Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 251 The Mistress Scandal

"Director Wang, Sister Li," she said, her voice filled with gratitude, yet also carrying a deliberate air of humility.

"Thank you so much! Without your help, I wouldn't have even gotten started," she said, setting the tone by giving credit to the two of them, especially Director Wang.

Then, she picked up the approval slip, her face showing just the right amount of confusion and worry, and leaned forward slightly:

"Look, I've got this permit, but... can I just take this piece of paper and go directly to... the community service center?"

She carefully repeated the name of the department that Li Xiaoli had just mentioned:

"I'm new here and completely clueless. I don't know any of the rules. I'm afraid I might do something wrong and ruin this rare opportunity."

Her gaze darted eagerly back and forth between Wang Jianguo and Li Xiaoli's faces, her posture extremely humble:

"If... if there are any things I need to pay special attention to when I go there to apply, or any... 'explanations', please remind me!"

Show me the right path, so I don't foolishly run into a wall without even knowing why!

Her words were extremely sincere, even pleading, placing her entirely in a vulnerable position.

Wang Jianguo glanced at the three small bags of tobacco on the table and said:

"Now that the approval slip has been issued, you've passed the most difficult hurdle in the process. Take it to the community service center, register and sign as required, and collect your vehicle and license plate. Theoretically, there shouldn't be any further obstacles."

He first offered reassurance, but then immediately changed the subject:

"However, those are the specific implementation and management departments, with their own set of operating rules and work habits. Our approval department only has business coordination with them and does not directly manage how they implement it."

He paused, tapping his index finger lightly on the table, as if carefully choosing his words:

"When you go, be polite, bring all the necessary materials, and keep the approval slips safe. The person in charge there may need you to fill out some additional forms or give you some specific operational instructions. Just do as they say."

He didn't explicitly say what she would encounter, but his cautious wording and suggestive pauses were enough for Xu Xiaoyan to understand that the final stop would be anything but a smooth and uneventful journey.

He accepted the three small bags of cigarettes, offering a subtle reminder but also clearly drawing a line—

I've obtained the approval slip for you. As for the specific details regarding the management office, that's another matter. That's all I can say.

At this moment, Li Xiaoli, who had been silent all along, twitched her finger.

She casually picked up the small bag of cigarettes next to the keyboard, opened the bottom drawer of her desk, put the cigarettes in, and then closed it.

After Director Wang finished speaking, she kept her eyes on the screen and replied in a calm, even tone:

"When picking up the vehicle, you need to confirm the vehicle's condition, serial number, and accompanying documents. They will give you a list to sign for."

Remember to check carefully on the spot. If there is any missing or damaged items, be sure to note it on the receipt. Otherwise, we will not be responsible for any subsequent issues.

The information she provided was very specific and practical. These were precisely the key points that newcomers are most likely to overlook and that could lead to subsequent troubles. This "guidance" was truly worth every penny.

Xu Xiaoyan nodded repeatedly, "Thank you! These are so important." Her face showed an expression of sudden realization and deep gratitude.

Having received subtle or specific reminders from the two people, Xu Xiaoyan knew that asking any more questions wouldn't yield any clearer answers and might only annoy them.

She carefully placed the approval slip aside, then bowed deeply to Wang Jianguo and Li Xiaoli respectively, her tone utterly sincere:

"Director Wang, Sister Li, thank you so much for troubling me today! I won't bother you any longer, I'll head to the management office now!"

Wang Jianguo nodded slightly and said nothing more. Li Li simply moved her fingertip on the mouse as a response.

Xu Xiaoyan turned around, the door closed behind her, and the familiar buzzing sound of the administrative hall could be faintly heard.

She stopped and didn't immediately head towards the exit. She turned back and weighed the backpack on her shoulder; it was light and almost weightless.

Now, it's empty. This "emptiness" is known only to her and the two people inside the door.

A thought suddenly seized her: Should she go to the community service center now?

Based solely on this permit slip in his pocket and this empty backpack?

No, she almost immediately rejected the idea; it was too risky.

She glanced at the digital clock hanging on the corridor wall; the time showed that nearly two hours had passed.

This "success" was largely accidental and lucky. Director Wang was willing to accept those things, and Sister Li tacitly approved of the veiled exchange of "information fees," which may be part of their "work habits."

But who can guarantee that the person in charge of dispatching vehicles and handling procedures at the community service center is also of the same "type"?

What if the person sitting over there is an upright, meticulous, and strictly rule-abiding individual?

If the other party is someone with higher "pursuits" and values ​​the display of power more than petty gains.

Will my attempt to pave the way with cigarettes and chocolates backfire and be seen as an insult or a lack of manners, given that I am just an ordinary person from the bottom of society?

Xu Xiaoyan knew all too well that when dealing with these kinds of people, sometimes being "out of sync" was more fatal than "not giving money." Giving a gift that wasn't appropriate could be worse than not giving anything at all.

Everything requires strategy; you have to "tailor your approach to the person you're dealing with," but she knows nothing about the people in the management office right now.

"We cannot fight a battle we are not prepared for," she silently repeated to herself.

She was lucky this time, running into someone who was willing to accept gifts and do things, but good luck won't last forever. Next time, facing unknown challenges, she must be prepared.

More importantly, her gaze fell once again on the empty backpack, and an almost obsessive caution welled up in her heart.

Although theoretically only the two people in the approval office should know that her backpack was empty, who would know?

Just in case, just in case, Director Wang or Sister Li accidentally see her taking something nice out of her backpack again, wouldn't that make them think she's "keeping things to herself"?

When putting on a show, you have to go all the way, especially in these convoluted and complicated situations.

Any tiny, unintentional flaw can be interpreted as having endless implications and become a reason to be harassed next time.

If the people at the management office are good at "supplies," she can always find something in her backpack that she can "casually" give as a token of her appreciation.

If the other party values ​​attitude, her prepared and unhurried demeanor can earn her some points.

Even if the other party is truly unyielding, at least she won't appear insincere because of an empty package.

With that thought in mind, she no longer hesitated and decided to return to that cramped capsule and secretly "refill" her backpack.

Xu Xiaoyan quickened her pace, almost jogging as she rushed out of the administration hall. She kept her head down, her mind racing, trying to figure out what to pack in her bag when she got back.

As she walked briskly with her head down, repeatedly considering the types of management personnel she might encounter and the corresponding strategies, she realized that...

A sharp, piercing shout, mixed with the muffled thuds of bodies colliding, suddenly erupted from the passageway ahead, abruptly interrupting her thoughts.

"I'll teach you to seduce Ah Jun! You slut! Shameless!"

"Ah—let go! You madman!"

Xu Xiaoyan paused, instinctively raising her head.

A dozen meters ahead, a sparse crowd of more than thirty people had gathered, forming an irregular circle.

In the center of the crowd, two figures were fiercely entangled, or rather, one figure was violently attacking the other.

The woman in the bright yellow cotton coat was rather sturdy, and she was practically leaning on another woman in a light gray long trench coat.

The woman in the yellow cotton coat straddled the other woman's waist and abdomen, her left hand tightly gripping the long hair of the woman in the gray trench coat, forcing the other woman's face to tilt upwards, while her right hand was clenched into a fist.

He recklessly pounded on the shoulders, chest, and even cheeks of the person beneath him.

Each strike was delivered with ferocity, accompanied by heavy breathing and gritted teeth cursing.

"I'll teach you to seduce Ah Jun! I'll teach you to seduce him! We're already engaged! You homewrecker! Did you hear me?! We're engaged!"

The woman in the gray trench coat, who was pinned underneath, was clearly at a significant disadvantage. Her trench coat was torn and tattered during the struggle, revealing a wrinkled shirt underneath.

She tried to scratch the other person's face and arms, but the difference in strength was too great, and most of the blows landed on her.

She screamed in pain, tears mixed with dust smearing her face. Her hair was being pulled, and she could only twist her body in vain, trying to throw the person off her, her words broken and fragmented:

"You...you're lying! I didn't...Ah Jun himself...ah!"

The onlookers pointed and whispered, some even taking photos with their phones.

Some people crossed their arms, their faces showing either excitement or disdain.

There were also a few older people shaking their heads and muttering something under their breath.

"Tsk tsk, she really beat them up, these days young girls..." an older woman carrying a shopping basket clicked her tongue.

"Mistresses deserve to die! They steal any man, they're shameless, they ruin other people's relationships!"

A middle-aged woman with curly hair and a thin face spoke loudly, her tone carrying a clear moral judgment and a sense of indignation that resonated with the character.

Her words immediately drew some agreement: "Exactly, she's already seducing someone's fiancé before they're even married. What will happen after they get married?"

But others held a different view. A young man in overalls, who looked like he had just finished work, scoffed and retorted:

"They're just engaged, not even legally married, so it's no big deal. It's quite frightening that they're acting like the wife and hitting people so early on."

His gaze swept across the fierce face of the woman in the yellow cotton coat, with a hint of disdain.

"You can't say that. There's an order to relationships too. Engagement is a serious commitment," the curly-haired woman immediately retorted.