Chapter 217: Like Walking On A Knife’s Edge?
What Women’s Federation, what Foreign Trade Section, what Exhibition Fair—it’s all so intimidating sounding.
Which one of those doesn’t have the Bai Family and Qin Family’s backing? Could Lu Qiaoge really catch those leaders’ eyes without it?
Lu Qiaoge is just a Neighborhood Committee Mediator, and it’s said she’s only been at work for a short time.
Moreover, a Neighborhood Committee Mediator sounds like a cadre, but it’s really just a worker.
With such qualifications, what right does she have to be seconded to the Foreign Trade Section?
What right does she have to join the Trade Group?
Anyone with eyes can see it’s backdoor connections.
Who can blame her for being so pretty?
Even someone like Qin Hengzhi can’t help being swayed by beauty, and he’s really gone to great lengths to make Lu Qiaoge worthy of him.
But such efforts make one envious.
She’s been climbing the social ladder too, mocked from youth to now, even dragging her son down with her.
Yet Lu Qiaoge… seems to have everyone holding her up?
Who knows!
Lu Yaqin smiled coldly. Time will tell.
Who will keep spoiling whom forever?
When things turn sour, that’s the day she’ll fall into the dust.
At this moment, Bai Jin Xin walked to the kitchen doorway, and Lu Yaqin immediately plastered a smile on her face, saying gently, “The Winter Melon Pork Rib Soup will be ready soon. Has Hengzhi and Qiaoge come back?”
Bai Jin Xin glanced at Lu Yaqin and said mildly, “You’ve put in the effort today, Aunt Lin has worked hard too. I’ll go call those two back for dinner.”
There wasn’t just Lu Yaqin in the kitchen; there was also another nanny, Aunt Lin.
Aunt Lin hurriedly said, “Sister Lu did most of the work today; I just helped out.”
Bai Jin Xin smiled, thinking to herself that this was thanks to the new society—otherwise, with Lu Yaqin’s vanity, she would have Aunt Lin calling her Mrs. Bai or Madam Bai.
The meal was very sumptuous, showing the importance placed on Lu Qiaoge.
Bai Xiaozhe didn’t dare act foolish again.
Because before dinner, Qin Hengzhi had warned him.
Old Bai looked at Lu Qiaoge and said, “May I ask you something? Of course, you can answer or not.”
Qin Hengzhi’s eyebrows twitched.
But he knew Grandpa Bai wouldn’t ask pointless questions about family background.
After all, he had married Lu Yaqin; he wouldn’t pick a topic that stirred up old leaks.
So, he and Lu Qiaoge listened quietly together.
What Old Bai asked about was the instant noodle production line.
This could be discussed.
Lu Qiaoge: “Director Hu has already gone to the Factory Department to apply for a rush to build a factory building; it should be approved quickly because the Pickle Factory already has a row of empty houses. As for instant noodles not tasting good, that can be handled by setting up a research and development group to keep researching until they’re tasty.”
Old Bai was stunned for a moment and asked, “So you don’t have a complete plan in hand?”
Lu Qiaoge said honestly, “In the plan Mr. Zhen gave at the time, only this instant noodle production line wasn’t outdated; it’s very new, not second-hand—practically nine-tenths new. The other side mortgaged the factory to a financial company because of an investment in petroleum, then the investment failed, and the factory became the financial company’s. That financial company belongs to Gong Boss from another clothing company at this Exhibition Fair…”
This was all discussable, and since Old Bai wasn’t asking in the study, she would tell him what she could.
Old Bai nodded inwardly.
He looked at Lu Qiaoge with an appreciative gaze.
He already knew all this; the reason he asked was to see her attitude and reaction toward the matter.
And incidentally, to check her character.
Whether she deserved Vice Mayor Xu’s praise of her in front of him.
Uncle Bai and Bai Jin Xin really didn’t know, so they listened with keen interest now.
Bai Jin Xin asked Lu Qiaoge, “Once the production line arrives, will Haicheng Food Factory come to snatch it?”
Uncle Bai: “Haicheng does have a food factory trialing instant noodles—actually just dry noodles, average taste, but they call it instant noodles too. Is it the same nature as what you described?”
Lu Qiaoge smiled and said, “No matter how I describe it, it’s just talk on paper. You’ll know once it’s really trialed successfully.”
Bai Xiaozhe glanced at his smiling mother.
It still seemed different.
Not only thick-skinned, but also very knowledgeable.
Hadn’t he seen even Father listening intently?
He was full and didn’t want to stay; he couldn’t understand what they were saying anyway, so Bai Xiaozhe pushed back his chair and ran off.
Old Bai pretended not to notice.
Having such a thing at home couldn’t be hidden anyway.
He chuckled and said, “Qiaoge, your aunt is right. Haicheng Food Factory contacted me; they’ll probably come to Jiangcheng in the next few days. But don’t worry—no one can snatch things from Jiangcheng.”
Lu Qiaoge just chuckled.
She had to admit, the Bai Family’s meals were truly delicious, no less than a state-run restaurant, and even had an extra flavor compared to one.
Old Bai was very pleased and even had Uncle Bai drink half a bottle of liquor with him.
The meal ended with host and guests all delighted.
After the meal, intentionally or not, Old Bai said he also needed to go to his work unit and wanted a ride.
On the road, Qin Hengzhi said to Old Bai, “Grandpa, ask whatever you want to ask.”
Old Bai just smiled, then had Qin Hengzhi pull the car over to the side of the shaded road.
Lu Qiaoge blinked her eyes. What was Old Bai going to ask?
Clearly, it wasn’t about her family situation.
Nor would he inquire about Neighborhood Committee work, much less any secrets about
So what could it be?
Old Bai pushed open the car door and got out, saying to Lu Qiaoge, “Accompany me for a walk roadside.”
Lu Qiaoge got out as instructed.
She and Qin Hengzhi flanked Old Bai, one on each side, walking slowly along the road.
It was very quiet here, almost no pedestrians.
Old Bai said, “Qiaoge, no beating around the bush—I’ll say it directly to you. Do you know that the Market Day you’re organizing and this Exhibition Fair are like walking on a knife’s edge?”
Lu Qiaoge and Qin Hengzhi subtly exchanged a glance.
Qin Hengzhi smiled and shook his head at her.
She hadn’t expected Old Bai to even know about the Market Day, but clearly, it wasn’t from Qin Hengzhi.
Vaguely, Lu Qiaoge felt Old Bai wasn’t warning her.
Lu Qiaoge said, “Yes, fortunately, the leaders and colleagues around me all support me, and I’m very grateful to them.”
Old Bai: “Do you think such a Market Day or Exhibition Fair needs to continue?”
Lu Qiaoge: “Don’t we have a successful example, like the Canton Fair? Isn’t that the best case?”
Old Bai: “That’s different.”
Lu Qiaoge: “Actually, it’s the same.”
“Where is it the same?” Old Bai widened his eyes and asked back.
“The meaning of the Canton Fair, Grandpa Bai, you surely know better than I do, so I won’t say more. Let me first tell you about holding the Serving the People Fair.
The purpose is to help Guzi Village deal with vegetables that were cheated by a canteen manager, while also meeting the workers’ demand for vegetables, supplementing their nutrition so they can work better.
The whole process has no cash transactions, no buying or selling—just barter.”
Old Bai didn’t speak, but nodded inwardly.
