When Gu Yanxiao returned to the county committee compound, it was already afternoon. As soon as he entered, he saw his mother, Comrade Han Yulan, sitting on the living room sofa chatting with a middle-aged woman. Seeing him, the woman said, "Yanxiao's back! How many days off do you get this time?" Gu Yanxiao replied, "Aunt Wang, I got back yesterday. I can stay home for fifteen days this time. You two chat, I'm going back to my room." Gu Yanxiao was still feeling very sad. Han Yulan said, "This child, he doesn't even know how to chat with us." Wang Hongxia said, "Why would these young people be interested in our topics? Let's continue our conversation. What do you think about expanding the circle of people at this social gathering? Before, it was just the county committee and the hospital. This time, why don't we add the state-run restaurant, the department store, and the major factories? That way, more people will participate, and we'll meet more people." "That'll give you more opportunities," Han Yulan pondered for a moment and nodded, "Okay, let's do it your way. I'll introduce a suitable daughter-in-law to your son then." Wang Hongxia said, "Your son should find someone too. He's not out of the army much. If you don't help him find someone, where will he find one?" Han Yulan sighed and said, "Do you think I don't want to help him find one? Every time I suggest meeting a girl, he immediately refuses, as if I'm trying to harm him." Wang Hongxia said, "Here's what we'll do: on the night of the social event, you can trick him into going there. Once he's inside, he can't just leave, right? What if he happens to find a girl he likes? Wouldn't that be perfect?" After saying that, she smiled and looked at Han Yulan, watching to see what she would do. "Good idea! If it works out, I won't forget you, my great matchmaker!" After saying that, the two looked at each other and laughed.
After discussing and deciding on the location and time of the event, Wang Hongxia said, "I have to go, otherwise Lao Cui will come back and look for me if he doesn't see me." Han Yulan said sarcastically, "We're an old married couple, can't you even be apart for a little while?" Wang Yulan replied, "Isn't your Lao Gu the same? Although he's not as straightforward as my Lao Cui, the last time we met at the department store, we chatted for a long time, and Lao Gu sat next to us for just as long." Han Yulan smiled and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Let's eat here before you leave. Wu Ma is making braised pork today." Han Yulan tried to persuade her to stay, but Wang Hongxia said, "Never mind, although I've been wanting to try Wu Ma's cooking for a while, Lao Cui is waiting for me to come back." With that, she got up and left. Han Yulan saw her out, and just two minutes after Wang Hongxia left, Gu Weiguo returned.
Han Yulan said, "Wash your hands, dinner's almost ready." She took Gu Weiguo's coat, patted off imaginary dust, and asked, "Where's Yanxiao? He's not home." Han Yulan replied, "He's in his room. He came back, said hello, and went back to his room." "Director Han, dinner's ready!" Wu Ma, who had been busy in the kitchen, called out. Han Yulan went to Gu Yanxiao's door, knocked, and called out, "Yanxiao, come out and eat." Gu Yanxiao, who had been depressed all afternoon, sat down listlessly at the table. Han Yulan noticed her son's unusual behavior and asked, "What's wrong? You seem so listless." Gu Weiguo glanced at his son, who was acting strangely, and said, "Is there some trouble at work? Can you handle it? Should we ask Grandpa for help?" Gu Yanxiao then pretended to be nonchalant and smiled, saying, "It's nothing, I'm fine, Mom and Dad, don't worry." He finished his meal in a few bites and went back to his room. The couple were left looking at each other in bewilderment.
The next morning, Xia Liang arrived at the workshop and saw Zhou Xiaohui sitting absentmindedly at her workstation from afar. Xia Liang went up to her with concern and asked, "Xiaohui, are you alright? You don't look too well." Zhou Xiaohui forced a smile and said, "I'm fine, don't worry." Seeing that she didn't seem alright, Xia Liang tried to comfort her, "What if what happened that day was just a coincidence? Xiaohui, don't take it too seriously." Hearing this, Zhou Xiaohui almost burst into tears, holding back her tears, and said, "It wasn't a misunderstanding at all. My mom ran into his mom when she went grocery shopping yesterday. Of course, my mom was behind his mom. My mom was just about to go up and greet her when she heard his mom say something to someone nearby..." The woman next door said her son didn't have a girlfriend and praised the other woman's daughter, saying the two families would meet whenever they had time. No wonder they never talked about our marriage; they were either at my house or at a restaurant. They never dared let us go to her house. Sometimes when I went to see him, he wouldn't even take me home. He'd just lead me out when we got to his building." She finally broke down in tears, sobbing, "So he was afraid the Yan family next door would find out he had a girlfriend. I'd met Yan Lili before. Wang Jianping even said I was his distant cousin. He explained that he was afraid people would think I was frivolous if we got too close before marriage. I was so touched by his concern for me. Now it seems I was a complete fool."
Xia Liang looked at the lively and cheerful girl in front of her with heartache and said, "So what have you decided to do now?" Zhou Xiaohui sobbed and said, "The wedding cancellation we talked about before doesn't count anymore. Anyway, not many people know about us. I'll have my brother beat him up, and then I won't talk to him anymore." Zhou Xiaohui was whispering to Xia Liang about Wang Jianping being beaten up, when they heard the team leader Liu Lihong say, "What are you two doing? Not working during work hours, whispering and talking here." Zhou Xiaohui sat up straight, and Xia Liang ran back to her workstation in a flash. Ma Xiuxiang said, "Some people are just so irresponsible. They don't take their work seriously every day, or they're nowhere to be seen for days on end. People who don't know them would think this is their home." Xia Liang ignored her. Zhou Xiaohui stuck her tongue out at her. Just as Ma Xiuxiang was about to curse, the foreman scolded her, "If you put the same care you have for others into your work, you wouldn't always fail to complete your tasks and have your finished products rejected and reworked time and time again." With that, he strode out of the workshop. Ma Xiuxiang's face turned pale and then red. Xia Liang and Zhou Xiaohui secretly laughed.
Just two minutes after Liu Lihong sat down in her office, Director Wang knocked on the door and called out, "Squad Leader Liu, come out for a moment." Liu Lihong followed Director Wang into the corridor, where Director Wang said, "Squad Leader Fu Rong of Class One has taken maternity leave. You will be managing Class One from now on. We need to find someone to replace you in Class Three. How about Xia, the girl who won first place in the last competition? Is she capable of taking on the role?" Liu Lihong pondered for a moment and replied, "She's good at her job, but isn't she too young?" Director Wang said, "Young is good, single young people are even better. They don't have family responsibilities and can dedicate a lot of time to their work. Besides, no matter who we choose, there will be people who disagree. Only her job is unquestionable. She's the one. Notify her at the meeting on Monday. You can give her a heads-up first." After saying that, he turned and went back to his office.
Liu Lihong called Xia Liang out of the workshop. Xia Liang asked suspiciously, "Foreman, what do you need me for?" "After you finish eating, don't go back to your workstation. Come to my office and I'll show you the foreman's work process." Seeing Xia Liang's wide-eyed surprise, Liu Lihong's usually serious face broke into a rare smile. She said, "The foreman of shift one, Fu Rong, is on maternity leave. I'll be temporarily in charge of shift one. Shift three is your responsibility." Xia Liang wasn't stupid enough to ask why it was her and not someone else. She quickly thanked her, "Thank you for your promotion, Foreman." Liu Lihong said, "It was Director Wang who promoted you. If you want to thank someone, thank Director Wang." Xia Liang said, "Thank you both, thank you both." Liu Lihong said, "Stop with the sweet talk. Go to work now. Remember not to tell anyone, to avoid any complications." Xia Liang said gratefully, "Thank you, Foreman. I'm going to work now, Foreman." Liu Lihong waved goodbye and went back to her office.
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