Chapter 34: Who Has Ill Intentions

Chapter 34: Who Has Ill Intentions

Yang Xuemei bristled: "Exactly, Director Zhang promised my dad that job was mine. You just used your dad’s position as factory manager to muscle in. Everyone knows that!"

Zheng Qiaoling: "That’s ridiculous! When the sales department was hiring, the whole factory got the notice. Everyone knew about it, and anyone could apply. Lan Lan got in after applying and passing the exam. You couldn’t even finish your own exam, couldn’t do basic accounting, and couldn’t even use an abacus. Who’s to blame? Hiring you would’ve been a total disaster. What could you have done? Just sit there looking pretty?"

Yang Xuemei: "Well, she graduated from high school. Who can compare to her?"

Song Xilan spoke softly, in her usual slow manner: "You’re just jealous I got the sales department job. So you’re spreading lies to trash my reputation. But what good would it do you if my reputation were ruined? Think that’ll get you the job? Cross the manager’s daughter, and you’re asking for trouble. Whoever put you up to this is the real troublemaker!"

Yang Xuemei was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized: "It was Wang Hongyan. Wang Hongyan told me she saw it with her own eyes."

Wang Hongyan knew Yang Xuemei loved to gossip and resented Song Xilan for taking her spot. So she deliberately told Yang Xuemei about Song Xilan’s supposed actions, knowing full well that Yang Xuemei would spread the rumors.

Zheng Qiaoling looked at Song Xilan in confusion: "When did you offend Wang Hongyan?"

Wang Hongyan was different from Yang Xuemei. Everyone knew Yang Xuemei was petty and loved to gossip, but Wang Hongyan was widely regarded as a kind-hearted and helpful person. She was always the first to help out when someone was in a bind.

For her to deliberately spread rumors about Song Xilan was something most people found hard to believe.

Song Xilan also couldn’t figure it out: "I barely even talk to her."

Zheng Qiaoling: "Let’s go straight to her and ask. Just now, Yang Xuemei was badmouthing you, and several people heard it in the restroom. If we don’t clear this up, who knows what people will say. Where’s Wang Hongyan? Didn’t she come to eat?"

Someone said: "I don’t think she came. Today, someone from her team, Aqing, wasn’t feeling well. I saw her walk Aqing back to the dormitory."

Zheng Qiaoling pulled Song Xilan along: "Let’s go, we’ll go to the dormitory to find her!"

The factory had dormitories specifically built for single employees. Zheng Qiaoling dragged Song Xilan over and happened to run into Wang Hongyan, who was carrying a thermos and heading to fetch hot water.

"Wang Hongyan!" Zheng Qiaoling said aggressively, "Yang Xuemei said you told her you saw Lan Lan at the hospital’s gynecology department?"

Wang Hongyan glanced at Yang Xuemei and the others who were cowering behind them. She knew she couldn’t dodge this today, so she nodded: "Yes, I did see her. I was just concerned about Xiao Song, so I brought it up. What’s the problem?"

Song Xilan asked softly: "You said you saw me with your own eyes. Can you tell me when and where you saw me?"

"It was after New Year’s Day, I think it was a Thursday, in the morning, right outside the gynecology doctor’s office."

That was correct. It was the day Song Xilan went to the hospital to see her aunt and ran into Jiang Jingru.

She smiled faintly and said: "Thank you for your concern. I was indeed feeling a bit unwell that day—I had a cold. My aunt works at the hospital, so I went to her to get some cold medicine. I’ve still got the prescription at home. If you don’t believe me, I can show it to you. But Wang Hongyan, the gynecology department is on the second floor. The entire floor is dedicated to gynecology clinics and wards. Why were you there? Were you also there for a check-up?"

Zheng Qiaoling snorted: "How ridiculous! Everyone knows Lan Lan’s aunt is a gynecologist. It’s perfectly normal for her to go see her aunt. But some people, who aren’t even married yet, are going to the gynecology department. People might think she’s up to no good!"

Song Xilan: "Qiaoling, don’t say that. She might not have been there for a check-up. Maybe she was accompanying someone or visiting a relative or friend! By the way, Hongyan, can you tell me the name of your friend or relative? I can ask my aunt to check if there’s a patient by that name. If there is, we can present the evidence. We can’t let people jump to conclusions, right?"

Wang Hongyan couldn’t come up with a name: "I, I..."

"Today, many people heard Yang Xuemei and the others talking about me going to the gynecology department. There’s bound to be gossip going around. I will definitely need to explain myself. Of course, it’s easy for me to explain—I have evidence. But you don’t have evidence, so it’ll be harder for you to explain why you were there, won’t it?"

Zheng Qiaoling: "Exactly! If you weren’t accompanying someone or visiting someone, then why would a young woman like you be in the gynecology department?"

The others behind Yang Xuemei also started looking at Wang Hongyan with strange expressions. If she wasn’t there for a reason, why’d she bump into Song Xilan in gynecology?

Wang Hongyan panicked: "I wasn’t, I didn’t..."

Song Xilan suddenly frowned: "What’s your deal with Jiang Jingru? Why are you covering for her?"

Wang Hongyan was startled: "How did you know!"

Zheng Qiaoling also looked surprised: "How does this involve Jiang Jingru again?"

Song Xilan patted Zheng Qiaoling's hand: "I’ll fill you in later." Jiang Jingru was her idol, and she would surely be very disappointed when she heard about those things!

She then turned to Wang Hongyan: "Are you really going to ruin your own reputation for her?"

Wang Hongyan: "I, I'm from the same hometown as her. She gave me twenty yuan to spread the rumor in our factory that you went to the obstetrics and gynecology department for an abortion."

Song Xilan smiled: "It's indeed her. But do you know why she encountered me in the obstetrics and gynecology department?"

Seeing the other party shake her head in confusion, she continued: "Of course, it's because she got pregnant out of wedlock. The one who really went to the hospital for an abortion was Jiang Jingru."

"Clang!" Zheng Qiaoling dropped her lunch box, and she covered her mouth in shock, "Oh my God, I can’t believe it!"

Song Xilan: "Wang Hongyan, I'll give you a chance to make amends. Go to the song and dance troupe and spread the news that Jiang Jingru got pregnant out of wedlock. I want everyone to know the shameful things she’s done!"