The sun made the bicycles scorching hot, and the cobblestone path turned white from the heat.

"I haven't been out in this blazing sun since the shop opened. Sister Jihong, you must be getting even hotter up there, right?" Fang Meili sat on the back of the bicycle, gripping the edge of the seat with one hand, sweat streaming down her face.

Yu Jihong pedaled the pedals, her voice weary, "Meili, I'm getting numb from working all this time."

"Yes, I used to do the work in the fields at home all the time. Just thinking about harvesting rice in the sweltering heat makes my skin itch."

"Well, so I still need to find something else to do. I don't want to just farm a little land to make a living and drift through life like this." Yu Jihong steadied the handlebars, her tone revealing her resentment.

“You have more ideas than the other women in the village.”

"I was just thinking about it, unlike you, who already has a shop open."

Fang Meili turned her head to look at the fields by the roadside. If she had married a man who would have moved in with her family back then, she might still be farming at home now. Marrying Yuan Xinkang was the right choice.

Turning the corner, there were several factory buildings on the other side. The red brick buildings were steaming, and the sound of machines drifted over on the wind, mixed with the chirping of cicadas, making it quite noisy.

Fang Meili jumped out of the car, and Yu Jihong got out at the factory gate. She held onto the handlebars and asked, "Are we just going to ask like this?"

“Yes, we went door to door asking around, and we made a profit of three cents on every offer. Even if we didn’t buy anything, we still broke even.” Fang Meili patted her arm.

Yu Jihong glanced at Fang Meili, then looked at the factory gate, and then looked at Fang Meili again. "Meili, I really don't know how to thank you. You came with me in this hot weather and were even more proactive than me in looking for factories. How can you be so kind?"

“I understand a woman’s desire to make money. Let’s park the car and go ask her.”

Yu Jihong was puzzled as to why Fang Meili said she understood a woman's desire to make money, as if she herself had once had such an eager desire to make money.

This is a hardware factory. When the gatekeeper heard their purpose, he said, "We mainly make screwdrivers. You can't take those home." He pointed to the workshop, where the machines were roaring and the workers were grinding screwdriver shafts with grinding wheels, sparks flying on the ground. "Cut and polish, where would you get these tools at home? Besides, there are iron filings flying everywhere, and you women can't do it."

Yu Jihong craned her neck to look inside, and Fang Meili tugged at her, saying, "It's okay, let's go to the next one."

Yu Jihong pushed her bicycle and soon arrived at the next shop. "Is it a cotton mill? What kind of work can I take home to do?"

“We’re here, let’s ask. We should ask the people in charge.” Fang Meili walked inside.

"Yes, that's what I was thinking too. I was just thinking about how the screwdriver assembly and packaging don't require machines, but that old man immediately refused."

"Okay, let's go inside and ask."

"Uncle, are there any jobs available at the factory right now?"

"We are not hiring right now."

"Can we go in and ask the person in charge?"

"Oh, you've come all this way in the middle of the day, why don't you go in and ask?" The gatekeeper looked at the two of them, fanned himself with a palm leaf fan, and led them inside.

The red brick walls of the textile factory were covered with ivy, and the sound of looms clanging could be heard from inside the workshop.

Sister Liu, who was in charge of logistics, poked her head out and saw that the two of them looked quite decent. "Do you both want to come and work here?"

"Oh no, ma'am, I wanted to ask if there are any chores I can take home and do."

“We do have jobs here to trim loose threads and sew fabric edges, but the factory has a rule that we have to do them in the workshop.” She pointed to a long table in the corner of the workshop. “There are piles of fabric scraps and spools of thread. If you take them home, and they get mixed up with the batch numbers, the whole batch of fabric will have to be reworked. I can’t take that responsibility.”

As Yu Jihong walked out of the textile factory, she was a little discouraged. "Meili, it may really be hard to find work. They will come to our door to ask about any jobs that can be done at home. Like the embroidery I did at home last time, they even delivered it to our door for us to do."

"There's another one over there, let's go ask them. We can't do anything else, so let's think of another way."

The bicycle wheels rolled over the scorching pavement, and they stopped their bicycles at the door.

There was no one guarding the door, so they walked straight in. The colorful LED lights were piled up on the cement floor, like scattered stars.

Fang Meili and Yu Jihong peered through the door frame. Several wooden tables were neatly arranged, and the women were bowing their heads, their fingers flying across the table, stringing colorful LED beads into lines.

“These jobs don’t require machines, and they’re not like those in a textile factory. We should be able to do them at home, right?” Fang Meili and Yu Jihong muttered to each other.

"Who are you looking for?" A worker in blue overalls came out.

"Master, we'd like to ask if we can take these colored lanterns home to do?"

The foreman shook his head. "No, assembly and wiring must be done in the workshop. We can't outsource it. We're afraid of losing parts, and it's difficult to rework if it's done badly."

Yu Jihong looked inside again.

"If you want to do it, you can do it here; it's piecework."

"Brother, my husband is stuck at home because of a leg injury, and I also need to stay home to take care of him. I'd like to find some work to do. Could you possibly make an exception for me?"

"It's no use telling me this; I can't make the decision!"

"Then who can make the decision? Let's talk to him."

"Boss, the boss's wife can make the decision."

"Where are they? Let's go ask them."

"Go and take a look at that room with the door open," the master pointed in that direction.

Yu Jihong and Fang Meixiang walked over. Through the open window, they saw a short-haired woman wearing a pale white short-sleeved shirt with a pearl button at the collar.

Fang Meili thought she looked familiar; perhaps she had bought something from the store before. The people inside looked up and saw them too. "Oh, boss lady, why aren't you at the store today? Why are you here?"

"She came to see you, the boss lady, today." Fang Meili immediately put on a smile and said softly to Yu Jihong, "She bought something from my shop before."

"Come, come, come in and sit down," said the owner of the lantern factory, standing up.

Fang Meili pulled Yu Jihong inside, and at this moment it seemed as if it were her home turf. "Boss lady, my neighbor from my mother's side wants to take some work home to do. Can you lend me some?"

"To ensure quality, we now have people come to the factory to do the work and inspect the goods on the spot. My small factory is just starting out, and I'm afraid that if the goods aren't made well, we won't have any business in the future."

“Yes, yes, I understand. Reputation is the most important thing for us when we first start a business,” Fang Meili quickly agreed.

"That's right. Your store has good quality products and a good service. I don't buy anything from the supply and marketing cooperative anymore; I buy everything from you."

"Thank you, thank you! We are very careful when selecting goods, we must make sure they are of good quality. Boss lady, you see, we know each other, could you please make an exception and let my neighbor take them home to use? She is smart and will handle things very well."

"This..." The proprietress still looked hesitant.

"Don't worry, boss lady. We'll put our effort into making the goods. If we don't do a good job, we won't get paid, and there's no need for us to waste our time," Yu Jihong pleaded.

"I don't know where you live. Just take your things back like this."

“Boss lady, you must know where my shop is, right?” Fang Meili said. “If she doesn’t return it, come find me.”

"Since the proprietress has already spoken, you can go and learn how to make it first. If you can do it well, I'll let you take some back to try."

"Okay, I'll go learn now." "Meili, let me take you home first, when Tingting wakes up."

"Well, I can't stay too long. It's okay, I'll walk back myself. You go and study."

“Walking is no match for riding a bicycle.” Yu Jihong turned to the owner of the lantern factory and said, “Boss, it’s settled then. I’ll take Meili back first, then come back to try making it. If it works well, you can let me take it home to make.”

"Okay, I promised you everything." The owner of the lantern factory looked at Yu Jihong's earnest expression.

"Then I'll head back now. Come visit the store sometime," Fang Meili said.

"Yes, yes, we'll spend money to play games at your shop."

"Hahaha!"

Yu Jihong stepped on the pedal with her left foot and swung her right leg back sharply. She didn't care that her trouser leg brushed against the bicycle chain. The handlebars wobbled a couple of times, and she quickly reached out and gripped them tightly. She then pushed hard on the pedal with her right foot, and the bicycle chain made a "click" sound.

"Merry, come on up!"

"Look how flustered you are," Fang Meili said with a smile.

"Firstly, I've let you out for so long, and secondly, I want to learn how to cook quickly so I can bring some back with me." Yu Jihong's voice was full of anticipation.

"Yes, yes, be careful, ride slowly."

“Merry, I wouldn’t have gotten it this time if it weren’t for you. Saying thank you doesn’t mean anything; it doesn’t express how I feel.”

"You're welcome! Just do a good job."

"Definitely. I'd be letting you down if I didn't do a good job. I don't want to lose you as a good friend."

Fang Meili watched as the two shadows huddled together, swaying gently in rhythm with the wheels rolling across the road.

The wind rustled the hems of their clothes, and their shadows on the ground swayed with it. The shadow of the turning bicycle chain conveyed a sense of urgency to move forward.

Fang Meili jumped down at the store entrance. Yu Jihong didn't stop the car, but turned a corner at the store entrance and headed straight for the lantern factory.

"Slow down, be careful," Fang Meili called from behind.

"Okay!" Yu Jihong's words floated on the wind.

Returning to the factory covered in sweat, Yu Jihong wiped her face with her sleeve.

The technician just demonstrated the assembly steps for the colored light strips: the wire ends must be aligned, the glue must be applied evenly, and the light bulbs must be securely fastened; there is no room for carelessness.

Yu Jihong watched intently, her eyes fixed on the other person's fingers, afraid of missing any detail.

When it was her turn, she panicked. The thin wire spun uncontrollably between her fingers, and she didn't control the temperature of the hot glue gun properly, causing the lamp holder she had just glued to come loose again. She burned her fingertips, sucked on them, and then continued to work on her solution.

Yu Jihong had beads of sweat on her forehead, but she didn't even waste the time to wipe them away.

The proprietress came over and helped her adjust the angle of the wire, saying, "You need to wind it along the grain here." Yu Jihong quickly memorized it and practiced repeatedly, gradually becoming more skilled with her movements.

After practicing countless times, Yu Jihong's hands were still trembling slightly when she handed the assembled string of colored lights to the shop owner.

The string of colored lights was arranged neatly, with the loose threads hidden, and there was not a single flaw to be seen.

The proprietress picked it up and examined it carefully, then held it up to the light. Finally, she smiled with satisfaction. "Not bad, this job is up to standard."

Upon hearing this, Yu Jihong's tense shoulders instantly relaxed. "I can take it home and make it!"

After collecting the materials, the sun was already setting in the west, and the orange-red sunset covered half the sky.

The proprietress found a cardboard box, packed the materials into it, and tied it to the back seat with rope to secure it. She also put two bags of loose parts into a snakeskin bag and hung them on both sides of the front crossbeam.

"You need to send it back once it's done. Make sure it's done carefully. I'll send you the materials again next time." The proprietress was still a little worried.

"Don't worry, boss lady. This time, I was allowed to take it back because of Mei Li. I can't let my friend down. I also want to get it from you from now on."

Yu Jihong stepped forward with her right leg over the crossbar, sat steadily on the bicycle, and when she pedaled, the bicycle wobbled but quickly regained its direction.

The evening breeze, carrying the lingering warmth of the day, brushed against Yu Jihong's cheeks. The sound of the bicycle chain turning was pleasing to Yu Jihong's ears—there was work to do! Money to be made!

The sound of Fang Meili and the lantern factory owner calling each other "boss lady" echoed in Yu Jihong's mind. The dignity and confidence hidden in that address made her secretly hopeful that one day she could become such a "boss lady".

As she was thinking, she had already ridden her bicycle into the village. Yu Jihong was happy to have work to do as soon as she got home, and she also thought about the idea she had mentioned at noon to collect the materials and distribute them to the villagers. She was determined to be polite to everyone.

She smiles whenever she sees someone.

Some people, though from the same village, who didn't interact much, couldn't tell if Yu Jihong was a madwoman laughing to herself or laughing at them. They wanted to laugh, but hesitated and stopped halfway.

Fang Sandi, leaning on his cane at the door, saw Yu Jihong's figure. His tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, and then his eyes reddened.

Yu Jihong stopped her bicycle with a "click," took the two bags off the crossbar, untied the rope binding the cardboard box at the back, and carried the box inside.

Fang San Di quickly moved aside.

Yu Jihong held the cardboard box to block Fang Sandi's face from view. "The work has been brought over, we have something to do."

"Mom, what's this?" Fang Yu asked as she came over.

"You can't touch these things." She put down the cardboard box as she spoke, then went outside to get the two bags. Only then did she see Fang San Di standing by the door, his eyes red. "What's wrong?"

"I was worried about you because you haven't been back for so long."

"Now that you're back safe and sound, I'll make a few skewers tonight to familiarize myself with the steps."

Yu Jihong quickly prepared dinner. Before she had even finished cleaning up the dishes, she moved a wooden board over, wiped it clean, and laid it on a stool to serve as a makeshift workbench.

"Third brother, I'll teach you how to do it."

She gestured for Fang Sandi to sit down, then took out wires, light bulbs, and lamp holders from the pile of materials, skillfully pinching the wire ends with her fingertips. "Look," she said, "first, strip the insulation from the wires, align the copper wires and twist them tightly, then insert them into the lamp holder. Apply glue to the edges, but don't let it overflow."

Fang Sandi stared intently at her movements, nodding occasionally as he took notes.

Fang Yu was excited to see the new things in the house and touched and examined them.

"Fang Yu, these are not toys, you can't play with them. If we break them, the factory owner won't make any more for us."

"Oh!" Fang Yu nodded obediently and stood aside watching.

As Yu Jihong lay in bed at night, she closed her eyes, recalling the program she had created, her hands still resting on her chest as she demonstrated it.

Fang Sandi looked at her in the night, and a sense of guilt welled up in him again. Yu Jihong was a person who took life seriously.

Yu Jihong got up at the crack of dawn to work in the fields for a while, then came back to make breakfast. Fang Sandi was already making lanterns.

"You got up so early to do this?" Yu Jihong said as she took off her clothes, which were covered in mud.

“You also get up this early to work,” Fang San Di said, working diligently without turning his head.

"I'm going to cook breakfast. If I do it carefully, the boss lady will give us fresh ingredients to make it when we send this batch over."

"Know."

Yu Jihong works at home when the sun is hot at noon, and goes to the fields when it's cooler in the morning and evening.

"Just take a nap at noon, I'll do it." Fang Sandi noticed that Yu Jihong's eyelids were drooping.

"Since I'm home, let's do more together."

"Go and rest. If you collapse from exhaustion, our family won't be able to support us. What will happen to Fang Yu then?"

Yu Jihong thought about it and agreed, "Okay, I'll make this skewer and then go take a nap."