Chapter 28: The Scoundrel Who Feeds on Women with Pride

No matter what Aunt Lin said, Lin Xiang retorted with sharp, biting words.

Having already stooped so low as to betray her own sister and niece, what shred of dignity did she have left in the Lin family? As for the job quota? She could forget about it!

Aunt Lin still viewed Lin Xiang and her mother through the lens of the past, unaware that the soul inhabiting this body had long since changed. This new Lin Xiang was immune to moral blackmail and refused to be taken advantage of. Unfortunately, Mother Lin was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong, always siding with whoever held the upper hand. Consequently, Aunt Lin couldn't gain a single thing from Lin Xiang and had to drag Yu Fang away while grumbling in frustration.

Yu Fang, still thinking of the fragrant aroma she had smelled in the kitchen, lingered reluctantly. "Mom, wait for me to finish that bowl of noodles before we go!"

"What’s so special about a bowl of noodles? Can you have a bit of ambition? If you could secure that textile factory job, you could eat anything you wanted. Why obsess over a bowl of plain noodles without even a speck of meat?"

As the voices of the mother and daughter faded into the distance, Lin Xiang rubbed her smooth chin in thought. Adding minced meat? That wasn't an impossible idea.

When Lin Xiang returned to the kitchen, Mother Lin had already finished her own bowl and was staring longingly at Lin Xiang’s. She swallowed hard, her maternal instincts warring with the temptation that had shattered her last line of defense.

"I’ll just take a tiny bit; Niuzi shouldn't notice... right?"

Just as Mother Lin’s chopsticks reached into Lin Xiang’s bowl, Lin Xiang walked in.

"I saw you hadn't touched yours, and the noodles were clumping together. I thought I’d stir them for you so the texture wouldn't be ruined."

Lin Xiang could not tolerate chopsticks tainted by someone else's saliva stirring her food—not even if that person was this body’s mother in name only. She pushed the bowl toward Mother Lin. "I'm not hungry right now. You have it, Mom. I'm heading out, so please wash the pots after you eat."

"Fine, I'll wash them," Mother Lin readily agreed, grabbing the bowl and diving into the meal.

***

Lin Xiang wandered around the village, subtly asking people about the upcoming market day. Her approach was discreet enough not to arouse suspicion.

While passing the brigade headquarters, she saw Wen Siyuan stumbling out, looking disheveled. His sharp, rat-like face wore a twisted expression, a stark contrast to his usual persona.

"Well, look who it is—our dear educated youth, Wen," Lin Xiang remarked. Being in a foul mood, she was looking for someone to spar with, and Wen Siyuan had walked right into her crosshairs. She couldn't let this chance for a few barbed remarks slip by.

"We haven't seen each other in a few days; how did you end up like this?" Lin Xiang scanned him up and down, her gaze making him squirm with discomfort. Compared to a few days ago when he had been filing complaints in front of Director Qian, Wen Siyuan looked gaunt, almost skeletal. "It's a good thing the weather is cold and you're bundled up; otherwise, you'd look like a walking bag of bones. Spare us the eyesore!"

"Lin Xiang!" Wen Siyuan gritted his teeth, his narrow eyes flashing with a cold light that suggested he wanted to tear her apart. "This is all your fault! Let me tell you, you won't be gloating for much longer!"

"Oh, I'm so scared," Lin Xiang said, patting her chest with exaggerated mock terror, though her smile remained unchanged.

As Wen Siyuan prepared to lash out again, the brigade leader stood at the entrance and shouted, "Niuzi! There's a phone call for you."

"Got it, Uncle! I'm coming!" Lin Xiang shouted back, then beamed at Wen Siyuan. "I'll be waiting for your revenge, you spineless parasite!"

"Lin Xiang, just you wait! I'll make you pay!"

Wen Siyuan cursed at her back in impotent rage, but Lin Xiang ignored him completely, walking briskly into the headquarters. "Uncle, someone looking for me?"

"I'm not sure, but it sounds like some sort of official. Go on, answer it—don't keep them waiting!" Phone calls were expensive, and he certainly couldn't ask Lin Xiang to cover the cost.

Lin Xiang agreed and walked straight to the phone, picking up the receiver. "Hello, this is Lin Xiang from the Pear Blossom Brigade."

On the other end, Factory Director Chen asked, "Comrade Lin Xiang, why didn't you report to the textile factory today? If you have unfinished business, I can grant you two more days. You just need to have your paperwork sorted within that timeframe."

Lin Xiang was stunned. She hadn't expected the factory director to call personally over such a matter. It was a task that could have been handled by a subordinate, and being called by the director himself left her feeling flattered.

However, she had already decided to return to school, so she politely declined his offer. "Thank you for looking out for me, Director, but I've chosen to return to my studies, so I won't be needing the position."

Director Chen paused for a moment before realizing her misunderstanding. He chuckled. "Comrade Lin Xiang, I think you've misunderstood. The leadership's decision to let you return to school is one thing, and whether you choose to go is entirely up to you. Offering you a position as a worker at our textile factory is an internal decision, and the two are not in conflict."

If Lin Xiang hadn't spoken up about the factory's fabric in front of the foreign guests and communicated with them so fluently, that deal would have been impossible to close. Although it was only worth twenty-seven thousand dollars, for the textile factory, this order wasn't just about the money.

It was the first collaboration between Mianyang Town and foreign merchants, and the textile factory had facilitated it. That alone was of immense significance. Furthermore, they were the first factory to provide fabric to foreign clients; any future large orders would surely prioritize them. The long-term benefits were immense.

Lin Xiang was the hero of this achievement. Since she was neither a town official nor a factory employee, they couldn't simply hand her a bonus. After careful consideration and approval from the leadership, they had decided to grant her the quota for a female worker. Whether she reported for work herself, sold the quota, or used it as a favor was entirely up to her; the factory would not interfere.

Director Chen expressed this to her in veiled terms, and only one thought filled Lin Xiang's mind:

She had made it! By taking the indirect route, she had finally earned her first pot of gold in the seventies!

Suppressing her inner excitement, Lin Xiang asked tentatively, "Director, what is the monthly salary for a worker at our textile factory?"

Director Chen didn't find the question inappropriate at all. On the contrary, he admired her straightforward and unpretentious nature.