Upon hearing Xu’s mother’s words, a wave of relief washed over Zhao’s mother, dispelling the guilt that had settled in her heart. Food, after all, was a precious commodity, a luxury many in the countryside couldn’t afford. Conscious relatives usually paid visits after their own meals, yet here she was, having arrived without even having breakfast, feeling as if she were shamelessly imposing. Observing Xu’s mother, Zhao’s mother fully embraced her daughter’s accounts; the transformation was indeed remarkable.
The Xu family’s breakfast spread truly astonished Zhao’s mother. White rice porridge, accompanied by an array of meat and vegetable dishes, far surpassed anything they enjoyed at home. No sooner had breakfast concluded than Father Zhao, restless with anticipation, sought out Xu Ying.
“Yingying,” he began, his voice eager, “I hear your food factory has been developing a lot of new products, some fried goods too. You see, your uncle works at the meat factory. If your food factory ever needs pork, just tell your uncle directly, and we’ll give you priority at our factory.”
A delicate smile graced Xu Ying’s beautiful face, yet she feigned a polite ignorance of Father Zhao’s true intentions. “Uncle,” she replied with a cheerful tone, “please don’t worry. If our food factory truly runs short of meat, we’ll certainly come to you. However, our current supply channels are quite sufficient, so we shouldn’t trouble you.”
Father Zhao’s brows furrowed in immediate anxiety. Hadn’t they said this girl was smart? Why couldn’t she grasp his meaning? Or was she deliberately pretending not to understand? He scrutinized Xu Ying, utterly perplexed by her response.
“Is this any trouble?” he pressed, a hint of desperation in his voice. “We’re family, after all; we naturally need to help each other.” Father Zhao was simply pleading for Xu Ying’s assistance.
Sister-in-law Xu, observing from the sidelines, sensed her father’s distress. She tugged at her mother’s sleeve. “What’s going on?” she whispered.
Zhao’s mother sighed, “It’s the leaders at our meat factory. They found out our family is related to Xu Ying’s, so they thought of having your father persuade Xu Ying to get some orders for our meat factory. No matter what, we must contribute to earning foreign exchange and to the Four Modernizations.”
Selling pork from the meat joint factory wasn’t usually an issue, but the current difficulties in transportation led to uneven distribution of goods. While some areas faced severe meat shortages, others had mountains of it, spoiling if not transported quickly. Shipping it elsewhere consumed valuable time and incurred significant freight costs. In summer, the heat would guarantee spoilage before arrival. Yu County and Xiang County were adjacent; if pork could be sold to Yu County, imagine the profits saved! Thus, the director of the meat factory had set his sights on the food factory. Their investigation revealed that the food factory now sold fried goods, including short-fried pork, which required, naturally, pork. With orders pouring in and even foreign sales, the food factory had a secure future, guaranteeing a significant demand for pork.
Sister-in-law Xu frowned upon hearing her mother’s explanation. “Then I can’t help with this. My little sister is a completely different person when it comes to work versus her personal life. She’s not only rigorous in her work but also doesn’t allow any personal feelings to interfere.”
Zhao’s mother had, of course, noticed this herself, but it mattered little to her. Her husband had promised to handle it if he had the ability. Facing Father Zhao’s pleading gaze, Zhao’s mother ignored him, turning instead to chat with Xu’s mother.
“It’s natural what uncle said,” Xu Ying interjected, her eyebrows subtly arching, “but right now, our food factory isn’t short of pork.” In matters like these, the first to speak often became the one manipulated by the other. As a representative of the food factory, she naturally sought to maximize its interests. Therefore, Father Zhao’s pleas, even from a relative, could not sway her from her principled stance.
Father Zhao, seeing that his appeals were futile, felt his old face flush with anxiety and shame. He should have been clearer from the start, he thought. He shouldn’t have played coy. This girl was indeed not to be trifled with.
Father Zhao offered an awkward smile. “In that case, forget it. But if the food factory needs pork in the future, you can come to our factory. We’ll definitely give you the lowest price then. Your uncle still has that much authority.”
“Really?” Xu Ying asked, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. Without giving Father Zhao a moment to reconsider, she rattled off the prices other meat factories had offered her food factory. Father Zhao immediately regretted his words, silently cursing Xu Ying’s quick thinking. He’d made a statement, and she’d countered it instantly.
In the end, Father Zhao promised that the price of pork for the food factory would be five cents lower than what other factories offered. Upon hearing this, Xu Ying’s face lit up with delight. She praised Father Zhao, “Uncle, you’re doing so much for us! No wonder people say it’s easier to get things done when you have relatives. You’ve directly saved our factory a lot of money! Don’t worry, I’ll communicate with our factory director when I get back, and we’ll purchase from your factory onwards .”
Father Zhao’s smile widened into a network of wrinkles. If this deal went through, the factory director would surely commend him.
No sooner had this business been settled than Third Uncle Xu, in a frantic rush, burst into the Xu family home. His legs felt like jelly, his palms slick with sweat. He hurried to Xu Ying, whispering urgently, “Something’s happened! The food factory just called. The supplier we were cooperating with for ducks has gone back on their word and stopped supplying us. Now there’s no duck meat at the factory, and we can’t produce the braised duck products at all. The delivery date is looming. If we can’t deliver on time, there will be massive liquidated damages!”
Third Uncle Xu’s lips were already blistering from anxiety. That wretched duck factory! No one had wanted their ducks at all. If it hadn’t been for his niece’s help, the factory would have collapsed long ago. And now, these ungrateful wretches had done this! The duck meat factory claimed insufficient meat to supply, even if it meant a breach of contract. The liquidated damages they faced would be far less than the potential fallout for the food factory. This matter, both big and small, could severely impact their domestic and international business. In the world of commerce, breaking a contract was the ultimate taboo. Foreigners already held prejudiced views of China, and another such incident could shatter the image of China as a land of integrity.
Xu Ying’s beautiful face turned profoundly grim, casting a shadow over the entire courtyard. Father Xu watched his daughter with a worried expression. Xu’s mother, however, erupted in fury. “These bastards are worse than beasts! My daughter helped them so much, and this is how they repay her kindness?!”
Third Uncle Xu also paced frantically in the yard, his hands clasped, cold sweat trickling down his back. What could they possibly do?
Meanwhile, in a small duck meat factory, the newly appointed factory director wore a triumphant sneer. “I’m just waiting for the food factory to come begging for help. When they do, we’ll raise the price! That old Yang, seeing the food factory rake in so much money, didn’t even consider the interests of our villagers. We’ll raise the price by one ‘liter’ no matter what, and give our employees a raise!” Yang Dezhen, his face a mask of agreement, had enjoyed a smooth ascent since Director Yang’s replacement. From deputy director of the Human Resources Department, he’d been directly promoted to director under the new Director Wu.