Chapter 66: Officially Taking Up the Position

An’an was wearing a lake blue hooded sweatshirt made of corduroy today. A silhouette of a little pig named George was embroidered on the front. The child was fair-skinned and chubby, and the clothes made him look even softer and cuter.

“Oh my, I didn’t know you had this skill. I was just about to ask you where you bought An’an’s clothes. I wanted to buy a set for my granddaughter. I didn’t expect you to make them yourself. You’re so clever.”

Bai Ruojiao smiled, “Why buy them? I’ll make a set for you.”

“How can that be? Will the factory sell clothes like this in the future?”

“There will be similar ones.”

“That’s good. I’ll wait for the factory to release new clothes. The set you’re wearing looks good too.”

Because she was moving today, Bai Ruojiao was dressed in a more casual and sporty style.

She was wearing a gray turtleneck sweater and a pair of cropped casual pants.

This outfit might look a bit strange among a group of people wearing wide-leg pants.

But her clothes were loose-fitting, and unless you paid close attention, they wouldn’t stand out.

“Do you really think it looks good? I’m afraid people won’t accept it when I make it.”

Grandma Xie quickly shook her head, “No, I think it looks good. It’s comfortable and beautiful. When they come out, I’ll buy a set for my sister-in-law.”

Bai Ruojiao laughed, “Speaking of which, I have a coat here. Wait a minute.”

She said, going back into the house. She quickly came out with a coat.

It was a mid-length collarless windbreaker made of three layers of cotton and one layer of corduroy.

At first glance, it looked similar to the mid-length coats on the market, but it was more fitted and delicate, and it came with a belt.

“This is a sample I made when I was trying out for the factory. See if it’s suitable for your sister-in-law to wear.”

Grandma Xie stood up and looked at the clothes. She touched them again and again, “This coat is also beautiful. My sister-in-law should like it. She works at the Provincial Women’s Federation. This coat is stylish and the size is just right. How much is it? I’ll buy it from you.”

Bai Ruojiao couldn’t help but laugh, “You’re making an ideological mistake again.”

Grandma Xie was stunned, then she slapped her forehead in embarrassment, “Oh, look at my brain.”

“No need to pay. This coat was made for my interview. It’s a bit big for me. I can’t wear it myself. It’s a waste to keep it. Just take it.”

“That’s not right. No reward without merit. How about this, I’ll trade something with you.”

Bai Ruojiao thought for a moment and didn’t refuse, “That’s fine. But don’t bring anything expensive. The fabric was given to me by the textile factory. I just put in some effort. It’s not worth anything.”

“Don’t be humble. I think if you put this coat in a department store, it could sell for 70 or 80 yuan.”

Bai Ruojiao laughed, “Hey, don’t trade it at that price. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare to trade with you. How about this, just bring some of the snacks you make.”

“Is that so…” Grandma Xie’s eyes rolled. She readily agreed, “Okay, I’ll bring them to you tomorrow. Will you be home tomorrow?”

Bai Ruojiao saw her expression and guessed what she was thinking. She said helplessly, “Yes, but don’t bring anything too expensive or too much. We won’t be able to finish it and it will be wasted.”

Grandma Xie smiled, looking at Bai Ruojiao with increasing fondness, “Okay.” She was once again disappointed that she had gotten married so quickly.

Grandma Xie didn’t stay long because An’an started to get sleepy.

After she left, Bai Ruojiao took An’an to take a nap, then she started writing the report.

She had the draft in her head, so she didn’t need to think too much.

But this time, she had to redraw many charts and clothing sketches, which would take some time.

Three days later, Bai Ruojiao reported to the textile factory as scheduled.

The guard, Old Xu, had seen her before. Later, Secretary Zhu also came to greet her.

So he knew that this female comrade would also be a member of the factory in the future. He personally took her to find Secretary Zhu first.

This was also what Secretary Zhu had instructed. It was clear that the other party wanted to personally take her to take up her position. From this, one could see how much the factory director valued her.

“Comrade Bai, you’re here. Come, I’ll take you to handle the formalities.”

Secretary Zhu’s full name was Zhu Xiongguan. He was a young man who was both gentle and capable, about twenty years old.

“This is the Labor Department.” Secretary Zhu first took her to the Labor Department to register for her position.

The door of the Labor Department was open, and one could see the situation inside the office.

Secretary Zhu gently knocked on the door. When the person inside looked up, he smiled, “Director Zhang, I’ve brought a colleague to report. This is Comrade Bai Ruojiao, the deputy director of the Commodity Department we recruited. Please help her with the procedures.”

“Oh, oh, you’re here. Please come in, please come in.” It was clear that the other party already knew that Bai Ruojiao was coming to report. He immediately stood up, greeting her while going to pour water.

Bai Ruojiao thought, the factory director must have put a lot of effort into the department these past few days.

“Director Zhang, thank you.” She took the blue ceramic cup the other party handed her and was led to sit opposite the desk.

“I’ve prepared the documents.” Director Zhang took out a registration form and handed it to her, “Just fill in the information here. There’s a sample.”

“Thank you.” Bai Ruojiao smiled and took it.

Director Zhang was a capable old lady with short hair that reached her ears, black hair clips on both sides of her ears, and glasses. She looked about fifty years old, with a kind face. She should be easy to get along with.

Bai Ruojiao briefly looked through the form and then started filling it out.

Director Zhang chatted with Secretary Zhu about daily matters, but it was all about the factory.

Bai Ruojiao was writing when she heard the words “Revolutionary Committee,” and her pen paused.

Because the two of them were talking about how the director of the Revolutionary Committee had objections to the factory director’s establishment of the Commodity Department.

If it had been before, she wouldn’t have cared. The establishment of a department would always affect some people’s interests. It was normal for some people to be unwilling.

But wasn’t this Revolutionary Committee director Grandma Xie’s son-in-law?

It seemed like his surname was Zhang.

She suddenly regretted giving the clothes away the day before.

It wasn’t because she was stingy, but because their positions were different. Without knowing the other party’s character, it was hard to guarantee that the other party wouldn’t misunderstand or take advantage of the situation.

Seeing her expression, Secretary Zhu thought she was worried about the Revolutionary Committee, so he comforted her, “Don’t worry. Just do your work. Deputy Factory Director Zhang will handle the rest. Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. Deputy Factory Director Zhang is also the director of the Commodity Department now. He’s your direct superior. If you have anything, you can just talk to Deputy Factory Director Zhang.”

Bai Ruojiao could only smile and nod, lowering her head to continue filling out the form. She didn’t think much of it.

Where there are people, there are interests. Whether it’s business or politics, there will always be power struggles. One step at a time.

She just hoped it wouldn’t affect her relationship with Grandma Xie. She and An’an both liked the old lady.

After leaving the Labor Department, Secretary Zhu took her to the health center in the factory’s residential area for a simple physical examination.

The examination was very routine and ended quickly. Then they went to the Propaganda Department.

With Secretary Zhu accompanying her, the director of the Propaganda Department simply gave her an introduction to the factory. Finally, he handed her a few booklets and books.

“These are what all the employees in the factory are studying recently. Here’s a copy for you. I hope you will study the ideology, tradition, and work style, be a red and expert worker, serve the people, and strive to contribute to the construction of the four modernizations.”

Bai Ruojiao smiled and accepted the five booklets, thanking her.

Because she didn’t need to apply for a dormitory for now, they went to the last place.