My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 110

The rain poured down heavily, showing no signs of stopping even during the day.

However, the police officers, together with the neighborhood committee and other officials, were all clad in raincoats, inspecting the scene.

This incident was just too bizarre, so it had to be thoroughly investigated. Otherwise, the matter of someone being struck by lightning would inevitably spark some unfavorable rumors among the public. Officer Wang, the most experienced among them, was leading the investigation.

He was accompanied by a few forensic experts as they examined the scene, while a dense crowd of onlookers gathered around, watching the spectacle. Zhuang Zhixi had taken the day off work, and so had Ming Mei.

Both of them were among the crowd. Officer Wang scanned the area and then waved to Zhuang Zhixi, who quickly scurried over and asked, “Officer Wang, you called for me?”

Officer Wang nodded and asked, “How many times did he slash at the wall while chasing you?”

Zhuang Zhixi replied, “How could I remember? There were quite a few. I just kept hitting him with a tile. Oh, by the way, Officer Wang, you see, I’m a victim here. I’m so unlucky—I just went to the restroom and ran into a criminal. Do you think it’s fair? And this tile—you can’t make me pay for it, right?”

Officer Wang: “...”

So, all you care about is the tile?

But it’s true that getting caught up in such a mess and having to pay for damages is quite unfortunate.

He said, “Don’t worry about this matter. We’ll handle the communication with his workplace and family.”

The neighborhood committee representative added, “We’ll take care of it first.”

Officer Wang agreed, “Alright.”

Everyone knew that the victim shouldn’t be held responsible. It was better to settle this cleanly and avoid any awkwardness.

He then asked, “Did he do anything else besides slashing at you?”

Zhuang Zhixi scratched his head and said, “I was too panicked at the time. I didn’t notice if he did anything else, but I don’t think so. That scoundrel—both Wang Xiangxiu and I were running away. I even climbed onto the roof, and he still chased after me with his knife. Seriously, even in such a situation, he still favored men over women.”

Officer Wang: “...You really shouldn’t misuse words like that.”

Zhuang Zhixi sighed, “I’m so damn unlucky.”

He lamented, “There’s always something happening with the restroom here. I’m scared to even go at night now. What kind of mess is this?”

Officer Wang said, “Alright, stop complaining. I ask you one question, and you go off on ten tangents. Can’t you act like a man?”

Zhuang Zhixi retorted confidently, “When it’s a matter of life and death, who cares about acting like a man or a woman? If I were a woman, he wouldn’t have chased me, and I wouldn’t have minded. But you don’t understand—I was really scared out of my wits. His family should compensate me.”

He added seriously, “At least some nutrition fees would be nice.”

Officer Wang was speechless. He pushed Zhuang Zhixi aside and asked, “Old Qin, what’s the situation?”

Old Qin was calm and composed. “In short, he brought this upon himself.”

“How so?”

Officer Wang knew that Old Qin always spoke objectively, without any bias.

Old Qin pointed to a section of a fallen wire on the ground and explained, “See this wire? He must have cut it while chasing Zhuang Zhixi up the wall. Look here—these wires are all exposed, running along the walls under the eaves. When he cut it, it naturally fell to the ground. Last night’s weather was terrible—the ground was soaked with water, creating the perfect conditions for electrocution. There was thunder and lightning, and the area was flooded. Plus, the handle of his knife was made of a material that conducts electricity easily in the rain. So, who else would the lightning strike? Even if it hadn’t struck him, he was already at high risk of electrocution. He basically created the perfect environment for a lightning strike. If he had just run away, he wouldn’t have died. Even if he had chased Wang Xiangxiu, he might not have been struck. But he had to go and cut the wire.”

At this point, there was no distinction between forensic and investigative work—everyone pitched in.

Old Qin gave a detailed explanation and concluded with a shrug, “Simply put, he cut the wire, stepped on it, and was holding a knife with a conductive handle. That’s what attracted the lightning.”

The scene fell silent. Old Qin had laid out the facts clearly, but everyone was fixated on the final conclusion—he had essentially killed himself.

What incredibly bad luck.

Zhuang Zhixi was stunned. He had never imagined that so many coincidences could lead to Yu Baoshan’s death. He exclaimed, “I thought the lightning strike was an act of—”

He stopped himself mid-sentence.

Of course, even if he had said it, no one would have held it against him, as everyone was thinking the same thing.

Before the forensic team had analyzed the scene, everyone had assumed it was divine retribution. After all, even in a storm, it’s rare for lightning to strike the same person twice in one night—it was as if the heavens were determined to kill him.

But now... a perfectly scientific explanation had been found.

However, even though it seemed scientific, it only made the whole thing feel even more unscientific. Think about it—how many coincidences had to align, and all of them were his own doing. It was as if he was deliberately tempting fate.

With Yu Baoshan’s knack for self-sabotage, it’s a wonder he hadn’t died sooner.

Wasn’t this just fate?

What had Yu Baoshan done to deserve such a punishment?

“Alright, Little Qin, let’s pack him up and take him away.”

A young man in a police uniform with a white lab coat over it approached.

Yes, both Old Qin and Little Qin shared the same surname—all the forensic experts were Qins.

Director Wang from the neighborhood committee stepped forward and said, “Officer Wang, I was wondering if we could ask Old Qin to host a safety workshop for our community. It’s the rainy season now, with frequent thunderstorms. We’d like to learn how to stay safe.”

While no one in their right mind would go around cutting wires, they had heard about how certain knife materials could conduct electricity, which was something they didn’t fully understand. As a responsible director, she felt it was her duty to organize such a workshop to educate everyone.

Officer Wang nodded, “That’s a good idea. How about this—I’ll file a report later and have Old Qin come over to give a few lectures. We can cover some everyday safety tips too.”

“That would be great.”

If done well, this initiative could also count as a political achievement.

Director Wang was pleased. The neighborhood committee, seeing this gaining momentum, chimed in, “We’d like to join as well.”

Officer Wang replied, “Sure, that’s fine.”

Usually, they were quite full of themselves, but now they were being polite. Who wouldn’t be? They were scared too. Yu Baoshan’s death was just too eerie. They spent their days criticizing others for superstition, but that didn’t mean they didn’t harbor some beliefs themselves. This incident was just too strange.

If you said it wasn’t divine retribution, no one would believe you.

Officer Wang had finished the investigation, and everyone was starting to leave. He waved to the crowd in the pouring rain and said, “Everyone, head back now. It’s not safe to stay outside for too long during a thunderstorm.”

He then turned and quietly instructed, “We need to get these wires fixed as soon as possible to avoid any further accidents.”

“Understood.”

Officer Wang then asked, “What about Yu Baoshan’s family?”

“Ever since he hit Bai Fendou’s father with a brick yesterday, his family has been keeping their distance, afraid of getting involved.”

Officer Wang shook his head slightly, lamenting the lack of familial affection.

But in these times, it wasn’t uncommon for family members to turn against each other. In his line of work, he had seen it all. After a while, it didn’t faze him anymore. Different people react differently—it’s just the way of the world.

He ordered, “Let’s wrap it up.”

Director Wang, however, didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she said, “Let’s go too. We should remind everyone in this area to be careful.”

“Alright.”

Even in the heavy rain, they had to carry out their duties. Safety was paramount. People stood around in small groups, reluctant to go home. While they were afraid of death, there was always that lingering thought—such bizarre things wouldn’t happen to them.

No one seemed particularly eager to leave.

The crowd began to chatter: "What do you think Yu Baoshan did that was so bad he got struck by lightning?"

"It wasn’t because of the environment or the power lines or something like that…" Many had heard the explanation but didn’t quite understand it. Still, they knew they had to be careful in such situations in the future, or they’d be in trouble.

"Don’t talk nonsense. Even if it was because of those things, he still got struck by lightning. And didn’t you hear what the old man said? He cut the power line himself. He brought it on himself. Isn’t that just asking for it?"

"That’s true. He really… But what about his family?"

"They’re probably too ashamed to show their faces. Yesterday they didn’t come out because they were afraid Bai Fendou would hold them accountable and demand compensation. Now they’re not coming out because they’re too embarrassed. I mean, he was struck by lightning! Who knows what kind of evil deeds he must have done."

"He broke up his sister’s relationship, sent her to the countryside, and stole her job. Isn’t that enough? Her boyfriend broke up with her because she was sent down to the countryside with no hope of returning. And then Yu Baoshan went to him demanding money, causing a scene if he didn’t get it. I heard he extorted 150 yuan from him. Can you believe how shameless he was? Then, when the guy got engaged to someone else, Yu Baoshan showed up again. The guy’s parents were so scared of him they had no choice but to give him another 50 yuan. And he didn’t even work at the job he stole from his sister. He just wore a red armband and wandered around all day, but the factory still had to pay him. If they didn’t, he’d accuse them of something. The textile factory has suffered because of him for a long time." This person clearly knew a lot about the situation.

"Oh, by the way, what’s going to happen to his job now that he’s dead?"

"I know, I know. I live in the same courtyard as his family. None of them went to work today. They’ve been arguing behind closed doors all day, fighting over who gets Yu Baoshan’s house and his job. It’s a mess. Yu Baoshan had a room to himself, and now they’re all fighting over it. And the job—it was originally his sister’s…"

"Do you think the girl can come back?" This was Ming Mei, who had been listening to the gossip in the crowd. She chimed in, "It was her job in the first place. Yu Baoshan took it from her. Shouldn’t it be returned to her now?"

"Ah, young Mrs. Zhuang, you don’t understand. Your family didn’t have anyone sent down to the countryside, did you?"

Ming Mei nodded. "No, I’m the youngest in my family. I missed the big wave of people being sent down. And I don’t have any younger siblings, so there was no need."

"Ah, your parents really timed it well. You don’t understand what it’s like. Once you’re sent down, it’s very hard to come back. It’s not just a matter of whether the factory wants you back. There are layers of bureaucracy to navigate, and it’s not easy. Plus, the policies are stricter now. Before, it was just a suggestion to go down to the countryside, but now it’s mandatory. And every family has to send at least one person. There’s no way his family can bring their daughter back."

Ming Mei sighed.

Zhuang Zhixi joined the conversation. "I also think it’s impossible for their daughter to come back. But as for the job, I don’t think they’ll be able to keep it. It’s pointless to fight over it."

"Why’s that?"

Zhuang Zhixi explained, "Think about it. Yu Baoshan was never liked by the leadership. He never showed up for work and used threats to keep his job. Do you think the leaders would want to keep him around? And now he’s died in such a disgraceful way—struck by lightning after causing trouble. The factory has every reason to get rid of him."

It’s true that people weren’t usually fired unless they made a big mistake, but Yu Baoshan had injured someone and then gone after them with a knife.

No one would consider him a good person.

And, to be a bit cynical, if they fired him, it would free up a position that they could "reassign" to someone else. Of course, that part didn’t need to be said out loud—it didn’t sound very good.

Zhuang Zhixi added, "We’ll just have to wait for the official announcement. This matter will probably be decided soon."

"That’s true."

"Hey, what about Wang Xiangxiu? She came out of the bathroom with Yu Baoshan. Do you think she was really just threatened into going to find Bai Fendou?" Some people were more interested in this kind of gossip. The crowd chuckled suggestively.

"Who knows? Only she knows the truth."

"Can’t you think of something positive? Don’t be so cynical. Maybe nothing happened at all. Yu Baoshan wasn’t exactly in a state to do anything, was he?"

"Hey, that’s not fair. That’s not how it works. The one who’s completely incapable is Zhou Qun. Yu Baoshan wasn’t like that. He couldn’t have children anymore, but he was still capable of other things. He probably could’ve done something."

Zhuang Zhixi silently pitied his "good neighbor" Zhou Qun, who had been dragged into this for no reason.

"I don’t think Wang Xiangxiu is innocent. With her face, her figure, and her… assets, Yu Baoshan couldn’t have resisted her…"

"Not necessarily…"

Director Wang interrupted, "Alright, alright, stop talking about this. If nothing happened, then don’t spread rumors. Don’t ruin her reputation. She’s a single mother, and it’s not easy for her. Plus, she’s a victim in all this. Everyone, go home. Go home now."

"Go home, everyone! Don’t gather outside during a thunderstorm. Go home!" The neighborhood committee members began dispersing the crowd.

"Don’t crowd together. If you want to chat, wait until the weather’s better. Go home, everyone. Go home now."

Zhuang Zhixi took Ming Mei’s hand. "Let’s go home."

Ming Mei nodded softly. She had taken three days off work.

It wasn’t that she was trying to slack off. Zhao Guihua had insisted, saying that last night’s events had been too frightening and that Ming Mei needed to rest at home to avoid any risk to her pregnancy.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

Zhao Guihua was also worried about Ming Mei going back to work as a bus conductor. Even though Ming Mei had been transferred to a different position, Zhao Guihua still wasn’t comfortable with it. So she took advantage of the situation to have Ming Mei take a few days off.

Ming Mei didn’t know what Zhao Guihua was thinking, but she trusted her premonitory dreams, so she listened to her mother-in-law. Both of them had their own thoughts, but they were on the same page. Zhao Guihua said, "When the rain lets up this afternoon, I’ll take you to the hospital for another check-up. We need to be careful."

Ming Mei replied, "Alright."

The Zhuang family headed home together. Even though such a big incident had happened the night before, not many people had taken the day off. People back then weren’t the type to slack off. They were diligent and rarely missed a day of work.

In their courtyard, only four people had taken the day off.

One was Bai Fendou. His father was in the hospital, and his condition was serious, so he had no choice but to take care of him.

The second was Jiang Lu. She had finally gotten pregnant, and she was extremely cautious. She’d take time off at the slightest hint of trouble. She was taking half the month off and didn’t care about her salary. While some people had issues with this, there wasn’t much they could say.

Again, as long as you didn’t make a big mistake, state-owned enterprises wouldn’t fire you.

And Jiang Lu worked in the Women’s Federation, which was a relatively easy department. Her absence didn’t affect the work. As for the salary deductions, Jiang Lu didn’t care. Of course she didn’t care. Even though she’d been handing over her salary all these years, after the recent incident, she had taken control of Zhou Qun’s salary. Zhou Qun had saved up 5,000 yuan, which was a huge sum back then. Jiang Lu suspected he had even more, and she planned to slowly take it all. The 5,000 yuan was just a lump sum he’d deposited in the bank.

Don’t think it’s strange that Zhou Qun had 5,000 yuan. It’s not strange at all. Jiang Lu had been covering all the household expenses, and Zhou Qun had been working for over a decade. He started working early, at fourteen or fifteen. Even though he had to support his family in the early years, after Jiang Lu married into the family, he stopped contributing to the household. Because he had a "good relationship" with his mentor’s wife, he had connections and rose through the ranks quickly. His salary was high from the start, and he’d been getting raises over the years.

So 5,000 yuan was actually on the low side for him.

Although he handed over the bankbook, Jiang Lu believed that he still had some money that wasn’t deposited in the bank. This wasn’t surprising, as people nowadays still preferred to keep cash on hand. So, it was likely that only a portion of his money was in the bank. Jiang Lu had no evidence of exactly how much he still had, but she was determined to get her hands on it eventually.

Besides this money, she also retrieved the thousand yuan from her mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law had been taken from the hospital in a hurry, leaving no time to hide the money again. The last time there was a theft, Jiang Lu had seen where the old woman hid her money. Now that her mother-in-law wasn’t around, Jiang Lu simply took it all.

As for getting it back? Forget about it.

That money was rightfully hers.

It was her salary, and she had already been more than generous with the old woman. But from now on, there would be no more of that. Jiang Lu now had six thousand yuan in cash, and she still received her monthly salary. Her childbirth expenses were also covered by her workplace, so she wasn’t worried about anything. She could rest and recover without a care in the world.

Because of this, and because she had been a little scared the night before, coupled with the heavy rain and thunderstorm today, Jiang Lu decided not to go to work.

The last ones not going to work were Ming Mei and her husband.

As “witnesses” from last night, it was understandable that they didn’t go to work. They were too shaken, weren’t they? On the other hand, Wang Xiangxiu, who had also experienced a lot last night, still managed to go to work today. She was truly resilient. She couldn’t bear to miss a day’s work.

Despite the heavy rain, it didn’t stop people from visiting each other. Soon, someone came to the Zhuang household.

A group of women sat together, chatting about this and that. Zhuang Zhixi, the only man who hadn’t gone to work, didn’t feel the slightest bit embarrassed.

Old Wang: “Zhuang Zhixi, isn’t it a pity to miss a day’s work? You don’t seem to have anything wrong with you.”

Zhuang Zhixi: “Nothing wrong with me? Look at my face, isn’t it pale? I was scared last night.”

Old Wang: “…”

He added, “Besides, I’m taking my wife to the hospital this afternoon. We need to make sure everything’s alright.”

The topic shifted to Ming Mei, who gently shook her head and said, “I’m fine.”

She hadn’t actually done anything last night; she had just run over in a hurry and was a bit shaken.

“You’re such a brave child. How could you, a pregnant woman with two kids, dare to run out like that? What if something had happened?”

Ming Mei scratched her head, feeling a little embarrassed. She said softly, “I just got carried away at the moment. I thought, if no one went to help Zhuang Zhixi, what would happen? Even though running over might have risked a miscarriage, it wasn’t certain. And I was confident I could handle Yu Baoshan. I had to prioritize the person in immediate danger.”

Zhuang Zhixi chimed in, “My wife was just worried about me.”

He chuckled and said, “So you see, having a good wife gives you so much peace of mind. But I’m lucky—not just my wife, but my mother is also amazing. The women in our family are all strong, so the men can afford to be little guys.”

Uh… Aren’t you embarrassed to say that out loud?

The women rolled their eyes in unison, a sea of eye-rolls.

Zhuang Zhixi remained unfazed and continued, “If people knew, they’d be so jealous that I found such a good wife.”

“Zhuang Zhixi…” Old Wang wanted to say something, but seeing that her friend Zhao Guihua didn’t say anything, she decided to let it go. She just said, “You’d better be careful.”

Zhuang Zhixi laughed.

“By the way, did Ming Mei take leave from work?”

“She did. Luo Xiaohe helped her apply for it,” Zhao Guihua said. She usually called Luo Xiaohe by her name because, although Luo Xiaohe was technically a generation older in terms of family relations, she was only two or three years older than Zhao Guihua and looked even younger. Standing side by side, people would assume Zhao Guihua was the older one. So, calling Luo Xiaohe “Auntie” was something Zhao Guihua just couldn’t bring herself to do.

Luo Xiaohe worked as a temporary employee at a bookstore near the bus station where Ming Mei worked, so she had offered to help Ming Mei apply for leave early in the morning. In such circumstances, they couldn’t deny her the time off, could they?

Ming Mei: “I took three days off. I’ll submit the medical certificate when I go back to work.”

So, she really did need to go to the hospital; otherwise, taking three days off without a medical certificate would be hard to justify. Her leave was different from Jiang Lu’s. Ming Mei’s was a medical leave with a certificate, so the company would cover it, and her salary wouldn’t be deducted.

Jiang Lu, on the other hand, simply said she wasn’t feeling well and didn’t go to work. Although it was also “illness,” without a medical certificate or proof, it was considered personal leave, which meant her salary would be deducted. But Jiang Lu didn’t seem to care about that.

Ming Mei: “Luckily, things are slow in our department.”

However, what Ming Mei didn’t know was that not going to work today actually saved her some trouble.

Sometimes, things just happen for a reason.

Today, the bus team came to borrow someone, and they specifically asked for Ming Mei.

If Ming Mei had been at work… well, she wouldn’t have agreed, but it would have caused some awkwardness.

At the bus station, Jiang Baohong, the new female leader of the bus team, came to the office to borrow someone.

Half a month ago, the previous leader of the bus team had retired, and Jiang Baohong, a woman in her forties, had taken over. She had immediately started making big changes. A new broom sweeps clean, and she was no exception. First, she required drivers and attendants to clean the bus windows every morning. Second, she strictly prohibited internal shift swaps.

In the bus team, because shifts were irregular, employees would arrange their days off in advance. But sometimes, unexpected things came up, so the attendants would often swap shifts among themselves.

For example, even though today was supposed to be Xiao Hong’s shift, Xiao Green would actually work instead. Xiao Hong would take the day off, and when it was Xiao Green’s turn to work, Xiao Hong would return the favor.

This was their own arrangement, and in the bus station’s official records, it would still show the originally scheduled person. This wasn’t like decades later; back then, this was a common practice, and as long as the work got done, no one minded.

But Jiang Baohong outright banned it.

She was all about rules. Was she right? Yes.

But for everyone else, it was just annoying. Who didn’t have emergencies sometimes? Swapping shifts was better than taking a day off, which would mean losing a day’s pay.

But Jiang Baohong didn’t care about that.

In addition, she also demanded that attendants strictly crack down on theft on the buses. No one was to be let off.

Everything Jiang Baohong did was technically correct, but it made everyone uncomfortable.

She expected the attendants to catch thieves, but not everyone was like Ming Mei. Most attendants were delicate women, while the thieves were often burly men. It was a dangerous task.

Since Jiang Baohong took over, the bus team had been filled with complaints.

Jiang Baohong had heard about Ming Mei’s prowess. After all, Ming Mei had been rewarded several times for catching thieves, and it was all on record. Jiang Baohong had wanted to use Ming Mei as a poster child.

She had even planned to transfer Ming Mei to a long-distance route with more thieves. That way, if Ming Mei caught thieves, it would reflect well on Jiang Baohong as her direct supervisor. If she could take credit for it, even better.

It would show how effective her leadership was!

She had it all planned out, but to her dismay, she found out that Ming Mei had been transferred to the office as a statistician.

This infuriated her.

She thought her predecessor was a complete idiot, a real fool who had only made things harder for her. She had everything planned, but it had all fallen apart.

She wanted to have someone transferred back immediately, but that was just wishful thinking. She was in charge of the vehicle team, which was a different department from the office. The office director and the vehicle team director were of the same rank, so she had no authority to transfer someone from the office.

Moreover, even if a transfer were possible, it would require the person’s consent. Forcing it was out of the question.

However, Jiang Baohong didn’t even consider Ming Mei’s feelings. She believed she could persuade Ming Mei. What was the problem? Women should strive harder. How could they waste their days in an office? They should be pushing themselves to achieve more!

She had it all figured out, but she couldn’t force the office’s hand. The office didn’t think much of her either, and who could blame them? Most of the staff at the bus station were old acquaintances, and many of the younger employees had taken over their parents’ jobs to avoid being sent to the countryside.

In other words, most of them were long-time colleagues. Jiang Baohong, as a newcomer parachuted into the position, was already stirring up trouble. Who would give her any respect?

If she really wanted to do well, she could work hard on her own, but she kept making demands on others, stepping on people to climb higher, which only made her more unpopular. On top of that, Ming Mei was pregnant with twins. Who would dare mess with that?

So the office simply ignored Jiang Baohong’s request.

Jiang Baohong had heard that Ming Mei was pregnant, but she didn’t think it was a big deal. People used to work through minor injuries, didn’t they? Pregnancy was just a temporary condition. Back in the day, women even gave birth in the fields. Why couldn’t Ming Mei hold her post until the end?

If something happened to the baby, it was just fate. Such a child wouldn’t be healthy anyway, so it was better not to have it. Jiang Baohong didn’t see any issue with wanting to transfer Ming Mei back to the vehicle team as a ticket seller. She thought she was helping Ming Mei improve herself.

However, her work wasn’t going smoothly. She knew the relationships here were complicated, and it was hard for a newcomer to make a mark. But she didn’t think she was in the wrong. Instead, she believed that overcoming these challenges would prove her competence.

Her first move was to try to use Ming Mei. She wanted Ming Mei to help catch thieves on the bus. Transferring someone wasn’t an option, but since no one was paying attention to her, she decided to borrow someone instead. Coincidentally, it was raining heavily that day, so she rushed over to borrow someone.

As everyone knew, bus thefts were more common on rainy days.

Although she was an outsider transferred from another place, she was aware of this. Raincoats and wet conditions made it easier for thieves to operate unnoticed. Statistics showed that thefts were more frequent during bad weather like rain or snow.

So early in the morning, she hurried over to borrow someone.

She didn’t realize that her actions were widely criticized. Almost everyone at the bus station disliked her because of this. It wasn’t that everyone liked Ming Mei, or even knew her, but Jiang Baohong’s insistence on sending a pregnant woman to work as a bus attendant to catch thieves—though she didn’t explicitly say it—was obvious to everyone.

This made people think she had no morals.

If this wasn’t endangering someone, what was?

She was willing to sacrifice others for her own benefit, even if it meant risking the lives of a pregnant woman and her unborn twins. Her lack of concern spoke volumes about her character.

On top of that, she pressured drivers and attendants to catch thieves and denied them internal leave. All these incidents had already sparked widespread resentment before she could even make a name for herself.

People thought, if she could treat others like this now, what would happen if she got promoted and had more authority? Wouldn’t she harm them too?

The vehicle team was already overworked, which was why they received an extra three yuan in subsidies. Yet, she still wanted to stir up trouble. If she were to manage other departments like logistics or the office—places where people could slack off—it would be even worse.

For these reasons, almost everyone wished she would just leave.

Jiang Baohong’s poor relationships didn’t bother her. She understood that people resented her as a woman who had been parachuted into the position, but she wasn’t afraid. She believed she was more capable than most and was determined to reform the station’s deep-rooted problems and achieve results.

So early in the morning, she went to the office to borrow someone. She had already decided that if they refused, she wouldn’t leave until she got her way.

A transfer required approval from various departments, but borrowing someone only needed the leader’s consent.

As for the person’s own wishes?

Why wouldn’t they agree!

She had no idea about Ming Mei’s personality. If she did, she would have known that Ming Mei would refuse.

But she didn’t know that and was determined. “Old Chen, you have to lend her to me. We’re all part of the same unit. If I achieve results, it reflects well on everyone. Besides, she’s so skilled. What can she do in the office? She’d be able to shine in the vehicle team. If she helps me catch thieves, I’ll nominate her for an award. It’s a win-win!”

“She’s pregnant.”

“So what? Pregnant women can’t work? It’s the modern era—men and women are equal. If men can work, so can women. She shouldn’t stop working just because she’s pregnant. Besides, giving birth isn’t that hard. If she can keep working and even give birth on the bus, I could get the newspapers to publicize her story. She’d be a model worker, dedicated to her job until the very end. That would be great for our unit’s reputation! If she catches a thief while giving birth, even better. She wouldn’t just get an award—she’d be a labor hero!”

Jiang Baohong was full of herself, getting more excited as she spoke.

She thought having someone like that in her team would bring her glory as a leader.

Director Chen looked at this harsh woman in disbelief. How could another woman be so heartless? The more she looked at her, the more disgusted she felt. She believed in women’s equality, but she couldn’t accept Jiang Baohong’s reckless disregard for human life. It was practically the same as harming someone.

She said coldly, “I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. First, I can’t lend Ming Mei to you. She’s pregnant, and if something happens, I can’t take the responsibility. As for what you said, I’ll treat it as nonsense and advise you to think carefully before speaking like that again. Second, even if I could lend her to you, she’s not here. Ming Mei had a complication with her pregnancy and took three days off.”

“What!” Jiang Baohong was furious. “She took three days off just for a pregnancy complication? How spoiled can she be?”

Director Chen thought to herself, “What an idiot. If it weren’t for her connections, someone like her would never have risen to this position. She’s incompetent and unethical, even willing to risk lives for her own achievements. I’ve seen shameless people, but never this shameless.”

She said, “I’m short-staffed here. I can’t lend anyone to you—not Ming Mei, not anyone else.”

She stood up. “I won’t keep you. I have things to attend to.”

Jiang Baohong said, “You…”

Her face darkened as Director Chen opened the office door and said, “I need to go to the logistics department. Will you stay here for a while longer?”

Jiang Baohong said, “You’re too lenient with approving leave.”

Director Chen replied, “We’re in a new society now. It’s been over twenty years since liberation. This isn’t the old society where people were exploited. She has the right to take leave.”

Jiang Baohong left, frustrated.

But she still wondered if Director Chen had lied to her on purpose. She went to the office and asked, “Which desk is Ming Mei’s?”

“That one over there.”

She looked and saw it was empty.

“Ming Mei took leave.”

Jiang Baohong’s face darkened. “Such a petty, selfish mentality!”

A woman knitting quickly put her knitting away and pretended to work. Although Jiang Baohong wasn’t their direct supervisor, everyone knew how unpleasant she was. It wasn’t fear—they just didn’t want to deal with her.

After all, they’d heard she had some connections.

The office staff exchanged glances, silently mocking her. After Jiang Baohong left, someone whispered, “We can’t let this woman get promoted. If she ends up managing us, we’ll never get a day off.”

The older sister who had been secretly knitting earlier nodded in deep agreement.

“Look at her now, making all these demands on the team, it’s pitiful to see.”

“She’s just being difficult.”

Jiang Baohong didn’t get her way and was furious.

Meanwhile, Ming Mei had already gone to the hospital with Zhuang Zhixi. She kept sneezing, and Zhuang Zhixi gently patted her back, asking, “How are you feeling? Did you catch a cold last night?”

Ming Mei shook her head. “I’m not sure.”

She rubbed her nose, feeling that it wasn’t too bad.

Ming Mei joked, “Maybe someone’s talking about me behind my back.”

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled. “Who would be talking about you?”

Ming Mei shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe my colleagues? They’re quite fond of me, so maybe they’re just concerned?”

Zhuang Zhixi clicked his tongue, and Ming Mei playfully punched him. The two of them teased each other until Zhuang Zhixi said, “Alright, alright, it’s our turn now.”

Although Ming Mei seemed fine after rushing out last night, they couldn’t be entirely sure.

Zhuang Zhixi handed over the registration slip along with a rolled-up one-yuan bill. The elderly doctor sighed, “What’s this for?”

Zhuang Zhixi smiled naturally. “Please take a look at my wife. She…”

He didn’t mention the money.

The doctor pointed at him from a distance. “There’s no need for this. I’ll treat her properly. What’s the point of doing this?”

Zhuang Zhixi replied, “It’s only right. My wife is carrying twins, so we need to be extra careful. We, as family members, don’t know much, so we’ll have to trouble you often. Even the slightest issue might require your attention.”

He continued earnestly, “We’re already imposing on you so much, how could we not show our gratitude? Besides, I used to work in the clinic and had connections here. Now that I’ve moved to a different department, I don’t want to lose touch. It’s only natural for a younger generation to show respect to their elders.”

The doctor was both amused and exasperated by his excuses.

Zhuang Zhixi smiled. “Please take a look at my wife. Last night, she was running around…”

The doctor glanced at him again but didn’t say anything more.

As it turned out, being cautious was indeed wise. Although Ming Mei felt fine, her pulse was slightly irregular, indicating that last night’s events had affected her, whether it was the shock or the physical exertion. The doctor advised seriously, “I recommend your wife rest at home for a week.”

Zhuang Zhixi’s expression turned serious. “Is she…”

“Your wife has indeed experienced some instability in her pregnancy. She might feel fine because she’s usually healthy, but her pulse is a bit irregular. Normally, this wouldn’t be a big issue, but since she’s carrying twins, extra caution is necessary. Resting now is a precautionary measure. It’s better to prevent problems than to deal with them later, which would be hard on both the mother and the babies.”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded.

Ming Mei asked cautiously, “Is there anything I should be extra careful about?”

“I’ll write down some precautions for you. Also, you should focus on nutrition. Eat well…” The doctor looked up at Ming Mei. “Well, you probably don’t lack for food, but you’re eating for three now. If you have the means, eat even better.”

Ming Mei replied, “Alright.”

She smiled softly, feeling a bit more at ease.

It had to be said that while pregnancy was a shared experience with her husband, seeing the doctor at times like this was more reassuring than seeing her man.

This was no exaggeration.

As the doctor wrote down the precautions, Ming Mei carefully tucked them into her pocket.

“Your condition isn’t too severe, so I won’t prescribe any medication. Focus on dietary supplements at home.”

“Got it.”

The young couple left the hospital with the medical records. Zhuang Zhixi had one arm around Ming Mei, which would have been considered inappropriate in public, but since Ming Mei was visibly pregnant, it was fine.

He held his wife with one arm and carried a bag with the other, being extremely careful.

Ming Mei laughed. “I’m really fine.”

“Still, we need to be cautious.”

Ming Mei said, “I didn’t expect to need so much rest. I don’t feel anything wrong. I thought they’d prescribe a bunch of pregnancy medications, but they didn’t…”

Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself that while the seven-day leave was due to Ming Mei’s unstable pregnancy, it might also have something to do with that one-yuan bill…

He didn’t say anything, just smiled. “The doctor said to focus on dietary supplements. I’ll ask Mom to make you steamed egg with minced meat tonight.”

Ming Mei swallowed. “That sounds great.”

She mumbled, “Ever since I got pregnant, I’ve been craving food more than ever.”

Zhuang Zhixi said seriously, “It’s not you craving food. It’s the babies. They’re the ones who are hungry.”

Ming Mei burst out laughing.

The couple returned home, where everyone was still chatting. Zhao Guihua immediately asked, “How is she?”

Zhuang Zhixi replied, “The doctor said she’s a bit unstable and needs to rest for a week. He’s prescribed a week of leave.”

“Oh!”

“That’s not good.”

“Pregnant women need to be careful…”

To everyone, a week of rest prescribed by the doctor was a big deal.

“It’s not easy being pregnant.”

“Definitely not.”

Zhuang Zhixi said, “You all stay here. I’m going to Ming Mei’s workplace.”

They needed to submit the medical records. If it were just three days, Zhuang Zhixi would have waited for Ming Mei to bring them when she returned to work, but since it was a week, he decided to deliver them personally. Three days and seven days were quite different, and he didn’t want to disrupt their work.

“Alright, go ahead.”

He held Ming Mei’s hand. “If you’re not feeling well, lie down for a bit.”

Ming Mei shook her head. “I’m fine. I want to chat with everyone.”

Who doesn’t love a good gossip session?

Everyone understood, and Zhuang Zhixi smiled as he left.

Truth be told, he visited Ming Mei’s workplace often, but this was the first time he went upstairs. He registered at the security desk downstairs before heading to Director Chen’s office with the medical records. “Hello, Director Chen. I’m Ming Mei’s husband, Zhuang Zhixi. I’m here to deliver her medical records. The hospital recommended a week of rest, and my wife didn’t want to disrupt work, so she asked me to bring them over immediately.”

Director Chen nodded. “I recognize you. You always pick her up.”

She looked down at the records and was surprised. “A week of rest?”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, putting on a concerned expression. “Yes, the doctor said she’s unstable and needs to rest. It’s mainly because of last night’s scare…”

Director Chen quickly asked, “I only heard that Ming Mei needed leave due to instability, but I don’t know the details. What happened? Did you not take good care of your wife?”

Zhuang Zhixi hesitated. “Well, it’s a long story…”

“Go on.”

Zhuang Zhixi began, “A while ago, a young man from our compound got into a fight with a neighbor from the next compound. He ended up injuring the neighbor… down there.”

Director Chen nodded. “I see.”

Zhuang Zhixi continued, “Yesterday morning, it was confirmed that the injured man can no longer have children. So, he went crazy and attacked our compound in the afternoon…”

He recounted the story vividly, concluding, “I was unlucky enough to run into him when I went to the bathroom at night. He tried to kill me to cover his tracks, but just as he was about to strike, a bolt of lightning hit him. My wife was terrified when she ran out, and that’s why she’s unstable now.”

Director Chen was silent for a long time. Finally, she said, “So, the story about someone being struck by lightning was from your compound.”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded. “Yes. Has it already spread that far?”

Director Chen nodded, "Indeed, it seems the whole city knows about it by now."

After all, such a bizarre and superstitious incident spreads like wildfire.

Director Chen continued, "Well, that's that. Come with me. Let Ming Mei rest at home. I'll take you to the personnel department to hand this over."

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Alright, thank you."

"No problem, it's the least I can do. Ming Mei's mother and I go way back."

The two of them headed to the personnel department. Director Chen immediately started chatting, "Hey, did you hear? About the one who got struck by lightning..."

Zhuang Zhixi... couldn't leave now.

"Ah, I heard it happened twice?"

"What does it look like when someone gets struck by lightning? Did you see it?"

"Just thinking about it gives me the chills."

"Xiao Zhuang, right? Tell Ming Mei to rest at home. Coming to work now would only invite trouble..."

It wasn’t just their courtyard neighbors who were gossiping; everyone was. Hearing this, Zhuang Zhixi immediately asked, "Trouble? What kind of trouble could a pregnant woman possibly invite?"

"Ugh, there are always those shameless ones. About half a month ago, a woman was transferred here. She’s really... Even though we’re all women, she doesn’t seem to understand the struggles women face. All she cares about is how much she can benefit. You have no idea, this person..."

Zhuang Zhixi listened with a smile, paying close attention.

In no time, Zhuang Zhixi had a rough idea of what was going on. His expression remained unchanged, and he said with a smile, "She probably doesn’t know about Ming Mei’s condition. If she did, she wouldn’t be saying such things. Ming Mei’s current state requires her to rest more, as per the doctor’s orders. She can’t even work as a bus conductor catching thieves right now. Even if she were to work normally, she’d likely need frequent leave. Of course, one should strive in their work, but her health and circumstances don’t allow it. There’s just no way around it. Ming Mei’s been feeling down about not being able to work, so I’ve been telling her not to overthink it and to focus on taking care of her health."

"Exactly."

"You’re quite naive, always seeing the good in people. Some just want to step on others to get ahead."

Zhuang Zhixi smiled, looking innocent and pure, "That can’t be true, can it?"

"Are you stupid?"

Zhuang Zhixi remained pure, his smile radiant.

However, no one pressed the issue further. Everyone was more curious about the lightning strike victim.

After finishing his leave application, Zhuang Zhixi didn’t linger, leaving the gossip to the others. But no one knew that as soon as he left Ming Mei’s workplace, his expression darkened. Instead of going home, he headed straight to his mother-in-law’s house...

Someone was scheming against his wife, and he needed to find out who this woman was and where this mad dog had come from.

Zhuang Zhixi rode his bike towards his mother-in-law’s house and unexpectedly saw a familiar face from their courtyard—Hu Huihui.

Hu Huihui claimed to have fled her home to escape an arranged marriage and now worked as a temporary worker at the cultural center, earning ten yuan a month. But at this moment, she was coming out of another place—the local committee.

She walked out with a sling bag, accompanied by someone else.

Well, Zhuang Zhixi recognized this person too.

It was Deputy Director Zheng, the one who had been leading the team cleaning the toilets at their alley entrance for days. Not just Zhuang Zhixi, even little Yanzi from the kindergarten could recognize him at a glance.

The two of them walked east together, with Hu Huihui seemingly having some trouble with her legs, swaying and leaning into Deputy Director Zheng.

Zhuang Zhixi: "..."

So, her coming to the courtyard was indeed for ulterior motives.

Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, not bothering to figure out what this woman was up to. It was probably what he suspected anyway.

Zhuang Zhixi didn’t want to say much more; he just needed to keep it in mind. He sped towards his mother-in-law’s house, pedaling like the wind, turning the corner in a flash...

Meanwhile, Hu Huihui was saying to Deputy Director Zheng, "My cousin definitely lied. She slept with Yu Baoshan, I’m sure of it."

She was very excited, but Deputy Director Zheng didn’t care about that.

He was more interested in whether there was any news about hidden treasures.

He wasn’t interested in these affairs.

Unless it was his own.

"So, she’s hiding it because she’s close to Yu Baoshan?"

Hu Huihui: "I’m not sure, I can’t say for certain, but she can’t hide it, no way, hehe..."

Wang Xiangxiu had always been rude to her, but now, she wasn’t going to let it slide!

She was going to make sure everyone knew about this.

You, Wang Xiangxiu, took money and still treated me poorly?

Well, I’m not to be messed with either!

Hu Huihui cackled, feeling immensely satisfied...

Now, she had caught your little secret!