Chapter 1: High fever and nightmare, a bad girl?

Fang Yingyue suddenly developed a high fever. Her mind grew hazy, and she plunged into a strange dream.

She had grown up together with Jiang Qingzhou since childhood. After marriage, Jiang Qingzhou returned to the army, while Fang Yingyue, reluctant to leave her family, went back to her parents’ home the very next day. Unexpectedly, rumors quickly spread through the compound, claiming that the couple had a bad relationship.

In 1977, the first year the college entrance exam was reinstated, Fang Yingyue was admitted to university. Because of her heavy coursework and the long distance between them, her contact with Jiang Qingzhou became less and less frequent. During her university years, the appearance of Li Shuhan sparked a faint feeling of fondness in her heart—but it was nothing more than ordinary friendship between classmates.

Strangely, Li Shuhan came to her, and that somehow made her start to think about divorce. In the dream, it was as if she had been bewitched, insisting on divorcing Jiang Qingzhou. No matter how he begged and pleaded, no matter how both families tried to dissuade her, she was determined to separate. Jiang Qingzhou fought desperately to keep her, even going so far as to kneel on the ground and beg, but he could not change her decision. After the divorce, Jiang Qingzhou was devastated, and he later lost his life during a mission.

“No!” Fang Yingyue jolted awake from the nightmare, her bedding soaked with cold sweat. Her heart trembled in fear—the tragic scenes from the dream still vivid before her eyes. Remembering how ruthlessly she had treated Jiang Qingzhou in that dream filled her with terror.

Late at night, awakened by thirst, she went downstairs for water. The faint sounds stirred Fang’s mother awake. Wrapping herself in a coat, she came out and saw her daughter in the living room gulping down cold water.

“Yue’er, what’s wrong?” Fang’s mother saw the beads of sweat on her forehead. Reaching out to touch, she exclaimed, “Oh, you’re burning up! How did this happen? I’ll get you medicine right away.”

Fang Yingyue gently patted her mother’s arm to reassure her. “Mom, I’m fine. I got caught in the rain on my way back yesterday. It’s just a little cold. Some medicine will do.”

Her mother, worried, urged her to skip work tomorrow and rest at home. But Fang Yingyue insisted that after a night’s sleep and some medicine, she’d be fine to go—there was urgent business at the factory waiting for her.

By morning, the fever had subsided, and she was in good spirits. She washed up briskly, hopped onto her light women’s bicycle, and rode toward the Dongcheng State-Owned Garment Factory.

At the factory gate, the guard, Old Yan, spotted her from afar and waved. “Director Fang! Director Fang! You’ve got a letter!”

Taking the envelope, her eyes froze when she saw the sender’s name—Li Shuhan. Cold sweat instantly broke out along her back, her face turning pale.

“Director Fang, are you alright?” Old Yan asked with concern.

She forced herself to remain calm, saying she had caught a bit of a cold from the rain and just needed hot water, before quickly hurrying toward the office with the letter tightly clenched in her hand.

Back at her desk, her eyes stayed fixed on the envelope. Last night’s dream replayed in her mind. She poured herself a glass of hot water and drank it in big gulps, trying to steady her nerves. Finally, she picked up a small knife and sliced open the letter.

The pages inside were filled front and back—two whole sheets—detailing stories from her university days. Her face went deathly pale. Every single line, every word, matched the dream exactly. The contents, the events described—identical, as if copied word for word.

“This… how is this possible?!” she whispered in shock.

Determined not to reply, Fang Yingyue shoved the letter into a drawer. She had no time to dwell on it. Something far more important awaited her that morning: a meeting at ten o’clock that would determine the survival of the garment factory.

Since the end of the previous decade, the factory had been struggling. Many other state-owned factories had already collapsed. If theirs couldn’t hold on, countless workers would face unemployment.

For days, Fang Yingyue had been poring over records, analyzing data, visiting workshops, and drafting a detailed report. Now, the documents lay neatly stacked on her desk, carrying the factory’s last hope. She gathered them up and hurried to the meeting room.

As soon as she entered, Liu-jie spotted her and waved warmly. “Director Fang, over here!”

Not long after, Factory Director Guo Ping strode in, his usual thermos steaming in hand, a fixture at every meeting. His face was grave as he looked around the room.

“Comrades, our factory’s current situation is dire. The clothes we produce are piling up in warehouses. They won’t sell. At this rate, the capital chain will break. To keep the factory alive, we may have to cut half the production lines and lay off half the workers.”

The room fell into heavy silence. Then his gaze turned to Fang Yingyue.

“Director Fang, you’re a university graduate, and you’ve been with us nearly half a year now. Why don’t you share your thoughts first?”

Clutching her report, Fang Yingyue walked to the front. Placing it gently on the desk, she cleared her throat.

“Comrades, it’s true—our revenues have been declining year by year. After the special era ended, the economy began recovering, and many private businesses joined the market. In Guangzhou, as the economic frontier, the garment industry has boomed. Large quantities of Guangzhou clothing have flooded into northern markets. Many people travel south to purchase and resell, which has left our factory’s products without buyers.

To break through, I believe three points are crucial.

First, we must innovate boldly in design. Only by creating styles that catch the eye and stir desire can we stand out.

Second, our business model cannot remain restricted to state-run stores. We should allow private sellers to participate, broadening our channels and bringing products closer to consumers.

Third…”

She continued speaking with clarity and confidence, her arguments sharp and persuasive. When she finished, the room burst into applause. Everyone stood to applaud her words.

Director Guo nodded slightly, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. “Director Fang’s ideas are fresh and feasible. Let’s discuss how we can put them into practice.”

The room filled with spirited discussion. Fang Yingyue joined in earnestly, answering questions and offering explanations. She knew that while today’s proposals offered a new direction, the road to truly saving the garment factory would still be long and difficult.