{Ding-dong}

{Given that the host is currently being slandered by Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu, the God-level option is activated.}

{Option 1: Suppress your anger and spread the rumor of betraying your teacher and ancestors. Reward: A Green Grassland Hat. Wearing it will make you the coolest kid on the block.}

Option Two: Take life and death lightly, fight if you're not convinced. You've been bullied to the point of exhaustion on your own turf, how can you tolerate this? Fight her, fight her! The reward depends on how well the host redeems himself.

MCA initially intended to choose option two without hesitation, but upon seeing the word "干" (gan), they realized, "Oh," it's a noun, not a verb, so they were relieved. Option two.

But Yi Zhonghai is ruthless. No matter what, Sha Zhu was still his nominal master before. Yi Zhonghai said in front of so many people that he had sent Sha Zhu to jail.

It's true that he was sent in, but his own slander is false. With these two people fanning the flames, who among the onlookers will bother to discern the truth? If word gets out, wouldn't his reputation be ruined?

Ma Hua remained silent, only whispering twice to Liu Lan beside him. Seeing Ma Hua's silence, Qin Huairu immediately cried out to the others, "Zhu Zi, what a good person he is! He just doesn't want to teach you because he thinks you're a bad person!"

You harbored resentment and slandered him, so you went in? How cruel of you! How could we have a comrade like you here?

Seeing that MCA remained silent, Yi Zhonghai assumed that MCA had given in, after all, he had been quite adept at using the moral high ground.

Ma Hua was so young, it seemed he had been fooled, so he immediately changed his expression and said gently, "Ma Hua, ah..."

You're still young, and admitting your mistakes and correcting them makes you a good comrade. If you just admit it in front of everyone, we won't pursue it further. We're doing this for your own good.

Think about it, you're so young and already a level eight chef in our factory, your future is limitless, everyone can understand if you act impulsively once in a while, right?

When Yi Zhonghai said the last two words, he glanced at Qin Huairu. Qin Huairu understood and immediately replied, "Yes, Ma Hua, you are still young. It's normal to make mistakes. As long as you actively correct them, it's not a big deal."

Ma Hua watched coldly as these two put on this act. What kind of mistake was this? It was a serious accusation of betraying one's teacher and ancestors! He certainly wouldn't dare wear that label.

When Ma Hua saw Director Wang approaching, he immediately said, "Gentlemen, I originally didn't want to talk about this, but since things have come to this point, I can't help him hide it anymore."

Ma Hua glanced around and, seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, immediately shouted, "It's true that Sha Zhu was my master, but that was before. Ever since Sha Zhu was caught stealing and I didn't take the blame for him..."

Sha Zhu has already expelled me from his apprenticeship. Comrades, I don't understand why either. Our factory has always advocated respecting senior craftsmen.

As Sha Zhu's apprentice, I not only visit him with gifts on major holidays and his birthday, but I also have to set aside a portion of my monthly salary to give him cigarettes and tea as a token of my respect.

I don't know where I went wrong. I've served him so diligently for so many years, and Sha Zhu hasn't taught me anything or said a word. And now that something's happened, he's making me take the blame.

Ma Hua paused for a moment after explaining the background, as he needed to first cultivate the image of a pitiful apprentice. Damn, this era is so annoying; reputation is too important. If this were in later generations, forget it. Just wait until I produce evidence and launch a cyberbullying campaign against you!

"Since Master Yi told Qin Huairu that I sent Sha Zhu to jail, I don't know much about this matter, but I did encounter a robber on my way home the night before last."

That man was masked and carrying a stick. If it weren't for our neighbors coming to help, I, Ma Hua, would have been beaten to death!

"Later, that person confessed on the spot and was taken away by the police. I only found out later, when the police notified me, that it was Sha Zhu. I really can't understand it. It's a new society now, how can people still be bullied like this?"

Are we apprentices not human beings? Why is it that we are so filial, yet in the end we are expelled from the sect, subjected to retaliation, and even gossiped about as traitors to our master?

Ma Hua feigned indignation, then glared angrily at Yi Zhonghai with red eyes: "Master Yi, you're considered a senior worker in our factory. I want to ask you, is this how you train your apprentices?"

As the workers around him listened to Ma Hua's words, their eyes gradually reddened. Those of you standing there, who hasn't suffered mistreatment from their master? If you're lucky enough to have a good master, things are alright...

If you encounter an unethical teacher, you'll be beaten every day, forced to do all the dirty and hard work, and in the end, they won't teach you anything, wasting your youth. How many four-year periods does a person have?

Someone, not afraid of stirring up trouble, secretly shouted from behind the crowd: "Ma Hua, who do you think you are, daring to question our Master Yi? Master Yi is an eighth-grade fitter in our factory."

Yi Zhonghai, who was initially feeling guilty, immediately straightened his chest upon hearing this. Yes, what was Ma Hua? Just a lousy cook, yet he dared to question him. He was an eighth-grade fitter in the factory, and even the workshop director had to be mindful of his feelings.

Before Yi Zhonghai could even feel happy, the man continued, "Ma Hua, don't you know that Qin Huairu is Master Yi's apprentice? What's wrong?"

"Silly Zhu only made you work for three years, but Widow Qin has been working for almost five and is still just an apprentice. What nonsense are you spouting?"

That man's way of speaking was amusing; he especially emphasized the word "widow," as if afraid people wouldn't know that Qin Huairu was a widow.

[Huaihua is Jia Dongxu's posthumous child, born in 1961. In the storyline, Jia Dongxu died in 1961, and Qin Huairu took over while heavily pregnant, so it's been almost five years.]

Hahahaha, the crowd, who had been feeling sad, immediately burst into laughter. After they finished laughing, they all looked at Yi Zhonghai with amusement.

Could this be the secret the widow and her master haven't been able to tell each other for five years? Yi Zhonghai's face instantly darkened, and Ma Hua was amused. He was about to criticize her, but who would have thought this was a teammate?

Then Ma Hua pretended to be embarrassed and said, "Master Yi, I'm really sorry, I didn't know Qin Huairu was your apprentice."

After Ma Hua finished speaking, he turned to Director Wang and said, "Director Wang, I need to trouble you again. Could you help me find a few union leaders? I want to appeal to the union, otherwise I can't continue working. I can't bear the accusation of betraying my master."

Director Wang nodded: "Okay." Director Wang was furious when Liu Lan told him that Yi Zhonghai had caused trouble in the cafeteria. He was practically bursting with rage; he wasn't even dead yet, and Yi Zhonghai dared to cause trouble on his turf!

The union must intervene. How can we tolerate these people bullying us on our own turf? Damn it, who do you think you are, an eighth-grade worker? From now on, if I can eat my fill in my canteen, I'll change my surname to yours!

Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu were also dumbfounded. They thought the MCA would argue with them in public, because no matter how they argued, they could still say that the MCA was wrong and accuse them of something serious.

But once the union gets involved, things change...