Chapter 50

The sky during the plum rain season was unpredictable, changing like a child’s mood.

As Lin Ting felt raindrops on her head, she quickly changed direction, heading back to school first. Otherwise, by the time she reached the camp, she would be drenched.

Her judgment proved correct. She had just stepped into the office when the light drizzle turned into a relentless downpour.

“Did you get caught in the rain? Come dry yourself! You can’t take medicine now, so don’t catch a cold… Ugh, this weather is awful! The sun was out for less than half an hour before it started pouring again. When will this end?” Gu Fang complained as she handed Lin Ting a towel.

While drying off, Lin Ting frowned. “I wonder how Huo Xiao and the others are doing…”

Gu Fang sighed. “They’re probably working in the rain. Your Huo Xiao is young, but my brother Rong Xuan is older. I worry his body can’t handle it.”

Older? He’s only in his thirties… Lin Ting suppressed a chuckle, and her earlier worries eased.

She laid the towel over the chair’s armrest and said, “I’m going to the principal’s office.”

Gu Fang instinctively asked, “Why?”

“I’ll tell you once I’m sure.”

Gu Fang nodded, then suddenly remembered something. She leaned in and whispered, “Principal Huang might ask you to be the music teacher. Don’t be foolish and agree to it.”

Lin Ting hesitated, glancing at Liu Wenyan’s desk. Ever since Captain Cao’s transfer order came, he had stopped coming to school without even requesting leave. Principal Huang had been so furious that he visited him personally.

No one knew the details, but after that, Principal Huang insisted on finding a new music teacher.

Lin Ting had no interest in taking that position—not because she feared the workload, as there were only three classes a week—but because her singing ability was merely passable.

As for musical talent, growing up in the countryside, she had only learned the recorder and ink painting in elementary school.

And the only song she could play on the recorder was “Little Swallow.” With her skill level, she would just mislead the students.

_

Principal Huang’s office was separate from the others, though far from grand. His desk and chairs were old, even shabbier than the ones the teachers used.

When Lin Ting arrived, he was bent over his desk, writing. Noticing her, he put down his pen. “Teacher Xiao Lin, what brings you here?”

Lin Ting nodded. “Principal, I have something to discuss.”

The rain had cleared her mind, making her realize that going directly to the brigade commander wasn’t the best move.

As a teacher, her superior was Principal Huang. If she wanted to be transparent about taking on a part-time translation job, she needed at least his support.

More importantly, she trusted his character.

Sure enough, after listening to her, Principal Huang smiled approvingly. “Why not? This is a great thing. I have no objections. Those machines are valuable national assets. If you have the ability, you should help. Go ahead.”

Lin Ting felt a bit guilty. While she did think it was a shame for the machines to break down, her primary motivation was the translation fee and the potential connections.

Even so, she still wanted to earn her fair share. But maybe there was a way to get the best of both worlds…

With that thought, Lin Ting’s mind began racing. In just a moment, she had an idea. “Principal, I think there’s another possibility to consider.”

Then, she shared her idea of publishing the news in the newspaper: “Since we are doing something meaningful, we shouldn’t be afraid to make it public. This will not only prevent misunderstandings but also promote cooperation between the military and the working class, and…”

“Anything else?” Principal Huang, his eyes shining with interest, looked at the young teacher as if discovering a hidden gem.

Lin Ting, slightly embarrassed by his gaze, still nodded. “I believe we can develop this in the long run.”

Principal Huang leaned forward, intrigued. “Please elaborate.”

Despite her concerns about her English proficiency, Lin Ting continued honestly, “I believe the factory’s need for English goes beyond machine maintenance. If my translation can help resolve this issue, and our newspaper announcement eases concerns, future cooperation is inevitable. Also, more than half of the military wives in the family compound are unemployed, and some are struggling. If this project succeeds, I might be able to help them find jobs—even if it’s just one.” She hesitated before adding, “Of course, this is just my humble opinion.”

But it wasn’t humble at all.

At that moment, Principal Huang felt both pleased and conflicted.

He was pleased that Teacher Xiao Lin cared about the troops and struggling military families.

However, her motivations were clear to him. With his experience, he could see that all her arrangements were made to eliminate any risk in her translation work. After all, she had the entire division backing her.

Yet, she also enhanced the army’s reputation and fought for the interests of the military families.

Even if she could only secure jobs for one or two people in the future, no one would object to her earning extra money from translation.

It was like killing three birds with one stone.

Thinking of this, Principal Huang recalled Huo Xiao.

This young team leader was truly a winner in life. Not only was he outstanding, but his wife, Lin Ting, was also highly capable.

If this matter made it into the newspaper, it could greatly benefit Huo Xiao in his future political career.

“Principal?” Lin Ting called out, noticing that he had drifted into thought.

Principal Huang snapped back to reality and gave a definite answer. “Once the rain stops, I’ll accompany you to the camp.”

The rain passed quickly.

An hour later, Lin Ting and Principal Huang arrived at Captain Wei’s office.

Due to the recent flood, Brigade Commander Wei, who had been overseeing disaster relief, had visibly lost weight over the past two weeks.

Yet, despite his exhaustion, he remained energetic. He even poured tea for them himself.

Knowing the brigade’s tight schedule, Principal Huang got straight to the point.

Brigade Commander Wei was enthusiastic about the idea. After listening to Lin Ting, he said, “The division commander is in the disaster area today. I’ll be heading there soon and will report this personally. You can come back at 7 p.m.”

Such efficiency!

Lin Ting was grateful. “Thank you, Brigade Commander.”

Wei Lu waved her thanks away. “No need to thank me. If this is handled well, it benefits everyone. I should be the one thanking you.” He then added thoughtfully, “You young people are really sharp. Comrade Xiao Lin has a bright future in politics.”

Lin Ting quickly dismissed the idea with modest words, thanking him again as she left.

She was truly grateful. Normally, this matter should have been reported to Political Commissar Liu, but she disliked him and worried about being undermined.

Now that Brigade Commander Wei was willing to take over, it was the best outcome.

Before school ended, Lin Ting stopped by the communications room.

This time, it was a call from her second brother.

Since call time was limited, she kept the conversation brief.

However, her second brother immediately surprised her: “Are you also trying to find a job for our eldest sister?”

Lin Wei sighed. “Yes. No matter how we look at it, staying in Tianjin is best for her and the kids. But it’s been raining almost daily, so we haven’t been able to go out.”

The three siblings had reached the same conclusion independently. Lin Ting was delighted. “I might have a solution, but it’s uncertain yet. It’ll take a few days. When can we meet to discuss it in person?” There were many things they needed to talk about—whether they were planning to buy a house for their sister, whether they had already bought one, or even matters related to her translation work. It was impossible to discuss everything over the phone.

Lin Wei chuckled. “My Tingting is really capable… The soldiers are working hard on flood relief, and as usual, the art troupe will perform for them. I’ll be going with them, so we should meet within half a month.”

Lin Ting’s eyes lit up. “Brother, are you performing?”

Lin Wei replied, “Depends on the program lineup. If there’s a drama performance, I might get a role with one or two lines.”

That was impressive, considering he had only been in the army for a month.