The next morning, Lin Qianyi got herself ready and prepared to have some milk and a piece of cake for breakfast. She casually took out a bottle of milk and a piece of blueberry cake—then suddenly froze. Yesterday, she had seen only one piece of blueberry cake in the fridge, which she had already eaten. So what was this piece in her hand now?
A thought popped into her mind, and she quickly checked the fridge. Sure enough, everything she had eaten yesterday had been replenished. Ah—that meant the food replenished continuously! Lin Qianyi was excited; now she really didn’t have to worry about running out of food.
She quickly checked the trash can she had emptied yesterday. It was empty—this was so smart! But now wasn’t the time to get excited; if she didn’t leave soon, she would be late for work.
After finishing breakfast, she braided her hair into two plaits, but applied modern styling techniques to her bangs and braids, instantly making them look less rustic. With her tailored outfit, her style—though still period-appropriate—now looked far from outdated, with a tasteful vintage vibe.
After getting ready, she hurried downstairs to unlock her bicycle. The distance from the residential compound to the office building was still a little far, and the original owner had also ridden a bicycle to work. The mechanical factory treated her well, assigning her to the office staff to handle minor tasks—a light and easy job, suitable for a young girl.
Lin Qianyi arrived at the office building, parked her bicycle in the bike shed, locked it, and entered. Their office was on the second floor. Along the way, people greeted her, glancing at her with a hint of sympathy. The factory workers were well taken care of, living decent lives, and everyone knew about the trouble caused by Ma Zhenqiang. Families who cared for their daughters wouldn’t willingly let them marry into such a situation.
Still, there were different opinions. Many thought Ma Zhenqiang’s conditions were excellent, and that Lin Qianyi didn’t know how fortunate she was. With such a good match, why would she refuse?
Lin Qianyi walked into the office without changing her expression.
“Qianyi, you’re here.” Her colleagues greeted her. The mechanical factory was a large one, and there were many people in the office. Lin Qianyi walked to her desk and began tidying it; after a day away, a layer of dust had settled.
Once her desk was clean, she went to the director’s office to submit a leave request for yesterday. The office director comforted her with a few words; everyone knew it was more for formality than help.
“Thank you, Director. I’m fine now,” Lin Qianyi said, still not mentioning Meng Junchuan. She wanted to wait until he had taken care of Ma Zhenqiang before speaking.
When she returned to her desk, the whispers around her quieted. People lowered their heads, pretending to focus on their work. There was nothing to do—entertainment was limited in these times, so even small events became fodder for discussion. No malice was intended; people just liked to talk. The trouble caused by Ma Zhenqiang had been loud and obvious, making her a topic of conversation.
The original owner was quiet and somewhat reclusive, so she had few friends. Her desk was at the back of the office, a relatively isolated position.
“Qianyi, you look especially beautiful today,” a nearby girl said, finishing her work and leaning over to speak. Her name was Wang Lan. She was young and sat near Lin Qianyi’s desk; they were somewhat familiar.
“Really? Thank you,” Lin Qianyi smiled in reply.
“Really! You seem different somehow today, but I can’t say what’s changed,” Wang Lan observed. Lin Qianyi looked especially beautiful today, though her clothing and braids were the same as usual.
“Maybe it’s because you didn’t see me yesterday; it feels different today,” Lin Qianyi joked.
“No, I don’t think so,” Wang Lan laughed too. She noticed Lin Qianyi seemed more cheerful today. But knowing she had been targeted by Ma Zhenqiang, Wang Lan felt immense sympathy for her. Beauty didn’t always make life easier.
“Did you buy this outfit recently? I think I’ve seen you wear it before, but it looks different today,” Wang Lan noticed the difference.
“It’s the same one; I just lost some weight recently, so I had it altered,” Lin Qianyi explained.
“The tailoring is perfect! It fits so well and looks great.” Wang Lan walked around to admire the outfit.
“What are you two talking about?” another female colleague asked, curious.
“I’m saying Qianyi’s outfit looks fantastic after being altered,” Wang Lan said.
Women were always interested in clothing, no matter the era. Even in this gray-and-blue-green era, they tried to add flair to their outfits. The colleague came over to see, repeatedly praising the outfit. Soon, several others gathered around.
Lin Qianyi generously explained how she had altered the clothes and shared some small tips. Nowadays, most women could sew, so nobody doubted her skill—it was just recognized as clever handiwork.
While discussing clothes, people noticed Lin Qianyi seemed more cheerful, no longer wearing the worried expression she had in previous days. They didn’t know why, but seeing her interact happily with everyone, they offered her words of comfort.
“Thanks, everyone. I’m fine; there should be a way to resolve things,” Lin Qianyi said with a smile. Since the matter wasn’t fully settled yet, she didn’t share details. But she trusted Meng Junchuan—if he said he would handle Ma Zhenqiang, it would definitely be fine.
Seeing her like this, people wondered if she had resigned herself or truly found a solution. Either way, they felt sorry for the girl. Everyone might have their own thoughts, but they were kindhearted; nobody wanted such a good girl to be harmed by someone like Ma Zhenqiang. Even if a solution was found, her previously ruined reputation would make it hard to find a good match—truly a shame for such a fine young woman.