Chapter 95: Things are difficult to do and life is difficult
The youngest son, about 7 years old, was afraid to take the money. Li Xiaoyan quickly pushed Tian Xin's hand back: "How can this be? You've done such a big thing for us, how can you still ask for money? Take it back! Your salary is not high, and you work so hard every day. We all deserve to give you New Year's money."
"Here, here!" Tian Xin stuffed the money into the child's pocket and dragged Li Dongmei out of the cave. Li Xiaoyan and Guo Wanshun chased after them with the money. Tian Xin didn't stop and ran straight out of the fence and down the slope along the main road!
"Xinxin, come back when you're free. Auntie will make you some pancakes—" Li Xiaoyan stood on the slope and shouted down loudly.
Tian Xin and Li Dongmei turned around and waved goodbye. As they were about to turn the corner after going down the slope, she saw the couple still standing there looking down.
"Oh!" Tian Xin sighed deeply. "How could they be so poor? I know their family isn't doing well. It was like this when I visited them as a child. It's already 2006. After all these years, they're still living in this cave?"
Li Dongmei also sighed: "Wan Shun is an honest guy who only knows how to work hard. In today's society, how can you make money just by working hard? My wife can't leave the house to support the whole family. If she could go out, I think she would definitely be more successful than Wan Shun!"
Is there no other way?
"Didn't you hear him say that the factory wasn't doing well and didn't give out bonuses? I don't think that has much to do with performance. He's a simple man, not a pushover! Maybe they just thought he was easy to bully and didn't give him any."
Li Dongmei glanced at Tian Xin after she finished speaking: "What do you think? Their family situation is too complicated. It's difficult for them to escape poverty!"
Indeed! The road to Shu is as difficult as climbing to heaven! If she wants to make a complete change, she probably can't rely on her own strength! Tian Xin followed Li Dongmei back to the village committee with melancholy.
The two went back to the village committee to get their things and then went to another house.
"Uncle Guo, how have you been lately?" As soon as she entered the door, Tian Xin saw Guo Zhenmin helping someone get wine.
This man hadn't brewed wine since Tian Xin recommended him to work as a miller. Li Baiwan had wanted to drink a few times and asked Tian Xin to ask Guo Zhenmin, but he said he was too busy and had no time to make it!
Maybe it’s the New Year, so I brew some for myself.
"Xinxin is here? Come inside and sit down. I'll be in as soon as I finish pouring this pot of wine!" Guo Zhenmin asked his wife to greet Tian Xin and Li Dongmei. There were several other people waiting in the yard to get wine, and he was too busy to make room.
"Since you are busy, we will come and take a look! We won't delay you!" said Tian Xin.
Guo Zhenmin's family was slightly better off, at least living in a bungalow. This was thanks to his own work experience in the county, which had saved him some money to build the house.
His family consists of five people. His mother suffers from hemiplegia and is bedridden year-round. A few years ago, one of their children died of illness, and his wife, Liu Huihui, was traumatized. Whenever she became ill, she would beat the remaining two children and often abandon her mother at home.
He had no choice but to resign from the county and return to the village to make a living by brewing wine.
After Liu Bo's incident, she thought of this person in advance. Since they were both grindhouse workers, she recommended him to work in the factory.
"Uncle, how have things been these past few months?" Tian Xin found a small stool in the yard and sat aside watching Guo Zhenmin make wine while Li Dongmei was talking to Liu Huihui in the house.
"It's OK," Guo Zhenmin said. "The factory has been operating three shifts these days, and working during the Lunar New Year period will triple the pay. I plan to cover for them these days."
"Is it okay at home? All the relatives are coming to visit during the New Year. Can I handle it all by myself?" Tian Xin asked.
"I have to work even if I'm too busy! I've already sent my son to his grandmother's house for the New Year, so I'm planning to cover for him!" said a man waiting for his drink. His name was Guo Changmin, a relative of Guo Zhenmin.
"You guys don't even plan to celebrate the New Year. Are you working so hard?" Tian Xin asked with a smile.
"What can I do? My salary has been low these past few months, and there are no bonuses. My kids need to pay tuition when school starts, and I need to buy fertilizers and seeds in the spring. Which one of these doesn't require money? What should I do if I don't earn money?" said Guo Changmin.
No bonuses were given out?
"Well, after the Lunar New Year, I plan to take my wife for another checkup. That's another lot of money. How else can I buy wine?" Guo Zengmin said to Tian Xin with a smile, "I have to earn some money. I have to earn some money. I have to support my whole family by myself. The expenses are too high!"
"Didn't you two receive bonuses during the New Year?" Tian Xin asked.
"None of them have received any! Not just two people, no one in our area who works at the factory has received any! Forget about bonuses, they don't even pay their salaries properly. I think this factory director is a piece of shit. He's always talking big, saying he'll give us a raise once the business is profitable and sales performance improves.
Bullshit, one day without deductions is good enough, but if there are too many problems, this is not allowed, that is not allowed, and they deduct money arbitrarily for a disagreement, and they don’t even give bonuses. I don’t know who pockets the money!
The person who said this was another villager who was waiting for a drink behind Guo Changmin. Before he finished speaking, he was so angry that his face turned red and his nose was thick, and he was about to curse!
"When did this start? Then...didn't you ask the finance department why the wages were deducted?" Tian Xin asked.
It shouldn't be possible, even though the factory had only been open for a short time. But she had talked to Li Baiwan, and he knew that the income and expenditure for the year were generally balanced, so it was impossible for him to deduct money from the workers for such a small matter.
Li Baiwan couldn't possibly be unaware of this matter of principle. Workers are the foundation of the factory. If he were to cut corners for such a small profit, he would be losing the big picture for the sake of the small. Li Baiwan would never do such a thing!
"I asked, but they couldn't explain it. They just said we smoked during work, or were a few minutes late and delayed production. You see, we farmers don't have so many rules and regulations. They're just trying to deduct money and make us feel uncomfortable!"
The man got more and more excited as he spoke, and it looked like he was about to curse! Tian Xin quickly stopped him: "Uncle, how about this wine? Give me two jars too, to entertain guests during the New Year!"
When the topic of wine came up, the two men stopped talking and went back after drinking!
Guo Zhenmin brought a few new jars to Tian Xin: "This is the last one! Xinxin, I wonder how the factory director liked it last time. If he liked it, can you bring him a few jars for me?"
"You want to send wine to the factory director?" Tian Xin asked in confusion, "Why don't you send it yourself?"
Guo Zhenmin shook his head and handed the wine to Tian Xin: "You don't know, now half of the factory staff are relatives of the leaders. We villagers can't afford to offend them, and it will be difficult to deal with things.
I'm not afraid of you laughing at me, but during the Chinese New Year, everyone gives gifts to their leaders to build relationships. I'm poor, so I don't have much to give them, so I feel a little embarrassed to give this wine."
This is purely overthinking. Li Baiwan has been craving this wine for a long time! But Tian Xin didn't respond.
Guo Zhenmin's intention to give wine was simply to curry favor with his superiors and get things done in the future. But once this door is opened, everyone will follow suit. If everyone gives gifts, what will become of honest people like Guo Wanshun? We can't let this habit become a habit. Furthermore, Li Baiwan might not even be aware of the deductions and withheld bonuses.
"Uncle, your wine is really good. The factory manager said he likes it very much!" said Tian Xin.
"Really? Then bring a few more jars and take them to the factory director, oh, and the section chief, the finance office, bring more, we don't have anything else!" Guo Zhenmin excitedly went to the house and brought back a bunch of jars, saying that he was going to pour the wine.
If all of this were to be delivered, Tian Xin would probably have to pull a cart.
"Don't be anxious, uncle, just listen to me." She took the jar from Guo Zhenmin and placed it on the windowsill: "If you want to give it to him to try, I have no objection. But uncle, you have wine to give, but what about the others? What can they give?"
Guo Zhenmin was speechless when asked. He put down the spoon in his hand, sat on a small stool next to Tian Xin, and sighed softly: "Things are difficult to do, and life is difficult!"
"Don't worry, I will give everyone an explanation about this matter!" Tian Xin said: "But we won't give you this gift!"
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