Before daybreak, Li Jianghai stepped out onto the snow. His cotton shoes slipped on the icy road, yet he walked with more energy than usual, his breath circling the air above the alley.
When passing by a pancake stall, he spent fifty cents to add an egg for the first time - if Guifang knew, she would definitely call him a spendthrift.
The heat from the boiler room hit him in the face. He took off his cotton hat and found that Lao Cui was already squatting by the coal pile, warming himself by the fire.
"Oh, the sun is rising from the west?" Old Cui squinted at him. "Master Li came earlier than the rooster crowed today."
Li Jianghai didn't respond, picked up a shovel and put coal into the furnace.
The shiny black coals crackled in the fire, casting flickering shadows on his face.
Normally at this time, he would find a corner to take a nap, and only start working slowly after the sun climbed over the roof of the factory.
But today was different. He hummed a tune and made the fire burn brightly. Even the pressure gauge on the boiler became lively.
"Old Li, did you take the wrong medicine?"
Master Ma, who is in charge of the warehouse, peeked in from the door frame and said, "This year's model worker has been selected!" The implication is that if you work too hard now, it's too late!
Li Jianghai didn't respond to Lao Ma's words, but just reached out and brushed the collar of his work clothes.
Coal dust fell in gusts, swirling in the morning light.
The cuffs of this navy blue work suit had long been frayed, and the third button was haphazardly sewn on with black thread.
But no matter how he looked at it today, the four faded red characters "Safe Production" looked particularly spirited, and even made him straighten his back.
He looked down at the work badge on his chest. The numbers had been rubbed out a long time ago, but now the string of numbers on this work number looked particularly bright.
It’s been twenty-three years, and this is the first time I’ve realized how valuable this outfit is!
Lao Cui was still muttering something, but Li Jianghai was just busy patting the stains on his body.
During lunch break, several old workers were squatting under the back wall of the boiler room and eating steamed buns.
Li Jianghai rubbed against Lao Tietou, took out the pickled radish strips he brought with him and shared half of them.
"My friend, come and try some of my pickled radishes. They're really tasty!"
While everyone was chatting, Li Jianghai chewed a radish, pretending to be nonchalant.
"I heard the Transport Department's Liberation truck has a new driver? He was quite energetic before, so why did he just quit?"
Old Tietou sucked his teeth and said, "That kid is quite clever! He handed the job over to his brother-in-law and went off to the south to trade in jeans."
As he spoke, he lowered his voice and said, "I heard that this is a matter of passing the number around." His rough palm made the shape of the number "three" on Li Jianghai's knee.
"Three thousand?" Li Jianghai nearly dropped the steamed bun in his hand. "And that crappy driver's license..."
"What do you know!" Old Tietou spat on the ground. "The price of a regular job quota is sky-high on the black market these days, and people are scrambling for it! The other day, that position in the machine repair shop that Old Zhang had..."
He suddenly stopped talking and looked at Li Jianghai suspiciously, "Wait a minute... why are you asking this? Could it be..."
Li Jianghai took a deep drag on his cigarette, choking and coughing. "Ahem... I was just asking..."
"Pretend! Keep pretending!" Old Tietou suddenly slapped his thigh. "I said the sun is rising from the west today, and you, Old Li, are firing up the boiler like you're meeting foreign guests!"
Suddenly she leaned in close, her garlicky breath blasting across his face. "You're not thinking of going back to live off your sister-in-law because she's doing so well. Let me tell you, if you lose your job, I'll see if she'll treat you well and not scold you for being a freeloader. It's all because of her good temper!"
Let me tell you, a man without a job is like a rotten carrot; it’s an eyesore to look at, but it’s also a pain to eat!
Several old friends around burst into laughter.
Old Zhao coughed, cigarette in hand. "Old Li, I'm not saying anything, but with Guifang's temper...if you really become 'unemployed', I'm afraid you'll be forced to kneel on the washboard every day!"
"Bullshit!" Li Jianghai's ears burned. "I'm... I'm asking for help from a relative!"
"Oh, that's nothing. Nowadays, there are a lot of people selling and buying jobs. Even in my workshop, new people come every month. It's not nice of you to hide it, Old Li!" Old Liang from the workshop clicked his tongue and pointed out Li Jianghai's thoughts!
"Can't I just set up my own stall?"
"You?" Old Tietou laughed until the ash fell off his cigarette. "Besides poking coals into the stove, what else can you do? You'd probably chop your fingers off if you tried cutting dough, and you'd stick yourself on the wall if you tried kneading dough!"
He counted on his blackened fingers, "Last year, your wife scolded you for killing a chicken and throwing it into the pot without even opening its belly..."
Old Zhao added, "Didn't you go buy flour for your wife last month? You brought back 50 kilograms and only had 38 kilograms left. Someone stole it on the way and you didn't even notice!"
Li Jianghai squatted in the corner without saying a word, almost becoming autistic due to the constant criticism! Did he really sell his job?
Seeing this, Lao Tietou nudged him with the tip of his shoe: "What's wrong? Did you really take it to heart?"
Then he said seriously, "Honestly, for our factory, if there is a way, we should plan it as soon as possible!"
"If you really want to sell your seniority..." He nodded in the direction of the factory office, "You can talk to Director Xie from the labor union!"
After a few people chatted for a while, the bell for work rang again!
As soon as work started in the afternoon, Lao Cui pushed the door open with a half-smoked cigarette in his mouth and almost choked at the scene in front of him!
Li Jianghai collapsed directly beside the coal pile, lying on his back with his arms and legs spread out! He slept without any burden!
Lao Cui rolled his eyes, picked up a shovel and slammed it down on the coal pile. As he fed the coal into the furnace, he deliberately raised the coal dust high in the air. "This morning, you were so full of energy, but you've revealed your true colors so quickly?"
Li Jianghai took out a wrinkled cigarette box and found that there were only two cigarettes left in it.
He hesitated for a moment and handed one to Lao Cui: "Oh, what a waste of time... It's cold, it's better to move around and warm up..."
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