Chapter 73 Going Mad
"No? Gu Xiao would make baseless accusations?! If he didn't have evidence, would he have gotten Old Xu to step in?! Let me tell you, Lu Linlang, you'd better clean up this mess you've created right now! Gu Xiao said he'd clarify things in person and apologize in person!"
If you don't handle this well, get back home right now! Don't even think about staying in the military hospital! And don't even think about being picky anymore; the person your family arranges for you, you have to marry whether you like it or not!
"Bang!" The phone was abruptly hung up.
Lu Linlang stood frozen in place, her fingers holding the microphone icy cold.
All the eyes around her were subtly sweeping over her, and her cheeks burned.
Her carefully cultivated image is on the verge of collapse.
Gu Xiao didn't even bother to meet her in person; he simply used pressure from his elders to plunge her into the abyss.
Moreover... she only gave Zhang Aihong a few subtle "insights" back then, so how can she expect Zhang Aihong to clarify things or take the blame now?
She steeled herself and went to find Zhang Aihong.
“Sister Aihong, the rumors circulating outside are too nasty. You need to clarify that those things about Nan Zhiyi’s background are all misunderstandings.”
Zhang Aihong crossed her arms and glanced at her sideways: "Oh, Dr. Lu, you're the one who asked me to pass on the message, and now you want me to clarify it? Fine, I'll go and say it. I'll say that you implied that Nan Zhiyi's background was bad and asked me to go to the Political Department to talk about it."
Lu Linlang's face darkened: "What nonsense are you spouting! When did I ask you to deliver it? I only chatted with you! You accepted my things, and now you want to deny it?"
"Accepting things?" Zhang Aihong scoffed. "Who saw it? It's all just empty talk. You want me to apologize in public and ruin my reputation? No way! You apologize yourself!"
She turned and was about to leave.
Lu Linlang was furious: "Zhang Aihong! Think carefully about the consequences."
"as a result of?"
Zhang Aihong turned around and glared at her defiantly, "I'm waiting! Go ahead and sue me if you dare!"
She spat, swayed her hips, and strode away, leaving Lu Linlang standing there, trembling with anger.
Zhang Aihong didn't take Lu Linlang's threats seriously.
She was planning her brother's job, and had even whispered in the ear of Deputy Director Liu, hoping that "in a couple of days" her brother would be able to fill the temporary job vacancy held by Nan Zhiyi.
However, just two days later, the political department's stance changed.
The rumors about Nan Zhiyi gradually faded, and were replaced by new rumors about Zhang Aihong, which spread throughout the offices:
"Have you heard? Zhang Aihong has taken a lot of kickbacks in logistics procurement because of her relationship with Deputy Director Liu!"
"That's not all! I heard she took money from people to help them get job transfers, but when the job wasn't done, she didn't refund the money!"
"Tsk tsk, she's always spreading rumors about people. That incident with the propaganda department last time, she's the one who exaggerated it and spread it!"
"That's for sure, she's ruthless! I heard her brother is a good-for-nothing, always loafing around and just relying on his sister to leech off him..."
That morning, as Zhang Aihong walked into the corridor of the propaganda department, she heard faint whispers inside, mentioning her name and "taking kickbacks."
She stopped in her tracks, her face flushed red with shock and anger.
Before she could react, Deputy Director Liu's communications officer came over with a cold face: "Comrade Zhang Aihong, Deputy Director Liu wants you to go to his office immediately."
Zhang Aihong went in cautiously.
Deputy Director Liu's face turned ashen. He slammed several pages of paper on the table, pointed at her nose, and yelled, "Zhang Aihong! Are those rumors true? Taking kickbacks? Taking money but not doing anything? Spreading gossip everywhere? You've got some nerve!"
Zhang Aihong's legs went weak: "Old Liu, let me explain! Those are just rumors spread by others, slandering me!"
"Slander?" Deputy Director Liu slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup lid jump. "There's no smoke without fire! The whole Political Department is talking about it! Where am I supposed to put my old face? Huh?"
Let me tell you, if even one of these things turns out to be true, you'd better pack your things and get out of here right now! Divorce! Take your whole family of bloodsuckers and go back to the countryside from the city!
Your younger brother can't find a job, right? Perfect, let him go to the countryside and temper his revolutionary spirit in the vast wilderness!
Divorce? Going to the countryside?
Zhang Aihong felt as if she had been struck by lightning; her vision went black, and she almost collapsed to the ground.
Deputy Director Liu was her and her family's only support in the city; without that position, she was nothing! Her younger brother going to the countryside? Her parents would tear her apart!
Her mind went almost blank... It was Lu Linlang! It must be that bitch getting revenge on her!
Zhang Aihong rushed out of Deputy Director Liu's office in a daze, without even asking for leave, and went straight to the military hospital.
Lu Linlang was taking a patient's blood pressure when Zhang Aihong rushed up to her without regard for her and questioned her angrily.
"Lu Linlang! Was it you! Was it you who spread those rumors and ruined me!"
The eyes of the surrounding patients and nurses all turned to him.
Lu Linlang's hand trembled, and the blood pressure monitor almost fell to the ground. Her face drained of color.
She forced herself to remain calm: "Comrade Zhang Aihong, what nonsense are you talking about! This is a hospital, please be mindful of your behavior!"
"Impact? You're the one who told me to spread rumors! You've ruined me, and you're talking to me about impact?"
Zhang Aihong grew angrier the more she thought about it, trembling all over. "Was it you? Tell me! If I get a divorce, it's all your fault!"
The whispers around her grew louder, and all sorts of inquisitive and disdainful glances fell on Lu Linlang.
The facade she had painstakingly maintained was shattered.
She wished she could shut Zhang Aihong up; that idiot was utterly foolish!
She grabbed Zhang Aihong's wrist, gritting her teeth: "Come with me! Don't go crazy here!"
She dragged Zhang Aihong to a secluded spot behind the hospital.
"Let go of me!" Zhang Aihong shook her off. "Lu Linlang, you're so cruel! Just because I didn't listen to you and apologize, you're treating me like this? Now Deputy Director Liu wants to dump me, and my brother is going to the countryside! Are you satisfied now?"
Lu Linlang took a deep breath, trying to explain clearly: "Zhang Aihong, use your brain! What benefit would I get from messing with you? The rumors circulating outside are about you, what does that have to do with me? I can't wait for this to die down!"
Seeing Zhang Aihong's completely disoriented state, she knew she had to calm her down for the time being. "Calm down! The most important thing right now is to quell the rumors and keep your position! Not to cause trouble for me here!"
Zhang Aihong calmed down a little, but was still full of doubt: "Suppress? How can we suppress it?"
Lu Linlang patiently waited, her only thought being to brush her off.
"Go back first. Don't panic. I'll think of something. Remember, keep your mouth shut! If you keep yelling around, no one can save you!"
Zhang Aihong looked at her with suspicion: "You...you really can find a way?"
"I'll give it a try. You go back to work and wait for my message. Remember, don't cause any more trouble!"
Lu Linlang watched her leave, a ruthless glint flashing in her eyes.
A solution? Of course there is. But it's definitely not for Zhang Aihong.
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