[Urban] The New Five Golden Flowers (Complete Version) - 4

(Volume 1) Chapter 10 The Difficulty of Starting a Business

Chapter 10 The Difficulty of Starting a Business
On Saturday afternoon, June 19, 1993, Zhong Yuguang had just finished work and returned to his room at the Linhai Hotel. The door opened, and a sweet cry of "Daddy!" rang out as his daughter, Zhong Ying, rushed into his arms. Seeing his daughter, he was overjoyed. He held her rounded shoulders, kissed her on the cheek, and looking at her beaming face, smiled, "Did you pass the exam?"
"Dad, you're so smart!" Zhong Ying left her father's embrace, closed the door, and followed him back into the room, her face still beaming with pride.
Zhong Yuguang laughed, "If I couldn't even understand my daughter's little schemes, would I deserve to be your father?"
"Daddy, can't you just pretend you didn't guess and let your daughter be a little happier?" Zhong Ying served her father tea, pouting.
"But I want to be happy soon too!" Zhong Yuguang smiled as he accepted the tea from his daughter, his joy radiating from the bottom of his heart. Then he asked, "Did you get accepted into the Central Conservatory of Music?"
Zhong Ying nodded and said, "You know what? I couldn't find you anywhere. If it weren't for Teacher Fang, I probably wouldn't have even been able to take the exam. Did you pay Teacher Fang back the money?" It turned out that when Zhong Ying was going to Beijing for the exam, Zhong Yuguang happened to be out of town and forgot to leave his daughter the travel expenses. Later, Zhong Ying borrowed money from Fang Zhenyu so she could go to Beijing on time.
Zhong Yuguang said, "I paid him back. If I hadn't paid him back quickly, I'm afraid my daughter wouldn't recognize me anymore."
"How could that be! I know Dad loves me, but he's just too busy with work and too engrossed in it. When he gets busy, he forgets everything." Zhong Ying was very understanding of her father.
Zhong Yuguang felt deeply guilty about this. Looking at his daughter, he felt a pang of sadness. Other children his age, like Zhong Ying, were being cared for by their parents at home, while his daughter had to face life alone. He said lovingly, "Yingying, Dad has been busy with work, but I shouldn't have forgotten something so important. But you're all grown up now, and you've learned to take care of yourself. Please be understanding of Dad in the future!"
Seeing her father like this, Zhong Ying felt both grateful and heartbroken. She said emotionally, "Dad, don't worry, I can take care of myself. Besides, I still have Teacher Fang and Teacher Ning to take care of me now." As she said this, she seemed to remember something, smiled mysteriously, and continued, "And soon I'll have a mother to take care of me."
"What did you say?" Zhong Yuguang was puzzled by his daughter's words. Little did he know that Zhong Ying had learned some things about him and Ning Yuheng from the Ning family.
“Dad, don’t be shy. I’m not an open-minded person. I won’t object to you remarrying.” Zhong Ying smiled and added, “Besides, Sister Heng—no, I should call her Aunt Heng—is very nice. I’d be happy to have her as my stepmother.”
Zhong Yuguang then realized that his daughter was quite aware of his situation. To be honest, he also liked Ning Yuheng very much, and Ning Yuheng clearly had feelings for him too. Since his daughter had already put it this way, he asked, “Are you really okay with it?”
“Of course! She’s so good to me. Dad, you have to put in the effort. Aunt Heng is so young; once this opportunity is gone, it’ll be gone forever.” Zhong Ying encouraged him.
“You know you’re saying she’s young? We’re so far apart in age, is that okay?” Zhong Yuguang hesitated. This was a question that had troubled him for a long time. Of course, it wasn’t a question he could easily discuss with others, but somehow he had brought it up with his daughter today.
“Age is a big issue. Right now, you and Aunt Heng don’t have any problems, but if you drag it out for a few more years, there will be problems.” Zhong Ying said seriously.
"Daughter, you've become a love expert! Are you dating someone?" Zhong Yuguang suddenly realized his daughter had grown up.
Zhong Ying thought to herself, "I'm not dating, I just have a crush." But she didn't show it on her face. She said, "I've said it before, I won't consider personal matters until I've finished my studies."
Seeing her serious expression, Zhong Yuguang finally felt relieved. Little did he know that his daughter was secretly in love with a married man, deeply and irrevocably so, and this man was the one he valued most. If he knew, he really didn't know what he would think.
Zhong Ying stopped abruptly when he mentioned herself. She took a suit out of her bag and handed it to Zhong Yuguang, saying, "Dad, I bought this for you in Beijing. Do you think it fits?"
Zhong Yuguang took the suit and knew it was definitely not cheap. He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, saying, "Yingying, you don't need to buy such expensive clothes for your dad."
"Dad! You're a municipal party secretary; if your clothes are too shabby, it will affect the city's image. Try it on quickly. If it doesn't fit, I can return it when I go to school."
Zhong Yuguang didn't object to his daughter's opinion, but he didn't want her to indulge in excessive luxury. Seeing his daughter's attitude, he had no choice but to try it on. Once he put it on, he looked completely different, even his spirit was different; he seemed several years younger. He couldn't help but admire his daughter's taste.
"Hmm, not bad. Now you can go to your appointment." Zhong Ying looked Zhong Yuguang up and down for a long time before saying.
"An appointment? What appointment?" Zhong Yuguang asked, surprised.
"An appointment with the Fang family. I've made an appointment with Teacher Ning to have dinner at her house," Zhong Ying said earnestly.
"How could you make arrangements for me like this? I have things to do tonight," Zhong Yuguang said unhappily.
"Forget it, Dad. I've already asked your secretary, and she said you don't have any plans tonight. You just don't want to go to the Fang family's house because you're afraid of seeing Aunt Heng," Zhong Ying explained her father's mindset.
Zhong Yuguang shook his head and smiled bitterly. Zhong Ying was right; he was indeed somewhat afraid of seeing Ning Yuheng. As their relationship grew closer, he became even more afraid. He was afraid that if he proposed to her, she wouldn't agree, which would make his relationship with the Fang family awkward, and his interactions with Fang Zhenyu would be difficult to manage. His biggest worry was that this would affect the port's construction.
Little did Zhong Ying know that her father had so many thoughts on his mind. Young people are fearless in the face of love. For her father's sake, and also for her own, she wanted to persuade him to go. Deep down, she longed to see Fang Zhenyu and tell her beloved in person the joyous news of her acceptance into the Central Conservatory of Music. So she said, "Dad, we absolutely must go to the Fang family. They helped me a lot with my university admission, not only lending me travel expenses, but also teaching me the most—Teacher Ning." Actually, it was Fang Zhenyu who taught her, but she feared her father's suspicion, so she said it was Ning Yufang.
Seeing his daughter's words, Zhong Yuguang also felt they should thank Ning Yufang, and made up his mind, saying, "Okay, Dad will go with you. Let's go."
"That's right. Only by facing things bravely can happiness be in your own hands," Zhong Ying said, and she and Zhong Yuguang left. These words were less an encouragement to her father and more a boost to her own morale, because she was genuinely afraid to see Fang Zhenyu; she feared she might not be able to resist throwing herself into his arms.
On Sunday morning, June 20, 1993, Zhong Ying, a member of the Jinhua Village Committee, worried that Fang Zhenyu might try to seduce her if she encountered him at his house. However, she didn't get a chance to see him. Fang Zhenyu and his men had moved into Jinhua Village to accommodate the dock construction team, living in the dilapidated house of the village committee, some even in tents. They had been in Jinhua Village for two days to expedite the dock construction. Fang Zhenyu could have stayed at Wang Shouye's house, but he gave it to the dock construction team to accommodate them.
The summer sea weather is unpredictable. The first half of the night was clear and bright, but the second half was windy. The weather forecast predicted a typhoon, but it arrived unexpectedly quickly. The tents, which hadn't been reinforced in time, were blown about by the wind, making a loud banging noise. The people inside got up and quickly reinforced their newly purchased, expensive tents to prevent them from being blown away.
Fang Zhenyu, who was also staying in a tent, was the first to wake up. Seeing the situation was dire, he woke everyone. "Quick, drive the stakes in first!" Without even putting on his coat, he carried a wooden stake outside and shouted to Zhang Lei, who was sleeping with him.
"Yes, sir!" Zhang Lei replied, quickly grabbing a large iron sledgehammer and rushing out.
Qian Daixin, Xu Tongfang, and the others next door also woke up. Like Fang Zhenyu, they were only wearing their underwear, carrying tools outside. Some were driving stakes, others were pulling ropes, all bustling about. The wind grew stronger, and the rain began to pour down, lashing against the tent. While this eased the tent's rising pressure, it also brought a chill. Fortunately, everyone was busy working and their bodies were warm enough not to notice.
"Quick, northeast corner!" Fang Zhenyu called out to Song Bin, who had just emerged, while holding onto the wooden stakes. Song Bin was a scientist, and older, so he was the last to come out, and he was dressed quite neatly. Looking at his thin frame, Fang Zhenyu really didn't want to call him, but with only five of them in the forty-square-meter tent, how could they manage if he didn't call?
The village committee wasn't far from the village, less than a kilometer away, but with such strong winds and heavy rain, even if they knew they were in danger, they probably wouldn't come. Three girls were still living in the house, and the five men were too embarrassed to call them over, so they busied themselves with tasks.
After nearly an hour of hard work, they finally secured the tent and returned to their room, a sense of victory washing over them. The wind and rain intensified, seemingly stronger than the predicted level six. The sound of trees snapping in the wind could be heard outside. Fang Zhenyu secretly rejoiced, thankful he had gone out early; otherwise, it would have been too late to secure the tent
. He felt a chill and was about to dry himself and put on some clothes when an idea struck him. He grabbed a flashlight and headed outside. "Mr. Fang, what are you doing?" Zhang Lei asked, about to follow him.
Fang Zhenyu stopped him, saying, "Nothing, I'm just going to check on things so the broken trees don't crush us."
The wind whipped at him, and Fang Zhenyu shivered. He rallied himself, went outside, and shone the flashlight around the tent. Seeing nothing amiss, he decided to go back inside. Passing the village committee building, he couldn't help but glance at it. Three girls, including Zhan Dajun, lived there. Thinking that the house was dilapidated and they were barely managing to live there, he wondered if something might happen to them. With this thought, he began circling the house.
"Oh no! Girls, come out quickly!" Fang Zhenyu shouted, rushing back to the front. He had discovered that the back wall of the house was about to collapse in the heavy rain.
Chaos erupted inside. The three girls had already woken up, but hadn't gone out because of the wind and rain. Hearing Fang Zhenyu's voice, they all turned on their flashlights. This only made them more panicked, as they could see mud and tiles falling from the roof. The three hurriedly grabbed clothes to put on.
"Hurry up, or it'll be too late!" Fang Zhenyu's voice rang out again at the door.
"Alright, let's get dressed and go out," Xu Xiangjun replied, but she couldn't get her clothes, which usually seemed so easy to put on, on.
Seeing that the three had been dawdling for so long without coming out, Fang Zhenyu outside grew increasingly anxious. A branch the size of a bowl on the roof had been broken by the wind and was about to fall. He roared, "It's so dark! Who's watching you? If you don't come out now, it'll be too late! Don't you value your lives?" He was utterly impatient and kicked the dilapidated door.
With a loud "bang," accompanied by the girls' screams, Fang Zhenyu was already inside. He immediately saw the back wall collapse inwards. He grabbed Xu Xiangjun, who was standing stunned by the door, and threw her out, shouting, "Hurry! The house is collapsing!"
"Ah!" Shi Xiaoyan screamed, throwing away her trousers and, half-naked, throwing herself into Fang Zhenyu's arms. She had also seen the back wall collapse.
Fang Zhenyu, carrying Shi Xiaoyan, was about to leave when he saw Zhan Dajun sitting there dumbfounded, holding his pants. He rushed over, grabbed her, and turned to run outside. "Bang!" A brick struck Fang Zhenyu on the back of the neck. He felt dizzy, and in his last moments of consciousness, he kicked the doorframe and lunged out. He heard a loud crash behind him and then lost consciousness.
"President Fang! President Fang!" Zhang Lei cried as he rushed over. They had been waiting for Fang Zhenyu for a long time, and then heard the commotion outside. They came out to see Fang Zhenyu carrying two women and the collapsed building.
Xu Xiangjun, who had rushed out first, also rushed towards Fang Zhenyu, trying to pull him up, but Song Bin grabbed her from behind: "Don't move him."
"What are you doing?" Xu Xiangjun struggled, her heart aching at seeing Fang Zhenyu like this.
"President Fang is unconscious; he might have a concussion. If you move him, something bad will happen," Song Bin explained.
Xu Xiangjun understood this principle, but she forgot it in her haste. Ignoring her bare upper body, she went into the tent to get rain gear to shelter Fang Zhenyu from the rain, but how could she possibly keep him dry in such a strong wind? She could only cry in distress.
Qian Daixin spent a long time finding a door panel, intending to help Fang Zhenyu up, when he heard Fang Zhenyu say in a weak voice, "No need, help me into the tent. Check on Dajun and Xiaoyan."
Everyone was overjoyed and hurriedly helped Fang Zhenyu up. Just as they were about to help Zhan Shi and Xiaoyan up, they saw that the two had already gotten up. It turned out that although they had fainted when they collapsed, they quickly woke up. They were about to push Fang Zhenyu away when they heard Song Bin's voice and immediately stopped. Although the rain made it difficult for them to open their eyes, the noise was enough for them to know that the house had collapsed. While feeling relieved, they discovered that being pressed down by this strong man wasn't uncomfortable at all. On the contrary, he pressed against their firm breasts, giving them a pleasure they had never experienced before, and they almost wanted him to stay on top of them. Both women felt ashamed that they had felt such desire in this dangerous situation, so they simply pretended not to be awake.
The tent was divided in two by a curtain. The group helped Fang Zhenyu to one side, and the two women went to the other. With the man off them, they both felt a chill. Shi Xiaoyan sneezed, and only after Fang Zhenyu told them to find clothes did she remember to do so.
Xu Xiangjun didn't leave Fang Zhenyu's side for a moment. She dried him with a towel, but then noticed blood streaming down his neck, which pained her greatly. She turned to call for a first-aid kit, but found Zhang Lei and Xu Tongfang staring at her. She snapped, "What are you looking at? Go back to your mothers! Hurry
up and bring the first-aid kit!" It turned out that Xu Xiangjun was only wearing a bra, and the clasp was askew, revealing most of her prominent breasts. While Song Bin and Qian Daixin were married, it wasn't a big deal, but Xu Tongfang and Zhang Lei were fresh from the army, full of youthful vigor, and easily infatuated. Hearing Xu Xiangjun's roar, they hurriedly turned around, only to find that Song Bin had already brought the first-aid kit. Xu Xiangjun bandaged Fang Zhenyu's wound, helped him lie down, and without any hesitation, changed his soaking wet underwear before finding clothes for herself.
Fang Zhenyu was naturally embarrassed to ask Xu Xiangjun to do this, but he was dizzy and weak all over, so he had no choice but to let her do as she pleased.
After everything was settled, it was already dawn. Although it was still windy and rainy outside, the tent was already bright. Zhan Dajun and Shi Xiaoyan changed their clothes and came to Fang Zhenyu's bedside. They bowed deeply to Fang Zhenyu and said in unison, "Thank you, Mr. Fang, for saving our lives."
Fang Zhenyu turned around and saw that the two women were dressed in men's clothing, which looked incongruous. Zhan Dajun was tall and not particularly noticeable, but Shi Xiaoyan was petite and wearing no underwear. As she bent over, her large breasts, which could be easily grasped, came into Fang Zhenyu's view. Startled, Fang Zhenyu quickly closed his eyes and said, "What are you two doing?"
Before the two women could speak, Qian Daixin imitated a woman's voice and said, "Great hero, I have no way to repay your life-saving grace. From now on, I will follow you, whether as your maid or concubine, I will not hesitate."
Everyone laughed, sweeping away the previous dejected atmosphere. When Shi Xiaoyan saw Fang Zhenyu close his eyes after looking at her, she knew that he had seen something about her. Remembering Qian Daixin's words, she couldn't help but blush, looking infinitely beautiful in the morning light.
On the morning of Sunday, June 20, 1993, Zhong Ying woke up at the Fangjia Building at nine o'clock and still felt a little listless.
Last night, Zhong Ying was deeply disappointed when she didn't see Fang Zhenyu at the Fang family home, but she dared not show it. During dinner, she only spoke intermittently with Ning Yufang, finding some solace in seeing her father and Ning Yuheng getting along well. She was staying at the Fang family home, and after her father left, she and Ning Yuheng chatted for a long time; they even managed to discuss the relationship between Ning Yuheng and Zhong Yuguang. Late at night, Zhong Ying returned to her guest room, but couldn't sleep at all. The wind and rain outside were howling. Was her beloved by the sea doing well? A sudden surge of anxiety gripped her, and she tossed and turned before finally falling asleep.
After washing up, she roused herself, changed into her training clothes, and headed to the training room—a daily ritual for her. Inside, Liu Qian and the other three women were already practicing, with Ning Yufang, heavily pregnant, giving instructions. Zhong Ying nodded to them as a greeting before beginning her own practice. After she finished practicing, Liu Qian and the others had already started rehearsing. She walked over to Ning Yufang and sat down at Ning Yufang's invitation.
Ning Yufang handed her a towel and asked with concern, "Didn't you sleep well last night?"
"Yes," Zhong Ying replied subconsciously while wiping her sweat.
"Disappointed, aren't you?"
"Yes." Zhong Ying immediately realized she had let something slip and looked up at Ning Yufang's smiling face, saying somewhat nervously, "Teacher Ning, what am I disappointed about?"
Ning Yufang whispered in her ear, "Don't you want to see your Teacher Fang?"
"I..." Zhong Ying didn't know how to answer.
"He taught you so much, helped you get into China's top music academy, and you don't even want to tell him this good news in person? Isn't that heartless?" Ning Yufang laughed.
"Of course I want to, I'm not that heartless!" Zhong Ying said sincerely.
"Aren't you disappointed that you can't see him?"
"Disappointed," Zhong Ying said sincerely. She breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Teacher Ning would discover her feelings for Teacher Fang, but it seemed she wasn't so perceptive.
"This is incredible!" Ning Yufang chuckled inwardly at how she had made the girl's heart flutter. Actually, she knew from Zhong Ying's attitude towards Fang Zhenyu during her visits home that the girl had fallen for her husband, but she hadn't brought it up to avoid embarrassing her too much. She changed the subject, saying, "Would you like to see your performance on May Day?"
"Of course!" Zhong Ying jumped for joy. Ning Yufang had given her a brief overview on the phone, but she hadn't had a chance to see herself perform on stage yet.
"Qiaoqiao, put on the video. Girls, you should all come and watch too. Look at your previous movements and compare them to now, carefully noting the differences," Ning Yufang called out.
Liu Qian and the other four girls stopped rehearsing. Qiaoqiao went to put on the video recorder, while the others gathered around Ning Yufang. Soon after, the Linhai News appeared on the television screen. The announcer said in a delighted voice, "Our city's May Day Gala was held at the City Auditorium. The famous singer Ning Yufang, due to poor health, recommended a mysterious guest to sing her remaining two songs after her performance. This mysterious guest lived up to expectations; not only was she beautiful and charming, but her voice was also like a nightingale's song. The entire audience was in an uproar, and she had to sing one more song before she could leave the stage. This station will follow up on this mysterious guest in subsequent reports."
"Teacher Fang, it's not that exaggerated, is it?" Zhong Ying said shyly.
Ning Yufang looked at the genuinely delighted Zhong Ying and said, "Of course it is! Afterwards, countless reporters came to me, asking who you were. I just didn't say anything; otherwise, you'd probably be more famous than me now. How would they know that this mysterious guest is the mistress of Fang Zhenyu, the famous industrialist in our city?" As she spoke, a strange smile appeared on her face.
Zhong Ying's heart pounded. She thought, "How did Teacher Ning know that people called me Teacher Fang's mistress?" Oh, right, Teacher Fang must have figured out that Teacher Ning knew we went out to dinner together, so he simply revealed it to avoid any further speculation from Teacher Ning. Teacher Fang is really clever. In that instant, Zhong Ying's attention returned to her performance on the television screen. Watching her singing on TV, comparing it to her performance during the exam, she felt incredibly fortunate to have received guidance from Fang Zhenyu, which helped her improve her weaknesses and significantly increase her performance in the exam. Otherwise, she feared she wouldn't have been able to get into the Central Conservatory of Music. Thinking of this, her love for Fang Zhenyu deepened.
When the television program ended, Ning Yufang said to the girls who were engrossed in watching, "Did everyone see that? You must intensify your training to achieve greater progress. When Teacher Fang is at home, you should all consult him frequently."
"Yes, Teacher Ning," everyone replied in unison.
Ning Yufang then said to Zhong Ying, "These four girls were specially trained by your teacher, Mr. Fang, to be my backup dancers. It was thanks to them that I won first place in the province. So I treat them like my own sisters. Don't you agree, sisters?" After they agreed, she continued, "If you want to participate in competitions in the future, ask him to train a few for you too. I guarantee you'll be a star."
"Teacher Fang is truly multi-talented!" Zhong Ying exclaimed, her face full of admiration.
"Of course," Ning Yufang said proudly, as if she were talking about herself. "In middle school, he excelled in all subjects, especially in the arts. It's just that his family was poor, so he couldn't pass the art exams and didn't apply for an art major. He always felt deeply regretful about it, so when he heard that you couldn't find your father to ask for travel expenses, he immediately sent you money."
"Teacher Fang is so kind-hearted. My family was poor and didn't have enough money for school, so he supported me to continue my studies. I heard that he also fully supports a child in a poor mountain village to go to school!" Xiao Li said with deep emotion.
“Teacher Fang is such a good person,” Zhong Ying asked. “Who else is in his family?”
“He has a father, mother, and a younger sister. They’re doing well now, and we wanted to bring them over, but they refuse. So we have to go back once or twice a month.” After Ning Yufang finished explaining, she ordered the group, “Alright, it’s almost time. Girls, go for a swim and then go back.”
“Yes, eldest sister.” The four girls smiled and took out bikinis from a cabinet, changing into them one by one. These bikinis were bought by the four girls after Ning Yufang told them about her first time with Fang Zhenyu.
Looking at the beautiful scene of voluptuous breasts and buttocks before her, Zhong Ying’s heart pounded. How could they be so casual?
There was something even more shocking that Zhong Ying couldn’t imagine. Ning Yufang said, “Girls, what if Teacher Fang watched you change clothes? Would that be nice?”
“Yes!” the four girls agreed in unison, not one of them blushing.
Ning Yufang took out a set of clothes and handed it to Zhong Ying, saying, "Yingying, you should change too."
"Here?" Zhong Ying frowned.
"Yeah, you don't even dare to take your clothes off in front of me, how dare you take them off in front of Teacher Fang?"
Zhong Ying was a little confused, not understanding why Ning Yufang was like this, but she wasn't going to back down, so she started changing. She overheard Ning Yufang praising her figure and then saying, "Yingying, go for a swim. After dinner, you should go back to school, study hard, and do well on your exams. Don't let all your efforts go to waste. Your Teacher Fang doesn't like women who have no ambition." Wasn't this encouraging me to pursue Teacher Fang? Why was Teacher Ning like this? Zhong Ying was completely baffled. After changing, she followed them upstairs in a daze.
Liu Qian was equally puzzled. She had heard everything Ning Yufang said. She recalled Ning Yufang saying that the four women had supported her professionally and hoped for their support in her personal life. How could they support her in that? They didn't have money, so could it be sex? That's right, Teacher Ning was pregnant and might not be able to have sex with Teacher Fang. And men are uncomfortable without women; Teacher Ning hoped they could satisfy Teacher Fang's needs in that area during this time. That must be it. Thinking this, she became excited. Looking at her sisters, their faces were also filled with excitement; they seemed to have thought of the same thing. She secretly resolved to surpass her sisters and win Teacher Fang's love. Thinking of this, she felt her lower body become wet.
Thursday evening, June 24, 1993. At Zhang Bei's house, after dinner, tidying up, and taking a shower, Zhang Bei helped her daughter with her homework. Zhang Bei was not only responsible at work but also a virtuous wife and loving mother at home. Her husband, Yue Shaoxiong, was a civil servant who had worked for over ten years before finally becoming a section chief, yet she never complained. Zhang Bei was twenty-nine years old, of average appearance, the kind of person whose beauty grew on you, but with a remarkably good figure. Her husband was almost ten years older than her, and quite handsome. They had a daughter a year after their marriage, and the couple seemed quite loving. Before Fang Zhenyu took over the printing factory, their life was somewhat frugal, but in the last two years, it had become much more comfortable.
"Mom, how do you do this problem?" her daughter, Yue Shan, asked.
Yue Shan was eight years old and in second grade. She had inherited almost all the best features from her parents; although young, she was already quite charming. Seeing her daughter ask a question, Zhang Bei glanced at the question and said gently, "Think about it carefully first. If you still don't understand, then Mom will tell you, okay?"
Yue Shan blushed and lowered her head to think. After a while, she looked up, a look of success on her face, and said, "Mom, I understand."
"That's right. It's good to ask when you don't understand, but it's not good to ask without thinking. That will make your brain dull," Zhang Bei lovingly guided her daughter.
"I understand, Mom," Yue Shan obediently replied, then lowered her head to do her homework again.
The door opened, and Yue Shaoxiong returned. Yue Shan turned around and called out "Dad," then continued her studies. Zhang Bei stood up and asked, "Have you eaten?"
"Yes, I have." Yue Shaoxiong leaned down and kissed his daughter on the cheek, then asked, "Shanshan, have you finished your homework?"
"Almost." Yue Shan replied, but frowned and said, "Daddy smells bad."
Zhang Bei pulled her husband aside and said, "Are you drunk? Don't disturb our daughter."
"It's alright. These social engagements are so boring." Yue Shaoxiong said, then went to find his clothes to take a shower. Yue Shaoxiong was the office director and often had to drink with people. Fortunately, he had a high alcohol tolerance and didn't get drunk often.
Before long, Yue Shan had finished her homework. Zhang Bei made her bed and let her sleep before making a cup of tea and waiting for her husband in the living room. Tonight, she had something to discuss with her husband. Usually, she would sleep when her daughter slept, as she was too busy with work at the factory and at home, so she would sleep whenever she had a spare moment.
"Huh, what's wrong today?" Yue Shaoxiong asked curiously after taking a shower.
"There's something I want to tell you," Zhang Bei said seriously.
Yue Shaoxiong took a sip of tea and chuckled, "What's so serious?" He sat down next to Zhang Bei, putting his arm around her waist. Although she was almost thirty, Zhang Bei still maintained a great figure. "You don't want a divorce, do you?" "
Divorce? You wish! Do you have any living expenses for me? I'm talking about something important," Zhang Bei said, snuggling into her husband's arms.
"It doesn't matter what important thing it is, let's go back to the room and talk." Yue Shaoxiong, with one arm around Zhang Bei's waist and the other holding a teacup, walked towards the bedroom. Zhang Bei obediently went in as well.
Zhang Bei pulled away from Yue Shaoxiong and closed the door. Yue Shaoxiong was already in bed, and she took off her coat and climbed onto the bed. Yue Shaoxiong then embraced her. "Why don't you drink some tea to sober up?"
"I'm perfectly sober, but let's not talk about anything important yet, let's take care of this important matter first." As Yue Shaoxiong spoke, his large hand was already moving over Zhang Bei's breasts.
"No," Zhang Bei pulled his hand away. “Shanshan isn’t asleep yet,”
Zhang Bei said, making sense. Although they lived in a two-bedroom apartment, it was cramped and poorly soundproofed. Since their daughter was old enough to understand, the couple had to wait until late at night to make love. Yue Shaoxiong needed it frequently, especially after drinking, but he couldn’t last long, often leaving Zhang Bei hanging in mid-air, though she rarely refused. So, Yue Shaoxiong didn’t mind, continuing to gently caress his wife’s smooth body, saying, “Alright then, let’s hear your big news.”
Zhang Bei, certain her husband wasn’t drunk, said, “I want to participate in the company’s housing fund program.” Although she had mentioned it to many people at the factory, she hadn’t had time to tell her husband, and she was always afraid he would object, as their family’s finances were very tight.
Sure enough, as soon as Yue Shaoxiong heard about the housing fund program, he immediately said, “Where would we get the money for the fund program?”
“Our factory’s fund program is different from others; the workers don’t have to pay.”
“Such a good thing?” Yue Shaoxiong was somewhat incredulous.
“Really, I’ll be in charge of this.” After explaining the factory’s fundraising plan, Zhang Bei added, “I’ve done the math. Although we haven’t had the best these past two years, we’re still relatively well-off. If we’re frugal, we should be able to manage. In five years, Shanshan won’t have even graduated from junior high, so we’ll still have time to save money for her university education.”
Yue Shaoxiong thought for a moment, even stopping his mischievous hand. After a long silence, he said, “I don’t object to your thinking, but your foundation is based on your factory’s continued prosperity. My salary will gradually increase as long as I don’t make any mistakes, but can you guarantee your factory won’t decline?”
“With Director Fang here, our factory will not fail,” Zhang Bei said firmly. She wouldn’t allow anyone to say her factory was failing, not even her husband.
“I know Fang Zhenyu. With him around, your factory is fine, of course. He's a capable man. But your womanizing factory director, abandoning his own business to become the chairman of some empty-headed port development and investment company, your factory is probably nearing its end.”
“Why do you call Director Fang a womanizing factory director?” Zhang Bei said, dissatisfied.
“I didn’t say that myself,” Yue Shaoxiong laughed. “Quite a few people in the unit say that, don’t they? He’s always surrounded by a bunch of beautiful women. What else could he be but a womanizer?”
“I often follow Director Fang around too. Aren’t you including your wife in your comments?” Zhang Bei laughed.
“Come on, you’re beautiful? Only a fool like me would think you’re beautiful.” Yue Shaoxiong said, his hand reaching down to Zhang Bei’s crotch, caressing her tenderly. He actually trusted his wife quite a bit.
Zhang Bei let out a comfortable moan. She felt a little guilty, but that didn’t dispel her desire to have an affair with Fang Zhenyu once or twice. She feigned retreat, laughing, "You trust me so much? I'd like to see you wear a few green hats and see what happens."
"I'll fuck your stinky lip until it's ripped apart!" Yue Shaoxiong laughed, climbing onto Zhang Bei.
Zhang Bei didn't stop him, but she also didn't let him have his way, saying, "Let's wait a little longer. What do you say about the fundraising?"
"If you think it's okay, then participate. At least, with a house, I won't have to wait like this anymore," Yue Shaoxiong sighed. They had lost count of how many times they had to wait until they were sure their daughter was asleep before they could make love. If they had a new house, a three-bedroom apartment according to Zhang Bei, then of course they wouldn't have to wait.
"You know that's good," Zhang Bei giggled, kissing her husband until she felt safe before letting him ride on top of her. Unfortunately, it only took a short while before Yue Shaoxiong gave up and quickly fell asleep, much to Zhang Bei's frustration. She masturbated for a long time before finally falling asleep herself.

(Volume 1) Chapter Eleven: Dock Foundation Laying (Final)

Chapter Eleven: Dock Foundation Laying
On the morning of Sunday, June 27, 1993, Fang Zhenyu and others from the Dongfang Printing Factory gathered around a large table, listening to the engineers from the Municipal Architectural Design Institute explain the design plan for the workers' new village. The discussion was now in its final stages. Fang Zhenyu looked around at everyone, and seeing no one else speaking, asked, "Does anyone have any further opinions?"
"No, this layout is quite good. The gardens and activity areas are very well arranged. What we need to see is the specific design of the houses," said Chen Changlin.
"However, according to this plan, there are a few extra houses. How should they be arranged?" Zhang Bei asked. She was specifically responsible for fundraising and housing allocation, so she took advantage of the presence of many leaders to ask clearly.
"I want one," said Xu Xiangjun, who had remained silent until now. She wasn't from either of the printing factories and didn't need to attend the meeting, but since it was Sunday and the head office had nothing to do, she came with Fang Zhenyu, who naturally didn't dare refuse. She was also quite obedient and didn't participate in the discussion. For some reason, she suddenly wanted an apartment in Linhai, so she spoke up.
Apart from Fang Zhenyu, no one here knew Xu Xiangjun's identity, so they all found it strange that she dared to make such a request. The printing factory workers were quite xenophobic; even honest people like Chen Changlin didn't want outsiders involved in the workers' village, but no one spoke up because everyone knew that someone who could be Fang Zhenyu's office director was no ordinary person.
Tan Chunmei looked at Fang Zhenyu and saw that his expression was also strange, so she said, "How about this, we're all under General Manager Fang's leadership. The remaining apartments can be given to those in the development company who are willing to take them. Is that alright?"
Actually, Fang Zhenyu didn't want to give them to Xu Xiangjun, nor was he afraid of the printing factory workers' opinions; after all, everyone was willing to listen to him. He just found it strange that Xu Xiangjun wanted to buy an apartment in Linhai; with her connections, she could easily get as many as she wanted in the provincial capital. Seeing Tan Chunmei's suggestion, Fang Zhenyu said, "Actually, our collective housing construction doesn't offer any preferential treatment; it's the same for everyone. It's just that there aren't many houses available, and many people want to buy them, so it's best not to spread the news. Otherwise, if the higher-ups find out and come knocking, it'll be difficult to handle. I agree with Chunmei's opinion; let Sister Bei handle it. If there are any left, let me know."
"Okay, let's settle on that." Since Fang Zhenyu had spoken, no one objected, and Chen Changlin said.
"That's it for this matter. Except for the specific design plan for the houses, Sister Bei will be in charge of everything else. If Sister Bei can't decide something, let me know. The finances will be made public monthly, and the worker representative congresses of both factories will be responsible for financial supervision. The deputy factory directors in charge of the workshops and the duty leaders of the municipal factory can leave; everyone else can stay to discuss other matters," Fang Zhenyu said.
After the two factories merged, they were used to each person being responsible for one thing, so they weren't surprised at all that Fang Zhenyu put Zhang Bei in charge of the construction of the workers' new village and asked them to leave. The group left just like that. Xu Xiangjun, who had always worked in the administrative department, found it somewhat unbelievable. She naturally didn't say anything, and from this, she saw Fang Zhenyu's work efficiency and his broad-mindedness in trusting his subordinates, which further increased her opinion of him.
In the office were Chen Changlin, Tan Chunmei, Hu Jun, Li Fanghua, and the newly appointed Sun Shaomei. The old accountant was ill, so Sun Shaomei had taken over early. Fang Zhenyu glanced at everyone and said, "Now I'd like to discuss the development prospects of the printing industry in Linhai. I raised this issue with you all half a month ago, and everyone can freely express their opinions. Changlin, you go first."
So, starting with Chen Changlin, everyone except Sun Shaomei shared their views. Xu Xiangjun watched and listened, recalling the saying, "A strong general has no weak soldiers." These people analyzed the printing industry in Linhai City with great clarity and insight, each with their own viewpoints and supporting evidence, clearly having conducted in-depth research. With such a group of people, how could the business not succeed? This reminded her of the people at the head office. Apart from herself and Shi Xiaoyan, they were all hired, and they were all working so hard. It seemed that if she didn't work harder, even with her status as the daughter of the provincial party secretary, she wouldn't be able to stay in the company.
After listening to everyone's remarks, Fang Zhenyu summarized, "It's clear that our city's printing industry is underdeveloped and has many drawbacks, but this also presents us with greater room for development. Let's start with the drawbacks. From everyone's analysis, we can see two main points: First, chaos. Due to the large number of small factories, they exploit loopholes in taxation and other areas to lower production costs and deliberately offer high rebates, creating unfair competition in the market. Second, the printing level and quality in our city are low. Currently, we are still at the level of printing books and cannot print exquisite trademarks and advertisements. Therefore, although our output value is high, our profits are very low. How to solve these two problems? First, we need to rely on mergers or the establishment of an industry association to stop this unfair competition. Second, we need to increase investment and purchase advanced printing equipment. Third, we need to attract a large number of technical talents to improve our technical level and technological content."
Fang Zhenyu's words greatly impressed the group, giving them a glimpse of the future of Linhai City's printing industry. Therefore, they remained silent, wanting to hear Fang Zhenyu continue. Fang Zhenyu didn't stop there. After taking a sip of water, he continued, "However, it's impossible for us to invest too much capital right now. So, we can only restructure our assets through mergers and acquisitions, concentrate our efforts on venturing outwards, and create a new world for ourselves. Shortly after taking over the city factory, I discussed this idea with Changlin. Originally, the conditions weren't quite right, but new circumstances have arisen, forcing us to launch this plan earlier. The reason I want to build the workers' new village is not only to solve the housing difficulties of the employees, but also to attract all the printing workers in Linhai City."
Chen Changlin chimed in, "Originally, Mr. Fang wanted to wait until the Dongfang factory was completely stable and the workers' lives had improved significantly before launching this plan. But we received news that the tax bureau's printing plant was going to be contracted out to a private individual. If someone else takes it, it will break a link in Mr. Fang's plan, so we have to start ahead of schedule. Fortunately, the situation at the Dongfang factory is much more optimistic than we initially imagined."
"Look everyone, do you have the guts? Do you have the confidence to swallow up the tax factory?" Fang Zhenyu seemed to be soliciting opinions, but his burning eyes revealed his determination to go all in.
After a long silence, Hu Jun said, "Let's do it! What's there to be afraid of?"
Fang Zhenyu glared at him and said, "If you can't control your stinking mouth, I'll seal it with duct tape at the next meeting."
Hu Jun then realized that there were many ladies present. He awkwardly made a face at everyone, which made them laugh. Because he had started and then this little incident occurred, everyone felt much more relaxed and shared their opinions, expressing their full support for this grand plan to revitalize the printing industry in Linhai City.
"Alright, since everyone agrees, then prepare to suffer with me." After everyone showed their willingness to endure this hardship, he raised his voice, like a TV presenter: "Now I announce that the acquisition of the tax factory has officially begun, with Ms. Tan Chunmei in charge."
A round of applause followed, and everyone clapped. Tan Chunmei looked stunned: "Me? In charge?" She seemed unable to believe her ears.
"If not you, then who else could it be?" Fang Zhenyu laughed.
"How could I possibly do it?" Tan Chunmei said anxiously.
"You can definitely do it. I'll have Changlin assist you," Fang Zhenyu encouraged.
"Wouldn't it be better to have Secretary Chen in charge?" Tan Chunmei tried to decline.
"I can't do it. I'm too old and lack the drive. Don't worry, I'll do my best to assist you," Chen Changlin said earnestly. "
I've discussed this with Changlin, and it's settled then," Fang Zhenyu said in an unquestionable tone. Then, he announced everyone's responsibilities, encouraged everyone, and then left with Xu Xiangjun.
"Mr. Fang, with such a comprehensive approach, where do you find the energy?" Xu Xiangjun asked after getting into the car.
Fang Zhenyu smiled and said, "I don't need to exert any effort. Look, isn't it all them and you doing the work?"
Looking at Fang Zhenyu's confident face, Xu Xiangjun felt her heart tremble once again. It seemed that this man was the ideal husband she had always been searching for, but she knew it was impossible, and she couldn't help but feel helpless.
On the afternoon of Sunday, June 27, 1993, Fang Zhenyu from Jinhua Village arrived at Wang Shouye's house and was discussing the groundbreaking ceremony for the next day with the general manager of the Second Aviation Company. He had just arrived from the city with Xu Xiangjun that morning. Zhan Dajun, Song Bin, and others were still in Jinhua Village. To ensure the smooth running of the groundbreaking ceremony, Fang Zhenyu required them not only to arrange everything at the venue but also to pay attention to the activities of the villagers, and not to relax for a moment.
The general manager of the Second Aviation Company was named Hong Chaoqiang, a burly man in his forties from the north, but he and Fang Zhenyu hit it off immediately. After discussing business matters around the blueprints, the two started chatting about personal matters. After Fang Zhenyu briefly introduced himself, he learned that Hong Chaoqiang's family consisted of four people: both his and his wife's parents had passed away, and their daughter, Hong Min, had just started university. Just as the two were chatting animatedly, Fang Zhenyu noticed Wang Shouye returning, his face ashen as he entered the room. Knowing something was wrong, he said goodbye to Hong Chaoqiang.
Entering Wang Shouye's room, Fang Zhenyu asked with a forced smile, "Uncle Shouye, who made you angry?"
Wang Shouye's expression shifted for a long time before he finally suppressed his anger and said, "Do you keep your word?"
"Of course I do, why?"
"You said you'd help us move the Mazu Temple, why didn't you move it?" Wang Shouye questioned in a low voice.
"What?" Fang Zhenyu was shocked. During a joint meeting with Zhang Hong and others, Fang Zhenyu had raised this matter as the most important issue with the Workers' Management Committee, and Zhang Hong had promised to handle it properly. He hadn't expected the problem to ultimately stem from this. He couldn't help but feel dissatisfied with Zhang and Wu. He suppressed his dissatisfaction and asked, "Uncle Shouye, tell me slowly, what exactly happened?"
Wang Shouye then recounted the events.
Indeed, Zhang Hong had arranged for someone to resolve the matter, but the villagers demanded the reconstruction of the Mazu Temple, which significantly increased the funding requirements. Naturally, the organizers disagreed, leading to wrangling and delays until a verbal agreement was reached with the people of Jinhua Village just two days ago. However, the person in charge had chosen the wrong person; he had approached the deputy secretary of the village committee, a position obtained through connections and with virtually no influence in the village, thus preventing the matter from being completed.
After listening to Wang Shouye's explanation, Fang Zhenyu hurriedly returned to his tent office next to the village committee. "Go and invite Secretary Zhang and District Chief Wu here," he angrily told Zhan Dajun and Shi Xiaoyan, who were arranging the celebration.
"What's wrong?" Zhan Dajun, who had never seen Fang Zhenyu so angry, asked.
Shi Xiaoyan said, "District Chief Wu is in the village. I'll have someone invite him over right away, but as for Secretary Zhang, there's nothing I can do."
"How can you say there's nothing you can do?" Fang Zhenyu was still furious.
"She's already gone back to the city by boat, saying she needs to report to the leaders on the preparations for the celebration."
"With such a big incident, what is she going to report to the leaders about?"
"What happened? Tell me slowly, and we'll solve it together." Zhan Dajun was unusually gentle.
Only then did Fang Zhenyu slowly calm down and recount what Wang Shouye had just said. After saying this, he sighed and said, "Now, a group of old people are discussing how to stop the construction from starting tomorrow. What if they actually rush in when the blasting starts and someone gets killed? How are we going to explain this to the municipal party committee?"
The two girls were also very surprised. Shi Xiaoyan hurriedly went to find Wu Xuedong, while Zhan Dajun took out his handkerchief to wipe Fang Zhenyu's sweat and said, "How can we find Zhang Hong?"
After calming down, Fang Zhenyu's mind became clearer. He thought for a moment and said, "How about this, you ride your motorcycle to a place with a phone and call Secretary Zhong. Ask him to send someone to bring Zhang Hong here. Wu Xuedong and I will talk to the villagers first. We should be able to find a solution."
"Yes." Zhan Dajun turned to leave. For the convenience of work, she brought her motorcycle, which had now become almost a shared property.
"Here you go." Fang Zhenyu handed the handkerchief to Zhan Dajun, but immediately took it back. It turned out that Fang Zhenyu had been walking in a hurry and was covered in dust, which had made the snow-white handkerchief dirty.
Zhan Dajun saw it too and laughed, "I'll give it to you." As soon as she said it, her face flushed, and she rushed out the door.
Fang Zhenyu was stunned for a moment, not having time to think about why Zhan Dajun was blushing, his thoughts returning to the Mazu Temple incident. A short while later, Shi Xiaoyan returned with Wu Xuedong. Wu Xuedong was also very anxious, asking as soon as he entered, "Mr. Fang, what should we do?"
Fang Zhenyu was now completely calm. He asked Wu Xuedong to sit down before saying, "Don't worry, there's always a solution." Then, he asked Wu Xuedong about what had happened, wanting to understand the truth from multiple perspectives to find a solution. When he learned from Wu Xuedong that the situation was roughly as he understood, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked Shi Xiaoyan, "Is Li Wei here?"
"Yes."
"See how much cash she has. Tell her to take it all to the village secretary's house. Xuedong, let's go, let's have a good chat with those old people," Fang Zhenyu said.
Shi Xiaoyan didn't know what Fang Zhenyu was going to do with so much money, but she never disobeyed his orders, so she responded and left. Wu Xuedong also didn't know what Fang Zhenyu wanted to talk to them about, but since Fang Zhenyu had said so, he followed him.
Village Party Secretary Shangguan Rong was at home, also at a loss because of the villagers' disturbance. That was the task Zhang Hong had given him before she left, and he really couldn't explain it if something went wrong. Seeing Fang Zhenyu arrive, he seemed to have found his pillar of support. He immediately welcomed them into the living room, pouring tea and water, muttering, "It's good that you're here, it's good that you're here."
Fang Zhenyu drank his tea and smiled, "Secretary Shangguan, don't be so nervous, everything will be fine. First, invite all the elders in your village who can speak, I'll find a way to stop them from causing trouble."
Shangguan Rong agreed and left, leaving Fang Zhenyu and Wu Xuedong there to drink tea. Wu Xuedong, however, was quite uneasy while drinking. He asked, "Mr. Fang, the villagers here are very difficult to talk to. If you can't stop them, I think you should ask the armed police and public security officers to suppress them tomorrow."
Fang Zhenyu shook his head and said, "That's a last resort. It's not time for that yet."
Knowing he couldn't persuade Fang Zhenyu, Wu Xuedong remained silent. A little while later, Shi Xiaoyan and Li Wei arrived. Despite Li Wei's name containing the character "Wei," she was a woman, not much taller than Shi Xiaoyan. As soon as she entered, she reported the cash she had to Fang Zhenyu without asking what it was for. Fang Zhenyu asked them to sit down and wait for Shangguan Rong to call for help.
After a while, Shangguan Rong brought everyone over. Fang Zhenyu then said, “Elders, I know you all have no objection to building the port. You were just worried that angering Mazu would bring disaster to the village, which is why you asked us to move the Mazu Temple. We did, but due to negligence on our part, this situation has arisen. The port is definitely going to be built, and construction must begin tomorrow. Let's think of a way to achieve a win-win situation.”
Several elders initially remained silent, but later began to discuss among themselves, unable to come up with a good solution. One of them said, “Actually, we don't want to confront the government, but otherwise, we won't attract your leaders' attention. Tell me, as long as our Mazu Temple can be properly relocated, we will absolutely not cause trouble.” This meant that if Fang Zhenyu and his group didn't help them resolve the matter, they would still cause trouble.
Fang Zhenyu said, “I don't think the money you asked for is excessive. Now that I have the money, do you think we can proceed with inviting Mazu?”
“That won’t do,” the old men all said.
“Why?” Wu Xuedong asked. They had already conceded, yet they still wouldn’t agree. What were they trying to do?
“Because the good days are over. To rebuild the Mazu Temple, we need to choose a good day,” said the old man who had spoken first.
Construction was starting tomorrow; why wait for a good day? Wu Xuedong was furious. If he hadn’t seen Fang Zhenyu remain so calm, he would have argued fiercely with these ignorant old men. But Fang Zhenyu smiled and said, “I know that rebuilding the Mazu Temple requires a good day, but asking Mazu to go elsewhere for a few days shouldn’t require a good day, right? I remember in our village, we’ve had situations where we couldn’t find a good place and had relatives stay elsewhere temporarily.”
The old men started whispering among themselves again. Wu Xuedong and the two women, Shi and Li, looked at Fang Zhenyu. He had even come up with such a solution; how could they not admire him?
After they calmed down, Fang Zhenyu said, "You can choose a good location later, raise some money in the village, and expand this Mazu Temple. It can even become a tourist attraction, increasing the village's income. Why not?"
"Great!" Shangguan Rong immediately exclaimed, then said to the old men, "Gentlemen, do you have any objections now?"
"I wonder if he's telling the truth," one old man muttered.
"I, Fang Zhenyu, would never lie to you. I've already prepared the money for you to take Mazu on a trip. Xiao Li, add a thousand yuan to the original amount, let Mazu have a good time."
Li Wei counted the money, and the old men all nodded in agreement. They also laughed because Fang Zhenyu was being humorous. Just then, Zhan Dajun and Zhang Hong arrived. Seeing them so happy, they didn't know why. Zhang Hong was even more annoyed. Wasn't there supposed to be a big problem? How come after traveling all this way, it seemed like nothing had happened?
Fang Zhenyu smiled and said to Zhang Hong, "Secretary Zhang, I'm sorry to have called you all this way, but now everything's fine. District Chief Wu will report the details to you later. Gentlemen, we should take Mazu on a trip too."
Everyone laughed and left. Fang Zhenyu also left with his men. When Zhan Dajun heard Li Wei explain Fang Zhenyu's method, he couldn't help but look at Fang Zhenyu with admiration. Fang Zhenyu also looked at Zhan Dajun, noticing her face covered in dust, and remembered the handkerchief in his pocket, but it was too dirty to take out. She could only apologize, saying, "Dajun, I'm so sorry, you've worked so hard today, turning a grown woman into a mess. Go back and take a good bath, get a good night's sleep, and you'll look even more radiant at our groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow."
Zhan Dajun hadn't expected Fang Zhenyu to be paying so much attention to her, and felt a little shy, but hearing Fang Zhenyu's words, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She rolled her eyes at Fang Zhenyu and said, "You know everyone is working so hard for you."
Fang Zhenyu asked, puzzled, "This is everyone's cause, how did it become working hard for me?"
"I'm not talking to you anymore, girls, let's go." Zhan Dajun pulled Li Wei and walked away with a charming smile, leaving Fang Zhenyu dumbfounded, watching the three beautiful figures disappear into the distance.
Monday morning, June 28, 1993, at the mouth of the Jinhua River. It was a beautiful day with a gentle breeze and clear skies. The azure sea rippled softly. Seagulls flew across the surface of the water. Around 10 a.m., at the mouth of the Jinhua River, on the large open space of the dock outside Jinhua Village, colorful flags fluttered, crowds thronged, and beautiful music played from loudspeakers. The groundbreaking ceremony for the starting dock of the Linhai Port Development and Investment Corporation was to be held here.
Fang Zhenyu and Zhan Dajun stood together on the platform, welcoming the guests. Everyone who was invited had arrived, and many others who weren't invited had also come; only the municipal leaders accompanying the provincial leaders hadn't appeared yet. Looking at the demolished Mazu Temple beside him, Fang Zhenyu breathed a sigh of relief. Yesterday, he wasn't really sure if he could get those old guys to demolish the Mazu Temple, until he saw the villagers carrying the Mazu statue out with his own eyes, and only then did he truly feel at ease.
"Zhenyu, what are you thinking about?" Zhan Dajun asked with concern. For some reason, since yesterday, she had privately changed how she addressed Fang Zhenyu.
"Nothing," Fang Zhenyu replied, not minding her addressing him by his name. He believed that people should treat each other equally, so addressing each other by name was the most appropriate thing to do. “I was thinking, what would it be like if a 10,000-ton ship appeared here in two years, or even less?”
“That would be spectacular, of course,” Zhan Dajun said. Xu
Xiangjun, who was busy doing this and that, saw the two chatting and laughing like a couple, and felt a pang of jealousy. She suppressed this feeling and said to Fang Zhenyu, “President Fang, Secretary Zhong and the others are almost here.”
“I know, Director Xu, let’s go greet them. Call Dai Xin, Song Bin, and Xiao Yan.” Fang Zhenyu said.
“Yes.”
Before long, Zhong Yuguang and the others arrived. There were no big shots from the province, only Director Zhan from the Transportation Department. He was very friendly with Fang Zhenyu and praised him for handling the Mazu Temple incident well. It turned out that he was also present when Zhan Dajun called Zhong Yuguang yesterday. Fang Zhenyu naturally declined with some modesty and invited Director Zhan, Zhong Yuguang, Chen Xiangdong, and others to the stage.
Xu Xiangjun was a little unhappy because she had called her father and asked him to attend the groundbreaking ceremony in person, and he had agreed, but he hadn't come. Director Zhan naturally noticed Xu Xiangjun's expression and whispered to her, "Your father asked me to apologize to you. It's not that he didn't want to come, but someone from the Central Ministry of Finance came, and he wants to personally receive them so he can try to secure more funding for you."
"Who cares if he comes?" Xu Xiangjun pretended not to care, but she was secretly pleased because her father hadn't intentionally lied to her. She didn't understand why she was so interested in the port development this time. She replied to Director Zhan and went about her business.
"Zhenyu, did this girl cause you any trouble?" Director Zhan knew that Xu Xiangjun wouldn't do anything to her father, so he asked Fang Zhenyu, who was standing next to him.
Fang Zhenyu, having learned of the relationship between Director Zhan and Xu Guanghua from Xu Xiangjun and Zhong Yuguang, said, "What trouble? She's doing an excellent job as the office director; she's really managing this household for me. I'm genuinely worried she'll be transferred."
"Don't worry, judging from her expression, she's enjoying her work and won't be leaving anytime soon."
"So, she's going to leave eventually?"
"That depends on whether you can keep her. She's never stayed in one unit for more than two years," Director Zhan laughed.
"In my opinion, this time will be an exception," Zhong Yuguang gave Fang Zhenyu a meaningful look.
"Oh?" Director Zhan noticed Zhong Yuguang's gaze and thought: Could it be that Xiangjun has taken a liking to Fang Zhenyu? He's a good candidate. He didn't know that Fang Zhenyu was already married.
Zhan Dajun, standing to the side, laughed, "Our General Manager Fang is so charming, he'll definitely attract Director Xu to stay. Right, General Manager Fang?"
Everyone laughed. Director Zhan was even more convinced that Fang Zhenyu was dating Xu Xiangjun, so he said to Fang Zhenyu, "Zhenyu, you'd better treat Xiangjun well, she's a very nice woman." Then he turned to Zhan Dajun and asked, "Vice General Manager Zhan, you took out over a million yuan, were you also attracted by our General Manager Fang's charm?"
Zhan Dajun blushed and said, "I wasn't attracted by his charm. At that time, I didn't even know General Manager Fang. I was just unconvinced that there was someone in Linhai who was better at running a business than me. So I took out over a million yuan and got this vice general manager position, hoping to find an opportunity to seize power."
"Wow, you have such great ambition. And now? Don't you want to seize power anymore?" Director Zhan asked.
"Don't even mention not wanting to; even if I wanted to, I couldn't wrest power from General Manager Fang. Besides, I now admire General Manager Fang to the point of worship, so of course I won't try to seize any power. I just want to wholeheartedly assist General Manager Fang in developing the port." As Zhan Dajun spoke, his admiration was overflowing, causing Director Zhan to frown, thinking: This is a formidable rival of Xu Xiangjun.
Fang Zhenyu didn't expect Zhan Dajun to praise him so highly, and said with a headache, "Deputy Zhan, I'm not as capable as you say, and don't use such harsh words as 'seizing power.' In fact, with your abilities, you are fully capable of being the general manager. If Secretary Zhong hadn't known me first, I'm afraid this position would have been yours."
Zhong Yuguang smiled and said, "Neither of you should try to shirk responsibility. In my opinion, you two each have your own strengths, and together you are a perfect match, a perfect combination, which will contribute more to the development of Linhai."
"Secretary Zhong, what are you saying?" Zhan Dajun blushed to the roots of his ears.
Zhong Yuguang realized he had used the wrong word and apologized repeatedly, which made everyone who heard it laugh, making the atmosphere even more lively.
Fang Zhenyu didn't want them to talk about him like that, especially since the discussions involved girls. He worried that talking too much would make him uncomfortable facing them and that their shyness might affect their future work. So he said, "Secretary Zhong, it's almost time, let's begin." Little did he know that the girls he mentioned weren't annoyed at all, and didn't even seem shy. They actually wanted people to associate them with Fang Zhenyu.
Zhong Yuguang checked the time and said, "Okay, let's begin."
Thus, the groundbreaking ceremony for the port development, which would determine the future of Linhai City, and the initial 10,000-ton-class pier, began amidst the sound of firecrackers. The drums and bugles of the Young Pioneers and the military band resounded loudly. After brief speeches by Zhong Yuguang, Director Zhan, and Fang Zhenyu, several people picked up shovels and began laying the foundation stone. Zhong Yuguang swung his shovel, scattering a large shovelful of soil onto the foundation stone. His heart was filled with immense excitement. From this moment on, Linhai had its own dock, and a new chapter in Linhai's history had begun. Success or failure depended on him and Fang Zhenyu. He couldn't help but glance at Fang Zhenyu, who was also shoveling soil. Seeing Fang Zhenyu confidently shoveling soil onto the foundation stone, Zhong Yuguang felt reassured. He had never trusted Fang Zhenyu as much as he did today. He knew he had chosen the right person. With this man helping him strategize, he knew victory was assured. He forcefully shoveled another shovelful of soil onto the foundation stone, facing the distant sea, and roared, "Linhai's tomorrow will surely be ours!"
Volume One of "The New Five Golden Flowers"

(Volume Two) - Chapter One: A Trip

to Hebei
On the evening of Thursday, July 1, 1993, Fang Yuqiong, holding Fang Zhenyu's hand tightly, entered the banquet hall of the Linhai Grand Hotel. The deafening music startled her from her daze. Tonight, she was to accompany Fang Zhenyu to a party celebrating the Party's birthday, hosted by the Linhai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. Originally, Ning Yufang was supposed to accompany Fang Zhenyu to this party, but Ning Yufang, heavily pregnant, didn't want to go out, and Fang Zhenyu's other subordinates were all at the port. So, Ning Yufang assigned this task to Fang Yuqiong. Fang Yuqiong, of course, was more than happy to accept. After dinner, she put on what she considered her best outfit and went to the Fang family home.
"Little sister, come upstairs with me," Ning Yufang called Fang Yuqiong, who had just entered, into her room, saying, "How can you dress like this to match your elder brother? I'll find you an outfit to change into." As she spoke, she rummaged through the wardrobe.
Fang Yuqiong hadn't known Ning Yufang for long and was somewhat disgusted by her words—wasn't that looking down on people? But after seeing Fang Zhenyu's clothes, she felt she was unworthy of him, so she had no choice but to accept it and wait to the side. Ning Yufang made her change into outfit after outfit, constantly groping her breasts, which made Fang Yuqiong both angry and ashamed, and even a little aroused. If it weren't for Fang Zhenyu's face and Ning Yufang's pregnancy, she probably would have lost her temper. Finally, unable to change her clothes, she was taken to Fang Zhenyu again.
"Zhenyu, take your sister to buy some clothes before you go. Don't let people say that the girls in our Fang family have no taste, that our boss's sister doesn't know how to dress," Ning Yufang said.
"Sister-in-law, you..." Fang Yuqiong was genuinely unhappy.
"Ignore her, that's just how she is, always picking on people's clothes," Fang Zhenyu said, and then led Fang Yuqiong out, Ning Yufang's nagging voice still echoing behind them.
Fang Zhenyu, of course, couldn't drive his beat-up Beiji, so he hailed a taxi. He listened to his wife and went to the supermarket first to buy clothes for Fang Yuqiong. Seeing that Fang Zhenyu was serious, Fang Yuqiong quickly said, "Brother, isn't that necessary?"
"No need? You don't want me to go back and have your sister-in-law twist my ear, do you? She's telling the truth," Fang Zhenyu said. Having seen Ning Yufang push him towards Ning Yuwei and Liu Qian, how could he not know that his wife had the same idea for Fang Yuqiong? But he thought, what woman is so foolish and casual? He wanted to help his younger sister who was struggling financially; as her older brother, buying her an outfit wasn't too much to ask, especially since she was attending the party for his sake.
Fang Yuqiong was naturally happy that her brother was buying her clothes. It was a pity that it was her sister-in-law who had asked her to buy them, but being able to wear clothes bought by her brother was still a happy thing, so Fang Yuqiong didn't object anymore, and the two went into the supermarket.
Coincidentally, the two entered not only the same store Fang Zhenyu had taken Zhong Ying to last time, but also the same saleswoman. Fang Zhenyu didn't notice, focusing on choosing a high-end evening gown for Fang Yuqiong, along with matching bra and panties. Fang Yuqiong went into the fitting room to change, her feelings no different from Zhong Ying's; in fact, due to her maturity, she felt as if Fang Zhenyu was caressing her, until she heard the saleswoman say, "You're such a womanizer," when Fang Zhenyu paid. She then came to her senses.
In the taxi, she leaned against Fang Zhenyu and asked, "Brother, why did the saleswoman say you're a womanizer?"
Fang Zhenyu knew, of course, that the saleswoman, seeing him with Zhong Ying last time and Fang Yuqiong this time, was implying he changed girlfriends frequently or had many women, but how could he tell Fang Yuqiong? He shifted slightly and said, "Maybe she saw me bring your sister-in-law to buy clothes, and now she's brought you too."
"So, do you want to be unfaithful? Do you dare to be unfaithful?" Fang Yuqiong ignored Fang Zhenyu's accusations and pushed against him again, this time her firm chest pressing against his shoulder.
Fang Zhenyu now understood that his younger sister had fallen for him. He didn't push her away, but instead advised, "Little sister, you're young and beautiful, and you have a good job. It's easy for you to find a good man. Why do this?"
"Big brother!" Seeing that Fang Zhenyu didn't push her away, Fang Yuqiong was overjoyed. She simply reached out and hugged Fang Zhenyu's waist, breathing softly into his ear, "I've searched for so many years to find such a good man as you. I don't want to look anymore."
"Little sister, I have a family to support. It's not suitable for you," Fang Zhenyu earnestly advised.
Fang Yuqiong rubbed her breasts against Fang Zhenyu's shoulders, enjoying the pleasure of the contact, and said sweetly, "I only want you to love and cherish me, I don't ask for anything else. Big brother, you said you would make it up to me, this is your compensation." Was
this really compensation? This was an enormous sacrifice from her. Fang Zhenyu sighed inwardly, but what could he say? He could only remain silent.
Fang Yuqiong kissed the tip of Fang Zhenyu's ear and continued, "Big brother, my dearest big brother, as long as you're willing, I'll be your little woman. Don't worry, I know it's immoral to break up someone else's family, I won't destroy your happy family, as long as we're careful and don't let your sister-in-law know." Her words were so affectionate that even a stone would be moved.
Fang Zhenyu hadn't expected Fang Yuqiong to be so bold in expressing her love, and to love him unconditionally and without hesitation. Having come this far, how could he refuse? He could only hold Fang Yuqiong tightly in return. Fortunately, the car had already arrived at the Linhai Grand Hotel, otherwise the two might have gotten intimate in the car.
Fang Yuqiong felt incredibly happy with Fang Zhenyu's response, but also a little guilty. Although she danced with Fang Zhenyu at the party, she remained very proper and didn't dare to be overly affectionate.
"Little Fang, now that you're an official, you won't dance with me anymore?" Zhong Yuguang appeared beside Fang Zhenyu and Fang Yuqiong at some point.
Fang Yuqiong glanced at Ning Yuheng, who was dressed exceptionally well beside him, and secretly rejoiced at accepting her elder brother's gift; otherwise, she would have embarrassed her beloved brother in this luxurious setting. She laughed, "With such a beautiful dance partner as Miss Ning, how could you possibly remember me, the ugly duckling?"
Ning Yuheng replied, "Brother-in-law, your dance partner tonight is beautiful enough. Why don't you let her dance with our Secretary?" So, the four of them switched roles. After the dance, everyone returned to their seats and stopped dancing, but the two women seemed very excited. Only they themselves knew the reason; perhaps they each had gained something from the experience.
"Zhenyu, has the port been alright these days?" Zhong Yuguang asked. Although the initial wharf had only been under construction for a few days, it felt like years had passed, and he was constantly monitoring the situation.
"No problem. Everything is progressing smoothly. I'm currently busy with the tourism development. In a couple of days, I'm going to Qingdao and Beidaihe to see how they run their tourism."
"Great! You should go out and see for yourself. Otherwise, you won't do a good job if you just work behind closed doors. When are you going? I'd like to go too."
"I'll let you know once I've set a date, but let me make it clear, our company won't cover your expenses."
"Really? You can't even do a favor?" Zhong Yuguang laughed.
"I can't afford it! Once I have some profits, I'll treat you to a trip abroad. For now, it's best if you treat us." Fang Zhenyu said with a wry smile. This was understandable; the head office's finances were so tight right now, every penny counted, so he had no choice but to go on this trip.
“Okay, I also hope you can invite me soon. This time it's on me, but there can only be two people at most. Is anyone else coming?”
“Thank you, two is enough. The others are from the tourism bureau; they'll cover their own expenses.”
“Oh? Yuheng, are you going too?”
“Of course I’m going. Many of them are foreign companies. Without translators, how can we learn from them?” Fang Zhenyu said before Ning Yuheng could speak.
Then, Zhong Yuguang called Liu Yandong over to discuss the matter. After deciding on the arrangements, everyone started dancing again. Although Fang Yuqiong knew she wasn't going to Qingdao, she was very happy to see Fang Zhenyu's arrangements going smoothly and that she had initially achieved her goal. When Fang Zhenyu took her home, she snuggled into his arms. She knew tonight wasn't the right time, so she only kissed him once before running into her room. That night, she couldn't sleep at all, her mind filled with images of her having fun with Fang Zhenyu, making a mess of her bed.
On the afternoon of Friday, July 2, 1993, Sun Shaomei of the Dongfang Printing Factory was diligently doing her accounts, completely unaware that Fang Zhenyu had entered. It was a hot day, and the large office had no air conditioning, so she unbuttoned one button on her shirt to make herself more comfortable with the fan, revealing a deep cleavage and half of her white breast. Usually, only Tan Chunmei came here, so she didn't pay much attention; little did she know that today Fang Zhenyu would have a feast for the eyes.
After flirting with Li Fanghua, Zhang Bei, Fang Yuqiong, and others, Fang Zhenyu found himself becoming much more "lustful." Before, he would have simply turned his head away, but now he not only looked but also laughed, "Shaomei, it's already summer, why is there still such beautiful spring weather? The old accountant isn't here, who are you trying to seduce?"
"Ah! Boss?" Sun Shaomei was greatly surprised, realizing her predicament, and blushed. But seeing that it was only Fang Zhenyu, she glared at him and said, "Seduce you, is that alright?"
"Sure, let me admire you a little longer."
"Look then, do you think you can eat me?" Sun Shaomei blushed even more, but she ripped open her outer garment, almost completely revealing her breasts, their bright red, erect nipples already visible. Only then did she button up her clothes and get up to make tea for Fang Zhenyu.
"Really?" Fang Zhenyu was secretly surprised. Could this little girl also have feelings for him? He dared not joke with her anymore. Composing himself, he said, "Shaomei, notify Vice Minister Tan and a few leaders from the city factory to come over.
" "Yes." Sun Shaomei hadn't expected to do that and was quite shocked. She quickly used the excuse of notifying someone to calm herself down.
Fang Zhenyu sipped his tea, watching Sun Shaomei bustling about, and a thought suddenly arose in his mind. Sun Shaomei's appearance was average, but she was pretty and charming, with a very alluring figure. She was the kind of woman who would turn heads. At this moment, her cheeks were flushed, giving her an even more endearing charm. He felt an urge to pull her into his arms. He tried his best to control his impulse and said to Sun Shaomei, "Shaomei, when it's too hot, why not come to this office to cool off? Don't make yourself suffer too much, as if I, the boss, don't care about my employees at all."
With this little buffer time, Sun Shaomei calmed down and smiled, "Who would dare say that! Besides, everyone is so busy with work, who has time to come here and enjoy themselves?"
"Shaomei, enjoy what?" "No sooner had Sun Shaomei finished speaking than Tan Chunmei hurriedly entered, nodded to Fang Zhenyu, and asked,
"The boss told us to come in and enjoy the air conditioning when we have time." Sun Shaomei said.
"We'll talk about it when we have time. Boss, how have you been lately?" Tan Chunmei asked, looking at Fang Zhenyu. Ever since Ning Yufang said those things to her, she had a strange feeling about Fang Zhenyu.
"Not bad. You, on the other hand, should take better care of your health. Look at you, you've lost a lot of weight. Have you been working too hard? Don't shoulder everything alone; delegate more to your subordinates. Don't overwork yourself." Looking at Tan Chunmei's tired face, Fang Zhenyu said with concern.
"I'm fine, the same as always." Faced with Fang Zhenyu's concern, Tan Chunmei felt a warm current flow through her heart, as if all her efforts during this period had been rewarded. "
Boss, you should care more about Factory Director Tan. She has you in her heart and is thinking about the factory." Sun Shaomei said from the side.
"Get lost! You're the one who has the factory director in her heart." Tan Chunmei blushed.
As they were talking, Hu Jun, Chen Changlin, Zhang Bei, Li Fanghua, and others arrived. Fang Zhenyu had everyone sit down before saying, "I called everyone here for a short meeting today. I'm going on a business trip for a week. I want to get a feel for the work situation during this time and also arrange future work."
"Factory Director, where are you going?" Li Fanghua asked. She didn't sit down but stood behind Fang Zhenyu, massaging him; the others were used to it.
"To the north, to learn about their coastal tourism industry."
"That's a great job! I wish you could take us there sometime," Li Fanghua said enviously.
"The Factory Director will definitely take you there, he'll take you, don't worry," Hu Jun laughed.
Fang Zhenyu glared at Hu Jun and said, "I'm too busy this year, no time. Next year, we'll go together and have a blast." He paused, then said to Tan Chunmei, "Chunmei, tell me about the acquisition of the tax bureau factory."
"Yes." "
Tan Chunmei then brought up the acquisition of the tax bureau's printing plant, and Zhang Bei then spoke about the construction of the workers' new village. Overall, they were doing a very good job on both projects, and progress was quite smooth. Fang Zhenyu was very satisfied. After listening, he said, 'Very good. We must achieve the efficiency of our printing plant. Regarding the rent for the tax bureau's plant, we might as well set it a little higher, but try not to increase it by a certain amount every year. I think that after our reforms, the profits will definitely increase significantly, which wouldn't be profitable for us. As for the workers' new village, since Secretary Zheng is so supportive, we can speed things up a bit and strive to complete it as soon as possible.'"
Zhang Bei said, "I'm worried that if we move too fast, we won't have enough funds. We've already used up most of our inventory funds buying the land, and now we need more funds to acquire the tax bureau factory. We'll have many more places to spend money in the future." She analyzed the financial situation of the two factories from an accountant's perspective.
Fang Zhenyu glanced at Sun Shaomei.
Sun Shaomei blushed slightly and said, "Sister Bei is right, we don't have much capital left."
Fang Zhenyu pondered for a moment and asked, "Have you paid back the two million we borrowed to buy paper?"
"As you requested, it's all been paid back."
"Good, then we'll borrow again, using the land in the workers' new village as collateral. We should be able to get over a million."
"That should be possible."
"Fanghua, I'm leaving this to you. Is that alright?" Fang Zhenyu asked.
Li Fanghua stopped and said, "With such a large plot of land as collateral, there's absolutely no problem."
"Thanks." Fang Zhenyu squeezed Li Fanghua's hand to show his gratitude and said, "That's settled for these two matters. Hu Jun, you'll have to put in a lot of effort with the business of the two factories."
Despite Hu Jun's usual somewhat carefree demeanor, he was quite decisive when it came to matters. His expression immediately turned serious, and he said, "Leave the factory business to me. There will absolutely be no mistakes. Besides, with Secretary Chen and Secretary Tan supervising, how could anything go wrong?" After saying only a few words, he reverted to his usual self, making everyone laugh.
Fang Zhenyu stopped laughing and said, "Don't expect Changlin and Chunmei to be of much help to you. Changlin has to run around getting materials, assist Chunmei with the acquisition of the tax bureau factory, and deal with the resulting employee concerns. She simply doesn't have time to help you. As for Chunmei, she's already busy with the acquisition alone, not to mention dealing with your Director Luo's inquiries."
"I understand," Hu Jun said earnestly. "I will work hard. Now that workers' incomes are stable, everyone's morale is high. As long as we follow the rules and regulations, there won't be any problems."
"That's right. Also, we must fully rely on the workers' strength. You know, no matter how capable we are, we're only a few people, and we can't hammer many nails. Only by relying on all employees can our business prosper. In terms of cultivating key workers, Dongfang Factory should learn from the city factory. With a large number of loyal key workers, it won't be so easy for a few individuals to cause trouble."
What Fang Zhenyu said was all about management skills. Everyone listened quietly, their respect for their boss deepening. Yes, everyone knows that people are a crucial factor in a company, and utilizing talent effectively is a vital means of corporate development. But how many people are truly willing to delegate power? How many are willing to invest significant effort in training their subordinates? It takes immense magnanimity.
The meeting ended, but Li Fanghua stayed behind, including Sun Shaomei: "Shaomei, come here, let me teach you how to massage the boss," she said. It turned out that she had sensed from Sun Shaomei's expression that this girl, like herself, harbored unspoken feelings for Fang Zhenyu. She thought: With her work becoming increasingly busy, having her help would allow the boss to enjoy himself more. Since she could never have the boss, why not let more beautiful women serve her beloved boss?
Sun Shaomei felt flustered. She had also heard Tan Chunmei say that Li Fanghua practically undressed to massage the boss. Should she also learn from her? She was a little shy, but secretly eager to try. She glanced at Tan Chunmei, who was still beside her, and seeing that Tan Chunmei was giving her an encouraging look, she walked over to the two of them.
Fang Zhenyu, however, refused, saying, "It's not possible today. I have to rush to the Municipal Party Committee to report to Secretary Zhong. Maybe next time."
Sun Shaomei breathed a sigh of relief and went out with Tan Chunmei.
Seeing the two leave and close the door, Fang Zhenyu turned and embraced Li Fanghua, kissing her lips. Looking deeply into her beautiful eyes, he said, "What do you mean by this? Do you think I'm too old?"
Li Fanghua's heart pounded. She had never been so intimate with Fang Zhenyu before. She pressed her body against him, bravely meeting his gaze. Her delicate hand gently stroked his groin, and she murmured, "It's you who thinks I'm too old. Otherwise, why don't you touch me? Besides, you're busy and I'm busy too. You can't just call me from the factory as soon as you get back."
"I'm sorry. I'll make sure you're satisfied when I have time. Now I really have to go," Fang Zhenyu said apologetically.
Li Fanghua kissed Fang Zhenyu hard on the lips, pushed him away, and said, "Go. I'll remember what you said today." After Fang Zhenyu left, she remained immersed in his love.
"Fanghua, what's wrong?" Tan Chunmei asked as she entered. She had noticed Fang Zhenyu had been gone for a long time, and Li Fanghua hadn't left yet, so she came in to see what was happening. Seeing Li Fanghua's distraught appearance, she asked with concern.
"Nothing, Sister Chunmei. Isn't it wonderful to be loved?" Li Fanghua said
, her face glowing. Tan Chunmei felt a pang of unease. She remembered Ning Yufang's words: a woman becomes more beautiful when nourished by a man. Seeing Li Fanghua's expression, could they have already slept together in such a short time? She couldn't help but glance at Li Fanghua's genitals and replied, "Of course." Then, she whispered mysteriously in her ear, "Does he love you?" She emphasized the word "love."
Li Fanghua seemed to understand Tan Chunmei perfectly, and said shyly, "Not yet, but it's only a matter of time. Sister Chunmei, what should I do? I know he'll never be mine."
"Do you want him to love you?" Tan Chunmei asked, staring into Li Fanghua's eyes.
"Yes, I dream about it," Li Fanghua said honestly, though shy.
"Isn't that enough? Love is more about giving, not necessarily possessing."
"But I'm afraid of breaking up his family."
"Don't worry about that. His wife doesn't care that he has other women; she even introduces him to other women. You're probably one of the women she wants to introduce him to. Just take care of your own affairs. You know, Yu Fang even knows how you massage her husband."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie to you? Are you free?"
"Are you busy?"
"I want you to massage me too, and also to hear about your relationship with him."
Li Fanghua glanced at Tan Chunmei and smiled, "Sister Chunmei, you miss him too? Is it because Sister Ning introduced you to him that you know what Sister Ning thinks?"
Tan Chunmei blushed and said, "You're allowed to think about him, but I'm not allowed to? Are you jealous?"
“Jealous? Even his wife isn’t jealous, why should we be? Come on, I’ll massage you.” Li Fanghua became excited and pulled Tan Chunmei into Fang Zhenyu’s lounge. The two women then began to talk freely about men, discussing everything about them, which made them both moan with pleasure.
On Monday afternoon, July 5, 1993, at a hotel in Qingdao, Fang Zhenyu and his entourage, led by Zhong Yuguang, traveled north along the coast and arrived in Qingdao in two days. Along the way, they visited almost all the seaside resorts and bathing beaches, sometimes asking local government officials for information, and sometimes just looking around, but they still gained a lot. After visiting the tourist attractions around Qingdao, the group checked into a nice hotel, and Zhong Yuguang called a meeting.
For this trip, Fang Zhenyu only brought Song Bin, the director of the project design office, and Zhong Yuguang only brought Secretary-General Yang Mingji. Liu Yandong from the Tourism Bureau brought Qi Heping and Ning Yuheng. Of course, everyone assumed that Ning Yuheng was brought along for translation purposes. Only Fang Zhenyu and Liu Yandong understood that, in addition to translation, Ning Yuheng was also Zhong Yuguang's girlfriend. Fang Zhenyu genuinely understood, while Liu Yandong had only heard it from Fang Zhenyu. However, halfway through, Liu Yandong also truly understood, which gave him a deeper understanding of Fang Zhenyu's influence.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Zhong Yuguang said, "Now that everyone is here, I won't waste time with small talk. The purpose of our trip is to study how other places develop tourism, so as to accelerate the development of our city's tourism industry. These past two days, we've visited many places and interviewed many experts and scholars in this field, and we should say we have some insights. Tomorrow, we're going to Beidaihe, and after that, some of us will be heading back. We won't have time to summarize, so tonight we'll use this time to meet and discuss what we've learned these past few days. Let's see who speaks first."
Everyone looked at each other, but no one spoke. Liu Yandong pretended not to hear, while Fang Zhenyu stared intently at his notebook, lost in thought.
"What, did we just throw all the money we spent this time away?" Seeing no one speak, Zhong Yuguang's face showed displeasure.
Upon hearing this, Liu Yandong spoke up: "Secretary Zhong, in my opinion, our city's planning is no worse than theirs. The key is how to make good use of talent. Now that we have General Manager Fang, I think our city's development will definitely not be worse than theirs, and may even be better." Because the development of the port tourist area was a plan of the municipal party committee, Liu Yandong's words flattered both Zhong Yuguang and Fang Zhenyu.
"Yes, Director Liu is right. Our city's design plan fully taps into our city's potential and brings out our unique characteristics. I think we will definitely build a tourist area that is even more beautiful than the attractions we see now," Qi Heping echoed Liu Yandong's words.
The others remained silent, but Zhong Yuguang shook his head, because what they said didn't get to the heart of the matter. He fixed his eyes on Fang Zhenyu's face. If Fang Zhenyu also said the same thing as them, he was afraid he wouldn't know how to deal with these people.
Fortunately, Fang Zhenyu did not disappoint him. Fang Zhenyu said, "These past few days, I've mainly focused my energy on their management, and haven't done much research on their scenic spot setup. But if you ask me, I think the methods used in Beihai, Guangxi, are unacceptable."
"Why?" Zhong Yuguang's eyes lit up.
"Because they only focus on the present, on short-term economic benefits, without considering environmental factors. For a coastal city like this that primarily develops tourism, it's not enough to only consider immediate interests. We should look to the future, and not let the cost of future remediation exceed the current investment." Fang Zhenyu spoke eloquently, pointing out both the problems he saw and the problems that would arise in the future. He also suggested that Beihai should have a forward-thinking approach and build a modern tourist city.
Everyone looked at Fang Zhenyu with admiration. Many people knew some of these things, but they didn't know how to express them clearly or convincingly to Zhong Yuguang. Fang Zhenyu had just said what everyone wanted to say, and even more clearly than they had thought.
“I also think Mr. Fang is right. Beihai built a wall on the natural beach and built so many hotels around it. Although the economic benefits have increased in the short term, it is very detrimental to sustainable development. Judging from foreign experience, environmental protection is the top priority. Therefore, Beihai's method is not advisable,” Ning Yuheng said. Yang
Mingji said, “Translator Ning’s words are certainly correct, but isn’t our port development precisely to develop our city’s economy? If there are no good economic benefits, how can it better play a leading role and drive our city’s economic take-off?”
After a few people spoke, others also spoke up enthusiastically. Song Bin said, “I agree with Translator Ning’s statement. Either we don’t do it, or we do it and we make it a world-class tourist attraction. And a world-class attraction is inseparable from environmental protection.”
So, everyone started discussing. Most of them discussed how to pay attention to environmental protection and development. In the end, everyone reached the same view: either we don’t do it, or we do it and we create something that no one has done before, and we build a tourist attraction that no one has done before. The
nearly two-hour meeting unified everyone’s thoughts. Yang Mingji and Liu Yandong, who had initially been hesitant, also sided with Zhong Yuguang. They had seen Zhong Yuguang's unwavering confidence in developing the port and building a world-class port, his high regard for Fang Zhenyu's views, and Ning Yuheng's support for Fang Zhenyu. As a mid-to-upper-level leader adept at reading people, they naturally knew how to choose. Yang Mingji, however, began to realize that siding with Chen Xiangdong was unwise. He secretly resolved to gradually distance himself from Chen Xiangdong. Even if he couldn't align himself with Zhong Yuguang, he didn't want to contradict the top leader of Linhai City, lest it hinder his career.
"Very good. Since everyone has reached a consensus, I won't say much more today. However, our investigation will last a few more days, and we should see much more. I hope everyone will take it all to heart, form their own opinions, and return to Linhai to hear your thoughts again. I hope everyone can then produce an investigation report and an innovative tourism development plan," Zhong Yuguang said earnestly after listening to everyone's remarks and pondering for a while.
On Tuesday, July 6, 1993, Wu Xuedong, the duty officer at Ningjia Village Committee, finished showering and tidied himself up before heading excitedly to Ningjia Village. That afternoon, he had just returned from Jinhua Village and called Ning Yuzhi, wanting to invite her out for dinner, but Ning Yuzhi said she was busy, having to entertain city leaders. Wu Xuedong knew, of course, that Ning Yuzhi was now the deputy director of the office and had many social engagements. He could help her avoid engagements at the district level, but not at the city level, so he could only wait until she finished her engagements. He wasn't particularly happy about Ning Yuzhi becoming a deputy director, but he deeply loved her, and since she didn't object, he couldn't say anything. Now, Ning Yuzhi was asking him to come to the duty room so late, which meant she trusted him.
Ning Yuzhi, however, didn't share Wu Xuedong's feelings at all. Indeed, her relationship with Wu Xuedong had deepened considerably, but for some reason, she always felt he was dispensable. Asking him to come to her duty room tonight was merely compensation for not being able to keep her appointment with him; she had no other intentions. She showered at home, casually put on some clothes, and went to the duty room. Tonight was her turn to be on duty—something she had learned from Fang Zhenyu. Even though she was also the deputy director of the office, the village committee office was never short of staff.
When Ning Yuzhi arrived, Wu Xuedong hadn't arrived yet. She had no idea how to deal with him tonight. To say she didn't love him—she clearly had feelings for him—but to say she loved him, she always felt uneasy, as if something was missing.
"Bang, bang, bang." A knock sounded at the door. Ning Yuzhi realized it was Wu Xuedong and opened it. Sure enough, Wu Xuedong entered. As soon as he came in, he embraced Ning Yuzhi, saying affectionately, "Yuzhi, I've missed you so much!" This was understandable; with so much work at the port development zone, Wu Xuedong hadn't seen Ning Yuzhi for almost a month.
Ning Yuzhi didn't show excessive enthusiasm. After Wu Xuedong released her, she led him to a chair, made him a cup of tea, and said, "I missed you too. You've lost so much weight. Is work very busy and tiring?"
Faced with Ning Yuzhi's concern, Wu Xuedong felt very happy, feeling that finally a woman cared about him. He took a sip of tea, looking at Ning Yuzhi, who looked even more fresh and alluring after her bath. He really wanted to hold her in his arms again, but he suppressed this tempting thought and said, "Work is a bit tiring, but it's fulfilling. It's just that without you by my side, life feels like something's missing."
Looking at the affectionate Wu Xuedong, Ning Yuzhi was also moved. With such a loving man, what more could she ask for? She sat down on the bed opposite Wu Xuedong, lowering her pretty face, and said, "Xuedong, I'm glad you remember me, but please don't let me interfere with your work. I don't like that. A man should prioritize his career."
"Thank you." Wu Xuedong took the initiative, sitting down on the bed as well, stretching out his arm and wrapping it around Ning Yuzhi's slender waist. "I'll remember your words. Although conditions in the port area aren't great right now, it provides me with a place to showcase my talents. I'll make something of myself and use that success as the flowers I use to propose to you."
Ning Yuzhi felt her face flush and her heart pound. It was the first time she had been so close to a man, and the feeling was both exciting and pleasurable. Instead of pushing him away, she moved even closer, saying somewhat dazedly, "I'm relieved that you think that way. You need to use your brain more at work, learn from others, and rely on your subordinates. I believe success will definitely be yours, and I will be proud of you." For some reason, after saying these words, she felt a little insincere, as if they weren't her true feelings.
Wu Xuedong, however, didn't feel this way. He felt that it was only natural for an outstanding woman like Ning Yuzhi to expect her husband to be successful, so he said, "I will definitely try my best to do as you ask. Speaking of learning from others, your brother-in-law, Fang Zhenyu, is a really good example. He's not only quick-witted and resourceful, but also down-to-earth and hardworking. Working with someone like that will definitely help you improve." Upon
hearing Fang Zhenyu's name, Ning Yuzhi immediately sobered up, and the pleasurable feeling vanished. Why was that? Although she was still nestled in Wu Xuedong's arms, her thoughts wandered. She quickly came to a terrible conclusion: while she had fallen in love with the man before her, deep down, she still loved Fang Zhenyu the most. She forced herself to calm down and face reality, saying, "You have your strengths, and it's good to learn from him, but don't idolize him excessively."
"Yuzhi, you're so good to me." Excited to be valued by the woman he loved, Wu Xuedong pulled Ning Yuzhi closer and kissed her lips.
Ning Yuzhi didn't refuse and even responded, but lacking the passion of a real man, she was unresponsive. Afraid that Wu Xuedong would notice her lack of reaction, she mistook him for Fang Zhenyu. This ignited her passion, and it was quite intense. She had to control herself to avoid calling out Fang Zhenyu's name.
Wu Xuedong, of course, noticed Ning Yuzhi's change but thought it was normal. He had had girlfriends before and knew that women needed to be teased to become passionate. Ning Yuzhi's enthusiastic response emboldened him, and his large hand pressed against her high, firm breasts, kneading them.
Ning Yuzhi felt a surge of heat throughout her body, her delicate hands stroking Wu Xuedong's back. Although she felt Wu Xuedong taking advantage, unhooking her bra and directly caressing her smooth skin, she didn't object, even twisting her body to meet his touch. Later, Wu Xuedong's lips kissed her breasts, and his hands reached her most intimate areas. Finally, almost naked before Wu Xuedong, she truly wanted to give herself to him to avoid future fantasies, but she ultimately stopped him, for her passion had faded.
"I'm sorry," Wu Xuedong apologized. His eyes remained fixed on Ning Yuzhi's beautiful body.
"It's nothing," Ning Yuzhi straightened her clothes, nestling back into Wu Xuedong's arms, saying, "It's just that I wasn't prepared today. Are all men so casual about this?"
A unease crept into Wu Xuedong's heart. Had she been with another man before? He still held Ning Yuzhi in his arms and said, "Of course not, it's because I love you too much."
"But there's something I need to make clear to you, so you won't resent me for lying to you later. I've had a man before," Ning Yuzhi said, her words jarring.
"Who was he?" Wu Xuedong suppressed his displeasure and asked calmly.
"He was a classmate of mine in my correspondence course. He was a good person, but good people often die young. Because of that, for several years, I haven't dared to accept anyone's advances."
"I'm sorry for bringing up your painful past," Wu Xuedong said, somewhat relieved to hear that the other person was just a dead man. Besides, hadn't he also been in love and had women before?
"You don't mind me?"
Wu Xuedong hugged Ning Yuzhi tightly and said, "I am a little uncomfortable, but how could I be jealous of someone who is dead? I love you as you are now, no matter what you were like before." But in his heart, he thought: We're even. I've had women before, and I still am. He truly loved Ning Yuzhi too much, so even though she had some flaws, he wouldn't give up on her.
"Thank you." Ning Yuzhi kissed Wu Xuedong first. They cuddled for a while longer before she reluctantly saw Wu Xuedong off.
After closing the door, Ning Yuzhi was in turmoil. She didn't know why she had lied to Wu Xuedong about having been with a man before, when she was still a virgin. The male classmate she mentioned was a real person, and he was indeed dead, but there was no truth to what she described. It was true, though, that he had pursued her. "Do I want to be like Yufen? To give my first time to Zhenyu?" She dared not think any further, but she couldn't sleep all night, the question constantly on her mind. When she finally fell asleep, she dreamt of making love with Fang Zhenyu. Zhou Xuan woke her up early the next morning, but Zhou Xuan saw the mess on the bed, making her so ashamed that she almost didn't dare to see Zhou Xuan for days. Fortunately, Zhou Xuan only thought she was with Wu Xuedong. If Zhou Xuan knew that she was dating Wu Xuedong but was thinking of another man, she really wouldn't know how to face her.

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