The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 647 - 646 Financing

Chapter 647: Chapter 646 Financing

"Madam, someone is looking for you downstairs."

Upon hearing Auntie Deng’s words, Shen Hongmei got out of bed to dress, all the while guessing who it might be looking for her — was there still some unresolved trouble?

As she descended the stairs lost in thought, the sight of Wen Xiaoqin in the living room gave her a sense of relief but also a touch of surprise.

"Hongmei sister, I hope I’m not disturbing you."

A faint discomfort crossed Shen Hongmei’s face.

Having cleared the air with Zhao Dafa the day before, the couple had reconciled, and Zhao Dafa had been quite enthusiastic with her the previous night, to the extent that she couldn’t get out of bed in the morning; it was already almost ten o’clock.

She settled into a seat, wrapping herself with a silk shawl, "Please, take a seat. Is there something you need from me?"

Wen Xiaoqin got straight to the point, "Hongmei sister, I heard you’re looking for work. I’m wondering if you’ve considered coming back to the food factory?"

Shen Hongmei looked at her, "Does President Shen know about you coming to me with this?"

"Attracting talent to the food factory is part of my responsibilities. Hongmei sister, you meet all the requirements for recruitment across the board. I believe President Shen shares my sentiment and would welcome your return very much."

Auntie Deng served up tea and snacks.

The snacks included Shen Hongmei’s favorite red bean cakes, soft and powdery white on the outside with a filling made of sweet and sticky red bean paste. They tasted sweet without being cloying.

"When did you buy the red bean cakes?"

She had been so drained by stock trading and startup matters recently that she hadn’t felt like having snacks for a long time.

Shen Hongmei picked up a piece and slowly nibbled on it while asking Auntie Deng.

"I bought them this morning while grocery shopping. The master specially instructed it, saying that you, madam, like them," Auntie Deng replied.

Before the red bean cake was swallowed, a sweet feeling surfaced at the bottom of her heart.

After all the tumult, she finally understood that simplicity and plainness were the true essence of happiness, just like the red bean cake in her hand.

Seeing her eating with gusto, Wen Xiaoqin also felt tempted but was hesitant to take one, considering she was there on business — it didn’t seem right to eat their cakes. So, she could only hold her teacup and sigh with envy.

After finishing a piece of red bean cake, Shen Hongmei half-seriously, half-jokingly asked Wen Xiaoqin, "Aren’t you afraid that if I return, I could take your position?"

"Something that can be taken away never belonged to me. To be honest, if I lost to you, Hongmei sister, I’d have no complaints."

Shen Hongmei laughed, "In this matter, you are the winner, at least for now."

"Hongmei sister, I came here today with the utmost sincerity to invite you back to work at the food factory."

"Let’s hear the terms you can offer."

Hearing this, Shen Hongmei picked up another piece of red bean cake and started nibbling on it again.

Wen Xiaoqin swallowed hard and said, "You can choose any department you like. After all, you are a former employee; you can skip the trial period and rejoin as a full-time staff member immediately."

Shen Hongmei bit into her red bean cake, and while eating, she said, "It seems your sincerity isn’t that great. Not to mention a department manager, with my qualifications and capabilities, I could be at least a supervisor level in any company."

"The food factory is your home ground, Hongmei sister. Although the starting point is low if you return, getting back to the peak won’t be difficult at all. Whereas, if you join another company, even though the starting point is higher, climbing up even one step further will be fraught with difficulties."

Shen Hongmei couldn’t deny this point.

"... Hongmei sister says she needs to think it over,"

After listening to Wen Xiaoqin’s report, Shen Mingzhu nodded, "Understood. You may go back to work now."

...

Upon returning home from work, Shen Mingzhu stepped out of her car and immediately spotted Shen Hongmei standing outside the courtyard gate.

"Why aren’t you coming in?"

Upon hearing Shen Mingzhu ask, Shen Hongmei replied with self-mockery, "I didn’t know if you still wanted to see me, so I didn’t dare to come in and avoid being kicked out and losing face."

"That’s not necessary, even if we aren’t as close as we used to be, we are still friends at least."

Shen Hongmei followed her into the yard, and couldn’t help but look up at the grape arbor as they passed it.

"Will be ready to eat in another month, right?"

Shen Mingzhu glanced at her and said, "About that, yes. If you feel like it, come pick some to take home when they’re ready."

Cui Lianying was very skilled at tending to plants and flowers, and the small yard was lush with greenery, especially the two old vines of grapes, which sagged with heavy bunches, delighting the eye.

Shen Hongmei responded with a sound of agreement.

"Hongmei is here, it’s been a while since I saw you... you seem to have lost some weight..."

Cui Lianying greeted Shen Hongmei with a smile, served the two of them some freshly brewed Honeysuckle Tea, and told Mingzhu that the siblings were playing in the upstairs study, then she went back into the kitchen to get busy, leaving the living room space to the two of them.

Shen Hongmei sipped her tea and said, "I’ve brewed it at home too, but I don’t know why, I can never get the same flavor as your house. It’s strange, like everything that comes to you always seems so natural and simple, but when I try it, I find it’s not easy at all."

Shen Mingzhu looked at her, "You didn’t used to be so full of sighs and complaints like today. I give you a glass of water, you gulp it down in a swig, at most you might say it’s good."

"I also miss the way I was before. Back then, I was simple-minded, didn’t overthink, and was focused solely on doing my job well."

Shen Mingzhu remained noncommittal, "You wouldn’t have come to find me just to reminisce about the past, would you?"

Shen Hongmei took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly, "If I apologize to you now, is it still not too late?"

After saying this, her eyes nervously fixed on her.

Shen Mingzhu smiled faintly, "What do you think you did wrong?"

"I let down your cultivation and trust, and I betrayed our friendship. I understand now, Mingzhu, your sincerity, is far more precious than wealth, but I let it go so easily. I’m simply the most foolish person in the world."

Shen Mingzhu diverted her gaze, looking down into the cup of tea.

It seemed she could never break the habit of being soft-hearted, and part of her wanted to just forgive her there and then.

"So, you want to come back to the food factory?"

Hearing her ask, Shen Hongmei wiped away her tears and nodded, "Thank you for still being willing to give me a chance to start over. I feel so lucky now. Both you and Brother Zhao have shown me the greatest leniency. I will cherish this fortune and ask you to trust me once more."

Shen Mingzhu didn’t mince words, "As long as you’ve thought it through, that’s fine. Xiaowen must have discussed the conditions with you. Which department do you plan to join?"

"I want to join the marketing department."

"That’s fine, but you’ll have to start as a specialist. That’s the rule."

"I understand, I can do it!"

After finishing her statement, Shen Mingzhu took a sip of her tea, clearly intending to see her guest out. But Shen Hongmei appeared not to take the hint, sitting still as a statue.

"Is there something else?"

With some excitement, Shen Hongmei spoke to her, "Brother Zhao has changed the company’s direction, preparing to get into real estate development. What do you think about that?"

Shen Mingzhu thought to herself that this matter had nothing to do with her, so why was she being told, but she replied politely, "That’s good."

"Then would you consider investing some money with Brother Zhao?"

Shen Mingzhu looked at her, smiling without a word.

Shen Hongmei, not giving up, continued to urge, "Mingzhu, since you’re also investing, and you see potential in the real estate industry, Brother Zhao’s character and competence can’t be faulted. Investing in our own people is always a bit more reliable than outsiders, right?"