allendalepharm Chapter 1095 Li Jianjun is anxious
Chapter 1095 Li Jianjun is anxious
Li Jianjun felt a burning rage within him, making him restless and pacing back and forth on his knees. His position as deputy factory director was gone in an instant; his signature pen had been taken away, his office keys handed over, and all his power had been stripped away. He feared that even a team leader would treat him badly from now on, and the thought of such a life terrified him. But he also knew that the more agitated he was at this time, the more likely he was to make a mistake. He could only suppress his anger, picking up his chopsticks and slowly picking at the rice in his bowl, the grains of rice tasting utterly tasteless.
When it comes to winning a girl's heart, Li Jianjun has always been quite clever. He caught a glimpse of Zhang Xue staring intently at the braised pork on her plate, her chopsticks hesitating at the edge of her bowl. He immediately picked up a piece of perfectly marbled, glistening pork and gently placed it in her bowl, his tone deliberately ingratiating: "Eat more. You've gotten so thin taking care of the kids lately, your eyes are all sunken. This meat is stewed until it's tender, it'll help you recover, so you won't be too weak to take care of the kids later."
Zhang Xue glanced down at the meat in her bowl, then looked up at Li Jianjun, a faint smile spreading across her face, soft and gentle like cotton soaked in warm water. The worry that had risen in her heart because of Li Jianjun's dejected state had also faded considerably. She picked up some meat with her chopsticks and ate it in small bites. The aroma of the braised pork mixed with the sweetness of the broth slowly spread in her mouth, and the meal was finally eaten in a relatively peaceful manner, without the gloom from before.
In contrast, Li Jianjun had little appetite. He shoveled down a few mouthfuls of rice before slamming his chopsticks down, the porcelain bowl clattering against the table. He was no longer the powerful deputy factory director with his entourage; he no longer held real power. Today, when he was stopped at the factory gate by security, even Old Wang from the mailroom dared to glance at him out of the corner of his eye, the contempt in his eyes like needles pricking him. He felt like he was walking half a head shorter than before, the sense of loss and resentment stuck in his chest like a rusty thorn, impossible to swallow.
Zhang Xue saw his expression, the vegetable she held between her chopsticks hovering in mid-air. She understood his thoughts—losing a perfectly good job like that would upset anyone, especially someone as proud as Li Jianjun. But now, words of comfort like "don't take it to heart" and "start over" were useless. She could only silently stay by his side, waiting for him to recover. She picked up a piece of vegetable and gently placed it in Li Jianjun's bowl: "Eat some more. How can you think things through on an empty stomach?"
Li Jianjun didn't touch the vegetables with his chopsticks. He just wiped his mouth, looked at Zhang Xue, and said with a hint of anxious expectation in his eyes, "Put the dishes aside for now, we'll clean them up later. Let's go find Dad now and have a good talk with him about the factory. See if he can think of a solution—Dad knows a lot of people in the city, maybe there's still a chance." He still held onto a sliver of hope, hoping that his father-in-law could give him another hand. Even if he couldn't get the deputy factory director position, he at least had to get a lucrative job, otherwise he would lose face in front of his relatives and friends.
Zhang Xue knew he was anxious and that he was clinging to this last straw, so she didn't object. She just nodded, got up, and walked into the house: "Okay, it's windy outside. I'll go get a coat and leave. You should put on a thick one too, so you don't get cold."
The two hurried towards Zhang Li's house, one after the other. Just as they reached the gate, they saw Zhang Li returning from outside, wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit and carrying a brown briefcase, the corners worn smooth. His hair was neatly combed, but his tie was loose, and his face showed signs of fatigue from a social engagement. Seeing Zhang Xue and Li Jianjun, he paused, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, a subtle scrutiny flashing in his eyes, as if assessing their intentions for coming at this time.
Li Jianjun carried a bulging blue cloth bag in his arms, containing gifts that Zhang Xue had specially selected after visiting three supply and marketing cooperatives—two jin of top-quality Longjing tea sealed in a tin can, its leaves flat and straight, exuding vitality; and a beautifully packaged bottle of Xinghuacun wine, its neck tied with a red ribbon, gleaming in the sunlight. He jogged along, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead, soaking a small patch of his shirt. When he reached Zhang Li's door, he deliberately stopped, wiped his face, took a deep breath, and then pushed open the door, a perfectly timed ingratiating smile plastered on his face: "Dad, I brought you some things. I really owe you a lot this time, otherwise I don't know how long I would have been stuck inside. I'll remember this kindness."
Zhang Li was sitting in a grand chair in the main room, smoking, the embers in his pipe flickering. He glanced at the cloth bundle in Li Jianjun's hand, without even lifting his eyelids, and said indifferently, "Alright, we're family, no need for formalities. Put the things down." He paused, tapping his pipe on the chair leg, his tone becoming serious, "I need to make something clear to you: behave yourself lately, stay home, and don't cause any more trouble for Gu Nan, understand?"
Zhang Li had wanted to mention Gu Nan's connections—he'd recently heard from an old comrade that the guy's technological upgrade project had even received praise from city leaders, making him a rising star. Moving against him at this juncture would be pointless and could even land him in trouble. But he swallowed his words. Zhang Li knew Li Jianjun's personality all too well: impulsive, naive, and prone to making promises he could easily keep. If this got back to Gu Nan, or if he impulsively went to him for help, all his efforts of pulling strings and spending money would be wasted.
Li Jianjun's smile froze, as if he'd been frozen in place. He didn't reply, but secretly turned to look at Zhang Xue standing to the side, his eyes filled with a pleading look. After all, he was Zhang Xue's father; it would seem deliberate for him to say some things himself. Having Zhang Xue subtly encourage him would be more effective.
Zhang Xue immediately understood his meaning and hurriedly stepped forward to help place the gifts on the octagonal table. The tin cans clinked softly against the table. She said softly to Zhang Li, "Dad, this is all Jianjun's thoughtful gift. He knows that you went to great lengths to help him this time, so he specially went to several supply and marketing cooperatives to pick out your favorite Longjing tea and this wine, saying it would help you relax."
Li Jianjun nodded vigorously, echoing, "Yes, yes, Dad, we really owe you a lot. If it weren't for you stepping in, I would have definitely suffered a major setback this time. I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life, and I will follow your lead wherever you ask."
Zhang Li grunted in agreement and slowly stood up: "Alright, let's talk inside. What kind of behavior is it to stand here in the main room?"