Chapter 119

Staying up late wasn’t a big deal for Zhenzhen, so after Xi Junjie carried her back into the house, the two moved from the bathroom to the bedroom and, full of energy, went several rounds before finally falling asleep. It wasn’t until 10 a.m. the next morning, when Zhenzhen’s alarm went off, that they groggily opened their eyes. Curling her toes, Zhenzhen lazily nudged Xi Junjie: “Darling, I want some water.”

Recalling their passion from the night before, Xi Junjie let his flirtatious gaze linger on Zhenzhen’s fair shoulder, gently nibbled on it, and whispered in a slightly hoarse voice by her ear, “But I still want to hold you, what should I do?”

Feeling the tingling sensation on her shoulder and the increasingly close breath near her ear, Zhenzhen blushed slightly. She turned away from Xi Junjie’s seductive reach, lifted her fair little foot, and kicked him out of the covers: “Keep your thoughts clean this early in the morning.”

Xi Junjie chuckled, affectionately ruffled Zhenzhen’s hair, and teased, “Alright, I’ll listen to my wife. We’ll save the unhealthy stuff for tonight.”

Under Zhenzhen’s flushed and glaring eyes, Xi Junjie laughed loudly, poured a glass of warm water from the tea table, and brought it to her. Then he turned to the wardrobe, took out clean underwear, and tossed last night’s clothes scattered on the floor into the washing machine.

After washing up, Zhenzhen opened the curtains and windows. Warm sunlight and fresh air pushed out the stuffy air that had built up overnight. She opened the bedroom door and skipped quickly into the yard, playfully turning back to wave at Xi Junjie: “Let’s see who gets to the dining room first!”

“Whoever loses has to be on the bottom tonight,” Xi Junjie shouted, quickly chasing after her. Zhenzhen laughed and swatted him twice: “Are you crazy? Don’t shout that loud! So embarrassing!”

Xi Junjie dodged while laughing, “You’re cheating! Afraid I’ll win, huh?”

Zhenzhen jumped onto Xi Junjie’s back with a laugh: “Let me show you how cheating wins!” She kicked his butt playfully and shouted, “Run!”

The young couple laughed and played all the way to the dining room door before calming down. Xi Junjie set Zhenzhen down from his back and pushed open the dining room door. The Xi family never ate breakfast together—some woke early, others late—so no one waited for anyone else. Aunt Yang, who was in charge of cooking, saw the two arrive and quickly dropped the shrimp and crab roe pork wontons she’d already prepared into the pot. By the time the wontons were served, the delicate crab roe soup dumplings were also steamed and ready.

Zhenzhen bit into the thin skin of the dumpling, gently blowing on it while carefully sucking out the scalding hot soup inside. Then she cautiously drizzled a bit of vinegar into the torn skin and took a bite with both skin and filling. The meat and crab flavors mingled perfectly—rich but not greasy, filling her mouth with the delicious taste of crab.

After just a few bites, one crab roe soup dumpling was gone. Zhenzhen didn’t rush to grab another. Instead, she used a spoon to sip the wonton soup first. The broth had been simmered by Aunt Yang using a free-range hen from the countryside—fresh and clear. The wontons, made with crab roe, shrimp, and pork, needed only a pinch of salt to be flavorful right out of the pot.

After eating two wontons, Zhenzhen carefully picked up another translucent crab roe soup dumpling into her bowl. Once again, she sucked out the soup and looked like she was about to cry from satisfaction: “I love this season when I can eat crab every day. I can never get enough.”

Aunt Yang brought out another steaming basket of soup dumplings and smiled: “Being able to eat is a blessing. Young folks like you should eat more. Mingbei came by earlier and ate three whole baskets!”

Zhenzhen laughed: “Why did my brother come over so early to mooch food? He’s the type who can sleep till noon.”

Aunt Yang thought for a moment and then hesitantly said, “Miss Ling asked him to draw some building… said it needs to be three stories tall?” Seeing that Xi Junjie liked the cold seaweed salad on the table, she served him another plate and continued, “From what I gathered, Miss Ling wants to use it for some kind of business and asked him to do the design.”

Zhenzhen turned and said to Xi Junjie with a smile, “My mom really moves fast. She only came up with the idea in the middle of the night, and this morning she already called Mingbei over.”

After eating three more dumplings and stuffing a big bowl of wontons into her stomach, Zhenzhen contentedly patted her belly: “I’m going to Mom’s room to check out the house design Mingbei’s working on. You finish your breakfast and go do your thing. No need to follow me.” Xi Junjie nodded: “After I eat, I’ll go see if Grandma needs any help. Just call me if you need anything.”

When Zhenzhen arrived at the main house, Mingbei was already working on the design drawings. The architecture program at Guoda University was nationally renowned. Although Mingbei wasn’t at the top of his class, he had a real knack for architectural design. One of his junior-year design projects had even been showcased by a professor in class as an exemplary work, and several professors praised his design thinking. Now, Mingbei was working at the Imperial Capital Architectural Design Institute. Though he had only been working for a few months, he was already assisting senior designers on a large-scale public building project.

Converting the shop into a three-story commercial building wasn’t particularly difficult. Zhenzhen had bought the entire row of connected shops, so demolishing and rebuilding wouldn’t affect any neighboring properties. Ling Xiulan had spent the whole night thinking about the design for a beauty salon. She only dozed off briefly around 3 or 4 a.m., and by 6 a.m., she was wide awake and calling Mingbei, urging him to come over and draw up the plans.

Mingbei has his own unique design philosophy, while Ling Xiulan, with over a decade of experience in beauty, already had a clear and precise vision for the layout of a beauty salon. As the two of them communicated, they gradually integrated their ideas. By the time Zhenzhen came in, the two had already finalized the general design concept for the salon.

Seeing the faint dark circles under Ling Xiulan’s eyes, Zhenzhen felt a bit guilty. “Mom, look at you. The salon hasn’t even opened yet, and you’ve already worn yourself out like this. Did you stay up too late last night? If you keep this up, Dad’s going to blame me.”

Ling Xiulan smiled and rubbed her eyes. “Actually, I went to bed right after you left last night, but I just couldn’t fall asleep.” Holding Zhenzhen’s hand, she was still visibly excited. “Back when I was in France, I used to dream of having my own beauty salon one day. That dream didn’t come true in France, but I never imagined it could become a reality now. How could I not be excited?”

Zhenzhen gently pressed on Ling Xiulan’s shoulders, helping her massage them. “But you can’t stay up all night. We agreed, from now on you’re not allowed to do that. Business is secondary—your health comes first. After lunch, take a nap. Leave the rest to me.”

Mingbei was sketching on paper. He looked up and smiled. “It’ll take me a few more days to finish the drawings. But we can’t just start building the place right away. Auntie will need to report to the relevant departments and get approval first.”

Ling Xiulan nodded. “I know. I’ll go handle the paperwork on Monday. You just focus on your drawings. Once the permits are approved, I’ll have your company handle the design and construction, and you’ll be the project lead.”

Hearing this, Mingbei stood up excitedly, his face flushed. As a newcomer fresh out of school, he would normally have to shadow senior architects for two or three years before taking on a project independently. Right now, he was barely doing odd jobs.

“But I don’t have much work experience yet.” Though this opportunity felt like a pie falling from the sky, Mingbei was well aware of the gap between himself and a licensed architect. “I’m still in the learning phase and not very familiar with the construction team. If I’m in charge, I’m afraid I might delay the construction progress.”

“That’s exactly why I want you to take it on,” Ling Xiulan said with a smile. “When you’re just assisting others, you only learn surface-level things. No matter how long you study, it’s not as effective as doing it yourself. Only by being fully responsible for a project will you understand how to coordinate and communicate in ways you can’t see from the sidelines. It’ll also give you a clear understanding of what it takes to be a qualified designer.”

Zhenzhen knew this was Ling Xiulan giving Mingbei a chance to grow. Although a beauty salon might seem insignificant compared to other buildings, its unique location and specific nature still posed a challenge for a new designer. If Mingbei could successfully complete the project, he would become a qualified architectural designer much faster than his peers.

Seeing how much trust Ling Xiulan placed in him, Mingbei clenched his fists, his lips trembling with excitement. “Thank you, Auntie, for giving me this opportunity. I’ll do my best!”

Zhenzhen smiled at the sight but didn’t forget to splash some cold water on him. “Even though we’re saying the project is yours now, there are always uncontrollable variables. Don’t go around bragging just yet. If you don’t end up getting the project, people might laugh at you.”

“I know.” Mingbei chuckled and picked up his sketches and notes. “Auntie Ling, I’ll head back and work on the drawings. You have my number—if you think of any new requirements, just call me anytime.”

“It’s already lunchtime, stay and eat with us,” Ling Xiulan said, glancing at her watch. “You’ve been running around since early morning. The least I can do is treat you to a meal.”

“I already had breakfast,” Mingbei said with a smile. “The crab roe soup dumplings and shrimp and crab wontons were delicious. I ate enough for two!”

Ling Xiulan laughed. “Breakfast doesn’t count for much. I’ll have Sister Yang cook something nice for lunch. I remember you like roast duck and meat, right? I’ll have the kitchen make more meat dishes so you can eat your fill.” Seeing that Mingbei was a bit embarrassed and about to decline, she added, “You’re family—no need to be polite. We’ll call over your grandma and your parents too. When Zhenzhen’s working, the rest of us usually eat together anyway.”

Seeing this, Mingbei didn’t refuse anymore and sat back down with his sketches. “Then I’ll keep working on the drawings here.”

“Do your best for Auntie. My beauty salon is counting on your design,” Ling Xiulan said with a smile as she brought over a plate of freshly washed fruit from the coffee table and then went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

For his first design project, Mingbei wanted to pour all of his ideas into it. It had to be both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. He was so focused on sketching that he didn’t even notice when Grandma Li and the others arrived. Zhenzhen couldn’t help but softly say, “My fourth brother used to be the most restless one. Ever since he became a zhiqing and spent a few years planting trees, he’s become much more grounded. Back then, he couldn’t even sit still on a stool, let alone focus like this.”

Grandma Li waved her hand and, along with Wang Sufen and Zhenzhen, stepped out of the room. Not wanting to disturb Mingbei’s work, they went to the kitchen to help. With both families working together, they quickly prepared a large spread of dishes. Xi Junjie also returned with a good-quality roast duck, which was plated and served.

Raising a glass of Zhenzhen’s homemade wine, Ling Xiulan beamed with joy. “Cheers—to the early opening of my beauty salon!”

****

With each autumn rain came a new chill. Just a few days ago, a light jacket was enough to go outside, but now even a sweater felt a bit cold. After one such autumn rain, the former Baixing Garment Factory was officially renamed Yimei Garment Factory, with Wang Xinzhi taking full charge of the factory’s operations. After completing the factory’s registration changes and personally hanging up the new sign, Wang Xinzhi entered the director’s office and began working tirelessly. When dusk fell, he glanced at the clock on the wall, estimating that Zhenzhen had likely finished work, and quickly called her home.

Hearing the crisp voice on the other end, Wang Xinzhi was momentarily dazed. But he quickly returned to his usual tone, formal and businesslike. “Boss, the paperwork for the garment factory is done, and the new sign is up. This afternoon, I’ve already arranged for procurement to source this year’s new cotton. Once it arrives, we can start producing military coats.”

“How are the original management personnel being arranged?” Zhenzhen asked the question she was most concerned about from the other end of the microphone.

Zhenzhen and Wang Xinzhi had previously discussed the issue of whether or not to retain the former factory director, Si Yaren. After all, the former director of the furniture factory had once tried to incite internal unrest among the workers in an attempt to seize power. Zhenzhen didn’t want similar trouble happening again at the garment factory.

Although Wang Xinzhi hadn’t experienced the incident at the furniture factory firsthand, he had heard about it from Sun Rende. However, after working with Si Yaren a few times, Wang Xinzhi had a good impression of him. So, when Zhenzhen brought up the issue, he immediately spoke up in Si Yaren’s defense: “Although Si Yaren’s management skills are average and he’s not particularly market-savvy, he’s a very hardworking person. The last few times we had urgent orders, I visited the factory and saw that he was always in the workshop, eating and working alongside the workers. He’s tenacious and has very strict standards for garment quality. The workers respect him a lot. My idea is to appoint him as the deputy factory director in charge of production. With him overseeing production, I’ll have more energy to focus on other matters.”

Zhenzhen trusted Wang Xinzhi’s judgment of people: “Then let’s go with your plan. As for the rest of the management team, keep those who are suitable. If anyone has questionable intentions, it’s better to pay them a bit more in severance and let them go. We don’t have the time or energy for internal power struggles.”

Wang Xinzhi laughed, “Don’t worry. By the way, I’m thinking of holding the first all-staff meeting since the reform of the garment factory in the next few days. Do you want to say a few words on stage? After all, the factory is your asset.”

Zhenzhen wasn’t particularly interested in public speaking: “You’re the one in charge of the factory now. As long as the employees recognize you, there’s no need for me to speak.”

“Director Si has always wanted to meet you,” Wang Xinzhi said, seeking her approval. “When I talked to him before, I kept referring to ‘my boss,’ so he’s very curious about the big boss behind the scenes. After all, turning a bankrupt furniture factory into a top-tier national enterprise in just two or three years is a business legend.”

Zhenzhen smiled and said, “You and Director Sun deserve a lot of credit for the furniture factory’s success. But it’s fine if Si Yaren wants to meet me. We are, after all, part of the same team now. I’m usually quite busy, though—how about we meet at noon on Sunday? I’ll treat you all to a meal at Imperial Capital Restaurant.”

“Big spender, boss,” Wang Xinzhi laughed. “I’ll bring Si Yaren over at noon on Sunday as scheduled.”

“Also, you need to start looking for designers. See if there are any young people in the factory with a talent for design. If not, try to recruit some through other channels. Also, prepare to select a few design talents from both the garment and furniture factories next month to visit and study in some European countries. The goal is to broaden their horizons and help break their conservative thinking, so they can gain more inspiration and help us create our own international style.”

Hearing that Zhenzhen wanted to send people abroad to study, Wang Xinzhi was very excited: “Understood. I’ll get on it and start looking for designers right away.”

Both factories were relatively weak in design. The furniture factory had two brands: Feihuang, which focused on high-end solid wood furniture with traditional and classical styles. This appealed to older, more affluent customers who preferred vintage charm, and its sales had been steadily increasing. In contrast, the Tengda brand targeted the general public with affordable and stylish composite wood furniture. Young newlyweds could afford it, and it emphasized trendy practicality. The early designs that helped Tengda establish its brand reputation were all personally designed by Zhenzhen. She even drew detailed diagrams for the mattresses and closely supervised their production. But Zhenzhen had too many other things to handle and couldn’t devote all her energy to the furniture factory. Over the past year or two, Tengda’s new furniture designs were all self-developed. While practical, Zhenzhen felt they still lacked true beauty. Meanwhile, there had been no innovation in the mattresses. Although Tengda still dominated the mattress market, Zhenzhen knew that the variety of mattresses would only increase in the future. Tengda mattresses would need to evolve to provide greater comfort and health benefits in order to retain more customers. Currently, Tengda’s furniture was already considered trendsetting in China, but for further progress and learning, going abroad was the best option.

Soon it was Sunday. Zhenzhen and Ling Xiulan went early in the morning to the shop on East Chang’an Street. The original clothing store had already moved to West Chang’an Street, and Mingbei was leading a team in demolishing the old building. For safety reasons, to prevent pedestrians from getting too close and being hit by falling bricks, the construction area was fenced off with barriers. Looking at the bare boards, Zhenzhen suddenly thought of modern advertising methods and had a flash of inspiration: “Mom, what do you think about using these barriers to advertise our beauty salon?”

Ling Xiulan looked at Zhenzhen and asked, “Are you planning to put up promotional posters? I just don’t know if there’s a place that can print posters meeting our standards.”

Zhenzhen smiled, “No need for anyone else—I’ll draw them myself.” Thinking about the work tasks she had received for the following week, Zhenzhen had a plan in mind: “I’ll work overtime in the evenings next week and try to finish everything by Wednesday. The remaining days will be enough for me to do the drawings.” Ling Xiulan, well aware of Zhenzhen’s many talents, knew that her hand-drawn work would be even better than printed posters.

After checking on the construction progress, the two went their separate ways. Zhenzhen had vacated a storefront near the construction site to serve as Ling Xiulan’s temporary office. By now, Ling Xiulan had recruited twenty young, pretty, and nimble-fingered girls. With a few months left before the grand opening, she had asked friends abroad to send over many books on beauty and skincare. She read the French originals while training the girls, using the opportunity to observe their personalities and interpersonal skills, so she could identify those with potential for future development.

Zhenzhen arrived alone at the Imperial Capital Hotel. Seeing that it was still early, she chose a seat by the window, asked the waiter to take her order, and then pulled a book out of her backpack to read.

As time ticked by, with ten minutes left before the appointed time, Wang Xinzhi and Si Yaren entered the Imperial Capital Hotel one after the other. It was still early for dinner, so the lobby wasn’t very crowded. Wang Xinzhi knew Zhenzhen liked window seats, and as soon as he looked up, he spotted her engrossed in her book.

Wang Xinzhi watched Zhenzhen reading with a smile forming on his face. Si Yaren followed his gaze and happened to make eye contact with Zhenzhen just as she looked up.

Seeing the person who had once helped him out of the awkward situation of not being able to pay his employees, Si Yaren enthusiastically extended his hand and walked over to Zhenzhen. “Oh, Reporter Li! What a coincidence! What brings you here?” Without waiting for Zhenzhen to respond, Si Yaren burst out laughing. “Listen to me—of course you’re waiting for someone. I haven’t even had the chance to thank you properly for your help last time. Thanks to the business you introduced, we were able to pay our workers. Oh, and you must know our Director Wang. The business deal between him and me was all thanks to you.”

He reached back and pulled Wang Xinzhi forward, beaming. “Isn’t this a small world? Director Wang and I used to be business partners, and now we’re family. You probably already know—Director Wang is now the head of our garment factory.”

After listening to Si Yaren’s rapid chatter, Zhenzhen smiled and extended her hand. “Director Wang, Director Si, please have a seat.”

Si Yaren quickly waved his hand. “Not today, unfortunately. Director Wang is taking me to meet our factory’s investor, who should be arriving any minute now. How about you give me your number, and I’ll treat you to a meal another time?”

Zhenzhen smiled and said, “No need. Today, let me treat you to dinner.”

“It’s true, we really do have something going on,” Si Yaren said, still not fully understanding the situation and waving his hands in refusal.

Wang Xinzhi smiled and finally spoke up, “Director Si, she’s our factory’s investor—Li Mingzhen.”

Si Yaren was stunned into silence. He opened his mouth wide, pointing at Li Mingzhen and then at Wang Xinzhi, his face full of disbelief. “Our factory… she bought it?”

Wang Xinzhi nodded. “That’s right!”

The broken string in Si Yaren’s brain finally reconnected. “Then doesn’t that mean Tengda Furniture Factory is also Reporter Li’s?”

Wang Xinzhi laughed again. “Yes, the furniture factory is also Mingzhen’s investment. And the best-selling Tengda mattress was personally designed by her.”

Si Yaren’s mind went blank. Looking at Li Mingzhen’s calm smile, he couldn’t help but recall the scene when she had interviewed him. A question slipped out before he could stop himself: “Back then, how many of the places you interviewed have you ended up buying?”