Chapter 52 Finding Bargains at the Scrap Yard
Back home, Cheng Jiajia patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. "My goodness, these aunties are so enthusiastic! Why did they suddenly become so enthusiastic? I even suspect they could carry me away."
Yu Junsheng put the things he had salvaged from the scrap yard in the kitchen. When he returned, he overheard Cheng Jiajia's words, which sounded strange: "I got into the machinery factory, so the job at the scrap yard will be available, right? Naturally, someone will have their eye on it."
This is why he took Cheng Jiajia to take over the job and complete the onboarding process so quickly. Although he was sure he wouldn't transfer the work to someone else, the constant probing from these people was inevitably a bit annoying.
Cheng Jiajia understood immediately, then sighed, "These people are so quick to think! They're really dreaming. There's still one person in our family who doesn't have a job, how could we possibly give it to an outsider?"
Yu Junsheng fell silent. No wonder there are so many strange and unsavory characters in this courtyard!
The two did not discuss the topic further.
Cheng Jiajia filled an old foot basin with water, intending to wash the broken radio, enamel basin, and a few wooden strips. After all, they were found in a pile of junk, and the surface was covered with a layer of dust, looking filthy. They couldn't be used at all without washing them.
"Huh~"
It was only after wiping it that I realized the radio actually looked quite new, like it had just been bought not long ago.
"Junsheng, look, this radio looks pretty new!" It's just a pity that the right side was smashed and dented, so it's definitely unusable. I guess that's why it ended up in the junkyard; otherwise, it would probably have been snapped up by those radicals long ago.
"Can something like this be repaired? It looks quite badly damaged."
"Let me see."
Yu Junsheng took the toolbox, unscrewed the screws on the outer casing, opened it, and carefully examined the small parts inside with a frown before saying, "A few parts are broken. I'll buy some parts tomorrow to try and replace them. If it can be repaired, the casing will also need to be replaced."
"Honey, now that we both have jobs sorted out, and we don't have an urgent need for money at home, let's keep this once it's fixed."
Cheng Jiajia naturally had no objections. There wasn't much entertainment available to her after she transmigrated here, so listening to the radio was a nice change.
Actually, Yu Junsheng had another ulterior motive. He had just seen his wife staring at Hu Mei in a daze, which showed that she was also envious of Hu Mei for having a watch.
Nowadays, it's common to give the bride a dowry of "three turns and one sound" (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, a watch, a bicycle, and a radio) when getting married. Although he has some money, he can't be so ostentatious, as it would be unfair to his wife. So he's thinking of gradually making up for it for her one by one.
The new one is too eye-catching, so the old one should be fine, right?
Then his wife won't have to envy others; instead, others will envy her.
Cheng Jiajia: "..." Are you sure I was stunned by Hu Mei's watch, and not shocked by her shamelessness?
Unfortunately, Cheng Jiajia was unaware of what Yu Junsheng was thinking. At that moment, she was diligently cleaning the remaining broken enamel basin and the dark wooden strips.
There's not much to say about the enamel basin. Just wipe it clean and let Yu Junsheng put it in the kitchen. When the time comes, find out if anyone in the neighborhood grows cacti and trade them for a few. Then put them on the windowsill and see who dares to come to her house to eavesdrop.
Perhaps it was because Cheng Jiajia herself had done something like that that she was particularly sensitive to it.
While scrubbing the wooden strips, Cheng Jiajia felt that the weight in her hands was a bit off; it seemed heavier than ordinary wood. She shook it again to check its feel, and it was indeed quite heavy. Ordinary wooden strips wouldn't have this weight.
Looking at the glossy black wood strips, Cheng Jiajia had a guess in her mind. She had heard that sandalwood was hard and fragrant. Could this be it?
If that's true, there are still plenty in the junkyard. Wow, we're rich!
Cheng Jiajia quickly brought the sniff closer and was immediately disappointed.
Well, there's no fragrance at all. She really doesn't have much luck.
Yu Junsheng glanced up during a break from repairing the radio and couldn't help but chuckle at what he saw. "What are you thinking? If this thing were really valuable wood, would it have been smashed like this? There are some connoisseurs among those radicals."
Nobody's stupid. If something so obviously good were something, it would have been in someone else's hands long ago.
Cheng Jiajia, with a droopy little face, comforted herself, "Forget it, luckily I wasn't really hoping to get a bargain. At least this thing looks pretty sturdy, and if it's made into a shoe rack, it can last for ten or twenty years. So it seems like we've made a profit."
Yu Junsheng raised an eyebrow smugly, "I picked out the heaviest ones from inside, thinking they'd be sturdier and last longer. I didn't expect you, my wife, to think the same way!"
"As expected of my wife! Just as cunning as me!"
Cheng Jiajia: "..." Are you praising me or praising me?
But seeing Yu Junsheng's genuinely proud expression, it seemed like he was truly proud. And recalling his "nickname" in the courtyard, Cheng Jiajia immediately shut up.
Cheng Jiajia quickly cleaned the wooden strips. Although they were still dark, they seemed to have become much shinier.
Unfortunately, no matter how shiny it was, it couldn't escape the fate of being made into a shoe rack. After washing it, Cheng Jiajia put it in the storage room, waiting for Yu Junsheng to have time to start working on it again.
It was getting late, and everyone in the courtyard had already started preparing dinner. After finishing her work, Cheng Jiajia also began cooking.
Because the two had a good lunch at a state-run restaurant, Cheng Jiajia made a lighter dinner.
I cooked a pot of sweet potato porridge, steamed a few of the mixed grain buns I made yesterday, stir-fried a plate of spicy and sour cabbage, chopped a pickled vegetable, and drizzled a couple of drops of sesame oil on top—that made for a delicious dinner.
After dinner, as usual, Yu Junsheng went to wash the dishes.
Cheng Jiajia chatted idly with him inside the house. As the saying goes, when people are well-fed and warm, they think of lustful desires. The atmosphere was just right, and they were both a little aroused. They made eye contact and instantly understood each other's intentions.
Yu Junsheng even quickened his pace while washing the dishes.
He gave a deliberately suggestive smile, his tone laced with a hint of frivolity, "Honey, go take a shower first, I'll be right there, I promise I won't keep you waiting!"
Cheng Jiajia gave him a playful glare, "What are you saying! You're making me sound like I'm desperate." But as she turned away, a smile crept onto her face, and she urged, "Hurry up!"
Adult men and women have physiological needs, and there's nothing shameful about that!
Actually, she quite liked his energy, hehe!
Yu Junsheng: "..."
His wife is still his wife!
No comparison, absolutely no comparison!
Yu Junsheng finished washing the dishes with great excitement, then quickly took a shower. When he entered the room, he saw that the lights in the inner room were already off.
By the moonlight, he could vaguely see a slight undulation on the kang (a heated brick bed). Upon closer inspection, he saw that his wife's eyes were closed, and his heart sank.
Will my wife fall asleep while waiting?
He glanced at his still aroused area, feeling like crying. What was he going to do?
Once on the kang (heated brick bed), he didn't dare wake anyone, only whispering in Cheng Jiajia's ear.
"Honey, I miss you so much. How about you? Do you miss me? Do you miss me?"
Cheng Jiajia suddenly opened her eyes, and without saying a word, she showed it through her actions.
Yu Junsheng was startled. However, he quickly recovered and followed along with the movements with a sense of satisfaction.
Hehe, his wife really misses him!
Yu Junsheng had been studying diligently and had been very frugal lately. The couple had been missing each other terribly, and today they had both resolved their work issues at once, which made them very happy. In their happiness, they inevitably indulged a little.
That very night, Yu Junsheng once again experienced the feeling of being pinned down, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.
Hehe, I must say, it's actually pretty good!
...
After a pleasant night out, Yu Junsheng woke up the next morning feeling exceptionally refreshed.
When he went to wash up with a beaming smile, humming a little tune, carrying his enamel mug, everyone assumed it was because he was happy to have been accepted into the machinery factory and didn't think anything of it.
Bai Zhenzhu teased in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, Junsheng, getting into the machinery factory really makes a difference! You're so energetic now. I've never seen you get up this early before!"
Xiaohui from her family also took the exam this time, but she didn't pass.
Yu Junsheng, that cunning guy, actually passed the exam! Heaven really has no eyes!
Yu Junsheng, thick-skinned and unafraid, retorted, "Aunt Bai, what are you saying? When have I ever lacked energy? When have I ever not gotten up early? I used to go to work every day, unlike some people who can enjoy life and sleep until noon."
He seemed to realize his mistake only after he finished speaking, blinking innocently. "Oh, right, I wasn't talking about your Bai Xiaohui. I'm sorry, Aunt Bai, I was too blunt and accidentally hurt your Bai Xiaohui. But Aunt Bai, you're so kind and generous, you won't blame me, will you?"
Bai Zhenzhu was so angry she choked. This kid was definitely doing it on purpose! He was doing it on purpose!
This is an implied joke about Xiaohui being lazy!
Bah! Look at your own wife, she's just as lazy as you, yet you have the nerve to talk about your own daughter!
However, when it came to Yu Junsheng's previous job, Bai Zhenzhu's eyes darted around. Now that Yu Junsheng had passed the exam for the machinery factory, the job at the scrap yard would be available.
Although this job isn't as good as working in a machine factory, it's still a secure job, at least there's some income.
They're neighbors, so how could this person not give them a discount of a hundred or two?
That way, the money is saved.
Bai Zhenzhu was very pleased with her own scheming; she was truly a clever woman!
Having made up her mind, Bai Zhenzhu swallowed her anger, her face full of worry. "Sigh, you young people are so quick-witted, taking job exams without hesitation. Junsheng, you'll earn a good salary a month once you get a job, right? I'm the only one working in my family, and I don't earn much. Xiaohui is also this age and still can't find a job. I'm so worried I can hardly sleep! You understand what I'm going through, right?"
“I understand, I understand! How could I not understand?” Yu Junsheng readily agreed. Bai Zhenzhu’s eyes lit up, and she was about to say, “If you understand, then I’ll give your job at the recycling station to Xiaohui.”
Then the young man said righteously, "Can't sleep? That won't do. How can you go to work and contribute to the country if you can't sleep at night? Auntie, try this: have a bottle of Erguotou before bed, and I guarantee you'll sleep soundly!"
He blinked after he finished speaking, his face full of sincerity.
Bai Zhenzhu choked on her breath, unable to spit it out.
The crowd around them burst into laughter.
Bai Zhenzhu was immediately embarrassed, but she was also thick-skinned and didn't back down. She directly stated, "Junsheng, I won't beat around the bush with you. Didn't you get accepted into the machinery factory? That means you'll have a job at the scrap yard. It doesn't matter who you sell to, how about I sell to you? Three hundred yuan. I won't take advantage of you. I'll deduct it from Xiaohui's salary after she starts working."
Bai Zhenzhu felt that her conditions were very favorable, but the people around her booed.
"Three hundred yuan? Are you kidding me? Where in Beicheng can a regular employee buy that for three hundred yuan?"
"Not to mention they won't pay you." They say they'll deduct your wages, but you've already got the job, so it's hard to say whether they'll pay you or not.
Everyone thought to themselves, "Isn't this just getting something for nothing?"
Aunt Bai is really good at scheming!
Although they also had some interest in Yu Junsheng's job, they really weren't that shameless.
Bai Zhenzhu's little scheme couldn't escape Yu Junsheng's notice. He didn't like to talk to her much, so he chuckled and said, "Not so good, Aunt Bai. My wife doesn't have a job yet, but I've already transferred it to her. You're too late!"
Upon hearing that the job had been transferred to Cheng Jiajia, Bai Zhenzhu panicked, "Hey, no, what kind of job does your wife need? Isn't it enough that you're working? My Xiaohui needs this job more..."
Yu Junsheng didn't like hearing this. Why couldn't his wife go to work?
He retorted directly, "Aunt Bai, my wife doesn't work. Are you supporting her, feeding her, and giving her water? If you support her, I'll sell this job to your family, how about that?"
Not good!
Bai Zhenzhu choked. She worked as a cleaner in the logistics department of the machinery factory. Her monthly salary was not much, barely enough to support herself and Xiaohui. How could she support others?
After Yu Junsheng finished speaking, he ignored her and went straight back into the house.
Who is this person? Trying to get a job for free right off the bat. They have no shame!
Once everyone had walked away, Bai Zhenzhu realized something. Wait, why should she support Yu Junsheng's wife? What business is it of hers?
She cursed and swore, "Pah! What a scoundrel! He can't even support his wife, yet he expects a woman to support him. Stingy, miserly!"
Cheng Jiajia started work on her first day today and didn't sleep in. She woke up when Yu Junsheng got up, and after resting in bed for a while, she got dressed and got up.
Having finished combing her hair, she came out just in time to hear Bai Zhenzhu's words, and promptly retorted loudly and professionally, "Chairman Mao said that women hold up half the sky, and we women comrades should be self-reliant and strong, step out of the home, and participate in the work. What? Aunt Bai, do you have any objections to this?"
That's a serious matter. A while ago, a group of radical young people were vaguely emerging. If someone heard about this, they would be labeled as such.
Upon hearing this, Bai Zhenzhu's expression changed, and she chuckled awkwardly, "How could that be? How could that be? I was just joking, just joking!"
Cheng Jiajia smiled and said meaningfully, "I think so too. The aunties in our compound are all quite conscious of their thoughts. We've never had anyone like that before."
Bai Zhenzhu smiled sheepishly and chimed in, "That's right, how could someone like that come from our compound?"
Inwardly, however, he cursed, "That little vixen is just as troublesome as that brat Yu Junsheng!"
Meanwhile, those who overheard the commotion thought to themselves that neither of these two were easy to mess with, and unanimously abandoned any ulterior motives they might have had.
...
The recycling station wasn't far away. After Cheng Jiajia finished washing up and eating breakfast, she walked from the family compound to work, but it wasn't even time for her to go to work yet, and the gate to the compound was still locked.
There are two keys to the scrap yard. One is held by Old Wang, and the other used to be held by Yu Junsheng, but he has given it to Cheng Jiajia.
Cheng Jiajia opened the door, then first turned on the stove, filled a kettle with hot water, and started boiling it.
After waiting for about ten minutes, the water was almost boiled, and Old Wang slowly strolled over.
Upon seeing Cheng Jiajia inside and the water boiling on the stove, he smiled with satisfaction. "You little rascal, why are you here so early? You even boiled water. You're much better than that brat Yu Junsheng. That kid needs me to boil his water!"
Cheng Jiajia didn't take the bait, and just smiled and said, "It's not early at all, isn't it normal working hours?"
He poured another cup of water into Old Wang's cup. "Here, Grandpa Wang, have a cup of hot water to warm your hands."
Old Wang picked up the water and took a sip. Feeling warm all over, he became more talkative. "There's not much work to do in this yard. You can come a little later in the future, since there's nothing much to do anyway."
"It's okay, young people don't need much sleep, I can't sleep anyway," Cheng Jiajia said against her will.
Old Wang took it seriously and exclaimed, "Young people just have so much energy!"
Cheng Jiajia chuckled to herself, thinking that she wouldn't have gotten up so early if it weren't for wanting to make a good impression on her boss on her first day of work.
But that's okay. After a while, you'll become a seasoned pro and learn to clock in and out on time and slack off!
There's not much work at the scrap yard. Yesterday, Yu Junsheng and I cleared out that pile of junk, and that was about it.
Around 10 o'clock, two suspicious-looking people arrived; they were acquaintances of Cheng Jiajia.
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