"Big Brother, calm down. Zhijun didn't say he wouldn't help Chen Yang. Sit down, let's talk properly."
Shen Xiao'e saw her usually good-natured elder brother slam the table and knew Shen Futang was truly angry. She quickly got up to mediate.
However, Tian Zhijun snorted, clearly displeased by Shen Futang's outburst.
"Big Brother, I'm just stating facts. You protecting Chen Yang isn't helping him, it's harming him."
"Back then, even the Old Master knew he had to donate the factory to save his life. If he hadn't, do you think you'd still be standing here talking to me?"
"Chen Yang's matter has caused quite a stir. The bay commune has been waiting for Shen Fuguo himself to go and give them an explanation..."
Tian Zhijun showed no sign of backing down. Or rather, he had never held his wife's elder brother in high regard.
What was so great about an old farmer who had spent his life working in the mud?
"Shut up!"
"You have no right to speak about my father."
"Slap!"
Shen Futang's veins bulged. Enraged, he smashed the bowl at Tian Zhijun's feet. If Shen Xiao'e hadn't intervened, he would have resorted to violence.
"Father, you don't need to get angry with him."
"For Xue'er's sake, I, Chen Yang, will call you Little Uncle-in-law one last time."
"This business, I, Chen Yang, will not stop. Furthermore, as long as the folks from Shenjiaba bring it, I will continue to accept it. No one can stop the people's pursuit of a happy life."
"Tian Zhijun, you should know, who gave you your power.
The people gave you these things. What you should do is serve the people, let them live good lives, and eat their fill, not try to cut off their livelihoods here."
Chen Yang shook his head. If he had only been indifferent to Tian Zhijun before, he was now completely disillusioned.
With such poor judgment of the prevailing winds, let alone limited prospects, after the commune was dissolved, he wouldn't even be able to maintain his current rank.
Reform and opening up were the general trend. Imagine those who swam against the tide when a great wave struck; weren't they all smashed onto the shore?
"You are spreading seditious talk and talking nonsense."
"No matter how you quibble, you cannot change the fact that you are engaging in speculation and profiteering. I, Tian Zhijun, have said all I can. If you don't listen, don't expect me to help you if anything happens in the future."
"Tian Run, Tian Ye, let's go."
Tian Zhijun glanced at Chen Yang. Although Chen Yang's words were righteous, everyone could see that he was flustered by Chen Yang's rebuttal.
He couldn't find a way to refute Chen Yang, so his pride was wounded, and he decided to leave.
"Old Tian, they are, after all, my elder brother and nephew-in-law. Can't you speak kindly?"
Shen Xiao'e looked at Tian Zhijun, who was about to leave with his two daughters, and found herself in a difficult position.
On one side was her ever-dominant husband, and on the other was her elder brother.
"I meant well, but they don't appreciate it."
"Shen Xiao'e, I advise you to distance yourself from such unenterprising relatives. Either come with me now, or you don't come home ever again."
Tian Zhijun let out a cold snort. At this moment, he truly didn't value Shen Xiao'e much. If she didn't follow, he'd just divorce her, so he wouldn't be implicated with these speculators and affect his future.
He finished speaking, then directly took Tian Run and Tian Ye and left Zhao's house without looking back.
"Zhijun, Zhijun!"
"Big Brother, sigh, I..."
Watching Tian Zhijun leave, Shen Xiao'e's tears began to stream down her face.
After a moment of internal struggle, she bowed to Shen Futang and ran to chase after Tian Zhijun.
"Shen Xiao'e, if you walk out that door today, I won't consider you my sister..."
"Big Sister, forget it."
As Shen Xiao'e stepped out, Shen Xiaoxia, who had been holding back her temper, could no longer contain herself. However, before she could finish speaking, Shen Futang waved his hand.
"A married daughter is like spilled water. I don't blame her. Who else would she be with if not her husband? Can she come back to live with us?"
Shen Futang sighed. Although he spoke lightly, anyone could see how truly hurt he was.
She was his biological sister, whom he had raised from infancy. When they were young, he would go hungry so his younger siblings could eat.
When his sister got married, her husband's family was poor. He had argued with his wife to buy her a new quilt for her dowry. That was three years' worth of cloth coupons they had saved!
"Ungrateful, a white-eyed wolf."
Shen Xiaoxia's eyes welled up with tears. She knew better than anyone the hardships her elder brother had endured for their younger sister.
But what about her, and that scoundrel husband of hers? Was what they were doing human?
"Father, Aunt, it's good that some people have revealed their true colors at this opportunity."
"It's no big deal. From now on, he walks his broad road, and we'll cross our narrow bridge."
Chen Yang sneered dismissively. A commune director, and one who couldn't even grasp the direction of the wind, would see who laughs last.
Did he really think Commune Director Liu of Wanli Commune was giving him face? With Chen Yang's experience, it was obvious that Liu was testing Tian Zhijun, wanting to see his views on future trends.
Clearly, Tian Zhijun understood nothing of the situation.
If Director Liu really wanted to deal with him, would he wait until now? Even if Chen Yang were Tian Zhijun's own son, his house would have been overturned long ago.
"Yangzi, is your business really alright?"
Although Chen Yang didn't care about Tian Zhijun, Zhao Donglai was still very concerned about this nephew-in-law.
After all, from the way he had dealt with Director Zhong before, Zhao Donglai felt that his wife's nephew-in-law was definitely no ordinary person, so he was naturally concerned.
"Dad, Brother-in-law, you can rest assured."
"My business was personally approved by Station Chief Wang of the Aquatic Products Station. Since Tian Zhijun thinks I benefited from him, I will invite Station Chief Wang to visit Wanli Commune personally later."
"I'd like to see who dares to stop the food factory from buying fish."
Chen Yang smiled faintly. With the increase in fish catch in recent days, Wang Jianguo was overjoyed.
Anyone who dared to stop his fish now would, understandably, fight to the death.
In this era, the county food factory was not something a commune director could afford to offend. It was still the late stage of the planned economy, and food and non-staple food items required ration coupons.
If you offended the food factory, where would you get your grain, meat, and oil coupons for the commune this year? Go ask the ghosts!
Although some goods outside the plan, which didn't require coupons, had already appeared, not everyone was as wealthy as Chen Yang. Those goods outside the plan that didn't require coupons came with a price increase.
The farmers in the commune had to budget every penny.
No coupons?
You'd be spat on by people!
Wang Jianguo was Chen Yang's backing!
"Brother-in-law, so you're the Little Chen that Station Chief Wang talks about every day."
"Our Station Chief Wang is counting on the aquatic product purchase volume to achieve results in the city. I heard he's competing with the station chief of the pork station for the deputy factory director position."
"Anyone who dares to mess with the fish bought by the aquatic products station, Station Chief Wang will definitely not stand idly by."
Just then, upon hearing Chen Yang's words, Zhao Wukang quickly chimed in.
With his saying that, even Shen Futang felt relieved. With Station Chief Wang backing them, the sky wouldn't fall!