Chapter 32: Looking for Trouble

Li Xiangqin couldn't stop laughing. Her friend, though not exactly sweet-talked, was a walking news tree; nothing could be hidden from her.

Information flow was mutual, and she had to ensure her close friend received the first-hand scoop.

Thus, Li Xiangqin told her directly about how she had intercepted Zhou Dan in the middle of the night to threaten her, and how the two had gotten into a scuffle before being taken away by the security department.

"You just need to know about this; don't go spreading it around for now. Our foreman has had a rough time lately, and we can't cause him any more trouble.

After all, Logistics controls the welfare of the entire factory, and the Zhou family doesn't look like the forgiving type. We can't let it become common knowledge and leave any leverage behind."

Wang Ailian's mouth hung open wide enough to fit a fist.

"My god, that idiot. She's really willing to invite trouble upon herself. Usually, she's just strutting around acting all flirtatious, her legs going weak the moment she sees a man. As expected, when all the blood flows to her backside, there's nothing left in her brain."

It was a production accident reported to the entire factory—who did she think she was?

A few compliments and she forgot her own place. Director Zhou was truly unlucky to have two such eccentric cousins; his reputation was being dragged through the dirt.

"You're something else. You have no idea how much she cares about that face of hers."

Hearing the gossip, Wang Ailian's eyes gleamed with excitement.

As an advantage of being a worker in a large factory, her personality was bold and uncalculating, but she had a glaring flaw: she loved gossip, and her methods were comparable to a tabloid reporter.

A tiny incident could be known by everyone in moments. Furthermore, she could automatically optimize and dramatize the story to make it more interesting.

"She brought it on herself. Popping up out of nowhere in the middle of the night—it's a miracle I didn't kick her flying."

Li Xiangqin gave a light laugh and straightened her clothes, preparing to start her shift, but her close friend held her back again.

"Since you've offended Zhou Dan, be careful in the future. That woman has seduced several men, and Zhao Yuejin from Group 4 is one of them. The two of them exchange glances every day; they think they're hiding it well, but everyone already knows.

It's a good thing that guy's wife doesn't work in our factory. Otherwise, with the way they're colluding, she would have stormed the gates long ago."

"I'm nearly at retirement age. Am I supposed to be afraid of him?"

"It's not a matter of being afraid. People like that are like toads landing on your foot—purely disgusting."

That was true!

Li Xiangqin nodded. Seeing that the time was right, she went straight to her workstation to take over. She checked the four machines one by one, confirmed the precautions with the previous shift, and completed the handover.

Just ten minutes into her patrol, while dealing with a broken thread, she saw a middle-aged man strolling over with his hands behind his back.

He circled the workstation once, then tapped a cotton bucket with his hand.

"Is this the shift you're taking over?"

"What about it?"

Li Xiangqin put her tools into her apron pocket, walked over, and took a look. There were only a few bits of debris in the cotton thread bucket, all within a reasonable range.

"What do you mean 'what about it'? Have you lost your mind from being away from work for so long? Don't you know to have the previous shift clean this debris?

Faulty shuttles and debris must be cleaned up by every shift. You didn't even bother to look; if left behind, it becomes our shift's loss and affects our production targets. Are you going to take responsibility for that?"

Hearing this, Li Xiangqin sized him up from head to toe. "Who are you? Do you think you need to lecture me when I've got decades of experience?"

"...Very well. I am Zhao Yuejin, the leader of Group 4, temporarily supervising Group 3. Don't think you can ignore factory rules and discipline just because you're senior. I'm telling you, it won't work with me."

Zhao Yuejin lifted his chin slightly, his eyelids fluttering with a hint of smugness.

To try and get the upper hand on him? In his dreams!

Li Xiangqin cleared her throat. Her friend had guessed correctly—someone was indeed looking for trouble and was practically spitting in her face.

Having not worked for several years, a new generation had grown up beneath her. Aside from the elders, she wasn't very familiar with the staff, but that didn't stop her from holding her own.

"Which mountain did you crawl down from to come chirping in front of me? I know the handover regulations by heart. As long as the residual debris doesn't exceed the regulated limit, it doesn't need to be dealt with immediately.

The main task right now is to focus on production and efficiency. I will leave the same amount of debris for the next shift; it won't affect production at all.

I think you're just looking for trouble on purpose. Are you trying to stand up for someone?"

As Li Xiangqin spoke, she put her hands on her hips and pointed a finger directly at his nose.

"Don't think that just because I haven't been working, I don't know about your little business. If you want to make things difficult for me, you'd better go climb a mountain and cultivate for a few more years.

What, are you acting tough and playing the hero in front of me just to please your lover? Since you're protecting them so much, why don't you just marry them and worship them at home?

Who are you trying to show that sour face to? Do you dare go with me to the foreman to settle this? I want to see how you'll try to talk your way out of it in front of him."

As she spoke, Li Xiangqin greeted the person in the neighboring workstation and turned to walk toward the aisle.

Seeing her momentum, Zhao Yuejin's brow twitched, and he stepped forward a few paces to block her path.

"What is wrong with you, woman? If a mistake is pointed out, just fix it. Why do you have to go to the foreman for everything? Do you think the foreman is as idle as you?"

"Well, he's certainly not as idle as you. You're just a busybody looking for trouble. Are you trying to gain a sense of importance here just to prove your loyalty to your lover? Bah! Take a look in the mirror—when I was out working, you were probably still running around in diapers in some corner somewhere!"

The shameless wretch. She was currently full of aggression and looking for a place to vent it.

Seeing that she was impervious to his intimidation, Zhao Yuejin's face turned dark.

"If you don't follow management, and everyone is like you, how can we maintain production?"

"Bah! Stop trying to pin labels on me. If you think you're in the right, come face him with me. If you're just looking for a fight, I suggest you crawl back into your shell.

If you want to stand up for someone, you'd better check your own weight. Use that tiny bit of brain you have. Even the Logistics Director doesn't care about this; if you act like a hero, aren't you afraid of getting shot down?"

As Li Xiangqin spoke, she made a finger gesture like pulling a trigger, causing Zhao Yuejin's face to turn pale.

His reason for standing up for someone was nothing more than wanting to get a little extra benefit; if it meant risking his job, he certainly wouldn't do it. He had a family to support.

"Fine, fine. I won't bother with you. Do whatever you want."

Seeing his expression, Li Xiangqin let out a "tch." A coward.

With that little bit of courage, he actually dared to cheat?

Returning to her station, Li Xiangqin began cleaning the machines. After a round of work, she looked up to see the foreman standing in the nearby aisle, discussing something with several technical masters.

Afterward, the group walked over to inspect the work.

Foreman Sun looked at the clean and tidy machines with an appreciative gaze. When it came to work, the old employees were indeed the ones with a sense of responsibility.

"How does it feel to be back at your post?"

"Better than being stuck at home."

Li Xiangqin was being honest. At home, dealing with a pile of "ancestors" was mentally and physically exhausting. In the factory, aside from working hard, she could chat with her colleagues and snap back at anyone she disagreed with—it kept her blood flowing.

(End of Chapter)