Chapter 30 Two and a Half
The Zhou family is particularly lively tonight.
Zhou Shenghuai and He Hongyuan returned early after completing their half-month mission at sea, which was a real surprise to the three female comrades at home.
Lin Xiang steamed the seven crabs she bought and the four crabs He Hongyuan brought back.
Feng Li and Zhou Yuezhu prepared sweet potato rice and stir-fried chicken greens.
Fishing boats sailed everywhere, casting wide nets along the way, and the nets were full of fish, shrimps, crabs and other mixed things, and the boats were full. Lin Xiang picked seven flower crabs at the seafood station, and when He Hongyuan got off the boat and met a fishing boat, he came back with four blue crabs tied to ropes by nearby fishermen. He Hongyuan wanted to refuse, but the fisherman whose life was once saved by Captain He stuffed the crabs and ran away. He Hongyuan had no choice but to think about finding time to send something to him later.
Flower crabs are larger in size, with soft and delicious meat, while blue crabs are full of roe and fat, with a sweet taste. Lin Xiang has been looking forward to this steamed crab for a long time, and when the meal was served, her first reaction was to open the crab.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she raised her hand, a hand reached out from her right and put the cleanly shredded crab meat and fat into her bowl.
She looked up and saw that He Hongyuan remained calm. He withdrew his hand and continued to talk about work with Brigade Commander Zhou.
No one seemed to notice his unusual behavior. Commander Zhou was absorbed in his work, while Aunt Feng and Yuezhu were busy disassembling crabs.
Lin Xiang's heart moved, but she couldn't resist the temptation of crabs. She bit into the delicious and sweet crab meat and ate it with relish.
There were eleven crabs in total. The two men took two each, and the three women ate the rest. After finishing the crabs, Lin Xiang poured the golden crab roe on the sweet potato rice, watching the golden spots seep through the rice and sweet potatoes, and the fragrance seemed to spread.
This dinner was hot and filling, and my taste buds were greatly satisfied.
After dinner, Zhou Yuezhu talked to her father and cousin about some interesting things that happened at sea. Lin Xiang listened silently and for the first time realized how difficult it was to be in the navy.
Going to sea seems new to ordinary people. People like Lin Xiang and Zhou Yuezhu always think it is fun. However, soldiers have to carry out missions on a boat and need to concentrate highly. In addition, the mission is not short, and it may take more than half a month. If they encounter a difficult mission, they may even stay on the sea for a month.
Thinking of this, I was confined to a small space on the ship every day, with the vast ocean all around me. It was really boring and restrictive.
The few of them chatted and laughed until dark. Zhou Shenghuai prepared some hot water, and everyone at home prepared to wash up. He Hongyuan, the only one who did not live here, also left at the time.
Seeing him stand up, Lin Xiang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they had not been alone since they entered the house. I don't know why, but since I heard He Hongyuan say those words last time, Lin Xiang's heart beat faster when she saw him today.
It’s a good thing that he is leaving now. It seems that my breathing will be smoother.
He Hongyuan was a grown man, so naturally no one was there to see him off. Feng Li said with concern, "Hongyuan, please watch out for the road, it's getting dark. If you are free tomorrow, come over for dinner."
Like Zhou Shenghuai, Feng Li always felt that her nephew had a hard time. After all, it was her husband's second brother who owed He Hongyuan, and the relationship between the two families should be repaired if possible.
It's just that He Hongyuan is polite and respectful to his family. However, because of Zhou Shengqiang, he is unwilling to get close to his uncle and aunt. In the past, Feng Li also liked to say such things, looking forward to him coming home for dinner, but after saying it ten times, He Hongyuan only came once at most.
"Okay, Aunt Feng, I'll come over tomorrow and bring a pound of pork."
This time, He Hongyuan agreed so readily that Feng Li was a little surprised.
When Lin Xiang heard this, she clearly saw He Hongyuan turn his head and seemed to glance at her.
After He Hongyuan left, Lin Xiang finally calmed down.
When he was in the room, Lin Xiang always felt that he was a little restrained, and even a glance from him made her heart skip a beat.
Around eight o'clock in the evening, Zhou Shenghuai went to the study, Feng Li was filling the thermos with hot water in the kitchen, and Zhou Yuezhu went upstairs to the room to choose clothes for tomorrow's date.
Zhou Yuezhu started working three days ago, and her working days are not as free. Although she is also in the army, she may not have many opportunities to see Shen Jianming, so the two of them naturally have to have a date on Sundays.
Lin Xiang was the only one left in the living room. She was about to get up and go to the kitchen to help Aunt Feng when she suddenly saw a figure sticking out of the door.
He Hongyuan, who had returned from a trip, suddenly appeared, curled his lips at her surprised face, and whispered, "Please send me off."
Lin Xiang followed He Hongyuan out of Zhou's house, walking slowly in the moonlight.
"You're such a grown man, yet you still want me to send you off..." Lin Xiang grumbled to complain to him, but when He Hongyuan appeared again, she unexpectedly agreed as if possessed by a ghost.
"Let me talk to you." He Hongyuan stopped, stood still, and turned to face Lin Xiang. "It was inconvenient at Yuezhu's house just now. I want to ask you, how are you doing in the second factory? Has anyone bullied you?"
Lin Xiang didn't expect him to ask this. After a few seconds of silence, she shook her head and said, "No, no one bullied me. Factory 2 is not what you imagined."
oh?
He Hongyuan raised his eyebrows: "Why are they different?"
Lin Xiang was very excited and told He Hongyuan about her experience working in the second factory in the past two weeks: "Everyone is very...free and easy, without any intrigue."
Not only is there no intrigue, she suspects that the people in the second factory don't care about anyone else at all, they just focus on their own fish, no matter who you are.
He Hongyuan had heard of the Second Factory and had asked around before Lin Xiang went there. He was temporarily relieved when he heard that there were no bad-tempered or pretentious employees there.
Now that he heard Lin Xiang say it herself, he no longer had any doubts.
"That's good. There's nothing we can do about Factory 2. Just stay here for a few months and then go to Factory 1."
Lin Xiang nodded.
"Let's go. I'll take you home." After He Hongyuan asked, Lin Xiang stroked his arm as he watched the night breeze blowing.
Lin Xiang was surprised: "...Didn't you ask me to take you there?"
He Hongyuan chuckled softly, and his eyes softened in the dim moonlight: "How can a woman send a man home? I'll send you home."
Just over ten meters out of Zhou's house, Lin Xiang was inexplicably sent back to the small building by He Hongyuan. It felt weird.
"Xiangxiang, why are you back so soon?"
Feng Li was surprised to see Lin Xiang, who had gone out to see He Hongyuan off, come back soon. She couldn't understand the relationship between the two young people. However, both of them were reliable, so she didn't want to ask too much, fearing that it would backfire.
"Captain He felt guilty and said it was inappropriate for a girl like me to send him off, so he sent me back." Lin Xiang mumbled, quickly washed up and went upstairs, closed the door and leaned against it, her heart still beating fast.
He Hongyuan asked me to go out just to ask if I was bullied during his absence. It was not enough to just ask Aunt Feng, he had to hear it from my own mouth.
Lin Xiang covered her slightly hot cheeks, feeling the slight heat rising. This man is quite capable.
——
The next day, Lin Xiang put on the sky blue blouse that she had washed and put in the closet a few days ago.
In the 1970s, cloth coupons were so precious that it was common to take three to five years to buy a new set of clothes. Good clothes had to be worn sparingly, and only on important occasions such as the New Year and other festivals.
Lin Xiang didn't wear the two new clothes every day, otherwise if she didn't save enough cloth coupons, she would have to sew patches on the new clothes later, which would be so ugly.
But today is different, after all, it is Sunday, well, a good day to wear new clothes.
Early in the morning, Zhou Yuezhu went out for a date, under the pretext of visiting a colleague's home to inquire about the work situation in the logistics department and learn more from him.
Feng Li did not restrict her daughter. She and her husband were going to visit a sick comrade next door. Before leaving, she told Lin Xiang: "Xiang Xiang, we will be back soon. If you are bored, go out more. Young people should not stay at home."
"Got it, Aunt Feng."
Lin Xiang did not go out. She applied some cold cream at home and braided her hair into two pigtails, making herself look cute and lovely.
When He Hongyuan came to the house early in the morning and saw Lin Xiang, his dark eyes suddenly brightened a little.
A trace of surprise flashed across her eyes: "New clothes?"
"Yes, Aunt Feng made it." Lin Xiang welcomed him in and explained to him why the house was so empty. "They are all out."
He Hongyuan looked at Lin Xiang who had taken a few steps. The hem of her skirt spun like a flower about to bloom, so beautiful. He took out a few bills from the pocket of his military jacket and handed them over: "Here."
Lin Xiang raised her hand to take it, unfolded the stacked bills and saw that they were actually three five-foot cloth coupons: "Why are you giving this to me?"
"This is all I have for now. I sent some of the coupons to my mother and lent a lot to my comrades. I don't use them much and I don't ask them to return them. You can use these to buy fabric to make clothes."
"I don't want it." Lin Xiang hurriedly returned the coupons. "We are not related, why did you give me all the coupons?"
"No relatives or friends?" He Hongyuan raised his eyebrows slightly. "How can it be considered as no relatives or friends if I give cloth coupons to my childhood sweetheart?"
Lin Xiang: "..."
She didn't want to dwell on this issue with him anymore, and with her ears slightly flushed, she randomly stuffed the cloth coupons into Bragi's pocket.
——
It was lonely at home, so He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang walked from the family yard to the beach and asked kindly: "Do you want to pick up shells? I saw you had a lot of fun that day."
Lin Xiang shook her head. Who would get covered in mud in front of an ambiguous person, especially when she was wearing a beautiful dress?
The man seemed confused again at this time.
The two walked along the beach and then walked onto the rocks. He Hongyuan changed his silent image and took the initiative to talk about the interesting things that happened during his free time at sea, and Lin Xiang listened with great interest.
"When I couldn't sleep during the break after shift change, my comrades would play poker or have arm wrestling competitions in the cabin." Staying on the ship for a day or two is fresh, but staying for ten days or half a month is boring, and everyone has to relax and have fun.
"Then can you win?" Lin Xiang asked him with sparkling eyes, as if she had a lot of hope that he could win.
He Hongyuan has always been confident: "I am always the winner. I can win any competition."
"Boasting~" Lin Xiang also relaxed at this moment, smiling like the spring breeze in March, and couldn't help but tease him, "How can a person win everything?"
He Hongyuan stood on a rock four or five meters high. Under his feet was the vast ocean, with waves crashing back and forth, creating waves.
He turned to look at Lin Xiang, his eyes flashing with sharpness: "Do you dare to bet with me?"
Lin Xiang was not a weak person. Hearing this, she felt her blood flow faster. "What are you betting on?"
"Let's bet on whether the cruiser will appear when the bugle sounds at 11 o'clock." He Hongyuan told Lin Xiang that the cruiser would appear three times a day, morning, noon and evening. The noon trip was usually at 11 o'clock. Because of emergencies at sea, there would be occasional delays, but they were rare. "There are only a few minutes left until the bugle sounds at 11 o'clock. Do you dare to bet?"
Lin Xiang recalled that she had come to the beach for a walk from time to time these days, and indeed every time she saw a cruise ship passing by, it was accompanied by the sound of a bugle call, so it seemed that it should be very punctual.
"What's the bet?" Lin Xiang asked.
He Hongyuan looked at her, his eyes fixed on her: "If I win, you must agree to be my partner."
As soon as he said this, He Hongyuan added: "There is more than just a marriage certificate."
Lin Xiang was startled, and her originally calm heartbeat suddenly jumped a few times, becoming somewhat out of control. He Hongyuan's eyes were burning, causing her to turn her head away.
"Then let me choose first?" Lin Xiang suppressed the restlessness in her heart.
He Hongyuan seemed to be easy to talk to and nodded in agreement: "Of course."
"I bet they will show up on time!" Lin Xiang chose the answer that had a high probability of winning. She had always seen the ship arrive on time, so of course she had to bet that it would be on time today as well.
He Hongyuan had no choice but to be late.
The salty sea breeze blew onto the rocks, and the two waited for the bugle call to sound as time passed. During this time, Lin Xiang felt more and more that something was wrong.
Even if he was the one who chose first, He Hongyuan had served in the army here for many years. Since he dared to make such a bet, he must be sure of it.
"Comrade He Hongyuan, tell me honestly, did you set a trap for me?" Lin Xiang cast a suspicious look at his face, "Could it be that you got the news in advance and you are not on time today?"
He Hongyuan didn't know how Lin Xiang could have such an association: "No, I assure you with the honesty of a soldier, I don't know whether the boat will pass by on time at noon today."
Lin Xiang was skeptical, but seeing that he looked so sincere, she couldn't find any fault with him.
At 11 o'clock in the morning, the army's bugle call sounded, long and loud, breaking through the sky, floating straight over the rocks and brushing the sea.
Lin Xiang stared at the sea with her big almond-shaped eyes. Accompanied by the loud sound of the bugle call, she saw a small white dot looming in the distance. It was clearly -!
"The cruise ship is coming..." Lin Xiang was excited and was about to turn around to show off her victory in the bet to He Hongyuan, but in an instant, darkness came over her.
The man's broad palm blocked Lin Xiang's eyes, as if covering the sky and the sun to block out all light, and naturally obscured the boats on the sea.
"Where is the boat?"
Lin Xiang, who seemed to be immersed in darkness, heard the man's deep laughter and was immediately angry: "He Hongyuan, why are you being so shameless?"
The boat arrived on time. It was obvious that he had won. Did he just cover his eyes and pretend that the boat didn't show up?
"Well, I am just being a rogue." He Hongyuan's voice seemed to come from the horizon, with unprecedented determination, "If I am not a rogue, how can I find a partner?"
Lin Xiang raised her hand in embarrassment, grabbed the hand that was blocking her vision and moved it away. Only then did she regain her sight. She looked straight at the man with a smile in his eyes. Just as she was about to speak, she was surprised to find that she was still holding He Hongyuan's hand. The man's palm was also hot. She was so hot that she wanted to let go in a hurry, but He Hongyuan held it back even faster.
The white and soft palm was held by He Hongyuan's rough hand. Lin Xiang was startled and her heart shuddered. The rough touch from the back of her hand felt like the friction of a thin rope. She tried to pull her hand away, but she was no match for the man's strength and could only be held tightly.
"He Hongyuan, you..." Lin Xiang felt her palms sweating and getting hot. Her hands were intertwined with He Hongyuan's. She couldn't tell whose warmth was transmitted to whose hands or heart.
The place where their palms were clasped together was even hotter than the scorching sun in August. It burned Lin Xiangse so much that she retracted her hands, but she had nowhere to escape. It burned her heart so much that it was warmed up.
Lin Xiang lowered her eyebrows and stared at the intertwining of white skin and tan skin. After a moment, she couldn't stand such an intertwining of colors. She raised her eyes and looked at He Hongyuan, and said with her red lips: "He Hongyuan, you are still a soldier. Be careful or I will sue you for being a hooligan."
The voice was soft and gentle, like a throat warmed by the sun, and it sounded crisp and pleasant when it brushed past my ears.
He Hongyuan tilted his head slightly, squinting his eyes to look at his own "hooligan" behavior, staring at the red spots on Lin Xiang's face, and felt relieved: "Comrade Lin Xiang, during the half month I was away, Song Wei came to find you. There are several sisters-in-law in the food factory who want to introduce you to someone. If I don't act quickly, I will never have a wife in this life."
He Hongyuan, who was always taciturn, serious and deep, had a deep and magnetic voice. The words "I will never have a wife in this life" entered Lin Xiang's ears, making her itch. She curled her lips slightly, suppressed the throbbing heartbeat that she had never experienced in her past and present lives, and asked, "Then you can find someone else to be your wife. How can you be so single in this life, Captain He?"
"No one else." He Hongyuan's eyes were firm. "You are the only one I recognize in my life."
He turned his head and glanced at the high-raising military flag of the army in the distance: "What I said under the military flag is not a lie."
Lin Xiang glanced sideways at the military flag rising in the distant sky. A touch of red was spreading in the wind, dancing in waves.
He Hongyuan, under the military flag, gave her the highest promise a soldier could make, which was solemn and serious.
These were the most touching words she had ever heard in her life.
The tightly clenched palms overlapped, and the warmth was transmitted to each other. Lin Xiang moved her index finger and gently pinched He Hongyuan's palm. After a pause, she pinched it again.
She looked at the man with a smile on her face, and her eyelashes trembled slightly, just like a spring breeze blowing across He Hongyuan's tough edges and softening his eyebrows.
The two smiled at each other without further words.
But Lin Xiang still had one thing to say.
This person is also a rogue.
In fact, if she won, she would want him to be the target of the reward.
====
Zhou Yuezhu came back from a secret date with Shen Jianming during the day, and she felt something was odd while having dinner at home.
For two consecutive days, the dinners were lively and the five people in the family were eating. It was only after her cousin left and returned to the single dormitory that she suddenly realized something was wrong.
Because of his second uncle, my cousin almost cut off all ties with the Zhou family. He has been getting along with his family on a neutral terms for the past few years, but he never likes to come home for dinner.
This time, he came here to eat for two consecutive days!
It's really weird!
"Sister Xiangxiang, do you think there's something wrong with your cousin?" Zhou Yuezhu asked Lin Xiang quietly.
Lin Xiang was shocked. Could it be that Yue Zhu had discovered what she and He Hongyuan had just done?
She had obviously avoided the topic at the dinner table. After all, they had just confirmed their relationship, and she had previously said that they would not be in a relationship. It would be awkward and hasty to say it right away. She and He Hongyuan discussed that they would just take a day off next Sunday, and the two of them would treat the three members of the Zhou family to a meal and officially announce it.
Without waiting for her to answer, Yuezhu asked herself, "Cousin, could it be that he thinks the food in our house is so good that he wants to eat for free?"
Lin Xiang: "..."
I worried for nothing.
......
Lin Xiang, who had no love experience in her two lifetimes, had a boyfriend and did not sleep well that night.
She didn't know what it felt like for other people to be in love, and she probably thought it was a mixture of excitement and shyness. She had no experience, and she only knew that her heart would beat fast when she was with He Hongyuan.
Lin Xiang fell asleep too late due to thinking about many things, and started yawning when she got up early the next day to go to work.
Fortunately, she was slacking off at the second factory, so she was able to go to the office and take a nap this morning. No one would bother her. How could this not be a huge benefit?
The Zhou family left one after another. There was no pressure to punch in. Even if she was half an hour or an hour late, no one would care. Lin Xiang slowly closed the door and then set off.
But when I turned around, I saw He Hongyuan standing at the door of the small building.
"Why are you here?" Lin Xiang was indeed surprised. She originally thought that even if the two of them were going on a date, it would be like Yue Zhu and Shen Jianming.
"I'll send you to Factory 2." He Hongyuan seemed to be self-taught and had a strong sense of being a popular figure.
Lin Xiang raised the corners of her lips, then tried to suppress them, and walked out with He Hongyuan: "Aren't you going to the army?"
"After going to sea, we usually have a vacation, and I am free." He Hongyuan used to be not free during vacations. He used to find something to do and continue working in the army.
"That's good. The holidays are quite long and there are quite a lot of them." Lin Xiang was envious from the bottom of her heart. Was this equivalent to working for half a month and taking a half-month vacation?
Thinking of the married comrades in the army who often talk about being clingy with their wives, He Hongyuan once again learned without any instruction: "Yes, the trip is long, but the vacation is also long when you come back. Don't worry, I will have time to accompany you at home after I get married."
Lin Xiang: "..."
Who said they were married? Who asked you to accompany them?
Her face felt slightly hot, and she didn't know why this man suddenly became so shameless.
But Lin Xiang didn't know at that moment that He Hongyuan would bring a surprise, or even a shock, to her in the next second.
"I have already written the marriage report. I will give it to you later and then hand it in to the army."
Lin Xiang stopped in her tracks, her almond eyes widened slightly, her lips parted, and she blurted out, "Who are you marrying?"
He Hongyuan's face darkened: "Who else could it be except you?"
Well, my boyfriend is unhappy.
Lin Xiang pursed her red lips and explained, "No, I mean, we just got together yesterday, how come we already reported our marriage? Isn't it too fast?"
Lin Xiang just got a boyfriend yesterday, and thought she could experience the sweetness of love for the rest of her life. How come her boyfriend is gone and has become her husband?
The point is, they just got married yesterday, and they filed a marriage report today? Isn't that too fast?
He Hongyuan raised his eyebrows slightly: "We have already decided to get married, how can it be fast? It will take time to review and approve the marriage report. The army needs to check your identity file and confirm that there is no problem before passing it. After the marriage report is approved, I can apply for housing allocation. This process will take a long time."
After returning to the dormitory last night, he specifically asked his married comrades about the details of the marriage process, which shocked his comrades.
Anyone in the army might inquire about this matter, except He Hongyuan.
When Lin Xiang first came to the island, she was thinking that in this era, she would have to get married sooner or later, and that choosing such a handsome military officer as her husband would be a good idea.
However, after He Hongyuan's initial firm refusal and Lin Xiang's subsequent dream scenario, she gave up the idea and prepared to find a job, settle down, take things slow, enjoy free love, and then get married.
Look, I just felt a little bit of love yesterday, why are we getting married?
At least let her enjoy it a little longer.
Isn't it said that marriage is the grave of love? How can you be in love yesterday and step into the grave today?
Concepts differ from era to era.
He Hongyuan, who is 25 years old this year, is actually a relatively old unmarried young man. Lin Xiang is ready to discuss it with him: "Marriage is a major event in life and should be taken seriously. Let's talk about it after I get off work."
He Hongyuan naturally agreed that marriage is a major event in life. It was because it was so important that he quickly reported his marriage: "Okay, go to work first, and I'll pick you up when you get off work."
"No need. Our working hours are quite irregular. We often leave early." Lin Xiang has been in a slumber lately. It is impossible to set a fixed working hour. She did not ask He Hongyuan to pick her up. She only asked him to come to Zhou's house during dinner time.
The two separated at the gate of the second factory. Lin Xiang calmed down and waved to him before turning around and entering the factory.
"Xiao Lin." Sister Wang from the soda production workshop of the second factory called Lin Xiang and asked with a gossipy look on her face: "The one who just sent you here was Director He, right? I heard that you are a relative of Director He. What is your relationship? Is he your cousin? Does Director He have a girlfriend? There is a beautiful girl in my hometown..."
Sister Wang wanted to introduce someone to Lin Xiang a few days ago, and now she has set her sights on He Hongyuan. How could Lin Xiang resist? "Sister Wang, is the soda production this month sufficient? I have to come over to check in the morning."
Lin Xiang still has some work, although not much, and it is still very easy.
When Sister Wang heard this, her attention was instantly diverted, and she said happily, "Then it must have been completed! Can the people from our second factory complete the task?"
That's because soda isn't selling well, so the workload is low, and you can complete it by just lazily doing it.
Lin Xiang escaped from Sister Wang's enthusiasm, and when she approached the office, she was assigned another job.
God knows, this was the first time her leader had proactively assigned her work tasks since she started working half a month ago, and she was actually a little excited.
"Xiao Lin, go to the finance office of the first factory later to check this month's wages, and then bring them back to distribute them to everyone."
Factory 2 is so casual. Unlike Factory 1 which has clearly defined finance, accounting, administration, personnel, and publicity positions, Factory 2 focuses on allowing anyone to do any job.
Lin Xiang glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall. Isn't it only the 25th?
"Director Zhao, will August's salary be paid on the 25th?" Lin Xiang asked puzzledly.
Director Zhao looked at Lin Xiang suspiciously and said, "If not on the 25th, when will it be paid? If it's one day late, we will have to go to the factory manager to ask for our wages."
Yes, now is not the future.
The two companies that Lin Xiang had worked for, as well as the private companies where many of her friends worked, all paid the previous month's salary on the 15th of every month. That's a delay of 15 days!
Nowadays, in state-owned factories, wages for the current month are paid on the 25th of the month, five days in advance.
Lin Xiang, who was used to being a social animal, was somewhat moved.
After going to the finance office of the first factory to check the salary, Lin Xiang received a single page with the information and salary of all the employees in the second factory, and then took a handful of money and receipts, dozens of large round bills and various banknotes of one yuan and one cent, some in small and some in whole, heavy. In addition, there were different fixed-quota receipts that each person could receive every month according to their years of work and grade.
The wage structure of the 119 Food Factory was not the same as that of later generations. The wage of a regular worker was divided into basic wage, bonuses allocated according to monthly production volume, summer high temperature allowance, night shift allowance for night shift workers, etc.
However, the workload at Factory 2 was light, and everyone was lazy. They were satisfied with just a basic salary, and there were no bonuses or anything like that. Naturally, the overall income was less than that of Factory 1.
Lin Xiang held the wage slip in her hand, holding a pile of money and receipts and went to the workshop, calling out the names one by one to pay the wages. Dozens of pairs of eyes looked at her, their eyes shining.
Lin Xiang thought that this was the time when the workers at Factory 2 were most motivated.
The wages of regular workers in the workshop were mostly between 25 and 35 yuan, and those of temporary workers were between 15 and 18 yuan. After paying the wages of the workshop workers, Lin Xiang was left with more than half of his money, so he went back to the office to continue paying.
After all, Director Zhao holds a high position and is considered a third-level worker on the production line. His salary in August, including allowances, totaled 52.6 yuan, while Ma Defa received 36.8 yuan and Kong Zhenzhen received 39.3 yuan.
Lin Xiang only worked for half a month, so her salary was halved. Director Zhao applied for a voucher for her to get a full month's salary. But she had such an easy and comfortable life that she felt a little guilty when she received the 16.5 yuan salary for the first time, as well as a foot of cloth coupons, two ounces of sugar coupons, half a pound of cake coupons, and a pound of meat coupons.
How embarrassing!
Hehehe~
As soon as their wages were paid, the smiles on the faces of the employees of the second factory became brighter. Many of them were already planning to finish their work quickly and leave early to go to the grocery store to grab some meat.
Anyway, no one is in charge of them, so it doesn't matter if they leave work early, as long as the people in other factories are not overdoing it.
Lin Xiang touched her first salary since she came to this era, and was already thinking about buying some delicious food to treat He Hongyuan and the Zhou family to a meal. She also had to buy some gifts to send to Aunt He and Aunt Liu from the Xifeng Steel Mill. Regardless of whether she would be her future mother-in-law, Aunt He took great care of her. Aunt Liu also helped her a lot in escaping Xifeng City.
Lin Xiang felt more and more at ease slacking off, and joined the army of people leaving get off work early, preparing to go to the food station to grab some pork. But as soon as she reached the gate of the second factory, she ran into an "acquaintance" head-on.
Lin Xiang had been at Food Factory No. 2 for half a month, but she had never run into He Fen from Factory No. 1. When she saw her again, she seemed to be in a hurry. She paused when she met her, and the look she gave her seemed to be filled with resentment.
Lin Xiang was a little puzzled. It was not yet the end of the working day at Factory 1, and the management there was strict. Did He Fen ask for leave for something?
Just as Lin Xiang was puzzled, he heard a few crackling sounds from high in the sky.
She looked up at the loud speaker tied to the electric pole beside the gate wall of the first factory and heard the voice inside: "Everyone, Comrade He Fen, the director of the first factory office, made a serious mistake in the recruitment work this year. Now the whole factory is notified to criticize..."