It seemed this third cousin was quite bold, dating secretly behind her family's back.
This wouldn't do. If her boyfriend were a good person, he wouldn't interfere, but this one was clearly a scumbag, and he felt compelled to say something.
Glancing at his cousins in the room, Zhang Liunian opened his mouth, intending to remind his aunt, but with so many people present, he didn't know how to begin.
Zhang Guihua noticed the change in his expression. Following his gaze, she also spotted her daughter and son in the room. She stood up and urged, "Go play in the yard. Let us have a good chat."
As soon as she spoke, the young men and women in the room obediently walked out.
With no one else around, Zhang Guihua continued her inquiry, "Liunian, do you know something?"
Zhang Liunian didn't want to see Liu Sanniu walk into a trap. He recounted what he'd heard about her, without specifically naming her boyfriend. He only mentioned hearing people mock her for dating a scumbag who was violent and a notorious womanizer.
Zhang Guihua was furious, wishing she could go and give her daughter a beating right then and there.
Not wanting to stay any longer, Zhang Liunian stood up and said, "Aunt, I've rented a storefront in the county. If Sanniu is free, she can wait for me tomorrow at the entrance of the Datang Restaurant. I've rented a shop next to it to start a private business, and I need someone to guard it. I'll pay her forty yuan a month. If she's not available, that's fine."
"She's available, she's available! Of course, she'll be available." Zhang Guihua, still fuming, agreed without a second thought upon hearing this unexpected good news.
"Alright then, tell her to come over after lunch tomorrow." With that, Zhang Liunian waved his sleeves and left without a backward glance.
Zhang Guihua watched her nephew leave in the tractor, and it took her a while to process. Her nephew had changed; not only had he left home, but he also knew how to make money. Now, he had even rented a storefront in the county and wanted to offer her third daughter a high salary of forty yuan a month.
Sanniu was truly lucky. Just when she encountered a scumbag, such a great job fell from the sky. However, her secretly dating someone, and choosing a scumbag with violent tendencies and a reputation as a womanizer, was truly unacceptable.
"Liu Sanniu, you get out here for your mother!"
Zhang Guihua marched towards her daughter's room, intending to scold her. To her surprise, as soon as she entered, she saw her daughter in tears, asking, "Is what my cousin said true?"
The scolding words died on her lips. Zhang Guihua went to her daughter's side and said helplessly, "That child Liunian used to just be reluctant to go out and a bit lazy. He doesn't have other problems. If he said it, it must be true. Mom advises you to break up with him quickly."
In fact, Liu Sanniu could sense her boyfriend's lack of seriousness towards her. Just as Zhang Liunian had asked, how could he let her come home alone so late? Such things happened often, but she hadn't thought much about it before. Now, hearing someone directly say her boyfriend was not a good man, and had two habits that women found most unacceptable, she began to waver, unable to accept it. Moreover, as she recalled past events, the more she thought about it, the more she felt something was wrong with him.
"Mom, it seems he really doesn't like me." Liu Sanniu's tears flowed even more fiercely.
Seeing her daughter like this, Zhang Guihua could only offer her a handkerchief and didn't know what else to do.
"You're almost twenty. You know best whether he treats you well or not. Anyway, Mom will never agree to you being with him. As for you dating him secretly, there's no need to tell everyone and make a fool of yourself. That's all there is to it. Don't see him again in the future."
"But, I feel so bad."
"You'll feel better after some time."
"..."
"Liunian, do you think I have a chance?" Du Ziteng sat on the tractor heading home and suddenly felt a glimmer of hope.
Zhang Liunian looked at him, wondering what was happening. In his previous life, Du Ziteng's wife was Qian Xueli. How come they were now playing their own games?
"Is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me like that?" Du Ziteng felt uneasy under Zhang Liunian's gaze, touching his own cheek, his face filled with confusion.
"Are you serious about this?" Zhang Liunian asked slowly.
Du Ziteng awkwardly ran a hand through his hair. "Hehehe, well, she's quite good-looking." After saying this, his usually roguish face shed its usual swagger, replaced by the shy demeanor of a pure young man.
"..." Zhang Liunian watched his expression change. He remembered that Du Ziteng and Qian Xueli made a good couple. At least, he had never heard any news of discord between them until his death. He still didn't want to interfere with their fate.
"It's too early to say. Sanniu and the scumbag's situation hasn't been sorted out yet."
"I'll wait then, hehehe..."
"..."
"We're here, Xiao Qian, stop for a moment. I'll get off here." Du Ziteng, still chuckling foolishly, almost missed his turn home.
Zhang Qian slowed down the tractor and watched Du Ziteng scamper away.
"Liunian, you're finally back! Uncle has helped you measure the area of the barren land at the village entrance. It's exactly one thousand and three square meters, perfect for your factory. We've also discussed it. Given that your intention for building the factory is to help everyone, the rent will only be fifty yuan a year."
As soon as he got home, Zhang Hao excitedly stepped forward to report the land area they had measured over the past two days. Zhang Liunian jumped off the tractor and welcomed Zhang Hao inside to sit.
"That would be a great help." Fifty yuan a year, this price was indeed very low.
"And we can sign a contract for ten or eight years; it won't change." Zhang Hao genuinely wanted to secure the greatest benefit for Zhang Liunian.
Zhang Liunian could feel his sincerity, but as a businessman, the duration was something they cared about. The longer, the better, as it would save a lot of trouble.
"Is it on a contract basis? Give me thirty years!" Zhang Liunian personally poured two cups of water, one for each of them. He picked up his and drank it down quickly, being very straightforward.
Zhang Hao wasn't thirsty but still took a sip. "It will be allocated to you on a contract basis. Thirty years? That's also possible." As long as Zhang Liunian built a factory in the village and helped everyone live better lives, they would be willing to give it to him for free!
"Then let's sign it now. Tomorrow, please help me find twenty people, Uncle Hao. I need them to clear the foundation to build the factory. The wage will be one yuan and fifty per person per day!" Just for clearing weeds and debris, Zhang Liunian couldn't afford to pay too high a wage. But even at one yuan and fifty, there would be people in Zhang Village scrambling to get the job.
"Leave this to me." Zhang Hao, given this important task, puffed out his chest, extremely excited.
"Liunian, dinner's ready." Just then, Jiang Qingqing came over, holding her stomach, and called him.
Zhang Liunian took the opportunity to invite Zhang Hao to stay for dinner. Zhang Hao initially hesitated, but Zhang Liunian, without waiting for him to speak, pulled him to the dining table. After dinner, Zhang Liunian went to inspect the newly made two hundred and fifty bottles of lobster sauce. He tasted it himself and found no difference between the dried and naturally sun-dried versions, which reassured him.