Wan Zhenzhen hurriedly pulled Qian Qing to leave, but Qian Qing turned around and told the clerk at the household registration office, and then the two of them went out together.

It was August, the end of midsummer, and the cicadas outside were chirping at the top of their lungs.

Wan Zhenzhen wanted to pull Qian Qing to jog all the way, but Qian Qing pulled her slowly.

"...Qian Qing, let's hurry up, it's already past three o'clock."

Wan Zhenzhen was extremely anxious. The Women's Federation of the oil field had only one office, located in the office building of Oil Production Plant No. 1. The women directors and staff in charge of the various plant agencies were all on duty there except when they were out on field work.

Wan Zhenzhen was worried that she wouldn't be able to find anyone there, and she was also afraid of running into Zhou Hao on the way. Her heart was about to jump out of her chest with anxiety.

Qian Qing took out the hat from her small bag in an unpleasant manner, not realizing Wan Zhenzhen's anxiety at all.

"It's too hot."

Thanks to Zhou Hao's thoughtfulness, he insisted that she wear a hat before going out.

Wan was really in a hurry when suddenly a man on a bicycle passed by. There was a big iron box hanging on the back seat of the bicycle with the word "Popsicle" written on it with red paper.

"Hey! The popsicle seller!"

Qian Qing started screaming and Wan Zhenzhen looked at her as if she had seen a ghost.

Even at this hour, she still wants to buy popsicles!

The popsicle seller quickly got out of the car and trotted over on his bicycle.

"How do you sell it?"

There is a popsicle factory near the oil field, next to the third oil production plant, not close to here.

Although reform and opening up have been implemented in recent years, life in the oil fields is stable and there are not many businesses here. Even the number of people selling popsicles is not as high as in other places.

"Red beans and green beans are 20 cents a piece, salt water is 1.5 cents a piece, and milk is 50 cents a piece."

Qian Qing was a little surprised. The popsicles sold at her mother's house were only 0.1 cent for salt water and 0.15 cents for red bean and mung bean popsicles.

It seems that this popsicle seller is making quite a lot of money?

Wan Zhenzhen saw that she had to haggle even when buying a popsicle, and she cursed her countless times in her heart.

Qian Qing rummaged through his pockets. Wan was really anxious and simply took out two dimes from his trouser pocket.

"Okay, Qian Qing, I'll treat you!"

Don't delay here any longer!

Qian Qing smiled happily: "Sure, I want two green bean popsicles!"

As he spoke, he stretched out his slender white fingers and waved them in front of Wan Zhenzhen.

Wan Zhenzhen was almost mad at her, but there was nothing she could do. She could only harden her heart and take out another two dimes from her pocket.

"Two green beans!"

After buying the popsicles, Qian Qing ate them happily, holding one in her hand. Wan Zhenzhen, on the other hand, was sweating profusely, feeling angry and anxious.

Fortunately, Qian Qing ate a popsicle and her steps became much faster.

The two hurried all the way to the office building of the first factory. Wan Zhenzhen walked in front and knocked on the door of the Women's Federation. After hearing a "come in" from inside, the two walked in.

As soon as Qian Qing entered the door, she saw Li Hongmei, the women's director of the Second Oil Production Plant. She looked almost the same as in her dream. Li Hongmei had the standard appearance of a cadre, with a round face, wide and sparse eyebrows and eyes, her hair was left a little behind her ears, and she was wearing a Lenin suit with a pen stuck on her clothes. Although she was old and a little fat, she didn't look bloated at all.

Li Hongmei was the only one in the Women's Federation office. She thought the two of them looked familiar but couldn't remember their names.

Wan Zhenzhen quickly introduced herself: "Hello, Director Li, I am the wife of Wang Hua from the maintenance team of the Second Oil Production Plant. My name is Wan Zhenzhen."

After that, she pulled Qian Qing aside and said, "She is just like me. She also married into the maintenance team of the Second Oil Production Plant. Her husband is Zhou Hao."

Qian Qing said politely: "My name is Qian Qing."

Li Hongmei now had an impression. Aren’t these the young people who had just held their wedding yesterday?

Coming to see the women's director on the second day after your wedding?

She suppressed her doubts and smiled: "I saw her yesterday. I was saying at that time, this girl is so talented. It would be a great honor for us if she married into our oil field."

He poured a glass of water for both of them and asked carefully, "What are you doing here?"

It's no wonder she was nervous about asking. In the early years, the conditions in the oil fields were average. The higher-ups said they would try their best to solve the dual-employment problem. Generally, when people got married in the oil fields, they would arrange a job for the woman. After all, there were tens of thousands of people in the oil fields, and there were many gaps in logistics.

But this is no longer the case in recent years. As oil production equipment has been improved generation after generation, fewer and fewer workers are needed, and naturally, no one is allowed to fill logistics positions.

There have been more than one or two people causing trouble in the past few years, all of them are newly married women working in the oil fields. They said they had expected to be arranged with jobs after they got married, but who knew that they were told there were no jobs as soon as they got married. Isn't this annoying?

What could Li Hongmei, a director of women's affairs, do? She could only persuade them earnestly, saying that they would be given priority when a job was available, and then persuaded them to leave.

Wan Zhenzhen poked Qian Qing and said that since they were already here, it was time for Qian Qing to step forward. If she jumped again, the director of the women's department would inevitably take note of it.

Qian Qing's eyes rolled around and she saw the street map in the office.

An idea came to his mind: "Director Li, when I came here just now, I saw that the house opposite our Zidi Primary School has been cleared?"

Li Hongmei was relieved to hear that she didn't mention the job, "Yes, it was the factory leader who said that the office building over there needs to be moved, otherwise there will be a lot of people coming in and out all day, which will interfere with students' studies."

Qian Qing's eyes lit up: "The factory leaders didn't say what they were going to do with the vacated office building?"

Li Hongmei thought about it and felt that it was not something to be kept secret, so she answered: "They said they were going to tear down the house and rebuild it. After all, it is an old building and it is dangerous to leave it alone."

Qian Qing's eyes lit up: "Do you want to remove the gate over there?"

"It shouldn't be demolished. It's just a small room and doesn't take up much space."

The gatehouse is a small bungalow, bare and empty. A security guard used to live there. If the office building is demolished, the security guard will definitely be transferred to another position. So the house will be vacant.

Qian Qing's heart was filled with excitement: "Then can I rent this room from the factory?"

Li Hongmei was a little puzzled: "That house is called a room, but in fact it's not even ten square meters. It's only six or seven square meters at best. What are you renting it for?"

Qian Qing was not exaggerating at all: "It's hot, isn't it? I saw that people in the factory all went to the third factory to buy popsicles. The third factory is far from here, and the popsicles would melt by the time they came back. Those who push carts to sell popsicles don't come here often, so I thought of setting up a popsicle stand there so that people don't have to run so far."

Li Hongmei was a little surprised: "You just got married and you're planning to do this? Is there any problem at home?"

"No, no, I just had nothing to do at home. I thought I'd make it easier for everyone and find something to kill time."

Li Hongmei nodded: "Yes, I'll ask you later, it shouldn't be too much trouble."

The gate is just sitting there anyway and won't make much money if rented out, but at least it can solve the employment problem of one family member and save him/her the trouble of coming here to work.

Wan Zhenzhen next to him was getting extremely anxious, but Qian Qing was neither anxious nor busy and just didn't talk about business.

Popsicle stand? What kind of popsicle stand! They only make a few cents. Not to mention the long-term, it’s already August. How many days can this popsicle business last?

Let’s talk business!

Qian Qing looked at Wan Zhenzhen who was extremely anxious, and then she spoke to Director Li as if she suddenly realized something.

"I forgot what I was saying. I came here with Zhenzhen today. She has something she wants you to help her solve!"

Wan was really dumbfounded.

What does she need to resolve?

Wasn’t it Qian Qing who came to report the problem?

Li Hongmei immediately felt like she was facing a formidable enemy. She turned around and asked Wan Zhenzhen, "Comrade Wan, what can I do for you?"

Wan Zhenzhen no longer cared about hiding behind and letting Qian Qing support her, and immediately jumped up.

"Qian Qing, what are you talking about? Didn't you come to see Director Li?"

Qian Qing was shocked: "Ah? Didn't you just tell me that your mother-in-law treats you badly? She said that she left early after the banquet yesterday, and dug Wang Hua out of the quilt early this morning, leaving you alone at home. And your mother-in-law withheld your father-in-law's death allowance in the line of duty from you and Wang Hua..."

Qian Qing kept on talking, bringing up everything Wan Zhenzhen had just said.

Li Hongmei got a little angry as she listened. She had mediated many such cases in the past few years. Young wives who married into the oil field would quarrel with their mother-in-law as soon as they entered the house. Li Hongmei herself was also a mother-in-law, so naturally she looked down on these new daughters-in-law.

"Comrade Wan, I don't mean to criticize you. It's just that it's normal for your family to have some minor conflicts on the second day after you got married. New family members will inevitably have a period of adjustment. I can go talk to your mother-in-law and help you communicate. But I can't help you with the allowance for those who died in the line of duty. Your father-in-law is Wang Hongxing, right? When he passed away, your wife Wang Hua was only eight or nine years old. Later, it was your mother-in-law who brought up Wang Hua. It was not easy over the years. That little allowance was also subsidized by the factory to your mother-in-law, and it should be your mother-in-law who should distribute it. Not to mention you, even if your wife came, the factory would not interfere in this matter. In a small sense, this is your family's matter. In a big sense, this is the factory's respect for all the families of martyrs."

Wan Zhenzhen was accused of such a serious crime and was instantly panicked.

"I didn't! I, I didn't mean to come here. It was Qian Qing who wanted to talk to you about something. Her husband was assigned to go on an urgent errand today, and she didn't want to go, so she came to you and wanted you to ask your boss to replace him!"

Li Hongmei was a little helpless: "You want to talk to me? I'm just the director of women's affairs, I don't manage business trips."

Wan Zhenzhen never thought that her extra care would lead to her being speechless.

Qian Qing waited for the right moment and continued, "That's right. Although the place Zhou Hao is going to is very dangerous, I am naturally mentally prepared for this when I marry here."

He said with a worried look on his face: "This is Zhou Hao's responsibility. I trust him."

Li Hongmei was confused. It was just a business trip. How dangerous could it be?

Li Hongmei thought that the new bride was too scared and that was why she regarded the maintenance task as a disaster.

The man she married was a maintenance captain. When they first got married, they also went through such a stage. The man was afraid to be called up in the middle of the night to repair the machine. At that moment, he didn't care about Wan Zhenzhen, but persuaded Qian Qing instead.

"The equipment for oil wells has been improved a lot now. Don't worry. There have been no accidents in our oil fields in the past few years. We have also sent people to the oil fields next door. There are so many people watching over them, so nothing will go wrong."

Qian Qing put on a puzzled look: "Really? Didn't they say that three people died in the oil field over there last month?"

Li Hongmei immediately became nervous: "Who said that? Although the oil field in the neighboring province has just started, it has sufficient technology and manpower. How could such a thing happen? Let alone three people, even if one person got into an accident, it would be a major accident and the entire oil field would be notified. I didn't hear about it, so who told you this?"

No wonder the new bride looked so worried, it seemed like she had heard some rumors from somewhere.

Wan Zhenzhen beside her had already turned pale and was in a state of panic.

Who could have thought that Qian Qing would actually bring the matter directly to Director Li!

What should I do?

Qian Qing immediately stared at Wan Zhenzhen.

"Zhenzhen! You didn't tell me that..."

I deliberately didn't finish my sentence, leaving the ending for Director Li to think about it.

Li Hongmei finally felt a sense of disharmony, and said to Wan Zhenzhen with a stiff face, "Comrade Wan, what did you say to Comrade Qian?"