "Changlin and I called her over. You all had a share. We sent out so many letters a few days ago, wanting everyone to pay attention to the reactions from all sides."
"What kind of reaction could there be to something so small?" Hu Jun asked.
"That's not certain. Although it's a small matter, it touches on the interests of those small factories," Li Fanghua said seriously. It turned out that some time ago, before the group company was established, Tan Chunmei, on behalf of the three factories, sent a letter to all printing companies in the city, hoping everyone would resolutely eliminate kickbacks and standardize prices. However, no unit responded. Therefore, after the group company was established, she sent an open letter to the entire city on behalf of the group company, publishing the prices for printing various documents and materials. The meaning was clear: to let all units know the prices so that no one would dare to take kickbacks anymore. This would naturally be a huge blow to printing factories that cut costs by evading taxes, so Chen Changlin and Tan Chunmei were certain that those small factories would react.
As they were talking, they heard a commotion downstairs. A short while later, the security guard on duty came up and said, "Ms. Tan, many people from other printing factories want to come up to see Boss Fang. Should we let them come up?"
Tan Chunmei thought for a moment and said, "Let them come up."
The guard went down, and soon a group of people crowded in, including a female reporter. The crowd was noisy and clamoring, demanding to see Fang Zhenyu, and there wasn't even room to stand.
Tan Chunmei raised her voice and said, "Chairman Fang isn't here. If you have something to say, just say it to me. It's too crowded here. Let's go to the conference room." With that, she led the way out, and the crowd followed. Tan Chunmei asked the female reporter beside her, "Xiaohua, why are you here too?"
The female reporter was Fu Xiaohua, a reporter for the *Linhai Daily*. Since the Dongfang Printing Factory printed the *Linhai Daily*, they frequently dealt with the newspaper, so Tan Chunmei naturally recognized her. Seeing Tan Chunmei's question, Fu Xiaohua replied, "They say your Dongfang Printing Group is squeezing out the printing industry in Linhai City. You didn't want me here, so is there some real inconvenience?"
"We always do things openly and honestly. What inconvenience could there be? You've come at the right time. Help us publicize this matter; perhaps it will even promote the development of the printing industry in our city," Tan Chunmei said earnestly.
As she spoke, they arrived at the office. She sat down on the platform and waited until everyone was present before saying, "Although Chairman Fang is not here, I can still make decisions regarding the Dongfang Printing Group. Everyone, please speak freely."
A dozen or so people below the platform immediately began to speak, creating a chaotic scene. A young woman stood up and said loudly, "What can you say by arguing like this? Let's take it one at a time."
The conference room fell silent. After a while, a man who looked to be about sixty years old stood up and asked, "We want to ask, what does Fang Zhenyu mean by doing this?" Many people echoed his words.
Tan Chunmei smiled inwardly; she knew those people wouldn't dare to reveal the actions of the Oriental Group. So she asked, "Mr. Jin, what has our Chairman Fang done that requires everyone to go to such lengths to come and question us?"
Tan Chunmei's question silenced Mr. Jin, and the others dared not utter a sound. After a long pause, another middle-aged woman said, "In short, we're all in the printing business, we know the ups and downs. Fang Zhenyu's actions are so disregard for our lives."
"Really?" Tan Chunmei laughed, "Our Chairman Fang is just trying to unite everyone and unify the printing market in Linhai City. How can that be considered disregarding our lives? This eliminates unfair competition, making our business even easier, right?"
"That's not what I meant," the Jin boss stammered.
"Then what are you trying to say?" Tan Chunmei asked.
Because Fu Xiaohua was also sitting on the stage, those people naturally didn't dare to speak. Originally, they had specially invited Fu Xiaohua, but unexpectedly, he had become a major obstacle. He was merely issuing an open letter; how could that be considered disregarding everyone's lives? Moreover, if they continued, it would naturally involve tax evasion, which they certainly wouldn't dare say in front of reporters.
Fu Xiaohua noticed their embarrassment and asked Tan Chunmei, "General Manager Tan, what did they say Chairman Fang did to wrong them?"
Tan Chunmei glanced at everyone and said seriously, "Our chairman didn't do anything to wrong them at all. On the contrary, he was thinking about the development of the printing industry in Linhai City and wanted to unify the printing industry in Linhai City. It's just that some people are used to doing things that harm others for their own benefit. If it is really unified, they won't get any benefits, so they are making trouble for us. Actually, you know about this matter, which is our open letter to all units in the city. Bosses, I don't need to say anything else here, right?"
The people below started whispering among themselves. Soon, Boss Jin said, "General Manager Tan, let's leave our internal printing industry matters to be resolved internally. I don't think we need to go to the newspapers for a lawsuit for now."
"Alright, I won't say anything here, but you must promise me that you will go back and think carefully about how your factories should adapt to the current situation. Don't think that making a fuss will get you anywhere," Tan Chunmei said sternly.
“We understand,” said Boss Jin, leaving without saying goodbye to the others. The others followed suit, except for the young woman who had been standing there.
“You are…” Tan Chunmei, quite familiar with the printing industry in Linhai City, seemed not to recognize the woman and asked curiously.
“I am Yan Biao’s daughter, Yan Ruyu,” the young woman said.
“Oh, the daughter of Boss Yan Biao of the Lincheng Printing Factory? Is there anything else?”
Yan Ruyu said shyly, “I’d like to talk to Boss Fang. Could we cooperate?”
“Sure, but you don’t need to talk to Boss Fang. Talking to me is the same. Let’s go back to the office and discuss it further, to see how we can cooperate.” Saying this, she led the way back to the office, and Fu Xiaohua followed them. After everyone was seated, Tan Chunmei asked again, "I heard from them that Boss Yan doesn't agree with our approach?"
Yan Ruyu sighed and said, "Yes, my father doesn't agree with your approach." She paused, then straightened up and said, "But he is him, and I am me. Now that I have the final say, I choose to cooperate with you."
"Why?" Tan Chunmei looked at the young woman in front of her with interest. She looked to be in her early twenties, of medium height, with a well-proportioned figure. Although not particularly beautiful, she was delicate and gave off a gentle and graceful feeling.
Under Tan Chunmei's gaze, Yan Ruyu appeared a little shy, but still mustered her courage and said, "Because I feel that although Boss Fang's actions are somewhat domineering, they are genuinely for the benefit of our Linhai printing industry. If we don't improve, our Linhai printing industry will soon be overtaken by people from other places, as can be seen from the door-to-door service from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas. Only by uniting can we resist external attacks. Moreover, they only see the unfair profits lost by Uni-President, but not the greater benefits they can gain. Large factories like yours don't care about those few individual parts; they just don't want the market price of Linhai's printing industry to continue to decline."
To be honest, Tan Chunmei only thought of these things after Fang Zhenyu's reminder. She didn't expect that this seemingly weak girl could see so far ahead. She said admiringly, "So, you'd rather go against your father's wishes and choose to cooperate with us?"
"Yes, of course, there are other reasons as well."
"Alright, based on your discerning eye, I agree to cooperate with you. You can discuss the details with Director Sun later. By the way, how come I've never heard of you before?" Tan Chunmei asked.
"How could someone of your stature possibly know me?" Yan Ruyu felt embarrassed, but relieved to see Tan Chunmei agree to her joining. Actually, she was forced into this situation because her father was rather timid and often bullied by his peers. Therefore, although their factory was established, it hadn't developed. She saw this and that's why she decided to cooperate with the Dongfang Group.
Seeing her say this, Tan Chunmei smiled and said, "You're mistaken. I'm not someone of high status. I know quite a bit about the printing industry in Linhai; I just've never met you before."
"I've been studying out of town and just graduated this year. I didn't want to come back to Linhai, but my father is ill, and my younger brother is still too young to shoulder the family's responsibilities, so I had to return."
Another filial daughter, Tan Chunmei thought to herself. She felt some sympathy for Yan Ruyu's situation and asked, "What's your major?"
"Economics and Management in the Business School."
"Do you want to stay and work in Linhai?"
Yan Ruyu smiled bitterly, "Given the current situation, is it possible for me not to stay?"
"I mean, do you have a boyfriend in another city? So, after settling things at home, you still have to leave Linhai?" Tan Chunmei asked seriously. She knew that most girls who went to university had boyfriends.
Yan Ruyu blushed and said, "No. My family's financial situation forces me to focus entirely on my studies. Who has that much time to think about such things? But I'm just a self-funded student. What company would hire me? I can only help my father manage this small factory." "
So what if you're self-funded? I see you're so engrossed in your studies that you don't even have time for dating. Judging from your knowledge, I know you must be doing well. Tell me, if a company hired you and allowed you to help your father manage the factory in your spare time, would you be willing to stay and work in Linhai?" Tan Chunmei said earnestly.
"Of course I'm willing, but I'm not as good as you say." Yan Ruyu blushed, but her face was full of hope. In this day and age, finding a job is no easy task.
"That's good. These next two days, focus on finalizing our cooperation. Report to work here next Monday," Tan Chunmei said.
"Really?" Yan Ruyu was overjoyed. Dongfang Printing Group was arguably the most profitable company in Linhai City, a place many wives and children of officials longed to work for but couldn't. She hadn't expected it to be so easy for her.
Tan Chunmei said, "I wouldn't lie, but whether you can stay here depends on your own efforts. We don't keep idle people here."
"President Tan, I will definitely do my best," Yan Ruyu said excitedly.
"I believe you too," Tan Chunmei said, her eyes full of encouragement. "Go ahead, find Director Sun to arrange the cooperation, and report to work as soon as possible."
Yan Ruyu made a firm promise and left. Seeing this, Fu Xiaohua said, "President Tan, people say your Oriental Group is the hardest to get into, but I don't think that's true."
"Why are you being so formal? Just call me by my name," Tan Chunmei said to Fu Xiaohua. After a pause, she continued, "We don't usually accept ordinary people, but we welcome talented individuals."
"Isn't there any exception?"
"No, Chairman Fang's brother applied for the position but didn't get it. We didn't accept him either."
"Then how do you know this Yan Ruyu is suitable?"
Tan Chunmei said, "Whether someone is suitable or not isn't something you can just say. I feel she's talented. Give her a chance. If she really isn't suitable, we have rules and regulations; we can ask her to leave then."
"It seems I need to find out what kind of person your boss, Mr. Fang, is. Chunmei, can you arrange something for me? I heard he's very busy and it's difficult to meet him." Although Fang Zhenyu had been in charge of the Oriental Printing Factory for so long, Fu Xiaohua had never met him.
"Of course you can, you should interview him, but you have to be careful, lest you fail to interview him and he interviews you instead." Tan Chunmei smiled, looking at Fu Xiaohua's beautiful and charming appearance.
"What?" Fu Xiaohua didn't understand what Tan Chunmei was talking about.
"It's nothing." Tan Chunmei said nothing more.

(Volume 3) Chapter Six: Rekindled Old Feelings

Chapter Six: Rekindled Old Feelings
Saturday evening, November 13, 1993 At the Fang family mansion
, Wang Peiying had just put the food on the table when Fang Zhenyu and Shangguan Hao entered. Fang Zhenyu said, "Mom, please make more food. We haven't eaten yet."
Seeing Shangguan Hao, Wang Peiying was happy, but complained to Fang Zhenyu, "Why didn't you say you were coming back for dinner? Is there no food left?"
Fang Zhenyu said strangely, "Mom, really? Before, when I came back, we ate whatever was available. Why are you being so particular today?"
Wang Peiying blushed and said softly, "We have guests today!"
"Guests? What guests? Uncle Hao, tell me yourself, are you a guest?" Fang Zhenyu turned to Shangguan Hao and said, "If you say you're a guest, I'll go buy some food right away. Otherwise, we'll just eat whatever is available."
"Zhenyu, don't tease your mother." Seeing Wang Peiying's embarrassed appearance, Shangguan Hao felt a little sorry for her and quickly came to her rescue.
Fang Zhenyu laughed, "Mom, look, Uncle Hao is so considerate of you, how can you still treat him like a guest? You should treat him like family!"
"Zhenyu!" Wang Peiying glared at Fang Zhenyu reproachfully, her face flushed with embarrassment just like Shangguan Hao's. She only calmed down after Li Wei brought in several bags of cooked food. Ning Yufen and the others were even happier to see their mother and Shangguan Hao's relationship growing closer.
After dinner, Fang Zhenyu and the women changed their usual habit of watching TV in the living room and went back to their rooms early. Li Wei was originally going to Fang Zhenyu's guest room, but Ning Yufang pulled him into the bedroom. When she saw Ning Yufen also bringing Xiao Ning up, she didn't find it strange, thinking they wanted to talk to her about Fang Zhenyu's affairs at the port.
"Yu, do you think Uncle Hao will dare to stay tonight?" Ning Yufang asked, taking Xiao Ning from her sister's arms and breastfeeding him.
Fang Zhenyu laughed, "I don't know if he dares or not, but I think it's time for him to make the first move."
Ning Yufen, while undressing him, said, "I know you're experienced in this area." Then she turned to Li Wei and asked, "Little Li, when did he make his move on you?"
Li Wei was startled, not expecting Ning Yufen to target him. He didn't know what to say. Could it be that Ning Yufen had discovered his affair with Fang Zhenyu and brought him here to interrogate him? He broke out in a cold sweat and looked to Fang Zhenyu for help.
At this moment, Fang Zhenyu had already made Ning Yufen strip naked from the waist up. Hearing Ning Yufen's words, he sighed inwardly, realizing that nothing between men and women could be hidden from the eyes of his two beautiful wives. He then said to Li Wei, "'Bobo,' don't be afraid, just tell us!"
Li Wei was still annoyed that Fang Zhenyu was calling him by his nickname at this time, but then he saw Ning Yufen taking off Fang Zhenyu's trousers and about to take off his underwear. He thought to himself, "No way, are the Ning sisters serving Fang Zhenyu at the same time?" He stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do.
Ning Yufang smiled at Li Wei and said, "My 'Bobo,' what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and come with your sister to serve your beloved lover. Later, tell us how he made his move on you."
"Sister Yufang," Li Wei was still a little scared, but seeing that things had already come to this, he put everything aside and began to take off his clothes, imitating Ning Yufen. Although she had the audacity to have an affair, she had never undressed in front of others, making her appear shy and bashful, a charmingly coy demeanor.
Ning Yufen had already undressed first, displaying her beautiful body to Li Wei. Looking at her equally curvaceous figure, she smiled and said, "You are indeed beautiful; no wonder he's attracted to you."
"Sister Yufen," Li Wei said, overcome with shyness, and tried to throw himself into Ning Yufen's arms, but Ning Yufen pushed him away, leading him into Fang Zhenyu's embrace.
As Ning Yufen walked towards the bathroom, she said, "Why don't you and Zhenyu get intimate for a while? I think it's inconvenient for you down there; it must have been a long time since you've been intimate."
Li Wei let out a soft moan and fell into Fang Zhenyu's arms, quickly finding herself firmly embraced by him. However, she still didn't dare to make any intimate moves immediately, instead glancing back at Ning Yufen. Seeing her smiling face, she then began to caress Fang Zhenyu's body. Ning Yufen was right. Down there, although they were often together, she was afraid of being discovered and also had to consider Fang Zhenyu's influence, so she really didn't dare to act rashly. Embraced by Fang Zhenyu, the two went into the bathroom. Ning Yufen had already prepared the water. At first, Li Wei was a little reserved, but seeing Ning Yufen's wanton manner, she relaxed and joined her in kissing Fang Zhenyu's thick, long member. Soon, the three of them were filled with intense desire.
Back on the bed, Fang Zhenyu first rode Li Wei. Just as Ning Yufen had said, she had been holding back for too long, so she couldn't care less about being shy. Under Fang Zhenyu's full-force assault, she moaned softly, and under Ning Yufen's guidance, she learned various positions until she reached the most beautiful pleasure a woman could experience.
When Li Wei returned from the fairyland, Ning Yufen was caressing Fang Zhenyu. She felt guilty and said, "Sister Yufen, I'm sorry."
"Actually, we should thank you. You two comforted our husbands' lonely hearts at the port,"
Ning Yufang replied. But Li Wei knew that the two sisters were truly sharing one husband, so she said, "But you two didn't get any pleasure."
Ning Yufang laughed, "It seems you really didn't have many opportunities to be intimate with him down there. Otherwise, how could you not even know that our husband could have three or four women a night?"
"Really?" Li Wei was overjoyed. She had also discovered Fang Zhenyu's affair with Shi Xiaoyan. Sometimes, when Fang Zhenyu was about to go, Shi Xiaoyan would get there first, so she wouldn't go. Now it seemed that down there, she and Shi Xiaoyan could serve him together, just like now.
"Is it because you saw he had someone else down there that you didn't dare to go to him?" Ning Yufang was quite perceptive.
"This…" How could Li Wei dare to reveal that Fang Zhenyu had other women?
"Forget it, I know even if you don't say it. A man like him, where can't he find women? Sister, you go on up, I'll take Xiao Ning out for a bit." With that, Ning Yufang carried Xiao Ning out.
Li Wei saw that Fang Zhenyu's little brother was indeed erect again, and Ning Yufang was making her move once more. Ning Yufang's actions dazzled her; every move was novel. She realized how naive she had been in this area. She resolved to learn better and serve Fang Zhenyu well when she returned to the port. After that night, she knew that Ning Yufang wouldn't be jealous; in fact, she encouraged them to be with Fang Zhenyu.
While Fang Zhenyu and his companions were upstairs battling Lu Bu, downstairs Shangguan Hao and Wang Peiying were also getting into the swing of things. When Fang Zhenyu and his companions came upstairs, both of them understood that they were being given a chance. Both were older and naturally wouldn't be as impatient as young people. Sitting on the sofa, they looked at each other, their eyes full of affection. For a long time, no one spoke up. Finally, Shangguan Hao took the initiative and said, "Er Ya, I didn't book a hotel tonight."
Wang Peiying was pleased, but said, "Who cares? We have so many rooms at home. If you have money, go stay somewhere else!"
Her meaning was very clear: she wanted Shangguan Hao to stay. Shangguan Hao naturally understood and happily said, "Then I'll stay here."
"The guest room is ready. You can stay if you want, or leave if you don't," Wang Peiying said, taking Shangguan Hao's luggage to the guest room and then leaving.
Shangguan Hao was quite pleased and ignored her, going to take a shower himself. Sure enough, when he finished showering and came out to the living room, Wang Peiying was already there; judging from her clothes, she had also showered. Shangguan Hao sat down beside her and said, "Er Ya, so many years have passed, and you haven't changed at all."
"I'm an old woman now, and I haven't changed?"
"I mean, your gentle nature hasn't changed," Shangguan Hao said tenderly.
"You still remember?" Wang Peiying was deeply moved; she hadn't expected Shangguan Hao to still remember her after all these years.
Shangguan Hao boldly reached out and embraced her, saying affectionately, "You're the most adorable girl in our village, how could I forget you?"
Wang Peiying gently struggled, whispering, "Brother Hao, don't do this, they'll see."
Shangguan Hao, however, became even more audacious, placing his hand on her breasts and saying, "Don't worry, they're clearly giving us a chance, why would they come down?"
Wang Peiying knew, of course, that her daughter was creating an opportunity for her; her words were merely a woman's modesty. Shangguan Hao's caresses gradually warmed her long-dormant body, giving her an indescribable comfort. She couldn't help but snuggle tightly into Shangguan Hao's arms, moaning softly, "But this is the living room! What if—..."
What if she didn't say it aloud, but Shangguan Hao understood. At her age, it was indeed inappropriate to be here, so he said, "Then let me visit your boudoir." Without waiting for Wang Peiying's consent, he embraced her and led her towards her bedroom.
Wang Peiying half-heartedly allowed Shangguan Hao to pull her into the bedroom. Shangguan Hao had no interest in looking at her room. He and his wife had a deep relationship, so after her death, he lost interest in other women. Now, encountering his childhood sweetheart reignited his lust, and he immediately began to grope Wang Peiying. Wang Peiying wasn't usually averse to sex; she simply hadn't found a suitable partner. A woman's desires are often stronger, and having finally met someone she loved, she naturally didn't refuse. Like dry tinder and raging fire, they ignited instantly.
Wang Peiying spread her legs, making it easier for Shangguan Hao to caress her, and moaned, "Brother Hao, you're still as amazing as before, so good at teasing people!"
Shangguan Hao thought to himself: I knew nothing before, how did I become so good at teasing people? He immediately recalled the night before he left, on the beach, when he couldn't resist his impulse and caressed Wang Peiying. He was only fifteen then, and didn't know anything about love between men and women. He simply looked at the naked Wang Peiying and thought her breasts, which were then about the size of pigeon eggs, were beautiful, and that part of her body, different from a man's, was adorable, so he caressed her. He never imagined that Wang Peiying, only eight years old at the time, would remember it and even find it pleasurable. Little did he know that girls not only understand sex early, but girls by the sea are even more precocious. Touched, he gently asked, "Do you remember that time?"
"Of course I remember! You were so naughty, touching me when I was so young, but you didn't really play with me, making me feel uncomfortable for a long time." Wang Peiying recalled the passion of her childhood without a trace of shame.
Shangguan Hao noticed that Wang Peiying still had no pubic hair, and couldn't help but recall what he'd heard during his promiscuous days before marriage: "A pubic hair is the most erotic," and it seemed to be true. He certainly wouldn't say that, but instead said, "Who knew you already knew you wanted this back then?" He pulled Wang Peiying's hand to his penis, his fingers digging into her little hole, and continued, "If I had known, I wouldn't have been so stupid as to let your virginity slip away."
"You think I'm not a virgin?"
"Of course not." Shangguan Hao knew that women's tempers were often unreasonable. Although he didn't think she was being unreasonable, if she had that thought, it would affect their future life together. Therefore, he kissed her lips and mounted her.
The intense pleasure made Wang Peiying forget everything else, only trying to meet Shangguan Hao's advances, letting out comfortable moans. Her long-empty flower chamber was finally being visited again by bees, and the pleasure was indescribable. Perhaps because his penis hadn't been used for a long time, Shangguan Hao couldn't last long, but it had already given Wang Peiying endless pleasure. When Shangguan Hao's essence flowed into her body, she cried out loudly, clinging tightly to him. She murmured, "Brother Hao, you're so good to me, you've brought me happiness!"
Encouraged, Shangguan Hao quickly regained his vigor under Wang Peiying's caresses. During their second encounter, Shangguan Hao finally showed his manly spirit, making Wang Peiying feel like she was dying and being reborn. He himself was so exhausted from the huge exertion that he quickly fell asleep. Neither of them even remembered to clean the bed, which was covered in filth.
On Monday afternoon, November 22, 1993,
on Jiangxin Island, Lei Xiaomin looked up at the sky and said to Xiao San, "Xiao San, you and Hua Gu finish planting these few here. Then we'll go back and bring the rest from home. We'll try to finish planting this batch of peach trees today."
Xiao San objected, "No, Brother Xiaomin, it's my turn to go back this time. You've already gone back three times. If you don't rest, you'll be exhausted. Besides, I'm completely cured; I really don't need to rest anymore." Among the young people, Xiao San was the weakest and had recently fallen ill, so Lei Xiaomin didn't want him to do any heavy work.
"Yes, Brother Xiaomin, you're not made of iron. Let Xiao San go back," Lei Jiehua added. The others echoed her sentiments. Lei Xiaomin, like Fang Zhenyu, always took the lead, which earned him the deep respect of the young people and gradually influenced others in the village.
Seeing everyone's reaction, Lei Xiaomin gave up, telling them to be careful not to damage the saplings. He watched them leave and then went back to planting. Seeing this, Lei Jiehua quickened her pace, and half an hour later, the two had finished planting the remaining saplings. Lei Xiaomin stretched and said, "If I had known, I would have told them to go home earlier."
Looking at Lei Xiaomin, who was covered in sweat, Lei Jiehua said with concern, "Brother Xiaomin, you need to take care of yourself. If you work so hard and get exhausted, who will lead us to prosperity?" As she spoke, she took out a handkerchief to wipe Lei Xiaomin's sweat.
"Aunt Hua, I can do it myself!" Lei Xiaomin reached for the handkerchief, but his hand brushed against Lei Jiehua's firm breasts. He quickly withdrew his hand, blushing, but said nothing.
Lei Jiehua also felt a tingling sensation and blushed, but said, "What's the rush? Sit down and let Auntie wipe you." She addressed herself as "Auntie" to ease Lei Xiaomin's embarrassment. Actually, although she and Lei Xiaomin shared the same surname, were from the same village and even the same rank, a glance at their family genealogy revealed that they were separated by countless generations. She liked Lei Xiaomin very much, and precisely because of their shared surname and village, and because of her own background, she felt an inexplicable affection for him. She only refrained from doing anything more daring for fear of frightening him. However, that brief touch just now gave her her first taste of being caressed by a man.
Sure enough, after Lei Jiehua's words, Lei Xiaomin calmed down and obediently sat down on a patch of grass.
Lei Xiaojie didn't sit down, but squatted to the side, wiping Lei Xiaomin's sweat as she asked, "Brother Xiaomin, is it useful for us to rush to plant peach trees like this?"
Lei Xiaomin became excited at this, saying, "Of course it's useful! We specially bought such big saplings so they'll bloom in spring. Imagine how beautiful it would be to see a whole patch of peach blossoms here in spring! As long as we promote it well, how could no one come to admire it?"
"Brother Xiaomin, you're so clever," Lei Xiaohua praised, her soft breasts intentionally or unintentionally rubbing against Lei Xiaomin's shoulder, her face flushing like a peach blossom.
"What's so special about that? Sister Qiong taught me all that," Lei Xiaomin said, simultaneously feeling Lei Xiaojie's softness, but since she called her "aunt," he naturally didn't say anything. The feeling was so wonderful that this man, who had never experienced a woman's tenderness before, was reluctant to move away.
"Yes, Sister Qiong is smart and good to you. Brother Xiaomin, aren't you going to pursue her?" Seeing that Lei Xiaomin didn't move away, Lei Xiaohua pressed even tighter.
Lei Xiaomin hurriedly said, "Please don't say that. Who is Sister Qiong? I only have respect for her."
"Then who do you like? Is it the girl who brought the money the other day?"
"Aunt Hua." Lei Xiaomin finally moved away, turned back to look at Lei Jiehua, and only felt relieved when he saw her calm expression. He said seriously and mysteriously, "I'm going to tell you something, but you can't tell anyone else." "
Is Aunt Hua that kind of person? Go ahead and tell me, I promise it will only go to my ears, and no one else will know." Lei Xiaohua sat down next to Lei Xiaomin, no longer rubbing her breasts against him, but still very close to him. She suddenly realized that even just smelling his scent was so pleasant.
Lei Xiaomin never expected that the person who called herself his aunt would have such feelings. Because he had been so intimate earlier, and Lei Jiehua hadn't shown any unusual expression, he let it go and thought about his own things. He said, "I do like that girl, but I don't know if she likes me back?" He told Lei Xiaohua about his relationship with Li Wei.
"I think she likes you?" Actually, Lei Jiehua had no experience in this area; she was just relying on her woman's intuition to tell Lei Xiaomin.
Lei Xiaomin shook his head and said, "But there's such a big difference between us. Let's not even talk about rural versus urban life; even her job is better than mine."
"Who says that? Truly smart women don't think about these things. They only look at whether a man is capable. As long as you're capable, what distance can't be bridged?" Lei Jiehua said emotionally. Actually, she was talking about her love for Lei Xiaomin. Because she and Lei Xiaomin were aunt and niece, she couldn't be jealous even if she wanted to. She pressed her ample breasts against Lei Xiaomin's body, enjoying this moment of tenderness, and said, "Brother Xiaomin, you're the kind of capable man, so it's not surprising that she loves you."
"I really don't know what to do." Lei Xiaomin felt that comfortable feeling again, but he didn't move away.
Lei Jiehua maintained this slight contact, saying, "I've never experienced anything like this before, so I don't have anything to teach you. I've just heard people say that you need to be bold, careful, and thick-skinned when dating. You should be bold and ask her out. If she agrees, it proves she likes you." While saying this, she thought to herself, "I am bold, careful, and thick-skinned now. Otherwise, how could I enjoy this?" She thought this was already quite good between a man and a woman. Don't think Lei Jiehua was promiscuous; she had no choice. Her future marriage was destined to be tragic. Her future husband was not a normal person. Although she didn't want to live like this forever, fate didn't allow her to fight against it, so she could only seek some unexpected pleasure.
"Thank you, Aunt Hua, I'll try," Lei Xiaomin said sincerely. At this moment, his mind was only on Li Wei, so he didn't care about Lei Jiehua's intimate contact.
Lei Xiaohua went a step further, saying, "Women like men who are capable, in many ways—in their careers and in their lives. As long as you can give her a sense of satisfaction, then a little hardship in life doesn't matter. So, you not only need to take the initiative to date, but also to take the initiative at crucial moments. Of course, if our Jiangxin Island is successfully developed, it will further promote your relationship. Women, after all, like men who are accomplished."
"Aunt Hua, I know you're capable and successful, but what does 'taking the initiative at crucial moments' mean?" Lei Xiaomin asked, puzzled. Although he wasn't young, he wasn't very clear about matters between men and women.
Lei Xiaohua's heart stirred, and she became bolder. She took Lei Xiaomin's hand and pressed him against her full breasts, saying, "Silly boy, it means doing it at the right time."
Lei Xiaomin was stunned. This was the first time he had touched a girl's breasts, and the feeling was indeed wonderful, but those were his "aunts"! How could he do this? After a long while, he finally remembered to pull his hand back, and cried out in alarm, "Aunt Hua, you..."
Lei Jiehua released Lei Xiaomin's hand, giggled, and said, "What's wrong with me? I was just teaching you how to date, do you understand now?"
That's good. Lei Xiaomin thought to himself that he had vaguely sensed that Lei Jiehua's behavior was somewhat inappropriate, but he didn't know why. They shared the same surname, and were even from the same village and hamlet. He replied, "I understand, Aunt Hua, I'll go over there and take a look." He didn't want anything "incestuous" to happen.
Lei Jiehua also knew that Lei Xiaomin had discovered her intentions. She didn't want to get too close, lest things backfire, and said, "Go ahead, I'll go to the dock and see, they should be back by now." This initial contact had been quite effective; she was already somewhat satisfied. The rest could wait.
When Lei Jiehua arrived at the dock in high spirits, sure enough, Xiao San and the others had returned. She enthusiastically joined them, which surprised them all. While Lei Jiehua was usually very proactive, they had never seen her like this before. Even the newly arrived Zhang Xia asked in surprise, "Aunt Hua, what's wrong with you today?"
"Nothing," Lei Jiehua smiled, ignoring everyone's gaze, and threw herself into her work.
Little did these people know that a strange romance had already blossomed between two people who appeared to be like siblings, and it was flourishing. How far it would develop depended on their fate and destiny. Of course, the initiative also rested with this seemingly innocent young girl before them.
On Tuesday, November 30, 1993
, in Jinhua Village, news of Shangguan Hao and Wang Peiying's romance spread quickly. Various rumors immediately arose. Some said it was a preordained marriage, a decades-old engagement still valid; others said Wang Peiying was getting old and still wanting to marry; still others said it was Fang Zhenyu's clever scheme to seize the Shangguan family's wealth. In short, the rumors were endless, giving Shangguan Hao, who returned to the village, a real headache. Rumors stop with the wise, and his headache wasn't from the rumors themselves, but from the constant stream of inquiries. Just as he saw off an elder, the village secretary, Shangguan Rong, arrived.
"Fifth Brother, Linglong Island is developing rapidly. Now that you've finished this, what are you planning to invest in?" Shangguan Rong didn't immediately get to the point; he had learned some of the ways of officialdom.
Shangguan Hao didn't have much affection for his cousin, but he didn't dislike him either. After inviting him to sit down and have some tea, he said, "I don't have any plans yet. Besides, after investing in Linglong Island and Baiyu Beach, I don't have much capital left. If I invest again, my business won't be able to operate."
"Oh. So, how do you plan to manage Linglong Island after it's built?" Shangguan Rong slowly got to the point. Fang Zhenyu was only the general commander of the construction project; how he would manage it was still undecided. Of course, Shangguan Rong wanted to get his hands on it, at least under Shangguan Xuanhua's control, which would be easier to manage. If it remained under Fang Zhenyu's control, there would be no benefit for him.
Shangguan Hao hadn't expected his younger brother to have so many ideas. He said, "Let's wait and see. This isn't something I can decide alone. The village also has shares, so you can all nominate yourselves."
Shangguan Rong said modestly, "What's a little bit of shares in the village? Your fifth brother has the biggest share, and besides, you're one of us, so of course you get to decide."
Shangguan Hao shook his head and said, "Rong, that's not how a joint-stock company works. Everything has to be decided by the board of directors. As long as your nominee is suitable and the board approves him, he'll be the natural manager. Of course, it's true that those with more shares have more say."
"Don't you have the most shares? Why don't you choose someone? I think Xuanhua is quite good!" Shangguan Rong said, pointing to Shangguan Xuanhua beside him.
Shangguan Xuanhua said, "Third Uncle, if you want to do it, just say so yourself. Why are you talking about me? I'm not cut out for this. I'd be better suited for fishing or something. Asking me to manage this is like asking my uncle to throw money into the sea!"
Shangguan Rong blushed and said, "Who is born good at management? Fang Zhenyu was just a schoolteacher back then, but now he's a big entrepreneur."
"I know my own limitations. How can I compare to General Manager Fang? I think it's better to leave it to General Manager Fang than anyone else," Shangguan Xuanhua said with a tone of reverence. This wasn't just blind worship; it was a conclusion drawn after witnessing so much. Wasn't it true? Fang Zhenyu proposed turning the Mazu Temple into a tourist attraction, and the villagers initially objected, but now it's being done anyway. It's just a pity they didn't listen to him back then, and Shangguan Rong and others lacked the courage to pursue their ventures. Many people used up their relocation compensation, which is why the village didn't get a larger share in the development of Linglong Island. Otherwise, judging from the current momentum of Linglong Island's development, the villagers' income would be much higher! Furthermore, some villagers have already moved into new buildings and live like city dwellers. Who in the village doesn't consider Fang Zhenyu a lucky star for Jinhua Village?
Shangguan Hao admired his nephew's self-awareness. Regarding his relationship with Wang Peiying, many villagers had told Shangguan Xuanhua that if he married Wang Peiying, the Shangguan family's inheritance would go to Wang Peiying's many daughters, and even if Shangguan Xuanhua received a share, it would be significantly reduced. They urged Shangguan Xuanhua to oppose his uncle's plan. However, Shangguan Xuanhua not only didn't comply but also encouraged Shangguan Hao to be bold and marry Wang Peiying as soon as possible. He said that although he wasn't very educated, he knew that happiness was something one had to create oneself, not something that could be achieved solely through others' help. Therefore, after hearing his words, Shangguan Hao said, "Xuanhua, your idea is good, but fishing alone isn't enough. You're still young; you should learn more and enrich yourself. Even if you can't reach Fang Zhenyu's level, you should at least have some expertise in a certain area."
Shangguan Rong, seeing that Shangguan Hao had changed the subject, felt anxious. He had been sent by the village committee to act as a mediator. The village committee members are all incompetent, yet they always want the biggest share of the profits. He said, "Fifth Brother, it's best to decide on the management team as soon as possible. Think about it, the village only has so little real business; we really don't want it to fall into the hands of outsiders."
"Oh? What do you mean by 'outsiders'?" Shangguan Hao understood why Shangguan Rong had come to see him today. His youthful face, made even younger by Wang Peiying, darkened. He couldn't help but probe their thoughts, so he asked.
Shangguan Rong made up his mind and said, "We're all from the village, of course we're family. Aren't the others outsiders?"
"You mean Fang Zhenyu?"
"Who else but him? He gets involved in everything, and he wants a share of every benefit. He even insisted on being the chief commander for the development of Linglong Island." Shangguan Rong expressed strong dissatisfaction.
"Anyone else?" Shangguan Hao appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he was furious. He hadn't expected Shangguan Rong and the others to be so short-sighted. Without Fang Zhenyu, could the development of Linglong Island have been so fast? At first, no one dared to bring it up, but now that there's profit to be made, they're saying anything.
"Of course there's more," Shangguan Rong said, becoming increasingly agitated, completely forgetting who he was talking to, mistaking them for his own villagers. He gestured wildly, saying, "Now that you're marrying Wang Peiying and have formed a marriage alliance with Fang Zhenyu, do you still care about the interests of our village?"
"Then what do you want?" Shangguan Hao appeared calm, but his anger was about to erupt.
"Our village committee has discussed it and strongly requests that the manager of Linglong Island scenic spot be someone from our village committee." Shangguan Rong finally revealed his purpose.
Shangguan Hao calmly asked, "Is this your request your idea? The village committee's idea? Or the whole village's idea?"
"Of course, it's the whole village's idea. Originally, we thought you, Fifth Brother, were the most suitable candidate, but you've sided with Fang Zhenyu, becoming like family. We can't help but suspect your ulterior motives." Shangguan Rong, relying on his position as village secretary, shamelessly said this.
"Enough!" Shangguan Hao rebuked sharply. "Do you represent the whole village? You only represent yourself, and you only want to benefit yourself. Who do you think you are? To do whatever you want? Don't even mention me, not all the villagers are as short-sighted as you. If Linglong Island were managed by someone like you, it would probably be closed down in less than two months. You should go back and think it over. Even if it were managed by you, what benefits would you gain if it couldn't be run smoothly?" Out of consideration for his cousin, Shangguan Hao didn't go too far.
"Fifth Brother," Shangguan Rong wanted to say something, but Shangguan Xuanhua chased him out.
Shangguan Xuanhua turned back and said, "Uncle, don't lower yourself to his level. They're used to it, thinking they can do whatever they want just because they're the village secretary."
"It's precisely these kinds of people who have kept our village so poor," Shangguan Hao sighed.
"But now it's all good, Uncle. With you back and Mr. Fang overseeing things, I think that with Linglong Island alone, our village can finally enjoy a few good days."
Shangguan Hao said with some worry, "Xuanhua, relying solely on Linglong Island isn't enough. To get rich, we need to develop more real industries. The port development is booming right now, and everyone still has some money. We should find a way to invest in one or two small projects to increase the villagers' income. It's impossible to rely on Shangguan Rong to take the lead. I think you should find a way to organize everyone."
"Good suggestion!" someone exclaimed. Fang Zhenyu, Wu Xuedong, and Deng Tingfang had already arrived at the door, and it was Fang Zhenyu who spoke.
Shangguan Hao was overjoyed and asked, "Zhenyu, when did you arrive?"
"Just arrived and heard your insightful remarks." Fang Zhenyu entered the house and sat down without waiting for a greeting.
After greeting Shangguan Hao, Wu Xuedong sat down and said, "Great minds think alike. A few days ago, Mr. Fang suggested to me that since the villagers have nothing to do, we should take advantage of their remaining funds and organize them to do something. I didn't expect to hear your insightful opinion here. I came down today partly to accompany Mr. Fang, and partly to see who is interested in this."
Shangguan Hao laughed heartily and said, "Young people are quick-witted." He asked Fang Zhenyu, "Zhenyu, you brought Lawyer Deng along. Are you planning to sue..." "Tell me, it's for the Linglong Island matter, isn't it? If so, I really can't help but admire you."
Fang Zhenyu didn't speak, but Deng Tingfang beside him laughed, a smug laugh, as if it were her idea. But Shangguan Hao knew he was right; Fang Zhenyu had indeed invited Deng Tingfang for the Linglong Island matter. He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "It seems I can't deny getting old even if I wanted to. I didn't expect you young people to be so quick-witted and swift in action."
Fang Zhenyu laughed, "Uncle Hao, you can say that here, but you absolutely mustn't say it at my house."
"Why?" Shangguan Hao asked in surprise.
Before Fang Zhenyu could answer, Deng Tingfang giggled and said, "Don't you know? How can I admit to getting old in front of the woman I love?" Perhaps it was because of the nourishment of love, Deng Tingfang had become even more beautiful and lively lately, often liking to joke.
Deng Tingfang's words brought a burst of laughter. Shangguan Hao said, "I really can't do anything with you young people. Tell me, what's the matter? Once it's done, we should have a good drink or two. These past few days since I came back have been so dull." He was right; for the past few days, people had been gossiping about him and Wang Peiying, and there had never been a moment of peace.
So the group got down to business.

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