Policy 101 has changed again (bug fix)
It was the time when every household was busy preparing dinner, and the taps in each courtyard were running. People were either busy filling their own water tanks or washing vegetables near the taps.
Aunt Zhao was carrying a large basin of green vegetables, preparing to wash them at the tap in the front yard.
Just then, he saw Lin Yiku carrying bed sheets and clothes and throwing them into the laundry basin in front of his house. He wanted to go to the water tank to scoop water, but found that the water in the water tank was all used up.
Aunt Zhao clicked her tongue silently twice. The young couple was really something... They were busy getting into bed as soon as they got back.
"Yiku, you...it's alright, I'll make room for you." Aunt Zhao suppressed a laugh, moved the vegetable washing basin to the side, and filled it with water for Lin Yiku behind her.
Luo Guifang looked into the backyard several times. "Wasn't Yuehe back? Why isn't she here?"
"Sister Luo, you were looking for me?" Guan Yuehe came in through the front door, and couldn't help but sniff her own clothes, still smelling of urine.
Gu Yu, you little bastard!
“I ran into your mother at the meat station when I got off work. She said you two are coming back for dinner.”
Knowing Guan Yuehe's personality, Luo Guifang didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Your garment factory rented a handicraft factory from the street office. Has anyone said when they'll start recruiting?"
The others immediately slowed down their work and quietly pricked up their ears.
The news that Zhuoyue Garment Factory has rented land from the local street office was only confirmed in the last two days.
After Bai Xianghong was allocated a room, she moved out. They couldn't find any workers from the garment factory to inquire about her. Just then, Guan Yuehe returned. Although she no longer worked at the factory, she had previously been a manager and might know more. Even if she didn't know, she could ask her brother-in-law or other factory managers.
In Courtyard No. 2, besides the Kang family in the back building who were anxious to find jobs after returning to the city, there was also Wu Jiawang, who would graduate from high school next year and was also looking for work.
Luo Guifang's twins are in the second year of junior high school. If one of them fails to get into the technical school in the factory, neither of them will be able to get into university, and the family won't be able to find two jobs. Luo Guifang is worried about this.
“I went back to the factory today and asked. They said they were recruiting, but there’s no definite answer on when. If they were recruiting from the public, they would definitely post a notice at the main gate. Keep an eye out for it.”
No one was disappointed; they simply said, "It's good that there are jobs available."
The car factory has a lot of orders this year and is recruiting quite a few workers. However, with so many workers, the factory needs to prioritize hiring children from particularly disadvantaged families and also recruit some skilled workers. This leaves very few openings for children of ordinary workers.
“I heard that the program of sending educated youth to the countryside will no longer be implemented,” Hao Daren interjected while washing vegetables. “My niece is also graduating next year. Her family was worried about her, but now they say that she won’t be going to the countryside anymore, so she can just wait for the factory to assign her a job.”
He felt that although it might take forever for the factory to assign him a job, it was better for a young woman to be unemployed than to go to the countryside.
Luo Guifang immediately looked up, "Really? Is the news accurate? If I graduate and don't find a job, and instead stay in the city instead of going to the countryside, will I still get my food rations?"
“My sister-in-law has a relative who works in the educated youth office. This is what they said: the leaders above are discussing whether educated youth will no longer need to go to the countryside.”
As soon as this news came out, everyone forgot about work and started discussing how their children wouldn't have to go to the countryside anymore.
Guan Yuehe and Lin Yiku are far from becoming parents, so they don't need to worry about their children going to the countryside in the future. Seeing that no one continued to ask her about job recruitment, she and Lin Yiku each carried a bucket home.
Lin Yiku was busy washing clothes, while Guan Yuehe squatted down beside him and talked to him.
He remarked with a sigh, "Policies really do change in no time."
Recalling her chat with the gatekeeper earlier that day, she nudged Lin Yiku's arm and said, "Our factory has a new policy now. Factory cadres are to take the lead and, regardless of whether it's a boy or a girl, they can only have one child from now on. For those who have already given birth, the Women's Federation will come to their homes to encourage their husbands to get sterilized."
“I just dropped Guyu off there. My brother-in-law is here too. He told my mom that he was going to send Guyu over to stay for a few days. He also needs to get his tubal ligation done.”
Lin Yiku wasn't surprised at all. "The military has this policy too, requiring everyone to comply with it."
He glanced at her and smiled, "Having one child is already enough to worry about, this is just right."
"That's true." Just look at Gu Yu and you'll see.
After explaining the policy, Guan Yuehe talked about her work at school, saying with a bitter expression, "I reckon that even on Sundays when I have time off, the teachers will call me to do chores. Remember to come to school to see me when you have time off, and bring me some food while you're at it."
Do I need to bring my marriage certificate?
Guan Yuehe scooped up some water from the basin and splashed it on his face, then rolled her eyes at him before going straight back into the house.
The last time he went to see her at school, the two of them were chased away by the cafeteria lady. She nagged him about it, saying it was all his fault for not bringing his marriage certificate or family planning supplies with him, and that they couldn't even go to the guesthouse near the school.
Seeing that she had angered Yuehe, but still wanting to talk to her, Lin Yiku said into the house, "Yuehe, the soap is gone, get me a new one."
Guan Yuehe took out a new bar of soap, and when she saw that there was still a large bar of soap left at his feet, she snorted heavily.
"It's stuffy inside, so I brought out a stool to cool off." He made up another excuse.
Aunt Zhao returned with the washed vegetables, her eyes fixed on them, not even glancing at them.
As soon as they entered the house, they whispered gossip to Grandpa Chang: "Oh my, Yiku and Yuehe, that couple is so inseparable, they even wash clothes side by side..."
Grandpa Chang muttered under his breath, "Isn't your son and daughter-in-law the same?"
Before long, Chang Zhengyi and Cao Lili returned. One had a big wavy perm, and the other had a small curly perm. They were a well-known trendy couple in Ginkgo Hutong.
Grandpa Chang felt his eyes hurt whenever he saw their hair.
As soon as Grandpa Chang walked out, Grandma Zhao said, "Old fogey, don't mind him."
Cao Lili immediately took the spatula from her hand to help, and said, "Mom, I got some invoices stamped. You can get one stamped too. Zhengyi and I will pay for it."
"Oh dear! At your age, doing this kind of thing, people will laugh at you if you go out... My hair isn't long, can you give me a discount?"
—
After dinner, Gu Mannian took Gu Yu home and told Jiang Guiying that he would send Gu Yu's clothes over the next day.
Jiang Guiying sighed with a worried expression, "How did the policy change like this? At the beginning of the year, we could have two children, but now we can only have one?!"
Guan Canghai comforted her, saying, "It's only a matter of time. Right now, we're only requiring cadres to take the lead, but in a year or two, everyone will definitely have to follow this policy. They are all cadres, and they usually enjoy good salaries and benefits, so they have to set an example when it matters."
"You think you're so enlightened? Do you think I don't know?" Jiang Guiying threw the rag at him irritably. "Guan Aiguo washes the dishes, you wipe the table."
Guan Aiguo didn't dare to say a word, put away the bowls and chopsticks, and took them outside to wash them.
When Lin Sitian returned, she strolled to Courtyard No. 2 with a large bowl in her hand, sat down next to Guan Yuehe, and ate while watching TV.
While her brother was taking a shower, she asked, "So you can only have one child from now on? Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"Is this like going to a meat shop to choose between fatty and lean meat? You can even choose for yourself?"
Lin Sitian almost choked on her food with laughter, coughing several times before she could stop. "You don't know, the question I hear most often when I go to work now is, 'Doctor, is this a boy or a girl?'"
Guan Yuehe didn't care. "It's fine with me. I'll love it even if it's a dog. It's my own child."
"My brother isn't a dog."
The two inside were laughing non-stop, while Lin Yiku sighed helplessly outside the door, truly exasperated by these two who loved to talk nonsense whenever they got together.
“I heard that some people divorce their wives and remarry in order to have a son, so that they can have another child.”
Guan Yuehe was shocked; these people were truly insane.
"There are policies from above, and countermeasures from below." Lin Sitian shook her head. "The factory just issued the policy, and people are already coming to our obstetrics and gynecology department with money, just to ask if the baby in their belly is a boy or a girl. I don't even want to think about it if this policy were to be applied to everyone in the future."
When a new policy is introduced, cadres take the lead, and then everyone else must obey.
"Just wait, there will definitely be a lot of people coming for prenatal checkups soon." Many people are probably thinking of having another child before the policy changes again.
In the evening, Guan Yuehe and Lin Yiku were busy with their married life, but they had to carefully avoid the area that had been ravaged by Guyu.
After resting and waiting for the sweat on her body to slowly subside, Guan Yuehe asked Lin Yiku whether she wanted a boy or a girl.
"Anything is fine, as long as it's not a cat or dog."
What was originally a serious topic almost made Guan Yuehe burst out laughing after his response.
They didn't delve into the issue further, but they reached a tacit agreement: either way is fine, either way is good, and they like both.
The next day, all the neighbors were busy going to work or school, but the two of them were resting and had the most free time.
I spent the whole morning tinkering at home and packed a lot of food, ready for an autumn outing to the park.
I also have to thank Song Xinan. She said her school is organizing an autumn outing at the end of the month, and she needs to sign up now.
The two, who had originally planned to go to the movie theater, changed their minds and decided to go to the park instead.
"I saw Gu Yu! Hurry, hurry, don't let her see us!" Guan Yuehe huddled behind Lin Yiku, afraid that Gu Yu would discover her, and kept urging Lin Yiku to leave Ginkgo Alley as soon as possible.
Gu Yu, who was busy looking at the small toys in her hands, did not notice her aunt at all, but when they passed the No. 2 courtyard, she still pointed her finger and wanted to go in.
"No, your aunt isn't home."
The two, who rarely go out on a date, went boating in the park, and before they knew it, they had started a boat race.
As soon as she got ashore, Guan Yuehe wiped her sweat and said, "I told them I wouldn't compete with them, but they insisted on rowing ahead!"
So she called out to Lin Yiku, and the two of them overtook them by a considerable distance. The people behind them rowed until their faces turned red, but they still couldn't catch up with the tail of their boat.
Having won their "battle," the two went to a state-run restaurant near the park for a meal, completely satisfied.
They didn't get home until evening, and the two of them shared a jar of lychees.
"This is my first time eating lychees. How are they different from fresh ones?"
Lin Yiku pondered for a moment, "Sweeter than fresh?" Actually, he hadn't eaten them many times, and each time he only ate a few, so they weren't a reliable indicator.
"If we have the chance in the future, we'll go and eat something fresh."
"Okay." She had a lot of wishes. She wanted to go to Inner Mongolia to eat ready-made beef, to the Northeast to get black fungus, to Sichuan to make cured meat... and now she was even thinking about going to the South to eat freshly picked lychees.
I don't know when I'll have the chance, but it's always good to have something to look forward to.
Lin Yiku casually gave her the rest of his portion, as it was too sweet for him.
After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, Guan Yuehe sat next to Lin Yiku watching TV, and neither Lin Sitian nor Gu Yu came to disturb them.
But they only had that one day of intimacy. The next day, Lin Yiku got up early to go to work as usual.
Guan Yuehe was also busy. She set off with the workers at the car factory to find Zhang Xinbi.
"Why are you skipping school and coming here instead?" Zhang Xinbi told her to find a chair to sit down.
When Zhang Xinbi and Guo Xusheng learned that she had been accepted into graduate school, they called the local street office to congratulate her. They were even thinking of bringing her to work at the car factory after she graduated.
"School hasn't started yet." Guan Yuehe took out the books and tapes she had brought. "I've come to return the books and tapes."
All the books and tapes were for learning German, lent to her by Zhang Xinbi and Guo Xusheng.
“I borrowed new ones from the school teacher, so I don’t need these anymore.”
She helped translate German materials for a while, and the German teacher at the school found her new learning books and tapes based on her situation.
"Not bad, you can't fall behind in this language." Zhang Xinbi praised her for her talent in learning foreign languages, making Guan Yuehe's lips curl up in a smile.
Just as she was about to continue praising him, Guan Yuehe stopped her in time, saying, "If you keep praising him, he'll get cocky."
Zhang Xinbi didn't continue praising him, but she still spoke her true thoughts, "I think it would be a waste if you didn't learn a foreign language..."
Guan Yuehe immediately shook her head and waved her hands. Teacher Ye had said the same thing, but she felt that even if she wanted to continue studying, it wasn't now. She wasn't a donkey in a foreign language production team, learning one subject after another; she needed to take a break.
Zhang Xinbi didn't continue to persuade her, but turned to ask her what her plans were after graduation.
This is a problem that seems far away but is actually not. She heard from her teachers that after graduation, students will either find a company themselves and negotiate a deal, or the teachers will make recommendations based on the students' circumstances. This involves the students' own thoughts.
"Do you still want to go back to your garment factory and follow Director Zheng?" Zhang Xinbi didn't rush her to make a decision, patting her shoulder and saying, "Take your time to think about it."
She hadn't gone far downstairs when she ran into Zhao Youtong.
Coincidentally, Zhang Xinbi mentioned Zhao Youtong during their conversation, saying that he had been recommended to study abroad and would later go abroad to learn automobile manufacturing technology.
"Congratulations, Technician Zhao."
"I was just about to congratulate you too. I heard you're going to pursue a master's degree. Congratulations!" Zhao Youtong waved the materials in his hand. "Let's talk another day."
While having lunch with Lin Sitian in the hospital cafeteria, Lin Sitian whispered to her, "Our director wanted to set me up on a blind date with Technician Zhao, which scared me so much that I quickly told him that my family had already arranged someone else for me."
"Why?" Guan Yuehe asked curiously. What was so scary about Technician Zhao? He was recommended to study abroad, which seemed like a bright future for him.
"So many women want to go on blind dates with him. They even follow him to his hospital room. It's terrifying." Lin Sitian added, "Of course, that's a minor issue. The key problem is that Technician Zhao is too busy, much busier than my brother. Last time he was so busy that he didn't have time to eat and fainted from hunger, so he had to come to the hospital for an IV drip."
“I’m busy enough at the hospital. If I find someone who’s just as busy, even if we only have one child, the child will starve.”
Lin Sitian felt that her idea was correct: "I can't accept introductions from people in the same hospital, and doctors are too busy to stay home."
Too.
She used to think that since her workplace had after-school care and childcare programs, she could leave her child at work if she didn't have time to look after them. But after helping to take care of Guyu a few times, she changed her mind.
The company can only help during the day; they can't leave the child at the company all day long, can they? Gu Yu is even taken home by her brother-in-law to stay every night.
Guan Yuehe suddenly asked, "You still see Chen Lizhong?"
"No," Lin Sitian said. "I told him to stop thinking about things that aren't important and to focus on his studies to get his diploma first. That's why he hasn't come to have dinner with me since."
Guan Yuehe had just said "oh" when Lin Sitian dropped another bombshell, "He's started writing letters again."
"......"
You didn't come because school started and you couldn't find the time, so you could only contact me by letter.
“We know our limits. He writes his own things, and I don’t have time to reply to him.”
"Is this just the two of you?" Guan Yuehe glanced at her sideways. "You can't hide anything from me."
"With our relationship, why wouldn't I tell you? Hurry up and eat, I don't get a lunch break, I still have to go to work."
Guan Yuehe silently picked up a piece of meat for her, "To replenish your body with some oil." She had only been back at work for a short time, but she had already lost weight from exhaustion.
"You're still the best, Yuehe." Lin Sitian took the opportunity to complain, "My brother insists I'm not getting enough exercise when we eat at home, and he wants me to go running with him tonight. If I go running, I'll lose another ten pounds."
Guan Yuehe wouldn't show favoritism at crucial moments. "You should exercise. How can a doctor not be physically fit?"
"I'm full, I'm going to work." Lin Sitian ignored her and ran off with her lunchbox.
—
I've been back for three days, and now I have to pack my bags and go back to school.
Lin Yiku was too busy to see her off, but Gu Yu did for a while, chasing after her and crying loudly. Guan Yuehe was so scared that she pedaled the car tires frantically.
Before returning to her dormitory, she stopped by her sister's dormitory to deliver some things and a letter written by her brother-in-law.
Before Guan Yuehua could even open the letter, she heard her roommate ask, "Is your sister also from our school?"
"Yes, she's a Spanish major, a graduate student."
"Your sister is amazing."
"She's quite impressive; she speaks English and German," Guan Yuehua said without a hint of modesty.
Her roommate could only go along with her and say, "You're really amazing."
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