Chapter 545

Liu Lan, who pretended to be going to the hospital for a health check, ended up appearing before a few coworkers who were just idly chatting and talking nonsense.

Spreading rumors.

She is professional.

It wasn't directed at Qin Huairu; she wanted to give the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Li a good impression.

Full of resentment.

If Deputy Factory Director Li hadn't interfered, Liu Lan would already be a top hand in the back kitchen of Bai Xu Restaurant, and wouldn't have to do menial work like washing and chopping vegetables as she does now.

Every mistake is Deputy Factory Director Li's fault.

Whether Qin Huairu knows Deputy Factory Director Li or not, it's a good thing for Liu Lan.

Who at Yagangchang doesn't know Qin Huairu's infamous reputation?

Literally a steaming pile of dog shit.

Those people in the Propaganda Section can all bear witness.

"Regardless of whether that's what you meant, I don't want to see you." Deputy Factory Director Li pointed their hand at the door, their tone turning cold, "Get out of here right away."

Deputy Factory Director Li won't fall for her act of crying poor—what can she do now?

On her way to the Propaganda Section, Qin Huairu was still filled with strong ambition, seeing this as a chance to escape the Yagangchang Cleaning Section's big heated kang, and even imagined herself leveraging Deputy Factory Director Li's influence to become a minor leader in some department.

A bitter feeling came over Qin Huairu.

Spread it.

As expected.

She messed up.

This also ended up helping Qin Huairu.

Looking back to the start.

This works too.

"She deserves it, that woman totally deserves it; whenever a Deputy Director Li appears, she assumes he's a relative and rushes to cozy up, ending up messing things up."

At last she gained a bit of self-awareness, realizing that with her looks she wouldn't catch his eye, and that offering herself might even disgust him.

"Oh dear, so this is what you're talking about, Liu Lan; sis, I ought to say a few words—we thought you were talking about something else, but we all know about this matter, and when you weren't here we were just chatting about it."

They thought for a moment.

They also couldn't find it on Liu Lan's head.

Factory Director Yang phoned the Cleaning Section chief, and citing Qin Huairu's over‑decade of toilet‑cleaning at Yagangchang and her decent performance, they transferred her to Cleaning Section Two, making her a team leader.

They hurriedly slapped their own forehead.

The script is off.

The height of rumor‑mongering is to get everyone involved as much as possible.

Liu Lan, who knew the game well, upon seeing those old women, deliberately pretended not to have seen them and hurriedly walked past beside them.

Liu Lan knew these people would surely call out to her.

Just as Liu Lan walked past those people, seven or eight steps away, a woman in the crowd over ten years older than her said a few words criticizing her.

This amounts to repeating the old trick.

"We saw it—Qin Huairu is shameless, not the least bit shy; she went to the Propaganda Section to find the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Li, deliberately looping around to us, and without waiting for us to ask, she just went ahead and told us about this herself."

"Liu Lan, are you hanging out with Director He outside, raising your standards, and looking down on us old sisters from Yagangchang?"

A look of disbelief and shock.

Qin Huairu didn't expect Deputy Factory Director Li to make good on their threat; she got up from the ground, approached them, said a few pleading words, patted her rear, and walked away.

A prime minister's belly can hold a boat.

Upon entering, seeing that the Deputy Factory Director Li wasn't the one she knew, she felt a bit uneasy yet also fully confident.

As a woman.

Worked at Yagangchang for over ten years.

The newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Li is all prickly, immune to Qin Huairu's mature‑woman tactics.

In case it comes to a deadlock.

Seeing Deputy Factory Director Li issue the eviction order.

An embarrassed look.

This is the lethal weapon of a scheming woman.

Qin Huairu involuntarily muttered a sentence.

Liu Lan turned her head.

Qin Huairu's prospects looked even worse; on the way here just now, she heard coworkers say that the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Li was feuding with Factory Director Yang and had even ruined Shazhu's livelihood, yet she herself, in front of those Yagangchang workers, revealed how familiar she was with Deputy Factory Director Li.

Not easy to handle.

"Liu Lan, do you still consider us your sisters? If you do, then hurry up and say."

Deputy Factory Director Li grew increasingly blunt.

Several women.

She thought the matter was over just like that.

Qin Huairu felt her head as big as a bucket, and she dared not play any more tricks.

Qin Huairu was still whining about her hardships, and after she finished she turned her tear‑streaked cheek toward Deputy Factory Director Li.

Or perhaps Deputy Factory Director Li simply wasn't playing by the rules; she had no regard for reputation or face, and even in a situation where outsiders might hear, she continued to speak sharply to Qin Huairu.

"Men all like beautiful women; Qin Huairu still thought she was that pretty widow who had just started working at Yagangchang over a decade ago, but she turned his stomach."

People who, even without rumors, still fabricate and recklessly spread them—let alone the fact that Deputy Factory Director Li seeing Qin Huairu is an indisputable fact.

"What me what me, what you what you—I'm the deputy factory manager in charge of the propaganda section, you're a cleaning‑section person. How you're doing is none of my business? Show off your ability? Not talking to your own section chief, you come to me crying poor—what have I got in your way? What does it have to do with you? At worst I won't use the toilet at the steel plant, alright?"

"All steel plant workers, listen up: I, Yu Haitang, will announce a disciplinary notice for Qin Huairu of the cleaning section. During work hours, without seeking improvement, she entered Deputy Factory Director Li's office without permission, seriously affecting his work. Under the strict factory management system of being strict and lenient, we issue a disciplinary notice to Qin Huairu for disrupting the normal work of the steel plant's propaganda section. I hope all steel plant workers take heed and hold themselves to strict standards…"

It carries a bit of unrealistic fantasy.

"How you're doing, what does it have to do with me?" Deputy Factory Director Li looked at Qin Huairu's tear‑streaked face and retorted bluntly, "Did I make your life bad? Or am I blocking you from doing well? You come to me complaining, and then you'll be fine?"

She flopped to the ground like a mangy dog, probably worried about being driven off, wanting to make a last effort; she opened her mouth and kept speaking.

Propaganda section.

What to do?

What should we do?

She only needed to let Qin Huairu go to the propaganda section to find the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Li; the rest would be left to the steel plant workers.

Everyone put on the appearance of keeping their mouths shut.

But they didn't expect Deputy Factory Director Li to write a notice, having Yu Haitang publicly announce the disciplinary action against Qin Huairu.

"I'm doing this, I, you all—I'm not saying it for your own good." Liu Lan looked anxious, glanced at the people before her, looked around, lowered her voice and began to urge: "I can tell you, but you must not spread it, otherwise I won't be able to face people."

Doesn't want to leave.

Suddenly remembered.

The secret's out.

Liu Lan knows these people's nature all too well.

The huge steel plant is everywhere abuzz with workers discussing all this.

Imitating Qin Huairu's earlier manner and tone.

Thus.

An apologetic expression.

A few housewives who originally had nothing to do, upon seeing Liu Lan's expression, all became energized like they'd been injected with chicken blood, worrying they had nothing to do; then they met Liu Lan, and seeing her expression clearly indicated something was up, they felt compelled to ask her what had happened, based on whatever acquaintance they had with her.

She turned her head and walked toward Ershitang.

Subsequent events brought a series of mishaps.

People won't talk about what's going on with Qin Huairu; they'll only say that Deputy Factory Director Li can't tell the difference between big and small kings, lacks morals, and nitpicks with someone like Qin Huairu.

"Factory Director Li, I am Qin Huairu of the cleaning section. I didn't come to you crying poor; I just stated my situation. Yes, yes, yes, that's what I meant."

She came before that group of housewives.

Who knows how many men have been defeated by this tactic of Qin Huairu, ending in disgrace and ruin.

"Factory Director Li, I don't mean that."

"Ma Jie, your words really hit home—I, Liu Lan, could never act superior in front of you, Ma Jie. If you don't believe me, ask Zhao Jie, Zhang Jie, Ding Jie, and Li Jie: am I the type who, once powerful, looks down on sisters? Moreover, I, Liu Lan, am just a kitchen helper at Ershitang."

This is also Qin Huairu's reliance; if Deputy Factory Director Li confronts her head‑on, the only one who loses will be him.

Qin Huairu was anxious as if on fire.

From now on.

The speaker, Ma Dajie.

The result clearly turned out to be something quite different from what Qin Huairu had expected.

"Factory Director Li, I don't mean that."

…

How can this be fixed?

"Liu Lan, after all these years of friendship, when you run into trouble, tell me—I'll definitely help if I can, and if I can't, I'll create the conditions to help."

He looked left and right.

Originally I wanted to offer myself in marriage, but my gaze unintentionally fell on a mirror; seeing my own aged, faded self, I changed my offer from marrying myself to becoming a beast of burden.

He picked up the phone on the desk, called the Security Section, said Qin Huairu was affecting his work, and had them send people to take her away.

Whoever gets involved ends up unlucky.

But the response she got was Deputy Factory Director Li's icy stare.

It can be said, but saying it would offend people—a contradiction.

They're all the type who don't make waves without wind.

The other party is a lofty deputy factory manager, while I am just an ordinary person who cleans toilets at the steel plant; between us lies a vast chasm like heaven and earth.

Is this still Deputy Factory Director Li?

"You all know this?" Liu Lan, possessed by a drama queen, deliberately put on a shocked expression, "I was still worried you'd be given small shoes and wouldn't dare tell me, but you're even more well‑informed than I am."

Liu Lan saw the other party take the bait.

"Factory Director Li, I truly mean no harm; I just think you can help me. I, Qin Huairu, have been cleaning toilets at the steel plant for several years. If you transfer me to another post, I will repay you with my utmost effort."

Pitiful and delicate.

A chorus of hee‑hee, ha‑ha laughter.

"Which of you are seated? I'm going to the propaganda section to talk to Deputy Factory Director Li about something—I won't chat with you anymore. I'm off to see him now. Liu Lan, you don't know, when Qin Huairu walks away her butt twists like a braid, just like the prostitutes in the Eight Great Alleys—really disgusting."

He uttered a few formalities.

"Liu Lan, your mouth really can talk—sister doesn't bother with you anymore, what's this rush to do?"

They deliberately created a feeling of surprise, as if I had just remembered something.

Seeing Qin Huairu clinging to him.

"What does it have to do with me? Does Qin Huairu of the cleaning section have even a cent's worth of connection with my propaganda section? I'm not your direct superior—are you going to report an eggplant to me? Or do you want me to have the propaganda section publicize your glorious history of cleaning toilets?"

She was frightened.

Qin Huairu's mood also became full of loss.

All this before her eyes gave Liu Lan the feeling of a fist striking a pile of cotton.

Qin Huairu became famous again.

Especially those in high positions, they cherish their reputation even more; when facing subordinates or workers under them, they always put on a harmonious, amiable demeanor, trying as much as possible to appear approachable, and would never let word spread that they were stooping to the level of their underlings.

"Qin Huairu isn't she said she had a good relationship with Deputy Factory Director Li? How did she get punished? What happened here?"

Qin Huairu had no time to feign pity; before the Security Section personnel arrived, she hurriedly explained her purpose to Deputy Factory Director Li.

People are creatures who cherish their feathers.

"Forget it, I believe you. Who let me, Liu Lan, be good sisters with you? This is the situation: you all know Qin Huairu, right? I heard she went to the Propaganda Section to find the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Li."

Qin Huairu widened her eyes.

Liu Lan knew why Qin Huairu went to see Deputy Factory Director Li, just as Liu Lan had once devoted herself to Deputy Factory Director Li—it was self-interest at work!

This matter will spread.

Hearing Liu Lan's tone like that, one knows the matter she speaks of is significant.

"Old Ma's words make sense; you're not unaware of our abilities—just say what needs to be done and it will happen."

Too bad.

Even Factory Director Yang was discussing this matter; unlike the workers who merely watched for excitement, his words carried a faint sense of regret—he regretted that Qin Huairu had lost out to the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Li, and if Qin Huairu and Deputy Factory Director Li had gotten together, Factory Director Yang might not have been able to find a handle on them.

Yagangchang's Cleaning Section consists of the First, Second, and Third Sections. The First Section is the punishment unit; all employees of Yagangchang who make mistakes are gathered there, specializing in toilet cleaning. The Second Section is responsible for cleaning the factory area and office buildings, divided into ten groups of five to six people each. Strictly speaking, the Third Section has no fixed cleaning area; they are responsible for cafeteria hygiene cleaning and workshop hygiene inspections.

Following Factory Director Yang's instructions, Qin Huairu got her wish, changing from a member of the First Section who cleaned toilets to being responsible for sweeping the factory area streets.

She felt a bit dazed.

She truly couldn't figure out what had happened here, why such a change had occurred—the Deputy Factory Director Li she had hoped for had driven her out of the office and even announced her punishment, while Factory Director Yang, who had held no hope, instead let Qin Huairu escape the toilet-cleaning detail.