Chapter 196: Here we go again with this nonsense?!

The interviewing reporters also didn't continue to make things difficult for him.

Turning to face the camera, he smiled and said, "This old master is appearing on TV for the first time, naturally a bit nervous; let's continue interviewing the other workers!"

A large group of people headed toward the carving machine room.

Here, more than twenty workers in work uniforms were working.

To avoid disturbing their work, the reporters first filmed from the side, but as the camera zoomed in, the workers' uniforms were infinitely magnified, sparking heated discussion among the reporters present.

"Their uniforms have fur lining; a set must cost a lot, right?"

"Of course! I myself would be reluctant to buy such good clothing!"

"Li Lao Ban really is willing to spend a lot of money!"

"I heard these workers' wages are much higher than ours, the office workers!"

"Really or not?"

"They make 50 yuan a day; what about you, how much do you make a day?"

"I... I damn well will quit as soon as I go back!"

"Hahaha!"

…

Talk is talk, fuss is fuss.

When this group of workers took a break.

The reporters immediately got into position, stepping forward one by one to conduct interviews.

Perhaps it's because they're all young.

The workers showed great enthusiasm in front of the camera.

"If you want to ask about our treatment, you've come to the right person!"

"Our boss, afraid we'll go hungry, keeps giving us special meals every few days—beef, mutton, I'm sick of it!"

"Exactly, I haven't even spent the wages paid last week, and the boss already gave us a winter subsidy!"

"I've never worried about spending money in my life; since coming here, I can't spend my money, and I lie awake all night worrying!"

"That's nothing; I've only been here half a month and already gained ten or so catties!"

"Take a look at my work uniform—it's a brand-name product!"

"I just ask you: who's ever seen a laborer doing hard work who can still live in a heated house?"

"Hehe..."

It was supposed to be just an interview.

But after this group of workers finished speaking,

The reporters all fell silent.

Because they realized that, despite spending over ten years training for an iron rice bowl, their benefits still weren't as good as these workers'.

They continued walking inside.

They pushed open the door.

Before them appeared piece after piece of finished furniture.

Sacks scattered on the ground, dozens of workers sat against the wall, looking idle.

This atmosphere is completely different from the few workrooms we just visited.

The reporters looked at each other.

Their keen sense of smell told them something was definitely going on here.

"Are you guys resting right now?"

Upon hearing that, the workers collectively shook their heads.

Their faces were uniformly grim, all showing a listless expression.

This played right into the reporters' hands.

Someone grabbed a microphone and ran over.

"Since it's work hours, why aren't you working?"

The worker in front rubbed his face, speaking in a low tone: "The boss said that before things are settled, we can only wait on the spot; we can't do anything!"

"What thing?"

The reporter's eyes gleamed with gossip.

At that moment,

Li Jiaci pushed a tool cart up to the reporters.

On the cart were cups of steaming tea.

"Let's have a sip of hot tea first!"

That reporter immediately shoved the microphone into Li Jiaci's face, excitedly asking: "Li Lao Ban, are you hiding something from us?"

Li Jiaci feigned a puzzled expression.

"No way!"

"Then how do you explain these workers' negative attitude?"

"I..."

Just as Li Jiaci was preparing his reply,

A big face suddenly burst into the frame.

Zhao Chen's expression was exaggerated; he slapped his thigh and anxiously said: "Oh no, brother, our application got kicked back again! This is the third time!"

"What application?"

The reporters' cameras all turned toward Zhao Chen.

Zhao Chen covered his mouth, looking like he had just realized something, and slowly stepped back.

Those who didn't know thought he had really misspoken.

Li Jiaci wanted to laugh watching him.

But with so many cameras facing him, he could only force himself to endure.

"Brother, I didn't mean to say that for the reporters to hear; the situation was urgent, I couldn't help it…"

Zhao Chen continued his performance.

Li Jiaci raised his hand and said in a low tone: "I understand, you go first!"

"Okay!"

Zhao Chen quickly nodded.

At the moment just before leaving the camera, he still put on a self‑blaming look and tapped his head twice.

Li Jiaci strained to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up.

After he left,

The reporters' questions came swarming in.

The noise made Li Jiaci's head feel like it was about to explode.

He first gestured for everyone to calm down.

Then he said: "You all have seen that my furniture factory is perfect in every way, but I have repeatedly applied to register a trademark, and the Commerce Administration Bureau has rejected each application without any explanation, leaving me in a dilemma!"

"How could this happen?"

In the crowd, someone raised a question.

Li Jiaci shook his head and sighed: "I also really want to know why the Commerce Administration Bureau won't stamp it; without that, my furniture factory can't go public, and these pieces of furniture can only be stored indefinitely in the warehouse!"

Having said that, Li Jiaci glanced at the workers who were on standby, having stopped work.

"If this matter isn't resolved, there's no need for my factory to keep operating!"

"If the factory can't open, these workers will lose their jobs!"

"My own loss is nothing, but I don't want to drag down those who follow me and work hard!"

"Anyway, you all already know…"

"Here, facing the camera, I ask the Commerce Administration Bureau one question!"

"Why exactly won't you give me a stamp?"

The interview was suddenly interrupted.

Li Jiaci choked up several times in front of the camera, to the point where he couldn't utter a complete sentence.

A moment later.

This group of reporters boarded the bus sent by Wang Zhen and left one after another.

Li Jiaci watched the departing vehicles, a triumphant smile curling the corner of his mouth.

He turned around and laughed out loud together with Zhao Chen.

"Brother, it's a shame you're not an actor!"

"You're not bad either!"

……

When the evening news was broadcast.

The Commerce Administration Bureau exploded.

Faced with overwhelming public opinion and condemnation, the higher-ups held an overnight meeting to discuss countermeasures.

Inside the meeting room.

Lin Niansheng watched the news footage playing on television.

His face was grim and terrifying.

Seeing Li Jiaci's pretentious, fake expression in front of the camera made him furious.

"Here we go again with this trick?"

Last time, Li Jiaci used public opinion's power to push him into the abyss.

With great difficulty, relying on his father‑in‑law's help, he managed to climb back to ground level.

This time he was again pushed onto the forefront of the storm.

Bang!

A loud bang came from the meeting table.

Commerce Administration Bureau Deputy Chief Qin You Sen angrily slammed the table.

"Xiao Lin, you'd better give me an explanation, give the public an explanation!"

Facing the crowd's complex gazes.

Lin Niansheng clenched his fists, indignantly saying: "I handled things fairly; there's nothing to explain!"

"You dare say you're not taking revenge intentionally?"

Qin You Sen asked through gritted teeth.