Her mother in the Song family had been incredibly strict with her, pushing her to excel in both academics and the arts. As a result, she had been a model child her entire life, the one all the other parents compared their kids to. After graduating from high school, she joined the factory’s cultural troupe, where her solid skills immediately made her the star performer. Her fame knew no bounds.

You could say that while some people in the factory might not recognize or even know who the director was, it was absolutely impossible for anyone not to know or recognize her!

Even the employees at the associated work units around the Zhaoyang Clothing Factory knew her name; it was famous.

The enemy of all women and the goddess of all men—that was the Song Ruoyun of the past. She was truly an untouchable cloud in the sky.

Likewise, in an era with little entertainment, where people subsisted on a diet of gossip, the news of the Song Family’s reunion had spread like wildfire. Plenty of people were secretly waiting to see her become a laughingstock.

Just a moment ago, Song Huie had deliberately shouted that he was having her removed from the family registry. Half the building had heard him!

Without the Song Family to act as her shield, wasn’t she now just a poor thing that anyone could step all over?

Xia Zhaoyun said calmly, "I need a salary advance to see a doctor. I suppose you’re going to tell me to see the doctor first and then come back with a medical report to get the advance, is that it, comrade?"

"If you knew that, why did you even bother asking?" the woman scoffed. "If everyone disregarded the rules like you, this factory would descend into chaos!"

Xia Zhaoyun nodded. "Fine. In that case, I’ll just go ask the head of the finance department when it became policy that a hardworking employee can’t even get an advance on half a month’s salary for an emergency."

"Is someone here abusing their minor authority, or is someone deliberately making things difficult for a colleague to settle a personal score?"

"Don’t lecture me about rules. It’s better to avoid making a scene that will make everyone look bad."

"Besides, I’ve got nothing to lose right now."

There wasn’t a trace of panic or timidity on her face. With her chin held high, she still looked like the pampered young lady of the Song Family.

Her direct, unambiguous words made everyone’s faces flush red.

Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. They were used to treating people differently based on their status. Each of them had some minor connections and knew how to tread the line. As long as they didn’t go too far, they never got into trouble.

But Xia Zhaoyun refused to play by their rules. She ignored procedure and focused on their past behavior. It was as if she’d decided to go for broke, determined to drag a few of them down with her rather than just wait for the Song Family to make her life miserable and get her fired.

They were all the type to bully the weak and fear the strong, people who hated getting involved in trouble. Naturally, none of them wanted to be her sacrificial lamb.

"Oh, dear! Come over here, little comrade. What’s wrong? Will half a month’s salary be enough?" A woman at the next desk, who had been cracking melon seeds, immediately stood up with a smile, pulling Xia Zhaoyun over and speaking in a hushed voice.

She took out a form and scribbled on it, repeatedly reminding her, "We can actually advance up to six months’ salary. I’m just pulling some strings for you since I see it’s an emergency. You can’t tell anyone else, you hear?"

"It could affect the factory’s production quotas, otherwise..."

Xia Zhaoyun hummed in acknowledgment. She took the twenty-five yuan and a few ration tickets, counted the money carefully before putting it in her pocket, and watched as the woman corrected her personal information on the records.

As she reached the door, she glanced back at everyone with a smirk.

"See? We could have done this from the start. Why’d you have to make me drag your dignity through the mud first? What was the point?"

"I’m not part of the Song Family anymore, but I’m definitely not someone you can just push around!"

"They say it’s better to offend a gentleman than a petty person. Well, I’m that petty person. And I’ve always believed in getting my revenge as soon as possible."

"After all, I’m the kind of monster who would push her own sister down a flight of stairs."

Everyone was speechless.

’How infuriating! Couldn’t she just have left after getting what she wanted? But no, she had to say all that, and her threats were terrifyingly convincing. What were we thinking, jumping out to kick her while she was down before the Song Family had even completely cut her off? This girl had been surrounded by admirers her whole life. Besides her fall from grace over Song Zhenbao, when had she ever lost a fight?’

They all decided then and there to stay far, far away from her in the future.

After leaving the office building, Xia Zhaoyun brought her hand out from behind her back. It was covered in a dense network of cuts, with tiny glass shards firmly embedded in the flesh. Any uneven pressure sent sharp, piercing pain through it.

Blood trickled out, slow and steady, like a stream blocked by rocks or a faucet that hadn’t been fully turned off. Drop by drop, it flowed.

The thick, cloying, metallic scent of it filled the warm air. The corners of her lips curled into a faint smile. She glanced around before heading toward the hospital.

Xia Zhaoyun went to the surgical department to have the wounds on her hand treated. She obtained an official injury assessment from the head physician, which stated in no uncertain terms that glass shards had lacerated the tendons. This would lead to permanent impairment in the mobility of her finger joints, preventing her from using them with any force.