Chapter 124: I Am but a Brick, to Be Moved Wherever Needed

Even the manager of the photo studio could tell that the supple, glowing young woman had an extraordinary relationship with Rang Weidong. He had already seen several other young women accompanying him previously.

At this moment, Rang Weidong, with unprecedented joy, readily agreed to the manager’s sharp and well-timed suggestion to take a family portrait of the three of them, even requesting a large print. Dong Xueying, on the other hand, hesitated for a moment before consenting. The manager, of course, knew better than to bring out the enlarged photo of the female soldier from the last visit. He simply took the four steaming take-out boxes, promising to have the product photographs taken as beautifully and as quickly as possible.

After Rang Weidong paid and carried the child out, he asked Dong Xueying if she wanted to visit Jiangda University. She nodded only after some consideration. Clearly, she had felt a twinge of regret after leaving the bed, accompanied by a sense of guilt toward her sister. Her mental capacity was already stretched thin. Seeing the woman looking both sorrowful and yet more tender than ever, Rang Weidong felt the urge to buy a car for transportation. Although one could still hail taxis in the city center, these small, two-box hatchbacks were so cramped they reminded him of a brooding hen. In his memory, the famous "To'er" taxis of Jiangzhou were larger than this. They were almost the size of those Wuling MINIs; Rang Weidong didn't even recognize this tiny shrimp of a vehicle. The worst part was the summer heat, and the car had no air conditioning—everything relied on the wind rushing in as it moved.

However, the narrow backseat made it convenient for him to keep his arms around Dong Xueying and whisper to her throughout the ride. The young woman leaned softly against his chest, helpless. "Let's wait until Xiaoqing arrives. I... I must have been possessed by a ghost. I just wanted to wake you up since you were always so dense, but look at how you are!" As she spoke, she couldn't help but poke his forehead with her finger. She no longer hid her coquettish charm, which made Rang Weidong pull her in for another kiss. She did not respond with equal fervor.

The space was so small that any sound could not escape the front seat. The driver glanced at the rearview mirror repeatedly, leaving Dong Xueying both embarrassed and speechless; she gritted her teeth and poked his ribs hard. She certainly hadn't expected this guy to be so shameless just because she offered a little guidance. Rang Weidong didn't bother with the details, instead holding the child up to face them: "This is my daughter, and that will never change."

Dong Xueying wanted to smile, but she pursed her lips tightly. "It’s only fresh now. I should... I really should get the marriage certificate and hold a banquet with you, just to avoid trouble later." The driver couldn't help but straighten his posture, trying to lean his ears back, but the car was so small that his head bumped against the roof. He was intensely curious.

To his surprise, Rang Weidong, who was well-traveled, said, "Oh, you don't know, many foreigners never marry but still grow old together. Anyway, do whatever makes you happy, as long as we don't part." The divorced young woman's round, pretty face held that conflict of wanting to smile while desperately trying to convince herself that good times don't last and that she shouldn't get lost in them. Having suffered much since childhood, her skin wasn't fair, but it was precisely this wheat-toned fullness that gave her thin brows and thick lips a hint of wild, exotic charm. Especially when she wore such varied expressions, she looked exceptionally beautiful. Rang Weidong found it hard to keep his hands off her and wanted to return to the guesthouse immediately. But whenever Dong Xueying glared at him, it seemed to carry the helpless indulgence of an older sister, forcing Rang Weidong to say, "Fine, fine, let’s get to work first."

Shen Cuiyue had sharp eyes; seeing them, she reacted with masked surprise and warmth: "Is this Sister Dong? I heard from Shitou and Mao'er about how you took care of them. So this is your daughter? Brother Dong will surely be a good father. Congratulations to you both." She didn't remove her mask, and she maintained a strictly professional distance from Rang Weidong, leaving the ever-observant Dong Xueying with no reason for suspicion. She began to wonder if she had acted too hastily.

It was precisely at this juncture—until the afternoon, when they were in another meeting with the mechanical and materials departments, and Dong Xueying stepped away to use the restroom—that Shen Cuiyue leaned in close to Rang Weidong's ear. "You really should take it easy. Your health is what matters. Being so unrestrained all the time is very damaging to the body. What will you do when you're old?"

Rang Weidong had initially moved his face away, but he was still drawn in by the content. "Is it that obvious?"

The "rivers-and-lakes" girl sighed softly, pulled her mask down slightly, and exhaled like an orchid against his earlobe. "Even a blind person could see it. Don't go see your parents today. I'll tell you a few techniques; remember to recite and practice them when you have nothing to do. It’s very effective if you persist in the long run..."

Any man would find it hard not to listen, but while she spoke, what was with the tongue licking his ear? Fortunately, the self-cultivation movements were simple and easy to perform while sitting without anyone noticing. But these little actions were also invisible to others, making Rang Weidong's hair stand on end; he was nervous and stimulated, fearing discovery as he quietly dodged. After all, the one-year-old baby girl in his arms was staring at them with her beady eyes, unblinking! There was no telling if she had any memory retention.

Before Dong Xueying returned, the Third Sister, Shen, straightened up and stood to the side as if nothing had happened. Shitou and Mao'er were certainly signaling from the doorway. Damn it, the entire workshop, including teachers, students, and laborers, had seen the whole show. Rang Weidong couldn't very well act like a decadent emperor, slacking off and leaving work early, so he bit the bullet and finished the tasks.

Once he confirmed that the "test products" from every stage could be sold daily, it was time to hire more laborers and expand production. Rang Weidong was absolutely bold in this regard; if production line automation wasn't enough, he would hire more people. The two newly installed machines could start trial production, and the imported machine, with its fabric configuration adjusted, could now produce over a thousand pieces per hour! Just running these three "workshop-style" machines could produce tens of thousands of pieces a day; if he pushed them to full capacity on three shifts, he could reach even one hundred thousand.

According to Rang Weidong’s mental calculation of material costs, a pack of ten cost about two jiao. Sales, machine depreciation, maintenance, and facility costs were, in reality, whatever he said they were; no one knew how he would price them. However, various local units in Jiangzhou had already requested to pre-order large quantities at ex-factory prices as benefits for their female employees.

So, when Rang Weidong left work before dinner, his instruction to Shen Cuiyue was clear: "Think about how you felt back then. Try to hire the elderly, the weak, women, and children who can't get other jobs. Packaging doesn't require much strength. Guarantee a daily wage of two or three yuan for manual labor. Hire as many people as you can based on this production volume, but don't let them sit idle. You can pay three jiao per pack for manual packaging. At the very least, we must project an image of scale; all these units are watching. Don't worry about making a profit for now; they are providing this workshop to us for free for the time being."

Shen Cuiyue understood immediately. "Understood. Build the reputation of being a philanthropist first. I see... you should be careful. At her age, she's like a bone-scraping knife."

Rang Weidong suppressed the urge to tell her it was none of her business and turned to walk away with a look of feigned earnestness. Dong Xueying even waved goodbye to them. Once they were out, she pointed out the situation: "Erfeng is watching over things for you in Shangzhou, the Third Sister is in charge here, and isn't that female secretary the one in Rongdu? It seems all the people you trust are young women." There was no jealousy, just teasing.

Rang Weidong chuckled. "Old Yu and I have already become quite close. And there's Jin Zhuoqun, who I think is as big a swindler as Old You. I try to hang out with Old You and his crowd. You haven't mentioned a single one of these men, not to mention my college student sales teams all over the country. There are already over forty people, and the vast majority are men. Do you want to go on a nationwide tour to see if I'm playing any games out there?"

Walking on campus, one couldn't help but feel the thick atmosphere of youth, and Dong Xueying hummed in response. When Rang Weidong theatrically lifted his elbow, she looked around and then sweetly linked her arm with his. Rang Weidong was puzzled: "There’s no shame in being with me, why are you afraid? We're a perfect match!"

The young woman tapped his face. "Have no shame. You are indeed talented, but what am I? Just an old, divorced woman."

Rang Weidong spoke with scientific rigor: "You're only twenty-four. There's a saying that a woman three years older is like holding a gold brick; you've brought an extra one. With our conditions, as long as we take good care of ourselves, you'll still be a beautiful, young-looking woman even twenty years from now." A girl from forty years later would surely have jumped up and kicked him for saying such things.

But Dong Xueying had already gently rested her head on his shoulder. "I've told you everything I think, Weidong. I don't dare to expect you to treat me well for a lifetime. You will surely meet more beautiful and outstanding women in the future. I won't cling to you shamelessly, but I only ask that you remember to treat Xiaoqing and Xiaodie well."

Rang Weidong clicked his tongue. "You certainly distance yourself cleanly." A stone-cold straight man could never utter sweet nothings, but he was indeed wealthy, with cash flowing in every week, so how could his backbone not be firm?

Exiting the university gate, the dining and commercial atmosphere in the education district was even livelier at night than in the city center, perhaps because there were so many young people from the nearby universities. Dong Xueying also dragged him along, saying they should stroll more before going back, clearly feeling that indulging in "that" was not a good thing.

After grabbing a quick bite, Rang Weidong found a large department store to buy clothes. Initially, Dong Xueying resisted, but when Rang Weidong said they were for the child and for Xiaoqing, and that they would just pick up a few things for themselves, she fell silent. Then, she was shocked by Rang Weidong's taste and speed in choosing clothes. Usually, she saw him dressed in drab, dusty clothes, and when they first met, he was even wearing patched clothes like a porter. How was he suddenly so adept at women's fashion? She couldn't help but mutter to herself.

In fact, it was just that he had seen so much in his later life; even ordinary young people's clothing from the future looked stylish now. Rang Weidong could easily distinguish which clothes were dated and which ones had a timeless appeal. He hadn't cared what he wore before, but now things were truly different. He grabbed the colorful dresses and skirts from the counters one after another. When the child's mother went to change and try them on, he would directly ask the clerk to write up the bill and pay. Then, he grabbed two or three women's shirts at a time. Come to think of it, in this day and age, besides dresses, one could only rely on shirts to show some style. Especially since Dong Xueying's complexion was slightly dark, a white shirt brought out that wild charm even more. Rang Weidong was clearly influenced by Old Lady Shi and Zhang Lanzhi, both of whom were slender women who knew how to wear shirts well.

Dong Xueying couldn't keep up with the changes and tried to call a halt: "Don't rush, don't rush, that one is too tight."

Rang Weidong didn't stop: "If it's too tight, Xiaoqing can wear it. If she doesn't gain weight, she'll become a kite. Let's go over there and buy shoes." High heels, flats, and leather sandals—he bought several pairs of everything. Dong Xueying had to pull him aside, saying he should buy something for his parents too. Rang Weidong scoffed: "They are in the city center every day. Let them buy their own when their taste improves; it's not like they don't have the money."

In the end, he bought a few things for the elderly, but not as many as the baby clothes. Dong Xueying then started to counter-attack by choosing clothes for the man. She had always lived a life of poverty and had never spent money so freely. But with the characteristics of a woman from Eastern Sichuan, she prioritized her man, wanting the best for him first. Fortunately, the selection of men's clothing in mainland department stores was truly sparse, and Rang Weidong found them all lacking, finding it much more fun to buy women's clothes.

Once they enjoyed the pleasure of shopping, time and money flowed away rapidly. By the time they finally got into a taxi, they had to unpack the bags to fit them in, and the front passenger seat was stuffed to the brim. Rang Weidong couldn't stand this chicken-coop-like two-box car; as he helped the mother and daughter squeeze in, he complained: "I really have to go buy a car. This thing is impossible to sit in!"

Taxi drivers in this era were considered high earners, and the driver was quite unhappy that someone was looking down on his livelihood. He immediately retorted: "Oh, so amazing, go buy one then! How about a minivan made in Jiangzhou for sixty-five thousand?"

Rang Weidong paused: "Is that the Suzuki minivan? I heard it's still being tested and hasn't been put on sale yet, right?"

It was available, and in fact, it had already been on sale for two years.