The late spring breeze, carrying the sweet scent of roses, drifted over the blue-brick walls of the Chenji Food Factory, casting a warm, translucent glow on the windows of the finance department on the second floor of the office building. Morning light streamed through the carved wooden windows, casting dappled shadows on the light gray cement floor. Abacuses and ledgers were neatly arranged on the desks, the ink in the ink bottles gleamed with a serene sheen, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of paper and a faint aroma of ink, exuding an atmosphere of meticulous order.

Su Xiaoya wore a light blue Lenin suit, with a small plum blossom brooch pinned to her collar—a wedding gift from Lin Wanqiu. Her hair was meticulously combed and tied back with a simple blue ribbon, revealing her smooth forehead. A hint of timidity, typical of someone new to the workforce, lingered in her eyes, yet her earnestness and anticipation were undeniable. Standing at the entrance to the finance department, her fingers slightly clenched the hem of her suit, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards the elderly accountant, Master Zhou, who was checking the ledgers behind his desk. She felt a mixture of nervousness and trepidation.

"Xiaoya, don't be nervous, come in." Lin Wanqiu gently patted her shoulder from behind, her voice gentle yet firm. "Master Zhou is a veteran of our factory. He is meticulous and experienced in bookkeeping. If you learn from him, you will definitely be able to get started quickly."

Su Xiaoya nodded, took a deep breath, and followed Lin Wanqiu into the finance department. The office wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy. Bookshelves against the wall were filled with various ledgers, vouchers, and finance books, neatly stacked from the factory's early days to the present, like a history book recording the growth of Chenji Food Factory. Master Zhou sat by the window, wearing reading glasses, holding an abacus, his hands moving rapidly, his expression focused and serious.

Hearing footsteps, Master Zhou looked up, adjusted his reading glasses, and smiled kindly. "Director Lin, Madam Shen, you've arrived." His gaze fell on Su Xiaoya, his eyes full of gentle approval. "This must be the young mistress? What a clever girl."

"Master Zhou, Xiaoya will be in your care from now on. Please take good care of her and guide her." Lin Wanqiu said with a smile, pulling Su Xiaoya to Master Zhou's side. "Xiaoya, quickly greet Master Zhou. From now on, follow Master Zhou and learn financial knowledge well. Ask questions if you don't understand anything. Don't be lazy."

"Master Zhou, hello. I look forward to your guidance in the future." Su Xiaoya bowed respectfully, her voice clear and sincere, her eyes full of humility and thirst for knowledge.

Master Zhou quickly stood up and waved his hand, "Young Madam, you're too kind. We're just learning from each other." He pointed to an empty desk next to him and said, "This desk is yours from now on. The ledgers, abacus, and writing materials are all ready. You can familiarize yourself with the environment first, and I'll explain our factory's financial procedures to you."

Su Xiaoya quickly thanked them and sat down at her desk. A clean blue cloth covered the desk, on which lay a brand-new ledger, a brass abacus, a bottle of ink, and several brushes and pens. She gently stroked the smooth cover of the ledger, a heavy sense of responsibility welling up inside her. She knew that her in-laws had entrusted her with such an important task, a sign of their trust and expectations. She absolutely could not let them down; she had to study hard and strive to do a good job in finance.

Looking at Su Xiaoya's earnest expression, Lin Wanqiu felt a surge of satisfaction. She turned to Master Zhou and said, "Master Zhou, although Xiaoya has no financial experience, she is meticulous, conscientious, and intelligent. Please be patient and teach her. If there's anything I can help you with, just let me know."

"Don't worry, Director Lin, I will definitely take good care of the young mistress," Master Zhou said with a smile. "The young mistress is educated and willing to learn. I believe that it won't be long before she can stand on her own."

Lin Wanqiu nodded, gave Su Xiaoya a few more instructions, and then turned and left the finance department. She knew that Su Xiaoya needed to figure things out and adapt to them on her own; all she could do was provide her with a good learning environment and a solid support system.

In the days that followed, Su Xiaoya devoted herself entirely to studying finance. Every day, she would arrive at the finance department before dawn, clean the office, and tidy up her desks and chairs, waiting for Master Zhou to arrive. Master Zhou was very patient, teaching her from the most basic bookkeeping methods and how to use an abacus, gradually explaining to her the preparation of financial statements, cost accounting, and fund management.

"Bookkeeping is the foundation of financial work. Every income and expenditure must be recorded clearly without any errors." Master Zhou held up the ledger and pointed to the records on it. "Look, this is the expenditure for purchasing raw materials, this is the payment of workers' wages, and this is the sales revenue of products. Each item must be recorded in categories to ensure that the accounts match the actual situation and that each account matches the other."

Su Xiaoya listened attentively, her pen flying across her notebook as she jotted down key points. Her handwriting was neat and elegant, filling page after page with dense writing. Whenever she encountered a problem she didn't understand, she would promptly ask Master Zhou for help until she fully grasped it. To master the abacus as quickly as possible, she would practice repeatedly under the lamp every day after work, her fingers reddening from the abacus beads, yet she remained tireless in her practice.

Seeing his wife working so hard, Shen Nian'an felt both heartache and pride. Every evening, he would prepare warm water and snacks for Su Xiaoya and study with her. "Xiaoya, don't overwork yourself, take a rest." He gently rubbed Su Xiaoya's shoulder, his eyes full of tenderness. "Financial work can't be rushed, take your time, I believe you can do it well."

Su Xiaoya leaned against Shen Nian'an's chest, a tired but satisfied smile on her face: "Nian'an, I'm fine. I just want to learn quickly so I can help my parents share some of the burden. Look how hard they work every day, managing the food factory's production and operations while also taking care of things at home. The more I learn, the easier it will be for them."

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