Chapter Twenty: The Commendation Ceremony

The commendation ceremony arrived swiftly.

Shen Guodong's deeds had already spread throughout the factory. Some said his future was limitless. Others claimed his moment of arrogance would not last, and Director Wang would never let him off! Regardless of the gossip, Shen Nanfeng now stood at the eye of the storm: a single step forward promised wealth and glory, a single step back opened into a bottomless abyss. One careless mistake could shatter him completely, for too many eyes watched his every move.

Envy is impossible to fathom. Those whom Shen Guodong once suppressed now found themselves beneath him, and surely some harbored resentment, ever watchful, waiting for him to stumble and deliver a fatal blow. Shen Nanfeng understood these things all too well. No one was more adept at workplace machinations than he; otherwise, Shen Guodong would never have risen from the depths in his previous life, becoming a magnate of a listed company, commanding billions in capital.

Such feats were not for ordinary people. Those petty tricks—they were outdated compared to Shen Guodong’s repertoire. To challenge him? Those people were still too inexperienced!

“Young Shen, is this your wife? She’s really something, not just beautiful, but stunning. You’re lucky indeed!” A young man, about Shen Guodong’s age, spoke with an affected air of superiority, his tone grating.

This man was Yuan Junfeng, a typical smiling tiger, appearing friendly with everyone but in reality quite the opposite. Not just colleagues—even his own brother might find a knife in the back from him.

Shen Guodong knew this well. Yuan Junfeng had a cousin named Yuan Junlong, who had also worked in this factory. When an opportunity for promotion arose, only one of them could advance. Yuan Junfeng secretly reported Yuan Junlong, leading to his cousin’s dismissal and his own promotion. Now he was just one rank below Jiang Weiguo, overseeing the maintenance department.

He seemed to appreciate Shen Guodong greatly, acting friendly. Yet, only Shen Guodong knew this was not someone to be trusted deeply; one never knew when he might strike, and you wouldn’t even realize who had tripped you up.

It was like Yuan Junlong, who regarded Yuan Junfeng as a brother and even brought him into the factory initially. Yet, in the end, it was Yuan Junfeng who betrayed him, and the most ridiculous part was, Yuan Junlong never even suspected his cousin!

It wasn’t until years later that the truth gradually surfaced.

Shen Guodong merely acknowledged Yuan Junfeng with a symbolic gesture. Among the women, Liu Yueyu was exceptionally beautiful. Her height reached one meter sixty-five, taller than many men of her generation. Those born in the sixties and seventies were generally not very tall, unlike those born later. In that era, even having enough to eat was a challenge, let alone proper nutrition, so physical development lagged, and thus height differed.

As a woman, Liu Yueyu’s height was extraordinary, and her figure was impressive—every curve in place. Wherever she went, she was the object of women’s jealousy and men’s admiration.

Yuan Junfeng sidled up, his demeanor discreet, but Shen Guodong caught the undisguised longing in his gaze. Yuan Junfeng was short, unattractive, and not particularly wealthy, so hoping for a beautiful wife was impossible—hardworking and thrifty would suffice. Yet, as life improved recently and his ambitions grew, he felt his current wife was beneath him.

This was the first time Shen Guodong had brought his wife out. Yuan Junfeng saw her and was instantly consumed by jealousy. Shen Guodong, formerly idle and less capable than himself, how could he deserve such a beautiful wife? The idea was intolerable.

At that moment, the flames of envy seemed to surge to his forehead as he watched the couple leave, nearly driven mad by jealousy.

Fate always favored scoundrels, not those who labored tirelessly like himself. Yuan Junfeng suddenly felt the heavens were profoundly unjust.

“Who was that? I felt his gaze was strange—did I offend him somehow?” Liu Yueyu asked Shen Guodong, puzzled.

Shen Guodong smiled, “Don’t worry about it. Maybe you dressed too beautifully today and stunned him silly.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! How could you say such a thing?” Liu Yueyu’s cheeks flushed bright red. It was her first time at Shen Guodong’s factory, and being watched by so many colleagues made her uneasy.

Shen Guodong chuckled. Work was over, and the warm, yellow lights illuminated the vast hall, which had been specially decorated and looked festive.

A red paper banner announced: “Comrade Shen Guodong’s Commendation Ceremony.”

Many people were coming forward, offering congratulations to Shen Guodong. Whether sincere or not, he was now assured of a promising future. At the very least, forging connections now would certainly bring benefits—there was no doubt about it.

Shen Guodong nodded slightly, accepting their greetings. He could hardly put on a cold face when people congratulated him.

He took his seat.

Not long after, Old Director Wang Daniu, Deputy Director Wang Chenliang, Xu Shihui, and several other department heads arrived. Director Xu immediately spotted Shen Guodong in the front row, nodded in recognition. Clearly, he had received Shen Guodong’s help; without him, whether he could sit here as a strong contender for factory director would have been highly questionable.

There was no doubt about it.

The old director stood at the podium, holding a large megaphone.

He was about to speak.

Shen Guodong sat calmly, feeling nothing special. In contrast, Liu Yueyu beside him was extremely excited.

“Relax, I think you’re more worked up than I am,” Shen Guodong said wryly.

Liu Yueyu rolled her eyes, “How could it be the same? My husband has turned over a new leaf and is being commended. That’s never happened before!”