CHAPTER 382: DIFFICULT TO GET APPROVAL FOR PLANT 367

Tian Sangsang was quite shocked. She hadn’t expected Li Yibai to go further and further down the path of plagiarism—he even wrote "The Return of the Condor Heroes." Shouldn’t she start working harder as well?

She suddenly remembered that Li Yibai was supposed to be Jiang Father’s illegitimate child, right? But looking at Jiang Father, he seemed devoted to Ye Binyi, not the type who would cheat. Truly, you can’t judge a book by its cover. And now Ye Binyi even praised Li Yibai for his talent. When she learns Li Yibai’s true identity, will she regret the words she said today?

Why must women make things difficult for other women? Thinking this way, she suddenly felt some sympathy for her mother-in-law. The illegitimate child is already so grown up—could she really handle such a blow? Surely, no woman could tolerate her husband’s infidelity. She vowed that if Jiang Jinghuai ever dared to cheat, she would divorce him instantly and without a shred of hesitation.

Who would want to share a man with another woman?

Just as she was about to eat lunch, Meng Shuyan, the little rascal, came in from outside the courtyard. Seeing the person standing in the living room, he exclaimed and dashed forward, his eyes sparkling brightly: "Wow! It’s Chun Zisu!"

Zhao Chun picked him up, looking him over from all angles. "Wow, whose child is this? So handsome! Why does he look just like Yanyan?"

"I am Yanyan!" Meng Shuyan buried his head in Zhao Chun’s embrace and giggled. "Chun Zisu, did you come to Beijing to see me?"

Zhao Chun patted his head and murmured affirmatively.

Ye Binyi watched them with a smile from the side. She and Jiang Father shared the same thought—if Zhao Chun knew Jiang Father’s son, then knowing her grandson wouldn’t be surprising. In fact, Zhao Chun was indeed acquainted with Jiang Jinghuai, but his relationship with Meng Shuyan all stemmed from Tian Sangsang.

Of course, he couldn’t say that.

Zhao Chun tilted his head and said, "Auntie, I heard Yanyan is learning piano. He needs a little tuxedo in black and white, maybe even a small tie. That’d surely charm a group of girls."

"Little Zhao, you deserve your title as a director—you’ve got an eye for things," Ye Binyi agreed solemnly, "A tuxedo is perfect, simply perfect. I’ll find a day to let Yanyan try one on."

**

The products from Yipin Xiangju were well-regarded in Beijing’s market, popular even among numerous high-ranking officials and elites.

At this time, most factories and businesses were state-owned, but as policies started loosening, individuals could now open their own factories.

Tian Sangsang had been wandering around for some time. On the outskirts of the city, she’d discovered an abandoned factory, which had previously been used for garment production. Due to the turmoil of past years, the factory was excluded and had long since ceased operations. The location was excellent—on the city’s edge and convenient for logistics. Moreover, there were farmlands nearby, making it suitable for cultivating flowers.

After observing for some time, she found that only one gatekeeper was watching over the premises. Tian Sangsang used a few packs of Zhonghua cigarettes and quickly struck up a conversation with him.

To be honest, she didn’t even need the Zhonghua cigarettes. A pretty woman is always pleasing to the eye and naturally wins favor. The gatekeeper said, "If you want to use this factory, you’ll need an official permit. Right now in Beijing, opening a shop or factory without approval from higher-ups is almost impossible."

Only then did Tian Sangsang realize that the factory was publicly owned. Without a permit or introduction letter, she couldn’t obtain it. At moments like this, connections were especially important. However, she’d just arrived in Beijing, unfamiliar with the area, and had no personal network to rely on. Her husband’s family was influential, but thinking of her mother-in-law’s demeanor made her feel the matter would be difficult.

And besides, she wanted to do this herself, without relying on others.

Playing it safe, Tian Sangsang asked, "Big brother, which department manages your factory?"

The gatekeeper thought for a moment and replied, "It’s currently under Huarun Food Factory. Our factory used to operate alongside theirs. The factory director is from the Hua Family—they specialize in handling these matters."

Tian Sangsang thanked him and walked away deep in thought. Upon returning home, Jiang Father had already arrived. She greeted him but felt hesitant to speak further. She simply couldn’t find the right words.

Not long after, Ye Binyi appeared at the door. She asked coolly, "Sangsang, where have you been these past few days? You always come home so late." Normally, she didn’t want to speak to her daughter-in-law, but this time she couldn’t avoid it. People often praised military wives for their ’glamorous’ lives, but the reality was they were exceptionally lonely. Furthermore, her daughter-in-law was beautiful and had a history of meeting men at night—this made her even more uneasy. Even though she didn’t care for her daughter-in-law, she was still part of the Jiang Family. If she were out there embarrassing her son, she’d be the first to object.

Back when Hua Jun spilled the details, Ye Binyi hadn’t caught on that the man was Zhao Chun. Plus, she hadn’t seen the movie yet. She was waiting for Wenxiu to come back so they could watch it together as mother and daughter. For now, she had no idea the film featured Tian Sangsang. If she knew, her attitude certainly wouldn’t remain this mild.

Tian Sangsang deliberated for a moment internally. Looking directly at Ye Binyi’s face, she said, "Mom, I’ve been researching business opportunities. I used to run a small shop by the East Sea and was thinking about relocating it here. But sales have been pretty high, so I need a factory to keep up."

"Sangsang, what kind of shop did you run?" Jiang Father glanced at her in surprise.

"It’s called Yipin Xiangju—cosmetics, mostly."

Ye Binyi froze momentarily, surprised by her capabilities. She glanced at Jiang Father.

Jiang Father understood her meaning immediately and dared not interfere.

"You’re a woman—how could you be doing such things? You’d be better off spending that time reading books and learning something meaningful." It’s not as if their family deprived her of food or drinks! Ye Binyi was deeply displeased. Nowadays, plenty of opportunistic country folk were doing this kind of business. Beijing had street vendors, too—but few succeeded in scaling up to large operations. Running a factory? That’s far from just running a tiny shop! How could the Jiang Family’s daughter-in-law let herself be seen so publicly? That would be disgraceful.

Tian Sangsang had only been testing the waters with her mother-in-law. Her tone made it obvious she disapproved. Given her opposition, it was inappropriate to mention the permit issue, nor could she ask Jiang Jinghuai for assistance. If his mother already disapproved, asking him would simply put him in a difficult position. She didn’t want to create family tension.

"Mom, you’re absolutely right. I’ll focus on reading more books." Tian Sangsang smiled faintly and walked upstairs.

Ye Binyi sneered silently. What was that supposed to mean? Showing her attitude, huh? What did "Mom, you’re absolutely right" even imply? Such perfunctory words—she could actually say them!

"Binyi, have some tea," Jiang Father stepped forward perceptively with a cup, switching the topic skillfully. "Did Wenxiu’s room get tidied up? She’s supposed to come back either tomorrow or the day after, right?"

Thinking about Jia Wenxiu, Ye Binyi’s mood brightened slightly.

Beijing’s State-Owned Huarun Food Factory was dedicated to producing canned goods—and the variety was extensive. Fruits, vegetables, meats, aquatic products—so many options. Tian Sangsang had even bought five-spice fish and silver ear jujube cans to try. The flavor was delightful, better than the canned foods of later times.

Tian Sangsang had in mind to meet their boss and see whether collaboration might be possible. Collaboration, of course, required offering something enticing to the other party. She realized this fully. What she intended to offer as an incentive was something no food factory could resist.