Chapter 51 The Moon of Yesteryear
However, before Xie Ning's anger could subside, a new member arrived at the arsenal. Zhang Mingyuan remained in the top position, but now he had an inspector by his side.
The visitor was an acquaintance, Chen Jian, the staff officer who had contacted Xie Ning before.
Everyone lives in the villa, so when Chen Jian arrived, even though he had a dormitory at the factory, the villa would still have to arrange a guest room for him, given his status.
Inside, the people were drinking and making friends. Xie Ning only drank one glass of wine as a token gesture before leaving the welcoming banquet. He didn't participate in their conversations. On the surface, everyone was in the same group, but in reality, Xie Ning secretly maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too distant.
Everyone knew the unspoken agreement.
"Miss Xie, it's windy outside, you should put on a coat." Wang Cheng, with his keen eye, picked up Xie Ning's coat that she had left on the seat. Although he was young, he knew when it was appropriate to keep it and when not to.
Xie Ning thanked him, then squinted at the guards around him. "I didn't expect Staff Officer Chen to travel with so many guards. Have you arranged accommodations for him?"
Staff Officer Chen will definitely be staying overnight tonight, so the guards he brought will naturally have to stay as well. However, this courtyard is large, with two courtyards, so accommodating so many people won't be a problem.
Wang Cheng scratched his head and whispered, "Miss Xie, the accommodations have all been arranged, but I heard from Brother Yang that these guards were arranged for you by Staff Officer Chen, who said that your identity is important and you need more people to protect you."
Previously, Xie Ning already had Blind Wang and Xiao Yang by her side, so Zhang Mingyuan didn't arrange for anyone else. Unexpectedly, Chen Jian arranged a whole squad of people to be her guards as soon as he arrived.
Keep in mind that there was only one platoon of security personnel in the factory.
Chen Jian not only strengthened the defenses of Xie Ning's courtyard, but he also set up a guard company in the factory. Zhang Mingyuan said it was unnecessary, but Chen Jian felt that the guard work was important and could not be ignored.
Zhang Mingyuan stopped arguing about this and said, "I have no objection to the importance of security in the factory, but is Staff Officer Chen assigning so many people to Miss Xie for protection or surveillance?"
Cai Huai paused in pouring the wine, and followed Zhang Mingyuan's gaze.
"Mingyuan, you're overthinking it. As long as Miss Xie does her job as chief designer well, these guards are just there to protect her. We would never do something like discarding someone after they've served their purpose. Who would be willing to do that to someone as talented as Miss Xie?"
Not to mention Zhang Mingyuan, even Cai Huai understood Chen Jian's implied meaning. It meant that if Xie Ning had any ulterior motives, the role of the guards would no longer be to protect him. Indeed, no one would be willing to give up Xie Ning's talent, but not being able to kill him did not mean there was no other way.
"Is this Commander Cai's intention?" Cai Huai was incredulous. It was impossible. His uncle was not that kind of person, and the previous orders were all for protection, not surveillance. How could things suddenly change at this moment?
Chen Jian said calmly, "This is a unanimous decision by several officers. At this critical moment, Miss Xie absolutely cannot be harmed. Once things are settled, I will personally apologize to Miss Xie."
Zhang Mingyuan snorted coldly, but he knew he couldn't stop it. Even though he was in charge of the arsenal, Chen Jian still had the upper hand over him.
The next day, Xiao Yang was dragged away by Cai Huai for special training. On the first day, when he came back with a bruised and swollen face, Xie Ning and Aunt Liu would ask him about it and show their concern. But when he came back after being beaten up every day and still looked excited, neither of them said much.
Four guards took turns guarding the courtyard, and two of them accompanied Xie Ning when he went out. Xie Ning gradually got used to it, but it was never quite comfortable. After all, they were different from the blind Prince Yang. Their eyes were always following him, which made Xie Ning very uncomfortable.
After finishing a class, it was getting late, and there was still a batch of goods to be tested that evening, so Xie Ning didn't plan to go back for dinner. The food in the factory canteen was pretty good, and the chef was very skilled. Xie Ning found the garlic-flavored bok choy quite delicious.
Thinking that Aunt Liu would probably make her a midnight snack if she got back late, Xie Ning didn't take any steamed buns.
Seeing that Xie Ning rarely ate in the cafeteria, Cheng Youmin also came over. "Several of our students have started dating and are getting married soon. As their teachers, we'll have to give them a gift. Sigh, I need to find some time to go home and ask my wife for some money, otherwise the few cents I have on hand won't be enough."
Before Xie Ning could speak, Xiao Yang chimed in. He was getting old and really wanted to get married, but unfortunately, he was far from home and didn't know when he could go back to meet potential wives. He figured his mother was waiting anxiously for him. The last letter he received said his mother had taken a liking to a girl at the end of the village named Guihua. She said she was pretty and hardworking, and was just waiting for him to come home.
The two chattered on and on, as if they had endless things to say.
Students working in the arsenal receive wages, though not as much as Xie Ning, but still equivalent to the wages of a senior technician, much better than most students. Their families have saved up a lot of money, and they're all getting to the right age, so they're making plans for them to find a partner. Even without family support, they can still find a good match on their own.
At this time, it's much easier for someone with education and a stable income to find a wife.
Xiao Yang was very envious. He had saved a lot of money, but he didn't have time to go home and visit his family.
Xie Ning gave the chicken leg that the head chef had specially prepared for her to Xiao Yang, and said with a smile, "Go home if you want, I'll have Cai Huai give you a leave of absence." Don't think she didn't know that Xiao Yang was one of Cai Huai's soldiers.
"Really?" Xiao Yang was excited, but thinking of the beating he had suffered recently, he still refused. "No, let's wait a while. Brother Huai said he needs to protect Miss Xie properly these days."
"It's alright, go ahead. Blind Wang is here. You know his skills. Just come back soon."
It has to be said, Xiao Yang was tempted.
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