It wasn't a particularly busy day; the publicity department was relatively relaxed as long as there weren't any important events.

After finishing her work, it was only a little past nine o'clock. With nothing else to do, Shen Fenghua decided to go for a walk. As soon as she got up, Sister Niu came over with a gossipy look on her face.

Shen Fenghua understood immediately and sat down again.

"Feng Hua, have you heard?"

"What did you hear?"

"We're getting a new member here."

Newcomer?

Shen Fenghua was slightly surprised. Logically speaking, as the deputy director, she should know about the recruitment, since the steel plant's publicity department also handled recruitment and had recently brought in a lot of fresh blood to the plant. However, there was no one in their office.

Something's definitely up here.

"How so?" Shen Fenghua readily took out an oil paper package from the drawer, which contained sunflower seeds.

"Hey, do you still remember our head of the department who's on maternity leave?"

Of course, I remember that. The director of the propaganda department and Shen Fenghua, the deputy director, didn't get along well on the surface, but their hearts were completely at odds.

She herself got in through connections, yet she looked down on Shen Fenghua, thinking that she got to her current position by taking advantage of a favor and that she didn't have the ability to do the job properly.

At the beginning, the two were locked in a fierce battle. One was Shen Fenghua, who could hold onto her secure job and never fail in her duties as long as the steel factory didn't go bankrupt. The other was Li Xiu'e, who had a powerful background.

Later, whether they were tired of fighting or not, the two shook hands and made peace for a short time.

However, there was also no shortage of back-and-forth banter.

Shen Fenghua raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I heard that this is her niece from her maternal family. I guess she got in through connections." Sister Niu is very well-informed. Since she said so, even if the facts are slightly off, they can't be too far off.

"Oh?" Shen Fenghua smiled. "So, Director Li is planning to contradict himself?"

She spoke and smiled, her eyes light and cheerful, and her graceful and generous laughter dazzled many people.

Well, how should I put it? It's like if there's a pretty girl in your department, you feel extra motivated at work.

Sister Niu chuckled and said, "Who says otherwise?"

Director Li is a master of putting on airs and acting pretentious. He has often acted arrogantly in this department in the past and likes to form cliques and divide people into different classes.

I think that since Sister Niu is the director of the logistics department, she should be on good terms with Sister Niu, who is also the director of the publicity department. Talking to Shen Fenghua, the deputy director, is just self-degradation.

He always treats anyone he's on good terms with disdain and an air of superiority if that person is in a lower position than him.

Honestly, Sister Niu really looks down on people like that. They don't have much ability, but they act more like big leaders.

She didn't like Li Xiu'e either, but Sister Niu's background wasn't as strong as hers, so she couldn't openly confront Li Xiu'e. However, Sister Niu was quite adept at feigning compliance while secretly going against her wishes.

That's why she and Shen Fenghua get along so well; part of the reason is that they share the same feelings and appreciate each other.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

The two were having a great time, chatting away, creating a lively and exciting atmosphere.

But Chen Fenghua always felt that something was wrong; wasn't this office a little too quiet?

She was cracking sunflower seeds when she looked up and saw Li Xiu'e's eyes, which seemed to be spitting fire, and his distorted face.

Hmm, not bad, he got caught talking badly about someone behind their back.

She secretly kicked Sister Niu under the table, then grabbed a handful of melon seeds from the table and handed them to Li Xiu'e with a smile, "Talking bad about you, are you happy to hear it?"

Li Xiu'e: "???"

She doubted she had heard correctly.

Shen Fenghua was so infuriating that she almost laughed. She had been caught red-handed talking badly about her behind her back, and then she could even turn around and ask her if she enjoyed hearing it.

She really wanted to pry open Shen Fenghua's skull and see what was inside.

How dare you say that?

I almost drove her crazy.

Li Xiu'e took a deep breath. "Deputy Director Shen, do you really enjoy gossiping about people behind their backs?"

“It’s alright!” Shen Fenghua said seriously. “Besides, wasn’t this being chewed in front of you? I think…” She frowned slightly, as if she was having some trouble, “This doesn’t count as gossiping behind someone’s back.”

Li Xiu'e: "?"

Sister Niu: "..."

She looked completely bewildered. Who am I? Where am I? What is Xiao Shen saying?

Seeing that Li Xiu'e didn't reach out to take the melon seeds, Shen Fenghua naturally withdrew her hand. "You're not going to eat them? Then I'll eat them."

After saying that, Shen Fenghua put a melon seed into her mouth and chewed it with a crunching sound. "You're making it sound like I'm some kind of petty person."

"Shen Fenghua!" Li Xiu'e gritted her teeth. "I'm warning you, don't go too far."

Shen Fenghua looked at Li Xiu'e with apparent surprise, "Are you angry?"

Li Xiu'e was about to explode. "You've been talking badly about me behind my back, shouldn't I be angry?"

Shen Fenghua said with a serious expression, "First of all, I have to correct you. I didn't say it behind your back, I said it to your face. Secondly, I was just making a harmless little joke with you, just like you said about me before, Director Li. But you got angry. If word gets out, people who don't know the situation will think that you, the director of the steel plant, are so petty."

Li Xiu'e had a chest pain.

Not only did her chest hurt, but she also felt pain in her surgical incision.

"You're completely unreasonable."

Shen Fenghua smiled slightly, "Yes, that's right, I learned it all from you. I thought you saw it and would praise me for learning it well."

The people below were practically bursting with suppressed laughter.

No one expected that Director Li, who had just gone home to have a baby, would be suppressed and ridiculed by Shen Fenghua upon her return, completely powerless to fight back.

Li Xiu'e's hands were trembling. Shen Fenghua, still feeling unsatisfied, added, "Now it seems that even you, Director, haven't quite mastered the art."

Watching Li Xiu'e storm out, Shen Fenghua and the remaining young girl exchanged glances. After three seconds, the girl silently looked away, her tone quite respectful, "Sister Shen, my aunt..."

The girl stopped mid-sentence, her tongue practically tied in knots, and changed her words, saying, "Director Li told me to learn more from you."

"What kind of skill do you want to learn?" Shen Fenghua grinned, revealing her gleaming white teeth. "If you want to learn how to argue, then it's best to follow Director Li. But if you want to learn technical skills..."

Shen Fenghua shrugged. "I also suggest you follow Director Li. After all, I'm known in the factory for my connections."

Sister Niu: "..."

ox!

You can have this surname.