“Jia Dong Xu, I heard you went on a blind date with Master Liu’s daughter?”
In the second workshop, a worker ran over to gossip.
“It wasn’t really a blind date. I didn’t like her at all.”
Jia Dong Xu’s face darkened. Could they not bring up that fat girl?
Workers nearby pointed and whispered. Liu Cheng, over there, was fuming. He would find a chance to get back at Jia Dong Xu and avenge his daughter.
“By the way, have you seen Li Wu Wei? He took a leave of absence last Saturday. Is he still not coming to work today?”
“Hey, he just got married. He’s probably staying at home every day.”
“Li Wu Wei stole Jia Dong Xu’s girl. I think Jia Dong Xu deserves it. With his attitude, no one would want him.”
The workers buzzed with talk. Then, someone suddenly shouted: “Look, isn’t that Li Wu Wei? He’s with a pretty female worker!”
“It is him. Who is that woman? I’ve never seen her in the factory.”
“Did Li Wu Wei trick someone again? He’s a married man!”
Jia Dong Xu heard the commotion and turned his head. He was stunned. It was Qin Huai Ru. Why was she in the workshop, wearing a factory uniform?
Could it be that Qin Huai Ru had just arrived in the city and was assigned to the Rolling Mill? If so, wouldn’t the Li family have two working members? They’d be on top of the world.
Li Wu Wei led Qin Huai Ru to find the workshop supervisor. It wasn’t Guo Da Bie Zi yet.
Though Guo Da Bie Zi was in the workshop, he was only a worker.
After Li Wu Wei explained the situation, the workshop supervisor, Chen Qing Nian, was surprised but could only follow the rules.
“Master Li, you can take Qin Huai Ru to her post. As you said, find Chen Yun to be her teacher.”
“Got it!”
Li Wu Wei immediately took Qin Huai Ru to his old workstation, briefly explained things, then ran to find Chen Yun.
This woman was no ordinary person. She was the top female worker at the Rolling Mill, known as Aunt Chen, with her own faction, including Hua Jie and others.
In the original story, Xu Da Mao was so troublesome that she led the women to deal with him.
If Qin Huai Ru recognized Chen Yun as her teacher, she wouldn’t have to worry about others targeting her in the factory.
“Yo, Aunt Chen, busy?”
Li Wu Wei found her and shamelessly greeted her. He hadn’t dared to interact with her before.
“You’re the Little Li who stole Jia Dong Xu’s girl?”
Chen Yun was almost forty, so calling him Little Li was appropriate.
“That’s me. Here’s the thing, I’ve been sick and can’t keep working. I applied for internal retirement. My wife, Qin Huai Ru, will take my place.
I’ve already discussed it with Supervisor Chen. I’d like you to be my wife’s teacher. You can teach her first. I’ll bring her to formally pay her respects to you later. We’ll definitely show our gratitude.”
Li Wu Wei could only try to curry favor with gifts.
“Forget about gratitude. I want to see how you tricked her. Where is she?”
Chen Yun had a strong aversion to evil, which was also a form of self-protection. She used her lunch break to gather the female workers, forming a powerful group in the factory.
“She’s at my workstation. Let me take you there.”
Li Wu Wei had briefed Qin Huai Ru beforehand. She was to act poor, just like she was at the courtyard.
When he went back, he saw Qin Huai Ru standing alone. The workers were full of questions but hesitant to approach her.
Jia Dong Xu and Yi Zhong Hai both knew Qin Huai Ru. They were both confused as well.
Until Li Wu Wei brought Chen Yun over, they talked for a while, then Li Wu Wei left.
Finally, a worker dared to approach.
“Aunt Chen, who is she? Why is she at Li Wu Wei’s workstation? Was there a job swap?”
Chen Yun shook her head. “This is Little Li’s wife, Qin Huai Ru. She’s taking over Little Li’s job, working as a 钳工学徒 in the workshop. From now on, she’ll be my student.”
“What? She’s Qin Huai Ru? Isn’t she Jia Dong Xu’s…?”
The worker fell silent. It was awkward to directly slap him in the face.
Jia Dong Xu rushed over, incredulous. “Qin Huai Ru, you really took Li Wu Wei’s job? But he’s so young. Isn’t he working anymore?”
“My husband has a stomach problem. The doctor said he needs to rest at home.”
Qin Huai Ru gave a brief explanation.
“Bullcrap stomach problem! Li Wu Wei is so strong. He even beat me up that day…”
Jia Dong Xu stopped abruptly. The beating was too embarrassing. If he kept talking, he would lose face.
But it was too late. The workers looked at Jia Dong Xu with pity. His wife had been snatched away, and he had been beaten by his rival. He was such a wimp.
“Jia Dong Xu, don’t talk about my husband.”
Qin Huai Ru quickly defended him. Her man was a hundred times better than Jia Dong Xu.
“I…”
Jia Dong Xu felt like he had been shot in the heart. The pain was unbearable. Why was Li Wu Wei so good at charming women? He never learned that skill.
Yi Zhong Hai couldn’t help but ask, “Qin Huai Ru, is Li Wu Wei really quitting his job?”
“Yes, First Uncle. My husband has retired and completed the paperwork. Otherwise, how could I take his place?”
After Qin Huai Ru explained again, the workers understood.
A quick-witted worker shouted, “You know, it’s possible Li Wu Wei is faking it. His physique, let me tell you. I won the 400-meter school race back in the day.
But guess what? That day at lunch, I couldn’t keep up with Li Wu Wei. He left me in the dust by a huge margin.
Does that sound like someone who’s sick?”
“Whoa! If what you say is true, why would Li Wu Wei fake being sick? Just so Qin Huai Ru could take his job, allowing him to slack off?
That’s not something someone from Beijing would do. It’s not right.”
Jia Dong Xu quickly chimed in, “It couldn’t be anyone else, but Li Wu Wei. He’s a scoundrel. He clearly knows Qin Huai Ru was my girlfriend.”
“Jia Dong Xu, who’s your girlfriend? I never liked you. Don’t lie!”
Qin Huai Ru didn’t care that she was a new worker. She didn’t give Jia Dong Xu any face.
“Okay, everyone, get back to work. Don’t gossip.”
Chen Yun sent everyone away, but she started gossiping herself. “Qin Huai Ru, is your husband really sick?”
“It’s true. He went to a big hospital outside and saw a doctor.”
Qin Huai Ru truly believed it. She hadn’t suspected anything.
“So, did he really steal you from Jia Dong Xu?”
Chen Yun couldn’t resist her curiosity. This story was spreading like wildfire in the factory.
“It wasn’t stealing. We fell in love…”
The two of them chatted, and the morning quickly passed. They didn’t do any work, and Chen Yun hadn’t had time to teach anything.
“Come on, Qin Huai Ru, I’ll take you to get lunch and introduce you to the ladies in the factory.”
Chen Yun picked up her lunchbox. She had a general understanding of this new apprentice. She was just a country girl who had been tricked by that Little Li.
Qin Huai Ru took Li Wu Wei’s old lunchbox and thought, factory work is pretty easy. You don’t have to work, and you still get paid for half a day.
When it was her turn at the window to get lunch, she called out, “Master, please give me two steamed buns and one cabbage.”
“Qin Jie, what are you doing here getting lunch?”
Sha Zhu, inside the cafeteria window, was stunned. He wasn’t seeing things, was he?