Chapter 64: Father and Mother Sheng’s Concern for Her
If he failed to impress the factory manager in these areas going forward, how could he expect to keep his own position secure?
“You are far too kind, Director.”
The factory manager deeply appreciated Sheng Wanyan’s modesty. Young people who remained that grounded were a rare find these days. In his eyes, she was a remarkably sharp and talented worker. With someone like her on the team, the Propaganda Department would surely handle this upcoming publicity campaign much better than he had initially anticipated.
Sheng Wanyan had absolutely no idea that the factory manager’s soaring trust in the entire department was rooted solely in his high opinion of her. Right now, her only thought was to get home as quickly as possible to eat and collapse into bed.
Running around all day had completely exhausted her. Her lower back ached, her waist throbbed, and her neck felt incredibly stiff from the brutal, jarring ride in the iron-framed car.
It was already seven o’clock in the evening by the time Sheng Wanyan finally made it back to the district. Back at the apartment, her mother had been anxiously pacing. Earlier, Father Sheng had gone down the hall to ask around and found out that their daughter had been pulled into the city for a high-level briefing with the executives.
But now that it was past seven and pitch-black outside, Mother Sheng felt it wasn’t safe for a young woman to commute home alone. She shot her husband a sharp look and told him to go intercept her.
“She should be arriving any minute now. Ride out toward the cotton mill and meet your daughter.”
“On it,” Father Sheng replied.
He mounted his bicycle and pedaled out toward the factory. Sure enough, halfway down the main road, he spotted Sheng Wanyan riding her bicycle from the opposite direction.
“Wanyan!”
“Dad?!”
Sheng Wanyan blinked in disbelief. She stared ahead through the dim streetlights for a long moment before she was entirely certain the figure was her father.
“How are you doing, girl? Are you alright?”
Father Sheng let out a massive sigh of relief the moment he reached her side. It was already late, and the streets were practically deserted at this hour.
“I’m fine, Dad. Just a little tired, and my back is pretty sore.”
“Let’s get you home first. Your mother has been worried sick. She’s keeping your dinner warm on the stove right now.”
“Okay.”
Sheng Wanyan pedaled alongside her father. The silhouettes of the father and daughter—one older and sturdy, one young and graceful—riding side-by-side through the quiet night looked incredibly warm. Father Sheng was like a reliable, unyielding mountain, shielding her from the front.
The moment they crossed the threshold, Mother Sheng’s anxious heart finally settled. She immediately brought out the steaming food and sat directly across from Wanyan, watching her eat with hawkish attention.
“Why on earth did the factory director select you to accompany him to the city center?” Mother Sheng asked, eager to parse the details.
Sheng Wanyan swallowed a mouthful of hot noodles before answering. “The municipal committee issued a massive publicity mandate. Our propaganda director was ordered to attend, and he brought me along to log the official meeting minutes.”
Hearing this, Mother Sheng nodded slowly. She realized her daughter had successfully caught the eye of Director Li. Building a strong rapport with her immediate supervisor was a massive victory; it meant her daughter would have a much smoother path at the mill.
Initially, she had been terrified that as the newest hire with zero seniority, Wanyan would be subtly targeted or bullied by the veteran clerks. But now, she had a solid relationship with the head of her department and had even managed to showcase her capabilities directly before the chief executive. It was safe to say they wouldn’t have to worry about political or professional friction sabotaging her career down the line.
“You’ve been working alongside the clerks in your office for a few months now,” Mother Sheng noted. “How do you feel about the general staff?”
“They’re fine, Mom. It’s a small department, so it’s just the same few faces every day.”
Mother Sheng shot her a sharp, deeply dissatisfied glare. Was that what she was asking? She was hoping her daughter would confide any subtle interpersonal friction or office politics so she could offer her seasoned maternal guidance.
Sensing the sudden irritation in her mother’s eyes, Sheng Wanyan quickly offered a clearer breakdown. “The male clerks strictly keep to themselves and don’t meddle in drama. There are only two female colleagues. One is Wu Jiaxiu, whom you’ve already met.”
“And what about the other one?” Mother Sheng’s eyes narrowed. Her maternal instincts told her that the second woman was likely the source of trouble.
“There’s no open conflict between us,” Wanyan replied smoothly. “We just maintain a polite, professional distance.”
Mother Sheng fell into deep thought, mulling over the dynamic. Sitting nearby, Father Sheng had been quietly listening to the exchange. After pondering for a moment, he chimed in with a critical question. “Let me ask you this, Wanyan: who did Director Li usually take to these municipal briefings before you arrived?”
“He always took that other female colleague.”
Hearing this, Father and Mother Sheng exchanged a heavy, knowing look. They instantly realized their daughter had inadvertently manufactured an enemy at the office. A premier professional opportunity like traveling with the chief executive had been abruptly snatched away by a newcomer; it was biologically impossible for the veteran worker not to harbor a toxic amount of resentment.
Still, as long as their daughter remained exceptionally capable, acted with absolute caution, and never left a single vulnerability for someone to exploit, she had zero reason to fear any underhanded office schemes. Excellence was the ultimate shield.
Mother Sheng pulled Wanyan a few steps away, launching into a long, urgent string of protective instructions, her face tight with worry. “You stepped directly into the spotlight today, which means you must be flawless going forward. Do not let anyone catch you slipping.”
“I know, Mom. Don’t worry.”
Sheng Wanyan had already factored all of this into her survival strategy. While Niu Fangli maintained a flawless, sugary smile on the surface, she was inherently a deeply selfish, petty woman. Even though the surface waters of the office remained entirely calm, there was no telling what kind of toxic thoughts were brewing in her mind. Niu Fangli was undoubtedly lurking in the shadows, waiting for her to commit a single professional blunder so she could gleefully step on her.
“Just make sure you keep your guard up,” Mother Sheng finished.
Deep down, she actually possessed an immense amount of confidence in her daughter. Had this been four months ago, she would have been so consumed by anxiety over the girl’s naivety that she wouldn’t have been able to swallow her food. But Wanyan was growing sharper, more sensible, and entirely disciplined with each passing day, allowing her maternal worries to slowly fade.
The moment Sheng Wanyan put down her chopsticks, she stood up to wash her bowls. Seeing how late it had gotten, her mother quickly shooed her away, ordering her to go straight to bed.
Wanyan took a quick, refreshing shower and collapsed onto her mattress, entirely unwilling to move a single muscle. This was officially the most physically exhausting day she had endured since transmigrating into this world. The regional roads of this era were a absolute nightmare; even riding in the facility’s premier luxury vehicle felt like being shaken in a paint mixer.
Seeking relief, Sheng Wanyan slipped into her spatial dimension and downed a few heavy gulps of the spiritual spring water, instantly washing away the deep ache in her bones and relieving her fatigue. After a moment’s thought, she decided to spend the night inside the dimension. She desperately wanted to pamper herself by sleeping on her massive, plush modern bed. The second her head sank into her luxury pillows, she drifted into a profound, dreamless sleep.
When she finally woke, the horizon outside her apartment window was still dark. She walked over to her spatial storage warehouse, selecting a premium, medical-grade hydrating and moisturizing skincare set for Secretary Zhang. She organized a high-end toner, a concentrated essence, and a rich barrier cream. However, she meticulously decanted the formulas into plain, transparent glass jars. The original containers featured prominent modern brand logos that would be impossible to explain under the scrutiny of a state official. She possessed an immense stockpile of advanced skincare lines harvested from large supermarkets prior to her transmigration; any single set she pulled from her shelves would perform miracles compared to the crude products available in the mid-1970s.
Wanyan planned to schedule a private trip into the city center in about a week. It would provide the perfect cover to discreetly slip onto the urban black market and liquidate a massive portion of her raw cotton. Trading on the local district market was far too risky; the territory was tight, and her face was starting to become recognizable to the neighborhood watchers. Slipping into the bustling, anonymous city center as a total stranger to move her goods was infinitely safer. Even if a particular transaction drew temporary suspicion from the market lookouts, she would vanish back to her district long before anyone could track her identity. Her blueprint was flawless, and she merely needed to wait for her next scheduled factory rest day to execute it.
The second she walked into the Propaganda office the following morning, the clerks swarmed her desk, completely blocking her path as they demanded to know what it felt like to ride in the executive automobile.
“Honestly? It feels exactly like being trapped inside a rattling tin box,” Wanyan chuckled.
“Did the factory manager grill you on anything?” Niu Fangli pressed, her eyes sharp. “Did he actually speak directly to you?”
The rest of the staff leaned in, completely consumed by curiosity. To them, the chief executive was the highest-ranking, most powerful official they would ever see in their lifetimes.
“He just asked a few basic, routine questions about our department’s baseline, nothing more,” Wanyan replied modestly.
“Ah? That’s all he wanted to say to you?”
Wanyan nodded. She certainly wasn’t stupid enough to brag that the chief executive had openly admired her and praised her intellect; doing so would only paint a massive target on her back.
“The executive board is managing an entire facility, so they’re incredibly busy,” Niu Fangli sneered, her tone dripping with bitter sarcasm. “The fact that he granted a basic clerk a few words is already a miracle. Did you honestly expect to curry favor and chat about family matters with the factory director?”
The surrounding staff frowned slightly at her toxic tone.
“What?” Niu Fangli snapped, looking around the room. “Am I wrong?”
She rolled her eyes heavily, turning back to her ledger. She had spent the entire previous night tossing and turning in her bed, her mind consumed by a bitter, raging jealousy. Why was it that the literal moment Sheng Wanyan stepped through the door, every ounce of prestige and professional spotlight that rightfully belonged to her was effortlessly stripped away?
Sheng Wanyan offered a perfectly serene, razor-sharp smile. “Actually, Sister Fangli is entirely correct. We did end up chatting quite a bit about family matters during the drive, and the Director was kind enough to repeatedly praise my meeting minutes in front of the board.”
