Yesterday, when he learned that Lin Shu was coming, he wanted to greet her but felt a bit embarrassed and thought it would be awkward.

During today’s conference, he was there helping out and tried several times to speak with her but couldn’t muster the courage.

He felt too ashamed, as he had been overthinking things.

Now that Lin Shu’s husband had returned, he felt as if he were saying, “Ah, let a lightning bolt strike me; what if Lu Shaotang finds out and looks down on me?”

He continued to stew over his thoughts until the end of the conference, finally gathering the courage to approach her when he saw Lin Shu and Lin Xia preparing to leave.

Lin Shu was quite pleased to see him. “Comrade Wei Ling, hello! It’s been a while since we last met.”

Wei Lan replied, “Hello, Lin Shu. I was quite happy to receive your letter. Congratulations!”

Lin Shu thought he was congratulating her on being recognized as an outstanding worker, and she responded with a smile, “It’s all thanks to the leaders’ favor.”

She then introduced her sister to Wei Lan.

Upon learning that Lin Shu wanted to stay for a couple more days, Wei Lan offered to help arrange accommodations at the guesthouse.

Just then, Jiang Weidong arrived in the factory’s jeep.

He got out, chatted briefly with Wei Lan, and then said to Lin Xia, “Our old lady has been mentioning Comrade Lin Shu. How about coming to the factory instead?”

Lin Shu asked, “Will it be inconvenient? I can visit Grandma Jiang tomorrow if that works better.”

Jiang Weidong replied, “Inconvenient? If the old lady finds out I put you in a guesthouse instead of at her home, she’ll never forgive me.”

Lin Xia had always stayed in the factory’s dormitory when visiting Grandma Jiang, as she preferred not to stay in the collective dormitory.

Lin Xia thought Grandma Jiang did indeed like the third sister very much and always mentioned her when they met.

Since the third sister was here, it made sense to go over.

Qiu Lina, who was watching from the side, was startled when she heard Lin Shu call Wei Lan by name.

Could it be that this Wei Lan was the same person her aunt wanted to introduce to her?

He did seem well-mannered and easy to get along with, but was he close with Lin Shu?

If so… Would Lin Shu be speaking ill of her behind her back?

She suddenly felt a bit anxious.

Lin Shu, unaware of Qiu Lina’s unease, bid farewell to Wei Lan and then took Jiang Weidong’s car with Lin Xia to the steel rolling mill.

Sure enough, Grandma Jiang was extremely pleased to see Lin Shu and her sister.

She warmly grasped Lin Shu’s hand and said, “I heard that the counties and communes were coming to the city for the conference, so I thought for sure you would come. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.”

Lin Shu responded, “Grandma, the kids and I miss you too. They specifically asked me to bring you some steamed cakes.”

Luckily, the weather was still cool, so it wouldn’t ruin the food.

Hearing that they hadn’t had dinner yet, Aunt Jiang quickly heated up some buns she had specially made today with fillings of cabbage, shrimp, and meat.

She also warmed up a couple of pieces of steamed cake for a taste.

Jiang Weidong, after having dinner at home, packed up his bedding and was about to go back to the dormitory.

Lin Shu apologized, “Director Jiang, I’m really sorry for the trouble.”

Jiang Weidong smiled and said, “Comrade Lin Shu, don’t mention it. If Comrade Lu comes to the city, we’ll definitely have him over for a meal.”

After Jiang Weidong left, Old Lady Jiang got the fire going again so Lin Shu and Lin Xia could wash up.

The three women had a cozy chat into the night.

It wasn’t until nearly ten o’clock that Grandma Jiang reluctantly sent them to bed, reminding Lin Xia that she had to work the next day.

The next morning, Lin Shu got up early to help Grandma Jiang with breakfast.

Old Lady Jiang cheerfully said, “I feel like I’m cooking with my own daughter. It’s really enjoyable.”

For someone without a daughter, having one to be close to is rare.

It’s comforting to shop for groceries, go out, make dumplings, and chat together.

Sons, on the other hand, are something else!

They can be so frustrating!

If you ask them to go grocery shopping, they’ll give you a look like you’re joking. Even if they reluctantly tag along, they won’t help with bargaining.

They’ll just watch you negotiate with a look of embarrassment, as if they wish you wouldn’t haggle and let the vendors keep their prices as is.

After all, isn’t it hard enough for them to carry their produce?

Asking them to help make dumplings?

That’s a pipe dream.

They just want to eat them!

If there’s nothing going on at the factory, then there’s something with the union. In any case, he’s always the busiest.

For breakfast, they steamed some cake, and Grandma Jiang happily took a couple of pieces to the party secretary’s wife and a few other families, making sure not to forget Jiang Weidong.

After breakfast, Lin Xia had to go to work.

She asked Lin Shu to stay a few more days, and once she was done with her work, she’d head to Qing County and they could go together.

Lin Shu agreed.

As Lin Xia was leaving with her bag, Jiang Weidong drove up.

Jiang Weidong said, “Lin Xia, I happen to have something to do and can give you a ride.”

Lin Xia, feeling embarrassed to refuse, bid farewell to Lin Shu and Grandma Jiang and got into Jiang Weidong’s car.

As they were leaving, Qian Mu, who was slowly walking with a cane due to her leg still healing, saw them.

She was anxious and said, “What’s going on? What do they mean by this? Are they together or what?”

She hurried back home to tell Qian Fu what she had seen. “You need to report this to the leaders. We can’t let Jiang Weidong—”

Why is Lin Xia, who divorced her son, now with the deputy factory director?

And what about Jiang Weidong?

Why is he allowed to be with Lin Xia after messing up his own son’s marriage?

If they dared to be together, she would go to the leaders and complain that he had been scheming against Lin Xia’s marriage all along just to make room for himself!

Mr. Qian Fu, however, was not interested.

He was quite discouraged. “You say Lin Xia’s divorce is a negative influence and that she doesn’t deserve to be recognized as outstanding. Why should she be chosen?”

“Let me protest to the Revolutionary Committee. I went with Lao Tong, but the leaders not only ignored us but also gave us a scolding.”

His son didn’t get the recognition, so why should Lin Xia?

In the end, the leaders gave the recognition to her.

It felt so unfair.

But what could he do?

Qian My(Qian’s Mother) was increasingly convinced that Lin Xia must be involved with Jiang Weidong, which is why the leaders chose her as outstanding.

Without Jiang Weidong’s favor, how could a divorced woman be selected?

Grandma Jiang was at home praising Lin Xia to Lin Shu.

“Workers and team leaders voted for Lin Xia as outstanding. When the leaders voted again, she passed unanimously, and even the women’s director and the factory office director had no objections.”

She initially thought that the women’s director and the factory office director would put up resistance, but it seemed Lin Shu’s teaching of the cafeteria master to make sauerkraut fish and spicy fish, as well as their pickling techniques, worked wonders.

The factory office director, being one who had enjoyed the pickles, couldn’t bring himself to make things difficult.

Lin Shu smiled, thinking that the factory office director wouldn’t choose her sister just because of pickles.

It was clear that the director recognized her sister’s abilities.

Grandma Jiang continued, “At first, they thought sending your sister to the power supply bureau was a loss, but after calculating, it turned out to be a huge gain. The factory used to have frequent power outages, but since your sister went to the power supply bureau, the number of outages has significantly decreased.”

Power outages mean halted production, which means they can’t meet production targets.

Lin Shu was also pleased. “My sister really is excellent. She deserves the recognition.”

Grandma Jiang wasn’t afraid of Lin Shu laughing at her.

She openly said, “I had hoped for a long time that your sister would become my daughter-in-law, but I tested her a couple of times, and it seems she isn’t interested in remarrying. Oh, I guess I’m just not destined to have that fortune.”

Lin Shu patted her hand and smiled, “Grandma, you’re saying that maybe being a daughter-in-law isn’t the same as being as close as we are now.”

Grandma Jiang knew Lin Shu was trying to comfort her and smiled, “Well, I don’t have a daughter. You two are both kind and easy to get along with. I’ll just consider you both as my adopted daughters.”

Lin Shu immediately took her hand and sweetly called her “adoptive mother.”

Such a straightforward, kind, and decisive old lady.

“Having a daughter like that is such a blessing for her and my second sister,” Grandma Jiang said with a hint of regret. “Lin Xia is so wonderful; it’s a shame she isn’t married yet. She deserves someone even better.”

Lin Shu replied, “Actually, my second sister isn’t…”

Before she could finish, someone knocked on the door. “Sister-in-law, it’s me.”

It was Han Yun, the secretary’s wife.

Grandma Jiang quickly invited her in.

Han Yun also brought two packages of pastries.

She smiled at Grandma Jiang and Lin Shu and said, “The steamed cake Lin Shu brought was delicious. I have some festival pastries here; they’re too sweet for me, so I brought them for you and Lin Shu.”

Grandma Jiang hesitated a bit but accepted them.

Seeing that Han Yun seemed to want to sit down and chat for a while, Lin Shu helped by making tea.

Grandma Jiang felt very pleased and content. Really, anyone who had a daughter like Lin Shu would be incredibly fortunate.

She was so considerate.

Han Yun noticed this and quietly praised Lin Shu’s temperament.

Despite Grandma Jiang and Lin Shu getting along well, Han Yun knew that Grandma Jiang was notoriously difficult and had a strange temper at the factory.

Han Yun said to Grandma Jiang, “Sister-in-law, I have some good news. I’ve found a match for Weidong that I’m sure you’ll all be happy with.”

Grandma Jiang wasn’t too hopeful. Many people had tried to set up her son with potential matches, especially at the end of last year, with no success. He hadn’t shown interest in any of them.

Han Yun said, “This one he’ll definitely like. She…,” she turned to look at Lin Shu and smiled, “looks a lot like Lin Shu, fair-skinned and beautiful.”

Grandma Jiang was a bit intrigued.

She was certain that her son would like someone like Lin Shu.

After all, if someone as impressive as Lu Shaotang liked Lin Shu, how could her son not?

It was just a matter of not being able to say it out loud.

Not to mention men, even Grandma Jiang herself liked Lin Shu.

She was not only beautiful but also kind and considerate.