Switched Marriage: The Coddled Little Wife-Chapter 478: What Status Could I Possibly Have?

The opening ceremony of the department store was grand, with firecrackers blasting at the entrance for a full fifteen minutes. At the climax of the atmosphere, Lin Chuxia and Wang Tianxue, one on each side, pulled down the cover hiding the store’s sign.

The four golden characters on a black background of Huamei Mall revealed themselves with grandeur and boldness.

She had specially returned to An City and asked Granny Su for help in writing these characters.

With the official opening of the department store, the young attendants wore uniform suits, greeting every customer with enthusiastic and approachable smiles.

This was the standard of service for their store’s employees: service comes first, customer supreme, sincerity reaches all hearts, opening even the firmest bonds.

Ensure that every customer receives satisfactory service, arriving in high spirits and leaving satisfied.

These standards and principles had been deeply ingrained into the employees’ minds during the training sessions led by Qin Jianjun.

Lin Chuxia watched as customers entered the store out of curiosity and then were attracted by the dazzling array of goods. They eagerly picked up clothes they liked and held them up to themselves, with a queue already forming at the fitting rooms’ doors, and she winked at Wang Tianxue.

Wang Tianxue did not expect the bustling scene of the first day of business to be even livelier than the Department Store during the Spring Festival and was also happily preoccupied.

Lin Chuxia, however, spotted a figure in the crowd that should not have been there.

"County Magistrate Bai, what brings you here?"

Lin Chuxia approached the man standing by a car in the distance to say hello.

The County Magistrate Bai chuckled, pointing in a direction not too far off, "I came to the city for a meeting, and heard Mr. Lin had opened a new mall here, so I came to join in the fun. Mr. Lin’s business is really growing bigger and bigger."

"You flatter me, County Magistrate Bai. This is also done in partnership with friends," she said, glancing at Wang Tianxue.

County Magistrate Bai also glanced at Wang Tianxue following her gaze, then quickly drew his eyes back, "Indeed, the friends of the strong are also strong."

"You’re making fun of me, County Magistrate Bai," Lin Chuxia said with a gesture of invitation, "I have an office upstairs. Would you like to have a cup of tea?"

At this moment, she didn’t believe County Magistrate Bai came just to enjoy the bustle.

Sure enough, County Magistrate Bai opened his mouth with composure, "Nowadays, it’s not easy to have a cup of tea offered by Mr. Lin."

"Not at all, County Magistrate Bai is welcome to come for tea anytime."

Lin Chuxia walked ahead, briefly instructed Liu Na at the cash register, and then led County Magistrate Bai up to the top floor office via a security passageway on the side.

The general manager’s office belonged to Wang Tianxue while Lin Chuxia’s office door did not have a prominent sign.

Following behind Lin Chuxia, County Magistrate Bai’s gaze lingered on the sign outside the general manager’s office for two seconds as they entered.

Lin Chuxia, unaware of the change in his demeanor, poured two cups of tea with a white porcelain gaiwan once inside, offering one to County Magistrate Bai.

County Magistrate Bai was appraising her office and commented, "It’s a bit plain and not quite matching the stature of Mr. Lin."

Lin Chuxia offered a faint smile, "County Magistrate Bai always teases me. What kind of stature could I have?"

Not planning to use this office for the long term, it was indeed not much decorated.

"Try the tea; I brought some back from a recent visit to Rong City, thinking their Tieguanyin was quite good. County Magistrate Bai, please try it and see how it feels. I’ve brought you some tea as well and was planning to visit you one of these days."

"Oh, is that so? Then I must taste it with care."

County Magistrate Bai, while talking, took a sip from the cup and savored it for a moment.

"This taste is indeed different from the floral tea we usually drink. I’ve tried green tea before but couldn’t detect much fragrance. They say it’s good to drink green tea in summer, but I don’t quite understand why. After all, I’m a simple man, but this Tieguanyin does taste rather distinctive."

The tea culture of this era was not as popular as it would be later on; people in their region mostly drank jasmine tea.

However, Lin Chuxia hadn’t lied; apart from resupplying in Rong City, she also brought back many local specialties, now stored away, with the tea being part of them.

"Tieguanyin is a type of oolong tea, somewhere between green and black tea, a semi-fermented variety. I’ve heard that Tieguanyin has certain health benefits, can cool and reduce internal heat, counteract the effects of smoking and drinking..."

Lin Chuxia spoke while moving behind her desk and took out two handfuls of Tieguanyin from a cabinet, placing them on the desk.

"I was skeptical of so many health claims myself, but thought it couldn’t hurt to buy some to try."

County Magistrate Bai sometimes found this young lady incredible, seemingly so young and yet already so... worldly wise.

But it was this very character of Lin Chuxia that made him trust her.

Thinking this, County Magistrate Bai pondered over his next words.

"Hearing Mr. Lin speak, I feel tempted to give it a try, but I didn’t come today just to enjoy your tea," he said.

Lin Chuxia didn’t interrupt, and listened quietly to what he had to say next.

County Magistrate Bai sighed, "I know, as Mr. Lin’s business expands in the city, you may not hold much regard for the small county of Ancheng, but no matter what, Ancheng County is your root, and both the development of Xiyang and the vegetable greenhouses in Qin Family Village, we’ve taken notice. We know you’re someone who cares about the hometown and the welfare of the people."

As the atmosphere built up to this point, it was time for Lin Chuxia to say a few words.

"County Magistrate Bai, please speak frankly. Although I am here, the hometown industry also relies on the support of the county leaders. If I can contribute to my hometown, it is an unquestionable duty."

County Magistrate Bai wore a slight smile when he heard what he wanted to, "It should be a trivial matter for Mr. Lin, but I have to raise it again. The matter with Ancheng Food Factory, I wonder if Mr. Lin has heard. The shareholding reform of Ancheng Food Factory has ended in failure, and after half a year, it is at the end of its rope. The Ancheng Food Factory currently employs one thousand two hundred workers, and I simply cannot bear to see all of these workers lose their jobs. If that happens, it will surely disturb the peace and unity of Ancheng County."

He looked up at Lin Chuxia, "So I’ve come to you with thick skin again, Lin."

Instead of addressing her as Mr. Lin, he called her Lin.

When they first met, County Magistrate Bai had addressed her with this same friendly term.

"After much thought, the only ones who can save Ancheng Food Factory are Xiyang and you. Think of this as helping maintain the stability and unity of the entire county of Ancheng; I need you to reach out and help."

"How can I help?" Lin Chuxia asked in return. freewebnoveℓ.com

County Magistrate Bai was silent for a moment, "The details haven’t been decided by the County Committee yet. We want to see your opinion first, maybe come up with a cooperative plan where both sides discuss and come up with effective methods. No matter the method, the workers’ jobs must be preserved."

Lin Chuxia couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly, never underestimate those political players.

At this point in time, they’d still speak in veiled terms.

With County Magistrate Bai seeking her out here, could she believe the county hadn’t already considered their options?

They were merely testing her limits.

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