Chapter 489: Mind Your Own Business!
Chapter 489: Mind Your Own Business!
The next day, the morning started with cloudy skies, but no rain. However, it was uncertain if it would rain in the afternoon or evening.
At around nine in the morning, Lord Hou drove the truck and delivered the goods.
He Xinghuan and the others were busy, with half of them cleaning the squid and the other half blanching the cleaned squid.
When Team Leader Zhou arrived, he saw baskets upon baskets of fresh small tube squid laid out in the courtyard.
There were also baskets of squid that had been blanched.
Looking at the fresh baby squid in the baskets, Team Leader Zhou smiled and said, "These little squids are indeed fresh."
"Of course they're fresh. Lord Hou specifically selected the freshest ones to deliver," they replied.
Jiang Xia was helping with the fire in the kitchen when someone in the courtyard shouted, "Xia, Team Leader Zhou is here again!"
Team Leader Zhou, holding the purple banner, said, "..."
Should I use the word 'again'?
He smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm not here for an inspection this time. I'm here to present an award! It's good news!"
Jiang Xia came out of the kitchen, smiling, and asked, "What's the good news?"
Team Leader Zhou smiled, "The purple banner! The leader has inspected so many individual businesses, and yours is the best and most well-regulated. They've specially awarded you an Outstanding Individual Business Purple Banner. This banner is a traveling banner, and the city has decided to select the most outstanding individual business each month. The banner will be awarded to the most outstanding business the following month. Keep up the good work and strive to continue receiving the Outstanding Individual Business award next month, bringing glory to our production team."
Jiang Xia smiled and took the banner, saying, "We will definitely continue our efforts! Thank you for the recognition from the Party and the organization!"
Team Leader Zhou continued, "Around the 10th of next month, other individual businesses will come to visit and learn from you. Remember to prepare well."
Jiang Xia replied, "We will definitely prepare well!"
"Also, the town has approved the land you applied for to build a factory. Tell Ah Lei to go and complete the formalities when he's free and pay the fees!"
"Okay, thank you so much, Team Leader Zhou! Ah Lei is checking on the growth of the scallops right now. I'll tell him when he returns."
"This isn't my achievement, so there's no need to thank me. It's because you've done a great job, and the leader saw that..." Team Leader Zhou gave a few more instructions and then left.
After leaving the courtyard, Team Leader Zhou walked across the street to Zhou Guohua's house.
Zhou Bingqiang's wife was in the courtyard, chopping pig feed, and when she saw Team Leader Zhou approaching, her face turned pale in fright.
Could it be that he's here to criticize and educate the production team again? She had already been scolded for half a day yesterday!
Team Leader Zhou said to her, "Where's Guohua's wife? I have her phone number; this is the number the other party left."
Zhou Bingqiang's wife breathed a sigh of relief, took the paper, and smiled, "Thank you, Team Leader! Has Team Leader Zhou had breakfast? My family cooked a mackerel and peanut porridge today. Would you like to try some?"
"I've already eaten! I have something else to do, so I'll be going now!"
"Then take your time."
After Team Leader Zhou left, Zhou Bingqiang's wife shouted upstairs, "Wen Wan, you have a phone call!"
Wen Wan, who was filling her fountain pen with ink, immediately put down her pen and went downstairs.
Zhou Bingqiang's wife handed her the note, saying, "Team Leader Zhou just came by and said you have a phone call. This is the number they left."
Wen Wan took the note and glanced at it, recognizing it as the textile factory's phone number. However, she was a bit surprised, "Team Leader Zhou personally came to tell me about the phone call?"
"Yeah, probably just happened to be passing by."
Wen Wan didn't care if it was just a coincidence; even if it was, Team Leader Zhou had personally delivered it.
She happily walked out and saw Jiang Xia hanging the purple banner at the entrance.
The banner was triangular, with the words 'Outstanding Individual Business' written in yellow.
So, Team Leader Zhou had personally come to give Jiang Xia the purple banner and happened to inform her about the phone call!
Wen Wan pursed her lips.
Just a broken courtyard selling snacks, and they call it an outstanding individual business?
A few years ago, this would have been called speculation!
If it weren't for Jiang Xia having a good father, would she have received this purple banner?
Wen Wan, holding the note, walked past Jiang Xia with her head held high.
Just wait! Once she earns hundreds of thousands at the Sui Trade Fair, she'll open her own factory too.
Jiang Xia watched as Wen Wan walked away with the proud posture of a rooster that had won a fight, feeling utterly perplexed.
However, she hoped that after Wen Wan finished her phone call, she would still return with that same confident stride.
Jiang Xia hung up the Flowing Purple Banner and took a few steps back to admire her handiwork. It was perfectly straight, just as she intended.
She then returned to the house to continue helping with the fire.
Half an hour later, Wen Wan stormed back, her face flushed with anger.
She barged into the Zhou family's old house and shouted, "Jiang Xia, get out here!"
Upon seeing Wen Wan's furious demeanor, He Xinghuan and the others stood up.
Jiang Xia emerged, raising an eyebrow at Wen Wan without saying a word.
He Xinghuan and the others gathered around Jiang Xia, fearing that Wen Wan, with her voracious appetite, might start a fight with her.
Wen Wan, seething with anger, demanded, "Did you call the textile factory boss or Editor-in-Chief Fan? Did you say something to them? Why isn't Boss Guo hiring me anymore? Why won't Editor-in-Chief Fan use me for translations in the future?"
Jiang Xia feigned innocence, "You should ask Editor-in-Chief Fan about that! Why are you asking me? It's not like I'm the one who decided not to hire you! Besides, I don't know any Boss Guo, and I certainly don't have his phone number."
Wen Wan was furious, "Don't play dumb! You must have called Editor-in-Chief Fan and Boss Guo!"
Jiang Xia nodded, "I did call Editor-in-Chief Fan. As for who Boss Guo is, I'm sorry, but I don't know him!"
Wen Wan, enraged, retorted, "You're so unreasonable! You're heartless! Do you know that cutting off someone's livelihood is as good as killing them?"
Jiang Xia replied, "So, you know that too, huh? Then do us a favor and stop wasting our time. We're trying to make a living here! By wasting our time, you're essentially cutting off our livelihood!"
Jiang Xia picked up a broom and started sweeping the water in the courtyard where the small squids had just been washed.
She swept vigorously, directing the water towards Wen Wan.
Wen Wan dodged the water while fuming, "What exactly did you tell Editor-in-Chief Fan?"
Wen Wan was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes.
With the Sui Trade Fair opportunity gone and her translation job lost, how would she earn money in the future? How could Jiang Xia be so unreasonable?!
She had already taken over Zhou Chenglei in her previous life, but what more did she want now?
Was she going to block every path for Wen Wan?
The more Wen Wan thought about it, the more heartbroken she became, and her eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.
Jiang Xia continued sweeping the water as she spoke, "I told Editor-in-Chief Fan that I won't be going to the Sui Trade Fair as a translator. With my pregnancy, I don't want to cause any trouble for everyone. Yesterday, a pregnant woman in our village felt dizzy and nauseous after smelling the smoke from our workshop. She reported us! I don't want to risk feeling nauseous from the smells at the fair, so I'd rather not go."
Wen Wan was speechless.
Jiang Xia paused her sweeping and leaned on the broom, her expression cold as she stared at Wen Wan. "I also asked Editor-in-Chief Fan to give me the books that need translation. Who dares to cut off my livelihood? Whoever does, I'll make sure they have no road to walk on! I want to see whose livelihood is more secure, mine or theirs!"
Wen Wan had no response.
"Move aside, please. Don't stand in my family's courtyard! I need to clean up. If I accidentally splash water on you, it'll be embarrassing!" Jiang Xia said, then bowed her head and swept the ground with all her might.
The broom sent a string of water droplets flying, soaking Wen Wan.
"Ah!" Wen Wan shrieked.
Jiang Xia looked up, "Sorry! I didn't see you were still standing there. Why are you still here?"
Jiang Xia continued sweeping without stopping.
Wen Wan was furious. She wiped the foul-smelling water from her face with her sleeve and snapped, "Jiang Xia, you're too much! You won't get away with this for long!"
After saying this, she vigorously patted the dirty water off her body and rushed out of the courtyard, her eyes red with anger.
How dare she!
She was acting so arrogantly, thinking she could get away with anything because of her privileged background.
Just wait until her mother's clothing factory goes bankrupt and her father falls from grace. Let's see how she'll fare then!
Jiang Xia walked towards the courtyard gate, "How long I can last is none of your concern. You should worry about yourself instead!"
With that, she slammed the gate shut.
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(End of Chapter)
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