Chapter 016

016  

The power of the Brocade Banner was immense—so immense that news of the morning’s events had spread to Apricot Blossom Alley by the afternoon. Gu’s Mother personally came to Qingyin’s door to ask about it.  

Even the neighbors in the compound looked at Qingyin differently now.  

As everyone put it, Qingyang had worked in the clinic his entire life without ever receiving a Brocade Banner, yet his little sister had earned one in such a short time—and it was even delivered personally by the district’s organizational department. What heights would she reach in the future?  

A Brocade Banner from the masses was a personal acknowledgment of her skill.  

But the organizational department? That represented the trust and recognition of the authorities!  

“Suifen, your Xiao Qingyin is truly full of surprises. Back when she used to follow your father-in-law around, we all thought she was just tagging along for fun. Who knew she’d quietly learned such remarkable medical skills?”  

“Your Qingyang was also taught by the old man through personal example when he was young, yet he… Well, I suppose medical talent really does depend on natural ability.”  

The moment Sister-in-law Liu said this, Lin Suifen’s expression turned slightly uncomfortable. “Oh, come now. She’s just a child—maybe she just got lucky. Everyone, please don’t overpraise her to the point of ruining her.”  

“Seems to me you can’t stand others praising her.”  

Lin Suifen shot her a glare. “If anyone’s being malicious here, it’s you—trying to set her up for a fall with all this praise.”  

“Looks like you’re just jealous of your sister-in-law and can’t stand to see her succeed.”  

…  

Well, the two women were at it again. Qingyin was happy to watch the drama—at least it kept Lin Suifen from idling around and cooking those dishes that were worse than pig slop to torment her.  

Thankfully, she’d soon be able to cook for herself and no longer have to share a stove with them.  

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the alley, Qu Jianjun looked at Gu An’s still-pale face and asked uncertainly, “Are you sure you want to go home? You could stay a few more days.”  

“No, I don’t want my mother to worry.” Though Gu’s Mother had believed Qingyin’s reassurances, she still asked Gangzi about him three times a day—to the point where Gangzi could barely handle it.  

“I’ll show my face in front of her first. From now on, I’ll be staying at Gangzi’s place. If you need me for anything, Jianjun, just go to Gangzi’s.”  

Qu Jianjun nodded. “You’ve accomplished such a great feat this time—the authorities plan to reward you properly. Is there anything you’d like? I can relay your request to the higher-ups.”  

“No need.”  

Qu Jianjun was stunned. “You nearly… At the very least, you should ask for a job. Either get officially transferred to your factory’s security department or go to the local police station. If that’s not enough, we could push for a direct placement at the district bureau.” Security departments these days could carry firearms, but compared to actual police officers, they were still a step below—not to mention that district-level units were a whole other tier.  

Gu An shook his head.  

Qu Jianjun studied his eyes and saw not an ounce of compromise.  

He sighed helplessly. “You still want to investigate your brother’s case. But this matter is complicated—it’s been buried for years. Digging it up would mean shaking things to the core…”  

“I’m not afraid of shaking things to the core. I just refuse to believe my brother was a traitor.”  

Gu An’s eyes reddened as he stared back stubbornly.  

In his heart, his brother was a hero—someone who took care of him, saved all the best food and fun for him, did good deeds without seeking recognition, caught hooligans at twelve, enlisted at sixteen and repeatedly distinguished himself in battle, surviving near-death experiences and bearing countless scars without ever complaining or shedding a tear in front of his family.  

How could such a man be a traitor?  

The whole world might be full of traitors—but never his brother.  

“I just want to clear his name, Jianjun.”

Qu Jianjun sighed, his eyes moistening at the thought of his comrades. “Alright, I’ll do my best.”

***

“Oh, has little Qingyin gone silly with joy?” A group of elderly women chuckled as they watched her enter the compound.

Qingyin greeted them cheerfully and skipped into the house. She had just taken out the biscuit tin and Malted Milk Extract, ready to mix them with hot water, when someone called from the doorway, “Is Xiao Qingyin back?”

Recognizing Sister-in-law Liu’s voice from the backyard, Qingyin quickly hid the items, opened the rear window to air the room, and then answered the door. “I’m here, Sister-in-law. What’s up?”

Sister-in-law Liu didn’t even glance around the room of the compound’s most enviable “white, rich, and beautiful” resident. Instead, she urged anxiously, “Hurry, go now! Run as fast as you can!”

Qingyin was baffled. “Hurry where?”

“Of course to collect your wages! Goodness, child, have you really been taught to be this slow? I just saw your sister-in-law skipping off toward your factory. What business does a woman who doesn’t work have going there?”

Truth be told, Qingyin knew Sister-in-law Liu wasn’t genuinely concerned for her. The woman simply couldn’t stand Lin Suifen and relished the idea of stirring conflict between the sisters-in-law. Otherwise, why had she never spoken up to the Qing family men when she’d witnessed Lin Suifen mistreating Xiao Qingyin in the past?

But today, her tip was surprisingly useful.

Payday was a steel mill tradition, and Lin Suifen’s rushed trip could only mean one thing—she was after the wages. Since Qing Huihui’s salary wasn’t hers to claim, there was only one explanation.

How nice—her sister-in-law made her work the shifts while pocketing the pay. Why not just rob a bank while she was at it?

Coincidentally, Qingyin had reached her limit with this exploitation. “Sister-in-law, I don’t understand any of this. If I accuse her, no one will believe me—you know her reputation here is spotless. What should I do?”

Small, helpless, and pitiful.

Sister-in-law Liu’s face lit up with shared indignation. “Just wait. If she dares cross the line, you shouldn’t hesitate to retaliate. I’ll gather people for you. Don’t worry, alright?”

Meanwhile, Lin Suifen had timed her move perfectly. The moment Qingyin entered the house, she dashed to the factory. On payday, the finance office worked nonstop from morning till night, even skipping lunch breaks and working overtime to ensure employees and their families received their wages promptly.

Arriving breathless, she joined the long queue at the finance office. Though starving, she had no choice but to wait her turn.

Her sister-in-law’s starting salary had already jumped to thirty-seven yuan thanks to that Brocade Banner—higher than Hui Hui’s! Every bit would come in handy.

“Suifen, what brings you here?” Sister-in-law Qin from the compound was surprised to see her, since Lin Suifen had no access to Qing Huihui’s wages.

“Oh, it’s my sister-in-law. She’s young and inexperienced, so she begged me to collect her salary for her. I told her it might look improper, but she insisted, and I couldn’t say no.”

“You’re truly one of a kind at this steel mill—no one treats their sister-in-law as well as you do,” someone praised, giving a thumbs-up.

Lin Suifen waved it off modestly. “Oh, it’s nothing. I practically raised her myself—she’s like another Hui Hui to me.”

As the crowd showered her with compliments about her motherly devotion and generosity, Lin Suifen found their flattery so filling, she forgot her hunger entirely.

Finally, it was her turn. “Hello, comrade, I’m here to collect Qingyin’s salary.”

Familiar faces all around, and with Qingyin’s work permit in hand, Lin Suifen figured it would take just two minutes at most. She planned to head straight to the state-run restaurant’s deli counter after collecting the salary to buy half a roast chicken. Tonight, after her sister-in-law fell asleep, she and her daughter could warm it up on the stove and enjoy it bite by bite—what a treat!

But the cashier inside didn’t start counting the money. Instead, they asked, “You mean Qingyin from the clinic?”

“Yes, I’m her sister-in-law. The neighbors behind me can vouch for me.”

The cashier didn’t care about that and just glared at her for slowing things down. Every wasted minute meant more overtime later. “Her salary’s already been collected. Next!”

“What?!” Lin Suifen froze.

“What do you mean ‘what’? Don’t waste time. Next, hurry up!”

As the next person stepped forward, Lin Suifen blocked them. “Wait a minute, comrade. I haven’t left the house today—I didn’t come to collect the salary. Are you sure there’s no mistake?”

The cashier rolled their eyes. “She signed for it herself, collected it herself. Can’t you see?”

Sure enough, Qingyin’s name and signature were in the ledger. Lin Suifen was dumbfounded. “H-how could she collect her own salary?”

Sister-in-law Qin sneered. “Oh, listen to you. Qingyin’s an adult—why can’t she collect her own salary?”

Lin Suifen’s face stiffened. Not daring to linger, she quickly squeezed out of the crowd and hurried back to the compound.

Thirty-seven yuan was no small sum. She had to coax it back before Qingyin spent it. Her sister-in-law was a simpleton—just promise her some snacks, whine about life’s hardships, and she’d hand over the money obediently. From now on, collecting the salary should be her job. How could Qingyin collect it herself? So inconsiderate!

With that thought, she relaxed a little and turned her mind to the Qu family. Old Commander Qu had mentioned last time that he was feeling weak, always drowsy with age. She’d been meaning to find an Old Mountain Ginseng to gift him. The money she had now wasn’t quite enough, but with Qingyin’s salary this month, it would cover it.

Once she delivered the ginseng, the Qu family would surely look at Hui Hui in a new light.

She’d done her research—the Qu family’s son had been widowed for years, with only two daughters being raised by their grandparents. If Hui Hui married in, she wouldn’t have to deal with stepchildren. A son within a year or two, and she’d be the one calling the shots at home.

As for that toad Liu Zhiqiang dreaming of swan meat? Pah! Her daughter would stay single forever before marrying into the Liu family!

A bunch of down-and-out freeloaders, their scheming practically oozing out. Only Hui Hui was naive enough not to see it.

Her steps quickened, as if she were riding a wind-and-fire wheel. She rehearsed the sweet talk to coax Qingyin twice in her head, itching to fly straight to the main house.

“Suifen, you’re back! Hurry, something’s happened at your place!” Zhao Danniang’s shout made everyone turn to look.

Only then did Lin Suifen notice the crowd packed like layers of walls around her two rooms. She forced calm. “Wh-what’s going on? I was only out for a bit.”

No one answered her question. But the way they looked at her was different from before.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on how, but it definitely wasn’t a look she liked.

At the center of the crowd was Sister-in-law Liu, who was currently the main focus. Her ordinarily plain face was twisted with a mix of emotions—grievance, heartache, anger, and even smugness—switching rapidly between them.

“Yao Dajie, you see, this is how things stand. Normally, it shouldn’t be our place as outsiders to interfere, but this sister-in-law has gone too far. We couldn’t just stand by and watch, so we asked you to step in and uphold justice for this young girl.”

Among the crowd stood a slightly plump woman—the deputy director of the neighborhood committee overseeing Apricot Blossom Alley. In charge of youth, labor, and women’s affairs, she was known for her easygoing and approachable nature, always blending in with the locals. Everyone affectionately called her “Yao Dajie” in private.

Yao Dajie nodded. “If it’s truly as you say, then it is indeed excessive. I’ll verify the situation later. By the way, Xiao Qing, don’t cry. Calm down first. If you have any requests, you can tell me.”

“That’s right, Xiao Qingyin, stop crying. Our Yao Dajie is the fairest person in the neighborhood committee. She’ll definitely help you resolve this.”

Qingyin sobbed in hiccups, looking at Yao Dajie like a little rabbit. “I—I—Yao Dajie, I want to separate from the family.”