Chapter 6: Leaving the Shen Family

Just as Shen Hongxing reached for the document, Shen Jiaojiao whispered something in her mother’s ear.

Shen’s mother’s expression changed. She snatched the document.  “What do you think the Shen family is? You can come and go as you please?”

If not for Jiaojiao’s reminder, she would have forgotten that the play script only had the first half. The second half was unfinished. Jiaojiao said the drama club was urging her to submit the rest.  This was a perfect opportunity to use the document to force Shen Hongxing to finish it.

Shen Hongxing had anticipated they wouldn’t easily agree to the separation. They would try to exploit her further.  She didn’t want to look at them. “Tell me, what do you want?”

“The second half of the play script within three days!”

Shen Hongxing readily agreed. “Fine! I agree.”

Shen’s mother still refused to return the document. She folded it and put it in her pocket.  “Three days later, script for the document.”

Passing a guesthouse, she considered staying for the night, but the money she had was from selling her hair.  After living with the Shen family for so many years, unlike Shen Jiaojiao, she didn’t have much spending money; her parents had strictly controlled her allowance. She rarely had extra money.  This money was her startup capital.

“Hey, Sister Shuangshuang, isn’t that our boss?”  Coming out of a restaurant, Cao Hongxia spotted Shen Hongxing across the street.

Xu Shuangshuang and Chen Jiayi followed her gaze.  Confirming it was Shen Hongxing, they ran over.  “Boss, it’s so late. What are you doing here?”

Shen Hongxing was a well-brought-up girl from a strict family. She had to be home before dark.  It was almost dawn, and she was wandering the streets, clearly something was wrong.

“Oh, nothing!” Shen Hongxing said lightly. “I just cut ties with them!”

Xu Shuangshuang and the others immediately understood.  “Boss, don’t you have a place to stay? If you don’t mind, you can stay with us. We have a spare room.”

“Yeah, Boss, it’s too dangerous for a girl to be wandering the streets this late. You should stay with us for now.”

Before Shen Hongxing could respond, they pulled her along. Shen Hongxing didn’t resist. Since they were willing to take her in, she wouldn’t mistreat them.

Zhaoyang Town was a coastal town.

Xu Shuangshuang and the others lived on an abandoned freighter by the sea.  The ship was large, divided into many small rooms, housing Xu Shuangshuang’s gang men and women.

“You all live here?” Shen Hongxing sat on Xu Shuangshuang’s bed, a makeshift structure of planks. The small room had no windows, and a battered wardrobe held flamboyant clothing.

“Boss, it’s not like your home with big beds and soft pillows! We’re all orphans, barely surviving from day to day.  Having a place to shelter is already good enough! You can stay here tonight, and tomorrow we’ll help you find a place,” Xu Shuangshuang said, worried Shen Hongxing would find it unacceptable.

Shen Hongxing smiled.  “I don’t mind.”  She paused. “You know, I was abused by my adoptive parents as a child. I was always hungry and overworked. I’ve been through hardship, so I wouldn’t find this place objectionable.”  This was far better than Wang Meili’s house or the Shen family home.

“Boss, we’re sorry. We were wrong before. We were blinded by money. From now on, we’ll listen to you!”

Shen Hongxing raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure you’ll all listen to me?”

They nodded enthusiastically.  “We’ll listen to the boss! Whatever the boss tells us to do, we’ll do it. For the boss, we’ll go through fire and water!”

“Good!” Shen Hongxing took out all the money from selling her hair and placed it on the table.  “This is 20 yuan. Tomorrow I want to go to Haicheng to buy some shawls to sell on the street, but this isn’t enough for such a long trip. Do any of you have money? Consider it an investment.  Once I make a profit, I’ll share it with you!”

The three exchanged glances. Xu Shuangshuang gritted her teeth and put out all her money.  “Boss, this is all I have. It’s from Shen Jiaojiao!”

Shen Hongxing counted it 60 yuan!  That was equivalent to Shen’s father’s monthly salary.  “Good, you’re the major shareholder!”

Chen Jiayi reluctantly took out 30 yuan.  “Boss, use it as you please!”

Cao Hongxia also gave 20 yuan.  “Boss, this is all my savings!”

“Good!” Shen Hongxing confidently held the money.  “I guarantee I’ll make your money grow!”

The next day, Xu Shuangshuang woke up to find Shen Hongxing gone.

She remembered Shen Hongxing saying she was going to Haicheng to buy goods to sell.

“Sister Shuang, do you think the boss ran off with our money?” A young gang member whispered to Xu Shuangshuang at noon.

Xu Shuangshuang exploded.  “Nonsense! She’s our boss. She wouldn’t do that!” She firmly believed Shen Hongxing wasn’t that kind of person.

Shen Hongxing still hadn’t returned that evening. Chen Jiayi became restless.  “Sister Shuang, maybe the boss really ran off with our money?”

“Impossible!” Xu Shuangshuang remained adamant. She refused to believe it.

“Sister Shuang, don’t forget what the wool textile factory said about her! She’s a liar. Otherwise, why hasn’t she come back? She must have run off with your money!” The young gang member repeated.

“Get lost! I said the boss wouldn’t do that! Anyone who dares to speak ill of her again gets out!” Xu Shuangshuang was so furious she almost started fighting.

The wind was strong by the sea that night.  While others slept, Xu Shuangshuang, Chen Jiayi, and Cao Hongxia couldn’t sleep. They sat at the crossroads, gazing into the distance.

“No way… The boss is so strong, she could kill a bull with her bare hands. She shouldn’t be in trouble, right?”

As they spoke, a figure appeared in the distance.  The moonlight allowed them to see someone approaching.

“Boss?” Xu Shuangshuang called tentatively.

“It’s me! I’m back!” Shen Hongxing replied.

Getting supplies in Haicheng hadn’t been easy. The factory said their shawls were supplied to department stores; even the supply and marketing cooperatives rarely got them, let alone individuals.

Then, the factory’s knitting machine broke down, requiring a foreign technician. Shen Hongxing saw her opportunity.  In her previous life, shortly after marrying Lu Ping’an, he’d abandoned her to start a business. He only returned home once every few years, essentially ignoring her.  To support her two children, she’d worked in many industries, spending almost 20 years in the knitting workshop of that very factory in Haicheng. She was extremely familiar with the knitting machines.  Unless it was an engine problem, she could fix it.

She solved their problem, earning herself personal agency rights. The factory manager even declared…

From now on, she could get goods from their factory at the lowest price.  Not just shawls, but also socks…