Just as Xie Changning was stretching, Yue Yihan appeared in the courtyard with a spatula in hand. He was wearing a white apron, looking very much the part of a househusband.

Their eyes met. Having slept well last night, Xie Changning gave Yue Yihan a huge smile.

"The body pillow was so comfortable. I slept like a log last night!"

For Yue Yihan, Xie Changning’s praise was the highest honor, comparable to a first-class merit.

Yue Yihan’s heart was doing flips. He felt like a giddy teenager, picturing himself either blushing happily, spinning in circles, or doing somersaults.

In short, any praise from Xie Changning would make him lose himself for a moment.

"What’s for breakfast?"

Following the aroma, Xie Changning went to the kitchen and peeked into the pot. The next moment, an urge to retch washed over her. "BLEGH—"

Xie Changning didn’t usually have reactions like this; it was the first time she’d ever felt an aversion to a particular food.

"Looks like the baby isn’t a fan. Should I take you to the factory cafeteria?" Yue Yihan sighed, setting down the spatula. He turned off the stove and took off his apron, getting ready to see Xie Changning out.

Xie Changning stared longingly at the delicious food in the pot, let out another "BLEGH—", and had to give up.

The pot didn’t contain any meat, but rather sticky rice rolls and fried dough sticks. In the original owner’s memory, the sticky rice rolls were delicious.

It was a food the original owner had loved.

Xie Changning had eaten them several times herself and had also grown very fond of them.

Yue Yihan was an especially good cook, and the fragrance of the sticky rice rolls wafting into her nose was making her crave them badly.

But the little one in her belly wouldn’t allow it!

’This is awful! Just awful!’

Unable to eat the sticky rice rolls, Xie Changning could only have a corn flatbread before heading to work.

The factory expansion was basically finalized, so Wang Lisheng’s constant supervision was no longer needed. Director Zhao summoned both Xie Changning and Wang Lisheng to the Industrial Bureau.

When they arrived at Director Zhao’s office, he was looking at Xie Changning with a wide grin.

"Seeing Xiao Xie reminds me of the time Old Wang came into my office and slammed my desk. Two months have passed in a flash, and Xiao Xie has been promoted..." Director Zhao’s preamble gave Wang Lisheng a bad feeling.

He interrupted Director Zhao.

"You’re not thinking of transferring Changning, are you? That’s not happening! She’s supposed to be the deputy director of our screw factory!" ’No one is taking her from me!’

Seeing Wang Lisheng’s reluctance, Director Zhao’s smile deepened.

He gestured for the two of them to sit down so they could talk properly.

"Old Wang, I know you’re very fond of Comrade Xie. You’re her benefactor. When the screw factory had that incident, you were the one who strongly recommended her to the head of the Commerce Bureau, and you recommended her to me as well..."

"But people strive for better things, just as water flows downward, don’t they?"

Hearing this, how could Wang Lisheng not understand?

Xie Changning... she was getting promoted in just her second month at the screw factory!

"Just say it. Where is she going this time?"

"The Anong County Machinery Factory."

Wang Lisheng knew about the machinery factory in Anong County. Due to the previous director’s mismanagement, the factory could no longer pay its workers and was on the verge of bankruptcy.

A factory on the brink of collapse had only two options: shut down and merge its assets, or replace the director and start fresh.

Originally, the Anong County Machinery Factory was slated to be shut down and merged.

But Director Zhao felt this was a new opportunity. Xie Changning needed a bigger stage, and Chuncheng needed a new product to emerge.

So he submitted an application to his superiors, recommending Xie Changning.

Of course, it wasn’t unconditional.

"Changning, the higher-ups have approved you as the director of the Anong County Machinery Factory. However, you’ll need to achieve an annual profit of 200,000. Can you... do you think you can manage that?"

"In other words, you have a one-year probationary period. If your profits meet the target, your position becomes permanent." ’Otherwise, I’ll be sent right back where I started.’

Xie Changning blinked. She hadn’t expected Director Zhao to move so quickly and actually secure the director position at the Anong County Machinery Factory for her.

However... the superiors’ requirements were actually quite strict.

A county-level state-owned factory only had one to three hundred employees. The highest annual production value was only 800,000, not to mention the profit margin was only around ten percent!

For her to reach a profit of 200,000, if she couldn’t raise the production value, she’d have to get into foreign trade!

In a flash, Xie Changning understood. The higher-ups wanted her to earn foreign currency!

’Take money from the foreigners!’

Xie Changning’s thoughts turned to the Guangzhou Trade Fair. It had been two months since the last Spring Trade Fair, and the Autumn Trade Fair was about four months away.

She had to create a new product before the Autumn Trade Fair arrived.

"Thank you for giving me this chance to prove myself, Director. If Director Zhao has faith in me, why shouldn’t I have faith in myself?" She would accept this test!

She would secure her position as the director of the Anong County Machinery Factory!

"Excellent. Get your things in order. You’ll take up your post in three days."

’Isn’t that... a little too soon?!’

Wang Lisheng: ’?’ ’Isn’t anyone going to speak up for me?’

’I’m losing one of my best generals!’

Xie Changning, on the other hand, was vexed. She had already moved several times in just two short months!

Fortunately, once she became the director of the Anong County Machinery Factory, her situation would likely stabilize.

...

"Honey, at the rate you’re getting promoted, are you going to be in the Industrial Bureau by the time the baby is born?" Yue Yihan, having been told they had to move, sounded a bit helpless.

He had a total of two days off—one to spend with his wife, and the other to help his wife move.

Xie Changning chuckled and could only tell him to rent a truck to move all their things to Anong County.

「Meanwhile.」

At the Anong County Machinery Factory, the deputy director, workshop foremen, and others were sitting on the steps of the office building, their faces grim.

"I heard the new director the higher-ups are sending us is a young person, only in their twenties."

"Are the higher-ups giving up on us?"

"Don’t be ridiculous. If they were giving up on us, they would have just shut us down and merged us. Why send a new director?"

The workshop foremen murmured among themselves.

The deputy director puffed on his cigarette. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "I got word that this new director was pushed for by the head of the Chuncheng Industrial Bureau himself. They say she’s very capable."

"What’s more, she’s been given a target of 200,000 in profit."

Was the deputy director worried about the choice of director?

No, he was worried about the profit target!

The higher-ups have a strict process. If the person wasn’t capable, it wouldn’t matter even if the head of the Chuncheng Industrial Bureau gave his strongest recommendation.

The fact that it went through meant this new director really knew her stuff!

"But our entire annual production value is only 200,000!"

"If the higher-ups want to shut us down, they should just say so. Why go to all this trouble?"

"...Is it possible that because the new director is so bold, the higher-ups... gave her an incredibly harsh assignment?"

As soon as this was said, everyone present fell silent.

Come to think of it... that was a real possibility!

"Deputy Director, there’s a truck outside! They say they’re here to deliver furniture for the new director!"