Back to 1979: Sending the Educated Youth’s Wife Back to the City

Chapter 198 Sisters reunited

Han Mei suddenly realized something was wrong. Yingzi hadn't sent a single penny back, which had led to Old Zhou and his wife being ridiculed by their neighbors in the tenement for a long time. The couple had even spoken of Yingzi with gritted teeth recently.

How come you don't care at all now, and even let her ask Lingzi for money when she doesn't have enough?

It's unlikely that it was because Yingzi was favored. In her experience, of the three children, the first one was valued, the third was loved, and the one in the middle was often neglected.

Otherwise, it would have to be like her family, where the first child was a daughter, and the next two were sons. That way, all three children would receive considerable attention.

But Yingzi is different. The Zhou family's first child was a daughter, Lingzi, which was somewhat cherished because it was their first child. But if the second child was also a daughter, they would probably be a little less enthusiastic. Besides, their third child was a son, just as they had hoped.

So, Yingzi must have encountered something bad in America.

Han Mei's expression changed slightly at the thought of a woman encountering such misfortune. No wonder Lingzi was so eager to go to America!

She got up, picked up the thermos, and went to get hot water. "Uncle Zhou, you can hang up after you finish the call."

She and Xiao Gang were originally sitting in this office. But it's already June 10th, and Xiao Gang had long since gone back to his cram school for his final review. So she was left alone.

She shouldn't have left, but she felt it wasn't convenient to continue listening. So she made an excuse to leave. Anyway, she wasn't worried that Old Zhou would steal anything.

Don't be surprised, Old Zhou, that stingy old man, is probably richer than many people in the travel agency. He's definitely a millionaire!
She felt this person was somewhat flawed. He had so much money, yet he was reluctant to spend it. Why be so stingy? What's the point of life then?
She went to get some hot water, but the bottle was already more than half full and very hot. So she just asked the cook in the kitchen to add half a bottle of hot water.

The older woman, carrying the heavy container, raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, simply filling the thermos to the brim. Han Mei was the office director, so she was directly under her supervision. In fact, it was she who had brought the full thermos to the office that morning.

Lin Yan, passing by, also glanced at Han Mei with surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Han Mei looked at her, then pulled her to a corner. "I felt it wasn't convenient to continue listening to Lao Zhou and his daughter's phone call, so I came out."

Lin Yan said, "We're just doing Old Zhou a favor by letting him answer the phone. There's no reason for you to avoid us."

Han Mei then relayed Lao Zhou's words to her, "He told Yingzi that if she didn't have enough money, she should ask Lingzi for help."

Lin Yan quickly realized what was happening. She opened her mouth, but finally said, "Why bother going to America to become an illegal immigrant?"

"Big sister, you'll be done with your final exams soon, and you can fly to America with your kids and your spouse. And you'll be flying business class! But out of a billion people in China, how many can just go to America whenever they want? If you have this opportunity, you'll definitely seize it."

She has virtually no chance of going abroad anyway, and that jerk Lin Yi is holding her back.

Lin Yan said, "That's why I didn't say those things before. I know it would make people hate me. But I heard that Yingzi is still unwilling to come back because of her condition!"

She paused for a moment, then said, "That's not right. If they were talking about something like that, they would have their own phone. Lingzi wouldn't be so rigid as to only call the office just because it's a public fund call."

Han Mei said, "I don't know."

"Don't make wild guesses."

The older woman filled the thermos with hot water and carried it out. "Director Han, shall I take this over to you?"

"No need, just leave it there, I'll do it myself."

Lin Yan said, "Alright, let's go back to work. Even if Lao Zhou hasn't finished speaking, you should gently remind him. We only have this one phone line, and if it's constantly busy, what if a customer calls to ask a question?"

"understood."

Lin Yan went inside and whispered Han Mei's guess to Fang Mingche, "Could something like this really have happened? They still haven't come back. Have they gone mad? Besides, Lao Zhou and the others clearly know, but they don't even try to call them back."

Her mother even pretended to be sick once in order to get her to return to the city.

Fang Mingche said, "Han Mei is so perceptive in these areas? And you, don't spread rumors. Yingzi almost got into trouble, but she wasn't really hurt. Her great-uncle has recovered quite well; although his mouth and eyes are crooked, he can still walk with a cane. He heard the commotion and came out to save her! That guy was taken in by her great-uncle back then, so he couldn't do anything violent."

Lin Yan stared at Fang Mingche, "You know very well. Lingzi doesn't hide anything from you, she doesn't treat you like an outsider!"

Fang Mingche said with a laugh, "What nonsense are you talking about? If she hadn't explained things to me clearly, would I have let her go a month earlier? That would have meant paying her so much more salary. But I can't talk about this with you or anyone else. If it gets spread around, it'll easily get distorted."

Lingzi went to the United States on a basic salary of $700 a month, which is about 1200 RMB. This was the median income in the United States in 1981.

Lin Yan scratched her head and gave an embarrassed smile. "Well, I was being petty. Um, I'll tell Han Mei not to tell anyone else. She only told me because she thinks I'm not an outsider."

When Han Mei returned, Lao Zhou had already hung up the phone and left.

She continued with her work. With Xiao Gang not coming, her daily tasks became more numerous. If that kid passed the exam this year, then another person would need to be transferred to this office in September.

Well, he'll most likely pass. Last year he was just short of the junior college cutoff and didn't even apply to a vocational school. This year, the English component has increased, and Wang even helped him find review materials from prestigious schools like Beijing No. 4 High School.

Han Mei favored Xie Ping among the new hires. She'd been here quite a while, and she's also the wife of the finance manager, Gao Xiang. I heard she did quite well in night school. The position Xiao Gang vacated comes with a commission.

This was a way of doing Gao Xiang a favor. After thinking about it, she simply called Xie Ping in from the main office and had her do odd jobs for her. Anyway, even if Xiao Gang came to work during the summer vacation, he wouldn't last more than two months.

It was already evening in the United States. Yingzi hung up the phone and looked at Lingzi. The latter said, "You've talked for so long, and now you're paying for it yourself."

"Can't you get reimbursed?"

“Reimbursement doesn’t mean you have to make an international phone call to chat with Dad. Besides, how am I supposed to get reimbursed after such a long time? I just need to let him know I’m safe, it only takes a minute. Even if I went to get reimbursed, Han Mei would just send it back. Our travel agency isn’t a public company where everyone can share the benefits.”

She was this strict when she was the office director. Otherwise, it would have been rejected even if she had taken it to Gao Xiang, let alone used it to collect money from Teacher Lin. Layer upon layer of review!

Yingzi had no choice but to pay the money herself. If she had known it was self-funded, she wouldn't have talked for so long. Luckily, sending money back from the US is much cheaper. Otherwise, those few minutes of talking could have cost her one or two months' salary back home.

“Come on, I’ll take you to a hotel. It’s run by Chinese people, and the conditions and safety are pretty good. I told my uncle I won’t be staying at the hotel tonight; I’ll squeeze in with you.”

Yingzi naturally didn't want to take care of a terminally ill old man 24/7. The mere smell of old age in the house was enough. Her great-uncle was a good man and had even saved her life. But as the saying goes, "No filial piety exists at the bedside of a chronically ill person," and even her own uncle couldn't manage that.

Moreover, if it weren't for her great-uncle's family, she wouldn't have almost been raped.

As for tonight, her cousin will definitely stay with her great-uncle. That way, nothing might go wrong tonight. She doesn't care if her cousin is unhappy about it. He's his own father!
Besides, she might just be going to work at her great-uncle's place from morning till night from now on. She should start getting used to it from today.

Once in the car, Yingzi said, "Hey, sis, you're not going to make me pay for the room myself later, are you?"

"No, I've booked one room anyway. I'll need to rent at least two rooms when I rent a place later. Besides, Teacher Fang instructed me to bring you out to live with us. It's obvious that sharing a room with a patient every day is very uncomfortable."

Yingzi pouted and said, "He's quite good at doing favors, since it doesn't cost him much money anyway."

Lingzi said, "He could just tell you not to stay. Yingzi, you're in a bad mood right now. I can understand you, but outsiders have no reason to understand you. They don't owe you anything!"

Yingzi fell silent and drove. After a while, she said, "I really didn't expect you to come so quickly."

So fast, the travel agency has opened a store in New York. If she had known it would be this fast, she wouldn't have come in the first place.

Once her older sister settles in, she'll also have a chance to visit. She originally thought it would be at least five years, if not ten. Who knew it would only be a year later than her!
Reiko nodded. "It's quite fast."

She's feeling a bit jet-lagged right now, and still somewhat reeling from the shock of arriving in America!

She had seen skyscrapers in the photos Yan Yan and Qin Hua took in Tokyo. But the sheer size of JFK International Airport was truly breathtaking.

When Yingzi heard her mention this, she smiled and said, "You'll get used to it. Besides, America isn't all skyscrapers. There's blood and tears behind the neon lights!"

"Oh, Teacher Fang did tell me that there are slums and poor people here too."

Yingzi clicked her tongue twice. "Sister, stop talking about Teacher Fang all the time. He has a wife and children."

"I know, I didn't intend to do anything."

Yingzi said, "It's probably because he didn't give any other woman a chance at all. You'd better lower your standards a bit. As the saying goes, you shouldn't meet someone too amazing when you're young."

To these girls who grew up in the alleyways, Fang Mingche was an absolutely stunning person. He was tall and handsome, a student at a prestigious university, and incredibly wealthy. Even in a fight, he was better than most. Most importantly, he loved his wife and children so much.

Yingzi was indeed neglected as a child. She envied Fang Shuyan the most.

Lingzi said, "I know. I applied for an overseas post not only to see you, but also to let go of the past."

Seeing that her sister didn't look too well, Yingzi asked one last question, "Teacher Fang must earn a lot of money a year now, right?"

"I don't know the specifics. I guess only Gao Xiang knows the details, besides the couple and Brother Wang. But making 100,000 to 200,000 a year should be no problem."

Yingzi said, "He actually earns so much back in China! By the way, sis, how much do you make a month now?"

“I was paid the median income of Americans, a base salary of $700.” Reiko didn’t mention her commission.

Yingzi said, "I knew my uncle and aunt paid me low wages. I work 24 hours a day, which is equivalent to working all year round. They only pay me $500 a month."

Before her sister arrived, she didn't dare ask for leave. She had no one to rely on and was unregistered. She could only depend on her uncle and aunt. As for her great-uncle, he had no say in the family anymore.

"Sister, can I work at your store too?"

"Teacher Fang and Teacher Lin will probably come with their children in about two weeks. You can ask them yourself then."

Yingzi said, "Teacher Lin is so lucky! He gets to travel abroad with us. His family must be one of the wealthiest in the country."

Lingzi said, "We don't know exactly how rich they are. But everyone in that tenement area knows how much debt they have."

Yingzi found it amusing. "Are they still habitually complaining about being poor? They need someone to believe them."

"No, that's not true. It was Brother Wang who said it after drinking. He said that they had personal debts of over 200,000 yuan. The travel agency also owed more than 100,000 yuan in order to expand rapidly."

"How much?" Yingzi was shocked.

"The neighbors all know exactly where the money went, around 200,000 yuan. They bought a courtyard house, and I heard that it cost 144,000 yuan to renovate it. Then they bought four sets of imported color TVs and other home appliances. All the rooms are furnished with high-quality wooden furniture. In addition, they also bought a full set of imported home appliances for the apartment they rented in the Overseas Chinese Apartment complex."

The residents of that large courtyard did the math and realized it was over two hundred thousand yuan. As for the travel agency's ten thousand yuan, they heard that all four vehicles were mortgaged to the bank.

Yingzi said, "He has the American way of spending money. He takes out a loan to spend first, and then pays it back slowly. Our dad has a typical Chinese mindset. He's reluctant to spend money and wants to save it for a big use later. Hey, didn't you say that your family members have the opportunity to visit relatives at public expense? It's the third son who's coming, right? Such a good opportunity should definitely be his."

"I'll have to wait until I've been away for a full year. It should be next summer vacation."

Yingzi couldn't help but add, "My uncle and aunt never really considered my future. But they definitely wouldn't agree with me saying that; they'd say they even introduced me to someone with a green card. Back then, they even threatened me on behalf of that bad guy. So, it's not unkind of me to leave their family."

Lingzi thought of Fang Min, who was always energetic and cheerful. She said that if she got Changchang into the preschool program, she could work at a travel agency. Therefore, she would attend night school very diligently for the next two or three years. Otherwise, she wouldn't have enough knowledge in the future!

Indeed, this is truly considering her future.

The two sisters arrived at their booked Chinatown hotel late at night. Lingzi showed her passport to check in.

The landlady actually knew Yingzi was staying illegally. But since they were all compatriots, she wouldn't do something that would harm others without benefiting herself. She simply looked at Lingzi and asked, "Are there people in China who can now apply for work visas and leave the country on their own?"

Lingzi nodded. "We are a company affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, selling handicrafts and exporting culture. This is something that can generate foreign exchange for the country, and the government is very supportive. Sino-US relations are good right now, so it is relatively easy to get visas."

The proprietress nodded. "Yes. Even though your sister didn't go back on time, they still managed to get you a visa."

"In the American mindset, once you grow up, you should be treated as an individual. In the Chinese mindset, even a large tree will branch out."

The proprietress completed the formalities and handed over the keys, saying, "Here you go."

The two sisters went upstairs and into their room. Yingzi said, "This place is indeed very big. I could tell from the size of the windows and the layout when I walked downstairs that this room couldn't be small."

She initially lived in the attic at her great-uncle's house. After her cousin, aunt, and that scoundrel moved away to open a branch store, she moved into that scoundrel's room.

Lingzi said, "I'm going to wash up and go to bed. My head is throbbing. You can take care of yourself. I'll go see my great-uncle after I've adjusted to the time difference."

She took a shower, changed into her pajamas, and went to bed first. Yingzi also quickly washed up and went to bed, snuggling closer to her sister after getting into bed. The next day, she went downstairs around six o'clock and arranged with the landlady to deliver food to her sister who was jet-lagged.

The proprietress nodded, "Don't worry, leave everything to me. We'll get paid anyway."

Lingzi naturally needs to adjust to the time difference before starting work. However, Fang Mingche trusts her quite a bit. Once the whole family of four arrives, both the shop and the residence will definitely be in perfect order.

He and Lin Yan were both focused on preparing for their final exams, sometimes even staying at school. With their parents and Fang Min around, they didn't have to worry about the two siblings.

Changchang is watching his grandparents and his older sister, Tongtong, practice their dance moves. He's grinning so wide that drool drips onto his bib.

After Yan Yan started learning at the Children's Palace, Fang Tong was also sent there by Mingfeng and his wife. They took dance classes together. Now that the assessment was coming up, the two sisters teamed up to put on a performance.

Watching the two little girls dancing gracefully, Fang's mother whispered, "They are indeed very different from the girls in the countryside."

The lives these two girls lead are completely beyond her comprehension.

Mr. Fang said, "Nonsense, otherwise why would Mingche and Mingfeng, even as migrant workers, flock to the capital?"

Yes, Fang Jian and his two siblings are coming soon too. This is purely because of their youngest uncle.

As the music ended, the two little sisters on stage struck a lovely closing pose. Mr. Fang clapped, and Mrs. Fang quickly followed suit. Then Changchang grinned and imitated them. However, his hands weren't quite in sync yet, sometimes not aligning properly.

Fang's mother said, "You danced very well! Your teacher will definitely give you a high score. When is the performance? We'd like to come and watch."

They said the parents should go, but Mingche and Lin Yan obviously don't have time, and even Mingfeng and his wife might not be available. It'll probably be them and Tongtong's grandmother who go.

Yan Yan said, "Grandma, it's not a performance, it's just to see how well we've learned this semester."

"Yes, Aunt Seven, it's not a performance."

Before they knew it, it was the end of June. Fang Mingche and Lin Yan were "liberated" on the same day, having finished their exams.

Fang Mingche had previously received administrative penalties, so all honors were no longer relevant to him. He also lost his eligibility for postgraduate admission through recommendation and had to take the exam himself. Therefore, as long as he passed, sixty points would be enough.

Lin Yan had taken a year off from school, and her career and childcare had also taken up a lot of her energy in the past few months. Therefore, she was unable to pursue academic progress and only hoped to smoothly advance to the second grade.

After the two parents, who were content with just getting by, returned home, they lay on the sofa fully clothed and didn't want to move.

Yan Yan led her younger brother in, "Dad, Mom, are you tired from the exams?"

Fang Mingche sat up. "That's not it. It's mainly because your mother and I both have to balance family and career, unlike others who focus solely on their studies. Cramming at the last minute inevitably makes things a bit tough."

Yan Yan said, "Can it be more tiring than Grandpa not having gone to school for decades and having to take an exam again?"

Fang's father was learning to drive, so he had to memorize traffic rules at home every day. She saw it too; her grandfather was memorizing so diligently!

Fang Mingche said, "Everyone has their own difficulties. But your grandfather only needs to take one subject, while we have to take more than ten subjects. Moreover, our competitors are all people who have already passed the college entrance examination."

Yan Yan nodded. "I see."

Changchang stared at his parents. They had been busy with their studies and exams for the past two weeks and hadn't spent much time with him. So, the little guy looked at them somewhat unfamiliarly.

Lin Yan clapped her hands, but he didn't even go over.

Lin Yan looked at Fang Mingche, "Let's take them out to play tomorrow. Otherwise, they won't be as friendly with us on the plane and it will be difficult to manage them."

Fang Mingche nodded, then asked his children, "Where do you want to go for fun?"

Yan Yan said, "Let's go boating. Beihai Park or the Summer Palace are both fine."

Fang Mingche said, "These are all former royal gardens. You certainly know how to pick them. Alright, let's go boating tomorrow. Ask Grandpa and Grandma if they want to go?"

Starting tomorrow, Fang Min will be given a day off, so she can go back and come back earlier.

So the next day, they put Fang Min on the train, and the family of six went to the Summer Palace to go boating. They also booked a table at the Imperial Cuisine Restaurant there under the name of a travel agency.

Sitting on the six-seater boat, Fang's mother couldn't help but say, "It's so cool in here!"

Fang Mingche laughed, "Oh, you're enjoying the same treatment as the Empress Dowager Cixi now, escaping the summer heat at the Summer Palace. This was built specifically for her by diverting funds meant for building naval warships."

Mr. Fang laughed, "Yes, it's good for us ordinary people now. But what would have happened if Empress Dowager Cixi hadn't misappropriated seven million taels of silver from the navy's military budget?"

Fang Mingche said, "It's just two more warships that sank in the Sino-Japanese War. I'm not saying that Empress Dowager Cixi's actions were right. But it's true that she misappropriated resources and left us with the Summer Palace. It's only because our navy is gradually becoming stronger that I can say this with such composure."

Fang's father said, "What was that ship that General Liu went to see in the US last year, standing on tiptoe? Shouldn't we build one too?"

Fang Mingche said, "An aircraft carrier. That costs between 300 billion and 1000 billion, and the country doesn't have the money right now. Moreover, we can't provide advanced fighter jets for it. The key point is that in the 80s, our territorial waters were mainly for defense."

Mr. Fang, Mrs. Fang, and even Lin Yan were all shocked by the figure of 300 billion to 1000 billion. Before, when they talked about seven million taels of silver, they didn't really grasp the scale, they just knew it was a huge amount. But now that they were talking about an aircraft carrier priced in RMB, everyone knew how enormous that number was.

Mr. Fang said, "Back then, didn't we also start from scratch and develop our own nuclear weapons and satellites?"

"The main task in the 80s should have been to develop the economy, with the private sector advancing and the military retreating."

It wasn't until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, when the United States turned its back on us, and China endured three humiliating events—the Yinhe incident, the 81192 incident, and the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia—that defense spending increased again, and only after witnessing the new war situation of the Gulf War.

Hearing that it was a national policy, Fang's father remained silent. It wasn't his place to offer any opinion. People these days aren't as willing to 'engage in politics' as they are in later generations.

Changchang and Yanyan were both very happy today. Changchang, in particular, snuggled in his mother's arms, watching his father, who was rowing the boat, and his mouth was constantly smiling the whole way.

Mr. and Mrs. Fang were naturally very happy. After all, this was the Summer Palace! It was completely different from when they were in the countryside rowing a small fishing boat.

As it approached noon, Fang Mingche glanced at his watch. "It's almost time for lunch."

Yan Yan rubbed her stomach. "I'm really a little hungry! Changchang, are you not hungry?"

My younger brother had just eaten a dish of NeiNei before boarding the ship.

Changchang rubbed her tummy and hummed in response. It was unclear whether she was hungry or not.

After reaching the shore, Fang Mingche picked him up and carried him off the boat. "Come on, let's eat!"

Lin Yan, holding Yan Yan's hand, followed them down the boat and stood on the shore waiting for her in-laws to disembark, to see if they needed any help.

The family walked happily toward the Imperial Cuisine Restaurant where they had made a reservation.

As soon as they entered and were about to head to their reserved private room, they heard a voice from inside, "This isn't a foreign guest! If it were, we brothers would have let them have their way. Isn't this just Boss Fang, the one who's using someone else's influence?"

The whole family turned their gaze to Fang Mingche. "That's right?"

Fang Mingche didn't recognize the person who spoke at all. But judging from their demeanor, they were either children of high-ranking officials or people who were close to them.

He held his son and said, "Shouldn't we still consider the order of arrival? We booked the seats first. Are you trying to use your fathers' and grandfathers' power to bully us?"

“This place is not for ordinary people to eat. You’re using the name of an international travel agency to bully foreign guests, aren’t you? Otherwise, would you have gotten this seat? We’re not giving it to you today.”

Fang Mingche said, "This is a public place. There is no rule that only children of high-ranking officials are allowed to enter, and that ordinary people like us are not allowed to dine here."

This isn't some private canteen; it's a state-run restaurant. It's true that having a prestigious reputation makes it easier to book tables and private rooms. But it doesn't mean ordinary tourists aren't allowed to dine in. It's just that they often give up when faced with difficulties.

By this time, there were no empty seats in the hall. The private room had been taken; they needed to be given an explanation. He didn't recognize these people, yet they seemed very dissatisfied with him. Perhaps they were political enemies of the Wang family.

Among the group of young men from the compound who had occupied the private room, some sensed something was amiss in Fang Mingche's tone.

"Hey, you surnamed Fang, don't try to trap me with your words."

The restaurant manager quickly came over to mediate, "Mr. Fang, I'll have the waiter vacate another small private room for you right away. It's better to resolve our feud than to let it fester."

Mr. Fang added, "Yes, as long as there's a place to eat, that's fine. Don't argue with people based on feelings!"

Fang Mingche nodded. "Okay, manager. I didn't intend to cause trouble. It's just that my family, both young and old, are hungry."

"This way, please!"

Some people inside were still making a scene. But this time they weren't targeting Fang Mingche, since he had already backed down. They were targeting the manager, demanding, "Why did you tell us there were no other private rooms?"

The manager quickly said, "You have a lot of people, while they have fewer. That private room is a bit small."

"That's pretty much it."

The manager personally led Fang Mingche and his family of six to their seats. The travel agency had a partnership with the restaurant, frequently bringing foreign tourists there. They weren't people to be easily offended.

The room is indeed a bit small; it was probably originally a card and chess room. But it's definitely enough for their family.

After sitting down, Lin Yan asked, "Do you know each other?"

Fang Mingche shook his head, "But they recognize me. Maybe I was seen entering the military compound before."

"You mean a family that has a grudge against the Wang family?"

Fang Mingche thought for a moment, "I heard before that Brother Wang San was going to be promoted. It's a high position, and there's a lot of competition, so it's probably going to be someone from the side of his defeated opponent."

Mr. Fang said, "Could it be that the Wang family's promotions have something to do with you?"

"Possibly. Oh well, let's not worry about it too much."

Fang's mother said, "I've heard that if you throw a brick down in the capital, you could hit several influential people. We'd better keep a low profile."

Mr. Fang nodded. “In the capital, we need to exercise more restraint. Anyway, we're not really at a disadvantage. Taking a step back will open up a whole new world. Come on, eat your food. This place is advertised as an imperial restaurant, so the food is indeed delicious.”

Today's meals are 12% off, which is the restaurant's way of making up for it. After all, the Fang family booked the private room first, and it was snatched away from them.

The manager even came to see him off before he left. Fang Mingche said, "Don't worry, I understand your predicament."

Changchang had already eaten her baby food and was sleeping on her father's shoulder. He didn't switch carriers after they got in the car; he still held her. Lin Yan drove the car back to the courtyard house.

Mr. Fang enthusiastically spread out a sheet of paper and wrote down the comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of his own guesthouse and the Imperial Cuisine Restaurant in terms of service.

Fang Mingche went inside and called Wang Dexian to tell him what had happened that day.

"I think what they really meant wasn't that the travel agency was using the foreign guests' name to bully others. They probably meant that I was currying favor with the Wang family and was just using their influence for personal gain."

Wang Dexian asked a few questions, including what the leader looked like. Finally, he said, "I know who it is. You've indeed suffered collateral damage today because of the Wang family."

"It's nothing, it didn't delay our meal. The manager quickly arranged a small private room for us."

Since that's the case, there's not much to say. It's normal to be implicated because of the Wang family's influence. Besides, even if it weren't for the Wang family, those people would probably still try to take the seats he reserved. His company's influence isn't enough yet, and the era of prioritizing economic growth hasn't truly arrived. These people won't take him too seriously.

After hanging up the phone, Fang Mingche went outside to look at the People's Daily that his father had placed on the table.

Shortly after the People's Daily published "A Debate on Contracting Fish Ponds" on May 29, it launched a special column to discuss the matter under the general title "How to View Chen Zhixiong's Contracting of Fish Ponds".

The discussion has been going on for almost a month now. He's looking at what opinions are being expressed.

(End of this chapter)