Rebirth of Bloody Romance

The last time Zhou Xiaobai called to discuss a meeting was more than 10 days ago.

Zhong Yuemin sat on the old sofa in the living room, holding a book that he had read countless times, but he still couldn't concentrate.

Zhong Yuemin's eyes drifted out of the window from time to time. The sky dyed red by the setting sun seemed to silently tell the passage of time. More than 10 days is not long or short, but for a worried heart, every second is like torture.

Zhong Yuemin skillfully brewed a pot of golden tea. The aroma of tea rose up and danced with the dust in the air, bringing a rare sense of tranquility. Just as he was about to sit down and take a nap to enjoy this moment of peace, Chen Yijun's voice rang in his ears. "Yuemin, Xiaobai called."

Zhong Yuemin's heart moved, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously. His wife really doesn't need to be talked about. He put down the teacup in his hand and walked quickly into the house.

Two children, Xiao Haichen and Xiao Shihua, were seen gathered around the phone, talking to each other. Xiao Shihua's voice was clear and pleasant. "Mom, are you okay there? My brother and I are very good."

Little Haichen was not to be outdone and shouted loudly, "Mom, I miss you so much. When will you come back? I'm waiting for you to see my paintings when you come back!"

Zhong Yuemin stood aside, looking at the two little guys, and a warm feeling surged in his heart. He gently touched Xiao Haichen's head, signaling him to keep his voice down and not let his mother worry. Xiao Haichen looked back at him, blinked, and then continued to express his longing to the other end of the phone.

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Xiaobai's voice sounded a little tired, but more gentle and firm: "My dears, Mommy misses you too. Mommy will be able to go home in a while. Then, Mommy will bring you gifts, okay?"

"Okay!" the two children answered in unison, their faces filled with anticipation and joy.

Zhong Yuemin had a gentle smile on his face. He patted the two little guys on the back gently, signaling them to make some room for him.

Zhong Yuemin took the phone, a hint of anticipation flashed in his eyes, he deliberately cleared his throat and said jokingly, "Hey, isn't this our busy man, County Chief Zhou? How come you finally decided to call home?"

Zhou Xiaobai chuckled on the other end of the phone, his voice was a little tired but could not hide the tenderness. "Yuemin, please stop teasing me. This meeting is much more complicated than expected, so it took a long time to process. How are the children? Did they cause you any trouble?"

"Trouble? They are my lucky stars!" Zhong Yuemin glanced at Xiao Haichen and Xiao Shihua, who were blinking their big eyes and staring at him curiously, and his heart was filled with warmth. "But you, it sounds like you have had a hard time. Remember to rest more and don't push yourself too hard."

Seeing her father and mother chatting, Xiao Shihua couldn't help but interrupt, "Mom, Dad said that your meetings are like wars. Is that true?"

Zhou Xiaobai laughed even louder when she heard this. "My daughter, mom is not going to fight a war. She is going to solve problems."

Little Haichen was not to be outdone, and grabbed the microphone and shouted, "Mom, I'm great too! I helped grandma water the flowers yesterday, and I also learned to recite "Quiet Night Thoughts". I'll recite it to you when you come back!"

Zhong Yuemin felt warm at heart when he heard the children's childish words. He said to Zhou Xiaobai on the other end of the phone, "Wife, did you hear what the children said? Everything is fine at home. Just work with peace of mind. We will wait for your triumphant return."

"Okay, Yuemin, with you here, I have unlimited motivation."

Zhong Yuemin leaned lazily on the sofa in his living room, with a cynical smile on his lips, but his eyes were full of doting on Zhou Xiaobai.

Zhong Yuemin held the receiver in his hand, and his slightly unruly face looked even more handsome. "Wife, how is the promotion of garlic planting in Jinqiu County going? Isn't your meeting taking too long? I'm so anxious, waiting for your good news!"

Zhou Xiaobai, who was thousands of miles away, sat at her desk with documents and materials piled around her. She smiled helplessly, and that smile showed both fatigue and relief.

"Yuemin, there's nothing we can do about it. Although the soil conditions in Jinqiu County are suitable for growing garlic, it's not easy to convince local farmers, and there's a lot of resistance. Fortunately, after several rounds of negotiations, we finally reached a preliminary agreement, which is the first step."

What Zhong Yuemin didn't know was that the situation in Jinqiu County was far more complicated than it seemed. Not only did he fail to realize the deep-rooted thinking of the local farmers, but he also didn't expect that the work of the county's leadership team would be the real tough nut to crack.

Those officials sitting in the conference room and looking friendly all have their own considerations and conflicts of interest.

Zhou Xiaobai, a woman with a delicate appearance but a strong heart, has pushed herself to the limit in order to promote the garlic planting project. She not only has to face the doubts and resistance of farmers, but also the doubts and pressure from the county leadership. Every meeting and every negotiation is like a war without gunpowder, which makes her physically and mentally exhausted.

But Zhou Xiaobai did not back down, nor did she reveal any of her difficulties to Zhong Yuemin. She knew that although Zhong Yuemin seemed cynical, he had a strong sense of responsibility and commitment in his heart. She didn't want him to worry about her, and she didn't want him to be distracted by this matter.

Therefore, Zhou Xiaobai silently took on all the responsibilities. She used her wisdom and perseverance to resolve crises time and time again, and persuaded those hesitant leaders time and time again. She even bet her personal reputation and future in exchange for the smooth progress of the project.

Now, all the pressure is on Zhou Xiaobai's shoulders. She is like an isolated island, struggling to move forward in the rough sea. But she did not give up, nor did she complain. She knew that as long as she persisted, she would be able to see the dawn of hope.

However, Zhong Yuemin, the man who had always been with her, never noticed her hardship and dedication. He still teased her with a smile.

Zhong Yuemin frowned slightly when he heard this, and a trace of worry flashed in his eyes. "Wife, are you okay?"

Zhou Xiaobai shook his head, with a somewhat tenacious smile. "It's okay, nothing can happen to me. But you, Yuemin, is there any problem with the garlic export you mentioned? This is the key to our business this time."

Hearing this, Zhong Yuemin regained a confident smile on his face. He patted his chest, as if everything was under control. "Wife, you still don't believe me? Do you remember Ermaozi's cousin Yu Guodong? He was the guy who helped the Computer Research Institute flourish and helped several research institutes solve export problems."

When Zhou Xiaobai heard the name "Yu Guodong", his eyes lit up, as if he had found his backbone. "Oh, now that you mention it, I remember it. I feel more at ease with his help on the export matter." Zhou Xiaobai breathed a sigh of relief, a smile on his face.

Zhong Yuemin smiled proudly. "What do you think, wife? Is your husband more reliable?"

Zhou Xiaobai: "Okay, stop joking. Let's be serious. This promotion of garlic planting is a big deal for the farmers in Jinqiu County. We have to plan it well and not let them down."

"Don't worry, daughter-in-law, I know what I'm doing."

Zhong Yuemin put away his joking attitude and said seriously, "Jinqiu County just needs to plant the garlic, and wait for Li Kuiyong to go and purchase it next July. By then, I will ask Yu Guodong to open up the international market, especially Southeast Asia, where there is a huge demand for garlic."

After hearing this, Zhou Xiaobai finally felt relieved. But she wanted more. "Yuemin, can you let Yu Guodong bring foreign exchange to buy it?"

Zhong Yuemin laughed after hearing this. "Wife, you are a little greedy!"

Zhou Xiaobai had nothing to be embarrassed about when facing Zhong Yuemin. After all, he was her man. "Hey! Just tell me if it's okay or not?"

Zhong Yuemin changed the subject and did not seem to respond directly to Zhou Xiaobai's concerns. Instead, he raised a more practical question. "Wife, large-scale garlic planting and small-scale trial planting are two different things. Do you have any good solutions?"

Zhou Xiaobai was a little confused when she heard this. As a woman who grew up in the city, when had she ever farmed, let alone large-scale garlic cultivation? She blinked, looking innocent. "Is there, what's the difference? Why didn't anyone tell me about this?"

Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin smiled mischievously and explained patiently, "Will the garlic freeze to death in the bitterly cold winter? Also, the spacing between each garlic plant must be well controlled, which directly affects the size and yield of the garlic. If the yield decreases, next year's income will be gone."

Zhou Xiaobai became nervous when he heard this and asked anxiously, "Ah? Yuemin, what should we do? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Zhong Yuemin smiled, patted Zhou Xiaobai on the shoulder, and comforted her. "Wife, don't panic, don't forget that I am your husband. With me here, everything is not a problem. Remember one thing, believe in your husband and you will have eternal life."

Zhou Xiaobai was amused by Zhong Yuemin's words. The corners of her mouth could not help but rise, and a smile flashed in her eyes. "Go to hell! You are so mean, always so talkative. But, Yuemin, what are you going to do? I can't just rely on your words 'believe in your husband and you will have eternal life'."

Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin stopped joking and thought seriously. "Wife, ask the people who grow garlic to prepare plastic film and fertilizer. The planting time is around October 10st. I will go there in advance and ask Yu Guodong to go there too. If you have any requirements, you can tell Yu Guodong directly. If it doesn't work, we can sign an agreement at that time to relieve your pressure."

Zhou Xiaobai felt warm in her heart after hearing Zhong Yuemin's words. She knew that no matter what difficulties she encountered, Zhong Yuemin would stand by her side and give her advice.

"Yuemin, can Yu Guodong listen to me?"

"Wife, you can be more confident. If you have any request, Yu Guodong will definitely be happy to meet it."

"Go to hell!"

However, a new question appeared in Zhou Xiaobai's mind. "Yuemin, the people probably don't have money to buy plastic film and fertilizer. What can we do?"

Zhong Yuemin frowned slightly when he heard this, and seemed to be considering this question. "No way? Plastic film shouldn't cost much. Fertilizer is a little more expensive, but it shouldn't be so expensive, right?"

Zhou Xiaobai shook his head and explained, "Yuemin, you may not understand the situation in the countryside. Most farmers are not well off. They may have difficulty maintaining basic living expenses, not to mention purchasing additional plastic film and fertilizers."

Zhong Yuemin listened to Zhou Xiaobai's words and fell into deep thought. He knew that this problem was much more complicated than he had imagined. But he did not give up, but began to look for new solutions. "Wife, don't worry. Let me think of a way."

After a while, Zhong Yuemin's voice came through the phone again, with some confidence and determination. "Wife, I have an idea. Your government can let farmers who can afford fertilizers and plastic films buy them themselves. For those who can't afford them, you can deduct the money from their income when they sell garlic next year. This policy is only for this year, it can be regarded as a special support."

"Yuemin, who will take out the money first?"

"The manufacturers of fertilizers and plastic films! Your county government should go and talk to the manufacturers." Zhong Yuemin has obviously found a solution to this problem.

Zhou Xiaobai frowned upon hearing this and began to seriously consider the feasibility of this method. She asked with some concern, "Yuemin, will the manufacturer be willing? After all, they have to advance the money first."

Zhong Yuemin smiled wickedly when he heard this, and his voice was full of confidence. "Tell them that when we settle accounts with them next year, we will directly pay them in foreign exchange. In this way, they can not only make money, but also earn foreign exchange. Why not do it?"

Zhou Xiaobai burst out laughing when she heard Zhong Yuemin say this. She thought that although this method was a bit bold, it was indeed a good idea.

Zhou Xiaobai said coquettishly, "Yuemin, you are so mean. You can even come up with such a method. But I like it. You can always come up with some strange ideas at critical moments. I like this energy of yours."

Zhong Yuemin also laughed on the other end of the phone. He imagined Zhou Xiaobai's reaction after hearing this idea, and felt very proud. Although this method was a bit bold, it was worth it as long as it could solve the practical problems of the farmers.

After Zhou Xiaobai hung up the phone, she immediately took action. She first communicated with other county leaders and told them Zhong Yuemin's idea.

After hearing this, the leaders were a little hesitant, but considering that it was for the benefit of the farmers, they finally agreed to this plan.

Next, Zhou Xiaobai acted quickly. She contacted the manufacturers of fertilizers and plastic films, explained to them the policies proposed by Zhong Yuemin one by one, and solemnly promised to give them foreign exchange directly when settling accounts next year.

After hearing this, Director Liu of the fertilizer factory was moved. He was worried that if he couldn't get the money back, he would lose a lot. However, when he thought about earning foreign exchange, he was tempted and didn't want to miss this opportunity.

Factory Director Liu frowned and asked worriedly, "County Magistrate Zhou, can you really guarantee foreign exchange next year? To be honest, I'm a little unsure and I don't dare to believe it."

Zhou Xiaobai smiled confidently when he heard this. "Director Liu, you should know about the foreign exchange earned by the computer department last year, right?"

Director Liu nodded. This matter was reported in the newspapers and became a hot topic. Few people didn't know about it.

Seeing this, Zhou Xiaobai continued, "The Hong Kong businessmen who cooperate with the computer institute will come to our county next month to sign an agreement. If Director Liu is worried, I will also ask them to sign an agreement for you when they come. In this way, you will have double protection, you can earn foreign exchange without worrying about not receiving the money."