Several comrades who were assigned by the deputy director to cause trouble immediately started shouting loudly.
"You're playing dumb. Aren't you the only one among the three who has to take care of a grandchild?"
"Can't you just stay quiet? Why do you have to fight with the young people?"
"You've caused such great harm to someone's family, and you still have the nerve to be the director of women's affairs?"
The dense stream of words reached Old Lady Xia's ears, becoming increasingly unpleasant. Director Yuan tried to interrupt and help Old Lady Xia refute them, and she even glanced at her worriedly several times.
But Old Lady Xia didn't give her this opportunity at all. She had known for a few days that this situation would arise, and she even knew exactly who the people were from which factions. She knew that her previous actions would definitely make many people unhappy, so she expected such fierce opposition today.
"Comrade, you have to provide evidence when you speak. Who did I hurt so badly? How did it happen? Can you tell me?"
Seeing that Old Lady Xia responded, the other party became even more excited. "What do you think? Manager Sun used to have a happy family, but since her divorce, their family has been shattered. Not only is the house a mess, but her husband was distracted at the factory because of family matters and almost had his finger cut off. You destroyed their family!"
Old Lady Xia: "Is it me who ruined it or him? If he hadn't beaten and scolded Manager Sun, if his family hadn't been waiting for Manager Sun to serve them every day, if they weren't not only ungrateful to Manager Sun but also thought it was their duty to be so devoted to him, wanting to suck her blood dry and eat her flesh, Manager Sun wouldn't have been so influenced by this social atmosphere and wanted to divorce her despite their abuse and misunderstanding, right?
I would like to ask all the women here, if your significant other or future significant other treats you well, would you want to divorce?
Most of the female comrades present shouted no, and only a few voices of opposition were heard, but they were drowned out.
Old Lady Xia continued, "We're no longer in a feudal society. Men and women are equal, so why do married women have to shoulder so many responsibilities? Taking care of the parents-in-law, raising children, and doing all the housework—why are these things supposed to be done by women? Why don't married men say anything when they don't work? Why are only women called lazy women?"
The person who had just opposed it shouted, "Since ancient times, men have been responsible for the outside world and women for the inside world. Men have bigger careers to strive for!"
Old Lady Xia: "What kind of career are you striving for? Men work outside and women work inside. You want your wife to earn nothing and rely on you for support, right? I remember you. Isn't your wife also a worker? Do you mean to say that you want your wife to quit her job and come home to take care of your family?"
The man retorted, "How is that possible? Jobs are so tight right now, how could my wife possibly quit?"
Old Lady Xia: "Then what did you just say about men working outside and women working inside? She works, and you work too. Who is more noble? Is your work more noble than hers, or is your character more noble than hers? Or do you think your status as a man is more noble than hers?"
That person: "Being virtuous and kind is the most important quality of a woman! From ancient times to the present, it has been said that women should have such virtues, and that what can be passed down must be good. People only praise women for their virtuousness, but no one praises a woman for her successful career.
Even when praising a lesbian's ability, most people say she can balance work and family. How can a lesbian abandon her family? She will be despised by everyone."
Old Lady Xia: "We have such a good life now, but you, comrade, have a problem with your thinking. You actually think the old feudal system was good. I think people like you are the ones who should be arrested the most."
The man said, "Don't accuse me of something. We are not talking about the same thing at all!"
Old Lady Xia: "Then don't label lesbians as virtuous and good-hearted. And don't label gay men as virtuous and good-hearted. And don't label gay women as virtuous and good-hearted? And don't label gay men as virtuous and good-hearted. Shouldn't lesbians be virtuous and good-hearted? Shouldn't they be confined to their homes by you, your whole family wiping out all their ambition? And finally, forced to live their entire lives under your oppression, afraid to even break free? Do you think lesbians are virtuous and good-hearted?"
The man: "I didn't, don't talk nonsense."
Old Lady Xia: "Then tell me, why do you think Manager Sun shouldn't get a divorce? Is she going to have to endure a lifetime of beatings and scolding from her ex-husband just for the sake of a reputation as a 'virtuous woman'? If you were her, would you be willing to endure that?"
The man was stunned. If it were him, would he be willing? He probably wouldn't be willing, and he would even fight him directly the first time he was hit. He himself didn't want to endure it, so why did he think Manager Sun should endure it?
Seeing that he was silent, Old Lady Xia continued to ask, "Which comrade just now said that people like me should stay at home and take care of our grandchildren, instead of coming out to compete with young people?"
No one present stood up. The argument that Old Lady Xia had just had about gay men and women had made them want to back off. Didn’t they see that the previous person’s face had turned red and he had lost all face because of what she said?
Old Lady Xia didn't care whether anyone argued with her or not, and she continued to herself: "At my age, in your eyes, shouldn't I be obedient? When you say to be content, do you mean to let me wait for death?
You all probably think that at my age, my physical strength, energy, and brainpower can no longer keep up with the young people, and I'm a worker who should be eliminated. So, I should stop dreaming about getting promoted and getting rich. It's best to retire quickly and give up my position to the younger workers, right?
There was no response from the audience. Although many people thought so in their hearts, no one dared to tell others to wait for death. It was very rude just to think about it, let alone say it out loud.
But when Deputy Director Tian turned around and glared in a certain direction, several young workers hurriedly lowered their heads and shouted, "Yes, you...at your age, although you haven't reached that level yet, there's no need to make such an effort, right?"
Just as Old Lady Xia was about to retort, she saw the young woman sitting in front of the man say angrily, "There's no need to make such an effort. What do you want comrades of their age to do? Make an effort for the family?"
Older men can still climb the ladder, and no one would tell them to just sit back and wait for death. So why do you think a good comrade like Comrade Xia is old enough to go home and take care of his grandchildren? Why don't you let the factory director go home and take care of his children? Why don't you let the deputy factory director go home and take care of his grandchildren? At their age, they don't need to work hard anymore and can just sit back and wait for death.
You always think about yourselves and never consider what life is like for us. At the factory, you're suppressed when you want a promotion. When you get married, you're told to work harder to please your in-laws. And when you have children, it's like you're living solely for them. Aren't we human beings? Can't we have our own ideals? Speak up!
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