Chapter 26: Scheming Behind My Back
Qian Li said disdainfully, “The person is still the same person, it’s just a coincidence. You only see people praising her, why don’t you see how many people are cursing her?”
Old Liang did feel that this was right. Indeed, there had been quite a few people cursing her these past few days.
“But there is still a difference. Praise—that’s direct praise in front of the leader. But cursing her, you see which one dares to curse her in front of the leader? Besides, there are plenty who curse us behind our backs too, aren’t there?”
Qian Li said impatiently, “Alright, let’s not talk about that unlucky thing.”
Then she went to ask Liang Aishu, “What do you plan to do about Shen Yun?”
Liang Aishu looked up in a daze, as if he hadn’t reacted yet.
For some reason, he actually no longer had that previous eagerness.
Now his mind was full of Lu Qiaoge.
How had she changed so much?
She had changed in a way that stirred up a lot of unwillingness and resentment in his heart.
He even thought bitterly that if Lu Qiaoge had been like this earlier, how would they have reached this point today?
He frowned and said, “I’ve discussed it with Shen Yun. We’ll talk about it later. Right now it’s the eye of the storm. If we really get married, it’s hard to guarantee no one will curse me.”
Qian Li said angrily, “Speaking of which, Lu Qiaoge is also immature. He just didn’t save her first. Look at her vying for affection like that, as if Aishu did something outrageous. She doesn’t remember past affection at all, her mouth has no filter, and she actually said it all out. What’s in it for her?”
Liang Aishu said irritably, “I still have to go to the work unit after dinner. Don’t talk about her anymore. We’ve canceled the engagement anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”
Old Liang hesitated and asked, “Is Representative Qin really going on a blind date with Lu Qiaoge?”
Liang Aishu immediately gripped his chopsticks tightly.
Qian Li snorted with laughter, “How is that possible? Don’t you see what kind of conduct she has?”
Liang Aishu lost his appetite and put down his chopsticks and left.
Qian Li stopped talking, but after Liang Aishu left, she quietly said to him, “Find an opportunity to call the authorities’ leader. Someone like Lu Qiaoge who causes a bunch of conflicts by doing work, stirring up trouble every day and not promoting unity, can’t be used. We need to comprehensively listen to the masses’ opinions.”
So, Old Hu, who had just gone to work, received a call from a direct leader from the authorities.
What he inquired about was Lu Qiaoge.
“Although the candidate hasn’t been decided yet, someone like Lu Qiaoge with so much controversy shouldn’t be considered. It will affect unity in the end.”
Old Hu frowned, gripping the telephone tightly, and immediately knew that Lu Qiaoge had offended someone.
But how could a little girl like Lu Qiaoge offend anyone?
Then he thought, this girl had actually offended several people.
But if that counted as offending, then they wouldn’t need to do neighborhood committee work.
Old Hu said, “Okay, okay. We will definitely listen to the masses’ opinions.”
The person exhorted again, “Don’t think that cursing her means it’s bad. You have to be able to accept criticism.”
Then he hung up.
Old Hu quietly told Huang Juan about this.
Huang Juan sneered coldly, “There are plenty of masses cursing us now. Actually, even more curse him. If we really follow his words, then we shouldn’t do our work anymore. By the way, for other departments, don’t punish bad people either. Which bad person would be happy to be punished?”
Old Hu hurriedly stopped Huang Juan’s impromptu outburst.
“I didn’t say to listen to him. We’ll evaluate as we should.”
Huang Juan still felt it wouldn’t go so smoothly.
There were already many competing for this job.
They finally decided on the recommendation quota.
She had gone to great lengths to get one because it was the first time Meng Xia had asked her.
Such a strong and proud person, saying pleasing words to her for her daughter—she knew what it felt like in her heart.
To be honest, she hadn’t held much hope for Lu Qiaoge.
But who would have thought that Qiao Ge actually gave her a stunning feeling.
Huang Juan said, “We accept good criticism. If we also accept malicious abuse and slinging mud, then anyone with a purely functioning brain would be sick, and wouldn’t be fit to serve the people here.”
Old Hu choked, “I’m not stupid!”
If he could be easily swayed, he wouldn’t have worked at the neighborhood committee for almost thirty years with his qualifications.
It was just at this moment that Director Hu saw Lu Qiaoge walking over outside the window.
He hurriedly opened the window and shouted, “Qiao Ge, come directly to my office.”
Lu Qiaoge entered the director’s office and naturally reported the entire process of this exchange to him and Huang Juan.
After Old Hu listened, he found no flaws and was quite satisfied in his heart, but he didn’t praise her on his lips. He only said to Lu Qiaoge, “We’ve saved three jin of eggs for you, and there are some leftover supplies. You first go with Little Cui to the storage room and pick a few things you like and need.”
Since it was an exchange of supplies, it definitely couldn’t be entirely straightforward, so there really were quite a few things left in the storage room.
This time Lu Qiaoge didn’t hold back. She selected a roll of cotton cloth, which was quite scarce and required a cloth ticket.
Huang Juan found her a canvas bag and packed it all in. Lu Qiaoge said to Huang Juan, “Aunt Huang, then I’ll go home.”
Huang Juan thought for a moment and quietly exhorted, “Wait for the notice at home. It should be these few days.”
After Lu Qiaoge left, Old Hu said to Huang Juan, “Qiao Ge has strong work ability, solved the problem well, and even accomplished a big thing. Now it just depends on how others perform.”
There were still two days left, which wasn’t long.
Huang Juan really understood these people’s progress, but she didn’t say that none of them performed as well as Lu Qiaoge.
She was actually a bit worried that Duan Xiaoxiang and Zhao Qing would play dirty tricks.
And the call from the authorities’ leader couldn’t be completely ignored.
—
Shen Yun had taken sick leave these past few days, but there was still a lump of resentment in her heart.
That day she thought Lu Qiaoge would be too ashamed to lift her head, but in the end, the one who couldn’t lift her head was her.
So, Shen Yun pretended to run into Duan Xiaoxiang.
The two chattered for a while, then were about to part ways.
Unexpectedly, Naughty Swallow was taking his wife out for a stroll and happened to pass by here, conveniently dropping two blobs of bird droppings.
Not everyone could dodge it.
Exactly one blob on each of their heads.
Shen Yun was so angry she stomped her feet.
Duan Xiaoxiang also cried out that it was bad luck.
Naughty Swallow had heard quite a few things. It hurriedly flew to the Lu family home. Lu Qiaoge happened to be about to go out, so it simply took the calico cat to the big tree across the way.
【Shen Yun and Duan Xiaoxiang just now said they want to report your family for backdoor dealings and bribing Huang Juan to get the recommendation quota, and also report you for retaliation under the name of the neighborhood committee, saying you seriously destroy unity and are a bad element who should be arrested by the police station. They also want to spread rumors, saying it’s what your family’s old woman said—that Lu Qiaoge saved Qin Hengzhi and hugged and touched him, so he should be responsible and marry you, otherwise you won’t live…】
Lu Qiaoge was stunned. Good grief, even Grandmother had been dragged in.
And they all had quite some lethality.
So should she intercept the complaint letter from these two, or notify Aunt Huang in advance?
Lu Qiaoge wasn’t in a hurry.
After this exchange of supplies, she had a new idea.
She could completely suggest to Old Hu to establish a volunteer convenience service station.
She could completely be the station chief of it.
The kind without salary.
In today’s era before marketization, having one more supply at home meant living better.
