Chapter 143: Everyone Has a Price

Ning Weidong set down the jade pendant, not showing on his face that he valued it much, as if it were merely an ordinary object.

Wang Zipeng was not too surprised to see this, as the seal and jewelry of the Cian Empress Dowager had already come before it.

Fortunately, judging by Ning Weidong's expression, he was still satisfied with this item.

Wang Zipeng laughed dryly and said, "I hardly know how to bring this up; that kid is just too hopeless, he stayed in the Security Division for a few days and kept saying he couldn't stand the drills..."

Listening to this, Ning Weidong roughly understood what Wang Zipeng meant.

It was just that his eldest cousin's son didn't want to do drills every day and wanted to transfer to the Office.

Ning Weidong frowned and said, "I say, Brother Wang, they don't know any better, why don't you understand? It's not like he has to be like this forever; just wait until the end of the year, get rated as an advanced worker, and we can get him a permanent position. Then we can talk about where he wants to go. He can't even endure these few days?"

Although the other party had sent a gift, they had also caused trouble for Ning Weidong.

Moreover, Wang Zipeng's eldest cousin's family seemed to have some misunderstanding about asking for favors.

It wasn't that just because they gave him something, Ning Weidong had to help; that wasn't asking for a favor.

You may have things, but I can also choose not to want them.

This was originally a transaction of mutual exchange.

Furthermore, in this transaction, Ning Weidong had occupied the initiative from beginning to end, not the other party.

Clearly, this family did not understand this situation.

Thinking of this, Ning Weidong couldn't help but take a deep look at Wang Zipeng.

Wang Zipeng was a shrewd man; it was impossible for him not to understand this principle.

Yet he had come anyway.

It seemed that Wang Zipeng's relationship with his eldest cousin and her husband's family was only average.

Otherwise, if they were truly close, it would be impossible not to try to persuade them.

Ning Weidong ran through the situation in his mind in an instant, then couldn't help but smile and say, "Want to go to the Office? They really dare to think; do they think our Red Star Factory is run by their family?"

Wang Zipeng chuckled, not feeling embarrassed or flustered in the slightest by Ning Weidong's attitude, and chimed in, "Who's to say? I've said everything that needed to be said, but this family acts like they can't understand plain speech and insisted I come find you again. Damn it, such a perfectly good child, spoiled into such a useless brat."

Ning Weidong laughed at these words and countered, "Oh? Then what do you say about this matter?"

Wang Zipeng said, "If it were up to me, I'd have to discipline that guy properly; not only should he do the regular drills, but I'd double them."

Ning Weidong said indifferently, "I'm not responsible for educating other people's children; whether he lives or dies has nothing to do with me."

After finishing, he thought for a moment, looked at the jade pendant, and said, "Take this thing back and tell your eldest cousin: the Office is impossible. If he can persist, then persist for half a year, and we'll stick to the previous arrangement. If he can't persist, then I can't serve him; return that previous item to its owner, and your cousin's son can go back to where he came from."

Ning Weidong's words were not a bluff; the strange, warm current contained within that seal of the Cian Empress Dowager had already been completely absorbed by him over these past few days.

Now, when he played with it in his hands, he could only feel a very weak warmth.

As for the jade itself, while Ning Weidong liked it, it was far from the point where he absolutely had to collect it.

Upon hearing this, Wang Zipeng hurriedly indicated that it wouldn't come to that.

Although he was also unhappy this time, the things that had already been accomplished previously could not be ruined.

He had also received benefits.

After finishing, Ning Weidong did not keep him.

Wang Zipeng came out of the room and hurried back to his home in the back courtyard.

In his home, his wife, Qian Fangqi, was keeping his eldest cousin and her husband company.

Seeing Wang Zipeng return, the eldest cousin immediately asked how it went.

Wang Zipeng said with a bitter face, "How else could it go... I said when I left that we don't do things this way. It's only half a year left, can't you let Bingyi just persist? I was embarrassed to even open my mouth just now; there are hundreds of people in the Security Division, and they can all do the drills, so why is it that in our family it's not possible..."

The expressions of the eldest cousin and her husband were not very good, and from the tone, they knew the matter hadn't been settled.

The eldest cousin was a bit embarrassed; she wasn't stupid and knew that this request was a bit excessive.

It was just that they had their reasons for doing so, but they couldn't say them out loud.

She turned and asked, "What about the jade pendant~"

Wang Zipeng gave a light snort and took the cloth bundle that had held the jade pendant out of his pocket: "Do you think he would covet your jade pendant? He said over there just now: if he can do the work, he does it; if he can't, he leaves, and the previous seal thing will also be returned..."

The couple's expressions couldn't help but change slightly, and they hurriedly said, "Don't, don't do that~ Zipeng, you must put in a good word for this; it's already a settled matter, how can it be returned~"

Wang Zipeng curled his lips and said, "Cousin, this is only because it's you. Go ask around at any other place if there's anyone who does things this way. I hope you and the brother-in-law don't take offense to what I'm about to say, but in this day and age, if you want to get things done, it's not just about what you have; the key is that you have to be able to give it away. Even if you had a mountain of gold and silver at home, if you can't give it away, it's all for nothing."

The couple nodded repeatedly, yet they were still unwilling to give up.

The eldest cousin's husband, a middle-aged man who was somewhat bald, asked, "Zipeng, do you think it could be that he thinks our gift isn't enough..."

Before he could finish, Wang Zipeng immediately raised his voice: "Brother-in-law! If you're going to say that, then I won't dare to get involved in this anymore. Was everything I just said a waste of breath~" Having said this, he raised his voice again and said with a cold face, "I went to him just now and he made it perfectly clear, and you still want to send gifts? What is this? Does he lack your little bit of stuff? Or are you planning to use gifts to smash him?"

The eldest cousin hurriedly smoothed things over: "Zipeng, your brother-in-law spoke without thinking; don't hold it against him."

Wang Zipeng gave a "humph" and said, "Cousin, we are proper relatives. No matter how I might bluff and bluster outside, I can't be vague with you. This matter is plain as day. Don't blame me for speaking bluntly, but what's wrong with our child? Is he trimmed with gold or what? A grown man in his twenties, can't he stand doing two drills a day, morning and afternoon? Why don't I believe it?"

By this point, Wang Zipeng was worked up and wanted to continue, but was tugged by Qian Fangqi, which finally made him calm down; he gave a light cough and stopped abruptly.

The eldest cousin also knew in her heart that Wang Zipeng was right.

Moreover, things had reached this point, and it could only be this way.

She thanked Wang Zipeng again, then said goodbye and left.

Wang Zipeng and Qian Fangqi saw them to the entrance of the Dazayuan and watched as the two rode their bicycles away. Qian Fangqi raised her hand and punched Wang Zipeng, saying irritably, "Are you brainless? Look at how capable you are."

Wang Zipeng bared his teeth and laughed dryly: "I was just angry and couldn't control myself~"

Qian Fangqi gave a "humph" and said while walking back, "People come to us to get things done, and whether we can do it or not, they owe us a favor. But after you messed it up like this, they're actually unhappy instead. Who knows how they'll complain about us when they get back~"

Wang Zipeng still wanted to make up for it: "No way, the eldest cousin isn't that kind of person."

Qian Fangqi curled her lips and said, "What do you mean no way? If it were a normal matter, the couple wouldn't be like that, but once it involves their son, these two lose their minds."

Wang Zipeng was speechless.

Qian Fangqi said, "Anyway, be careful in the future. Don't think that just because we're proper relatives you can say anything; you'll offend people without even knowing how you did it."

On the other side, the couple, Wang Zipeng's eldest cousin and her husband, rode their bicycles back home.

Their home was actually not far away; it was just past Shichahai, near Nanluoguxiang, where there was a Siheyuan.

This was not a Dazayuan where many households lived together and had been modified into a mess, but a proper, independent, two-courtyard Siheyuan.

By rights, it should have been impossible for Wang Zipeng's eldest cousin's family to occupy an entire courtyard by themselves.

It was a twist of fate. Before the sixties, this courtyard was considered their ancestral home, and they had directly exchanged it for the new government's property deed and land certificate.

Coupled with pulling some strings, the courtyard was not split up and rented out.

By 1966, this courtyard caught someone's eye.

Wang Zipeng's eldest cousin and her husband were sensible; when people came to their door and vaguely expressed their intentions, the two of them immediately vacated it for them.

It was just that under the policies at the time, it was impossible to sell or transfer the title, so it was treated as if it had been given away for free.

Who would have known that after a few years, the situation would turn around.

Once the person who had originally occupied the house fell from power, this property drifted back into their hands, and as a blessing in disguise, it was clean, with no tenants.

The two returned home.

Looking from the outside, this courtyard was somewhat dilapidated, with the black gate's paint mottled and old.

There were also quite a few broken tiles on the eaves.

But once inside the gate, it was clearly a different story.

The rooms inside had been renovated, and the floor tiles were neat and tidy; one could not see any signs of disrepair at all.

As the two entered the gate, they parked their bicycles in the front courtyard and passed through the Chuihua Gate to enter the back courtyard.

The North Room was pitch black, while the east wing room had its lights on.

The two walked in; the room used a fluorescent lamp, which was quite rare in this era.

There was actually a television in the room! Wang Bingyi was sitting side-by-side with a very pretty young girl watching television; judging by their appearance, their relationship was not ordinary.

Hearing the movement, Wang Bingyi turned his head and called out, "Mom, Dad, you're back~"

The girl, however, did not speak, nor did she move.

The eldest cousin said "Mm," glanced at the girl, and squeezed out a smile: "That, Comrade Liu, you've come too~"

That constrained manner did not look at all like she was treating her son's partner, but rather like she was treating a superior leader.

The eldest cousin's husband was the same, barely squeezing a smile onto his face.

Wang Bingyi answered for her: "Ruoli just arrived. I heard you went to my cousin's house, so she just happened to wait here."

Liu Ruoli smiled: "Auntie, what did they say over there?"

The eldest cousin helplessly took the jade pendant she had brought from her bag: "Comrade Liu, they didn't want this; it was returned in its original packaging."

Liu Ruoli was not too surprised; she reached out to take the cloth bundle, peeled it back layer by layer to reveal the jade pendant inside, clicked her tongue twice, and said: "Isn't it said that that person is particularly fond of jade? Can even such a fine jade pendant not move him?"

The eldest cousin and her husband stood to one side, gave a dry laugh, and said nothing.

It was Wang Bingyi who reached out to take the jade pendant, looked at it before his eyes, curled his lips, and said: "If he doesn't want it, forget it. We'll keep it ourselves."

A flash of disgust crossed Liu Ruoli's eyes; she reached out and took it back, asking: "What did Wang Zipeng say?"

The eldest cousin did not hide anything and explained the attitude from Wang Zipeng's side.

Liu Ruoli said: "That is not unexpected."

The eldest cousin said: "Then what should we do next?"

Liu Ruoli smiled and said: "Of course, we must continue to send gifts."

The eldest cousin said: "But Zipeng said that if we send more, it's like hitting someone with items. If we happen to annoy that Section Chief Ning, I'm afraid that wouldn't be good~"

Liu Ruoli said: "Hitting someone? I am just going to hit him with items. Everyone in this world has a price, even the President of America."

The eldest cousin and her husband were speechless, while Wang Bingyi on the side had glowing eyes, looking like a sycophant.

The eldest cousin glanced at her foolish son and hurriedly changed the subject: "In that case, it won't be appropriate to go through Wang Zipeng anymore; we must find another way."

Liu Ruoli said indifferently: "That is your business; I cannot be concerned with it."

The eldest cousin and her husband were choked, not knowing what to say.

Wang Bingyi on the side remained unmoved, as if this had nothing to do with him.

After a few seconds, the eldest cousin gritted her teeth and said: "Finding other connections is fine, but this item..."

Liu Ruoli was not completely shirking responsibility and immediately said: "You don't need to worry about this; I will prepare it." As she spoke, she showed a look of disdain: "It's just a small Section Chief, how much insight can he have? I just don't believe it. The security measures at the Fourth Workshop are very strict; in Wang Bingyi's current situation, he has no chance at all except during drill time."

The eldest cousin and her husband finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Although their family had some assets, they couldn't throw it all away; they still had to live their lives in the future.

Since this young lady had taken on this matter, it was better to let her do the tossing and turning.

On the other end, Ning Weidong was still pondering the meaning behind Wang Zipeng's eldest cousin's actions.

He had seen people who spoiled their children, but he had rarely seen anyone spoil them like this, especially a boy who was already over twenty; spoiling him like this had ruined him.

But then again, when things are abnormal, there must be a demon.

Ning Weidong could not help but feel a bit more curious about Wang Zipeng's eldest cousin.

What kind of family was it that would be willing to send such a valuable jade pendant just to let their son suffer half a year less of drill training?

Ning Weidong secretly thought to himself that he would have Zhang Dajun look into it later, so as not to step into a trap.

The reason Ning Weidong hadn't paid attention before was because of the connection with Wang Zipeng, which was considered knowing the background.

Furthermore, arranging a job was not a big deal.

At least regarding this matter of Wang Bingyi, one could not pick out any issues with Ning Weidong's principles.

It was perfectly fine for the factory's Security Division to recruit a Temporary Worker, and if the person made outstanding contributions by the end of the year, it was also fine to evaluate them for awards.

But this time, Ning Weidong could not help but be suspicious; Wang Zipeng's eldest cousin seemed not quite normal.

It is never wrong to check.

Just at this moment, there was a sound from the door outside.

When she brought the dumplings earlier, Bai Fengyu had said she would come, so Ning Weidong had left the door unlatched for her.

Ning Weidong had extremely sharp hearing; he came back to his senses and saw that it was already past ten o'clock.

It is not like later generations; ten o'clock is already quite late, and even on a Saturday, most people are already asleep.

The outer room was not lit; Bai Fengyu entered, closed the door behind her, locked it, and came into the inner room.

Seeing Ning Weidong, she disregarded that her leg injury had not fully healed, immediately took two quick steps, and threw her arms around Ning Weidong's neck.

(End of chapter)