The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 816 - 815: Dissatisfaction

"I don’t understand why President Shen wouldn’t agree to cooperate with Luo Sen," Mai Qiu said. "Does she not realize how many factories are scrambling for Luo Sen’s investment?"

Mai Qiu couldn’t comprehend Shen Mingzhu’s thinking, and why should she? She had gone to great lengths to establish a connection with Luo Sen, expending considerable effort and energy, wining and dining those people until her face was almost stiff from smiling. Yet, all her hard work and sacrifice were for naught with Shen Mingzhu’s single "disagree."

Starting from scratch under Shen Mingzhu to now being the top decision-maker of the food factory, Du Juan felt a deep sense of powerlessness, helplessness, and unwillingness for the first time in her life.

These emotions were stuck together, burning in her chest like a wild fire, suffocating her.

If only she had been the major shareholder of the food factory, then she wouldn’t have had to be controlled by others and could have fully flexed her muscles.

But such thoughts could only stay in her heart, unspeakable.

She even had to maintain a unified front verbally, "Mingzhu has her own considerations. Tell everyone to stop all projects related to Luo Sen. Everyone just go about their business."

"For more than two years, Director Du, you have been managing and running the food factory. President Shen has never interfered. Could there be some deeper meaning behind her sudden obstruction in the Luo Sen project?"

There was a clear undercurrent of personal emotion and dissatisfaction with Shen Mingzhu in Mai Qiu’s words.

In the past, Du Juan would undoubtedly have stopped her, but today she said nothing.

"All right, go back to work."

"What about all these documents?"

"Just put them away for now."

At noon, Du Juan had lunch at a restaurant outside with Pei Wenping, pouring out her frustrations about Shen Mingzhu’s refusal to accept Luo Sen’s investment.

Pei Wenping was always straightforward and candid, disliking beating around the bush. She directly shared the conversation she had had with Shen Mingzhu the night before.

"...I didn’t really understand last night either, but after hearing what you’ve said today, I think Mingzhu’s concerns aren’t without merit. The factory’s organizational structure is simple, but that simplicity can be beneficial: centralized authority, high collaboration efficiency, and clear responsibilities and goals. With a joint venture or partnership, Luo Sen will definitely send a management team, and we’ll have a situation where everyone thinks they’re right, which can lead to chaos."

"But we always need to develop. If everyone else is frantically moving forward and we fall behind, we’re bound to take hits."

Hearing Du Juan’s frustrations, Pei Wenping tried to console her, "Honestly, we in the manufacturing sector can’t compete with capitalists."

"I’m not trying to contend with capitalists. I just want to use this opportunity to improve the factory and take us further."

"You have to eat one bite at a time, things must be done one by one. You can’t rush it. Besides, our food factory has made no small progress these past two years, and your ability and efforts are there for all to see."

Du Juan laughed and changed the subject to something else.

She had sought out Pei Wenping, hoping she would take her side.

However, Pei Wenping’s evasive attitude on this matter was a profound disappointment to her.

...

At dinner, seeing Du Juan in low spirits, Shen Chaobei couldn’t help but show concern:

"Don’t be upset. If little sister Mingzhu doesn’t want you to work with Luo Sen, she must have her reasons. Isn’t the factory, from nothing to its current size, all thanks to Mingzhu’s foresight?"

Du Juan really didn’t want to talk about work at home.

Shen Chaobei was not only her husband but also Shen Mingzhu’s elder brother.

Now that she and Shen Mingzhu had a difference in business philosophy, she didn’t expect Shen Chaobei to side with her against Shen Mingzhu, his own sister.

But Shen Chaobei had to touch upon the very subject she wanted to avoid, and she could no longer suppress her anger:

"So, what you’re saying is that it’s a huge mistake for me to want to cooperate with Luo Sen, short-sighted of me?"

"That’s not what I meant." freewebnσvel.cѳm

"What do you mean by that?"

Seeing both children were looking at them, Shen Chaobei hurriedly tried to smooth things over, "It was my mistake for saying the wrong thing. Let’s not talk about this anymore, let’s eat."

"You guys go ahead, I’m full!"

After saying that, she put down her chopsticks and went back to her room.

"Daya, you help your brother with his meal, and after eating, go back to your room to do your homework."

After instructing his daughter, Shen Chaobei also returned to his room.

As soon as Shen Chaobei left, Shen Zilong also wanted to leave the table. Daya grabbed him, "Where are you going? You haven’t finished your food."

"I’ll eat later, I want to listen to mom and dad arguing."

He then wriggled out of Daya’s grasp, curiously ran to the master bedroom, and pressed his ear against the door to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.

Daya felt helpless about her little brother’s mischief and had no choice but to eat on her own.

Inside the room.

Du Juan was leaning on the bed reading a magazine, and Shen Chaobei sat on the edge of the bed, apologizing in a lowered voice:

"I didn’t mean to say you weren’t as good as your sister; in my heart, you and your sister are both equally remarkable. But the food factory was founded by your sister, and if she doesn’t agree with something, there’s nothing we can do, right?"

Du Juan replied with irritation, "She’s the major shareholder, of course, I have to listen to her."

"Didn’t your sister explain to you? She said not to work with Luo Sen because he doesn’t have good intentions."

"I think she’s just been a housewife for too long and she’s lost all her courage and fighting spirit. In business, taking risks is inevitable. Back then, she dared to borrow money from the bank to start a factory without a penny to her name. Now look at her, afraid of everything. Forget it, it’s her factory; she can do what she wants with it."

Although her words were somewhat petulant, her tone clearly lacked the respect she once had for Shen Mingzhu.

...

"President Shen, what brings you here to supervise?"

Lin Wu entered the fourth-floor kitchen and saw Shen Mingzhu standing by the stove, he said with a grin.

Lin Wu was the cafeteria contractor.

Even though Shen Mingzhu was no longer involved in the management of the food factory, her status as the founder and major shareholder still demanded Lin Wu’s respect.

"Boss Lin, you’ve come at just the right time, I have something I’d like to discuss with you."

"President Shen, please tell me."

Shen Mingzhu didn’t speak but picked up a measuring cup, poured 50ml of oil into the pan, and then gestured for the chef to start cooking.

Following her instructions, the chef added pork belly, spices, and seasonings in turn. Once the meat was fragrant, they added the pre-cut potato chunks, followed by water to simmer.

Before long, an appetizing aroma began to waft from the pot.

Fifteen minutes later, a large pot of savory braised pork with potatoes was ready.

Shen Mingzhu handed clean chopsticks to Lin Wu, "Try this."

After Lin Wu tasted a piece of potato and a piece of pork belly, Shen Mingzhu asked, "How’s the taste?"

"Quite delicious. The meat is savory and rich; the potatoes are soft and mushy, and it’s salty and flavorful."

Shen Mingzhu took out a stack of small bowls, portioned the braised pork with potatoes from the dish into the bowls, each containing six pieces of potato and three small thumb-sized pieces of pork belly, making a total of fifteen bowls.

After she finished, she spoke calmly under Lin Wu’s puzzled gaze—