Rebirth 70: I am a Koi

The shocking numbers were like little hammers hitting my chest, making it almost impossible for me to breathe. How could this happen? I rubbed my eyes in disbelief and checked the numbers on the report again, but no matter how many times I looked at it, the result was the same.

"How could this happen?" I muttered to myself, my voice was very dry. The originally estimated revenue could not even cover the cost, let alone make a profit.

Bai Hanchuan's face was also very ugly. He took the report, frowned, and looked at it carefully without saying a word. Silence spread in the office, and the atmosphere was so depressing that it made people feel suffocated.

"Knock, knock, knock..." The rapid knock on the door broke the silence.

"Come in." Bai Hanchuan said in a deep voice.

Xiao Wang walked in again, with a bit of panic on his face, "Manager Mu, President Bai, it's President Wang's call."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. "Please come in."

Mr. Wang's deep voice came from the other end of the phone, "Hanchuan, I just saw the news report. It seems that the open day event of your planting base is not going well?"

Bai Hanchuan's fingers holding the microphone tightened slightly, "Mr. Wang, I'm sorry to have worried you. This event is indeed..."

"Well, I understand. There are always risks in doing business." Mr. Wang interrupted him. "It's just that our company has been having trouble with capital turnover recently. You see..."

My heart tightened, already anticipating what he was going to say.

"So, regarding the cooperation project with your base..." Mr. Wang paused, with a hint of apology in his tone, "I've thought about it, and I may have to suspend it for a while. When the situation at your base improves, we can continue the cooperation. What do you think?"

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails almost dug into my flesh.

"Hanchuan, I know this may be a little sudden for you, but there is nothing we can do about it. I hope you can understand." Mr. Wang's voice came again.

Bai Hanchuan took a deep breath and was about to speak when there was another knock on the office door. This time, it was Manager Li, who was in charge of the daily operations of the base. He looked hurried and spoke in a hurried tone, "Boss Bai, something bad has happened..."

Manager Li's expression was even worse than the one on the phone from President Wang, and the news he brought made the situation even worse: a batch of new varieties of vegetables planted at the base had developed widespread pests and diseases, resulting in heavy losses.

I felt my head buzzing and my vision went dark. When it rains, it pours. This saying is the most appropriate to describe my current situation.

Bai Hanchuan held my shoulders and asked me to sit down on the chair, then turned to Manager Li and said in a deep voice: "I understand. You go and calm the employees down first. I'll let you know about other matters."

After Manager Li left, Bai Hanchuan began to re-evaluate the operation plan of the planting base. He sat at the table, frowning, and his slender fingers tapped lightly on the table, again and again, tapping my heart.

"According to the current situation, the base's capital chain can only last for three months at most." Bai Hanchuan's voice was low and calm, but it was like a heavy hammer hitting my heart.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. "I'll think of another way and contact other partners."

I picked up the phone and started contacting potential partners I had contacted before, but the responses I got were exactly the same:

"Manager Mu, our company's recent investment plan is already fully booked..."

"Mr. Mu, we are very interested in your project, but..."

Rejection and disappointment again and again, I felt like I was trapped in a quagmire, sinking deeper and deeper, but unable to struggle.

As night fell and the lights came on, the lights in the office were still on. Bai Hanchuan and I sat opposite each other, but we were both silent.

"Ding-ling-ling..." The urgent ring of the phone broke the silence. I picked up the receiver and heard a strange voice:

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Mu Jinli? I am..."

My hand holding the microphone tightened slightly. Could it be...

Before I could think about it, the office door was suddenly pushed open and several employees walked in in a panic...

"Boss Mu, this is bad!" Before I could ask, one of the employees said anxiously, "Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang...they packed up their things and left, saying...they're quitting!"

I was stunned for a moment, and the phone in my hand slipped onto the table with a dull "bang".

"Others also said...if their salary is not paid this month, they will leave..." Another employee's voice became lower and lower, almost inaudible.

I took a deep breath, tried to suppress my inner panic, and asked, "What happened? Didn't they explain the reason clearly?"

The employees looked at each other. One of the older employees sighed and said, "Boss Mu, everyone has seen the current situation of the base. We haven't received any salary for several months, and our families can't even afford to eat..."

I opened my mouth and wanted to say something, but found that I couldn't say anything. Yes, I almost forgot when was the last time I paid everyone's salary.

Bai Hanchuan walked up, patted my shoulder, motioned me to calm down, and then said to the employees: "Don't worry, we are trying to solve the salary issue. Please give us a little more time."

The employees looked at each other and finally left the office silently.

My heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and I could hardly breathe. In order to save costs, Bai Hanchuan had reduced his salary to the minimum, and even his three meals a day had become simple steamed buns and pickles.

The atmosphere in the base became depressing and dull. I could feel that the way the employees looked at me had changed, filled with suspicion, uneasiness and disappointment.

I looked at Bai Hanchuan's exhausted figure, feeling full of guilt and heartache. He used to be full of vigor and vitality, but now he was under heavy pressure because of me.

"Dong dong dong..."

There was a knock on the door, and I looked up and saw it was the finance staff.

"Mr. Mu, this is this month's financial report, please take a look."

I took the report and opened it. The figures were shocking. The base's funds were already exhausted. If we didn't find a way to turn the situation around, I'm afraid...

I took a deep breath, handed the report to Bai Hanchuan, and said in a trembling voice: "It seems that we are really at our wits' end..."

Bai Hanchuan took the report, frowned and said nothing.

Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He answered the call and his expression instantly became serious.

"What did you say? Are you sure?"

I don’t know what the person on the other end of the phone said, but I could feel a chill rising from the soles of my feet and quickly spreading to my whole body... Bai Hanchuan's face was terribly gloomy, and my heart sank little by little.

"I understand. I'll be there right away." Bai Hanchuan hung up the phone, his deep eyes filled with fatigue and helplessness.

I quickly asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Bai Hanchuan rubbed his brows and said in a heavy tone: "The company we were working with suddenly cancelled the project with us."

My head buzzed, as if a thunder exploded in my ears.

How could this happen? This is undoubtedly adding insult to injury for us!

I suppressed my inner anxiety and pretended to be calm and said, "Don't worry, we will think of another way out."

But my words sounded so weak that even I didn't believe them.

Looking at the empty base, those employees who once worked hard, those smiling faces that were once full of hope, have now all turned into nothing.

My vision was blurry and tears welled up in my eyes.

How I want to tell Bai Hanchuan that I own a magical space with inexhaustible wealth, but I can't. I can't let him know my secret.

I took a deep breath, forced back the tears from the corners of my eyes, and tried to look calmer.

"I'll go get you a glass of water." I stood up and walked to the water dispenser, pouring a cup of hot water with trembling hands.

Bai Hanchuan took the cup of water but didn't drink it. He just looked at me quietly with a complicated and unreadable look in his eyes.

"Jinli," he suddenly spoke in a low and hoarse voice, "I'm sorry for making you suffer with me."

I shook my head, trying hard not to let the tears fall, "What nonsense are you talking about? We are husband and wife, and we have to face difficulties together."

"But……"

"No buts!" I interrupted him, "I believe we can get through this difficult time."

My tone was firm, but I wasn't sure at all.

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps was heard, and then the office door was pushed open.

"Boss Bai, Boss Mu, outside...someone is looking for you outside!"

I looked up and saw an employee standing at the door, panting, with a look of surprise and...

A subtle hint of joy?

"Who is it?" Bai Hanchuan asked.

"Yes Yes……"

The employee hesitated for a long time but couldn't explain the reason.

Just when I was puzzled, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside the door:

"What? You don't welcome an old friend?"

I stood up suddenly, my eyes widened in disbelief.

How could it be him? !