Chapter 37 Jinjiang's Exclusive Peach Picking
Li Mei's temper flared up immediately: "Fine, you Wang Huiting, look what you've done! No wonder you always look like a starving ghost when you come back at noon. You're at the age where you're growing, what are you planning to do if you don't eat breakfast? You, you're really going to drive me crazy!"
Knowing she was in the wrong, Wang Huiting lowered her head, her face drooping.
"Mom, I know I was wrong, I won't do it again. I do eat, just less. And even though I skipped a few meals, look how much I've earned..."
"You still dare to talk back! Do we need you to eat or drink? Why are you always thinking about making money?!"
Wang Huizhen glared at Wang Huiting: "Mom, don't get upset. Tingting was indeed wrong. But she just wanted to improve the family's situation; she's not greedy for money."
"I don't need her. She still has me as her mother."
Li Mei's eyes reddened as she spoke. If she weren't so useless, her daughter wouldn't be thinking about earning money for the family at such a young age.
Wang Huizhen will be able to continue her studies, and based on her grades, she has a high probability of getting into university.
She wasn't entirely without reservations about her husband sending money to their daughter from their previous marriage every month.
Their family was already struggling financially, yet they still sent so much money every month; how could she not feel sorry for them?
In addition, her in-laws' family is constantly unwell, with one of them getting sick every few days. Since Tong Aihua's second son isn't around to take care of them, they have to pay for it.
During holidays and festivals, the Zhang family also requires the children to bring gifts over to avoid gossip, which is not good for the children, and her own family also has a lot of debts to pay.
She was a temporary worker. Before, when her child was young, she could only take on jobs that she could do at home, and these jobs only earned her enough to cover the cost of seasonings.
The family has a heavy burden, and life is very tight.
However, she also tried her best not to mistreat her children. Although she inevitably paid more attention to the youngest, Tong Yunyun, she did not neglect the two sisters either.
"Mom, I just don't want you to work too hard." Wang Huiting held her hand, the rough hand scratching Wang Huiting a little.
Li Mei turned her head to one side, forcefully holding back the tears welling up in her eyes:
"What hardship do I have? I don't need you to worry about me. Do you think I don't know that you just don't like reading?"
Wang Huiting knew that her mother was like that, so she wasn't angry, since she really didn't like studying anyway.
"But Mom, I'm telling you, your cooking is really delicious. Yao Yao and Qiu Yu came over for dinner and they both praised your cooking. We ate at several restaurants in the provincial capital this time, but I don't think any of them were as good as yours, right, Sister Ruyi?"
Su Ruyi nodded in agreement: "Aunt Mei, you would definitely sell a lot if you set up a stall."
"You guys are good at making me happy. I only know how to cook simple home-style dishes. I don't know how to cook anything more complicated. How can I set up a stall?"
Li Mei couldn't hide her smile; who doesn't like being praised for their cooking skills?
"What you know is enough. You don't necessarily need to open a fancy restaurant. Setting up a small stall near the school will definitely attract many people who don't have time to make breakfast at home," Su Ruyi said.
"How many restaurants these days don't make their own food? Eating out is so expensive."
Wang Huiting: "Mom, you're wrong about that. Many students in my class don't have time to make breakfast at home, so they have to pay for it. It's too much trouble to make it themselves, and we're always in a rush in the morning, so it's better to sleep a little longer. Anyway, breakfast doesn't cost much, so we just eat it outside."
Really?
"Otherwise, how come my products sold so well earlier?"
Li Mei glared at her, but she wasn't as angry as before.
Li Mei hesitated for a long time, but finally couldn't help but speak:
"What do you think would be a good thing to sell if we set up a stall?"
"Mom, you've actually come to your senses?"
Wang Huiting found it unbelievable. When she mentioned this before, her mother scolded her terribly, saying she was always overthinking and unreliable. Now that her mother has a stable job, she actually wants to set up a street stall.
Li Mei still felt ashamed of setting up a stall outside, but that didn't matter when she was broke.
She is now a full-time employee, but the furniture factory is in a precarious situation.
"The factory paid wages today, but it was only half of what we usually get," Li Mei said sadly.
She hasn't even been a full-time employee for a month, and her salary has already dropped even further. If it weren't for her savings, she wouldn't even have enough money for food this month.
This situation has occurred in other factories as well. Some factories have not received full wages for more than a year, and some factories have not been able to pay wages at all for the past few months.
Under economic pressure, people have no choice but to look for other solutions.
Li Mei used to not think about these things. Anyway, with Tong Aihua, the head of the family, around, he would hold up the sky if it fell.
But things are different now. She's the only one left in the family, and if she doesn't earn money, the family won't be able to survive.
Seeing how much money Wang Huiting, a young girl, could make selling things outside, Li Mei couldn't help but be tempted.
Wang Huizhen frowned: "Has our factory gotten to this point?"
"According to your Aunt Huang, she had to beg and plead to get this much money, and she doesn't even know if she'll get her next month's salary."
Tong Aihua's incident was a trigger, making the already precarious furniture factory even worse off.
The factory received very few orders this month, and they were all very small. In the past, furniture factories would never have bothered to accept such small orders.
As the person in charge of cleaning the factory, Li Mei's job should have been very tiring, but it turned out to be similar to ordinary cleaning.
In the past, having little work was a good thing, since it wouldn't interfere with getting paid.
That's not possible now; the factory can't pay wages if there's no work.
Wang Huizhen: "The government can't just abandon us, can it? We're a state-owned enterprise."
Wang Huiting: "Sister, how come you're not as well-informed as me? Haven't you seen the newspapers about state-owned factories going bankrupt? If the furniture factory really can't go on, it'll have to file for bankruptcy too."
Li Mei's heart skipped a beat: "That can't be."
"Why not? The newspapers reported that factories have been closing down for years. Our factory is doing so poorly, where would we get the money to support so many people?"
Wang Huiting wasn't particularly interested in working in a state-owned factory. The repetitive tasks and meager wages, coupled with the predictable future she would lead at such a young age, were simply unappealing.
She had previously observed the stalls near the school; they might not look impressive, but they earned far more in a day than they did in a factory.
Wang Huiting didn't think much of the instability of doing business. If things didn't work out, she could just go to the south to work. Things were different now; there were plenty of other options.
Seeing that her mother and sister still looked incredulous, Wang Huiting pulled Su Ruyi aside and said:
"Sister Ruyi, don't you think so?"
Su Ruyi nodded: "Now that we've been open for so many years, our country is bound to gradually become more market-oriented. If our factory suffers too much loss and can't recover, the government can't let it keep losing money forever; bankruptcy is just a matter of time."
Su Ruyi remembers a wave of layoffs in the 1990s, but she can't recall exactly when it started. However, she knows that people are now taking unpaid leave.
If a furniture factory doesn't suddenly have a powerful and capable leader who can drastically reform and change the status quo, it will definitely need to restructure and reform, and may even go bankrupt.
Not only because the furniture designs are outdated and no longer meet current aesthetic standards, leading to their gradual elimination by consumers, another important reason is the chaotic internal management of the furniture factories.
Even at this critical juncture, the internal strife continues unabated. Instead of looking for a way out, they are only thinking about the little power they hold, making it extremely difficult to change the status quo.
It's good to prepare early, so you won't be caught off guard.
When Li Mei heard Su Ruyi say the same thing, she began to worry.
“I’ve spent half my life in this factory. If it closes down, where will I go?”
This is also the mindset of many laid-off workers when they first face being laid off, feeling that the place where they have worked diligently all their lives has abandoned them.
Many people have elderly parents to support and young children to raise; being laid off feels like the sky has fallen.
If you encounter corrupt officials who embezzle the compensation, the situation becomes even more unbearable.
“Aunt Mei, I think Tingting is right. You could set up a stall and do some small business.”
It's better to get in early than to wait for the wave of layoffs and everyone rushing in at the same time; it allows you to stabilize in the market sooner.
Li Mei frowned and remained silent; she wouldn't get involved in Wang Huiting's small business.
But to make food, you have to invest capital first.
Their family is currently living beyond their means, and Li Mei doesn't dare to touch their savings.
Seeing her hesitation, Su Ruyi said, "Aunt Mei, could you help me in a few days? My hula hoops have arrived, but I don't have a storefront and need someone to help sell them."
"Hula hoop?!" Tong Yunyun, who was playing with pebbles nearby, suddenly looked at Su Ruyi.
She twisted her head so fast that Su Ruyi was worried she would hurt her neck.
"Yes, I'm going to sell hula hoops. I've been around the area today, and I think I'm the first one in Liulin County to do so."
Tong Yunyun threw the pebbles aside and looked at Su Ruyi as if she were a goddess.
"Big sister, my dear big sister, please let me play with you for a little while, just for a second!"
"If you can complete the task I assign you, I can give it to you."
"Big sister, tell me quickly, I'm sure I can do it!"
Tong Yunyun stood up straight; dressed in her navy uniform, she looked quite like a little soldier.
Su Ruyi patted her head: "You'll find out when the time comes."
Tong Yunyun excitedly spun around in the room. The room was so small, and she knocked over a bunch of things. She was scolded by Li Mei before she calmed down.
"If you think I'm capable, I'll definitely help you sell them," Li Mei said enthusiastically.
She had prepared herself beforehand; if such a large warehouse was needed, it must mean they were going to do big business, and she would definitely have to lend a hand.
She had never run a stall before, and she felt uneasy doing it all by herself, but she wasn't so worried if she went with Su Ruyi.
Early the next morning, Su Ruyi took Tong Yunyun out.
The little one skipped and hopped all the way. Despite her young age, she knows quite a lot and is very familiar with the situation in the county. She would occasionally run into people she knew on the street, which shows that she often runs around.
Tong Yunyun is still wearing her navy uniform today. She showed it off outside yesterday, and I don't know how many people envied her. She still hasn't had enough.
The weather is hot and dry now, so if you wash it at night, it will be dry by the next day.
Su Ruyi didn't say when she would be coming yesterday, and she was a little worried that Old Li wouldn't be home, since there was still a patient at the hospital.
Fortunately, the courtyard gate was open when the two arrived.
"Uncle Li, are you home?" Su Ruyi knocked on the courtyard gate and peered inside.
An old woman came out of the kitchen in the west wing: "He went to the hospital. Who are you?"
"I'm Xiao Su, Su Ruyi. I made an appointment with the old man yesterday to come and help you pick peaches today."
"Oh, so you're Xiao Su. Come in quickly. Your Uncle Li mentioned you to me yesterday. If it weren't for you, he might not have made it through."
The old lady quickly stepped forward and greeted her warmly, "She looks like a good girl, beautiful and kind-hearted. Is this your...brother?"
The old lady looked at Tong Yunyun, somewhat uncertainly.
Tong Yunyun's hair was cut very short, and she was tanned. She was still young, and she was intentionally sticking close to boys, which could easily lead to misunderstandings.
"This is my sister, you can just call her Yunyun."
"Hello, Grandma." Tong Yunyun may be wild and unruly, but she is still very polite in front of her elders.
"Okay, okay. You're all good kids. You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? I made noodles."
Grandma Sun was about to go into the kitchen when Su Ruyi stopped her.
"We've already eaten, so don't bother. If we're hungry, we can have some peaches. Your peaches are so delicious. We brought some back yesterday, and we've already finished them all and still want more."
Grandma Sun was delighted to hear this: "I'm glad you like it. Pick as many as you want to eat, and take some back with you."
"Okay." Su Ruyi readily agreed and led the impatient Tong Yunyun to climb the tree.
"Grandma, have all the peaches from yesterday been sold?"
"Sold, all sold." Grandma Sun was very happy. She had originally thought that she wouldn't have time to pick the peaches this year and had even considered asking someone to come and pick them.
Unexpectedly, before I even went to look for them, someone offered to come and help.
With the money from yesterday's sales, Grandma Sun went to buy a fish early this morning and made fish soup for her grandson.
My husband usually stays at the hospital while I cook and deliver meals. He only stayed home yesterday because someone mentioned wanting to buy a house.
They never expected that the person who came would be a scoundrel who knew about their family's situation and wanted to take advantage of their misfortune.
"Then I'll pick a lot more today. It's early today, so I'm sure I can sell more."
The peaches on the tree are ready to be picked; they won't last much longer.
Tong Yunyun, as expected of someone who's always running around, is even better at climbing trees than Su Ruyi. Before Su Ruyi could even say she'd go up first and prepare a safety rope for her, she was up there in no time, like a monkey.
"Slow down, slow down," Grandma Sun said worriedly.
Su Ruyi placed the basket on a tree branch. "Grandma, please sit down and rest. You can leave this to us without worry."
"Thank you so much," Grandma Sun said, repeatedly expressing her gratitude while quietly wiping away tears.
Su Ruyi said with a smile, "We also came here to enjoy your peaches, so please don't be shy."
Together, they moved quickly. Moreover, Tong Yunyun was light and could walk towards the outer branches, while Su Ruyi could protect her on the other side, so they picked the peaches that were further away from the top.
These peaches, bathed in the most sunlight, are also the sweetest.
Su Ruyi didn't stand on ceremony and led Tong Yunyun to eat their fill upstairs before coming down.
"Grandma, let's take these to sell first, and then we'll come back tomorrow and pick them all."
Grandma Sun was speechless and could only express her gratitude repeatedly.
Unfortunately, there was nothing at home, so they could only give the two of them a few freshly boiled eggs.
Su Ruyi didn't refuse and accepted them all, but secretly left all the eggs behind when she left, only giving one to Tong Yunyun.
These eggs are very important nutrients for this family.
Su Ruyi put down the peaches and ran away with Tong Yunyun as if fleeing, so as to avoid the old lady stuffing a basket of big meat buns into their hands like the old man did.
However, the two still took the peach with them, otherwise the old lady would have chased them all the way to the furniture factory.
"Big sister, I'll come again tomorrow," Tong Yunyun said happily.
Don't you feel tired?
Picking peaches is tiring, and some of them grow in tricky places, making them difficult to pick.
"Not tiring! If there were work picking fruit, I'd want to do it for the rest of my life."
Su Ruyi chuckled: "Don't let your mother hear this, or she'll beat you to death."
Tong Yunyun stuck out her tongue. "Big sister, are you really planning to sell hula hoops?"
"Yes, didn't you hear us say yesterday that the warehouse is all ready?"
How many can there be in a warehouse?
"This batch has more than a thousand."
Tong Yunyun cheered immediately: "Great! Now Xu Zhigao and Sun Jingyi can't show off anymore. With so many hula hoops, they won't find them special anymore. Big sister, do you have any green ones? Sun Jingyi said green ones are very rare, and ordinary people can't buy them at all."
Yes, we have red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and orange.
"Wow!" Tong Yunyun's eyes sparkled. "Big sister, when will the hula hoop arrive? Da Pang has been nagging his mom to buy one these past few days. If it arrives early, I'll tell Xiao Pang not to rush and have his dad ask someone in the provincial capital to buy the hula hoop."
"Let's wait two more days."
"Can I tell my friends in advance?"
"Sure, I'm going to form a hula hoop team, and I need ten people. You can invite your friends to come and play."
Tong Yunyun was so excited she could hardly breathe, "The hula hoop team?!"
"Yes, you need someone who knows how to play, so they don't fall off after just one spin."
"I can find it! We can definitely learn it."
Tong Yunyun chattered incessantly the whole way, her little mouth never stopping, and she didn't feel tired at all.
Su Ruyi originally told her to go back first, as she wanted to look around and try to visit the entire county.
But Tong Yunyun refused and insisted on accompanying her for the entire day.
Children have amazing stamina; just give them an ice pop and they're instantly revitalized.
Su Ruyi found several rental apartments today, but she was not satisfied with any of them.
Shopfronts are generally expensive, in poor locations, and very small. For housing, you usually have to rent a single room, and the landlord often lives in the same yard, or even under the same roof; it's difficult to find someone willing to rent out the entire property.
"It's really not easy," Su Ruyi sighed. She originally thought she didn't have high requirements for the storefront; she just wanted a place to stay and store some goods.
Even with such low standards, I still can't find a suitable match.
This is also because the commercial sector in Liulin County has not yet developed, and there are still small vendors in the shops on the street, which is not as developed as the towns near the provincial capital.
The next day, Su Ruyi and Tong Yunyun went to help pick peaches again. Old Li was home that day.
"Sir, are you home today?"
Old Li's voice was low: "Yes, someone came to look at the house today."
He couldn't bear to part with the house, but if he didn't sell it, he simply wouldn't be able to raise enough money for his grandson's medical expenses.
Seeing his pale face, Su Ruyi asked, "Grandpa, what illness does your grandson have? Is he feeling better now?"
"This child was premature and has had a weak heart since birth. Normally, as long as there were no major shocks, things would have been fine. But recently..."
Old Li's expression was pained, his voice choked with sobs, and his eyes immediately turned red.
Seeing his expression, Su Ruyi became anxious: "Sir, where is your medicine?"
Old Li waved his hand: "It's alright, I can handle it."
Old Li calmed himself down with steady breathing.
"I have to hold on for my grandson's sake."
Su Ruyi dared not ask any more questions, for fear of reminding Old Li of his painful past. Just then, someone came to look at the house, so Su Ruyi took Tong Yunyun to continue picking peaches.
The first group of people looked around, exchanged only a few words with Old Li, and left, clearly not interested.
The second group of people arrived quickly. No one knew what they were saying, but Old Li was so angry that he snapped and told them to get lost.
Su Ruyi was in the tree, and they weren't talking loudly about money, so it wasn't very clear, but she could vaguely hear that it was about money.
The third group arrived shortly afterward, offering an even lower price than the previous group.
Old Li was too angry to continue and slumped into his chair.
After Su Ruyi finished picking the peaches, she climbed down from the tree. Just then, Liu Xiuzhi arrived at the door.
She walked into the courtyard and was stunned to see Su Ruyi climbing down from the tree.
Why are you still here?
Old Li: "Ruyi came to help pick peaches."
Seeing the baskets on the ground, Liu Xiuzhi stopped paying attention to Su Ruyi and handed the thermos to Old Li.
"Uncle Li, I killed the old hen at home today and made soup. You can take it to the hospital for Xiaobao later."
"No need, no need, your family has it tough too..."
Liu Xiuzhi insisted on putting the soup in his arms: "We're all neighbors, don't be polite with us. We don't have anything fancy at home, just this chicken soup to nourish the child. Getting healthy is the most important thing."
Old Li hesitated for a long time before finally accepting it: "Thank you so much for remembering us, my old neighbors."
“Xiao Bao is someone we’ve watched grow up, just like my own child. I sincerely hope he gets better soon. It’s just that our abilities are limited, and there’s not much we can do to help.”
Old Li was silent for a moment, then asked, "What are you going to do if your second and third sons don't have a house when they get married? Are you planning to wait for your work unit to allocate housing?"
“Where can we get housing now?” Liu Xiuzhi said with great distress. “The factory is not doing well now, and we can barely pay wages, let alone build new houses. Besides, there is a long line of people ahead of them in line.”
"So what do you plan to do?"
"What else can we do? We can only save money and see if we can buy a house ourselves. Otherwise, there's nothing we can do. These days, no girl will want to marry someone without a house."
At this point, Liu Xiuzhi quickly added, "Uncle Li, we don't covet your house. I know you're reluctant to sell it, because if you did, you wouldn't be able to find your way home every year. Besides, we don't have that much money; we could barely afford even one of your side rooms."
When Old Li heard "year after year," he tensed up and remained silent for a long time.
"Uncle Li, don't worry. Xiao Bao is a lucky person. He'll probably be back in a couple of days, and then we won't have to sell the house."
Old Li remained silent, and Liu Xiuzhi didn't say anything more. She put down the chicken soup and left.
Before leaving, Liu Xiuzhi glanced at Su Ruyi, and seeing that the other woman was also looking at her, she gave her a forced smile and left.
The mischievous Tong Yunyun whispered in Su Ruyi's ear, "Big sister, that auntie is lying."
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