The couple finalized the matter of the accountant and returned home, only to find Lu Tianxing waiting for them.
"Tianxing, you're here early. Have you had breakfast? Join us," Xie Sui said.
"No, Brother Xie. I have something to discuss with you. Fortunately, you didn't leave," Lu Tianxing replied.
Xie Sui offered him a cigarette. Lin Wanwan went to tend to the children and prepare breakfast. Some matters were easier for men to discuss, which was why Lu Tianxing had come early to intercept Xie Sui.
"Brother Xie, Zhao Xuefei contacted me. She said she also has connections to the Chinese herbal medicine factory and offered to raise the price by one yuan per jin. This business was introduced to us by you. If it were before, I'd be overjoyed to do something for her. But it's not before now. Even if it meant no profit, I wouldn't let her have an easy time of it."
Xie Sui's gaze deepened. The Zhao family was truly a persistent nuisance.
Fortunately, he had developed the ice cream business. Otherwise, he would have been on the defensive again. Xie Sui's countless experiences from his previous life had instilled in him a habit of planning ahead and never putting all his eggs in one basket.
Therefore, he wasn't surprised to hear this. Many people had followed in his footsteps, and the Zhao family was neither the first nor the last.
However, Xie Sui was quite surprised that Lu Tianxing had come to him. He said, "Is it hatred born of love? It shows you still care."
Lu Tianxing flicked his cigarette butt and crushed it under his heel. "It's impossible not to care. Brother Xie, you don't know, but even at this point, she still wants to seduce me. Do you think I'm that easily fooled?"
"I'm just trying to be a decent person. Back then, I really wanted to deal with her. To sleep with her and then deny it, who would have been more disgraced then?"
Xie Sui was startled. "That's absolutely not advisable. If it escalated, and she accused you of rape, or even attempted rape, it would be enough trouble for you. Your father is the village head. Your family would be ruined."
"Zhao Xuefei would only lose a bit of face, but your family would be destroyed. Calm down, absolutely don't act impulsively."
Lu Tianxing said, "It was only when I thought of my father that I ultimately didn't act. Now, I feel dirty just touching her. Brother Xie, what do you suggest we do? I know you're a smart person. I trust you."
"If you hadn't brought us suckers together back then, who knows how long we would have been deceived."
Xie Sui gave a dry laugh. "It wasn't me. I won't admit to that."
Lu Tianxing wasn't foolish. Thinking back on it now, he knew Xie Sui had orchestrated things. But he was grateful, and only a fool would blame Brother Xie.
"Alright, it wasn't you. I'll keep this matter buried from now on."
That's more like it. Some things are better understood than spoken.
"Since she wants to get involved, let's undermine her from the root. Here, I'll give you two options. First, you can take over this business. Sell directly to the Chinese herbal medicine station and engage in a price war with Zhao Xuefei. She wants to compete with me, but frankly, I don't have the time to deal with her. You play with her."
"Second, everyone can sell it themselves, and no one will earn the price difference. I figured if Zhao Xuefei approached you, she must have approached others too, all to make you work for her. It's the same old trick."
Lu Tianxing looked at him in surprise. "Wouldn't that cut off your source of income, Brother Xie?"
Xie Sui waved his hand. "What source of income? If you're willing to tell me this, you're my brother. Money is nothing. We can always earn more."
"Brother Xie, you're so righteous! From now on, you're my brother. I won't make a profit, but I won't let Zhao Xuefei have an easy time either. I'll go with the second option."
Xie Sui was pleased. When men get ruthless, women can't compare. Don't think those seductive and coquettish tricks will always work. That's only when someone likes you. When they don't, they're worse than a prostitute.
"Okay, you do as you see fit. We'll go to the Chinese herbal medicine station later. I'll introduce you to the station master. I also have another way to make money. Do you want to try it?"
"What way? Tell me, Brother Xie."
"I'm opening an ice cream factory, and sales are very good. Small vendors in the county town buy from me. It's not much profit per ice cream, just a penny. But there's no one doing this in the townships yet. You can wholesale them, and you can earn some pocket money every day."
Lu Tianxing was tempted. "Can it work? The county town is quite far from here. Won't the ice cream melt?"
"I'll take care of that problem. You just need to find people. Who has a bicycle? Learn from those vendors in the city and sell from street to street. Once sales pick up, you'll earn money."
"Alright, Brother Xie. Tell me how to do it, and I'll listen to you."
Xie Sui saw Lu Tianxing off, in a good mood. He looked at Lin Wanwan flirtatiously. "Wanwan, you look even more beautiful today. Oh my, how can my wife be so beautiful?"
Lin Wanwan asked, "What good deed did you do again?"
Xie Sui chuckled. "I'm always doing good deeds. I can't even remember them all. Which one are you referring to?"
"Every time you made a mistake before, you had this expression. Look in the mirror. Your mouth is so foul, I feel like hitting you."
Xie Sui: "..."
"That was before. Today, I'm genuinely complimenting you."
"Alright, I've received the compliment. It can't be eaten as food. What did Lu Tianxing come to see you about?"
Speaking of serious matters, Xie Sui's smile faded. "Hah, it's still about the Zhao family? They're insatiable and want to cause trouble again. We'll play along with them. If they want to follow my tail and eat my dust, I'll make sure they can't even smell it!"
"Speak properly. The children are learning to curse from you. If you don't teach them well, I'll beat you too."
Lin Wanwan felt exhausted. It was difficult for children to learn good habits, but bad ones could develop in just a few days. They had already started walking like Xie Sui, with their shoulders slumped and heads shaking. She had spanked him quite a few times.
"No, I'll definitely change."
Xie Sui seriously explained Zhao Xuefei's attempt to steal the scorpion medicinal business and the advice he had given Lu Tianxing. Lin Wanwan asked, "Don't you find it strange?"
"Where did Zhao Xuefei find these connections? If she had connections before, she would have gone for them then. She must have found them in the last few days. We need to be careful."
"Yes, my wife is so smart. How could I not have thought of that?"
Xie Sui's exaggerated expression made Lin Wanwan think he had already considered it, and she had spoken in vain.
"Really, I truly didn't think of it. Thank you, wife, for reminding me. How about I buy you new clothes? We have money now, and you should dress beautifully. Everyone will envy me, Xie Sui, for having such a good wife."
"Stop being so glib. Eat quickly and let's go. There's still a lot to do."
"Yes, sir!"
After Dou Dou and Ding Ding finished their porridge, they exchanged glances. They suddenly realized that since their father had improved, he was always clinging to their mother. Whenever their father was around, their mother would forget about them, her two sons.
Alas, as long as their mother was happy, they had each other. It was fine for them to play by themselves and let their mother have their father for a while. After all, their father always gave them delicious food, and he gave so much that they didn't dare to provoke him.