T.N: And here is the extra chapter! I’ve actually managed to post it today!!
Liu Li, Jiang Fan’s sister-in-law, also thought that the clothes he was wearing were very nice. It looked clean and handsome, making her somehow reminisce about the style preferred by her younger cousins and nephews. But even though it was a style suitable for young people, she was sure it must look good on her as well!
Since it could be bought in Nanshi, it must already be popular back in Beijing, she thought… But when Liu Li went shopping the next day, she couldn’t find the outfit that Jiang Fan was wearing in any store, no matter how much attention she paid. She couldn’t help but feel it was strange.
But she still didn’t take it seriously until two days later when she finally saw another person wearing it… The wife of a certain leader.
“Sister Deng, where did you buy this outfit from?”
Sister Deng smiled from ear to ear. Ever since she put that outfit on for a casual walk, many people came to ask where to buy it, but she could only give a perfunctory answer: “I’m sorry, someone else gave it to me. I heard that it’s a limited edition that can’t be bought from outside…”
It turned out that when Shu Ran gave Zhou Hui a bunch of clothes a few days ago, he gave her a few extra sets. Zhou Hui wanted to thank Zhang Yunsheng’s leader for his help in arranging their wedding, and since the few sets of clothes were not valuable, she just gifted them away as a favor.
Now Liu Li was thoroughly confused. A limited edition?!
She understood that Sister Deng could get limited editions but… How come Jiang Fan could get it too?!
It was just a set of clothes, nothing fancy, but the words “limited edition” scratched her heart. After returning home, she curiously asked her little brother-in-law during dinner: “Xiao Fan, I saw Deputy Tuan today… His madam was wearing the same outfit as yours! Where exactly did you buy it from?!”
“I didn’t buy it, sister-in-law. It’s a product from my friend’s factory…” Jiang Fan said. “How about I get two sets for you?”
“Okay!” Liu Li responded quickly, but then continued in surprise: “You have a friend who opened a garment factory?!”
Jiang Fan: “Yes, I can take anything I want.”
Jiang Hang looked at him sideways: “A friend who runs a garment factory? How come I never heard you mention such a friend before… Is it a new friend?”
His younger brother was not good at anything, but he had quite a wide array of friends, with new ones popping up each day.
Jiang Fan smiled: “Brother, you know him too… The one whose words are like his personality, and his personality is just like his face…” Rounding things up, his elder brother has also met Shu Ran.
“It turned out to be him…” Jiang Hang suddenly realized who his little brother was talking about, since the scroll with “Viewing the Canghai” was still hanging in his bedroom. He sighed: “I thought he was a scholar, but I didn’t expect he could also do business at such a young age…”
Hearing Jiang Hang praise Shu Ran, Jiang Fan was as happy as if the one being praised was himself. He continued proudly: “Yes, we have a good relationship!”
“Then you should learn more from others.” Liu Li said with a smile.
He was good at business and literary arts, a proper Confucian businessman! The older generation fully approved!
But Jiang Fan thought to himself: “We are just the same, completely equal…”
Liu Li finally had her hands on the set of clothes she most desired. When she wore it at work, she also received inquiries from many people, realizing Sister Deng’s happiness.
“Xiao Fan, many people asked me about this set! When will your friend start selling it?” Liu Li felt like asking for help.
“It’s not for sale… This model is only for export.” That was a last-resort move. There were many big bosses who had a monopoly over the Nanshi Distribution Area… How could their small business go head to head with the local snakes?! Export profits were high anyway, so they had no choice but to quietly make a fortune first, and discuss selling locally later.
…………
In early August, Shu Ran and Xu Shen took the five styles produced by their factory and went south again, straight to the coastal garment wholesale market, where they rented a stall.
The two of them were cleaning the dust in the pitifully small stall. Shu Ran occasionally glanced at Xu Shen’s back, admiring his good figure. Sometimes he was distracted, and other times he was lost in thought, contemplating how he should disclose his knowledge about foreign languages. Could he make up a convincing story? Like a fantasy story?!
Xu Shen was not stupid… If he really made up a fantasy story, Shu Ran could already vividly picture his expression of not daring to laugh.
So it couldn’t be done!
The other way left was to obediently pay for a translator, which was also not possible. Doing translations was not common during that time, and anyone who could do it was definitely not cheap. They were already poor, and if they couldn’t hire a reliable one… He was afraid everything was going to be just a waste of money.
Should he be shameless and not provide any explanation at all? That was really hardcore, but maybe it could be done?
“Oh…” Shu Ran sighed unconsciously.
“What’s wrong?’ Xu Shen immediately turned around, put down what he was holding, and came to look at him: “Are you in a bad mood?”
“No” Shu Ran shook his head.
That was good, so Xu Shen asked again: “Why did you sigh so suddenly?”
Yet Shu Ran preferred to say nothing.
Xu Shen didn’t dare to take it lightly. They were both busy starting a business lately, so they were under a lot of pressure. Sometimes he also got scared while thinking about it, fearing that things would go wrong and bring disappointment to everyone.
What’s more, Shu Ran was younger than him, with less experience, but also the leader of the entire operation. If the result really turned out to be unsatisfactory, it would be a huge blow to him.
“Don’t think too much…” Xu Shen tried to comfort him.
“Hmm…” Shu Ran was a little confused, thinking that their channels were probably not on the same line.
Seeing that there was no one at the door, Xu Shen held the back of his hand and kissed Shu Ran’s forehead hard: “We did our best, as long as we have a clear conscience…”
Shu Ran: “Ah…Oh!” This time, their channels finally synced, so he forced a smile. That was not what he was worried about… His career would definitely be successful!
Thinking about people who should be stressed and in a bad mood, that could only be Xu Shen. That person was unable to take care of his own problems, but still had the energy to comfort him.
“Brother Shen…” Shu Ran called out.
“You’ve done a good job.” Xu Shen glanced at him and let go of his hand with a whisper.
“The same goes for you… Don’t worry,” Su Ran said. “It would be fine.”
There was one thing he never dared to tell anyone. In fact, what gave him the most confidence was not the fact that he could predict the future, but that the person he was working with was Xu Shen, the future big boss. He was his backer. No matter how hard he might fall later on, he truly believed that Xu Shen had the ability to… Make a profit for himself.
It was the feeling of holding a hidden Ace.
Quite a shameful attitude, but the truth regardless.
“Yeah.” Xu Shen smiled. “I’m not worried. I’m not afraid of anything when I’m with you.”
Their eyes met for a second, and Shu Ran blinked while saying with a sudden change of subject: “I wonder if it’s expensive to hire a foreign translator?”
There were very few people who could speak foreign languages back in those days, so it would probably cost a lot of money.
Xu Shen answered quickly: “Let’s go to the Foreign Languages School and ask, it should be cheaper if it’s a student working part-time.”
Shu Ran coughed twice, unwilling to shatter Xu Shen’s fantasy: “With a student’s level, they could handle written exams well but… Talking business with a foreigner… I’m afraid they might be reluctant.”
“Then we can only spend a lot of money.” Xu Shen frowned.
“Actually, we can do it without spending money…” Shu Ran whispered.
But Xu Shen’s hearing was good. He raised his eyebrows when he heard him: “Without any money? How come you say that?”
“Ahem…” Shu Ran looked at the ceiling and said bravely: “You should not ask many questions, or I won’t tell you anything else in the future…”
Looking at his awkward wife, Xu Shen felt itchy, compelled to pull down the rolling shutter, hold him in his arms, and violently kiss him.
“Okay.” He tried his best to resist his impulses and readily agreed: “I won’t ask any question, so you can tell me.”
Shu Ran then quickly said: “I can speak a foreign language.” Then he glanced at Xu Shen out of the corner of his eyes, trying to see what his reaction was.
But Xu Shen did exactly what he said, completely calm: “Huh? Oh… Awesome.” After thinking for a while, he added again: ‘That’s awesome.”
That was it?!
Although it was Shu Ran who told him to not ask any questions, he really said nothing else but light praises. Shu Ran felt that something was wrong… To put it simply, he was up for future trouble.
“So there’s no need to hire a foreign translator…” Shu Ran tried to carry the conversation again.
“Well, we saved a fortune.” Xu Shen nodded with a smile.
Now that the confession was finally out of his heart, Shu Ran decided to no longer hide anything. After cleaning the stall, he took a clean cloth, spread it on the floor, and wrote the information to solicit customers in English.
Xu Shen, who was helping nearby, had a calm face and even an appreciative smile, but his heart was in turmoil.
How could a boy from a small village know so many things at such a young age?!
In fact, Xu Shen had long ago noticed that something was wrong, but he chose to deliberately go around it every time. In order to deceive himself and others, it was none of his business what Shu Ran knew. He only cared whether Shu Ran was by his side or not, and whether he would leave.
It was quite an ostrich’s mentality, but it was Xu Shen’s philosophy in life.
But Shu Ran lacked an ostrich’s mentality. He held the pen in his hand, lowering his eyes to write intently. He seemed to be focused and devoted, but in fact, he just didn’t dare to observe Xu Shen’s reaction.
In addition to concentrating on writing, he was also complaining in his mind… Just how did Xu Shen’s character come into being?!
He said he wouldn’t ask and there was no ripple in his expression. He was also… Really awesome!
He could only guess that that was the psychological quality of a big boss.
After writing such a large advertisement, a layer of sweat broke out on Shu Ran’s face.
“Here, wipe it.” Xu Shen gave him a handkerchief. “I know you don’t have one.”
“Thank you.” Shu Ran took it and whipped the sweat from his forehead, letting out a sigh of relief.
“Can it be hung up?” Xu Shen pointed at the cloth on the floor.
“Yeah!” Shu Ran smiled proudly. “It can both cover the facade and be used as a sign. It’s so eye-catching!” Any foreigner would definitely be attracted!
“It’s indeed very eye-catching…” Although Xu Shen couldn’t understand any of the ghost symbols on that piece of cloth.
He and Shu Ran worked together to hang up the “advertisement”, and then returned inside the stall to prepare the merchandise. Three out of the five sets of clothing they produced back in Nanshi were in international sizes… And they were visibly larger. Xu Shen could loosely wear the medium size, despite being the largest size in China.
“Is it true that foreigners are all so tall?”
“It’s mainly because their bodies are more robust…” And those who preferred sporty styles like the ones they were selling were even stronger and sturdier.
Xu Shen: “Oh…” Why did it look like his wife had seen so many foreigners?!
He was curious, okay?! But he didn’t dare to ask…!
He would know in the future if any foreigners came to discuss business with them. But just as he was thinking about that, a foreigner with deep eye sockets and a tall nose opened the curtain and took a look inside.
“Hello?”
Shu Ran and Xu Shen looked at each other, with surprise evident on both of their faces… So fast?!
Was that “advertisement” really that eye-catching?!
Originally, Xu Shen was prepared to wait a long time before any business came to his door, and he had already thought about how he should comfort Shu Ran… Unexpectedly, before they could even hang their merchandise, a customer with deep pockets arrived.
And looking at that towering figure… He was indeed tall and strong…
No wonder western houses were so big!
Shu Ran went up to chat with the customer. His fluent English surprised the man, who became even more animated in his conversation.
Any nonsense pleasantry was directly ignored, deeply buried in Shu Ran’s smile. However, the foreigner’s exaggerated expressions and confident body movements made Xu Shen feel unhappy. He kept on staring at him, in order to prevent any touch from accidentally landing on his wife.
The customer was a middle-aged man from America, looking for a reliable processing factory that could produce a batch of jeans. Shu Ran immediately showed him the samples produced in their factory, telling him in English: “Our factory is in Nanshi and we can only produce large quantities. Since we are shipping from a provincial area, we can’t take small orders. The cost would be too high.”
Not being able to visit the factory put an expression of rejection on the customer’s face. However, there was something about that small stall that piqued his interest.
He shook his head but was attracted by the clothes he had in his hands. That kind of loose, comfortable style was very popular in his country. And it was also very well made.
“That’s an exclusive edition, our designers are very competent. There will be new models in the future, and I can guarantee that you won’t lose money if you sell it back home. Just trust your own vision.” Shu Ran really wanted to cooperate with that attractive and beautiful wallet, unwilling to let the fat sheep walk out of their store.
They were animatedly chatting to each other, but Xu Shen couldn’t understand a single word, so he just helped his wife, passing things around. When his wife asked for notebooks and pens, he felt really funny.
Shu Ran was busy calculating the price per unit for their foreign customer, explaining everything that needed to be said in detail. The other party was also very good at negotiating, so the questions kept on flying back and forth. The more that happened, the more Shu Ran believed that the other person was a serious businessman.
And the brand of jeans mentioned by the customer sounded familiar to Shu Ran. He was sure he had heard about it before.
It took a long time and Shu Ran was already tired from standing before they finally reached an agreement. The customer relented, but he wanted to go and visit the factory before he decided whether they should cooperate or not.
Shu Ran and Xu Shen were also happy, deciding to take the American customer back with them to Nanshi, as soon as they could close the stall.
Their factory was not bad. All the workers wore uniforms and followed the formal safety procedures, so nobody was afraid that the customer might find fault with them.
Shu Ran also had high requirements for his factory. The American was familiar with all the small workshops scattered around villages, but upon seeing such a neat and orderly factory, he was truly surprised. It looked very up to the standards he was used to back home.
Moreover, this partner could communicate with him without any barriers, saving a lot of trouble. After all, foreigners who came to China for business never fully trusted local translators, afraid of being cheated.
“I think we can proceed with the order. Your factory is very neat.” The customer kept nodding in affirmation, placing an order on the spot.
Including every single one of those five styles, in big quantities.
After everything was negotiated, Shu Ran and Xu Shen had to accompany the customer back to the coast and look for fabrics. What the customer wanted was a bit higher grade than what they used to make the samples, making Shu Ran remember the feel of modern sportswear.
That batch of fabrics was paid for by the customer, and he was also willing to pay part of the processing fee in advance. Even if it was just a part, the amount was considerable.
After they returned to Nanshi, they asked Jiang Fan to immediately drive them to the Bank, in order to complete the money transfer process. In the true big boss fashion, they returned with a huge bundle of cash, looking spectacular on the office’s table.
The main reason they did that was to inspire people. After everyone saw the real money on the table, the entire factory was full of crooked smiles, making them excited to return to the workshop and start working.
“You two are awesome!” After all the workers left the office, Chen Kai gave Shu Ran and Xu Shen a big thumbs up. “I thought it would take a long time before you returned from the coast… You came back so soon! And even brought a foreign customer with you!” He said again: “Awesome!”
The other two people also looked at them and smiled, fully convinced: “Now it’s good. We can go into production with peace of mind!”
Shu Ran and Xu Shen also smiled. In fact, they themselves were surprised, since it was purely due to good luck… Plus the fact that their products were truly efficient, hitting right in the customer’s needs.
Everyone finally felt relaxed: “Well, we can start production once the fabrics arrive.”
It was already mid to late August when Li Jie led his brothers to transport the fabrics back from the coast. The garment workers in the factory had also been practicing for a long time, and those who passed the assignment were immediately placed into the production chain.
At the end of the first day, Shu Ran calculated the waste rate with everyone and found that it was within the ideal range, making his nerves completely relaxed.
“I want a vacation…”
The moment the results were out, everyone saw Shu Ran throw away his notebook and pen, and then slump in the chair motionless.
“Let it go! Let it go!” Everyone shouted. “You have worked hard during this period…” Then everyone looked at Xu Shen: “Just take him back and take good care of him!”
Xu Shen nodded: “Until the day of the inspection…” There was indeed nothing else left to do until the customer came back to inspect his goods, but then, Shu Ran still needed to come out from seclusion and carry out the negotiations.
When Shu Ran was brought back by Xu Shen, he closed his eyes and fell asleep immediately. He and Xu Shen, two hard-working little bees running a business, really hadn’t rested for a long time. They were now sleeping hard in each other’s arms, wishing they could sleep for eight or ten days more.
But to be honest, they were busy but not bitter. What they really felt was the fulfillment of waking up to a busy day every morning, a very beautiful feeling.
…………
The next afternoon, after the sun was already gone.
Xu Shen woke up earlier than Shu Ran, patting his wife’s body in a gesture that looked suspiciously similar to… A farmer touching his pig to see if it had gained enough weight during the New Year.
Could it be slaughtered by the end of the year? Almost there…
No matter how busy he was during that period, Xu Shen never relaxed his wife’s dietary and health plans. He did not allow Shu Ran to lose any weight, and he probably even gained some. It must have been the effect of traditional Chinese medicine. Shu Ran’s appetite increased after prolonged intake of bitter medicine, making him able to eat two bowls of rice for every meal, almost double his initial intake.
Xu Shen thought about all those changes while continuing to absentmindedly pat Shu Ran’s body. It didn’t take long before his wife’s breath changed slightly. He looked down and saw a pair of steamy eyes, with thin, red cheeks.
It turned out that Shu Ran woke up due to his interruptions, and he was now angrily looking at him, with a strange look in his eyes.
There was silence for a moment, and just as Shu Ran began to feel embarrassed, Xu Shen came back to his senses, swallowed hard, and then leaned into his ear to ask: “Shall I carry you for a wash?”
Of course, Shu Ran knew what “washing” meant… After being alone for so many days, it turned out that Xu Shen finally couldn’t bear it anymore, and wanted to torment him since they were on vacation.
“No need to carry me, I can go by myself.” Shu Ran woke up, his vision returned to clarity, and he lazily got out of bed.
In fact… Shu Ran also missed Xu Shen. After all, given his age, who could remain pure and devoid of any desires?
Xu Shen smiled while standing up: “Wait for me, I’ll bring you a kettle of water.”
There was also a kettle in their bedroom, but it was not full. The ones downstairs had not been drunk yet, so there was enough hot water for Shu Ran to take a bath. There was no such thing as having no hot water, as they could always boil more in the evening.
Shu Ran went to the bathroom, waiting for Xu Shen to come over. The other party also wanted to wash and shave off his stubble, as if dedicated to never scratching his wife’s skin.
During that time, due to busy work and the need to nurture Shu Ran’s health, the two of them hadn’t been intimate for nearly two months… When Shu Ran heard Xu Shen’s footsteps coming up, he shamefully felt his whole body tense up, as if he was experiencing his wedding night all over again.
Xu Shen noticed his wife’s reaction but thought it was a sign of nervousness. He just needed to spend more time and let Shu Ran become accustomed to him again…
It wasn’t that he was nervous, but Shu Ran felt that the lack of contact over such a long period of time, made everything feel a little strange. He needed time to find the familiarity and be able to act naturally.
Shu Ran gradually stopped holding back, becoming so proactive that Xu Shen felt his soul was tightly grasped, with nowhere to escape. His body, mind, senses, and attention… Everything could only belong to Shu Ran, without any reservations.
The “battle” started at a very early hour in the afternoon. Xu Shen originally planned to have a brief taste and withdraw his troops, wanting to go cook and feed his wife. However, as soon as it started, he forgot about his plan, and by the time he came back to his senses, it was already nine o’clock in the evening.
Shu Ran slumped limply in his man’s arms, resting for ten minutes and groaning: “So tired… Why is this so tiring? Is even more tiring than starting a business…”
But Xu Shen was happy, so he laughed twice.
Shu Ran thought of a question, blushed, and coughed lightly: “Do you feel… Anything different?”
“What’s different?” Xu Shen looked at him.
“That…” Shu Ran glared at the man who was pretending to be stupid. “Was the money you spent some time ago in vain?”
“No…” Xu Shen said. “Your appetite has obviously increased. The more you eat, the more weight you will gain.”
“Who asked about that?!” The matter of how much food he was eating was an old story, like a repeat of the same old scripts. What he truly wanted to ask was obviously about another amount of money spent some time ago…
“Then… What money?” Xu Shen looked at him with a smile.
“Damn you, you… Did you do that on purpose?!” Shu Ran wanted to have a serious discussion but… Xu Shen was making fun of people! He immediately became angry, picked up the pillow behind his head, and hit Xu Shen once or twice.
“Hey… Don’t… Spare my face!” Xu Shen smiled and continued: “Weren’t you tired? You still have the strength to hit me…”
“I’ll hit you!” Shu Ran was very angry. He threw the pillow away and started to beat Xu Shen, that tool man. “Damn it, I was serious here, and you’re making fun of me?!”
“I’m sorry! I was wrong!” Xu Shen got up and quickly retreated from the bed. “Wife, let me cook for you!”
“Stop!” Shu Ran pointed at him. “If you dare to leave, don’t come back! Get back here!”
Seeing that Shu Ran was indeed angry, Xu Shen didn’t dare to leave the room. “Wife, I was really wrong. I’m just shy.”
Shu Ran was speechless: “I’m not shy, but you are?! Do you think I’ll believe that?!”
“You must believe me…” Xu Shen continued. “Didn’t you feel it yourself?”
“…”
Shu Ran was still speechless. “Feel… What? What did you feel?”
“It’s just… The uncomfortable feeling of being squeezed.” Xu Shen finished speaking, turned around, and went downstairs, completely shirtless and indeed looking a little bit shy.
“What?!” Shu Ran’s fair and handsome face instantly turned red.
No… He still had to ask whether it was the bad kind of uncomfortable or the exciting one!!!
It was such a pity that Xu Shen had already run away a long time ago, and nobody could catch him for questioning. But it was okay… He could ask again after dinner!
Xu Shen was a very fast cook. Since he didn’t go shopping during the day, he planned to “steal” some cabbage from the aunt next door and boil it with eggs, but… He had to go back and ask the aunt for eggs as well.
“Are you stealing food from someone else again?” Shu Ran’s first question was very serious, but then his tone changed: “Brother Shen… Since it’s uncomfortable for you, should we still use that cork thing in the future?”
Xu Shen completely choked: “It’s not entirely uncomfortable…”
Shu Ran thought for a moment: “I understand, it hurts but it makes you happy, the kind of happiness that runs deep…”
Xu Shen: “…”
He could no longer react except for laughing, with his hands shaking even when holding chopsticks.
“What are you doing? Are you sick at such a young age?!” Shu Ran also smiled and stuffed a big piece of boiled cabbage with eggs into his mouth. “Poor Brother Shen…”
“Don’t pity me…” Xu Shen also stuffed food into his mouth. “You don’t understand Brother Shen’s happiness.”
That sentence was also copied from Shu Ran, making him startled. “You are becoming more and more like Shu Ran 2.0…”
Xu Shen didn’t understand that sentence, but he was used to it. From time to time, weird things would come out of his wife’s mouth.
“Now that you have some free time, you should take a rest at home for a few days.” Xu Shen continued. “Weren’t you planning on continuing your novel? Why not finish it in one go?”
There was someone watching over the factory, and there was no need for Shu Ran to keep an eye on it at all times. At most, he could go there from time to time, to check on the quality of the products.
“That’s a good plan.” Shu Ran nodded.
“But I still have to go over and take a look every day. This order is too big and the factory is busy.” Xu Shen felt that one of them should always be present in the factory, or else Shu Ran could never be at ease. He paused and continued: “Why not call Brother Dong over for help?”
Of course, Shu Ran didn’t mind Wang Dong coming over to help them, but he was close to the Zhou family. “It’s okay, but you must tell Brother Dong to not say anything to anyone!”
“I know.” Xu Shen knew it very well.
Shu Ran became quite curious: “What’s the connection between you and Brother Dong?” According to his observations, Xu Shen was not close with anyone else from the village, only Wang Dong.
“He helped me before when I was younger.” Xu Shen said.
Shu Ran understood immediately: “That’s why you’ve remembered that gratitude until now.”
Xu Shen smiled but said nothing more. Just like he never asked Shu Ran any question that couldn’t be explained clearly, Shu Ran never touched the story of his childhood. They both had a tacit understanding, living in peace.
After dinner, Shu Ran was about to go and wash the dishes, but Xu Shen stopped him: “It’s okay, I’ll do it. You’re tired today.”
“I’ll do it…” Shu Ran felt like talking back. “You’re feeling uncomfortable today!”
While Xu Shen was in a daze, Shu Ran quickly took the bowls and chopsticks away.
By the time he started washing the dishes by the well, Shu Ran knew without needing to look that Xu Shen must be smiling like a fool in the living room.
Since Shu Ran went to wash the dishes, Xu Shen started to clean up the house. They were so busy before that their love nest turned into a doghouse. If Zhou Hui came over, they would definitely be scolded for not being able to live a good life.
…………
You could talk about Cao Cao, but Wang Dong actually arrived at their doorstep the next day1说曹操，曹操到- Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào, translates to “Talk about Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives. Is the Chinese equivalent of “Speak of the devil.” .
Seeing that he was in a bad state, Xu Shen asked questions until he found out that his wife and mother had a big fight two days before. And it was so serious that his wife almost miscarried. The next day, she went back to her parent’s house, saying that she would not come back until the problem was solved.
Wang Dong looked bitter: “My wife still has two months until she gives birth, but my mother won’t understand at all!” Every day, she likes to embarrass his wife over every small and insignificant matter.
He already tried to fix their relationship, but he still has to go out and work every day, unable to stay at home and play the mediator.
Hearing that, Xu Shen finally understood why Shu Ran was so satisfied with Zhang Yunsheng. It looked like the conflict between a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law had the potential to become a hard war. Then Xu Shen actually felt grateful for not having any elders above his head, otherwise the conflict in his own family might have been even more terrible.
“Dongzi, how about you come and work in the town and bring your wife with you?” Xu Shen thought about it and said: “Since your mother and wife won’t have to see each other, won’t the conflict be solved then?”
“Come and work in the town?” Wang Dong was stunned and pointed at himself: “Can I even do that?!”
Seeing Xu Shen nod, his eyes were full of surprise, and he scratched his head: “But, didn’t you say before that I wasn’t suitable…”
“You are indeed not suitable for driving a truck.” Xu Shen didn’t agree to hire him back then, but now there were a lot of available jobs in the factory. “I have set up a factory, but don’t tell anyone else about it. Do you understand? Go back and take your wife quietly. Accommodation can be arranged.”
Besides, it was also close to the hospital, and Wang Dong’s wife could safely give birth. Wasn’t that better than finding a midwife back in the village? Moreover, Xu Shen was worried about Wang Dong. With his mild temper, if Yang Caiyun gave birth to a daughter instead of a son, his mother might eat everyone up.
“Oh! Okay, okay!” Wang Dong first digested the good news that Xu Shen now had his own factory, grinning from ear to ear. “Then I will go back to my hometown and pick up my wife right now!”
Xu Shen took out some money from his pocket and handed it to him: “My sister-in-law is about to give birth. Please hire a motorized tricycle to go back. Remember to also buy some gifts for your in-laws.”
“Hey, thank you, Brother Shen!” Wang Dong smiled gratefully.
Xu Shen saw Wang Dong off and went back upstairs. Shu Ran asked him: “Weren’t you going to the factory?”
“Dongzi came over just now.” Xu Shen sat down and told Shu Ran about the conflicts that occurred in Wang Dong’s family. “I now think that our brother-in-law is quite good…”
“Right…” Shu Ran was also grateful. Fortunately, Wang Dong knew to come to Xu Shen for help, otherwise, the consequences would have been disastrous.
“I don’t know when they’ll come. If I’m not back yet, please greet them first.” Xu Shen continued.
“Okay, you can go out.” Shu Ran glanced at his watch. “If you delay it any longer, it will be afternoon.”
“Yeah.” Unable to waste any more time, Xu Shen came over, kissed Shu Ran, and left for the factory.
Around evening, a tricycle carried Wang Dong and his wife to Xu Shen’s house. Xu Shen happened to have just returned, carrying a chicken and a big piece of pork knuckle. He thought that since they were about to have guests over, they needed something to entertain them. And even if they didn’t come, he could still stew it for Shu Ran. Anyway, it would not go to waste.
“Brother Dong, sister-in-law, you’re here?” The moment Shu Ran came out, Wang Dong was a little bit stunned, as if they hadn’t seen each other for a long time and the Brother Dingzi he remembered was not that handsome.
“Hey, Brother Dingzi! You’ve grown taller and more handsome!” Wang Dong enthusiastically caught Shu Ran and looked at him, just about to put his arms around his shoulders….
But Xu Shen walked by and kicked him dissatisfied: “Such a fart, take my sister-in-law to rest!” Then he said to Shu Ran: “Come to the kitchen and help me.”
“Ah?” When hearing that request for the first time ever, Shu Ran was also stunned for a moment, and then said hurriedly: “Oh, here I come!”
Why was he stunned? Because Xu Shen never wanted him in the kitchen, always chasing him out. When he came over, Xu Shen pointed to the stool: “No need to do anything, just help me with the fire.”
“Right!” Shu Ran sat down, holding back his laughter while teasing the other person: “Isn’t the kitchen the territory you wanted to defend to death? Why are you willing to let me in today?”
“There’s a lot to do today.” Xu Shen answered seriously.
“Right, I believe it.” Shu Ran nodded.
The two of them looked at each other and then looked away without incident.
Shu Ran lit up the fire and started laughing, with his head buried in his knees, a pair of iron pliers in his hand, and making small movements on the ground.
“Don’t laugh…” Xu Shen lightly kicked the leg of Shu Ran’s stool.
Seeing that Shu Ran was still not calming down, he frowned and said with a dissatisfied voice: “Your handsomeness is none of his business!”
Shu Ran said in a whisper: “He was the one who provoked you, why are you venting your anger on me…”
It wasn’t that serious, but Xu Shen still felt depressed over his inability to openly declare sovereignty and announce to everyone that Shu Ran was his partner.
“I wasn’t venting on you…” Xu Shen rubbed Shu Ran’s head.
“Oh.” The fire from the stove reflected on Shu Ran’s face. He was indeed handsome and clean, with picturesque features. And actually getting more and more beautiful, making Xu Shen feel quite accomplished.
While eating, Wang Dong asked: “Brother Shen, where is my sister-in-law?”
Xu Shen replied calmly: “She went to study in school. She won’t be back until Sunday.”
That lie… Made Shu Ran grateful that it was not yet Sunday.
Fortunately, Wang Dong didn’t ask any more questions. The couple stayed over that night, in the guest room that Zhou Hui cleaned before.
The next morning, before Shu Ran could even wake up, Xu Shen had already taken Wang Dong and his wife to the factory. That move made Shu Ran feel that Xu Shen didn’t want outsiders in his house for even a moment longer.
