Chapter 27: The Decisive Liu Chunyan

Zhang’s second brother-in-law was a veteran at the research institute. If he wished, it wasn’t impossible for him to pursue an administrative path, but firstly, he preferred the simple life of research, and secondly, the institute’s biggest problem was a lack of funding. Without any backing, it was extremely difficult for him to secure funds.

However, if what Chen Xin mentioned could be realized through their institute, they could apply to higher authorities for special research funds, establish project proposals, and perhaps even leverage some connections to take on outsourced tasks from advanced research institutes.

The second brother-in-law began to weigh the pros and cons in his mind, hesitating over whether he should take the lead in this matter.

The second sister didn’t inquire about her husband’s thoughts. She felt clueless about such matters and believed that offering random suggestions wasn’t wise. Yet, no matter what decision her husband made, she would support him wholeheartedly.

During those few days on the mountain, the second brother-in-law didn’t put on airs; he chatted with the locals and collected the information he needed. Chen Xin, on the other hand, gained even more. She nearly mastered every family’s unique methods of preparing wild delicacies and mountain produce, and took the opportunity to place several orders, arranging for her eldest brother to send her supplies each season.

On the seventh day, Lei Bang arrived as promised, bringing a car along.

“My brother is the newly-appointed deputy county magistrate,” Lei Bang confided quietly to Chen Xin, without mentioning it to the others.

“My brother oversees agriculture. We drank together during the New Year, and when he heard me talk about Zhangjia Village, he was eager to come and take a look.”

Chen Xin felt it wasn’t appropriate for her to act as the host, especially since she was about to leave. She needed to find someone suitable to receive the visitors. After mulling it over, she noticed her second brother-in-law, who seemed to recognize the deputy county magistrate but wasn’t quite certain, watching him with a curious and subtle gaze.

With Lei Bang and the deputy county magistrate’s consent, Chen Xin called over her second brother-in-law and quietly explained the situation. Being an educated man, he understood immediately and assured her that he would accompany the deputy county magistrate up the mountain and show him around. To others, he simply claimed to be a senior researcher from the Agricultural Research Institute, coming to conduct an ecological agriculture survey.

Chen Xin entrusted the practical arrangements to her second brother-in-law. She, carrying bundles of belongings and holding little Zhang Zhang, bid farewell to the Zhang family, ready to depart.

Having not spent much time together before, she hadn’t felt much attachment, but after ten days, the elderly couple from the Zhang family were reluctant to part with their eldest grandson. Still, they understood that leaving the child in the countryside would lead nowhere; following his aunt was the right path.

Seeing the old couple wiping their tears in sorrow, Zhang Zhang clung to his aunt, his big eyes misty.

“Say goodbye to Grandpa and Grandma. We’ll come back again during summer vacation, all right?”

“Yes, I’ll come again in the summer.” Clever little Zhang Zhang obediently hugged his grandparents and gave them two kisses. Yet, in his aunt’s arms, he still shed golden tears.

Chen Xin didn’t take everything in the car; she left a third of her goods with Lei Bang, who had come to pick her up. These were carefully selected items, unobtainable elsewhere.

Through connections, Lei Bang escorted the aunt and nephew directly to the station and onto the train.

Chen Xin didn’t stint on herself; she had purchased a soft sleeper ticket. The journey home would take nearly three-quarters of a day plus a full night—almost twenty-eight hours on the train. Hard sleepers would be too crowded, and with a child, it would be impossible to squeeze in with others, so spending a bit more for comfort was worth it.

When they arrived in the provincial capital, Cheng Jie came to pick them up in a minivan.

“Cheng Jie, why did you decide to buy this car?”

“The unit provided a subsidy, so it’s convenient for us to go out for interviews. With all the equipment and so many people, a minivan is the only way to fit everything in.”

Her workplace had reformed this year; there was competition among departments, and to increase income, they had to be proactive, which boosted employees’ initiative. A minivan cost forty to fifty thousand, and with full features and registration, the total was just over sixty thousand. The unit offered a monthly transportation subsidy of five hundred yuan. Of course, only key staff like Cheng Jie enjoyed this benefit; ordinary employees could only dream of it.

Starting from this year, various industries were actively reforming, breaking the old egalitarian system and promoting meritocracy. In the years to come, the worship of money would influence many people.

Chen Xin said little. Since Cheng Jie drove, and some items were meant for her family anyway, she simply took them home.

Another portion was intended for Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu—delicacies saved by mountain folk for their own consumption, given to her out of consideration for her payment.

Naturally, she didn’t need Cheng Jie’s help to deliver gifts to the Liu family. She planned to rest and settle in first, then find a time to visit, or perhaps invite Grandpa and Grandma Liu over for a meal.

That evening, just as Chen Xin finished washing and drying her dirty clothes, she heard a knock at the door.

Upon opening it, she found Grandma Liu and her daughter.

“Grandma Liu, is there something urgent you’ve come so late?”

Grandma Liu indeed had business. She had discussed with her husband about having her daughter repay her son’s debt, then have her daughter collaborate with Chen Xin’s group. Her son and daughter-in-law lacked social skills, and working with them felt more like charity, which hurt the old couple’s pride and hearts.

Her daughter was different—eloquent and perceptive since childhood, she managed her husband and handled the family finances. She was looking for a partner to start a business, and though it was a bit late, Grandma Liu believed Chen Xin wouldn’t just dabble and stop; if not this time, perhaps the next, so establishing a solid relationship was crucial.

Grandma Liu’s daughter, Liu Chunyan, used to be a saleswoman at the department store. Later, she taught herself accounting and, after marriage, moved to her husband’s hometown in the county, where she used her connections to secure a cashier position. After three years, she became an accountant. This attested to Liu Chunyan’s ability to build good relationships.

After chatting for a while, Chen Xin found her quite capable—she knew her limits, was familiar with business, and if Cheng Jie approved, could easily replace her brother for cooperation. Her accounting skills seemed sound, and currently, the company had no accountant, only using part-time services. If Liu Chunyan joined, they might save on that expense.

Of course, a prudent approach would be to eventually hire a professional accountant, unrelated to any party, or delegate everything to an accounting firm. But that was for the future; right now, with just a café, there was no need for a full-time accountant.

“All right, I need to return to my husband’s family tomorrow. I just came by to ask your thoughts. If it works, we’ll find a time to meet and discuss the details.”

Liu Chunyan was straightforward; after leaving her phone number with Chen Xin, she helped Grandma Liu home, carrying away bundles of fine goods.

“Mom, what do you think Jianmin is thinking? I just talked with Chen Xin—she’s practically a genius. As long as she doesn’t expand recklessly and builds steadily, she’ll definitely succeed with her company. If Jianmin works with her and keeps things stable, even without a job, he won’t have to worry about food or money. With such prospects, I’m almost afraid to take over, lest it cause conflict between us sisters.”

“Why bother with him? He’s just stubborn and doesn’t get it. Your father and I have talked to him several times—the more we say, the less he likes it. You saw how he and his wife looked relieved when this came up today.” Grandma Liu was irritated, “If you make it big, it has nothing to do with him. He’s the one who doesn’t want it, not you forcing him to give up.”