Chapter 20 020 Business Trip (Bug Fixing)
Guan Yuehe glanced at the gifts on the table and was delighted; the towels she received were enough for her to use for five years.
"Who sent these dried goods? Heh, and a bag of roasted pine nuts too." Jiang Guiying was about to ask which relative sent them when Guan Yuehe quickly tied the bag shut. "My friend sent them." She gave her mother a look, signaling her not to ask any more questions.
My maternal grandparents, my aunt and uncle's family are still alive, especially my aunt. Who knows if she'll come to Ginkgo Alley one day and start gossiping with others again.
My aunt has a big mouth; when she gets carried away chatting with others, she'll spill everything about the family, sometimes even exaggerating the truth.
If the Ding family knew that a friend had sent her some dried wood ear mushrooms, hazel mushrooms, and roasted pine nuts, they would definitely guess that it was sent by Ding Xuewen in Northeast China. Who knows what kind of trouble they would cause then.
Jiang Guiying didn't ask any more questions. She invited the relatives to sit at her house and said, "Yuehe, please get ready first. We'll go over and talk to your grandparents later."
Guan Yuehe glanced at the two elderly people on the sofa, said "Oh," and turned her head to see her second brother behind her. Her face was full of "Nothing to say, I don't want to go."
Guan Weiguo shrugged and shifted his body slightly to shield her from the expression that the elders didn't like.
She and her second brother had very little affection for their maternal grandparents' family. When they were young, they were always used as a foil to their other siblings. Who would like to be told that they are "clumsy with words," "not smart," or "not as pleasing to the eye as their older or younger siblings"?
Anyway, neither she nor her second brother liked it.
They weren't popular, but the older brother and sister and Guan Aiguo were especially loved by their maternal grandparents.
A group of people got up and went to the house in the next courtyard, and her place became quiet.
They ate dinner next door, while Guan Yuehe lingered at home until it was almost time to eat before going over.
After dinner, the elders in the family still had things to talk about. She and her second brother sat on small stools in front of her house, eating sunflower seeds. They also gave a handful to each of the two siblings from the Song family across the street, who were also sitting on small stools, eating sunflower seeds.
"Second brother, I think our factory is really great!"
"You should tell your boss that, maybe you can get an award this year," Guan Weiguo joked before asking her why she suddenly had this thought.
“I used to think everything was difficult, but now that I have a job and a workplace, I have the confidence to do anything.”
Why wouldn't everyone want to be a worker? With a work unit, one's basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter are guaranteed. With this guarantee, one can stand tall and more confidently ignore some unreasonable criticisms.
Guan Weiguo recalled what happened during dinner that evening.
Grandpa sighed and lamented that his eldest brother, eldest sister, and two cousins were unlucky and missed the good opportunity of the car factory allocating housing. They were smart, but just unlucky.
The others didn't take it seriously, but Yuehe asked earnestly, "Grandpa, are you upset because I, who's not very smart, was lucky enough to get a room, while everyone else is smart but unlucky?"
Everyone was stunned. Grandpa hurriedly tried to make amends, and the other elders also chimed in, saying that Grandma didn't mean it that way.
"As long as you didn't mean it that way," Yuehe said bluntly. "Grandma and Grandpa used to love praising others while belittling me. I didn't like that. I believe Grandma and Grandpa have realized their mistake and won't say those things to me in the future, right?"
After saying that, she ate her food and quietly poured herself a small glass of wine. She then clinked her large bowls with her father's and uncle's, saying, "Dad, Uncle, we're happy today, let's have a drink."
After finishing their meal in an awkward silence, he and Yuehe returned to this side.
Guan Weiguo suddenly smiled, broke off a few melon seeds and handed them to her, "Here's a reward for you. Tonight you're a model member of the Guan family."
“I’m not.” Guan Yuehe quoted her mother’s assessment as she saw her off, “I’m just a stubborn person who’s grown up and has no backbone.”
Although her mother said that she had grown up and become independent, her parents did not hold her back at all at the dinner table. They did not criticize her for speaking to the elders so disrespectfully in the name of "family harmony".
Her older brother and sister didn't even frown, saying, "Yuehe is smart; she talks less and does more. The leaders at her workplace are all watching, otherwise, how could they have allocated her an apartment?"
Guan Aiguo kept glancing at this and that, not understanding how things had developed into this situation. He held his chopsticks tightly but dared not move forward, keeping his head down and remaining silent.
In short, once she gained some independence, she could no longer voice some of her requests.
Guan Yuehe snorted twice and said, "They want to borrow my house to get married, and they even want to trample me into the mud. Don't think that just because they are elders, even if our factory director came, it wouldn't work. Ugh, our factory director could never be that kind of person!"
Guan Weiguo suddenly realized why she had suddenly become so hostile today.
"How do you know they want to borrow the house to get married? Is it Jiang Chunsheng? My second uncle said they'll hold the wedding banquet during the National Day holiday."
"My sister-in-law said so." Although she wasn't particularly close to her sister-in-law, she was still closer to her maternal grandparents' relatives.
“My second aunt asked me about the housing arrangements, whether it was really just me living alone. She asked my sister-in-law and even went to my mother to complain, saying that there wasn’t enough housing, and that Jiang Chunsheng couldn’t borrow a house because the bride’s family was unhappy.”
Guan Yuehe scoffed, "If they're not willing, they can just not get married, right? Why waste the time of a female comrade like me?"
After saying that, he sighed heavily again, "If you're spineless, people won't pay any attention to you. If you're a little successful, people will try to take advantage of you. It's really tough."
Before Guan Weiguo could even offer a word of comfort, she raised her fist and said, "Trying to take advantage? You don't even know if my fist will allow it!"
Grandma Sun, with one foot already in the backyard: "..."
"Aunt Sun, is something the matter?"
Grandma Sun looked suspicious, which immediately put Guan Yuehe on guard.
Of course, it's also because no one in the Sun family, from the oldest to the youngest, has a good reputation. When she saw Aunt Sun coming over, her first reaction was to be on guard.
Grandma Sun silently hid the empty bowl behind her back, chuckled, waved her hand, and said she only came to check after hearing the noise.
Cai Ying peeked out the window and glanced at Grandma Sun, then frowned in disgust. She was worried that Guan Yuehe, who had just moved in, might be trying to be helpful without understanding the situation.
Some people, if you help them, they'll keep pestering you to help them even more. If you help them once but not a second time, then you're just being hypocritical and have ulterior motives.
She's only been in courtyard number two months, and her good temper has already been worn away.
"Xiao Guan, the weather forecast says it might rain tonight, you should go back inside. Northwest, southwest, back inside."
Northwest and Southwest nodded obediently and carried the small stool back into the house. Southwest didn't forget to wave goodbye to Guan Yuehe, saying that she and her brother would come to their sister to eat melon seeds again next time.
Cai Ying thanked them from afar, then quickly closed the door as if avoiding a plague.
Guan Yuehe and her second brother exchanged a glance, then got up and went back into the house in tacit agreement, slamming the door shut behind them.
Seeing that the "cheap" deal had slipped away, Grandma Sun, who was outside the door, didn't feel comfortable knocking on the door to ask someone for roasted melon seeds. Instead, she angrily turned around and went home, where she started to bring out a whole bunch of people to scold.
Having a separate bathroom at home is so convenient; you don't have to squat in the room and use a towel to wet your body bit by bit.
The wooden bucket Xie Dongxue gave me was perfect for the bathroom, and a chipped enamel cup was just right for scooping water.
She was squatting by the door washing clothes when her uncle and aunt returned from next door.
No one mentioned dinner.
Guan Yuehe secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The next day, her uncle and aunt got up even earlier than her, and they returned both cots to her and even made her breakfast.
Last week she paid her family's food coupons and living expenses, and ate breakfast there.
She only paid for a week's worth of food, and plans to cook at home from now on, intending to find someone to exchange for more eggs so she can supplement her diet every day.
She's a late bloomer and is still growing. At the factory, although there are sometimes free meat dishes, it's not a regular occurrence; the canteen provides enough to eat, but not much oil or flavor. If she were to pay her family for better food, she couldn't possibly eat it all by herself, could she? If she didn't eat alone, there wouldn't be enough for her.
So now that she has the means, she needs to improve her nutrition, not just to grow taller, but also to make herself stronger.
"Don't look for it on the black market. I'll exchange it for your second brother and send it over when I have time. If I don't have time, I'll ask someone else to bring it to you."
Her aunt was worried that if she went to the black market, she would get arrested, which would affect her work.
"Things are tight outside; things will only ease up during holidays like the New Year. Don't be foolish enough to do something like this just for a bite to eat."
Guan Yuehe repeatedly assured her that she would not go to the black market, and only then did her aunt stop talking.
Guan Yuehe divided the dried goods that Ding Xuewen sent back, as well as the towels she received yesterday, into two portions, one for her family and one for her aunt.
Xu Cheng and Lin Sitian also have some, so she won't divide them separately. Xu Cheng is acting like a thief; his share is still with Lin Sitian, and he doesn't dare take it. He said he'd ask Lin Sitian to bring it to him another day, and he'd take a portion to the factory after she cooks.
Not only Xu Chengcai, but many people she knew, including herself, were like squirrels hoarding food for winter, scurrying around their meager rations and money. Those who carefully planned for themselves were able to get by smoothly.
She's the kind of person who's really good at planning.
Upon hearing that the factory was going to select sales representatives from other departments to learn about the sales of Zhuoyue sports shoes in other provinces, she quickly went to Sister Zhu to inquire about the situation, and then went to the sales department to sign up.
The factory has listed out all the questions it needs to know in detail, and the sales representatives selected from other departments only need to cooperate with the sales department colleagues.
Guan Yuehe summarized this job as: doing odd jobs for the sales department.
She had become very skilled at doing odd jobs in the past six months. She kept her mouth shut about things she shouldn't ask and just focused on doing her work. When she didn't need to put in any effort, she quietly slacked off.
That's what she thought in her heart, but when the head of the sales department asked her why she wanted to be a salesperson, she answered very seriously and earnestly.
"I have three years of experience as a frontline worker and I understand the highlights of all the clothing styles in the factory... Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to improve my personal abilities and strive to contribute my own strength to the garment factory in the future... I hope you will approve my application!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed the factory manager standing outside the sales department, looking at her with a smile. Guan Yuehe felt a little guilty.
That afternoon, Guan Yuehe's name appeared on the business trip list.
The business trip was arranged in advance, but the addition of a salesperson was a last-minute decision. Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, she has to take the train with Wang Zheng from the sales department to Haishi.
Unexpectedly, she had to go to Shanghai before she could even buy the Shanghai brand watch.
Whether she's at the factory or not doesn't significantly affect the factory office's work. Sister Zhu praised her highly for applying to assist in the sales department.
"I told you long ago, Xiao Guan, you're young and a high school student, so you learn quickly. You're also a long-time employee of our factory. The factory is growing and expanding, so you need to learn more. The factory is short of talent, so you have to seize the opportunity and strive for the top!"
Comrade Xiao Guan nodded, indicating that he would definitely seize this good opportunity.
But in her heart, she thought that the business trip allowance was quite generous, and the factory would also give her extra grain coupons, which were valid nationwide. With all her food, lodging, and transportation expenses covered, she figured she was just going on a trip to broaden her horizons.
She'll definitely sign up again if she has the chance!
Xie Dongxue looked at Guan Yuehe with envy and sighed. She also wanted to go, but the work she was assigned to did not allow her to travel.
Xu Chengcai was envious, but his sewing machine prevented him from going on business trips.
"You all guard the rear, and I'll go out and expand our territory!" Guan Yuehe said shamelessly.
Xie Dongxue exposed her, saying, "You think you can conquer new territories? You're still so enthusiastic after buying the watch. I'll treat you to a state-run restaurant."
Guan Yuehe said happily, "Then you should get your tickets ready. I bought a watch, and I also want to buy a radio. Hmm, I'll save up to buy a bicycle and a sewing machine, I'll buy them all!"
"Why do you need a sewing machine? With that money, wouldn't it be better to hire Xu Chengcai to make clothes for you?"
Xu Cheng, who was sitting one seat away from them, nodded, "You really don't need to buy it. We're childhood friends, so I won't charge you any processing fees."
"Comrades, please don't dampen my enthusiasm for work!"
"Okay, keep up the good work ethic and keep pushing yourself. I won't accept it if you're not among this year's outstanding employees."
Guan Yuehe didn't care much about being named an "advanced worker," mainly because she didn't lack enamel mugs and towels, and her salary increased with her seniority. Being named an advanced worker wouldn't increase her salary.
But she would never be late or leave early.
Her colleagues in the office knew she had to get up early to catch the train the next day and told her to leave work early to go home and pack her luggage, but she didn't feel in a hurry and insisted on staying until the end of the workday before going home.
Her workplace is close by, so she leaves home later and comes home earlier than others every day. She doesn't often get together with other working people, so in the two weeks since she moved here, she feels that there isn't much going on in Ginkgo Hutong.
Aunt Zhao actually got home earlier than her today.
A young man was standing at her door. He looked about five parts like Grandpa Chang, so she knew that he was Grandpa Chang and Grandma Zhao's youngest son, Chang Zhengyi, who was about to graduate from high school.
Elementary and middle schools are probably a bit better now, unlike high schools, where you never know when a teacher might be unable to teach and be put on leave.
Chang Zhengyi's school is alright; he usually lives on campus. In the two weeks since she moved in, this is the first time she's seen him come home for a holiday.
"Sister Yuehe."
Guan Yuehe wasn't very familiar with him. She used to only hang out with a few childhood friends from courtyard number three, and she didn't have much of an impression of the other kids from the other courtyards in the alley.
Chang Zhengyi, however, knew her very well, after all, he heard the adults in the alley praising her for being ambitious while also saying she was stingy.
Aunt Zhao wiped her hands and said, "Don't think that just because Yuehe has been working for a few years, you two were born in the same year. You're only half a year younger than Yuehe."
"Even if you're half a year younger, you still have to call me 'sister'?" Chang Zhengyi muttered, feeling that his mother's words seemed to be looking down on him: "We're the same age, look at other people, they've been working for several years, and they've even bought a house. And look at you."
Guan Yuehe: "If you don't want me to call you 'sister,' you can call me 'comrade.
"Yes, call him 'comrade,' because 'comrade' means to make progress together." Aunt Zhao laughed. "In a month, you'll be going to work too. Oh right, Yuehe, Zhengyi will be working at the epidemic prevention station, which is on the same road as yours, so it's very close."
Chang Zhengyi awkwardly touched his nose. "Mom, the job situation isn't settled yet. Let's talk about it later."
"What do you mean 'say again'? Your brother is looking for someone..." Aunt Zhao stopped herself in time, realizing that she had almost let slip what she was about to say in her excitement. So she changed the subject, saying that she was going to make dinner and invited the girl to come over to her house when she had time.
Guan Yuehe always treated "Come visit me sometime" as a polite phrase, so she agreed immediately but then completely forgot about it.
Dinner was brought back from the cafeteria and was no longer hot, so it needs to be reheated in a pot.
Before she got hungry, she started packing her luggage.
I took two sets of clothes, my work ID, money, and borrowed my older brother's Shuangyan brand canvas travel bag from next door.
Jiang Guiying was overjoyed and said she would prepare some dry food for her to eat on the train the next morning.
She went on a business trip last month and again this month. What does that mean? It means her boss values her second daughter and wants to nurture her!
Jiang Guiying repeatedly told her to do a good job for the factory when she went out, and as for what local specialties to bring back?
She waved her hand dismissively, "Local specialties aren't important. If you have time, go to the local department store and take a look. If you don't have time, that's fine too. Just don't take time off specifically for this purpose, understand?"
"I heard you! I'm not a new employee..." Her mother and aunt are always worried that she might do something outrageous at work, they're just worrying unnecessarily.
She's been working for over three years!
The next day, before dawn, her mother came over with a net bag containing six vegetarian buns in brown paper bags, and six boiled eggs.
He also nagly reminded her not to be stingy and to share one or two with her colleagues as well.
What was also slipped into her hand was a women's watch.
"Your sister lent it to you; it'll be convenient to have a watch when you go out." Jiang Guiying was still worried. "Be careful not to let her break it. If she does, you'll get a scolding."
Guan Yuehe put on the watch and thought it looked quite nice, but it was a bit tight because her wrist was a size larger than her older sister's.
She felt her mother was being too conservative.
If she were to break the watch, it wouldn't just be a scolding; her older sister would chase her around with a stick and beat her.
She left a copy of the key to the living room, storage room, and bathroom for her mother, but kept the key to the bedroom herself.
"You'll be away for more than a week. There are still a few eggs at home. Please take them back with you."
"And please remember to collect my bed sheets."
After giving her instructions, Guan Yuehe slung her military green canvas bag over her shoulder and picked up her equally military green travel bag, becoming the first person to leave Ginkgo Hutong that day.
This was her first time traveling far from home, and she had never taken a train before. She first met up with Wang Zheng at the factory gate, and then they took the first bus to the train station together.
This wasn't Wang Zheng's first business trip, but it was the first time he'd traveled with a female colleague; in the past, he'd always partnered with male colleagues.
Seeing Guan Yuehe clutching two bags tightly, her big eyes busily looking around, she would warily look back when strangers looked at her.
"Don't worry," Wang Zheng said gently. "When you're out and about, just remember three things: don't eat food from strangers, don't go with strangers, and if you get into trouble, contact the police."
Guan Yuehe's tense nerves relaxed a little. "Thank you, Sister Wang Zheng."
"Hey! We're from the same factory, if you have any questions, just come and ask me."
Guan Yuehe expressed her gratitude by generously giving away two steamed buns and two boiled eggs from the bag.
Then they retrieved a bag of cookies and two spoonfuls of sauce.
Wang Zheng only found out yesterday that his partner was Comrade Xiao Guan from the factory office, a young girl who was not yet twenty years old, but had a longer tenure than him.
He doesn't seem like the type who just wants to take advantage of business trips without doing any work. Looking at him now, he's actually quite generous and easy to get along with. Much better than a few of the male colleagues in the sales department.
Wang Zheng is currently very satisfied with his new partner on this business trip.
After sitting face-to-face for twenty hours, by the time they arrived at Haishi Railway Station, they were already quite familiar with each other. They knew exactly who each other's family members were and what they did for a living.
Guan Yuehe also learned in advance how she would cooperate with the work in the next few days, and with a clear understanding of the situation, she had more expectations for her first long journey.
With Wang Zheng guiding her, Guan Yuehe found that she hardly had to worry about anything. He would explain anything she was curious about in detail.
She was busy working here, following behind Wang Zheng with her notebook. Wang Zheng praised her for her meticulousness many times, and after they became familiar, he even compared her to one of his previous partners.
In Wang Zheng's words, it's simply incomparable!
"How can that compare to your Yuehe?!" In courtyard number two, Aunt Zhao modestly complained about her own Chang Zhengyi and praised Guan Yuehe, who had been away on a business trip for a few days.
On the day Guan Yuehe went on a business trip, Aunt Zhao came home from get off work and wanted to chat with her. But when it got dark, the door to the left side room was still locked, so she went to the No. 3 courtyard to ask.
Upon hearing that he had been sent on a business trip to Haishi by the factory to understand the sales situation, I felt relieved.
After chatting with his wife for a long time at home, when Chang Zhengyi was forced to return on holiday, he took him to visit the neighbors in Courtyard No. 3.
They're currently praising each other's children.
Chang Zhengyi was getting restless, completely baffled as to why his mother had dragged him here. Was she here to listen to how successful other people's daughters were? He even wanted to go out with his classmates...sigh!
Jiang Guiying smiled and saw Aunt Zhao and Chang Zhengyi off at the door, but immediately turned her head and stopped smiling.
Lin Yufeng, who had been silent, glanced at her mother-in-law's expression, unsure of what her mother-in-law was thinking.
Aunt Zhao's family is indeed well-off; Uncle Chang, a level-six fitter, earns enough to support the whole family on his salary alone. Besides, Aunt Zhao herself also has a job.
Chang Zhengyi, who is about to graduate from high school, has a job arranged for him by his family, so he doesn't have to take over the family business. Their future is bright; the whole family will be factory workers.
Aunt Zhao came over for a visit, and every word she said was essential.
“We plan to let Zhengyi graduate early so he can work at the epidemic prevention station. It’s convenient for him to go there on the same route as Yuehe, so it’ll be nice to have a companion.”
“Lixin and his wife have housing provided by their work unit. They have three rooms in their house. Two rooms are left for Zhengyi, and we will live with him. After we leave, we will give the remaining room to Lixin.”
"Tell me, Zhengyi and Yuehe are already nineteen or twenty. Just a few days ago, one of the older ladies in our unit said she wanted to introduce Zhengyi to someone."
"I think it's best for kids to find partners within our neighborhood, where everyone knows each other well, and it's convenient for visiting relatives. Don't you think so?"
"......"
Aunt Zhao spoke frankly, and she understood immediately; her mother-in-law was even more likely to be oblivious.
It must be Chang Zhengyi. He looks like a block of wood, as if he didn't understand.
He's as thin as a bamboo pole; my sister-in-law could probably knock him down with one punch.
How could the sister-in-law possibly be interested in Chang Zhengyi?
Lin Yufeng felt it was risky.
“Sew your mouth shut when you go out to chat. I don’t care about anything else, but whoever ruins my daughter’s reputation can pack their bags and get out.”
There were only the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the house, and Lin Yufeng knew exactly who she was talking to.
She doesn't go out and talk about it with others, but she can't help but tell her man.
After hearing this, Guan Jianguo thought it was a good thing that Yuehe and Chang Zhengyi got together. They knew each other well, both had jobs, the Chang family was well-off, and they lived close to home—it was really a good match.
"Why do you think it can't work?" He just thought it could.
"Your eyes are... I can't be bothered to talk to you. Got the tickets, when are we going to buy the car?"
He gets bored when he only talks halfway through a story, but when it comes to buying a car, he gets all excited. "I'll go this week when I have time off, the sooner I buy it, the sooner I can use it."
—
The work went more smoothly than expected and was completed a day ahead of schedule.
They bought some pastries from Haishi at the nearest department store, and then caught the next train back to Beijing.
"Business trips are more tiring than staying in the factory, right?"
Running around all the department stores and shops in Haishi in five days, and having to find a leader you can talk to, even if they're not very friendly, you still have to smile and ask them... that's definitely not as comfortable as sitting in an office!
but!
The thought of receiving an extra eight yuan in subsidies this month, and being able to travel far away on public funds, made her feel it was all worth it!
"Sister Wang, next time the sales department needs someone to go on a business trip to help out, please remember me."
"Don't worry! I'll ask you again next time, and we'll be partners again." Wang Zheng really liked Guan Yuehe as his partner.
Putting aside other advantages for now, the most important thing is that Guan Yuehe is strong, which makes people feel safe.
While investigating the situation at the Haishi No. 2 Department Store, they witnessed a fight between sales clerks and customers. Because there were too many people involved, they were inexplicably mistaken for troublemakers and almost beaten up as well. Guan Yuehe easily swept two of them down with a single leg sweep, then pushed them apart, separating the two sides.
"When we get back, I'll report this to our section chief and he'll definitely praise you highly," Wang Zheng said regretfully. "If we weren't colleagues, I would definitely write you a thank-you letter and put it on the factory director's desk."
Guan Yuehe smiled with delight.
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