Chapter 31

Factory procedures required approval at every level. Director Tian Guiju of the Factory Office personally drafted the disciplinary notice and submitted it for approval. However, she spared some face for He Fen, who had worked in the office for many years, only mentioning a “major mistake” without explicitly stating that He had maliciously tampered with a registration form. After half a month of processing, the notice was finally scheduled for public announcement on Monday afternoon.

The Factory Office penalized the senior staff member He Fen by docking one month’s salary, posting a public disciplinary notice on the factory’s bulletin board, and broadcasting the criticism over the loudspeaker. This was no small matter!

The factory buzzed with gossip. Workers in the workshop whispered while continuing their tasks, their hands busy but their mouths even busier.

“Whoa, what did He Fen do to deserve this punishment?”

“Losing a whole month’s salary—just thinking about it makes my heart ache.”

“It must’ve been a serious mistake. When has our factory ever punished a worker like this?” A worker who was adding salt and shrimp to a mixing vat glanced around before cautiously sharing what he had heard. “My aunt works in the Factory Office. She said He Fen had bad intentions and tried to sabotage a young girl, preventing her from getting into Factory No. 1.”

There are no secrets in a place like this. Even though Director Tian hadn’t officially announced what He Fen had done, news still leaked from the Factory Office. The rumors couldn’t be stopped and quickly spread across the entire factory.

As the gossip spread, more details emerged. Workers soon pieced together the story: He Fen had altered someone’s registration form, and the victim, a promising new recruit, had been reassigned to Factory No. 2 instead of getting the position she had earned.

“I heard that girl is really talented—she has a high school diploma and ranked first in both rounds of exams. If He Fen hadn’t messed things up, she would’ve definitely gotten the publicity officer job.”

“Wow, really? What a shame.”

Most people react this way—if Lin Xiang had been reassigned to take someone else’s job, there might have been backlash. But since she hadn’t fought for the role herself, others felt sympathy for her, seeing her as an undeserving victim.

However, when this talk reached the ears of Shen Chunli, the current publicity officer at Factory No. 1, it struck a nerve.

Shen Chunli prided herself on her good family background and excellent academic record. A high school diploma was already an impressive qualification, and she had performed well in both exams, securing the most competitive and prestigious new hire position—publicity officer.

Since joining, Shen Chunli had thrown herself into the role with enthusiasm. She was full of energy, always gathering interviews, writing reports, and dedicating herself to promoting Factory No. 1.

And now? The rumors implied that she had only gotten the job because someone else had been unfairly disqualified. If Lin Xiang hadn’t been sabotaged, the job wouldn’t have gone to her at all.

Shen Chunli felt her face burn with anger and embarrassment. Without thinking, she rushed out of Factory No. 1. Just as she reached the gate, she spotted Lin Xiang.

“Lin Xiang, is it true? You lost the publicity officer position because He Fen tampered with your registration form and sent you to Factory No. 2 instead?” Shen Chunli, always direct and impulsive, didn’t even notice if Lin Xiang was with someone else. She just blurted out her question. “Did you really score higher than me?”

Lin Xiang had just heard the public criticism broadcasted over the loudspeakers and had been exchanging looks with He Fen when Shen Chunli appeared out of nowhere.

As for He Fen, she seemed to have her own twisted sense of logic. Even after being publicly shamed, her face was dark with resentment. She didn’t lash out at the gossiping workers around her, but instead turned to Lin Xiang with a bitter, sullen expression.

“Are you satisfied now?” she said, her tone filled with grievance.

Anyone passing by without context might think Lin Xiang had wronged He Fen, rather than the other way around.

Lin Xiang replied calmly, “When people do wrong, they must face the consequences. Instead of harboring ill intentions, you should learn your lesson.”

She was already giving He Fen some face by not detailing her misdeeds in front of everyone. But before she could say anything more, Shen Chunli had stormed in, loudly demanding answers.

Hearing Shen Chunli’s question, He Fen’s face alternated between green and red. Unable to endure further humiliation, she quickly walked away.

“Lin Xiang, is it true?” Shen Chunli pressed, still unwilling to let the matter go. “Was the publicity officer position supposed to be yours?”

“How would I know?” Lin Xiang replied casually. She had heard that Shen Chunli was an enthusiastic worker with plenty of drive, so she didn’t want to rain on her parade. “You’re doing a great job, so why worry about this? Anyway, I have things to do—I’ll be off now.”

Shen Chunli watched as Lin Xiang walked away, recalling her own surprise when she had first learned that Lin Xiang had been assigned to Factory No. 2. Frustrated, she bit her lip, stomped her foot, and hurried back to the office to find her aunt, Director Tian.

Tian Guiju had just finished dealing with He Fen’s public punishment when she saw her niece rushing over.

“Director Tian,” Shen Chunli called formally, keeping their family ties out of the workplace. “Is it true that Lin Xiang was the top scorer in both rounds of exams, and she was only sent to Factory No. 2 because He Fen tampered with her registration form?”

Tian Guiju wasn’t surprised that He Fen’s mistake had become the talk of the factory. Taking a sip of tea, she responded casually, “Yes, that’s true. Why are you so interested in this?”

“Doesn’t that mean that the recruitment position for the publicity officer was originally supposed to be Lin Xiang’s?” Shen Chunli’s face was filled with anxiety, and her tone carried urgency.

“If it were purely based on performance, then yes. But no one noticed at the time. Just focus on your job as a publicity officer—Comrade Lin Xiang’s work will be arranged in two months.”

Shen Chunli’s face immediately fell. “Then I’ll return the publicity officer position to her!”

Tian Guiju nearly choked on the tea she had just swallowed. “What did you say? Chunli, don’t act impulsively.”

“But it wasn’t mine to begin with! Now it looks like I took her position. A lot of workers are talking about it, saying that the publicity officer position should have been hers, not mine.” Shen Chunli had never suffered such grievances before. It felt like she had taken someone else’s leftovers—secretly, no less.

She would rather give up this highly coveted job than be talked about like this.

“Comrade Shen Chunli.” Director Tian’s expression turned serious as she listened to her niece’s indignant words. “This is a factory-assigned position—you can’t just swap it around like it’s a game. Besides, if you give the publicity officer position to Comrade Lin Xiang, then what about you? Should you swap places with Xiao Wu from the factory office based on your second-place ranking? But if you take Xiao Wu’s position, where will she go? If people keep swapping around like this, won’t the entire recruitment arrangement for over a hundred people be thrown into chaos? Otherwise, you could just go to the Factory No. 2—do you want that?”

Go to the Factory No. 2?

Shen Chunli knew how underdeveloped the Factory No. 2 was. It had long been abandoned, devoid of the drive and energy of the Factory No. 1. She definitely didn’t want to go there!

After being lectured by Director Tian, Shen Chunli left, sulking. She stood in the Factory No. 1, gazing at the Factory No. 2 just beyond the wall, deep in thought.

---

It was a good day.

Lin Xiang received her first paycheck and also heard the factory’s public criticism of He Fen. It felt like justice had been served for her.

How could she not celebrate with a nice meal?

With her freshly issued ration coupons, Lin Xiang was feeling generous. She went to the supplementary food store and bought one jin (500g) of second-grade pork and two jin of pig trotters. Then, she headed to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy half a jin of peach crisp cookies. As for vegetables, the Zhou family already had plenty of Chinese cabbage and potatoes.

When she arrived at the Zhou home early, Zhou Lu and Zhou Yuezhu were both at work in the army, so only Feng Li was home, chatting with neighbors before coming inside to help Lin Xiang carry the groceries. One glance at the abundant ingredients, and she asked, “Why did you buy so much meat?”

“Aunt Feng, I got my paycheck!” Lin Xiang’s eyes curved into a smile, the joy of receiving her first salary was unmatched. “I have to treat you all to a good meal today.”

“You silly child, you should save your money and ration coupons instead of spending them recklessly.”

“I only splurge once in a while.”

The two got busy in the kitchen, and Lin Xiang focused on preparing the second-grade pork. This was the only portion of meat she could buy for the entire month using her ration coupon—it was precious. Feeling indulgent, she decided to make stir-fried pork with garlic sprouts.

In her previous life, Lin Xiang had also cooked this dish—it was the ultimate rice companion. But back then, pigs were fattened up quickly on feed before being sold, making them heavy but lacking in fatty layers. Using second-grade pork for this dish had resulted in lean, dry meat.

The pork now was different—it had been raised slowly, with a perfect fat-to-lean ratio of 4:6, making it ideal for stir-frying.

As the pork sizzled in the hot oil, the fat and lean pieces released their juices, filling the kitchen with an irresistible aroma. The fatty parts curled up, the lean meat remained tender, and when paired with the crisp, fragrant garlic sprouts, the dish struck a perfect balance between richness and freshness.

The two pig trotters were hung on the kitchen wall by Feng Li for another day. She also stir-fried cabbage with lard and made a refreshing cucumber salad. The portions were generous.

By the time dinner was ready, the steaming dishes filled the air with a delicious fragrance. When Zhou Yuezhu returned home, she stopped in her tracks, drawn by the enticing smell, and sneakily stole a piece of meat. However, when Zhou Shenghuai came back from the army, he brought unexpected news—He Hongyuan had an urgent task and wouldn’t be able to make it to dinner.

Lin Xiang deflated a little. She had been looking forward to this dinner, only to find out that He Hongyuan wouldn’t be able to join.

Even without him, the four of them still enjoyed a hearty meal.

Zhou Shenghuai asked Lin Xiang a few questions about her work at the food factory, reminding her to mention any difficulties she faced. Lin Xiang assured him that she was fine and took the opportunity to thank the family for their support.

After dinner, Zhou Shenghuai handed his wife a few cloth ration coupons. Feng Li had been meaning to prepare some clothes for Lin Xiang, but their household’s supply was limited since they had just made new outfits recently.

Feng Li took the coupons and planned to make two long-sleeved shirts for Lin Xiang to wear in the fall and winter.

On the island, the supply and marketing cooperative didn’t have many fabric options, nor did they carry high-end materials like Terylene. Feng Li decided that on Sunday, she would take the two young girls into Jinbian City to shop at the department store.

Lin Xiang hadn’t returned to the city since arriving on the island by train. Hearing this, she immediately looked forward to the trip. Zhou Yuezhu was just as excited—shopping for new clothes in the city was always a delight.

However, Lin Xiang suddenly remembered her conversation with He Hongyuan the previous day—this outing might actually be perfect timing.

The two young women cheerfully went upstairs, with Zhou Yuezhu heading straight to Lin Xiang’s room to chat. Their conversation drifted from work stories to romantic tales.

“I always double-check my bookkeeping—I’m terrified of making a mistake.”

“And Shen Jianming is such a blockhead! Every time we hold hands, it’s because I’m the one grabbing his!” Zhou Yuezhu pouted, half embarrassed, half complaining. “He even tries to shake me off like he’s afraid someone will see.”

Lin Xiang leaned against the headboard, listening to Zhou Yuezhu talk about her love life. In the past, she would have found it nauseatingly sweet, but things were different now—she had a boyfriend too.

Holding hands? She suddenly recalled how He Hongyuan had “played rogue” yesterday, gripping her hand and refusing to let go.

As she thought about it, she glanced at Zhou Yuezhu, who always confided in her about everything. It felt wrong to keep it a secret, so she hesitantly said, “Yuezhu, actually, I have a boyfriend too.”

“Sister Xiangxiang, don’t you think Comrade Shen Jianming is way too stiff… What? You have a boyfriend?!” Zhou Yuezhu was mid-complaint when she was abruptly interrupted by shocking news.

Sister Xiangxiang has a boyfriend? Then what about my cousin?!

Zhou Yuezhu, who had been absolutely certain that the two would get married, felt her heart shatter.

But at the same time, she was genuinely happy for her friend.

Her face went through an impressive range of emotions—joy, heartbreak, excitement, and regret—all at once. Lin Xiang couldn’t help but laugh. Even an award-winning actress wouldn’t have such an expressive face.

“What are you thinking about?” Lin Xiang asked.

Zhou Yuezhu, unsure which emotion should take priority, sighed with a hint of disappointment, “Congratulations, Sister Xiangxiang… but it’s such a shame you can’t be my cousin-in-law anymore.”

Lin Xiang: “…”

Seeing Lin Xiang’s curved eyebrows and amused expression, Zhou Yuezhu pouted, “What, do you not have confidence in my cousin?”

“Of course not! But my cousin just came back yesterday, and you didn’t meet your boyfriend overnight, did you?” Zhou Yuezhu reasoned confidently. “I bet the army wives introduced you to someone when you went to the Factory No. 2, right? I get it. I work in the logistics department, and a lot of the older sisters there are eager to set me up too.”

The more Zhou Yuezhu speculated, the more regretful she sounded, while Lin Xiang’s smile only grew.

Forget it. She wouldn’t tell Yuezhu just yet—she’d let her be shocked later.

—

He Hongyuan had been assigned work on Monday and missed the dinner Lin Xiang had planned with her first paycheck.

The next morning, as Lin Xiang headed to work, she ran into him at the entrance of the family compound.

“I was given a last-minute assignment yesterday afternoon, so I couldn’t make it to dinner,” He Hongyuan explained.

“I understand.” Lin Xiang never made a fuss about such things, especially since he was a soldier and had even less freedom. “It’s just a pity you missed my treat—twice-cooked pork.”

He Hongyuan found her deliberately regretful expression amusing and couldn’t help but smile slightly. “What made you decide to treat everyone?”

“I got paid yesterday!” Lin Xiang leaned in slightly and lowered her voice, as if sharing a secret. “I’ve only been working for half a month, but I got 16.50 yuan!”

Her excitement was clear—her tone even had a slight upward tilt, like a wagging tail that couldn’t hide its joy.

Her happiness was infectious, and He Hongyuan couldn’t help but be affected by it. “I earn 86.50 yuan a month, plus a 31-yuan allowance. And I get fabric, grain, meat, and sugar ration tickets—enough for everything.”

Lin Xiang was momentarily stunned by his unexpected salary reveal. She instinctively compared their earnings—wow, that stung.

“Why are you suddenly bringing this up? Trying to show off how much more you make than me?” She wrinkled her nose in mock annoyance.

He Hongyuan noticed that Lin Xiang was becoming more comfortable around him—far from the reserved girl she had been when she first arrived on the island. His lips curled into a slight smirk as he leaned in and said, “I send 30 yuan to my mother every month. The rest—how about I hand it all over to you?”

The morning sun wasn’t too harsh yet, but Lin Xiang felt a wave of heat rush to her face.

Wait, wasn’t this guy supposed to be clueless about romance?

Why was he suddenly so smooth?

“I don’t want it. I haven’t done anything to deserve it,” she muttered, pouting slightly before turning on her heel and walking away quickly, leaving him behind.

Starting the morning by strolling to the factory with her boyfriend put her in a good mood for the whole day.

After parting ways with He Hongyuan, Lin Xiang arrived at her office, sat down, and cupped her face in her hands, daydreaming.

“Xiao Lin, are you seeing someone?” Sitting at the next desk, Kong Zhenzhen glanced at her while unraveling an old pair of labor protection gloves.

“Sister Zhenzhen, w-why do you ask?” Lin Xiang hurriedly sat up straight, trying to suppress her smile.

“It’s written all over your face.” Kong Zhenzhen, who had been married for five years and had two kids, knew the signs well. “I was the same way when I first started dating my husband—he was even more obvious than me.”

Couples in love always had that goofy, dreamy look. She knew it all too well.

Lin Xiang, feeling a bit bored, decided to chat with Kong Zhenzhen.

As their conversation went on, Kong Zhenzhen took the opportunity to put Lin Xiang to work, handing her a pile of old gloves to help unravel.

The factory provided workers with labor protection gloves, which, once worn out, needed to be replaced. The discarded gloves were unraveled to reuse the yarn for knitting sweaters—a thrifty and practical method.

Kong Zhenzhen, ever resourceful, had collected quite a few.

As Lin Xiang helped pull apart the stitches, she asked, “Sister Zhenzhen, the Factory No. 2 doesn’t have as much work or enthusiasm as the Factory No. 1. Do you think the factory leaders are unhappy about that?”

“Why are you worrying about that?” Kong Zhenzhen scoffed. “What can the factory leaders do? Back when we were enthusiastic, we didn’t get any benefits anyway.”

“Was the Factory No. 2 ever enthusiastic?” Lin Xiang was genuinely curious. In an era where everyone was filled with energy and drive, the food processing plant’s Factory No. 2 seemed like an anomaly.

“Of course,” Kong Zhenzhen said as she finished unraveling a pair of gloves, rolling the dirty yarn into a ball to wash later. “We used to work our tails off, but in the end, all the benefits went to the Factory No. 1. Eventually, we just stopped bothering.”

Lin Xiang could clearly hear the underlying meaning in the words, but when she wanted to ask further, Kong Zhenzhen seemed disinterested.

The two chatted for a while, and soon the workers were all in place, starting the new day’s production tasks. But it wasn’t long before news spread from the workshop—the soda production line’s equipment had suddenly broken down and wouldn’t start no matter what they tried.

Director Zhao and Ma Defa hurried over to check, but after fiddling with it for a while, they were at a loss. Lin Xiang followed to watch the commotion and noticed that the workers at Factory No. 2 seemed oddly cheerful.

“Well, that’s perfect. If the equipment’s broken, we can just go home early.”

The remark nearly made Lin Xiang laugh out loud—these people were truly relaxed about it.

She recalled her previous office job. If the power went out or there was a circuit trip causing all the computers to shut down, the employees would be thrilled. She herself had secretly hoped those issues wouldn’t get fixed too quickly.

But usually, such problems didn’t last long before being resolved.

Director Zhao might slack off at times, but he couldn’t just let everyone off for the entire morning. Even though Factory No. 2 had lower production quotas, they still had to meet daily targets. If they lost a whole day, given this crew’s pace, there was no way they’d make it up later.

A bunch of slackers—just like him.

He waved his hand and took Ma Defa to Factory No. 1 to borrow a repair technician.

When the two returned, Lin Xiang noticed that the usually cheerful Director Zhao had a stiff expression, while Ma Defa, who was normally sluggish, looked somewhat energized.

Kong Zhenzhen noticed right away: “What happened?”

“We went to Factory No. 1’s maintenance team, but those snobs just brushed us off,” Ma Defa complained with unusual vigor. “They told us to wait because Factory No. 1’s work was more urgent.”

Lin Xiang didn’t need to hear more—she already knew. Factory No. 2 had a bad reputation, and the workers at Factory No. 1 always looked down on them.

Director Zhao couldn’t afford to delay an entire day’s worth of work. If they didn’t meet their quotas, next month’s wages would be deducted, and everyone would be wailing about it.

“I’ll take another look. Everyone, try to think of a solution.”

Inside the workshop, the workers weren’t particularly motivated. A group of men had already gathered to play cards, while the women occasionally glanced over, munching on sunflower seeds or knitting.

Seeing this, Director Zhao frowned and scolded, “Still sitting around? Factory No. 1’s repair team isn’t coming. If this equipment isn’t fixed today, we’ll lose a day’s work. If it’s not fixed tomorrow, that’s two days wasted. Keep this up, and you’ll never catch up with the monthly quota. You’ll only care when your wages get deducted next month.”

Hearing that a single day’s delay meant wage cuts, the workers panicked.

The ones playing cards tossed them aside, those eating sunflower seeds spat out the shells, and the knitters put down their yarn. They all crowded around, eyes wide, urging, “Director, hurry up and fix it! We don’t want our pay docked!”

Director Zhao: “…”

If I knew how to fix it, would I still be standing here?

Lin Xiang hadn’t gone to the workshop earlier, but she recalled some faintly worn English letters on the old production equipment—something about a brand name. She felt like she’d seen it somewhere before.

The office’s storage area had a pile of miscellaneous items. When she first started, she had been so bored that she organized some documents, stacking them in a drawer.

Now, rummaging through them, she actually found an old, yellowed, crumpled piece of paper. Right at the top, she saw the word “TIME.”

The soda production line’s equipment was a foreign brand, originally discarded by Factory No. 1 and repurposed for Factory No. 2. It was so old that it frequently broke down. Usually, a couple of hard smacks would get it running again, but when it was completely out of order—like today—they had no choice but to call Factory No. 1’s technicians.

Lin Xiang studied the English text on the manual, her head aching from the dense lines and technical jargon. There were even specialized terms for equipment parts…

After roughly understanding the soda production line’s mechanics, she grabbed the manual and rushed to the workshop. Just as she arrived, she overheard the workers brainstorming ways to avoid wage deductions—some were suggesting knocking out a technician from Factory No. 1 and dragging him over, while others proposed just kidnapping one outright.

Wow. That was bold.

It seemed that wage cuts really were a worker’s worst nightmare.

“Director Zhao, let me take a look. I found the manual.” Lin Xiang, the youngest worker in Factory No. 2 and a newcomer at that, spoke up.

The workers watched as she put on safety gloves, touching different parts of the equipment here and there. Their hearts collectively tensed.

“Xiao Lin, maybe let the director handle it instead? You’ve never worked with machinery before.”

“Don’t mess with it. You might make it worse.”

“If it’s completely broken and even Factory No. 1’s technicians can’t fix it, what will we do?”

Director Zhao didn’t say anything. Watching Lin Xiang carefully compare the manual’s diagrams with the actual equipment, he hesitated before asking, “Xiao Lin, are you sure you can handle this?”

Lin Xiang compared the manual’s explanations and illustrations to the actual worn-down machinery, checking every detail. Finally, she spotted the issue: “Director Zhao, I got it! A support bracket for this component has fallen off!”

When she started instructing the workers to disassemble the equipment to replace the part, they panicked even more.

A few older women nearly rushed over to stop her. “Oh no, oh no! If you break it even more, we’ll be out of work for half a month—our wages will be cut in half!”

Even Kong Zhenzhen tugged at Lin Xiang’s sleeve, whispering, “Be careful! If you make it worse, you’ll be the one blamed for it.”

Lin Xiang could clearly sense there was more to the conversation, but before she could press further, Kong Zhenzhen had already lost interest.

After chatting for a bit, the workers were mostly in place, and the day’s production tasks began. However, it wasn’t long before news came from the workshop—something was wrong with the soda production line. No matter what they tried, the equipment wouldn’t start.

Director Zhao and Ma Defa rushed over to take a look. After some tinkering, they were still at a loss. Lin Xiang followed along out of curiosity, only to see the workers from Factory No. 2 looking quite pleased.

“Well, that’s perfect. If the equipment’s broken, we can just go home early.”

The comment almost made Lin Xiang burst out laughing. These people were really relaxed about it.

She thought back to when she used to work in an office. If the power went out or there was a circuit trip, causing all the computers to shut down, the employees would be overjoyed. She, too, would secretly hope the issue wouldn’t get fixed too soon.

But usually, these kinds of issues didn’t last long.

Director Zhao might slack off at times, but there was no way he would let them off for the entire morning. Even though Factory No. 2 had lower quotas, they still had daily production targets to meet. If they took a full day off, given the way these workers operated, they’d never be able to make up for the lost time.

A bunch of lazybones, just like himself.

With a wave of his hand, he called Ma Defa to come with him to Factory No. 1 to borrow a repair technician.

By the time they returned, Lin Xiang noticed something was off. Normally cheerful, Director Zhao looked tense, while the usually sluggish Ma Defa seemed more energetic than ever.

Kong Zhenzhen noticed it immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“We went to Factory No. 1 to find the repair team, but those snobs just brushed us off, telling us to wait,” Ma Defa complained, clearly fired up. “Said Factory No. 2 wasn’t in a rush, and that they were busy with their own work first.”

Lin Xiang wasn’t surprised. Factory No. 2 had a bad reputation, and the workers from Factory No. 1 always looked down on them.

But Director Zhao couldn’t afford any delays—if they missed a full day’s quota, there’d be actual deductions in next month’s wages, and then everyone would be wailing.

“I’ll go take another look. Everyone, try to think of a solution.”

The workshop workers weren’t particularly motivated. Some of the men had already gathered in a corner to play poker, while the women occasionally glanced over, idly snacking on sunflower seeds or knitting.

Director Zhao scowled. “Still sitting around? Factory No. 1’s technicians aren’t coming, and if we don’t get this fixed today, we’ll be behind on our quota. If it’s still broken tomorrow, that’s two days gone. You think you’ll catch up by the end of the month? Just wait until payday—once you see your wages docked, you’ll be real quiet then.”

At the mention of wage deductions, everyone perked up.

No matter how much they slacked off before, when it came to money, they cared.

The poker players tossed down their cards, the women quickly spat out their sunflower seed shells and put away their knitting. They all crowded around, wide-eyed. “Director, hurry up and fix it! We don’t want our wages docked!”

Director Zhao: “…”

If I knew how to fix it, would I still be standing here staring at it?

Lin Xiang hadn’t followed them to the workshop. Instead, she recalled seeing some worn English letters on the old equipment—it seemed to be a specific brand. She had a feeling she’d seen it somewhere before.

The office storage area was cluttered with random items. When she first started the job, she had too much free time, so she had taken it upon herself to organize various documents. She had stuffed all sorts of miscellaneous paperwork into a drawer.

Now, as she rummaged through it, she actually found an old, crumpled, yellowed piece of paper. Right at the top, the word “TIME” was printed.

The soda production equipment at Factory No. 2 was an imported brand—originally discarded by Factory No. 1 and moved here for use. It was so outdated that it constantly malfunctioned. Usually, a couple of hard smacks would get it running again, but on bad days like today, it wouldn’t start at all. That’s when they had no choice but to call in Factory No. 1’s technicians.

Lin Xiang studied the English text on the manual. The dense, tiny letters made her head ache, and there were plenty of technical terms related to machinery.

After roughly understanding the principles of the soda production line, she grabbed the manual and rushed to the workshop—only to hear the workers discussing knocking out a technician from Factory No. 1 and dragging him over or outright kidnapping one.

Wow, that’s extreme.

Clearly, wage deductions were a life-or-death matter for workers.

“Director Zhao, let me take a look—I found the manual,” Lin Xiang said. She was the youngest employee at Factory No. 2 and a newcomer.

The workers watched as she put on protective gloves, examining different parts of the machine with serious focus.

“Xiao Lin, maybe let the director handle it instead? You’ve never worked with this equipment before.”

“Yeah, don’t break it even more.”

“If it was already not running and you make it worse, even Factory No. 1’s technicians might not be able to fix it.”

Director Zhao didn’t say anything. Watching Lin Xiang seriously compare the manual to the equipment, he hesitated, then decided to trust the only high school graduate in the factory. Since Factory No. 1 wasn’t going to help anyway, they had no choice but to give it a try. He had the workers follow her instructions to disassemble the machine and remove the faulty parts.

The equipment was huge, old, and rusted, constantly breaking down. Lin Xiang had the workers replace everything they could and focused on inspecting the soda dispenser parts based on the manual’s diagrams. Sure enough, a component had fallen out of place.

As they worked in the sweltering workshop, sweat dripped from everyone. The longer it took, the more anxious they became, worried they’d make things worse instead of fixing the problem.

“Hey, it’s working!” The operator, having replaced the part and followed Lin Xiang’s instructions to restore the machine, pressed the switch—miraculously, the ancient equipment started running again.

Everyone craned their necks to look, faces lighting up with relief.

No wage deductions!

Now, when they looked at Lin Xiang, their eyes were full of admiration.

“Xiao Lin, you really know your stuff!”

“See? High school graduates are different. Studying is actually useful!”

“Hurry and tell Factory No. 1’s repair team we don’t need them anymore! Those snobs can shove it!”

A cheerful older worker shoved a handful of sunflower seeds into Lin Xiang’s hands as she and her colleagues returned to the office.

Director Zhao wiped his sweat and let out a long sigh of relief. He had been on edge the whole time, terrified they’d actually break the machine for good.

Factory No. 2 was already looked down upon. Their previous leadership had all left, leaving him, the office director, as the highest-ranking person. If the equipment was permanently broken and Factory No. 1 refused to help, production would grind to a halt. Without meeting quotas, Factory No. 2 might just disappear entirely.

“Xiao Lin, well done,” Director Zhao praised her before dragging Ma Defa along. “Come on, let’s go tell those Factory No. 1 guys we don’t need them anymore!”

He strutted out with exaggerated confidence, looking so smug that Lin Xiang couldn’t help but laugh.

——

The day ended without further incident. Director Zhao was still basking in the stunned reactions of the Factory No. 1 repair team. What a win!

To reward Lin Xiang, he let her leave work early.

Lin Xiang: “…”

Such a practical reward!

Having a considerate boss these days wasn’t easy.

With extra free time, she decided to visit He Hongyuan. He had mentioned picking her up after work, but since she got off early, she might as well go find him at the military dorms.

After registering at the entrance, just as she was about to go upstairs, someone called her name.

“Comrade Lin Xiang, what brings you here?” Zhang Huafeng grinned at her, flashing a set of bright white teeth.

“Political Commissar Zhang, hello. I’m here to see Comrade He Hongyuan. Is he in his dorm?”

Zhang Huafeng was surprised. He remembered He Hongyuan insisting he wouldn’t marry his arranged fiancée.

“Oh, Hongyuan? He’s in his dorm, but I don’t think he’s free right now. Meng Jing is looking for him too.”

Lin Xiang: “…?”