Zhou Jiaojiao craned her neck, convinced that Shen Meng and Lu Zhenping would not admit it. She had already thought about how she would refute them later, but who knew that Lu Zhenping’s expression didn’t change at all, and he directly answered, "Yes."
Zhou Jiaojiao’s expression, which was calculated and composed, froze on her face, while Lu Jiaxuan, who was beside her, furrowed his brows tightly.
"Big brother, you knew I was working at the commune and haven’t been made permanent yet. Why didn’t you tell me his identity? Do you know how important this is to me? If I could get to know Mr. Li and gain his favor, wouldn’t that be just like soaring to the heavens? You’re always in the military; you simply don’t understand the many helpless situations in the workplace."
Shen Meng opened her mouth. That explains it, she thought. Why Zhou Jiaojiao, as a female worker at the textile factory, could later help the male lead start a business and make it grow strong. It must be with the backing of the Hu family and Li family. Before, she was only thinking about how to claim Zhou Jiaojiao’s credit for herself, but now she realized it was not just stealing the credit, it was like seizing the golden touch.
Lu Zhenping gave Shen Meng a nod, signaling her to go about her own business and not to worry about the matters here.
After Shen Meng left, he glanced at the two people and went straight to the yard, pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, and began to smoke. Zhou Jiaojiao and Lu Jiaxuan exchanged looks and both followed him.
"Big brother, what Jiaxuan asked is also what I want to ask. As you all know, I was the one who discovered Li Qianqian first, and I was the one who went over to help first. If it weren’t for elder sister-in-law having a bicycle and taking her to the hospital first, this incident would have had nothing to do with elder sister-in-law."
This was the matter that Zhou Jiaojiao was concerned about. She always felt that something was off. Clearly, there wasn’t a soul in sight at that place, and she only got lost because she doesn’t often go to the county. What was her elder sister-in-law doing there, to encounter them by such a coincidence?
"Since you said you were the one who encountered Li Qianqian first, then what did you do? Did you help her watch her condition, or did you comfort her? Or did you find someone to send her to the hospital? Besides encountering her, have you done anything else to help her notify her family? What else did you do?"
Zhou Jiaojiao: "....."
While that was true, these things were very important too!!!
"Shen Meng comforted Li Qianqian, stabilized her mood, gave her a ginseng to sustain her, recorded the timing of her contractions, found a gynecological expert to perform surgery on her at the hospital, and when leaving, she even paid the hospitalization fee. What about you?"
Zhou Jiaojiao: "....."
But she was the one who encountered the girl first. Isn’t that enough???
"It’s undeniable that you are also one of Li Qianqian’s lifesavers. Whatever the Li family and Hu family gave us, they also gave you a share, without favoring one over the other. As for what Jiaxuan mentioned about Mr. Li, why don’t you see what’s in your wife’s hands?"
Zhou Jiaojiao clenched the notification in her hand tighter, not understanding what this meant. Lu Jiaxuan also didn’t understand and looked at Lu Zhenping with confusion.
"Mr. Li has always kept his public and private matters distinct and is true to his word. Just now, in front of him, the Hu family gave out a quota for your textile factory workers. If I had introduced you to him at that time, would he have agreed to that quota or not? Didn’t you notice? When the Hu family introduced him to you, they only mentioned that he was Mr. Li. Funny, that you would specifically come to ask why he wasn’t introduced to you. So what if you’ve met him? Do you intend to take advantage of his name for your own benefit? Aren’t you afraid that he will find out and take you in for questioning, asking whether you’re someone else’s lackeys, deliberately framing him?"
Zhou Jiaojiao and Lu Jiaxuan both turned pale; they indeed hadn’t thought this through.
"But, couldn’t the elder sister-in-law just do something about the worker’s quota without Mr. Li just standing by watching?"
Shen Meng happened to come out to pour out the dishwater. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but laugh, carrying a basin and walked over to the two people, scoffed coldly, and pointed at Lu Zhenping.
"What status is he? A deputy regimental commander in the military, and what about me? A military family member alone taking care of four children. According to the military’s treatment, I should be following him with the children, we would be given our own house or courtyard, and these children should be attending military schools. Now what? I am in the countryside alone with the children. Lu Zhenping has given all the benefits and treatment he could receive to his comrades. The government knows this; how could they not take care of us four women? Even if I haven’t asked for it, whether it’s the commune, the County Government, or even Mr. Li, they would help me. What do you have to compare with me? Given our situation, getting a worker’s quota is special consideration from the government. You just lucked into a quota, so just secretly be happy about it!"
Zhou Jiaojiao and Lu Jiaxuan were not without shock in their hearts. They were just preoccupied with the missed opportunity to get to know Mr. Li and forgot about the elder brother and sister-in-law’s status. Moreover, the information leaked by Lin Rong indicated that Mr. Li’s son was serving under the elder brother as a battalion commander. From any angle, he would have a favorable impression of the elder brother and sister-in-law.
Considering if they really had exposed Li Chuan’s identity, it is likely that the worker’s notification wouldn’t have been possible to get!
Zhou Jiaojiao retracted her hand with the notification paper behind her back.
The two had mixed feelings, but they also understood that the elder brother and sister-in-law were people they couldn’t afford to offend, as there would always be times when they needed them in the future.
"Elder brother, elder sister-in-law, we’re sorry, we didn’t think of this, we, we also don’t have children, many things we don’t need, we will bring them to you in a bit!"
Having said this, Zhou Jiaojiao unceremoniously put the notification into her own pocket.
Shen Meng didn’t say anything, carrying the basin back to the kitchen. Lu Zhenping didn’t make any stance either, thinking that his father-in-law’s family might be lacking in supplies. With the cold winter, it was time to nourish his in-laws’ health.
Seeing that the elder brother and sister-in-law didn’t speak, Lu Jiaxuan, worried that they were still angry, quickly pulled Zhou Jiaojiao out of the house.
Not long after, their own table was piled with cans of milk powder and five pounds of pork. Regarding other prized items like the valuable tin of shortbread, Zhou Jiaojiao and Lu Jiaxuan did not bring them over.
To have received these items, Shen Meng already found it unbelievable. After all, these were gifts from the main characters. To have them eat humble pie made her feel internally thrilled!
A simple meal of shredded pork noodles warmed the whole family. When it was time for Lu Mingyang to go to school, Shen Meng stuffed a handful of candies and a box of shortbread into his pocket.
"Give these to Daqing, Erqing, and Gao Gao later. If they can’t finish it, let them take it home for their own mother to eat."
"Alright!"
Beyond these items, Shen Meng also collected a box of honey candies, a jar of tangerine preserves, and a pound of brown sugar, taking them to Uncle Guai’s house. Whenever there was something going on in her family, they would trouble Uncle Guai and Aunt Juying. These items seemed valuable to others, but to Shen Meng, they were quite ordinary and would not be finished if kept at home. It was better to give them to those who had been helping and caring for her.