Switched Marriage: The Coddled Little Wife-Chapter 491: Settling the Accounts

Ever since Bai County approached Lin Chuxia, she tasked Su Wensong with keeping an eye on Ancheng Food Factory.

In truth, Su Wensong didn’t need Lin Chuxia to point it out; the situation at Ancheng Food Factory was obvious all along. As the manager of Xiyang Food Factory who was also in the food industry, it would be difficult not to know about it.

However, with Lin Chuxia being far away in Yan City, and with so much work on her hands, Su Wensong did not trouble her with these matters.

Now, however, it seemed like a good time to bring it up for discussion.

"Mr. Lin is already aware of what happened before. The Old Food Factory has been seeking reform, hoping to revitalize itself through shareholding reform. However, its prospects were not seen favorably by anyone, and after the fuss last year, it just fizzled out. Later on, I heard that the Old Food Factory wanted to adjust its food processing structure. I didn’t quite see how they adjusted specifically, but I made a point to inquire about it recently. The so-called adjustments were merely tweaks to the original food formula and industry structure, barely any different from before. As for the outcomes of these adjustments, as we can see now, there’s no difference from before."

"Pfft—"

Wang Cheng couldn’t help but laugh at this point.

"I say, the Old Food Factory is just flailing about in vain. With the market opening up, it’s bound to weed out some industries. Not to mention others, I myself haven’t eaten anything from the Old Food Factory for many years. The taste is mediocre, the prices high, and even without Xiyang Food Factory, the Old Food Factory would have been doomed to bankruptcy eventually."

As early as the year before last, he had seen the biggest change brought about by market liberalization: under competition, only the fittest survive.

Su Wensong nodded in agreement.

"In summary, after the failed reform of the Old Food Factory, there were several other attempts at different plans internally, none of which were effective. Liu Guoyi had his fair share of trials when he was at the food factory. After Ji Xingwei took over, he probably aimed to stabilize the situation at the Old Food Factory. The county stepped in and had the bank loan them some money. Over the past two years, our Xiyang has been pressing them hard, and I’m afraid they are at the end of their rope. I’ve heard internal news that they might be planning to liquidate their assets."

If they’ve come to the step of liquidating their assets, bankruptcy is not far off.

I originally thought that the vegetable stand would be the first to decline, but I did not expect the Old Food Factory to go down even sooner.

Lin Chuxia couldn’t help thinking about last year when County Magistrate Bai personally approached her to discuss the Old Food Factory’s shareholding reform. By that time, the situation at the Old Food Factory must have already been grim, having reached the point where change was unavoidable.

Yet, she turned down the matter, and looking over the whole of An City, there was no one else with the capability or financial strength to support this cause.

Or perhaps, those people had already seen through the true nature of the Old Food Factory and were not willing to take the risk.

No matter what, the Old Food Factory still went bankrupt.

"Bai County approaching me is probably for this reason," Lin Chuxia had a hunch, "Wensong, come with me to the county government tomorrow."

"Okay."

A flash of understanding swept through Su Wensong’s eyes, and he responded with a smile.

Lin Chuxia then remembered her good friend, "How is Lanlan doing? I heard she went back to work at the Bun Shop? Can Granny Su manage on her own with the child at her age?"

Speaking of his grandmother and wife, Su Wensong also showed a look of helplessness.

His wife had been keen on returning to the Bun Shop, wanting to get back to work after childbirth.

It was only after much persuasion from him and his mother-in-law, saying resting more postpartum was beneficial for her health, that she agreed to complete a full month and a half of confinement.

Nevertheless, as soon as that period ended, she was restless, constantly running off to the Bun Shop.

Luckily, the Bun Shop was just in the annex of their home.

He thought if one day they couldn’t keep up with caring for the child, his wife would no longer be able to manage the Bun Shop and would focus on childcare instead.

However, Granny Su cherished her great-grandson deeply, looking after him without taking her eyes off him, handling everything methodically. Except for nursing, which required his wife’s personal involvement, his wife hardly needed to lift a finger for anything else.

This allowed his wife to fully immerse herself in work even more.

He remembered advising Granny Su last time – at her age, looking after a child was demanding, and his current salary was more than enough to cover family expenses. It might be better to let his wife take care of the child for now.

He felt this kind of talk had no effect on his wife, but surely Granny Su would find it convincing.

After all, the daughter-in-law is filial, and if she knew Granny was struggling to take care of the child, she certainly wouldn’t leave the child entirely with Granny.

Then Granny got anxious, asking him if he was displeased with her for being old, not wanting her to touch the child?

She even said that if they wanted her to live a few more years, they should let her take care of the child; watching over her great-grandson would make her eat an extra two bowls of rice.

If they wouldn’t let her take care of the child, it would be better to send her straight to meet Grandpa.

Speaking so heavily, he didn’t dare to bring up the matter again.

Now that he had left it to them, Granny took care of the child and was happy every day, and his daughter-in-law managed the Bun Shop, bustling and not without joy.

The next day, Lin Chuxia and Su Wensong went to the county government together.

County Magistrate Bai was in a regular meeting, but when he heard that Lin Chuxia and Su Wensong had arrived, he immediately ended the meeting.

Seeing Lin Chuxia bring Su Wensong with her, a trace of amusement flickered in his eyes.

"Lin, I have been waiting for you so eagerly, how is it going, did you get everything sorted out in the city?"

County Magistrate Bai had his secretary make tea for them and took a sip from his own cup.

"Not bad, the market there has finally gotten on the right track."

"This young lady, you really make me look at women with new respect, the saying ’women hold up half the sky’ almost seems lacking with you, Lin Chuxia—it’s like you could puncture the sky."

County Magistrate Bai chuckled, but as he saw Lin Chuxia’s spirited and assertive demeanor, he could barely reconcile it with the image of the simple and unadorned daughter-in-law in homespun from before.

In his position, of course, he met plenty of people.

Before the reform and opening up, as a servant of the people, he carried forward the tradition of hard work and simplicity, and the people around him were also low-profile in their behavior and work.

After the opening up, especially in the last two years, privately-owned businesses emerged like bamboo shoots after a rain, and he had seen a few newly rich as well.

It could be said that Lin Chuxia’s cleverness lies in knowing when to appear before others, in what identity and demeanor.

Originally, when she was struggling alone, snatching food from the mouth of state-owned enterprises, she naturally needed to be low-key and simplistic.

He still remembered when she faced the provocations from Ancheng Food Factory, standing before him, neither humble nor arrogant, her every word clear and resonant.

At that time, she was clad in plain cotton clothes, her hair neatly combed back behind her head, just like the girl next door.

At first glimpse, one couldn’t help but feel compassion.

Seeing her thin shoulders bearing the hopes of hundreds, not fearing power and obstructions, he involuntarily wanted to stand up for justice on her behalf.

Now she was dressed in a sharp business suit, her hair in large waves, her lips in bold red, and her feet in high-heeled shoes.

In both attire and aura, she yielded to no one.

She was here to discuss the Old Food Factory with him on equal footing.

County Magistrate Bai internally shook his head and chuckled; no matter what he was thinking, this woman probably wouldn’t suffer any loss.

Lin Chuxia was indifferent to County Magistrate Bai’s teasing.

County Magistrate Bai was now in his mid-forties and was old enough to be her father in terms of age.

After exchanging a few polite greetings, they got down to business.

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