I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

By saving every penny, Yang Zheng had saved up a little money. He went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought a pound of oranges, a pound of apples, and three cans of food to visit Liu Dabao.

Since being taken in by his master, Yang Zheng has spent his days learning from his master in each workshop and his nights reading a bunch of professional books.

Watching the steel transform from molten iron into qualified steel plates over three months, and then being transported to all parts of the country, was incredibly rewarding.

Although they worked in the same factory, Yang Zheng worked day shifts while Liu Dabao worked rotating shifts, so the two rarely had the chance to meet.

When they occasionally met, Liu Dabao was busy checking the furnace temperature, and Yang Zheng was being closely watched by his master, so the two could only exchange a smile from afar.

Yang Zheng was grateful for the fragrant shredded pork noodles and brought fruit to the door.

The Liu family of five was having dinner when Yang Zheng arrived, and Aunt Liu and Uncle Liu were as welcoming as ever.

"Yang Zheng, it's been a long time since you've come to my house. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Xiao Cao, go get the bowls and chopsticks." Aunt Liu instructed.

"No, no, I've already eaten. Auntie, Liu and I aren't in the same class anymore, so we don't see each other much. I came to see him especially." Yang Zheng handed the fruit to Auntie Liu.

Aunt Liu smiled and said, "You silly child, you're here now, why did you bring anything?"

His excessive enthusiasm made Yang Zheng feel uncomfortable, as if he were a VIP.

Liu Dabao pulled Yang Zheng and said, "Come on, let's go to my room."

"Auntie, Uncle, you two eat. I'm going to talk to Brother Liu."

"Okay, okay, go ahead."

Liu Dabao's family has three main rooms: one for his parents, one for his two younger sisters, and one for himself.

After closing the door, Liu Dabao said, "I haven't thanked you in person for what happened last time. If it weren't for you, I probably would have been locked up for three or six months, and I might have even lost my job."

"That has nothing to do with us. We did a good deed, and we did something wrong?"

"There's no fairness in society these days. Even Director Tang can't handle this, and the local revolutionary committees are even more outrageous. You're at work fine today, and tomorrow they'll label you as a high-ranking official," Liu Dabao said indignantly.

"You're right, my grandfather was often dragged to the county in the middle of the night for a denunciation meeting." Yang Zheng was somewhat disheartened; his family had experienced too many such things.

"Your family... isn't doing well?" Liu Dabao asked skeptically.

Those who could get into Huailin Machinery Factory had to undergo political vetting; if you weren't a member of a family that had been poor for three generations, you simply couldn't get in.

"Yes, my grandfather was a private tutor and accepted tuition fees."

When the topic of ingredients came up, Yang Zheng habitually lowered his head.

"Well, you're really lucky to be able to get into the factory." Liu Dabao knew that Commander Zhou was Yang Zheng's sister's father-in-law, but he had never mentioned his family's social class.

Would a division commander marry the daughter of a wealthy farmer?

"To be honest, it's all thanks to Commander Zhou's help. So I have to work harder than others, otherwise I'll be letting down this trust."

Yang Zheng didn't continue. Marrying his sister to a disabled hero for profit was an unbearable pain for the Yang family.

"You're educated and hardworking, you'll be promoted to technician in two or three years," Liu Dabao said from the bottom of his heart.

"That won't do. There are so many college graduates in the factory; I'm far from good enough."

"Master Chen isn't a college graduate either. He's an eighth-grade fitter, and his salary is 120. Even Factory Manager Tang doesn't earn that much. In a machine factory, they value skills, not academic qualifications."

"Master's salary is that high?"

120 yuan. Yang Zheng's family only has 200 yuan a year if they live frugally.

"Of course, his annual company benefits are always more than those of Director Tang."

It turns out that you can also gain recognition through your skills.

Yang Zheng thought to himself, "I must work hard and bring honor to my family."

The door opened, and Liu Dabao's younger sister, Liu Xiaocao, brought in two cups of tea. Liu Dabao formally introduced her: "Yang Zheng, this is my younger sister, Liu Xiaocao. She works at a textile factory."

"Hello, Brother Yang Zheng."

"Hello, little grass."

Liu Xiaocao is about the same age as Qiaomei. She is clever and witty, has a job, and has family by her side. She is much happier than Qiaomei.

"You guys chat, I'm going to help Mom wash the dishes."

"Okay, go ahead and get busy." Yang Zheng smiled shyly.

"Yang Zheng, how old are you?"

"I'm 23."

"Aren't you going to find a girlfriend yet?"

"Brother Liu, don't rush me. Why should I? I just started working at the factory, and my family isn't well-off. I'm not thinking about marriage for now."

"Hehe, someone came to my house to propose marriage. My parents are also anxious about my marriage. Maybe we'll get married at the end of the year."

"There are too few female workers in our factory, just a few in the factory office. They are very beautiful and look down on us workers."

Besides the clerks in each workshop, the publicity department had the most women.

They are glamorous and beautiful; why would they marry a smelly worker covered in grease?

When the topic turned to women, Yang Zheng thought of Kong Xiange: "Why would such a beautiful girl fall for that stubborn Lu Han? Lu Han is indeed talented, but there are plenty of talented young workers in the factory. Why would she risk her life for a man?"

When Yang Zheng first saw Kong Xiange, he was shocked. He couldn't believe there was such a pure and beautiful girl in the world.

Unfortunately, Kong Xiange wouldn't even glance at her.

It was precisely because of this lingering affection in his heart that Yang Zheng searched for Kong Xiange all night in the pouring rain after she ran away.

"That's right, almost all the young workers like her." Liu Dabao smiled awkwardly.

"You like her too, right?" Yang Zheng asked jokingly.

"I...I...maybe you don't like it?"

"I was immediately struck by her beauty. Wait, doesn't she live in the factory area?" Yang Zheng asked, remembering something.

"No, she lives at Huailin No. 2 Middle School."

"Huailin City No. 2 Middle School? Isn't that in the west? Brother Liu, that night I went to the east, Lu Han went to the south, and you went to the west. Didn't you notice anything unusual?"

Therefore, after being humiliated, Kong Xiange was supposed to go home.

But how did she end up in danger?

"I... I chased after her, but there was no one on the road. Then it started raining heavily. I followed the main road towards No. 2 Middle School, but I didn't see Kong Xiange," Liu Dabao said in a low voice.

"That's true. Criminals wouldn't commit crimes on the main road; they must have taken her to a secluded place. It was raining and thundering heavily that night; even if she cried for help, they wouldn't have heard her."

Yang Zheng sighed heavily. Kong Xiange had used some tricks for love, but her crime didn't warrant death. It was still a pity that a living person was gone just like that.

Liu Dabao hurriedly picked up the teacup and said, "Drink tea, drink tea."

Yang Zheng took a sip of water, stood up, and said, "It's getting late, I have to go back. Your marriage is settled, you must tell me, I'll help you go to fetch the bride."

Liu Dabao also stood up, patted Yang Zheng on the shoulder and said, "Of course, we're good brothers."

After seeing Yang Zheng out of the building, the streetlights cast a long, long shadow of him.

Liu Dabao went back, seemingly lost in thought.

Yang Zheng trusted Liu Dabao implicitly; Liu Dabao was his first friend after he joined the factory.

Yang Zheng never imagined that on the night Kong Xiange and Lu Han argued, it was almost late at night, and the people watching the commotion were all young workers from the single dormitory. Liu Dabao lived in the family area, so how did he get the news?

Kong Xiange ran away, so why was he in such a hurry to find her?

Moreover, Kong Qiange rarely interacted with workers, so how did Liu Dabao know that she lived at the No. 2 Middle School in the city?