Li Chuchu slowly came to her senses. Her eyes were blurred for a while before slowly focusing. She saw Shen Yanshan sitting on the edge of the chair, and a warm current was coming from her feet.
Li Chuchu was too lazy to open her eyes. Her voice was muffled with a strong nasal tone. "When did you come back? Have you eaten?"
Shen Yanshan's heart melted like soft water at the sight of her pitiful look. He quickly replied, "Yes, I had a quick bite with Huzi and the others in the factory."
Li Chuchu originally wanted to tell Shen Yanshan about the shop she bought today, but she was so sleepy that she managed to mutter a few words in a voice even softer than a mosquito's hum. Shen Yanshan only caught something about "shops" and "three of them."
When he tried to listen more carefully, there was no sound at all.
It was as if she was talking in her sleep.
The cold wind howled outside. On such a cold day, nothing was more comfortable than going home and cuddling up with his wife in bed. Shen Yanshan held his wife's feet in his arms and felt a strange sense of contentment.
He babbled on,
"I've finished the work in the factory for the time being. I'll pick you up from work tomorrow. What do you want to eat? I'll buy it on the way."
"I heard a worker in the factory complaining that his wife has been nagging him to buy her a trendy dressing table recently. He's saving up to buy one for her. Do you like that kind of thing? How about we go and have a look after work tomorrow?"
Shen Yanshan was excitedly sharing with Li Chuchu,
not knowing whether she was asleep or not. She mumbled a few times and then fell silent again.
Shen Yanshan was like a neglected puppy. He stared at Li Chuchu resentfully for a while. Looking at his wife's beautiful face, he finally managed to console himself.
Forget it. Not everyone has such a beautiful wife. It doesn't matter if he's neglected a little.
Shen Yanshan quickly went out to wash up and then got into bed to hug his warm wife and go to sleep.
...
A few days passed in a row, and Li Chuchu didn't see Mu Wan again.
She didn't know how things were going with Mu Wan. But judging from her character, if there was something wrong, she would definitely tell her.
So Li Chuchu wasn't too worried.
She went to work as usual.
After entering the factory, she always felt that the atmosphere was a bit strange.
During this period, Li Chuchu had been helping with translation in the Foreign Affairs Department. After listening to Teacher Xie's advice, she began to intentionally develop in the direction of the Foreign Affairs Department. By combining the advantages of broadcasting and translation, she hoped to clarify her future development direction.
What was strange was that every time she came to the Foreign Affairs Department before, there would always be a bunch of people bustling around her to discuss things. But today, when she arrived at the department, not a single person came to talk to her.
Li Chuchu found it very strange.
After a while, people started to come in one after another, including the head of the Foreign Affairs Department. When he saw Li Chuchu, his face changed and took on a strange expression.
Li Chuchu was puzzled.
The expression on the head of the Foreign Affairs Department's face was as if he had swallowed a turtle alive. Finally, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He looked around furtively like a thief and quietly pulled Li Chuchu outside the office. "Chuchu, how can you still sit here so calmly? Something's happened!"
Li Chuchu looked calm. "What's wrong? Are there any more foreign experts coming?"
The head of the Foreign Affairs Department blurted out subconsciously, "Oh, with you here, it would..." not be a big deal!
He suddenly realized that he was almost led astray by Li Chuchu.
No, no.
This matter was even bigger than the arrival of foreign experts! If this matter wasn't handled properly, the factory would lose a talented person!
He stared at her with wide eyes and said righteously, "It's already this critical moment. Do you think I'm joking with you? Our factory director received an anonymous letter today reporting that you, a married woman, have an improper relationship with a government official and are having an affair with the son of the director of Lianhua Iron and Steel Factory."
"Although our factory director has temporarily suppressed this letter, because it was a real - name report, it has spread like wildfire. Most of the people in the factory know about it. Gossip always spreads the fastest. You'd better think of a way quickly!"
It was really like the emperor was not in a hurry but the eunuch was.
He was almost worried to death when he heard this news.
Whether the first piece of news was true or false was debatable, but as for the second one, everyone in the factory knew that Chen Junsheng, the factory director's son, was a playboy who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun.
Him and Li Chuchu?
In the opinion of the head of the Foreign Affairs Department, Li Chuchu might not even look at him.
A busy person who was always busy solving big problems in the factory would never take a fancy to a lazy person who did nothing all day. Moreover, with Li Chuchu's excellent conditions and outstanding abilities, what kind of person couldn't she find? How could she be entangled with Chen Junsheng?
Anyway, even if others thought highly of him, he didn't.
Li Chuchu had been working in the Foreign Affairs Department for a long time, and the head of the department regarded her like his own daughter.
But in this era, having an improper relationship was not something that could be easily brushed off with a few jokes like in later generations. If a woman's reputation was stained, she would never be able to clear her name, and people's spittle alone could drown her.
Li Chuchu had a rough idea in her mind and casually asked, "Real - name report. Who was it?"
The head of the Foreign Affairs Department shook his head. "I don't know. I heard about it from others this morning. I guess only our factory director knows."
He advised earnestly, "In my opinion, you'd better stay at home and rest quietly for a few days. I still have a batch of materials that need to be translated. You can take a look at them when you're free at home. Then change your name and come to our department to report. The people in our department are very tight - lipped and won't spread it outside..."
The head of the Foreign Affairs Department's eyes became brighter and brighter as he spoke. There was no sign of the hesitation of taking in a person with a stained reputation, only the eagerness to poach a talented person from the broadcasting room. He really had a kind of heroic spirit of "providing shelter for all talented people under the sky" and a talent - loving heart like a robber breaking into a house.
Li Chuchu gave a soft laugh and had to decline this "invitation" politely. "Thank you for your kindness, Director. But the factory director hasn't said anything yet. I'll wait and see what the factory director decides. I'll follow the factory's arrangement."
Li Chuchu was thinking in her mind: The most urgent thing now was to find out who the reporter was.
Li Chuchu thought that she had been honest and law - abiding recently and hadn't caused any trouble outside. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that she shouldn't be wronged like this.
But rumors couldn't be dealt with randomly. Otherwise, it would be like luring the snake out of its hole. She had to strike a fatal blow and drag the rumor - monger into the water.
At this time, she needed to plan carefully and see what Director Chen planned to do. If Director Chen insisted on letting her go home to rest, then she would be powerless to do anything about this matter even if she wanted to.
Li Chuchu returned to the broadcasting room and prepared for today's broadcast as usual.
By noon, the sun was hanging high in the sky.
She had finished all the work at hand.
The factory director hadn't sent any news the whole morning - neither clarifying the truth or falsehood of the rumor in the factory nor asking her to go home to rest.
She thought she understood what Director Chen meant.
Li Chuchu hummed a little tune as she packed up her things and went home.
...