Subsequently, Zhao Shubo's driver arrived, and he directly instructed the driver to take Cai Zi to the police station.
This woman had gone mad on her own; even if the police station investigated, they wouldn't find anything implicating them.
The next morning, after Liu Yifeng dropped Tong Tong off at kindergarten, he went to the bank and withdrew twenty thousand yuan from an ATM.
This was all the wages he had to pay out today, and he knew his third aunt and the others were eagerly awaiting it. If he didn't deliver the money soon, they might lose the motivation to work.
Upon returning home, he had his father call everyone to their house in advance and paid them their wages for the previous month in full.
For a few who were diligent, he even gave an extra bonus of five hundred yuan.
This was to stimulate their work enthusiasm; otherwise, if they all thought, "You do it, I'll leave it for you," since the wages were the same, they would learn to slack off.
Normally, he would have his father pay attention to who worked diligently and conscientiously, and if they performed well, he would give them a few hundred yuan more.
As expected, the efficiency improved significantly compared to before.
However, giving bonuses also required strategy. Not everyone could receive one, or they would all expect a bonus and start slacking off again.
Only when they knew there were limited slots, perhaps only two or three each month, would they strive harder to earn more money for that coveted spot.
After distributing the wages, Liu Yifeng let everyone go home.
Crops didn't need to be picked all the time, and the lobsters were about to enter hibernation.
Many lobsters had already started burrowing, waiting to crawl out again in the spring.
So, after about another month of busyness, they wouldn't need so many people working in the lobster fields; his third uncle would be sufficient.
But vegetables were different. Each season had its own suitable vegetables to plant, so his third aunt and the others wouldn't be unemployed.
Moreover, the vegetable greenhouses were nearing completion, and a large number of people would be employed there, which would keep them very busy.
Liu Yifeng, having some free time, wanted to visit the vegetable greenhouse base again. It was there he encountered Liu Xincheng.
It was Liu Xincheng who called out to him first: "Yifeng, I haven't seen you in a while. I wonder if the pomelos I sold you last time have been sold?
I still have quite a few chestnuts and fragrant pears. Do you want to take them all?"
Liu Yifeng had rented such a large warehouse, so he naturally wouldn't refuse more fruit. However, he still planned to wait until all the pomelos were cleared before buying chestnuts and fragrant pears.
He replied, "Uncle Xincheng, are your chestnuts and pears also unsellable?
Your orchard has been operating for over ten or twenty years, so you should have long-term suppliers, right?
Why are you looking to sell me pomelos and now chestnuts?"
He asked this to have better leverage for price negotiation later.
Liu Xincheng replied with a troubled look, "You know about the severe drought we've had. The harvest for all fruits hasn't been great. The pears aren't as juicy as before.
I've had suppliers, and when things don't sell, I go to other provinces to source more.
But don't worry, my pears are still crisp and sweet, just a bit lacking in moisture.
As for the chestnuts, their size is only average. If I sell them too cheaply, I'll lose money.
If you take them all, I can give you a discount. It's better for you to get a good deal than for an outsider, isn't it?"
"Uncle Xincheng, you don't know, but the pomelos I bought from you last time haven't been sold yet!
How can I buy your fruit? But I'm not someone who stands by and watches someone suffer. I know you've lost quite a bit of money today.
As fellow villagers, I can buy these fruits from you, but you'll have to concede a bit on the price."
As soon as Liu Xincheng heard this, he immediately agreed: "Since I approached you myself, I never intended to make money from you. I just want to break even."
However, inwardly, he thought Liu Yifeng was foolish and had too much money.
The pomelos from before hadn't even been sold, and now he had been duped by a few words.
It seemed he wouldn't have to worry about unsellable fruit rotting on the trees anymore.
Liu Yifeng was unaware of his inner machinations. He only knew that any fruit he bought at a low price was a profit.
"I'm a bit busy these few days. Once I'm done, I'll talk to you about the price and other matters. Then, you can find someone to help me pick the pears and gather all the chestnuts."
Liu Xincheng smiled and patted his chest: "Alright, I'll wait for you to come and find me. I won't bother you any longer. You go ahead and be busy!"
With that, he left.
Liu Yifeng then went to the vegetable greenhouse base. It was almost complete, and they were in the final stages of work.
Seeing this, Liu Yifeng decided to buy some vegetable seeds in advance and then hire people to plant them.
Meanwhile, today was Xia Qianqian's final audition. She had advanced through the previous rounds and now only the final stage remained.
They were divided into groups of three, and only one person could secure the special guest spot.
They could perform singing, dancing, playing the piano, or other talents.
Finally, Xia Qianqian chose to perform singing, as she was from a music class and singing was her strongest suit.
The primary role of these special guests was to liven up the atmosphere. They would inevitably perform some talents on the spot to help the contestants relax.
Xia Qianqian also knew that to expose Yun Duo'er's true colors and make everyone believe her,
there was only one way: to establish a firm foothold in the entertainment industry. The more renowned one was, the more credible their words would be.
She also wanted to show Yun Duo'er that even if she couldn't make everyone believe she sang the song "The Wind Rises," she could still shine.
Therefore, she didn't sing "The Wind Rises" on stage. Singing it now would be seen as trying to capitalize on its popularity.
So, she chose a less popular, niche song.
Few people knew this song, so when she sang it, the guests on stage didn't even know its title.
They only knew the song was beautiful. They could feel the sorrow of unrequited love and the unwillingness of being toyed with by fate, but ultimately having to let go, from Xia Qianqian's singing.
With such rich emotions, she perfectly conveyed them with just a few lyrics.
It had to be said that Xia Qianqian had her own unique approach to singing.
Moreover, her singing was very natural, flowing seamlessly, with no hint of forced technique.
They had never heard such a beautiful song before, and they were asking each other who the original singer was.
Why hadn't they heard it before? However, if Xia Qianqian's version were released, it would immediately become a hit because it was simply too good.
When she finished, they were still enthralled.
Undoubtedly, Xia Qianqian secured the special guest spot. She had earned the recognition of the judges and directors on stage with her own abilities.
This made Xia Qianqian so happy she almost wept with joy. She had waited a long time for this day.
At the same time, she began to anticipate which contestant she would be the special guest for.
Once the spot was confirmed, she happily went back to await news of the filming.
The live recording was still ongoing. Xia Qianqian went backstage, changed into her clothes, and prepared to leave.