B5SB -Chapter 53 The Factory Director’s Dream Shattered

Ever since Zhou Tingmei had run out crying that day, the next day she acted as if nothing had happened and pretended to be close to Gu Yihan again.

Gu Yihan completely ignored her.

“Yihan, the New Year is coming soon. Are you going home today?” Sister Li asked.

Gu Yihan looked up at Sister Li knitting and always felt as if she were making a sweater that would never end.

“I’m not going,” Gu Yihan replied. “It’s only a three-day holiday. I can save the travel expenses and send more things home.”

She had always handled it this way over the years. As long as Grandma received money or gifts, she would be happy.

“Do you all know?” A voice came before anyone could see.

Everyone in the office looked toward the door, and there was Zhou Tingmei, panting, pushing it open.

Leaning against the door frame and looking at them, she said, “The decision on Director Li has come out.”

Sister Li curiously asked, “What’s the result?”

Zhou Tingmei walked to her desk and sat down, taking a deep breath. “His wife has severed ties with him, and he’s been sent to the Northwest Farm.”

Sister Zhuang looked at Gu Yihan with a sarcastic tone: “Now Deputy Director Shen must be satisfied. That temporary replacement can finally be removed.”

Gu Yihan could sense that whenever Sister Zhuang mentioned Deputy Director Shen, her tone was sarcastic and her emotions fluctuated strongly.

Though full of doubts, Gu Yihan quietly said, “This is something the factory committee shouldn’t know. Sister Zhuang, are you more informed than the committee?”

Sister Li: “…”

Sister Zhang found it amusing. Sister Zhuang didn’t even think—Gu Yihan wasn’t someone easy to bully.

Liu Yang walked into the office carrying some documents. “Why is it so quiet?” he asked strangely.

Gu Yihan: “…”

Liu Yang handed the files to Gu Yihan. “These are the personnel changes from the Human Resources Department for this month.”

Gu Yihan took the papers, flipped through them, then closed them, her mind in turmoil. Among the transferred personnel, she had inadvertently seen some who were quite close to Director Shen.

Although the personnel changes were not many, it was obvious that Deputy Director Shen was arranging things for his people.

Seeing Gu Yihan dazed while looking at the personnel list, Liu Yang asked curiously, “Xiaohan, is there something wrong with this list?”

Snapping back to reality, Gu Yihan pretended to be puzzled: “Nothing, just noticing several deputy directors have been promoted to workshop directors.”

“Oh, oh, the HR Department said the committee leadership approved it.”

Gu Yihan nodded thoughtfully, signaling that she understood.

Suddenly, a hand holding a lipstick appeared in front of her.

“Yihan, look at this lipstick. Isn’t the color pretty? It’s for you.” Zhou Tingmei said with a smile.

Gu Yihan’s heart pounded. She was about to be annoyed to death. A weasel wishing the chicken a Happy New Year—Zhou Tingmei could have no good intentions.

Even if she dared to accept it, she wouldn’t dare to use it, so she politely declined: “I’m allergic to lipstick. You keep it for yourself.”

Sister Li, drinking water at the time, forgot to swallow, staring at her with wide eyes.

Zhou Tingmei could only awkwardly retract her hand. “Next time, I’ll bring you something interesting.”

Gu Yihan just pretended not to hear or see it and continued her work. End of the month was coming, and she needed to get busy.

At the entrance of the mechanical factory, Zhou Tingmei saw Zhang Qiang from afar and slowly walked toward him.

Before Zhou Tingmei could speak, he asked, “How is it? Did you give the lipstick?”

Hearing his voice, Zhou Tingmei’s breath caught. She clenched her sleeve tightly. “No, she didn’t take it.”

Zhang Qiang’s eyes darkened. He slapped her across the face.

Dizzy from the blow, Zhou Tingmei lowered her head, clenching her lips in silence.

Zhang Qiang coldly glared at her. “Don’t forget, I can let you stay in Jinyang City or send you back to your old place.”

He turned and walked away. Zhou Tingmei only dared to lift her head when he was far away, glaring at his back with a vengeful look: “You’ll regret this.”

Time quickly passed to the day before the New Year holiday.

Gu Yihan woke up early, feeling the warmth of the bed and having no desire to get up. Who would think that on New Year’s Eve she still had to work?

Gu Yihan walked ahead while Maomao followed behind, impatient at her slow pace, constantly nudging her calves.

“Maomao, you can go to Grandpa first.”

Maomao ignored her and walked in front instead.

Entering the office, Gu Yihan sat down, unwilling to move.

Sister Li, seeing her demeanor, asked, “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

Gu Yihan thought: I don’t want to work, can I really say that? Nowadays, labor is considered the most honorable.

She replied perfunctorily, “Nothing, just a slight headache.”

Sister Zhuang sneered, “Could it be that you’re happy knowing the factory is about to get a new director?”

Gu Yihan looked at her in confusion. “Sister Zhuang, do you have some connection with Deputy Director Shen?”

Sister Zhuang laughed coldly. “How could I have anything to do with him? Isn’t it you who’s connected?”

Gu Yihan’s expression instantly darkened. “Not connected? Then you’re targeting me? You think I’m easy to bully?”

“Heh, you’re right. I’m a student of Deputy Director Shen’s daughter. Didn’t you know?”

Sister Zhuang raised her voice. “Who in the factory doesn’t know you’re the deputy director’s chosen daughter-in-law?”

Gu Yihan calmly fixed her gaze on her. “Seems like I need to consult the Women’s Federation. Can the factory leadership forcibly interfere in workers’ marriages?”

“Sister Zhuang, you’ll have to testify for me—time, place, who said what.”

Gu Yihan’s gaze slowly drained the color from Sister Zhuang’s face.

She continued, “Arranging a marriage without my knowledge… Sister Zhuang, you can’t just stand by while your department is poisoned by feudal remnants.”

Sister Zhuang blurted, “I didn’t know, I never said anything.”

The office fell silent. Even Zhou Tingmei, usually eager to cause trouble, was unusually quiet.

Shen Family

Mr. Shen stormed in and sat on the sofa, pouring himself a glass of water and drinking it in one go.

Mrs. Shen, hearing the noise, walked from the kitchen to the bedroom. “What are you angry about now? Did the door offend you?”

Mr. Shen looked coldly at Mrs. Shen. “What do you understand?”

Mrs. Shen frowned. “Why act so proud just because you’re the director? You’re always acting high and mighty at home.”

Mr. Shen picked up the teacup and smashed it in front of her. The shards cut Mrs. Shen’s cheek.

“Can’t speak? Then shut up. Eat mine, drink mine. If I weren’t the director, could you live in a world where everyone fawns over you?”

“You’ve had enough good days, haven’t you? Have you forgotten the days we couldn’t even eat properly?”

Mrs. Shen quietly wept.

Mr. Shen irritably stood up and shouted, “Cry, cry, cry. All you do is cry. You’ve used up all the family’s fortune with your tears.”

Mrs. Shen looked at him in disbelief. “You despise me? Didn’t you despise me when you married me?”

Mr. Shen looked at her, letting hurtful words slip out: “Do you still think you’re a young girl? Back then, besides me, who else would want you?”

Mrs. Shen trembled and pointed at him. “You… you said you didn’t mind?”

Mr. Shen sneered: “Where would I care? I raised that illegitimate daughter of yours well. Aren’t you satisfied?”

Mrs. Shen said nothing, trembling as she supported herself along the wall back to her bedroom.

Mr. Shen looked at the broken pieces on the floor, his eyes gloomy. “Before, a youngster was always on top of me. I finally pulled him down, and now another is parachuted in? Let’s see what he’s capable of.”