Factory Director Li, his face flushed with anger, stormed off, leaving behind the words, "Handle it according to regulations." The previously murmuring crowd fell silent. They had never seen the factory director so angry before. He was always busy, constantly on business trips, and in the factory, he was always gentle and approachable. Seeing him like this today genuinely frightened them. Of course he was angry! He had already told his wife not to associate with Zhu Xiuling, but while she outwardly agreed, she secretly gave the letter to Zhu Xiuling. Fortunately, the matter wasn't serious today; Comrade Xia Liang was innocent, and the factory could handle it internally. But if it had fallen into the hands of those with ulterior motives, he wouldn't just lose his position as factory director, he might not even be able to live out his old age peacefully.
Zhu Xiuling trembled at the sight of her cousin-in-law's furious outburst. After all, he was the person she feared most. She was an only child, spoiled and arrogant by her family, which made her headstrong and unruly. She was terrified of her cousin-in-law, even though she didn't know why. Director Li had never hit or scolded her; he always had a smiling face. Zhu Xiuling was still afraid of him. She hadn't realized her mistake just moments before, but now she was also frightened. It was the first time she'd seen her cousin-in-law so angry. She felt both fear and shame. She had always flaunted her status as Director Li's cousin in front of her colleagues, and now Director Li's outburst had humiliated her. She could only turn and run away.
Seeing her like this, everyone felt terrified. She was putting up posters about someone over a job offer, especially since the position wasn't even hers to begin with. Working with someone like that would be exhausting; they were constantly worried she might sabotage them. Xia Liang didn't think much of it. She looked at Deputy Factory Director Yang and said, "Deputy Factory Director Yang, I want to resign." Before Deputy Factory Director Yang could react, the onlookers exclaimed in shock. Had Xia Liang lost her mind? Why would she resign when she was doing so well? It wasn't her fault today. She should look around and see who else is as lucky as her, earning over eighty yuan a month at such a young age. Deputy Factory Director Yang reassured her, "Don't be afraid. This won't happen again. The factory has always strictly prohibited such unhealthy practices." Xia Liang shook her head. "It's not just about today. I'm over six months pregnant now, and I'll give birth next January. My husband is in the army and can't come back. My in-laws are both busy with work, and they live in the county town, which is too far from the provincial capital. They won't be able to help me take care of the baby after it's born." Deputy Factory Director Yang pondered for a moment and said, "How about this? To make up for the injustice you suffered today, the factory will make a special exception for you. You can bring your baby back to work after giving birth. That's settled. Don't overthink it; just focus on your work." He then turned and left. Everyone's jaws nearly dropped. Such a good thing? One of the people who knew Xia Liang's abilities said, "If you could also repair the machines in the factory, you'd get the same treatment." Someone asked, "What, is Xia Liang that amazing?" The person asking this was definitely not from their workshop. Everyone in the workshop knew that when the sewing machines were old, the factory's master craftsmen could fix them, but since they replaced them with these imported, outdated machines, those master craftsmen couldn't handle them. However, since Xia Liang arrived, she could easily solve even the biggest problems that were previously impossible. That's why Deputy Factory Director Yang valued her so much. Everyone was both envious and admiring; they also wanted that kind of ability and treatment.
Xia Liang's talk of resigning was just a casual remark; her main motivation was to secure some benefits for herself. After all, what else can you do in this day and age if you don't work? You can't run a business, and staying home without a phone or anything is pointless. It's better to work in a factory and earn money easily every day. Xia Liang smiled and turned back to her office. She glanced at her watch; Aunt Wu was probably arriving soon. She couldn't let her know what had happened today, otherwise her in-laws would find out and worry about her. Sure enough, after sitting in the office for more than ten minutes, it was lunchtime. When Xia Liang arrived at the factory gate, Aunt Wu was already waiting there. Xia Liang smiled and went up to her, saying, "Aunt Wu, you don't need to bring me food anymore. Look how cold it is, it's so uncomfortable!" Aunt Wu said, "It's just a short walk. Besides, I'm dressed warmly enough. Go back quickly. You should be the one who doesn't catch a cold. You can't take medicine or get injections right now. Bring your lunchbox back tonight and I'll wash it for you. Don't touch cold water. I'm leaving now. You should go back and eat too, it won't taste good if it gets cold." As if afraid Xia Liang would try to stop her with polite words, she turned and ran off with a gait that didn't suit her age. Xia Liang chuckled and carried the cloth bag containing the lunchbox back to the office.
Today I made Mapo Tofu and stir-fried lettuce with pork. I also made a separate pork rib and radish soup. As soon as I opened the lid, the aroma of the food wafted out like a cool breeze. My stomach instantly felt a kick. Xia Liang smiled and patted her belly, saying, "Baby, are you hungry? Mommy will eat right away. It's all Mommy's fault for only remembering to eat now. My little baby is starving." Since becoming pregnant, her appetite had increased significantly, and the three regular meals a day were no longer enough to satisfy her. She had bought some biscuits, milk candy, malted milk powder, and other snacks and kept them in her office. There was a lockable drawer under her desk where she kept these things, eating a little whenever she was hungry. Today, because of what had happened, she hadn't had time to eat, and only now did Xia Liang remember. Suddenly, her dislike for Zhu Xiuling increased even more. If it weren't for Zhu Xiuling's meddling, she wouldn't have missed her meal and let her baby go hungry. After finishing her meal in a few bites, Xia Liang poured hot water from the kettle, washed the bowls, and put them in a cloth bag. She couldn't really take them home for Aunt Wu to wash that night.
In the afternoon, Zhang Taiwei came to her office twice more. Xia Liang went to the workshop with him to check, but it wasn't a big problem. After dealing with it briefly, she returned to the office. Xia Liang had no work to do until the end of the workday. Remembering what she had read in her future life, that pregnant women shouldn't sit for long periods and should stand up and move around, otherwise it would be difficult to give birth, Xia Liang stood up and walked around the office. The office was only about 20 square meters, and the space for movement was pitifully small. But there was no other way. It was winter now, and it would be too uncomfortable to go outside in the cold wind. The office had heating, so she didn't need to wear too many clothes. A little movement and walking around a few times was no problem.
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