Chapter 167: Chapter 76: The 60s Song and Dance Troupe’s Leading Lady (15)

The women were moved by her spirit of silent, humble dedication, and their applause was thunderous.

Xia Zhaoyun felt a little awkward listening to them. ’I only said all that because I want to move out!’

’As for children... I’ve had more than enough hardship in my own life. Do I really need another burden?’

’I’ve seen biological children fail to care for their own parents. How could a stepparent-stepchild relationship possibly be reliable?’

’As long as I can get through this, move out... I can figure out the rest later.’

"How about this, Mr. Xia," the head of the Women’s Federation said, making a decision. "You head back for now. A few of us will report the situation to the leadership. Once we’ve figured out a solution, we’ll come find you. Rest assured, we will absolutely not let a martyr’s family member—one who holds the factory and the organization so dear—be left out in the cold."

A moved Xia Zhaoyun nodded and thanked them profusely, also expressing her profound gratitude for the Women’s Federation previously helping her get justice from the Song Family.

Once Xia Zhaoyun was gone, the women of the Federation sighed in dismay. "Such a good child. How could Director Song’s family bring themselves to be so cruel? After two sons, they finally get a sweet, pretty, delicate daughter. Even someone with a heart of stone would have doted on Mr. Xia, wouldn’t they?"

"Look at the way they dote on their biological daughter, and then look at how they treat Mr. Xia. I’ll bet they’ve known the truth for a long time. Since they couldn’t say anything, they just took out all their frustrations on her behind closed doors, didn’t they?"

"That’s not raising a child; they’re treating her like an enemy. If she were a less resilient kid, who knows how many times she might have tried to drown herself in the pond by now..."

"Sigh, it’s such a shame. If it hadn’t been for the Song Family’s tyranny, do you think if Mr. Xia and Little Hero Huo had ended up together, we’d have one more enviable young couple and one less fallen hero?"

After venting their indignation, they all agreed that since Mr. Xia had come to them for help, the Women’s Federation had to take a firm stance. They wouldn’t just handle it—they would handle it well!

Carrying a huge sum of money—one thousand two hundred yuan and a stack of ration tickets—Xia Zhaoyun strolled up to the radio station on the top floor.

He Qingran was idly cracking sunflower seeds. When she saw Xia Zhaoyun, she let out a playful "Whoa!", dusted off her hands, and circled her with a grin. "Well, look who it is! Where have you been? Even when I competed in the Golden Microphone preliminaries, *I* didn’t vanish for a whole day and night."

Xia Zhaoyun shot her a glare, sat down, and heaved a long sigh. "It’s a long story... It’s all my fault for being young and impulsive..."

He Qingran resumed cracking seeds, her eyes glinting with a thirst for gossip.

Xia Zhaoyun let out a small laugh and raised an eyebrow. "Which is why I’m not telling you!"

’I’m trying to turn over a new leaf. Better to say nothing at all than to make up some flimsy excuse.’

’Besides, pretending to be someone’s partner isn’t exactly respectable, and it could damage my reputation. People in this day and age have very little tolerance for matters between men and women.’

’I’m not going to test my best friend’s open-mindedness with this.’

He Qingran didn’t seem to mind, though. ’Everyone has secrets, right?’ "Oh, right," she said. "The Ministry of Culture called earlier. The two of us and Mr. Zhang all made it through. The next round is in five days!"

Xia Zhaoyun nodded. She wasn’t surprised by the results.

As the two of them were heading back to their dorm after lunch, the director of the Women’s Federation came to find her in person.

"Director Huo, hello," Xia Zhaoyun said, handing her lunchbox to He Qingran and walking over with a smile.

"Do you really intend to spend the rest of your life devoted to Tianhao’s memory?" Huo Hongqing asked, gesturing for them to take a walk in the small grove nearby.

The trees in the grove were dense, offering shade from the blazing sun overhead. A passing breeze brought a faint, welcome coolness.

Xia Zhaoyun nodded with a gentle smile. She bore no trace of bitterness from the hardships she had endured. Instead, she was like a finely aged Peach Blossom Brew, exuding a quiet, steadfast happiness that one couldn’t help but be influenced by.

"Director Huo, there are many employees at our factory. In the two years I’ve worked here, I’ve met and heard about plenty of them, but there hasn’t been a single man like Brother Hao who could make me feel so at peace and full of hope."

"I feel that a lifetime is a long time, and you don’t necessarily have to confine yourself to marriage. With everything that’s happened with the Song Family and Brother Hao, I’m just... tired. All I want is to devote myself to my career on the stage."

"Besides Brother Hao, who could put up with all my shortcomings, I doubt anyone would be willing to marry a pampered girl who’s so devoted to dancing she doesn’t even want children, do you?"

Director Huo sighed softly. "You must know that I’m Tianhao’s aunt, don’t you?"

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