After breakfast, Gu Xiaoxia straightened Li Long's clothes, saying as she worked:
"I'll be sitting in the audience too. Those of you receiving awards should be in the front few rows. We'll be farther back."
She straightened his clothes, smoothing out every crease, and said reflectively:
"I never expected this. I joined a work unit before you, but you're receiving an award before me. Thinking about it, you've always been smarter than me about these things, and seen them more clearly. If you worked in a government office, you'd definitely do better than me and get promoted faster."
"What are you thinking?" Li Long stroked her hair and said with a smile:
"You've always done a good job. If you hadn't, Director Wang wouldn't have transferred you to the Education Bureau. You might have spent your whole life teaching at the Middle School. So don't think so little of yourself. If you're no good, what does that say about the people still teaching at the Middle School, or those who couldn't even become teachers?"
Li Long knew Gu Xiaoxia was quite competitive herself. His sudden "advancement" had simply unsettled her a little, which was why she said this.
"Besides, other people might not know my situation, but don't you? This was pure coincidence. I never thought about winning any award. If I really had a choice, I'd be happy to do without it. Wouldn't it be better to just earn my money without any fuss? I could make a few dozen yuan hauling sand and cement in a day..."
"All right, all right, you don't have to comfort me. Other people couldn't get this award even if they wanted it. If you said that outside and someone with an agenda heard it, they'd turn it into a political issue again."