Chapter 224

On the fourth day, Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng came to find Li Ye.

"Guo Donglun has left. He told me that if you go to Yangcheng, he will treat you to a drink."

"Did he say anything to you these past few days?"

"No, he didn't have any contact with us. He just went to a few of the shopping malls we entered. He would look for a whole day."

"I thought he might go to see the renovation site of Xiushuijie, but he left suddenly yesterday. Before leaving, he left a sentence..."

Li Ye raised his eyebrows and asked: "What sentence?"

Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng said: "He said our cooperation might be terminated at any time. You need to speed up your pace and work harder."

"Does he need to tell me that?" Li Ye smiled and said: "Call Hao Jian and let him know our situation. If we don't perform well at the Canton Fair, we will run out of food."

"We won't run out," Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng smiled and said: "Recently, several cooperative factories in the capital have responded to us, asking if we can increase the intensity of cooperation. They will figure out the raw materials themselves, as long as we guarantee sales and settle in cash."

Li Ye asked with a smile: "You didn't agree?"

"How could I not agree?" Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng said: "That Tian Hongshan has contacted shopping malls in the counties around the capital. As long as our sales staff are trained, they can open for business immediately."

"So, I am the idle one?"

"How could you be the idle one?" Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng chuckled and handed Li Ye a parcel: "Hong Kong sent an express delivery. There is some work that only you can do, others can't."

Li Ye took it and saw it was sent by Pei Wencong.

Opening it, it was a manuscript, all in English.

Some of the manuscripts had labels on them, introducing the basic situation of the authors, such as what they had published in the past, what awards they had won, etc. Obviously, the authors of these manuscripts were "well-known writers."

Li Ye thought for a while and decided to go to the post office to make an international long-distance call.

After the call was connected, Li Ye said to Pei Wencong: "I received the manuscript you mailed, but I am not prepared to participate in giving opinions."

"Our original plan was that everything is based on market reaction. Why did you list the manuscripts of several senior authors as a separate category?"

"This is the convention of the publishing industry. Senior authors should always be different,"

Pei Wencong explained: "These authors all have some influence. If operated well, it will increase the topicality of our prize-winning solicitation this time."

"The current situation is indeed like this. Many media have evaluated the works of several senior authors..."

Li Ye thought for a while and said: "Then set up a Best Evaluation Award. Let readers provide evaluation letters to the organizer, then select high-quality evaluations for publication and announcement, let readers vote, and let more readers participate enthusiastically..."

"Also, operate it subtly. Put the works of ordinary contributors and senior contributors together for comparison. Won't the topicality be higher? And the prize money can also be appropriately increased..."

"Mr. Li, speak slower, let me take notes."

Pei Wencong hurriedly found paper and pen and carefully recorded Li Ye's suggestions.

After recording, he felt that Li Ye was the senior person in the publishing industry, and he, a veteran who had been in the industry for ten years, was like a novice.

But Pei Wencong couldn't have expected that there is a behavior in the future called—tearing each other apart.

Come on! Fan the flames, sow discord, let them tear each other apart. The harder they tear, the happier the audience.

"Then Mr. Li, how do we decide the winner in the end? Is it topicality, or..."

"Of course it's book sales," Li Ye said seriously: "We are a serious publishing house, with the purpose of providing readers with the best works. We absolutely don't look at anyone's face. How many people are willing to pre-order now?"

"..."

Pei Wencong was stunned for a moment before reacting: "It has exceeded 10,000 people and is still increasing. We expect that if 100,000 people pre-order, we will stop soliciting contributions to avoid revealing the plot too early."

"Then let's do that! Is there anything else?"

"No, no, no, there is one more thing," Pei Wencong lowered his voice and whispered: "Mr. Li, the Hang Seng Index has fallen by 100 points. Do you think..."

Li Ye asked back strangely: "Falling 100 points, isn't it still far from 700 points? What does Luo Runbo say? Does he suggest closing the position?"

Pei Wencong immediately said: "No, Luo Runbo also suggests continuing."

"Then what are you anxious about?" Li Ye said: "Professional people do professional things. Don't interfere too much, otherwise Old Luo will be very angry."

Luo Runbo is professional? If he were professional, he wouldn't have ended up so miserably? This is your fortune, Big Boss! I just want to sponge a little bit.

Pei Wencong accompanied with a smile: "No, he feels that he has already earned more than ten times, so he just asked you! Since you said don't clear the position, then I will notify him to listen to you!"

"I won't sell. You just let him wait for my news."

Li Ye didn't expose Pei Wencong's little lie. He had just talked to Luo Runbo on the phone the day before yesterday. Luo Runbo not only insisted on suggesting holding, but also asked if Li Ye was willing to increase financial leverage.

So Li Ye understood that Pei Wencong was following the trend—following his trend.

After Pei Wencong hung up the phone, he called Amin in.

"Organize these points and send them to our overseas partners, let them implement them as soon as possible."

Amin looked at the suggestions on the paper and complained: "Boss, you are a high-achieving student at HKU. You don't do this kind of thing. If I make a mistake in translation..."

"If you make a mistake, I'll replace you," Pei Wencong said with a straight face, intimidating Amin: "Don't you know how many job applications we receive every day? Still don't know how to improve?"

Amin: "..."

Today's Boss Pei finally moved into an office area with an invincible sea view. The publishing house rose with the tide, and many newcomers were recruited, all with higher academic qualifications than Amin.

But Amin firmly occupied the position of the company's second-in-command. Pei Wencong felt that she was a bit floating and had to beat her down.

"Okay, Boss!"

Amin left Pei Wencong's office and handed the paper to the young newcomer.

"Organize and translate these opinions, send them to our overseas partners, and urge them to implement them as soon as possible. If there is a mistake, you know the consequences."

"..."

In the spring, the United Kingdom has a lot of rain, and most of it is showers. After the rapid spring rain, those gloomy ancient buildings will show some clean colors.

Yang Liqin held an umbrella and walked quickly through the streets of Manchester, dodging the accumulated water splashed by cars on the street from time to time, and walked into a Chinese-style archway all the way before relaxing.

Yang Liqin had been in the UK for two years and knew well that the security situation in Manchester was not as good as some people said, especially some people who liked female students like them who were relatively weak.

But as long as she entered this archway, her black hair and yellow skin would win more kindness and warmth, because this is Chinatown.

Manchester Chinatown is the second Chinatown in the UK and is known as the "British Station for Overseas Travelers" in later generations.

As early as 150 years ago, China had business dealings with Manchester.

The Qing envoy Bin Chun recorded in his overseas travel notes "Notes on Riding a Raft": "This place is the second port of the UK, and cotton from Zhonghua, India, and the United States are all gathered here."

This is also the earliest record of Chinese traveling in Manchester. With the rise of the British Industrial Revolution, the cotton textile trade between China and the UK became increasingly close, and Manchester once became a bridgehead for exchanges between the two countries.

Later, Manchester became the area where Chinese people were most concentrated in northern England, forming the largest Chinatown in the UK.

The magnificent Chinese-style archway at the entrance and the traditional dragon and phoenix patterns on it all carry the homesickness of overseas Zhonghua people.

"Hello, Uncle Hu, is business booming today?"

"Booming, booming. Does Miss Yang want to come in for a cup of hot tea?"

"No, no, thank you Uncle Hu. I was delayed on the road today. If I were any later, I would be late."

"Hey, what are you talking about being late? Boss Zhao is not such a harsh person. It doesn't matter if you are a few minutes late in this weather."

"Others might not mind, but I can't be ungrateful. Oh, by the way, Uncle Hu, did you see that fellow townsman from Dongshan, Xiao Lu, pass by today?"

"Didn't notice!"

"Then I have to go quickly. Two people are late, the boss must be anxious."

"Sigh, slow down, slow down. The manhole cover at the wellhead in front is missing. I don't know which bastard lost money again..."

Under Uncle Hu's exhortation, Yang Liqin bypassed the street corner and walked into the Dongshan restaurant where she worked.

The boss really didn't say anything strange, just smiled and waved his hand to let her wipe her hair and prepare to serve food quickly.

This is Chinatown in 1983. Although some people steal things, some people do not forget the deep affection of their hometown, allowing international students to feel the attachment of overseas travelers to the motherland in an inadvertent moment.

Yang Liqin changed her clothes and walked into the kitchen, only to find that the new international student she introduced had arrived long ago and had finished her share of the work.

"Jingyao, why did you come so early? You didn't skip class, did you?"

Lu Jingyao and Yang Liqin were both international students at the University of Salford, but Lu Jingyao had just arrived in the UK and had no savings in her hands. She had always been reluctant to take the bus. How could walking be faster than Yang Liqin?

"No," Lu Jingyao said while busy: "I borrowed a classmate's bicycle and rode through the alley."

"Through the alley? You are really bold."

Yang Liqin said angrily: "Didn't I tell you that you are not allowed to take the alley? What if something happens?"

"I won't do it next time," Lu Jingyao said with a laugh: "I thought it was raining today, and no one would notice my skin color..."

"Sigh, don't take it lightly, never be lucky. Alright, hurry up and work!"

Yang Liqin planned to finish her work first and then give Lu Jingyao a good lesson later.

This fellow townsman from Dongshan can endure hardship and is quick-handed, but she has some ideas... too naive.

The two worked until nine o'clock in the evening before they had a little time to rest.

Even though Lu Jingyao was used to farm work at home, she was tired and sat on the chair, not wanting to move.

But the others in the restaurant seemed to have become accustomed to this work intensity. Some were reading newspapers, and some were chatting with each other.

In Chinatown shops, you can find newspapers published in Hong Kong and sold in Manchester by special air transport, so some people who came through special channels really need this kind of newspaper because their English foundation is very poor.

Yang Liqin called Lu Jingyao aside and said with a cold face: "Lu Jingyao, I must tell you seriously, if you don't pay attention to safety like today in the future, I will suggest to the boss that you lose this job."

Lu Jingyao looked at Yang Liqin in surprise, not understanding why this fellow townsman who had always taken good care of her would be so severe?

Yang Liqin saw that Lu Jingyao didn't seem to realize the seriousness and said directly: "You were introduced by me. If anything happens to you and the school finds out, it will involve me."

"Remember, in a place like the UK, it is good for us fellow townsmen to help you, but we absolutely don't want to cause trouble for ourselves."

"I know, Sister Liqin, I will absolutely not do it again in the future. I just..."

"You just what?"

Lu Jingyao smiled bitterly and said: "I have felt that everyone is very good at school and in Chinatown during this time. Everyone is very polite, very... gentlemanly, so I felt..."

"You'd better not have this idea."

Yang Liqin said severely: "Remember, here, never take 'polite respect' too seriously. Others respect you on the surface, but they don't in their hearts..."

"Fathers here call their daughters—my little princess—since they were young, but if someone tells you that you are his little princess and compliments you on being as beautiful as a princess, you must never really think you are a princess."

"The so-called gentleman only happens when the status is equal. You must be vigilant about everyone around you at all times, even... including me."

"..."

Lu Jingyao was stunned.

She had only arrived in the UK for two months, met a fellow townsman from the same school, and successfully found a job. Last month, she successfully received her first salary, a full 100 pounds.

She felt that it was great here. Teachers, classmates, colleagues, and bosses all treated her very well. How could it be that in Yang Liqin's mouth, it wasn't a civilized society she came to, but a cruel jungle where the strong eat the weak?

"What are you two arguing about?"

The restaurant boss walked over with a smile and handed a newspaper to Lu Jingyao.

"I remember you were in the English department, right, Xiao Lu? Take a look at this, maybe you can get rich overnight!"

I feel that the weekend rest is not as good as not resting! Endless broken things, I can't even calm down to write.

(End of chapter)