Su Cheng noticed the urgency in Ji Meng’s eyes and nodded, saying, “I’ll pick you up for lunch.” He gave a slight nod to Meng Ling to bid farewell and cast a glance at Zheng Wu, who looked dejected since learning of Su Cheng’s identity, before stepping on the pedal and leaving.

“What’s going on here?”

“How could he not have died? I mean, did the military send the wrong message?”

Once Su Cheng left, Meng Ling quickly asked Ji Meng, utterly astonished that someone confirmed dead was actually alive.

“It’s just a stroke of luck that he came back,” Ji Meng explained briefly as she walked toward the textile factory. Passing by Zheng Wu, she paused momentarily to greet him.

“I’ve already had breakfast at home, thank you.”

After speaking, Ji Meng checked the time again, she really didn’t have any more time to spare. Ignoring everything else, she hurried a few steps and broke into a run toward the collective area.

Seeing her run so fast, Meng Ling couldn’t help but shout, glancing at the time. She exclaimed, “Oh no!” and quickly told Zheng Wu, “Xiao Wu, I’m going to be late for work. I can’t wait for you, thanks for breakfast today!” and then ran after Ji Meng.

Zheng Wu watched the two figures fade into the distance, then glanced again in the direction Su Cheng had left. Remembering the cold, indifferent look Su Cheng had cast before leaving, he realized that this time, he had completely lost his chance.

When Ji Meng arrived at the collective area, there was still one minute left until half-past. She usually arrived five to ten minutes early, so today was an unusual case. The factory workers were curious if she would be late.

It was quite rare to catch a leader making a mistake and have them treat everyone to a meal, so everyone was watching closely. When they saw that both she and Meng Ling had made it just in time, there was a collective sense of disappointment.

During this period, Ji Meng had implemented a series of reforms and rules, improving the overall situation in the collective area significantly.

However, since everyone had not yet received their first month’s salary, they hadn’t truly tasted the benefits. There was still a lingering sense of laziness and a tendency to oppose the leadership, so a real sense of team unity had not yet formed.

Ji Meng knew she couldn’t rush this process, so she pretended not to notice everyone’s mood and proceeded with the meeting as usual.

The weekly meeting mainly focused on summarizing the previous week and arranging tasks for the current week.

The number of people in the collective area was not small in size. Since production was tied to their share, productivity had continued to rise. In just a week, they had completed most of the batch of waste fabric they had received, with a large pile of scrunchies, headbands, and tote bags accumulating in the warehouse.

The sales team had managed to sell some, but many were still left. This week, the main task of the sales department was to sell out this batch completely.

On the production side, besides turning the remaining waste fabric into finished products this week, they also needed to produce the new summer clothing items they had already planned.

Ji Meng and Meng Ling would need to confirm the specific styles and colors with the design department, and then coordinate with the purchasing team to ensure the required fabrics arrived on time.

With this series of work arrangements laid out, they were in for an unrelenting busyness ahead.

Ji Meng was busy on her end, and after seeing Ji Meng off, Su Cheng didn’t return home. Instead, he went to meet his comrade, Yan Jin, who was now the team leader at the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

This person had joined the army in the same batch as him, and they had both experienced life and death together. Su Cheng had even saved Yan Jin’s life once. Later, Yan Jin developed in another regiment, and when he was discharged, Su Cheng helped him make connections.

While Su Cheng was in the hospital, Yan Jin assisted him by keeping up with information about Ji Meng, which he brought to the hospital.

Ji Meng had left behind many flaws, and in order to ensure she wouldn’t be discovered and face any negative consequences, Su Cheng had done some cleanup work for her when he returned home. But just to be safe, he needed to set up a double safety net for her.

Su Cheng now felt grateful that he hesitated before reporting Ji Meng’s incorrect information, otherwise, he might have had to go to the security department to bail her out, and it was uncertain whether he would have succeeded.

“Did you manage to contact the people I asked you to?”

Su Cheng and Yan Jin arranged to meet at a nearby state-run restaurant. Seeing that Yan Jin hadn’t eaten breakfast, Su Cheng bought six meat buns and a bowl of soy milk for him.

Yan Jin didn’t hold back, as soon as the meat buns hit the table, he grabbed one and started devouring it.

Recently, there had been many tasks at the station, and he was also helping Su Cheng look into some matters and contacting a few people, making him extremely busy.

“I got in touch with them. One of the couple is working at the provincial traditional Chinese medicine hospital, and the other is teaching fine arts at the provincial university. I mentioned your name, and they gave me their address and phone number. But what do you need them for?”

Yan Jin said as he handed a note with the address to Su Cheng.

“They used to teach my wife. Now that our family has arrived in the provincial capital, we should thank them.”

Su Cheng took the note, glanced at it, and replied calmly.

Ji Meng’s secret was as important as his own, and he wouldn’t give anyone the chance to find out, even if they were close comrades who had shared life and death.

“Oh, I see.”

Yan Jin didn’t say much in response, he wasn’t too concerned about this. He was only curious about the situation between Su Cheng and Ji Meng.

To Yan Jin, it seemed strange. He had previously investigated whether the couple was anxious to remarry upon their return, now, it seemed that Su Cheng finally trusted his wife?

“Do you now believe that your wife truly cares for you?”

“You’re also being strange. A couple has been married for five years, and you still doubt her heart? You didn’t disclose anything when you were alive, and now you want me to investigate. What’s going on? Finally believe in her?”

Yan Jin, who was thirty-three this year and three years older than Su Cheng, was tall and dark-skinned, yet very loyal and straightforward. He said whatever came to mind. Seeing Su Cheng’s expression, which remained unchanged regardless of the circumstances, he couldn’t help but remind him:

“I’m telling you, don’t be too suspicious. Your wife is genuinely an excellent person. If she knew you were doubting her behind her back, she wouldn’t take it lightly. Just from what I’ve observed these past few days, your wife certainly has people who like her, it’s just that she hasn’t been moved by anyone.”

“And also, don’t come to me for such morally questionable things in the future. Just thinking about assisting in something bad makes me ashamed to face my sister-in-law.”

“You mentioned that Sanzi isn’t working at the mechanical factory anymore and is tinkering with electrical appliances. Do you have any contact with him?” Su Cheng asked, passing a bun to Yan Jin to change the topic.

“Sanzi? Yes, I met him a couple of days ago. He heard you were in the provincial capital and got injured, he said he wanted to come see you.”

Yan Jin replied and then asked Su Cheng, “What do you need Sanzi for?”

“I want to buy some things from him. Can you give me his phone number? I’ll call him later…”

After seeing Yan Jin, Su Cheng rode his bike to the supply and marketing building to buy groceries.

Ji Qing and Ji Meng would both be back for lunch, and there weren’t many leftovers at home, so he needed to buy some food.

Nowadays, it’s rare for men to go grocery shopping. As Su Cheng entered the vegetable section, several aunties looked him over, but he pretended not to notice.

Yesterday, he noticed that Ji Meng wasn’t fond of greasy food, so when buying meat, he avoided fatty cuts, which attracted some odd stares again.

After purchasing meat and vegetables, he was about to head home when he glanced at the empty-looking rear seat of his bicycle. The image of Ji Meng shifting uncomfortably after getting off the bicycle and her obviously pained expression flashed through his mind, prompting him to buy a cushion from the nearby department store.

After getting the groceries and returning home, Su Cheng checked the time and began busily working in the kitchen.

Su Cheng quickly stir-fried a few simple dishes, then heated the food on the steamer for rice. Glancing at the time, it was eleven thirty, nearly lunchtime. He tied the cushion he had bought earlier to the back seat of his bike and set off to pick up Ji Meng from the textile factory.

Ji Meng often forgot meal times when she got busy, and it was Meng Ling who reminded her, “Didn’t your husband say he would come to pick you up around noon? It’s already twelve thirty, aren’t you leaving?”

“I would’ve forgotten if you hadn’t mentioned it.”

Ji Meng had just finalized the last item design and quantity based on the research results from last week when she heard Meng Ling’s words. She slapped her forehead in frustration.

She really did forget.

They had negotiated with the textile factory that the collective would purchase a fixed amount of food coupons every month, and the factory employees would still eat there.

Last week, they were busy, and both she and Meng Ling had lunch at the factory. She had casually agreed to return home in the morning, not thinking it would be a problem.

Raising her hand to check the time, it was already 12:35. Ji Meng hurriedly grabbed her bag and rushed out.

Meng Ling noticed Ji Meng was so anxious that she forgot to greet her and couldn’t help but click her tongue in disbelief.

How strange! In the past twenty days, she hadn’t seen Ji Meng so flustered.

It seemed her husband had quite a charm.

Meng Ling pouted and concluded this, and thinking of the face she saw in the morning, it seemed quite normal.

Shrugging her shoulders slightly, Meng Ling took her lunch box from her desk and headed to the cafeteria.

“Sorry, I lost track of time. When did you arrive?”

Ji Meng rushed out, spotting Su Cheng leaning against his bike at the entrance. She caught her breath and hurried over to ask.

“I just got here not long ago. Get in.”

Su Cheng’s tone was calm, seeming genuinely just to have arrived. Ji Meng didn’t think much of it and quickly hopped onto the back seat, only to realize there was something soft underneath her, making it more comfortable to sit.

Her expression paused for a moment, hesitating slightly. Instead of reaching for the handle under the cushion, she instinctively grabbed the back of Su Cheng’s shirt.

After all, he was her nominal husband, and they had shared a bed, hadn’t they?

What was wrong with pulling on his shirt?

She wasn’t planning to divorce, so she might as well enjoy it.

Feeling a bit bolder, Ji Meng tightened her grip on the shirt and calmly said, “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

The fabric at his lower back was tugged lightly, pulling against his abdomen, and a subtle feeling suddenly arose in Su Cheng’s heart. It was not unpleasant, and he unconsciously lifted the corners of his lips slightly. A hint of warmth appeared in his cold, deep eyes as he softly replied and pedaled away.

In March, the spring sun was warm, and the single wheels happily left marks on the ground.

Ji Meng quickly discovered the benefits of Su Cheng returning home. She didn’t have to rush around, after all, the kids had someone to pick them up, and there was someone cooking at home.

All she needed to do was go to and from work on time, eat ready-made meals at home, and have someone help her pour water and hand her towels for foot baths in the evening. She didn’t have to worry about oversleeping in the morning.

Life went on leisurely like this for more than a week, and she felt content both physically and mentally. Perhaps her smoothness in life had improved her fortune as well, things at the collective were also going well.

In just a week, after various promotional efforts by the sales department and pushing out several small posters for different factories, along with endorsements from several factory beauties, the batch of hair clips, headbands, and leather bags produced by the collective had sold out, with the retail points still calling for restocking.

Now, when she went out, she could see people on the street sporting the large intestine hair ties made by their collective or carrying the tote bags they had produced.

The effect was surprisingly good.

This wave brought almost 200% profit margins, greatly alleviating the financial difficulties faced by Ji Meng and Meng Ling.

Their first wave of summer clothing had also been successfully produced, and they were just waiting to find places to stock and sell them.

However, clothing is fundamentally different from hair ties and headbands, which are small accessories that can be easily sold in a stationery store, grocery shop, or even by a few factory beauties. Clothing needs a good location to showcase its beauty and value, enticing people to consume and purchase.

The department store is supposed to take orders from clothing factories, and even if their designs are more beautiful than those from the clothing factory, such a public-private cooperative model cannot compete with the current state-owned clothing factories.

The fact that they are willing to offer you a certain quota is already a favor to you.

However, that small amount is not enough to digest even one-tenth of the production volume.

In order to solve the sales problem, Ji Meng not only stocked small markets but also had the sales department hire two temporary workers to sell. In addition, she sent the sales team to various districts and counties around the city to pursue orders.

The distance was far and tiring, and they issued a wave of subsidies.

However, the results were significant, they brought back quite a few orders and even gained some individual wholesale orders.

Although the wholesale quantities were not large, they provided Ji Meng and her team with a new perspective.

Currently, there are numerous small markets transitioning from the black market to legitimate businesses in various districts and towns. If they could tap into these avenues, it would lead to considerable sales.

Ji Meng was always a person who acted once she made a decision. Therefore, even before the monthly salaries were paid, she allocated a sum of money as sales bonuses to encourage them to pursue this avenue.

Everyone loves money, even those second-generation factory workers just going through the motions in the collective, they all enthusiastically set off to run errands.

While the collective was running smoothly, it seemed that Ji Qinghe encountered some issues.

When they returned home for dinner that night, Ji Qinghe clearly looked troubled.

Typically meticulous about his food, he unexpectedly grabbed a spicy mountain pepper from the dish, leading to a fit of heart-wrenching coughing.

Seeing this, Su Cheng hurriedly poured him a glass of water and handed it to him while Ji Meng put down her chopsticks and rushed over to pat his back.

“Dad, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

The mountain pepper burned his throat, and after coughing for quite a while, feeling as if his lungs might burst, he finally calmed down.

“I received a telegram this afternoon.”

Ji Qinghe took a sip of water to ease the burning pain in his throat. Seeing the worried looks from the three of them, he paused for a moment before replying.

“I went to your elder brother’s place earlier, he has a nice colleague who even lent me money to buy a train ticket. I returned and sent him the fare along with some items to express my gratitude. He sent me a telegram saying that your sister-in-law has already remarried and hasn’t brought Qingyu over yet.”