Chapter 30

The Zhou household was especially lively that evening.

Zhou Shenghuai and He Hongyuan had returned earlier than expected from their half-month deployment at sea, much to the surprise of the three women at home.

Lin Xiang steamed the seven crabs she had bought along with the four crabs He Hongyuan had brought back.

Feng Li and Zhou Yuezhu prepared sweet potato rice and stir-fried chickweed greens.

Fishing boats had been sailing along the coast, casting large nets that pulled in a bountiful mix of fish, shrimp, and crabs. Lin Xiang had picked out seven flower crabs at the seafood market, while He Hongyuan had received four blue crabs from a fisherman upon disembarking from his ship. That fisherman, who had once been saved by Captain He, shoved the crabs into his hands and ran off before he could refuse. Left with no choice, He Hongyuan decided he would find a way to repay the man later.

Flower crabs were larger, with tender and flavorful meat, while blue crabs were rich and packed with sweet, creamy roe. Lin Xiang had been looking forward to this meal of steamed crabs for a long time. The moment the dishes were placed on the table, her first instinct was to start cracking them open.

But just as she raised her hands, a larger hand reached in from her right, placing neatly extracted crab meat and creamy roe into her bowl.

She looked up to see He Hongyuan calmly withdrawing his hand, his expression unchanged as he continued discussing work with Captain Zhou.

No one seemed to notice his subtle action—Captain Zhou was engrossed in their conversation, while Aunt Feng and Yuezhu were busy dismantling their own crabs.

Lin Xiang’s heart skipped a beat, but in the end, she couldn’t resist the temptation of the delicious crab. She picked up the fresh, sweet meat and happily devoured it.

There were eleven crabs in total. The two men had two each, leaving the remaining ones for the three women. Once the crabs were finished, Lin Xiang poured the golden, oily crab roe over her sweet potato rice, watching as the rich color seeped into the grains. The aroma alone was mouthwatering.

Dinner was lively and filling, a true feast for the senses.

Afterward, Zhou Yuezhu clung to her father and cousin, urging them to share stories about their time at sea. Lin Xiang listened quietly from the side, and for the first time, she truly understood how challenging a navy officer’s life was.

To outsiders like Lin Xiang and Zhou Yuezhu, going out to sea seemed fresh and exciting. But for soldiers, each deployment was a mission that demanded unwavering focus. With trips lasting over half a month—and sometimes even stretching to a full month for difficult assignments—the confinement of the ship’s limited space, surrounded by nothing but vast ocean, seemed monotonous and suffocating.

As the conversation continued into the night, Zhou Shenghuai boiled hot water for everyone, and the household began preparing for bed. The only person who didn’t live there—He Hongyuan—was about to leave.

Seeing him rise, Lin Xiang let out an unconscious sigh of relief. Ever since their last conversation, her heart had been racing a little too fast whenever he was around. Now that he was leaving, she felt like she could finally breathe normally again.

As a man, He Hongyuan didn’t need anyone to see him off, but Aunt Feng still offered her concern, holding a teacup as she said, “Hongyuan, watch your step on the way back. It’s completely dark now. If you’re free tomorrow, come by for dinner again.”

Like Zhou Shenghuai, Feng Li always felt that this nephew had endured a lot. Her husband’s second brother had wronged He Hongyuan, and if the relationship between their families could be mended, she wanted to do what she could.

But He Hongyuan had always been distant out of respect, keeping his interactions with his third uncle and aunt at arm’s length because of Zhou Shengqiang. In the past, Feng Li had made this same invitation ten times, and at most, he had accepted once.

To her surprise, this time he agreed readily.

“Alright, Aunt Feng. I’ll come tomorrow—and I’ll bring a pound of pork.”

Feng Li was delighted by his unexpected response.

Lin Xiang, on the other hand, was caught off guard. She had clearly seen He Hongyuan glance back at her before leaving.

Once he was gone, she finally relaxed completely.

Whenever he was in the house, she always felt a bit tense, as if even a fleeting glance from him could make her heart skip a beat.

As the clock neared 8 p.m., Zhou Shenghuai retreated to the study, Feng Li busied herself in the kitchen refilling hot water bottles, and Zhou Yuezhu went upstairs to pick out an outfit for her date the next day.

She had started working three days ago, and her days weren’t as free anymore. Even though she worked in the military, she didn’t get to see Shen Jianming often, so they made sure to meet up on Sundays.

That left Lin Xiang alone in the living room. Just as she was about to get up and help Aunt Feng in the kitchen, she suddenly noticed a shadow appear at the door.

It was He Hongyuan—he had returned.

Catching sight of her surprised expression, he curved his lips into a faint smile and said softly, “Walk me out.”

Lin Xiang followed He Hongyuan out of the Zhou house, walking slowly under the moonlight.

“You’re a grown man, and you still need me to see you off?” she muttered in complaint. Yet, despite her words, she found herself inexplicably agreeing.

“To talk to you,” He Hongyuan said, stopping and turning to face her. “It wasn’t convenient back at Yuezhu’s house. Tell me—how’s it been at the Factory No.2? Has anyone given you trouble?”

Lin Xiang hadn’t expected him to ask that. She blinked in surprise, then shook her head. “No, no one’s given me trouble. The Factory No.2 isn’t what you think it is.”

“Oh?”

He Hongyuan raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

Feeling talkative, Lin Xiang began sharing her experiences from the past two weeks at the factory. “Everyone’s pretty… free-spirited. There’s no scheming or backstabbing at all.”

Not only was there no scheming, but Lin Xiang suspected that the people at Factory No. 2 didn’t even register each other’s existence—they were too busy slacking off to care about anyone else.

He Hongyuan had heard about Factory No. 2 before. In fact, he had even asked around before Lin Xiang started working there. After confirming that there weren’t any difficult or self-important employees, he had felt reassured.

Now that Lin Xiang had personally confirmed it, he had no more doubts.

“That’s good. But Factory No. 2 isn’t a long-term option for you. Just stay there for a few months, and then you can transfer to Factory No. 1.”

Lin Xiang nodded.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back.” After asking what he wanted to know, He Hongyuan noticed the night breeze making Lin Xiang rub her arms.

Lin Xiang was surprised. “…Didn’t you ask me to walk you out?”

He Hongyuan chuckled softly, his gaze turning gentle under the moonlight. “What kind of man lets a woman walk him home? I’ll walk you back instead.”

They had barely left the Zhou family home when, just ten meters out, Lin Xiang found herself being escorted right back to the house by He Hongyuan. It felt…odd.

“Xiangxiang, why are you back so soon?”

Feng Li looked at her in surprise. She had expected Lin Xiang to be out for a while after seeing He Hongyuan off, but now she was already back. Feng Li still couldn’t quite figure out the relationship between these two young people. But since both were reliable, she decided not to meddle, fearing she might mess things up instead.

“Captain He had a sudden pang of conscience,” Lin Xiang said vaguely. “Said it wasn’t right for a girl to walk him home, so he walked me back instead.”

She hurried upstairs after washing up, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it, her heart still beating a little too fast.

So, He Hongyuan had called her outside just to ask if she had been bullied while he was away?

He had already asked Aunt Feng, but that wasn’t enough—he had to hear it from her directly.

Lin Xiang pressed her slightly warm face, feeling a gentle heat rise.

That man really knew what he was doing.

—

The next day, Lin Xiang put on the sky-blue dress she had washed and stored in her wardrobe a few days prior.

In the 1970s, fabric ration tickets were precious. It was common for people to go three to five years without making new clothes. Good clothes were worn sparingly, reserved for major holidays and special occasions.

Lin Xiang didn’t wear the two new outfits she had made every day. If she wore them out too soon, she wouldn’t have enough fabric tickets for a new dress, and then she’d have to patch up her clothes—how unsightly would that be?

But today was different. After all, it was Sunday—a perfect day to wear something nice.

Early in the morning, Zhou Yuezhu went out for a date, officially under the pretense of gathering information about the logistics department from a colleague.

Feng Li didn’t stop her daughter. She and her husband were going next door to visit a sick comrade. Before leaving, she reminded Lin Xiang, “Xiangxiang, we’ll be back in a bit. If you get bored, go out and take a walk. Young people shouldn’t stay cooped up at home.”

“Got it, Aunt Feng.”

Lin Xiang didn’t go out. She stayed home, applied some snowflake cream, and braided her hair into two plaits, making herself look particularly sweet and charming.

When He Hongyuan arrived early that morning, his dark eyes instantly brightened at the sight of her.

A trace of admiration flickered across his gaze. “New dress?”

“Mm, Aunt Feng made it for me.” Lin Xiang welcomed him in and explained why the house was so quiet. “Everyone’s out.”

He Hongyuan took in the sight of Lin Xiang stepping forward. As her dress swayed, she looked like a budding flower—beautiful beyond words. He pulled a few folded ration tickets from the pocket of his military uniform and handed them to her. “Here.”

Lin Xiang took them, unfolded them, and was stunned to see three five-foot fabric tickets. “Why are you giving me these?”

“This is all I have at the moment. Over the years, I’ve sent some of my ration tickets to my mother and lent a lot to my comrades. Since I don’t use them much, I never bothered asking for them back. Take these and get some fabric to make clothes.”

“I don’t want them.” Lin Xiang hurriedly pushed the tickets back. “We…aren’t even family. Why are you giving me all your fabric tickets?”

“Not even family?” He Hongyuan raised an eyebrow. “Giving my betrothed some fabric tickets—how is that not family?”

Lin Xiang: “…”

She didn’t want to argue about that again. With her ears slightly red, she stuffed the tickets into the pocket of her dress, feeling flustered.

—

The house was too quiet, so He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang took a walk from the family quarters to the seaside. Thoughtfully, he asked, “Want to collect seashells? You seemed to enjoy it last time.”

Lin Xiang shook her head. There was no way she was going to get covered in sand and mud in front of someone she wasn’t sure about—especially not while wearing a pretty dress.

It seemed like this man didn’t quite get it sometimes.

They strolled along the beach for a while before climbing up the rocky coastline. He Hongyuan, usually a man of few words, unexpectedly started sharing amusing stories from his time at sea. Lin Xiang listened with great interest.

“During shift breaks, when we couldn’t sleep, my comrades and I would play cards or have arm-wrestling contests in the cabin,” he said. Staying on a ship for a couple of days was novel, but after ten days or more, it became monotonous. The crew needed some form of entertainment to relax.

“Did you win?” Lin Xiang’s eyes sparkled as she asked, as if she truly hoped he did.

He Hongyuan was confident. “I always win. No matter the competition.”

“Braggart~” Lin Xiang was at ease now, her laughter as warm as a spring breeze. She teased him, “No one wins everything.”

Standing on a four-meter-high rock, with the vast ocean stretching before him, He Hongyuan turned to look at Lin Xiang, sharp light flashing in his eyes.

“Wanna bet?”

Lin Xiang wasn’t the type to back down easily. Hearing those words, she felt her blood rush a little faster, as if she had been provoked. “What’s the bet?”

“We’ll bet on whether a patrol ship will appear when the military bugle sounds at eleven.” He explained that the patrol ships typically appeared three times a day—morning, noon, and evening. The midday round was usually at eleven, though unexpected delays sometimes occurred due to sudden maritime situations. “There are only a few minutes left until the bugle call. Do you dare to bet?”

Lin Xiang recalled her frequent walks by the sea. Each time, she had seen the patrol ships pass by precisely with the bugle call. It seemed to be quite punctual.

“What’s the wager?” she asked.

He looked at her, his gaze unwavering. “If I win, you agree to be my girlfriend.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he added, “Not just in name, not just because of a marriage contract.”

Lin Xiang’s heart skipped a beat, her previously steady pulse suddenly growing erratic and out of control. His eyes burned into hers, making her turn away slightly.

“Then do I get to choose first?” she asked, pressing down the unease stirring within her.

He seemed quite agreeable, nodding. “Of course.”

“Then I choose that the ship will arrive on time!” Lin Xiang made the safe bet—after all, she had seen the patrol ship arrive punctually every time.

That left He Hongyuan with no choice but to bet on a delay.

The salty sea breeze swept across the rocks as the two of them waited in silence for the bugle call. As the seconds ticked by, Lin Xiang started feeling uneasy.

He had been stationed here for years. If he was willing to make this bet, surely he had some confidence in his choice.

“Comrade He Hongyuan, be honest with me. Did you set me up?” She glanced at him suspiciously. “Did you get word in advance that today’s patrol ship would be delayed?”

He Hongyuan gave her an amused look. “No. I swear on my honor as a soldier—I have no prior knowledge of today’s schedule.”

She wasn’t entirely convinced, but his sincerity left no room for doubt.

At precisely eleven o’clock, the military bugle rang out, its loud and clear notes piercing the sky, carrying over the rocks and across the sea.

Lin Xiang’s eyes widened, fixing on the horizon. Amidst the echo of the bugle, she spotted a small white dot emerging in the distance—it was unmistakably—

“The patrol ship is—” Excited, she turned to He Hongyuan, ready to declare her victory. But in that instant, darkness suddenly engulfed her vision.

A broad, calloused hand covered her eyes, blocking out the light and, naturally, the sight of the approaching ship.

“Where’s the ship?”

Surrounded by darkness, she heard his low, amused chuckle. Immediately, she flared up. “He Hongyuan! You’re cheating!”

The ship was right there! She had won! How could he just cover her eyes and pretend it didn’t exist?

“Mm, I’m cheating,” he admitted, his voice steady and resolute. “If I didn’t, how else could I get a girlfriend?”

Flustered, Lin Xiang instinctively reached up, grabbing his hand and yanking it away. Light flooded her vision again. She locked eyes with him, ready to scold him, but then—

She realized she was still holding his hand.

His palm was warm—hot, even. The rough calluses brushed against her delicate skin, sending a tingling sensation through her. Panicked, she tried to let go, only for him to tighten his grip, effortlessly enclosing her hand in his.

The contrast between his coarse, sun-darkened skin and her own fair hand startled her. The warmth seeped in, curling into her chest, heating her from the inside out.

“You—” Her voice trembled slightly. She wasn’t sure if the heat in her palm came from his hand or if it had spread from her own heart.

Their intertwined fingers felt even hotter than the August sun, scorching yet inescapable.

Lowering her gaze, she stared at the stark contrast of their skin tones. Unable to bear the sight any longer, she lifted her eyes to meet his and murmured, “You’re a soldier, He Hongyuan. Be careful, or I might report you for harassment.”

Her voice was light and soft, like a gentle breeze warmed by the sun, clear and sweet as it brushed past his ears.

He tilted his head slightly, glancing down at their linked hands. Seeing the flush spreading across her cheeks, his heart softened.

“Lin Xiang,” he said, his voice deep and magnetic. “In the half a month I’ve been away, Song Wei came to see you. The women at the food factory want to introduce you to a potential match. If I don’t act now, I might never have a wife in this lifetime.”

He Hongyuan was always serious, disciplined, and rarely spoke much. Yet now, his low voice carried a rare sense of urgency. The words “never have a wife in this lifetime” burrowed into Lin Xiang’s ears, stirring something deep within her.

Suppressing the unfamiliar flutter in her chest, she arched a brow and teased, “Then go find someone else. Surely, Captain He wouldn’t end up alone.”

“There is no one else.” His gaze was firm. “In this lifetime, I’ve only ever chosen you.”

He turned slightly, looking toward the distant military base, where the bright red flag was rising high into the sky.

“I stand beneath this flag,” he said, “and I have never spoken a single false word.”

Lin Xiang followed his gaze. Against the backdrop of the clear sky, the red flag unfurled in the wind, its rippling waves mirroring the turmoil in her heart.

Beneath the military flag, He Hongyuan made her the highest promise a soldier could give—solemn and resolute.

It was the most moving words she had ever heard in her life.

Their tightly clasped hands overlapped, warmth passing between them. Lin Xiang’s index finger twitched slightly, lightly scratching He Hongyuan’s palm once. After a brief pause, she did it again.

She looked at the man with a bright smile, her eyelashes trembling slightly like a spring breeze brushing past, softening the sharp angles of He Hongyuan’s face and bringing warmth to his gaze.

The two exchanged a silent smile, no words needed.

But Lin Xiang still had one thought she hadn’t voiced—

This man was being shameless.

After all, if she had won, he was supposed to be her reward, becoming her boyfriend.

—

After sneaking off for a date with Shen Jianming during the day, Zhou Yuezhu felt like something was off while eating dinner at home.

For two nights in a row, the dinner table had been lively, with all five family members present. It wasn’t until her cousin left for his single dormitory that she suddenly realized what was wrong.

Because of their second uncle, her cousin had practically severed ties with the Zhou family, maintaining only a lukewarm relationship with their household over the past few years. He also rarely came over for meals.

And yet, here he was, coming over two days in a row!

That was way too strange!

“Sister Xiangxiang, don’t you think something’s off about our cousin?” Zhou Yuezhu whispered to Lin Xiang.

Lin Xiang’s heart skipped a beat—had Yuezhu already figured out that she and He Hongyuan had just gotten together?

She had deliberately avoided any obvious interactions at the dinner table. After all, they had only just confirmed their relationship, and given how adamant she had been before about not dating, announcing it right away would be too awkward and rushed. She and He Hongyuan had agreed to wait until next Sunday, when they would invite the Zhou family over for a meal and formally make it public.

Before she could respond, Yuezhu answered her own question, “Could it be that our cousin just thinks our food is too good and wants to freeload?”

Lin Xiang: “……”

I really worried for nothing.

—

For someone who had lived two lifetimes with zero dating experience, Lin Xiang found herself unable to sleep after suddenly having a boyfriend.

She wasn’t sure what being in a relationship was supposed to feel like—probably excitement and shyness? She had no experience, but she knew that only when facing He Hongyuan did she feel her heart pounding uncontrollably.

She spent so much time overthinking that she fell asleep late, and the next morning, she yawned her way through getting ready for work.

Fortunately, work at Factory No. 2 was lax, and she could still sneak in a nap in the office in the morning without anyone caring. Wasn’t that a huge benefit?

The Zhou family members left one after another, while Lin Xiang, who had no strict clock-in rules and could even afford to be half an hour to an hour late, leisurely locked the door and set off.

But as soon as she turned around, she saw He Hongyuan standing at the entrance of the building.

“What are you doing here?” Lin Xiang was genuinely surprised. She had thought their dates would have to be as discreet as Yuezhu and Shen Jianming’s.

“I’m taking you to Factory No. 2.” He Hongyuan, as if instinctively, had already adopted the role of a proper boyfriend.

Lin Xiang’s lips curled up slightly, though she tried to suppress it as she walked with him. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the base?”

“Whenever I return from a deployment at sea, I get some time off. I’m free now.” Normally, He Hongyuan didn’t stay idle during his leave; he would always find extra work to do at the base.

“That’s nice, having long and frequent vacations,” Lin Xiang commented sincerely, envious. Did that mean he worked half the month and rested the other half?

Recalling how his married comrades always complained about being tied down by their wives, He Hongyuan instinctively added, “Yes. When I’m away, I’m gone for a long time, but when I return, my leave is also long. Don’t worry, once we’re married, I’ll have plenty of time to keep you company.”

Lin Xiang: “……”

Who said anything about getting married? Who asked him to keep her company?!

Her face heated up. She had no idea how this man had suddenly become so shameless.

But before Lin Xiang could recover, He Hongyuan delivered yet another surprise—or rather, a shock.

“I’ve already written the marriage application. After dropping you off, I’ll head to the base to submit it.”

Lin Xiang came to an abrupt halt, her almond-shaped eyes widening slightly. Her lips parted as she blurted out, “You—who are you marrying?”

He Hongyuan’s face darkened. “Who else but you?”

Alright, her boyfriend was upset now.

Lin Xiang pursed her lips, quickly clarifying, “No, I mean, we just got together yesterday. Why are you already submitting a marriage application? Isn’t this too fast?”

Yesterday, she had finally gotten a boyfriend after half a day, thinking she could savor the sweetness of romance for a while. But now, just like that, her boyfriend was about to be gone—turned into a husband instead?

The key point was—they had only just gotten together yesterday, and today he was already filing for marriage?! Wasn’t this way too fast?!

He Hongyuan raised an eyebrow slightly. “Our marriage was already decided. How is this fast? The application takes time to process. The base will need to investigate your records and confirm everything before approving it. Once it’s approved, I can then apply for housing. The whole process takes a while.”

Last night, he had specifically asked his married comrades about the details of the procedure, which had shocked them to the core.

After all, anyone might ask about marriage procedures in the unit—anyone except He Hongyuan.

When Lin Xiang first came to the island, she had indeed accepted that she would eventually get married in this era, and marrying a handsome and capable military officer seemed like a pretty good deal.

But after He Hongyuan’s initial firm rejection, and especially after she had a dream about a certain future, she had given up on the idea. She had planned to settle into her job, take things slow, enjoy the freedom of love, and only get married when the time was right.

Just yesterday, she had barely begun to experience the feeling of being in a relationship, and now she was already getting married?

At least let her enjoy it a little longer.

Isn’t marriage supposed to be the grave of love? Since when did people start dating one day and step into the “grave” the next?

The times were different, and so were people’s perspectives.

At twenty-five, He Hongyuan was actually considered a relatively older bachelor. Lin Xiang decided to discuss it with him properly. “Marriage is a major life decision. We should take it seriously. Let’s talk after I get off work.”

He Hongyuan naturally agreed that marriage was an important matter. That was exactly why he had immediately submitted the marriage report. “Alright, go to work with peace of mind. I’ll pick you up after you’re done.”

“No need. Our work hours aren’t fixed. People often leave early,” Lin Xiang explained. Lately, she’d also gotten used to this flexible work schedule, so she didn’t ask He Hongyuan to pick her up. She simply told him to come to the Zhou family’s place for dinner.

The two parted ways at the entrance of the Factory No.2. Lin Xiang composed herself, waved at him, and then turned to head inside.

---

“Sister Xiaoxiang.” Sister Wang from the Factory No.2’s soda production line called out to Lin Xiang with a nosy smile. “The person who dropped you off just now was Captain He, right? I heard he’s a relative of yours. What’s your relationship? Is he your cousin? Your uncle’s son? Does he have a girlfriend? I know a girl from my hometown who’s really pretty…”

A few days ago, Sister Wang had tried to set Lin Xiang up with someone. Now, she had her eyes on He Hongyuan. Lin Xiang had no defense against this. “Sister Wang, has this month’s soda production quota been met? I need to check it this morning.”

Lin Xiang did have some responsibilities, though they were light and easy.

Sister Wang immediately switched focus, laughing. “Of course! When has our factory ever failed to meet a quota?”

That was true. The main issue was that soda wasn’t selling well, so the production targets were low. Even with a laid-back approach, they could still meet the quota.

Lin Xiang escaped Sister Wang’s enthusiasm, only to be assigned a new task upon reaching the office.

For the first time in her two weeks at the job, her supervisor actually gave her a task. She was a little excited.

“Xiaolin, go to the Factory No.1’s finance office and verify this month’s payroll. Bring it back so we can distribute the wages.”

The Factory No.2 was very casual compared to the Factory No.1, where jobs were clearly divided into finance, accounting, administration, human resources, and public relations. Here, anyone could end up doing any job.

Lin Xiang glanced at the wall calendar. “Isn’t it only the 25th?”

Director Zhao looked at her oddly. “If we don’t distribute wages on the 25th, when should we? If we were even a day late, everyone would storm the director’s office demanding their pay.”

Oh, right. This wasn’t the future.

In her previous jobs, and in most private companies she knew of, salaries were paid on the 15th of the following month—a 15-day delay!

But here, in a state-owned factory, they were paying wages five days early.

As someone who had worked in modern private companies, Lin Xiang was moved.

---

At the Factory No.1’s finance office, Lin Xiang checked the payroll, received a sheet listing all the Factory No.2 employees’ salaries, and then was handed a large bundle of money and ration tickets. There were dozens of neatly stacked banknotes—big and small denominations, crisp and heavy—as well as various food coupons allocated according to each worker’s seniority and rank.

The 119 Food Factory’s salary structure was different from modern times. A full-time worker’s pay included a base salary, production bonuses, summer heat subsidies, and night shift allowances.

However, because the Factory No.2’s workload was light and everyone was relaxed, they only earned their base salaries. There were no bonuses, so the overall wages were naturally lower than those at the Factory No.1.

Lin Xiang carefully held the payroll sheet, carrying the bundle of cash and ration tickets to the workshop. She called out names one by one, distributing wages. Dozens of pairs of eyes stared at her, shining with anticipation.

This was the one time when Factory No.2 workers showed the most enthusiasm.

Most full-time workers in the workshop earned between 25 and 35 yuan, while temporary workers made around 15 to 18 yuan. By the time Lin Xiang finished distributing their wages, more than half of the money in her hands was gone. She then returned to the office to continue.

Director Zhao, being in a higher position, was classified as a Level 3 worker in production. His August salary, including subsidies, totaled 52.6 yuan. Ma Defa earned 36.8 yuan, and Kong Zhenzhen made 39.3 yuan.

Since Lin Xiang had only worked half a month, her wages were cut in half. However, Director Zhao had specifically applied for her to receive the full monthly ration ticket quota.

Holding her first paycheck in this era—16.5 yuan, along with one foot of fabric coupons, 200 grams of sugar coupons, half a pound of pastry coupons, and one pound of meat coupons—Lin Xiang felt a little guilty.

She hadn’t even worked that hard!

But still… hee-hee~

With the wages distributed, the Factory No.2 workers’ smiles became even brighter. Many immediately began planning to finish work early and rush to the food store to buy meat.

No one was going to stop them. As long as they didn’t all leave too early at once, no one cared.

Lin Xiang ran her fingers over her very first paycheck in this time period, already thinking about how to use it. She’d buy something delicious for He Hongyuan and the Zhou family, and she also needed to send some gifts to Aunt He and Aunt Liu from the Xifeng Steel Mill.

Even if Aunt He wasn’t necessarily her future mother-in-law, she had been very kind to her. Aunt Liu had also helped her a lot when she was leaving Xifeng City.

Lin Xiang, feeling increasingly justified in slacking off, joined the early-departure crowd and headed to the grocery store to snatch up some pork. However, just as she reached the entrance of the Factory No.2, she unexpectedly ran into a “familiar face.”

In the two weeks since she started working at the Second Food Factory, she hadn’t once encountered He Fen from the Factory No.1. Now, seeing her again, He Fen seemed to be in a hurry. When their eyes met, He Fen’s steps briefly faltered, and there was a hint of grievance in her gaze.

Lin Xiang found it odd. It wasn’t yet the official dismissal time for the Factory No.1, where work hours were strictly regulated. Had He Fen taken leave for something urgent?

Just as Lin Xiang was puzzling over it, a series of crackling sounds suddenly echoed from above.

She looked up at the loudspeaker mounted on the utility pole near the Factory No.1’s entrance wall and heard an announcement:

“Attention, everyone. Comrade He Fen, a clerk in the Factory No.1’s administrative office, made a serious mistake during this year’s recruitment process. Effective immediately, she is being publicly criticized across the entire factory…”