Chapter 66

After lunch, Qiao Wei took Yan Xiang home to prepare for a nap.

Those who ate in the cafeteria and didn’t want to go home slept in the office instead.

The staff didn’t start work until 2:30 in the afternoon, just half an hour earlier than the radio broadcasters, with enough time for a nap. Some people even went home to sleep after eating in the cafeteria, especially those who lived nearby.

Qiao Wei, who had lived in a big city since childhood and commuted for 1 to 1.5 hours one way, had no concept of the leisurely life in this small town.

She could only marvel at it.

But taking a nap really was a fantastic habit.

Waking up from a nap and thinking about going to work in the afternoon, there was no feeling of fatigue or boredom at all. Going to the office felt like taking a stroll in the park.

So this was how people used to work in the past.

Qiao Wei finally understood why some elders scolded young people for “complaining about work.” It gave a sense of helplessness that they couldn’t understand the work of the older generation, which was completely different from the 996 work culture of later generations.

It was futile to argue across time and space.

After waking up from her nap, Yan Xiang asked, “Mom, do we still have to go to work?”

Qiao Wei was surprised. “You like going to work?”

“I do.”

Qiao Wei couldn’t quite understand.

But in the afternoon, after observing a bit, she began to grasp it slightly.

People in the office worked independently, not disturbing each other, with the only commonality being tea breaks.

There wasn’t even much smell of cigarettes—in an era where even food had to be planned, smoking was seen as a luxury for many men. Even if they smoked, it wasn’t excessively, given the economic constraints.

So the air in the office was quite fresh, with different flowers blooming in pots on the windowsill, mingling with the scent of tea.

Hu Sui focused on knitting. Each stitch was regular, repeating in a continuous loop.

Chief Lu and Lu Tianming were reading a book and a newspaper respectively, making the sound of paper rubbing against paper.

Apart from that, when someone picked up a tea cup to drink, it seemed to activate something. Before the cup was even placed back on the table, two other cups were picked up in succession.

The sounds of drinking tea and cups being placed back on the table echoed in succession, then everything returned to quiet.

—Sense of order.

There was a strong sense of order in this office.

Qiao Wei glanced at Yan Xiang, who was sitting quietly reading a children’s book in front of an empty desk, and it seemed like he blended perfectly with the peaceful and focused atmosphere of the office.

Qiao Wei rubbed her forehead.

At three o’clock, Lu Manman arrived punctually. Normally, she might not be so punctual, being half an hour late was quite normal.

But since there was a new colleague, she had to set a good example. Otherwise, if the new colleague didn’t learn anything else, they might learn to be late and leave early, and in the end, it would be her who suffered.

After all, Chief Lu was her second uncle. While others might not care about the state of the broadcasting station, she couldn’t let her second uncle down.

If her colleagues weren’t up to the task, whether they were sick or pregnant, she had to step up.

It was so annoying.

Lu Manman was a lively girl who came in energetically. “Qiao Wei, let’s go, we’re heading to the broadcasting station.”

Breaking the beloved order and tranquility of the office.

Of course, Yan Xiang wouldn’t say anything to the adults, but he expressed a slight dissatisfaction with his little furrowed brows.

He seemed like the second leader of the office.

Qiao Wei patted Yan Xiang’s head and followed Lu Manman out.

After a while, Chief Lu set down the newspaper and drank some tea, glancing at Yan Xiang who was quietly reading a children’s book. He praised, “Good child.”

Lu Tianming took a sip of tea. “Very obedient.”

Hu Sui took a sip of tea. “Why are you so obedient?”

Although the children didn’t speak, they straightened their backs even more.

“There’s really nothing worth reporting.” Inside the broadcasting room, Lu Manman complained to Qiao Wei, “It’s all trivial matters. What’s there to report?”

“As soon as we have a meeting, Chief Xie puts pressure on us. Really, they should handle their own submissions for publicity, and we’ll just broadcast them. Now they’re pushing their submissions onto us.”

“Now they’re asking us to submit at least one article per week, and one article can be read for a whole week.”

Qiao Wei chuckled. “I’ll learn.”

“Here.” Lu Manman handed her something.

Qiao Wei quickly scanned through it. It was a reflection on the thoughts of great figures.

“Where are the previous ones? I’ll study those too,” Qiao Wei said. “I’ll get the hang of it quickly, and then you’ll have an easier time.”

“I can tell just by looking at you that you’re a capable person,” Lu Manman said with a smile.

She opened a filing cabinet and took out two folders. “Start with these. The rest are in here. You can get them yourself later. The keys are usually hanging on the wall in the office.”

Although they held the same position, their salaries increased based on seniority, naturally increasing with years of service.

There was no pressure to perform, no KPIs.

There was simply no competition.

As for promotions? Grassroots personnel might open up new positions to promote themselves, but leadership positions were limited.

As long as they didn’t make major mistakes, in such small town government offices, personnel stability was incredibly high, with most positions being filled through natural attrition.

Lu Manman and Qiao Wei not only didn’t compete, but they also worked together as partners. In reality, they were the ones truly leading the department. If Qiao Wei could pick things up quickly and do more, Lu Manman would have an even easier time.

So, helping new colleagues without holding back.

In the office, leaders from other departments came over with teapots, strolling around. “What’s everyone busy with?”

Chief Lu shook the newspaper to indicate he was busy reading it. Lu Tianming flipped a page of his book, indicating he was busy reading. Hu Sui was already lost in her knitting.

A leader from another department strolled over to Yan Xiang’s side, glanced at him, and praised, “The little one is reading a book.”

Yan Xiang replied politely, “Hello, Uncle.”

“Hello, hello. Very well-behaved,” he bent down, revealing his true intentions, “Little one, who did you have lunch with? Was it your sister?”

Yan Xiang was surprised and about to answer “no,” but Chief Lu shook the newspaper loudly. “It’s mother and son. Go back and tell those bachelors in your department that our new colleague is a military dependent, her husband is a regimental officer, and her child is this big.”

That person came with high hopes but left disappointed. “Ah, wasted trip.”

“I knew you hadn’t held in your fart since you came in,” Chief Lu teased, “I had someone report yesterday, and today you’re already onto her.”

“With so many bachelors, as a leader, I can’t neglect my duty to serve the people.”

At lunchtime in the cafeteria, everyone saw the beautiful girl in a white shirt and green army pants. Their department had the most men, mostly young bachelors, who all took notice. As a leader, he naturally couldn’t shirk his responsibility to investigate.

Lu Tianming chuckled. “Qiao Wei indeed looks young.”

As it turned out, she was a military spouse, bringing her son to work.

It made sense, really. If they were siblings, the younger brother would naturally be under the mother’s care, not the sister’s.

Several bachelors were riled up, as if they had been blind all along.

The leader strolled back to his department.

Back on their own turf, the bachelors crowded around. “Section Chief, did you find out?”

The section chief leisurely sipped his tea. “She’s a military spouse, bringing her son. Forget about it, disperse.”

Several single men were greatly disappointed.

Someone else asked, “Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure,” the section chief said. “Her husband is a regimental officer. Can any of you compare to that kind of treatment?”

Now not only the bachelors, but even the onlookers were surprised. “Her husband is a regimental officer?”

“That must be a salary equivalent to Grade 14 or 15, right?”

“Sister Liu, is your husband a regimental officer?”

“No, he’s a company-level officer. Regimental officers are older. My husband is still young.”

Now some people muttered, “She looks about the same age as Lu Manman. Marrying someone so much older?”

Sour grapes are always the sweetest. Immediately, someone sneered, “With the treatment of a regimental officer, who wouldn’t marry? If I were an unmarried girl, I’d marry a regimental officer, regardless of his age.”

Laughter erupted, and someone else said, “Old officers still know how to treat people well.”

Another round of laughter ensued.

Seeing things were getting out of hand, the director asserted himself. “You lot have nothing better to do, right? Have you finished your study reports? You, and you, and you, all bring them to me to take a look.”

The crowd dispersed immediately.

At this moment, Qiao Wei was still unaware that a rumor about “the new woman at the broadcasting station marrying an old officer to live a good life” had already begun circulating.

She took the old drafts given by Lu Manman back to the office to study.

With plenty of editing staff and desks in the office, there were empty ones available. She and Yan Xiang could each have one.

The voice of Lu Manman echoed in the broadcast.

Station Chief Lu picked up his tea cup. “Still this draft.”

Taking a sip of tea, he looked at Qiao Wei studying and encouraged her, “Qiao, get the hang of it quickly, produce more, and come up with fresh ideas.”

“It’s a bit difficult to come up with fresh ideas,” Qiao Wei praised his niece, “Manman’s drafts are meticulous and well-researched. I really need to study hard.”

Chief Lu was pleased but maintained his composure. “Don’t praise her too much. If she hears it, her ego will skyrocket.”

Qiao Wei said, “She’s young, so she should have this energy.”

Hu Sui continued to knit, letting her mind wander.

Lu Tianming glanced at Qiao Wei and nodded silently in agreement.

He then looked at Yan Xiang beside him. He already had three daughters, and now with the fourth child on the way, he didn’t even know if it would be a son.

Seeing other people’s little boys, he was thrilled.

He closed the book and shook it. “Yan Xiang, have you finished reading your picture book? The library also has picture books. Do you want to go see? I’ll take you.”

“Huh?” Yan Xiang lifted his eyes.

In fact, he had read all his books several times over, including the agricultural and pig farming manuals at home.

Because books were limited, he had to read them repeatedly.

He turned to Qiao Wei. “Mom?”

Qiao Wei, still unfamiliar with the environment as a newcomer, was pleasantly surprised to hear about the library and immediately agreed. “Go, but don’t wander off. Follow Uncle. If you get lost, remember, we’re at the broadcasting station.”

Lu Tianming said, “He won’t get lost. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

His job was maintenance, so he had to wait for equipment failures to have anything to do. He spent his days passing time in the office.

Suddenly having a little boy around was a way to pass the time by entertaining him.

He took Yan Xiang with him.

Qiao Wei asked Chief Lu, “I haven’t seen anyone else bringing children. Am I the only one?”

“Not many people do. Occasionally,” Chief Lu said.

Hu Sui had a say in this topic and gave an explanation based on her long-term observation. “Military spouses have nurseries. For younger children, they can be left there. Older ones can go to school.”

“As for others, they are locals. They have elderly relatives to take care of the children, so there’s no need to bring them to work.”

It was common to see an elderly relative taking care of a group of children. Since the children were all well-fed, it didn’t matter if they were taken care of individually or in a group.

This was the advantage of being a local.

But military spouses also had nurseries.

“Why didn’t you send Yan Xiang to the nursery?” Hu Sui asked.

Qiao Wei sighed. “If the teachers at the nursery were as clean as you, making sure everything was spotless, I would feel comfortable sending him.”

Hu Sui clapped her hands. “Exactly! I don’t like those people at the nursery. They’re all careless. If I were there, I’d make sure the children were spotless. You can trust me with Yan Xiang!”

Qiao Wei sighed. “What a pity.”

Her sigh made Hu Sui feel a sense of being wasted by staying at the broadcasting station.

Chief Lu picked up his teapot and blew on the tea leaves.

Comrade Qiao, the newcomer, got along well with everyone at the broadcasting station. Hmm, very good, very good.