Master Liu tried to force a kind smile, but An'an couldn't resist the temptation. She followed behind Master Liu with her little schoolbag from the Yuhong Class, taking one step at a time and looking back every three steps.

"This child is strange. He's fearless, but he's afraid of Master Liu."

It was only a few dozen meters away; I could have seen her just by turning around, yet she was still so reluctant to leave.

“Master Liu was like this when he was young. I heard that all the kids in our dormitory area were afraid of him.”

Song Qing stood there chatting with Factory Director Wei, and the more they talked, the stranger it seemed. The two were just exchanging ordinary pleasantries, but she felt something was off. Perhaps it was because Factory Director Wei's attitude was too friendly.

This is quite different from the serious image she had heard, and the image of her arguing with Director Shen.

She wanted to leave, but An'an was still there, and she couldn't find an excuse to leave right away.

"Xiao Song, I heard you just came here this year to join the army. The food and customs here must be very different from those back home, right?"

"It's okay, I can adapt to them all."

Song Qing felt increasingly strange. This was their first meeting, but the deputy factory director seemed to have thoroughly investigated her background.

They even know when she came to join the army and what her hometown is.

They stood at the doorway. Song Qing's replies became increasingly concise, her attitude neither humble nor arrogant. After speaking, she looked up from the doorway and gazed inside.

An'an was bending over, looking at Master Liu's toolbox with envy. After getting permission from Master Liu, she carefully reached out and touched it.

Master Liu welded a small one based on the design of a military truck. Although it was very rough, the children still loved it.

These days, there are very few factories that make toys for children. Department stores in big cities do have imported toys, but they are very expensive and ordinary families simply cannot afford them.

So this rough but rare toy immediately captured An'an's heart.

"Do you like it?"

"……like."

"Then I'll secretly give this to you."

"Thank you, Grandpa Liu."

An'an's eyes lit up immediately, and Master Liu smiled with satisfaction, pleased that he had successfully changed his image in the eyes of a child.

Wei Lan chatted with Song Qing for a while and found that while Song Qing's attitude was impeccable, she was quite adept at dodging the issue and avoiding the important points, and was far from enthusiastic.

She wasn't the type to enjoy being ignored, so she gradually changed the subject and started talking to her about An'an and Master Liu.

"Why?"

When Wu Xiu saw An An, she guessed that Song Qing should be outside. Since she had something to ask her, she hurriedly came out. Unexpectedly, she saw Song Qing chatting happily with the newly arrived deputy factory director at the gate.

Both of them were members of the early preparation team for the textile factory. Although many people were added to the preparation team later, Song Qing was mainly responsible for technology, so their work overlapped much less.

However, we're all acquaintances by now.

She was originally a production team leader at the daily necessities factory, working under Director Shen and Director Zhang for several years. This time, she was promoted by them to work at the textile factory. In her mind, she was Director Shen's person.

Others might not know, but these women had more contact with Director Shen and naturally knew that this deputy director was coming on strong.

When the factory was first built, it was said that the military region would be fully responsible. Later, the city took a portion of the recruitment quota, but it was agreed that the daily production would still be managed by the military region itself.

But unexpectedly, the deputy factory director suddenly appeared afterward, and I don't know how the conversation went.

Moreover, this deputy factory director has the support of the city, making it easier for him to get things done than for them.

She had already had a dispute with Director Shen for various reasons when she first arrived, and neither side was willing to back down. Wu Xiu naturally sided with Director Shen, so she noticed the deputy director chatting warmly with Song Qing.

I immediately sensed something was wrong.

In Wu Xiu's mind, Song Qing was on their side, yet now he was chatting happily with the enemy.

"Sister Wu?"

"Who is this?"

Wei Lan didn't recognize the woman in front of her, but she clearly saw a fleeting look of wariness in her eyes, so she was probably one of Shen Chunjiao's people.

This factory manager, Ms. Shen, had placed her own people in the entire management team of the textile factory, so she couldn't get anything done at all.

She wasn't there to be a mascot; she was bound to gradually wrest some power from Shen Chunjiao.

"Sister Wu is the team leader of the production management department of our textile factory, and this is Factory Director Wei."

"Hello, Deputy Factory Director."

"Hello."

The two exchanged a brief greeting, and Wu Xiu turned and slowly left. Wei Lan's face remained calm, and she even nodded when she saw Wu Xiu looking over.

"It seems that Comrade Wu has something he wants to say to you."

Before Song Qing could react, Master Liu had already brought An'an out.

"Okay, you guys chat first, I have to go now." Wei Lan left quickly as well.

Song Qing stood there pondering Wu Xiu's expression, while An An clutched her new toy tightly, her face beaming with joy.

Master Liu coughed, and Song Qing came back to her senses.

"Don't think about it. Just know that you are an employee of the textile factory. The rest has nothing to do with you."

"Master Liu?"

Mr. Liu was in a good mood today. An'an really liked the toys he made, and her fear of him lessened a bit.

It seems these children are quite easy to bribe.

He knew Wei Lan before, so he naturally knew what kind of person she was.

Their relationship was nothing like the close one she made in front of Song Qing. He knew her family, but the two were merely nodding acquaintances.

Wei Lan is a very purposeful person. If she didn't have an ulterior motive, she wouldn't have acted so friendly in front of Song Qing.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!