Chapter 85

“We all heard it from Xiaohong yesterday. She was the one who started spreading it.” The female workers quickly recalled and said directly.

Xia Qingning looked at Liú Xiǎohóng, who was walking in. She had permed hair, fox-like eyes with upturned ends, and her figure swayed as she walked, making her look very charming.

Xia Qingning felt that she had no conflict with this woman. The original owner was always honest and law-abiding, and she wouldn’t have taken the initiative to provoke anyone. So, there was only one possibility for her to deliberately spread rumors and mislead everyone, making them look down on her: jealousy between women.

“Liú Xiǎohóng, why did you spread rumors yesterday, saying that Qingning’s husband was a boilerman in the army?” Yuanyuan, who had a good relationship with Xia Qingning, was naturally indignant for her after knowing the truth. She looked at Liú Xiǎohóng, who was walking in, and asked.

Hearing her question, the people around her chimed in:

“Xiaohong, you can’t just talk nonsense without any evidence. Qingning’s husband is a real officer, not a boilerman.”

“That’s right. We all saw it with our own eyes today. He was wearing a military uniform and came to take Qingning to work. He’s six feet tall and handsome!”

Liú Xiǎohóng’s mood was already bad because she hadn’t been able to talk to the soldier. Now, hearing everyone’s “accusations,” she felt even more uncomfortable. Her alluring eyes rolled, her eyes narrowed, and she said disdainfully:

“Who spread rumors? I just said it casually. If you want to understand it that way, what can I do about it?” Then she curled her lips and rolled her eyes:

“Besides, what’s the big deal about wearing a military uniform? Don’t boilermen also wear military uniforms?”

Someone who understood immediately retorted:

“What do you know? The military uniform he’s wearing has two bars and three stars on the shoulder. That’s a real regimental cadre!”

Although Liú Xiǎohóng didn’t understand what bars and stars meant, she was still a little shocked when she heard the words “regimental cadre.” She didn’t expect Xia Qingning’s husband to have such a high position, several levels higher than her brother’s platoon leader.

Seeing that Liú Xiǎohóng didn’t say anything, her best friend, Qián Xiǎofāng, thought she had been silenced by their words, so she immediately stood up and said with pride in her voice:

“What’s so great about that? My brother is a platoon leader!”

As soon as she said this, Liú Xiǎohóng wished she could stuff a cloth in her mouth. She was such an illiterate, she was going out of her way to embarrass herself!

“Hehe, then he’ll have to salute Qingning’s husband respectfully.” The person who had spoken before said with a smile.

Qián Xiǎofāng looked at Liú Xiǎohóng in confusion and asked in a low voice:

“What does she mean? Does she mean that Yuanzheng ge’s rank isn’t high enough?”

Liú Xiǎohóng didn’t want to stand there and be embarrassed with her. She coldly went to her work station. Qián Xiǎofāng looked at Liú Xiǎohóng’s angry expression and didn’t understand what was going on. Her head was suddenly wider than her face.

“Qingning, don’t mind them. People who spread rumors will have their mouths rot.” Yuanyuan, who had a good relationship with Xia Qingning, came over to comfort her.

Xia Qingning shook her head. She didn’t take the “boilerman” rumor to heart. The most important thing was to deter those who had ulterior motives.

Lu Jingzhe had given her enough face today. Liáo Qiáng would probably never dare to have anything to do with her again. He would probably avoid her when he saw her.

Liú Xiǎohóng sat down at her work station, and Qián Xiǎofāng followed her. She was still confused and continued to ask Liú Xiǎohóng:

“Xiaohong, who has a higher rank, a regiment commander or a platoon leader?”

Liú Xiǎohóng looked at the simple-minded Qián Xiǎofāng and couldn’t help but laugh in her heart. Such a person was still thinking about her brother. She had no self-awareness at all.

At this time, everyone’s praise for Xia Qingning’s husband’s tall and handsome appearance reached her ears. Liú Xiǎohóng couldn’t help but curl her lips and sneer in her heart: “Hehe, in the eyes of these people, as long as they have a nose and eyes and are physically sound, they are handsome.”

Then she couldn’t help but think to herself:

“Handsome? How handsome? Could he be more handsome than the soldier I saw today?”

Thinking about that man, Liú Xiǎohóng secretly made a decision in her heart. If she could meet him again, she would definitely be bold enough to greet him. Maybe he was her destined love.

Before lunch, the factory distributed this month’s wages. To Xia Qingning’s surprise, she was actually awarded the “Outstanding Employee” of this month. Not only did she get a certificate, but she also received an extra 10 yuan bonus.

Xia Qingning guessed that this “Outstanding Employee” award was Liáo Qiáng’s appeasement to her, as he was feeling guilty. But it wasn’t bad to have a bonus. With her wages, she received a total of 34.5 yuan, which was a considerable amount of money at the time.

Seeing that Xia Qingning had received an extra 10 yuan bonus, and thinking that she had recently taken leave, Liú Xiǎohóng narrowed her long, fox-like eyes, lowered her head, and whispered a few words in Qián Xiǎofāng’s ear.

A moment later, Qián Xiǎofāng, with a look of dissatisfaction, found Qin Zǔzhǎng and asked:

“Group leader, why did Xia Qingning get awarded the Outstanding Employee?”

“Qingning sews clothes quickly, and the finished clothes are good. Why can’t she be awarded Outstanding Employee?” Qin Zǔzhǎng finished speaking and looked at Qián Xiǎofāng:

“Xiaofang, if you have any objections, you can take out the clothes you made and compare them with Qingning’s. Let everyone judge who’s sewing and edging is better.”

Qián Xiǎofāng’s confidence clearly weakened after hearing Qin Zǔzhǎng’s words, but she still said unconvinced:

“She took several days off this month.”

“She was approved for leave, not absenteeism.” Qin Zǔzhǎng said.

At this time, other female workers also came out to speak for Xia Qingning:

“Qingning has been working in the factory for two years, and this is the first time she’s taken leave. Everyone has emergencies. She’s probably the one who takes the least leave in our group.”

“That’s right. She’s also very dedicated to her work, and her mind is on her work. Unlike some people, who gossip all day long and spread rumors.”

“Xiaofang, if you’re not convinced, you can compare your skills with her. Let everyone be the judge.”

Hearing the words “compare skills,” Qián Xiǎofāng immediately wilted and didn’t dare to say anything more. She quickly went back to her work station.

Qin Zǔzhǎng looked at the group of female workers, put away his usual kindness, and said very seriously:

“The leaders said at the last meeting that we should not only focus on production, but also improve the factory’s image and regulate employees’ behavior. I know about the rumors these past two days. Everyone should pay more attention to what they say in the future. Don’t spread rumors. Otherwise, if you get a demerit, it will drag down our entire group!”

Liú Xiǎohóng knew that the group leader was clearly talking to her. She had originally instigated the simple-minded Qián Xiǎofāng to express her dissatisfaction, hoping to make Xia Qingning look bad. But now, she had been secretly reprimanded. It was a case of trying to steal a chicken and losing the rice. Liú Xiǎohóng felt even more uncomfortable.

Although Qin Zǔzhǎng was supporting her, Xia Qingning knew that the reason she received the Outstanding Employee award was mainly because Liáo Qiáng was feeling guilty. Seeing that everyone didn’t have any objections and even spoke up for her, she felt warm in her heart. So, when she went to the canteen for lunch, she spent more than two yuan to buy over twenty popsicles to cool down the people in her group.

Everyone took the popsicles and praised Xia Qingning for being generous and good at handling things. This made everyone happy.

Looking at Xia Qingning, who was surrounded by praise, and Qián Xiǎofāng, who was happily eating popsicles, Liú Xiǎohóng felt angry. She twisted her plump body and turned to leave the canteen.

As soon as the bell rang for the end of work in the afternoon, Liú Xiǎohóng couldn’t wait to leave the workshop. She even pretended not to hear Qián Xiǎofāng calling her from behind.

She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling that she would meet the man she saw this morning. Qián Xiǎofāng would only get in the way if she was there.

Sure enough, as soon as she reached the factory gate, she saw the man. He was wearing a dark green military uniform, holding his bicycle, and his expression was very indifferent. But the more he exuded this “keep out” aura, the more it made people want to get close to him.

This morning, she had only seen his general outline. Now, observing him up close, she felt even more that his features were superior and his figure was excellent. He was simply her ideal type.

Liú Xiǎohóng tidied her hair, adjusted her clothes, pushed her bicycle, and raised her head to walk towards the man.