Chapter 16
As for whether the Kong family would retaliate against her in the future, she had already been prepared.
As long as Director Qi's matter is properly handled, and public opinion rises, he will be afraid to act rashly, and the Kong family will not be able to do anything to her in the factory again.
As for Xie Jinxuan's work, the Kong family's reach is not long enough to reach the provincial party committee. Xie Jinxuan himself said that Xia Qingtang doesn't need to worry about his work. He returned after making meritorious service, and the Kong family can't do anything to him.
What's more, even if the Kong family really makes things difficult for her at work, she doesn't have to worry too much. The first special economic zone will be established in two years. At worst, the couple can go there to work together, which is actually a good future.
Xia Qingtang has seen the scene twenty years later. As long as he is willing to endure hardships, he will have the greatest opportunity and will definitely be able to live a good life.
Thinking of this, she smiled and took a sip of the herbal tea on the coffee table.
Seeing that the matter had been settled and the conflict between the two sides had been resolved, Director Wu breathed a sigh of relief. She began to happily praise Kong Liangchao's excellence and chatted about some family matters. When Director Wu's husband came back from get off work, everyone said goodbye.
Kong Liangchao pushed his bicycle and sent the three of them a long way before he separated from them at the fork in the road.
As soon as Kong Liangchao walked away, Zhao Meizhen immediately said, "Dad, do you think we are at a disadvantage by marrying Qingtang to the Kong family? Why do I feel that Political Commissar Yang is better?"
Xia Daming shouted in a low voice: "Stop talking nonsense. Political Commissar Yang is older than me, and you are not ashamed! Qingtang is our child after all, do you really want to push her into the fire pit? Are you marrying Qingtang to him now to take care of him in his old age?"
"Yes, she is really a little old. I'm afraid Qingtang won't be able to have children after getting married. That would not be a good thing. Without children, Qingtang won't get any of Political Commissar Yang's things in the future. It's better to get someone younger. Young people sound more respectable, so let's get a younger one. Although we've suffered a little loss, at least she lives in the municipal party committee compound and is a cadre family. We've gained something after all..." Zhao Meizhen kept talking all the way and didn't notice that Xia Qingtang had separated from them halfway through.
Xia Qingtang returned to the steel plant and first gave part of his salary and food coupons to Hu's mother, and then said that he would stay there for a while.
Mother Hu smiled and said, "You can stay as long as you want. Brother Yanni's room is empty anyway. If you move in, it will be more lively. Yanni also likes you to accompany her."
Xia Qingtang smiled and nodded, then started helping Hu's mother cook.
That night, after Mr. and Mrs. Hu went to bed, Xia Qingtang briefly told Hu Yanni what had happened that day.
Hu Yanni said, "As long as you register your marriage quickly, you won't have to worry about anything else. Can someone named Kong ruin your marriage?"
"I think so too. As long as Comrade Xie and I get married, I will feel at ease." Xia Qingtang said softly.
"We're already in a relationship, but you still call him Comrade Xie? You can just call him by his name." Hu Yanni joked.
Xia Qingtang laughed and said, "Take your time. When it's time to change your words, you will change them naturally."
The next morning, Xia Qingtang went to work as usual.
Although Kong Liangchao asked her to rest the next day, Xia Qingtang did not receive any notice of shift change from the factory, so she still went to the warehouse and silently did the physical work of an early shift, and then appeared in front of her co-workers who were getting off work, leaning on a bamboo pole and limping even more.
Everyone was talking about it, saying that Director Qi was cruel and oppressed the working class.
Xia Qingtang listened to everyone's discussions and found that everyone knew that she had fallen into this state because she had offended a cadre named Kong.
Moreover, the workers were very good at divergent thinking. She even heard some people discussing what the relationship between Director Qi and the man surnamed Kong was, and whether he had accepted two bottles of Moutai from him.
Xia Qingtang was listening to people talking while slowly moving forward with the help of a bamboo pole. Suddenly, the union chairman shouted from behind: "Xiao Xia, Xiao Xia! Wait for me! Wait! Did you write this article in the newspaper?"
Xia Qingtang was slightly stunned. She couldn't see newspapers in the warehouse, and she didn't expect that her article would be published.
She pretended to know nothing and said, "Chairman Qin, what are you talking about? What newspaper?"
"That's it, it's in the workers' newspaper. Look, it's in such a prominent position. The name is Xia Qingtang, a warehouse porter at the cotton mill. Isn't that you?" The union chairman looked very surprised. "Xia, you actually have this ability. You can write articles. Why didn't you tell us?"
"Ah, this article was written when I was hospitalized because I felt deeply guilty. After I finished writing it, a fellow patient encouraged me to send it to a newspaper and said that such an article was the voice of frontline workers and should be read by everyone. I tried to send it out, but I didn't expect it to be published! Oh, I don't know if my thoughts and awareness have brought shame to the factory. I'm so embarrassed."
"Why should we be embarrassed? This is a great honor! The article written by the front-line female workers in our factory was published in the Workers' Newspaper. This is the pride of our cotton mill!" The union chairperson's eyes sparkled. She said, "I went out for a meeting during the day. I just came back and heard Xiao Liu tell me that there is an article written by our factory employees. When I looked at it, I found that it was written by you, Xiao Xia. I am so happy and proud! Xiao Xia, I will ask someone to write a good news report right away and post this article and the good news report on the bulletin board!"
Xia Qingtang said embarrassedly: "Chairman Qin, this... is this appropriate?"
"Of course it's appropriate! It's published in the Workers' Newspaper, and it should be shown to all employees! Let everyone see the voices of our frontline workers!" The union chairman patted Xia Qingtang on the shoulder and said meaningfully: "Xiao Xia, you did a good job!"
Xia Qingtang pretended not to understand what she meant and just smiled innocently: "Thank you, Chairman Qin, for the compliment."
The union chairperson didn't care whether she really didn't understand or not. As long as the article could be used, it was fine. She said, "I'm going to ask someone to write the congratulatory message now. You should go back and have a rest. Take a look at your waist. Is there something seriously wrong with it? How about this: you take sick leave tomorrow and go to the hospital for a checkup."
"Need not……"
"Yes!" She insisted, "We need to focus on production and health. Listen to me, you will take sick leave tomorrow."
"Okay, thank you Chairman Qin, I will go to the hospital tomorrow." Xia Qingtang was pleasantly surprised. After the union chairman walked away, he limped to the factory office.
Director Huang had indeed issued the certificate. Xia Qingtang took the certificate and also got a sick leave note. Not daring to delay, he hurried to the gate of the provincial government to wait for Xie Jinxuan to get off work.
The two saw each other from afar, but did not greet each other directly. Xia Qingtang made a gesture to him and walked towards the steel plant first.
They walked a long way one after another before stopping in a deserted place.
"Is there something urgent you need from me?" Xie Jinxuan took out a few fruit candies from her bag and handed them to Xia Qingtang.
Every time this person sees Xia Qingtang, he would give her something to eat.
Xia Qingtang took the candy and whispered, "I've got the certificate. I'll be on sick leave tomorrow. If you've also got the certificate, let's get married tomorrow."
Xie Jinxuan immediately said, "I have my certificate with me. It's a pity that they should be off work now, otherwise we could get married today."
"It's the same tomorrow. Let's go early and register so it won't delay your work." Xia Qingtang said with a smile.
"That won't do. After all, it's a wedding, a happy event. We'll register tomorrow, how about going out for some fun? Visit the park, the zoo, and then go to the department store to buy you something." Xie Jinxuan said, "We got married in a hurry, but I don't want to treat you badly. Don't worry about being seen by others, everyone will be at work tomorrow."
He smiled very beautifully, and his bright dark eyes were full of Xia Qingtang, which made her feel slightly warm in her heart.
"Comrade Xie, thank you for being so nice to me. I also want to go to the park and shopping with you, but not yet. We can only be together openly after the Mid-Autumn Festival." Xia Qingtang looked apologetic. "We agreed with Kong Liangchao yesterday that the Kong family will come to our house on the Mid-Autumn Festival..."
She briefly described what happened yesterday and added, "I just feel sorry for you."
"No, no, why should I feel wronged if I can marry you? Besides, the Mid-Autumn Festival will be here soon, so a few days won't make a difference." Xie Jinxuan said, "Then let's meet at the street gate at 7 o'clock tomorrow morning? I'll go say hello now, and they'll help us get it done before work tomorrow morning. Wouldn't that keep it a secret?"
The street where Xie Jinxuan’s household registration is located is the street on the provincial government’s side, so the two will register their marriage here.
The two streets were far apart, so there was no fear of being bumped into by acquaintances. However, Xie Jinxuan's arrangement was indeed safer, so Xia Qingtang nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you. Let's go early."
The next morning, feeling a little nervous, Xia Qingtang braided her hair into two pigtails, put on her best white cotton shirt and a navy blue pleated skirt that she had worn when she was in school, and went out dressed up smartly.
Walking quickly to the other side of the street, I saw the tall and handsome Xie Jinxuan standing under a big tree. He was wearing a white Dacron shirt and black trousers, and a pair of half-new leather shoes on his feet. They looked like the style worn in the army, and they must have been brought back by him from the army.
Xia Qingtang was delighted and was about to run towards Xie Jinxuan when she suddenly saw a familiar-looking female comrade turning left at the intersection. It was her former team leader Yao Rong.
Yao Rong looked at Xia Qingtang in surprise and asked loudly, "Xiao Xia, why are you here?"
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