“This matter is not a problem.”
“The Cai family should come out and apologize. Director Zhao may be unpopular, but he did not illegally occupy public property. You are framing him, which is a disgrace to your character. Why don’t you come over and apologize?”
The two leaders spoke one after another, and the eldest son of the Cai family, who was still looking smug, was stunned.
What was going on? A kid suddenly appeared to speak up for Zhao Zhijie, and the leaders told him to go on stage and apologize. Who was he to receive such treatment?
Furthermore, if he really apologized, wouldn’t that overturn the evidence of his crimes and exonerate Zhao Zhijie? How could that be allowed?
Eldest Master Cai was anxious. He walked onto the stage and stood before everyone, speaking arrogantly, “Leaders, this person might be Zhao Zhijie’s nephew. If so, he must have received a huge sum of money from Zhao Zhijie. If we send him to jail now, we’ll definitely catch him.”
Eldest Master Cai had not clearly heard the conversation above from the audience, so he didn’t know that the leaders already knew Zhang Liunian was Zhao Zhijie’s nephew, and he was even openly shifting the blame to Zhang Liunian.
Therefore, when he suggested arresting Zhang Liunian, the plump leader directly kicked Cai’s eldest son, sending him sprawling.
“Leaders, what are you doing? He is the one who amassed wealth through Zhao Zhijie, this guy! Why are you kicking me?” Eldest Master Cai was bewildered. He didn’t understand why the leaders were kicking him, and what he had done wrong. He dared to cause such a scene because he had their private support?
“We’re kicking you, you scoundrel! You wrongly accused Director Zhao without even clarifying the matter. He’s been an employee for thirty-five years, not someone like you can slander!”
The plump leader’s words stunned Eldest Master Cai again. What was going on? His attitude wasn’t like this a few days ago.
“You say his nephew benefited from him, but do you know that his nephew, Comrade Zhang Liunian, is a millionaire? Would such a rich person covet hundreds of thousands?”
Zhang Liunian dared to bid against others for nine million in the morning, which showed that he must have at least tens of millions in capital, otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to shout out nine million.
Since his net worth was so substantial, why would he care about the hundreds of thousands in Zhao Zhijie’s possession?
A person with wealth and status wouldn’t care about such trivial amounts.
“Tens of millions? How is that possible? Didn’t he only have a net worth of a few hundred thousand? And those hundreds of thousands were given by Zhao Zhijie.” Eldest Master Cai’s eyes widened in disbelief when he heard that Zhang Liunian’s net worth had reached tens of millions.
Zhang Liunian looked at his clown-like expression and understood the situation. Someone had accused Uncle Zhao of occupying public property and claimed he benefited from it. How ridiculous.
Would he, Zhang Liunian, care about such a small amount of money? These two guys actually had some discernment, knowing he wouldn’t care.
The plump leader saw Zhang Liunian’s expression soften and continued, “He wanted to spend nine million to bid for the department store today. Someone who can afford to spend so much money must be a millionaire. Do you think Director Zhao alone is enough to help him earn nine million?”
“……”
Eldest Master Cai was stunned. Nine million? This number only existed in his imagination, and he never expected to hear it in reality today.
It turned out that while everyone else was struggling to earn a hundred yuan a month, some people, at a young age, were already worth tens of millions.
Eldest Master Cai was shocked, and everyone in the audience who heard this was collectively petrified.
A person worth tens of millions appeared before their eyes. This person wasn’t an old man of seventy or eighty, nor a middle-aged man over a hundred, but a young man barely out of his teens.
It turned out that there were truly chosen ones in this world, and these people were from entirely different worlds than theirs.
“Apologize quickly.” Seeing Eldest Master Cai like a statue, with his mouth agape staring at Zhang Liunian, the plump leader kicked him again and reminded him.
Eldest Master Cai snapped back to reality and stammered to Zhao Zhijie, “Sor-sorry.”
Zhao Zhijie felt a surge of satisfaction, finally getting revenge.
However, it was fine to no longer be the director.
“Starting tomorrow, I won’t be coming. You can handle the follow-up matters. As for this month’s salary, I don’t want it either. I don’t lack the two hundred-plus yuan now.” After speaking to the two leaders, Zhao Zhijie, along with Zhang Liunian and his daughter, swaggered away.
Seeing them descend, the crowd consciously parted a path and watched Zhang Liunian and the others leave.
After they left, the crowd erupted again.
“So Director Zhao’s nephew is a millionaire, my heavens.”
“If I had such a nephew, I definitely wouldn’t lack a hundred yuan.”
“You don’t lack it, but I do. How about you give it to me?”
“Get lost! With such a rich nephew, he can easily ask to be made director. What’s a hundred yuan to him?”
“Exactly, he’s someone who can buy a department store with a wave of his hand. We’ve had quite a spectacle today.”
“……”
Listening to the noisy discussions below, the two leaders exchanged glances and spoke in hushed tones.
“Will Comrade Zhang Liunian misunderstand us?”
“If we want to seek his advice in the future, will he be willing?”
Zhang Liunian was completely unaware of these matters. At this time, he was accompanying Zhao Zhijie as he moved his belongings away.
On the way, Zhao Zhijie couldn’t help but laugh out loud from time to time, leaving Zhang Liunian confused. It was only when they got into the car that he asked for the reason.
“I’m laughing at those people’s ugly faces. You have no idea. Before you arrived, they were all criticizing me, but as soon as they saw you, their expressions changed immediately. Tell me, do you know them?” Zhao Zhijie had been very upset about being forced to resign, but after Zhang Liunian helped him vent his anger, he felt immensely relieved.
“Not really. We just attended an auction hosted by Uncle Yan this morning, and then we all chatted. I didn’t expect them to give me such face.” Zhang Liunian was telling the truth. He truly didn’t expect them to show such goodwill. He didn’t think much of it, but he underestimated how impoverished people’s thinking was at the time. Anyone from this era, upon hearing Zhang Liunian’s vivid descriptions of prosperity, would be immensely impressed.
They felt that Zhang Liunian was truly an extraordinary person.
This wasn’t just an individual thought; most people thought this way.
“It must be that there’s something about you that makes them want to associate with you. Regardless, you helped me vent my anger today, and I thank you.” Zhao Zhijie understood these people to some extent. If Zhang Liunian hadn’t impressed them in some way, today’s matter wouldn’t have been resolved so smoothly.
“Uncle Zhao, you’re being too polite. We are family. Family doesn’t say thank you.”
“Hahaha……”
Zhao Zhijie’s hearty laughter echoed from the car, and Zhang Liunian smiled silently.
After a long while, Zhao Zhijie, holding Hua Bao, thought of something. “I won’t be coming tomorrow. What about Hua Bao?”
“There are several kindergartens in South City. I’ll take some time in the next two days to enroll her. We’ll be living in South City from now on.”
“Find one with good conditions, and with better security,” Zhao Zhijie reminded him.
“There is indeed a very good one. I heard they even have foreign teachers.”
“Let’s go take a look tomorrow.”
“We have to go to the food factory tomorrow. Let’s go the day after.”
“It’s not a day’s difference.”