Chapter 352: Commendation Assembly

Lu Zhenping returned that evening, and faced Shen Meng’s questioning. He had never before shared his background with her, and this time, he intended to reveal everything.

Shen Meng’s eyes widened, and she felt a mix of pity and concern for Lu Zhenping.

“Your life has been so difficult.”

Lu Zhenping: “. . .”

You’re my wife, can’t you be a little less blunt? At least offer some words of comfort!

“Could your mother be the Bai comrade you mentioned before?”

“Yes, Bai comrade is my mother’s uncle. He knows my background, and he knows I don’t want to be associated with them. So, these years, he hasn’t pressured me. But I understand that he’s been subtly guiding me.”

“Your mother is truly unique, a reincarnation of a white lotus. Even the temple’s Buddha should move over and let her sit. She’s so selfless and benevolent, truly an extraordinary person. Your paternal grandparents’ upbringing is also quite remarkable. They had the courage to send such a girl to the countryside, wow.”

Lu Zhenping: “…”

Ahem…speaking of which, she’s your mother-in-law now, so try to be a little more considerate when you criticize her.

Shen Meng didn’t want to be considerate. If she saw her mother-in-law, she might just yell at her.

“So, the ostracism you’ve been facing, and the potential danger my children and I might be in, is all orchestrated by your mother-in-law’s adopted son?”

“You could say that, but it might also be her adopted daughter.”

“Huh? Could you elaborate?”

Lu Zhenping glanced at her furtively, hesitated, and then told her.

“Well, when I was in the army, she came to see me, and she brought her adopted daughter with her. She wanted me to return to her side, preferably with her adopted daughter. I didn’t know what she was up to. I only wanted to see what kind of person she was. But after seeing her, I was very disappointed, and I haven’t seen her since.”

Shen Meng: “…”

Do I have a knife? A big knife? I want to stab that old woman!

“Don’t get upset, my dear. This is all in the past. I don’t understand why they’ve gone crazy recently. Even Bai comrade is acting strangely. But it doesn’t concern us. Don’t worry, I won’t let them hurt you or the children.”

Shen Meng rolled her eyes. It’s easy for him to say that. If they dared to treat Lu Zhenping this way, it certainly wasn’t a minor issue.

This is probably just the appetizer. Lu Zhenping is making it seem easy to avoid worrying her, but it’s not that simple.

Lu Zhenping is shrewd. He wouldn’t let this issue go unresolved. He probably feels that now that he holds a high position, he needs to create a sense of urgency for himself.

He seems to be handling things well, and he’s just telling her the reasons for this, which is another way of preparing her.

“I’m not upset, but Lu Zhenping, we need to become stronger. We can’t let others treat us like pawns.”

Lu Zhenping looked at her intently, his expression becoming serious. He looked at Shen Meng seriously and said, “Yes!”

Shen Meng smiled. She wasn’t afraid of the people in the capital.

Five years later.

◈◈◈

At Shen Meng’s retirement banquet, the new county official hosted thirteen tables to honor her achievements. They also presented her with a silk banner. She accepted it with tears in her eyes, smiled, and posed for photos with a group of cameras.

Shen Fugui and Wang Guizhi clapped enthusiastically from the audience. Their daughter had truly brought honor to them. And Lu Mingyang and the other children cheered.

Xie Jinghao, Wang Lianhua, Xifeng, and Yu Xueli also came with their families. Lu Xiangxiang held her second child and sat next to Shen Xiaobin. Seeing them by her side, whether in times of glory or despair, filled Shen Meng’s heart with warmth.

“Comrade Shen Meng, today is your retirement ceremony. From now on, let the younger generation handle the factory affairs. You’ve worked tirelessly these past five years, and you’ve missed opportunities to spend time with your family and children. You’ve truly sacrificed a lot. Ning County has transformed from a poverty-stricken county into one of the top ten counties, exporting a wide variety of products to both domestic and international markets. You’ve played a crucial role in this success. Now you can finally relax.”

“Secretary Pu, you are right. These past few years, I have indeed worked tirelessly and missed opportunities to spend time with my family and children. I feel very guilty about it. I don’t have any ambition. I’m just a woman. Now that I’m finally able to shed this burden, I feel relieved. With the current favorable policies, I plan to take my family to the capital next month for a vacation. Hehe.”

“Haha, congratulations to you. You’ve truly achieved a lot. Unlike me, I have even more responsibilities. But don’t worry, I’ll do my best. You’ve developed Ning County’s economy so well; I’ll build upon your achievements to make Ning County even more prosperous.”

“I’ll remember that, Secretary Pu. Let’s see what the future holds.”

Pu Jiang smiled warmly and said to Shen Meng, “Comrade Shen, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, remember to come to me. Whether it’s your former colleagues or me, the newly appointed county official, we’ll support you.”

Shen Meng’s smile grew even wider. This Pu, who emerged from some unknown corner, had taken over all her power. This commendation ceremony was clearly a public announcement to her family, colleagues, factory directors, and department heads that she, Shen Meng, was now just an ordinary citizen, and she was no longer part of the county government.

“Don’t worry, Secretary Pu. When my eldest son graduates from high school in a couple of years, we’ll move to the provincial capital. His father has been looking forward to us joining him there so we can be a family again!”

Pu Jiang’s face changed. His earlier relaxed smile vanished.

He was too focused on his own success. He forgot that Shen Meng’s husband was the head of the Provincial Public Security Bureau, and his colleagues held important positions. Trying to cause her problems would be like trying to dream.

“Of course, but isn’t Director Lu coming today, for Comrade Shen’s happy occasion?”

“A little later.”

“Secretary-General, Director Li has arrived. Please come with me.”

Shen Meng nodded at Pu Jiang and turned to leave. As soon as she walked away, Pu Jiang lost his smile, and beckoned someone over.

“Secretary Pu!”

“Zhang Liang, why did Shen Meng look at me like that? Was she rolling her eyes at me?”

“Secretary, you misunderstood. Zhang Liang just called you over.”

“Really?”

Of course it was a lie. You’re an outsider, and you haven’t accomplished anything. Who would give you a good look?

“Haha, of course it’s true. Comrade Shen Meng, no, Comrade Shen, is no longer working for the government. She’s always been smart. She knows who’s in charge of Ning County now, and she wouldn’t dare disrespect you.”

Pu Jiang snorted in response. Zhang Liang was wise to do so.