Chapter 109

 

This cold wave and snowfall arrived like a magical assault.

Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng arrived safely at the Mingzhou Factory in the Beijiang Development Zone of Ning City at 9:15 PM.

Along the way, Liang Jiancheng drove a four-wheel-drive heavy-duty pickup truck, his expression cautious and steady.

In such rare and extreme cold and snow, the bright beams of the headlights reflected off the snow-covered road, like a celestial blade formed from cosmic light in a comic book—cutting straight through the swirling snowflakes, fiercely splitting open the thick and boundless darkness of the night.

The further the car drove from the city, the more blurred and difficult to discern the roads became. Occasionally, when a container truck crept carefully past them, Ming Xi—who had just experienced a car accident earlier—felt her heart leap into her throat every time she saw one, as if it were some hidden beast waiting to cause danger.

When there were no cars and no people around, the endless white snow and darkness intertwined across heaven and earth. The feeling it gave Ming Xi was even more exaggerated.

If not for the clear sensation of the tires crushing through the snow, sitting in the passenger seat, she might truly have felt as if time itself had been frozen by this severe cold and heavy snow.

Compared to when she had been driving alone in the afternoon, now that she was traveling with Liang Jiancheng—even though the blizzard had grown more violent and the howling wind carried snow that struck the vehicle and windows arrogantly—her heart felt somewhat more at ease.

This kind of overwhelming power could only belong to nature itself.

Throughout the drive, Liang Jiancheng remained extremely cautious. The four-wheel-drive heavy pickup truck he was driving could easily have gone faster, yet he didn’t dare relax his attention in the slightest, afraid of causing any accident. It wasn’t that Liang Jiancheng had never driven in snow before, but he had to be responsible for Miss Ming, who had already been terribly frightened earlier that day. Even a slight skid was something he did not want to happen.

When the truck entered the industrial area, a dark shadow suddenly darted across the roadside. Under the headlights it left behind a string of chaotic footprints in the snow.

“…What was that?” Ming Xi’s already sensitive heart tightened again.

“It was a squirrel,” Liang Jiancheng replied softly.

Ming Xi breathed a sigh of relief.

“Heh…” Liang Jiancheng also relaxed slightly.

During the whole journey he had remained highly focused and had barely spoken with Ming Xi. Only now, as the truck steadily arrived at the factory, did he slightly loosen his tense nerves.

Ming Xi called the phone number of the temporary person in charge at the factory. Soon the factory’s automatic gate, covered with snow, slowly opened.

Liang Jiancheng stepped heavily on the accelerator, and the truck powered forward, crushing through a thick layer of snow before driving majestically into the factory grounds.

The powerful headlights of the off-road pickup truck illuminated a bright and magnificent path inside the Mingzhou factory.

At 9:30 pm, the factory was still brightly lit.

Ming Xi had contacted Manager Tian at the factory beforehand. When she and Liang Jiancheng’s car arrived, Manager Tian, ​​accompanied by several workers, strode towards them excitedly, their faces beaming with barely suppressed joy.

Ming Xi deftly unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the passenger seat.

Liang Jiancheng parked the truck and turned off the engine. As the low rumbling gradually faded away, it seemed to carry with it the hardship and tension of the entire journey.

Liang Jiancheng also got out of the driver’s seat, steadily carrying a black leather bag filled with cash. This bag contained not only the bonuses Boss Ming would be giving the workers, but also the responsibility and commitment of a leader.

Their boss, Miss Ming… was truly remarkable!

Manager Tian had already informed the workers in advance that the big boss would be coming today to distribute the bonuses. Because Factory Director Lou and the accountant were stuck in Guangdong and unable to return, the factory workers had been extremely anxious these past few days, many hoping to receive their final bonuses so they could go home for the New Year.

Because of this anticipation, they were excited.

When Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng stepped into the factory office building, they were greeted by a burst of cheers that lasted for a long time.

The workers had already heard that their boss had experienced a car accident yet still insisted on coming to distribute the year-end bonuses. A boss this good was harder to find than a lantern in the dark.

Manager Tian stepped forward and firmly grasped Ming Xi’s hand. Earlier in the evening, when Ming Xi had called to explain the reason for her delay, Manager Tian had spent those hours waiting. For the first time he understood why Factory Director Lou respected Ming Xi so deeply. People often say men value loyalty and righteousness. But in Manager Tian’s heart, a woman like Miss Ming possessed a spirit even more heroic. Under Factory Director Lou’s prior arrangement, Manager Tian had already calculated the bonus amount for each worker, but it still needed Ming Xi’s review and signature for confirmation.

Inside the factory office, because Ming Xi and Manager Tian still needed to plan the end-of-year arrangements, Liang Jiancheng took the initiative to review the wage calculation sheets for the year on her behalf. After careful verification, he confirmed that everything was basically correct.

To save time, Ming Xi did not review them again. After signing and stamping, she said to Manager Tian without even looking up, “If the workers haven’t gone to rest and are still waiting here, let’s distribute the money tonight.”

Manager Tian let out a small “ah,” then nodded heavily.

Distributing the money tonight would naturally be best—it would reassure all the workers. However, Manager Tian also voiced his concern: “Miss Ming, you rushed over here so quickly, aren’t you tired?”

Ming Xi shook her head. After today’s car accident, she felt no fatigue, only excitement. After all, she was a female superhero who had literally ‘flown’ through the air and still landed safely.

Joking aside, Miss Ming was in a hurry simply because no one could predict what tomorrow might bring. Since everything on her side had already been confirmed, there was no need to delay the payment another night. If she finished earlier, the workers could also relax earlier. Once the bonus money was in their hands, they could feel secure.

Manager Tian thought for a moment, then asked again, “Miss Ming, after distributing the money tonight, are you planning to return?”

“I definitely won’t leave tonight. I’ll wait until all of you are on holiday and leave the factory before I go. If you can’t leave, then I’ll stay and spend the New Year with you.”

“Thank you… Miss Ming!”

“No, I should be thanking you,” Ming Xi replied with a sincere smile.

Manager Tian’s situation was this: he had only joined the Mingzhou factory earlier that year. His time at the factory was even shorter than that of some of the ordinary workers, but he possessed extensive experience in factory office management. Which was why, even after Manager Tian retire, Factory Director Lou had invited him back. These past few days, with Factory Director Lou away, Old Tian had worked himself to exhaustion maintaining production and stabilizing the workers’ emotions. Although he had plenty of experience, he lacked a bit of authority. Managing a factory was truly not easy.

Unlike Factory Director Lou, who was tall and imposing with a powerful voice. The workers trusted him deeply.

Old Tian was a cultured man who spoke softly, but he handled his work carefully and responsibly. Just looking at the wage ledger in Ming Xi’s hand, every entry was written clearly and without error.

Everyone had their own strengths, and no one was perfect. After so many years as a boss, Ming Xi had learned to assign work according to each person’s different abilities.

Ming Xi was confident in herself and equally confident in her employees.

After Ming Xi expressed her position, Manager Tian understood how to arrange the next steps. The factory had extra dormitory rooms, and the bedding and daily supplies were all clean and ready. Manager Tian went to the dormitories to inform the workers to line up for their bonuses, while also thoughtfully preparing bedding for Miss Ming in case she stayed overnight at the factory.

However, there was one question that made things awkward for him as an outsider.

One of the factory kitchen aunts helping prepare the bedding held the quilts and asked Manager Tian, “Manager Tian, ​​should I make one bed or two?”

Both of them were already over fifty years old, yet suddenly they found themselves troubled by this question. This wasn’t the first time Mr. Liang had appeared at Mingzhou Factory. Although Manager Tian didn’t recognize him, he’d heard Factory Director Lou mention him. When the factory held its ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mr. Liang had attended as well.

But—

what exactly was their relationship? How could people like them possibly know?

Mr. Liang looked dignified and impressive, very refined, and extremely well-matched with their Boss Ming. However, the management of both factories knew that Miss Ming had always been unmarried.

“Let’s make two beds for now,” Manager Tian said with a gentle smile. The tension he had been holding onto for days finally eased a little. He looked out the window towards the lights of the office building opposite. Outside, goose-feather-like snowflakes continued to fall in thick flurries. As a retired man, this was the first time he’d seen such a magnificent snow scene.

This night’s snow felt like something that would be recorded in history.

The snow continued to fall, but the lights in Mingzhou Factory’s office conference hall were bright. In less than half an hour, the entire corridor was filled with workers from all over the country.

Mingzhou was a light industry factory producing outdoor equipment and apparel. The ratio of male to female workers was roughly 4:6, with more women than men. Now, regardless of gender, everyone stood in line happily, full of excitement.

In truth, before Ming Xi arrived, everyone had grown restless because Factory Director Lou had not returned. Yesterday, left with no choice, Old Tian explained the situation: Director Lou and the accountant were stranded at a train station in Guangdong and couldn’t come back. So, what about their year-end bonuses? Several young men started causing trouble, which the mild-mannered and honest Old Tian couldn’t handle. He could only anxiously call Old Lou. Old Lou, having no other choice, made this call for help to his superior, Miss Ming. Unexpectedly… Miss Ming arrived today!

Not only did she arrive, but she also brought cash.

Moreover, Miss Ming personally promised everyone: as long as Factory Director Lou had not returned, she would stay at the factory and ensure everyone’s safety.

With Miss Ming’s assurance, Manager Tian finally felt at ease. He picked up the thermos on the table and poured himself a cup of hot water, then instructed the canteen aunties to prepare more hot water for Miss Ming and Mr. Liang. At this hour, the factory’s hot water system was already overwhelmed—and no one knew whether this snowstorm might cause a power outage.

Yes. Compared to blocked roads, the factory was even more worried about losing electricity. So they had to race against time, handling everything they could before things got worse.

“Next, Production Department, Lin Chunhua!” The person calling out name was Liang Jiancheng.

Inside the meeting room, Miss Ming handled the distribution of bonuses, while Liang Jiancheng checked names and amounts.

One by one, simple, honest faces walked in smiling—and left smiling even more.

Tonight, Boss Liang felt more accomplished working for Boss Ming than working for himself. Even something as small as calling names, he did with care. Every name he called was clear and well-pronounced, his voice steady and confident. Having been a boss longer than Ming Xi, his voice carried authority without needing to be raised—it naturally calmed people.

“Production Department, Li Daqiang.”

“Packaging Department, Liu Ermei…”

“Management Department, Chen Zhigang.”

“Packaging Department, Chen Xiaomei!”

“…”

With their contract nearing expiration, Liang Jiancheng, as the “service provider,” naturally wanted to give his all to the “client.” No matter the task, he aimed for perfection—only then would he have a chance to renew the contract after the New Year. Therefore, Liang Jiancheng wouldn’t miss an opportunity like tonight to showcase himself. Even though calling names was tiring work that could easily have been assigned to someone with a louder voice.

Liang Jiancheng himself had worked his way up from a foreign trade factory. He had organized late-night bonus distributions before—but never personally like this. Staying up all night handing out money like this—it was a first.

And honestly, the feeling wasn’t bad. It felt like he and Ming Xi were running a small husband-and-wife shop together—working side by side, building a thriving life.

They did indeed look like a married couple. Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng sat side by side at two small tables. Though each handled different tasks, they occasionally exchanged a few words—discussing final production arrangements before the New Year.

Due to Mingzhou’s numerous orders, the factory would remain operational during the New Year holiday. Originally, the list of workers staying behind had already been finalized. But after today’s heavy snowfall, aside from local workers, most migrant workers could no longer leave. Therefore, the list of workers remaining at the factory during the New Year holiday needed to be carefully revised.

Interestingly, this was Ming Xi’s factory, and because she regularly inspected it, most workers, while not remembering her completely, had a general impression as she treated them with kindness and friendliness. But unexpectedly, Boss Liang was even more popular among her workers, especially the female workers. Just hearing him call their names made them beam with joy.

Hey, hey, hey! It’s Boss Ming who’s distributing the money! It’s Boss Ming!

“Thank you, Miss Ming! Thank you both!” The workers were naturally deeply moved by Ming Xi’s arduous journey through the snow to distribute the money. But there weren’t many handsome men in the factory, and the female workers rarely saw men as dashing as the male leads in TV dramas, especially since this man pronounced their names clearly and accurately. For both the unmarried and married women, this was an unexpected bonus for the night.

Liang Jiancheng smiled to himself; his polite and courteous manner tonight was clearly intentional. Every time he called a name, his handsome face gentle and courteous, combined with his interaction with Ming Xi—anyone, no matter how dull, could tell their relationship wasn’t ordinary.

“Miss Ming, is this your boyfriend?” a bold and straightforward older woman asked directly.

Ming Xi paused slightly as she was about to hand over a stack of cash, then she smiled and nodded clearly, replying, “Yes… he’s my boyfriend.”

Liang Jiancheng lifted his handsome face and smiled happily, fully cooperating by letting the workers take a good look at him.

The woman, quick-witted, immediately offered her blessings after receiving the money: “Wishing you eternal love and a long and happy marriage!”

“…” Ming Xi suddenly felt she shouldn’t have admitted it so readily.

Then, Liang Jiancheng nodded his thanks: “Thank you, and I wish you good health.”

“Next, Production Department – Xu Yuanshan!”

Ming Xi: “…”

Liang Jiancheng’s “Thank you” almost made the older woman jump with excitement. In fact, she really did jump up, and even let out a “Wow!” No one knew whether she was happier about the bonus or his thanks. Because the older woman’s blessing made Liang Jiancheng show a charming smile, next, more and more women from the Production Department began offering their blessings as well. In addition to “May you love each other forever and have a long and happy marriage,” there were also “May you live a long and happy life together and be of one heart forever,” and finally even “May you have a child soon.”

Ming Xi suddenly felt like she wasn’t handing out money, but collecting wedding gifts. For a moment, she couldn’t tell whether she had profited or lost.

Probably profited… right?

Outside, the snow continued to fall endlessly, cold and desolate. But inside Mingzhou Factory, it was lively, crowded, and full of warmth.

Life has its pivotal moments that make you realize in an instant how fortunate you are. Today’s accident, and this night of handing out bonuses, made Ming Xi deeply feel what it meant for life to be worth living.

She was worth it, her efforts were worth it, and everything she had experienced was worth it.

They worked through the night, racing against time, yet plans could never keep up with changes. Both Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng had anticipated that this fierce cold wave and snowstorm would bring difficulties to production and holiday arrangements, but they never imagined the difficulties would be so severe as to nearly paralyze the entire cities.

The next day, forget about giving the workers a holiday to take their bonuses and return home safely; that was simply impossible.

Liang Jiancheng received news early in the morning that trains to and from Haigang and Ning City had been suspended. Boss Liang’s information was usually accurate and reliable, but this time, he couldn’t find out when the trains would resume normal operation.

With the trains suspended, the workers couldn’t return home, and some of Mingzhou’s goods shipped via train logistics couldn’t be dispatched smoothly. The goods were manageable; special times call for special measures.

The most troublesome thing was that at four o’clock in the afternoon, the factory lost power!

Of course, it wasn’t just the Mingzhou factory that lost power; the entire Beijiang Industrial Park’s power grid malfunctioned. Although the power grid workers were working hard to repair it, it was difficult to guarantee that another large-scale power outage wouldn’t occur.

Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng, who had been using a small electric heater in the office building for warmth, could only wrap themselves in blankets after the sudden power outage.

“Liang Jiancheng, before the roads close completely, you should drive back to Haigang.” Ming Xi suggested to Liang Jiancheng again.

Liang Jiancheng stood up, glanced at the mountain-like snow outside, and turned back to “scold” Ming Xi: “Miss Ming, you’re so cruel!”

Ming Xi pointed to her nose, looking completely innocent; she was clearly meant well.

The factory dormitory conditions were poor. Having grown up in hardship, even after a few years of privilege, enduring hardship was ingrained in her. She could easily adapt to staying at the factory. But could Liang Jiancheng handle it? Sleeping on a hard bed with her, covered in thick quilts, having to boil water for bathing every day, and the factory canteen only serving big pot dishes every day…

Right, the canteen!

Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng exchanged a glance, simultaneously realizing a serious problem—they needed to stockpile food while the roads were still passable!

Currently, besides Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng, 98 workers remained at the factory. With the power outage, production was impossible. More urgent than production was ensuring the basic food needs of the workers staying at the factory for the New Year.

The factory had backup generators, and even during a large-scale power outage, several diesel generators could still guarantee the workers’ daily electricity needs; however, the power load would certainly not reach the previous level.

Therefore, Miss Ming staying at the factory indeed had many problems that need to be addressed and resolved. Ming Xi had personally overseen production before, but never before had she had to worry about not only the workers’ return home, but also manage the canteen affairs during this period, and soothe the emotions of employees forced to stay for the New Year…

Many of these tasks were things Ming Xi had never handled before. Since she was already there, she could only list the issues one by one, convene a meeting with those who remained at the factory and had relatively more management experience, and then assign tasks.

“Miss Ming, you forgot to assign me any work.” After the meeting ended and everyone dispersed, Liang Jiancheng sat in the conference chair and pointed out the oversight in Miss Ming’s work assignment. After speaking, Liang Jiancheng leisurely peeled a tangerine, his fingers filled with the fresh scent of tangerine.

Ming Xi picked up the old-fashioned cup on the table, took a sip of water to moisten her throat, and suddenly smiled mischievously: “Of course there are things that need Mr. Liang’s help, but the most important things will have to wait until later.”

“Oh, please tell, Miss Ming.” Liang Jiancheng looked up, also curious.

Ming Xi tilted her neck slightly. She had been busy like a commander-in-chief the entire day, and now her neck and shoulders were practically stiff… She suddenly thought of how, several times before, whenever she saw Director Gu and Brother Minwen together, he would always very naturally help her relax her shoulders. Every time she saw that, she couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

Too embarrassed to say it outright, Ming Xi simply kept shaking her head and swaying slightly toward Liang Jiancheng, her hint unmistakable.

As Gu Shuangyang’s son, Liang Jiancheng had long been used to such scenes from watching his mother and Xiaoge over the years. But seeing Ming Xi express it so directly, he turned his face aside with a faint smile. Some people really do learn quickly—after spending these past few years around his mother, not only had her professional abilities improved rapidly, she had also picked up quite a few “skills” when it came to handling man…

Liang Jiancheng carried himself with elegance and restraint, but when it came to doing things, his hands were anything but gentle—whether Miss Ming could handle it was another question. He stood up, walked behind her, and placed his hands on her slim, straight shoulders, imitating Yang Minwen’s technique—

“Ah—” Ming Xi let out a scream.

“Liang Jiancheng, you did this on purpose, didn’t you?” she winced in pain, glaring angrily at Liang Jiancheng.

Liang Jiancheng: “…Miss Ming, this is how massages are.”

That’s not true at all! Every time she saw Director Gu enjoying it, it definitely wasn’t like this! Ming Xi pointed at him, her tone bold and direct as she threatened, “With that kind of attitude, do you still want to renew the contract?”

Liang Jiancheng’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he leaned forward: “Give me another chance, I’ll try a different method, okay?”

Ming Xi was skeptical, but decided to give Mr. Liang another chance.

The second time… Liang Jiancheng simply changed the massage to tickling.

Someone who’s afraid of pain shouldn’t be ticklish, right? They say arrogant people are the least ticklish. However, the arrogant Boss Ming resisted with both hands and feet, desperately shrinking back, her entire body indicating she couldn’t handle it.

Liang Jiancheng: …

Is there a third chance?

“Alright, alright, I’ll go find the canteen manager to discuss stockpiling food.” Ming Xi gave up and decided to focus on the important matters.

“Together?” Liang Jiancheng suggested.

Ming Xi didn’t want to waste talent. Since Liang Jiancheng was so devoted to her factory, she had to make full use of his expertise. Letting him negotiate such a trivial matter as stockpiling food for the canteen would be an underutilization of his abilities.

Ming Xi laid out the factory’s annual production data in front of Liang Jiancheng, hoping he could help analyze it.

What she wanted to know, Liang Jiancheng knew best.

Liang Jiancheng shook his head: “Miss Ming, you have me give you massages and review reports—exploiting my labor like this, what’s in it for me?”

Mr. Liang was, after all, a businessman. In business, everything had to be transactional—he wasn’t about to take a loss for nothing.

Huh? Ming Xi actually hadn’t thought of any concrete benefits she could offer Liang Jiancheng. But when it came to making promises, she was good at that.

“Mr. Liang, just focus on your work. Do you really think I’d treat you unfairly?” Ming Xi smiled warmly, her tone perfectly sincere. With that, she pushed open the factory director’s office door.

A cold wind was howling outside, and she tightened her down jacket before heading down to the canteen.

The factory canteen had a simple staff, currently only three people: a general helper, a cook, and someone in charge of procurement and inventory.

Because of the power outage, the factory couldn’t operate normally, making the canteen the busiest place. As soon as Ming Xi entered, she saw several young men huddled together, chatting animatedly.

As soon as they saw Miss Ming, they immediately stood up to greet her.

Ming Xi smiled knowingly—perfect, there were ready hands available.

With so many people still in the factory, ensuring three meals a day for everyone required a substantial amount of rice, flour, vegetables, and meat. The cook didn’t usually handle purchasing, but in times like this, everyone worked together.

After some discussion, the shopping list was completed.

“Alright, stock up according to this list. Try to get as much as possible—just in case,” Ming Xi instructed clearly.

“Got it!” everyone responded.

Miss Ming never did things half-heartedly; she considered everything thoroughly, so everyone was naturally willing to follow her lead. After arranging matters in the canteen, she walked over to the group of young men with a cheerful smile and asked them to help with the grocery run.

Young people were easy to mobilize—they readily agreed, nodding enthusiastically, even looking a bit excited.

“Thank you,” Ming Xi said, preparing to leave.

Suddenly, a bold, round-headed guy spoke up, stopping her. “Miss Ming, Xiaoyong has a personal question he wants to ask you.”

“What is it?” Ming Xi turned around, her eyes smiling as she looked patiently at the boy named Xiaoyong.

Among the four of them, Xiaoyong was the youngest. Being “sold out” by his coworkers, he looked embarrassed, his face flushed. Before he could speak, another slightly older coworker gave him a shove. As a result, a card slipped out from his clothes.

Ming Xi’s gaze followed it. She bent down, picked up the card, and took a closer look. On it was a picture of a fair-skinned, beautiful woman, with eight bold characters printed below: “Beautiful rich woman, sincerely seeking a child.”

“……”

“……”

Ming Xi’s beautiful face instantly turned serious.

She wasn’t very familiar with these young workers, but she knew they were around twenty—an age when people were most easily deceived. Especially this Xiaoyong, who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen.

Holding the card, she asked bluntly, “You were just about to ask me whether this kind of thing is real, right?” As she finished speaking, she couldn’t keep a straight face and broke into a smile.

They hadn’t expected Miss Ming to be so direct. Seeing her laugh, the four boys burst into laughter as well, their faces turning red. Xiaoyong in particular flushed as red as Guan Gong.

“Yeah—he was even thinking of calling to ask about it,” the one who had exposed him added, continuing to betray him.

Ming Xi found it both amusing and serious. She composed herself and adopted a boss-like tone. “Don’t call. This is a scam—don’t believe it. You work hard all year to earn money; don’t just hand it over to scammers for nothing! Got it?”

“Yes, yes, we won’t! Definitely won’t!” they all promised enthusiastically.

Only Xiaoyong wished he could bury his head in the ground.

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” one of them said shrewdly.

Exactly. Ming Xi couldn’t agree more.

A beautiful rich woman, sincerely seeking a child—how could there possibly be such a perfect deal where you get all the benefits? Completely impossible!

As a rich woman herself, she had the authority to say so—there was absolutely no way such a thing existed!

“To make sure none of you hold onto any unrealistic hopes, I’m taking this card,” Ming Xi said. She nodded at the four of them and walked out of the canteen.

Facing the cold wind outside, Ming Xi paused, looking up to see Liang Jiancheng standing in the corridor of the factory director’s office, looking in her direction.

One’s gaze was downward, the other upward.

Still holding the card, Ming Xi took advantage of the distance—and the lack of people around—to quietly slip it into her coat pocket, knowing Liang Jiancheng couldn’t see clearly from afar.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she walked toward the office building with a composed and dignified expression.

A beautiful rich woman, sincerely seeking a child… How could such a good thing possibly exist!

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