Chapter Ten: If You Make a Scene, So Will I

Liu Jingqiu staggered to the office door and pushed it open.

“Quick, help me find the child…”

Luo Shicheng sprang out like a coil, rushing to the stairway in three strides, only to see little Luo Yan squatting on the stairs, clutching the railing, her small shoulders trembling.

“Yanyan…” Luo Shicheng crouched beside her, placing a large hand gently on her lower back, afraid she might accidentally fall headfirst.

Luo Yan buried her head in her knees, refusing to respond no matter what.

Luo Shicheng thought the child was throwing a tantrum and, unsure how to soothe her, turned around helplessly to find Hua Li.

Hua Li’s legs trembled as she moved over. Seeing Luo Yan safe but upset, she was both angry and anxious.

“You said you wanted to go to the bathroom, but then you ran around—why are you so disobedient?”

Luo Yan, I’ve done things embarrassing enough for two lifetimes for your sake, yet you still have the nerve to scold me?

“Mom…” Luo Yan turned her head, looking at Hua Li pitifully, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Luo Shicheng quickly stood to give Hua Li space.

Seeing Luo Yan cry, Hua Li’s heart ached anew. “What’s really wrong? Say something, will you?”

She reached out to hug Luo Yan, but the girl gripped her skirt tightly with both hands and began to cry as if pricked by needles.

Fang Aihua sensed something was wrong. Tilting her head, she glanced behind Luo Yan and indeed saw a large wet patch on the back of her skirt.

Fang Aihua whispered to Hua Li softly.

“The child probably couldn’t hold her urine. Since Liu Jingqiu sells children’s clothes, I’ll have her bring a skirt for the child to change into.”

No wonder the child suddenly ran off—she must have been too shy to say anything…

Hua Li regretted not noticing sooner. She pulled a crumpled handful of coins from her pocket and handed them to Fang Aihua.

“This is all I have for now. I’ll make up the difference as soon as I can.”

Luo Shicheng’s hearing was excellent, and since Fang Aihua didn’t lower her voice much, he heard everything clearly. Seeing the handful of coins, barely amounting to a few yuan, he felt a pang of discomfort.

“Director Fang, I’ll go with you.”

Luo Shicheng took the lead heading downstairs; Fang Aihua immediately followed.

Chen Yuanshan, unbothered by the mess, picked up Luo Yan and went to the reception room, instructing Hua Li and her daughter to wait inside, then followed downstairs.

Luo Shicheng and Fang Aihua arrived at the children’s clothing section but found neither Liu Jingqiu nor Liu Fengling’s daughter Qu Yingqiu. Asking a nearby sales clerk, they learned Liu Fengling and her daughter had left with Liu Jingqiu.

Fang Aihua told Luo Shicheng, “They’re probably discussing something. Let’s go back and wait.”

Feeling partly responsible, Luo Shicheng didn’t want to leave the entire matter to Liu Jingqiu. He asked Fang Aihua to accompany him to find the three of them.

Liu Jingqiu pulled Liu Fengling and Qu Yingqiu into the alley behind the supply and marketing cooperative building and explained the work situation.

“Now the higher-ups are strictly controlling trading work. We can’t let this matter get out. Sister Liu, how about this: let Dayi go home for a few days, and I’ll continue the work. If Hua Li can’t handle it, I’ll have Dayi come back.”

No need for more words—Liu Fengling understood immediately. But if Liu Jingqiu was just brushing her off, Liu Fengling felt uneasy.

“A day or two is fine, but if it drags on, the street office will find out and definitely send Dayi to the countryside again. You see…”

Liu Jingqiu sighed. “There’s no other way. Hua Li is causing a big fuss. If something serious happens, we’ll all be implicated.”

Liu Fengling snapped, “She voluntarily gave you the job in the first place. Why is she forcing you to give it back? If she can make a fuss, so can I. I don’t care if I lose my life—I’ll see if she dares to fight me.”

With that, Liu Fengling ran upstairs from the outside stairs, and Qu Yingqiu quickly went to find Fang Aihua.

Just as Fang Aihua and Luo Shicheng were leaving the supply and marketing cooperative, they bumped straight into Qu Yingqiu.

Qu Yingqiu looked up, saw Fang Aihua, and grabbed her hand in a panic, pulling her upstairs.

“Director Fang, quick—my mom is about to jump off the building.”

Fang Aihua staggered from the sudden tug. Hearing that an employee was about to jump, her heart sank.

“Why would your mother want to jump? What’s going on?” Fang Aihua asked anxiously while running after Qu Yingqiu.

“What else could it be…” Qu Yingqiu said angrily. “I was working fine, but they told me to go home, so I have to. My mom lost her mind and now… I don’t care. If they push my mom to death, I’ll take everyone who hurt her down with me.”

Her words were filled with bitter hatred, frightening Fang Aihua.

If the unit really had a fatal incident, as the person in charge, Fang Aihua would be held responsible. She regretted being lazy and leaving Liu Jingqiu to negotiate with Liu Fengling’s family—but it was too late now.

The supply and marketing cooperative had two floors. Liu Fengling stood on the second-floor rooftop terrace, and upon seeing Fang Aihua, burst into tears.

“Director Fang, we widows and orphans have it so hard. After working here so long, now they want to send my daughter home. Please, you have to stand up for me.”

Liu Fengling was usually honest and straightforward, so Fang Aihua hadn’t expected such extremity. She rubbed her temples and tried to reason.

“Comrade Liu Fengling, there’s no problem we can’t solve. If you have concerns, let’s sit down and talk. There’s no need to make such a scene.”

Qu Yingqiu knelt at Fang Aihua’s feet, pleading.

“Director Fang, you know our situation. My mom is ill, and her wages barely cover her medicine. I have a little brother who depends on me to earn money. If I lose this job, both my brother and I will depend on my mother. How can we survive like that?”

Luo Shicheng, who had just arrived, overheard this and glanced sideways at Liu Jingqiu.

Liu Jingqiu pretended not to notice his questioning look and waved Liu Fengling over.

“Sister Liu, didn’t I say? I gave the job to Dayi. Please come here—standing there is too dangerous.”

Liu Fengling waved her hands excitedly.

“That can’t be. You helped the three of us, so how could you lose your job? I just want to ask that untrustworthy person—since she promised to give you the job, why take it back? Does she not keep her word?”

Luo Shicheng listened as Liu Fengling’s curses grew more vulgar and responded with righteous authority.

“The job was given to Comrade Liu Jingqiu by me, and I also asked her to return it. If you have objections, you can come to me. But causing trouble is your fault.”

Liu Fengling knew Luo Shicheng as a company commander who cared for Liu Jingqiu, someone she dared not offend. She rolled her eyes and retorted,

“Then you tell me—why give out the job and then take it back? As a soldier, can’t you even keep your word?”

Luo Shicheng always did what he said and felt deeply ashamed under her questioning.

Seeing this, Liu Fengling pushed even further.

“If you don’t give me an answer today, I’ll jump from here. I’d rather be crippled and have you support me than let you bully us like this… ah!”

Before she could finish, Liu Fengling collapsed like a ball at Luo Shicheng’s feet.