Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Jin Xiuzhu made two requests at once, each more difficult than the last, leaving the teacher with a headache.

The girl standing by the door, upon hearing Jin Xiuzhu's demand for punishment, snapped in anger, "How trivial must this matter be for you to call for our punishment? How can you be so malicious? Do you think we have no family to protect us? Do you believe I won’t call my parents right now?"

The two girls from the dormitory also stepped forward to confront Jin Xiuzhu. "You accuse us of bullying Liu Jingzhi as soon as you arrive. Which eye saw us bully her? Did we hit or insult her?"

"Teacher, how can you take their word without question? What grounds do you have to punish us? Who is your student, her or us?"

Bai Jingzhi, seeing her three roommates united against her sister-in-law, had initially worried about the escalation but now stood beside her sister-in-law in anger. "You know what you did to me—pouring water on my bed and shoes, stealing water from my hot water bottle, and falsely accusing me of stealing your money."

"After my brother and sister-in-law found me, when you saw that I could afford meals, warm blankets, and new clothes, although you didn't bully me like before, you kept borrowing clothes and money from me. When I refused, you stole them while I was away..."

Her eyes welled up with tears. "What did I ever do to deserve this treatment from you?"

Then she turned to her teacher. "I've reported this to you many times, but you always said you would handle it. Your handling amounted to calling them aside for a scolding. When I approached you again, you asked why they only bullied me and not others, suggesting I was somehow at fault. What did I do wrong?"

Her voice choked with emotion, tears rolling down her cheeks, Bai Jingzhi raised a hand to wipe them away.

She had never wanted to reveal these details, her nature inclined her to report good news rather than bad. Her adoptive parents always said that it was better to avoid trouble and endure. She believed they had raised her with difficulty and that her brother and sister-in-law were too kind to her; she didn't want to burden them further.

If not for her sister-in-law stepping in, Bai Jingzhi would never have spoken of these grievances.

She understood better than anyone how rare it was to have someone stand up for her, and she didn't want to disappoint her sister-in-law's kindness.

Teacher Guan’s expression became strained upon hearing these words.

Jin Xiuzhu frowned at her. "Is this how you handled the situation?"

Teacher Guan tried to explain. "I admit, I didn't handle it well..."

Jin Xiuzhu interrupted. "You certainly didn't. If you had addressed the issue from the start, my sister wouldn't have suffered. The pain she endured was due to your protection of these individuals. I believe you should be the one punished."

"A-ah?"

Teacher Guan, perhaps never having encountered such a strong-willed parent, paused before apologizing. "Ms. Jin, consider this: I will arrange a less crowded dormitory for Bai Jingzhi. Giving her a single room isn't feasible since there are no vacancies. Additionally, I'll have these girls write apology letters and read them aloud in class."

Bai Jingzhi remained silent, surprised that her sister-in-law's simple words led to such an arrangement. In contrast, her previous attempts to address the issue with the teacher had been futile.

She even thought that her roommates stopping their bullying was a significant improvement.

Jin Xiuzhu shook her head. "Teacher, you asked for my demands but failed to meet any of them. You're trying to mediate instead of disciplining the students and protecting the victim. If I were you, I'd be ashamed."

The teacher's face fell at Jin Xiuzhu's words, which directly criticized her actions. Yet, she dared not say more, fearing further mistakes. It was clear that Bai Jingzhi's parents were different, particularly strong-willed.

Jin Xiuzhu changed the subject. "I won't make things difficult for you. First, my sister must live alone, regardless of the method. Second, these roommates must be punished. However, I can compromise—if they don't bully anyone until graduation, you can remove their punishment. That's your decision, and we won't pursue it further."

Upon hearing this, the roommates looked to their teacher.

Teacher Guan understood that Jin Xiuzhu wouldn't budge on these demands. Rubbing her face, she said, "Living alone is possible, but not in the dormitories. I'll check if there's an available room in the faculty housing, though it might be more expensive..."

Hearing this, Jin Xiuzhu glanced at Bai Jingzhi, whose eyes sparkled at the prospect of living among teachers in a better environment.

Jin Xiuzhu nodded. "That's acceptable."

"As for the punishment, I'll put their names on record first. If they improve, I'll remove their names."

Jin Xiuzhu agreed. "I'll come back to check on the situation. I'll be in S City for a few days, so please find a place for her to stay by tomorrow. That way, it will be convenient for us to move her belongings."

She then told the teacher, "Jingzhi is like a precious little sister to her brother and me. If she suffers any more injustices, I won't be as polite. I'm not one to forgive easily, and whoever harms my sister will face consequences."

Teacher Guan felt targeted, realizing that the woman before her, despite her pleasant appearance, was not someone to be trifled with.

Indeed, Jin Xiuzhu continued, addressing the girls. "Feel free to bring your parents here to support you. Rest assured, it won't just be about punishment then. I can compensate for my sister's losses through monetary means, like the cost of that dress, seventy-eight yuan at the department store."

The girl who had thrown the dress to the ground paled, realizing its value.

The other girls' faces darkened. One of them sneered, "Seventy-eight yuan for a dress? Are you capitalists?"

Jin Xiuzhu scoffed. "We're perfectly honest people. It's your behavior that resembles traitors from the past."

The girl recoiled, too frightened to speak further.

Bai Jingzhi, standing beside Jin Xiuzhu, watched her with bright eyes. In the past, when faced with such insults, she couldn't think of a retort and could only stew in her own anger afterward.

The teacher, fearing further conflict, quickly interjected. "I'll go find a place for her now. Please wait here; I'll be back shortly."

Jin Xiuzhu agreed. "Go ahead."

The teacher left promptly, but Jin Xiuzhu stayed in Bai Jingzhi's dormitory. This room housed eight people, and the other four, who had been hiding and watching, only dared to enter after the teacher left and the crowd dispersed.

The dormitory was silent as Jin Xiuzhu began helping Bai Jingzhi pack her belongings.

Bai Jingzhi, still uncertain, asked, "Can I move out today?"

Jin Xiuzhu assured her confidently. "Yes, your teacher didn't let me leave, which means she understands the situation."

Bai Jingzhi felt hopeful.

Sure enough, after they had nearly finished packing, Bai Jingzhi's teacher returned, informing them that she had found a place and asking if Bai Jingzhi wanted to see it first.

Jin Xiuzhu declined, instructing them to move the belongings directly. She trusted the teacher's judgment and believed that even the worst faculty housing would be better than the dormitories.

Teacher Guan, fearing Jin Xiuzhu might be difficult, had prepared several options but was relieved by her straightforwardness.

Seeing that Jin Xiuzhu and Bai Jingzhi had packed everything, she said nothing and lifted the largest bundle, which contained the bedding, clothes, and other items.

Jin Xiuzhu and Bai Jingzhi followed behind, both carrying quite a few things in their hands.

After they left, the few people in the dormitory looked at each other, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. They couldn't believe that she had actually just left like that.

The girl who had bumped into Bai Jingzhi at the door said stubbornly, "It's better that she's gone. Seeing her was annoying; finally, she's gone."

Normally, when someone spoke ill of Bai Jingzhi behind her back, everyone would chime in. But this time, no one paid any attention to her.

Especially the four who hadn't been there earlier, their gazes towards her were somewhat unhappy. They felt that if it weren't for her causing trouble, they wouldn't have been reprimanded. Bai Jingzhi wouldn't report them to her family, and her sister-in-law didn't come every day—how could anything be discovered?

The girl also noticed the others' attitudes, feeling uncomfortable. She turned to find her closest roommate to talk, only to see her pick up a book and pretend to read as soon as she approached.

Two other roommates sat together whispering.

The girl couldn't hear what they were saying, but she felt they were speaking ill of her.

It was clearly those two who bullied Bai Jingzhi the most, and all she did was curse a few times. They were the ones who stole Bai Jingzhi's food and belongings and poured dirty foot-washing water into her shoes and bed.

She suddenly realized that with Bai Jingzhi gone, she seemed to have become the second Bai Jingzhi.

---

Jin Xiuzhu and Bai Jingzhi followed the teacher to the faculty housing area. This was a row of low, single-story houses, but the advantage was that they were close to the cafeteria and library, and surrounded by other teachers, so there was no chance of being bullied.

Teacher Guan took out a key and unlocked an old lock, explaining, "This used to be where a physics teacher lived, but he's now working in the countryside. The house is now empty, and many things inside can still be used."

The door creaked open. It seemed that no one had lived here for some time, as there was a bit of dust, but everything looked neat and tidy, with items neatly arranged.

Jin Xiuzhu looked at Bai Jingzhi, who nodded in satisfaction. She liked this place very much.

For her, this was the first time she had ever had her own room since childhood.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't beat around the bush. After the teacher put down the things, she asked, "How much is the accommodation fee per semester?"

The teacher replied, "Forget about it for this semester. For next semester, you'll need to pay ten yuan as a supplement."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded. "Alright."

Before the teacher left, Jin Xiuzhu reminded him to give the students involved disciplinary records.

The teacher waved his hand helplessly and left.

Jin Xiuzhu and Bai Jingzhi looked around the house, finding it quite nice. They also noticed a few washbasins and taps nearby, which would be convenient for daily washing.

"Tomorrow, you don't have classes, right? Come stay at the guesthouse with me tonight."

Bai Jingzhi nodded with a smile. During dinner, her sister-in-law mentioned attending some exhibition conference, so she asked, "Is there anything I can help with? I don't have many classes recently."

"Sure, if you're free, come over and help."

Bai Jingzhi agreed.

After tidying up the house briefly, they left. Jin Xiuzhu directly took Bai Jingzhi to the guesthouse, where Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan had already prepared the clothing patterns. They were getting anxious as it was almost dark and Jin Xiuzhu hadn't returned yet.

Unexpectedly, Jin Xiuzhu came back with a very beautiful girl.

Jin Xiuzhu introduced them, and Bai Jingzhi greeted everyone. After getting acquainted, Jin Xiuzhu led them downstairs for dinner.

Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan were stunned again—it was another meal from the state-owned hotel.

However, this time there were no stir-fried dishes, just four bowls of noodles.

After dinner, the four returned to the guesthouse and got to work. Jin Xiuzhu sewed the fabrics cut by Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan into clothes. What seemed like a difficult task became surprisingly simple in Jin Xiuzhu's hands. The needle and thread seemed to come alive, almost on par with the sewing machines in a garment factory, with neat stitches and swift, precise movements.

Bai Jingzhi knew her sister-in-law was good at needlework. She sat beside her, assisting by neatly arranging the materials needed and splitting the threads. Her sister-in-law disliked using thick threads.

Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan were too old to do such detailed work at night. After a busy day, they were quite tired. Zhang Mei's bed was on the other side, and she fell asleep quickly after lying down.

Bai Jingzhi stayed by Jin Xiuzhu's side. They hadn't seen each other for a long time and had much to talk about. They chatted softly.

Especially about the incident that afternoon, Bai Jingzhi still found it unbelievable when she thought about it now.

But what puzzled her was that her sister-in-law, usually calm and rational, had suddenly become so angry today. Thinking about this, she asked.

Jin Xiuzhu laughed. "You, reading too many books has made you inflexible. Although I've told you before that you should think about things and not get angry easily, and use your brain to solve problems, I've also said that human nature is complex. Some bully the weak and fear the strong, while others appear honest and straightforward but are actually devious."

Bai Jingzhi nodded. Her sister-in-law had indeed told her these things, which is why she always tried to be cautious when interacting with others.

Jin Xiuzhu continued, "My anger this afternoon was three parts real, seven parts fake. You, Yan Yan, and Xiaoyan are treasures to our whole family. Your brother and I usually don't even scold you. How dare your roommate insult you? If she dared to treat you like that over such a trivial matter, how much more miserable would you be in other situations?"

Hearing her sister-in-law say that she, Yan Yan, and Xiaoyan were treasures to the whole family, Bai Jingzhi felt sweet. Hearing the rest, she no longer felt sad.

"Jingzhi, whatever you do, you must have a purpose. I got angry because I believed the consequences wouldn't worsen, but rather, I could seize this opportunity to gain certain benefits for you. Anger without reason isn't worth it. On the other hand, I also wanted to teach you not to fear anything. Your apologies won't earn understanding from others, and your tolerance won't make your teacher help you. Sometimes, being a little more assertive will prevent others from looking down on you because they'll be afraid of you. Compared to hoping for a change of heart, making them fear you is the best way to protect yourself."

Bai Jingzhi nodded, half-understanding.

Jin Xiuzhu then said seriously, "Everyone has different views on how to interact with others. Your adoptive parents are the type of people without a clear perspective, lacking determination and vision. They can't see the complexities of interpersonal relationships, so they only teach you superficial principles, telling you to be tolerant and suffer losses, to be a good person. They obtained your mother's favor and gifts through such means, so they believe it's correct, leading to you and your sister developing completely different personalities. You're obedient, tolerant, and sensible, while your sister is competitive and strong-willed. She's competitive and strong-willed because she feels it's wrong, but she doesn't know what else to do, so she rebels. In reality, the difference in your personalities isn't significant; it's due to their misguided upbringing."

"You have one more year until graduation. According to your brother, you'll be assigned a job afterward. At that point, you'll need to interact with more people. I've talked about how to deal with people before: don't be soft-hearted, don't be soft-hearted towards anyone. Also, learn to assess the situation. Understand what you can gain from others and treat different people differently. But in short, you shouldn't be afraid of anything."

Bai Jingzhi listened quietly. She knew that what her sister-in-law was saying couldn't be learned in class. If her sister-in-law didn't tell her, she might spend a long time figuring it out on her own.

Gratefully, she looked at Jin Xiuzhu and nodded firmly. "I understand."

Zhang Mei, who had fallen asleep, woke up at some point and heard what Jin Xiuzhu said. She sighed with emotion. She had lived more than half her life and still wasn't as insightful as this young woman.

Unable to resist, she turned over and said to Bai Jingzhi, "Listen to your sister-in-law. You may not fully understand what she's saying now, but when you reach my age, you'll realize every word is true. In the future, when you start working, don't be soft-hearted; not everyone is good. Take me, for example. When I was young, I was a model worker in the factory. I had the opportunity to attend training in the province, but right before it, my best friend reported that I had a messy relationship with a man. Because of the urgency, the leaders above didn't have time to investigate and were afraid of trouble, so they removed me. She went instead and ended up staying in the province. I heard she's now a leader in a textile factory in the province."

It was the first time Bai Jingzhi heard such a story, and she looked at Zhang Mei in surprise. "No one criticized her?"

Zhang Mei smiled bitterly. "Who would scold her? She's doing so well now. When she comes back, everyone is more than eager to fawn over her. Apart from family, no one wishes for you to do well. People are selfish; they envy you when you're doing well and look down on you when you're not."

"You're very fortunate to have such a sister-in-law. You'll avoid many detours in the future. Unlike me, with no one to teach me. The elders at home only told me to endure, that it's better to avoid trouble. If I had made a fuss back then and had my family to support me, things might have turned out differently."

Thinking about this, Zhang Mei's eyes reddened. She used to be a very competitive person, always striving to be the best. But after that incident, she lost all spirit and became listless.

Bai Jingzhi looked at her sympathetically, unsure how to comfort her.

Jin Xiuzhu said with a smile, "Some people become famous at a young age, while others achieve success later in life. It's never too late to start. Look, this is an opportunity. Let's make this exhibition a success, secure more orders for the Textile Factory, and who knows where our factory will go from here? Perhaps we could even surpass the provincial level. You're in your forties now, but you can still work for another ten or twenty years. There's no saying you'll be any worse off than her."

Zhang Mei knew Jin Xiuzhu was comforting her, but these words gave her some hope, even if she knew it was slim. It was better than just getting by.

After thinking for a moment, she silently got up from the bed to help them.

Jin Xiuzhu worked quickly, finishing their three outfits in one night.

Zhang Mei examined the three garments closely, marveling as she said to Jin Xiuzhu, "Your skills are truly remarkable. These are even better than the ready-made clothes sold in the department store. They must look fantastic when worn."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "We'll make a few more sets tomorrow. Then we'll find some ropes and sticks to hang these clothes up for display."

Zhang Mei nodded, but her expression was hesitant. "This is a fabric exhibition. Is it appropriate for us to hang clothes?"

"It's fine. We also have fabrics, and clothes are made of fabric. What's inappropriate about that?"

Zhang Mei nodded.

The next day, Jin Xiuzhu and the others made several more outfits at the guesthouse.

When Bai Jingzhi left in the afternoon, Jin Xiuzhu, knowing she only had two classes the next morning, asked her to come over after class to act as her shill and sign orders on the spot.

Bai Jingzhi's cheeks flushed as she listened to her sister-in-law's instructions. She was nervous, having never done anything like this before.

But since her sister-in-law requested it, she would definitely do it.

As they spoke, Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan were nearby. As honest people, this was the first time they'd heard of such tactics. They looked at Jin Xiuzhu in amazement.

They were surprised. No wonder the factory director sent her. If she couldn't secure orders, no one else could.

Early the next morning, Jin Xiuzhu and the others set out early for the exhibition with their prepared items.

Following Jin Xiuzhu's instructions, Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan wore their new clothes underneath their uniform blue worker attire from the Textile Factory.

The exhibition was held in a large venue arranged by the local government. By the time Jin Xiuzhu and the others arrived, many people had already gathered, all wearing their respective factories' uniforms, which were blue but differed in style and material.

Unbeknownst to Jin Xiuzhu and the others, booth locations weren't pre-assigned but chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. Many had queued up since midnight.

Thus, when Jin Xiuzhu and the others entered, the good spots were taken, leaving them with only corner positions.

Seeing Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan's anxious faces, Jin Xiuzhu hurriedly reassured them, "Don't worry. It hasn't started yet. Let's tidy up our booth first."

Zhang Mei and Liu Hongshan agreed. Their booth consisted of two long tables placed side by side, not particularly clean. Others who arrived late were wiping them down with rags.

Fortunately, Jin Xiuzhu and the others were prepared. She had Zhang Mei clean the tables. After wiping them twice, Liu Hongshan took out large sheets of white paper from his bag—paper Jin Xiuzhu bought days ago to write on. She said placing white paper beneath the fabrics would highlight their beauty, and now it proved useful.

Liu Hongshan and Jin Xiuzhu folded the white paper and laid it on the table. A worker from another textile factory noticed and rushed over to ask, "Do you have any more white paper?"

Before Liu Hongshan could say yes, Jin Xiuzhu apologized, "I'm really sorry, but we only have these two sheets. It's still early. If you need more, you should hurry and buy some. You might still make it in time."

She glanced at Liu Hongshan.

Liu Hongshan regained his composure, almost forgetting this was an exhibition where everyone was competing.

The other person checked the clock on the wall, uncertain if there was enough time. The exhibition would start in half an hour, and if he didn't enter by then, he wouldn't be allowed in.

He looked at the others, who were also hesitant. "Why don't you give it a try? Even if you can't get back in, we'll still be here."

The man refused. Who knew if any reporters would take photos in the morning? If he couldn't re-enter, he'd be at a disadvantage. He said, "I can buy more tomorrow. I'm not familiar with the area anyway."

The others didn't say anything further.