Chapter 13 Casual Chat
"What seasonings are you missing? We'll go buy them, and we'll also bring some for Comrade Chen."
“I picked up a few planks on my way back yesterday. How about I nail them together to make a shelf for you to put by the door and store some odds and ends?”
"I don't see a single spare stool in your room..."
"While it's still dark, how about I change the locks for you?"
After countless visits to the kitchen, Gao Ming finally had no more excuses to strike up a conversation. Ruan Qiu, who had been holding back her laughter for a long time, immediately burst out with a "pfft" and began to mimic him with vivid expressions.
Chen Yun lifted the pot lid, and her eyes subtly curved into a smile amidst the rising steam.
Use chopsticks to poke the pork belly; once it's almost cooked, pick it up and put it in the enamel basin on the side.
"How about stir-frying fatty pork with twice-cooked pork, and lean pork with green beans?"
Today, Li Huguo really went all out, buying two jin of pork forelegs alone, one of which was purchased with a ticket borrowed from Gao Ming.
Gao Ming brought half a basket of fir mushrooms and loach.
"I was just joking. How could I really let the guests cook? I'll have Li Huguo do it in a bit."
Seeing Chen Yun roll up his sleeves as he spoke, Ruanqiu quickly smiled and pulled him back.
"They're busy nailing the cabinets, I can't just stand by and do nothing."
Ruanqiu peeked out and saw that the two of them were indeed nailing the cabinet with a lot of noise, and it would take a while to finish.
So he didn't stop Chen Yun, but wandered around for a long time and felt quite embarrassed when he realized he couldn't help much.
"I was just about to ask you that." Chen Yun tore the cleaned fir mushroom in half with her hands, thoughtfully giving Ruan Qiu something to do: "Tell me about the situation at our factory."
Not even recognizing the Party Secretary, and with the original owner's memory of the Red Sun Machinery Factory practically nonexistent, Chen Yun didn't want to repeat the mistake she made in the store earlier.
"You've come to the right person. I'm not good at housework, but I'm definitely better than you when it comes to interpersonal relationships."
"I concede defeat." Chen Yun smiled and winked.
"However, through you, I've also discovered a problem... You can't completely believe rumors; you're completely different from what's said in the rumors."
What are the rumors about me?
"Quiet and never interacts with people." Ruanqiu smiled and looked Chen Yun up and down, uttering a series of adjectives: "Walks with a hunched back, ignores everyone who talks to you... Has no real talent or ability."
"Anyway, not a single kind word came out," Chen Yun concluded helplessly.
"That's why I said you can't completely believe rumors. It's probably just some petty person who's jealous of you and deliberately spreading rumors."
Ruanqiu made a casual remark, but unexpectedly, she inadvertently revealed the truth of the matter.
The rumors about Chen Yun in the factory were actually only circulating in a small circle, mostly in the single dormitories and the health clinic.
It's easy to figure out who the culprit is even with a simple thought.
Most of the rumors circulating in the health center originated from Yang Haiping; the rumors in the dormitory likely came from Cao Qin.
"Let them say whatever they want, I don't care."
"That's true! Let me tell you about the factory situation!"
The factory's production and operation situation is not included in what I want to talk about; what Ruanqiu wants to talk about is the internal relationship of the factory.
Factory director Zhao Feng and deputy factory director Luo Youmao were at odds, and the leadership team was always divided into two factions, each with its own supporters.
The Party branch had a good relationship with Zhao Feng, while the Reform Committee favored Luo Youmao, and the two sides often clashed over factory decision-making.
“We’re just ordinary employees, so it doesn’t really matter who wins.” After saying that, Chen Yun paused, then honestly added, “I will definitely support the factory director. After all, he has helped me so much, I can’t be ungrateful.”
No matter the size of the organization, as long as interests are involved, there will be power struggles. In his previous life, Chen Yun had experienced many dirty struggles behind the white coats.
Having transmigrated into this life, I already owe a huge favor, and from the day I entered the factory, I was definitely assigned to Zhao Feng's camp.
"The head of the health center, Liu Baoguo, has always supported the factory director. Otherwise, why would he go to the factory director first instead of the deputy factory director when something happens? Logically, the work of the health center should be under Luo Youmao's jurisdiction."
Chen Yun nodded.
"Oh dear!" Ruanqiu slapped her thigh, picked up a stool, and sat down by the stove. "Actually, it doesn't have much to do with us. I'm just saying this so you're aware of the situation..."
Next, who is the brother-in-law of the guesthouse manager? Who is the older sister of who is in the factory store? The intricate relationships within the factory are harder to remember than memorizing the names of dynasties in a history textbook.
Overall, Chen Yun only remembered two lines.
Zuo Lingling's husband is the deputy head of the security department at the health center, and is the sister-in-law of Luo Youmao, the deputy factory director.
No wonder Liu Baoguo always targets Ye Yuanjun first whenever something goes wrong at the health center; it seems Ye Yuanjun is the only one who has no one to rely on.
The original owner was the only real doctor in the hospital who could cure diseases and save lives... so she had to be coaxed and pampered no matter what.
The best way to deal with Zuo Lingling's family members from the opposing camp is to treat them as invisible, neither offending them nor flattering them.
"Where's Gao Ming?" Chen Yun suddenly remembered Gao Ming, who seemed to be known by everyone in the factory: "It's not easy to become a team leader at such a young age."
The transportation team is responsible for sending out products, bringing in materials, and transporting supplies to the living area.
The transport team is a very important part of the factory, and I heard that the profits are quite enviable.
Chen Yun remembered that Gao Ming's fleet had more than fifty people, which should make him quite influential in the transportation team.
“There’s no such thing as being clever; he relied entirely on himself.” Ruan Qiu laughed, gesturing towards the corridor with her chin: “Otherwise, would my Li Huguo have been transferred to the security department to guard the gate?”
As for Gao Ming's family situation, Li Huguo would only mention it briefly at times, and Ruan Qiu didn't know the specifics.
Although she didn't know the details, that didn't stop her from making wild guesses based on these scattered pieces of information.
So what Chen Yun heard was that Gao Ming was unloved by his parents and was sent to the army at the age of sixteen, where he almost lost half his life.
Without hesitation, he chose to leave the military and spend the rest of his life in a remote mountain village thousands of kilometers away from home. Unexpectedly, he thrived in the factory and had a bright future.
Then it was too late for the parents to regret it...
Chen Yun: "..."
They were stunned and completely believed it.
Achoo—
Meanwhile, in the corridor, Gao Ming suddenly sneezed.
"Your auntie's been talking about you, hasn't she?" Li Huguo looked up, teasing him with a wry smile.
“I just called her the day before yesterday, and besides, my sister is getting married next month, she doesn’t have time to nag me.”
With a single hammer blow, the nail sank into the wooden board in the blink of an eye. After a few more hammer blows, the basic shape of the wooden frame had already appeared.
Looking at the crooked nails in his hand, Li Huguo wished he could immediately throw away the hammer and give them all to his friend to make.
Then he thought about how he was already married and had responsibilities, so he sighed and pulled out the crooked nail and nailed it in again.
"If Gao Lan saw his brother rushing to help a woman, wouldn't she laugh her head off?" Li Huguo was really bored, and after only a couple of punches, he started making conversation.
If you can't compete in other aspects, you can only start with what you can, such as... getting married early!
"Everyone has the right to pursue happiness. So you're allowed to have a partner and not let me try?"
In front of his friends, Gao Ming showed no restraint whatsoever, his smile lines slowly spreading from the corners of his eyes, like ripples on a lake when a pebble is thrown into it.
"Are you serious?" Li Huguo asked.
Gao Ming gave a soft "hmm".
Li Huguo looked towards the kitchen, where the sound of stir-frying seemed to drown out all other noises, including the conversation between the two.
"Have you thought this through?" Li Huguo asked seriously, lowering his voice deliberately. "You've heard about Comrade Chen's family situation, haven't you?"
Gao Ming nodded.
Will Uncle Gao and Aunt Gao agree?
"Why would they disagree!" Gao Ming asked with a half-smile, his hands not stopping for a moment as he picked up another piece of sandpaper and began sanding the rough edges of the wooden frame: "As long as the girl has good character, my parents will absolutely approve."
The parents were very wise and confident in their judgment. If they saw Chen Yun with their own eyes, they would definitely agree with his vision.
"I'm just worried that it will affect my uncle's work!"
"I think your brain's gotten rusty from working as a gatekeeper in the security department for too long. What's my sister-in-law's family background? Did my parents say anything when my brother and sister-in-law got married?!"
Gao Ming's elder brother was an educated youth sent to the countryside, and his sister-in-law, as the descendant of a landlord in the village, was often criticized and struggled against.
These two young people, from vastly different backgrounds, fell in love. Before their planned wedding, the older brother wrote home, and everyone was prepared for a bloody battle, but to their surprise, they received a reply with only two lines.
[Only character matters; nothing else matters.]
[Parents' blessings.]
The two married smoothly and lived a very happy life in the village, raising children.
Last year, when the eldest brother received the notice to return to the city, the villagers thought that his sister-in-law would be abandoned. Unexpectedly, on the day of his return, the whole family boarded the bus back to the city.
With his older brother leading the way, Gao Ming wasn't worried at all about his parents' objections.
Besides, you have to be in a relationship first before you can take the next step, right?
Now that he's been rejected... Li Huguo's worries are completely unnecessary.
"You've all forgotten that your uncle and aunt aren't my parents!" Li Huguo's face darkened, and he raised the hammer and slammed it down hard. The board flew out with a clang and hit the wall. "I should be worried about myself."
"Did your aunt call you again?"
"Annoying!" Li Huguo threw down the hammer, becoming more and more agitated as he spoke: "We've already got the marriage certificate, and they still gossip every day. They're just bored and have nothing better to do."
Gao Ming picked up the board and took over the frame from his friend to continue nailing.
Li's parents both work in government agencies and have only one son. They have been firmly against Li Huguo dating since he started dating.
Ruanqiu's family was well-off, but her parents passed away a few years ago, and her only grandmother also passed away. Li's parents simply did not agree to their son marrying an orphan.
Ruanqiu guessed that Gao Ming had no choice but to come to support the Third Front because her parents were unkind, but she was actually referring to Li Huguo and her.
Despite being separated by thousands of miles, the two were finally able to get married legitimately, but they still couldn't escape their parents' scolding.
"Then you should live your lives well so they have nothing to say."
"I know."
Gao Ming moved swiftly, nailing the frame back up in a few quick movements and tossing it back to Li Huguo: "I see you have no idea what to do."
Li Huguo: "..."
"I told you six months ago that the internal relationships in the security department are like a circuit board; touching anyone will cause a power outage, but you wouldn't believe me... and now you're stuck guarding the gate."
Li Huguo had nothing to say!
Gao Ming wanted Li Huguo to write an application to transfer to the transportation team, away from the complicated interpersonal relationships in the security department.
But Li Huguo felt ashamed to rely on his childhood friend's help, so he reluctantly stayed.
As a result, he ended up in a lose-lose situation. The section chief casually reassigned him to guard the gate with just a few words, leaving him with endless night shifts and endless flattery.
Li Huguo must have regretted it... but he was even more ashamed to mention it.
Gao Ming placed the shelf against the wall in the corridor, patted the sawdust off his pants, and turned to help Chen Yun change the door lock.
If Li Huguo doesn't proactively request a transfer, Gao Ming won't interfere.
The aroma of food wafted on the wind, and the sky grew completely dark.
"Li Huguo, wash your hands and eat!"
Ruanqiu's cheerful voice rang out, instantly dispelling the gloom in Li Huguo's heart.
As long as the two of them can stay together, there is hope for the future!
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