Chapter 55: There is such a thing as fairness in this world

Qin Hengzhi never expected things to escalate to this extent.

At this moment, he was in the conference room of the factory office building.

Not only was he here, but the parties involved in the drowning incident were also present.

He cast a silent glance at Lu Qiaoge, who sat steadily by the window, before calmly withdrawing his gaze.

The meeting was presided over by Director Hao.

Director Hao was a high-ranking official, the type of person with a schedule packed with urgent matters.

To have to preside over such an absurd meeting today left him feeling quite stifled.

But there was no helping it; the people involved in this matter were no ordinary individuals.

Vice Director Lin, the Chairperson of the Women's Federation, the Vice Chairperson of the Labor Union, the Logistics Director, Lu Da—a model worker for the military industry for ten consecutive years—the Section Chief of Labor and Personnel, and even the technician Zhao Qing...

And, of course, Qin Hengzhi, the military representative who had been innocently implicated.

He spoke: "You all know why I have gathered you here today, right?"

Vice Director Lin immediately stood up and apologized sincerely to Lu Da: "I am sorry, Master Lu. It was my fault for believing Shen Hong's words without investigation and calling the Chairperson of the Women's Federation. This was my mistake. I apologize to you and your family. I am sorry."

Lu Qiaoge glanced at Vice Director Lin. This man had been newly transferred last year; he was young and knew how to be flexible when necessary.

This was normal. If he hadn't admitted who had spread the rumors to him, Comrade Old Lu would have assumed it was all just Old Lu's imagination.

With Vice Director Lin admitting his mistake so readily, the others also stepped forward to acknowledge their errors.

Whether they were sincere or merely acting was impossible to tell.

Old Liang and Old Shen exchanged a glance, then turned their faces away in displeasure.

They, too, had to reflect on their own mistakes.

After all, they were the fathers of Liang Aishu and Shen Yun.

"A child's failure to learn is the fault of the father."

There was no flaw in that logic.

Shen Yun's eyes were already red from crying. Her self-righteous scheme had been completely turned against her by Lu Qiaoge. Over the past few days, she had not only been verbally lashed by the educated youths and their families but had also been exposed for conspiring with Duan Xiaoxiang to spread rumors about Old Lady Lu.

Because of this, she had been scolded by her family for several days.

Furthermore, due to the abuse of official power for personal motives, she and Shen Hong had been suspended for reflection.

Before coming here, her father had warned her with a dark expression that she must admit her mistakes, otherwise, her suspension would be permanent.

She had always been praised; this was the first time she had been called a brainless fool.

Liang Aishu hung his head in frustration. Although he seemed to have no direct hand in the entire matter, it had all originated because of him, so he had naturally been summoned as well.

The most aggrieved person was Zhao Qing. It was clearly a case of three young people competing for affection, so why was Duan Xiaoxiang, who had nothing to do with it, getting involved?

And it was all because of spreading rumors and acting as a busybody.

He was truly mortified.

Yet, he also had to apologize on behalf of Duan Xiaoxiang and guarantee that it would never happen again.

Old Lu and his daughter sat firmly in their chairs, calmly accepting everyone's apologies.

As for whether there would be retaliation afterward?

Old Lu didn't care, and Lu Qiaoge cared even less.

The reason people had listened to rumors and rushed to bully Old Lady Lu was simply because they had never held the Lu family in any regard.

Such contempt for Old Lu would not be tolerated.

He lived an upright life and did not fear fabricated retaliation.

Director Hao was somewhat satisfied with everyone's attitude.

Qin Hengzhi stood up and said indifferently, "Since the matter has been cleared up, I will not continue to participate in the meeting."

With that, he nodded to the Director and the Party Secretary and strode out of the conference room.

Director Hao thought for a moment and let Vice Director Lin and the others leave first, leaving only those involved in the drowning incident.

He softened his voice and said earnestly, "In the past, people spoke of 'forming a kinship' to mean becoming family. To put it more elegantly, it is the union of two families. If it succeeds, we are kin; if it fails, we should not be enemies."

He then turned to Liang Aishu: "As an outsider, a leader, and an elder, I cannot ask why the three of you were all by the lake, or why Shen Yun and Lu Qiaoge fell into the water together. I only want to say to you, Liang Aishu—if Representative Qin had not happened to be by the lake while on duty, would Lu Qiaoge have survived?"

Liang Aishu kept his head low in silence.

Lu Da stared intensely at Liang Aishu. *That damn bastard, he definitely had ill intentions.*

If it hadn't been for Qin Hengzhi, his second daughter would certainly be gone.

This grudge was now permanent!

Old Liang wanted to defend him, but thinking of the situation at the time, he had to shut his mouth.

Shen Yun burst into tears: "You shouldn't have saved me! Was I the one who shouldn't have been saved most of all!"

In truth, the drowning incident had not passed; it was just that no one mentioned it.

Director Hao remained unmoved. As an old revolutionary who had weathered many storms, he had seen too much. Liang Aishu was not a bad person, but no one knew what his hesitation at that moment truly represented.

He didn't care about inciting conflict; what he cared about was that a single drowning incident had dragged in so many leaders.

It made him feel as though he had no face left.

If he didn't give them a warning, they would all think they were invincible.

Beside him, Secretary He said kindly, "Shen Yun, don't say things out of spite. The reason Director Hao spoke as an elder is to allow you all to clear the air, isn't it?"

Lu Qiaoge stood up at the appropriate moment. The leaders had said all that needed to be said; if she let them continue, it would be seen as a lack of tact.

"First, I would like to thank the factory leadership for presiding over this special meeting despite your busy schedules. It was truly unexpected and has moved both my father and me. It was our youth and lack of experience that caused the elders such worry."

Not just Director Hao and Secretary He, but even Old Liang and Old Shen looked at Lu Qiaoge in shock.

Old Lu, naturally, looked at his second daughter with great pride.

Director Hao's expression softened completely. He looked at Lu Qiaoge with a smile. The neighborhood service station had done a lot of work over the past few days. In reality, these were very small matters that wouldn't normally be reported to him.

But because of the rumor incident and because of Qin Hengzhi, he had heard everything.

Lu Qiaoge was a young comrade with great capability and awareness.

Thus, he said nothing and simply listened with a smile.

Lu Qiaoge first looked at Shen Yun and said directly, "Shen Yun, you resent me because I failed to break off the engagement quietly, and because I caused you and Liang Aishu to lose face and be unable to hold your heads high in the residential compound. But why don't you look at what you and Liang Aishu have done?

On the day of the drowning, I was originally preparing to go to the neighborhood office for an exam. It was you who came to tell me that Liang Aishu was waiting for me by the lake. After saying that, you left in a hurry. After much deliberation, I still went. What I saw at that time is no longer significant to mention.

But what I want to emphasize is that as a human being, one must first dare to take responsibility and know how to reflect, rather than blindly blaming everything on others. During that trip to the lake, I almost lost my life and a job opportunity, but did I ever question you or hold a grudge against you?

I have done none of those things. I only hope that we can simply be strangers who do not interfere with one another.

But clearly, you and Liang Aishu did not think so.

However, heaven sees all. Today's meeting has made me realize that the word 'justice' truly exists in this world."