Lan Sihai, also known as Elder Lan, had a very smooth experience with his matchmaking.
He and Luo Xiaohe were both of an age where they didn't have much time to waste, so they both made it clear from the start that they found each other suitable. They quickly got their introduction letters and got married.
The speed of it all was like a gust of wind.
Although it was fast, no one thought it was unusual. Nowadays, this was the norm. Even young men and women would decide on marriage after just a few meetings. For people of their age, there was no room for unnecessary sentimentality.
After getting their marriage certificate, Lan Sihai suggested, "Let's go take a photo together."
Luo Xiaohe nodded. They went to a photo studio near the Great Front Gate. The photographer had never seen such an elderly couple come to take a wedding photo before and had a rather meaningful expression. This made Luo Xiaohe a bit uncomfortable, but Elder Lan remained calm. He said, "Let's take several photos. When we're even older, we can look back and think we were quite young then."
"Pfft."
Both the photographer and Luo Xiaohe laughed.
This eased the tension a bit.
In truth, Luo Xiaohe thought it was a bit of a waste of money, but she didn't stop him. After all, they were a couple starting anew, and they needed time to adjust to each other. She had taken photos before, but rarely, so she was a bit stiff and unnatural.
Lan Sihai said, "Later, let's buy a bag of candy to share with everyone."
Luo Xiaohe replied, "Alright."
Nowadays, extravagant weddings were discouraged. Simplicity was emphasized, and old customs were avoided. So, the couple didn't plan to host a banquet. Young people these days had simple weddings, and for older couples like them, it was even less of a hassle.
After getting their marriage certificate, Luo Xiaohe moved her belongings to Lan Sihai's place. He had accompanied her, and her siblings seemed normal and close to their sister. However, Luo Xiaohe's mother was somewhat dissatisfied.
Luo Xiaohe's mother was about the same age as Lan Sihai, but the hardships of life had aged her more. Her eyes were cloudy and yellowish, giving her a gloomy appearance. Lan Sihai didn't show much enthusiasm either. Although they were now married, it was a bit premature to consider themselves a family.
The two sides didn't interact warmly. Luo's mother was unhappy about losing a source of support for her old age. But Luo Xiaolian and Luo Xiaohu, her sister and brother, thought it was good that their sister was seeking the life she wanted.
Although Lan Sihai was older, their sister wasn't at a significant disadvantage by marrying him, and it wouldn't be too much of a hardship.
Despite not wanting to admit it, many problems in life stemmed from poverty. With better conditions, life would be easier. Luo's siblings helped her move, and they didn't let their mother visit Lan Sihai's place.
They didn't bring it up, and Lan Sihai didn't mention it either. He had better things to do.
After taking photos and buying candy, they headed back. Truthfully, Luo Xiaohe felt a bit lightheaded. She hadn't expected to get married one day. She had thought she would live her whole life at home.
But who could have predicted how quickly plans could change?
One's perspective could shift in an instant. Whether to get married or not was a matter of the heart.
"Today is our wedding day. Although we're not having a banquet, we should still have a good meal. Let's buy a roast duck, some pork trotters to make a pork and soybean soup, and a fish dish, like grass carp with tofu. What do you think about adding another dish?"
Luo Xiaohe thought it was too lavish but also felt it was appropriate for a wedding. It should be a bit different from everyday meals. She thought for a moment and said, "Since we have three meat dishes, let's add a vegetable. How about stir-fried leeks?"
"Sounds good."
They returned to the courtyard. It wasn't the weekend, so most people were at work. Only Zhao Guihua and a few other housewives were there. Some were sewing, others were making shoes, each busy with their own tasks.
However, the mainstay of the courtyard, Aunt Zhou, hadn't been seen for a few days. She had lost face and was scolded by her son, so she was feeling down. Being so concerned about her reputation, she didn't want to mix with the others.
Even without her, the gossip continued.
Aunt Wang whispered, "I heard the factory is investigating, and Zhou Qun will have to retake the electrician level seven exam."
"That's right. This way, we'll know if there was any cheating."
Aunt Wang continued, "He's already taken the exam a long time ago. He's probably practiced enough by now."
"Technically, they shouldn't verify level seven. It's been too long. They should verify level eight."
"There's no logic in that. After all, he passed level seven. Even if he hasn't progressed since, you can't say much. We know he's exploiting loopholes, but there's nothing we can do. Besides, if this is confirmed, it would be a scandal for the factory. The leaders would feel embarrassed, so they probably don't want to confirm it." Some people understood the situation well.
Zhao Guihua agreed with this.
"This kind of person should be sent home. Always trying to cheat." The Sui Family woman complained, then added, "I heard his master's wife died about seven or eight years ago."
Now everyone understood why Zhou Qun mentioned those specific people.
Zhou Qun's master's wife had died of illness due to depression.
The "Xinghua Aunt" Zhou Qun mentioned had fallen and become bedridden the year her husband retired. She died less than three months later.
There was also "Taohong," a woman from over ten years ago who had been involved in shady activities. She had been caught and imprisoned. Though she should have been released by now, she hadn't returned to Beijing. There were rumors that she had passed away, but it wasn't clear if it was true.
It seemed Zhou Qun's suspicions about these women weren't unfounded. He had likely thought it through.
Of course, Zhou Qun had mentioned others, but the drunkard didn't remember, so there were no rumors about them. Only these few women were mentioned, but their reputations added another layer to Zhou Qun's situation.
The good part was that since they were all dead, there was no way to prove anything. It was truly a case of "dead men tell no tales."
Although the phrase wasn't ideal, it was the reality.
The bad part was that people were even more convinced Zhou Qun was not clean. How coincidental that all the people he mentioned had passed away. This made it clearer that Zhou Qun knew them and their situations.
Otherwise, how would he know about these unrelated people?
Although Zhou Qun denied saying anything, the drunkard's oath made people believe him. This gossip had been the talk of the alley for days, even overshadowing other events like Bai Fendou breaking up with Wang Xiangxiu and Elder Lan's matchmaking.
Zhao Guihua asked, "When is Zhou Qun's retake?"
"It's set for tomorrow. The factory is in a hurry too. They can't let this gossip continue endlessly. The factory's reputation is at stake. You don't know, I went to my hometown in Lotus Village yesterday. It's two and a half hours away by car, and even there, people were talking about it. Someone asked me, 'I heard there's a young man in your machinery factory who likes to target old ladies? You better be careful.' Can you imagine how embarrassing that is? I didn't even have the heart to say he's not just from our factory, but from the same courtyard."
"You think that's bad? My relative in Tong County heard about it too."
"Ha, that's nothing. My relative from Hang City came to visit recently and heard about it too. This gossip has spread all the way to Hang City."
Everyone was feeling quite frustrated. Good news might not spread far, but bad news certainly did. As neighbors, they all felt embarrassed by the situation.
Zhao Guihua tried to comfort them, "Don't be too upset, everyone. Look at it from another angle—who else has seen as much as we have? No matter how strange things get in the future, we'll be able to stay calm, right? We've seen it all—butterfly swimming in a cesspool, and even targeting old ladies. We're experienced, comrades, experienced!"
Aunt Wang and the other older women burst out laughing.
Aunt Su also joined in the casual chat, but she felt uneasy when she heard this. After all, her grandson Jinlai was one of those who had "butterfly swam" in the cesspool. How could she be happy about it? She glanced at Zhao Guihua with a hint of resentment. It had been so long, yet Zhao Guihua kept bringing it up. Did she think her family was better or something?
Aunt Su really couldn't stand Zhao Guihua's showing off. What was the point?
However, Zhao Guihua did have her uses. Aunt Su cleared her throat and asked, "Guihua, how did your relative Uncle Lan's blind date go?"
Everyone turned to look at her in unison. Aunt Su was taken aback and said, "What? Why are you all looking at me? I was just asking casually."
Zhao Guihua smirked and replied, "Didn't you know? They hit it off. I thought everyone in the courtyard knew. You didn't?"
Aunt Su: "!!!"
She couldn't believe it and widened her eyes. "They hit it off?"
She hadn't even made her move yet, and they were already together?
She was furious and quickly asked, "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
As soon as she said that, she realized it wasn't a good thing to say. Zhao Guihua didn't give her a chance to explain, responding, "What does it have to do with you? Do you expect someone to come to your house with a gong and drum to inform you? What kind of logic is that?"
Zhao Guihua's words carried a hidden meaning: "Besides, everyone in the courtyard knew they were successful. You were too busy being all lovey-dovey with Old Bai to notice, weren't you?"
Aunt Su: "......"
She became even more uneasy and said dryly, "Me and Old Bai are completely innocent."
There were two widows in the household who were quite interesting. The older widow claimed to be innocent with Old Bai, and the younger widow claimed to be innocent with Little Bai. Yet, they always seemed to be spending their money. Zhao Guihua sneered mockingly.
At that moment, Lan Sihai and Luo Xiaohe returned.
Lan Sihai: "Oh, you all are so busy, so very busy, all gathered together chatting."
Everyone: "......"
What the hell do you mean by "busy"?
You're just saying we're too idle, aren't you?
Everyone was speechless.
Zhao Guihua: "Uncle Lan, did you two go to get your marriage certificate today?"
As soon as she said that, everyone turned their attention to the couple. Lan Sihai smiled and said, "Yes, here are some wedding candies."
He grabbed a handful and said, "Share in our happiness."
Almost every household had someone who wasn't working, so the group chatting here basically included everyone. Lan Sihai's distribution of candies saved him from having to go door to door. Everyone received the candies and immediately smiled from ear to ear.
"Congratulations! Uncle Lan, you're quick."
"Exactly, I didn't expect you to be so decisive."
"This lady..."
Luo Xiaohe noticed everyone's attention on her and said, "I'm Luo Xiaohe. You can call me Old Luo or Xiaohe."
Aunt Wang, as the head of the courtyard, took the initiative to say, "If you need anything in the future, just speak up. We're all neighbors, so harmony is key."
Luo Xiaohe: "Okay."
Everyone started to exchange pleasantries. Only Aunt Su's heart was bleeding. She looked at the nice things Lan Sihai and Luo Xiaohe were carrying and felt her heartache. If only she had seized Lan Sihai earlier, would there be a Luo Xiaohe now?
Her family's life could have improved. She stammered, "My kids have been having diarrhea lately. Their stomachs are empty, and they don't have any oil in them."
As she spoke, her eyes were glued to the bags in their hands.
Everyone had been expressing their condolences to the new neighbor, but then Aunt Su suddenly brought up this topic. Her intentions were obvious.
Lan Sihai scoffed and said, "Your kids still lack oil? If they did, wouldn't they have already gone to steal?"
Everyone burst out laughing.
Luo Xiaohe, although not exactly easy to get along with, didn't have Lan Sihai's boldness. She had always cared about others' opinions, suppressing her own personality and living a difficult life.
This was the first time she had seen such a straightforward person. Looking at her newlywed husband, she felt a bit of admiration.
Although his words were harsh, they were also refreshing.
Lan Sihai even took the time to introduce to Luo Xiaohe, "I moved in late, so I didn't see the incident where they fell into the cesspool. But I did hear about the Su family's little thieves stealing Zhou's sheep testicles. I don't know if the food was spoiled or if they couldn't handle the supplement, but oh, the diarrhea they had..."
Luo Xiaohe: "Oh my."
Their previous home was a small standalone house with neighbors, but it was different from this communal siheyuan. She hadn't experienced such a lively scene before. Since the day of their blind date, she had a feeling that this courtyard would be quite lively.
There would be plenty of drama to come.
The Sui family member, being straightforward, spoke quickly, "Uncle Lan, what you're saying isn't the important part. The key is to keep the women in your family away from Sister Zhou next door. Xiaohe, let me tell you, you need to be wary of that guy next door, Zhou Qun, who looks all proper but is actually into older women. Be careful, especially since you're new here."
Luo Xiaohe: "!!!"
This was really... something.
Zhao Guihua, seeing their shocked expressions, laughed and said, "Alright, keep talking, and Sister Zhou might come out to hit someone. Didn't you see her peeking from the window?"
Everyone followed her gaze and saw, oh, indeed.
She was peeking out the window with a pair of venomous eyes fixed on them. It was quite frightening at first glance.
"There are all kinds of people in the world."
"That's for sure."
After chatting for a while, Zhao Guihua stood up and said, "I'm going to the bathroom. Who's coming with me?"
"Oh, I'll go with you."
"Me too."
"I don't really need to go, but I'll come along. I'd be scared to go alone later!"
Because of the ghost stories, no one went to the bathroom at night in this area. Unless absolutely necessary, they wouldn't go. Even during the day, people rarely went alone and usually went in groups.
Zhao Guihua wasn't afraid. She knew the truth behind the stories, but she didn't act too nonchalant. After all, the security department was still investigating.
Although they might be going through the motions, the investigation was still ongoing. Zhao Guihua didn't want to cause trouble for herself. The group went to the bathroom together, and Aunt Su, recovering from being put down by Lan Sihai, also joined them.
As they walked to the bathroom, Aunt Su suddenly said, "Guihua, do you remember? Back then, those few boys each picked up a plate with a word on it?"
Zhao Guihua remained calm and asked, "What plate?"
She looked at Aunt Su with a puzzled expression, "With a word on it? I don't remember that."
"It had auspicious words on it. My son's had the word 'fortune.' Remember? A group of young boys went out to play and picked them up?"
What "picked up while playing"? That time was during the overthrow of the landlord's family. A group of boys had divided the loot.
However, Zhao Guihua acted as if she suddenly remembered and said, "Oh, you mean that? I remember now. Why are you bringing up something from so long ago? Even the plates are broken by now. Why bring up such old news?"
Aunt Su's expression tightened as she stared intently at Zhao Guihua, but she couldn't find anything unusual about her.
This matter had been on her mind for several days. She was certain that her family's plate had been broken. But she hadn't seen the Zhuang family's plate herself. So, she thought she should verify it again. If the Zhuang family's plate hadn't been broken, she would have to find a way to get it. After all, these plates were worth money.
Even if it were broken, it wouldn't matter. As long as it wasn't thrown away, even with cracks, it could still be worth money. The only question was, what kind of situation did his family have with it? Aunt Su was obsessed with the idea of making a fortune overnight. She didn't have any other avenues, so she could only consider this.
Even if there was truly no possibility at all, she still felt that saying it out loud would be better. She couldn't let just their family suffer the pain. She wanted to see the look of pain on Zhao Guihua's face.
She said, "Is that thing of yours still around?"
Zhao Guihua looked at Aunt Su with confusion and said, "Are you sick? It broke years ago. Why would I keep it? I threw it away a long time ago. It wasn't edible, drinkable, or usable. Did I keep it to breed?" She continued, "But you, why are you suddenly bringing this up today?"
Here it comes.
Aunt Su put on a sorrowful expression and said, "Actually, that thing could be worth a lot of money. It's a pity that the one in my house broke, and I didn't expect yours to break too."
Zhao Guihua: "Oh, I thought you were saying something important. What's the big deal about money? Don't let people fool you. I don't think that broken thing is worth anything. Maybe people just say it's valuable to trick you. I don't see where it's valuable."
Aunt Su was anxious: "Don't you believe me, it really is valuable."
Zhao Guihua: "Heh, don't fool yourself. I don't see where it's valuable."
Aunt Su: "Why can't you listen to what people say?"
Zhao Guihua narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "Look at you, I think you're the one who can't listen. It's clearly not true. Besides, it's been broken for a long time. Why are you suddenly bringing this up? What's the big deal about money? Could it be that someone is deliberately fooling you? I say, Aunt Su, you can't just grow older without growing wiser. How can you believe such things? Anyway, I don't think it's valuable."
Aunt Su almost choked on her own blood. How could Zhao Guihua be so clueless?
Antiques, do you understand antiques?
You're such a country bumpkin.
She was furious, but seeing Zhao Guihua's disbelief and disdain, she felt a surge of anger.
Stupid, utterly stupid.
Aunt Su had only wanted to probe Zhao Guihua's situation and stir up some emotion in her.
But instead of provoking Zhao Guihua, she ended up furious herself.
She was angry, but she forgot that someone else was even angrier, and that was Aunt Wang beside her.
Aunt Wang had been feeling bitter since being swindled by Bai Fendou, and upon hearing Aunt Su's words, she immediately understood. She was even more convinced that there was something fishy about Bai Fendou selling things to their family. Otherwise, why would Aunt Su be so eager, and why would she approach Zhao Guihua again?
This matter, she herself couldn't know about it, it must have been Bai Fendou who told them.
And they clearly saw Bai Fendou make money and wanted a piece of the pie.
Aunt Wang hated Bai Fendou even more.
Aunt Su didn't care about the impact of her words on Bai Fendou. In her eyes, Aunt Wang's family was better off and shouldn't be so stingy. Besides, even if she knew, what difference would it make to her?
If she wasn't happy, she could go find Bai Fendou herself.
Anyway, Aunt Su was an old selfish devil.
The atmosphere was tense, and Zhao Guihua immediately sensed it. After finishing her business in the bathroom, she went home to prepare lunch, her thoughts wandering. She couldn't remember if Aunt Su had come to ask her about it in her previous life, but she did remember that a few years later, she had taken the thing out to use, only to lose it again.
In this life, she had accidentally learned that the dish was worth some money, and looking back at what happened in her previous life, it was quite suspicious.
Her three suspects were Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin, who definitely knew the value of the item. But she wasn't sure if the Su family knew. However, today's conversation confirmed that Aunt Su definitely knew.
So, the Su family was the third suspect.
Moreover, Aunt Su's suspicion had increased significantly.
If she knew the item was valuable, it was very likely that she would have taken action. She herself might not have been able to do it, but she had a grandson who was very willing to steal. Her chances of getting her hands on it were much greater than Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin.
Zhao Guihua looked in the direction of the Su family and sneered.
Liang Meifen was helping her mother-in-law prepare lunch when she suddenly saw that smile and was startled. She became more cautious and focused on cooking. This old lady was too unpredictable, but there was nothing she could do about it. Being a daughter-in-law was not easy.
"Mom, last time Zhiyuan left, he told me that when he comes back, we'll go on a family outing to the mountains. What do you think?"
Zhao Guihua: "Sure."
She said, "Let's do it on Labor Day. We'll have two days off. The first day, there's an event at the factory, so we'll go and watch. The second day, we'll go to the mountains."
Liang Meifen: "Zhiyuan had the same idea."
She hesitated for a moment and said, "Should we go fishing?"
Zhao Guihua: "Of course! We have to go fishing!"
She still hadn't caught anything yet, so how could she give up?
Liang Meifen also smiled. Fishing was a good thing. They all lacked oil in their diets, and fish was delicious.
Zhao Guihua: "By the way, why haven't you gone back to your family home lately?"
She glanced at her daughter-in-law, and Liang Meifen's hand trembled, almost dropping the bowl. She quickly gripped it tightly and said, "My maternal family doesn't have anything going on, so I don't need to go back often."
In fact, the truth was that last time her younger brother was arranging a marriage, she had a disagreement with his future wife. She was fighting for her family's rights, but her brother accused her of deliberately causing trouble and shouted at her, forbidding her to return to her maternal home.
Thinking about how much her younger brother had taken from her over the years, even taking her formal job, and now ending up with such a result, she couldn't help but feel sad. But she didn't dare to say anything more.
She knew her mother-in-law's feelings towards her family; she absolutely detested them. If she said anything, the situation would only get worse.
She knew that her younger brother resented her for not providing the "three turns and one ring" and the "thirty-six legs." But Liang Meifen was more aware that she was powerless. She was willing to help her brother and would give as much as she could, but she didn't have a job and no money, and there was also a harsh mother-in-law at home.
She just couldn't do it.
Knowing that she couldn't do it and still making things difficult for her, Liang Meifen felt extremely sad.
But she didn't dare to show any of it and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Little Brother is helping out in the propaganda department this time. I wonder what he's thinking, he's so busy. It's not like he's going to get transferred to the propaganda department. Isn't it just a waste of effort?"
Zhao Guihua: "It's good for him to get some exercise. Besides, if he performs well, it might catch the attention of the leaders."
Even though she said that, Liang Meifen couldn't believe it. What could catch the attention of the leaders? There were so many employees, how could the leaders possibly notice them all? She didn't believe it.
It was just a waste of energy.
Usually, he seemed like a smart person, but his actions didn't make sense.
However, Liang Meifen didn't dare to say that her brother-in-law was wasting his time, so she changed the subject again, saying, "Mom, do you think Zhou Qun will pass tomorrow?"
Zhao Guihua: "I think he will. After all, it's been a while. He took the exam over two years ago, right? I can't remember the exact time, but it's been so long, he can't still be at the same level."
She paused and then added, "And... the factory certainly doesn't want any scandals."
Liang Meifen: "It's disgusting. How can there be such a despicable person! I've never seen anyone more shameless. A grown man not working hard himself and relying on a woman, pfft!"
Such things were even more disgraceful than having an affair, especially given the significant age difference.
Liang Meifen ranted, and other families felt the same way.
Soon, the next day arrived. Zhou Qun had spent the entire night without sleep, and he was completely exhausted. How could he be in good spirits? Although he kept reassuring himself, he wasn't that confident, and he was extremely restless.
He was nervous, and Jiang Lu was even more so.
Jiang Lu still hadn't convinced her father, and Jiang's Father, being a prominent figure, couldn't be unaware of these things. From the first day the scandal broke, Jiang's Father had been pressuring Jiang Lu to divorce.
Actually, when Jiang's Father didn't approve of his daughter's fiancé, Zhou Qun, during their wedding, but at that time, Jiang Lu was determined to marry him. As a father, he ultimately couldn't resist his daughter's wishes. Fortunately, Zhou Qun treated Jiang Lu well, and even though they didn't have children after more than ten years of marriage, he never blamed her. Additionally, he always stood up for Jiang Lu with his mother. Honestly, Jiang's Father had come to somewhat accept this son-in-law. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to help him.
But never did he expect to be so wrong about the man. Zhou Qun had been exposed in such a huge scandal. Both Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu felt ashamed, but for Jiang's Father, who was a public figure, the humiliation was even greater. It was as if he had lost face all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Those who were his rivals would openly discuss these matters in front of him, deliberately trying to humiliate him.
Jiang's Father was adamant about forcing Jiang Lu to divorce, but she refused. Even if it meant severing their father-daughter relationship, Jiang's Father was resolute in never giving Zhou Qun another chance. If it were just a scandal involving extramarital affairs, it wouldn't have been so humiliating. But this? What the hell was this?
A young man involved with an old woman? Jiang's Father simply couldn't bear the shame.
Jiang Lu faced one closed door after another. Her father had already announced to outsiders that if she didn't divorce, they would sever their father-daughter relationship. So now, Jiang Lu was in a difficult situation. In the past, she would hand over her salary to her mother-in-law, but since she didn't have much money in her hands, she would go back to her parents' house to ask for money. Her father and brother were in powerful positions with good perks, so giving her some money was no big deal. Even though she handed her salary to her mother-in-law, she wasn't really short of money. If there was something she couldn't buy, she would just go back to her parents' house to get it.
Her sister-in-law at her parents' house hated her to the core, but Jiang Lu felt it was her right. After all, she was the daughter of the house, and taking things from her parents' house to support her in-laws was perfectly normal.
But this time, her family was determined. Her sister-in-law, taking advantage of the situation, refused to let her set foot in the house.
Jiang Lu was caught between a rock and a hard place.
She was in a tough spot, but she hadn't reconciled with her family, which meant she had even less of a chance to help Zhou Qun. As a result, both Zhou Qun and she were feeling more and more unhappy. Early in the morning, Jiang Lu helped Zhou Qun get dressed and said, "Today is the assessment. Just stay calm. I believe in your abilities."
Zhou Qun gave Jiang Lu an annoyed look and said, "Of course, I have the ability. But what if someone deliberately sets out to sabotage me? I told you to go back and ask your dad to help me with some connections, but look at you, you can't even handle such a small matter."
Jiang Lu's eyes turned red as she said, "I'll try again with my dad, but you know my family is still very angry. They don't understand..."
Zhou Qun snapped, "They don't understand, so you can't explain it to them?"
He scolded, "We've been relatives for so many years, and yet they'd rather believe rumors than me. It's really disappointing. I know, I know they've always looked down on me, thinking I'm not good enough for you. But have they ever thought about what you have besides a good family? Even if I hadn't married you, do you think I would have ended up with someone worse? With my conditions and my drive, I could have found someone better... but what about you? Apart from a good family, you're nothing."
"Qun Ge..."
"Forget it, I'll rely on myself. Let go!"
He slapped Jiang Lu's hand away and walked out first. It's worth mentioning that since he encountered a ghost last time, his interest in women has waned significantly. Every time he thinks about women, he thinks about the old lady, and then the ghost, and suddenly he feels completely uninterested.
Even with someone like Jiang Lu, a young woman, he feels extremely uncomfortable.
He didn't want to be with Jiang Lu, so he left on his bicycle alone.
Little did he know how much the people in the courtyard cared about him. As soon as he left, everyone crowded at their doorways, peeking out to watch the show. After Zhou Qun left, Jiang Lu also walked out, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face.
Zhao Guihua looked out the window and sighed, "A woman fears marrying the wrong man."
Ming Mei, biting a steamed bun, also leaned against the window to watch, mumbling, "I wish I worked at the machinery factory too, so I could watch the drama."
She really was one to watch the drama without fear of trouble.
Zhao Guihua said, "If you were transferred to the machinery factory, you'd have to start as an apprentice. Even if you were in an office position, you'd only make a dozen bucks in the first year before being confirmed. After confirmation, you'd start at around twenty bucks. Would you be happy with that?"
It seemed Zhao Guihua knew Ming Mei quite well. Although Ming Mei loved watching drama, making more money was obviously more important to her.
She firmly shook her head and said, "No, I prefer working on the front lines of social services, serving the people. Large state-owned enterprises aren't for me."
Twenty bucks?
With her current salary and subsidies, she was making over forty bucks a month.
Not even men could outearn her; she wasn't crazy.
Ming Mei slung her small bag over her shoulder and said, "Alright, I'm off to contribute to society."
"By the way, Ming Mei, don't you have any activities for Labor Day?"
Zhao Guihua asked curiously, always hearing about activities at this factory or that, but never hearing about Ming Mei's.
Ming Mei pouted and said, "What kind of activities could we have? Every time there's a holiday, it's our busiest time. My route is relatively okay, but some rural routes are packed. May has the best weather, not too cold or too hot, so a lot of people come to the city to shop. We're so busy we can't even think about having activities. Our work nature is different."
Zhao Guihua nodded, "That's true. Alright, you'd better hurry up."
Ming Mei: "Mom, can you help me buy some Pang Da Hai at the pharmacy today? I've been shouting so much my throat hurts."
Zhao Guihua: "Sure."
Ming Mei handed the money to Zhao Guihua, who didn't refuse and took it directly. Liang Meifen calculated and figured her mother-in-law would still have a few cents left. She looked at Ming Mei with sympathy; every penny counted.
Ming Mei, however, didn't seem to notice and pushed her bike out the door.
What about Zhuang Zhixi?
He had been leaving early these days, even earlier than Ming Mei.
Liang Meifen sighed again, "I wonder why the little uncle is so dedicated to helping others. He leaves so early in the morning."
Zhao Guihua glanced at her and said, "Even if you don't get anything, learning is always good."
In her previous life, Zhuang Zhixi had used this opportunity to get into the publicity department. This time, while it wasn't a hundred percent certain, Zhao Guihua still thought her youngest son was doing the right thing. Old Huang from the publicity department had left an impression on her; he was a very capable person.
Learning from him was a good thing.
At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi was already busy in the department. He and Old Huang had repainted the blackboard in the factory area, which was to welcome the May Day Labor Festival. Old Huang said, "You see, when we do the blackboard, we have to pay a lot of attention to the composition. You don't have to be professional in your drawing, because everyone is amateur, and they might not be able to tell, but you have to be coordinated. If you can't do that, people will think your blackboard's composition is awkward..."
Zhuang Zhixi listened carefully.
"You see, for a spring-themed blackboard, we usually..."
The two were working seriously when Zhang San came running over excitedly, saying, "Do you guys know? Today, Zhou Qun from your courtyard is going to retake the seven-level electrician exam."
He was very excited, saying, "I saw that to ensure fairness, the factory invited several veteran electricians from other factories. Representatives from various workshops and workers can also attend."
Zhuang Zhixi said, "I know, I heard several people talking about it early this morning."
Old Huang looked at Zhuang Zhixi and chuckled.
Zhuang Zhixi was really serious when he was learning, but when it came to gossip, he was just as enthusiastic. It was quite a split experience to feel both at the same time. But Old Huang was starting to like this guy more and more.
After all, he was serious when he needed to be and lively when it was time to be lively.
It's simple, but not everyone can do it, and Old Huang couldn't either.
He didn't stop them from gossiping and even listened intently himself. After all, curiosity is human nature.
And their factory really hasn't encountered such a big gossip in decades, so it's only natural that everyone is curious.
Zhang San clearly knows more than the people in their compound. He tells Zhuang Zhixi, "Our security department conducted some visits with the involved parties. All the people involved are gone, and the families of the parties certainly deny any connection with Zhou Qun. However, external investigations can still reveal a thing or two. Zhou Qun, this guy, isn't clean. His master's neighbors back then all said he often came by, but too frequently, and always when his master wasn't home. Given the age difference, no one thought much of it at the time. Who knew... guess we were just naive."
As someone who had been playing tricks at the scene, Zhuang Zhixi had known from the start that Zhou Qun was definitely not clean, so this news didn't surprise him at all.
However, he also said, "I'm not really curious about these scandalous rumors. What I'm curious about is the certification process... it's just so unfair."
Zhang San: "You're just pretending. You're not curious about that either. No one in the factory isn't curious. Everyone wants to know how Zhou Qun could bring himself to do it."
They were all gossiping together when Bai Fendou showed up, as excited as if it were New Year's, saying, "Hey, do you think Zhou Qun can get away with this smoothly? Definitely not, right? I don't believe he really has that kind of ability. It's all about getting benefits from sleeping with older women."
Zhuang Zhixi just smiled and didn't respond. Zhang San pondered for a moment and said, "Hard to say. We'll know soon enough. It shouldn't take too long..."
"I'm really curious," Zhuang Zhixi said, raising a question. "During the certification, there are usually five people, right? Zhou Qun can't possibly have gotten all of them, can he...?"
Zhang San's expression became a bit subtle. Zhuang Zhixi: "You know something? Spill it."
Zhang San: "Hehe."
Bai Fendou: "I know, I know."
As part of the security department, he knew even more.
He said, "There are five people: three senior electricians, one department head, and one factory leader. The problem is, among the three senior electricians, one is the head, Master Zou, who is Aunt Xinghua's husband. The other two are Master Zou's disciple and Zhou Qun's senior apprentice. If someone makes a polite request (a polite way of asking for a favor), they would definitely turn a blind eye. The department head and factory leader don't understand the technical stuff, so as long as those three insist, Zhou Qun is sure to pass..."
Bai Fendou cursed, "What a bunch of scoundrels! We work so hard, yet we're not as good as these guys who take the crooked path."
Zhuang Zhixi just smiled, thinking that Bai Fendou wasn't exactly clean either.
However, setting work aside, let's talk about personal matters.
This time, Bai Fendou actually picked a fight with Wang Xiangxiu, and the two hadn't made up, showing a strong inclination to break up.
Of course, it was mainly Bai Fendou's doing.
Wang Xiangxiu was still trying to make up.
This was quite curious.
Zhuang Zhixi asked casually, "You seem to be in a good mood today, aren't you angry anymore?"
Bai Fendou: "What do I have to be angry about?"
But then he realized what Zhuang Zhixi was referring to. He pursed his lips, snorted, and said, "Your grandpa, at such an old age, can immediately find someone to marry. I, a well-off young man, how can't I find someone? Why should I get entangled with a widow?"
It turned out that he was so angry this time because someone else had successfully found a partner.
He was stimulated by this.
Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself, I wonder how long you can hold out.
Just as they were talking, they heard someone shout loudly, "The results are out, the results are out..."
Zhuang Zhixi: "!!!"
