The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 843 - 842: Branching

As expected, the three reform measures proposed by Shen Mingzhu, including the establishment of a workers’ union, were met with opposition from most of the management.

In the ranks of those who supported the measures, Shen Chaobei was unyielding.

For every reform measure that Shen Mingzhu proposed, he cast a supportive vote, but to no avail.

After the results came out, Du Juan summarized the voting outcome. "Undeniably, the reform proposal put forward by Deputy Director Shen aims to improve the food factory, but the timing is just not right."

Shen Mingzhu gave a resigned smile. "Then let’s discuss it later."

Seeing her concede, the managers in the conference room all breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Shen Mingzhu’s current position was only that of a deputy director, overseeing just the human resources department, she was, after all, a major shareholder of the food factory. If she insisted on implementing the reforms using her shares as leverage, no one could do anything about it.

Fortunately, Shen Mingzhu did not insist on having her way.

The meeting concluded.

Du Juan called after Shen Mingzhu. "Let’s talk."

"Sure."

They went to Du Juan’s office, where Du Juan personally made hand-ground coffee for Shen Mingzhu.

As the coffee beans were ground into powder, the air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee.

Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but joke, "I still remember the first time you drank coffee, you complained that it was bitterer than medicine and couldn’t understand why people would spend a lot of money to drink it."

"People always change over time."

Du Juan placed the freshly brewed coffee in front of her. "Try this. I had someone bring these beans back from Indonesia. They have lower acidity but a richer aroma."

Seeing her pick up the coffee cup to taste it, Du Juan also began to sip her own.

"I’d like to ask you to show some leniency towards Mai Qiu."

Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu looked up. "What do you mean?"

"Her remarks during the meeting don’t represent my thoughts, but as my assistant, I have been too indulgent with her, which led her to speak rudely to you."

Shen Mingzhu said, "It doesn’t matter what outsiders say, but I think you understand what I’m aiming for."

"Mingzhu, I know you’re thinking of the best for the factory, but sometimes we really need to consider the practical situation."

"Renting new dormitories, improving employees’ salaries — both of these require significant funding, and currently, the food factory just doesn’t have that money."

"As for wanting to replace meal tickets with cash, I think that’s even less feasible. Boss Lin has set up shop on our premises. If we undermine him by cutting off his source of income, do you think he’ll just let it go?"

By issuing meal tickets, employees were restricted to eating three meals a day in the cafeteria, but if it were changed to cash, employees would certainly have more options, yet the cafeteria’s business would definitely be impacted.

"Lin Wu has deep connections with the leaders of the development zone, and now with the factory struggling so much, if we offend someone, it will probably become even harder later on."

Shen Mingzhu nodded, "That makes sense."

Seeing Shen Mingzhu return, Xia Wushuang immediately followed her into the inner office. "What did Director Du talk to you about?"

Looking at her assistant, who was as nervous as if on high alert, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh. "What are you worried about? Could I possibly be bullied?"

Xia Wushuang snorted, "Isn’t it obvious? Especially that Mai Qiu, who does she think she is to openly contradict you like that? It seems she has forgotten whose rice bowl she is carrying!"

Compared to Xia Wushuang’s righteous indignation, Shen Mingzhu simply laughed it off.

They were not on the same level, nor did they deserve to impact her emotions.

When she returned home from work in the evening, the father and daughter were already there, standing on stools and placing paper bags over the grapes on the vine.

This year, there were far more sparrows than in the past, and the fruits and vegetables in the yard had suffered damage, many gnawed by the birds. To prevent the grapes from suffering the same fate, they had no choice but to put "protective clothing" on the newly formed bunches of grapes.

Shen Mingzhu first went back to her room to change clothes and help the father and daughter with the bagging.

As soon as she entered the room, she smelled the fragrance of flowers and noticed a bouquet of lilies and roses on the dressing table.

She had just gotten half-changed when Pei Yang pushed the door open.

Seeing Shen Mingzhu instinctively turn her back, her smooth skin like white porcelain facing him, Pei Yang casually closed the door and teased,

"What are you hiding for? There’s nothing on you I haven’t seen."

Shen Mingzhu did not respond but asked about the bouquet on the dressing table, "There’s no special occasion, why buy flowers?"

"To comfort you."

Shen Mingzhu turned around to face his smiling eyes, "I heard that your reform measures aren’t going smoothly at the factory."

"Who told you?"

"Don’t worry about that, I have my sources."

Shen Mingzhu didn’t care much; it wasn’t surprising for such news to reach Pei Yang from the hundreds of people at the factory.

"Don’t be upset. It’s their loss for not seeing the good. Otherwise, come to my company. I’ll give you the CEO position, and whatever you say goes. Anyone who disobeys, I’ll fire them right away."

Although unrealistic, it successfully made Shen Mingzhu laugh.

"If you were born into an ancient royal family, you would undoubtedly be the first foolish emperor."

Pei Yang replied, "With a wise queen like you, how could I possibly be a fool? I would surely be a wise emperor and create a golden era."

There was no denying that having such a man by her side to joke and tease made life more enjoyable.

After changing clothes, Shen Mingzhu went to the yard and helped her daughter put clothes on the grape bunches.

In the summer twilight, the sky full of glow reflected the busy figures of the family of three.

Regarding the difficulties at work, Shen Mingzhu did not harbor any negative emotions inside.

One could say everything was still within her expectations.

You have to eat one bite at a time, and handle affairs one by one.

Time reveals a person’s character.

The current situation was a test for both her and the food factory, as well as for the people around her.

Shen Mingzhu was not troubled by work matters, but Shen Chaobei took them to heart.

"It’s one thing for others to disagree with little sister, but now even you are not standing by her side? Have you forgotten that our good life today is all thanks to her efforts?"

Hearing Shen Chaobei’s complaint, Du Juan was not in a good mood either, "Yes, little sister has helped us a lot, and I will never forget her kind deeds in my lifetime. But work is work, the food factory is also my effort, and everything I do today is to hope that the factory will get better and better."

"There are some things I didn’t want to say, to avoid hurting our relationship and face, but I can’t hold it in any longer. If it weren’t for little sister’s stubbornness, and her absolute refusal to agree to Luo Sen’s investment, the factory would never be like this!"

"Look at Hui Kang now, it wasn’t as good as us in all aspects back then, but now their business and influence have left us far behind!"

"To be blunt, little sister is now just an old-fashioned person, still clinging to old mindsets! If she doesn’t change her way of thinking, the food factory that rose because of her might also fall because of her."