When Zhan Chunhua learned that her sister had gone to work as a saleswoman at a department store, she couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart. Perhaps it was a bit like being afraid that her sister would suffer, yet also afraid that her sister would drive a Land Rover. If her sister wasn't doing well, she worried that she would have to leech off her. But if her sister was doing better than her, she wouldn't be happy.
Fortunately, it was just a substitute shift. I felt a little envious, after all, this job is really respectable; but this job isn't hers, so... it's complicated.
When Zhan Chunlan entered the room, she was surprised to see Zhan Chunhua sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at her tenderly. Upon seeing her enter, Zhan Chunhua patted the seat beside her, gesturing for her to sit down.
This eagerness to have a heart-to-heart talk really startled Zhan Chunlan. It was quite shocking. They were all in their twenties, and suddenly they were acting like sisters. What was going on?
"Come here, I have something to tell you." Seeing that she didn't move, Zhan Chunhua took the initiative to speak.
Zhan Chunlan raised her eyebrows and sat down on her "bed": "This room is only so big, it's the same for me to sit here."
That was true, and Zhan Chunhua didn't press the matter. Once she was seated, he asked, "Which counter did you go to at the department store this time?"
"Bicycle counter. First of all, let me state that I am only filling in and have no right or opportunity to obtain bicycle tickets or defective bicycles." Zhan Chunlan was quite familiar with this family's profit-driven nature, and fearing that they might make difficult demands, she made it clear first.
"Look at you, what kind of person do you think I am?" Hearing her say that, Zhan Chunhua's eyes lit up. Why hadn't she thought of this before?
Tsk, he even reminded her! Zhan Chunlan quickly changed the subject: "What were you trying to say to me? I haven't even gone yet, it's no use saying anything now."
"I don't want to make things difficult for you." Zhan Chunhua put on a kind and understanding look, and her feigned thoughtfulness made Zhan Chunlan feel a stomachache.
"I was thinking that even though it's just a temporary shift, it'll still count as getting a job at the department store, right? Could you also keep an eye out for any other opportunities there?" Zhan Chunhua's tone softened, almost pleadingly. Then, she involuntarily frowned, her voice lowering further.
"As you know, my relationship with Jiao Lei has dragged on for so long. I still hope to find another job so that I can have more confidence at home after I get married."
Zhan Chunlan nodded in agreement. In any case, whether or not there would be a job opportunity was not up to her. Besides, even if there were job opportunities, they wouldn't be available to people like us.
When Zhan Chunhua saw that she agreed so easily, he assumed that she still cared about her family, especially since he had raised her himself, so he became a little too demanding.
She recalled hearing someone say that someone in their company, who only had a primary school education, was asked to fill in for their pregnant sister without pay, but the company promised to make her a temporary worker after three months.
She tentatively told Zhan Chunlan about it.
Zhan Chunlan understood the implied meaning behind the song, but feigned ignorance, asking, "Sister, why are you telling me this?"
"I'm hoping you can switch to a temporary job," Zhan Chunhua said earnestly, as if she were doing it all for your own good. "Why don't you go and talk to the department store manager and ask them to forgo your three months' salary and switch to a temporary job? That way you'll have some job security and won't have to go to the countryside."
You wish! Zhan Chunlan was quite impressed with this woman's imagination: "Sister, listen to this, is it even possible? Don't you know how you got your temporary job? It's not that easy. That's obviously a position set up by the leaders specifically for that person. Do you think just anyone can become a temporary worker?"
"As the old saying goes, 'Man proposes, God disposes.' How do you know it's impossible if you don't try?" Zhan Chunhua didn't care about being discouraged. It was because she had experienced the difficulty of finding a job that she was now willing to seize any opportunity. It was just a matter of a few words. What if she succeeded?
"Third sister, you're going to work tomorrow, right? I'll take the day off and go with you. If you're too shy to say it, I'll help you talk to your boss!" Zhan Chunhua's eyes were full of eagerness, and the light she shone was so bright that Zhan Chunlan couldn't refuse for a moment.
The next second, she regretted not speaking up, only to hear Zhan Chunhua continue nagging: "If you become a temporary worker, can you switch with your sister? That way, your sister can hold her head high at Jiao Lei's house."
Sure enough, Zhan Chunlan felt relieved. She said that the Zhan family had no conscience whatsoever.
"That's impossible. Don't you know how hard it is to get into department stores?" Zhan Chunlan admired her boldness and decisiveness, but she couldn't just blindly push her luck.
“I told you, the situation you described was about people making dumplings for that dish of vinegar. What are we to them? Besides, my substitute shift wasn't requested by the department store; it was something we did privately. Zhang Jing even had to ask her company for leniency.”
"You? I haven't even stepped one foot into the department store yet, and you're already thinking about getting your company to transfer you to a temporary position. You're dreaming! Why don't you just fly to the moon?"
Even after Zhan Chunlan explained the matter to her in detail, she refused to listen and argued, "Isn't your classmate's uncle the director of the department store? Just go and beg your classmate, that should solve the problem."
"I'm speechless. How can someone so smart not listen to reason?" Zhan Chunlan rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky. "You know he's my classmate's uncle? You make it sound so easy for me, I thought he was my uncle!"
Zhan Chunhua curled her lip, unconvinced: "What's the difference between yours and your classmate's? Besides, they've been quite nice to you."
Zhan Chunlan flashed a meme-like smile, but her eyes quickly darkened: "Oh? So you know she's good to me? Have you thought about this—she doesn't even have a job yet. Do you think, if such an opportunity really came up, she would prioritize me or herself?"
Zhan Chunhua's smile vanished completely. The barrage of rejections filled her with both shame and anger. She immediately turned away, her tone sharp and firm: "If you don't want to, just say no! Why all this nonsense!"
No, big sister! Zhan Chunlan looked at Zhan Chunhua, who had turned over to sleep, and was furious. Who was it that kept twisting her like that?
Forget about her. She finally has a job tomorrow. After living two lives, she can finally get paid. This is something to celebrate. She shouldn't let some unworthy people ruin her mood!
Zhan Chunlan gently lay down on her "little bed," forcing herself to calm down, hoping to have a sweet dream tonight!
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