noffsinger Chapter 81 Fair Competition
Chapter 81 Fair Competition
In the bustling market of the capital, people came and went, and the cries of vendors rose and fell. In this noisy place, Ye Beichen and Su Yuning unexpectedly reunited.
Su Yuning sat quietly in front of a stall, displaying various handmade soaps, attentively serving passing customers. Ye Beichen's gaze swept through the crowd, instantly locking onto Su Yuning, and then he strode towards her without hesitation.
When Ye Beichen walked up to Su Yuning, a deep longing appeared on his face, and he said gently, "I've finally met you. I've missed you so much!" However, Su Yuning remained indifferent to Ye Beichen's affectionate confession, as if the person in front of her was a complete stranger.
Seeing this, Ye Beichen couldn't help but feel anxious. He blinked and asked innocently, "Yu Ning, why are you ignoring me?" However, Su Yu Ning remained unmoved and after a while, she coldly replied, "Didn't I tell you? We're divorced and have nothing to do with each other anymore. Don't bother me anymore." After saying that, she lowered her head and continued with her work.
Just then, a wealthy young man, dressed in fine clothes and exuding elegance, happened to pass by. He overheard Su Yuning's words to Ye Beichen and couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. This young man had long harbored feelings for the beautiful and intelligent Su Yuning, but he hadn't dared to make a move because she was already engaged. Now that he knew she was single again, he naturally wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.
So, the rich young master strode forward and taunted Ye Beichen without any politeness: "Ye Beichen, since you and Su Yuning have broken up, from now on I will pursue her openly and honestly! I will use my sincerity to move her, and we will compete fairly!" After saying that, he even raised his chin in a showy manner.
Upon hearing this, Ye Beichen's face instantly darkened, but he quickly regained his composure and replied irritably, "Suit yourself." He then turned and stormed off, leaving Su Yuning and the wealthy young man standing there, the atmosphere becoming rather awkward...
Sunlight streamed into the bustling market, where people came and went in a lively atmosphere. A wealthy young man, dressed in fine clothes and exuding elegance, approached Su Yuning with a broad smile and softly asked, "Yuning, what would you like to eat at midday? I'm in a great mood today, how about I treat you to a lavish meal?" His bright eyes sparkled with anticipation, and a faint smile played on his lips.
However, Su Yuning waved her hand without hesitation, politely but firmly declining, "Thank you for your kindness, but there's really no need to trouble yourself. I've already made plans to have dinner with my brother and sister-in-law." As she spoke, a gentle smile graced her face, and her eyes were clear as water.
Seeing this, Ye Beichen, who had been observing coldly from the sidelines, immediately raised his eyebrows triumphantly and mocked the rich young master, "See? Yu Ning has absolutely no interest in you!" He then gave a sly smile.
Being mocked like this, the rich young master naturally refused to back down. He glared angrily at Ye Beichen and retorted without any politeness, "Hmph, how much better are you? Do you think Yu Ning will treat you differently?"
Just as the two were locked in a tense standoff, Su Yuning suddenly had a sudden idea. She turned to the wealthy young man beside her and said sweetly, "However, if you're free, Mr. Wanfeng, you could come with me to my brother and sister-in-law's house for dinner." As she said this, she deliberately glanced at Ye Beichen, a hint of mischief flashing in her eyes.
Upon hearing this, the rich young master was first taken aback, then overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Great! That's wonderful!" He was so excited that he almost jumped up, completely unaware that Ye Beichen's face had turned extremely gloomy.
As expected, Ye Beichen was instantly enraged upon hearing Su Yuning's invitation. He snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and turned to leave without looking back, leaving only a gust of angry wind howling past.
In the tranquil and peaceful Xinghua Village, Su Yuning's factory was forcibly shut down without warning. Surprisingly, the village chief had nothing to do with it; the closure order was actually issued by someone else. It turned out that the factory's enormous noise from its operations was severely impacting the daily lives of nearby residents. Furthermore, its business was exceptionally successful, generating substantial daily profits, yet all its employees were from the village, which aroused envy and resentment among people from other villages.
The situation unfolded so quickly and suddenly that Old Su didn't even have time to personally inform his daughter, Su Yuning, who was far away. Extremely anxious, he thought long and hard before deciding to rush to the village school, hoping to bring his eldest son back from class to help resolve this thorny issue.
The eldest son of the Su family was usually a quiet and reserved person, but in this emergency, he became even more dull and speechless, standing there for a long time without uttering a single word. Seeing his son like this, Old Su, who was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, stomped his feet in anger and couldn't help but raise his hand to gently tap his head, scolding him with exasperation, "Why are you so dull! Your sister's factory, which she worked so hard to build, is about to be shut down. Can't you go over and reason with them, and try to make peace?"
Just then, Yang Yuyan, who had been silently observing the interaction between the father and son, quickly spoke up: "Dad, don't make things too difficult for him. Let me go and see what's going on!" After saying that, she quickened her pace without hesitation and hurried towards the direction of the factory.
When Yang Yuyan rushed anxiously to the factory gate, the scene before her left her speechless—the factory's once towering and sturdy walls had been brutally demolished, bricks and tiles scattered everywhere. The workers, their faces flushed, were arguing heatedly with the demolition crew, their voices rising and falling, creating a chaotic scene. The village chief stood helplessly to the side, silently puffing on his old pipe, his tightly furrowed brows clearly visible through the swirling smoke.
Upon seeing this, Yang Yuyan's anger flared instantly. She strode forward and shouted angrily, "Stop it, all of you! Who gave you permission to come here and demolish things so recklessly?"
However, the newcomer showed no fear in the face of her questioning, and even appeared somewhat arrogant and domineering. The leader sneered, casually pulled a stop-work order from his sleeve, and then threw a demolition order in front of Yang Yuyan, saying contemptuously, "Teacher Yang, right? I suppose you are a literate person, so take a good look at these orders, so you won't make a fuss later."
Yang Yuyan suppressed her anger, took the so-called "lawsuit," and began to read it carefully, word by word. As her gaze moved across the paper, her expression grew increasingly grim. Finally, she reluctantly put the paper down, her tone softening.
"Sir, I beg you to show mercy and ask your men to stop for a moment. We will organize people as soon as possible to move the goods out of the factory, and also move the machinery and equipment, to minimize the losses," Yang Yuyan said almost pleadingly.
However, the man ignored her pleas, not even bothering to acknowledge them, and simply turned his head to the other side, as if Yang Yuyan's words were nothing more than an insignificant breeze.
Immediately afterward, the village chief rushed over, his face plastered with a fawning smile, pleading, "Sir, please have mercy and spare us poor villagers! It's been so hard for the people in our village to start a business. Please, have some compassion and leave us a way to survive!"
However, faced with the village chief's earnest pleas, the man merely responded with a slight upturn of his lips and a faint smile: "I'm just following orders from above. As for other matters, I have no authority to interfere. Besides, I have no interest in managing them at all." He then gently shook his head, indicating his inability to help.
Just as the atmosphere reached its peak of tension, Yang Yuyan, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly brightened up, as if she had thought of a brilliant idea. She quickly reached into her bosom and pulled out a bulging cloth bag filled with loose silver coins. Without hesitation, she handed it to the official and said softly, "I hope you will accept this small token of my appreciation. Could the demolition of the factory be postponed to another day? That way, everyone will have enough time to pack up their goods."
The official was taken aback at first, then took the money bag, weighed it lightly in his hand, and after feeling its substantial weight, finally nodded in satisfaction, grinning, "Well, since that's the case, I'll make an exception and give you a few more days." With that, he waved to his men behind him, signaling them to retreat. Seeing this, the men dispersed like a tide, and the previously tense situation instantly eased.
"Father, you should hurry and send Su Laoda to the city to look for Yu Ning. I need to go back and continue teaching." Yang Yuyan gently reminded her father in her soft, melodious voice, like a nightingale's song. A hint of worry and concern appeared on her beautiful face.
Old Su nodded quickly after hearing his daughter's words, indicating his agreement. Then he quickened his pace and hurried towards the direction where Boss Su was.
Meanwhile, the others stared blankly at the chaotic factory before them, looking bewildered and unsure of what to do. Just then, the village chief spoke up calmly, "Don't just stand there like idiots, everyone! Go do what you're supposed to be doing!" His words, though simple, carried a reassuring quality.
"Alright, village chief!" The villagers responded in unison upon hearing the village chief's instruction. Then, everyone dispersed and went about their own business.
Time flies, and winter has passed in the blink of an eye, spring has returned. The vast grasslands are now covered with a layer of tender green, resembling a giant green velvet carpet from afar. Herds of cattle and sheep graze leisurely on this verdant grassland, as if they were the true masters of this land. Meanwhile, the hardworking herders sit or lie on the hillsides, leisurely admiring the picturesque scenery before them, their faces beaming with satisfaction and happiness.
However, behind this seemingly beautiful scene lies a hidden trouble. It turns out that Nangong Xiawu, the wife of the grassland leader, has yet to conceive. Seeing that her belly remains empty, she finally couldn't suppress her anxiety and mustered the courage to suggest to her husband—the dignified and aloof grassland leader—"My lord, why don't you take another concubine? My body is uncooperative; I haven't been able to bear you a son. Perhaps another woman could carry on your lineage and continue your family's prosperity."
Faced with his wife's words, the leader of the grassland alliance simply shook his head expressionlessly and replied in a cold tone, "There's no need for that."
Seeing the leader's resolute attitude, Nangong Xiawu couldn't help but feel doubtful and asked, "But aren't you afraid that others will point fingers and gossip about us? As the saying goes, 'Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring.' I imagine your mother must be extremely anxious about this matter, right?" The leader of the grassland alliance replied, "Having you in my life is enough. The child will come when it's time. Let nature take its course."
Nangong Xiawu was about to urge the marriage again, but before she could speak, the Grassland Alliance Leader abruptly stopped her with a raised hand. The Grassland Alliance Leader said impatiently, "Don't mention it again. I neither want to hear it nor will I agree!" Faced with such a resolute attitude, Nangong Xiawu, though unwilling, could only helplessly shut her mouth and swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue.