Rebirth of Bloody Romance

The next morning, rays of golden sunlight shone through the clouds and fell on the earth, bringing a touch of warmth to the cold winter day.

Zhang Li and Li Hongmei walked into the yard arm in arm, holding several thick account books tightly in their hands, with confident and determined smiles on their faces.

The two walked straight towards Zhong Yuemin, their steps brisk and powerful. When they arrived in front of Zhong Yuemin, they handed the account book to him without hesitation.

Zhong Yuemin looked at the account book in front of him and couldn't help but feel like refusing. He had never been interested in these tedious accounts and thought it was an extremely troublesome matter.

However, Zhang Li seemed to have sensed his thoughts and quickly explained, "Brother Zhong, this time we specially hired a retired accountant to do the accounting, and there will be absolutely no mistakes. Every account is clear and concise, so you can rest assured. All the vouchers are kept intact and can be checked at any time."

Li Hongmei also echoed, "Yes, Brother Zhong, just take a look! We are really working on this very carefully." Her eyes revealed a hint of expectation and trust, hoping that Zhong Yuemin would take this account seriously.

Zhong Yuemin took the account book with a helpless look on his face, still muttering in his heart, wondering what kind of trouble would be waiting for him this time.

But Zhong Yuemin still half-believed and half-doubted and opened the account book, ready to face the pile of numbers that might give him a headache. However, this time the situation was completely beyond his expectations.

As the pages turned, Zhong Yuemin's expression gradually changed from confusion to surprise.

This account book is completely different from the previous "holy books" that gave him a headache. Every account is recorded clearly and in an orderly manner.

Zhong Yuemin could even clearly see the source and destination of every income and expenditure, which made him very interested in the management abilities of Zhang Li and Li Hongmei.

Zhong Yuemin continued to browse the account book carefully, and when he turned to the profit and loss statement, his eyes suddenly lit up. The numbers on it made him unbelievable - this year, their profit reached more than 600 million!

This number is simply astronomical for that era, and even a knowledgeable person like Zhong Yuemin was shocked.

Zhong Yuemin raised his head and his eyes fell on Zhang Li and Li Hongmei.

At this moment, both of them still maintained that confident smile, as if all this was within their expectations.

Zhong Yuemin couldn't help but sigh in his heart: Sure enough, the person is still the same person, but how come he suddenly becomes so capable? It's like he suddenly opened a plug-in, which makes people look at him with new eyes.

Zhong Yuemin looked at Zhang Li and Li Hongmei curiously, his eyes flashing with concern, and asked, "How many people are there in the factory now?"

Li Hongmei raised her lips slightly, showing a gentle smile, and replied softly, "Brother Zhong, our factory currently has more than 500 employees! Moreover, there are many people who are not formal employees who are also helping with the work. The scale of our factory is really getting bigger and bigger."

Zhong Yuemin nodded slightly to show his understanding, and then continued to ask, "Well, is everyone's work going smoothly here? Have you encountered any difficulties?" His tone contained deep concern for his employees.

Zhang Li smiled and replied, "There will indeed be some minor troubles, but the factory has a large number of people and a strong force, and anyone who wants to take advantage will not succeed easily. Moreover, we paid more than one million in taxes to the government last year! Now the government will do its best to protect us. Therefore, even if we encounter some troubles occasionally, we are not afraid."

Zhang Li and Li Hongmei smiled proudly when they talked about this. The more they thought about it, the better their life was now. They were not only influential in the village, but the whole town depended on them for their livelihood.

"Brother Zhong, do you know? Our factory's business is getting better and better, and we have more and more orders. Sometimes, we even have to hire temporary workers to help." Li Hongmei added, her tone full of pride.

Zhong Yuemin was also very pleased after hearing this. He knew very well that all this was the result of the joint efforts of Zhang Li, Li Hongmei and all the employees. "You have done a great job, and I am very happy to see that our factory has achieved what it has today. However, you should also pay attention that the bigger the business, the greater the responsibility. We must always keep a clear head and run the factory better and better."

Zhang Li and Li Hongmei nodded solemnly after hearing this. They understood that although they have achieved certain results, they cannot be complacent and must continue to work hard to ensure the sustainable development of the company.

Afterwards, Zhang Li and Li Hongmei reported to Zhong Yuemin on the recent work of the factory and put forward some new ideas and suggestions. They discussed how to further improve production efficiency, optimize product quality, expand the market and other issues.

Zhong Yuemin was silent for a moment, thinking to himself that even if he came forward, he might not be able to do things so well. He knew very well that Zhang Li and Li Hongmei had already demonstrated extraordinary business talents, and he did not need to interfere too much, but only need to give appropriate guidance and support.

"I don't have much to say. You make your own decisions and plans." Zhong Yuemin's words revealed his trust and encouragement for the two.

Zhang Li's eyes sparkled with excitement after hearing this. She continued, "Brother Zhong, we will open a store in Binhai after the New Year. We already have two stores in Beijing, and the business is booming. Most of the money we make comes from opening stores. Those state-owned shopping malls are so price-cutting that it really makes me angry."

After listening to this, Zhong Yuemin nodded slightly, and he had already made up his mind. After thinking for a moment, he slowly said, "Since you want to open a store, then open a specialty store. In the future, you will have more and more products, with various styles and grades. If you sell them all together, you won't be able to differentiate the grades and prices. A specialty store can better display your products and enhance your brand image."

"Specialty store?" Zhang Li and Li Hongmei looked puzzled when they heard this.

Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin patiently explained, "A specialty store is a store that specializes in selling a certain brand or a certain type of product. Its characteristics are a complete range of products, guaranteed quality, and more professional services. This can not only enhance the brand image, but also meet the needs of consumers."

After that, Zhong Yuemin added, "If you can buy a store, never rent it. Once you buy a store, it becomes your own asset and you can run it for a long time. Moreover, you must decorate the store in a high-end way so that consumers can feel the charm of the brand and the quality of the products as soon as they enter the store."

Zhang Li and Li Hongmei suddenly understood Zhong Yuemin's explanation. They thought that Zhong's suggestion was really great, which not only met the current market trend, but also could further enhance the brand image and competitiveness.

"Brother Zhong, you are so awesome!" Zhang Li exclaimed sincerely.

"Yes, Brother Zhong, your suggestions are always so unique." Li Hongmei also echoed.

Zhong Yuemin smiled and waved his hands. "Don't praise me, I'm just making a suggestion. It's up to you to decide how to do it. I believe you can do better."

"Brother Zhong, don't worry! We will do our best."

Zhong Yuemin was very satisfied when he saw how motivated both of them were.

At noon, Gao Songshan walked into the yard briskly, holding an account book. His arrival added a bit of busyness to the small yard.

Immediately afterwards, Li Kuiyong also strode in, adding a lively atmosphere to the home.

Seeing the two of them coming, Zhong Yuemin smiled and said to Gao Songshan, "Mr. Gao, please go and get busy cooking! We have to have a good drink at noon. I won't be in Beijing for the New Year this year, so we have to celebrate the New Year in advance."

Gao Songshan nodded and smiled when he heard that. "Okay, I'll prepare it right away. You just wait to enjoy the delicious food!" After that, he turned and walked into the kitchen.

Zhang Li and Li Hongmei followed in and wanted to help. The kitchen suddenly became busy, with the sound of pots and pans colliding and the sound of cutting vegetables interweaving together, playing a cheerful movement.

At this moment, Chen Yijun came in with Xiao Shihua and Xiao Haichen. As soon as the two little guys came in, they shouted excitedly, "Grandma, there are so many people at home, it's so lively!"

Chen Yijun looked at the two children with a smile, her eyes full of doting. She replied softly, "Yes, it is indeed very lively at home today. You must be obedient and don't make trouble."

When Zhong Yuemin heard the children's voices, a loving smile appeared on his face. He stood up, walked to the children, hugged them in his arms, and asked kindly, "Girl, son, did you have fun today?"

Little Shihua blinked her big eyes. "I'm happy, Dad. My brother and I went to the park today and saw a lot of fun things."

Not to be outdone, Xiao Haichen added, "We ate it too, it was so sweet!"

Zhong Yuemin listened to the children's words, his heart was filled with happiness and satisfaction. At this time, the aroma of food from the kitchen had already wafted out, making people salivate.

Beijing, this ancient and prosperous city, was covered with a hazy golden hue in the winter dusk. The cold wind blew across the blue bricks and gray tiles of the alleys, bringing a chill, but it could not blow away the faint smell of fireworks.

On the dining table, the steaming dishes exuded an enticing aroma, and the laughter of the family was intertwined. It should have been a warm and harmonious picture.

However, at this moment, a burst of shrill sound of firecrackers suddenly came from outside the window, breaking the silence.

Gao Songshan put down the chopsticks in his hand, frowned, and muttered impatiently, "It's so annoying, these firecrackers are set off endlessly, they are set off for births, weddings, and even the opening of shops and restaurants. My ears are going to be deafened by the noise!" He rubbed his temples hard as he spoke, obviously very dissatisfied with this inappropriate excitement.

Zhong Yuemin, who was sitting opposite, smiled slightly when he heard this. He slowly picked up a piece of braised pork, put it in his mouth and chewed it carefully before speaking slowly. "Lao Gao, you are being a bit picky. It has been like this since ancient times. Setting off firecrackers is all about festivity and excitement. It's normal."

There was a sense of open-mindedness and casualness in Zhong Yuemin's words, as if he had long been accustomed to the trivial hustle and bustle of life.

Gao Songshan immediately put down the bowl in his hand and refuted confidently, "It has been true since ancient times, but don't forget that in the past, only during the Spring Festival did every household in our capital city hang up lanterns and set off firecrackers to celebrate. It's not like now, funerals, weddings, and even store openings have to be celebrated like this. It's a mess!"

At this time, Li Hongmei, who was sitting nearby, gently put down her chopsticks, with a gentle smile on her face, and interrupted, "You all have your own reasons. In my hometown, firecrackers are set off when getting married, saying that it can dispel evil spirits and welcome the bride's joy; firecrackers are also set off at funerals, saying that it is to bid farewell to the deceased and let the soul rest in peace; not to mention the Spring Festival, when firecrackers are set off to bid farewell to the old and usher in the new, and pray for peace and a good harvest in the coming year. Where we are, these customs are very normal and very particular."

Chen Yijun smiled with a hint of knowledge, and said slowly, "You young people, the origins of these customs are rarely mentioned in books. This was originally a tradition in southern Hunan and western Jiangxi, especially when there were weddings and funerals, fireworks and firecrackers were flying all over the sky. Later, Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang and other Hunan generals, as well as the southern Hunan people behind them, poured into the capital and brought the habit of setting off firecrackers with them. In their opinion, if there is no noise, it always feels that things are not lively enough and not impressive enough. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, how many people from southern Hunan and western Jiangxi entered the capital? You can imagine how many people came to Beijing! So now, people not only set off firecrackers during the Spring Festival, but also for weddings and funerals."

After hearing this, Zhong Yuemin smiled and joked, "Isn't this just in line with the saying 'changing customs and habits'? The change of customs is often accompanied by population migration and cultural integration."

Chen Yijun smiled and nodded, then turned the topic to Zhong Yuemin. "Yuemin, you have the most say in this topic. Isn't your hometown in Hunan Province? You should have a deep understanding of this custom, right?"

Zhong Yuemin was slightly stunned, then he smiled bitterly. "Alas! Although my hometown is in Hunan Province, I have never lived there!"

"In fact, customs are not just a form, but also a place for emotions to be expressed," Chen Yijun said softly, her voice gentle but firm. "No matter where we are, the memories and customs of our hometown will ring in our hearts like the sound of firecrackers. That is the destination of our souls and the driving force for us to move forward."

When Zhong Yuemin heard what Chen Yijun said, he immediately flattered her cleverly. "Mom, what you said is so good, it's simply the philosophy of life!"

Chen Yijun smiled and shook his head, urging, "Alright, alright, let's eat quickly, the food is getting cold."

At this time, Li Kuiyong raised his glass and toasted Zhong Yuemin. "Yuemin, come, let me toast you. You are going to Henan during the Chinese New Year, so we can't have dinner together. I wish you a happy new year and a safe journey!"

Zhong Yuemin responded with a smile. "We're all brothers, why be so polite? Come on, let's drink this!" The two clinked their glasses and drank it all in one gulp.