B5SB -Chapter 239 Madam Zhou Arrives

The next day

Textile Factory Bicycle Parking Area

“Manager Gu, good morning!”

Gu Yihan bent down to lock her bicycle. Before she could even stand up, she was startled by Secretary Jiang’s sudden shout from behind.

She immediately turned and glared at him.

Without giving him a chance to speak, she directly refused: “Secretary Jiang, I only do the work that’s my responsibility.”

She had no intention of being used again by the opportunistic Secretary Jiang.

“Manager Gu, this is a good opportunity. You provide the design drawings, and the textile factory will give you a profit commission. You won’t be working for nothing.”

Secretary Jiang explained with a smile at the corner of his eyes.

She wasn’t someone who hated money—commissions were often several times higher than wages. According to the contract, the larger the deal, the higher the commission.

Gu Yihan glanced at Secretary Jiang but said nothing. If this were before, she might have agreed.

Ever since Secretary Jiang had tricked her once, no matter how sweetly he spoke, she no longer trusted him.

“Manager Gu, the commission will be paid in foreign currency.” Secretary Jiang gritted his teeth and sweetened the deal.

“Secretary Jiang, perhaps you should find someone more suitable.”

Having said that, Gu Yihan turned and walked in the opposite direction before he could respond.

Seeing her retreating back, Secretary Jiang ground his teeth and muttered angrily, “If that designer I hired hadn’t suddenly disappeared, who would bother using you?”

Secretary Chang, squatting nearby and eavesdropping, couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.

“Who?” Secretary Jiang shouted in the direction of Secretary Chang.

Secretary Chang dusted off his nonexistent dust, stood up with a smile, and said, “Secretary Jiang, why force the issue?”

Secretary Jiang’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Secretary Chang. “It’s a pity you’re not a spy.”

Hearing this, a flash of displeasure crossed Secretary Chang’s eyes as he pushed up his glasses.

Smiling faintly at Jiang, he said, “I am no match for Secretary Jiang—you like undercover work. Otherwise, how could you have married Comrade Zeng Xiao?”

At this, Secretary Jiang’s expression instantly turned cold. He glared at Secretary Chang, gritting his teeth: “Were you following me?”

Secretary Chang chuckled softly, pointing at a nearby vintage “Erba Daguang” bicycle and replied evasively, “This bicycle is mine.”

Secretary Jiang walked over and said coldly, “You know I don’t mean that.”

Secretary Chang tilted his head at Jiang and smiled lightly. “Oh? Then what do you mean?”

Secretary Jiang’s gaze darkened. Since arriving, he had tricked Director Yang into handing over all the work he controlled.

And now someone so smart was deliberately playing dumb in front of him. Since they liked pretending so much, he would be blunt in response.

He changed the topic: “So, Secretary Chang, do you also want the work that rightfully belongs to me?”

Secretary Chang walked up to him, patted his shoulder, and said with a smile, “We’re all secretaries in the factory—why make it about yours or mine?”

“By the way, your transfer request to the Ministry of Industry was rejected.”

With that, Secretary Chang walked away lightly.

Hearing this, Secretary Jiang’s face darkened, his eyes burning with anger as he glared at Chang’s departing back.

Accounting Office

Gu Yihan smiled and greeted Wang Guixiang, then walked straight to her desk and sat down.

Sister Min’s face was dark with anger.

She was nearly furious.

Yesterday, she had waited for three hours at the main yard just to watch Gu Yihan and Wang Guixiang make a fool of themselves.

But in the end, the two hadn’t gone at all.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She couldn’t help but scold: “Xiaohan, how can you go back on your word!”

It was almost the beginning of May. Gu Yihan was busy calculating how much raw material the workshop had used this month.

Hearing Sister Min’s scolding, she looked up at her casually and said, “Who went back on their word?”

“Didn’t we agree to go to Hu—”

Gu Yihan snorted coldly, cutting her off. “Sister Min, I never agreed.”

Sister Min froze for a moment, recalling carefully—Gu Yihan indeed hadn’t agreed.

She quickly countered: “But Guixiang agreed—doesn’t that mean you agreed too?”

Wang Guixiang glared at Sister Min irritably. “Are you crazy? Picking a fight so early in the morning?”

Gu Yihan closed her ledger, lifted her head, and fixed her gaze on Sister Min.

Coldly, she said, “Can you swear you actually went to Hu Shan’s house? Whoever’s lying is the one living a petty life.”

Sister Min’s face instantly turned cold.

Of course, she didn’t dare swear.

Seeing this, Wang Guixiang knew Sister Min was lying and snorted.

“Shameless—you didn’t go yourself, yet you’re scolding others.”

Sister Min’s face turned an angry dark blue, and she didn’t dare respond. She knew she couldn’t argue against the two of them together.

Afternoon

Courtyard Gate

Su Nian sat on a chair, holding Zhou Ni in her arms, smiling at Grandma Gu: “Grandma Gu, what shall we cook tonight?”

Grandma Gu, supporting Haohao as he practiced walking, chuckled: “Haven’t had time to make anything yet.”

“Xiao Su, have you finished dinner?”

Su Nian smiled sheepishly: “Grandma Gu, I was hoping to learn to cook from you this weekend. Is that okay?”

“Of course, but all I know are home-style dishes, nothing fancy.” Grandma Gu laughed.

“Ding-ling-ling…”

Hearing the bicycle bell, Su Nian looked up and smiled at Gu Yihan returning from work: “Xiaohan’s back.”

Gu Yihan smiled faintly at Su Nian and greeted her proactively: “Sister Su.”

“Haohao, look who’s back!”

Gu Yihan first pushed the bicycle into the courtyard, then walked over to Grandma Gu, picked up Haohao, and kissed his delicate cheek.

“Miss your mommy?”

Haohao’s big dark eyes looked at Gu Yihan. “A little.”

Seeing his little expression, Gu Yihan couldn’t resist and kissed him again.

“Xiaohan, Zhou Yan has gone back to her hometown.”

Gu Yihan turned in surprise toward Su Nian, puzzled: “She went home?”

Su Nian smiled at her: “She left yesterday.”

She was so happy she felt like she could fly—the house felt much lighter without Zhou Yan’s constant passive-aggressive presence.

Weekend, 8:00 a.m.

Zhou Family Home

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

“Su Nian, open the door!”

Su Nian was feeding Zhou Ni egg custard, planning to learn cooking from Grandma Gu later.

Suddenly, she heard Madam Zhou shouting at the courtyard gate, and the porcelain spoon in her hand dropped and shattered on the ground.

Su Nian didn’t have time to clean up the mess. She quickly grabbed Zhou Ni and rushed into the bedroom, closing and locking the door in one motion.

She placed her hand on her racing heart—the shadow Madam Zhou cast on her was far too deep.

At the gate, Madam Zhou, furious that no one answered after banging for so long, cursed loudly.

“Girl, I told you! Su Nian doesn’t take me seriously!”

Zhou Yan, glaring viciously at the closed gate, added fuel to her mother’s anger.

Madam Zhou, fuming, stomped on the gate with her feet, shouting: “You blind little brat! Open the door for your mother immediately!”