Chapter 84.1

Director Leng noticed Lu Nong’s reaction and frowned involuntarily. Had she misjudged her? Was Lu Nong not the low-key intellectual with hidden talents, but rather a superficial person who looked good on the outside?

Did the announcement of a test make her shrink back because her competitor, Hu Mei, had prepared for so long?

A hint of disappointment flashed through Director Leng’s mind, but she quickly reassured herself that she had set her expectations too high for Lu Nong. It was normal for her to feel apprehensive when facing a well-prepared opponent.

In a gentle tone, she asked Lu Nong, “Is there something troubling you, Comrade Lu Nong?”

Lu Nong was sweating profusely. She was indeed caught in a dilemma.

Initially, she had agreed to Director Leng’s job proposal because she did not want to disappoint her goodwill. Additionally, since she was not yet familiar with the military district, Director Leng’s recommendation to be a teacher at the elementary school seemed easier than other jobs, providing her with a buffer period.

Lu Nong intended to seriously consider the job that Director Leng had recommended.

Unexpectedly, Hu Mei suddenly appeared, insisting on competing for the same position through a test.

If Lu Nong agreed to the test, it would feel unfair. She was a top student at Peking University, competing for an elementary school teacher’s position against Hu Mei. It would seem like she had an overwhelming advantage.

But if she refused the test or the teaching position, even if she declined politely, both Hu Mei and Director Leng would think she was scared. After all, she had initially agreed, but as soon as Hu Mei stepped forward, she changed her mind. People would assume she was afraid of Hu Mei.

Hu Mei and Director Leng had put her in a difficult position. Refusing the test would appear as an admission of fear.

Lu Nong would have to explain her reasons for turning it down.

If she explained her refusal in person, she would have to mention that her qualifications made it inappropriate to compete with Hu Mei, which might come across as looking down on her.

No matter how she handled it, it wouldn’t look good. After a moment of hesitation, Lu Nong glanced at Hu Mei, who was beaming, thinking she had won. She turned to Director Leng and said, “Director Leng, I don’t have any difficulties, but after some thought, I’ve decided not to participate in the test.”

“Are you sure you’ve thought it through, Comrade Lu Nong?” Director Leng asked.

Hu Mei let out a long sigh and looked at Lu Nong with a smug look on her face. She shook off Liu Erniu’s hand that was pulling her hand and ignored Liu Erniu’s eyes that were urging her to keep a low profile.

Though Liu Erniu tried to keep Hu Mei in check, the other wives of the regiment commanders couldn’t help but feel mixed emotions as they watched Lu Nong, the deputy division commander’s wife, concede to Hu Mei, the regiment commander’s wife. Naturally, some began to look down on her.

This was understandable. Director Leng earned respect not only because she was the wife of the division commander, but also due to her personality and capabilities, which made her well-liked among the military wives. She upheld the dignity of her title, which is why the others respected and admired her.

In contrast, Lu Nong was too young. Initially, people respected her because of Pei Ji’an, but as time went on, maintaining that respect would depend on her actions.

Today’s situation was a test. It was clear who had instigated it. Lu Nong weighed the pros and cons carefully. She chose to step back from the test not because she wanted to win a petty fight but to consider the bigger picture. However, this scene wasn’t over yet.

Lu Nong remained composed as if she hadn’t noticed Hu Mei’s provocations. She sincerely said to Director Leng, “I’ve thought it through. I’m sorry to disappoint you, Director Leng, but a few days ago, Director Zhou approached me, and I’ve decided to try working with the military’s propaganda department after the New Year.”

In fact, it wasn’t just the propaganda department. After Pei Ji’an’s transfer to the military district, her file was also transferred there. The personnel department that handled her file included some familiar faces—comrades from the human resources department, Director Zhou from the propaganda department, and the head of the organization department. These people had already heard about her educational background during a casual conversation over drinks.

What was the military currently lacking? Talent.

The directors, each cunning in their own way, wanted to recruit her but feared that she would be snatched up by someone else. So, they kept her educational background and work experience under wraps. In private, they approached her “coincidentally” and invited her to work in their departments. However, after arriving in the military district, Lu Nong had become more focused on building her own “peach blossom land.” She worried that these departments might assign her too much work, distracting her from her primary interests, so she kept considering the offers without making a decision.

After Pei Ji’an learned about this, he reassured her to follow her own desires, which made her feel even more carefree.

Director Leng: “…” There’s no need to apologize. Any normal person would choose the Propaganda Department.

Hu Mei:!? Impossible!

Liu Erniu/Wang Xiuzhi: OO

Director Leng scrutinized Lu Nong’s expression. It didn’t look like she was lying, but the leap from being an elementary school teacher to joining the military’s propaganda department was significant.

It’s not that being an elementary school teacher is necessarily inferior to working in the propaganda department, but the material taught in elementary school is relatively simple, especially for non-core subjects, which are essentially just playtime for the kids.

In contrast, joining the propaganda department is no child’s play. It involves writing reports and drafting propaganda materials. It requires creativity, organizational skills, public speaking, social interaction, and even interview abilities.

The jump from teaching elementary school to the propaganda department was like going from playtime to the adult world. It required more than just educational qualifications—it demanded real skills, with education being the most basic requirement.

Why did most military wives want to become teachers rather than work in the propaganda department or labor unions? Because many of them were too shy to speak up.

In the end, it came down to lacking the confidence to handle high-stakes situations. They didn’t even dare to think about such work.

Hu Mei stared at Lu Nong in disbelief. Was she insane? How could she tell such a blatant lie? Did she even know what she was talking about?

“You’re lying!” Hu Mei blurted out in frustration. If what Lu Nong said was true, her earlier mocking remarks would backfire, making her look like a fool.

Lu Nong smiled faintly, carrying the same demeanor as Pei Ji’an—calm, not condescending, but still making others feel inferior. “Comrade Hu Mei can go and find out for yourself.”

Hu Mei was intimidated by her confidence. After all, she didn’t dare fully offend the deputy division commander’s wife.

Director Leng’s face grew serious. She knew Director Zhou well. He wasn’t one to make hasty decisions, and he certainly wouldn’t be interested in someone without real talent.

She started to consider the deeper meaning behind Lu Nong’s words.

There was more to her response than what was said aloud.

First, she declined the elementary school teacher position. On the surface, it might seem like she was afraid of Hu Mei, but then she mentioned she was planning to join the propaganda department.

What did this imply?

It suggested that she wasn’t scared. If she had the guts to join the propaganda department, how could she be afraid of an elementary school test?

Unless she didn’t want to compete with Hu Mei or found it beneath her to do so.

Considering Hu Mei’s constant provocations, most people in Lu Nong’s position would have been goaded into accepting the test to put Hu Mei in her place.

Even if they didn’t want to compete, anyone with a temper would have said something to vent their frustration, perhaps pitying Hu Mei or claiming that they had better opportunities, thus magnanimously letting Hu Mei have the teaching job.

For example, Lu Nong could have said, “I’ve thought it through. I won’t compete with Comrade Hu Mei. She needs this teaching position more than I do, so I’ll focus on applying to the propaganda department.”

Don’t underestimate the sentence that Lu Nong deliberately omitted in the middle. The difference between saying it outright and implying it lies in being direct versus being subtle.

Being direct might have released some pent-up frustration and put Hu Mei in an awkward position. However, it also conveyed a condescending attitude. If she had skipped that sentence, the meaning would have remained largely the same, indicating her disdain for arguing with Hu Mei, but her tone wouldn’t have come across as looking down on others.

Frustration was still released, of course.

If Lu Nong truly wanted to spare Hu Mei’s feelings, she could have chosen to say nothing at all. She could have simply avoided mentioning her invitation to the Propaganda Department. Although it might have resulted in some ridicule for a few days, once Lu Nong actually started working there, any rumors would naturally fade away.

Still, that would mean enduring some irritation for a few days.

From Director Leng’s perspective, Lu Nong had measured her response with remarkable precision. She not only vented her frustration but also gained respect, all while maintaining a balanced stance.

After she spoke, Liu Erniu, who didn’t catch Lu Nong’s cleverness, looked at her with admiration, while those like Wang Xiuzhi, who understood the subtleties, either appreciated or respected her even more.

In difficult situations, one’s character is revealed. Lu Nong’s willingness to back down first showed her honesty, generosity, and lack of aggressiveness. However, when faced with Hu Mei’s scheming, she revealed her sharpness without being overly submissive.

This clearly demonstrated her high level of competence and calm approach to handling matters. Director Leng sighed, noting that compared to Hu Mei, Lu Nong stood out significantly. Pei Ji’an had truly gained a strong ally in her.

As for Hu Mei?

Logically, she understood that Lu Nong’s claims were likely true. How could anyone lie about being personally invited by Director Zhou of the Propaganda Department? A few inquiries would clarify everything.

Emotionally, however, she struggled to accept the situation. She could not come to terms with the fact that she had lost to Lu Nong not only professionally but also in terms of character. Director Leng’s undisguised admiration for Lu Nong, as well as Liu Erniu and Wang Xiuzhi’s respect for her, stung Hu Mei’s heart and brought her to tears.

Deep down, Hu Mei secretly hoped that Lu Nong was lying.

Finally, Director Leng intervened to smooth things over, saying, “What’s the need to apologize? Why didn’t you mention earlier that Old Zhou had approached you? If I had known you were capable of joining the Propaganda Department, I wouldn’t have rushed to find you a job. It’s even better for you to work there. You’ll have more opportunities to shine!”

“I understand, Director Leng,” Lu Nong replied with a smile.

Director Leng glanced at her watch and asked Liu Erniu and the others, “It’s getting late. I need to get home to cook for Xianglan and Xiao Peng. What about you? Are you coming back with me, or do you want to stay and chat with Xiao Lu for a bit?”

Liu Erniu and Wang Xiuzhi exchanged glances and decided to leave together, while Hu Mei, still unable to recover, was eager to avoid staying at the Pei family’s home.

“I won’t stay. The kids at home are hungry, and I need to cook for my little ancestors.”

As they left the Pei home, Director Leng took a different path at the fork in the road, parting ways with Liu Erniu, Wang Xiuzhi, and Hu Mei.

The atmosphere turned silent and awkward.

Hu Mei’s recent behavior was too excessive. She had relied on Director Leng’s influence, even undermining the dignity of the deputy commander’s wife. Although Director Leng said nothing, she was not blind to what was happening. Hu Mei had exploited her.

Didn’t Director Leng shoot Hu Mei a glance before they parted ways?

To Wang Xiuzhi, that look meant “know your place.”

Moreover, everyone knew the close relationship between Hu Mei and the other two. Hu Mei had openly challenged Lu Nong while they were present. If Lu Nong thought they were all colluding against her, wouldn’t Wang Xiuzhi and Liu Erniu end up bearing the brunt of it?

Upon reflection, Wang Xiuzhi felt a shiver run down her spine. She resolved to distance herself from Hu Mei in the future; otherwise, she might one day be sold out and still be counting the money for someone else.

Even Liu Erniu, who was closest to Hu Mei, fell silent. She had several times tried to speak but found herself at a loss for words.

Though her mind was not as sharp as Wang Xiuzhi’s or Hu Mei’s, she could still tell good from bad.

In what had just happened, all she could see was Hu Mei’s petty behavior and manipulative side, which made her want to hit her in frustration.

And what about Lu Nong? She displayed tolerance and generosity. Liu Erniu realized she had been blind to the fact that Hu Mei was not a good person.

Meanwhile, Hu Mei remained absorbed in her own feelings. She didn’t even notice the look Director Leng shot her when she left, nor did she catch the odd expressions from Liu Erniu and Wang Xiuzhi. After Director Leng departed, she could not help but express her indignation, saying, “I want to see if this deputy commander’s wife is telling the truth or lying.”

“Just wait. If Lu Nong doesn’t join the Propaganda Department after the New Year, it will be a huge joke.”

With just a few days until the New Year, Hu Mei had initially planned to return for a second interview at the elementary school afterward.

Liu Erniu could no longer contain herself and finally spoke up, “Can you be quiet for a moment? Why would Comrade Lu deceive you?”

“Look at how you’ve been jumping around these days, determined to oppose Comrade Lu. What’s your problem? Are you done with this already? What do you really want?”

Liu Erniu couldn’t understand, but Wang Xiuzhi could generally understand Hu Mei’s psychology. Although today’s incident seemed to be about stealing jobs, the root of the problem still lay with Deputy Commander Pei.

Deputy Division Commander Pei’s unexpected arrival had taken away Hu Mei’s husband’s promotion opportunity. Now she could not become the deputy division commander’s wife, while the new wife was significantly younger than her.

Could Hu Mei accept that?

Certainly not. She couldn’t swallow her pride and sought ways to undermine Lu Nong at every turn.

She even tried to provoke and suppress Lu Nong, hoping that if Lu Nong proved to be weak, she could overshadow her and render her powerless as the deputy division commander’s wife.

Her schemes were loud, but unfortunately for her, Lu Nong was not easy to bully, as evidenced by this incident.

Hu Mei wanted to embarrass Lu Nong but ended up shooting herself in the foot. Not only did she lose Director Leng’s trust, but she also created tension among the three of them, fracturing their friendship.

Hu Mei still did not realize that she had lost the support of those around her.