Tian Mengya, who had originally stayed aloof as if it were none of her business, sprang to her feet. “Chen Qing, don’t go too far!”

Did she see through it? Chen Qing just wanted to use this project to overpower her.

Chen Qing spread her hands toward Director Liu. “You see, the comrades in our organization aren’t enthusiastic and aren’t willing to cooperate. There’s nothing I can do.”

Director Liu rubbed his balding head and said to Tian Mengya, “Xiao Ya, handle this matter well. Your father will be pleased, and I believe in your capabilities. Here’s what we’ll do: this project requires four people. I’ll leave it to you to choose the two remaining comrades.”

His decision was final.

Fuming, Tian Mengya shot a fierce glare at Chen Qing.

Chen Qing, with her long legs crossed and chin propped on her hand, looked elegant and relaxed. Noticing Tian Mengya’s glare, she flashed a smug, triumphant smile.

Tian Mengya angrily tapped her Hero-brand pen on the desk, gritting her teeth. “Just you wait!”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Regardless of why Director Liu assigned her this task, bringing along a well-connected second-generation colleague was always a good idea.

At the very least, if something went wrong, there’d be someone to take the blame.

As a seasoned workplace veteran, Chen Qing was well-versed in such tricks.

She went to Director Liu to ask for the procedures from previous years regarding organizing small events. She figured she could just follow the established routine.

Director Liu cautioned her uneasily, “Make sure you listen to Xiao Ya.”

“But aren’t I the leader?” Chen Qing retorted.

“But you don’t know anything about this.”

Director Liu was blunt.

He looked down on Chen Qing. This female comrade was pretty, but her head was full of nonsense. Not only did she fail to understand simple instructions, but she also constantly caused trouble. If the factory director hadn’t been so impatient and eager to use a “honey trap,” Director Liu would never have assigned such a critical task to Chen Qing.

What’s wrong with researchers nowadays? How could they be swayed by beauty?

Shouldn’t they be devoted to their country?!

Director Liu inwardly scoffed and scorned, but due to his position, he had no choice but to obediently carry out his superior’s orders.

“You’re giving it to me even though I don’t understand…”

Chen Qing rolled her eyes.

She took the documents and returned to her seat.

Director Liu, furious, gulped down several mouthfuls of cold water. He urged everyone to focus on their work and then left, hands behind his back, to make his rounds.

Chen Qing reviewed the documents, taking stock of what was needed and noting the considerations for the researchers attending the event.

A small photo caught her attention.

For no other reason than that the man was too handsome.

He had a pair of lazy, captivating peach-blossom eyes, with sharp and distinct features: a full forehead, thick eyebrows, deep and authoritative eyes, a straight and well-defined nose, and thin lips that added a touch of untamed wildness.

“He Yuan.”

Chen Qing murmured the name softly.

Tian Mengya walked over and glanced at the photo. Her eyes lit up, but when she noticed Chen Qing staring intently at it, she sneered, “He isn’t the kind to take just anyone.”

“Is he your man?” Chen Qing looked up and met her gaze directly.

Tian Mengya’s face flushed bright red. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

Chen Qing asked sincerely, “Then why are you meddling so much?”

“I’m telling you to know your place,” Tian Mengya snapped, fuming.

This woman was a flirt—after leading on Director Yang, she now had her eyes on Researcher He.

How shameless!

Seeing that Tian Mengya had too much time on her hands, Chen Qing directly assigned her to liaise with the logistics department to secure a venue and gather decorations.

“Isn’t Director Yang your boyfriend? Why don’t you go?”

“You’ll have to take responsibility for spreading rumors. When did I ever say he was my boyfriend?”

A sudden chill ran down Chen Qing’s spine.

Yang Xiujin had pursued the original host so relentlessly it felt like a siege!

Even if the original host never admitted to anything, his very public pursuit had made it seem like she had tacitly agreed.

Tian Mengya curled her lip disdainfully. What was this woman pretending for? She had already taken so many things from Director Yang, yet she dared to deny it now. How shameless!

The other colleagues in the office eyed Chen Qing strangely.

Chen Qing didn’t bother explaining and simply lowered her head to focus on her work.

Seeing her look guilty, Tian Mengya secretly whispered to a colleague, “She’s fallen for someone else!”

“Who?”

“Researcher He, who’s about to join our factory.”

“Then what about Director Yang?”

“Who knows?”

…

Rumors about Chen Qing shifting her affections spread rapidly.

The person in question, Chen Qing, remained unaware. She went to the cafeteria for lunch at noon and planned to go home for dinner in the evening—after all, eating at home was cheaper than the cafeteria. She was currently broke and drowning in debt!

On her way home, many people pointed and whispered about her, but Chen Qing was used to it.

As she reached the entrance of the alley to her courtyard, Auntie Yu stopped her again: “Chen Qing, I heard you cheated on Director Yang?”

Chen Qing: “We were never together in the first place. What do you mean ‘cheated’?”

“Oh, come on! The money he spent on you could’ve married ten or eight country girls. Aren’t you satisfied?”

“Exactly, Xiao Qing. A man like Director Yang is hard to come by.”

“You should cherish him.”

…

No matter how much these elderly folks mocked Chen Qing behind her back, they all loved to put on a superior, lecturing tone with her.

Chen Qing couldn’t be bothered to listen and headed home.

The house had been tidied up spotlessly by He Yuxiang. Chen Qing felt both physically and mentally soothed seeing it so clean. The dining table in the main room was set with prepared meals. She called out, “Time to eat.”

The two little ones came out of their room.

They didn’t go out to play; they rarely even chatted with outsiders.

Other children knew they had no parents and no adults to rely on, so they enjoyed bullying them.

Adults, under the guise of caring, would repeatedly bring up their parents, laughing heartily, and then say to their own children, “Look how pitiful children without parents are. See how good your life is compared to theirs?”

Then they’d turn to him and his sister with a pitying look.

He Yuxiang often felt sickened by this and grew increasingly withdrawn from the outside world.

The meal was eaten in complete silence, the two children wordlessly scooping rice.

Their chopsticks never reached for the dishes.

Chen Qing glanced at the food on the table and asked He Yuxiang, “Are we having this again tomorrow?”

“There won’t be any vegetables tomorrow…”

“How is that possible? I gave you fifty cents!”

“There just won’t be any vegetables, that’s all!”

He Yuxiang stood up and yelled at Chen Qing.

Earlier that day, afraid his sister would be bored, he had taken her to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy groceries. On their way back, someone had snatched their vegetables—because if he didn’t hand them over, they threatened to bully his sister.

Chen Qing slammed the table. “What are you yelling for?!”

As if she wasn’t already frustrated enough being stuck in this wretched place?!

He Yuxiang told his sister to quickly take her bowl back to their room.

He Yuting was so scared that tears streamed down her face. “Auntie, someone stole our vegetables.”

“What’s the use telling her? Go back inside,” He Yuxiang said, terrified that his aunt would fly into a rage and hit He Yuting.

He Yuting had her medicine applied by her aunt yesterday and had experienced a hint of tenderness. She wanted to see if her aunt could be a little bit kinder again.

At the very least, she hoped she wouldn’t hit her brother.

Every time her brother protected her, she prayed that her mother would come back and take them away.

That way, she wouldn’t be a burden anymore.

“Your vegetables were stolen?” Chen Qing was taken aback.

He Yuxiang snorted, turning away so the back of his head faced her. “Isn’t that normal?”

Chen Qing: “Normal? You’re so fierce with me. Why aren’t you brave enough to get back at those outsiders?”

He Yuxiang’s long eyelashes drooped low.

How did she know he hadn’t already gotten his revenge?

Every single one of those who stole their vegetables had ended up falling into the cesspool.