Qingshan County State-Owned Sugar Factory!
As the county’s only large-scale sugar manufacturing plant, it employed over a thousand workers daily and was a well-known major enterprise in Qingshan County.
Yet this morning, as the workers arrived for their shifts, their conversations weren’t about production progress or how many spots were left for permanent positions—instead, they were all discussing whether that young man with the street stall would be back.
Everyone at the sugar factory—from the director and deputy director down to the ordinary workers—was absolutely fascinated by Li Yi’s little stall.
Since the sugar factory is doing exceptionally well, the workers’ wages are among the highest in Qing Shan County. Even temporary workers who’ve just joined the factory can earn 25 yuan a month.
As for the permanent employees, their wages generally ranged from 35 to 38 yuan, while for team leaders and management, they were at least 45 yuan.
High wages meant strong purchasing power, but before Li Yi set up his stall here, even if they had money, they didn’t really know how to spend it.
In their spare time, they’d usually get a few friends together and chip in to buy some meat for a stew!
But ever since Li Yi arrived, everyone has gotten used to stopping by his little stall at lunchtime to grab a serving of liangpi and a white-crust pancake, then chatting with a few friends—life couldn’t be better.
And even doing this every day only costs six or seven yuan a month—it’s a real bargain.
But just yesterday, some damn snitch reported that young guy, and the police took him right away.
Everyone knows that these days, the police crack down hard on street vendors and small-scale traders—that young guy might even end up getting sentenced.
Thinking about never being able to eat such delicious liangpi again, everyone feels a bit of regret!
As the workday drew to a close, the workers—who had grown accustomed to their midday meal of liangpi and white-skin pancakes—felt a sense of emptiness, as if something important were missing.
“Ring-ring-ring…”
The bell signaling the end of the workday finally rang, and the workers immediately put down their tools and walked out of the production hall.
Just as everyone was wondering what to do for lunch, a broadcast suddenly blared from the sugar factory’s loudspeakers: “Attention workers in all workshops! The young vendor at the gate is back—he’s back!”
The announcement played three times in a row before finally ending, leaving all the workers staring in utter bewilderment.
Everyone was curious about how that young man had managed to escape the police, but they were even more curious about why the factory’s announcer had suddenly lost her mind and started broadcasting such things.
But these thoughts were merely fleeting; in the next moment, everyone’s actions were remarkably in sync as they took off running toward the main gate!
Yesterday, many had missed out on the liangpi because they arrived too late—they couldn’t be late today!
Just as the workers were swarming toward the main gate, several factory executives in the small two-story office building directly across from the gate stood there, staring blankly at the scene!
After a long silence, a middle-aged man in his forties suddenly asked, “Why did the broadcast room suddenly announce this? Isn’t this just nonsense?”
“Director Qiu, you’re in charge of that. Why don’t you go check it out?” another executive said with a frown.
Director Qiu from the sugar factory’s office looked just as baffled and immediately replied, “I had no idea about this. I never instructed the broadcast room to announce it. I’ll go check what’s going on right now…”
Just then, Plant Manager Liang Yukuai, seated at the head of the table, suddenly said, “No need to investigate. I told the broadcast room to announce it!”
“Old Liang, what are you doing? Is that young man a relative of yours?” Deputy Plant Manager Zhou Jian asked in surprise.
Director Liang shook his head and said, “If he were really a relative of mine, I wouldn’t have done this. Wouldn’t it be better to just invite him to work in our factory’s small canteen and have him make liangpi exclusively for us?”
“Then what’s this about…”
“A friend from the Public Security Bureau asked me to handle it this way. He said that young man setting up his stall at the entrance isn’t breaking the law. Yesterday, they didn’t understand the situation and disrupted his business, so he asked me to look out for him!”
Hearing Director Liang’s words, everyone present fell into deep thought.
Every one of them had risen to their current positions through cunning and experience.
Although Director Liang had phrased it rather vaguely, they all understood perfectly well: the young man outside had connections at the Public Security Bureau.
And anyone who was on good terms with Director Liang—and whom he referred to as a “friend”—was certainly no ordinary person.
With someone of that rank and status looking out for him, running a small business on the outskirts of the county certainly didn’t require him to worry about much.
Just then, Office Director Qiu Liangyong suddenly spoke up: “I gather none of you leaders have had lunch yet. How about I treat everyone to liangpi with white flatbread today?”
Factory Director Liang thought for a moment, then said, “Since Director Qiu is willing to splurge, let’s not stand on ceremony. Let’s go!”
“Hahaha, Old Qiu is treating us—we’d be fools not to accept!”
“Let’s go, let’s go. I’ll have two pancakes today…”
With that, the group left the office in high spirits, heading straight for Li Yi’s food stall.
By then, the small stall outside the factory grounds was already crowded with workers.
It was Tang Xue’s first time accompanying Li Yi to his stall, and she never imagined his little business would be so bustling.
Seeing the sea of workers waiting to eat liangpi before her, Tang Xue was stunned.
In contrast, Li Na moved with practiced ease, helping Li Yi collect payments and give change, clearly enjoying the hustle and bustle.
Tang Xue wanted to help too, but she realized she couldn’t really do much, and Li Yi didn’t want her to get involved anyway, so he just had her sit in the shade and watch.
To be honest, watching the brother and sister bustling about like this, Tang Xue thought it was actually quite a lovely scene.
Actually, before coming, she’d wondered what Li Yi’s stall would be like during business hours—whether it would be like the black market in the county town, with everyone rushing about as if they were up to no good.
But once she arrived, she realized it wasn’t like that at all—both buyers and sellers were completely relaxed.
After buying the liangpi, the workers would carry their bamboo tubes over to the shade of the nearby trees, then eat while chatting with their friends.
They ate to their hearts’ content and chatted happily, with not a trace of tension!
At the same time, Tang Xue found herself wondering if she might be the one standing by Li Yi’s side in the future!
If that were the case, it wouldn’t be so bad.
Although she had to commute to the county seat every day—a round trip of dozens of kilometers—having a stable and decent income, plus someone who liked her by her side, and not having to worry about all the nonsense back home, made life seem pretty good.
At this thought, Tang Xue couldn’t help but daydream!
………