Read Novel Full Chapter 156
Chapter 156 : Competing for Connections
Early in the morning, before the store opened, Wang Juan was ironing clothes with someone in the back when a man wearing a big hat came to the door.
“We have received reports from the public that your store is operating in violation of regulations. We are here to inspect it. Please cooperate.”
Wang Juan had never seen someone wearing a peaked cap, so she felt a little nervous, but after all her training, she had become a worldly-wise person.
“Comrade, our store has a business license, which has been stamped by the Industrial and Commercial Bureau. Please check it, and we will definitely cooperate.”
The short, dark-faced man with a protruding belly pretended to glance at the business license, then walked to the warehouse at the back where the goods were stored to take a look.
There were all new dresses placed there that had not been put on display, and Wang Juan subconsciously covered them up.
The man in the big hat snorted twice and scribbled in his notebook. “Your store’s business license is not up to standard. You will be closed for a week for rectification. You must reapply to the Industry and Commerce Bureau, and you can only reopen after your application is approved.”
Of course, Wang Juan refused. “That’s impossible! We have formal licenses.
Comrade, please help me. It’s a small business, and it will be a huge waste of time to close for so long.”
Wang Juan winked at the clerk, took out a red envelope, and calmly stuffed it into the man’s hand. “Can you let me know what exactly is wrong with our compliance?”
The man in the big hat felt the thickness of the red envelope, snorted, and rudely pushed Wang Juan’s hand away. “Don’t try this on me. I’ve seen many self-employed people like you who bribe public officials for a little money.”
“Comrade, what are you talking about? I definitely didn’t mean that,” Wang Juan’s heart skipped a beat, and she put the red envelope back into her pocket.
This man came in aggressively and obviously had malicious intent. She needed to tell the boss as soon as possible.
No matter how much Wang Juan tried to persuade the man, he refused to budge. Finally, Wang Juan had no choice but to call Jiang Li.
“I see. It’s okay, I’ll go to the Industry and Commerce Bureau to inquire. You all take the day off. You’ve been busy for so long and haven’t had a break. Your salaries will still be paid.”
Jiang Li hung up the phone and thought to herself that her closest enemy would be the Yu family.
These days, connections are made in roundabout ways, so it’s possible that the Yu family knows one or two people at the Industrial and Commercial Bureau.
Jiang Li drove to the Industry and Commerce Bureau. After entering, she first explained the suspension of business for rectification. The man opposite her glanced at Jiang Li from head to toe and said, “You are the owner of that clothing store?”
“Yes, comrade. You said that our store’s business license is not up to standard. Can you tell me exactly what’s wrong with it?”
Ma Jianyue looked at Jiang Li, picked up the teacup on the table, drank slowly, and spat out a few tea leaves. “To be honest, your store makes a lot of money every day! A skirt costs dozens of dollars. This woman is making money easily!”
He then talked to a few colleagues around him, leaving Jiang Li alone.
Her colleagues are used to it. There are many self-employed people who have been troubled like this. In the end, they all have to accept defeat, give money and gifts, and go through the process again.
I don’t know who this shop owner has offended, but they’re all from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau. No matter what Ma Jianyue does, his superiors don’t care.
If someone really asks me, I’ll just pick a small issue and pass it off.
In the end, the business will be closed for rectification, and the shop owners who have no way to express their grievances dare not speak out.
Jiang Li finally understood that this person was just trying to find fault.
“You have a good relationship with the Yu family?”
She said this out of the blue, and Ma Jian became even more angry and embarrassed. “What nonsense are you talking about? Do you still want to keep your store open?”
Jiang Li sneered. “I want to open it, but someone is jealous and deliberately won’t let me.”
She didn’t stay long and left with her purse.
Isn’t it just a matter of connections? She didn’t believe that the Xu family’s connections couldn’t compare to the Yu family’s.
The next morning, Jiang Li’s clothing store opened as usual. Not long after, Ma Jianyue received a call from Yao Qiufang, who angrily said, “Xiao Ma, what’s going on? I see that little bitch’s shop is still open. Did you take my money and not do the work for me? Are you trying to trick me?”
“How is that possible? I ordered them to suspend business yesterday!”
“Well, go and see for yourself.”
Ma Jianyue hung up the phone. He heard footsteps approaching and saw his boss standing in front of him, pointing at his nose and roaring so loudly that the glass of the office shook. “Ma Jianyue, you’ve done something bad! Get in here.”
Ma Jianyue was stunned. He followed her into the office and carefully closed the door. “Boss, what do you mean?”
“Huh, you’re acting so arrogant now. Don’t you know what you’ve done recently? Abusing private power, and even threatening to revoke the clothing store’s business license. They’ve reported it to me!”
Ma Jianyue was shocked. How could this self-employed person have such strong connections and be able to reach his boss?
This is impossible.
Didn’t the Yu family say that the female boss came from the countryside?
His boss hadn’t finished scolding him yet. Seeing his incredulous expression, she angrily threw the document on the table. “Ma Jianyue, Ma Jianyue. I usually think you’re quite active. If there are some things you can’t do well, I’ll just turn a blind eye. But do you know who you’ve offended?”
Ma Jianyue was jolted awake by the blow and hurriedly apologized, trying to make amends. He lit his boss’s cigarette, hoping to calm the situation.
His boss exhaled a puff of smoke and after a long pause, spoke, “I think you’re quite smart, so I want to remind you not to take money that you shouldn’t take.”
“Have you heard of the Xu family?”
“The red capitalist Xu family? They donated materials to the country before the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and after the founding, they voluntarily handed over their biscuit factories, wineries, and textile factories. Their business is spread all over the country?”
His boss snorted coldly. “The money they have is enough to bury your family a thousand times over.”
Ma Jianyue’s legs suddenly went weak. How, how could this be possible?
“Her last name isn’t Xu either?”
“Get out. Don’t let me see you.”
The more Ma Jianyue spoke with his boss, the angrier she became. He had always seemed smart and capable, even if he had some small, questionable ideas. But this time, he was too foolish he should never have attempted it.
It seemed like more training for others would be needed in the future.
Ma Jianyue walked out of the leader’s office in a daze, not realizing that he had lost his boss’s trust and cut off his future path to promotion.
…
When the ginkgo trees in Haicheng turned yellow, Jiang Li received a letter from Yongfang County, which mentioned two things.
One was from Li Chunlan, saying she was getting married. The other was from the graves of Jiang Li’s parents, which had been partially washed away by the continuous autumn rain.
After discussing with her family, Jiang Li checked her class schedule, saw that she wasn’t too busy, so she took a leave and prepared to go home.
Sitting on the train on her way back, the mountains and plains gradually passed by, and the scenery became more and more familiar.
Qi Shaoqiang helped Jiang Li off the train. “Lizi, we’re here.”
It took a long time to get from the county to the village, and by the time they arrived, it was already mid-afternoon.