◎ Second update ◎ 

At noon, Liang Baozhen went to the radio station to broadcast the contents of today’s newspaper. The latest issue of the newspaper was discussing national affairs. 

Many workers in the factory are illiterate, so it’s quite good that they can hear the newspaper content. 

Then, at three o’clock in the afternoon, she went with Huang Cuie to the arranged appointment to interview Director Chen. They went to his office. 

Knock, knock, knock 

Before entering, Huang Cuie gave a few instructions to the new employee, mainly to reassure Liang Baozhen not to be nervous and that Director Chen was a kind person, especially to the workers. 

“Come in.” 

“Director, we are from the factory office, and we are here today to do an interview for the factory newspaper.” 

Chen Yong was so absorbed in his work that he momentarily forgot about the matter. It was only when the secretary at his side gently reminded him that he recalled it. 

“Then please have a seat and wait a moment.” 

“Okay, you continue with your work.” 

With the director still occupied, the scheduled time didn’t matter. Huang Cuie and Liang Baozhen patiently sat on the sofa and waited. 

Director Chen Yong’s office was neither too big nor too small. At the far end were two glass cabinets filled with various documents and files. 

Further forward is his desk and chair. The desktop is clean and tidy. In front of it is a coffee table and a three-seater sofa. On the coffee table are a thermos and three enamel cups. 

“Xiao Fang, make them a pot of tea.” 

“Okay, Director.” 

The tea leaves were rinsed with hot water, and the fragrance of tea filled the air instantly. Huang Cuie and Liang Baozhen picked up the enamel cups and took a sip. They felt a faint fragrance in their mouths, which was followed by a sweet aftertaste. 

“Your factory office has been doing well lately.” After finishing his work, Chen Yong sat down on the sofa, picked up the third enamel cup, blew away the tea foam, and took a sip. 

“Thank you for the compliment, Director. We will continue to work hard and contribute to the factory.” Huang Cuie once again admired the director’s approachable demeanor; he did not have an air of superiority when dealing with the workers. 

“Xue Lijun has done a good job. Next time I’ll specifically commend him. I’ve read the recent issues of the factory report; they’re well written, but the motivation for the workers production still needs to be strengthened.” 

Huang Cuie nodded and took note, then started talking to the factory director. Liang Baozhen was a newcomer, so her main job was to learn and listen. 

As the two people were talking next to her, Liang Baozhen stared at the coffee table in a daze. The way Chen Yong looked was really different from how she saw it in the plot. 

He was kind and unpretentious. 

Taking another sip of tea, there was a faint, refreshing fragrance. It was less bitter than the tea leaves sold outside and suited Liang Baozhen’s taste. The tea canister on the table was well-packaged, with colorful patterns, and was very beautiful. 

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the interview got to the point. This time, Huang Cuie was mainly asking the factory director to discuss the development direction of the State Cotton Factory’s recent leap in progress over the past year. 

The factory newspaper is not only the guiding principle of the factory’s ideology and atmosphere but also the voice of the factory leaders. 

Chen Yong spoke eloquently, summarizing the progress of the State Cotton Factory in recent years and using this opportunity to convey the forward direction to nearly ten thousand workers below. 

After the interview, Liang Baozhen understood why Huang Cuie spoke so highly of Chen Yong. This man was not arrogant when facing his employees and was indeed kind. 

“Director, we won’t bother you anymore. We’ll sort out the manuscript when we get back, and Director Xue will send it to you for your review first.” 

“Alright.” 

Watching the two people leave, Chen Yong looked at the young employee who had been quiet during the entire interview and called her over. “Comrade Xiao Liang, wait a moment. I have something to tell you.”

Huang Cuie was a little surprised but didn’t say much. She gave Liang Baozhen a look and left the office first. 

“Factory Director.” Liang Baozhen turned around and looked at Chen Yong. 

Chen Yong is in his forties, tall and energetic, especially with his sharp eyes. When he wasn’t smiling, he had an air of authority; when he smiled, he was somewhat approachable. 

“Liang Baozhen, right?” Chen Yong stood up and looked at the young girl. “You have some connection with our family.” 

Liang Baozhen’s heart sank. She made an effort to maintain her composure, but she remained silent. 

“Siming is a man who doesn’t pay attention to propriety and does some unreliable things. I hope you can forgive him.” 

“Director, Comrade Chen Siming and I have no relationship, so there is no question of forgiving or not forgiving him.” 

“That’s right.” Chen Yong laughed twice but his face was full of apology. “After all, it is our Chen family who has let you down. For Siming’s incident, I will apologize to you on his behalf.” 

…After leaving Chen Yong’s office and closing the door, Liang Baozhen felt that this man was too scheming. If she didn’t know about the twists and turns of the Chen family, perhaps she would just be grateful to him now. 

When Huang Cuie inquired, Liang Baozhen vaguely mentioned that the factory director was concerned about new employees and had just asked a few questions. 

After work, Liang Baozhen went to the supply and marketing cooperative. Before winter, she planned to return home. Although Song Chunhua often nagged her about not always thinking of going back to her parents home and being criticized by others, Liang Baozhen still missed home. 

Xu Shengjie has been working the night shift these days. He will be back tomorrow at noon, Saturday, and take a half-day break. The day after tomorrow, Sunday, the two of them will be able to go back to Damei Village together. 

Carrying a box of pastries, a bag of peach cakes, and two pounds of egg cakes, Liang Baozhen returned home just in time to catch her grandmother’s cooking. The family was making dumplings today, cabbage and pork dumplings. A pound of chopped pork was mixed with chopped cabbage. The dumpling wrappers were rolled by her grandmother, it was her specialty. 

“Grandma, let me help you.” 

“You just got back from work. Go back to your room and rest. We’ll take the dumplings out of the pot soon.” White and plump dumplings floated in the boiling pot. 

Xiaowei was playing with Fang Zhibin and the others, but Xiaoya was nowhere to be seen. When Liang Baozhen asked, she found out that she had gone to Chen Yulian’s house and was playing with the widow Chen’s daughter. 

“Today I saw a pair of small hairpins with two small cherries on them. I bought a pair and planned to give one each to Xiaoya and Baoling.” 

“Let me see.” Zhou Yun was interested in these things even though he was old. She leaned over and took a look. Oh, there were two red cherries on the steel hairpin, small and cute. “Xiaoya will definitely like it! Go and ask her to come back for dinner. The dumplings will be ready soon.” 

“Okay.” Liang Baozhen put down her things and drank another cup of water before going out. 

Widow Chen’s house was in the back room. Liang Baozhen walked outside and saw that the door was open. She called out from outside but didn’t go in. Chen Yulian had never been very close to the people in the courtyard and there wasn’t much of a connection between them. 

“Sister-in-law, I’m here~” Xu Shengya’s voice came out from the house, “Wait a minute, we haven’t finished playing the strings yet.” 

Several little girls gathered in the room. They were Chen Yulian’s two daughters. The elder one, Song Xinhe, was eight years old, and the younger one, Song Xinmiao, was five years old. Liang Baozhen had seen the two little girls. They looked like Chen Yulian, smart and cute, like dolls in New Year pictures. 

Song Xinhe was tall and thin, and she ran out with two thin legs. “Aunt Liang, Xiaoya is still playing. My mother asked you to come in and sit down.” 

Chen Yulian asked her to come in and sit down. That was quite unusual. 

Chen Yulian’s house was somewhat dim. This was Liang Baozhen’s first time visiting, and she noticed the decorations were quite refined. The table, chairs, and cabinets were all made of yellow wood and were kept clean and tidy. There was a plaid scarf lying on the sofa. Chen Yulian sat on it and pushed the tea in front of her. 

“Comrade Liang, please sit down for a while.” 

There were five little girls playing the string nearby and they were making a lot of noise. Xu Shengya saw her sister-in-law come into the room and called out loudly, and the other children followed suit and called her “Auntie.” 

“Xiaoya, come home for dinner after you finish playing. Grandma has prepared everything.” 

“Got it.” Xu Shengya didn’t even turn her head, her eyes still fixed on the game. 

“Comrade Liang, I heard that Liu Nianhua asked you to accompany her to capture Zhou Guohua that day?” Chen Yulian casually brought up the topic. 

Liang Baozhen was surprised. Where had she heard it from? The incident that day shouldn’t have been widely known. Could it be that sister Hua had mentioned it, but she and Chen Yulian weren’t very familiar? 

“I don’t mean anything else; I’m just asking.” Chen Yulian seemed quite involved in the courtyard’s affairs and gived Liang Baozhen a few glances. “Have some tea; they will be done playing soon.” 

Liang Baozhen always felt that Chen Yulian was a mysterious person. She seemed to be in the courtyard all day long, but she lived a good life. Her clothes were all made of good and fashionable fabrics. She picked up the teacup and took a sip, she noticed the taste was somewhat familiar. 

“Sister-in-law, I’m done. Let’s go home!” Xu Shengya finished up, but the other four children continued playing. 

“Okay, Sister Chen, we’re leaving now.” Liang Baozhen glanced at the four young girls and told Xiaoya to say goodbye to her friends. 

Before leaving, she glanced at the dresser in Chen Yulian’s home and saw a colorful jar that looked like a tea canister, which seemed somewhat familiar. 

The dumplings at home were out of the pot. They were large dumplings with thin skin and solid meat filling. The chopped meat was mixed with the fragrance of cabbage and with a dip in vinegar, each bite was even a bit oily, making her stomach even more greedy. 

Zhou Yun separately filled a bowl for her grandson. Xu Shengjie was on the night shift and wouldn’t be back until the next afternoon. 

After finishing her meal, Liang Baozhen lay alone on the bed. Three nights had passed since she had shared the warmth of her bed. With Xu Shengjie absent, the bed felt particularly cold. Fortunately, the quilt was thick and made from this year’s new cotton, providing her with some comfort. 

Burying herself in the quilt and thinking of the tea canister she saw in Chen Yong’s office this afternoon and the ones in Chen Yulian’s home, Liang Baozhen sensed something was wrong. Could it be that Chen Yulian’s man was… 

Thunk! 

There was a sound like something hitting the window. Liang Baozhen, who was originally drowsy, was suddenly awakened. It was pitch black all around. She pulled the quilt and held her breath and listened for a while, but it seemed like she was only imagining it. 

Xu Shengjie was not at home, and everyone in the family was asleep. Liang Baozhen looked at the window blocked by the curtains, tiptoed out of bed and gently lifted the curtain to look outside. The moonlight outside was just right and there was some light flickering, but there was no one in sight. 

When she woke up the next day, the whole courtyard was in an uproar! 

There’s a thief in the courtyard! Many of the cabbages left outside had been stolen!