Chapter 43: Gains and Losses

Chen Yu deftly filed the last document, affixing the final stamp, officially completing all onboarding procedures.

His face still wore that respectful smile as he slowly turned and walked towards the somewhat aged-looking metal filing cabinet against the wall.

The cabinet door made a slight metallic scraping sound as he carefully pulled it open.

From the top shelf, he took out two neatly folded, clearly brand-new sets of work uniforms.

Chen Yu held the two sets of uniforms with both hands, bowing slightly, and respectfully presented them to Li Yaqin.

"Comrade Li Yaqin, these are your work uniforms. There are two sets, so you can change between them."

The uniforms were made of the most common work blue cloth, a somber and uniform blue, and the fabric looked very thick.

There were no unnecessary decorations; the style was the simplest workwear design, exuding simplicity and practicality.

The fabric's rough texture clearly indicated its design for durability and stain resistance.

The brand-new fabric had a stiff, starched feel, with clearly visible creases, and exuded the distinctive scent of new cotton.

Li Yaqin lowered her eyes, her gaze calmly settling on the two sets of blue work clothes, scrutinizing them closely.

Hmph, that bastard Zhao Chengyu, he's quite meticulous, even considering such details.

This warehouse manager job, this identity as an employee of a state-owned slaughterhouse.

For her current situation, it was certainly enough.

Her pale fingers unconsciously curled slightly as her mind raced.

With this seemingly ordinary yet officially recognized identity as cover,

it would undoubtedly be much easier for her to do many things in the future, and she would be less likely to arouse suspicion.

Zhao Chengyu's omnipresent possessiveness did indeed make her extremely uncomfortable and annoyed.

But she had to admit the tangible benefits this control brought.

For example, this easy job and stable place to stay were exactly what she desperately needed right now.

This forced, almost precarious deal, at least at the beginning, seemed decent.

Li Yaqin's slender fingers twitched slightly, then slowly reached for the two sets of work clothes.

Her fingertips gently touched the stiff, starched blue work fabric.

The slightly rough texture made her take the two neatly folded sets of work clothes into her hands. They weren't heavy, but they carried a reassuring weight.

Beside her, Li Qiang's eyes were fixed on the brand-new blue work clothes.

His eyes instantly lit up with an undisguised gleam, as if he had seen some rare treasure.

He felt as if the heavy stone that had been weighing on his heart for days had finally been lifted with a thud, and he felt much lighter.

Great! His sister had finally gained a foothold in the city and had a secure job!

A permanent employee at a state-owned slaughterhouse! And a warehouse manager at that—a dream job that sounds like it doesn't involve any heavy or strenuous work!

This is like their ancestors' graves emitting auspicious smoke, a huge pie falling from the sky and landing right on their heads!

Li Qiang suppressed his excitement, discreetly glancing at his calm sister beside him out of the corner of his eye.

His mind, however, was racing like a lake with a pebble thrown in.

He knew perfectly well that such a tremendous stroke of luck couldn't have fallen from the sky.

Nine times out, it was that extraordinary Comrade Zhao Chengyu, who clearly wasn't an ordinary person, who had helped him behind the scenes.

Just thinking about Zhao Chengyu's composed and dignified demeanor and his obviously wealthy and influential family background...

Li Qiang's heart pounded uncontrollably, filled with awe and a secret anticipation.

If his sister could really get in touch with Comrade Zhao…

then the Li family's future…

would be limitless!

Li Qiang's smile instantly became incredibly genuine and warm, filled with deep gratitude. He quickly turned to Chen Yu, who had been accompanying him.

He practically kowtowed and bowed repeatedly to Chen Yu, his posture extremely humble.

He kept thanking him, saying, "Oh, Comrade Chen, thank you so much!"

"You've gone to so much trouble! Don't worry, my Yaqin will definitely do her job well and won't let the leader down!"

His sister's job was settled, and such a good one at that. Could Li Qiang's good days be far behind?

Thinking of this, his smile became even more genuine, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes radiating joy.

Moreover, the vague hints that Comrade Zhao had given earlier suggested that his wife's job transfer was practically a done deal!

Li Yaqin carried the two brand-new sets of blue work clothes.

The rough, stiff feel of the workwear fabric, stiff from washing, was palpable to her fingertips.

But thinking of the leisurely job that required almost no real labor, this slight discomfort seemed insignificant.

"A relaxed life is good."

Only with enough leisure time would she have ample time and energy to do what she truly wanted to do.

Li Yaqin's mind raced, quickly calculating her next move.

This warehouse manager position was undoubtedly a carefully orchestrated scheme by that domineering man, Zhao Chengyu; it was almost unbelievably easy.

Li Yaqin was also acutely aware that behind this ease lay his suffocating desire for control.

However, for now, this job would provide her with the comfortable life and stable foothold she had always dreamed of.

This seemingly unequal trade, at least for now, seemed quite worthwhile to Li Yaqin.

Beside her, Li Qiang's eyes were fixed on the two brand-new blue work uniforms in his sister's hands.

The heavy weight that had been hanging deep in his eyes finally lifted slightly.

His sister finally had a stable place to live in this city, a legitimate identity.

Moreover, it was a warehouse manager position at a state-owned slaughterhouse—a seemingly easy and desirable job that outsiders would kill for!

A genuine, undisguised smile involuntarily appeared on his face.

Just then, a vivid image flashed into Li Qiang's mind like lightning.

It was a scene that had unfolded in Political Commissar Li's office a few days ago, crystal clear.

Zhao Chengyu's deep, undeniable words still seemed to resonate clearly in his ears.

"I've taken a liking to your sister, Li Yaqin."

Upon hearing those words, Li Qiang almost instinctively believed it.

This was merely a fleeting curiosity or thought, a fleeting impulse for a man like Zhao Chengyu, a man of high position and immense power.

He had even silently prepared himself, for his sister, and for himself, for a kind of unwilling yet seemingly helpless situation.

He almost tacitly accepted that Zhao Chengyu and his sister would begin an ambiguous relationship.

A brief relationship, sustained by novelty, destined to have no lasting outcome.

He thought that once the novelty wore off like the tide,

everything would vanish, and they would return to their original lives, never to cross paths again, never to meet again.

This was his initial, and most logical, prediction, based on realistic considerations.

But this job, this overly easy, overly respectable job,

even one that felt deliberately favored, began to violently shake his previously firm belief.

This was definitely not a casual compensation arrangement given after a brief fling.

This seemed more like a long-term, prudent arrangement and strategy.

Zhao Chengyu's true purpose was perhaps far more profound and serious than he initially imagined.

Li Yaqin's fingers glided across the surface of the brand-new work clothes.

The unique rough texture of the blue work cloth was clearly transmitted through her fingertips, carrying the stiffness of clothes left after washing.

However, her heart was like a deep pool, utterly calm and undisturbed.

This calm stemmed from the heavy sense of security in her hands.

Finally, she had settled down.

At least, in this unfamiliar era, in this place where identity verification was required everywhere.

She temporarily possessed a shell that could shelter her from the wind and rain.

This job as a warehouse manager at a state-owned slaughterhouse.

Although it was a control imposed by Zhao Chengyu, it was the foundation she needed most right now.

A formal identity, a stable income, a hidden place that wouldn't attract attention.

On her cold, hard blueprint, this crucial first step had been firmly taken.

Next, it was a matter of how to utilize the leisure of this almost nominal position.

She needed time, a great deal of time, to familiarize herself with this world, to take stock of the elixirs in her spatial storage.

She needed to plan how to transform those extraordinary resources into tangible power and wealth.

Zhao Chengyu's omnipresent power had indeed paved an unexpected shortcut for her.

A shortcut to comfort, but also fraught with thorns and traps.

After all, to gain something, you must inevitably lose something else.