Shi Zhenzhen was so furious she could spit blood. This matter made Lin Dongguo feel utterly humiliated. Once it spread, his reputation in his hometown would be completely ruined. Not only that, even his relatives and friends might become targets of gossip. Lin Dongguo was excessively filial to a foolish degree—how could he bear to have his parents subjected to public discussion? Thus, the matter kept being delayed.
"Qu Chuning, Dongguo is sick. Must you be so aggressive?"
Qu Chuning raised an eyebrow. "Sick? What illness does he have? Several more days have passed—could it be that he's unwilling to carry out the disciplinary decision?"
Furious, Shi Zhenzhen grabbed a stack of papers and threw them on the ground. "Qu Chuning, one should be merciful where mercy is due. Life has three sections like grass—who knows which section will be good? Can you guarantee that you'll always be fine in the future, that your life will be smooth sailing forever?"
"I will definitely have a smooth life forever. I haven't done anything wrong—Heaven wouldn't treat me like this!"
When Qu Chuning left the Binding Workshop, nearly everyone in the workshop knew that she and Shi Zhenzhen were at odds.
After Shi Zhenzhen suffered a setback with Qu Chuning, Lan Xia took Qu Chuning around outside, introducing her to various workshops and familiarizing her with every process.
Qu Chuning studied with genuine seriousness. The reason she had only attended one semester of junior high was that her parents hadn't allowed her to continue her education. Back then, the family struggled to put food on the table, and with few earners of work points, they forced her to drop out and return to work.
Having lived an extra lifetime, Qu Chuning understood the importance of knowledge deeply. So, whatever Lan Xia told her, she wished she could memorize it all. For what she truly couldn't remember, she asked several more times.
Seeing Qu Chuning's earnestness and diligence, Lan Xia couldn't help but feel quite pleased. Noticing Shi Zhenzhen was absent, she lowered her voice and quietly asked Qu Chuning, "Chuning, do you know who Shi Zhenzhen's father is?"
Qu Chuning nodded. "I know! It's fine. I think the leaders in their unit are all very fair—they handle things as they should!"
On her first day of work, after getting familiarized, Qu Chuning started working under Lan Xia's guidance.
Tasks like organizing bindings, trimming edges, and so on—Qu Chuning handled them quite well.
At the end of the workday, as everyone was heading out, Qi Hongying specifically waited for Qu Chuning at the factory gate.
Shi Zhenzhen also left the factory with the crowd. Seeing Qu Chuning walking alongside Qi Hongying, she shot Qu Chuning a fierce glare before leaving with several other female comrades.
Qu Chuning was not one to take losses lying down. In her previous life, she had suffered losses her entire life, being exploited to the bone. If she had to go through that again and live so miserably, what was the point of being reborn?
"Sister-in-law, I'd like to ask you about something." Qu Chuning brought up the matter of the disciplinary decision. Finally, she said to Qi Hongying, "Sister-in-law, although I'm now married to Muzhou, my reputation back in my hometown… is probably ruined. I don't want Muzhou's family to think of me as so-and-so's ex-wife. So, when you go back, could you ask the Political Commissar to have Lin Dongguo quickly publish a clarification in the newspaper?"
Qi Hongying was aware of this matter. Although the situation at the time indeed had its reasons, the cost was Qu Chuning's reputation. Qi Hongying herself came from the countryside and knew well how serious reputation could be in rural areas, especially in remote, feudal villages—it could even determine a person's life or death.
"Alright, I'll remember this!"
Upon returning home, Qu Chuning found that the meal was already prepared. Xi Muzhou had stir-fried green beans, made a cold cucumber salad, and stewed potatoes with beans. Two dishes contained chili peppers, while one did not.
Xi Muzhou had changed into casual clothes and tied an apron around his waist. His tall, burly frame paired with the abrupt apron looked somewhat peculiar, and Qu Chuning couldn’t help but purse her lips in a smile.
Without a word, Xi Muzhou silently fetched water and placed it in front of Qu Chuning.
“How was work?”
As soon as Xi Muzhou spoke, Qu Chuning couldn’t hold back and began chattering away. She started with Sister-in-law Qi Hongying and moved on to Director Hou, deliberately focusing on the positive aspects. As she spoke, she even confided in Xi Muzhou, “Back in junior high, I was actually doing quite well in my studies, but at that time, there was no one to help with the chores at home, so my parents had me drop out to work. I never thought I’d get to see so many words again—I’m determined to study hard now…”
In their previous interactions, Xi Muzhou had been the quiet one, with Qu Chuning usually doing most of the talking. However, due to the awkwardness of their current relationship, she hadn’t spoken much. This was the first time she had voluntarily brought up her past. As she chatted with Xi Muzhou about work and the future, her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
As the conversation continued, Qu Chuning mentioned that she and Shi Zhenzhen worked in the same workshop. Lowering her gaze and furrowing her brows, she said, “Lin Dongguo is pretending to be sick now—he refuses to publish a clarification in the newspaper and doesn’t want to write a letter to his hometown to explain things either. Letting him drag this on isn’t a solution. I’ve decided to write the letter myself and contact the newspaper to set the record straight. I don’t want to carry this bad reputation for the rest of my life.”
After the meal, Qu Chuning insisted on washing the dishes and tidying the kitchen.
The family quarters at the Garrison originally had shared kitchens and toilets. Later, as more military families moved in, additional houses were built—the kind of small, row-house courtyards they now lived in. The toilets were communal, but each home had its own kitchen equipped with a small stove that burned coal briquettes, allowing residents to cook at home instead of waiting in line.
Qu Chuning bustled around the house like a little bee, while Xi Muzhou stepped outside with a hoe.
Qu Chuning had expressed a desire to grow vegetables, and since he had the day off yesterday, Xi Muzhou had specially gone out to buy some vegetable seeds.
While Xi Muzhou worked in the yard planting vegetables, Qu Chuning brought out paper and a pen and began writing outside.
When she had nearly finished, Qu Chuning was about to ask Xi Muzhou if her draft was acceptable. But as she looked up, she realized no one was in the yard. Turning her head, she accidentally bumped her forehead against Xi Muzhou’s lower abdomen.
“You—how did you get here?” Qu Chuning exclaimed, excitedly holding up what she had written and presenting it to Xi Muzhou. “I just finished this—do you think the newspaper would accept it if I write it this way?”
Though her impact was light, the location was… sensitive. Xi Muzhou’s expression shifted slightly, and he took a step back before taking the paper from Qu Chuning to read. What he saw left him astonished.
Xi Muzhou had thought he knew Qu Chuning well. When he submitted the marriage report, the authorities had conducted a background check on her. She had only completed one year of junior high school, and since she was often needed for chores at home, it was likely she hadn’t attended school regularly even during elementary school, especially during busy farming seasons. Yet, despite growing up under such circumstances, she possessed remarkably elegant handwriting!
"So? Can the newspaper publish the story?"
Qu Chuning noticed Xi Muzhou staring at her, and she looked at him with some unease.