Chapter 525
The afternoon sun was still scorching hot, casting a dazzling golden glow on the streets.
After a while, Su Miao saw Fang Zheng riding back from a distance.
She drank the soda in one gulp, returned the empty bottle to the shop owner who was dozing off behind the counter, and took out money to buy a new bottle.
Fang Zheng parked his bike and said, "Miaomiao, sorry for the wait. Let's go back."
"Brother Zheng, don't worry, there's still plenty of time. You've worked hard, so have a bottle of soda first."
Fang Zheng wiped the sweat from his forehead, took the bottle of soda, and drank half of it in one gulp.
Su Miao asked with concern: "How is the worker just now?"
The sweet soda flowed down his throat, quenching Fang Zheng's thirst a little. He replied:
"The doctor said it might be heatstroke and that he needed an injection to replenish water. I sent him there and then left. I don't know the details, but it shouldn't be a big problem.
He was new here and didn't know how to be measured. He worked so hard that he collapsed. Normally, in such hot weather, we all have to drink some water and catch our breath from time to time!
Su Miao looked at the sun and sighed, "Although it's autumn now, the temperature is still very high at noon. The workers working outdoors are really hard."
"What's the weather like in your city of Yongcheng now? Is it getting hotter?" Fang Zheng asked curiously.
"It's hot! It's extremely hot, over 30 degrees Celsius, close to 40 degrees Celsius, hot and stuffy, just like a steamer.
It doesn’t start to cool down until the end of October, and sometimes during warm winters we can even wear light clothing during the Lunar New Year.”
Su Miao fanned the wind exaggeratedly, as if the heat wave of Yongcheng was right in front of him.
"Oh my! The difference between the north and the south is really huge. We are about to have snow in November while you are just starting to feel cool. Hahahaha!
If you look at it this way, it’s no wonder that you’ve been able to farm for so much longer than we have.
So, are there fewer people from your rural areas working away from home? After all, there are more things you can grow at home."
Su Miao shook his head and said, "In recent years, many people have gone south to work. After all, the income from working outside is much higher than farming at home.
Especially some young people whose families have little land are eager to go out and try their luck, but the elderly at home don’t think working is a proper way of life.”
Fang Zheng nodded, a simple smile on his face:
"That's right, since you're close to Guangzhou, your first choice for work is to go south, while we're close to Beijing, so we'll go north.
After all, most city dwellers have jobs and are not used to doing these strenuous tasks, so this is when we migrant workers are needed to do it.
In the past few years, more and more people have come here, and they help each other when they go out. Just like the few people who called me just now, they are my fellow villagers.
There are also many people scattered at other construction sites or doing other work, so we all need to keep in touch regularly."
Su Miao's thoughts drifted away. The term "migrant workers" probably only came into use in 1984 or 1985.
Earlier, there was no established name for rural residents who came to the city to work, and some people called them "minfu."
However, in ancient times, this word referred to farmers who were forced to work and carry heavy loads, which had a discriminatory connotation and was therefore not accepted by rural people.
Later, it was gradually changed to "migrant workers", or simply referred to as migrant workers.
With the deepening of opening up, the pace of urban construction accelerated, and the gap in required labor became increasingly larger. At this time, a large number of rural laborers began to pour into cities.
A small number of them can become regular workers, while most of them work as temporary workers, doing manual labor.
Despite the difficult working and living conditions, they have driven the development of the national economy, especially the real estate and construction industry, through their hard work.
Su Miao suddenly had an idea and asked, "Brother Zheng, don't the workers at the construction site get meals?"
"It depends on the contractor. The construction site is not fixed. If it's a large site, it's fine. But if it's a small project, it will be moved to another place after being completed in ten days or half a month.
At the construction site, wages are calculated based on the number of working days. If you go looking for work yourself, you will waste time in between.
So many people will get a job in construction if they can, and if they can't, they choose to work for a contractor.
Some contractors will arrange for people to cook, but the food is very ordinary, and everyone has to supplement their own meals from time to time.
Some people just ignore this and have to solve it themselves. For some who have a whole family to support in their hometown, it is common to eat steamed buns and pickles every day.
Some younger people who haven’t started a family are more generous with their money. They usually eat at street vendors and go to a restaurant every few days.”
Fang Zheng explained patiently, with a hint of emotion in his tone.
In his previous life, Su Miao saw some people cooking big pots of food at home and making lunch boxes to sell at the construction site. Although it was several years ago, this model should still be applicable.
So, she asked, "Do you think our set lunch boxes are suitable for sale at construction sites? What if we also serve them with a soup?"
"It's perfect! It's perfect! After I started working at the restaurant, I felt that this set meal in our restaurant is especially suitable for workers.
The meat and vegetables are matched together, one portion for each person, no need to wait for the meal, or use disposable lunch boxes, and throw them away cleanly after eating.
Of course it would be better if it is served with soup, no matter what kind of soup it is, even if it is just with a little oil and a little salt, it is better than boiling water yourself!
Hehe, but I’ve only been here for a few days, so I didn’t dare tell you and your dad, for fear that it might not work out…”
Fang Zheng scratched his head and said embarrassedly.
"It's okay, Brother Zheng. If you have any ideas in the future, just tell us. We are very willing to listen to everyone's suggestions.
We will study and consider whether it can be done and whether it can be successful, but many hands make light work, and the wisdom of everyone combined is always stronger than that of one or two people alone."
Fang Zheng was happy that he could provide ideas for the store and said:
"Then can we bring some boxed lunches to the construction site? We can just pack them up and bring them over. This will increase sales and won't take up seats in the store."
“Yeah, I have this idea, but I still have to see how the workers accept it.
While I was waiting for you, I sold a box of braised food. If they like it, they'll probably come to the store. We can then bring a small amount of lunch boxes over to test the waters."
"Okay! I'm familiar with the work on the construction site! I've been working there for several years and I know a lot of co-workers and foremen. I can ask them to help spread the word."
Fang Zheng patted his chest and made the promise. After that, he drank the remaining half bottle of soda in one gulp.
Just as Su Miao got in the car and the two were about to return to the store, a loud shout suddenly came from behind:
"It's her! That girl! Don't let her go!"
"Hey! Stop the car! Don't leave!"
"Quick! Stop them!"
The sound was getting closer, and a group of people rushed towards them from the direction of the construction site, raising a cloud of dust...
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