◎ Second update ◎ 

“Siming.” Dong Jiayan pushed the door open and saw the man’s expression change. The five-finger slap mark on his face became even more prominent. “Did your father hit you that hard?” 

Chen Siming covered his face and winced in pain. The burning pain was unbearable. “My father is very strong. He got it from fighting when he was young.” 

“I heard from my mother that you had a fight?” Dong Jiayan didn’t want Chen Siming to have a falling out with his family. In a few years, the Chen family would be prosperous, and no one would be able to touch them. “Your father and brother are just looking out for you.” 

“Bah!” Chen Siming spat on the ground, his face showing a fierce look. “Looking out for me? They all just look down on me!” 

It was time to start planning for himself. He needed to have money in hand to feel secure! 

With that, he headed outside. 

“Ah, where are you going?” 

“Don’t worry about it. Would you even understand if I told you?” After giving Dong Jiayan an irritable look, Chen Siming strode out of the room. 

Sooner or later, he will take control of the State Cotton Factory! 

*** 

State Cotton Factory 

Factory office director Xue Lijun was very busy today. He had just finished writing his work report when there was a knock on his office door. He looked up and saw it was the publicity officer Huang Cuie. 

“Director, there is still a vacancy for the broadcaster in our factory. I have picked out a few candidates. Please take a look.” 

The State Cotton Factory has a radio station on the third floor of the old office building. The two floors below are conference rooms. There is a broadcaster who is responsible for reporting the major and minor events in the factory, as well as the twenty minutes ideological propaganda at noon every day.

However, the previous broadcaster was pregnant and feeling unwell, so she had to go home to take care of the baby. She was an elderly mother and had too much reaction during pregnancy, so she really couldn’t hold on. She originally wanted to find a relative to take over, but the position of broadcaster is not something that can be filled by just anyone. The educational level cannot be too low; one must be able to read, speak standard Mandarin, have a good voice, and be able to read aloud with emotion… In short, the requirements are very high. 

Xue Lijun was preparing to choose a new broadcaster, but the previous broadcaster’s position would be kept. When she returned, they could see if she would continue as a broadcaster or take another position in the factory office. 

“Tell me about the candidates you’ve selected.” Xue Lijun didn’t have time to worry about the selection of broadcasters. He was just waiting for the publicity officer below to choose the candidates and for him to make the final decision. 

Being a broadcaster is a good job in a factory. The work is much better than working in a workshop. You don’t have to work hard and don’t have to work night shifts. You can sit in the office every day and avoid the wind and sun. Therefore, many people want to take this job. 

“We picked three people. One is Yue Ling from the cotton cleaning workshop. She is twenty-two years old this year, with a junior high school education. She has a good voice, progressive thinking, and a proper attitude. The second is Zhong Siqi from the carding workshop, twenty years old, with a high school education. Her voice isn’t as good, but she has experience in broadcasting from high school. The third is He Yun from the spinning workshop. She has an elementary school education, has a good voice, and is eager to compete for the position of broadcaster. She is very much looking forward to contributing to the ideological propaganda and education in the factory.” 

These three candidates had been carefully selected by Huang Cuie. Of course, some of them were selected through connections, but overall, they would not be too bad. 

“Let three people come here and read a passage from a great leader’s quotations.” Xue Lijun chose the most direct method and listened to whose voice was better. 

The broadcaster’s job was to speak, so other factors weren’t as important. Whoever had the best voice and standard Mandarin would be chosen! 

*** 

The three candidates rushed from the workshop to the factory office and held a yellow-covered collection of quotations and read a passage and waited for Director Xue’s final choice. 

“Alright, you can go back for now. We’ll notify you once a decision is made. Keep up the good work.” 

“Thank you, Director Xue.” 

After the three of them left together, Huang Cuie spoke up, “Director Xue, how is it? I think they were all pretty good.” 

“Zhong Siqi’s voice condition is not good, it’s a bit hoarse and not clear enough, so let’s forget about her; Yue Ling and He Yun’s voices are okay, but He Yun’s Mandarin is not standard, and several words were mispronounced…” 

“Then it’s Yue Ling?” Huang Cuie saw that Xue Lijun had almost ruled out all the options, leaving just one. 

“Tsk.” Xue Lijun shook his head, still not satisfied. “There is still some gap compared to Xiao Liu. Let’s wait and see. Anyway, Xiao Liu still has half a month before she goes home to recuperate. If it really doesn’t work, we can choose Yue Ling.” 

“Okay, I’ll keep looking for a while.” 

*** 

Liang Baozhen came out of the workshop after a busy morning and was about to go to the factory office to get Director Xue’s signature. She and Wang Xin had to pass the assessment every month and could only be converted to formal employees after three consecutive months. 

By then, she will be able to get a first-level worker’s salary, which was quite a bit more than she makes now. 

The office building of the State Cotton Factory was imposing. It is a three-story building with red brick walls. The factory office is on the first floor; next to it are the purchasing office and administrative office. The second floor is the financial office, and the third floor is the office of the deputy director and the factory director. 

Just as she reached the door of the office building, a short middle-aged man came out hurriedly from the other direction. He had a hunched back, a pointed face, and a mole at the corner of his lip. 

The man seemed to be in a good mood. He walked out humming a little tune, his legs moving very quickly. 

Liang Baozhen stared at the man’s departing back in a daze. The man seemed to be the one who bribed Chen Siming back then. He used one thousand yuan to bribe Chen Siming, who was in charge of purchasing, and sent inferior cotton to the State Cotton Factory. 

But according to the plot in the book, this incident should happen half a year later. How come this person appeared now? 

Did Chen Siming accept bribes in advance? 

Liang Baozhen pondered for a moment, but she had important things to do and could not delay, so she had to go to the office building first. 

“Director Xue, could you please sign this?” Liang Baozhen handed the assessment form to Xue Lijun. 

When Xue Lijun saw Liang Baozhen, he remembered that her job came with difficulty. After all, the deputy factory director even needs to step in just to get it back. 

Liang Baozhen now looks very professional in her blue work clothes. She has behaved well in the past few days in the factory and even teaches literacy classes. She looks like an ambitious young woman. “Comrade Xiao Liang, how do you feel about the past few days in the factory? Are you adapting well?” 

“Everything is fine. The workers in the workshop are very kind and often take care of us new workers. We have also learned a lot.” She knew that her leader loved to hear these words. 

Liang Baozhen spoke in a clear and crisp voice, which was pleasant to the ear. Xue Lijun nodded, waved his hand, and signed her and Wang Xin’s assessment forms. 

“Keep working hard, and of course, don’t forget to always pay attention to ideological progress.” 

“Thank you, Director Xue.” 

After leaving Xue Lijun’s office, Liang Baozhen was preparing to return to the workshop. Lunchtime was approaching, and a coworker had already inquired that the canteen was serving sweet and sour pork today! 

Watching Liang Baozhen turning around and preparing to leave, Xue Lijun remembered her voice and pronunciation of her words just now and suddenly felt that this country girl had some talent. 

“Comrade Xiao Liang.” Xue Lijun called out to stop her. 

“Director Xue, is there anything else?” 

“Just read a passage from this book,” Xue Lijun pointed to the yellow book on the sofa. 

Liang Baozhen was confused. Why did the factory director suddenly ask her to read the quotations? Was this also a test for becoming a formal employee? Picking up the yellow book, Liang Baozhen turned a page and read aloud. 

Some people speak with a heavy accent, while others are naturally good at speaking. Although Liang Baozhen grew up in the countryside, she had no accent when speaking. She had been a literature class representative since she was young, and her reading was always clear and articulate. 

As she read the passage, Xue Lijun listened intently. Her reading was rhythmic and powerful, with her voice flowing like a gentle stream, pleasant to the ears. 

“Director Xue?” Liang Baozhen finished reading the last sentence and looked at Xue Lijun, who was deep in thought, and couldn’t help but asked, “Do you want me to read more?” 

“No, that’s enough.” Xue Lijun smiled, clearly satisfied. “Comrade Xiao Liang, I have a question for you. Would you be interested in becoming a broadcaster?” 

*** 

As it was getting close to the end of the workday, every household in the courtyard started to prepare dinner. Liu Nianhua had just returned from the vegetable market, she’s carrying a net bag of vegetables, including four or five eggplants, a pumpkin, and a handful of beans. 

Zhou Guoping went to work. He drove the No. 3 bus in the city. A round trip took him one hour and twenty minutes, and he took turns working the morning and evening shifts. 

The early shift ends at 4 p.m. and the late shift ends at 8:30 p.m. 

He was on the early shift today, so he should have been home by now, but there was no sign of him. 

Liu Nianhua thought of the scarf again, and she couldn’t describe the feeling in her heart. She didn’t dare to think too much about it because it made her feel uncomfortable. 

Distracted, she accidentally cut her hand with the knife, and blood immediately came out. 

“Is the food not ready yet?’ Zhou Guoping asked suddenly, noticing his wife standing dazed in front of the stove. After a quick glance, he went straight into the house and a couple of minutes later, he came out again with a pack of cigarettes in his hand. “I’m going to Old Li’s place. The team is having an assessment, and I need to give him something.” 

“I…” Liu Nianhua’s injured hand felt a stinging pain and blood kept flowing out. 

Zhou Guoping glanced briefly at her without stopping. “Hurry up and finish making dinner. I’ll be back to eat later. I’m exhausted today and barely ate anything at lunch.” 

Liu Nianhua raised her finger, put the cut part into her mouth and silently watched her husband leave.

An hour later, Zhou Guoping returned home and saw the front door unlocked. He pushed it open and went in. His two sons were not at home. They must have gone out to play after dinner. His wife was lying on the bed. 

“What time is it, and you’re already lying down?” Zhou Guoping looked around and saw the empty dining table. “Where’s the food?” 

Usually, as soon as Liu Nianhua heard his footsteps returning, she would rush to heat up the rice and dishes, then accompany him at the table to finish the meal, and finally clean up and wash the dishes. 

What happened today? There’s no food, and she’s just lying in bed? 

“There’s none left.” Liu Nianhua’s slightly cold voice came, “I injured my hand and can’t cook.” 

“Injured?” Zhou Guoping frowned and thought about it, and finally remembered, “You mean the cut you just got? That’s called an injury? What’s with you? Hurry and bring out the food, I’m hungry.” 

“Father! You’re back!” 

Zhou Long and Zhou Hu came back from playing for a while and jumped over happily when they saw their father coming back. 

“Xiaolong and Xiaohu, what did you have for dinner tonight? Bring the food out for father.” 

Zhou Hu shook his head. “We had two steamed buns tonight. We ate them all. There was nothing left.” 

Is there really no food? Anger rose in Zhou Guoping’s eyes. He tugged at his shirt collar in annoyance and rushed to the bedroom, ready to question Liu Nianhua lying on the bed. But as soon as he walked in, he realized something was wrong. 

Liu Nianhua had been married to him for more than ten years and had never acted like this before. Every time she had always been caring and worried that he would be hungry or cold. Why is she acting so abnormally today? 

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Guoping carefully looked at his wife. Could it be that she had discovered that he had just gone out to meet that person? He asked cautiously, “Nianhua, do you have any opinions about me recently?”