Chapter 25: The Arrogant Female Officer

"Second Brother, listen to me," Chen Geng pressed Zhang Xiangyang into the chair, looking into his eyes with sincerity, "Second Brother, thank you for thinking so much about me. Having you as a brother, I really feel that my life is worth it, really."

"But..."

"This arrangement isn't because the factory leaders are bullying me; I volunteered to go to the Third Industry Office."

"What?!" Zhang Xiangyang almost jumped out of his chair, staring at Chen Geng in surprise, "Third Brother, are you crazy? The Third Industry Office is a pit that everyone tries to avoid. Are you out of your mind to jump into it? Is your brain broken?"

Although Zhang Xiangyang's reaction was still intense, his mood clearly calmed down a lot after learning that Chen Geng had volunteered for the Third Industry Office.

"Trust me, I've thought it through. Come, have a cigarette, and I'll explain it to you slowly." Chen Geng took out a pack of Zhonghua and stuffed it into Zhang Xiangyang's hand, then pulled a chair to sit opposite him.

"Hey... another Zhonghua," Zhang Xiangyang looked at the cigarette in his hand and gave a bitter smile, then raised his head to look at Chen Geng seriously, "Go on, I'm listening."

"Second Brother, let's not talk about other things. Just consider this: with so many leaders in our factory, even the head of the union is a deputy factory manager. Where else could I go as a deputy factory manager besides the Third Industry Office? It wouldn't be appropriate for those elders who we call 'Uncle' and 'Aunt' to make way for a newcomer like me, right?" Chen Geng spread his hands and asked Zhang Xiangyang.

Zhang Xiangyang subconsciously shrank his neck: making way for a junior like him would indeed be inappropriate. However, he still felt a bit reluctant and said, "That's true, but as a graduate of Huqing University, you shouldn't go to the Third Industry Office..."

"I'm also the deputy leader of the carburetor task force, right? The Third Industry Office is just a place for me to practice," Chen Geng said with a smile, "And you only see the problems with the Third Industry Office. Have you considered the benefits of me going there?"

"I really don't see any benefits in that place," Zhang Xiangyang said irritably.

Seeing Zhang Xiangyang's reaction, Chen Geng knew that his second brother was already convinced, but he still had some pride to maintain. Young people are like that; it would be fine in a while.

"There are many benefits. For example, all the profits from the main factory go to the military district, but the Third Industry Office only gives 20% to the main factory, and the rest is all theirs. Isn't that a benefit?"

Zhang Xiangyang pursed his lips and said disdainfully, "That's only a benefit if you can make money. The Third Industry Office is in such a mess. Even if the factory leaders agree to give you all the profits, what good is it if you can't make money?"

"Who said I can't make money?" Chen Geng smiled mysteriously.

"If you could make money, would it be your turn?" Zhang Xiangyang, not noticing Chen Geng's mysterious smile, said, "Third Brother, I'm not looking down on you, but so many experienced people can't make money. How can you?"

"Actually, I can make money."

"Why? Just because you?"

"Because I will have full control over the Third Industry Office."

"What kind of benefit is that?" Zhang Xiangyang looked at Chen Geng with a "Are you kidding me?" expression and said disdainfully, "Isn't that the case in any factory's Third Industry Office or labor service company?"

"No, Second Brother, you don't understand. For a large collective enterprise, having such independent operating rights is extremely rare," Chen Geng wanted to explain to Zhang Xiang, but seeing his impatient face, he immediately thought it was a foolish idea to explain this to him. "Forget it, I'll explain it to you later... You promised to help me at the Third Industry Office. Does that still count? I need to tell you now that you'll be running sales, with no salary, only commission."

Zhang Xiangyang felt his dignity was insulted. I, Zhang Xiangyang, have always been a man of my word, and now you, Chen Lao San, are doubting my credit? His face turned red instantly: "Third Brother, what do you mean? When have I ever broken my word?"

"Alright, since you keep your word, come with me to the Political Department of the military district tomorrow."

"What? The Political Department of the military district?" Zhang Xiangyang, who was just ready to teach Chen Geng a lesson, immediately became timid and stammered, "Go... go to the Political Department of the military district for what?"

"Why so many questions? You'll know when we get there."

"Then... can I not go? That place makes me nervous."

"Coward! What happened to the courage you showed when you confronted the factory leaders with a stick? Don't tell me you're just a paper tiger."

"Who... who said I'm a paper tiger? It's just... just going to the Political Department of the military district, right? I've been there before, so... so let's go..." The poor guy said he wasn't afraid, but his legs were already trembling.

Chen Geng really didn't have the heart to ask him: If you're not afraid, why are you stuttering?

...

Although Chen Geng was the deputy factory manager in charge of the Third Industry Office, he still enjoyed some privileges and benefits that only deputy factory managers could have. For example, he easily borrowed a "Black Crow" from the factory... although the light motorcycle that Chen Hongjun had used to pick him up from the train station a week ago had already been repaired.

The two-stroke small gasoline engine made a crisp "tutu" sound, with a light blue smoke trailing behind as it sped to the Political Department.

Chen Geng was very low-key. He just wanted Deputy Political Commissar Li Xueshan to help him with a small favor, planning to come and go quietly. However, he clearly underestimated his influence in the military district, or he didn't realize that a high-caliber graduate from Huqing University volunteering to go to a subordinate military maintenance factory would cause such a stir in the military district.

"Third Brother, what's wrong with these people? Why are they all looking at us with such strange eyes?" Zhang Xiangyang, who had been timid since they entered the military district, felt uncomfortable and pulled on Chen Geng's clothes to ask quietly.

"Let me correct you, they're not looking at you, but at me," Chen Geng tried hard not to laugh and said with a serious face, "So don't flatter yourself."

"What?" Zhang Xiangyang was stunned and didn't react for a moment.

"Can't you see it? Of course, it's because I'm handsome. Do you know that in foreign countries, people use credit cards to buy things?"

"Uh... uh..." Zhang Xiangyang nodded, then shook his head, looking confused: He had heard from Chen Geng that foreigners use credit cards to buy things, but what does that have to do with you being handsome?

"Because I'm so handsome that if I were in a foreign country, I wouldn't need to use a credit card to buy things in a mall; I could just use my face." The person said with a shameless and self-congratulatory tone.

"Ha... I've never seen anyone with such a thick face," a light laugh came from behind Chen Geng, "I think it's not that you're handsome enough to use a credit card, but that your face is thick enough to block cannonballs."

"Who?" Chen Geng instinctively turned his head.

The next moment, a female officer in military uniform, at least 1.7 meters tall, with short hair, and about 20 years old, appeared before Chen Geng's eyes.

Damn!

At least 85 points!

Compared to this, her military uniform with four pockets on the upper body seemed less noticeable.

Although the military is a place dominated by men, there are still "female soldiers" in the military. However, female soldiers in the People's Republic of China are a relatively special group. They might be cultural soldiers, medical soldiers, or even communication soldiers, but it is rare to see female soldiers engaged in administrative work in the military district.

No, it's not just rare; it's almost non-existent. Chen Geng had stayed in the National Defense Department for nearly half a month, and even in such an institution, the ratio of female soldiers and female officers was pitifully low. The entire National Defense Department had only about ten female officers, including the battalion-level typist Aunt Dong. Now, he encountered a female soldier in the Political Department of the military district? It felt like... could you imagine a deer suddenly appearing in a pack of wolves?

"Who are you?" Before Chen Geng could speak, the female officer scrutinized him with a suspicious look, "Why haven't I seen you before?"

"I haven't seen you either," Chen Geng looked at her without hesitation, equally wary, "Comrade, are you new here?"

If she were new, Chen Geng could probably bluff his way through it, but the female officer's eyebrows shot up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, "You're the new one. I know everyone in the Political Department. Why have I never seen you?"

Sweat, he couldn't bluff his way through it. Chen Geng felt a bit ashamed: Even a little girl couldn't be fooled.

"Normal, because I'm not from the Political Department."

This statement was fine, but combined with the sarcastic expression on Chen Geng's face, which seemed to say, "Are you stupid? Don't you understand such a simple truth?" the impact was doubled, and the spirited female officer was about to lose her temper.

As we mentioned earlier, the military, a place almost entirely dominated by men, has female soldiers as rare as pandas. Even in places like the Political Department and the Command Department, female soldiers and female officers are extremely rare. If there is one, even if she looks like a plain woman, she is treated like a treasure. How much more so for a female officer who could score 85 points?

"You... you..." The female officer's chest heaved, and she looked ready to explode.

But Chen Geng suddenly stood at attention, saluted, and said loudly, "Comrade, good day!"