Old Yu was munching on chicken and steamed buns.
Wei Aiguo opened his window; although the window wasn't big, it was enough to let the dampness in the room dissipate.
"You're dressed so well, what do you do for a living?" Old Yu asked.
Wei Aiguo looked at the Zhongshan suit he was wearing, the fabric his wife had bought for him. "I'm a soldier!"
Old Yu paused: "A soldier? Being a soldier is good!"
I only had this one room back then, and I had no work to do, so I could only beg for food on the street.
Later, the soldiers came in, and they wouldn't let us beg. I and the other beggars were all locked up. I thought they were going to kill us.
The soldiers asked each of us what we used to do.
I didn't dare to lie. Many of those beggars knew each other's backgrounds, and what if one of them revealed my secrets?
People like me, neither male nor female, who treats us like human beings?
I never expected that the soldier wouldn't yell at me or hit me. He even gave me food. He asked me if I wanted to live a good life and be a decent human being.
Of course I want to!
Later, he had one of his soldiers take me to the neighborhood committee office. Since I was staying there, they had to take care of me. Then they assigned me a job sweeping the streets.
Wei Aiguo: "So, you've been sweeping the streets here for almost 20 years?"
Old Yu: "Yes!"
Wei Aiguo: "You could say that the soldiers assigned you to the neighborhood office. Does that mean your work relationship is there?"
"I don't know!" Old Yu mumbled, his mouth full of steamed bun.
Old Yu's background made him look down on by these people, and he didn't want to stoop to their level and curry favor. Who would bother with him for any good opportunities? He became an insignificant figure.
"I have something to do, so I'll be going now." Wei Aiguo wanted to inquire about whether people like Aunt Ji and Old Yu from the neighborhood office could retire.
Old Yu watched Wei Aiguo leave. He wanted to ask if Wei Aiguo would come back, but he didn't.
They are the people's own soldiers, what am I?
But deep down he had a feeling that he would come back again.
When Wei Aiguo got home, the door was locked. He went straight to his room and took out about a pound of dried fish and five pounds of cornmeal.
When Wei Aiguo arrived at the street where Aunt Ji worked, he happened to run into her getting off work.
"Oh! It's Xiao Wei! You look really smart today!" Aunt Ji was very happy to see Wei Aiguo.
This kid gave her some local mountain produce as a thank you last time. Authentic mountain produce makes for really delicious dishes.
“Aunt Ji, I’ve moved here, so I came to visit you,” Wei Aiguo said.
"It's lunchtime, come home with me for lunch." Aunt Ji pulled Wei Aiguo along.
“Okay!” Wei Aiguo said without hesitation.
Aunt Ji lived quite close by; it took her less than ten minutes to get home.
“My two sons are both in other places, my daughter was a sent-down youth and got married in the countryside, and my youngest son doesn’t come home for lunch. It’s just me and my husband left, he might have died somewhere.” Aunt Ji said as she opened the door.
"Aunt Ji, I brought you some snacks and food," Wei Aiguo said.
Aunt Ji genuinely felt that there was a lot of stuff, but Wei Aiguo's sincerity was evident in the gift.
Aunt Ji was cooking, and Wei Aiguo was helping out. The two chatted about everyday things.
Wei Aiguo then started talking about Old Yu.
Aunt Ji genuinely thinks Wei Aiguo is a good person.
It's obvious that Wei Aiguo wanted to help Old Yu.
Wei Aiguo couldn't inquire about something empty-handed. But what could someone like that possibly have to give away? This thing must belong to Wei Aiguo.
Aunt Ji asked Wei Aiguo what his relationship was with Old Yu. Wei Aiguo said that he had just seen Old Yu fall down and took him home. He felt sorry for Old Yu and wanted to help him.
In Aunt Ji's mind, Wei Aiguo's reputation as a good person was confirmed.
“This person has been working in the neighborhood office since the beginning of his career, and it’s been so many years. It’s unreasonable not to let him retire.”
"Don't worry, I'll take care of this for you," Aunt Ji said confidently.
"Huh?" Wei Aiguo didn't expect Aunt Ji to say that. "Aunt Ji, this matter isn't so easy, is it? Why don't I ask the relevant departments?"
"fine!
I'm retired, but I'm still working at the neighborhood office to earn some extra income.
Many elderly women wanted to do this job, so why did it fall to me? Because my younger brother is in charge of these neighborhood committees.
Old Yu is so pitiful, why can't he be given a retirement?
"My brother didn't do his job well, I'll go find him when I get there." Aunt Ji said this with great confidence.
"Aunt Ji, you are such a kind person!" Wei Aiguo felt even more favorably toward this warm-hearted Aunt Ji.
Aunt Ji deliberately lowered her voice. "I just want good people to be rewarded."
The two chatted and grew closer. Wei Aiguo mentioned that he wanted to rent a house. The house didn't need to be near the inner city, just spacious.
There wasn't much good food these days. Aunt Ji got a piece of tofu from her neighbor.
She stewed tofu for lunch.
It was almost time for dinner when his father finally returned home.
Aunt Ji quickly introduced him, saying that the old man's surname was Ding and that he was a very easy-going person.
Old Ding was holding a cane. He seemed quite agile, and the cane was more for decoration than practical use.
Wei Aiguo picked it up and looked at it. "Uncle Ding, the patterns on this are really beautiful!"
"Hehe! Isn't it beautiful! Your Aunt Ji said I was just idly carving patterns on this. Do you recognize this pattern?" Grandpa Ding showed off.
Wei Aiguo didn't know, and he honestly shook his head.
"Eat your food, don't listen to this old man's nonsense. He's just bored because he has nothing to do," said Aunt Ji.
"Uncle Ding, what did you do for a living before?" Wei Aiguo asked.
"I make seals! That's all I do. I have no other work besides making seals," said Grandpa Ding.
Aunt Ji put down her chopsticks and said, "He gave the job to my youngest son."
It's been almost a year, hasn't it? He's practically bored to death. What can I do if he doesn't let me? My son's all grown up now."
“Aunt Ji, you’ve found work for Master Ji, so why can’t Uncle Ding do it?” Wei Aiguo asked.
"He can only carve a seal. When strangers go to the shop to have their seals made, he feels embarrassed to charge the neighbors," said Aunt Ji.
"I think the patterns Grandpa Ding carved on his walking stick are particularly beautiful!" Wei Aiguo had a vague idea. His wife wanted to earn money, so he could find her a way to do so.
"A cane works no matter what, who would spend money to carve it?" Aunt Ji's words were full of disdain.
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