Chapter 186: Jealousy

Three days later.

Within the stipulated time, Baichuan handed over the payment in accordance with the contract, calmly taking over the He family’s hypermarket next door, expanding themselves by more than double.

The Baichuan supermarkets in the various townships of Dongchang City, like roots deeply embedded in the soil, mutually supplied each other with the Baichuan hypermarket in the city. A web had already been formed, mutually supplementing each other, with unexpectedly good results. Also because they had spent several years solidly laying the foundation beforehand, the morale of all personnel in this battle was high.

Taking advantage of the promotion of the stored-value shopping cards, they also successively unfolded operations in the surrounding cities, counties, and towns. Not only were they not dragged down by the acquisition, but they instead planned to open several more chain supermarkets by the end of the year.

In the city, Quanfu Restaurant.

Boss He signed the contract readily, and even happily accepted the invitation when he received the banquet invitation sent by Baichuan’s people. Both families sat down together politely and had a meal.

Accompanying Mother Lei were still Lei Dongchuan and Bai Zimu, but this time their identities had changed. When the two sides met again, they were no longer competitors, and meeting each other was much more harmonious.

Lei Dongchuan welcomed him to his seat. Boss He held his hand while smiling and saying:

“Dongchuan, a young person’s future is limitless. The matter this time was truly handled brilliantly. In just three days, you dazzled me. Your Baichuan is truly full of hidden talents!”

Lei Dongchuan said politely: “Where are you saying, we also learned a lot from you.”

“I’m just relying on a few years of old seniority. Today is the time for you young people to have the ability.”

After Boss He sat down, he kept talking to him, his words carrying praise.

“If you come to Wanzhou in the future, Uncle He will definitely host you.”

Lei Dongchuan let out a laugh, nodded and said okay.

This banquet could also be considered a farewell. Boss He drank a few more cups.

He still remembered when he first saw these people from Baichuan, it was at the auction half a year ago. At that time, he was high-spirited and wanted to act as the host, but was stopped by Baichuan’s people who said they would treat him later—today, they actually fulfilled the promise, but the treat was a farewell meal.

Boss He sighed inwardly, but when he turned to make small talk again, he was the picture of a nice guy.

He had already lost this territory in Dongchang, so he couldn’t afford to lose the connections in Dongchang as well.

Dongchang was a good location, and Baichuan would inevitably develop and grow given time. Making a friend was always better than having an enemy.

Boss He had a large family business and left freely without any lingering attachment.

He even appreciated Lei Dongchuan somewhat. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] When that brat was competing with him, it truly made one hate him so much it made one’s teeth itch. He was tall and sturdy, acting dumb while knowing what was going on, being coarse yet detailed—truly the talent of a good general. Because of the lingering wine, Boss He said somewhat truthfully:

“If President Fang is willing in the future, let Dongchuan come out to be tempered. You must remember me first. I knew that brat was good as soon as I saw him, I will definitely teach him everything I know—”

“Uncle He.”

Before Boss He could finish his sentence, he heard that pretty boy beside him speak, and a shiver went down his spine. It wasn’t his fault, he had been tricked by him too many times, almost forming a conditioned reflex.

Bai Zimu said: “Uncle He, is what you said true? Then may I ask you a question first?”

Boss He bit the bullet and said: “Speak.”

Bai Zimu asked curiously: “I calculated for a long time, but still didn’t quite understand. You clearly had funds at the end, why didn’t you hold on until after the Spring Festival?”

Boss He laughed heartily a few times, pointed at Bai Zimu and said:

“Look, I was scheming against him, but he instead started calculating my family’s bottom line.”

“Just chatting, isn’t it? Since you want to teach my brother in the future, why don’t you teach me first?”

“I can’t teach you,” Boss He shook his head, laughing as he said:

“With what little I have, you could learn it all in half a year.”

“Anyway, it’s all picking what to learn. Why not pick one that saves trouble? I learn faster than my brother.”

“…”

Boss He looked towards the main seat, a bit unclear whether the two brothers were fighting for power, and unclear which one President Fang of Baichuan favored more.

Mother Lei sat there with a calm expression. After waiting for them to finish a round of talk, she smiled and said:

“I hope President He doesn’t mind. Our children have been pampered by my side since they were little, and they are used to making decisions. What he says is the same as what I say; it all counts outside.”

When Boss He looked at Bai Zimu again, his eyes had changed.

So that little one was the little crown prince of Baichuan!

Lei Dongchuan and Bai Zimu cooperated tacitly. Lei Dongchuan was responsible for persuading him to drink, and Bai Zimu was responsible for pumping information. When Bai Zimu wanted to refute someone, he was like holding a small knife, but when he wanted to praise someone, his mouth was incredibly sweet. He truly asked quite a few pieces of information he wanted to know.

Boss He also intended to maintain good relations, and revealed a hint of information, pondering:

“President Fang, I have heard of Baichuan from people before, but at that time, being arrogant and haughty, I very much looked down on these small operations, thinking it was nothing more than doing some small-capital business in the countryside.”

He looked towards the supermarket on the first floor, “My coming to the countryside this time was just to see where your confidence lies.”

Mother Lei: “Has President He seen it?”

Boss He nodded: “Seen it. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] After seeing it with my own eyes, losing this time isn’t unjust for me. President Fang is someone who does big things.”

He used tea as a substitute for wine, toasting a cup, and Mother Lei drank it frankly.

Boss He tapped his finger on the stone table twice, and spoke:

“I won’t beat around the bush, I’ll speak directly with President Fang. Wonder if you have any interest in the He Jiale Hypermarket in the city?”

Mother Lei nodded aand said: “I’ve heard some rumors.”

Boss He said: “It’s not just a rumor. At the latest by the beginning of next year, there will be a hard battle to fight.”

He twirled the wine glass in his hand, smiled bitterly and said:

“It’s a Fortune Global 500 company, it’s different from us playing around. Old Brother, the business in Wanzhou is truly burning eyebrows next year… If I can’t hold it, I’ll have to rely on you guys.”

He raised his glass to indicate, and drank the wine in his cup dry himself.

He came to Dongchang, it was his miscalculation, kicking an iron plate. As long as he thought it through, he could withdraw at any time. But foreign capital supermarkets were different, this hard battle he couldn’t shrink from. Because of policy relations these past two years, more and more foreign businessmen wanted to open the door to the mainland market, drooling over this huge cake. This was also the decision he made after discussing with the clan members: to withdraw and gather all funds, they must hold onto Wanzhou.

Lei Dongchuan sat on the side and listened clearly. Only at this moment did he add a trace of respect for Boss He in his heart.

After the banquet, Boss He was supported away by his secretary. Lei Dongchuan also went over to lend a hand, supporting him to the car.

Boss He patted his arm and smiled: “You brat are too ruthless. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] So many tactics, all aimed at me. If I hadn’t seen it before, I’d think you had a grudge against me!”

Lei Dongchuan said: “Uncle He, you are an honorable person who forgets many things.”

Boss He stood before the car door without rushing to leave, furrowing his brows slightly:

“What do you mean?”

Lei Dongchuan: “When you had your subordinates go to Shifang Town to investigate before, some things were done a bit excessively, a Baichuan warehouse was smashed. Those things later were also to vent a bit of anger…”

He glanced at the secretary on the side, then smiled and said:

“But it could also be things your subordinates did privately. Uncle He, you are busy normally, and couldn’t attend to everything.”

Boss He pondered for a moment, and said to him: “I’ll investigate when I go back, I will definitely give you an explanation.”

Lei Dongchuan said: “Alright.”

*****

Not long after entering the twelfth lunar month, Dongchang small city successively experienced several heavy snows.

Dong Yuxiu felt heartache for her son, and sent a car specifically to pick him up to school. Bai Zimu also knew he was prone to colds when the season changed, so he didn’t decline. Because of the car, he could sleep ten minutes more every morning, even eating breakfast in the car.

Baichuan’s development this year was very smooth, and there was nothing to worry about. Bai Zimu focused all his heart on his studies, taking the opportunity of “tutoring” time to make his brother do fewer test papers.

Lei Dongchuan was actually quite smart, it was just that he preferred to be in contact with outside affairs, and had some impatience towards the dry knowledge on paper. But once he truly studied solidly, he learned very fast.

When he just returned, Bai Zimu deliberately stalled his diagnostic test score at a result only a few points higher than second place, looking very dangerous, with the possibility of being surpassed at any time, which stimulated Lei Dongchuan; his younger brother usually left second place behind by a chunk!

As the frequency of Lei Dongchuan’s active tutoring increased, Bai Zimu’s grades also rose steadily, all the way until the winter vacation exam, when he restored his usual status as a straight-A student.

His total subject score was almost perfect, a height that second place could never reach.

Lei Dongchuan himself also improved by two tiers, ranking 6th in the class. But looking at that character ranking first at the top of the list, he was completely satisfied.

He felt that the tutoring results were quite good.

A bit interesting.

The winter vacation was short. The Bai family called to inquire if Bai Zimu was going over to stay for a few days. Grandpa Bai on the other end of the phone said kindly:

“Zimu, there is some kind of technology exhibition being held here. Your two younger cousins like it very much and said they want to go together. Are you coming?”

Lei Dongchuan was listening on the side, secretly using his peripheral vision to look at Bai Zimu.

Bai Zimu saw it and found it funny, but politely returned the call:

“Thank you, Grandpa Bai. I won’t be going this year.”

He exchanged a few pleasantries with the old man, heard a boy’s voice speaking on the other side, and only hung up after chatting for a while.

Lei Dongchuan flipped through the book in his hand, pretending not to care and asked:

“Whose call? From the capital?”

Bai Zimu: “Mn.”

“Heard there seemed to be other people. Is it that cousin of yours, Bai Luochuan? You guys have a pretty good relationship, didn’t you say he was quite arrogant before, not serving anyone, and that the person who fell off a horse last time was also…”

Bai Zimu looked up at him.

Lei Dongchuan dodged his gaze for a moment, then stubbornly twisted it back:

“Did I say it wrong?”

Bai Zimu leaned closer, cupped his face, narrowed his eyes and said:

“Brother, how come you remember it so clearly? I’m getting jealous.”

Lei Dongchuan’s face was burning hot, his earlobes almost red enough to drip blood. But when he stepped back, it was the sofa, trapped in it and unable to move.

His reaction was truly too cute. Bai Zimu stared at him for a while, then suddenly smiled:

“Not teasing you anymore. I’m not going to Grandpa Bai’s side this year. Also, about that cousin, he said he’s picking out a warhorse and asked if I want to raise one.”

Lei Dongchuan dryly repeated his words: “Want to raise one?”

Bai Zimu gently bumped his forehead against his, pressed against him and smiled:

“Not raising one anymore. Raising you alone is enough, so tired.”

Lei Dongchuan didn’t even know when Bai Zimu had left.

That sentence kept echoing in his ears. But until the middle of the night, he suddenly remembered something was wrong—that sentence his younger brother Bai Zimu said, how did it not sound like a compliment?

He thought about it repeatedly, unable to figure it out all night.

But that sentence “jealous”, every time he thought of it, the heart beating in his chest would faintly palpitate, unable to distinguish whether it was sour or sweet.

As Chinese New Year approached, Master He’s side became lively.

Perhaps because Master He returned to Pingjiang City to visit relatives this year, the people of Baohua Silver Building felt they were favored. Without even sending a greeting, they dragged their families over.

Many people came to pay New Year’s greetings, and many gifts were sent. The group of people had learned to be smart, not sending them to the old man, but successively under the banner of sending New Year’s money to Bai Zimu. Master He had no way, and could only let Lu Ping go to pick up Bai Zimu. Bai Zimu didn’t do anything else for two days, staying at Master He’s studio to collect gifts and count money.

Lei Dongchuan had nothing to do at home, so he ran to help out at Baichuan.

Not long after he arrived, he received an urgent file bag sent by Boss He from Wanzhou.

Lei Dongchuan had always been half a boss at Baichuan. Mother Lei never spoiled him, whatever work she did, she would summon her son to do the same, so Lei Dongchuan opened it as soon as he saw the file.

The file bag was wrapped sturdily. After opening it, there were no letters, just some newspaper clippings, scattered, which couldn’t be pieced together for a while just by pouring them on the table.

Lei Dongchuan felt strange and called Fang Qi over to piece them together.

After a moment, Fang Qi said:

“Boss, these aren’t just newspaper clippings. You look, there’s a date in this corner, and here… it seems to be reporting the same event.”

“Where?”

“Here, look, these are all news about gold jewelry shops. And this page is the most complete, it’s a jewelry competition; I remember, a few years ago, it seems Master He went to be a judge?”