My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

It's all about the house.

This is a truth that never changes, even fifty years later, it remains the same.

Zhao Guihua could understand Madam Zhou Li's out-of-control frenzy, but understanding is one thing, she couldn't accept it. Others couldn't either. If making a fuss could get you what you want, then why not go to the Forbidden City and make a scene?

Take it, take it all!

What a ridiculous dream.

However, no one expected Deputy Factory Director Zhang to show up. But it was clear that Old Man Lan knew, otherwise he wouldn't have been so cooperative. Everyone raised their estimation of this old man's "intimidating" level once again in their hearts.

Deputy Factory Director Zhang stayed with Old Man Lan, directing a few people to work, which made everyone work even harder. People like Aunt Su, who knew how to get things done, even brought them stools and poured water.

They were really quite observant.

Fortunately, the room wasn't large, and there were many people, so it was cleaned up very quickly.

Zhao Guihua came over to take a look and confidently concluded, "You painted the walls today, they definitely won't dry by tonight, so you can't move in today. At the earliest, it'll be the day after tomorrow. Sir, are you going to stay with us for a day or go to your daughter's place?"

As relatives, Zhao Guihua was quite casual. She said, "If you go to your daughter's, leave your things here with us. Don't put them in this room yet, otherwise, if something goes missing, it'll be hard to say."

Lan Sihai glanced at Zhao Guihua with a knowing look, immediately understanding her implication that there were people in the courtyard with sticky fingers. He nodded and said, "Alright, leave them with you. I'll go to my daughter's place."

Deputy Factory Director Zhang also felt a bit embarrassed. They had assigned housing with troublesome neighbors and a rather shabby house. He proactively said, "The cost of repairing your house should be covered by the factory. This is our oversight, and we will definitely get it right this time."

Lan Sihai waved it off, saying, "No need, I'm not particular about these things. Just don't let those mad dogs come and disturb my life. As for the rest, I have my own habits, no need for others to meddle."

Deputy Factory Director Zhang laughed and said, "Alright, we'll follow your lead. We'll definitely arrange the neighbors properly for you."

Although he said that, they would still pay the money; it wasn't much, and there was no need to leave any ill feelings.

Initially, they hadn't planned to assign Master Lan to this area. It was a coincidence that Master Lan's granddaughter lived here, and they thought it would be nice for the younger generation to take care of the elderly, so they arranged it here. But they didn't expect there to be such an unreasonable woman.

Deputy Factory Director Zhang detested Madam Zhou Li not only because she disrupted his work but also because she called him a dwarf, which made him extremely angry. He believed that not mentioning a person's short stature was basic courtesy, but he didn't expect her to be so disrespectful.

Moreover, her words were full of boasting, as if Zhou Qun was more capable than him, which made Deputy Factory Director Zhang even more dissatisfied.

"Deputy Factory Director Zhang, I have these apprentices here, you don't need to stay with me. You have your own work to do as a leader." Old Man Lan politely said, "I can take care of myself. If I can't even handle this, how could I have the face to teach others as a master craftsman?"

Deputy Factory Director Zhang laughed, "You are indeed a capable man."

Old Man Lan: "Just average, third in the country."

Deputy Factory Director Zhang: "Pfft!"

To be honest, to the people in their courtyard, Old Man Lan didn't seem like an easygoing person. But to Deputy Factory Director Zhang and the factory leaders, Comrade Lan Sihai was very kind and principled.

He didn't ask for any special treatment from the factory, and even when the initial accommodation was unpleasant, he didn't make a big deal out of it.

So Deputy Factory Director Zhang had a good impression of this master craftsman. He didn't stay long, but before leaving, he still reminded Aunt Wang, who was the caretaker of the courtyard and whose family member was also from their factory. He hoped she could look after the older gentleman a bit.

As for the Zhuang family, they were relatives, so there was no need for him to remind them.

Old Man Lan had lunch at the Zhuang's place, and there were also a few apprentices and... Aunt Wang.

Regarding finding a new partner, Old Man Lan was quite proactive. Everyone sat at the same table, and Old Man Lan expressed his thoughts: "I have one son and one daughter, but they don't need my care, and I don't need theirs. I don't want them to pay any pension money, so if I find a new partner, she doesn't need to interact with my children. We can have a meal together during holidays and maintain a superficial harmony. I don't need her to act as a stepmother to my children, and I won't act as a stepfather to hers. My daughter won't support her, and her children don't need to support me. I have a salary, part of which is a retirement pension and part is a rehired salary. Besides living expenses, I will give the lady five yuan each month as pocket money. I don't care how she spends it or on whom. I'm particular about food, so I need someone who cooks well. As for looks, as long as she's not ugly. I don't have age requirements, but there's one thing, she needs to be in good health."

Aunt Wang thought about these requirements, and well, they weren't too demanding.

Except for the part about interacting with children, which was a bit strange, the rest was quite reasonable.

Old Man Lan continued, "I'm in good health myself, so I want to find someone who is also in good health. I've already lost three partners, I don't want to send off a fourth..."

"Pfft!"

Aunt Wang spat out her drink.

The apprentices also choked, looking at each other, not knowing what to say, all lowering their heads in silence.

They were all in their thirties or forties, and they had never seen such a thing. Truly, one shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

Only Zhao Guihua remained calm. What was there to be surprised about?

She had already heard it all once.

However, she had forgotten that Old Man Lan's first wife had passed away more than ten years ago, but he hadn't stayed single! He had found several partners, just his luck was a bit bad.

Two more had passed away, and the fourth had divorced due to living apart.

Speaking of which, Zhao Guihua vaguely remembered her mother-in-law, Lan Ling, mentioning in a drunken state, well, in her previous life, that Old Man Lan's remarriage was suggested by his late wife, Ming Mei's grandmother, Lan Ling's mother. This family was different from traditional families. They focused on enjoying life while alive, didn't save anything, and were carefree when it was time to go. The old lady had even said on her deathbed that she had lived a fulfilling life, and her husband should continue to live well. Find someone prettier, not worse than her. She was going first, and who knew, maybe she'd find a handsome young man down there.

At that time, Zhao Guihua got along well with her mother-in-law, Lan Ling, so Lan Ling had no reason to lie.

Anyway, Zhao Guihua had never seen such a style.

It was quite fashionable.

Old Man Lan: "You don't need to be like this. Life, old age, sickness, and death are common things, no one can escape death. If I find a partner, if I go first, this house I've been assigned will be hers, my children can't take it. It's all written down. If she goes first, I'll arrange her funeral. But there's one thing, I'm afraid of trouble, don't find someone from a too complicated family. Other than that, I have no other requirements."

Aunt Wang looked at Zhao Guihua, trying to give her meaningful glances. Zhao Guihua calmly picked at her food and said, "Uncle's salary is good, and he has a house, no burden from children, and can give five yuan each month to the lady as pocket money. He enjoys good food and drink, has a bit of a taste for clothes and daily necessities. If she marries in, life will definitely be good. Uncle's requirements are someone who cooks well, is in good health, and comes from a simple family. Plus, this relationship is just between them, not involving their children."

She looked up and said, "Uncle's conditions aren't hard to find, are they?"

Aunt Wang was a bit confused by Old Man Lan, but after hearing Zhao Guihua recount the situation, she felt that it wasn't actually that difficult.

The main thing was that Old Man Lan's conditions were quite good. Although he didn't mention his salary, it was obvious it wouldn't be low. Thinking about it, Aunt Wang suddenly realized that Old Man Lan was offering more than Bai Fendou but with lower requirements.

If they were really looking for a partner for the old man, it might be easier than finding one for Bai Fendou.

Bai Fendou, with his pathetic demeanor, had all sorts of demands, and the woman who married him would also have to take care of both him and his father's daily needs. But looking at Old Man Lan... Aunt Wang gave him a thorough once-over and immediately felt that in terms of appearance, Old Man Lan had the upper hand.

He was a neatly dressed, meticulous, and spirited old man.

Bai Fendou, on the other hand, was always slovenly and unkempt. Even though the security team's uniform looked quite handsome on him, he managed to make it look like he was just wandering the streets. Sometimes, people are most afraid of comparison. Aunt Wang didn't need to compare him with anyone far away; just comparing him with the people around her made her feel that finding a partner for Old Man Lan wouldn't be difficult.

However, she also asked, "Uncle, you've been married three times? Can you tell us about that?"

Old Man Lan: "No, I've been married four times."

"Pfft!"

Everyone burst out laughing again.

The men in the room looked at Old Man Lan with envy, feeling that they were living worse than an old man. It was a bit sad...

Old Man Lan remained calm and said, "My first wife passed away fourteen years ago. That year, I remarried a woman four years younger than me. We were married for three years. She was caught in an affair with her lover by the lover's wife and, in a panic, fell to her death. Half a month after her death, I married another woman seven years younger than me. We were married for seven years. She fell ill and passed away after six months in the hospital. The following year, I married again. This year, I'm being transferred to Beijing. She didn't want to leave her children, so we divorced amicably. If I marry again, it will be my fifth marriage."

Aunt Wang: "..."

Although having affairs was still frowned upon, this old man, despite his multiple marriages, each had a reason and could be explained. And no one said that after a wife's death, one couldn't remarry...

As a woman, Aunt Wang just felt uncomfortable everywhere.

But you could at most say that the old man remarried quickly, but you couldn't say he was having affairs.

Aunt Wang: "Well... Alright. I'll keep an eye out for you."

Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "Lao Wang, you don't need to put too much pressure on yourself. If you meet someone suitable, introduce them; if not, just wait. There's no need to rush. I also believe that the requirements Old Man Lan has set are based on his experiences from so many marriages. He certainly doesn't want to lower his standards. Just find someone who meets those criteria."

Aunt Wang: "Okay."

It was no surprise that the news of Old Man Lan's fourth marriage would spread.

But since Old Man Lan was willing to talk about it, it was clear he wasn't too concerned.

Zhao Guihua: "Old Man Lan, from now on, we're not just relatives but also neighbors. I know you don't like others meddling in your affairs, but since you're not young anymore, don't be too stubborn about some things. Just call on us if you need help. After all, distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. If you're embarrassed to call on anyone else in our family, just call your grandson-in-law, and my third son will come to help."

Old Man Lan: "Alright."

Old Man Lan spoke decisively when he wasn't being sarcastic.

"Also, since you're new here, you might not know the situation in our courtyard. There's not just one widow here; the one who tried to take your house today is a widow. There are others too. If you have no interest, it's best to keep your distance to avoid misunderstandings and troubles. You understand, right? Just because you don't fancy someone doesn't mean they don't fancy you. We should still maintain a proper distance." Zhao Guihua was spilling all the unsaid things.

She didn't want to relive the past, so she had to speak up early.

In her previous life, Aunt Su had set her sights on Old Man Lan. She didn't immediately target him, as she had to maintain her persona, but soon realized that Old Man Lan's conditions were excellent. At that point, it was hard not to be tempted.

And she was only in her fifties, while Old Man Lan was seventy-one. Aunt Su wasn't just after Old Man Lan's money but also his house. Her own house in the courtyard was already quite large, but she was never satisfied. She wanted more.

With three sons, she coveted Old Man Lan's house, which was only about thirty square meters but well-kept. Plus, he earned a good income. Aunt Su quickly began her moves. She wasn't direct; she was good at acting. After repeated attempts to get close, Old Man Lan remained unmoved. But Bai Fendou's father, Old Bai, was furious.

He firmly believed that Old Man Lan was trying to seduce his woman, causing trouble and even getting into fights.

Although the Zhuang family intervened, he didn't gain the upper hand, but it led to a lot of gossip. With Old Man Lan's multiple marriages, the public opinion wasn't in his favor. The factory reprimanded and tried to stop it multiple times, but it was hard to control people's tongues.

Fortunately, Old Man Lan himself didn't care, or he might have been seriously affected.

So this time, Zhao Guihua brought up the topic from the start: "Life, take it as it comes. You're a smart man; you see through things."

After Zhao Guihua finished, she saw Old Man Lan deep in thought.

In her previous life, Old Man Lan hadn't clearly stopped Aunt Su's advances at the beginning, leading to those issues. So Zhao Guihua hoped this time there wouldn't be any problems. In her previous life, they hadn't been direct about these things, and at that time, Zhao Guihua hadn't realized how cunning Aunt Su was, so they fell for it.

But this time, Zhao Guihua wanted to clarify things right away. She believed this old fox would understand.

Old Man Lan: "I get it."

He rarely showed a smile and said, "You're not bad."

Oh, it was rare for him to compliment without being sarcastic.

Zhao Guihua: "I've always been good. You'll see that when you get to know me. I'm the kind of person who doesn't provoke trouble unless I'm provoked."

The lunch went well. Zhao Guihua prepared fish and meat, and the men had big appetites, eating everything clean. Old Man Lan didn't let Zhao Guihua pay; they weren't there to take advantage of her.

Five men eating could easily outdo a family's consumption for several days.

However, the food coupons and meat coupons weren't provided by Old Man Lan. Deputy Factory Director Zhang, although he had left, had left behind the money for lunch before departing. After all, they had to take care of the old comrades from out of town.

One of Old Man Lan's disciples, who was more straightforward, directly remarked, "Sister Zhao, your cooking is really good. My wife can't make food like this."

"That's because you don't see what she's cooking. There's meat in it. Meat and no meat are different."

"That's true."

In the afternoon, Old Man Lan finished packing up and went back to his daughter's place. The house needed another day to air out, so he left some of his luggage at Ming Mei's house and left with his disciples.

When Ming Mei got off work and returned, her grandfather was already gone.

Ming Mei: "???"

She searched everywhere and said, "Where's my grandpa? I specifically got off work early, but he's gone?"

Ming Mei hadn't had much contact with her grandfather since childhood, as they lived in different cities and rarely met. But Ming Mei was naturally sociable and warm towards her own grandfather.

Zhao Guihua: "Your grandpa went back to your parents' place tonight. The walls here were just painted, so he can't stay tonight."

Ming Mei: "Oh, my grandpa is particular about these things."

He could live in a small house, but it had to be comfortable; he could do without delicacies, but he had to eat well.

Ming Mei was chatting with her mother-in-law, while Zhuang Zhixi was still at work and hadn't left yet. Normally, he would be the first to rush out at the end of his shift, refusing to work an extra minute. But today, there was an exception.

The news spread quickly.

Before long, everyone knew that the master chef from Jinling who had just arrived at their factory was the grandfather of Zhuang Zhixi's wife. On the old man's first day, he had Madam Zhou Li sent to the security department.

It was around noon when Zhou Qun was sipping hot tea in his office. The door was suddenly slammed open, and the head of the electrical department berated Zhou Qun as if he were scolding his own grandson.

Zhou Qun was bewildered, his face turning red. He had no idea what was going on and was quite displeased, asking, "Section Chief, what do you mean by this? Why are you suddenly scolding me? I've always been diligent in my work. You're being a bit unreasonable."

Although Zhou Qun had some hypocritical traits and wasn't exactly virtuous, he was quite diligent in his work. That's why he had reached level seven at such a young age. It was the highest level he could achieve at his age and seniority.

Because of this, he was considered promising.

Normally, people in the electrical department would flatter him, but he never expected the section chief to suddenly go crazy, as if he had taken some kind of stimulant.

Zhou Qun was unhappy, and the section chief was unhappy too. He had been reprimanded by the office director, who in turn had been scolded by the deputy factory director. So, because of Madam Zhou Li's arrogance, everyone involved had suffered, and no one was in a good mood.

The section chief raged, "How dare you ask me? Don't you know you've implicated me? Can't you talk to your mother?"

When he mentioned his mother, Zhou Qun's heart skipped a beat.

He knew his mother was usually domineering, and he often used her as a tool to deal with others, but he never imagined she could cause trouble at the factory.

"My mother? Is this a misunderstanding? She's just a housewife; she doesn't know much, she..."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted, "Your mother doesn't know? I think she knows very well. She even tried to seize someone else's house. She knows what's good! How shameless! Do you know we've invited a master chef from Jinling as an advisor? He traveled a long way without asking for any special treatment or housing. The factory arranged a place for him in your courtyard. Your mother tried to seize his house and threatened to hang herself at his door if she didn't get it! Are your family bandits? I know the courtyard belongs to the factory. Does the factory need your mother's approval to assign it to someone? How big is your family's face! Zhou Qun, your mother is very arrogant. Not only did she curse and threaten people, but she also pointed at Deputy Factory Director Zhang's nose and cursed him, saying she would have you deal with him."

He laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Although Zhou Qun was technically skilled, he was just an ordinary worker. Madam Zhou Li's self-confidence was ridiculous, thinking Zhou Qun could easily deal with the deputy factory director. What kind of delusion was that?

Zhou Qun's mind went blank when he heard this, and he swayed on his feet.

He stammered, "My mother, my mother..."

"Your mother what? Your mother has been taken to the security department. She tried to seize public property." The section chief, feeling sorry for Zhou Qun, added, "She also cursed the security department, calling them watchdogs."

Although the section chief didn't say it, everyone, including Zhou Qun and the crowd eavesdropping outside, understood that Zhou Qun couldn't afford to make any mistakes from now on. The security department wouldn't let it slide.

Although it was Madam Zhou Li who caused the trouble, Zhou Qun had to swallow the bitter pill as her son.

Zhou Qun steadied himself against the desk, pressing hard on his temples, and said, "My mother... cursed people?"

"From the factory director to the security department, your mother cursed everyone. How arrogant she is."

Zhou Qun took a deep breath, "Is she still at the security department?"

"Yes," the section chief replied, no longer scolding. He patted the poor man's shoulder, "Go and see. The security department won't let it go easily."

Zhou Qun's mind was buzzing, but he couldn't ignore his mother. If he didn't step in, he would only invite more scorn, so he had to go. At that moment, Jiang Lu rushed over, asking, "Zhou Qun, did your mother cause trouble?"

As a daughter-in-law, she hadn't been directly implicated, but the rumors had reached her ears.

Jiang Lu's first reaction wasn't worry but secret joy. This mean mother-in-law deserved a lesson, and now it was happening. She was overjoyed to see her get what she deserved.

Jiang Lu was delighted inside but had to pretend to be concerned, saying vague things.

Soon, she genuinely worried. She didn't care about her mother-in-law, but she cared about Zhou Qun's feelings. If Zhou Qun was upset, she'd rather die. So she hurried over to comfort her husband.

Zhou Qun said, "Let's go to the security department."

The security department of that time was different from the one in a decade or two. Back then, it had functions similar to a police station. Many matters related to the factory were handled by the security department. This time, although Madam Zhou Li wasn't a factory employee, their courtyard was part of the machinery factory's family compound, and the house assigned to Lan Sihai originally belonged to the factory. Additionally, Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu were factory employees, so it was naturally the factory's security department that dealt with it.

Many years later, people would reminisce about the days of large state-owned enterprises, marveling at how the factory handled everything from eating to sleeping. That's why, when the layoff wave came, some people who had worked in the factory for decades couldn't handle it.

But that was a decade or two later. For now, their factory was still a thriving state-owned enterprise.

Zhou Qun was livid but couldn't ignore his troublemaking mother. Zhou Qun wasn't particularly well-liked at the factory. He was technically skilled, started working early, and had long seniority, so he advanced quickly and earned well.

He could be called a young talent, which made him look down on others. People in that era weren't stupid; if he didn't respect them, they wouldn't respect him.

Jiang Lu pulled Zhou Qun, saying, "We can't go empty-handed; they won't give us face."

Zhou Qun's face changed, and after a deep breath, he said, "There's a pack of Hua cigarettes in my drawer."

He went back to get it and soon headed to the security department again.

As Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu entered the security department, they heard Madam Zhou Li's wailing. This time, it wasn't her usual arrogant cry but a scared one. She never expected the security department to arrest her.

Although she hadn't done anything good in her life, she had never been to the security department before.

She had worked at the factory for a while; her husband had died in an accident at work, and she took over his job. But after a few years, her son, at fourteen, took over, and she returned to being a housewife.

So Madam Zhou Li was familiar with the factory, yet also unfamiliar.

Familiar because she had indeed worked here as a worker, unfamiliar because she had been gone for fifteen or sixteen years.

Changes occurred every one or two years, let alone fifteen or sixteen years. But no matter how much it changed, she knew she was in trouble now, with the security department! They could arrest people. She had been so loud in cursing the gatekeeper, thinking they wouldn't dare do anything to her.

But now she was genuinely scared to the point of wetting her pants.

She was locked in a separate room, howling, but no matter how much she howled, no one paid attention to her. Because she had previously scratched someone, one of her hands was handcuffed to a heating pipe.

The security department had its own tricks. Although she was trying to seize a house, if she had succeeded, it would have been a big deal. Now that she hadn't succeeded, it would likely just end with a reprimand and education.

But since she had cursed and tried to fight, the security department wasn't going to take it lying down. This was clearly a way to teach her a lesson. The handcuffing to the heating pipe was particularly cunning—the position was high enough that she had to stand on tiptoes to reach the ground, but not high enough to stand comfortably. This was extremely painful.

Especially for someone of her age, enduring a whole night would peel off a layer of skin. They didn't need to do anything to her; just this small space was enough to make her suffer.

Now, the security department was dealing with her like this. Madam Zhou Li was not only terrified and howling, but also genuinely very uncomfortable.

She had only seen the temptation of the house but hadn't thought about what right she had to it.

Zhou Qun, upon hearing his mother's cries, flashed a brief look of annoyance. Nevertheless, he had to cautiously apologize to the security department first. The security department wasn't polite either, saying, "Zhou the Electrician, you don't need to be so courteous. Your mother said she wants you to teach us a lesson, to get us all fired. That scared us so much that we really don't dare to talk loudly to you."

Zhou Qun: "Section Chief Li, please don't listen to my mother's nonsense. She's just an illiterate old woman who doesn't understand any principles. This time she caused you trouble, and I'm really quite embarrassed..."

He glanced at Jiang Lu, who immediately took out a pack of cigarettes, saying, "A small token of our appreciation."

Section Chief Li glanced at it, thinking that Zhou Qun was quite willing to spend. These were Hua Zi cigarettes, which only the factory director could afford to smoke. They usually could only dream of such, settling for a pack of Da Qian Men. It was true that Zhou Qun, despite not getting along well with others, was a pragmatic man. His generous move immediately softened Section Chief Li's expression.

After all, it wasn't him who had been cursed as a gatekeeper.

"Since you've shown your sincerity, I won't be polite. But some things need to be made clear; otherwise, I wouldn't dare to accept your gift."

"Please, tell me, please. Guide me, brother. I don't want things to get too ugly. My mother, she really is senile." Zhou Qun said this to smooth things over, though he thought the same in his heart: "I won't let you guide me for free."

"Your mother even cursed the Deputy Factory Director. We can't do nothing about that; he wouldn't be happy. At the very least, she has to be detained for one night. No one can intercede. Also, you need to go and apologize to Comrade Lan Sihai. Only when he accepts the apology can we release her. Otherwise, we can't just let her go. Oh, and your father-in-law isn't acquainted with the Deputy Factory Director? Ask him to intercede. Otherwise, if the Deputy Factory Director holds a grudge, it'll be hard for you to advance. And it's crucial for the future. You really need to control your mother. If you don't, she might cause you even bigger trouble. Let her stay here for a night as a lesson. It's not bad for an old person to learn a lesson. It might prevent her from making more mistakes in the future."

Zhou Qun: "Thank you, thank you so much for the advice, Section Chief Li."

The power of that pack of Hua Zi cigarettes was significant.

He sighed, "Don't worry, I'll definitely keep an eye on my mother. There won't be such incidents in the future."

Section Chief Li nodded, saying, "Then let me give you a piece of information as a bonus. Comrade Lan Sihai is the grandfather of Zhuang Zhixi's wife in the medical room. After all, they're relatives. If you go over and make some connections, the old man might let it go. Aren't you from the same courtyard? Shouldn't be hard to talk to, right?"

Zhou Qun immediately nodded, "His relative?"

This explained why the old man was specially invited as a master technician and assigned to their courtyard's small house. It was because of his relationship with the Zhuang family. He quickly said, "I understand this matter now. Thank you, brother. Buy yourself some wine."

He handed over two ten-yuan notes, his heart bleeding, but he had to spend the money.

Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu walked out of the room together, not even glancing at his mother. This useless old hag who couldn't accomplish anything, he didn't want to see her even for a moment. Zhou Qun grabbed Jiang Lu's hand and led her to a corner, saying, "Xiao Lu, this time you have to help me."

Jiang Lu urgently said, "Tell me."

Zhou Qun: "You need to take leave immediately and go find your father. Ask him to arrange a dinner with Deputy Factory Director Zhang tonight. We'll be there to apologize properly. Otherwise, where will I have a future? If I don't have a future, what good days will you have? For our future, you have to put in some effort with your father, okay?"

Jiang Lu immediately replied, "Do you even need to say that? It's something I should do. If you asked me, it would be treating me like an outsider. We're a family; I'd do anything for you. But what about Mom..."

Zhou Qun: "Let her stay here and learn a lesson. It's to prevent her from floating around all day, thinking the factory leaders are like the people in the courtyard, letting her make trouble as she pleases. I think this is all Bai Fendou's fault. If it weren't for Mom successfully extorting him a few times before, she wouldn't be so out of line now. Bai Fendou is to blame."

Jiang Lu nodded in agreement, angrily saying, "Bai Fendou is up to no good. It serves him right that he can't find a wife."

Zhou Qun: "Go ahead, I'll go back first and think about what to say before going to find Zhuang Zhixi."

He had to find him, but he needed to think about how to phrase it. He had to make Zhuang Zhixi take the initiative to offer help.

Isn't that what he should do?

After all, this matter also involved his family, and it was because of his family that it started.

Zhou Qun thought this, raised his chin, and felt that the people in their courtyard were all jealous of him, scheming against him, and not having good intentions.

"Alright, go ahead."

"Okay!"

The couple parted ways. Zhou Qun watched Jiang Lu's back and thought about the pack of Hua Zi cigarettes he had given away, feeling heartbroken. Those were the kind that his father-in-law, the head of the supply and marketing cooperative, could get.

If it weren't for Jiang Lu going home and making a scene to get them, they wouldn't have ended up in his hands, only to be given away for nothing.

This money, his mother must pay for it!!

This useless old hag.

Zhou Qun ground his teeth in hatred. He hated Bai Fendou for being extorted successfully each time, fueling his mother's arrogance and making her lose her bearings. He also hated the Zhuang family for not showing any consideration, immediately involving the factory director just because they had a powerful relative. Bastards! He also hated Section Chief Li for being so greedy, a mere security section chief daring to take Hua Zi cigarettes, not considering whether someone from a peasant background like him was worthy of such a good thing.

His expression changed uncertainly for a long time before he put on a calm face and returned to the office.

However, he couldn't think of a way to make Zhuang Zhixi take the initiative to speak. Zhuang Zhixi wasn't like the others in the courtyard; this guy didn't act without seeing a benefit, and he knew Zhuang Zhixi was hard to deal with.

After thinking back and forth, with the end of work approaching, he hurried to the medical room.

And so, just as Zhuang Zhixi was about to leave work, Zhou Qun blocked his way.

Zhuang Zhixi was well-informed in the factory, and with this matter being the talk of the factory, it would be strange if he didn't know. He smiled mockingly at Zhou Qun, saying, "Brother Zhou, why are you here? I rarely see you around the factory."

In the past, if there was any electrical issue in the medical office and they needed Zhou Qun, they had to submit reports layer by layer, and it was never timely. In fact, if the relationship was good, it didn't have to be so complicated. For example, in the workshop, which was more important, there was never a need to follow the formal procedures; whenever there was a problem, they would immediately go. But the medical office wasn't important, so they didn't receive such treatment. Usually, when someone came, it wasn't someone like Zhou Qun, a level seven electrician, but an apprentice. So, everyone was not particularly enthusiastic towards Zhou Qun.

Don't think that just because Zhou Qun and Zhuang Zhixi live in the same courtyard, Zhou Qun has any special face.

Zhou Qun remained unfazed and said, "You're leaving now? Isn't the bell just rung?"

He wanted to use Zhuang Zhixi's lack of seriousness at work to put him in his place.

To make him fear him.

Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "You're saying that as soon as the bell rings, it's time to go home. Staying at the unit after the bell rings, isn't that wasting the unit's resources? If it's not for the bell to signal going home, then why ring it? Just work for twenty-four hours straight. Since it's time to go home, it means the working people need rest, and only with rest can they better serve the people."

Zhuang Zhixi always had a smile on his face when he spoke. He said, "Brother Zhou, you're not leaving?"

Zhou Qun couldn't put him in his place and pursed his lips, saying, "I have something to discuss with you."

He said, "Can we talk alone?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Let's talk while we walk. If I don't hurry home after work, my wife will suspect I'm fooling around outside. I'm not that kind of person. By the way, Brother Zhou, you usually go home so late, what are you busy with at the unit? There's no electrical work after work, is there?"

He asked casually, which made Zhou Qun's heart skip a beat. However, as an old hand at sneaking around, he quickly regained his composure and said, "I always have to check for deficiencies and make up for them, unlike your medical office."

Zhuang Zhixi let out a long "Oh" and said, "So that's how it is. I thought Brother Zhou had a rich after-work life."

Isn't it just about subtly manipulating people with words?

Who can't do that!