I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s-Chapter 297: Flattery Never Fails

Society Lu Jiaxuan was recording documents, hearing footsteps, he turned his head to look, and hurriedly buried his head down, pretending to be busy. He did not want to greet Shen Meng at all. Over the past half year, he felt as invisible as air in the commune and had lost his former vigor. No matter what he did, he felt he wasn’t valued by Feng Si.

His Jiaojiao is now working at the textile factory, and it’s very tough for her. Wu Xianglan, for no reason, keeps going to find fault with her. As a sister-in-law, instead of helping to take care of her kinswoman, she always tries to trip them up. They, as a couple, have been living peacefully and never provoked anyone, so why does it seem like everyone is against them?

Shen Meng saw his somewhat trembling back, raised her eyebrows as if she saw nothing, and walked towards Director Feng’s office. Xiao Zhang, seeing her coming, had a smile bright as a chrysanthemum.

"Ah, Sister Shen is here, did you come from home or from the county? Are you tired? Please, take a seat in the director’s office first, I’ll pour you a cup of water right now. Sister Shen, it’s been a long time since you last visited, and I have some work issues I’d like to consult with you!"

"It’s been a long time Xiao Zhang, your mouth has gotten sweeter."

"Hehehehe, all thanks to our Director Feng teaching well, but I really do want Sister Shen to properly guide my work. You’re always so passionate and energetic, so devoted to serving the commune members and the public, who wouldn’t admire you? Everyone wants to learn from you. I also want to suggest to Director Feng, whenever possible at the commune to organize a session where you could share your thoughts!"

Shen Meng smiled and took a sip of her tea.

Flattery is the hardest to resist, no wonder so many articulate people could show their faces in front of leaders and bosses in the past. Look at this flattery, truly a delight to the body and mind!

Outside, Lu Jiaxuan, hearing the laughter from the office, gripped his pen a little tighter.

His older brother has been working hard serving in the military, defending the homeland, yet his sister-in-law is laughing and chatting away here, not caring about her reputation at all, truly a disgrace to the Lu Family.

Secretary Zhang is the person Director Feng trusts the most. No matter what he really thinks, he does not show it on his face, and he keeps in mind the words spoken by Secretary Zhang.

Regarding such a flattering person, he was very disdainful, but he could also see, people with a bit of power all enjoyed hearing pleasant words. He himself was just too honest, too upright.

His hard work for the commune members, when not spoken about well, was thus overlooked. Lu Jiaxuan felt that he must practice his eloquence and both he and Jiaojiao must think carefully about how to change their current situation.

When Feng Si returned, Shen Meng had already drunk two cups of water. Xiao Zhang could really chat, Shen Meng thought in another twenty years, this fellow would definitely be a top leader in pyramid schemes, several times she had been nearly convinced by the chatter.

"Sister-in-law has come, what wind blew you here, hehehe, how long have you been waiting, sister-in-law?"

"Not too long, I have a matter I’d like to discuss with the director, I took leave in the afternoon, thinking of having a good chat about this matter."

When Feng Si heard Shen Meng say this, his mind raced, thinking about if anything happened at the subsidiary food workshop or the Head Flower Factory, or if any of the villages, or Shen Meng’s maternal or paternal homes had encountered any troubles.

After thinking hard for a while and not realizing anything was wrong, he quickly smiled at Shen Meng.

"From the sound of it, seems like you want to have a long conversation, Xiao Zhang, go brew another pot of tea for my sister-in-law, use the tea leaves my wife brought back from Hai City, the one with the jasmine flavor!"

"Hey, I’m on it, Sister Shen, have a seat. I’ll brew the tea and bring it right over."

Shen Meng: "....."

Forget it, I’ve drunk enough water and I’m desperate for the bathroom!!!

After Xiao Zhang left, Shen Meng didn’t wait for Feng Si to say anything else. She quickly gestured to him to wait, turned around, and went out. She entered the public toilet, relieved herself, and then returned to Feng Si’s office feeling much lighter.

"Sorry sister-in-law, Xiao Zhang is such a chatterbox, burdening you like that."

"No problem, I came here wanting Director Feng to help arrange a meeting with Mr. Kong from the brick and tile factory to discuss setting up a brick and tile workshop in our commune." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

"What, another workshop?"

Feng Si sprang up from his seat, his eyes shining as he looked at Shen Meng. From the day the flower workshop was established, he had continuously received praise from various leaders in the county, and leaders in the Provincial City were also aware that Feng Si, Director of Xiangyang Commune in Ning County, was a great leader who was responsible and dedicated.

His in-laws now call him home for meals every day, and even his wife has become much gentler towards him, often thinking about inviting Shen Meng over for a meal.

But he had refused every time. Shen Meng was now his most capable lieutenant, fighting for his career, and he felt that every minute and second was too precious to waste.

"Director Feng, do you mean you don’t want to set it up? It’s not me saying this, Director, but it was also our commune that took the initiative earlier. Now, many communes in the county want to cooperate with factories, the Cooperative Society and the State-Owned Restaurant in the county, so many that it’s countless. It’s just the brick and tile factory that no one dares to touch because there’s no obvious profit and everybody is dealing with dirt and soil. People don’t know how to cooperate with the brick and tile factory at the moment, but once someone figures it out, the factory might not choose our commune first."

"No, no, no, it’s not that I don’t want to do it, but how can our commune cooperate with the brick and tile factory? They need heavy labor, don’t lack workers, aren’t expanding, and don’t need our help. Plus, our commune doesn’t have a village chief who has red clay like them, I really don’t know what’s there to cooperate on."

Shen Meng chuckled and said, "Director, isn’t there Lu’s Mansion between our Xiangyang Commune and Red Flag Commune? That village is the poorest and has the most bachelors in this ten-mile radius. The boundary of that village is quite vague, and the Red Flag Commune has tried many times to transfer that village to our Xiangyang Commune, only because they fear it dragging them down. When you have time, send Xiao Zhang there to meet the leaders of the Red Flag Commune, saying that our commune is now prosperous and wants to lead the members of Lu’s Mansion to live better lives, at least to ensure they can afford meals."

Feng Si was somewhat reluctant; that Lu’s Mansion is a place both communes dislike. Every household is anxious to get married due to lack of women, resides near the mountains, and the land they have is infertile. Many rely on the national relief food, and Xiangyang Commune has just recently started doing well. He didn’t want a village that could potentially drag them down, but since Shen Meng mentioned it and also brought up the brick and tile factory, he thought there must be something more to it.

"Sister-in-law, you’re asking me to take over Lu’s Mansion, is there a trick behind this?"

Shen Meng smiled mysteriously and said, "I’ve sent someone to check. There’s a large amount of red clay along the river near Lu’s Mansion."

"What, red clay? Hey, really? Sister-in-law, I’ll get Xiao Zhang on this right away. The Director of the Red Flag Commune is really short-sighted, not nearly as visionary as me. How could Lu’s Mansion be a burden? It’s clearly a treasure!"

Shen Meng: "..."

Did you learn face-changing or something? You changed your tune so fast!!!