Chapter 6

Old Guo’s eyes widened.

Since the educated youth returned to the city, the work of the educated youth fell on his shoulders. And the educated youth needed help most, is to find jobs. They are all young people in their prime, who came back from the vast countryside to train and suddenly became unemployed youth, unable to find a job, doing nothing all day, and having no regular income. Who wouldn't be worried?

The unemployed educated youth were annoyed, and so was Lao Guo, because the unemployed educated youth and their families would block his office and ask him to help solve work problems.

After this year, his hair had turned from thick to thin, and he still hadn't done his job as an educated youth.

It's not that he's lazy and doesn't want to work, but there are really no positions available in all the units, big or small, and they're all empty. You have to know that there are 400,000 educated youth in Suicheng!

It wasn't the first time that he was blocked in the office because he didn't do his job well. That would have been fine, but people took out all their anger on him, cursing him in front of him. What could he do?

I can only pretend to be deaf.

Over time, Lao Guo has developed the skill of "turning a deaf ear to the voices of his mother cursing and focusing only on reading old newspapers."

He was a little discouraged and thought that he would just do his job day by day. What could he do if he couldn't do his job well? He couldn't get this job just by waving his hand! And he was not the only cadre in charge of the educated youth work who was unlucky. Everyone was the same.

There is nothing we can do anyway.

But the little girl in front of him, waving the money in her hand, showed him another possibility.

Old Guo couldn't help but think, if the unemployed educated youth he was in charge of could set up a small stall like Zhao Hong and Tian Qiang and earn five or six yuan a day, would there be fewer people greeting his mother?

Wow, think about how wonderful life is.

After a moment of excitement, he calmed down and became a little skeptical. Maybe the money he earned was just an accident? Everyone just wanted to try something new and support their neighbors, so they won't come tomorrow. After all, it's not like they can't make breakfast at home.

Thinking of this, Lao Guo's heart, which had been pounding, gradually returned to normal.

If it turns out to be just a bluff and they can't make any money, those bastards will definitely come back and cause some trouble.

No, no, he still wants to keep the sparse hair on the top of his head!

Lao Guo laughed and said, "That's good, isn't it? On this first day, the neighbors will show some support."

As if she had seen through his thoughts, Chen Lanjun replied, "Yes, we'll have to see what happens in the future."

She suggested with a smile: "How about this, when we return the buckets in the next few days, we can report the sales results by the way."

"Haha, little sister, I'm not your leader, what do you have to report?"

"It's thanks to the support of the street cadres that we can make money. If the street didn't lend us this bucket, we would be helpless." Chen Lanjun pulled Zhao Hong's sleeve and asked him to stand forward. "Brother, don't you agree?"

Zhao Hong thought, forget it. Old Guo hasn't solved anything in such a long time. He just keeps saying "I tried my best, but...". Even the bucket was borrowed for the sake of his mother Chen Mudan. What a stupid job.

But he sensed a hint of threat in Chen Lanjun's smile, and changed his words when they were about to come out of his mouth.

"Yes, thank you to the street officials for your support."

It was rare for Lao Guo to hear such flattering words, and he felt very happy. He said modestly: "No, no, I will look forward to your good news every day."

"Of course, of course."

Chen Lanjun divided the money she earned on the spot, giving one dollar each to the two unemployed educated youth who came to help, and she also stuffed fifty cents into the street office, saying that it was advance payment for the rent for those days. The government is my home, and construction depends on everyone, and we must not take advantage of the government.

After deducting the cost, she and Zhao Hong split the remaining money in half.

In this way, everyone leaves happily with smiles on their faces.

On the way back, Zhao Hong asked Chen Lanjun: "Why did you report your work to Lao Guo?"

"I don't report my work to him, I report my work to the street."

Seeing Zhao Hong's confused face, Chen Lanjun patiently explained: "Have you memorized the Quotations? We need to 'make more friends and fewer enemies'."

"The streets and the educated youth must be our friends."

It was only in these two days that she realized how difficult it was to run a business in such a planned economy. The ingredients for their breakfast were simple, but in order to make them, Zhao Hong almost contributed all of their family's purchase quota and inventory for half a year. Relying solely on personal strength, this breakfast stall could only be a breakfast stall, and there was no hope of expanding its scale, at least before she started school.

After all, it was the first pot of gold after her rebirth. Chen Lanjun was unwilling to accept that this was just a breakfast stall, a small and boring thing.

In this context, if one wants to expand influence, official power must be sought.

Only with official endorsement will they not be strangled by various tickets and have room for further development.

But why should others help you?

Chen Lanjun doesn’t have a father who is a high-ranking official, and Shen Mudan is the highest-ranking cadre she can currently come into contact with.

Then we can only think about the possibility of breaking the deadlock from the perspective of "helping to solve the problem".

The issue of resettlement of unemployed educated youth was the point that Chen Lanjun chose.

Therefore, although she was used to keeping a low profile, she deliberately went to the street office to show off how much money she had earned.

Hearing is not as good as seeing. Only when they see with their own eyes a bunch of paupers earning money, they may be willing to support it for the sake of real money.

The power of one street may seem insignificant, but what about four streets, five streets, or even ten streets?

Who in Guangzhou doesn't have a relative who is worried about being unemployed? The way to make money spreads faster than a whirlwind.

Chen Lanjun was ready to help other unemployed educated youth set up breakfast stalls.

The reason was not as high-sounding as what she and Zhao Hong said, "We are all successors, so we help each other", but she knew that porridge and rice noodle rolls were too easy to copy, without any technical content, and there was no need to steal them. As long as others were willing and courageous, the streets could be filled with breakfast stalls the next day.

Since we can't stop it, instead of standing there and getting in the way, we might as well show our big brother's spirit of helping others and do a favor.

The unemployed educated youth who have been helped, unless they are individual eccentrics, will have a certain degree of gratitude.

As for the authorities, this can also help them see their noble consciousness and relieve some pressure.

Everyone is happy, how wonderful.

After being busy for such a long time and having hardly slept the entire night, Chen Lanjun fell asleep as soon as she returned to the house and touched the pillow.

Zhao Hong originally wanted to call her to eat, but seeing that she fell asleep, he quietly closed the door.

After a while, the worried Shen Mudan slipped back home.

"Where's Alan?"

"Speak more quietly," Zhao Hong said, "He's asleep."

Shen Mudan sat down opposite him and watched him eat: “You must be exhausted.”

"A little bit," Zhao Hong said softly as he ate his meal in big mouthfuls, "Mom, Alan is really smart."

He explained to Shen Mudan in detail the principles that Chen Lanjun had just taught him.

Shen Mudan listened and seemed to be thinking about something.

"Mom?" Zhao Hong called softly, "What are you thinking about?"

Shen Mudan looked up at him, smiled gently, and tapped his forehead with her fingertips: “Silly boy, you have to remember your sister’s kindness.”

"Ah? What?" Zhao Hong covered his forehead, a little confused.

Chen Mudan said: "How long can she do this business here? She will go back when school starts. She is busy inside and outside, taking all aspects into consideration, and she deliberately wants you to be in the limelight to pave the way for you."

"…Why did you pave the way for me?"

"Just now at the street office, she didn't need to call you, but she did, and even made room for you. Before, when she set up a stall to deliver goods to the neighbors, my brother kept talking about it. Just wait and see, when she goes back, she will definitely let you manage the stall, which is equivalent to you picking up a stall for free."

Shen Mudan sighed: "At such a young age, you have such ability and courage, and the most rare thing is that you have such a broad mind. You really need to get along well with Alan."

"Your sister will be amazing in the future."