I made a profit of 195.
This year has indeed been a good year.
A more lavish New Year's Eve dinner than last year, a more spectacular Spring Festival Gala than last year, more fireworks and firecrackers than last year, and thicker red envelopes than last year...
Two-year-old Lin Ting, like a little country bumpkin, had her eyes sparkling during the three days of the Spring Festival, finding everything new and fascinating. Especially on New Year's Eve, with its feasts of fish and meat and fireworks, the whole family was filled with her constant "wah!" sounds. On New Year's Day, she ran around every courtyard with the older children in the alley, returning with her little satchel overflowing with treats.
Even though several months have passed since the Spring Festival, Lin Ting would still occasionally ask the adults, "When is the Spring Festival?"
The adults said that once all the almanacs on the wall have been torn down, the next Spring Festival will be just around the corner.
The next day, when the adults weren't looking, Lin Ting tore the thick Chinese almanac into a mess. She was quite pleased with herself, saying, "Look, the Spring Festival is almost here!"
Then my grandma punished me by making me clean up the mess, picking up all the torn-up pieces of the almanac to use as kindling.
Lin Ting had jokingly vandalized two of the almanacs on the wall, and the days quietly passed by amidst Lin Ting's mischievous antics.
Just after the Spring Festival, Song Xibei went to the military academy to register with his big bags and small packages. None of the potential partners introduced by his neighbors worked out.
Lin Sitian also suspended her work at the Workers' Hospital and went to Beijing Medical College for a year of advanced studies.
In May, Ding Xuewen, carrying candy, went to the homes of his three childhood friends one by one to share the good news, telling Ye Zhi Qiu with a silly grin that she was pregnant and he was going to be a father.
Guan Yuehe watched him laugh and wipe away tears, constantly complaining as she gathered up Lin Ting's old clothes and pushed him and the clothes out the door.
"I won't keep you for dinner. Go home and take care of Zhi Qiu and your child."
Afterwards, Guan Yuehe and the others went to visit Ye Zhi Qiu. No one took the lead, but the three of them unanimously imitated Ding Xuewen's manner of bringing good news to his door.
Ye Zhi Qiu laughed out loud, while Ding Xue Wen's face turned bright red. He repeatedly tried to explain that he hadn't cried that badly. But the three of them didn't listen and continued to laugh at him after they finished.
In July, Dingxiang took her graduation certificate to the post office to report for duty and became a line maintenance technician.
However, she did not live at home. Instead, she applied for a dormitory at her workplace and moved there directly, so that her parents would not use her as an excuse to cause trouble for her second brother and sister-in-law.
At first, Mr. and Mrs. Ding were not satisfied, but when Dingxiang said that she would give them fifteen yuan a month for retirement, they finally settled down.
"Why are they behaving themselves? Aren't they just scared of Yuehua?! They're terrified of being arrested and shot."
Meanwhile, Weiwei graduated from the technical school of the machinery factory and was eventually assigned to the machinery factory, where he became a machine repairman.
But Jiang Guiying still couldn't help but sigh, "Weiwei has found a job, but I'm just worried... I should have let her enroll in a vocational school."
Jingjing studied in high school for two years, but her grades were not outstanding. Based on the past performance of students from the high school affiliated with the automobile factory who were admitted to universities, she was highly unlikely to pass the university entrance exam.
Jiang Guiying didn't dare say these things in front of Jingjing, for fear of upsetting her. She only mentioned them when chatting with Guan Canghai and her old friends.
Compared to Weiwei and Yangyang, she spent the most time with Jingjing, and with more time came more worries. If Jingjing didn't get into university, there would be no job for her to take over the family business.
“If you really can’t pass the exam, let Jingjing come back and learn a trade from me. Perfect timing, the hair perming machine that Mannian asked someone to buy is the latest model. She can be in charge of perming the women’s hair, and even more people will come… Hiss hiss hiss!” Guan Canghai was pinched on the ear by her and didn’t continue.
"Don't say such unlucky things! Jingjing is sure to pass the exam!"
"Fine, I won't say anything more." Guan Canghai snorted, thinking to himself: No matter what I say, it's wrong, so I might as well not say anything more.
Lin Ting chuckled and reached out to pinch his ear, which made Guan Canghai laugh in exasperation. He deliberately said, "Grandpa is going to a restaurant later, I'm not taking you."
"Grandma is rich."
Jiang Guiying waved her hand and said she had no money.
Lin Ting snorted and said matter-of-factly, "Gu Yu is rich!"
When Gu Yu came home from school, she went to find Gu Yu and took her to the supply and marketing cooperative!
"......"
In August, the Wang family moved out of Ginkgo Hutong for good, bought a two-courtyard house elsewhere, and even got a car. This caused a stir of envy in Ginkgo Hutong.
Those who were unemployed and at home started thinking about starting a small business. Jiang Guiying even talked every day about making the agricultural and sideline products store that she and her old friends ran bigger and stronger.
Guan Yuehe was even more envious. However, she wasn't envious of the Wang family driving a car; she was envious of their yard.
She had always wanted to buy a small courtyard house, but after looking around, she couldn't find a suitable one. Then the Wang family bought it without hesitation, and it was a large courtyard house with two courtyards!
"I need to go to the infirmary to get a bottle of eye drops."
At the end of September, Lin Ting was playing beanbag toss with the older kids at the entrance of the alley when he heard the familiar sound of a motorcycle. He forgot about the game and ran out. After running a few steps, he saw Guan Yuehe returning from get off work.
"Mom, Guyu has been chosen as the little announcer!"
Guan Yuehe exclaimed, "Oh my! This talent for being an announcer can be inherited?!"
Lin Ting scratched her head. She didn't understand, but she wanted to see Gu Yu as the announcer.
"Mom, you and Dad should go too."
"Mom and Dad might not be available, wouldn't it be better to go with Grandma and Grandpa? Uncle is going too."
But on the day before National Day, Guan Yuehe and Lin Yiku both left work on time and went straight to the auditorium of the Five Star Automobile Factory instead of going home.
They arrived late and missed out on a good spot, but luckily they had good eyesight and could see clearly even from the back.
Looking at the little stick on the stage that was starting to grow taller, Guan Yuehe couldn't help but marvel at how amazing genetics really is.
“Look at her, she’s exactly like my sister used to be.”
Her older sister used to be a junior announcer when she was in elementary school. On that occasion, all the workers at the Five Star Automobile Factory said that the eldest daughter of the barber shop owner, Master Guan, would definitely be the most beautiful girl in the factory when she grew up.
Some of the older workers watching the show squinted to get a closer look. When they heard that one of the announcers on stage was the daughter of Guan Yuehua, the former factory beauty, they were quite emotional. "When I first joined the factory, Guan's eldest daughter was also an announcer. It's like a mother passing the torch to her daughter. Her daughter has taken up the mantle too?"
"Oh my! I didn't even notice until you mentioned it, this mother and daughter are practically identical."
Lin Ting sat on her father's shoulders, her chin resting on his head, intently watching the stage. As soon as Gu Yu came out, she clapped her hands, and when she got too excited, she couldn't help but pat her father's head.
Lin Yiku patted her bottom several times, saying, "You're such a filial daughter. When others clap their hands, you pat your dad's head."
Lin Ting laughed and admitted her mistake, but soon she knew she was wrong and made the same mistake again.
Ever since watching Gu Yu become a junior announcer, Lin Ting has also started putting on shows at home.
He learned a few martial arts moves from Yuanbao across the street, and picked up a small wooden stick from somewhere, humming and laughing all day long.
They have boundless energy all day long.
It's true what they say, kids grow up so fast, they change every little bit. Lin Ting is getting more and more mischievous, like a spinning top, never stopping all day long, unable to sit still, only quiet for a while when eating.
Guan Yuehe made up her mind that after the New Year, she would send Lin Ting to the nursery class of Zhuoyue Garment Factory.
But for now, she couldn't worry about things after the New Year. The joint venture car project in Shanghai was about to be completed, and at this crucial moment, she had to focus on her work first.
In mid-October, a Sino-German joint venture automobile company was established, marking the first Sino-foreign joint venture passenger car company in China.
As a member of the negotiation team, Guan Yuehe was much more composed this time. She thought that she would have two successful experiences to draw upon when participating in future negotiations for automotive joint venture projects.
"Are you going to move up a bit?" Li Xuelian asked quietly as she left work.
"That's not true," Guan Yuehe said with a smile. "If we really move upstairs, I'll treat you to a meal at a restaurant."
"Then I'll wait. I'm not picky, I'll just go to that little restaurant next to your barbershop."
"Aren't you picky? My Uncle Ming is a famous chef now, it's hard to even book a table." Guan Yuehe changed the subject and laughed, "Then I'll have to have my dad go and get a number early."
After finishing another automotive joint venture project, Guan Yuehe can finally take a break.
Although she had considered the possibility of being promoted, she had already completed her work successfully, and the rest was up to her supervisor to decide.
So, taking advantage of the fact that she wasn't busy at work and could rest normally on Sundays, Guan Yuehe would either take Lin Ting out to meet her friends or take her out to eat. Occasionally, she would also visit the small courtyard that her relatives and friends had helped look after.
During this period, the two sentences Guan Yuehe heard most often were: "Your daughter's eyes look just like yours."
Another question was: "Are you about to get promoted?"
When even Guan Yuehua asked this question, Guan Yuehe shrugged and said, "Where did you get the idea that I want to be promoted?"
To be honest, her work performance was alright. Not just in the entire unit, but within her department alone, which has nearly ten section chiefs, she wasn't the only one with outstanding work performance. Besides, there was no indication from her superiors that she was being transferred.
Guan Yuehua was silent for a moment, then said, "We were just assuming things."
"How so?"
"Haven't you noticed how quickly college graduates are promoted in your workplace?"
Guan Yuehe thought about it carefully and felt it was normal. People with little or no work experience usually start as staff members after graduation, and they can usually be promoted to deputy section chief or even section chief within one or two years.
Guan Yuehua clicked her tongue, suddenly remembering that Guan Yuehe was considered a special case.
Normally, Guan Yuehe should have been a section chief after graduation, and then promoted based on her work performance. But she skipped all the promotions that would have taken several years to achieve as soon as she joined the company.
Therefore, the first batch of college graduates were promoted within two or three years after being assigned to their units, while Guan Yuehe remained stagnant.
Guan Yuehe said "Oh" and said happily, "Then I've hit the jackpot. I'll get it all in one go and receive a salary for several more years."
Guan Yuehua saw the look on her face as if she had gotten a great deal and took several deep breaths. While others were thinking about promotions, she was thinking about her salary.
Guan Yuehe was still muttering, "If it weren't for the higher wages these past few years, I wouldn't have bought a new color TV. Once I save up a bit more, I want to buy a big two-courtyard house, one room for me, and one room to keep empty..."
Guan Yuehua didn't want to talk to her, so she turned her back and rolled her eyes.
She should have realized long ago that no matter how Guan Yuehe often referred to herself as "Director Guan" to show off, in Guan Yuehe's heart, whether it was "Section Chief Guan" or "Director Guan," it was just a job.
The important thing is to have a job, whether it's in a state-owned factory or a government agency. The only difference between jobs is the amount of salary and ration coupons you receive each month.
"Hey, by the way, what level of upright official are you now?"
"Shut up if you don't want to get yelled at!"
"oh."
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