Shen Jingyan was neither servile nor overbearing as she spoke calmly, "My husband lent Comrade Liu Xiaoshuang five hundred yuan to buy a house. Now she has no way to repay it, and I can understand that—she has children to raise."
"But I'm worried they'll regret it later."
Wu Jianguo said in a low voice, "You want me to help you make her write an IOU?"
Shen Jingyan shook her head. "An IOU is just a piece of paper. I remember Comrade Su receives a monthly pension."
"I'm not asking for all of it, but I'd like a portion of it to be repaid to me."
Liu Xiaoshuang grew anxious, looking at Song Changming with desperate eyes.
If the pension was touched, the Su family would definitely find out.
Mianmian tilted her head and looked at Shen Jingyan, her little face full of admiration. Mommy is so smart!
This way she can get the money without any trouble!
And that mistress can't even try to wriggle out of it.
Brilliant!
Wu Jianguo had already noticed Mianmian's little expressions—one moment beaming with delight, the next surprised, then happy. His heart was melting.
At the same time, the little one looked up and caught his stolen glance.
The little one gave him a sweet smile.
He was done for! Something had struck his heart.
The little girl had big eyes that seemed to speak. When she looked at him, they were like stars in the sky.
Her milky, adorable appearance melted Wu Jianguo completely.
Mianmian looked at Wu Jianguo and walked to his feet.
She carefully poked his leg.
"Big leader~ beibei~"
Wu Jianguo was tickled into a smile.
His heart had melted.
He crouched down to meet her at eye level.
"What is it?"
Mianmian puffed out her little chest. "Big leader beibei, good person, help Mianmian's mommy."
Wu Jianguo laughed outright. This little one was openly trying to get him on her side.
Shen Jingyan watched Mianmian working so hard for her sake, and her heart ached with both bitterness and tenderness.
"Director Wu, I believe Comrade Liu won't go back on her word. As long as they repay it in full, I'll naturally go to the factory and say a word, and there'll be no need to deduct money every month. I trust the factory leadership will also stand up for me."
Wu Jianguo had already reviewed the whole situation from beginning to end. "Technician Song, Comrade Liu, do you think this is how we should resolve it, or should we find someone else to handle it?"
Song Changming was weighing things in his mind—the fewer people who knew about this, the better.
"Director Wu, then let's do as you say. Jingyan, are you satisfied with this arrangement?"
Shen Jingyan was very calm. She nodded. "I agree."
The person is gone, but the money must remain.
"Alright then. Comrade Su's pension is thirty yuan per month. I'll decide that for the first year, fifteen yuan per month, and after that ten yuan per month, until it's fully repaid."
Liu Xiaoshuang was so furious her lungs were about to explode.
Fortunately, Song Changming shot her a glance, and she calmed down.
You take fifteen, and I'll ask him for fifty every month.
Shen Jingyan, what makes you think you can compete with me?
Shen Jingyan didn't want to pay any attention to the person across from her. These past two days had been too much of a blow to her.
She was somewhat mentally and physically exhausted.
Mianmian held her hand and bowed politely to Wu Jianguo.
In her milky, childish voice, "Thank you, big leader beibei. Beibei will be a big big leader in the future. That big…"
Wu Jianguo burst out laughing. "Beibei won't get a promotion."
Mianmian shook her head and spoke with certainty, "Beibei will get a promotion. Will get a promotion."
Wu Jianguo knew perfectly well that at over forty, he had been the logistics director for quite a long time without any opportunity for advancement.
A few years ago, he still had grand ambitions, but in recent years, he had instead developed a mindset of just letting things slide.
Still, even knowing the child's words were just a blessing, he was happy to hear them.
"Good, Mianmian is a good child."
Wu Jianguo fondly pinched her chubby little cheek and glanced at Song Changming.
He pulled a letter from his pocket. "Technician Song, the factory is very concerned about what happened to you. This is an apology letter written by the villager who drove the tractor. I was originally going to give it to you tomorrow, but since I've run into you now, I'll give it to you early. I heard from the doctor that you still need to be hospitalized."
Song Changming walked over gratefully and took it.
"Director Wu, you're too kind. We're all contributing to the revolutionary cause. I won't hold it against that comrade."
"Good, it's great that you can think that way. I hope you can properly handle your family matters. An outstanding male comrade needs to keep his home front stable."
Song Changming nodded repeatedly on the surface, but in his heart, he already hated Shen Jingyan.
He watched Director Wu leave.
The others dispersed one after another.
Song Changming faced Shen Jingyan with a cold expression.
He was extremely displeased.
Liu Xiaoshuang was full of resentment. She said in a shrill voice, "Jingyan, dear, it was all a misunderstanding on your part. You should go accompany Changming to the hospital. I'll go get my medicine first."
"I don't need her. I'll go by myself."
"Hey, hey, Changming!"
Liu Xiaoshuang looked at Shen Jingyan. "Jingyan, dear, men need to be coaxed. It's not that I'm lecturing you, but what you did today made Changming lose face."
"No matter how strong-willed we women are at home, we need to give men face in public."
Shen Jingyan held back a cold laugh.
"Sister-in-law, you're lecturing me like this—do you even have a man?"
Liu Xiaoshuang was so angry her eyes rolled back.
"You, you, you're simply unreasonable."
Mianmian watched Liu Xiaoshuang leave and gained a new understanding of her mother's combat prowess.
She secretly took note of it.
Learning ability had always been Mianmian's most unremarkable strength~
Shen Jingyan looked in the direction the two had gone. She was not going to wait on Song Changming.
But remembering that Song Changming had poisoned her and treated her this way—
How could she let him off?
Shen Jingyan turned and left the hospital, going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a can of Malted Milk Powder.
Then she made a trip to Auntie Mei's place.
What exactly she did, Mianmian didn't know.
She only knew that her mother was smiling especially happily.
There was a kind of satisfaction of great vengeance about to be taken.
She felt that if in her past life her mother hadn't been reported and killed, Song Changming probably wouldn't have been able to outmaneuver her.
Shen Jingyan took her things and returned to the hospital with Mianmian.
At this time, Song Changming was still angry.
Liu Xiaoshuang sat to one side. Both had white gauze wrapped around their heads, looking like two pig heads.
"Changming, do you think Shen Jingyan might divorce you?"
Song Changming sneered. "She won't."
In this world, anyone could abandon him, but Shen Jingyan wouldn't. She loved him desperately.
He was very confident.
"Really? She seemed very angry."
"She won't. If she really divorced me, with her status, who could she find? Besides, she can't bear to leave the child."
Outside the door, Shen Jingyan was trembling all over, a look of determination flashing in her eyes.
She couldn't bear to leave the child.
But it was fine. She would endure.
Shen Jingyan touched the paper packet in her pocket and smiled.
She pushed the door open and entered.
Song Changming looked at Shen Jingyan standing at the door, his eyes clearly saying "I knew it."
Liu Xiaoshuang couldn't help but feel contempt. This Shen Jingyan really was a sycophant.
Shen Jingyan walked over, her voice gentle.
"I went and bought some Malted Milk Powder."
Song Changming turned his head away, not intending to acknowledge her.
Shen Jingyan set down the Malted Milk Powder, picked up the porcelain mug, and opened the box of Malted Milk Powder right in front of them.
Taking advantage of the moment when no one was watching, she dissolved an unknown powder into it.
Everything was done silently.
While stirring the Malted Milk Powder, she spoke in a calm, offhand tone.
"Changming, I found a wooden box at home just now."
"Yeah, I found it under the bed."