Chapter 17 Work

The next morning, Lin Qiu woke up first and touched Wang Shan's forehead. His temperature was normal, so he finally felt relieved.

Get out of bed and go to the bathroom to wash up.

Wang Xiuren quickly stood up when he heard the noise.

"Go buy some breakfast and bring it up later."

Lin Qiu poked his head out of the bathroom, holding a comb in his hand, "You and Brother Zhao go to the construction site today, I'll take Shanshan to see if there's anything to do nearby, and buy some oil, salt, rice and flour."

"What do you want to eat?" Wang Xiuren squeezed into the bathroom in his slippers.

The small bathroom could not accommodate two adults, so Lin Qiu quickly got out.

"Just buy what you like, and remember to buy something soft for Shanshan!"

Lin Qiu walked to the bed and leaned over: "Shanshan, get up! Dad will be back soon with some delicious food!"

Then, Wang Shan opened her eyes slightly, slowly raised her hands, rubbed her eyes, and looked confused and bewildered.

"Mom," Wang Shan opened her arms, "Hold me!"

Lin Qiu felt like his heart was melting.

Picking up Wang Shan, "Shan Shan, do you want to pee?"

Wang Shan nodded, still looking confused.

Wang Xiuren just came out of the bathroom. Seeing his daughter's cute appearance, he couldn't help but kiss her cheek hard.

Wang Shan twisted her body to avoid it.

"You kissed me so hard that my skin is about to break!" Lin Qiu patted Wang Xiuren's arm hard, "Go buy breakfast quickly, Brother Zhao will be here soon!"

"Just go! Just go!"

Wang Xiuren took out a five-dollar bill from his wallet and waved it at Wang Shan, "Wait for dad to bring back some delicious food for Shanshan!"

"You go quickly!"

Lin Qiu closed the bathroom door.

Not long after, Wang Xiuren came back with breakfast.

"Shanshan, look what goodies Daddy brought you!" Wang Xiuren held up a bottle of milk, "Dad bought milk that can help you grow taller!"

Lin Qiu glanced at the breakfast in Wang Xiuren's hand: a bag of buns, a bowl of tofu pudding, and the milk he was holding up.

"Try it!" Wang Xiuren put the breakfast away, carefully removed the tin foil cap on the glass bottle, inserted a straw, and handed it to Wang Shan's mouth.

Wang Shan had never drunk milk and didn't dare to open her mouth.

Lin Qiu squatted down, "Shanshan, this is milk, sweet and delicious."

Wang Shan tentatively held the straw in her mouth, took a sip, and swallowed it. Her eyes instantly became round, and she took a few more sips in succession.

Lin Qiu and Wang Xiuren were delighted by what they saw.

"Shanshan, have some meat buns!" Lin Qiu broke the bun and handed half to Wang Shan.

It was Wang Shan’s first time drinking milk and she was reluctant to let go.

"Shanshan, be good. Eat the buns first and then drink the milk, okay?" Lin Qiu discussed with her.

Wang Shan was very obedient. She opened her mouth and ate the bun, but her eyes were always on the milk.

Lin Qiu found it funny and sad.

"You eat quickly too!" Wang Xiuren pushed the tofu pudding to Lin Qiu and stuffed the bun into his mouth.

"Why did you only buy one serving?" Lin Qiu scooped a spoonful of tofu pudding and put it into his mouth.

Wang Xiuren chewed the buns with big mouthfuls, "I don't like sweet food!"

nonsense! People who almost gave themselves diabetes in their previous life would not like sweet things. They are probably worried about not making money, so they save their own share.

Lin Qiu was full after eating a bun and half a portion of tofu pudding.

Wang Shan ate half of a bun and then drank the milk slowly, making a slurping sound from time to time.

Wang Xiuren didn't mind and stuffed the remaining buns and tofu pudding into his stomach.

Not long after the meal, Zhao Dalong and his wife came over.

Wang Xiuren gave Lin Qiu a few instructions and followed him to the construction site.

Lin Qiu and Zhang Guixiang watched them walk away, discussed for a while, and decided to go to Xixiang. Xixiang was not far from the rented house, and there were many garment factories in that area.

Walking on the street, you can see many young and beautiful girls. They are dressed fashionably, walk with the wind, and look full of vigor and vitality, which makes people sigh: It’s great to be young!

Passing by a newsstand, Lin Xiu remembered that she had not yet informed her family that she was safe, and she thought her father and mother must be extremely worried.

So she asked Zhang Guixiang to wait for a moment while she called home.

As soon as the phone was connected, Lin Ting's voice was heard.

"Is that Qiuqiu? Have you arrived yet? Are you all okay?"

Lin Qiu listened to his father's anxious voice and choked up a little, "It's me, Dad. We are all fine and have settled down."

"Where's Xiuren?"

"He went to the construction site with an acquaintance, and I am also going to find a job."

"Where's Shanshan?"

"I carry it on my back."

"Please take good care of Shanshan, stay safe, and take care of yourself! Okay, I'll hang up if there's nothing else. Phone calls are expensive."

Lin Ting urged Lin Qiu to hang up the phone, and Lin Qiu was reluctant to do so.

The phone call is really expensive, just two dollars for a few minutes.

"Your father is so good to you!" Zhang Guixiang sighed, "My parents never care about us daughters. They have been out for a few years and never ask us how we are doing. They only ask us for money."

"Every family has its own problems." Lin Qiu consoled him, "Don't think too much. You and Brother Zhao are capable, and your nephews and nieces are sensible. Good days are ahead!"

"Thank you for your kind words!" Zhang Guixiang was very happy to hear that. "Let's see which factory has posted a job opening notice and then go in and ask."

"Listen to my sister-in-law!"

"That's Hongxiu, the largest garment factory here! I heard they offer the best treatment, are they hiring?" Zhang Guixiang pointed to the factory building not far away and said enviously, "You guys with skills are so lucky, you can easily find a job! I can't even get into the garment factory because I don't know how to operate a sewing machine."

"If you don't know how to operate a sewing machine, you can cut the threads and do the packaging!" Lin Qiu remembered that in his previous life, there were employees in the factory who cut threads and did the packaging. "I can ask them later to see if they are hiring thread cutters."

"Is it true? I always thought that garment factories only recruit people who can operate sewing machines." Zhang Guixiang was very excited. "Cutting thread ends is easier than working as a laborer on a construction site."

When I got closer, I found that there was a piece of red paper pasted outside Hongxiu's factory with "Recruiting several car workers" written on it. There was also a table at the door with the staff sitting behind it. There was already a long queue.

Zhang Guixiang quickly pulled Lin Qiu to line up.

After waiting for almost an hour, it was finally Lin Qiu's turn.

"What's your name? What's your education level?" The staff member looked up and was a little surprised to see Lin Qiu holding a child in his arms.

Lin Qiu thought that after all, this was Pengcheng, and the person operating a sewing machine also had to look at academic qualifications, so he replied: "Lin Qiu, a junior high school graduate." ”

"Go inside to get the cloth and try out the work!"

The staff handed her a note.

"Excuse me, are you hiring someone to cut thread ends here? Or is packaging possible?" Lin Qiu took the note and asked.

"You don't know how to operate a sewing machine?" the staff member frowned.

Zhang Guixiang heard this and stepped forward quickly, "Boss, she asked for me." She swallowed her saliva and said, "I can do everything from cutting threads to packaging!"

"I'm not the boss!" The staff stared at Zhang Guixiang for a while before speaking, "Name? Education?"

Zhang Guixiang felt numb at the sight of him, "Zhang Zhang Guixiang, elementary school."

"Go in and find Manager Liu!

Zhang Guixiang's heart finally settled down. She carefully took the note and followed Lin Qiu.

"Sister Lin, I'll wait for you here. I don't dare to go to the supervisor alone." Zhang Guixiang looked around and said in a low voice.

"No problem. Please help me look after Shanshan. It's inconvenient for me to take her there."

"Don't worry, leave Shanshan to me!" Zhang Guixiang took over Wang Shan.

Lin Qiu followed the team forward, turning back to look at Wang Shan from time to time, and soon it was time for the probationary period.

She walked into the workshop carrying a piece of irregular cloth. There are dozens of sewing machines arranged in rows in the workshop, and an incandescent bulb is hung above each row of sewing machines.

The workshop master shouted: "Cut a straight line. Just carve a straight line as long as you can."

Driving in a straight line may seem simple, but it is a test of basic skills.

Lin Qiu sat down, felt around for a while, and then started stomping on it.

The workshop master came over and asked, "Have you learned it?"

"Yes. I learned it from the tailor in my hometown." Lin Qiu replied.

"Give me the note."

Lin Qiu handed the note over and the workshop master stamped it.

"Go to the small room inside for the interview!"

interview?

This was the first interview in two lifetimes, and Lin Qiu was a little nervous. .

Holding the note, Lin Qiu walked to the door of the cabin, took a deep breath and walked in.

There was a young woman inside. She looked at the note and said, "Show me your ID card!"

Lin Qiu took out his ID card and handed it forward.

"Are you married?"

What does marriage have to do with dressmaking? Lin Qiu felt strange.

"It's over."

Married people with families are generally stable and don't like to change jobs. The woman asked again: "Will you live in the dormitory or rent a house after you enter the factory?"

"Rent a house."

"We have dormitories in our factory. If you rent a house yourself, there will be no subsidy."

Lin Qiu never expected housing subsidies or anything like that. "I understand."

The woman stamped the note again and said, "Come to work at 8 o'clock tomorrow."

"How is salary calculated?" Lin Qiu asked a key question.

"It's piecework. The more you work, the more you get." The woman added, "If you're quick, you can make four or five hundred a month. Some people in our factory make more than five hundred a month."

Lin Qiu thanked her and left.

I’ve been here for so long, I wonder if Shanshan has cried?

Wang Shan didn't cry, but just nestled in Zhang Guixiang's arms with a wronged look on her face, staring towards the direction of the workshop.

Lin Qiu trotted over and picked up Wang Shan.

"Your child is really well behaved, he doesn't cry or make a fuss." Zhang Guixiang praised, "Looking at your behavior, you will definitely be recorded!"

"Let me come to work tomorrow." Lin Qiu smiled, "Let's go find Manager Liu!"

I asked a female worker at the workshop door and found out that the woman in the small room was Supervisor Liu.

Lin Qiu and Zhang Guixiang knocked on the door, and waited until someone inside shouted "Come in" before pushing the door open.

"Why are you here again? Do you have any other questions?" Manager Liu was a little surprised to see Lin Qiuhen coming in again with a child on his back.

"It's not me." Lin Qiu waved his hand and pointed at Zhang Guixiang, "It's my sister-in-law. The master outside the factory asked her to come and find you."

Zhang Guixiang also spoke up: "I want to ask if the factory is hiring people to cut thread ends and do packaging?"

Manager Liu thought for a moment and said, "Someone is already packing. You can come here to cut the threads for a month and see if you can do it cleanly. I'll be frank with you. If you can't do it cleanly, don't come next month."

"It will definitely be cut cleanly! It will definitely be cut cleanly!" Zhang Guixiang assured again and again.

"Is thread cutting also piece-rate?" Lin Qiu interrupted.

"Yes, we pay by piecework." Manager Liu wrote a line of words on Zhang Guixiang's note and stamped it, "Please keep this note and come to work at 8 o'clock tomorrow!"

Zhang Guixiang took the note with both hands, put it carefully into her pocket, and left with Lin Qiu.

"I'm working in a garment factory too!"

As soon as they left the factory, Zhang Guiying excitedly grabbed Lin Qiu's hand and said, "Ms. Lin, it's all thanks to you! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the chance to work in a factory, let alone a big one like Hongxiu!"

"Stop talking like that." Lin Qiu didn't think he had done anything meritorious. "It was my sister-in-law who seized the opportunity herself."

"Of course it's your credit!" Zhang Guixiang said sincerely, "If I hadn't brought you here and knew that there were job openings here, I wouldn't have come here because I don't know how to operate a sewing machine."

"If you hadn't told me that the garment factory was hiring thread cutters and packers, how would I have dared to line up? You were the one who asked for me!"

"This is all your credit!" Zhang Guixiang concluded firmly.

"Then it's all thanks to you, sister-in-law, that I can get into the factory!" Lin Qiu really likes this honest and enthusiastic sister-in-law. "If you hadn't brought me here, I wouldn't have come across Hongxiu's recruitment. I should be thanking you!"

"Why should I be thanked?" Zhang Guixiang waved her hands. "You have skills, and all the factories are vying for you!"

"Oh, we're family, so we shouldn't have different opinions!" Lin Qiu held Zhang Guixiang's hand, "It's a good thing that we can both find jobs. I'll treat you to rice rolls at noon to celebrate!"

"I'll treat you, I'll treat you!" Zhang Guixiang patted her pocket excitedly, "To celebrate that I'm no longer a laborer, I'll treat you to this meal."

"Okay then, I'll treat you to a big dinner on salary day!" Lin Qiu didn't argue with her, as there was still a long time to go.

Soon, the two returned to the area near their rental house and found a rice noodle roll shop.

Zhang Guixiang ordered three bowls, one vegetarian bowl with a spoonful of sour beans and pickled radish on top, and two meat bowls with eggs and lean meat.

Zhang Guixiang was going to give it to herself, but it was snatched away by Lin Qiu.

"I want to try both flavors," Lin Qiu took the lead in picking up the sour beans and putting them in his mouth, "Delicious!"

"You!" Zhang Guixiang felt a little regretful. She should have ordered three of the same.

"Sister-in-law, do you know if there is a nursery nearby?" Lin Qiu quickly finished his meal and started feeding Wang Shan. "I have to go to work tomorrow, so I have to find a nursery today."

"I'm not sure. I'll ask the landlord later." Zhang Guixiang thought for a while. "I heard that he has a grandson who is also in the nursery."

"That's fine!"

After eating, Lin Qiu took Wang Shan and Zhang Guixiang to visit the landlord.

When the landlord heard that they were looking for a daycare center to look after their children, he very enthusiastically took them to the daycare center where his son Ah Hao was studying, and helped her communicate with the director on relevant matters.

The director registered Lin Qiu's identity information and Wang Shan's basic situation, and told Lin Qiu that he could bring Wang Shan over tomorrow with his temporary residence permit.

The nursery charges thirty yuan per month, including twelve yuan for childcare, thirteen yuan for lunch, and five yuan for snacks and candies. The hosting time is from 7:30 in the morning to 7:30 in the evening, which is exactly one day.

Lin Qiu was really glad that he met good people, and sincerely thanked the landlord and the director before leaving.

The most important thing was solved, and Lin Qiu finally put down the stone in his heart. He just didn't know whether Wang Shan would cry on the first day going to the nursery.