Chapter 1372: Zhang Lijuan (13)

Speaking of which, I'm not even sure if Zhang Fang knows anything at all. I don't remember seeing her in the previous workshop; I only remember Man Tun. Zhang Fang's behavior was truly unexpected—after that day, she acted as if nothing had happened and never mentioned my situation again. Every day, she just sat with Man Tun on either side of me, watching as I installed diodes onto the wafers.

I had no choice but to pretend that nothing had occurred and kept explaining to them both the tasks they should handle on this assembly line. Zhang Fang is one of the typical young women in the workshop—enthusiastic and outgoing, but not very smart. She always carried around those seemingly endless Big White Rabbit milk candies, trying to win over everyone in the workshop, but in reality, the only ones she conquered were other young women like herself. They formed a tight-knit little group.

As for Man Tun... he seemed to have changed. I thought he became quiet because he saw me, but now it appears Zhang Fang is quite accustomed to his silence. Every day, he just kept his head down and worked without saying a word, rarely smiling and showing little emotion. He was like a machine, merged with the assembly line—if the conveyor belt moved, he moved; if it stopped, he stopped.

When I went to get meals, I occasionally saw Zhang Fang with her own little group, chatting and giggling quietly. In contrast, people's impression of Man Tun was that he was honest and taciturn, and they referred to him only as "Zhang Fang's partner." What had happened to the once radiant young man in the workshop? Why had he become like this? Even I hadn't been broken by life, yet he had fallen silent.

One night a month later, as I was taking my washed clothes from the laundry room to pour out the water in the alley, I heard whispers coming from deep in the alley from a distance.

"…Man Tun… you knew all along, didn't you?"That was Zhang Fang's voice.

"I… didn't know."Man Tun replied.

"You didn't know before we came, but how could you not know after we got here?"Zhang Fang suppressed her voice irritably. "Why didn't you tell me back then that she was Tian Tian?"

"I felt like it was all in the past, and she's our master now… This is just too much from you…"

"Can a master just fool around like that?"Zhang Fang interrupted. "Whether she fools around is her business, but she got you to the point where you couldn't stay in the previous workshop anymore. Why do you think we came here?"

"Me quitting my job—how is that related to her…"

"No relation? The whole village has been talking about it… You, Zhang Man Tun, once took an iron rod to protect a loose woman…"

There were no lights in the alley, but I could vaguely see Zhang Fang jabbing her finger at Man Tun's nose.

"A whole group of people came to the factory chasing after you two—that's embarrassing enough for me even if it's not for you!"Zhang Fang's voice grew louder. "Now that I've agreed to marry you, that's already letting bygones be bygones. How long do you want me to work under her?"

"I can't seem to make you understand… They never chased after both of us…"

Man Tun pushed her hand away, his voice sounding exhausted as it echoed from the alley. "I was wronged… That day, they only beat Tian Tian."

"If they beat her, doesn't that prove she's a loose woman?"Zhang Fang said, lowering her voice again, though it still pierced the quiet alley. "Zhang Man Tun, if this gets back to the village and they find out we're learning from a loose woman in the city… how are we supposed to live?"

"I…"

"You want people to gossip about us again?"

Hearing that, I finally understood why Man Tun had become like this. When I left, the coworkers who were used to attacking through rumors suddenly had no target, so they naturally turned their sights on Man Tun. They began to relentlessly attack this young man who had first stepped forward with an iron rod to shield me. Those vile words I didn't want to recall must have pierced him from all sides, gradually turning a sunny and cheerful young man into the taciturn and timid person he is now.

Though it sounds ironic, it's true that Man Tun's situation is already much better than mine. He's a young man who acted impulsively to protect a young woman; even if the rumors spread for a while, they'd soon lose their novelty. But for me, it's different. The label on my head has deep cultural roots.

This label has become a spirit, and it calls upon two helpers—*san cong si de* and *zhen jie pai fang*—to unjustly pin crimes on me. It stands on my head, swaying in the wind, proclaiming to everyone who passes by the misdeeds I've never committed. After all, it's a spirit born from a label, so I can't throw it off or shake it loose; I can only let it drain what's left of me.

People listen to what the label says—who would bother to hear what I, beneath the label, have to say? The spirit's words can deceive the masses, but mine cannot.

Now, Zhang Fang already knows my identity, but she's holding back because I'm her master. It's not really out of consideration; she's just worried about dragging herself into it.

But what should I do? Am I supposed to go around telling everyone, "One day, don't believe I'm an *er nai*"? Standing at the entrance of the alley, I couldn't tell what I was feeling inside. It wasn't fear or anxiety; it was more like I'd completely merged into the quiet darkness.

"Xiao Zhang?"

A voice suddenly sounded behind me, startling me, and the voices in the alley stopped abruptly.

I turned around—it was Brother Li from the comprehensive management department.

"You kid, standing there in the middle of the night holding a basin of water and spacing out?"

"I…"

I was at a loss for words, quickly turned, poured the water at the corner of the wall, mumbled a few excuses, and hurried back to my dormitory.

I could sense that things were starting to get a bit unusual from that moment. I'd accidentally overheard Zhang Fang and Man Tun's conversation, undoubtedly tearing away the mask she'd been wearing for the past month. With me at a loss, she finally launched a full attack.

The rumors of *er nai* were like an invisible plague, first incubating shadows within her little group. Those infected young women started looking at me differently; even in the cafeteria, they'd instantly stop all conversation when they saw me.

I knew they were infected.

Then it spread to the other young men and women, older brothers and sisters in the factory. I have to say, the workshop discipline in the city is much better managed than in the village. Even though so many people were affected, no one confronted me directly; they just whispered and coughed behind my back.

But they didn't realize I could tell at a glance what stage they were at. The early symptoms usually involved contempt and mockery. In the later stages, it came with complications of derision and sneering.

These symptoms would eventually show on the faces of those survivors, as long as they were still in the workshop and acting normal.

I know all too well how contagious this thing is. It spreads through air and words, and once it latches on, it makes people lose their basic judgment, trapping them in the pleasure of gossip, then following the crowd with attacks and malice, until it's incurable.

As for me...

I've rebuilt high walls all around me; I've secluded myself in my corner, isolating myself completely.