Taoqi

"Did you hear? That new Director at the Ministry of Development's Defense Division doesn't let anything get past her!" This rumor spread quickly through Jinzhou, soon becoming the city's hot topic.

The Ministry of Development ordered a batch of materials intended for the construction of a new defense line, but one container was filled with unlabeled, subpar goods. To complicate the matter even more, the batch had three different manufacturers, none willing to take responsibility for the defect.

"Director Taoqi, you have to help us sort this out. The Ministry of Development can't just accuse innocent people!"

The three representatives said, their voices growing louder in an attempt to attract more attention.

Taoqi calmly navigated through the commotion, while softly putting off the noisy representatives. "Alright, alright, I understand," even though she wasn't really paying attention to their complaints. She then crouched down to inspect the unlabeled container. After examining a few pieces of materials for a while, Taoqi seemed to have an idea. In a casual tone, she turned to the three representatives and said, "But it seems one of you is lying. Or perhaps, all three of you are."

After that, Taoqi and her junior, Xiaoyu, discreetly visited three manufacturing factories. They gathered clues about the machinery, transportation routes used that evening, and delivery schedules. With this information, Taoqi was able to solve the puzzle and ensure those who had been deceitful would face consequences.

Within days, rumors spread throughout the city. One of the three representatives was interrogated by Director Taoqi of the Ministry of Development. Then, news surfaced about another representative being caught, followed by the final one. Eventually, Jinzhou News broke a story revealing their collusion in supplying substandard materials. The public was left stunned, while only Taoqi and Xiaoyu knew the truth.

"I know! It-it's the typical prisoner's dilemma! You brought one of them in for a 'private talk' first, then you made sure the other two knew what happened. All of this was meant to put pressure on them so they'd betray and tell on each other, right? But how did you know they were all lying?"

"People can lie, but machines can't. Each factory has its unique machine specifications. The answer was already clear when I examined those materials. Oh well... it did cost me several lunch breaks." Taoqi complained as she pulled her sleep mask down, determined to make up for those lost breaks.

"Ugh... another workday."

With a reluctant sigh, Taoqi struggled to crawl out of her cozy cocoon of blankets, setting her eyes on the slowly rising sun over Jinzhou. For her, it marked the beginning of another ordinary day.

The streets were bustling with breakfast stalls and the working crowd was already queuing up. Some left money and snatched a bag of buns in a hurry to get to work. No need for stall owners to raise their voices, everyone was eager for a quick bite before heading off.

Jinzhou, after a good night's rest, sprang to life again.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Taoqi emerged at a leisurely pace. Her sleep mask was still worn on her forehead, and she was yawning from time to time, looking as if she hadn't fully woken up yet.

"Hmm... which line should I join?"

Rubbing her eyes, Taoqi sized up each stall and silently counted, "Three, two, one..."

Upon completing her counting, the person at the front of the queue left with a bag of freshly baked buns in hand.

Taoqi seemed to be counting the time needed to steam buns at each stall. After checking the time and the number of people in the queues, she made her decision.

"Hmm... Great. Bet I won't be late today."

Taoqi gently tapped one hand against the other on a tempo to track the time. As the queue inched forward, she noticed that her tempo of "three, two, one" was slightly ahead of the queue's progress.

"Oh? Looks like I might not make it on time, after all."

Taoqi was determined to clock in on time, but her counting didn't match the queue's progress. She checked her tapping speed and confirmed it was accurate. Was the stall owner slowing down? She cautiously observed them, their hands moving in a blur. Confused, she couldn't figure out the reason for the inconsistency. Time was ticking, and she really needed to get to work on time.

"I see. This must be the issue?"

After a while, her attention was drawn to a child's pinwheel and then back to the stove, where a large hole allowed the wind to spread the fire. But the vendor didn't seem to notice.

Taoqi left the queue, grabbed a box, and shielded the fire from the wind.

"Excuse me, young lady, what are you doing?"

"Just trying to not be late!"

Taoqi explained with a satisfied grin as she returned to her original place in the queue. However, it seemed she would have to queue up again.

"Oh my, I'm definitely going to be late now."

Despite Taoqi's lazy appearance, as if she could nod off anytime, Taoqi is consistently flawless in all she does.

"Do you think Ms. Taoqi has fallen asleep again?" New recruits at the Ministry of Development frequently share these doubts. In such situations, colleagues who are familiar with Taoqi always assure them that she is indeed a very dependable leader.

"Ms. Taoqi, I'm sorry to bother you, but I've been trying to optimize this construction plan for quite a while, yet I'm still stumped..." In her spare time, Taoqi often finds herself caught by young colleagues seeking her advice.

"Hmm... it's getting late. Let's call it a day for now. Let's go for a walk. I heard there's a new restaurant with great food. Want to check it out?"

"Uh, p-pardon please?" Her Juniors often struggle to keep up with her abrupt topic changes.

Taoqi rarely tells anyone what to do. She believes in letting people work it out themselves.

She brought her bewildered junior to a busy street market, the same one she helped improve for easier community access and better city planning. Taoqi urged him to observe everything on their stroll: the sights, sounds, and tastes of the street. She explained that by paying attention to the locals and their conversations, they could uncover hidden issues that really needs addressing. The junior thanked Taoqi with a grateful smile, having realized her intention. Taoqi smiled warmly in return.

Taoqi is everyone's "reliable big sister", both in work and in everyday life.

"Ms. Taoqi, please..."

A certain storage space, once Taoqi's private nap haven, has been transformed into a comfortable "chat room" with a cozy sofa, perfect table, and delicious tea. Her junior colleagues now often come for her consultation during their free time.

Taoqi lounged lazily on the sofa, listening patiently to her juniors as they opened up about their worries.

"You know what? The housing prices here have risen again!"

"Indeed it has."

"Gotta work harder to repay the mortgage, but the thought of this stresses me out so much. I feel deflated..."

"Same here..."

"Sigh... Time flies by so fast. It's about time to go back to work..."

Perhaps this chatroom's popularity simply stems from it being a place for young people to spill their troubles and find solace in each other.

As for Taoqi, she only needs to be a patient listener, understanding their worries and offering advice when appropriate to gently lighten their burdens.

Taoqi endured unfounded ill wills for her slowness as a child. But luckily, she met some friends who accepted and defended her.

Growing up, they were inseparable. But as adults, their paths diverged. The eldest joined the Midnight Rangers and is now stationed on the frontlines; the second became a teacher in a remote town, nurturing the next generation; the youngest became a travel writer who is constantly on the go.

Despite their different careers, they always come back to their hometown. Taoqi, the second youngest of the group who stayed in Jinzhou, is their go-to for meetups and farewells.

As they wait for her one more time, someone brings up her name and catches the attention of other diners. It seems she's quite well-known here.

"Oh really? Are you talking about Ms. Taoqi?"

"I thought Ms. Taoqi had always been a laid-back person?"

"Yeah, it's true. But she's changed a lot since she was little! Remember how she used to follow us around everywhere? Now, she seems so chill all the time. It's crazy. She used to get lost and cry about being left behind."

"She was even bullied..."

"Really? I can't believe Ms. Taoqi went through that..."

"Haha, bet you can't. And that's when we, her dear friends, stepped in. We kicked some serious butt for her!"

"Wow... what did Ms. Taoqi do, then?"

"Erm... She provided backup? Like, telling their parents, negotiating compensation and stuff."

"She had a sharp eye for gathering useful information... like she could quickly identify the weaknesses of the people we were up against."

"Oh well... She was like a little sister to me. I always tried to protect her, but one day I learned she had been quietly protecting us all along with her wisdom and sharp eye. It hit me right in the feels."

"She's grown a lot. Though she still does everything slowly, she seems more confident now."

"Wow, that's so Ms. Taoqi! I knew she was always trustworthy!"

"Huh? Weren't we trying to tell you a different side of her?"

The old friends all burst out in laughter.

"Whew, good afternoon, everyone. What were you all talking about? Having a good chat, I see."

"We've been waiting for you. Overslept your nap again, huh? You'll have to treat us for being late to this precious reunion!"

"We were talking about you..."

Taoqi sat down, groggily rubbing her eyes,"Is that something fun? Tell me all about it."

Work is work and life is life; maintaining a clear boundary between the two is essential for everything to function.

Taoqi has always lived by this principle, and nothing in Jinzhou can stop her from leaving work on time.

The Ministry of Development is a busy place, people constantly coming and going, rushing through their tasks. In the midst of chaos, Taoqi's soft voice can always calm the storm. Amidst flipping papers, it brings peace and slows the pace.

“It's quitting time. Time to head home.”

“Please wait a moment, Ms. Taoqi. We have a newly issued document that requires your attention.”

“Well, let me take a look... Doesn't seem urgent. I'll deal with it tomorrow.”

After work, Taoqi has her unique way of “relaxation”. For her, “relaxation” can come in various forms — from a good sleep to a casual stroll.

As Taoqi walks home, she enjoys strolling through the streets of Jinzhou and chatting with its residents. She loves hearing stories from elders about the city's history and having lighthearted conversations with children that remind her of the hope within Jinzhou. This way of relaxation helps her become better connected to the city she lives in and also contributes to her work.

Once in the past, the Midnight Rangers were always struggling to defend against surprise attacks from the Tacet Discords. With such extensive frontlines, it was nearly impossible to detect every breach and they were constantly vulnerable. So, they turned to Taoqi for help.

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed, Taoqi took a break on a swing nearby. As she watched children playing in a sandpit, an idea came to her - just like how they filled the gaps in their sandcastles, they could also fill the gaps in the frontlines. She proposed building a sand wall at the frontline during Tacet Discord assaults. This would shorten the frontlines and limit the attack paths for the enemy. With fewer spots to defend, the Midnight Rangers would have more time to assess each attack and respond accordingly based on the varying frequencies caused by sand deformation. Thanks to Taoqi's clever thinking, they were able to better protect themselves against attacks and gain some much-needed breathing room on the frontlines.

According to Taoqi, staring at a desk all day leads to monotony and disconnect from reality. So she seeks alternative methods for efficiency. It's in her free time that she stumbles upon unexpected guidance and inspiration through serendipitous encounters.