“Impossible!”
Liu Qiangquan jumped as if someone had stepped on his tail.
He pointed a finger at Wei Nan. “You’re dreaming! Go ahead and complain if you want, file your report wherever you like! I’ll lend you some courage!”
Wei Nan slapped his hand away from her, her eyes sharp and fierce, like a blazing fire.
She glared at Liu Qiangquan and said coldly, “I don’t need you to lend me courage. I have plenty myself.
I am going to report you, for insulting and humiliating a staff member’s family as the factory secretary!
So many people heard the words you just yelled at me. I don’t believe no one will testify for me!
Don’t worry, I won’t back down.
If the factory won’t handle this, and you don’t apologize publicly, I’ll take it to the Industrial Bureau.
If the Industrial Bureau won’t act, I’ll go to the Ministry of Industry in Beijing!
I just don’t believe there’s no place in this country that stands up for ordinary people!”
Wei Nan’s voice was calm and composed, even as she argued. It was nothing like Liu Qiangquan’s flushed, throbbing, almost blood-boiling expression.
Her words, sharp as knives, hit their target one by one, making Liu Qiangquan’s face increasingly unpleasant. His eyes betrayed a hint of fear beneath his bluster.
Seeing him squirm, Wang Qiuping felt a surge of satisfaction.
But this matter couldn’t be allowed to escalate too far.
She pushed past Liu Qiangquan, who was blocking her, and stepped forward to place a hand on Wei Nan’s shoulder.
“Don’t be angry, Xiao Nan. With Aunt Wang here, no one can bully you. Wait a moment, someone’s already gone to find the factory director. Let’s first go sit in the meeting room and have some water.”
With a mix of coaxing and persuasion, Wang Qiuping led Wei Nan to the meeting room.
The others scattered in a rush, those who had tasks went to handle them, and everyone kept as far away from Liu Qiangquan as possible.
Although he still had his throat tight and was putting on an extremely tough front, to anyone with sense, he was already finished.
After today, humiliation was inevitable for him. More importantly—
Wei Nan’s stance was so firm that even the factory director wouldn’t risk being reported just to protect him.
Director Tang Xiangyang arrived shortly after. His expression was extremely bad; clearly, he had already been briefed about what had happened on the way over.
He came straight in and said, “Fine, this request can be granted.
Liu Qiangquan, you go back now. Write your apology, and tomorrow morning have it posted on the bulletin board. I’ll have someone notify the broadcast room, at noon tomorrow, you’ll read it out loud. In addition to the main loudspeakers, turn on the small speakers in every household in the staff residential compound!”
Because of a previous major earthquake, the factory had installed small speakers in each household for convenient announcements. The master switch was in the broadcast room. Normally, these weren’t used. When they were, it signaled that the factory had an important notice, everyone paid attention and followed it carefully.
Tang Xiangyang’s arrangement meant that Wei Nan’s demand would be carried out completely. Everyone in the factory would know about this incident and hear Liu Qiangquan’s apology.
The moment Tang Xiangyang finished speaking, Liu Qiangquan’s face turned pale and gray. He knew his fate was sealed.
After handling Liu Qiangquan, Wei Nan moved on to demand that Wei Shuangquan repay the money.
Tang Xiangyang frowned.
He replied, “Earlier I handled Secretary Liu because his behavior was clearly wrong. As a member of the factory office, to treat petitioners crudely and with such a bad attitude is unacceptable and must be punished!
But what you’re asking regarding Wei Shuangquan repaying the money, this is a family matter. I think it’s better for your family to sit down and discuss it themselves; the factory shouldn’t get involved.”
This response was exactly what Wei Nan had expected, she was not surprised at all.
She hadn’t forgotten what Wei Qiuxia had told her about Wang Sanhua bringing her daughter-in-law and grandson to kneel at the factory director’s gate for several days.
It would have been surprising if Director Tang had immediately agreed to her second demand.
Wei Nan nodded, stood up without argument or fuss.
“Thank you, Director, for giving me fairness regarding Secretary Liu. Since the factory can’t help with my family’s matter, that’s fine. I’ll go find someone who can help.”
With that, she turned and walked straight to the meeting room door, opening it and leaving without a hint of hesitation.
Her decisiveness caught Tang Xiangyang off guard.
Watching her back, he didn’t quite know how to react.
Tang Xiangyang’s hesitation, however, was not shared by Wang Qiuping.
She sprang to her feet and, with a speed unexpected for her age, rushed out.
Even so, by the time she reached the door, Wei Nan was already gone.
Obviously, the girl hadn’t been bluffing, she had really left.
Cold sweat broke out on Wang Qiuping’s forehead.
She shouted toward the direction of the main office, “Mei Xiaolin, go! Quickly! Bring Wei Nan back here!”
Mei, who had already been running back and forth through the factory several times in the cold, was sweating profusely. She hadn’t even had time to sit and drink some water when the chairman’s voice rang out, making her startle and spill the water all over herself.
She didn’t even have time to wipe it off, but she nodded in acknowledgment and ran out again.
After arranging that, Wang Qiuping returned to the meeting room and quickly briefed Director Tang on what had just happened.
She then looked at him anxiously: “That girl, Wei Nan, is nothing like her parents, she’s headstrong and principled. If we don’t stand up for her, she really will go to the Women’s Federation to complain.”
Director Tang raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak, Wang Qiuping interrupted him:
“Calling it a request for help, how is that any different from a complaint? Don’t tell me the factory hasn’t treated her fairly, if this reaches higher authorities, who will explain it for us?
Director, it’s the end of the year, and the Second and Third Factories are all watching us!”
Yun Province was a major textile hub, and their city, Jinning, as the provincial capital, alone had three textile factories.
Although their First Factory was the oldest and largest, the Second and Third Factories had clearly been catching up rapidly in the past two years.
At a time like this, if something went wrong in one factory, the other two would inevitably look on and laugh.
Just laughing would be one thing.
If someone went further to stir up trouble or provoke more issues, it was hard to predict how bad the consequences could get.
To give one example, if someone accused them of “failing in political and ideological work, neglecting the returning educated youth, and creating potential social instability,” the First Factory wouldn’t even have a chance to defend itself.
Thinking of this, Tang Xiangyang’s attitude softened.
He glanced toward the door and muttered, “Ah, why is that girl so impatient? I didn’t even say anything.
Big Sister Wang, go check on her, don’t let her get stubborn, or Mei won’t be able to coax her back.”
Seeing that his tone had eased, Wang Qiuping relaxed slightly, quickly agreed, and hurried after her.
Of course, Wei Nan had no intention of actually leaving.
When Wang Qiuping reached the ground floor, she saw Mei holding Wei Nan’s arm, the two of them talking together.
When Wei Nan heard that Director Tang wanted to speak with her again, she naturally followed obediently.
As soon as she entered the office, she went straight to Director Tang and sincerely apologized: “Director Tang, I’m sorry. I was too impulsive earlier; please don’t be angry.
Chairperson Wang has already instructed me. As a factory child, I trust our factory leadership even more.
I truly believe that our factory will not ignore me and my sister, you are our greatest support.”
Hearing this, Tang Xiangyang’s expression softened considerably.
He cast a glance of approval toward Wang Qiuping.
But Wang Qiuping couldn’t help the twitch at the corner of her mouth.
When had she ever said those things to Wei Nan?
Earlier, she had only thought that this girl was stubborn, with a strong will, but she hadn’t realized that Wei Nan actually had such a methodical way of handling matters.
It seemed she had underestimated her before.
Thinking this, Wang Qiuping couldn’t help but glance at Wei Nan deeply.
“You two are children of the factory, so the factory certainly cannot stand by and do nothing.
However, what I said earlier is still correct, in the end, this is a family matter, and it’s not appropriate for the factory to make the decision.
Here’s what we can do: wait a moment. I’ll have someone bring Wei Shuangquan here so you can speak to your second uncle face to face. Does that work?” Tang Xiangyang said to Wei Nan.
“Also bring someone from the finance department. Handle this as a special case and resolve it on the spot!”
Wang Qiuping glanced at Wei Nan and quickly added.
Wei Nan knew that this was already the maximum compromise the factory could make, so of course she could not refuse.
The people sent out soon brought Wei Shuangquan and Wei Jing.
This was Wei Nan’s first time seeing members of the Wei family other than Wang Sanhua. She carefully sized them up.
Wei Shuangquan wore a work uniform of indiscernible color, dusty and worn, she didn’t know who had given it to him or where it had come from.
He looked older than his actual age; at forty, his hair was already graying.
Upon entering, he bowed humbly to Director Tang and Chairperson Wang, forcing a servile smile.
Seeing that no one responded, he lowered his head, stood against the wall, and didn’t dare speak a word.
From the moment he entered, he didn’t even glance at Wei Nan, his niece whom he hadn’t seen in years.
Wei Jing, on the other hand, first offered a polite smile to the two leaders, then walked straight over to Wei Nan.
She reached Wei Nan’s side, took her hand with concern, and asked with a pained expression, “Wei Nan, how are you? Are you okay? I just heard at noon from Grandma that you were in the hospital. I was planning to come see you after work.”
“Oh, look at you, still sick, and you’re running around instead of resting? You’re just making the family worry!”
Her tone was so familiar, lightly tinged with the kind of playful scolding that only a close relative would use. No matter how you listened, she sounded like a caring older sister genuinely concerned for her younger sibling.
Wei Nan didn’t respond, instead carefully examining this cousin.
Wei Jing was tall and slender. Coming straight from the workshop, she was still wearing the textile worker’s uniform.
A deep navy-blue work outfit was layered over a white apron.
Ordinary clothes, yet somehow, perhaps subtly tailored, the waist was narrow, fitting her figure perfectly.
She carried herself with such elegance that it was almost delicate and heart-pleasing to behold.
Her eyes were large and sparkling. When she looked at someone while speaking in that caring, considerate manner, it was impossible not to feel drawn to her.
Heh, what a deceptively charming “white lotus” this girl was!
No wonder she had completely flustered Liu Qiangquan.
Wei Nan couldn’t help but snicker quietly to herself.
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