Chapter 97 Mother's Love
Finally, she looked at Fu Lian with a hint of unease and said softly, "...That's why I suggested that everyone demand a fair distribution."
After she finished speaking, her voice trembled slightly.
Did I do something wrong?
After listening, Fu Li'an frowned, his expression becoming slightly grave. "Wan Yin, things are not as simple as you think."
He walked to the table, poured a glass of water, and while examining the ripples in the glass, said, "The department has its own rules. They will handle these things themselves. You don't need to get involved."
"Will you handle it?"
Qiao Wanyin sneered, a hint of disdain appearing in her eyes.
"If they really knew how to handle it, this problem wouldn't have dragged on until now! Everyone knows there's a problem, but no one is willing to truly solve it."
Fu Lian put down the water glass very gently, but his expression turned noticeably colder.
"Wanyin, you're new here and don't yet understand how the project works."
His tone carried a hint of helplessness.
"This kind of thing involves a wide range of issues, and you can't just look at the surface."
"Some things cannot be solved by faith alone."
He spoke slowly.
"Then what do we rely on?"
Qiao Wanyin raised her voice a little, sounding somewhat angry.
"By silently enduring it and not saying anything?"
She stood up, her gaze fixed intently on Fu Lian.
"If supplies are really scarce and no one can buy them, then accept it; at least you'll feel at peace with yourself."
She gritted her teeth.
But what is reality?
"Some people queue for days and still can't buy anything, while others can get a large portion without queuing at all!"
Qiao Wanyin's voice trembled slightly.
"I know!"
Fu Li'an suddenly raised his voice.
“Wanyin, there are rules here. You can’t just do whatever you want. If you step in rashly, you won’t solve the problem. Instead, you’ll cause trouble, and then no one will be able to help you.”
He wanted to say something more, but the warning in his memory pulled him back to his senses.
Political Commissar Zhong had already subtly reminded him today that the organization would conduct a background check on Qiao Wanyin.
"So, in the end, will the result of this discussion be that I stay out of other people's business? In the end, you just don't want to cause trouble?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room immediately became heavy.
Fu Li'an took a deep breath.
Then he gently approached Qiao Wanyin and coaxed his wife in a soft voice.
"Wanyin, I'm doing this for your own good. I don't want you to get involved in unnecessary trouble."
"How about I handle this?"
"Also... don't mess with Fu Lan lately. She has people backing her. Don't make things too complicated, okay?"
"Did I provoke her?"
Qiao Wanyin found it laughable.
She chuckled softly to herself, but a bitter feeling lingered inside.
But the other party kept provoking her, so she had no choice but to retaliate.
He's far too clueless about romance.
Too serious, and too distant!
Qiao Wanyin felt increasingly wronged as she thought about it, and her heart felt heavy.
He's really too straightforward; he didn't try to comfort her all night!
However, she is not the kind of person who would back down because of feeling wronged.
As the night passed, her resolve only grew stronger.
She felt that the matter of the joint letter should not be given up so easily.
This is not only to give an explanation to the villagers in the compound, but also for our own sake.
She had to get this done; she couldn't let those wronged military families suffer in vain, nor could she let others misunderstand that she, Qiao Wanyin, would just sit idly by.
The mutual aid center was bustling with activity, as lively as during the Chinese New Year.
The wall was covered with freshly cut paper-cut window decorations, bright red, reflecting the sunlight streaming in from outside.
A faint scent of incense wafted in the air.
Qiao Wanyin was helping Aunt Liu straighten her hair ornaments.
The old lady smiled so much that wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she touched the edge of the hair ornament and nodded repeatedly.
The hair accessory was made by Qiao Wanyin herself, using old fabrics pieced together.
Aunt Liu said that this thing is light and easy to wear on the head, and it won't hurt the scalp.
She made a point of changing into clean clothes today and combing her hair meticulously.
"My dear daughter, this is the first time in my life I've ever worn such a stylish little trinket!"
She held Qiao Wanyin's hand, her voice trembling slightly.
“I never dared to think about these things before. I was lucky if I could have enough to eat and wear. Now it’s much better. I can dress up and sit here properly, chatting and laughing with everyone.”
Wang Xiuying held up the sachet in her hand, her face full of pride.
"Take a sniff, I followed the prescription that Comrade Qiao taught me, it's said to calm the nerves and help you sleep."
She handed the sachet to Aunt Li, who was standing next to her, right under her nose.
Aunt Li sniffed it and immediately grinned.
"It really smells good, not too strong or greasy. I can sleep soundly if I put it next to my pillow at night."
"This one I made is mint flavored, it's refreshing and invigorating!"
Master Zhang held up the sachet he had sewn and waved it in the air.
A crooked "soldier" character was embroidered on the green cloth.
“I want to give it to my son. He works the night shift at the construction site and is prone to falling asleep.”
"I plan to make one and send it to my daughter."
Aunt Zhao lowered her head and slowly twisted the needle and thread.
But each stitch was pressed very firmly.
“I want to add some mugwort to it. I heard it can ward off the cold and prevent rheumatism. It’s windy where she is, so this is all I can do as her mother.”
Seeing everyone's smiling faces, Qiao Wanyin felt a warm glow in her heart. Standing to the side, listening to those familiar local accents, she suddenly felt a lump in her throat.
These people were complete strangers.
Now, however, they can get together and busy themselves with something small.
She remembered that when she first arrived, nobody knew her.
Some people even gossiped that she got the job through connections.
Now, people will take the initiative to ask her for sewing tips and bring her scraps of fabric they've saved up at home to help with designs.
Having only been here a short time, she found a sense of home in this small place.
She doesn't need to deliberately please anyone, nor does she have to worry about saying the wrong thing.
Are you tired?
Lin Xiaoyuan walked over and sat down next to her.
She casually draped the shawl over Qiao Wanyin's shoulders, then took out a candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Sweet, to calm the mind."
"Your first event went so smoothly, Sister Wanyin, you're amazing."
Lin Xiaoyuan rested his hands on his knees, tilting his head to look at the busy figures inside the room.
"No one expected that in just a few days, everyone would get involved. Even Lao Zhou, who is the least talkative, took the initiative to go on stage and sing a couple of lines of opera today."
Qiao Wanyin waved her hand.
"It's not just my achievement; it's the result of everyone working together! You've been a great help."
She remembered that last night, Lin Xiaoyuan was still helping her check the supplies list, working until almost midnight.
This morning, before dawn, she was the first to arrive, opening the door to ventilate the room, moving tables, and hanging banners.
“If you hadn’t been watching over things, we wouldn’t have been able to keep track of these details at all.”
She took a sip of tea, hesitated for a moment, and then asked the question.
"Zishu, why do you always help me like this?"
This question had been nagging at her for days, but she hadn't dared to bring it up.
Lin Xiaoyuan was younger than her, but he always thought of her best interests.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
