After listening to his brother and sister-in-law's words, Lu Shuqi felt enlightened!

"Wenye, Weiguo, I'm planning to apply for a permanent position in Shanghai. Can you help me analyze it?" After dinner, Lu Shuqi returned to her dormitory and asked her two friends for help.

"I've made up my mind. This job is tough. I have to travel back and forth several times a year, a long journey. It's not easy," Wang Wen also pointed out the drawbacks.

“Exactly, we still have to run orders ourselves, and it’s not easy in Shanghai,” Qian Weiguo added.

“I know, I’ve thought about it. Even though it’s a hassle to travel back and forth every year and I can’t transfer my household registration back, I still want to fight for it.” Thinking of his mother’s tears, Lu Shuqi’s determination strengthened.

“I’m an only child, and my parents are always worried about me going to the countryside. They know my brother is here, but they’re still concerned. If it works out, it’s just a matter of making a few more trips, but it’s worth it.” This way, I can spend more time with my parents and put their minds at ease.

“Now that we’ve made the decision, we can’t just stand by and watch.” Wang Wen also felt that the chess and calligraphy had obvious advantages. He had played with it once before, and his cousin-in-law was the biggest draw.

"You just need to prepare well for the interview, nothing else matters. We've been busy for so long, it wasn't for nothing." Qian Weiguo felt that Shuqi was fine; he was the most diligent among them, he was the one who took all the notes, and he knew all the practical information.

With the support and affirmation of her friends, Lu Shuqi is more confident and full of energy!

The three little ones are full of energy and confidence!

Director Chu is going crazy!

Ever since the decision was made to send two educated youths to be stationed in Shanghai, these educated youths have gone crazy, desperately trying to get these two spots.

Those who lack ability try to rely on connections, while those who are overconfident want to be absolutely certain of success—none of them will ever stop.

It was another day off, and Lu Shurui took Pingping and An'an to tidy up the vegetable garden.

Next door, Sister Yixian came over carrying her baby and leading her older child. "Yu Yin, I've come over to talk to you for a bit." Su Yixian, looking sullen, pushed open the door and came in.

"Auntie, is Ping'an safe and sound?" Chu Chen ran over first and stopped a meter away from Yu Yin. His parents had repeatedly emphasized that he shouldn't run around in front of Aunt Yu Yin.

"Chenchen's here, perfect timing. Your Uncle Lu is tending to the vegetable garden with Ping'an and An'an. You and Yangyang can go help," Yu Yin said loudly, patting the little guy's head so that Chu Yang behind her could hear her.

"Okay, Auntie, I'm very capable." After saying that, she turned and ran away.

Chu Yang, who was behind, also changed direction and slowly followed behind his younger brother.

"Sister Yixian, quickly put the child in the bamboo bed." This is the one Ping'an used when she was little. It's quite sturdy and hasn't broken even after several years!

Su Yixian quickly put her youngest child inside, and surprisingly, it was quite nice. The child could play freely inside, and since there was a fence, he wasn't afraid to climb around.

"You still have such good stuff at home!" Su Yixian exclaimed, her arms now free.

"This was made by Ping An when she was little. I'd left it there for ages and completely forgotten about it. A few days ago, Lu Shurui was looking for something and found it. He took it out and saw that it wasn't broken." Yu Yin really admired the old man; his craftsmanship was top-notch.

"Sister Yixian, what's wrong? You look so depressed?" Yu Yin looked at Su Yixian, who was listless and looked exhausted. What happened?

Su Yixian finally found a chance to chat with someone; otherwise, she would go crazy.

"Yu Yin, you have no idea what I've been through these past few days." Once the topic started, it was like a dam bursting; there was no stopping it. "Because of that Shanghai office they're setting up, those people are really going to any lengths, using all sorts of tricks, their morals have completely collapsed..."

Catching her breath, Su Yixian continued, "My brother Chu is always on high alert, even when he's out walking. You never know when a woman might faint in front of him! Or there are those self-satisfied girls who think they're incredibly beautiful and hint to your brother Chu that they'll do anything if he chooses her."

Su Yixian picked up her water glass and took a sip, her mouth dry from talking.

Yu Yin never expected that someone would use staged accidents so skillfully at this time. No wonder people in later generations often complained, "It's not that old people have become bad, it's that bad people have grown old!"

Putting down her water glass, Su Yixian continued, "Not only are there female educated youths causing trouble at your Brother Chu's place, but there are also male educated youths coming to me to make their presence known, hoping I'll whisper sweet nothings in their ear!"

"There's such a thing? Brother Chu must be furious!" Yu Yin was too surprised. Everyone knew how much Director Chu of the Revolutionary Committee cared about his wife.

Is this person out of their mind to come up with this idea?

"That's right, he was so angry he didn't even get a break today. He went to his workplace to post notices that there's an exam tomorrow." Su Yixian couldn't help but laugh when she thought of Comrade Chu Jianguo's dark face this morning.

"The whole thing has turned into chaos and turmoil over these two spots. Your dad hasn't been around lately, has he? It's even worse at their military farm; there's been a lot of backstabbing, framing, and even injuries."

Su Yixian could understand. In order to escape this place and return to the city, she wanted to seize this rare opportunity.

"Although it's an office, and they're stationed here permanently, their household registration, files, and relationships are still registered with the former educated youth office. It's just that the people have gone back."

Yu Yin didn't understand. Was it worth it to go back to the city?

“That’s still going back to the city!” Su Yixian remarked.

"Sigh, I don't think the women have any hope this time," Yu Yin said definitively.

"Why? Isn't this a fair exam?" Su Yixian asked, puzzled.

“Sister, being stationed here permanently means a lot of travel. It takes several transfers to get from here to Shanghai, and it takes several days. It’s not safe for a woman to travel alone.” Yu Yin’s heart trembled at the thought of the journey.

This is also the main reason why she is reconsidering her future plans; the journey is too far, and neither she nor Lu Shurui can afford the hassle.

“What you said is right, that’s reality.” Su Yixian also thought about how they had arrived in sleeper cars and couldn’t stand it anymore.

"The reason it wasn't specified that only male comrades were being recruited was probably to prevent female students from causing trouble!" Yu Yin thought of that period of history, when tens of thousands of educated youth went on strike for a long time in order to return to the city.

"Sigh, when will this end?" Su Yixian muttered softly, missing her family.

"It will end!" Yu Yin could only offer a dry word of comfort. She couldn't say what would happen next; that would be suicidal!

At noon, Yu Yin stayed at Su Yixian's house for lunch. Comrade Lu Shurui's cooking skills are quite good now.

The children worked all morning, and when they were tired and hungry, they ate and went to sleep.

Yu Yin was also tired; she had been talking all morning and had no energy left.

"Go get some sleep. I'll clean up the table and do the laundry in a bit." Lu Shurui helped Yu Yin upstairs and helped her lie down before going downstairs himself.

Looking at the busy Lu Shurui, Yu Yin's resolve strengthened; she didn't want to live a long-distance relationship with a man like him.

Yu Yin believes that it is easy for people to go from frugality to extravagance and difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Once you get used to being taken care of and accompanied by someone, it is difficult to adapt to living alone.

There's a saying that goes, "A person's loneliness cannot refuse the warmth of two people."

Yu Yin is no exception; she also needs warmth!