After saying that, Yang Lihua didn’t linger any longer—she turned and left the dormitory.
In the hallway, she could still hear Zhu Yuanyuan shouting angrily and throwing things.
Ah!
What a delightful mood today.
Yes! Maybe it was because of the new dress she was wearing—who wouldn’t love putting on new clothes?
It certainly wasn’t because the cannon fodder (Zhu Yuanyuan) had dared to confront the heroine.
Passing by the cafeteria, the familiar smell of steamed food drifted out. Yang Lihua paused for a moment, glanced around, and then turned to walk inside.
By now, breakfast time had passed, and only a few workers were cleaning.
She remembered what Li Hongying had told her: the cafeteria’s Aunt Shi Chuncao was straightforward and feisty, commanding respect among the cafeteria staff, especially disliking those who tried to slack off.
Most importantly, she had backing, feared no one, and wouldn’t bully anyone either—utterly fair and impartial.
In the book, she had even charged into situations to help the heroine. In the story, the heroine worked hard, wasn’t afraid of labor, and could cook delicious meals—qualities Shi Chuncao admired greatly.
In the original story, Zhu Yuanyuan’s quick transition to a permanent worker owed much to Shi Chuncao’s support.
Now, the heroine (Yang Lihua) had lost the spiritual spring water from her bracelet, leaving her body fatigued and unable to recover quickly. For a pampered girl like her, a single month of continuous labor could be exhausting.
And yet, here she was, slacking off already.
Ah, since Shi Chuncao had discovered it, if she didn’t expose this properly, it would be a waste of her cannon-fodder status.
Hee hee hee.
Wearing an apron, Shi Chuncao emerged from the restroom, her expression grim, muttering under her breath.
“Wasn’t she supposed to be in the restroom because of constipation? Where could she have gone? It’s been almost an hour, and lunch prep is about to start. How can I manage with one less person…”
It was precisely because she was overwhelmed that the factory had assigned a temporary worker, only to get this kind of result—might as well not hire anyone.
The work Zhu Yuanyuan did was minimal, but the frustration she caused was substantial.
Yang Lihua gently grabbed Shi Chuncao’s hand. “Aunt Shi, is there still any food left?”
Seeing Yang Lihua in the blue dress, Shi Chuncao’s expression softened slightly, though her tone remained firm. “You’re from the textile factory? Why are you here at this hour? Breakfast was long over. Why only come now?”
The girl looked delicate and pretty—new in the factory’s office?
Yang Lihua offered a perfectly measured, apologetic smile. “I’m Yang Lihua, a block worker from Workshop Three. My eldest brother is getting married today, so I asked Supervisor Sun for leave to go home.
I was talking with my dorm mate, Zhu Yuanyuan, and lost track of time. Since there’s no food left in the cafeteria, I’ll just grab something outside.”
Her explanation was reasonable, her posture humble, and it won her Aunt Shi’s favor.
“Oh, handling family matters? Then you definitely need to go home.” Shi Chuncao nodded, her tone softening. “Little Yang, there’s truly nothing left in the cafeteria—even the rice soup is gone. Next time, come earlier…”
Just as she seemed about to explain more, she suddenly remembered what Yang Lihua said about her dorm mate. “You said your dorm mate is… Zhu Yuanyuan?”
“Yes, Zhu Yuanyuan. There are four of us in the dorm: her, Li Hongying, Zhao Xiaofen, and me. Those two have helped me a lot…” Yang Lihua seemed to be introducing her dorm mates naturally.
“You just said you were chatting with Zhu Yuanyuan in the dorm?” Aunt Shi asked again, confirming.
“Yes. After asking for leave, she was already lying in the dorm. Perhaps she’s ill… just resting in bed.” Yang Lihua spoke with concern, seemingly unaware of Aunt Shi’s growing frown.
Yang Lihua’s words—seemingly defending Zhu Yuanyuan, but actually adding fuel to the fire—lit a fuse inside Shi Chuncao.
“Ah, it’s getting late. I must go. Can’t be late for my eldest brother’s wedding today,” Yang Lihua quickly concluded. “Aunt Shi, I’ll go now!” She waved and headed out.
Watching Yang Lihua’s retreating figure, Shi Chuncao sneered, her face tightening. “Hmph! Claiming she’s sick? I think she’s just lazy.”
With anger, she strode into the cafeteria, yanked off her apron, and tossed it onto the stove.
“Dalanzi! Come here! Both of you, come over.” Shi Chuncao called to the two assistant cooks who usually worked with Zhu Yuanyuan.
“Dalanzi, Zhu Yuanyuan hasn’t returned for so long. Who knows if something happened? Go check the restrooms. Ask around. If you can’t find her there, look around the factory cafeteria—see if anyone has seen her.”
Xu Laidi reluctantly frowned. So much work awaited her, and now she had to waste time searching. She wasn’t a child; could she really get lost?
“Master Shi, what if we still can’t find her? We can’t search endlessly—lunch isn’t prepared yet. If it gets delayed, our cafeteria will become notorious in the factory.”
Shi Chuncao pretended to think for a moment. “If you find me and Dalanzi out of the dorm and she’s still not there, stop searching. Report her to the security department to find her.”
Hmph, just letting off steam wasn’t enough—I’ll make sure Zhu Yuanyuan becomes famous in this textile factory. She relies on her father in logistics; doesn’t think of me at all.
“Dalanzi,” Shi Chuncao turned to Liu Dalan, her voice even deeper, “come with me to the dorm. If she truly has a headache or a mild fever, we can take her to the infirmary or notify her family immediately.”
Liu Dalan, straightforward as always, responded instantly: “Alright, let’s go.”
The three left the cafeteria and split up. Liu Dalan looked at the furious Shi Chuncao and said with certainty, “Shi Chuncao, you know Zhu Yuanyuan is in the dorm, right?”
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made such arrangements. Claiming concern over not finding her was just an excuse to let more people know about Zhu Yuanyuan slacking off.
Shi Chuncao, who had been fuming, couldn’t help but laugh at Liu Dalan’s confidence. “You understand me well. Hmph! Zhu Yuanyuan has been hiding in the dorm, slacking off—not just today or yesterday. Before, she would vanish occasionally, claiming she went to the restroom. This time, I caught her red-handed.”
Bang! The door slammed, echoing loudly in the quiet space.
Zhu Yuanyuan was startled, her comic book slipping from her hands. At the doorway came a voice of fury:
“Zhu Yuanyuan!” Shi Chuncao’s roar reverberated throughout the dormitory building.