Chapter 58
◎ Although she wanted to resign, Bei Bitang still got up in the dark before dawn.
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Although she wanted to resign, Bei Bitang still got up in the dark before dawn.
After the change, she no longer had to wait for transport trucks, unload fish, or check orders, but she still arrived at the market before 5:00. This was partly to prevent others from noticing something was wrong with her shift, and partly to avoid getting into trouble with Li Daqiang.
In fact, she could do nothing today. She could go to the small vegetable market at 8 o'clock to complete the handover procedures for Xiao Mao and then come back. Xiao Mao was a gay man, so Li Daqiang would not make things difficult for him by asking him to clean the women's restroom.
As for the other colleagues at the small vegetable market, Li Daqiang couldn't afford to offend any of them. If she didn't let Xiaomao take over, they wouldn't be implicated. Zeng Linlin had originally assigned someone to clean the restrooms to make things difficult for her.
She left and that was the end of it.
During these days, the street cleaner who was originally responsible for the toilets in the small vegetable market had no work to do and had been resting. She suddenly left without saying goodbye in advance, and she had to clean the public toilets in the small vegetable market again.
Bei Bitang shook her head, showing her soft-heartedness. It was her job to do, and there was nothing to feel guilty about.
Bei Bitang originally planned to go out, eat a bowl of spicy noodles first, then stroll around the streets in the early morning until around seven o'clock, and then go to the small vegetable market to hand over her work.
But thinking that the breakfast shops outside would not open soon and he did not want to go hungry, he went into the kitchen, lit a fire to boil water, soaked the overnight rice, and then put half a spoonful of meat floss on the rice soaked in plain water.
Bei Bitang enjoyed a bowl of rice congee with pork floss in a bland soup.
Bei Bitang had seen the streets at four in the morning countless times, but at this moment, she was wearing a thin shirt, standing on the street with heavy shadows of trees and dim houses, and she felt particularly relaxed.
I can stop working soon and be free. To hell with the disgusting Zeng Linlin and Li Daqiang!
Bei Bitang walked slowly from one end of the street to the other. She walked for more than two hours in the morning before taking the bus to the small vegetable market.
When Bei Bitang arrived at the back door of the small vegetable market, Xiao Mao was already waiting there.
Bei Bitang walked over quickly and said apologetically, "Xiao Mao, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Xiao Mao quickly waved his hand and said, "It's okay, Comrade Bei, I haven't been waiting long. I just arrived, and I have nothing to do anyway. As long as I can take over the shift, I can wait as long as it takes."
The job sold by Bei Bitang was like timely rain after a long drought for Xiao Mao's family. Xiao Mao and his parents did not sleep at all that night and stayed awake until dawn.
Bei Bitang said, "Then come with me. I'll take you to handle the formalities."
After hesitating for a moment, Bei Bitang said, "Xiao Mao, the manager of the small vegetable market is called Li Daqiang. I had a conflict with him before, and it was very unpleasant. After you take over my shift, don't be afraid of him. He's a bully who only picks on the weak and fears the strong. The barefoot are not afraid of the shod. If he gives you a hard time, just go to the neighborhood office, or have your family come and make a scene. He'll be afraid of you in return."
Xiao Mao was scared at first, but then his face gradually became determined. He bit his lip and nodded heavily.
Given Xiao Mao's family situation, the person he is least afraid of is someone like Li Daqiang. If Xiao Mao was a person who thought he was weak and right, Li Daqiang would have to appease him.
Bei Bitang and Xiao Mao pushed the door open and walked in. Everyone in the small vegetable market management office looked at them in surprise.
Bei Bitang calmly walked to Li Daqiang's seat and said in a cold voice, "Director Li, I have family matters, so I'm quitting my job. My cousin, Xiao Mao, will take over my job."
Li Daqiang suddenly looked up at Bei Bitang and asked in a lost voice, "What did you say?"
Bei Bitang raised her voice and said word by word: "I. Say. I. Won't. Do. It!"
Li Daqiang finally reacted. He glared at Bei Bitang and said, "How could you quit?!"
Bei Bitang said sarcastically, "Director Li, I'm free to leave, and it's legal for a relative to take over. If you're unwilling to help me with the procedures, I'll report it to the higher-ups. Also, my cousin's family is in trouble recently and they need money urgently. You should also be considerate of those in need."
There is no need for Bei Bitang to explain in detail, everyone can know what Xiaomao's family situation is at a glance.
His body was covered in patches, looked empty, his face was pale and skinny, he had very little flesh on his body, and his eyes were full of fatigue, which was not at all what one should look like at his age.
Li Daqiang looked at Xiaomao, swallowed his saliva, and said nothing. The three of them were in a stalemate.
Bei Bitang didn't say anything either, but stood there confidently, as if she was watching the performance leisurely.
After a moment, Li Daqiang lost his temper and said dejectedly, "Give me the information."
Xiao Mao looked at Bei Bitang, seeing what she meant, and she said, "Xiao Mao, give the information to Director Li. Remember, Director Li is a good director who cares about the people and his subordinates. If you have any difficulties at home in the future, you can come to him. If you have to work and don't have time, you can ask my parents to come, as well as my cousins."
Li Daqiang felt a pain in his chest when he heard this. Where could Bei Bitang find such a person to replace her? She has weaknesses everywhere, but also has no weaknesses at all.
A whole family of people are waiting for food at home, the adults have no jobs, and the children don't go to school. If someone is unhappy, the whole family will go to the small vegetable market to make trouble, and he will suffer the consequences.
Li Daqiang was full of anger, but he completed the handover procedures for Bei Bitang without saying a word.
Bei Bitang, after a long wait, spoke up for Xiao Mao and asked, "Director Li, does Xiao Mao still need to clean the toilet?"
Li Daqiang swallowed his anger and said, "Go kill the fish and let Jin Jianghai take him."
Bei Bitang didn't want to see Jin Jianghai again, as it was awkward for both of them. She asked Xiao Mao to ask someone while she went to the fish stall.
Bei Bitang walked out of the main entrance of the small vegetable market, looked back, smiled, and turned around to leave without any reluctance.
As soon as Bei Bitang left, Li Daqiang hurriedly ran out of the vegetable market, found a place, and called Zeng Linlin.
Zeng Linlin, who was trying on a wedding dress, didn't feel much when she heard that Bei Bitang had left and quit her job. She hung up Li Daqiang's phone without saying a word.
Zeng Linlin sat in the living room of the villa, stroking the lace of her white wedding dress and snorting disdainfully. She was about to become a bride and enter a new stage in her life.
She had no time to bother with Bei Bitang, a commoner. She pinched Bei Bitang like an ant.
Xu Zeli had been acting so lowly in front of her recently, treating her like a princess, not even daring to mention Bei Bitang. She even deliberately mentioned Bei Bitang, and Xu Zeli's expression of humiliation and anger completely put his mind at ease.
Between her and Bei Bitang, Xu Zeli knew how to choose!
Although she lost her job, Bei Bitang became more and more determined. She got on the trolleybus and knew where she was going next.
Bei Bitang went to the Shanghai Bookstore. There were many people in the bookstore, and Bei Bitang found the book she wanted in a targeted manner.
Bei Bitang bought a set of high school textbooks and a set of math, physics and chemistry books.
The price wasn't cheap, but Bei Bitang paid without hesitation. She clutched the books tightly to her chest, feeling fortunate to have been able to buy them, and to have bought all of them.
The news of the college entrance examination had just come out. More than a dozen people took turns reading a set of high school textbooks, and some even fought in order to read for a few more minutes.
After buying the review materials, Bei Bitang also bought paper and pen. With a faint smile on her face, she went to the city library and applied for a long-term library card.
Bei Bitang found a quiet and well-lit place to sit down and studied for most of the day, forgetting the time.
My stomach couldn't take it anymore, so I resorted to the empty city plan to remind her.
Bei Bitang looked up and saw the wall clock. It was already past seven o'clock in the evening. She hurriedly packed up the things on the table and hurried out of the city library.
In the dim night, Bei Bitang hurried home while chewing on the tofu and vegetable buns she had bought.
I hope nothing gets caught, Bei Bitang thought worriedly as she looked at the street outside the car window.
When she got home, Miao Xiuxiu saw her and just casually asked, "Why are you back so late?"
Bei Bitang suddenly had an idea. Pointing at the books and stationery she was holding, she said calmly, "I went to a classmate's house and she gave me some books she didn't need."
Miao Xiuxiu glanced at it indifferently and didn't find anything wrong. She lowered her head and continued to paste the paper box.
Over the next few days, Bei Bitang's daily routine was exactly the same as it was at work. She went out every day and pretended to be at work, but in fact she was going to the city library to read high school textbooks.
That day, Bei Bitang passed by the telephone room.
The old lady who answered the phone sighed and said to her, "Bitang, this Ma Tailong has been calling you for several days in a row. I told you not to answer and told him not to call again. He didn't listen and called every day, and I couldn't not answer. I, an old lady, have been in trouble for several days."
The old lady looked distressed, and Bei Bitang felt something in her heart.
As Xu Zeli's lackey, Ma Tailong suddenly called her. This was not inexplicable or out of the blue.
She guessed there were two possibilities: one was that Ma Tailong came to humiliate and ridicule her, and the other was that Xu Zeli revealed to Ma Tailong that she was single and hinted that Ma Tailong could pursue her.
She kept ignoring Ma Tailong's calls, and rumors about her in the Shikumen were growing more and more. It was said that she had hooked up with a man named Ma Tailong.
Now she ignored them, and they called her. Even her family asked her indirectly whether she had made friends again or broken up again.
Bei Bitang was very annoyed. Her reputation was not very good to begin with, and what Ma Tailong did made her personal image plummet.
She could imagine how families with daughters in the alleys educated their daughters.
Pulling his ears, tapping his forehead, he said with a sigh, "Look at Bei Bitang, do you want to learn from her?"
But the old lady who answered the phone was caught in an unexpected disaster. Her attitude towards her had not changed. She still treated her the same way as before and still treated her as a friendly girl next door.
Bei Bitang didn't want to trouble the old lady anymore, so she said, "Auntie, if he calls again today, I'll pick up and explain everything to him."
When the old lady heard this, she smiled so hard that her two missing teeth were exposed.
Speak of the devil and he will appear. The phone on the wooden board started ringing.
When the old lady picked up the phone and heard a few words from the other end, she nodded at Bei Bitang and pointed at the receiver.
Bei Bitang understood immediately that it was Ma Tailong who was calling. What a coincidence. But it was a good thing, because it saved her from having to go downstairs again later.
Bei Bitang reached out to take the phone and immediately said, "Ma Tailong?"
Ma Tailong's tone was thick with laughter. He gloated and said, "Bei Bitang, Ze Li is getting married tomorrow. Did he invite you to the wedding banquet?"
Bei Bitang didn't say anything, but sneered in her heart, as expected.
Ma Tailong was talking to himself over there, "I should have invited you. Even though you and Ze Li broke up because of the huge gap between you, I should have sent you an invitation as we were old classmates. Hey, aren't you single? Tomorrow night at six o'clock, I'll wait for you at the Shanghai Old Restaurant in Yu Garden. We can go in together. If I didn't invite you, I can still take you to see the big scene. How about I treat you well?"
The last sentence was said by Ma Tailong in a vulgar way.
Bei Bitang's face was expressionless as she said coldly, "Ma Tailong, Xu Zeli did dump me. It's true, and I admit it. I'm really upset and want to know how to get back at Xu Zeli! Thank you for calling and telling me where to find him. He's getting married tomorrow, right? I want to give him a big gift."
After a pause, Bei Bitang said, trying to prevent any future trouble, "Ma Tailong, don't think others don't know what you're thinking. You're trying to please Xu Zeli and pick up his leftovers. If something goes wrong at his wedding tomorrow and he finds out you were the one who tipped me off, how will he vent his anger?!"
After saying that, Bei Bitang hung up the phone regardless of Ma Tailong's anxious shouts.
The aunt on the phone patted Bei Bitang's hand comfortingly and said, "Bitang, don't do anything stupid."
If Bei Bitang went to someone's wedding to cause trouble, killing a thousand enemies but hurting herself eight hundred times, her reputation would be completely ruined. If she was still obsessed with her ex, would she ever be able to get married?
Bei Bitang took a deep breath, smiled, and said gently: "Auntie, don't worry, I'll just scare him, I won't do anything."
She will definitely do something, otherwise everyone will treat her as a sick cat, easy to bully.
She was not afraid of Zeng Linlin's revenge. The only person Zeng Linlin could take revenge on was her. Now that she had bought the job, what could Zeng Linlin do to her?
Huang Dashan was a dockworker. As soon as the boat docked, he would run up and ask what work was done. Miao Xiuxiu had retired. Lin Bilan was a regular employee at the textile factory. Even if she made a mistake, as long as it wasn't recorded in her file, the factory wouldn't fire her.
If Zeng Linlin really had such great ability, let alone the whole family, Lin Bilan alone would be able to turn the factory upside down and make everyone fall to the ground.
This is Shanghai, not some remote village, and you know which way the government building is.
The house is theirs, Zeng Linlin cannot occupy other people's houses, let alone drive them out. It's a new society to film hooligans coming to beat people up.
Bei Bitang considered various things, but couldn't decide what to do.
She walked, frowning and thinking carefully.
She lost her balance and nearly fell. Bei Bitang regained her balance and looked down. She saw that what nearly tripped her was a heart-shaped gravel.
A flash of inspiration flashed through Bei Bitang's mind. She bent down, picked up the broken stone, and smiled.
A few young stray kids, about fifteen or sixteen years old, were standing in the alley, leaning against the wall, smoking cigarette butts they had picked up.
Bei Bitang waved her hand and called softly, "Ah Hui, come here for a moment. I have something to talk to you about."
Upon hearing this, the other young people looked at Ah Hui with a smile, and without waiting for Ah Hui to say anything, they reached out and pushed him towards Bei Bitang.
Bei Bitang walked to a deserted place, and Ah Hui followed her.
Ah Hui has an honest and silent face, doesn't like to talk, is reliable in his work, doesn't do things secretly or play tricks, and keeps his mouth shut.
Bei Bitang said, "Ah Hui, you have a bicycle, right? Tomorrow you can help me deliver something to Yu Garden. If you do it, I'll give you five yuan. Do you want to take it?"
As long as Zeng Linlin and Xu Zeli are disgusted, Bei Bitang will spend a lot of money.
Ah Hui's eyes lit up and he said hurriedly, "Take it!"
Bei Bitang handed him the broken stone and instructed him, "Tomorrow evening at eight o'clock, you will deliver this stone to the entrance of the Shanghai Old Hotel and give it to a man named Xu Zeli. Tell him that this is my wedding gift to him and his bride. I wish him and his bride to be honest with each other in the future and have a relationship as strong as stone."
Ah Hui laughed when he heard this. The name Xu Zeli was well-known to everyone in the Shikumen.
Bei Bitang wanted him to take revenge on the unfaithful man and vent his anger.
Ah Hui felt a sense of justice in his heart. He took the stone and said, "Bei Bitang, it doesn't have to be five, just give me three. Do you want me to call a few more people to break up the place? They have nothing to do all day anyway."
Bei Bitang shook her head and said, "No, just do as I say."
After saying that, Bei Bitang took out five dollars. Ah Hui didn't take it, so Bei Bitang stuffed it directly into his trouser pocket.
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