“Chen Xiulan and Zhang Xiumei were among the first old employees of the garment factory. They had known each other for nearly twenty years and had always had a good relationship. In addition, when the housing was allocated, Chen Xiulan was assigned to the building behind the Lin family’s, so it could be said that Lin Jing was a child she had watched grow up. 

Therefore, seeing that Lin Jing’s face didn’t look good when she came back, Chen Xiulan asked with concern, “What did you two talk about?” 

“We talked about last night’s events,” Lin Jing said directly, without hiding anything. 

“Last night?” Before Chen Xiulan could speak, Wang Xiaoli, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, eagerly asked, “Could it be that Fang Yalan dirtied your clothes last night?” 

Although the workshop was noisy, Wang Xiaoli didn’t lower her voice when she interjected, so people from several surrounding groups heard her words and turned to look at Fang Yalan, who had just come in from outside. 

Group Two was right next to the workshop entrance, so Fang Yalan also heard Wang Xiaoli’s words. Meeting her gaze of watching a good show, Fang Yalan couldn’t help but clench her teeth, her mind racing. 

This was a scene that Fang Yalan hadn’t anticipated. In her previous life, she didn’t have a deep friendship with Lin Jing, and her impressions of Lin Jing were only of weakness, opportunism, and good luck. After reading the original novel after her rebirth, Fang Yalan’s impression of Lin Jing didn’t improve. She still felt that if Lin Jing wasn’t the female lead, and if she hadn’t married Zhao Hongyi, she would have been devoured sooner or later. 

So, in Fang Yalan’s view, even if she went out late and Lin Jing got angry because of it, she could appease her with a few words. 

But after last night, everything was out of her control. The weak and indecisive Lin Jing in the original novel behaved unexpectedly strongly, even keenly guessing her purpose, ultimately leading to the current situation. 

Being watched by so many eyes, Fang Yalan’s first reaction was to deny the matter outright. The problem was that although they were sitting in the last row last night, there were other people beside them who might have seen the process. A direct denial would only make her look more guilty. 

However, admitting it wouldn’t be a big deal either. After all, even if Lin Jing guessed her true purpose, she had no evidence. She could just insist that she didn’t do it on purpose. But in that case, she would definitely have to humble herself in front of Lin Jing. 

To be honest, after just hearing Lin Jing’s blunt words, she really didn’t want to bow her head to Lin Jing now. But rationally, Fang Yalan also knew that she had to lower her head, otherwise, if she didn’t handle this matter well, it would inevitably affect her reputation. 

She was going to be a general’s wife in this life, and her reputation absolutely couldn’t have any flaws. 

Thinking of this, Fang Yalan pinched her thigh with her right hand hanging by her side. 

Fang Yalan used all her strength to pinch, and the pain made her eyes water up immediately. Feeling the tears welling up in her eyes, Fang Yalan walked up to Lin Jing and said in a choked voice, “It was wrong of me to wet your clothes last night and make you miss the party, but I really didn’t do it on purpose, Jingjing, please forgive me, okay?” 

Most of the people in the Second Production Workshop were old employees of the garment factory. When the housing was allocated in the 1950s, most of them were assigned their own houses. In other words, these people were not only colleagues but also old neighbors who had lived in the same compound for more than ten years. Lin Jing and Fang Yalan, children who grew up in the compound, were all watched grow up by them. 

Fang Yalan had been working in the garment factory for several years and had always been good at putting on a show, so her reputation among her colleagues had always been good. 

Therefore, seeing Fang Yalan’s eyes red, most people believed her words and came out to smooth things over: 

“That’s right, Xiao Lin, Xiao Fang definitely didn’t wet your clothes on purpose, just forgive her!” 

“That’s right, it’s just a party anyway, you didn’t lose anything, just let it go this time, right?” 

“Parties are held by the factory every year or so. Anyway, you’re still young, so if you miss this one, you can just attend the next one.” 

“If you’re really anxious, I’ll go back and look around for you and introduce you to someone.” 

“That’s right, there are so many people in our workshop, we’ll definitely be able to introduce you to a good partner.” 

Everyone said one thing or another, initially speaking up for Fang Yalan, but later they all started teasing Lin Jing. Fang Yalan listened to their discussions, revealing a hidden smile. Lin Jing should be flustered now, right? It was the 1960s, and being eager to marry wasn’t a good reputation! 

But Fang Yalan was disappointed. Lin Jing didn’t panic because of everyone’s discussion. Instead, she raised her head and looked directly at her, saying, “You still think I’m angry because you made me miss the party, not because you deliberately played with me and left me out in the auditorium for half an hour?” 

Faced with Lin Jing’s question, Fang Yalan wasn’t flustered either. With the confrontation just now, when she decided to admit that she had accidentally dirtied Lin Jing’s clothes, she had already thought about how to respond to Lin Jing’s question. 

Fang Yalan exaggeratedly covered her mouth with her left hand and asked with a shocked expression, “Jingjing, how could you think that? We’re friends, how could I deliberately leave you outside? I admit, it took me a little time to help you borrow clothes last night, but there was no way around it. It’s summer now, and everyone didn’t bring a coat. I asked a lot of people but couldn’t borrow clothes, so I made you wait so long, but didn’t I explain it to you last night? You were fine at the time, how could you suddenly, suddenly…” 

Saying this, Fang Yalan’s voice became even more choked, and at the same time, she pinched her thigh again, forcing out a few tears, making her look pitiful. 

The weak are naturally more likely to gain trust and sympathy than the strong, and although Lin Jing was sitting and Fang Yalan was standing, the tearful Fang Yalan was obviously weaker than her. So everyone spoke up to comfort Fang Yalan: 

“Xiao Fang, don’t blame yourself too much, you didn’t wet Xiao Lin’s clothes on purpose.” 

“That’s right, you did help Xiao Lin borrow clothes, but you just couldn’t borrow them, it’s not your fault. Xiao Lin, it’s just that your clothes got wet, it’s not a big deal, why are you making such a fuss?” 

Faced with everyone’s accusations, Lin Jing remained unmoved and just asked, “How long did it take you to borrow clothes?” 

Fang Yalan felt that Lin Jing was really out of her mind. What was the difference between this question and when she went out to find someone during the confrontation just now? With the experience just now, would she still answer wrong? 

Thinking of Lin Jing’s words just now, Fang Yalan replied, “About half an hour, didn’t I come out and tell you when you came into the auditorium at that time? Don’t you remember?” 

“Are you sure you talked to me when I entered the auditorium?” Lin Jing asked. 

“Of course, why would I lie to you?” Fang Yalan said firmly. 

Fang Yalan certainly didn’t talk to Lin Jing. In fact, if Lin Jing hadn’t said it herself during the confrontation just now, she wouldn’t have known that Lin Jing had entered the auditorium before leaving. 

But so what? 

There were no cameras in this era, and other people were either busy getting to know people, or the union cadres were busy maintaining the progress of the party. No one would be staring at her. Moreover, through Lin Jing’s words, Fang Yalan guessed that she didn’t stay in the auditorium for long. She might have just gone in and taken a look, and left when she saw herself talking to Zhao Hongyi. That way, she had an explanation for not noticing her. 

In such a short time, other people might not even remember that Lin Jing had entered the auditorium, let alone know whether she had gone out. Moreover, people’s memories are easily influenced by other people’s words. As long as she insisted that she had gone out for a minute or two, who could say that she hadn’t gone out? Besides, she had also gone to the bathroom in the middle of the party. 

As for Lin Jing’s words, they couldn’t be used as evidence. 

Sure enough, most people believed Fang Yalan without hesitation, feeling that she didn’t need to lie. 

Listening to everyone’s words, Fang Yalan looked at Lin Jing with suppressed joy in her eyes, thinking that Lin Jing was really stupid. If she hadn’t revealed so much information during the private confrontation, she wouldn’t have been able to tell the lie so realistically. 

Fang Yalan firmly believed that she would win this round. 

“Did I ever tell you that I talked to the union cadre Wang when I entered the auditorium?” Lin Jing asked. 

The expression on Fang Yalan’s face froze, and she felt a moment of panic in her heart. But then she thought that even if Lin Jing had talked to cadre Wang, so what? She could just say that she went to find her after Lin Jing left the auditorium. 

Fang Yalan calmed down and said, “Didn’t you tell me when I saw you and chased you out of the auditorium last night? Why are you asking this suddenly?” 

Hearing Fang Yalan’s meaning of distorting the facts, Lin Jing didn’t feel angry. Through the confrontation just now, she had completely recognized Fang Yalan as a person. Therefore, she just asked again calmly, “Did I also tell you that I met a military man last night? He lent me his coat. From the time I entered the auditorium to the time I left the cultural palace, he was outside the auditorium talking to people.” 

Lin Jing concealed the fact that Ji Mingjun had sent her home, only telling part of the truth. But that was enough, and the triumphant expression on Fang Yalan’s face cracked at that moment. 

“You said you chased me out of the auditorium and talked to me, when?” Saying this, Lin Jing chuckled, “It wouldn’t be after I left the cultural palace, would it?” 

Fang Yalan didn’t expect Lin Jing to keep such an important thing from saying, and she panicked. But soon she thought of one thing: if this military man really existed, why didn’t she say that she knew someone when everyone asked just now? 

Unless Lin Jing was bluffing her! 

Thinking that she had seen the truth, Fang Yalan calmed down and asked in surprise, “There was someone outside the auditorium? How come I didn’t see him?” implying that Lin Jing was lying. 

“If you think I’m lying, I can ask cadre Wang to testify for me, and I’ll even try to contact the military man who lent me his clothes last night. Military men are upright and kind, and they wouldn’t tell lies.” 

Hearing this, Fang Yalan couldn’t help but clench her hands. She wasn’t afraid of cadre Wang coming out to testify. Just like she said just now, she could completely say that she chased her out later. What she was afraid of was Lin Jing’s second half of the sentence. 

Although Lin Jing might be lying, what if what she said was true? 

If it really came to finding a military man to testify, and she was proven to be lying, this matter was likely to become a stain on her life. At that time, even if Zhao Hongyi wanted to marry her, she might not be able to pass the political review. 

On the other hand, if she ate this dumb loss now, at most she would be talked about for a while. When she became a general’s wife in the future, who would remember this? 

Fang Yalan regretted it. She shouldn’t have confronted Lin Jing. 

If there hadn’t been the confrontation just now, even if Lin Jing guessed her plan, she couldn’t be sure of the importance of dating Zhao Hongyi in her heart, and she wouldn’t be facing the dilemma she was in now. 

Lin Jing was sure that she wouldn’t dare to gamble! 

Fang Yalan gritted her teeth and said, “I admit that I was wrong last night, but Jingjing, believe me, I really didn’t do it on purpose. I just, just delayed the time when I was talking to people, and you had already left when I went out to find you.” 

Lin Jing said directly: “Whether you accidentally delayed the time while talking to people, or deliberately played with me, you know it in your heart.” 

Although she said that, Lin Jing didn’t insist on finding Ji Mingjun to testify for her, one because the military unit couldn’t be easily entered, and there were tens of thousands of troops stationed in Huyang, and she only knew his name, so it was difficult to find him; and two, Fang Yalan had already defaulted, and it wasn’t necessary to bother the other party for such a small matter. 

“Also, you said so much outside just now, but you don’t seem to understand what I mean at all. I’m angry, not because I missed the party, but because you lied to me and played with me.” Lin Jing looked directly at Fang Yalan and reiterated again, “Also, I said it just now, please call me Comrade Lin from now on, we’re not that close!” 

At this point, the people who had spoken up for Fang Yalan just now had to admit that they had misjudged this time. 

Bearing the gazes of accusation and disappointment from the crowd, Fang Yalan couldn’t maintain the expression on her face anymore. She opened her mouth and wanted to explain something, but before she could say anything, she was interrupted by Chen Xiulan: “Alright, everyone go to work during working hours, don’t all gather here!” 

After Chen Xiulan spoke, the leaders of other groups also came forward to maintain order, and the onlookers returned to their workstations one after another. In an instant, only Fang Yalan was left in the aisle. But through the gazes that they occasionally raised their heads to look at, Fang Yalan knew that no amount of explanation would be useful. Her retreat was blocked by Lin Jing! 

But it didn’t matter. 

She still had a trump card. As long as she could marry Zhao Hongyi and become a general’s wife, these things would pass! One day, she would make Lin Jing regret what she did today! 

Fang Yalan thought this, lowering her eyes to hide the cold light that flashed in her eyes.”