Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it's the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, getting closer and closer to the New Year of 1960.
Although there is a shortage of supplies at present, there are still many vendors on the streets, and people come out to buy New Year's goods in an endless stream, making it very lively and full of the festive atmosphere.
In the Tsinghua University laboratory, Professor Wu and two others had just finished lunch.
"Lianshan, Zhengguo, there are only a few days left until the New Year. This afternoon, let's tidy up the lab and then officially start our holiday."
"Okay!"
The two replied happily.
Who doesn't love a holiday? Neither of them are immune to this.
"Wait a minute! Mr. Wu, you only said tomorrow is a holiday, so when will you come back to work?"
After the initial excitement subsided, Sun Zhengguo asked in confusion.
"Zhengguo, you're not a formal employee of ours, so you don't get paid. After the holiday, do you really want to come back?"
Professor Wu still hoped that Sun Zhengguo could come, after all, there's plenty of time to make money! Learning skills is what truly belongs to you!
At the same time, he also wanted to see how his most valued student would answer this question.
"Mr. Wu, I'll just come as usual! I want to learn more skills, and I don't care about the salary. Just tell me when I'm coming?"
"Haha! Great!" Professor Wu praised happily.
“Since you’re willing to come and learn some skills, then come directly on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, just like us. If you really have something to do at home, it’s okay to come a couple of days later.”
"It's okay, I won't make any special arrangements, I'll just come on the sixth day of the new year."
After discussing the holiday and work arrangements, Sun Zhengguo picked up the lunchboxes of the group and headed towards the pool outside.
What can be done? Although his skills are not bad, he is the least experienced among them.
You know, Senior Brother Chen has been washing lunch boxes for several years without ever complaining. Now that it's his turn, we can't break the rules.
In the afternoon, the group started tidying up the lab, putting all the blueprints, books, tools, and other items into storage boxes.
They also tidied up all the disassembled machinery, cleaned up the area, and the job was basically done.
"Old Wu, do you think this is alright? If so, I'll tell Senior Brother Chen that we'll leave first."
Sun Zhengguo asked with a chuckle.
Senior Brother Chen, standing to the side, also looked on with anticipation.
"Go on your way! Drive carefully. I wish you a Happy New Year in advance! Especially Zheng Guo, I wish you a healthy baby boy next year."
"Hahaha……!"
"Thank you for your kind words! We also wish you good health and all the best."
Amidst cheerful laughter, everyone exchanged early New Year's greetings, and only then did the holiday officially begin.
After leaving the school, Sun Zhengguo saw that it was still early, so he didn't rush home but instead planned to go to Liangcai Clothing Store.
The clothes and scarf I made for my wife a while ago should be almost finished, so I went to pick them up today.
Liangcai Clothing Store was bustling with customers due to the approaching Lunar New Year. Some came to pick up clothes, while others had just collected enough cotton coupons to make a cotton-padded coat before the New Year.
When Sun Zhengguo arrived, the two shop assistants were so busy that they even formed a queue.
Fortunately, Sun Zhengguo wasn't there to have clothes made, so it wasn't that complicated. After queuing for a while, he got the clothes, checked them carefully, and found no problems before driving home.
At the entrance of the courtyard house, Yan Bugui warmly greeted Sun Zhengguo, but immediately lost interest when he learned that the bag contained new clothes.
Several young women and married women, however, looked on with envy when they saw the new cotton-padded jackets and scarves in the bag.
"Zhengguo, your school really knows how to use people. The New Year is just around the corner, and they're not paying us a single penny of salary, yet they're still making us work for free! They're even more capitalist than capitalists."
Yan Bugui's words, on the surface, seemed to express concern for Sun Zhengguo, but in reality, they were full of sarcasm. He thought Sun Zhengguo was a fool who couldn't do anything without money.
The neighbors around him were looking at Sun Zhengguo as if he were an idiot.
"Uncle, you can't say that. I'm still a student. What do I need a salary for? My main focus is on learning skills. But it won't be long. I won't have to go to school after the New Year."
Sun Zhengguo left half of his sentence unfinished, then pushed the cart toward the house.
"Wait, Zhengguo, what do you mean by that? Why did you stop going after the New Year? Is something wrong?"
Yan Bugui grabbed Sun Zhengguo's bicycle and asked in confusion.
Not only Yan Bugui was curious, but some people around him were also curious. The Sun family was not short of money, so why did they suddenly decide not to go?
Seeing that he had successfully attracted everyone's attention, Sun Zhengguo was ready to vent his anger and make them laugh at him. They would probably be shocked in a moment.
"Uncle, let me put it this way! I don't get paid a penny every day. I go to the school to help out. The school leaders saw that I was doing a good job, so they decided to let me graduate early and also assigned me a job. They even exempted me from the internship period."
"How is that possible? Working for free and getting this benefit?"
Yan Bugui expressed his incomprehension.
The neighbors nearby also started discussing it.
"See! What did I tell you? That kid isn't stupid. How could he work for free every day? Now look what's happened, he's been noticed by the school leaders."
"Aunt Li, that's not what you said just now. You said that he was like a fool, and you didn't know what he was after?"
"Keep your voice down, or people will hear you."
The entrance was only so big, and although the group wasn't talking loudly, Sun Zhengguo could still hear a little of their conversation. But who cares! A mediocre person doesn't inspire envy.
"Jung-guk, didn't you just say you were going to be assigned a job? So where exactly were you assigned?"
This is what Yan Bugui cares about. So what if you guarantee job placement?
It would be a waste for a college graduate like you if you couldn't get a good job.
"Uncle, I don't know the specifics yet. It seems that several ministries want me. I need to think about it and decide which unit to go to. I'll give them an answer after the New Year. No rush, no rush."
Having successfully shown off and embarrassed everyone, Sun Zhengguo pushed his car away. This time, no one stopped him; everyone was still savoring what he had just said.
Yan Bugui just couldn't understand it. College graduates are in such high demand now, he could choose from several ministries, and once he joined, he wouldn't even have to go through an internship; he could start earning 55 yuan a month.
Such a salary, in the compound, is considered the pinnacle of one's career right from the start; very few people can achieve it.
"Oh! Why isn't Sun Zhengguo my son! If he were, I could earn 10 yuan a month... no, no, no! 20 yuan a month for living expenses, how wonderful that would be!"
Standing at the door, Yan Bugui was lost in thought.
But in the end, it was all just a dream!
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