Taotao sat in the cafeteria, happily eating her meal, when suddenly, a woman strode over and slammed an empty lunchbox heavily onto the table in front of her—

“Bang!”

A loud noise rang out, startling Taotao!

At the same time, the table shook violently and knocked over two of the three plastic cups filled with tangerine soda. The orange liquid spilled across the entire table.

Song Zhi immediately stood up. With quick reflexes, he first pulled Taotao aside, then rescued both their lunchboxes, moving them away. He also grabbed the remaining cup of tangerine soda and set it aside.

Taotao looked at the spilled tangerine soda covering the table, catching the fresh citrus scent in the air. She pouted, feeling wronged. “Ah… my tangerine soda!”

—She had been too focused on eating meat and hadn’t even had a chance to taste it! And now, two whole cups were wasted!

The culprit was a young woman, around twenty-three or twenty-four years old. She was very thin, had two long braids, and wore a blue work uniform from the machinery factory. Her face looked somewhat harsh.

Cheng Zhujun scolded her, “Zhang Xiuli, how could you do this?”

Then she quickly turned to Taotao and anxiously explained, “Taotao, did she scare you? I’m sorry… she’s my cousin. She has a bit of a temper…”

Zhang Xiuli sneered with a frown. “Don’t go around recognising random relatives. Who’s your cousin? Hmph, do you think I don’t know? Every time you call me that, aren’t you just trying to borrow money from me again?”

Cheng Zhujun bit her lip, her face flushing red.

“Oh? So, does that mean you’ve suddenly grown a backbone and are finally willing to pay me back?” Zhang Xiuli said mockingly. “Well then, thank you very much. With interest, that’s a total of fifty yuan. Hurry up and pay!”

Cheng Zhujun’s face turned even redder, as if it were about to drip blood.

Bai Taotao asked her in a small voice, “Do you owe her money?”

“No, that doesn’t count as borrowing!” Cheng Zhujun’s face burned as she explained, “After my father passed away, I was too young to be hired as a full-time worker at the factory. She came to me and said she wanted to buy my father’s position. I told her no—I had to keep that job!”

“Then she said, how about she temporarily take my father’s position and work as a temporary employee? Once I turned eighteen and qualified for a formal position, she would return the job to me. At the time, we agreed—she worked as a temporary worker in the factory, earning 36.50 yuan a month, and every month, she would give me 6.50 yuan from her wages…”

“But after just six months, she refused to pay me anymore. She even claimed the seven times she had given me 6.50 yuan were loans! Not only did she demand I pay her back, but she also spread rumors in the factory’s residential compound, which got me and my younger brother kicked out… Wu wu!”

As she spoke, Cheng Zhujun started crying.

“You’re full of crap!” Zhang Xiuli snapped. “I work here, toiling away every day just to earn 36.50 yuan a month. I pitied you and your brother, so I lent you some money every month… And now you have the audacity to claim I took your father’s position? What a joke! Even if I’m just a temporary worker, I signed a contract with the factory! What does that have to do with you?”

Although Cheng Zhujun looked delicate, she was actually quite stubborn. “Then why do you think the factory hired you as a temporary worker in the first place? If not for me and my father!”

Zhang Xiuli scoffed. “Do you really think you’re someone important? Let me tell you something—me, Zhang Xiuli, getting hired at Hongxing Factory has nothing to do with you or your dead father! And guess what? I’m about to become a full-time employee soon…”

As she spoke, Zhang Xiuli smirked smugly.

Cheng Zhujun’s eyes widened in shock!

—The official staff positions in a state-owned factory came with a whole range of benefits and had to be reported to the trade union and labor bureau, making it extremely difficult for temporary workers to become permanent employees.

Now Zhang Xiuli was saying she was about to get promoted?

A terrible thought surfaced in Cheng Zhujun’s mind—was Zhang Xiuli planning to officially take over her father’s full-time position?

No, no way!

This job was too important to her—she couldn’t lose it!

Cheng Zhujun broke down. “Zhang Xiuli! You heartless—”

Song Zhi gently patted Taotao’s hand and whispered, “Taotao, pull her aside.”

Bai Taotao immediately stepped forward and dragged Cheng Zhujun away.

Song Zhi stepped forward, his cold gaze locking onto Zhang Xiuli. “Comrade, do we know each other?”

Zhang Xiuli was startled and gave him a once-over.

Song Zhi was tall, over 1.8 meters, slim yet well-built. His sharp features and refined demeanor made him stand out…

Zhang Xiuli’s face turned red. How had she not noticed such a handsome man earlier?

“I…”

Before she could even ask who he was, Song Zhi spoke first. “Since we don’t know each other, may I ask why you knocked over my fiancée’s drinks?”

Zhang Xiuli froze, then glanced down at the mess on the table.

Taotao spoke crisply, “Hey, you have to compensate me for three portions of braised pork, rice, and vegetables, plus three cups of tangerine soda!”

Zhang Xiuli turned to look at Bai Taotao.

Fiancée?

Zhang Xiuli thought to herself—she had to take a good look. What kind of woman had landed such a handsome man? But the moment she saw Bai Taotao, she gasped in shock. Was there really such a beautiful little fairy in this world?

For a moment, Zhang Xiuli was completely dazed.

Song Zhi urged, “Comrade, please compensate quickly. My fiancée has a delicate stomach. If she starves and ends up needing to see a doctor, that’ll be trouble.”

Zhang Xiuli finally snapped out of it. She took another good look at Song Zhi and Bai Taotao and realized they were unfamiliar faces. Their clothes were plain and weren’t factory uniforms.

Her embarrassment turned into anger, and she sneered, “Where did these poor nobodies come from? Sneaking into my factory to mooch a free meal—how shameless!”

Cheng Zhujun hurriedly said, “Don’t talk nonsense! Taotao—”

Song Zhi coldly repeated, “Are you paying or not?”

Zhang Xiuli, caught off guard, stiffened her neck and retorted, “Keep dreaming! I should be the one calling the Public Security Bureau to arrest you for trespassing and stealing food!”

Song Zhi took Taotao’s hand and politely said to Cheng Zhujun, “Please inform Director Pan that I’m leaving.”

With that, he led Taotao away.

Cheng Zhujun panicked. “Engineer Song! Engineer Song, wait… you can’t just leave like this!” She rushed after them.

Zhang Xiuli was confused. “What Engineer Song? Which Engineer Song?!”

The onlookers, who had long disliked Zhang Xiuli’s behavior, finally started mocking her—

“You really don’t know? That’s Engineer Song—Director Pan has been talking about him nonstop!”
“We finally managed to invite him here. He only just started working this morning, and you’ve already driven him away!”
“If we can’t fix the main engine core, the entire factory will be paralyzed. And the only one who understands the technology is Engineer Song! Now that you’ve made him leave… just wait for the factory to shut down!”
“If Engineer Song leaves, I can’t take it either—I’m quitting too!”

“Ypu have no skills to speak of, climbed into bed to get ahead, took the little girl’s job, and even drove Engineer Song away. I’d like to see who’ll protect you this time…”

“Alright, alright, stop adding to the commotion. Hurry up and find Director Pan!”

Someone rushed off to find the leader.

Zhang Xiuli froze, a bad feeling creeping into her heart.

Meanwhile, Song Zhi walked out of Hongxing Factory with Taotao. Taotao made a request, “Song Zhi, I want to eat braised pork!”

Song Zhi patted her head. “Alright, let’s go to a state-owned restaurant… But since we’re already out, let’s stop by the guesthouse and bring your mom and sister along.”

Taotao eagerly nodded.

Cheng Zhujun trailed behind them, tears streaming down her face. “Taotao, Engineer Song… I’m sorry. Because of me, you got dragged into this. But… please don’t be mad. Work is work, after all…”

Song Zhi smiled at Taotao but suddenly noticed a small shop across from the factory.

Thinking about how Taotao had been eyeing the tangerine soda earlier, he took her to the shop and bought two cream popsicles—one for Taotao and one for Cheng Zhujun.

Cheng Zhujun held the popsicle, looking miserable. “Engineer Song, Taotao, please don’t be mad…”

Taotao had never eaten a popsicle before. She’d seen street vendors selling them at bus and train stations, carrying foam boxes on their backs, but she had no idea what they were. Now, she watched eagerly as Song Zhi slowly peeled off the wrapper, revealing the snowy-white popsicle inside.

Song Zhi held the popsicle to Taotao’s mouth and said, “Lick it.” His tone was affectionate.

Taotao obediently stuck out her little pink tongue and tilted her head like a cat, carefully licking the popsicle.

—She looked so adorable that all of Song Zhi’s anger vanished instantly.

He smiled and reached out to pat her head.

Taotao’s eyes suddenly widened. “…It’s so good!”

Beaming with joy, she took the popsicle from Song Zhi’s hand and started licking it excitedly, just like a cat grooming its paws.

Ahhhhhh…

Why was there something this delicious?! It was creamy, sweet, and cold! Even breathing after licking it made the air taste sweet!

So good! Too good! Mom and Third Sister definitely hadn’t had this before. She saw the price when Song Zhi bought them—only two cents each! She’d buy some for Mom and Third Sister when they got back!

Ugh, it was just too delicious…

Taotao was too focused on enjoying her popsicle to notice when Director Pan caught up to them.

—In fact, Song Zhi had bought the popsicle on purpose to stall for time and wait for Director Pan.

Sure enough, Director Pan came running over, panting. He grabbed Song Zhi’s arm and anxiously said, “Engineer Song! Engineer Song… Let me explain. This is all a misunderstanding, a misunderstood!”

Song Zhi replied, “Maybe it’s not a misunderstanding. Your factory worker said I was freeloading off the factory’s food and drink… I really feel ashamed.”

Taotao happily licked her popsicle as she glanced between Song Zhi, who looked perfectly calm, and Director Pan, who was red-faced and flustered. She thought to herself that Yan Naqian’s way of speaking was nothing compared to Song Zhi’s!

Director Pan was sweating profusely. “That worker—she’s got no manners! She’s just a temporary hire in our factory. Please don’t stoop to her level! I’ll handle it right away and reassign her!”

Song Zhi said, “That’s not necessary, Director Pan. My schedule in Ruyi Village is already packed. Why don’t I come back when I have time to settle this?”

Director Pan was on the verge of tears. “That won’t do, Engineer Song! If this issue with the machine cores isn’t resolved, my factory’s three hundred workers won’t have any work to do! If we don’t start production, where will the wages come from? Counting the workers and their families, that’s over a thousand people! What will they eat?”

“Engineer Song, I know this isn’t your responsibility, but please… for the sake of our fellow proletariat brothers, have some pity on my workers. They all have families to support, both elderly parents and young children!” Director Pan pleaded desperately.

“You’re the one who didn’t take care of the workers’ families!”

Taotao piped up between licks of her popsicle, her voice crisp and clear. “Zhujun was supposed to take over her dad’s job… But she wasn’t old enough yet, so you sold her position to Zhang Xiuli instead!”

Remembering the “Seek Public Security for Safety” banner she had seen at the train station before, she raised her voice, “You didn’t protect the workers’ families at all! Zhujun, don’t worry, I’ll go with you to find the Public Security Bureau—they’ll take care of it!”

Taotao didn’t know that the Public Security Bureau wouldn’t handle labor contract disputes—that was under the jurisdiction of the Labor Bureau.

But her words made Director Pan feel utterly humiliated, and at the same time, a little afraid.

Song Zhi said, “Director Pan, since Zhang Xiuli is so capable, why don’t you have her figure out the machine core problem?”