Chapter 13 Was she too willful back then?

After returning from shopping at the department store, Tang Mingmei only remembered that she needed to go to the educated youth office to register after being reminded by someone. She stomped her feet in frustration.

Although it was only a one-day delay, she was still anxious.

With so many educated youth returning to the city, reporting a day earlier would allow them to queue up for jobs a day earlier.

Even though she made the mistake herself, she couldn't help but blame her parents and complain that they didn't remind her.

Li Hongzhen felt wronged, because no one had ever told her that educated youth returning to the city should report to the educated youth office as soon as possible.

But she couldn't bear to contradict her daughter, so she turned to blaming her husband.

“What kind of father are you? You can’t even remember something so important, making your daughter miss her registration today.”

Tang Jianguo was stunned for a moment. Although he knew about this, he was busy with work and too excited about his daughter's return to the city, so he was so immersed in the joy of his daughter's return that he forgot about it.

He apologized to his daughter with a look of regret: "It was my oversight. I've been too busy with work these past few days and forgot about it." After apologizing, he comforted her: "It's okay, we can go tomorrow."

Tang Mingmei couldn't listen to any of this now. With red eyes, she said, "Do you know how hard it is to work these days? You don't know how many more people you'll have to wait in line for every extra day."

That's true, Tang Jianguo couldn't refute it. He could only comfort his daughter: "It's already like this, there's nothing we can do if we're anxious. Let's just wait patiently. Anyway, your parents can support you. Just stay at home and relax."

Unexpectedly, these words stung Tang Mingmei, stirring up unpleasant memories of her past life. She suddenly flew into a rage, shouting, "Even if you're willing to support me, I don't want to be stuck at home as a useless piece of trash."

She'd had enough of being a useless person; in this life, she was determined to work and shine in her job.

The brilliance of Tang Mingli in her previous life, and her own inadequacy, are thorns that can never be erased from her heart.

Tang Jianguo and Li Hong were stunned by their daughter's reaction, and after the initial shock came a heart-wrenching pain.

I don't know what my daughter has gone through these past two years in the countryside that has caused her temper to become like this. She's always had a bad temper, but never to this extent.

The couple couldn't sleep, tossing and turning in bed because of their daughter.

It was late at night, and Li Hong felt that it wouldn't matter if she didn't sleep, but her husband had to go to work the next day, and if he didn't get enough rest, he was likely to make mistakes at work.

She nudged her husband: "Go to sleep, you have to go to work when you wake up."

Tang Jianguo knew this, but the ferocious look on his daughter's face tonight was truly horrifying to him.

He opened his eyes and stared at the dark ceiling, asking his wife, "Why did Mingmei react so strongly?"

It's not like two years ago anymore. Even if work can't be arranged for them in the short term, they won't go to the countryside. Logically, there shouldn't be such a strong reaction.

Li Hong thought for a moment and said with some annoyance, "Maybe it's because I went to the Fu family today and saw that Mingli was doing well, and that made me feel bad."

Perhaps we shouldn't have gone to the Fu family's house today; my daughter started acting strangely as soon as we arrived.

Two years ago, my daughter gave up on the Fu family and chose a different path. Two years later, she discovered that those who took that path were doing very well, while she herself was nothing. It's no wonder she was so upset.

Tang Jianguo thought it was possible and scolded his wife: "Are you confused? How could you take her to the Fu family as soon as you got back?"

Knowing the Fu family's circumstances and theirs, even a man in his fifties can be agitated sometimes, let alone his daughter who has just returned from the countryside.

Li Hong said aggrievedly, "Mingmei wanted to go herself."

"If she wants to go, couldn't you stop her?"

Hearing her husband's harsh tone, Li Hong also became furious: "How could I stop her? She's a grown man, do you think I'd break her legs?"

Even so, Tang Jianguo still felt it was his wife's fault.

"He always says how smart he is, but he has no idea how to deal with his daughter."

Li Hong, feeling mocked, simply sat up and said, "I have no choice. If you have a way, why don't you do it yourself? If you could solve my daughter's job problem, I guarantee she wouldn't do this again."

These words left Tang Jianguo speechless.

There was another reason my daughter reacted so strongly, which I knew very well: it's difficult to find work these days.

A coworker in the same factory has a son who has been back for half a year, but he still hasn't been given a job.

Ultimately, it's his incompetence as a father that's the root of the problem.

If he could have secured a job for his daughter, he wouldn't have had to go to the countryside two years ago.

The heartbroken father fell silent.

The couple were in great pain and only managed to close their eyes briefly as dawn approached.

In fact, it wasn't just them; Tang Mingmei in the other room also didn't sleep much. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Tang Mingli's delicate and fair face.

What exactly is wrong with all of this?

Why is it so different from what she thought?

Did she underestimate Tang Mingli's adaptability?

Reason told her that this was true, but emotionally she was unwilling to accept it.

If she can't adapt to the Fu family, why should Tang Mingli be able to?

It's too difficult for Tang Mingmei to admit that she's inferior to others. She firmly believes there must be other reasons, but she doesn't know them yet.

Only after convincing myself did I manage to close my eyes for a short while.

The next day, Tang Jianguo got up early because he had to go to work.

I had just finished washing up when I saw my daughter get up too.

There's no such thing as a grudge that lasts overnight between a father and daughter; yesterday's unpleasantness was long forgotten after a good night's sleep.

He asked his daughter with a smile, "Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

Tang Mingmei's voice wasn't very energetic because she hadn't slept enough: "I want to go to the educated youth office as soon as possible."

Tang Jianguo responded with an "oh," his heart clenching slightly, but he didn't show it.

"I'll take you there on my bicycle."

Tang Mingmei thought this was a good thing, since it was quite a distance from her home to the educated youth office, and it would take more than half an hour to walk there.

She quickly washed up and went out with her father.

Sitting on her father's old bicycle again, Tang Mingmei felt as if she had been transported to another world.

How long has it been since she last rode on the back of her father's bicycle?

Tang Jianguo shared the same sentiment, as if by telepathy, asking Tang Mingmei what she was feeling.

"How long has it been since you last rode on the back of your dad's bicycle?"

It was called a question, but it was actually a question and answer to myself.

Before Tang Mingmei could speak, he answered himself: "Two years and three months."

He remembered clearly that the last time he rode his bicycle with his daughter was to take her to the train station.

The bus carried her and dozens of other young people from the city to a remote village.

When the exact time came out, Tang Mingmei almost burst into tears.

Her father remembered the days she spent in the countryside so clearly.

Was she too willful back then?

Two years ago, she chose to go to the countryside with the intention of being able to go to university in two years. She firmly believed that she would be able to leave, so she was not too sad when she went to the countryside.

But what the parents didn't know was that many educated youth stayed in the countryside for seven or eight years, with no end in sight for their return journey. For them, it meant not knowing when their only daughter would be able to come home.

They must have felt incredibly desperate back then.

Thinking of all this, Tang Mingmei suddenly felt a strong sense of guilt.

She really oversimplified everything back then.

But if she could do it all over again, and had to choose between going to the countryside and marrying into the Fu family, she would still choose to go to the countryside.

Going to the countryside at least offered hope, while marrying into the Fu family would only lead to a tragic end.

With mixed feelings, Tang Mingmei went to the educated youth office.

Tang Jianguo parked his bicycle, gave some instructions out of concern, and then took out twenty yuan from his pocket.

"After you finish reporting, if you want to wander around, go ahead and buy whatever you want."

Tang Mingmei took the twenty yuan her father handed her, biting her lower lip tightly in distress.

Without a doubt, this twenty yuan must have been saved up by my father over a long period of time.

"I'm leaving." Tang Jianguo patted his daughter's shoulder lightly, got on his bicycle, and rode away.

If he didn't have to go to work, he really wanted to stay and help his daughter finish her business.

Tang Mingmei watched her father's departing figure, clenching her fists.

The sharp edges of the banknotes stung her palms, but they also reminded her that she must have a job and earn her own money in this life.

Taking a deep breath and calming herself, Tang Mingmei turned and went into the office for educated youth.

The staff at the educated youth office had obviously just arrived; some were making tea, others were getting newspapers.

Seeing Tang Mingmei arrive so early, one of the older staff members asked, "Are you back in the city to report for duty?"

Actually, you don't need to ask him to be sure.

People who have lived in the countryside for a long time can tell the difference at a glance.

Tang Mingmei nodded and said that she had returned to the city the day before yesterday.

The staff member nodded, slowly picked up the steaming teacup, took a few careful sips, then took out a stack of documents from the drawer, flipped through a few pages, and unfolded them.

Please fill in your personal information.

Tang Mingmei picked up the pen on the table and filled in her personal information according to the form requirements.

Only after doing all this did he ask, "When can I start working?"

The staff member chuckled as if they had heard a big joke, but still managed to reply: "We can arrange it when it's your turn. Go home and wait."

Tang Mingmei was furious, but dared not retaliate.

If you offend the people in the educated youth office, it will be even more difficult to arrange a job.

She could only suppress her anger and ask, "How long will it take?"

"How long will it take?" The staff member flipped back a few pages of the form she had just filled out to show her: "These are all people waiting in line. How long do you think it will take?"

Tang Mingmei almost fainted.

The employment situation after returning to the city was far more severe than she had imagined.

After thanking the staff, Tang Mingmei left the educated youth office with a heavy heart.

She wandered aimlessly, occasionally a bicycle sped past her.

She knew that these people were all rushing to work.

I'm so envious, so envious of those people who can go to work.

If I really have to wait in line according to that registration list, when will it ever be my turn?

Tang Mingmei realized that she couldn't just sit idly by and wait for her to go back to work.

She thought of Li Dazhu, who had returned to the city some time before her; his job should have been arranged by now.

The news of my return to the city came too suddenly, and since I thought it was Li Dazhu's help that allowed me to return so quickly, I didn't even have time to write him a letter.

He probably doesn't know he's back in the city yet.

Perhaps you can contact him about work arrangements.

Where does he live again?

Tang Mingmei tried hard to recall.

He clearly told me his home address when we were in the countryside, and I also read the letters he and his friends sent me, so why can't I remember it at all now?

Tang Mingmei was extremely annoyed by her carelessness and angrily slapped her head.

Stop being so dense, think quickly.