Chapter 67: Handling

Chapter 67: Handling

Strictly speaking, the liquid soap formula couldn't really be considered Lin Qiao's.

But she didn’t know how to phrase it and hesitated, “This has likely been around in other countries for a while.”

This remark made Vice Principal Qi sigh, “Of the things we're researching now, how many don't already exist abroad? But our people still can't access them, can they? The government encourages innovation to promote these advancements and provide a platform for them.”

This reminded Lin Qiao of the sanitary napkins Ji Yan had mailed her. It was said that such products had existed abroad for over a century, yet domestic women had only started using sanitary paper in recent years.

She remained silent, letting the thought hang in the air.

Before coming here, Lin Qiao had been reviewing to prepare for the college entrance exams, but after leaving Vice Principal Qi's office, she had two options to pursue a master's degree.

One was to attend a teachers' college, and the other was to win an award and be recommended to a science and engineering college.

This was something she had never anticipated. She sincerely thanked both Vice Principal Qi and Principal Zeng.

“What’s the big deal?” Vice Principal Qi said with a smile, pushing his glasses up. “You’ve done so much for the school; doesn’t it make sense for the school to recommend you?”

Principal Zeng didn’t say anything, but the path he had just pointed out for Lin Qiao spoke volumes.

These older generations didn’t have much of a bureaucratic attitude. Even Principal Zeng, who had lost his ambition during ten years of rural labor, still harbored a passionate desire deep down. Given the opportunity, he was still eager to support the students and the teachers who were truly committed to education.

It seemed like people from the early days of the country all had a certain spirit, something that later generations lacked.

No matter how tough or challenging the conditions, they always threw themselves into building the country with unwavering enthusiasm.

Lin Qiao had already walked out the door but suddenly turned back, her gaze fixed on Vice Principal Qi, “Vice Principal Qi, I still prefer doing experiments.”

Attending a teachers' college would be easier and more secure. The other path required her to win an award first.

But what she loved most was conducting chemical experiments, not standing at the lectern. She preferred her lab more than being a teacher.

Her previous achievements weren't due to her exceptional talent but rather because she came from forty years in the future. She knew what she was good at.

These people stayed true to their original aspirations and continued to strive as dedicated educators. She didn’t want to forget hers either, just because attending a teachers' college was easier and would change her life plan.

Just like how she knew making liquid soap was very profitable, but she had never considered giving up the college entrance exams or her studies to become a full-time entrepreneur.

Lin Qiao’s eyes were resolute, her words sincere, “If I get the chance in the future, I’ll mentor students, but for now, I want to dive deeper into the world of chemistry.”

This was somewhat against Vice Principal Qi’s well-intentioned suggestion, but he wasn’t upset. Instead, he smiled, “You have your own ideas, huh.”

There was admiration in his eyes, “Attending a teachers' college is just one option. Ultimately, the decision is yours.” Sensing that she might feel burdened, he added with a smile, “Prepare well for the registration, and if you have any new inventions, show them to everyone.”

“I will,” Lin Qiao said with a smile, feeling even more relaxed as she left the office this time.

She still needed to carefully consider what to submit for the competition. The liquid soap had been around for too long, the formula was simple, and it had even been leaked before.

It would be best to come up with something new, something truly useful.

But she didn’t have many ideas yet. As for the complaint letter, she would have to address that.

Probably because people were still influenced by those ten years, whenever someone wanted to cause trouble, their first instinct was to write a complaint letter. In the past six months, this had happened more frequently than when students in her previous life reported to the education bureau about the school’s holiday classes.

It had previously only affected her personally, but this time it involved the liquid soap factory. Was it targeting her or Ji Duo?

As soon as Ji Duo came home at noon, she told him about it, “Has your friend encountered something like this?”

"Ji Duo wasn't focused on his so-called friend at all. 'You've been reported again?' His brow furrowed, and his expression darkened.

'I'm fine,' Lin Qiao said, 'But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The school found out I have the formula and gave me a direct path to apply for a master's degree.'

'A direct path to apply for a master's degree?' Lin Qiao didn't know about this, and Ji Duo, being outside the education system, knew even less.

Lin Qiao explained the situation to him. 'But it's just a path. Whether this will actually happen depends on whether I can win an award.'

Ji Duo kept his gaze fixed on her. 'Not many people know you can make Muzi Liquid Soap, do they?'

This gave Lin Qiao a pause, but she still looked up at him. 'Only the family knows that I can make it for sure. Externally, I've said it was made by a friend of mine.'

As for anyone in the school wanting to make an issue out of this, they would have reported it long ago. Since Principal Zeng and Vice Principal Qi have confirmed the formula is hers, it couldn't have been them.

So, it had to either be a family member or information passed on by a family member. Ji Duo's eyes turned cold as he made a rough guess. 'I'll handle this.'

Not on a Sunday, he chose a time to return to the old house alone, and as soon as he entered, he bumped into Ji Jun, who was heading out with his head lowered. When he saw Ji Duo, he looked visibly uncomfortable.

Since the other party was uncomfortable, he didn’t want to say much either, just greeted him, and went inside. He immediately saw Old Master Ji, whose anger had not yet subsided.

Old Master Ji's expression had been bad for days, but this was the first time he had shown his anger so openly. Ji Duo asked, 'What's wrong?'

Old Master Ji hesitated, clearly struggling to find the words. 'Your brother asked me if Qiao Qiao could sell the formula to his wife's brother.'

Ye Minshu had been very angry that day, but what angered her most was that her brother and sister-in-law had tried to scheme, wanting to get a large share of the family business from her son for free.

The longer it dragged on, the more Ji Ze refused to budge, and the more Ye Minshu thought it would be better to just give in to her brother and sister-in-law.

However, Ji Ze obviously wouldn't agree, so Ye Minshu came up with another plan. If Lin Qiao sold the formula to her brother, and her brother opened a factory to put Xiao Ze's out of business, then Xiao Ze would have no choice but to return to the military, right?

But she couldn’t bring herself to ask Lin Qiao directly, so she sent Ji Jun to ask Old Master Ji.

'I didn't agree,' Old Master Ji's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. 'The formula belongs to Qiao Qiao. Instead of asking her, they came to ask me. Do you think I would force Qiao Qiao to sell to her brother-in-law?'

Whether Lin Qiao agrees is one thing, but the lack of sincerity was the attitude of the eldest branch of the family.

Old Master Ji had long known there was something off about Ye Minshu's illness. He had deliberately ignored it, waiting to see when his eldest son would come to him about it.

But Ji Jun had kept it hidden until now, not saying a word to them, and now, at Ye Minshu's urging, he came running to ask for his help.

Old Master Ji, who had been trying to preserve his eldest son’s dignity, had now lost all patience. 'Why can't he use his own brain? He's only been well for two days, and now that his wife is sick and pitiful, his old habits are acting up again!'

That his elder brother could do something like this surprised Ji Duo, but it didn’t shock him as much as it initially would have.

He adjusted his military pants and sat down on the single sofa beside him. 'By the way, I’ve already looked into it thoroughly. Qiao Qiao has been reported for running the Muzi Liquid Soap factory and engaging in private business while employed by the school.'

As expected, Old Master Ji's expression worsened upon hearing this. Xu Li's expression wasn't great either.

Ji Duo lowered his eyes. 'I’ve already looked into it thoroughly. The report was only sent to the school. The Education Bureau and Ministry of Education haven't received anything.'

But for Old Master Ji, this wasn't exactly good news.

Since Lin Qiao had done so much for the school, the school's stance naturally leaned towards protecting her. If someone really wanted to cause trouble for Lin Qiao, the best way would be to report her to the Education Bureau or even the Ministry of Education. The fact that they hadn't done so wasn't because they were incompetent, but likely because they were afraid of causing more trouble, so they just tried to make things difficult for her.

'Qiao Qiao's ability to make Muzi Liquid Soap, you and Mom wouldn't just casually tell others about it, right? And you certainly wouldn't report her?' Ji Duo said calmly."

Old Master Ji raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "Are you here to question us?"

"Of course not," Ji Duo replied, "But if it wasn't you or Mom, then no matter who it is, I'll hold one person accountable, and she can't escape responsibility." He suddenly leaned forward and asked Old Master Ji, "The family is in turmoil, and you're still not going to do anything about it? If you don't, I will."

Clearly, he was fed up with all these incidents.

Old Master Ji was left speechless for a moment before finally asking, "How do you plan to handle it?"

"Either send Big Brother or Big Sister-in-law to another location, or both," Ji Duo said concisely.

Though his words were brief, they struck at the core of the issue, removing Ye Minshu's biggest support.

What gave Ye Minshu her influence in the Ji family and allowed her to stir up trouble? Wasn't it because she controlled Ji Jun and had someone backing her up?

Whether Ji Jun was transferred away or Ye Minshu was, sending them far away would prevent any further schemes.

This time, Old Master Ji fell into an even longer silence. "No need for you to intervene. I'll handle it myself and transfer Big Brother away."

His voice was hoarse, as if he had aged several years in an instant.

Big Brother's wife often accused him of favoring the second son, but in reality, he had always been more partial to the eldest. He just felt guilty about it.

He always thought that since the eldest had lost his mother at a young age and lacked ability, he needed to keep him close and guide him. How could he rest easy otherwise?

On the other hand, the second son had always been independent and capable from a young age, requiring less of his worry.

Who would have thought that over the years, Big Brother's wife's temper had worsened, and her schemes had become more daring.

This was the second time she had targeted the second son. The fact that he was only taking these measures now was already a show of consideration for the kids. He couldn't possibly let the second son handle it directly, could he?

But to cast out a woman, especially when there was Xiao Ling in Big Brother's family, he could only sacrifice his own son...

Ji Duo didn't say anything more and stood up. "I'll head to the hospital then." Clearly, his visit was primarily to resolve this issue.

Old Master Ji nodded. After Ji Duo left, he sighed deeply, "If I had known it would come to this, I should never have given in to his wishes, even if it meant angering the eldest son."

Xu Li understood what Old Master Ji was thinking. It wasn't about favoritism, but rather different expectations for each child, which led to different approaches in how they were treated.

She handed him the teacup. "Have a sip before it gets cold. I went to the trouble of brewing it for you."

Old Master Ji took it and couldn't help but give her hand a gentle squeeze, "You've endured much over the years."

This rare show of affection softened Xu Li's voice as well, "It's not about enduring. When I married you, I knew you already had a son."

But after raising the eldest and losing a child, her affections had shifted, and the eldest son's loyalty now lay with his wife.

Just as Old Master Ji was about to say something more, the door opened, and Ji Duo returned.

He quickly withdrew his hand with surprising agility for his age, and Xu Li also showed some discomfort, asking her son, "Is there something else?"

Ji Duo's expression gave nothing away, and it was unclear if he had seen anything, "When we arranged the engagement, was there a photo of Qiao Qiao?"

No one had mentioned it before, and he hadn't thought about it until he was about to ask Ji Ze about the camera.

Xu Li had long forgotten about it but then recalled, "I think we do have one. Let me find it for you."

After rummaging through some boxes, she found an old black-and-white photo of Lin Qiao from when she was four or five, with her hair tied up in a topknot and a red dot on her forehead.

Ji Duo took it in his hand and examined it carefully, imagining that if Lin Qiao had a daughter, she would probably be this small and delicate.

He put the photo in his pocket and said, "I'm off then." This time, he actually left.

"That kid," Xu Li muttered, glancing at Old Master Ji, who was still sitting there with a straight face. "At least he’s better than you."

Suddenly being attacked, Old Master Ji: "..."

After everything was handled, when he returned home that evening, the familiar white steam and odd scent were drifting out of the kitchen again.

Ji Duo took off his coat and walked over. Several small buckets were already by Lin Qiao. They looked different from the usual liquid soap, both in color and consistency.

"What are you making this time?" Seeing Lin Qiao reach for another bucket, he bent down to help her pass it over.

Lin Qiao raised the freshly made liquid in her hand. "This is laundry detergent." She pointed to a transparent one beside it. "That's dishwashing liquid."

After finishing pouring, she pointed to another with a darker color. "That's shampoo."

"So many?"

"Yes."

These were more advanced versions of liquid soap, each designed for a specific purpose. Lin Qiao hadn't worked on them before mainly because the functions were too specific, and she was worried about their acceptance and sales. In this era, petrochemical technology couldn't keep up, and there were no plastic bottles available.

After finishing, she took off her gloves and asked the man, "Which one do you think is better?"

Ji Duo stared at them for a long time, then looked at her face. "Is there a difference?"

He genuinely didn't understand these things. Upon hearing this, Lin Qiao sighed. "Yes, they are all liquid cleaners, what difference could there be?"

This reaction made Ji Duo pause, and he examined the buckets again. "Maybe you should explain in detail?"

"A detailed explanation is still about liquid cleaners; it's just that the formulas are adjusted," Lin Qiao sat at the dining table. "I'll go out to find some inspiration tomorrow afternoon since there's no competition coaching."

For household chemicals, she could only think of these for now, and none of them satisfied her. She needed to go out and explore to better understand market demand.

Ji Duo couldn't offer any better suggestions, only asking, "Should I have Xiao Fang drive you?"

"That won’t be necessary. You can’t find inspiration just sitting in a car."

The next day after lunch, Lin Qiao took the bus out. She didn’t have a specific destination, just wandering around malls, factories, and residential areas.

With the thaw setting in, the sun felt warm, but the shade was still biting cold. Tired from walking, Lin Qiao found a sunny spot to sit and rest. Unexpectedly, a self-modified tricycle passed by, stopped, and then turned back. "Comrade Lin?"

The voice sounded familiar, and Lin Qiao looked up to see Chen Zhaonan, whom she hadn't seen for some time.

After spending the winter indoors, Chen Zhaonan looked paler, had put on a bit of weight, and had cut her hair into a neat bob.

When Lin Qiao looked up, Chen Zhaonan’s eyes lit up. "Comrade Lin! Did you use the wool bag I gave you? How did it work for you?"

Lin Qiao lifted the bag beside her to show. "I'm carrying it. My colleagues at school all said it looks nice."

"I’ll make you another one next time," Chen Zhaonan’s eyes lit up like a child being praised.

"It’s too much trouble, thank you so much for this one." Lin Qiao noticed the vest she was wearing. "Are you delivering goods to the liquid soap factory?"

Clearly, Ji Duo had arranged this for her, likely to help her settle in Yandu and find a steady job.

Indeed, Chen Zhaonan nodded. "Thanks to Old Master Ji, I was originally looking to do some needlework, but I didn't know anyone and couldn't get any jobs. Old Master Ji found me a position at the liquid soap factory. But I don't usually deliver. Recently, the boss has been away and we're short-handed, so I'm helping out with deliveries."

Solving the problem at its root and allowing Chen Zhaonan to stand on her own in Yandu without relying on anyone was truly in Ji Duo's style.

Lin Qiao stood up. "Where are you headed to deliver? I'll walk with you for a bit."

"Will it waste your time?" Chen Zhaonan felt a little embarrassed.

"I have nothing planned for the afternoon, so I can walk with you for a while. I also wanted to ask how your studies are coming along."

To her surprise, Chen Zhaonan carried a learning workbook with her and immediately pulled it out to show Lin Qiao.

As they walked and looked at the book, Lin Qiao saw that Chen Zhaonan's progress was quite fast. Soon, they reached a nearby dye factory, which was quite large.

"There are many factories around here, but no small shops. We sell at the factory gates, and the female workers at the dye factory buy a lot," Chen Zhaonan whispered to Lin Qiao.

As if on cue, just as the factory let out for the day, a group of female workers poured out and immediately surrounded them when they saw the liquid soap.

Seeing the crowd, Lin Qiao helped sell for a while. Just as she finished selling one bucket, a guard came out to shoo them away for blocking the gate.

"We'll move aside right away," Chen Zhaonan apologized softly and gave Lin Qiao an embarrassed look.

The guard wasn't completely unreasonable. Seeing that they really did step back, he told them, "If you really know how to sell, bring some detergent over. We use it before and after dyeing, several tons at a time. If you sell that, the management won't mind and won't ask you to leave."

"I'll be sure to tell our boss when we get back," Chen Zhaonan nodded repeatedly. She then noticed that Lin Qiao seemed lost in thought.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly.

"Nothing much," Lin Qiao replied, snapping out of her reverie. "I just feel that this trip wasn't in vain, and it was worth meeting you."

She knew what to present at the exhibition—an industrial degreaser.

This product was a highly effective degreaser, not commonly used in households but widely utilized in textiles, medicine, food, transportation, electrical appliances, and metal processing. It could mix water and oil to form an emulsion, thus decomposing oil stains on fabrics into water.

This was a departure from the liquid cleaners she had previously made, which mainly consisted of inorganic salts and surfactants, with the finished product being a white powder.

Lin Qiao went back and made a long list, which she handed to Ji Duo. "Can you help me source these?"

The list included the necessary ingredients for the original formula and suitable alternatives in case some materials were hard to find.

Ji Duo didn't say anything, carefully reviewing the list from start to finish, folding it, and putting it away. Within a week, the first batch of materials arrived.

Another ten days later, the last two hardest-to-find items were delivered.

Lin Qiao tested the product and even tried it at home. Just before the registration deadline, she submitted the finished product along with several liquid cleaners.

After that, she put the matter aside and focused on her students' studies, waiting for the exhibition to officially open.

It was around this time that Ji Jun suddenly received an order to transfer to the Southern Province, a place where Old Master Ji had been assigned to work during the Cultural Revolution.

When the news came out, both Ye Minshu and Ji Jun were dumbfounded. At noon after getting off work, the first thing Ji Jun did was go to the old house to ask Old Master Ji about the decision.

"You haven't been focusing on your work lately, have you?"

At this point, Old Master Ji was calmer than he had been a few days prior. He looked at his son with a gaze that made his son feel ashamed. Finally, he put down his teacup. "You've been running around daily, following your wife's instructions. If I don't find you a new place, you'll lose your job."

"I, I..." Ji Jun stuttered but couldn't find the words to respond.

"That place may be tough, but it's a meaningful place to work. Go there and do some real work for a couple of years. Don't let the state's investment in you go to waste."

Ji Jun was rendered speechless by Old Master's words and stood there until late afternoon, just before work resumed. Old Master ignored him for the rest of the time. He left with his head hung low, feeling defeated.

When he mentioned it to Ye Minshu that evening, she was so upset that she forgot to grab her coat and rushed to the old house.

Old Master anticipated her visit and had already left with Xu Li for a veteran official's sanatorium.

Ye Minshu found no one there. Desperate, she even turned to Ji Duo and Lin Qiao for help, asking if they knew the whereabouts of the elderly couple.

In all the time Lin Qiao had known her, this was the first time she saw Ye Minshu soften her tone and ask for help. "Southern Province is a two-day trip from here. The climate is very different from Yandu, and your brother might have trouble adjusting. And Xiao Ling will surely miss her dad. You love her the most, so please tell me."

Even mentioning Ji Ling didn't help; Ye Minshu was still at a loss. Lin Qiao genuinely had no idea. "Our parents left? When did that happen?"

Seeing Lin Qiao's reaction, Ye Minshu's heart sank even more. She then asked Ji Duo, who was even more inscrutable. "I'll help Big Sister-in-law inquire."

Ye Minshu fell ill upon returning home, this time for real. But before Ji Jun's issue could be resolved, news came that Ji Ze's transfer application had been approved.

She had no idea when her son had submitted the transfer report, and in that moment, all hope seemed lost.

Lin Qiao hadn't been back to the old house and didn't know either. Ji Duo frowned, glancing at the calendar, and said, "This couldn't have come at a worse time."

"What do you mean?" Lin Qiao was working on the preliminary test questions for the chemistry competition, which had been taken just two days ago, and the results weren't out yet.

"I'm talking about this rain," Ji Duo said, looking out the window. "There's training tomorrow."

It really wasn't a good time. Given the rain's intensity, even if it stopped by tomorrow, the ground surely wouldn't be dry.

Lin Qiao lowered her head to continue her work, then heard the man say, "We're not going back to the old house for dinner this Sunday. I've asked Xiao Ze to come over and tell you something."