Chapter 90 The Impermanence of Life
After a hearty meal, Gao Tiejun casually inquired about Zhou Jianjun's work.
"Your workplace is quite far from Guanminghu, so it must be inconvenient for you to live here and commute to work!"
"I've been laid off!"
Zhou Jianjun raised his glass and clinked it against Gao Ming's. His face showed signs of weariness and seemed to carry a hint of anger.
"There have been many layoffs in recent years, my uncle's old workplace..."
“I wasn’t laid off because of the factory’s poor performance.” Zhou Jianjun smiled bitterly, raised his hand and waved it: “It’s all dirty stuff, I feel disgusted just thinking about it.”
"What happened?"
Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing and pricked up their ears...including the children who had already eaten their fill in the kitchen.
Zhou Jianjun just sighed.
Cui Zhihong put down her chopsticks, and her hands, which were curled up in front of her chest, began to move with a struggle, accompanied by her narration filled with deep hatred.
Zhou Jianjun is the squad leader of the steel plant's transportation team. He has worked in the plant for almost fifteen years since he left the military.
According to Cui Zhihong, Zhou Jianjun could be considered a cadre in the factory.
The couple has only one daughter, who is 23 years old this year.
The daughter, Zhou Xueli, was beautiful and had many factory children following her around since she was a child. The older she got, the more suitors she had... including the factory director's only son.
But Zhou Xueli only wanted to study hard, get into university, and then devote herself to scientific research.
The factory manager's son scoffed at this, and feeling resentful about being rejected, he hired some thugs to harass and ruin Zhou Xueli's reputation.
After learning that it was the factory director's son who had instigated the incident, Zhou Jianjun angrily went to the factory director's office to demand an explanation.
The factory director promised to discipline his son, but then immediately contacted the factory's leadership to deliberately target Zhou Jianjun.
"As expected... I knew Lao Zhou's name would be on the layoff list as soon as it came out..."
Actually, the factory director came to see Zhou Jianjun before the list was released, saying that he wanted to establish a marriage alliance with the Zhou family. So, the regiment should reconsider the layoff list because of him.
Zhou Jianjun naturally refused. In order to free his daughter from the harassment of the factory director's son, he didn't tell anyone which university she was admitted to last year. He even wrote a friend's address on the admission notice.
"After Lao Zhou was laid off, we thought we could either go back to our hometown to farm or stay in Beicheng to find a job!"
After discussing it, the couple decided to stay, so they could be closer to their daughter.
So after looking at houses everywhere, I spent most of my savings to buy a house in Guanming Hutong.
"It's good that you've been laid off. Who knows what dirty tricks they'll come up with to harm you in the future!" Gao Tiejun took a sip of his wine and said with the perspective of an elder, "A living person can't be held back by their pee. You can find any job outside and you won't starve."
“Uncle understands me best.” Zhou Jianjun laughed heartily.
Gao Ming suddenly cleared his throat, and Zhou Jianjun, who had just put down his cup, quickly refilled it: "Brother Jianjun, were you a driver in the army before?"
"Ten years as a truck driver." Zhou Jianjun said proudly, tapping his right index finger on the table: "I can tell the horsepower and brand of an engine just by listening to it."
"Brother Zhou is really amazing!" Chen Yun quickly interjected, finally uttering his first words since dinner.
"Who does he think he is!" Cui Zhihong laughed. "Many members of Lao Zhou's transport team are veteran truck drivers, and their skills are a hundred times better than Lao Zhou's!"
"That's an exaggeration! How could it be a hundred times stronger!" Zhou Jianjun smiled, his thumb resting on the first joint of his index finger. "At most, it's only a tiny bit stronger."
"Are they all still working at the factory?" Gao Ming asked again.
Chen Yun immediately understood Gao Ming's meaning, stopped talking, and instead quietly called to the children who had been sitting still for a long time to go back to their rooms to do their homework.
She slowly returned after seeing all three of them into the house and arranging their tasks for the evening.
They were still chatting at the dinner table, but now they were talking to Gao Ming and Zhou Jianjun.
Dozens of drivers have been poached from the company, and Gaoming currently needs a large number of experienced and skilled drivers to serve as the backbone of the new routes.
He spent ten years as a truck driver and more than ten years driving in a steel plant, covering all sorts of complex routes.
Zhou Jianjun is clearly the person Gao Ming needs most.
Gao Ming wanted more than one talent, so he specifically asked about the steel plant's profits first, and then proposed to invite Zhou Jianjun and everyone in the transportation team.
"How much can you pay?" Zhou Jianjun asked directly, but not for his own benefit. "The brothers in the transport team all have families to support. Leaving the factory is too risky. If the wages are too low, everyone might hesitate."
"Currently, the company is preparing to open two border routes. The salary consists of two parts: a basic salary and commission. The basic salary is 300 yuan, and the commission is, of course, based on the amount of work done..."
Zhou Jianjun's eyes lit up immediately when the price of three hundred yuan was mentioned. As Gao Ming listed out the commission amount in detail, his breathing became heavier.
“I’m not one to exaggerate. Take Su Weiming, the brother from the transport team who came to join me six years ago, for example. Last year, his average monthly salary was 2,500 yuan. This year, the company encountered some problems, and his salary was slightly lower. But once border trade starts up again, his salary will only go up, not down…”
"Two thousand five!"
"so much!"
Zhou Jianjun and Cui Zhihong exclaimed in surprise at the same time. Their hands, which were gripping the edge of the table so tightly that they turned pale, were so astonished that they seemed unable to believe their ears.
The couple had worked hard for decades and only had a few thousand yuan in savings, only to find out upon arrival that it was equivalent to two or three months' salary for someone else.
No wonder the radio keeps saying that there are more and more families with ten thousand yuan in income; their emotional well-being is all outside the factory!
"I'll do it!" Zhou Jianjun decided immediately.
"Go to the company tomorrow, brother, and see last year's payroll before making a decision," Gao Ming said.
Zhou Jianjun nodded: "If it's true, I'll help you persuade the brothers in the transport team."
The steel mill stopped raising wages two years ago, and various employee benefits were gradually being canceled. Before Zhou Jianjun was laid off, he even heard that the factory had started selling land to fill the financial hole.
If Gao Ming's stated salary is true, he can definitely take away most of the transport team with just one sentence.
"Okay." Gao Ming smiled with satisfaction.
"Let's keep drinking." Gao Tiejun seized an opportunity to refill the empty glass: "Now that the work is done, we should have a good drink."
The two drank until the moonlight shone into the room before they parted ways.
Chen Yun and Gao Ming walked out of the house and stood at the doorway to catch their breath.
"You said..." Chen Yun leaned closer to Gao Ming and pointed to the study with the light on, "Are the three children doing their homework?"
"No."
I guessed no.
Although the room was quiet, the silence was suspicious; Gao Nian'an would only be so quiet if he was doing something bad.
"Let's go take a look," Gao Ming said with a smile.
The couple tiptoed to the window and peered into the room through the open curtains.
The adult and two children were inside the room, but none of them were at the desk.
Gao Nian'an was lounging on the sofa, head down and feet up, engrossed in reading a comic book.
Gao Nianping and Li Shuaishuai lay on the bare bed board... playing marbles.
"Li Shuaishuai!" Chen Yun suddenly called out, and with little effort, she pushed open the window. As the three children jumped up, she smiled and continued, "Are you staying at my house tonight or going back to your place?"
"Go back to sleep!" Li Shuaishuai hurriedly put on his shoes and got out of bed. In his haste, he accidentally put on Gao Nian'an's sandals and then quickly crawled under the bed to find his own shoes.
At this moment, Chen Yun and Gao Ming had already pushed open the door and gone inside.
Gao Ming helped find the shoes, while Chen Yun walked to the table and looked through the students' homework... sure enough, none of it had been touched.
"Shuai Shuai, did Cui Niang come to your house again today?"
Chen Yun closed her notebook, still intending to let the others go.
“She said she’s coming back with my dad tomorrow to celebrate the holiday,” Li Shuaishuai replied, rubbing his bare left foot against his right calf with a bored expression. “She also said she’s taking her grandparents abroad.”
Chen Yun patted his head and sighed, "If you're not feeling well at home tomorrow, come over."
"Okay." Li Shuai smiled shyly.
"Then we'll take you home. Your mom called and asked me to check if you've added a blanket; it gets cold as soon as autumn begins!"
Even though Ruanqiu is far away in Guangzhou, the first thing she does every morning when she gets up is still to check the weather forecast for the northern part of the city.
Compared to Chen Yun, who is busy with work, she knows better when it will rain and the weather will change.
"Mom, the school needs to buy white sneakers for the poetry recitation competition in a few days. Shuai Shuai is participating too. Why don't you buy him a pair of white sneakers?"
My friend is shy and hesitant to ask her grandparents for anything at school.
The fact that his grandparents disowned him and his mother six years ago still left a scar on Li Shuaishuai's heart.
“Okay! Auntie will go buy it tomorrow morning.” Chen Yun agreed quite readily.
"Thank you, Aunt Chen."
"Put on your shoes, and we'll take you home."
"good!"
As soon as Chen Yun finished speaking, Li Yi's hurried footsteps stopped in the courtyard.
"Handsome, Li Shuai Shuai!"
"Second Grandpa." Li Shuaishuai ran to the door, hurriedly grabbed his schoolbag, and was about to go out: "I was just about to go home."
Since Ruanqiu left, Li Shuaishuai has spent most of his time at the Gao family home. Li Zhong and his wife have gotten used to their child living next door and don't come looking for him unless necessary.
So Chen Yun was a little puzzled and hurriedly asked, "Uncle Li, has something happened at home?"
Li Yi nodded, his breathing a little disordered: "I just received a call saying that Shuai Shuai's grandfather has been taken to the hospital, and that I should take the child to the hospital as soon as possible."
Li Zhong and his wife went to a friend's great-grandson's 100-day celebration in the evening. Before they finished eating and were about to go home, Li Zhong suddenly fainted at the entrance of the restaurant.
The family quickly took the person to a large hospital, where they were told it was a sudden brain hemorrhage and the situation was urgent.
Judging from the doctor's tone, Li Zhong might not survive, so Li Yi decided to take Li Shuai Shuai to the hospital.
In case he really can't be saved... let the child see his grandfather one last time.
As soon as Li Yi finished speaking, Li Shuaishuai suddenly burst into tears.
Children's understanding of death is still limited to what they see on television. When the people around them actually face death, an instinctive fear surges into their hearts.
"I'll take you there!" Gao Ming decided immediately.
Li Yi had already lost his composure, and he kept licking his lips the whole way without saying a word.
Chen Yun hugged Li Shuaishuai and comforted him gently.
The car sped all the way to the Workers' Hospital.
Second floor emergency operating room.
The corridor was dimly lit, and the "Operating" sign was a glaring scarlet, seemingly coldly watching the anxious family members waiting at the operating room door.
Fang Fang knelt in the corner by the operating room door, her hands clasped together, devoutly praying to heaven for a miracle.
Li Huguo sat on the edge of the stool, his face buried in his palms, his profile obscured by the flickering light.
"How's the situation?!"
Gao Ming strode up and nudged Li Huguo on the shoulder.
“The chances of saving him are slim.” Li Huguo answered weakly, then suddenly patted the spot beside him: “The doctor said the area of brainstem hemorrhage is too large, even if he is saved, he may be in a vegetative state.”
Gao Ming sat down with a sullen face.
"God should punish me if he wants to, since I did something wrong, why should he be the one to suffer the consequences!"
"I poached people from your company, I stole your orders, it was me... I did it all."
"I am the one who deserves the retribution."
Gao Ming didn't respond.
One thing at a time. He came to see Li Zhong because of his good looks, but breaking with Li Huguo was a different matter.
Moreover, he knew very well that no matter how much Li Huguo repented just now, he would still do the same thing if he went back to the old ways.
The operating room lights suddenly went out.
The door slowly opened, and the doctor took off his mask as he walked in: "Li Zhong's family?"
"we are!"
Li Huguo immediately changed the subject and walked over to the doctor, then hurriedly asked, as if he hadn't noticed the doctor's expression, "How is my father?"
My condolences.
The doctor slowly uttered two words.
"Ah!" Fang Fang screamed and fell straight to the ground.
Her old friend's wife, who was standing nearby, quickly caught her and supported her, her face also filled with sorrow.
The doctor took a deep breath, as if a thousand-pound weight had been placed on his shoulders: "Resuscitation efforts failed. Patient Li Zhong died at 10:37 PM. Please accept our condolences."
When the words "please accept my condolences" were repeated for the second time, the crying instantly became louder.
"Let the family members go in to say their final goodbyes!" The doctor shook his head.
The door leading to the operating room closed silently behind the doctor, and the person inside, covered by a white sheet, could no longer hear the cries of their family members outside.
Chen Yun held Li Shuaishuai tightly the whole time.
I accompanied him inside to see his grandfather on the left and back, and sat with him in the corridor, quietly listening to the sorrowful weeping of his relatives.
Everything happened so suddenly, catching people off guard.
***
The funeral was simple, and the old neighbors in the alley came to see Li Zhong off on his final journey.
As people get older, they live one day at a time, and all we can do is sigh and lament.
After the funeral, Li Zhong's ashes were buried in the cemetery.
Life seems to have returned to calm, but beneath the surface, undercurrents are slowly surging.
With her big belly, Cui Niang went to the Li family again.
This time she made her purpose very clear... to get a marriage certificate with Li Huguo before the child is born.
A child cannot be born without a household registration, but Li Huguo always used the excuse that he needed his parents' consent to get married, postponing it day after day.
"mom."
"I'm not your mother!" Fang Fang replied coldly and decisively. "No matter whose child it is, it's not my grandson."
Fang Fang blamed Cui Niang entirely for her husband's sudden death.
On the morning of Li Zhong's death, Cui Niang came to their house early in the morning, insisting that the couple agree to let her into the family.
As a result, my husband suffered a brain hemorrhage and passed away that very night!
If it weren't for the fact that she was pregnant, Cui Niang would never be standing here making faces.
"Shuai Shuai, what's wrong!"
Fang Fang's gloomy expression changed drastically in an instant. She pushed Cui Niang aside and rushed towards the door, but her legs gave way halfway and she almost knelt down.
Li Shuaishuai appeared at the door covered in blood.
"I'm fine, this isn't my blood." Li Shuaishuai raised his arm to wipe his face, and quickly explained, somewhat embarrassed, "It's pig's blood. Someone was slaughtering a pig in the alley behind, and we went to watch the fun and got splashed with it..."
Instead of enjoying the excitement, the pig that had been stabbed suddenly got up and started running around wildly.
Blood spurted from the wound, splashing all over those around him.
Today, Gao Nian'an displayed a skill that left everyone speechless.
First there was the incident of pinning down dogs on the school playground... now there's the incident of someone pouncing on and pinning down pigs in a ditch!
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