Chapter 31: Hello, Kitty

“Cao Zhen?” Cao Shujie mulled over the suggestion from Cao Tieming.

His childhood friend Cao Zhen was helping out at a company run by his uncle, working as a logistics supervisor.

“Could he have connections in this area?” Cao Shujie thought it over and decided to give Cao Zhen a call.

“What do you need barbed wire for?” Cao Zhen sounded puzzled.

After Cao Shujie explained, Cao Zhen let out several exclamations of “Whoa!” and said, “Shujie, I almost forgot—you quietly went and did something big!”

Then Cao Zhen’s tone changed. “Come to think of it, you’re doing well now. My mom’s been nagging me these days, saying I’m just messing around outside and should come back to farm!”

“…” Cao Shujie couldn’t even be bothered to respond and just asked, “Cao Zhen, let’s not get sidetracked. Can you help me find someone who sells barbed wire? I need it urgently.”

As soon as he said that, Cao Zhen replied, “That’s easy. Of course I can. I know the owner of a factory that makes this stuff. I’ll talk to him. Factory prices are cheap. How much do you need?”

“Not more than 2,000 meters. I still need to calculate exactly,” said Cao Shujie, still uncertain.

Besides fencing off the entire mountain field he leased, he wanted to create internal divisions for different crops and livestock, for easier management.

“Come to the county. Once you’re here, I’ll take you to the factory to discuss.” That’s what Cao Zhen said in the end.

Cao Shujie figured that worked. “I don’t have time today. I’ll come find you tomorrow.”

“Alright, just call me when you arrive. I’ll take some time off,” Cao Zhen responded cheerfully.

……

Back home, when he saw his wife and daughter, the two of them were in the bedroom browsing on a laptop.

They hadn’t installed wired internet yet and were using a mobile wireless card. When she saw Cao Shujie, Cheng Xiaolin complained, “Hubby, what did you tell the telecom guys? It’s been days and they still haven’t come to install the internet. Did they forget again?”

“I’ll call and push them again,” Cao Shujie replied.

As he spoke, he sat down beside his wife, put an arm around her shoulder, and asked, “What are you two doing?”

“What else? It’s getting hot, so I’m looking for a suitable dress for Mengmeng on Taobao,” said Cheng Xiaolin.

“You’re not buying shoes or clothes for yourself?” asked Cao Shujie.

Cheng Xiaolin grinned. “I haven’t seen anything I like yet. If I do, I’ll get it.”

As they talked, Mengmeng suddenly pointed at a pink floral dress on the screen. “Dress! Dress!”

She liked that one.

Cheng Xiaolin immediately clicked on it, examined it for a while, then shook her head. “Mengmeng, this one doesn’t come in your size. Mommy will keep looking for you.”

“Oh!” Mengmeng replied, eyes wide, continuing her search.

“What were you saying just now?” Cheng Xiaolin circled back to the conversation.

“I’m going to the county tomorrow. If you want to shop for clothes and shoes, come with me and check out the mall,” said Cao Shujie.

“Why are you going to the county?” Cheng Xiaolin looked at him, puzzled.

“I want to buy some barbed wire to fence in the mountain land I leased. I looked around town but couldn’t find any. I asked Cao Zhen, and he’s taking me to a factory in the county that specializes in wire fencing.”

“Well, if you’ve got business, we won’t tag along and get in the way.” Cheng Xiaolin had wanted to go, but decided against it after hearing he had serious business.

But Mengmeng was eager to go. She said, “Slide! Play!”

She still remembered the playground at the entrance of Tiantian Supermarket.

Even though there was a minor unpleasant incident last time, kids forget quickly.

“Alright, we’ll all go tomorrow,” said Cao Shujie.

And that was that.

At dinner, Cao Shujie asked his parents if they wanted to go to the county too.

Once they found out he was going for business, Wang Yuelan and Cao Jianguo both declined.

“Mom, anything you want us to bring back?” Cheng Xiaolin asked.

Wang Yuelan shook her head. “We have everything we need. No need to buy anything.”

……

The next morning, after breakfast, Cao Shujie picked up Mengmeng and was about to head out.

Cheng Xiaolin followed with her bag and Mengmeng’s insulated water bottle. They hadn’t even stepped out the door when Daha and Erha started barking.

Mengmeng looked back and called out, “Daddy, puppies!”

“We’re going to do something important. You can play with them when we get back,” said Cao Shujie.

“No!” Mengmeng protested. She insisted on bringing Daha and Erha along.

“There are plenty of things you’re not allowed to do!”

This time, Cao Shujie didn’t give in.

As they drove off, Mengmeng burst into tears, wailing, “Bad daddy! I don’t want daddy anymore!”

“Mengmeng, cry again and I’ll drop you off,” said Cao Shujie, glancing back from the driver’s seat.

Mengmeng immediately stopped crying.

But she still sniffled, tears streaming down her face, with snot hanging from her nose, almost covering her mouth.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiaolin quickly wiped her clean with tissues and wet wipes.

“Mengmeng, Daddy has important business today. Once we get to the county, Mommy will take you shopping for shoes and a dress. If we bring Daha and Erha, the mall won’t let us in.”

“Really?” Mengmeng was skeptical.

Cheng Xiaolin nodded. “Of course it’s true. People are scared the puppies might bite.”

Hearing this, Mengmeng got upset. “Liar! Puppies don’t bite! They don’t bite me!”

“Right, right, you’re their best friend. Of course they wouldn’t bite you,” said Cheng Xiaolin, playing along.

“Hmph!” Mengmeng huffed, a hint of pride on her little face, breaking into a smile.

Cao Shujie glanced at her in the rearview mirror, feeling a bit helpless.

Kids are so emotional—especially his daughter, barely two years old.

Half an hour later, Cao Shujie arrived in Pingyuan County Town. He called Cao Zhen.

Upon hearing that Cao Shujie was dropping off his wife and child at the mall, Cao Zhen said, “Then send them to Wuxing Department Store. I’ll meet you there.”

Cao Zhen showed up quickly. Just a few minutes after Cao Shujie dropped off his wife and daughter at the store, his phone rang.

He told Cheng Xiaolin, “You two go ahead and shop. I’m heading to the factory with Cao Zhen. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

“Okay, go handle your business. Don’t worry about us,” Cheng Xiaolin replied, taking Mengmeng into the mall.

Cao Zhen got in the car and said, “Gotta admit, your car is way more comfortable than my old Great Wall.”

He rambled on, “My seats are so stiff they make my butt hurt.”

“Then get a new car,” said Cao Shujie.

Cao Zhen immediately fell silent.

Cao Zhen led the way to a factory called “Chenzheng Protective Fencing.”

The factory wasn’t big, but the yard was filled with all kinds of fencing.

There were plain wire fences, ones coated with PVC plastic, and even some with barbed wire.

The place reeked of paint fumes so strong that Cao Shujie’s eyes almost watered.

“Shujie, Boss Chen has everything here—whatever kind of wire fencing you need, even custom orders. Take a look,” said Cao Zhen, who clearly had a good relationship with the owner.

He added, “Don’t worry about the price—it’ll definitely be cheaper than the market.”

“Alright.” Cao Shujie carefully examined the options.

Cao Zhen made a call, and shortly after, a pot-bellied middle-aged man appeared, shouting before he even got close, “Supervisor Cao! What brings you here?”

“Boss Chen, what a coincidence. My friend here needs to buy a batch of wire fencing, and when he asked me, I immediately thought of your place.”

“Oh wow, thank you, Supervisor Cao. Are you and your friend free at noon? Lunch is on me,” said the factory owner, Chen Xingquan.

“Not today, my uncle and the others are back for inspection. In the afternoon, people from the investment office are coming for a visit, and we’ve also arranged a meeting with the bank to discuss the loan. Let’s do it another day, and I’ll treat you then.”

Cao Shujie gave his childhood friend a deliberate glance. He was talking slick and smooth now, totally unlike his usual laid-back self when they drank and bragged together.

Chen Xingquan nodded when he heard that. “Alright, another day then. It’s on me.”

Chen Xingquan asked Cao Shujie what type of wire fencing he needed and gave him a quick rundown of the prices.

According to Chen Xingquan, their factory’s wire fencing ranged from a few yuan per meter to over a hundred yuan per meter, depending mainly on the usage environment.

…

At Wuxing Department Store, Cheng Xiaolin was with her daughter Mengmeng in the children’s clothing section on the second floor, trying on a light yellow dress with Doraemon on it. “Mengmeng, do you think it looks good?”

“Mommy, kitty! Heehee, hello, kitty!” Mengmeng was distracted.

(End of Chapter)