Chapter 156: Managing Introductions (3000)

Chapter 156: Managing Introductions (3000)

Xianjin looked at Qu Damao with an indescribable expression.

What's wrong?

Do you think you're in a stable position now?

Are you even bothering to plead for others?

Xianjin fell silent, her mind racing—this was the first time she had ever dealt with being an executive.

In Jing County, it wasn't about who led whom; rather, everyone excelled in their own fields. Xianjin never worried about how paper was made, Li Sanshun never worried about how it was sold, and Dong Guan never worried about balancing the books.

Everyone did their part, filled in gaps when needed, creating a great atmosphere of teamwork.

Now, Xianjin saw the entire shop as a sieve, but couldn't pinpoint exactly where the leaks were. Upon closer inspection, she realized... everything was leaking.

To fix the leaks, they needed solid solutions.

Xianjin's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at Qu Damao. "If he stays, you go. The matriarch will be handled by Third Master."

Xianjin unhesitatingly invoked Chen Fu's authority.

In the competition between a distant, incompetent nephew and a biological, incompetent son, the answer was clear without any need for deliberation.

Qu Damao promptly turned to look at the water ball. "When you leave, remember to leave the workshop keys behind."

Xianjin thought: This is a condition, intermittent saint syndrome, which can only be cured with a dash of sarcasm, a pinch of direct confrontation, and a dose of blunt reality.

Zheng La'Er took over from Zhou Ergou, twisting and bumping, effectively nipping the troublemaker's attempt in the bud—dragging him out with one arm.

With one member of the "3Q" brothers down, the remaining two looked at each other, puffing up their chests, adopting an air of purity amidst filth, even their spirits seemed temporarily bolstered.

Though cornered, there was still a trace of struggle.

Xianjin pursed her lips, hands behind her back, glancing once more at the beams below.

The spider webs hanging there were denser than her romantic history.

Without a word, Xianjin didn't even flip through the shop's ledger. She turned and left with Chen Fu for Xuancheng.

Qu Damao looked lost. "...At least stay for dinner!"

Chen Fu paused for a moment.

Qu Damao quickly added, "I specially bought a lamb yesterday. We have leg meat for hotpot, ribs roasting in the stove, breast meat steamed with flour... and even specially made a three-fresh dish with water shield..."

Chen Fu silently swallowed, then, like a warrior cutting off his own hand, he lifted his feet and walked away: Jin Jie'er's grand plans could not be delayed by a delicious little lamb!

Moreover, if Jin Jie'er succeeded, he could fry dough sticks at the South Heavenly Gate, and celestial soldiers would set up the oil pot for him.

...

As night fell, four tables were set up in the main hall of the Chen residence for a welcoming banquet. The men of the Chen family sat at one table, the ladies at another, the managers and accountants at a third, and the skilled masters at the fourth.

The apprentices and junior clerks received their silver outside to eat and drink.

Xianjin's seat was arranged at the men's table, with the main seat naturally reserved for Old Lady Qu.

On her right was Chen Cai, on her left was Chen Wu, next to Chen Wu was Chen Fu, and to Chen Fu's left were his biological son Silang and several cousins from different branches working in the shops.

This meant that Xianjin's current status in the Chen family was second only to Chen Cai, and even at this welcoming banquet, she held a higher position than Chen Wu.

Chen Silang greeted Xianjin with his face covered. "...Jin Jie'er, oh no, Madam He, good year ahead!"

Xianjin nodded at him from afar.

That's better.

Why speak in such a muffled voice, pretending to be deep?

Madame Sun, the third wife at the neighboring table, looked as if she had seen a ghost. She lowered her head to take a sip of tea, hurriedly avoiding Xianjin's composed demeanor.

Madame Xu, the second wife, laughed like a wooden club, offering a tactless compliment to Madame Sun. "Sister-in-law, your branch truly thrives. At the main table, besides Silang, even Jin Jie'er is highly favored."

Madame Sun's facial features almost twisted into a knot: Second Sister-in-Law, if you can't speak properly, don't speak at all.

Whoever responds to a wooden club is a dog!

Madame Sun adhered to this principle, ignoring Madame Xu's heartfelt but foolish congratulations, and turned to her widowed sister-in-law, Madame Duan, smiling. "...I wonder when Erlang will return? If Erlang were here, that seat wouldn't belong to He Xianjin, that little bastard!"

Madame Duan sipped her tea calmly, her voice steady. "If we consider contributions to the Chen family, Miss He deserves to sit above you."

Madame Sun choked.

Madame Xu laughed heartily. "That won't do. When Sister-in-Law was born, she must have been squeezed on the head; her skull is too pointed for Jin Jie'er to sit on!"

Madame Sun slammed her teacup onto the table in anger!

You were the one squeezed on the head!

Your whole family was squeezed on the head at birth!

Madame Sun was nearly driven mad: one sister-in-law was like a crane among chickens, always looking down on everyone with her lofty stance, her words as poisonous as arsenic!

The other sister-in-law was like a worm among chickens, utterly brainless, her mouth directly connected to her gut! With her tenacious life force, even if cut into eighty pieces, she'd grow eighty new mouths, all spouting nonsense!

Caught between these two sisters-in-law, Madame Sun could only bury herself in her tea.

After Sun had poured nearly two pots of tea and made three trips to the restroom, Old Lady Qu and Chen Wu arrived fashionably late.

Finally, the banquet began.

Eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, two stews, four steamed dishes, two pastries, and a plate of seasonal fruits.

Though it was said to be a welcome feast for Chen Fu, everyone's toasts invariably ended up directed at Xianjin.

A health-conscious person doesn't drink alcohol, so Xianjin drank goji berry water. Everyone understood this clearly, but no one dared to force her to switch to wine.

Taking advantage of the pleasant atmosphere, Old Lady Qu smiled and used the serving chopsticks to place a piece of vegetarian chicken in Xianjin's bowl. "…Did you go to Jixi Workshop today?"

Xianjin received the bowl with both hands and replied with a smile, "Yes."

Old Lady Qu laughed. "Damo is a child from a farming family; he hasn't seen much of the world. He has a lot to learn about how to behave, but he has a good heart. You're an experienced manager; when you go there, take him under your wing."

A thirty-year-old child, a sixteen-year-old veteran manager.

Xianjin smiled in agreement without saying a word.

Chen Wu's voice chimed in at the right moment. "How did it go today? Jixi Workshop is our largest property in Xuancheng. Although it's a bit remote, there are great opportunities for expansion."

Big, old, and dilapidated—summed up in one phrase.

Xianjin remained silent.

Chen Wu smiled warmly and continued, "Just look, our Manager He went there and immediately dismissed an old colleague who had worked hard for us for eight years—quite a bold move."

Xianjin took a bite of the vegetarian chicken.

It was quite good, very chewy, with a rich sauce flavor, like a sponge soaked in broth bursting with potential under the pressure of her teeth.

After swallowing, Xianjin nodded and said, "Firing someone isn't a big deal… Third Master plans to completely renovate the shop. What needs to be demolished will be demolished, what needs to be repaired will be repaired, and what needs to be replaced will be replaced."

Renovating the shop?

Starting over?

Old Lady Qu was momentarily stunned. She first looked at Chen Wu, then at Xianjin, and after some deliberation, she said, "Firing a worker is a small matter, but rebuilding the shop—won't that be too much… making a mountain out of a molehill?"

Capitalists, even those in small towns, always aim to achieve the most with the least amount of money.

Rebuilding the shop essentially means consuming the master's reserves.

Chen Wu smiled. "The young lady is ambitious, which is a good thing."

He wiped his mouth, speaking with the air of a strategist. "Young lady, let me teach you—business is all about accounting! With these renovations, you're looking at spending at least three or four hundred taels—repairing buildings can be a bottomless pit."

Deep down, Old Lady Qu didn't want to approve the funds.

Why fix something that isn't broken?

Trees shouldn't be moved too often; if they are, their roots might die.

Before Old Lady Qu could speak, Xianjin took out a clean silk handkerchief from her sleeve and gently wiped her lips. She then raised her eyes and smiled. "Not only that, we're even considering rebuilding the water channel to directly divert water from Longchuan Creek to Jixi Workshop. This is a bigger project, so we plan to allocate seven hundred taels for it—Third Master is funding this privately."

Chen Fu's hand trembled slightly.

His mysterious private funds… were practically a haven for money laundering…

Xianjin looked at Chen Wu with gratitude. "As you know, Third Master recently received an unexpected windfall, which is considered side income and needs to be spent immediately."

Chen Wu knew exactly which sum she was referring to!

The two thousand taels won through deception using his brother-in-law!

His money!

Chen Wu's heart bled, but his expression remained unchanged. He squinted his eyes as if recalling something and said after a while, "Third Brother has always been lucky with side income."

Old Lady Qu's expression softened slightly as she looked at her youngest son with a complex expression. "He has finally shown some improvement!"

Xianjin placed her chopsticks neatly in front of her and sincerely asked Old Lady Qu, "However, I just returned to Xuancheng, and Third Master doesn't have many friends. Do we know any construction contractors who could take on this job?"

A contractor is a builder, someone who handles renovations.

Chen Wu's heart stirred.

Old Lady Qu narrowed her eyes, thinking but couldn't come up with anyone. She turned to Chen Wu. "Our shops were built ten or twenty years ago. We haven't had any business dealings since then… You travel a lot; do you have any recommendations?"

Chen Wu glanced at Xianjin out of the corner of his eye.

A young girl, with some skills, some brains, and some courage, but could she understand construction work?

Even he couldn't tell the difference between lime costing thirty cash per stone and sixty cash per stone!

Construction work involves significant hidden costs and deep waters, known only to insiders!

Fortunately, he had some connections.

Chen Wu smiled. "I do know a few people, not very well, but I can introduce them to Jin'er and help arrange things."