Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Humiliation
Although she didn't have to go to the wholesale vegetable market in the early morning, Feng Yuxuan still got up as early as usual. When her parents weren't home and there were only the two siblings, she fulfilled her parental responsibilities well. She fried bread and eggs, warmed the milk, and then knocked on Feng Yiping's door, 'Get up, the sun is shining on your butt!'
There's no sun these past two days.
'Why don't I go with you, so we don't have to drive back in two cars? I'll go to my godmother's place and pay her New Year's visit.'
Whenever she thought about her godmother, Feng Yuxuan always felt a little resistant, remembering her own thoughtlessness back then.
'Don't put it off until the first month of the lunar year, it'll definitely be busier then. Your godmother was pretty good to you those two years, so you should still go today,'
'Why don't you go with me?'
'What would I be doing at your godmother's house? Besides, I still need to go with my brother-in-law to visit the people working the New Year's Eve shifts at various companies, so I won't be able to go back until tomorrow.'
That was her sister's adopted mother, so if Feng Yiping went along, would he have to recognise her too? Come on, their own parents are fine, there's no need to find other adoptive parents.
'Oh,' Feng Yuxuan said with a somewhat unhappy nod, and she hadn't been there since she went to the provincial capital. Zhou Yufang had even made a special trip there before, so it would be unreasonable for her not to go there before the New Year.
Feng Yiping and his brother-in-law drove two cars, taking the four families of Zhou Xinyu, Xu Bin, Hong Haoran, and Gao Zhiyi to the airport, and then picked up Lao Cai, visiting each company to console those who had stayed behind on duty.
It was impossible for everyone to have a holiday. The building of the decoration company had to be guarded, and Zhitong Company also needed people to maintain the equipment. Six people were left at the hotel construction site, and Yijia Hotel also needed people to stay on duty. The convenience store warehouse, even more, needed people to watch.
The usually uncommunicative boss came with two deputy general managers to express his condolences, and these remaining employees were very happy, not to mention the fact that they didn't come empty-handed.
'Thank you for your hard work, and Happy New Year!' Everywhere he went, Feng Yiping shook hands with everyone, and gave each person a red envelope. The red envelope actually contained three times the salary as stipulated by labour law. He had asked Li Lin to prepare them in advance. Before the Spring Festival, it's not good if people don't go back, but it's good to send some money home.
Mei Yiliang gave each person a box of gifts, not much, but a token of his appreciation.
Lao Cai gave each of these people a business card with his mobile and landline numbers on it. During the Spring Festival, if there were any emergencies, Lao Cai, who was in the provincial capital, would be the first to be notified. 'Everyone worked hard! On the afternoon of the 30th, I'll pick you all up and take you to my house for a reunion dinner.'
After merging his family's furniture factory with Jiasheng Furniture Factory, Lao Cai's prestige at home has actually increased. Cai Lei and his wife don't say anything, but Cai Xin also feels the benefits of this personally. The family is able to participate in a bigger cause and of course get more in return.
So even Cai'er's second daughter-in-law, who is usually quiet and dislikes trouble, also expressed support for Cai'er's proposal.
'Yiping, aren't you coming with us?' Hui Hui asked him from the back seat of the car.
'Hui Hui, you go with your parents first. Many sisters and brothers are waiting for you at home. I'll be there tomorrow.'
During the New Year, Xiao Shuai's family will definitely go back to their hometown, and as for Feng Yiping, he still has to go to the city.
Jia Sheng Metal Products Factory can now be said to be brand new from top to bottom. A brand new electric door has been installed at the entrance, and the original mottled wall has been replaced by a simple wrought iron fence. Only the office building remains of the original building, but the exterior walls have also been redecorated. None of the old workshops and factories remain, and they have all been demolished and rebuilt. This old factory, which is almost as old as the republic and has been on the verge of bankruptcy several times, is now full of vitality after Feng Yiping took over.
The old man on duty in the guard room is still the same as before. As soon as he sees Feng Yiping, he runs to the door to wait for him personally. 'Thank you for your hard work, and a happy new year!' Feng Yiping hands him a red envelope and a gift box.
He keeps declining, saying, 'There's no need, really no need. My income is now much higher than before, and these are all part of my duties.'
When the company was a state-owned enterprise, he didn't get any of this. The office manager, who had hurried over, came to Feng Yiping's rescue, saying, 'Master Lin, please accept it. This is a uniform regulation of the group company, and every staff member on duty gets one.'
'This is too kind. Thank you, Mr Feng!'
'How are things in the staff quarters?' The office manager accompanied Feng Yiping on a tour of the factory. He had won a competition for a middle management position, and was considered an old hand at the factory, familiar with everything.
'Everything is fine, especially since I heard that construction of the new family housing will begin next year, everyone is very happy.'
'So this year, there must not be any mistakes, and during the Spring Festival, special attention must be paid to fire prevention.' Feng Yiping has been to the old residential buildings in the factory's family area more than once. Many of the aisles are crammed with things, and on top of the aisles are all kinds of wires. If there is a fire, it will be no joke.
'Before going home, General Ding also emphasised that the company had issued a document stating that fireworks would be set off this year, and that we had set aside a special area for everyone to gather there.'
'That's good. Safety is no trivial matter. We must take responsibility, even if it means doing useless work.'
Once they entered the staff quarters, Feng Yiping was unable to leave.
If before the merger, it was bleak and gloomy here, now it is full of joy and harmony.
As before, the metal products factory is now one of the most profitable enterprises in the city. The collective sense of honour that had been lost has been rebuilt. With the increase in wages, no family has to worry about making ends meet.
The small boss Feng Yiping was familiar to them. Later, Feng Yiping was like during the Chinese New Year when paying New Year visits at home, as soon as one family had just sat down for a while, another family would come to invite them in.
'General Manager Feng, it's all home cooking, you don't need to be polite,' In the evening, Feng Yiping was forced to stay at the home of the office director for dinner. He had a son and daughter. His son also worked in the factory, and his daughter was attending university in the provincial capital. She and Feng Yiping got on well.
'Just call me by my first name. Besides, home cooking is the most delicious,'
The wine had just been poured into the glass and he hadn't even started to drink it yet when someone knocked on the door. The hostess answered the door and soon returned with a plate containing a dish of braised ribbon fish.
Then, as if a floodgate had opened, the door to his house was continuously being knocked on by people, but no one came in. They just stood in the doorway and spoke with the hostess for a few words, leaving a dish behind, until his family's table couldn't hold it all...
'Well, just pack me a few dishes to take home and eat, otherwise everyone won't be able to eat in peace during this meal. I'll just tell everyone that I appreciate their thoughtfulness.'
These dishes were actually not very expensive or exquisite, but the thoughtfulness behind them was what mattered, and Feng Yiping felt warm and fuzzy inside.
Huang Chengzhong has been a celebrity at the town hall for the past two days. In a small town like this, nothing can be hidden. After Huang Jingping returned in the same car as Feng Zhanchang, everyone dug up all sorts of stories about her and Feng Yiping. There were many versions, but everyone, including those who had gossiped about Huang Jingping for not wanting a secure job, have now changed their tune and are praising Huang Chengzhong for having such a discerning daughter.
In that case, in fact, Huang Chengzhong himself is not very happy to hear it. My daughter is also very good, okay!
However, he can understand the sour grapes mentality of his colleagues. Everyone knows that Feng Yiping's family is the richest in the county, whether it is on the surface or underneath.
If Huang Jingping heard this, she would definitely find it funny. Apart from the company, if you look at the whole province, there are probably not many people with so much cash in hand.
However, Feng Yiping really has nothing to say to his daughter, and Huang Chengzhong doesn't want to argue with his colleagues' sour remarks. If you're capable, let your daughter find one too!
At the end of the day, several colleagues clamoured for him to treat them. 'No problem, I'll tell my family to get ready now. Come to my house tonight if you're free. But it's Chinese New Year, you wouldn't want to come empty-handed!'
'Why? I'll even bring a bag so I can see what rare items you have at home, so I can take them back to my wife and kids to let them try them too.'
The group laughed and joked as they greeted people from other departments and walked towards the main entrance.
A strong woman wearing a fur coat came upstairs. She was the wife of the town mayor. She was probably looking for her husband and saw Huang Chengzhong, surrounded by a group of people. With a smile that didn't reach her eyes, she said, 'Hey, isn't this Director Huang? Why are you still in our little town? Your eldest daughter has really flown the nest and will soon become a phoenix. I'm sure you will too. In a few days, you'll have to start calling me Director Huang! But this person, if it's not in their destiny, I'm afraid they can't force it. If they don't know for sure, they just need to look in the mirror and they'll understand.'
His smile froze on his face, and all the blood in Huang Chengzhong's body rushed to his head and face. His head was buzzing.
If you had to say what these middle-aged civil servants care about most, it would be face. At the moment when they were off work, the loud voice of the mayor's wife shouted that it was as if he, Huang Chengzhong, had sold his daughter for money and his own future. In addition, she mocked his appearance to his face.
You don't hit someone in the face. This middle-aged man, who had followed the rules of the system all his life and always looked at the faces of his superiors, felt that he could no longer bear it at this moment. Words could not express his anger. Now, he just wanted to punch that painted face a few times.
An old comrade in the office next door, who was about to retire, saw that his expression was wrong, and stopped him halfway, 'Chengzhong, everyone is waiting for you to go to your house for dinner. Come with a few people, and we'll go home with him together, so that he won't find an excuse to deny it.'
Huang Chengzhong, whose face had turned ashen, was forced by a few people to walk towards the door. 'Forget it, it's the New Year. What are you arguing with an old woman for? Isn't she just jealous?'
Huang Chengzhong turned his head and looked back. The light in the town mayor's office upstairs was on, and the figure inside could be faintly seen.
To be honest, the moment Huang Chengzhong clenched his fist and walked this way, the mayor's wife was a little 'disappointed'. Huang Chengzhong was originally quite handsome, and coupled with his anger, his face really looked a bit scary. So after he was pulled away by the others, the mayor's wife didn't add anything to it. When she saw them leave the gate, she stamped her foot and spit hard on the ground, 'Bah! What a thing!'