Jiang Cheng returned to her daily routine.

After her morning exercise and study, she brought the gifts she brought back from Sea City to the neighbors.

Toys, milk candies, new clothes, and some fresh trinkets from Sea City.

Grandma Shen and the others were dazzled, loving them but feeling a bit of heartache at the same time.

Jiang Cheng looked at the three of them and said, "Don’t worry about it. Except for spending a bit on the clothes, the rest were gifts from others!"

Before Jiang Cheng could continue, the three of them said in unison, "They insisted on giving them to you!"

Jiang Cheng chuckled, not at all shyly saying, "Looks like everyone knows I have a good reputation!"

They all burst into laughter, happy and cheerful.

After the laughter, Jiang Cheng took the remaining gifts to the Sun Family and Li family.

After leaving the Li family and Sun Family, Jiang Cheng exchanged some rabbit milk candies with the other households in the courtyard for dried vegetables and other things.

Once everything was settled, she had a meal with Grandma Shen, Shen Xing, and Shen Yue.

After the meal, she went back to her room to start writing letters.

Teacher Xu, the foreign trade leaders, and so on, all the contacts she maintained had to be kept ongoing.

As usual, letters and packages were mailed together.

After getting everything ready, she carried the large package outside to mail it, getting it done today.

After notifying Grandma Shen, she prepared to head out with her bicycle.

A bag full of items was tied to the back seat of the bike. As she lifted it over the main gate, the strength was slightly lacking, and the bike fell back.

Just as Jiang Cheng was about to try again, suddenly there was an upward lift from behind the bicycle.

"Thanks—"

Turning around, Jiang Cheng saw who it was that helped her.

Lin Jiaojiao.

Lin Jiaojiao quietly lifted the bike over the threshold, without her usual habit of exchanging biting remarks upon meeting.

She was very calm.

A calmness that comes after enduring countless hardships.

Lin Jiaojiao noticed Jiang Cheng’s gaze, instinctively trying to cover her facial scar but restrained herself.

Covering it, was meaningless.

"Ugly, right."

"Hmm, it is pretty ugly."

Jiang Cheng’s bluntness made Lin Jiaojiao suddenly laugh, she looked at Jiang Cheng and said, "You’re honest."

Jiang Cheng pushed her bicycle, shrugged, and said lightly, "That’s indeed one of my fine qualities, but you’ve realized it a bit late."

Lin Jiaojiao’s smile widened, even with a hint of tears.

This was her first sincere smile in front of Jiang Cheng.

"You’re right! People who always speak sweetly may not be good, and those who always criticize may not be bad, but... unfortunately, I only understand this now."

Jiang Cheng looked at Lin Jiaojiao with disgust.

"Now you’re trying to be all philosophical!"

"In the grand scheme of things, when you look back, nothing is really that important!"

"You only understand now, how many people still don’t? Stop showing off, just get on with your life!"

After ridiculing a few more sentences in a disdainful tone, Jiang Cheng pushed her bike forward. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Lin Jiaojiao sensed the kindness in Jiang Cheng’s words, and, not sure what mindset she had, she shouted out.

"Why did you help me?"

"Don’t flatter yourself, I’m helping countless women who resist, not you, Lin Jiaojiao!"

Lin Jiaojiao smiled and chased after, shouting again:

"Jiang Cheng, are we friends?"

Jiang Cheng in front raised a hand, waving it in the air and confidently shouted:

"No!"

Hearing the rejection, Lin Jiaojiao wasn’t sad at all, rather she felt peace.

Jiang Cheng was just Jiang Cheng, consistently disliking her.

Up ahead, Jiang Cheng had mounted her bicycle, humming a tune, and rode leisurely towards the post office.

*

At the same time, Director Lu, who returned with Jiang Cheng, was on his way to a meeting.

Several foreign exchange cooperation invitations had been sent from Sea City.

Recently, the foreign exchange department in S City had been extremely busy.

They had never handled so many foreign exchanges in S City before.

Ever since the textile factory first secured a foreign exchange order, the foreign exchange department had become busy.

Later, with the cooperation between the machinery factory and the provincial city, and now these additional orders, while they were bustling, everyone in the department was asking one thing to the leaders:

When can we get Jiang Cheng here?

The leaders also wanted that, but up to now, they hadn’t even met Jiang Cheng.

Today, in the S City meeting.

After all the scheduled matters were discussed and arranged, the senior leader traditionally asked, "If there’s anything to discuss, feel free to speak up—"

Before the statement was even complete, several hands were raised.

The foreign trade leader looked at the several factory directors who raised their hands together with him.

What’s going on, isn’t it usually that no one speaks up?

Could it be a good day on the almanac? A good day for business?

While the foreign trade leader was pondering, Director Lu spoke first.

"Let me say something first, this is very important!"

"Lao Lu—whose issue isn’t important!"

A director countered, but Director Lu responded with just a gaze.

"What I’m saying is that several factories in Sea City are poaching Jiang Cheng! They’re trying to take her away!"

Director Lu’s words caused all the raised hands to drop.

The large office fell silent for a moment, then the provoked director slammed the table with a bang.

"What! That’s unacceptable!"

Just a moment ago, the one who had been contradicting Director Lu joined in the opposition: "Lao Lu, why are you only saying this important thing now!"

The main topic of today’s meeting was foreign exchange.

But now someone was trying to poach the hero who brought in these foreign exchange orders—Jiang Cheng.

This couldn’t stand!

The meeting room erupted in anger and chaotic protest.

Director Lu took the opportunity to mention that not only factories, but also the foreign trade department of Sea City wanted to poach Jiang Cheng.

The S City foreign trade leader slammed his desk upon hearing this.

"What? No way! I haven’t even met Jiang Cheng myself and they’re already trying to poach her!"

The group was once again thrown into a fervent discussion.

The senior leader at the front naturally didn’t want Jiang Cheng to leave either.

"Alright, enough!"

As soon as the senior leader spoke, everyone grudgingly sat down in anger.

"Ms. Jiang Cheng hasn’t agreed to the other side, she’s sincerely helping our S City, as can be seen from the foreign exchange orders."

"However, we must not let our contributor feel disappointed; the necessary treatment should be provided."

With the leader’s words, the factory directors naturally couldn’t disagree.

They then enthusiastically discussed,

Sea City provides housing? We will too!

Offer a salary without required attendance? We will too.

Each benefit was discussed and put on paper, then handed to Director Lu, Factory Director Fang, and Shen Que.

The three were entrusted with the important task of delivering these benefits.

The group of factory directors urged them: We must retain Ms. Jiang Cheng.

While the advice to Director Lu and Factory Director Fang was normal, when it came to Shen Que, the tone slightly changed.

"Director Shen, our shoe factory has a new pair of leather shoes, how about trying a pair?"

"Director Shen, we have moisturizing cream, would you like to try it?"

"Director Shen, our textile factory can get you some fabric to make a couple of new clothes?"

...

Shen Que: Why does it feel like they’re trying to sell me something?