Dai Qing stopped in her tracks, sizing up Liu Ming. He stood just over 1.7 meters tall, with passable facial features and a trendy hairstyle. He wore a crisp white shirt, jeans, and polished leather shoes. It was hard to tell if he was headed to work or just showing off.

Most workers either wore uniforms or old clothes they didn’t mind getting dirty, but Liu Ming stood out—clean and tidy, clearly trying to be noticeable.

Dai Qing knew she needed the right opportunity to deal with him. For now, she’d tolerate his antics, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t put him in his place.

“And who might you be? We don’t know each other. The way you and your pals are acting is downright offensive. If you pulled this nonsense out on the streets, it’d be considered harassment, and you’d end up in jail.”

The crowd fell silent. After a moment, Liu Ming gave a sheepish smile.

“Why so serious, little miss? We’re just joking around.”

“I don’t know you, so kindly address me as ‘comrade.’ A group of men joking around with a stranger is harassment. Do you think I’m an easy target? Aren’t you afraid I’ll report you?”

“Oh, right. No need to call the police here. I can report you directly to the security office. You’re causing trouble, disrupting the factory, and harassing a female worker. You tell me, will you get fired or sent to jail to work on a sewing machine?”

As she spoke, Dai Qing glanced up at the second-floor office. Coincidentally, she spotted Cheng Hao standing at the window, watching. She paused, momentarily surprised to see him there.

The group tensed at her harsh words, but soon began teasing Liu Ming.

“Didn’t expect this, huh? You messed with the wrong girl, Liu. Looks like you’re in trouble.”

“Yeah, she’s not falling for your usual tricks.”

“Who would’ve thought the ladies’ man would finally trip up?”

Liu Ming’s smile faltered under their teasing. Forcing a grin, he said, “We’re all comrades from the same factory. No need to make a big deal out of it, right?”

“Oh, it’s necessary. People need to have some decency. If you’re acting like a fool, don’t blame others for calling you out.”

Dai Qing brushed past him and headed toward the workshop. “Try anything like this again, and I’ll take it up with the supervisor. That is, if you’re not afraid of losing your job.”

Liu Ming’s family of five relied on the wages of him, his father, and his brother— all the formal workers in the family. His mother and sister, with their rural household registration, didn’t have jobs. If anyone in the family lost their job, it would only make their lives harder.

Sure enough, Liu Ming’s face darkened. He stared at Dai Qing’s retreating figure, the smile fading completely.

This girl doesn’t know her place. She’ll get what’s coming to her.

Having dealt with the arrogant Liu Ming, Dai Qing quickly put him out of her mind and focused on her work.

As a machine operator, especially working with cotton carding machines, she couldn’t afford any distractions. Accidents could easily happen if she wasn’t careful. Besides, feeding the cotton rolls was heavy work, but with her recent practice, her strength had increased. After becoming familiar with each machine, the work became less strenuous.

Since she was new to the role, the team leader occasionally came by to check on her. Seeing how smoothly she was handling the job, he was finally able to relax.

Liu Ming showed up near the workshop door a couple of times, but she ignored him.

She stayed at her post until her shift ended at midnight, without further incident.