Chapter 127 The Tide of the Layoff Era
"I wondered who it was," said Aunt Song. "Forced into another blind date?"
"Hmm." Tang Lu's voice was a little muffled.
"You...you decide whether to get married or not." Aunt Song couldn't help but say, looking at Tang Lu's pitiful appearance. "You don't need to punish yourself for the sake of the Tang family."
Aunt Song had plenty of money and had already experienced the joys and sorrows of marriage. She didn't remarry, and she didn't see anything wrong with it. Whether Tang Lu married or not was none of Aunt Song's business. However, Tang Lu was still Aunt Song's biological daughter, and seeing Tang Lu like this, Aunt Song didn't feel much pity, but rather wondered who Tang Lu was punishing.
“I didn’t punish myself for them, it’s just that I don’t want to get married,” Tang Lu said. “I don’t want to change myself for them. Many people only think about themselves. They want a woman, but all they want is a free nanny. This woman has to help them support the family and has to give a lot. If in ancient times, women only needed to be thrifty and manage the household, then women nowadays not only have to be thrifty and manage the household, but also have to work. They have to do everything inside and outside the home.”
Tang Lu wanted to be a person, not a tool in someone else's hands. Tang Lu didn't want to become someone other than herself for those men, nor did she want to become ugly.
“If I never get married in my life, it’s because I haven’t met the right person, not because of the Tang family,” Tang Lu said. “They don’t deserve such a big sacrifice from me.”
"That would be best," said Aunt Song.
“Mom.” Tang Lu looked at Aunt Song.
"Come in and have a cup of tea." Aunt Song wasn't particularly soft-hearted, nor was she planning to give Tang Lu anything in the future. Aunt Song thought, if Tang Lu wanted to come in, then she should come in. But once Tang Lu was in, would the rest of the Tang family let her off the hook?
Those people will definitely think that Tang Lu got something from Aunt Song. Aunt Song feels that she, as a mother, is somewhat despicable. She even wonders if the Tang family will still kick Tang Lu while she's down. Even if those people are temporarily supporting Tang Lu, it's only because they want Tang Lu to come here and ask for benefits.
Aunt Song didn't believe Tang Lu wouldn't know, but since Tang Lu didn't stay in the capital afterward, there was no problem. If Tang Lu had stayed in the capital, the Tang family would definitely have continued to pressure her.
Tang Lu went in with Aunt Song, who only offered her tea and some pastries.
Just as Aunt Song had thought, when Tang Lu returned to the Tang family, everyone stared at her, wondering if Aunt Song had softened her heart and wanted her children and grandchildren to be with her.
Tang Shaotao asked Tang Lu several times, but Tang Lu just found it ridiculous. These people were still keeping an eye on Aunt Song, and they all wanted to get something out of her.
"No, I was going back to Nancheng, that's why Mom let me in." Tang Lu had just sat down in the living room when Tang Shaotao asked her so many questions. "You all know Mom's personality. She's not soft-hearted. She's only doing this because I'm still single, and she thinks I'm not married because of you."
“If you want to get married, then get married. We’re not stopping you,” Tang Shaotao said.
“You didn’t stop me, you were even very enthusiastic. Didn’t you want me to get married as soon as possible?” Tang Lu said. “Whether I get married or not is fine with me. I won’t compete with you for those things. Mom is not going to leave anything to me anyway.”
The plump couple successfully held their eldest son's wedding banquet. Although Zhang Wen and his wife lived in the school-allocated housing, the plump couple still prepared a room for their eldest son and his wife at home, and even redecorated that room. If their eldest son and his wife wanted to stay at home, they could; if they didn't want to stay there, that was fine too. The plump couple couldn't force them to stay there.
Zhang Xiaohu also helped greet the guests. When the relatives came, they asked Zhang Xiaohu if he had a girlfriend. Zhang Xiaohu naturally said no, saying that he was still in college and not in a hurry to find a girlfriend. When people asked him if he was looking for a girlfriend from the capital city, he said...
This left Zhang Xiaohu with no way to explain himself. If he said no, these people definitely wouldn't believe him. If he did say yes, Zhang Xiaohu wasn't necessarily looking for someone with a Beijing residency permit; it could be someone who worked in the capital.
Zhang Xiaohu plans to stay in the capital after graduating from university. He has heard that the country is gradually ceasing to assign jobs to college graduates. He doesn't know if it's true or not, but there is such a rumor.
Before Zhang Xiaohu even heard about the specific policies, the grain bureau on Guo Peng's side had already started making moves.
The Grain Bureau is undergoing restructuring, and many people will be laid off. Guo Peng is one of them; he never imagined he would face layoffs one day. The leaders of the Grain Bureau have told them to prepare themselves mentally, as they won't receive a salary if they continue working, and it would be better for them to find other jobs.
This gave Guo Peng a real headache. He thought about how Fang Xudong went to the police station and wasn't fired or laid off, while Guo Peng was facing the prospect of being laid off. Back then, when Guo Peng went to the grain bureau, many people said he was lucky to get into such a good unit.
Now, the lucky one is Fang Xudong, not Guo Peng.
When Sister-in-law Guo heard the news, she was a little stunned. Fortunately, they had saved up some money and bought a house, which still generated rental income, enough to make ends meet. However, the rental income from that house alone wasn't enough, as the rent wasn't high, and they still had to support their daughter.
Guo's job pays very little, so she can't save much money.
"What do we do now?" Sister-in-law Guo asked. "If we stay here, we won't get paid."
"We'll have to find other jobs," Guo Peng said.
"Can you... go to the police station like Fang Xudong did?" Sister-in-law Guo asked.
"No way, I can't have all the benefits," Guo Peng said. "When I transferred to civilian work, I thought the Grain Bureau was the best. Who would have thought the Grain Bureau would change one day, while the police station..."
The edge is very stable.
Guo Peng did indeed benefit from things back then, but now that he wants to work at the police station, that won't work. If everyone acted like him, trying to gain an advantage at every stage, people would just think he was too greedy.
"I'll always find a job," Guo Peng said.
"Your younger brother and sister-in-law are doing quite well; Yani has even opened several milk tea shops," said Sister-in-law Guo. "If things really don't go well..."
"If it really doesn't work out, I can't go work for her." Guo Peng knew how awkward things were between him and Fan Yani. Even though so many years had passed, Guo Peng would never work for Fan Yani, and Fan Yani would never let Guo Peng work for her.
“It’s not about going to work for her, but rather, think about it, her milk tea shop is doing so well,” said Sister-in-law Guo. “We can also open a milk tea shop, as long as we don’t have to work with her, and we can get our raw materials from her.”
"No." Guo Peng didn't want others to think that he was only able to survive because of Fan Yani. "Let's not talk about this anymore. I can't ask her for help, it would be easy for my brother-in-law to misunderstand."
"..." Sister-in-law Guo thought to herself that Guo Peng's pride was too strong.
The transformation of the grain bureau did not occur in just one city, but in many cities.
When Li Hui learned about the changes at the Grain Bureau, she thought that Guo Peng had worked there for so many years, yet he still had money. She concluded that they still couldn't let Guo Furong come back; she had heard that Fan Yani was wealthy, owning several milk tea shops—she was incredibly rich.
Li Hui wanted to call and mock Guo's wife, but what was there to mock? Guo had a daughter, her own flesh and blood. Li Hui, on the other hand, had no daughter, no husband, and no stable job; her own life was a complete mess.
Fatty called Song Fenglan and told her about the turmoil at the Grain Bureau. Who could have imagined that this once highly sought-after place would become like this?
"Why are all the people at the Grain Bureau being laid off?" The plump woman didn't quite understand. What she knew was that many factory workers had been laid off. Years ago, those factories wouldn't hire vocational school students, and those students and their parents had even protested, but to no avail. "It was such a good place; back then, so many people would have done anything to get in. That Guo Peng, he got into the Grain Bureau, so many people envied him. Now, who envies him?"
“It’s good that they had a good life before,” Song Fenglan said. “It can’t always be smooth sailing. After leaving the grain bureau, they can find other jobs. Life always finds its own way.”
"Yes, that's true," said the plump woman. "People in the family compound are talking about the grain bureau. They're saying Guo Peng got a lot of benefits from it, so he's just laid off. Guo Peng and his wife even bought a house together, which they earned by working together. His current wife isn't like Li Hui, who just plays around and spends money all day. She's very good at saving money. When they go out to work, Guo Peng's mother takes care of the children."
"Isn't this a good thing?" Song Fenglan said. "It's always better for two people to work hard together than for one person to struggle alone. Li Hui... is she still in contact with them?"
“Not recently,” said the plump woman. “She did call before, saying she was checking up on her niece. People are saying she can’t have children and plans to have her niece take care of her in her old age. Calling to ask a few questions will give her something to say to her niece later.”
"..." Song Fenglan was speechless. Li Hui really dared to do that.
“They don’t want this child, they don’t raise this child, yet they still think about it,” said the plump woman. “Before the Lunar New Year, Yani even prepared a room for Furong to live in alone. She said the child was old enough to have privacy. All of Furong’s clothes and other things were bought by Yani and her adoptive mother. The Li family hasn’t sent anything over; they’re just pretending they don’t have this child.”
The fat woman sighed when she thought about it. Those people really didn't care whether Guo Furong was doing well or not; they only cared about themselves.
"Sigh, what I thought was a secure job is gone just like that, it's quite a pity," said the plump woman. "The grain bureau is considered relatively late in this regard. Years ago, other factories had already started having employees on unpaid leave. Our family is alright, although Chenghai's position isn't high, at least he's still in the military, so his retirement will be more stable."
The woman thought it was good that Zhang Chenghai was like this; at least he wouldn't be laid off. Zhang Chenghai had served in the army for so many years without being demobilized, which was quite lucky. Many demobilized soldiers couldn't stay in Nancheng; they went elsewhere, some even going straight back to their hometowns.
“Your husband should be doing better,” the plump woman said.
"It's alright, nothing special," Song Fenglan said. "There are so many capable people in the capital, and his position hasn't risen much. His pension will definitely be a bit higher in the future. Our family isn't counting on his pension anyway, and besides, it's still a long way off."
“Your husband is several years younger than mine,” the plump woman said. “You two are still young; you won’t be retiring anytime soon.”
Song Fenglan thought that she would continue her research even after she retired. That's how it is in their field; even after retirement, they can often be rehired. The older ones know more, and their knowledge isn't necessarily outdated; many of them keep up with the times.
After hanging up the phone, Song Fenglan ate a few cherries. Cherries spoil more easily after the Lunar New Year; those from before the New Year taste better. Domestic cherries are also good, but they generally don't taste as good until May or June.
It's already the 1990s, and the tide of the times is bound to come eventually; it's impossible for them to stay in one place forever.
While Zhang Xiaohu spent his winter vacation in Nancheng, Lin Jiajia and Zhang Wen did not go on a trip. The winter vacation was relatively short, and there were still many things to organize.
Before school started, Lin Jiajia stayed at Aunt Pang's house with Zhang Wen. Zhang Xiaohu rarely came back from studying in the capital, so Aunt Pang cooked extra of his favorite dishes so he would eat more. Aunt Pang was worried Lin Jiajia would be unhappy, so she also cooked Lin Jiajia's favorite dishes.
Lin Jiajia wasn't dissatisfied. She knew that Zhang Xiaohu had even contributed his earnings from his job to the wedding banquet. The Zhang family's assets had already been mostly distributed, and Lin Jiajia and her husband had a new house, so there was no need to worry about such things.
When Lin Jiajia visited her parents, she told them about her in-laws' situation, and her mother told her not to be upset.
“Your brother-in-law will be going to the capital again soon, and he’ll only come back once or twice a year,” Lin’s mother said. “He won’t be coming back every day. Your mother-in-law can cook more food for him and let him take some things with him. It’s no big deal.”
"Yes, I know all that." Lin Jiajia nodded. "My brother-in-law has gone out to work and doesn't need my parents-in-law to give him living expenses anymore. Is it that easy to make money in the capital?"
“Where is it easy to make money? Do you think a prosperous place is full of money? You can just walk a few steps and pick up money?” Lin’s mother said. “It’s your brother-in-law who has worked hard to earn that money.”
Lin's mother didn't speak ill of Zhang Xiaohu. Zhang Wen and Zhang Xiaohu each had their own houses, and Zhang Xiaohu would most likely stay in the capital in the future. The two brothers, Zhang Wen and Zhang Xiaohu, would have less contact in the future. Zhang Xiaohu had gone to such a good university, and he would surely be even more successful after graduation. Why should they speak ill of Zhang Xiaohu?
Lin's mother meant that Lin Jiajia should talk less, and that it would be better for her and her husband to get along better with Zhang Xiaohu. That way, if Lin Jiajia and her husband ever needed help in the future, they could still turn to Zhang Xiaohu.
Zhang Xiaohu suddenly felt that he was being valued more in this family; these people were treating him like an adult, not a child. Zhang Xiaohu was still a little unaccustomed to this change in how they treated him.
After returning to the capital, Zhang Xiaohu sought out Qin Zihang and told him about the change in his family's attitude towards him.
“My mom’s eyes turned red when I gave her the money,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Afterwards, she was very polite to me, unlike before. She used to like to pull my ear and say, ‘Zhang Xiaohu, have you gotten into trouble again?’ Now, my mom doesn’t act like that. She’s much gentler. I can hardly believe that’s my mom. If there’s nothing in the house, my mom will ask for my opinion. I’m always scared.”
Zhang Xiaohu thought, what do those things at home have to do with me? Why should I care about so many things?
Perhaps because he hadn't been home for a long time, Zhang Xiaohu noticed that his mother had a lot more gray hair.
Looking at his mother like that, Zhang Xiaohu was filled with emotion. His mother wasn't like this before; the difference was too great. He almost thought his mother had been switched at birth. But Zhang Xiaohu knew that this was his biological mother, not a fake.
"Is your aunt like that too?"
Zhang Xiaohu said, "No, Auntie has always been quite gentle."
"It's alright," Qin Zihang said. "My mom is always quite busy, she doesn't have time to take care of me much. My maternal grandparents have a lot of gray hair, but they are still quite energetic. It's just that my paternal grandma gets sick every now and then, she has aged a lot."
Qin's mother is always sick, mainly because her legs are paralyzed. She thinks too much, which makes her prone to illness. There's nothing anyone can do; it's her own decision, and no one can stop her. If only Qin's mother could think less.
"Do you visit your grandma often?" Zhang Xiaohu asked.
“I don’t go there often. My relationship with my grandma isn’t good, and even if I did go, she wouldn’t be very happy,” Qin Zihang said. “She likes my older cousin, and our family mainly pays for it.”
Qin Zihang was unaware that the money Qin Yizhou sent over was first taken by Qin's father; he assumed that the money came from his own family.
“My grandparents said that if something can be solved with money, it’s not a problem. For someone like my grandma, just give her money and don’t do anything else,” Qin Zihang said. “If we do anything else, my grandma won’t be happy.”
Qin Zihang visited his mother infrequently, and she never spoke ill of him. In the past, she would have definitely criticized him. But Qin Zihang was already in university, which meant he would soon be working, and likely a good one. She refrained from saying anything because she saw him as promising.
"Don't worry about them," Zhang Xiaohu said. "Just listen to your mother."
When Qin Zihang returned home, he looked at his mother for a long time.
"What's wrong?" Song Fenglan asked, puzzled. Her son had been glancing at her several times.
"I was chatting with Brother Xiaohu today, and he said his mother has aged a lot all of a sudden, with a lot of gray hair on her head," Qin Zihang said.
“How can we not get old? How old are you all?” Song Fenglan said. “Don’t even mention Little Tiger’s mother, I’m getting old too.”
"It's alright," Qin Zihang said. "Mom is still relatively young."
"Come on, I'm almost forty years old, how can I be young?" Song Fenglan said, "But I don't think I'm old."
Song Fenglan feels that she is still in good shape at her age and maintains a positive attitude.
“Didn’t I go to Nancheng after graduating from high school? Xiaohu’s mother looked much older then,” Qin Zihang said.
“She has to do manual labor,” Song Fenglan said. “She has two sons and doesn’t have much savings, so she has to work. There’s housework, and she also makes and sells herbal jelly. She does a lot of work. My mother basically only needs to think about her work and doesn’t need to worry about anything else.”
Song Fenglan felt much more relaxed than Fatty Sister. She was doing what she was good at, and she had an assistant who arranged her schedule and provided transportation. Song Fenglan had fewer things to worry about; she could basically just focus on her work. Qin Yizhou didn't put any pressure on her either.
Zhang Chenghai doesn't earn that much money, so Fatty Sister-in-law naturally has to consider more things.
“Once you settle down and start a family, you’ll realize how many things you need to worry about,” Song Fenglan said. “Your family is better off than Xiaohu’s, so you don’t need to think about so many things. Later, your family can afford to hire a maid, so you can focus on your work. But Xiaohu, even if he has a house in the capital, he still has to work hard. With a house, he needs money for food and clothing. And when he gets married and has children…”
The amount of money required will be even greater.
"Compared to this, I do live a better life than Brother Xiaohu," Qin Zihang said.
“That goes without saying,” Song Fenglan said. “He’s not just better than Zhang Xiaohu, he’s much better than many others.”
"Yes, that's right." Qin Zihang nodded vigorously. "Brother Xiaohu is working very hard now, taking advantage of the time when he's not in class to work. I told him not to rush to pay back the money, but he's thinking about paying it back as soon as possible."
“His thinking is not wrong; owing money is never a good thing,” Song Fenglan said. “If only we could pay it back quickly. If you were in his shoes, would you want to keep owing money to others?”
"Let's not do it. I'm not in business." Qin Zihang shook his head. He didn't want to owe money to others. If he really owed money, it would make him feel uncomfortable all over. He would feel like something was wrong with him, and he probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night. "No, absolutely not."
“That settles it,” Song Fenglan said. “You haven’t entered society yet, and you haven’t experienced much. Once you’ve entered society and experienced more, you’ll know that these things are nothing. They’re just simple little things. Money isn’t as hard to pay back as you imagine. As long as you don’t owe too much, don’t think about borrowing from loan sharks and don’t let interest snowball.”
Qin Zihang thought of the time when Jiang Erge and Jiang Ersao borrowed money from loan sharks. Jiang Erge even sold his blood to pay off the debt. It was terrifying.
"Mom, some students in my class are planning to study abroad," Qin Zihang said.
"What about you? Are you going abroad?" Song Fenglan asked.
"I won't go abroad. I'll just continue my studies at our school." Qin Zihang didn't want his mother to worry about his future. If he went abroad, wouldn't that be like handing himself over to hostile forces? They could use him to deal with his mother. If anything happened to him, his mother would be heartbroken, and it might even affect her lifespan.
Qin Zihang carries the hopes of many people. He believes that China's technology is now very advanced. Domestic fighter jets are in no way inferior to those abroad, and he knows his mother deserves a lot of credit for this.
"After graduation, I'll work at the same company my mom works at," Qin Zihang said. "Will that work?"
“Yes, why not?” Song Fenglan said.
Song Fenglan made such a great contribution, and Qin Zihang is so intelligent and knowledgeable. The director had long ago said that Qin Zihang should stay in the institute, and all the professors and colleagues in the institute treated Qin Zihang well.
"It's good to stay with my mother, then I won't be made to suffer by others," Qin Zihang joked.
“To avoid being made difficult by others, you have to be strong yourself. If you're not strong enough, you'll be the one making things difficult for others,” Song Fenglan said.
In the southern part of the city, Guo Peng lost his job. He managed to find a job as a security guard—or, to put it more politely, a gatekeeper. At least he had a job and a salary, and he and his wife could earn some money so that their daughter could have a better future.
Fat Sister-in-law thought Guo Peng was flexible and adaptable, so she went to work as a gatekeeper.
"If Li Hui were here, she definitely wouldn't want him to be a gatekeeper. She would definitely make him go to his former boss and arrange a good job for him." The fat woman brought the stir-fried dishes to the table. It was just the two of them eating, and the fat woman hadn't cooked so many dishes before. A plate of fried eggs, a plate of greens, and a plate of stir-fried pork were enough for the two of them.
If there are many people in the family, Sister-in-law Pang will cook more dishes.
“Li Hui is a very proud person,” the fat woman said. “She wants everything to be the best, she talks a lot, and she’s extremely picky. You know, Li Hui’s family background isn’t that great, yet she’s so picky, and now look what’s happened to her.”
“Why do you care how she walks?” Zhang Chenghai said. “She wasn’t even in front of us.”
"I'm just saying, Guo Peng is really fast," said the plump woman. "He didn't even go to the grain bureau to make a scene, and he didn't wait any longer."
“Wait a little longer, and it’ll be the same. Making a scene won’t make him get more money,” Zhang Chenghai said. “It’s not just him; many people have been laid off, and they all have to find jobs themselves. Guo Peng is relatively lucky; he was able to find work so quickly. The worst are those who are stuck in the middle, unwilling to look for lower-paying jobs, and still putting on airs.”
"That's why I said he's really willing to humble himself," said the plump woman. "Look at his younger siblings. Not to mention Yani, she owns several milk tea shops and a pastry shop here. And Guo Peng's younger brother, his restaurant is doing well, he bought a house early on, and he's probably saved up a lot of money now. Guo Peng used to be the one living the best, but that might not be the case in the future."
“Everyone lives their own life, there’s no need to compare,” Zhang Chenghai said.
“There’s no need to compare,” said the plump woman. “But… people will still feel it, and they’ll still feel a bit resentful.”
If Guo Peng had married Fan Yani instead of Li Hui, his life would be so much better now. Fan Yani is so capable, no less so than Li Hui. Fan Yani may not be as beautiful, but she's still quite presentable when she dresses up.
These men from the countryside always had a thing for the women in the performing arts troupe; they were so delicate and charming that they were instantly smitten.
Now those performing arts troupes have been restructured, and Fatty Sister thinks Guo Peng really went astray back then. Marriage can't be based solely on looks; looks alone are useless.
"Don't tell anyone outside," Zhang Chenghai said.
“If I don’t say anything when I go out, do you think I’m Gao Xiuxiu? You’ll tell everyone whatever comes to mind,” said the fat woman. “Our sons aren’t here, it’s just the two of us eating together.”
"Want to live with them?" Zhang Chenghai asked.
“That’s not true,” said the plump woman. “We have different ideas from those young people. If we force ourselves to live together, there will be problems. I asked Fenglan, and she said it’s better to live separately. After all, as a mother-in-law, she can’t help but say something. She may not mean it, but the listener may take it to heart.”
The fat woman didn't want to upset her daughter-in-law, because if her daughter-in-law was unhappy, her son would be caught in the middle and put in a difficult position.
"Gao Xiuxiu is planning to send her daughter to high school. Even if her grades aren't high enough, she can get in by paying more money," said the plump woman.
“If they’re willing to pay the money, her daughter can go,” Zhang Chenghai said.
“It’s not like her daughter can’t go,” the plump woman said. “She used to be so sexist. If she had a son, Da Niu definitely wouldn’t have been able to go to high school. Da Niu’s grades are so bad. If she barely went to high school, it would cost a lot more money. If Gao Xiuxiu had a son, she would definitely leave the money to her son.”
“She has no son,” Zhang Chenghai said, “let’s not make those assumptions.”
Jiang Yufei had a falling out with her family. Even her husband scolded her, saying that what wasn't theirs couldn't be fought for. Jiang Yufei still tried to fight for it, but failed, so she cut off all contact with her family.
During the Chinese New Year, Jiang Yufei didn't give Aunt Yu a gift, which caused a major falling out between them. Naturally, the Song family wouldn't invite Jiang Yufei to dinner, and when she came to their house, she was directly refused. Jiang Yufei figured she wouldn't go if she didn't want to, since the Song family wasn't giving her a friendly welcome anyway.
However, Jiang Yufei's husband, Lu Ping, is about to lose his job.
"Why are you suddenly being laid off? Your factory was doing pretty well, wasn't it?" Jiang Yufei looked at her husband in disbelief. "Didn't you say you were going to expand production?"
“We have machines to expand production, so we don’t need so many workers,” Lu Ping said. “Our family isn’t in dire straits. Our children have jobs, so we won’t starve. The factory is laying off people like us first, and those whose families are in more difficulty will be laid off one after another.”
"You've been laid off and are unemployed, what are you going to do?" Jiang Yufei asked. "You know I haven't had a job for the past two years."
Jiang Yufei had thought it was better that she wasn't working, so she could rest more and take better care of her family. Who knew her husband was also unemployed now? What was she supposed to do?
Her family's house is going to be demolished, but they refuse to give her any money, saying that the policy hasn't been released yet.
Jiang Yufei thought that even if the policy was implemented, those people wouldn't be willing to give her any money.
"If you don't have a job, you have to go find one," Lu Ping said.
"You're so old, where are you going to find a job? What kind of job can you do?" Jiang Yufei asked. "Even if you find a job, will the salary be as high as before?"
"I'm afraid that's not possible," Lu Ping said. "If we're looking for a job now, we can only look for private companies; we can forget about state-owned enterprises."
Lu Ping sighed. He never expected to encounter such a thing, and he was about to lose his job.
“You…” Jiang Yufei thought of the Song family, but the Song family wouldn’t let her in, and they had never given her child a red envelope before. Jiang Yufei knew that the Song family wouldn’t help her man; they weren’t driven to desperation, and the Song family wouldn’t give in.
Back then, Aunt Yu didn't even try to get Jiang Erge and Jiang Ersao's jobs from the Song family, so it was even less likely that Jiang Yufei would persuade Aunt Yu to go and convince the Song family. Besides, Jiang Yufei and Aunt Yu had already fallen out.
Jiang Yufei didn't tell Aunt Yu that Lu Ping had been laid off, but Aunt Yu still found out.
Aunt Yu didn't go to find Jiang Yufei. She figured if Jiang Yufei really couldn't make ends meet, she would say so herself; Aunt Yu didn't need to worry about it. Aunt Yu was thinking about her eldest son. Many people were losing their jobs, and she was afraid her eldest son would too. What would he do if he lost his job? Her second son's family sold tofu, but what about her eldest son?
When Song's mother heard what Aunt Yu said, she knew what Aunt Yu was worried about.
The two sat in the courtyard drinking coffee. Song's mother comforted them, "Don't worry too much. Not to mention that your eldest son hasn't been laid off yet, even if he were, he wouldn't be unable to find a way out. If all else fails, he can do manual labor and make a living."
"Making a living is no problem," Aunt Yu sighed. "What parent doesn't worry? Your family is so lucky; all your children are successful. Unlike my kids, Yufei only knows how to fight for the demolition compensation. Things haven't even been settled yet, but she still has to talk about it. She didn't even come to visit during the New Year; she really resents us."
“You all spoil her too much,” said Song’s mother.
"Sigh, I never thought it would be like this," Aunt Yu said. "Also, genetic inheritance is really amazing."
Aunt Yu thought that neither she nor her husband were particularly intelligent, and their education levels were low. Even their children hadn't become very successful. Aunt Yu's own mother wasn't as capable as Song's mother; in many ways, she couldn't compare. Aunt Yu wasn't trying to compete with Song's mother; she just felt that sometimes hard work alone couldn't make someone as successful as others. Some people, after a temporary setback, quickly rise again.
"Don't worry," said Song's mother. "There are plenty of job opportunities outside now, so you won't be without work."
"That's true, but some jobs aren't so easy," Aunt Yu said. "Times are changing too fast."
Aunt Yu felt that she couldn't keep up with the times. And it's true, she's so old, how could she keep up with the times? She was someone who had been eliminated by the times.
Song Fenglan hadn't heard from Jiang Yufei for a long time. When Song's mother went to Song Fenglan's house and told her about Aunt Yu's past visits, Song Fenglan learned that Jiang Yufei's husband had been laid off.
“Yufei hasn’t worked for the past two years, and her husband has also lost his job. Your aunt was lamenting that Jiang Yufei just wanted the demolition compensation money. After Jiang Yufei and your aunt had a falling out, Jiang Yufei really didn’t visit your aunt,” Song’s mother said. “Jiang Yufei’s husband was laid off, and she didn’t contact your aunt either.”
“It’s no use her going to her aunt,” Song Fenglan said. “There’s no way we can help Jiang Yufei’s man find a job. Jiang Yufei knows exactly what the outcome will be, which is why she didn’t go to her aunt. She’s already fallen out with her aunt, so it’s not good for her to ask. She might even be waiting for her aunt to help her.”
“Why would your aunt go out of her way to help Jiang Yufei? Jiang Yufei’s life isn’t that bad,” said Song’s mother. “If your aunt goes over there, wouldn’t Jiang Yufei become even more arrogant? Your aunt wants to teach Jiang Yufei a lesson.”
“It’s not just Jiang Yufei’s husband who’s been laid off; many people have been laid off,” Song Fenglan said. “If you’re laid off, you should look for other jobs; you don’t have to keep focusing on your original workplace.”
"Your aunt has it tough, worrying about all these trivial things all the time." Song's mother didn't say much in front of Aunt Yu, because she was afraid of upsetting her.
Aunt Yu and Song's mother led vastly different lives; they shared the same father but had different mothers. Aunt Yu thought that if she and Song's mother were born to the same parents, perhaps her mind would be sharper, and her children would be more intelligent. But these things were impossible; she was born to a concubine.
“Life is all about the basics, like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea,” Song Fenglan said. “Families like my aunt’s are always worried about these things. Actually, my aunt doesn’t need to think too much. Their area is going to be demolished, and it’s probably true. Their location is pretty good. If they get a new house and some money after the demolition, they won’t have to worry too much. Even if someone in their family is laid off, they don’t need to be too concerned.”
“That’s true,” said Song’s mother. “It’s probably because the demolition policy hasn’t been officially announced yet, and it’s all just rumors. That’s why your aunt is scared. These days, many people are afraid of being laid off and having no job.”
“Most of us have families to support, we’re not all alone,” Song Fenglan said. “Even if you’re alone, you still have mouths to feed, and you’ll still worry about work. Jiang Yufei’s husband isn’t too bad, he’s a fairly conscientious person, and he’s not arrogant, he always manages to find a job.”
“That’s right,” said Song’s mother. “I didn’t say that I would ask your second brother to arrange a job for him. There are too many laid-off people to arrange jobs for him.”
Mrs. Song never interfered in her second brother's company affairs, nor did she meddle much in household matters. With her sister-in-law around, Mrs. Song had a very relaxed life. She would bake pastries if she felt like it, and rest if she didn't. Mrs. Song and Mr. Song basically shared the same attitude: mind your own business, so as not to upset your children and grandchildren.
“If we all go to Second Brother, he’ll have a real headache,” Song Fenglan said. “Of course, Second Brother has to refuse. If we put just anyone in the company, how will the company make money? The company needs to be profitable, not a garbage collection business. Are those people who can’t stay elsewhere going to Second Brother’s place?”
"That's how it is," said Song's mother.
Regardless of what those people were like, Brother Song always had requirements when recruiting for his company and factory; not just anyone could get in.
Before summer vacation even started, Qin Li'an's fiancée, Zhu Meng, became pregnant. Qin's mother's health had been poor, but when she learned of Zhu Meng's pregnancy, her spirits improved considerably. She ate more and went out to get some sunshine.
Seeing that, You Yun realized that Qin Li'an and his child were Qin's mother's magic cure. Qin's mother cared most about Qin Li'an, and she just wanted to see Qin Li'an's child born.
With Qin's mother's health deteriorating so much, You Yun and Qin's aunt rarely criticized her anymore, fearing that if they said a few words, Qin's mother would die right in front of them.
"Did you send the chicken over?" Qin's mother looked at You Yun, afraid that You Yun might have secretly pocketed it, just like Tian Keshu pocketed the chicken and money that the Qin family gave to Song Fenglan. "I'll go out and check in a bit to see if they're still in the shop."
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