Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 85 Director Wei

“If you all think you’re in the right, then come inside with me. This matter can only be discussed with our director.”

Li Zhe tugged at Wang Jianjun's arm, "Brother, is your aunt's husband a policeman?"

"How would I know? I was only a little kid when my mother passed away. My father never mentioned this. If I hadn't found this letter, I would have forgotten about this relationship." Wang Jianjun was also a little guilty—the highest official he had ever met in his life was the village chief.

Bai Xiaoyan led the three into the courtyard and then called to her two colleagues, "Take them to the small conference room." The two policemen led Li Zhe and the other two into a room on the second floor.

After a while, the office door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man in uniform walked in. "Sister Wang, you've been coming here quite often."

"Chief Wei, I don't like hearing that. Back when you first joined the police station, I helped you get a lot of credit, didn't I?"

"Alright, it was a slip of the tongue." Director Wei turned to Li Zhe and the other man. "What are your names?"

"Li Zhe".

"Wang Jianjun".

Director Wei stared at Wang Jianjun, scrutinizing him closely. "Who is Wu Fanghua to you?"

"She's my aunt."

Have you seen her?

"Not impressed."

"What's your mother's name? Where did she go?"

"Wu Shuhua. It seems... she went to Hong Kong."

"What's your dad's name? Where does he live?"

"Wang Rongsheng from Daying Village".

Director Wei's tone softened, "Jianjun, do you have your identification with you?"

"No... my ID card is at home." Wang Jianjun became a little nervous under the barrage of questions.

Bai Xiaoyan whispered a reminder, "Chief, this Li Zhe is also from Daying Village, and his temporary residence permit is all in order."

Director Wei then looked at Li Zhe, who was standing to the side, and asked, "Young man, what's your relationship with him?"

"This is my cousin, and Wang Rongsheng is my uncle."

"Hahaha!" Director Wei laughed, patting the two men's arms. "Alright, alright, we're all family. Wu Fanghua is my wife, and I'm your aunt's husband. Come home with me later, your aunt will be happy to see you."

"What a mess!" Aunt Wang gave an embarrassed smile and quickly apologized, "Comrades, I misunderstood you. I apologize to you."

Director Wei said sternly, "Old lady, you can't do that again, or I'll have to criticize you."

“They don’t look alike.” Aunt Wang didn’t know what to say, and apologized again, “I’m sorry, I made a mistake.”

Director Wei advised, "Jianjun and Li Zhe, please give your aunt's husband some face and be lenient with her. We've been neighbors for decades."

Wang Jianjun complained, "Aunt Wang, you really scared me. This is the first time I've ever been to a police station in my life."

After offering another apology, Aunt Wang slunk away from the police station.

Director Wei patted the two men on the shoulder and said, "Wait for me a moment. I'll arrange some work and then take you home."

Daying Village Consignment Store.

Since her son started earning money, Wang Xiuying has been visiting the consignment shop more often. She spends her free time chatting with the other women around the fire, and seems much more cheerful than before. She's even taken over the middle seat that her quick-tongued wife usually sits in.

Every time their eyes met, the quick-talking wife always felt that Wang Xiuying had some ill intentions, as if she was plotting something bad. Perhaps out of guilt, the quick-talking wife didn't dare to meet her gaze. The quick-talking wife was physically inside but mentally outside, her small eyes constantly glancing out the window.

"Big news!" The talkative wife suddenly stood up. "Guess who I saw?"

The women all turned to look out the window at the same time.

Aunt Pang exclaimed, "Oh my god! Zhu Yimin is out? Wasn't he dying? How come he can still walk..."

Wang Xiuying interrupted her, "You can't just say things like that! My second son said that Zhu Yimin just had ammonia poisoning and will be fine after resting for a while."

The talkative wife grinned, "A few days ago, while I was cooking, I heard Zhu Yimin and his wife arguing. They were arguing so fiercely, they were really angry..."

Everyone's eyes turned to look at them.

Zhang Yuzhen shook her head, "That can't be, right? Yufeng has always been a virtuous woman. Her husband is sick now, she wouldn't quarrel with him, would she?"

"Whether someone is virtuous or not depends on how you look at it." The quick-tongued wife deliberately lowered her voice. "I heard they were arguing about money! Zhou Yufeng has squandered all of Zhu Yimin's money!"

The young woman knitting a sweater asked, "Really? How could Zhou Yufeng spend money like that? Even if she's wasting money, shouldn't it be Zhu Yimin who's wasting money building greenhouses?"

"What do you know?" the quick-tongued wife said, her words seemingly credible. "Zhou Yufeng took the money away. Zhu Yimin only took out a loan because he didn't have the money to build the greenhouse. There's something fishy going on here..."

"Good heavens, where did Zhou Yufeng spend all that money...?"

The field north of the village.

Zhu Yimin wandered aimlessly through the village. Zhou Yufeng's act of borrowing money had dealt him a heavy blow. He wasn't a stingy person; he could lend money to the Zhou family if they were truly in need, but to empty their savings so quietly...

"Cough cough..." The cold wind made him cough repeatedly. What truly chilled him was Zhou Yufeng's attitude. After so many years of marriage, what did he mean to her?
These days, Zhu Yimin didn't bring it up directly, but subtly inquired and found out about the money.

Back then, Zhu Yimin wanted to build a vegetable greenhouse, but Zhou Yufeng disagreed. After the two had a fight, she took her child and went back to her parents' home. It was around that time that her parents borrowed 3,000 yuan to build a house.

Zhu Yimin borrowed money to build the greenhouse, but excessive fertilization led to ammonia poisoning. Zhou Yufeng only returned to Daying Village to take care of Zhu Yimin after receiving the news. During that time, their daughter Zhu Wen was still staying at her parents' home.

At that time, she only had four or five hundred yuan in her hand, and after paying the medical bills, she only had two or three hundred yuan left. It was at this moment that her daughter, Zhu Wen, overheard this.

Zhu Yimin went home to recuperate and proposed to rent the greenhouse to the Li family. The Li family paid 1200 yuan in rent, which means that Zhou Yufeng had 1,400 or 1,500 yuan in her hands.

With the credit union loan still outstanding and her family's loan still unpaid, Zhou Yufeng was terrified and dared not lend Jin Baiwan any more money.

Over the past two days, Zhu Yimin searched the entire house, turning it upside down, and found 1300 yuan hidden in an old pillow at the bottom of a box...

Unconsciously, Zhu Yimin walked to the edge of his own land in the north of the village. Looking at the greenhouse he had worked so hard to build, Zhu Yimin felt increasingly uneasy. He lifted the thick curtain and saw Old Li bending over, weeding in the field.

"Yimin! What brings you here?" Old Li was so startled that he dropped his hoe. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel much better. I'm taking advantage of the nice weather to get some exercise."

Old Li quickly placed his cotton-padded coat on the wooden box, saying, "Sit here and rest for a while."

Zhu Yimin walked into the greenhouse—the green pepper seedlings were growing very tall, the strawberry leaves were glossy, and the lettuce was so tender that you could squeeze water out of it.

"Uncle, you've taken such good care of these seedlings."

"By next year when you're healthier, the greenhouse lease will be up." Old Li glanced at his face. "With your skills, you'll definitely be able to grow it even better."

Zhu Yimin suddenly turned around and said, "Uncle Li, I want to discuss something with you."

Old Li's heart skipped a beat—was the other party going to take back the greenhouse?

"Do you need any more help?" Zhu Yimin clenched his fists, his ears turning red. "I want to work with you."

(End of this chapter)