Siheyuan: Since 1962

Chapter 147 Attitude
Zhou Weimin took Liu Lan back to the office and did not communicate with her on the way, which made Liu Lan feel nervous.

After sitting down at the desk, Zhou Weimin looked at Liu Lan seriously and asked in a deep voice: "Liu Lan, I just received a report about you. Do you have anything to tell me?"

Liu Lan panicked, and with both hands on the table, she said anxiously, "Director Zhou, someone must have framed me. You know how I usually do things. I have always worked seriously and never caused any trouble for our kitchen."

She knew it was not a good thing, but she didn't expect someone to report her. She just didn't know what they were reported about.

The whole family depends on her for support. If something happens to her at work, the whole family will really have no way to survive.

Zhou Weimin waited until she finished speaking before pressing his finger lightly to signal her to be quiet.

Then he said slowly, "I have seen everything you do. When we investigated before, everyone spoke very well of you."

"But this is not a reason for you to steal public food!"

"Liu Lan, if no one had reported it, I really wouldn't have known you would do such a thing. See for yourself."

As he spoke, Zhou Weimin took out the letter of complaint and slapped it in front of Liu Lan.

Liu Lan picked up the letter of complaint and took out the letter paper with trembling hands. After reading just a few lines, her body began to shake and she had to hold on to the table to barely stand.

However, the letter of complaint fell on the table, and she no longer had the energy to pick it up and read it.

Zhou Weimin didn't say anything, but just looked at her quietly, waiting for her to express her attitude.

As time passed, Liu Lan's face gradually turned from pale to red, and her eyes went from unfocused to radiant again.

After just a moment, Liu Lan recovered and looked at Zhou Weimin pleadingly, "Director, please don't fire me from the factory. I took the remaining steamed bread because my family couldn't make ends meet. You can punish me in any way you want, but please let me stay in the factory. I will never do such a thing again."

Zhou Weimin tapped the table with his fingers, looked at Liu Lan who was begging him, pondered for a moment, and then said softly: "Liu Lan, tell me about your family's situation first. Everyone is in trouble now. If everyone makes a mistake and uses this as an excuse, will I still be able to work as the deputy director of the cafeteria?"

"Okay... I'll tell you right away."

Seeing hope, Liu Lan quickly calmed down and said, "My husband went out to work with someone a few years ago, and he hasn't come back for several years. My parents are in poor health and don't have a job. I have two younger brothers and a younger sister at home, and they all rely on my salary to support them. I really have no other choice..."

At the end, Liu Lan could no longer hold back and tears flowed from her eyes.

If it weren't for the situation at home, she wouldn't have risked her life to steal food from the factory. Why is her life so miserable?

Zhou Weimin couldn't help but sigh in his heart when he heard this.

Speaking of difficulties, Liu Lan's difficulties are much more difficult than Qin Huairu's. Qin Huairu's man is dead after all, so she can get a pension and she can remarry when she has the chance.

But Liu Lan was really trapped by her family. Nowadays, there was no such thing as getting a divorce just because a man had been away from home for a few years. Even if she could, Liu Lan couldn't.

People in those days were not as tolerant of women as they are in later generations. Divorced or forced to divorce would be looked down upon, and it would be difficult for them to remarry.

Zhou Weimin frowned and said in a deep voice: "Crying won't solve any problems, Liu Lan, you should know what kind of problem it is to steal public grain."

Liu Lan nodded sadly. She knew what the matter was. If Zhou Weimin reported it directly, she would not be able to work, and she would even be arrested by the police. "You said you would not steal public food again, but have you ever thought about how to make your family live in the future? How can I trust you with just this one sentence?"

"Director Zhou, I can go to the street office to take odd jobs and let my dad do some to supplement the family income when he's free. My brother will graduate from junior high school this year. Whether he goes to a technical secondary school or goes out to work, it will make our family's life better."

Liu Lan hurriedly explained, fearing that Zhou Weimin would think what she said was just empty talk.

After dealing with Liu Lan's affairs, Zhou Weimin tidied his clothes and went to Liang Shaoyou to hand over his work.

At this moment, a good show was going on in a workshop.

"Qin Huairu, is your brain full of swill? I've taught you so many times that you can't use too much force on the clamps, or the steel pipes will get deformed! All you do is stare at men all day long, why are you still staying in the factory? Go recruit people through the secret door!"

Shang Mingyi took out a steel pipe from the basket and smashed it hard in front of Qin Huairu, his brows raised in anger.

It's been almost two months, and the threading of the steel pipe is still like this. Five out of ten steel pipes are scrapped. Which apprentice has such a scrap rate!

Because of this, he has been scolded by the workshop director, who said that if the scrap rate continues to be so high, he will not be included in the monthly performance evaluation this year. He can't stand it anymore!
Qin Huairu hesitated and backed away, her face already showing a look of tears.

When the people in the workshop heard the noise, they all looked over here. Some female workers looked at Qin Huairu with unfriendly eyes.

It’s not that Qin Huairu has any relationship with their men, but they feel that Qin Huairu has brought shame to them, the female workers.

"Mr. Shang, why are you so angry? We were all apprentices, and everyone has had problems when they first started working."

Yi Zhonghai put down the work in his hands, walked over to Shang Mingyi and tried to persuade him in a gentle voice.

Qin Huairu is good in every way except that she just can't learn the skills of a locksmith. It's really not Lao Shang's fault.

"Hmph, Master Yi, don't try to smooth things over. I'm not capable of taking care of this apprentice. If I stay any longer, I'll die of anger at my post! Whoever wants to take care of me can do it!"

Shang Mingyi snorted coldly, threw his gloves on the workbench, turned around and left the workshop to wash his hands and smoke.

Qin Huairu was originally forced into Yi Zhonghai's service, so why is she pretending to be a good person now?
"Lao Shang!"

Yi Zhonghai shouted, and seeing Shang Mingyi didn't even turn his head, he couldn't help but sigh.

When he turned around and was about to say something, he saw Qin Huairu's tears falling.

"Don't blame Master Shang. I'll talk to the workshop director. You can learn from me from now on."

Glancing at everyone, Yi Zhonghai discovered that several of his disciples had turned their heads away. Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to take care of Qin Huairu himself.

Qin Huairu wiped her tears and sobbed, "Uncle, I'm causing you trouble again. But I, I just can't remember, I didn't mean it."

She had to be an apprentice for three years anyway, and she didn't want to waste her time on this. She just wanted to get by.

(End of this chapter)