Zhou Jinbei didn't mind living with him. After all, he was much safer than a ghost. It's just that such a thing had just happened today. "What if they check us again?" "It shouldn't happen, it's all been checked. How many times a day can they check?" "It's just a large-scale cultural promotion fair, not like some big leader is coming." "Besides, both of us have already been checked, we're immune, what's there to be afraid of?"
With no other option, Zhou Jinbei returned to the hotel with him. Fortunately, Zhan Beijue was considerate of Ah Zhong, occupying a suite himself and giving Ah Zhong a suite as well. They each had their own room, so it was manageable. They deliberately avoided mentioning past events, keeping their conversations brief and to the point. Soon, they retired to their respective rooms. The next morning, they had breakfast downstairs and then went to work together. Ah Zhong was strictly professional, speaking to her only about work-related matters. Infected by his demeanor, Zhou Jinbei also acted professionally. She thought that Ah Zhong's calm and composed attitude indicated that the past was truly over for him and that he had moved on. This was for the best. After spending some time together and transitioning, neither would feel indebted to the other anymore. Perhaps they could even start new lives.
However, things took a turn for the worse as she was planning this. About a week into their work, the construction site ran out of bricks. The procurement order placed a week ago had still not resulted in new bricks being delivered. The buyer responsible had a family emergency and had taken leave, leaving no one to provide an explanation. Fearing delays, Ah Zhong inquired about the brick factory's address and took Zhou Jinbei there himself. The brick factory was located in a remote village. Initially, the road was paved with cement and relatively smooth, but it became increasingly winding and bumpy the further they went. The sky was dark and heavy, as if a big rain was about to fall. The air was stiflingly uncomfortable, and the bumpy ride made Zhou Jinbei, unaccustomed to it, feel carsick. Seeing her open the window and rest her head against it, looking quite unwell, Ah Zhong parked the car where the brick factory was visible and suggested they walk. Zhou Jinbei thanked him, and they walked towards the brick factory, one after the other.
To their surprise, they found the factory, but apart from the gatekeeper, there was no one inside. There was also no sign of bustling activity. "What's going on? Are you on vacation? It's not a holiday, why has it suddenly stopped operating?" The security guard asked them what they were there for. Ah Zhong stated Chen Jiaojiao's company name and that he was there for procurement. The security guard asked them to wait and said he would call the manager. Soon, the manager hurried out. "Oh, it's not that we're not sending you the goods, it's just that we've encountered some issues recently and can't operate for the time being." "Even if you encountered issues, you should have notified us in advance and provided an emergency plan! What happens if you suddenly stop, delaying our construction schedule?" "I also wanted to notify you early and provide an emergency plan, but it's just that..."
The manager led them to the office and had the security guard lock the door. Only then did he begin to explain. It turned out that the brick factory was a project started by a university student from their village who had returned to start a business, aiming to boost the local economy. They hired workers mostly from their own village or neighboring villages. Everyone was happy to have jobs and didn't have to travel to work elsewhere. However, gradually, divisions began to emerge. People from the same village, from different villages, of the same surname, and of different surnames started to ostracize each other. Of course, the bosses were unaware of this until they ran into serious trouble recently.
"Tell us quickly, get to the point." Ah Zhong was not there to listen to his stories. The manager quickly got to the point. "A few days ago, while working, someone named Wang Xiaobao, whether due to an operating error or being pushed, suffered a severe work-related injury." "Later, he couldn't be saved and passed away. That person was only in his thirties, in his prime. His family was relentless, demanding compensation from the boss." "It's common to pay compensation for work-related injuries, and the boss didn't intend to evade it. However, they made an exorbitant demand, asking for over 1.8 million yuan." "This is clearly extortion! The boss said they should follow procedures and not encourage such bad practices. Otherwise, if everyone started doing this, how could the factory continue to operate?" "They couldn't wait and hired professionals, blocking the factory entrance every day and causing trouble." "So, the boss had to go out of town to hide for a while." "As soon as he left, the factory descended into chaos." "People from the two villages and between the two surnames started fighting. I feared something serious would happen, so I suspended operations."
So that's what happened. It was indeed difficult for a university student returning to their hometown to start a business and hire workers who had lower educational attainment and placed great importance on personal relationships and old neighbors. Ah Zhong understood the factory's situation emotionally, but rationally, he had to be professional. "Since your factory cannot supply materials on time, you must find a way to compensate us." "Whether you source from other factories or not, within two hours, I need my construction site to be operational." "Otherwise, our company's legal department is not just for show." "The boss is not here, aren't you making things difficult for me?" "Call him! If the boss isn't here, you won't ship? You won't sell? If we keep delaying like this, and the company collapses, who benefits?" The manager had no choice but to call the boss and adopt Ah Zhong's suggestion to procure goods from other factories and compensate them.
More than two hours later, the materials were delivered to the construction site. Ah Zhong and Zhou Jinbei walked back. Dark clouds pressed down. Before they even reached the car, large raindrops began to fall. Since the weather was very muggy before they arrived, they were both dressed lightly. Ah Zhong wore a white short-sleeved shirt and black pants, and Zhou Jinbei was dressed similarly, but with a black skirt and three-inch heels. At this moment, a strong wind blew, kicking up dust, and it started to rain. It made them shiver with cold. Ah Zhong, with his height and long legs, quickly outpaced her. As he neared the car, he looked back. Zhou Jinbei couldn't open her eyes due to the wind and sand, so she stood there covering her face with her arms, like a precarious, pitiful creature. The road beneath was uneven, making it difficult for her heels. Out of gentlemanly conduct, Ah Zhong walked back a few steps and took her hand. "It's raining harder, be careful not to catch a cold, let's pick up the pace a bit." This was the first physical contact she had with him since their reunion. His palm was dry and warm, and as it touched her cold skin, it instantly brought her comfort. Zhou Jinbei felt a tingling sensation on her scalp. The journey of a few hundred meters felt arduous.
Finally, they reached the car and sat down, fastening their seatbelts. Looking up, they were stunned. They didn't know if it was children playing a prank or someone intentionally messing with them. The windshield had been struck hard with a stone. The entire glass surface had cracked into countless lines like a spiderweb. There was even a hole where the main driver's seat was. Outside, the rain was getting heavier, and raindrops were drifting in. Ah Zhong was speechless. The saying "wicked people come from poor mountains and treacherous waters" was indeed true.