Chapter 145: Accident

"Why does he want to cooperate with us?"

Although Zhang Jun had been arrested, the Qingshan Village brigade captain was still there, and Zhang Huarui was also capable and efficient.

"Don't even mention it. Because of conflicting philosophies, several factions in their village were fighting every day. As a result, the quality of the vegetable tofu they produced plummeted, and several times stones and silt appeared because the vegetables weren't washed clean."

"The Shengli Supply and Marketing Cooperative was scolded terribly, so they stopped selling the vegetable tofu. That's why President Fang couldn't sit still anymore and came to beg us."

Su Qianyue thought these words over carefully. When she arrived at the brigade office, she saw President Fang looking over, holding a bag of goods very cautiously.

"Hey, Comrade Su, hello. I heard your two children are having their hundred-day banquet. These two cans of milk powder are for the children to have a taste."

One does not accept a reward without merit.

Su Qianyue pushed them back. "President Fang, you are too kind. The children have milk powder; you should keep these for your own family to drink."

President Fang tried to insist a few more times, but seeing that Su Qianyue truly wouldn't accept them, he didn't know what else to say.

Xiang Jianming started the conversation, and the few of them began to discuss the matter of cooperation.

"I never imagined that Zhang Jun was such a beast, doing such inhumane things. Thinking about it now, I feel so much regret..."

Su Qianyue listened quietly. Zhang Jun had been sentenced, but Su Qianqian had only been sent down to the farm for five years...

"We still need to discuss this matter further. President Fang, please wait for our news; it will take at most three to five days."

Seeing that Su Qianyue's thoughts had drifted, Xiang Jianming spoke up quickly.

Su Qianyue returned to her senses. "Actually, this matter isn't difficult. If President Zhang of the Hongqi Supply and Marketing Cooperative agrees, we can cooperate with you."

"After all, we have been cooperating with them from the start, and I cannot ignore President Zhang's interests."

President Fang nodded repeatedly, feeling ashamed of the less-than-honorable business tactics he had used in the past, and feeling admiration for Su Qianyue's response—especially since the price he had just offered was far higher than that of the Hongqi Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

After seeing President Fang off, Xiang Jianming muttered to himself, "He wouldn't go and beg President Zhang, would he?"

Su Qianyue smiled. "It's really hard to say."

Returning home, both milk-drinking babies stretched out their little arms, wanting their mother to hold them.

Su Qianyue bent down. "Mommy would like to hold you, but I can't hold two little ones at once."

She made a choice and picked up Yuanyuan first. Yuanyuan grinned broadly, drool flowing down the corners of his mouth.

Tuantuan sat by the edge of the bed, her little mouth pouting. Her large, black-grape-like eyes blinked, and bean-sized tears fell.

With a "waa," Tuantuan opened her little mouth and began to wail; the sound was filled with immense grievance.

"Oh! Tuantuan, be good, Mommy will hold you~"

Su Qianyue set Yuanyuan down, scooped up little Tuantuan, wiped the tears from the little cub, and fed her a few mouthfuls of milk, finally coaxing her to sleep.

Over there, Yuanyuan stared straight at the milk bottle. Seeing that Mommy wasn't feeding him, he let out a "waa" and started crying too.

He even woke his sister up, and the two little ones wailed together.

Su Qianyue was so angry she laughed. "What a pair of live treasures!"

"What's wrong with our live treasures?"

Pei Huaiye had just washed his hands and entered the room. He gathered the two little milk-babies in his arms, coaxing them softly, and called for Huaimei to take the children to the next room to feed them milk powder.

"You really have it hard. It's tiring enough to raise one child, let alone our two."

Pei Huaiye hugged Su Qianyue gently, rubbing her waist.

"Should we find someone else to help take care of the children?"

Su Qianyue shook her head. "Don't even think about it. Don't look at how the villagers smile and envy us; behind our backs, who knows what they're saying about us."

In any case, after the last incident, Su Qianyue didn't have much affection for many people in the village.

It also made her deeply realize that the two children could not grow up in this environment.

"I want to wait until the children are a bit older, and then we'll go live in the city."

Pei Huaiye leaned over and lay down side-by-side with Su Qianyue. "Exactly, that's my thought as well."

"The educational conditions in the city are better after all, and our lives will be more convenient. When the time comes, if we hire a nanny to take care of the house, no one will say anything."

Su Qianyue nodded, thinking to herself that she must make the factory bigger and stronger, and earn lots and lots of money to raise the two little cubs well.

"You said last time that Master's gout was severe and he was hospitalized. Is he better now?"

Pei Huaiye's sword-like brows furrowed. "I was just worrying about that. I wanted to tell you that I want to make a trip to Beijing."

"Half a month ago, the people below reported that he had been discharged. When he was discharged, Master even gave me a call."

"After he returned home, I sent telegrams and letters, but for half a month, no one has replied."

Su Qianyue was startled. Pei Huaiye's parents had already severed ties with him, and now the only relative from the older generation left was Master Qiu.

"You should go. Don't worry, the children and I will be at home."

Pei Huaiye's expression was serious. "I'm going to take you with me. I don't feel at ease leaving you at home."

"What is there to be uneasy about? Su Qianqian has already been sent down to the farm; the people in the village aren't bold enough to cause trouble for the Regimental Commander's wife."

Su Qianyue teased him, and Pei Huaiye curled his lips into a smile.

"We'll take the children with us and have Yuan Guang drive."

"No, that's too much of a hassle for the children. What if the babies get carsick and feel miserable?"

Pei Huaiye frowned. "My fault for not thinking of that. However, I have already arranged for people to go to Master's house to inquire. We'll see how things go in the next two days."

The next day, unexpectedly, President Fang came to Shuangshui Village again, and this time he even brought Zhang Dongfeng along.

Su Qianyue raised her eyebrows; this cooperation was a sure thing!

"Qingyue, I am very grateful for your protection, but President Fang and I have talked it out. I have no objection to him cooperating with you!"

Su Qianyue and Xiang Jianming exchanged a smile.

The group sat together, and President Fang didn't even avoid Zhang Dongfeng while signing the contract. After stamping it, he left happily.

Less than half a month later, the Qingyue Processing Factory became a hit in Xichuan County once again.

Now, not only were the tofu and bean sprouts selling well, but the bean curd sheets, dried tofu, and bean paste were also welcomed by the city folk.

After Zhang Jun was caught, Lao Zhou from Yang County was also thrown into prison.

Previously, the brigade captain's son had successfully negotiated a cooperation with Yang County, and now the Qingyue Processing Factory's soy products were also to be sold to Yang County.

The factory had to increase its labor input, and Su Qianyue and Xiang Jianming hired about twenty more people to work.

This included Wang Lingling and her mother.

When the two were hired, they were filled with gratitude toward Su Qianyue, and many more women from the village were recruited into the factory.

Now, when people talked about the Qingyue Processing Factory, everyone knew of Shuangshui Village, and everyone knew of Su Qianyue.

The entire Su family felt honored.

On this day, Su Qianyue had just lain down to tease the two little cubs when she saw Pei Huaiye's face turn ashen upon returning home.

"What's wrong?"

Pei Huaiye lowered his eyes. "News came from Beijing: Master has passed away."

"What?!"

Didn't he just get discharged half a month ago? How could he have suddenly passed away?

As if sensing Su Qianyue's confusion, Pei Huaiye said in a low voice, "They said his gout was severe from drinking alcohol, and he ended up falling down the stairs. After the guard sent him to the hospital, rescue efforts were unsuccessful..." ===== CHAPTER 146 =====