Chapter 22 The Victim's Thoughts

Even after leaving the ward, the smell of disinfectant still seemed to linger in my nose.

Li Tianfang frowned, her voice low and worried as she said to Jiang Suining, "Jiang, did you see that? The Qin family's scheme is so blatant, you can hear it all over the street. The Wang family has so many mouths to feed, all relying on Wang Dafu and Wang Shengli's meager wages. Asking them to give up a job is cutting off their livelihood. I think it'll be difficult to settle this privately."

As Jiang Suining listened, she felt as if a stone was stuck in her heart. Sister Li's words were all about the power struggle between the two families, but she had overlooked the person who should have been the most concerned.

“Master,” she couldn’t help but ask tentatively, “shouldn’t we ask Qin Chunni what she thinks first? After all, she’s the one who’s going to be beaten and suffer.”

"Didn't the Qin family ask her for a job?" Li Tianfang didn't quite understand at first.

"Let's not even talk about whether the Wang family is willing to give it up," Jiang Suining retorted sharply, "Even if they do, who will ultimately get the job? Will it be Qin Chunni herself?"

Li Tianfang was taken aback by her question. After carefully considering the meaning behind her words, her expression gradually changed. She was silent for a moment, then a helpless bitter smile appeared on her lips: "Sigh, even if it's not hers, Qin Chunni herself probably wouldn't dare to have any objections."

"But she's the victim! Her arm is still in a sling!" Jiang Suining's anger flared up, and her voice involuntarily became sharp.

Unexpectedly, Li Tianfang was not angry at all. Instead, she lowered her head slightly, a hint of shyness and helplessness flashing across her face.

Jiang Suining immediately realized that she had taken her anger out on Li Tianfang, who was simply following procedure. She quickly softened her tone, "Master, I'm sorry, I got too agitated."

"It's nothing!" Li Tianfang waved her hand, her tone dejected. "The Qin family aren't employees of our factory, but I've heard a bit about them. They're extremely sexist. This time, they're probably using the excuse of standing up for their daughter to try and take a bite out of the Wang family."

“Then we absolutely cannot let them have their way!” Jiang Suining blurted out, with the sharp edge of a newborn calf.

"Not allow it?" Li Tianfang smiled bitterly and lowered her voice, "Xiao Jiang, you're thinking too simply."

The Qin family is notoriously difficult to deal with; they're relentless even when they're in the right, and they can always find a way to stir up trouble even when they're wrong. Now that the Wang family is in the wrong, they won't stop until they've squeezed a hefty sum out of them. If we don't comply, not only the Wang family, but our entire labor protection factory will probably be thrown into chaos.

“If you ask me, this kind of thing shouldn’t be settled privately!” Jiang Suining understood her concerns but couldn’t agree. “Hitting someone is illegal! We should call the police and make him face legal consequences!”

"That won't do!" Li Tianfang blurted out, her face clearly saying, "Wang Shengli is an employee of our factory. If he goes in, our factory's 'Excellent Factory' award this year will definitely be ruined! The impact will be too great!"

Jiang Suining fell silent. She understood Li Tianfang's position and the factory's considerations, but this "appeasement" approach felt like a fishbone stuck in her throat—she couldn't swallow it or spit it out. In the end, she didn't argue further.

"Xiao Jiang, you're back? Hurry up, Xiao Lu came here specifically to see you!" Sister-in-law Lian smiled and nudged Lu Ye, "You two young couple, go and have a chat."

Jiang Suining's heart skipped a beat. What urgent matter could have made him come all the way here during his work hours? She didn't dare to delay and quickly followed Lu Ye out.

Lu Ye pulled her to a quiet, shady spot next to the office building and got straight to the point, his tone unusually serious: "Sui Sui, I have an urgent mission and need to leave immediately."

Jiang Suining's heart skipped a beat.

“The timeframe is uncertain,” he said, looking at her with a deep gaze. “It could be as short as a week or two, or as long as… a few months.”

Jiang Suining's eyes widened in surprise. They'd only been married a short time! And now he was being sent on a business trip with no return date in sight; the mission was clearly unusual. She tried to recall the plot of the original book, but Lu Ye wasn't the male lead, and there wasn't much of a mention of him, so she had little recollection of him.

Could she not go? The thought only flashed through her mind. She knew that since Lu Ye had come to solemnly inform her, it meant that the mission was set and could not be changed. She could not, and would not, hold him back.

"Is it dangerous?" She suppressed the reluctance and worry surging in her heart, looked up at him, and said stubbornly, "I want to hear the truth. Don't lie to me!"

Lu Ye's lips moved, but under her clear and firm gaze, the words of comfort he had prepared ultimately remained unspoken.

He licked his dry lips with difficulty, grasped her slender arms with both hands, his grip steady, trying to transfer some strength to her: "There is definitely some danger. But don't worry, your man is very capable. And," he paused, looking at her intently, "for your sake, I will definitely come back safely."

The military mission required secrecy, and Jiang Suining knew she couldn't ask too many questions. A lump formed in her throat, and her eyes instantly reddened. She hurriedly lowered her head, sniffed, and lightly punched his hard chest with her small fist, her voice choked with sobs as she scolded, "Then you have to keep your word! You must come back safe and sound!"

"It's a promise! How about we pinky swear?" Lu Ye teased her on purpose, trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere.

"No way! That's childish!" Jiang Suining said with a disdain, but she opened her arms and hugged his waist tightly, buried her face in his chest, and said in a muffled voice, "I'll go back with you to pack your luggage."

"No need, I have to go now. My luggage has already been packed by the guards." Lu Ye hugged her back, his arms holding her tightly. "I'm just worried about you. While I'm away, you can eat at the cafeteria. I've already spoken to the head chef. Just tell him what you want to eat."

His meticulous instructions warmed Jiang Suining's heart, yet also left her feeling a pang of sadness. "It's not like I can't cook; I can't eat in the cafeteria every day," she muttered softly.

"Okay, my wife is the best." Lu Ye affectionately ruffled her hair and placed a solemn kiss on her smooth forehead. "I promised to go to the library with you this weekend, but I have to break my promise. However, I called Lü Aiguo and asked him to go with you to pick out books this weekend."

Jiang Suining was quite surprised. Remembering how jealous he had been about this before, she subconsciously refused, saying, "No need to trouble others. I'll wait for you to come back before I go."

“Let him go with you. I don’t know when I’ll be back,” Lu Ye said sincerely. Jiang Suining was just about to talk to Lü Aiguo about the waterproof cloth, so she didn’t object anymore.

"I...have to go." Lu Ye tightened his arms again, his voice hoarse.

“…Let’s go.” Jiang Suining reluctantly let go of him, forcing back her tears.

Lu Ye sighed inwardly, gave her a deep look as if trying to etch her image into his heart, before resolutely turning around and striding away.

Watching that tall, upright figure disappear into the distance, Jiang Suining suddenly realized that her mood had instantly plummeted. Back in her office, she sat at her desk, lost in thought.

Having been entrusted with Lu Ye's request, Director Lian noticed her absent-minded appearance and called her to his office.

"Xiao Jiang, don't worry too much. Lu Ye will most likely get a promotion when he comes back from this business trip." Director Lian's husband is Lu Ye's direct superior and is well-informed. "The higher-ups have long intended for him to drop the 'deputy' title. This trip is to give him a chance to make a contribution."

Jiang Suining did not feel joy. Instead, the thought of not seeing each other for a long time made her feel like a heavy stone was pressing on her heart, and her mood became even more depressed.

Director Lian was taken aback by her reaction. Shouldn't a wife be happy that her husband is getting a promotion? What's wrong with Xiao Jiang? ...Oh, right, the couple just got married and are in the honeymoon phase. It's normal for her to be reluctant to part with him.

She understood that the pain of separation couldn't be eased with just a few words, so she considerately changed the subject: "Since you're home alone while Lu Ye is away, why don't you come to our house for meals? It's just a matter of adding an extra pair of chopsticks."

"No need, no need, Director Lian, there's really no need to go to so much trouble." Jiang Suining quickly waved her hand. Lu Ye had been away on business for more than a day or two, and he couldn't just keep eating at the leader's house all the time; that wouldn't be proper. "I can cook for myself, and the cafeteria is convenient."

"Don't be so polite with me, Lu Ye has repeatedly asked me to take care of you," Director Lian said with a smile.

Jiang Suining felt a little embarrassed, her cheeks flushed. This Lu Ye, how could he treat her like a helpless child? How shameful!

"No need, Director. I'd like to take this opportunity to practice my cooking skills," Jiang Suining declined again.

Seeing that she insisted, Director Lian did not press the matter further, offered a few words of comfort, and then returned to his office.

***

That evening, Jiang Suining casually ate a bowl of egg noodles. After it got completely dark, she washed up and lay down on the bed. She felt the room was eerily empty, and a sense of unease crept into her heart for no apparent reason. She repeatedly checked that the gate was locked, then bolted the door from the inside, closed all the windows, and drew the curtains tightly, but the feeling of panic still wouldn't go away.

This is a heavily guarded military family compound, what are you so afraid of? Jiang Suining lay in bed, tossing and turning, until she finally drifted off to sleep in the middle of the night. Sure enough, she overslept again the next morning.

She hurriedly washed up, skipping breakfast before rushing to the factory. Luckily, she made it through the gate just in time and was almost late.

Li Tianfang was already in the office. As soon as she saw Jiang Suining, she immediately came up to her and said, "Come on, Xiao Jiang, let's go to the hospital again."

"Huh? Or are we going to see Qin Chunni?" Jiang Suining asked.

“Yes,” Li Tianfang lowered her voice, “If we go over now, her family shouldn’t be here, so we can ask her what she thinks alone.”

Jiang Suining's eyes lit up; it seemed her master had taken her words to heart yesterday. "Okay, let's go." She immediately grabbed her bag and followed Li Tianfang out the door.

When the two arrived at the military hospital ward, sure enough, Qin Chunni was all alone, leaning against the headboard.

"Chunni, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you?" Li Tianfang had specially bought a few hot buns on the way here and handed them to her. "Quickly, eat some while they're hot."

Qin Chunni hesitated for a moment, then Li Tianfang directly placed it in her uninjured hand: "I bought this especially for you, don't be shy."

"Thank you, thank you, Sister Li," Qin Chunni said softly. She was truly hungry. After Li Tianfang and the others left yesterday afternoon, her family also left. No one from her in-laws brought her dinner, so she didn't dare go home. She didn't have a single penny or grain coupon on her, and she had endured the hunger by drinking cold water. She thought her in-laws would come this morning, but she hadn't seen a single person yet.

“Chunni, you heard what your mother said yesterday.” Li Tianfang moved a stool and sat down by the bed. Her tone was much gentler than yesterday. “We’re here today for no other reason than to hear what you think. This is your business, and you have to make your own decision.”

"Me?" Qin Chunni swallowed the bun in her mouth, remained silent for a while, and then said in a low voice, "I...I'll listen to my mother."

The reluctance in her tone was clearly heard even by Jiang Suining, who was standing next to her. She exchanged a glance with Li Tianfang.

Jiang Suining moved closer, her voice softening but carrying a powerful tone: "Sister Chunni, you are the victim. How this matter is ultimately handled must respect your wishes. If you want justice for yourself, then speak your true thoughts. Otherwise, not only will you have suffered this beating for nothing, but he might also hit you again in the future."

Qin Chunni lowered her head and remained silent.

Jiang Suining thought she didn't believe her, so she patiently explained: "Think about it, because you were beaten, your family benefited and tasted the sweetness. Will they think that as long as you are beaten in your husband's family, they can get benefits? At that time, they might... even hope that your husband will beat you."

Qin Chunni suddenly raised her head and looked at Jiang Suining in disbelief, her eyes wide open.

Jiang Suining could tell from her eyes that she hadn't thought about this at all, so she continued, "On the other hand, if your family benefits from your husband's family while they suffer losses, won't they resent you? In the end, they'll still hold you accountable and take their anger out on you."

Qin Chunni remained silent, but her eyelids drooped, and her fingers unconsciously fiddled with the blanket. She had already vaguely sensed this.

Seeing this, Jiang Suining breathed a slight sigh of relief. The fact that she could think of this meant that she wasn't completely senile; she was probably just blinded by the long-term oppression and brainwashing she had received at her family home.

“Sister Chunni, let me ask you again,” Jiang Suining changed her perspective, “After you were beaten this time, did you go back to your parents’ home for help on your own initiative, or did your family find out on their own?”

"It was...it was my mother who brought my nephew to see a doctor. She happened to see the injury on my face and pressed me for details before I found out," Qin Chunni explained softly.

“Then think back carefully,” Jiang Suining guided her, “What was the first thing your mother said after she found out you were injured? How did she treat you?”

Qin Chunni was stunned and began to think seriously. Yes, when her mother first found out, she kept scolding her for being useless and stupid, unable to even win over a man. Later, although her mother said she would stand up for her, the conditions she discussed were all for her younger brother's benefit. From beginning to end, it seemed that her mother never asked her even once, "Are you still in pain?"

Thinking of all this, her tears fell like beads from a broken string, starting as silent tears, and then she began to sob uncontrollably.

Jiang Suining and Li Tianfang didn't try to persuade her, but waited silently. Only when the crying gradually subsided into low sobs did Jiang Suining speak again, her tone firm: "Sister Chunni, I'll say it again, you are the victim. How do you want to handle this? Divorce, demand compensation, or anything else, you can bring it up. Only by standing up for yourself will it be truly legitimate."

Qin Chunni thought for a long time, so long that Jiang Suining thought she was going to back down again, when she finally raised her head. Although her eyes were still filled with tears, there was a hint of determination she had never shown before: "I want that job." She paused, then mustered her courage to continue, "My mother said yesterday that the Wang family should give up a position. I was thinking that if the position were given directly to my brother, the Wang family would definitely not be happy, and my in-laws would not agree either. But if it were given to me, and I could go to work there, they might agree."

These words were exactly what Li Tianfang wanted to hear! She had been tossing and turning all night, thinking of exactly this perfect solution.

"Great! Let's do it that way!" Li Tianfang's face lit up with joy. "I'll go talk to your father-in-law about this today!"

“But what about my mother?” Qin Chunni said, her face showing worry again. “I’m worried she won’t agree.”

"What's there to object to?" Li Tianfang was now more confident. "This is a matter between you two. You should discuss it yourselves. She's an outsider; what right does she have to interfere?"

Qin Chunni nodded slowly, seemingly lost in thought.

“However, you have to keep it a secret from your family before you get things done,” Li Tianfang instructed worriedly, “so that they won’t find out and cause trouble, which would create unnecessary complications.”

"Yes, Sister Li, I understand." Qin Chunni nodded vigorously.

Jiang Suining watched this scene with a complex mix of disappointment and frustration. Deep down, she hoped Qin Chunni could muster the courage to leave that violent environment completely. But she also understood that she was just an outsider, and ultimately, the decision of which path to take was up to the person involved.

That very evening, Li Tianfang went to the Wang family and actually managed to persuade Wang Dafu. In the end, Wang Shengli, who had caused the trouble, gave up his job to Qin Chunni.

The reason why Wang Shengli gave in was twofold: firstly, his other brothers disagreed with their father's decision, as Wang Dafu had a long service record, high wages, and was the pillar of the family, so he couldn't be replaced; secondly, he was the one who caused the trouble, so he should naturally bear the consequences.

Li Tianfang shared this good news with Qin Chunni, who was in the hospital bed. They were just waiting for Qin Chunni to recover and be discharged so she could report to the labor protection factory.

The Qin family was initially kept in the dark, but later, having somehow caught wind of the situation, they indeed came to the hospital and caused a scene. This time, however, Qin Chunni withstood the pressure, refusing to budge despite her mother's tears and curses and her brothers' accusations. Seeing that the die was cast, the Qin family had no choice but to reluctantly give up, secretly thinking: It's fine if they give it to Qin Chunni; once she takes over, they can slowly work her down and eventually get their hands on the benefits. Of course, that's a story for later.

***

The weekend arrived in the blink of an eye.

Lu Aiguo arrived at Jiang Suining's house carrying a net bag of apples. Knowing that Lu Ye was away on a business trip, he didn't dare to stay long to avoid suspicion. After putting down the fruit, the two went to the military library together.

On the way, Jiang Suining mentioned to Lü Aiguo that the factory was going to develop waterproof fabric.

Upon hearing this, Lü Aiguo immediately perked up and launched into a long explanation of the technological principles behind waterproof fabric. Only after finishing did he realize his mistake and scratched his head sheepishly, saying, "Oh dear, senior sister, I'm just showing off my limited knowledge. You definitely already know all of this."

Jiang Suining smiled and said, "I know that, but what we need now is a reasonable solution that is in line with the technological conditions of this era."

"Then you must have some ideas, right, senior sister?" Knowing his own limitations, Lü Aiguo quickly and humbly asked for advice.

Jiang Suining hadn't been able to sleep for the past two nights, not only thinking about Lu Ye, but also pondering this matter. "I've initially come up with two directions that should be feasible. One is a wax coating process, and the other is a rubber coating process." She paused, then asked, "The key is the raw materials. Are there any rubber factories on this island?"

“Yes!” Lu Aiguo had done in-depth research on Nan’ao Island before his transfer. “I remember there’s one, and it’s quite large. Both of your ideas are very practical! Let’s look in the library later; maybe we can find books on rubber production and fabric coating.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” Jiang Suining nodded. “Compared to wax coating, rubber coating has better durability and protection, making it more suitable for the strict requirements of the military.”

The two searched diligently in the library for a long time and actually found a book about rubber production processes, which they borrowed as if it were a treasure. On their way back, by sheer chance, they ran into Zhou Xiaomei, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.

This was the first time Jiang Suining had seen her since the farce at the labor protection factory's job entrance exam. The two families were neighbors, and they should have run into each other all the time. The fact that they hadn't bumped into each other before meant that Zhou Xiaomei was deliberately avoiding her.

Zhou Xiaomei has had a tough time these days. She didn't get a job and got herself into trouble, with Li Guodong giving her a hard time because of it. She dared not mention work again and could only bury herself in her work every day, trying to cook delicious meals to please her husband and her stepsons, which barely eased the tension between them.

At this moment, looking at Jiang Suining, who was radiant but accompanied by a strange man, a surge of nameless anger and jealousy welled up inside her again. She had only heard yesterday that Lu Ye was on a mission, and today she saw Jiang Suining secretly meeting with another man. She really was someone who couldn't stand being alone!

Jiang Suining keenly noticed Zhou Xiaomei looking her and Lü Aiguo up and down with ill intent, and immediately became wary.

She approached Lü Aiguo discreetly and said quickly in a low voice, "Let's go to Sister Lian's house for a meal later."

"Sister-in-law Lian?" Lu Aiguo didn't react for a moment.

“She’s the wife of Commander Zhang from Lu Ye’s regiment,” Jiang Suining explained.

"Huh? Well... I guess I don't need to go?" Lu Aiguo felt it was abrupt to go for a meal without his consent. "It would be too embarrassing to go to someone's house for a meal for no reason."

“Listen to me,” Jiang Suining said firmly, leaving no room for doubt. “If we don’t go to this meal today, who knows what rumors will spread in the military compound tomorrow about us having a secret rendezvous, or about a man and woman being indecent.”

"Really? Is it that serious?" Lu Aiguo asked, still doubtful.

“Believe me,” Jiang Suining lowered her voice, with an undeniable certainty, “Have you forgotten? I’ve read the original book.”

Lu Aiguo immediately fell silent; he didn't want to get himself into trouble for no reason. The two quickly went to the market, bought meat and vegetables, and headed towards Commander Zhang's house.