"Chief Engineer Zhou?" Song Ning was a little surprised.
Chen Xiaoyu continued, "Song Ning... oh! No! Director Song, you probably know about the murder of the Machinery Factory's former chief engineer, Chief Engineer Zhou! Public Security investigated our factory for a long time. Production stopped, and a lot of officers stayed at the factory to work on the case! Many of our coworkers were called in for questioning. Just because I was questioned more often than the others, rumors started spreading that I associated with a suspect, that I had no morals and kept company with a murderer...
"At first, I thought it was all nonsense! An innocent person has nothing to hide! I didn't pay it any mind! Then my immediate supervisor came to me and said I'd damaged the factory's reputation terribly! He said it was very serious and might affect whether I became a permanent employee this year!"
Chen Xiaoyu gave a bitter smile. "I'd just finished two full years as a trainee! I knew he wanted to pull strings over that permanent position again!"
"Then your immediate supervisor used the opportunity to make an improper demand?" Song Ning asked.
"Yes! He said... he wanted me to marry his nephew! As long as I agreed, I could become a permanent employee right away! His nephew is a good-for-nothing. He spent a year in a labor camp, has no job, and does nothing but squander his family's money! That man threatened me... if I refused, I'd never become a permanent employee!"
At this point, Chen Xiaoyu looked helpless and miserable.
"Of course I refused! I went straight to Public Security! I wasn't hoping to bring charges against him. I just wanted the officers to help clear up the rumors at the factory... Later, the factory put up a