Chapter 5: Isn't It Just a Business Trip? Go Immediately! Wan Zhenzhen gritted her back teeth, her heart filled with both hatred and fear. She had originally planned to make Qian Qing offend Director Li, thereby ruining Zhou Hao's opportunity. But Qian Qing suddenly pulled this move; now, not only was sabotaging Zhou Hao out of the question, Wan Zhenzhen didn't even know how to resolve her own crisis. Walking home under the blazing sun, Qian Qing hummed a tune, utterly carefree. The No. 2 Oil Production Plant employed quite a few people; combining frontline workers and support staff totaled several thousand, housed in over a dozen corridor-style apartment buildings. These buildings were generally six stories high, with water rooms and toilets at each end of every floor. Kitchens originally featured a shared stove at the far end, but nowadays many people preferred not to cook there, instead setting up small kitchens on their balcony or simply using a small coal stove.

Although Zhou Hao had joined the factory only recently, he quickly stood out in the maintenance team. Consequently, when housing was allocated, he received the best apartment among that batch of technical secondary school graduates. Over this allocation, Wang Hua's mother even approached the leadership, questioning why Wang Hua, as a child of a martyr, received worse housing than Zhou Hao. Zhou Hao was assigned a fifty-square-meter one-bedroom apartment with a small balcony. Its advantage lay in its central location, not adjacent to either end of the corridor. Each floor had toilets and water rooms at both ends, with two staircases in between. Apartments near the ends were too noisy, and those close to the staircases inevitably suffered disturbance; thus, the three units situated between the two staircases were the best. Zhou Hao received the most central of these three: well-lit, with hardly anyone passing his door, offering both quietness and convenience.

When Qian Qing returned, Zhou Hao was already waiting inside. Before she could even unlock the door, Zhou Hao opened it from within, swept Qian Qing into his arms, and carried her inside. Before Qian Qing could react, Zhou Hao plaintively accused her, "Where have you been?"

While speaking, he rubbed against her, prompting Qian Qing to repeatedly cry out, "Stop!"

Gazing at the man before her, Qian Qing racked her brains but couldn't recall why her dream-self had been so "enthusiastic."

Zhou Hao had always been an academic overachiever, his mind never faltering. Though taciturn and somewhat cold outwardly, no one in the factory ever spoke ill of him. Moreover, in the dream, even after "herself"

behaved so terribly, Zhou Hao never uttered a single harsh word. Wan Zhenzhen had bound herself to Qian Qing, not to Zhou Hao. Had Zhou Hao cast Qian Qing aside, given his capabilities, his prospects would surely have risen again. Yet he hadn't; he stayed by her side until the very last moment of his life. Qian Qing felt her nose sting slightly, thinking how pitiful Zhou Hao was. Only then did Zhou Hao sense something amiss with his little wife. He promptly lifted her onto a chair, gently holding her face to examine her.

"It's nothing,"

Qian Qing swallowed her bitterness. She refused to interfere with Zhou Hao's work. If Wan Zhenzhen intended to target her, then let her come. She wasn't afraid! She would never again, as in the dream, torment Zhou Hao under the banner of "doing it for your own good."

Isn't it just a business trip? Go immediately!

"Just now, at the Household Registration Office, I met an officer who said there's a problem with the pumping units at the H Province oilfield. They can't fix it locally and need you urgently on a business trip. A car will pick you up at the south gate at six o'clock."

Saying this, Qian Qing prepared to stand and pack for Zhou Hao. According to that junior officer, this trip could last up to half a month, so several sets of clothes and daily necessities definitely needed packing. Zhou Hao placed his hands on the chair behind Qian Qing, encircling her within his arms. His eyebrows were exceptionally handsome—two sword-like brows, sharp and imposing—yet now they were tightly knitted together. Unable to push him away and seeing his troubled expression, Qian Qing's mind suddenly stalled.

"Don't tell me you don't want to go?" Zhou Hao replied,

"Tomorrow is supposed to be our return visit to your parental home…"

Qian Qing instantly exploded. She pushed him away, planted her hands on her hips, and prepared to throw a tantrum.

"Haven't you been to my parents' house before? For the past few years, you've gone there once a week. Is it suddenly some novel experience? What's wrong?"

"Do I have to bring something over just to show off that you're no longer the one who can only wait at the alley entrance? I haven't said anything, yet here you are being so difficult! My parents aren't the type to make things hard for people; acting like this makes it seem as if I'm the unreasonable one!"

Seeing Qian Qing truly angry, Zhou Hao quickly changed his tone, pulling her into his arms to coax her.

"Alright, alright, I'll go."

He then happily planted a biting kiss on Qian Qing's cheek: "My wife is the best."

Qian Qing turned her face away in disgust: "Hurry up and pack; the car will be here soon."

Zhou Hao glanced at the clock hanging on the wall: "It's still early."

"Early? There's only an hour and a half left, and you say it's early… Zhou Hao! Put me down!"

Zhou Hao nuzzled her hair like a big dog, his voice hoarse: "I'm going to be away for half a month; don't you feel any pity for me…"

In Qian Qing's momentary distraction, Zhou Hao swiftly carried her into the inner room. … After Zhou Hao left, Qian Qing didn't get up until dusk. Supporting her aching waist, she mentally cursed Zhou Hao back and forth while tidying up the room. She had originally planned to tell him about starting an ice lolly stall, but forgot the moment she entered the room. Oh well, she'd wait until he returned to mention it. Qian Qing tallied her small savings. Zhou Hao had handed over his salary to her even before their marriage, so all the household money was now in her hands. When they first graduated, Zhou Hao earned only twenty-five yuan a month; his wages gradually increased later. Two years older than her, he had been working at the factory for just two years. After deducting daily living expenses and the filial money demanded by Zhou Hao's mother, four hundred yuan remained.

When proposing to the Qian family, Zhou Hao spent two hundred yuan; later, after being allocated an apartment, furnishing it cost over another hundred. Fortunately, when Qian Qing married into the family, her parents returned the full two hundred yuan to her. Therefore, Qian Qing currently held approximately 240 yuan, along with several food ration coupons. This amount wouldn't suffice for much else, but it was more than enough to start an ice lolly stall. Qian Qing felt somewhat worried, concerned that Director Li, busy dealing with Wan Zhenzhen's matters, might forget about her ice lolly stall proposal. Perhaps she should visit Director Li tomorrow to ask? Before Qian Qing could seek out Director Li, however, Director Li herself arrived at the tenement building. Li Hongmei was seething with anger. Only after making that phone call did she realize the truth behind those rumors and the so-called cousin. Wang Hua's relationship with his cousin was merely ordinary; apart from exchanging gifts during Chinese New Year, they hardly interacted otherwise!

When called, Wang Hua's cousin was initially stunned, then protested vehemently: "In the three months since my transfer, I've only called home twice, and both times my wife answered. How could I possibly discuss such baseless matters with my wife over the phone? Leader, you must investigate thoroughly! My wife now works in the canteen of Factory No. 2; we both rely on the factory for our livelihoods. Why would I spread such nonsense?!"

Li Hongmei, an efficient person who believed in "finishing today's tasks today,"

immediately went to confront Wang Hua's cousin's wife. After this confrontation, it naturally became clear that these baseless rumors should be attributed to Wan Zhenzhen. Wang Youqing's mother, Wang Hua's cousin's mother, was furious. She and Wang Hua's mother had quarreled frequently in earlier years; the two sisters-in-law had even come to blows over trivial matters like needles and thread. In recent years, since Wang Hua's father passed away, contact between them had decreased. She didn't want others to think she was bullying her widowed sister-in-law, so she rarely visited; even when meeting at the factory, they would greet each other with smiles. Who would have expected that this old woman's new daughter-in-law would cause trouble immediately upon entering the family, dumping the blame squarely onto her son's head?

"I'm going to ask Ma Qiuju whether she knows her daughter-in-law is doing such things! Spreading such rumors without fear of divine retribution!"

Wang Youqing's mother, hands on hips, was about to storm over, but Li Hongmei quickly restrained her. Things were already complicated enough; getting further involved would only create more chaos. After persuading and calming Wang Youqing's mother with considerable effort, Li Hongmei, suppressing her anger, went to find Wan Zhenzhen.Ever since returning home, Wan Zhenzhen had been on edge, so distracted that she even cooked absentmindedly. Wang Hua took one bite of the meal and nearly spat it out, quickly grabbing his teacup to rinse his mouth.

"Did you beat up a salt seller? This is unbearably salty!"

Wan Zhenzhen paid no attention, mechanically putting food into her mouth. Wang Hua waved his hand in front of her face.

"What are you thinking about? You can't even focus while cooking; you added way too much salt."

Only then did Wan Zhenzhen snap back to reality, her mouth tasting as if someone had dumped a handful of salt right at the base of her tongue. She hurriedly stood up, poured herself a mug full of water, and gulped it down. Wang Hua glanced at her with slight disdain, saying, "I'm busy working outside all day, and you can't even handle these small household matters properly. You manage to oversalt the food—do you think salt grows on trees? I guess you don't understand the value of daily necessities until you're in charge. Luckily my mother isn't here today; if she were, would you serve her this?"

Wan Zhenzhen unconsciously tightened her grip on the mug's handle. Your mother, your mother, your mother—if you listen to your mother so much, why did you bother getting married? Just as Wang Hua was scolding Wan Zhenzhen, a knock came from the doorway.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Li Hongmei."

The apartment building had poor soundproofing. Next door, Qian Qing's eyes lit up, and she pricked up her ears.

Meanwhile, Wan Zhenzhen froze in place, lacking even the courage to go open the door.