Volume One, Chapter 9: I Am Simply a Worker

The prison guard left after finishing the necessary paperwork with Zhang Weimin.

Liu Fangfang hung her head and said in a timid, whispered tone, "Old Zhang, this child is yours..."

Zhang Weimin slammed his hand onto the table. "Liu Fangfang, how can you spout such nonsense so easily? I truly admire your audacity."

Liu Fangfang’s mouth turned into a downturned arc. "Wooo—I’m not lying to you, it really is yours." She began to weep, her face streaked with tears.

"Don't try to frame me. I became a vegetable one week after we married. Don't tell me that while I was in a vegetative state, you still..."

"It’s true, it can only be yours. Zhou Changzheng and I always took precautions; it was only during that first week of our marriage that we didn't use any."

"I..."

Zhang Weimin felt there was no point in arguing with her further. The child was in her womb, and they were still legally married. Although he did not believe her, he had no way to prove the child wasn't his.

Silence filled the room. Zhang Weimin did not want to say another word, nor did he even look at her. Liu Fangfang’s eyes were red and swollen; it was clear she had been crying every day for the past month. She had grown very thin; after all, losing a layer of skin while spending a month in a detention center was only to be expected.

Liu Fangfang stood up and poured a glass of water for him. Zhang Weimin turned his face away. "I wouldn't dare drink it. I'm afraid you’ll poison me."

Just then, Zhang Yingying returned from school, carrying a bag of groceries, ready to prepare a hearty dinner. As soon as she entered, she saw a woman sitting on the edge of the *kang*. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Liu Fangfang. "Dad, why is she here? Didn't she get sentenced? Oh, I know, she must have escaped from prison! I’m going to call the police right now and have her dragged back!"

Before Zhang Weimin could speak, Liu Fangfang answered, "Yingying, I didn't escape. I’m pregnant, so the prison sent me back to serve my sentence outside of custody."

Zhang Yingying glared at her. "What does your pregnancy have to do with us? Why are you at our house? Go, go, go! We don't welcome you here!"

"I’m carrying your father’s child!"

Zhang Yingying was struck speechless. She looked at her father, waiting for an answer.

"Yingying, no one can be certain right now. But the prison authorities said that since we aren't divorced, we are still legally husband and wife, so they had to send her back to our home for her sentence to be served outside of prison."

Zhang Weimin turned his face back to Liu Fangfang and said, "Let’s get the unpleasant talk out of the way first. You can stay here, but we are no longer a family. We will live our separate lives and stay out of each other's way. The empty room at the end is for you; go clean it up yourself."

"Thank you," Liu Fangfang murmured softly, then lowered her head and walked away in silence.

Zhang Weimin sighed. "Yingying, go do your homework. I’ll make dinner today."

"Dad, how long is she going to stay here?" Zhang Yingying pouted, looking deeply unhappy.

Zhang Weimin smiled and patted her head. "About a year or so." With that, he went to the outdoor kitchen to cook.

...

After Liu Guobin was arrested, the position of factory director had remained vacant. Although Liu Xueqin had secured a few connections at the Industrial Bureau—which oversaw their factory—after taking some advice from Zhang Weimin, he had only been granted the title of acting director. When he would be officially appointed remained uncertain.

The Industrial Bureau oversaw over twenty enterprises. Their mechanical parts factory was considered relatively profitable, at least capable of paying wages. Many of the other factories had been unable to pay their workers for over half a year. Therefore, many people were eyeing the lucrative position of director at the mechanical parts factory. The final personnel decision rested in the hands of Bureau Chief Chen Shuo.

Over the past month, Liu Xueqin had been frantic, seeking favors and offering gifts to win support, but Director Chen simply wouldn't budge. In his desperation, he thought of Zhang Weimin again. Lately, there had been many rumors that after waking from his vegetative state, Zhang Weimin had completely changed, as if he had been enlightened and possessed extraordinary wisdom.

That day, using the excuse of checking on an injured worker, Liu Xueqin brought gifts to Zhang Weimin’s home. "Old Zhang, how have you been? I’ve come to visit you on behalf of the entire factory staff."

The person inside Zhang Weimin’s body was Lin Hao, who understood the nuances of human relationships better than anyone. *On behalf of the entire factory staff?* Zhang Weimin thought. *Where were you when I was a vegetable? It’s clear you’ve only managed to get one buttock onto the director’s chair while the other is still hovering in mid-air, and you want my help.*

Still, the formalities had to be observed. Zhang Weimin came out of the room to greet him. "Oh, Director Liu, why go to the trouble of visiting a common worker like me? Please, come inside."

When Liu Fangfang heard Liu Xueqin had arrived, she hurried out to greet him, busying herself with tea. Liu Xueqin was startled to see her. "Old Zhang, isn't Fangfang supposed to be..."

Zhang Weimin felt awkward and was about to explain, but Liu Fangfang spoke first. "Oh, Director Liu, I fell ill, so Old Zhang helped me apply for medical parole to recover at home for a while."

*Wow,* the way she boasted left both Zhang Weimin and Liu Xueqin stunned. Liu Xueqin thought, *Is Zhang Weimin this capable? He can get people out of prison? Is there anything he can't do in this city?*

Zhang Weimin couldn't contradict her in front of the guest, so he just smiled awkwardly. "Director Liu, please, have some tea..."

"Sigh! Old Zhang, thanks to your good words last time, I managed to drop the 'deputy' title, but then they added the word 'acting' instead." Liu Xueqin shook his head helplessly, blowing the tea leaves from the surface of his cup.

Zhang Weimin realized he had indeed come seeking advice. "Director Liu, there is no one more suitable for that position than you. That 'acting' label is only temporary; it won't be long before it's removed."

"Ah, Old Zhang, you don't understand. If it were just our factory's internal issues, I wouldn't be this worried."

Zhang Weimin pulled out a cigarette and handed it to Liu Xueqin. "Oh? Are there others eyeing the position besides people from our factory?"

Liu Xueqin lit the cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Indeed. Among all the industrial enterprises in the city, only our factory is profitable enough to ensure wages are paid on time. The others haven't paid their workers for months, especially the steel mill and the mining machinery plant. The director’s seat at our factory has become a prime target. If someone pulls strings from above, it certainly won't be my turn. I don't have a strong background."

Zhang Weimin nodded thoughtfully.

Liu Xueqin took a deep drag of his cigarette, the smoke making him squint. "Old Zhang, I don't think you're an ordinary man. Your perspective is higher and your insight deeper than mine. Tell me, what should I do?"

Zhang Weimin laughed heartily. "Director Liu, I’m just a worker. What perspective could I possibly have? You flatter me too much."

*Tut-tut...* Liu Xueqin thought, *'Flatter me too much'... look at that choice of words. Is that how an ordinary worker speaks?*