Chapter 32

These past few days, Lin Xiang had almost forgotten about the original novel’s protagonists, Meng Jing and Jiang Zhenghao.

She spent her days at the family compound and later started working at the Second Food Factory, while Meng Jing worked at the military district hospital. Naturally, their paths never crossed.

As she climbed the stairs of the bachelor dormitory, Lin Xiang suddenly recalled that Meng Jing still harbored feelings for He Hongyuan. As a young lady from a privileged background, she was never willing to accept rejection from this cold and aloof man. Over time, her feelings had turned into an obsession.

Lin Xiang really wanted to remind her—why not take a look at the person beside you? Jiang Zhenghao is your real male lead. You two spent years in turmoil, missing each other before finally getting together. That was the true definition of a tortured romance.

Upon reaching the second floor, Lin Xiang immediately noticed that He Hongyuan’s door was wide open. She understood the rules of the military—if a female comrade came to visit, the door had to be left open to avoid gossip.

As she approached, she heard Meng Jing’s crisp voice.

“Captain He, is it really necessary to make up a relationship just to refuse a few pieces of milk candy from me?”

Meng Jing had already confirmed with Zhang Huafeng that He Hongyuan did, in fact, have a childhood engagement with a woman named Lin Xiang. She was a pretty girl, but He Hongyuan had always been opposed to arranged marriages and had already called off the engagement.

Most likely out of compensation, he had arranged for Lin Xiang to apply for a job at the factory, and she was now working there.

This realization made Meng Jing even more unconcerned and somewhat relieved. Whether it was rejecting her or that dancer from the arts troupe, He Hongyuan was always decisive. Now, it seemed he treated his childhood fiancée no differently.

That was enough for her.

However, today, after collecting a package from the city’s post office that contained White Rabbit milk candies sent by her mother from Shanghai, she had wanted to share some with He Hongyuan. To her shock, he had refused by claiming he already had a girlfriend.

This stunned Meng Jing.

He Hongyuan had always rejected her outright, never one to waste words. But now, for the first time, he was using the excuse of having a girlfriend to push her away.

Meng Jing refused to believe it. She had never heard any rumors of him dating anyone. This had to be a lie.

Still expressionless, He Hongyuan looked at her the same way he regarded any other comrade. “Comrade Meng Jing, I have a girlfriend and have already submitted my marriage application. Please don’t come looking for me again.”

Perhaps considering something, he hesitated for a moment before adding, for the first time, an unsolicited remark: “If you have time, maybe you should take a good look at the person beside you.”

The last thing he wanted was for Jiang Zhenghao to come causing trouble. Could these two just stop bothering him already?

Just like now—he had been about to leave to pick up Lin Xiang from work when Meng Jing had intercepted him, insisting he take her milk candy.

“I don’t believe you, He Hongyuan! Stop lying to me!” Meng Jing was emotionally resistant to the idea. Logically, she also hadn’t heard of He Hongyuan getting close to any woman recently. This was clearly a fabricated excuse!

“You’re actually making up a girlfriend just to reject me? Do you really have to go this far?”

Frustration flared within Meng Jing. She felt humiliated—was she really that undesirable? That he would resort to such a lie?

“Believe what you want. I’m going to pick up my girlfriend from work now. Stay here if you like.” Without waiting for her response, He Hongyuan turned to leave.

“Hey! He Hongyuan!” Meng Jing fumed.

But just as he took a step forward, a lively, delicate figure suddenly appeared before him. Lin Xiang raised her hand and knocked gently on the wooden door, the rhythmic thudding filling the tense atmosphere as she spoke.

“Comrade Meng Jing, He Hongyuan wasn’t lying. I’m his girlfriend.”

In her heart, Lin Xiang only wished Meng Jing would realize the truth sooner—her true love wasn’t here.

Meng Jing was startled. “You… Lin Xiang? But didn’t you two already dissolve your engagement?”

“Did Zhang Huafeng gossip to you again?” He Hongyuan’s gaze darkened. He knew Zhang Huafeng always let Meng Jing pry information out of him—there was no saving that guy. “The engagement was never dissolved.”

Still unwilling to accept it, Meng Jing pressed on, “So you’re just giving in to an arranged marriage because of your family?”

Meng Jing prided herself on being a modern woman. She had received a good education from an early age and was a respected military doctor. She firmly believed in free love and in women’s right to pursue their own happiness. She had always looked down on arranged marriages as outdated feudal traditions and couldn’t believe that He Hongyuan would submit to one.

He Hongyuan remained impassive. “I pursued Comrade Lin Xiang. I like her. With or without an engagement, I would have courted her to be my revolutionary partner.”

Meng Jing had known He Hongyuan for years, but she had never heard him say anything like that before. She never imagined that one day, she would hear the word “like” come out of this cold and unfeeling man’s mouth.

And the person he liked wasn’t her.

It was the bright, delicate girl standing in front of her.

A deep sadness surged within Meng Jing. She shoved He Hongyuan aside and ran out of the room without looking back, leaving the two of them far behind.

For years, she had chased after He Hongyuan, and while his constant rejection had hurt, she had always been able to endure it because he had never shown interest in anyone else either.

But now, He Hongyuan had a girlfriend. And he was not the type of person to lie. That meant it was real.

Lin Xiang watched Meng Jing disappear into the distance, clearly heartbroken. Then she turned and glared at He Hongyuan.

“You really are a troublemaker, aren’t you?”

Originally expressionless, He Hongyuan was instantly amused by his partner. What kind of statement was that?

“What did I do?” He Hongyuan didn’t see any problem at all.

“I’m not talking to you about this right now.” Lin Xiang changed the topic. “Which one is Jiang Zhenghao’s dorm?”

The slight smile that had just appeared on He Hongyuan’s lips instantly disappeared. His expression darkened as he asked coldly, “Why are you asking about him? Since when did you two know each other?”

It was only then that Lin Xiang realized—so the ever-composed Captain He could actually get jealous?

“What are you thinking? I’m planning to help Jiang Zhenghao and Meng Jing.” In the novel, the male and female leads had spent years entangled in misunderstandings, only to regret not being together sooner. Lin Xiang figured she was doing a good deed.

After He Hongyuan spat out Jiang Zhenghao’s dorm number with a grim face, Lin Xiang went to knock on the door herself. Given the bad blood between He Hongyuan and Jiang Zhenghao, she was worried the two would end up fighting if they saw each other.

Jiang Zhenghao—the novel’s male lead—only held a grudge against He Hongyuan because of Meng Jing. Otherwise, he was warm and friendly to everyone, always carrying an air of youthful confidence. His charm wasn’t lost on the female comrades either.

Facing He Hongyuan’s fiancée, Jiang Zhenghao showed no hostility, only mild surprise. “Comrade Lin Xiang, what’s the matter?”

“Comrade Jiang Zhenghao, Meng Jing ran off looking quite upset just now. You should go check on her.”

The moment he heard Meng Jing’s name, Jiang Zhenghao’s body tensed. His brows furrowed deeply. “What happened to Meng Jing?”

Lin Xiang said tactfully, “She found out about me and He Hongyuan…”

There was no need to spell out the rest. Now was the perfect time for him to confess his long-buried feelings. Don’t miss the chance, young man!

Jiang Zhenghao studied Lin Xiang’s face for a moment before suddenly smiling. “Congratulations to you two.”

Lin Xiang watched as Jiang Zhenghao strode off downstairs, mumbling to herself, “He really is the novel’s male lead—so outstanding in every way, so devoted to the female lead… but completely incapable of speaking his feelings.”

“What do you mean, ‘incapable of speaking’?”

At some point, He Hongyuan had emerged from the hallway’s far end. He had initially promised Lin Xiang he wouldn’t show himself, but he was starting to suspect that she was a bit too invested in Meng Jing and Jiang Zhenghao’s relationship.

“Nothing.” Lin Xiang pursed her lips when she saw him. She couldn’t afford to let anything slip in front of He Hongyuan. “I just think that if Jiang Zhenghao likes Meng Jing, he should say so sooner rather than later.”

He Hongyuan, utterly indifferent, said, “Let them sort themselves out. As long as they don’t bother me, I’m already grateful.”

Lin Xiang stifled a laugh. How could someone be so uninterested in gossip? And yet, this was the same man who had reached out to hold her hand on that rocky ledge the other day…

…

Jiang Zhenghao and Meng Jing had grown up together. He knew exactly where she would be.

Sure enough, when he reached the rooftop of the military hospital, he saw Meng Jing standing there, letting the wind blow against her. Her face showed no traces of tears, but she was obviously in low spirits.

Hearing familiar footsteps, Meng Jing didn’t even turn around. “You came to laugh at me?”

She didn’t need to check—she knew it was Jiang Zhenghao. They had bickered for so many years that her first reaction was to go on the offensive.

Jiang Zhenghao looked at her back with a gentle gaze, but his words were casual. “Yeah, I came to see how badly Captain Meng’s daughter has been crying.”

“Jiang Zhenghao, I don’t want to see you right now. Just leave!” Meng Jing never bothered to hide her emotions around him. She got up and pushed him.

She had to be obedient around elders. She had to act professional at the hospital. She had to be the one chasing after He Hongyuan. Only in front of Jiang Zhenghao could she be completely herself.

“Meng Jing, are you serious?” Jiang Zhenghao put his hands on his hips. The movement made his uniform shift slightly, revealing the toned muscles beneath.

He looked into Meng Jing’s beautiful, misty eyes and said, “What’s so great about He Hongyuan? There are plenty of outstanding men in our military district, but you’re dead set on him? He has a girlfriend now, and she’s gorgeous. You should move on.”

“Why do you care?” Meng Jing was already feeling terrible. She had never suffered such a setback before. Growing up, everyone had doted on her, given her whatever she wanted—except for He Hongyuan, who had always ignored her no matter how hard she tried. She simply couldn’t accept it.

But now, He Hongyuan truly had someone. Her years of pursuit had become a joke. Of course, she was heartbroken.

And to make things worse, Jiang Zhenghao had come just to rub salt in the wound. Annoyed, she kicked him in the leg—not too hard, but enough to vent her frustration. “Stop being so smug!”

Jiang Zhenghao burst out laughing at the kick. He dramatically winced in pain, then suddenly grabbed her wrist just as she was about to run away.

“If you’re worried about no one marrying you, I could always…”

Meng Jing’s heart skipped a beat. She widened her eyes at him.

The summer wind blew away the sorrow and the teasing. Only the pounding of two hearts remained.

Jiang Zhenghao continued, “…make do.”

Meng Jing’s lashes quivered slightly. Her cheeks tinged pink as she shoved him away, flustered. “Who says I can’t get married? You’re the one who’s going to end up single!”

With that, she turned and ran.

Jiang Zhenghao’s thin lips parted slightly, his expression forlorn as he stared in the direction Meng Jing had left for a long time.

====

Having done a good deed—hoping to speed up the relationship progress of the novel’s main couple—Lin Xiang excitedly shared with He Hongyuan what had happened today while repairing equipment at the Factory No. 2. As they talked, they returned to He Hongyuan’s dormitory.

The door was still left open, and soldiers passed by from time to time, making the room feel bright and open.

Seeing Lin Xiang so excited, He Hongyuan raised an eyebrow slightly and said, “You’ve got quite the skills. As expected, an educated comrade has a quick mind.”

He Hongyuan had joined the army too early and hadn’t received much schooling. It wasn’t until later that he was recommended for advanced studies at a military academy in Beijing, where he improved his theoretical knowledge and cultural literacy.

Lin Xiang understood what He Hongyuan meant. In this era, having a high school diploma was already a big deal, making her quite valuable. But in her mind, she scoffed—she was more than just a high school graduate; she had been to university!

Of course, that was something she couldn’t say out loud.

This was actually Lin Xiang’s first time seriously looking around a man’s room. She had never been in a relationship before, and the last time she came here, it was under suspicion and interrogation. She hadn’t dared to examine it too closely.

Now that she was back in the dormitory, she asked outright, “Can I take a look around?”

He Hongyuan was completely open. “Of course.”

Single dorms weren’t very big—everything was almost in plain sight. Being a soldier, He Hongyuan maintained a strict standard of cleanliness and order. Lin Xiang glanced around but soon found it uninteresting—his place was just too neat.

A thought suddenly popped into her head. Last time, when she caught a glimpse of He Hongyuan’s perfectly folded “tofu block” blanket and his meticulously arranged books, she had internally complained—whoever married him in the future would have a hard time! Would his wife have to live under constant supervision, trained into a clean freak? That would be too miserable.

Back then, she had reassured herself that He Hongyuan would probably never get married, so no woman would have to suffer that fate.

But now… was she the one about to suffer?

Her gaze drifted from the bookshelf to He Hongyuan’s face, only to be caught red-handed. His probing gaze locked onto hers, making Lin Xiang timidly ask, “If you get married in the future, are you going to make your wife keep the house this neat too?”

He Hongyuan was momentarily stunned. It took him a few seconds to process what she meant. Then, amusement crept into his expression. Though he wasn’t sure why she was worrying about this, he still answered, “You don’t have to clean—I’ll do it.”

Hearing how he casually equated “wife” with herself, Lin Xiang’s eyelashes fluttered. She quickly averted her gaze to the thermos on the floor, her ears turning a little red.

“But submitting a marriage report this fast is still too sudden,” Lin Xiang muttered, still finding it hard to believe.

He Hongyuan, as if about to reason with her, sat down across from her and patiently explained, “How is it sudden? Zhang Huafeng and Jiang Weijun are also preparing to file their marriage reports.”

“You’re not trying to compete with them on who gets married first, are you?” Lin Xiang asked skeptically. After all, men loved comparing things.

“What’s there to compare?” He Hongyuan sat up straight, his posture rigid. “Our great leader once said that dating without marriage as the goal is just playing around. Comrade Lin Xiang, are you trying to play around with me?”

Lin Xiang: “…”

That’s such a loaded accusation!

She quickly retorted, “I’m not you! Why would I play around?”

“Then that settles it,” He Hongyuan said matter-of-factly. “If we’re in a relationship, marriage is the natural outcome. Whether we get married now or in a few months, what difference does it make?”

Lin Xiang stared at He Hongyuan’s serious expression. He spoke so logically and convincingly that she was momentarily at a loss for words. Somehow… it did make sense?

But she still felt like something wasn’t quite right. So she mumbled, “Dating and marriage are completely different. Marriage means living together every day. I think we still don’t know each other well enough—we should take some time to get used to each other first.”

He Hongyuan silently pondered what it meant to not know each other well enough. What counted as deep understanding?

He had never dated before. In fact, this was the first time he had ever thought about spending his life with a woman.

“…Should I tell you more about myself?” he offered.

Lin Xiang quickly stopped him, realizing he had misunderstood. “No need. I meant getting to know each other through interactions. I already know your basic information.”

Now, He Hongyuan was truly stumped. Turns out, there was something harder than fighting battles or training soldiers.

Seeing his contemplative look, Lin Xiang almost laughed. He was competent in every other aspect, but when it came to relationships, he was completely clueless.

“Alright, let’s just spend more time together,” Lin Xiang concluded, standing up. They still had to head to the Zhou family’s place.

But just as she half-rose from her seat, He Hongyuan suddenly moved. He took a quick step forward, his tall frame blocking her path. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

It was light and fleeting, just a brief touch of his lips before he pulled away.

Despite his usual cold and rigid demeanor, his lips were surprisingly soft and warm, his breath brushing against her skin.

He pulled back slightly, then rubbed his thumb over her cheek where he had just kissed her, looking sincere. “Do we feel a bit more familiar now?”

Lin Xiang: “…”

——

Lin Xiang walked ahead, her face burning like a ripe peach, still in disbelief that He Hongyuan had just kissed her in his dormitory.

Was he actually inexperienced, or was he secretly an expert?

After all, ever since they confirmed their relationship, he had always maintained a disciplined, untouchable air. Even when they had opportunities to be alone, he had never so much as brushed the corner of her sleeve—he was just too proper.

At this moment, Lin Xiang found it hard to tell whether he was taking advantage of the situation to act inappropriately.

Yet, his eyes and tone were so sincere, as if he was genuinely trying to help them become familiar with each other faster.

The main issue was—how could someone like He Hongyuan do such a thing in the dormitory? Lin Xiang’s cheeks turned crimson as she screamed internally—He Hongyuan, you’re breaking character!

When they returned to the Zhou family home, Lin Xiang’s face was still flushed, while He Hongyuan’s phoenix eyes carried a hint of warmth, and the corners of his lips remained lifted in a constant smile. He looked nothing like his usual serious self.

Seeing them like this, there was no way to keep it a secret anymore—they immediately made an official announcement to the Zhou family.

Zhou Shenghuai and Feng Li exchanged a pleased glance and smiled with relief. “I knew it! Hongyuan has been coming to our house every day lately—it turns out he was here to see his sweetheart.”

Zhou Shenghuai was more reserved, but he still said “good” three times in a row, then sighed, “Hongyuan is not young anymore. Having a partner is a good thing—it’s time to settle down and build a future.”

Zhou Yuezhu was much more excited than her parents. Last night, Lin Xiang had mentioned she was seeing someone, but Zhou Yuezhu had assumed it was someone introduced to her by a colleague at the food factory. She had been sulking about it all day.

Who would have thought that now, right in front of her, they were saying they were officially together!

Zhou Yuezhu was so thrilled she nearly jumped up. She grabbed Lin Xiang’s arm and shook it gently, then, in a voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, solemnly declared, “So now I can openly call you sister-in-law?”

Lin Xiang: “…”

Why did this pair of cousins always have to say things that made her blush?

That night, the Zhou house was livelier than ever. In the past, because of his father, He Hongyuan had avoided interacting with the Zhou family. But now, there was no escaping—his girlfriend was living in their home.

Zhou Yuezhu whispered to Lin Xiang, “Now, even if you wanted to kick my cousin out, you probably couldn’t.”

Lin Xiang stifled a laugh.

Since they had officially announced their relationship, they couldn’t neglect their previous plans to treat everyone to a meal. Conveniently, on Sunday, Feng Li planned to take Yuezhu and Lin Xiang to the city department store to buy clothes. Since He Hongyuan was still on leave, he naturally tagged along and treated them to a meal at a state-owned restaurant.

News of Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan dating spread quickly. After all, they hadn’t hidden anything from Meng Qing the previous day, and with people constantly passing through the dormitory corridor, bits and pieces of their conversation had been overheard.

At the military base, He Hongyuan was being interrogated by his two closest brothers. Zhang Huafeng circled around him, clicking his tongue in amazement. “Who would’ve thought? Who was it that kept saying they didn’t want an arranged marriage? And now? Tsk, tsk, you’re dating her.”

Jiang Weijun couldn’t stop laughing. He clapped He Hongyuan on the shoulder. “So you finally figured it out? I knew it—who in their right mind wouldn’t be interested in dating? Now that we all have partners, let’s see who gets married first.”

Zhang Huafeng jumped excitedly. “That’s definitely going to be me!”

Jiang Weijun scoffed. “You and Yan Min just got together—less than a month ago! I’ve been dating for months. Get in line!”

Their competitive spirits flared up as they argued over who would marry first. Naturally, neither of them even considered He Hongyuan—after all, he had just gotten into a relationship.

Yeah, he could be last.

While He Hongyuan was enduring their teasing, the news also reached the food factory, and Lin Xiang found herself the center of attention.

After all, Captain He was famous in the military. He earned distinctions every year, was promoted to commander at a young age—an incredibly capable man. And on top of that, he was handsome! Plenty of people had hoped to match him with someone from their own families.

Now that he had been snatched away by Lin Xiang, of course, people were talking.

At the No. 2 Factory workshop, the gossip-loving Aunt Qiu Hongxia spat out a mouthful of sunflower seed shells and chatted with the people around her. “I heard that little Lin is related to Captain He. Turns out she’s actually his fiancée!”

Someone chuckled. “Fiancée is about right—soon, they’ll all be family anyway.”

“Aiya, I was even thinking about matchmaking for Captain He! But that’s pointless now—such a shame, such a shame, he’s already taken.”

Aunt Qiu scoffed. “What’s such a shame about it? Our little Lin isn’t just anyone—she’s impressive! She can even repair factory equipment, and she’s a beauty.”

The others thought about it and agreed.

While everyone at the No. 2 Factory was offering Lin Xiang their congratulations, over at the No. 1 Factory, the gossip was just as intense.

Workplace chatter was always a hot topic. In the No. 1 Factory office, many people were discussing the news. Some felt regret, some were disappointed, while others thought the two were a good match.

Ever since being publicly reprimanded at work, He Fen had been silent for days, rarely participating in any conversations.

At that moment, she was hunched over her desk, writing a report. Upon hearing the discussion, she sneered coldly. “Hmph, Lin Xiang sure got lucky, managing to climb up to Captain He. I knew it—he always refused blind dates, but the moment he met someone young and pretty, he couldn’t resist.”

With that tone and attitude, who could believe she didn’t have an issue with it?

Everyone else was just having a casual chat, passing time with harmless gossip. But He Fen’s reaction was different. Her words dripped with jealousy. The others exchanged glances but remained silent, though inwardly, they couldn’t help but wonder—just what had Lin Xiang done to offend He Fen? First, she tampered with Lin Xiang’s registration form, and now she was making bitter remarks behind her back.

Still, since He Fen was their colleague in the office, no one said anything.

Only Shen Chunli, the newly hired publicity officer, paused mid-sentence while holding her pen. She had already heard about this from her cousin Meng Qing last night.

Shen Chunli had comforted her cousin for a while. Before long, Meng Qing had calmed down, even admitting that He Hongyuan didn’t have bad taste. Lin Xiang was indeed a beautiful and energetic woman. At least the man she had liked hadn’t ended up with some nosy gossip—that was a small consolation.

Shen Chunli laughed when she heard this. Seeing that her cousin had seemingly moved on, she also started to think that He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang did make quite a good match.

However, she didn’t care much about the matter. What did annoy her, though, was hearing He Fen—who had already tampered with Lin Xiang’s registration form—still making snide remarks behind her back. It was grating on the ears. Coldly, she spoke up, “If someone really has something to say, why not say it to her face? First, you mess up and get publicly criticized by the entire factory, and now you’re still making sarcastic remarks. Truly impressive.”

“Shen Chunli, what did I ever do to offend you?” He Fen’s expression stiffened as if she had just been slapped in the face. But since Shen Chunli was related to Director Tian, she couldn’t afford to lose her temper, so she could only feign politeness and ask, “Why are you talking about me like this?”

Shen Chunli had no patience for people like her, especially since He Fen hadn’t just harmed Lin Xiang—she had harmed Shen Chunli as well. Now, Shen Chunli was sitting in a position she didn’t even obtain fairly, which made her feel frustrated. Naturally, she didn’t hold back, saying bluntly, “You didn’t offend me at all. I just can’t stand people who aren’t straightforward and can’t keep their mouths shut.”

It was rare for He Fen to be treated with such blatant disregard for workplace relations, but she couldn’t lash out. Knowing that everyone in the office was watching, her face flushed with embarrassment. Unable to bear the humiliation, she threw down her pen and quickly left.

As she hurried out, she tried to save face by muttering an excuse, “I heard that production is ramping up in the next few days, and several machines in the factory have been reported for repairs. I’m going to check with the maintenance team.”

The moment she stepped out of the office, murmurs broke out behind her—people were clearly gossiping about her!

Thinking about her younger sister still locked up at the police station, and then about her own miserable situation—punished, publicly criticized, and now the subject of office gossip—waves of resentment swelled in He Fen’s heart. It was all Lin Xiang’s fault!

Leaving the factory office, she suddenly felt at a loss. It seemed like every worker she passed was looking at her with judgmental eyes, making her feel utterly uncomfortable. Left with no other choice, she decided to follow through on her excuse and actually visit the maintenance team.

At Factory No. 1, the shrimp paste canning business was booming. When production tasks piled up, the machines were constantly running at full capacity, nearly overheating. These machines had been a major investment—purchased with real money and considered treasures of the factory. If one of these prized machines broke down, only the maintenance team could fix it.

He Fen planned to pretend to inspect the repair situation, but as soon as she stepped into the maintenance team’s office, she overheard two technicians chatting about Factory No. 2.

Master Feng, a veteran electrician who had shifted to equipment maintenance, was over fifty years old and held a prestigious position in the factory. Hearing his apprentice, Xiao Huang, mention a supposed “expert” in Factory No. 2 fixing equipment, he tapped his pipe against his palm with a sneer. “That lot at Factory No. 2 is always messing around. But now they’re daring to touch the machines? If they end up breaking them, who’s going to pay for the damage?”

There was no way the factory would allocate funds to replace damaged equipment—not even Factory No. 1 could afford that luxury. These machines cost tens of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands. Because they were so expensive, they were treated like treasures. The maintenance workers wouldn’t let just anyone tinker with them, let alone Factory No. 2 workers who knew nothing about the machinery. If one of them damaged a machine, who would take responsibility?

Xiao Huang had been learning from Master Feng for seven or eight years. Now in his early twenties, he was a more level-headed type. “Master, that’s right. I heard it was some newly assigned girl from the Factory No. 2 office—a young one at that—who was directing the dismantling. A little girl with that much nerve? And the folks at Factory No. 2 actually let her do it!”

Master Feng’s expression darkened even further. He already looked down on Factory No. 2’s operations, and every time he was called over to fix their machines, he dragged his feet. Now, hearing this, he fumed, “Reckless! Taking apart the machines?!”

“Master Feng.” Standing at the doorway, He Fen had listened in for a moment, and now she was inwardly delighted. Lin Xiang had really stepped into trouble this time! She had messed with the wrong thing. Outwardly, though, He Fen pretended to be concerned as she spoke up, “Has our factory’s equipment been repaired? Production is at full tilt, and we don’t want any delays.”

Seeing that she was from Factory No. 1’s office, Master Feng’s expression softened. “Of course, it’s all fixed! Production won’t be delayed.”

“You really are a master of your craft! Without you, how could we keep production running smoothly?” He Fen knew Master Feng’s personality well. He was upright and spoke his mind freely. Because he was skilled, he feared no one—not even the factory director. She flattered him for a bit before steering the conversation back to Factory No. 2. “But I’ve heard that Factory No. 2 isn’t so diligent with production. Not only that, but they’re also messing around with the machines. Those soda production line machines cost tens of thousands—who knows what kind of damage they’ve sustained over the years? And now they’re letting some young girl tinker with them. Even if nothing seems wrong right now, what if hidden damage shows up later? What happens then?”

Her words struck a nerve with Master Feng. He had never trusted outsiders with the machines, let alone amateurs. These machines were precision-engineered, and they had originally been second-hand imports, acquired through special connections when the 119 Food Factory was first established. Though other factories had discarded them, for the cash-strapped 119 Food Factory, they were invaluable.

Master Feng had personally trained at another factory for two months just to get a handle on these machines. Since he couldn’t read foreign manuals, he had memorized the machines’ structures by heart. Whenever an issue arose, he would work through the night to figure out a fix, which was why he had become the go-to expert.

“Master Feng, if you have time, you really should go check on them,” He Fen added, fanning the flames. “If Factory No. 2 has already caused damage, it’s better to catch it early so repairs can be done right away.”

“You’ve got a point,” Master Feng took two heavy puffs of his pipe, then called his apprentice over. “Let’s go to Factory No. 2 for an inspection. If they’ve really messed up the equipment, I’ll have to take this straight to the factory director. That place is nothing but a mess!”

…

Meanwhile, Factory No. 2 was blissfully unaware of the trouble heading their way.

Everyone was happily slacking off while working, enjoying their usual laid-back atmosphere. They had just completed the day’s production using the equipment Lin Xiang had supervised repairs on, and now they were all getting ready to leave early.

Factory Director Zhao’s wife was celebrating her birthday today, so he, too, planned to sneak out a little earlier. But just as he reached the office door, he spotted Master Feng from the Factory No. 1 maintenance team approaching. With his notoriously short temper and high status, Master Feng’s arrival was never a good sign.

“Zhao Jianjun, sneaking off early again? What kind of example is that?” Master Feng scolded with a glare.

The two had known each other for years. Zhao Jianjun sheepishly rubbed his nearly bald head and chuckled, “What do you mean sneaking off? I was just about to patrol the factory floor—doing my part for production, of course.”

Master Feng wasn’t interested in his excuses. Without missing a beat, he demanded, “Who told you all to mess with the equipment yesterday? That machine is worth tens of thousands! Do you lot think you can just take it apart as you please? I heard it was some newly hired little girl who did it! Where is she? Get her out here! This is completely unacceptable!”