Chapter 20: New Challenges Presented by the Inspection Team
"Ah Ye, are you angry?" Jiang Suining's charming and melodious voice was like a light feather, tickling Lu Ye's heart.
He shuddered slightly as if struck by lightning, and the slight resentment in his heart vanished in the sound of that soft call, replaced by intense embarrassment at his petty behavior.
He didn't dare turn around to look at her for a moment, his ears burning slightly.
Jiang Suining had been carefully observing his expression. She noticed that after his furrowed brows relaxed, his face didn't show relief; instead, a deeper embarrassment appeared, which puzzled her greatly. She assumed he still harbored resentment. Upon reflection, she realized that because of that shared secret, her relationship with Lü Aiguo was indeed much closer than that of ordinary friends, but this was something she couldn't reveal at the moment.
“Ah Ye,” she began cautiously, trying to explain, “Comrade Lü is cheerful and knowledgeable. I found his talk about chemical processes particularly interesting, so he offered to recommend some related books to me. To be honest, I only talked to him a bit more because he’s your junior colleague.” She thought this reason was reasonable.
Little did they know that it would have been better not to explain; the explanation only exposed Lu Ye's secret, unspoken "little thoughts."
Lu Ye immediately felt ashamed and tightly grasped Jiang Suining's hands, his tone filled with regret and sincerity: "Sui Sui, I'm sorry, it was my fault. I didn't control my emotions and overthinking things. I won't do it again."
He was surprisingly quick at self-criticism, leaving Jiang Suining somewhat unable to keep up. She was both amused and exasperated: This guy managed to appease himself? He's so adorably straightforward.
"Don't say that," she said softly, her heart softening. "I know you care about me too much. It was indeed my oversight that I didn't consider your feelings. I will be more careful in the future."
"No need!" Lu Ye quickly stopped her, his expression serious. "You have the freedom to make friends. You don't need to change anything to accommodate me. I should trust you more." His principles and respect for her overcame his personal jealousy at this moment.
"Lu Ye, you're so good to me." Her heart warmed, and she leaned forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Just as she was about to stand up, Lu Ye suddenly pulled her into his arms, tightly holding her slender waist.
The rest of his words were swallowed by his hot breaths as his burning lips and tongue captured her soft, sensitive earlobe, sucking and nibbling at it with varying degrees of intensity.
Lu Ye was already breathing heavily. He picked Jiang Suining up in his arms, strode into the bedroom, and kicked the door shut.
***
In the middle of the night, lightning flashed and thunder roared outside the window, and a torrential downpour began.
Inside the bedroom, the passion had just subsided.
Lu Ye exhaled a satisfied breath, turned to the side and hugged Jiang Suining tightly, who was so tired that she didn't even want to move her fingers. He kissed her sweaty forehead with reluctance.
A moment later, he quietly got up, put on his clothes, went to the bathroom to carefully rinse the bathtub, filled it halfway with warm water at a suitable temperature, and then returned to the bedroom. He carried the almost asleep Jiang Suining into the bathroom and gently placed her in the water.
The warm water enveloped her tired body, and Jiang Suining sighed comfortably. She was so exhausted that she didn't even bother to open her eyes while lying in the bathtub.
Lu Ye took a towel and gently washed her. Looking at her exquisite curves that were faintly visible in the water, his eyes darkened again. As if possessed, he also took off his clothes and straddled the not-so-spacious bathtub.
By the time Jiang Suining realized what was happening, it was too late. The water was shaking violently, and she could only half-heartedly resist him, only to have him succeed in his scheme again, causing her a great deal of trouble.
***
The consequence of a night of foolishness was that I indeed woke up late in the morning.
Jiang Suining grabbed her watch from the bedside table and saw that there were only twenty minutes left before she had to go to work. She almost cursed out loud, hurriedly put on her clothes, and rushed to wash up.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Lu Ye had already squeezed toothpaste and prepared warm water for her. Looking at his sullen wife in the mirror, he gently wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind, rubbed his chin against the top of her head, and apologized in a low voice: "Sui Sui, I was wrong last night. I promise I'll control myself in the future. Please don't be angry anymore, okay?"
Even a dog wouldn't believe it! Jiang Suining kept a straight face, didn't say anything, and just kept brushing her teeth quickly.
"What do you want to make you feel better?" Lu Ye softened his tone, burying his face in the back of her neck and gently rubbing it. "I'll do whatever you say, okay?"
This seductive tone, these suggestive words—is this really the same clueless, clueless straight man from the original book? Jiang Suining was utterly stunned, rendered speechless by his unusual clinginess. She quickly rinsed her mouth and reached out to pry his arms off her waist: "Stop it, I'm really going to be late!"
Lu Ye ignored her completely, and with a slight exertion of his arm, he pulled her back into his embrace, his domineering kiss landing once again without allowing her to refuse.
"Ugh..." Jiang Suining was caught off guard, and he held her waist firmly with one arm and held the back of her head with the other hand, forcing her to endure this domineering and forceful kiss.
Just as she was feeling dizzy and weak from the kiss, he suddenly raised his head.
Her lips went empty, and a strange sense of loss washed over her. Jiang Suining's mind went blank for a moment, then she snapped back to reality, shoved him away, and stomped her foot angrily: "Lu Ye! What are you doing! I'm going to be late!"
"I'll drive you there, I promise I won't be late." Seeing that she was really anxious, Lu Ye didn't dare to make a fuss anymore. He quickly handed her a wrung-out hot towel and said in a flattering tone, "Quickly wipe your face."
Jiang Suining didn't have time to be angry with him. She grabbed a towel and quickly washed her face. Turning around, she was presented with fried dough sticks wrapped in oil paper and a bottle of milk. Lu Ye had a flattering smile on his face: "Take these and eat them on the way. The car is outside. Let's go."
She hung up the towel, took the still-warm breakfast, and knew in her heart that he must have gone to the regimental canteen early in the morning to buy it, and then driven the jeep to pick her up, just so that she could sleep a little longer. This thoughtfulness calmed her anger down considerably, but she still kept a straight face.
When they arrived at the factory gate, although they were on time, Jiang Suining never liked this rushed feeling, as it made her feel like things were out of control. She shoved the empty milk bottle back into Lu Ye's hand, turned around, and got out of the car without even glancing at him.
Is she still angry? Lu Ye realized something was wrong and panicked. He opened the car door and chased after her, but Jiang Suining had already entered the factory area with the flow of people going to work. There were people all around, and it wasn't convenient to talk, so he could only return to the car in frustration, holding the glass bottle that still had the warmth of her palm, his heart pounding.
***
Jiang Suining hadn't slept enough last night, and was rushing around this morning, so she was inevitably in a bad mood and her mind was a little foggy. She secretly made up her mind that she would never let him act recklessly without restraint again.
After reporting to the factory director's office, Jiang Suining went to the Women's Federation office.
The director of the Women's Federation happened to be Sister Lian, the wife of the regimental commander next door. She took good care of Liu Hong and had already arranged a desk by the window for her. Thanks to her help yesterday, the blackboard bulletin was completed on time. Liu Hong had a very good impression of her and specially moved her own desk over to sit next to her.
This morning, leaders from the military region's logistics department came down to inspect the work, and the Women's Federation needed to send someone to participate in the reception. Seeing that it was almost time, the company director asked who was temporarily free to go with her to receive the leaders.
Several long-serving employees were reluctant to go, each making excuses. Director Lian knew this perfectly well but didn't point it out. His gaze fell on Liu Hong and Jiang Suining: "You two don't have any urgent tasks at the moment, right? You're in charge of that issue of the factory's blackboard bulletin, so go together. If the leaders ask about publicity, it'll be easier to handle."
As a newcomer, Jiang Suining hadn't been assigned any specific tasks yet, so she naturally had no reason to refuse. Liu Hong was called upon, and although she was reluctant, she couldn't find a suitable excuse at the moment, so the two of them had no choice but to follow Director Lian to the factory gate.
Factory Director Song, along with several heads of the technical and safety departments, was already waiting there. He spotted Jiang Suining in the crowd, and a barely perceptible hint of embarrassment flashed across his face. He inwardly scolded Director Lian: What does a newly hired employee know about reception etiquette? What if she says or does something wrong and brings shame to the factory?
Seeing Director Song's expression, Director Lian knew without guessing what he was thinking. He curled his lip in disdain and deliberately raised his voice to ask the people around him, "Hey, did you see the new issue of the blackboard bulletin at the gate when you came into the factory today?"
"I saw it! I saw it!"
"How could I not see it? It's so well drawn! Who drew it?"
"That's right, I heard that Xiao Zhao is sick and has taken leave. Besides Xiao Zhao, who else in your Women's Federation has that kind of ability?"
"Absolutely! The drawing looks so lifelike. At first, I thought it was a poster, but when I got closer, I realized it was drawn with chalk!"
"Right! I thought it was true too!" Seeing that she had successfully attracted everyone's attention, especially since Director Song had also perked up his ears, Sister-in-law Lian pulled Jiang Suining over and proudly introduced her to everyone, "Come, come, everyone, let's get to know each other. This is our new Women's Federation member, Comrade Jiang Suining! She drew the blackboard bulletin board all by herself!"
"Wow, this girl is beautiful and so skillful!"
"No wonder the Women's Federation has recruited so many talented people!"
"Is Comrade Jiang married yet? He's my second uncle's youngest son, a high school student, working at a steel factory. He's a tall guy, 1.78 meters, and very energetic!" A kind-hearted woman looked Jiang Suining up and down, liking her more and more as she looked at her.
Jiang Suining wore a polite smile, but upon hearing this, two red clouds instantly rose to her face. She quickly waved her hand and said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I'm already married."
Even her sister-in-law interrupted her reproachfully: "Zhou Chunlan! Stop talking nonsense! You try to sell your nephew to every pretty girl you see. If your nephew is really that good, he's been looking for a girlfriend for over a year now, how come he still doesn't have a girlfriend?" This enthusiastic woman was Zhou Chunlan, a technician in the technology research and development department. She was straightforward and had a bit of a love for matchmaking.
"It's because the conditions are too good that he's overwhelmed with choices! I think Xiao Jiang is a perfect match for him, so why did he get married?" Zhou Chunlan slapped her thigh in regret.
"Alright, alright, you're really pushing your luck!" Sister-in-law Lian's face darkened. "Do you even know who Xiao Jiang's wife is? How dare you try to play matchmaker!"
"Her husband is Lu Ye, the deputy chief of staff of our Third Detachment!" Before Jiang Suining could speak, Sister-in-law Lian announced the answer emphatically.
Zhou Chunlan paused for a moment, quickly ran through the name in her mind, and then suddenly realized what he meant. Her voice rose a little: "Is that Lu Ye, the deputy chief of staff in your men's group, who has won the second-class merit three times and is known as the 'Cold-Faced Yama'?"
"Who else could it be but him? In our unit, there's only one named Lu Ye!" Sister-in-law Lian confirmed, sounding annoyed.
"Oh dear! Comrade Jiang, I'm so sorry!" Zhou Chunlan quickly turned to Jiang Suining, her face full of apology. "I'm not a bad person, it's just that I can't change this habit. Whenever I see a nice girl I click with, I want to play matchmaker. Please don't take it to heart, I'm so sorry!"
"Sister Chunlan, it's alright, you meant well." Jiang Suining genuinely didn't mind; some people are just naturally warm-hearted. "Sister, I still don't know your name."
"Zhou Chunlan, from the Technology Research and Development Department." She was straightforward, and once the misunderstanding was cleared up, she stopped worrying about it.
"Then I'll call you Sister Chunlan from now on." Jiang Suining readily agreed, then suddenly realized and asked, "Sister Chunlan, are you in the Technology R&D Department?"
“Yes.” Zhou Chunlan nodded.
Jiang Suining's eyes lit up instantly. The R&D department! That was the place she truly longed for, the place where she could use her strengths! She was just about to take the opportunity to ask the R&D department if they had developed any new products recently, or if they needed to solve any technical problems, when the leader's convoy arrived, so she had to suppress her many questions for the time being.
Three military jeeps drove straight into the factory area and stopped in the open space in front of the office building. Soldiers in crisp uniforms stepped out, their shoulder insignia gleaming with an air of authority.
Jiang Suining quickly glanced at their shoulder insignia. She was not familiar with the military rank system of that era and could not understand the specific levels. She was just watching for the spectacle.
The inspection team that came to the labor protection factory was a working group from the logistics department of the military region, led by Major General Du Zhongshan, the deputy director of the logistics department, who was tall, strong, and dark-skinned.
After he got out of the car, Director Song immediately greeted him with a beaming smile: "Hello, Vice Minister Du! Welcome, leaders, for your guidance!"
"Director Song, you've worked hard." Du Zhongshan's voice boomed as he shook hands with everyone who came to greet him.
Factory Director Song quickly introduced the cadres present to them one by one. After exchanging pleasantries, Factory Director Song asked the inspection team to go to the conference room to hear the report first.
"Let's not rush into a meeting," Du Zhongshan waved his hand, his eyes shining brightly. "Let's go to the factory first and take a look at the actual production situation."
“Okay, no problem!” Factory Director Song was well-prepared for this. The factory area had been thoroughly cleaned, and safety production had been repeatedly emphasized and checked. He was confident and personally led the inspection team to the factory building.
The labor protection factory mainly produces military supplies, ranging from clothing, shoes, socks, and gloves to basic skin care products, and is divided into different workshops according to product type.
The garment workshop was closest to the office building, so it was naturally the first stop for the inspection. The blackboard that Jiang Suining had drawn was standing on the outer wall on the side of the garment workshop, and the inspection team happened to pass by.
To resonate with the times while standing out, Jiang Suining cleverly utilized red and yellow as the primary colors in her design. At the very center of the blackboard are striking red characters: "Family Planning, Benefiting the Country and the People," the calligraphy powerful yet possessing a feminine grace, directly highlighting the theme. The surrounding propaganda posters employ sketching techniques, utilizing perspective and chiaroscuro to create a stunning three-dimensional effect on the figures and scenery, making them lifelike and extremely eye-catching.
Du Zhongshan saw it from afar and was immediately drawn to it. He quickly walked over, examined it carefully, and nodded repeatedly in praise: "Good! This blackboard bulletin is well done! It's excellent! Director Song, who did this? Please come over here so I can meet them!"
These past two days, Director Song has been so caught up in the upheaval that he hadn't even noticed this issue of the blackboard bulletin. He only heard Director Lian mention it earlier out of curiosity, and when he suddenly saw it, he was immediately amazed by the exquisite drawing skills and novel composition.
Upon hearing that Vice Minister Du wanted to see the person who had posted the bulletin board, he immediately looked at Sister-in-law Lian.
"Sir, this is a drawing by Jiang Suining, our new staff member from the Women's Federation." Sister Lian proudly nudged Jiang Suining forward, adding, "She came in first place in the factory's recruitment exam this time!"
"Oh? Really!" Du Zhongshan looked Jiang Suining up and down in surprise, his eyes full of admiration. "Young lady, you're amazing! So talented!"
"Greetings, Commander!" Jiang Suining stood up straight and extended her right hand with grace and poise.
Du Zhongshan extended his hand to shake hers lightly and asked kindly, "Judging from your accent, you're not a local, are you?"
“Reporting to the commander, no, I just came from Jiangcheng to join the army,” Jiang Suining replied clearly.
"So you're a military dependent! Good!" Du Zhongshan was even more satisfied and casually asked, "What's your spouse's name? Which regiment does she serve in?"
“**Fleet, Third Detachment, Lu Ye,” Jiang Suining replied.
Upon hearing this, Du Zhongshan's face instantly showed a look of sudden realization. His gaze swept meaningfully over Director Song and Director Lian beside him, finally landing on Jiang Suining, and his smile became even more hearty: "Haha! So you're Lu Ye's new bride!"
"Commander, do you know my wife?" Jiang Suining was a little surprised, but then she thought that since they were in the same military region, it was not surprising that they knew each other.
“I know him! Of course I know him!” Du Zhongshan laughed loudly. “Lu Ye is a celebrity and role model in our military region! Good lad, you have good taste! And the wife you found is so outstanding! Good, good!” He said “good” several times, his praise overflowing.
"Thank you for the compliment, sir." Hearing the sir praise Lu Ye so highly, Jiang Suining felt honored and a proud smile appeared on her face.
The group chatted and laughed as they entered the garment workshop. Inside, workers were busy making soldiers' autumn and winter uniforms, the sewing machines clattering, creating a bustling scene.
Du Zhongshan carefully felt the fabric to check its texture, then picked up the finished product to inspect the stitches. He was very satisfied to see that the garment was sewn tightly and neatly, with no signs of cutting corners. He then whispered to Director Song that military supplies were closely related to the soldiers' vital interests, and the quality control must be firmly maintained.
Quality and safety are the lifeline of the labor protection factory, and Director Song has never dared to slack off in this regard. He patted his chest and assured Du Zhongshan that whether it is clothing, shoes and socks, gloves and daily necessities, as long as the products leave the labor protection factory, they will be inspected at every level to ensure that they are 100% qualified, and no quality problems will be allowed to leak out.
Du Zhongshan nodded in satisfaction, and then inspected the shoe-making workshop, the workshop that produces gloves, socks and other small items, and finally came to the daily chemical workshop that Jiang Suining was most interested in.
Jiang Suining came to the labor protection factory largely because of the daily chemical workshop. She didn't expect to be able to go deep into the workshop with the leaders on her first day of work. She immediately perked up and listened carefully, wanting to understand the real production capacity of daily chemical products in this era.
Du Zhongshan inquired in detail about the workshop's production situation, including the main types of daily chemical products currently being produced.
Jiang Suining followed closely behind Director Song, afraid of missing anything.
Currently, the daily chemical workshop mainly produces soap, petroleum jelly, glycerin, and anti-chapped cream, which are mainly used to alleviate skin damage caused by strong sunlight, humid environments, and cold weather during soldiers' daily rigorous training.
As expected, there was no dedicated sunscreen!
Jiang Suining felt slightly disappointed, but then she thought that as long as she could get the raw materials, she could make a small sample herself. If she could develop a formula and achieve mass production, it might really benefit the officers and soldiers and effectively reduce the problem of sunburn during training.
She began to rapidly list the raw materials needed for different sunscreen formulas in her mind, and selected those that might already exist or be easily available in this era.
After inspecting all the workshops, Factory Director Song led the inspection team to the conference room. Jiang Suining followed Sister Lian, taking charge of fetching water, making tea, and entertaining the leaders present.
After sitting down for the meeting, Jiang Suining silently prayed that the meeting wouldn't go on for too long, as she dreaded these kinds of lengthy meetings.
Fortunately, Du Zhongshan was a decisive person. After taking a sip of tea and resting for a while, he got straight to the point. He reiterated the importance of production quality and safety, and then assigned an important task: to require the labor protection factory's technical department to develop a new type of fabric with moisture-proof and waterproof functions as soon as possible for making sailors' uniforms to meet the special environmental requirements of island and maritime combat training.
This is also one of the core purposes of this inspection team's visit.
Factory Director Song immediately stood up, his face serious, and said that he was determined to complete the task and would lead the factory's technical research and development department to focus on the key problems and develop qualified moisture-proof and waterproof fabric as soon as possible, so as not to fail the trust and expectations of the organization.
Jiang Suining, who was sitting in the corner taking notes, had a sudden thought: waterproof and moisture-proof fabric? She happened to know some of the principles and technologies involved, but how to present this groundbreaking technology in a reasonable way without arousing suspicion was a problem that required careful planning.
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