The three brothers, their sisters-in-law, and the children were all there, sitting at two tables in the room. There were two portions of food for everyone. The three little ones were with their cousins, while the adults sat around the round table, drinking and eating meat.
The meal was very lively, and at night everyone slept on a big kang. Huihui was a little uncomfortable with the new bed and tossed and turned for a long time before falling asleep.
The next day, when everyone got up, Li Xia didn’t wake him up. She brushed her teeth and washed her face in the yard, while the mother and daughter chatted while cooking. The old man didn’t want to disturb his grandson’s sleep, so he put on his clothes and went out to chat with his old friend with his hands behind his back.
When Shen Hui woke up, the sun was shining brightly. He sat up and dressed quickly. Li Xia came in, and the little guy looked at his mother with some embarrassment.
“Mother,”
Li Xia saw that he had already put on his clothes and patted his head. “Go downstairs to wash your face and prepare for lunch.”
“oh.”
The child obeyed obediently, went downstairs to put on his shoes, and shouted to the old lady, “Grandma, which one is the wash basin?”
The old lady quickly went to get it: “Here, here. Come, let me scoop some water for you. This is a new towel.”
The child took the basin obediently: “No need to get a new one; Yiyi and I can just use one.”
After washing his face and eating, the child was smiling the whole time and got along with everyone very naturally. He called grandpa, grandma, uncle, and aunt as if Li Xia was his biological mother, and there was no trace of the alienation he had shown the last time he came.
The old lady whispered to her daughter, “If one doesn’t know, they might think he came out of your belly. Last time you came back, he didn’t really call us family, but this time he looks no different than a Huihua.”
“So don’t worry, mother.”
The old lady’s wrinkled face was full of joy. “Don’t worry, don’t worry. You are a famous one here now; everyone will give you a thumbs up when you mention it.”
She went there on the fourth day of the Chinese New Year and left on the sixth. Although her parents were reluctant to let her go, they still bid farewell with tears. As long as their daughter was doing well, they would be relieved.
After May, all units started to resume work. Li Xia’s factory never stopped working. During the New Year, Han Jun and Xiao Liu each took charge of one end of the factory, and production was in good order.
After the Lantern Festival, the factory produced another batch of goods. During the meeting, Fang Long from the R&D department said, “I suggest that the R&D department give everyone a bonus for every technology they develop. This will motivate everyone.”
Xiao Liu said, “Why? We all work; your salary is already high, and you get bonuses every time you develop a new product. You are really obsessed with money.”
She had long been dissatisfied with the fact that the technical staff’s salary was higher than that of Xiao Liu, the department leader. This time, Fang Long brought up a series of issues regarding bonuses and other rewards, and she was the first to jump out and refute.
Han Jun also felt that Fang Long was a bit too much. He wanted a bonus, even though he was paid so much. You don’t work for the factory for free. I have never seen anyone make extra requests to the boss for the work they get paid for.
“I think Xiao Liu is right. We can’t ask for money for everything.”
Fang Long sighed silently and looked back at Li Xia. In this era of making quick money, she was able to recruit technical personnel and organize a research and development department from the beginning. This vision was definitely not just for the immediate benefits.
The R&D department has invested so much money, and the various equipment alone is a big expense. Technicians are different from ordinary workers. Workers are like assembly lines, with only so much work to do every day. But the work of technicians is not easy. If we can inspire everyone’s enthusiasm and shorten the R&D time of a technology, then these bonuses are definitely worth it.
The faster you develop new products and launch them, the faster you can make money. Time is money. In this era of rapid change, the earlier you enter the industry, the faster you can seize market share.
“I think Director Fang’s proposal is good and can be implemented. ”
Han Jun turned around and said, “Director, is this really necessary?”
Xiao Liu: “Sister, there’s no need to pay this extra fee, right?”
Li Xia shook her finger and explained, “If we can produce our next product ahead of schedule, then this little bonus is what the technicians deserve.”
She is the boss; she has the final say. This is not a state-owned factory, and they have to consult other people, vote by raising hands, report for approval, and pass each level. If they can’t pass, then this can’t be implemented. Sometimes, when all the levels are passed, the business opportunity is also passed. It’s good to do it without losing money.
In the private sector, what she said was what she meant. Han Jun and Xiao Liu stopped talking, and no matter how unwilling they were, they had to swallow their anger.
Fang Long was very satisfied with Li Xia as a boss. He did not expect her to be so decisive. “I have recruited two more talents in weak current. We will develop what you need as soon as possible.”
“Okay, work harder. Once the product is developed, I’ll give you bonuses based on its value.”
“Boss, just wait for the results.”
At that time, most technical personnel were in state-owned enterprises, and private enterprises wanted to recruit them by offering high salaries and benefits. In state-owned enterprises, people lost their enthusiasm after a long time because of the low salaries. Now that private enterprises are so tempting, everyone is full of energy, like clockwork.
In March, the custody case was heard again. Fang Zhongcheng had voluntarily given up the child before, and now the child was not willing to be with him at all. Moreover, Li Xia’s conditions were better than those of the two families. Therefore, the first instance court ruled that the child should stay where he was and follow his mother.
Fang Zhongcheng came out of the court with his head down, looking a little depressed. It seemed that he would not be able to get his son back. If the first trial was like this, it would be useless to appeal. Seeing that Li Xia was about to leave, he called out to her to stop.
“Li Xia, let’s talk.”
Li Xia looked around, and he continued, “There’s a new western restaurant nearby. I’ll treat you to a meal. We can talk while we eat.”
Li Xia was not happy to go out with him to eat Western food. “Forget about the Yiyi matter. Everything is in accordance with the law. There is nothing to discuss between us.”
She was about to leave, but Fang Zhongcheng hurried over to pull her back: “Don’t be like this; let’s talk it over.”
“We, do you think there is really a need to talk?”
“Let Yiyi stay with me on weekends. I’ll take him to extracurricular classes.” He frowned and said, “I’m his father. But look at him now. He looks like Shen Haiyang’s biological son. He’s my son. I can’t just give him to Shen Haiyang like this.”
“You’re just thinking that now. It’s too late.”
“Then I will sue to restore the child’s surname.” He panted, his face full of indignation. “Even if the child has your surname Li, they can’t both have the surname Shen.”
If it has her last name, it’s still your child. If it has Shen Haiyang’s last name, you’ll feel like it’s been taken away from you. Li Xia sneered, having expected his bad nature. Sure enough, this is a thorn that sticks into his flesh and hurts him when he moves.
“When they turn 18, they can make their own decisions. Even if you try your best to change their surnames, how can you save face when they change their surnames back? No matter if their surnames are Shen or Li, they can’t have the surname Fang. They are no longer your children, Fang Zhongcheng. Don’t try to plot against them in the future.”
After she finished speaking, she walked away quickly, opened the door, got into the car, and soon disappeared from his sight. Fang Zhongcheng’s face was as pale as a sheet of paper. He regretted it, but it was irreversible. His son would never be close to him when he grew up. Even if the law required him to support him, the most he could do was to give him some living expenses or send him to a nursing home.
“Shen Ruyi is no longer your son.”
He was already upset, and Murong Danling provoked him when he got home. He was so angry that he didn’t eat dinner and was sulking for several days. After that, he thought it through and told Murong Danling to ask Shen Hui to come over. Shen Hui was more easily influenced and easier to coax.
“I don’t want to.”
He didn’t understand why she was doing this to her own son. “Then why don’t we adopt one?”
“I didn’t raise them. A dog can’t be attached to sheep, and I don’t bother to work on other people’s blood.”
————
Li Xia’s factory produced 50,000 black-and-white TVs last year, and this year Li Xia is expected to produce 80,000. When the time came, she took the check to pay back the money, but she heard that the old lady had passed away.
“What? How could this happen?”
“Madam was ill when you came to see her, but she didn’t tell anyone. She said in her last will and testament that if you come between these dates, you don’t have to pay back the money.”
“No, what does that mean?”
The two people shook their heads. “We don’t understand either. But this is what she ordered before she died, and it’s written in her will. I’ll take you to see a lawyer. The IOU is with the lawyer.”
She followed the person to the lawyer’s office and found that the will was indeed written like this. She took the check back and destroyed the IOU on the spot. Such a large sum of money went into her pocket.
The IOU says that if Li Xia fails, she will have to pay it back. But she is allowed to postpone it for one year. If she comes to pay it back before one year, she will have to pay it back, but without interest. But she doesn’t have to pay it back if she delays until the deadline is almost due.
Li Xia was thinking all the way while driving, wondering what the old lady meant. She had no children, and part of her property was set up as a fund, and part was donated. Although the money was useless to her, why would she give such a large sum to herself in this way? Moreover, if she used the money she earned last year to pay off her debts first, she would not get it.
When she returned home, she was full of doubts and took the check to the backyard to tell her father-in-law about it. This was related to the factory accounts, and she had to explain it to the old man. After listening to what she said, the old man took the check in his hand.
“To help someone in need is to test your character and judgment.”
“She lent me money to help me start the factory, and then she made this arrangement before she left. If I don’t pay it back, a lawyer will definitely sue me. If I pay it back early, it means I don’t have much courage, but she still waived the interest for me, which is a recognition of my character. And now I have extended the repayment period to the limit, which shows that I am capable of doing things, so this money is her help to me.” Said Li Xia.
The old man nodded. This lady was affectionate and rational. His daughter-in-law was indeed courageous. As a small peasant woman, she dared to use all her money to buy a house, invest in a shop, and then decisively sell the shop to invest in a factory. The factory made so much money in a year, but she did not rush to pay off the debt like ordinary people. Instead, she invested most of her income in research and development.
Li Xia: Several million yuan seemed like a huge sum of money at that time, but it depreciated very quickly. It was one of the items that depreciated the most after the reform and opening up. Of course, we had to invest in research and development. Only by developing better products could we make more money, and the factory could continue to develop.
She always felt that she was incapable and was afraid that she would not be able to keep up with the development of the times. So she let her children learn as much as they could. She taught them from a young age that development is ever-changing and they need to change. Her children should not be the kind of people who are satisfied with the present moment.
Now that she has received such a gift from the old man, she will also lend it to the Buddha. The old lady had no children, and after her death, her money was used for charity. So she will also do charity, donating a few percent of the profit every year. In this way, she can give back to society and live up to the old lady’s kindness.
“Well, Dad, what to do about this money? I plan to open another washing machine production workshop. I’m doing the preparatory work now. The R&D department is almost ready, and we can start production once the factory building is built.”
“Okay, that’s about enough money. This time, it’s yours.”
“We are all family, so there is no need to calculate so clearly. I didn’t invest half before, and you gave me half of the shares. And you also gave me the money to buy the shop.”
The old man waved his hand and said, “From now on, it will all be yours.”
Li Xia knew that the old man had changed his will, but she still accompanied him. All the property was left to the couple, and the future would be theirs, so there was no need to worry about so much now.
In just a few years, Li Xia went from being a person with clean pockets to the person who now owns most of the factory. The old man gave her more money when distributing it, and now this part of the money that does not need to be repaid is all hers. If you calculate carefully, she is richer than Shen Haiyang.
She happily walked out of the backyard, and Yiyi came back from school with her schoolbag on her back. When she saw her, she rushed over. “Mom, what’s the good news?”
“How do you know that Mom ” good news?”
“Mom’s eyes are full of joy.”
Li Xia squatted down and wanted to hug her son, but she found that he had grown up and it was difficult to hold him. “What did you eat to make you so heavy? I can’t hold you anymore.”
“Haha, when I grow up and hug my mom, it will be the same.”
“Then grow up quickly and study hard. Then you can take over mom’s job so that mom can just lie at home and do nothing.”
“Okay, no problem.”
The guy got off his mother and said, “But mom, won’t you be bored lying at home all day? Why don’t you go traveling with dad? Now we are just traveling around the country, and you can travel around the world in the future. Mom, there are so many countries abroad; they are so big.”
“Well, what my son said makes sense. When you take over, Mom will travel around the world with your dad. We will visit Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, 20 countries in Europe, America, Africa, and everything in between.”
In her previous life, her son had signed her up for a tour group so that she could travel and relax, but at that time she was twisted like a doughnut, angry that he shouldn’t recognize Fang Zhongcheng. She was not moved by the child’s kindness at all. She tore up the tour group ticket and had a big fight with her son.
“Okay, I’ll make money for mom and dad.”
Li Xia smiled. In her previous life, her son studied computer science, which was a relatively unpopular major at the time. In this life, she still does not interfere if he likes it. With computers and mobile phones, there should be room for development for children to study these in the future.
When Shen Haiyang came back in the evening and told Shen Haiyang about these things, it was the first time Shen Haiyang heard that his father had left all his property to him. But he didn’t care much about it; the old man was still alive, so he didn’t need to think too much about it.
“I remember the land we had before was quite large. You don’t need to apply for another one to build your workshop this time, right?”
“No need. Just continue building the other side.”
With her as a prophet, land grants will definitely be granted as soon as possible. It is easy and cheap during this period, so of course they have to be the first to get such a good thing.
The first thing she did was assemble TV sets. In the 1990s, several well-known home appliance companies seemed to be joint ventures using ordinary technology. They had no choice but to trade the market for technology.
Since it is difficult to develop home appliances like air conditioners and color TVs and she does not want foreign capital to control the company, she will start developing simple products herself. Fans, washing machines, rice cookers, stereos, tape recorders…
She had her own direction and made preparations in advance. Soon, the foreign partner proposed to take control of her. The US company sent a special person over, and Mr. Shen personally received him outside. Oh no, he was translating for Li Xia. In business talks, Americans are always straightforward.
“If you don’t agree to our controlling stake, then we can only terminate our cooperation.”
“You want to hold the controlling stake, so is this factory still mine?”
“Of course it’s yours. But we have the final say on what products to produce and what brand to put on them.”
“I can’t even own the trademark anymore. I’m sorry, I can’t accept this condition.”
“Ms. Li, you have to think carefully. Without our technical support, your factory will be closed immediately.”
“Then we’ll wait and see.”
Li Xia smiled and shook her head, firmly refusing. She could already survive independently without relying on him, and she was no longer limited to simple product assembly. The fans had been on the market for a year, and the response to the fans, big and small, was very good, with good quality and a low price.
She used their production line and parts to assemble and sell black and white TVs for several years and invested most of the profits in the R&D department. How could she be stuck in this situation for the rest of her life? If she can’t make sophisticated home appliances, then she’ll make simple home appliances.
She has her own ideas, and she has discussed them with the old man before. In the past two years, she has invested heavily in research and development, and the old man, as a major shareholder, fully supports her.
The domestic economy is booming, and the home appliance market should not be underestimated now or in the future. By the late 1990s, they could start exporting their products, and with excellent quality, Chinese products will definitely stand the test.
————— Time dividing line—————
In 1991, Li Xia’s factory had already occupied a certain market share in small household appliances. With the development of the times, she also recruited more technical talents. This year, they developed a video recorder. Although some core components were still imported, most of them could be produced by themselves. After passing the inspection, they were ready to be put on the market in large quantities.
Huihua and Shen Hui both went to No. 1 Middle School. Shen Hui got in by himself and was in the top class. Huihua got in because of her special talent and was in the last class. Yiyi was in the third year of junior high school, but the brat skipped a grade, saying that he was wasting time in school. It would be better to take the college entrance examination earlier.
Shen Haiyang made an agreement with him that he had to study hard for three years in high school. He had to learn the knowledge thoroughly; otherwise, he would not do well in the college entrance examination. The boy agreed, and at the age of thirteen, he had already started preparing for the junior high school entrance examination.
“My brother scored so high, I can’t score lower; otherwise, I will embarrass him.”
Huihua patted him on the back of the head and said, “You’ll die if you don’t compete with your brother. You pushed me all the way to the top class of No. 1 Middle School. Now that you’ve come in this year, everyone will start to wonder if the top student in that grade is your brother. Your brother is so awesome.”
Shen Ruyi rolled his eyes and sank down on the sofa, looking hopeless. “I can’t live anymore.”
“Ha ha……”
Shen Huihua is also very good at studying, but she is just a little behind Yi Yi. Because Yiyi is so famous, she has a strong sense of self-esteem and keeps trying to catch up with him, not wanting others to look down on her. Tired? She doesn’t feel tired without Yi Yi, but when she is compared to him, she has to complain about him.
She had already seen the gap between her and these two in the painting. She would not compete with them in studying because that would be asking for trouble. She could go to No. 1 Middle School and study art in the future. These two said that if she couldn’t find a job, they would support her for life.
“Ring, ring, ring …,”
The three children were talking when the phone rang. Huihua, who was closest to them, picked it up. But the other party spoke in a foreign language, so she quickly passed the phone to her brother. Her brother learned English from his grandfather and could speak it fluently.
During the conversation, Shen Hui seemed very excited. They only heard a few words from him, and their hands were shaking with nervousness. When Shen Hui put down the phone, he met their inquiring eyes and spoke automatically.
“The United States has a better way to treat Dad’s illness. Ventricular septal myectomy, they say the technology is already perfect.”
