Chapter 26 Recruitment
Upon hearing this, Lin Yuanshu chuckled softly, then slowly said, "You may have forgotten one thing: you have no choice, while I do. I have plenty of time and can wait for the next job opportunity. But you, if you don't give it your all, you'll only be sent to the countryside as an educated youth, and who knows when you'll be able to return to the city. This isn't about whether you want to be this knife or not, nor is it about whether you have no choice but to be it. I'm just giving you an idea. Whether you're willing to do it or not is your business, not mine. In the end, I'm just someone who gave you the idea; the choice is in your hands."
She didn't choose the knife randomly; Wang Gang was the most suitable candidate. Otherwise, why would she have asked Director Tang about Wang Gang? Anyway, for her, if she could handle it, she would; it would just be causing trouble for these directors. If she couldn't handle it, so be it. She wasn't without options.
She disliked being treated as something insignificant and casually discarded. The infighting among the directors only resulted in the sacrifice of innocent people like them. If it was truly because her grades weren't good enough, then she would accept the result of not being selected. But if it was for other reasons, then she was unwilling to become cannon fodder.
Although her thinking was somewhat unreasonable—she clearly only got the opportunity to take the recruitment exam because of Director Tang—reality is just that unreasonable. If reality were reasonable and fair, she wouldn't be here saying things to stir up trouble for Wang Gang.
The atmosphere in the Zhou family was hard for her to describe, but Zhou Xiangyang's presence gave her confidence. Deep down, she felt that Zhou Xiangyang was trustworthy and that she still had a way out. She would accept anything and not suffer any loss or hardship.
Wang Gang pondered for a long time, wanting to refute, but found that he couldn't find any words to refute. The woman in front of him was right. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it, unless he was willing to go to the countryside as an educated youth, or he could find a suitable job within these two short months. But as far as he knew, most factories had no plans to recruit workers recently.
If it weren't for the policy requiring chemical plants to hire people, they probably wouldn't be willing to do so either.
Wang Gang took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, saying, "Just wait for my good news!"
He couldn't wade into this mess alone. Since the woman in front of him wasn't willing to join in, Director Zhou's niece would probably be happy to. That woman was much more ruthless than him. He had to admit that sometimes, when women got ruthless, he really couldn't compete with them. The woman in front of him was one, and Director Zhou's niece was another.
Lin Yuanshu watched Wang Gang leave with satisfaction. Human weaknesses are so easy to exploit! She was like that, and so were others.
No sooner had Wang Gang left than Zhou Xiangyang ran up to her. He had seen Lin Yuanshu earlier, but seeing that she was chatting with someone else, he didn't want to disturb her, so he didn't run over.
"I'm sorry I couldn't have lunch with you. How did your exam go?" Zhou Xiangyang looked at Lin Yuanshu apologetically.
Lin Yuanshu shrugged helplessly and said truthfully, "It's not good. The directors are a little bothered by my status as a 'half-household'."
She didn't care about being a "half-household" as long as she wasn't a "black five categories" (a term referring to individuals with criminal records or social status). As long as she wasn't a "black five categories" (a term referring to individuals with criminal records or social status), it wasn't a big problem. If she didn't marry into the city, she wouldn't even be able to get into the chemical plant, so she didn't feel any regret.
Zhou Xiangyang paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I've saved a lot of money. If there's an opportunity in the future, I can pay for you to buy a job."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yuanshu stood on tiptoe, rubbed Zhou Xiangyang's handsome face, and said with a grin, "You're so cute."
Live for today, worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Take it one day at a time, there's still a long way to go!
After Lin Yuanshu removed his hands, Zhou Xiangyang unconsciously touched his face, as if he could still feel the heat from Lin Yuanshu's hands. This heat continued to burn, reaching deep into his heart.
"What's wrong?" Lin Yuanshu asked, seeing Zhou Xiangyang standing there blankly.
Zhou Xiangyang thought for a moment, then ran up to Lin Yuanshu and said, "Your hands are a little warm."
Lin Yuanshu looked at his hands and explained in a serious tone, "It's probably because I have a strong voice that my hands are warm. If you exercise more, your hands will get just as warm."
Zhou Xiangyang hesitated and asked, "Is it okay to exercise indoors?"
"If it doesn't disturb the neighbors, it should be okay, right?" Lin Yuanshu said uncertainly.
The two chatted as they walked home.
The first thing Zhou Ma did when she saw Lin Yuanshu was to ask her how her exam went. To avoid Zhou Ma having too high expectations and spreading rumors, she could only tell the truth.
Aunt Zhou said with exasperation, "How can you be so useless? You even had the chance to take the recruitment exam, and you still couldn't pass. The people who congratulated us before are now laughing at us."
Lin Yuanshu smiled indifferently. She wasn't living for what others said, so let them laugh! It wouldn't hurt her.
She looked at Zhou's mother with a puzzled expression and teased, "Mom, I thought you would be happy that I didn't pass the exam! After all, that would be what you wanted, and I would stay at home and take care of the family."
Zhou Ma was stunned for a moment, unsure whether she should be happy or unhappy. She hesitated, unable to vent her anger, and simply went back to her room, too lazy to look at Lin Yuanshu's face.
Since Lin Yuanshu didn't need to study today, she tried cooking with a coal stove. She was tired of eating steamed buns every day, so she made some dumpling wrappers with mixed dough and made dumplings with Zhou Xiangyang.
Zhou Xiangyang's steamed buns were small and cute, and she made them quickly, while the ones she made were just okay in that the filling didn't leak out and they looked pretty much like steamed buns.
When Sister-in-law Xue returned home, she saw Lin Yuanshu already steaming buns. She said sarcastically and without any politeness, "Oh my! Our young lady has learned to cook now!"
Lin Yuanshu smiled slightly and said softly, "Sister-in-law, if you keep saying such nonsensical things, don't blame me for saying some nonsensical things to my brother."
Sister-in-law Xue's eyes widened, wanting to refute, but then she thought of Lin Yuanshu's silver tongue, which had even fooled her father-in-law. If it were her lover, it would be a piece of cake.
She raised her chin, walked up to Lin Yuanshu, snorted coldly, and then turned and left. It was truly outrageous that she and her mother-in-law were being bullied by her sister-in-law and couldn't even fight back.
Lin Yuanshu smiled helplessly; his sister-in-law was quite childish too.
She turned to go back to her room and saw Sun Yiyi, who looked travel-worn.
Sun Yiyi smiled at Lin Yuanshu, then took out the mulberries in the bamboo basket and explained, "These are things your sister asked me to bring for you."
Lin Yuanshu took the bamboo basket and said politely, "Thank you so much for your trouble. Would you like some mulberries?"
Sun Yiyi declined, saying, "No need, I've already eaten my fill in the countryside. By the way, how did your exams go? Are you good enough for the Evolution Factory?"
Lin Yuanshu shrugged helplessly. "It'll probably be a bit difficult. After all, I'm only a 'half-household,' and the leaders of the chemical plant still have some concerns."
Upon hearing this, Sun Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that Lin Yuanshu hadn't found a job. At least she hadn't found a job, which meant that her choice hadn't been wrong. Winning over her in-laws and husband was more important.
“It’s okay. Even if you can’t find a job, you can stay at home and take care of your family,” Sun Yiyi said gently.
Lin Yuanshu raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "Forget it! My mother-in-law and I can't stand each other. I'm afraid we'll fight if we're together every day. Besides, I don't like the days when I have to ask people for money."
Upon hearing Lin Yuanshu's words, Sun Yiyi's smile instantly froze. She whispered, "Everyone lives like this. Even if you go to work, you still have to give your salary to your mother-in-law. There's no difference."
Lin Yuanshu retorted without hesitation: "There is a difference. At least when I ask for money, I can do so with a clear conscience. If she doesn't give me money, then I won't give her a salary either. Does being a 'half-household' mean you have to bear children for your husband's family and spend all day working around the boiler?"
Sun Yiyi looked at Lin Yuanshu with a puzzled expression. "Otherwise what?"
Lin Yuanshu thought for a moment, and was about to persuade Sun Yiyi, when Aunt Wei shouted loudly at the door, "Why aren't you home cooking yet? We're starving! What's the point of talking to someone so unconventional? What if she leads you astray?"
Sun Yiyi gave Lin Yuanshu an apologetic look, then turned and left.
When Aunt Zhou, who was making insoles in the living room, heard what Aunt Wei said, she was happy that Lin Yuanshu was scolded, but then she thought that Lin Yuanshu was her daughter-in-law, and scolding Lin Yuanshu was disrespectful to her, which was equivalent to scolding her.
She roared back, "Second wife, why aren't you back in your room reading? What are you doing chatting with these irrelevant people, making it harder for others to do their chores? You're a cultured person, meant to study, not do housework..."
Now it was Lin Yuanshu's turn to give Sun Yiyi an apologetic look.
Sun Yiyi didn't take Zhou Ma's words to heart despite Lin Yuanshu's apology. She just felt it was very unfair. In her previous life, Zhou Ma hadn't protected her like this. If Zhou Ma had treated her better, she wouldn't have chosen to be with Wei Yong.
Aunt Wei, hands on her hips, berated Aunt Zhou for being shameless. Aunt Zhou retorted without hesitation that Aunt Wei was heartless and treated her daughter-in-law like a servant.
The two women got more and more into their argument, and it took Sun Yiyi a lot of effort to persuade Aunt Wei to go home.
Looking at Lin Yuanshu standing to the side, Zhou Ma angrily scolded, "You're so good at talking in front of me, but when it's your turn to show your abilities, you just stand by and watch. You're a bully at home, all you know how to do is argue with me, you're completely useless."
Sister-in-law Xue hid to the side, covering her mouth and chuckling.
Lin Yuanshu raised an eyebrow. Her vocabulary of swear words was indeed not as extensive as Zhou Ma's and Wei Da Ma's. Their swear words were the kind of content that would be censored online.
Since her mother-in-law had stood up for her, she decided not to argue with her and instead slipped back to her room to read.
After Lin Yuanshu left, Zhou Ma turned her attention to Sister-in-law Xue, who was secretly laughing. She burst out, "Laughing, laughing, all you do is laugh all day long. If I were like you, I wouldn't even be able to have a child. I wouldn't even have the face to laugh..."
Sister-in-law Xue's smile vanished instantly. She didn't dare to leave without a care like Lin Yuanshu did, so she could only lower her head and become Zhou Ma's punching bag.
As evening fell, the chemical plant workers gradually returned home, and the entire dormitory building became incredibly lively. The sounds of cooking, chatting, and children crying filled the air, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Lin Yuanshu placed the steamed buns on the table and explained with a smile, "These are steamed buns that Xiangyang and I made. They have cowpea and eggplant fillings. Please feel free to point out any shortcomings."
Aunt Zhou sneered and said bluntly, "You've already cut the salted meat into the filling. How could filling with meat not taste good! Either you don't cook at all, or when you do, you're always eyeing my meat."
Zhou Dafu ignored his mother's words and said to everyone with a smile, "My daughter-in-law's cooking skills are obviously quite good. I have some good news for you. Director Tang has nominated me for the position of group leader. I have already settled things with the previous group leader and the group members. If nothing unexpected happens, I will be able to become the group leader next month."
"Really?" Zhou's mother was a little incredulous. After all, she had been married into the family for so many years, and Zhou Dafu's position had never been promoted. Although Lin Yuanshu had mentioned the specific promotion plan, she did not have high hopes. She could only say that it was worth a try, as it was better than not trying at all.
Zhou Dafu nodded and said with a smile, "If I really become the team leader next month, then my daughter-in-law will be the one to deserve the most credit. I hope there will be less noise in the family. The reason I haven't been promoted all these years is because of your constant bickering. You've all ruined my good fortune. The most important thing for a family is to work together."
Everyone's eyes turned to Zhou Ma without prior arrangement.
Zhou's mother was furious. In her eyes, Zhou Dafu's inability to get promoted was entirely due to his own lack of ability, and it had nothing to do with her. However, since it was Zhou Dafu who said it, she usually wouldn't refute Zhou Dafu's words in front of others.
She could only say reluctantly, "I will try my best to control my temper."
Zhou Dafu smiled contentedly and began to eat his steamed buns.
Where Zhou Dafu couldn't see, Zhou's mother glared fiercely at Sister-in-law Xue and Lin Yuanshu.
Sister-in-law Xue smiled ingratiatingly at Aunt Zhou, but unfortunately, she didn't receive any gentleness in return; instead, she was met with disdain.
Lin Yuanshu gave Zhou Ma a provocative smile, which earned him an even fiercer glare from her. Having experienced the workplace, Lin Yuanshu didn't really take his fierce mother-in-law seriously; after all, a barking dog doesn't bite.
My mother-in-law has some sense, but not much.
After finishing their meal, Lin Yuanshu washed half of the mulberries and brought them to the table. Although Zhou Ma was angry, it didn't stop her from eating the mulberries heartily, perfectly embodying the phrase "eat the meal, then curse the cook."
On the other side, Sun Yiyi was also telling Wei Yong about her parents' plans. Her parents did not intend to repay the money, but wanted her younger sister to repay it. If her younger sister did not agree, they would arrange a marriage between them. They believed that they had been very good to their children and were giving them a choice.
In order to marry her, the younger sister's boyfriend promised that he and the younger sister would find a way to pay back the money after their marriage.
It was supposed to be a good ending, but she felt uneasy, probably because she felt the Wei family wasn't as good as she had imagined! They weren't as good as Zhou Xiangyang; at least when Zhou Xiangyang took the money, he didn't stipulate that she had to pay it back.
Wei Yong waved his hand dismissively, "It doesn't matter who pays it back, as long as someone pays it back, that's fine. I heard from Mom that you go and chat with Xiangyang's wife next door whenever you have free time. I hope you can stay away from her. I'm afraid she'll influence your personality."
He had heard that the young wives in the tenement building who were close to Lin Yuanshu were all clamoring to go out and find jobs. Before Lin Yuanshu came, their goal was to have children as soon as possible, but now it had become to find jobs as soon as possible. He really thought that Lin Yuanshu was a bit strange.
Sun Yiyi lowered her head and said, "We're from the same production team, so we're closer than I am with other people. I won't let her lead me astray."
Wei Yong still disagreed, saying, "Just listen to me! I'm doing this for your own good; I won't harm you."
Seeing that Wei Yong had repeatedly persuaded her, Sun Yiyi was afraid that if she didn't agree, Wei Yong would get angry, so she had no choice but to agree first.
The next morning, Lin Yuanshu got up early as usual and went out with Zhou Xiangyang.
Zhou Ma watched Lin Yuanshu's retreating figure with a complicated expression. She didn't know whether to wish him success in the exam or failure, and her heart was filled with turmoil.
Seeing Zhou Ma's expression, Aunt Wen chuckled and teased, "Are you reluctant to part with your daughter-in-law?"
Zhou Ma was instantly disgusted by Aunt Wen's words. She retorted without hesitation, "How could that be! I wish she were far away from me. I've never seen a daughter-in-law like her. She just waves her hands and doesn't care about anything. If I had a daughter-in-law like that, I would have several gray hairs."
Aunt Wen patted Aunt Zhou on the shoulder, "Once she gets a job at the chemical plant, things will be easier for you!"
Zhou Ma's expression was complicated. In that case, she would not be able to discipline Lin Yuanshu, and she would have done Lin Yuanshu what he wanted. She felt that no matter what, she would be at a disadvantage.
"Tell me, why is it so hard to find a good daughter-in-law? Out of all the daughters-in-law in this tenement building, I like Aunt Wei's daughter-in-law the most. She's obedient and filial," Zhou Ma sighed.
Aunt Wen gave a disapproving look and lowered her voice, saying, "What's the use of being obedient and filial! Her family is a real problem. I heard that the Wei family spent a lot of money to give her younger brother 50 yuan to get married."
"No way! Her daughter-in-law doesn't seem like the kind of person who can't think straight! How could she pressure her husband's family for her own family's sake!" Zhou's mother said, somewhat incredulous.
Aunt Wen said confidently, "After all, she has lived in her parents' home for more than 20 years. No matter how clear-headed she is, she can't bear to part with this blood ties!"
Aunt Zhou shook her head subconsciously and sighed, "It seems the neighbor hasn't found a good daughter-in-law either."
Lin Yuanshu may be disobedient, but at least she didn't take any money from her family to give to her parents' family.
"Every family has its own problems," Aunt Wen concluded.
Zhou's mother couldn't help but sigh. She felt that her family's problems were the most difficult to deal with, as Lin Yuanshu was completely unafraid of her, her mother-in-law. Meanwhile, after the two entered the chemical plant, Zhou Xiangyang headed towards the canteen, while Lin Yuanshu went to the conference room. She was already familiar with the route, so she didn't need Zhou Xiangyang to escort her.
A list of successful hires was posted on the door of the conference room. Everyone was quite surprised when they saw the list. None of the people they thought were favored or highly capable were selected. Instead, some people with average grades were hired.
Mao Afen looked at Lin Yuanshu excitedly and asked, "Comrade Lin, were you hired? Ling Ke and I were both hired. We're so lucky! It seems that having connections isn't everything."
Lin Yuanshu understood the underlying meaning in Mao Afen's words. She was puzzled as to where Mao Afen's hostility came from. After all, she had never known Mao Afen before and had no interaction with her. So where did the conflict come from?
She replied casually, "No, congratulations on being hired."
She didn't take the currently posted list of accepted candidates seriously, since Wang Gang was an exception, and the list might not be reliable.
Ling Ke tugged at Mao Afen's wrist, signaling her not to continue offending people.
Mao Afen raised her head smugly. She just couldn't stand Lin Yuanshu. She and Tang Rong were clearly good friends, but Tang Rong's mother would rather help Lin Yuanshu than help her. If it weren't for Lin Yuanshu, Tang Rong's mother might have been willing to help her. Lin Yuanshu had stolen her opportunity.
However, it doesn't matter now. She has already been hired, and there is no need to continue to make things difficult for Lin Yuanshu, because from now on, she and Lin Yuanshu will be from two different worlds.
Just as the newly hired employees were overjoyed, the deputy factory director arrived at the meeting room door with Wang Gang and Zhou Moli, the niece of Director Zhou. Behind the deputy factory director were three workshop directors.
The three workshop foremen had dark expressions on their faces, unable to even control their emotions. They hadn't expected Wang Gang and his group to be so bold as to go and spout nonsense to the deputy factory director, resulting in them not only being criticized but also having to trouble the deputy factory director to clean up their mess.
Lin Yuanshu subconsciously raised the corners of her mouth. If the situation weren't so bad, she would have liked to whistle. The actors are in position, and the show is about to begin.
The deputy factory director looked at the bewildered crowd and said, "There was a slight mishap in this recruitment exam. The three workshop directors and I will re-interview you, and those who pass the interview will be hired."
Upon hearing this news, the recruiter felt utterly disheartened. Mao Afen couldn't help but ask, "Why do we need to do a second interview? This isn't fair."
The deputy factory director said calmly, "It would be unfair not to re-interview. This recruitment exam was originally intended to recruit outstanding talents for the chemical plant and inject fresh blood into it, not to recruit people with good backgrounds. There has never been a shortage of people who try to take advantage of the situation in the chemical plant. As long as you are good enough, you don't need to worry about not being able to be hired again."
These words were like a slap in the face to the recruits. They didn't dare blame the deputy factory director; they could only blame Mao Afen for being so talkative. Didn't she know whether she was capable of being hired? Why did she have to humiliate herself like this?
The deputy factory director led three workshop directors into the conference room, while Wang Gang and the others remained at the door, waiting for their names to be called out so they could be interviewed one by one.
Zhou Moli walked up to Lin Yuanshu and said with a smile, "If you had such a good idea, you should have come to me from the beginning. You can't accomplish anything great by going to that good-for-nothing Wang Gang."
Lin Yuanshu smiled awkwardly, because she didn't know the personalities of these people taking the exam. She was only somewhat familiar with Wang Gang, since not everyone was so unlucky as to miss the exam. However, she wasn't completely unaware of Zhou Moli, since Zhou Moli was the first person to hand in her paper.
"I never expected you to be so righteous as to turn your own family away," Lin Yuanshu said from the bottom of his heart.
Zhou Moli sneered, "If it weren't for them going to the countryside, of course they wouldn't care. Compared to my brothers, they would much rather I go to the countryside. Unfortunately, I just don't live up to their wishes."
Lin Yuanshu said with great admiration, "Well said, suffering a loss is a blessing, so let your younger brothers go and eat!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Moli couldn't help but laugh.
The two exchanged a glance, and everything was understood without a word.
Lin Yuanshu didn't expect Zhou Moli and Wang Gang to be so ruthless. Instead of going to the deputy factory director last night, they waited until the list came out before going to the deputy factory director, directly nailing the three workshop directors to the pillar of shame, leaving them no reason to refute.
She wasn't surprised by the deputy factory director's emergence. Although he was supposed to retire, he hadn't actually retired yet, and the three workshop directors were eyeing him covetously, wanting to seize the power from him.
How could the deputy factory director be happy? He was just looking for another opportunity to make trouble. Coincidentally, they provided him with this opportunity, and how could he protect the three workshop directors? He couldn't wait for this matter to escalate.
Unfortunately, all three workshop directors found reasonable reasons to dismiss them. Although it was somewhat unfair, it cannot be said that they were engaging in favoritism or corruption. It can only be said that they went too far and nitpicked.
Therefore, the three workshop directors will at most be criticized by their superiors, but it will not affect their positions.
Of course, she wasn't worried about the three workshop directors' retaliation. Putting aside the fact that they were related by connections, it would be angry if one person lost face, but if three people lost face together, everyone would be on the same level.
The workshop foremen shouldn't be that stupid. Instead of wasting time retaliating against them, they should try to win them over and get them to help deal with the other workshop foremen.
The workshop director's most pressing task now is to find a way to become the deputy factory director, rather than wasting energy on retaliating against them. They are not even formal employees, so what's the point of fighting with them?
Besides, she only offered an idea; she didn't do anything herself. There were two other people supporting her! That's why she risked her life to offer the idea. It's okay to vent your anger, but you have to consider whether you can bear the consequences.
Looking at the two smiling and gazing at each other, Wang Gang felt a chill run down his spine.
About an hour later, it was Lin Yuanshu's turn for the interview. This time, the questions were more difficult than the last one, and they also mentioned safety issues in the chemical plant workshop.
Lin Yuanshu was no stranger to these questions. He not only answered them fluently, but also shared his own opinions on them, demonstrating his ability very steadily.
The deputy factory director nodded with satisfaction. As expected of the top scorer in the last written test, his knowledge was indeed solid.
As soon as Lin Yuanshu left the meeting room, the deputy factory director rebuked the three of them, saying, "Look what you've done! Such outstanding talents, and the factory almost missed out on them."
Director Tang nodded in agreement, saying, "That's what I thought at first too, but unfortunately Director Xia had a different idea, which put me in a difficult position."
Director Xia subconsciously glared at Director Tang, then explained with a smile, "Comrade Lin Yuanshu is a 'half-household,' and I was considering the negative impact of that..."
The deputy factory director interrupted Director Xia without hesitation, "What do you mean by 'half-household'? Since the country allows the existence of 'half-households,' it means they have no problems. What, do you think you're more authoritative than the country!"
Director Tang made sarcastic remarks from the side, "That's what I said at the time too. After all, they are 'half-households' and not 'black five categories'. It's a pity that Director Xia insisted on his judgment."
Director Xia was speechless and could only smile ingratiatingly, cursing Director Tang in his heart for being shameless. He had already been criticized, yet he still tried to sow discord between Director Tang and the deputy factory director.
The interviews kept them busy until noon, and even Zhou Xiangyang heard about the re-interviews. All he could do was prepare lunch for Lin Yuanshu in advance.
Sister-in-law Xue lowered her voice and said, "Do you think your wife has any hope of getting a job at the chemical plant?"
"I don't know," Zhou Xiangyang said truthfully.
"What are you two whispering about?" the cafeteria chef asked with a smile.
Sister-in-law Xue explained, "His wife also participated in today's interview, and we are all a little worried that she won't be hired."
The chef smiled thoughtfully. "As long as you have the ability, you can get in. This recruitment exam is a special one that the Party Secretary specially organized to prevent outstanding talents from flooding into the countryside."
Sister-in-law Xue licked her lips. She didn't know if Lin Yuanshu was capable or not. Anyway, Lin Yuanshu was quite good at lying through his teeth. She still hoped that Lin Yuanshu could stay at home and do housework, so that she could have an easier time.
Zhou Xiangyang said firmly, "She will definitely be fine."
The chef laughed heartily and said, "It seems you really like your wife. When you got married, you had such a long face, I was worried you wouldn't have a good life after marriage! Now it seems you're doing quite well."
Zhou Xiangyang lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly and replied softly, "She's fine."
At 3 p.m., the staff in the conference room reposted the list of hired employees and said that the deputy factory director and workshop director were in the conference room. Anyone with questions could go in and ask them, and they would do their best to make everyone convinced.
Lin Yuanshu breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his name on the list of accepted employees. No wonder it was a secure job! Getting a fair and just job in the 1970s was really difficult!
Mao Afen didn't see her name on the list of accepted candidates, but instead saw Lin Yuanshu's name. She muttered to herself, "This isn't fair!"
Ling Ke heard Mao Afen's whisper and suggested with a smile, "If you feel it's unfair, you can go inside and talk to the leaders."
When Mao Afen heard Ling Ke's words and saw Ling Ke's name on the list, she broke down and said, "What's there to be proud of! Even if you get into a chemical plant, you'll just be a factory worker for life, just like your mother."
Ling Ke shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about? You're in a bad mood right now, so I won't argue with you. We'll talk about it when you're in a better mood."
Mao Afen glanced at the conference room door, but she didn't have the courage to go in. She pushed Ling Ke away and left the conference room door in tears.
Most of those who were previously hired were not hired this time. Most people were aware of their own abilities and chose to leave quietly, while a small number of people barged into the meeting room and made a scene.
When the deputy factory director produced the previous exam papers, they lost their nerve to make a scene. After all, they had written every word on the exam papers themselves, and failing was simply failing.
After seeing that no one had any objections, the staff member said loudly, "Go to the logistics department at 6 o'clock tomorrow to pick up your work clothes. Meet at the entrance of the benzene intermediate workshop at 6:30 to participate in the Level 3 safety training. After the training, you will be grouped and assigned work. Do you understand?"
Everyone said in unison, "We understand."
As soon as the staff left, everyone surrounded Wang Gang and Zhou Moli, expressing their gratitude one after another. "If it weren't for your willingness to step up and take the lead, we definitely wouldn't have been hired. Moreover, you even offended the workshop director because of this. We are truly grateful."
"That's right! That's right! If it weren't for you, we would be in a terrible situation. No matter what difficulties you encounter in the future, just tell us and we promise to help you."
“That’s right, we’re not the kind of people who repay kindness with enmity. We’re only able to be hired because of you.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Gang was filled with pride and patted his chest, saying, "I can't stand unfair things the most. If you ever encounter anything unfair in the future, you can come to me."
After he finished speaking, everyone present cheered excitedly and applauded for Wang Gang.
Wang Gang stood proudly in the middle, while everyone excitedly surrounded him.
The other protagonist, Zhou Moli, was pushed aside. She glanced at Lin Yuanshu and teased with a smile, "Seeing Comrade Wang Gang stealing the spotlight, do you regret not taking action yourself?"
Lin Yuanshu raised an eyebrow and asked in return, "Then do you regret not saying more just now? You might be the one being cheered by everyone right now."
"I prefer to make a fortune quietly," Zhou Moli said with a smile.
Lin Yuanshu smiled and said, "What a coincidence, I prefer to do big things quietly."
Not long after, the deputy factory director and three workshop directors came out of the conference room, and everyone immediately became reserved and fell silent.
The deputy factory director said with a kind smile, "Don't be shy. You should be happy. After all, you were hired by the chemical plant based on your own abilities. Knowledge changes the future, and ability creates the future."
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at the deputy factory director with gratitude and said in unison, "Thank you, deputy factory director. We will strive to contribute to the chemical plant."
The deputy factory director nodded in satisfaction, but the three workshop directors behind him had dark faces. Even though these people were vague in their speech, the factory directors understood that they were complaining about the unfair treatment they had received before.
After the deputy factory director left the meeting room with his secretary, Director Xia glanced at Wang Gang and gestured for him to follow.
Zhou Moli also followed behind Director Zhou with great tact.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Yuanshu decided to quietly walk behind Director Tang.
Ling Ke watched the group leave with envy; having connections was indeed advantageous.
In Director Xia's office, Director Xia scolded Wang Gang: "Look at the mess you've made! You got the job, but I've lost all face. Tomorrow, the Party Secretary will publicly criticize me at the meeting. Are you out of your mind?! Why did you mess around with Old Zhou's niece? Do you think you're so impressive?"
Wang Gang retorted in a low voice, "It's not just you who will be criticized; the other two workshop directors will also be criticized. I just wanted you to stand up for me, but since you're unwilling, I'll have to take matters into my own hands."
Director Xia sneered, a murderous glint in her eyes. "Do you think being criticized together will make me look any better?"
Wang Gang said with a wronged expression, "I had no choice! I couldn't very well go to the countryside as an educated youth!"
"You idiot, you're so short-sighted and have no sense of the bigger picture. I must have had the worst luck in my life to meet you. You're not even as good as your parents..." Director Xia cursed angrily.
Wang Gang lowered his head and silently accepted Director Xia's anger. The fact that Director Xia was still willing to lose her temper with him meant that Director Xia would not give up on him because of this, so he was willing to be scolded.
On the other side, Zhou Moli was even more unscrupulous than Wang Gang. She smiled and said to Director Zhou, "Uncle, although the process was a bit tortuous, you achieved your goal and successfully got me into the chemical plant. Don't worry, I will definitely help you get the position of deputy director."
Director Zhou sighed helplessly. Things had already developed to this point, so what could he say? He could only accept it.
It was also his fault. He hadn't really thought much about Zhou Moli entering the chemical plant. When Director Xia and Director Tang objected, he went along with it and acquiesced to the outcome. He never expected that his niece would be so ruthless. She made a snap decision and dragged everyone down with her. It was his retribution.
"I don't need your help. Your hard work is the greatest reward for me."
Zhou Moli snorted coldly and said sarcastically, "You don't need my help, but you need my older brother's help. Uncle, you just look down on me."
Director Zhou patted Zhou Moli's head and said seriously, "I don't mean to look down on you. Now that you have a job, you should start thinking about finding a partner and getting married. You should stop with your little schemes and calculations. A good wife is a virtuous one. No cadre family would be interested in you if you act like this. I won't hold it against you this time, but you mustn't do it again next time."
Zhou Moli felt like she was talking to a brick wall. She was speechless, and all she could say was "marriage." Her uncle was treating her like an immature child, which was infuriating!
She was clearly more capable than her older brother, but her uncle only wanted to take advantage of her marriage.
At the same time, Lin Yuanshu followed Director Tang to Director Tang's office. Although she had tricked Director Tang, she still acted self-righteously.
"Congratulations on being hired by the chemical plant," Director Tang said with a smile.
Lin Yuanshu echoed, "It's all thanks to your help. Otherwise, I wouldn't even have had the chance to take the recruitment exam. I will remember this kindness."
She is indeed grateful, but it's selective gratitude.
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