Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Notice

After seeing off Section Chief Chen, Meng Yufei said to Xiao Zhang, "I think it will only take a day or two to recruit people. By the way, who did you just say you wanted to recommend to come here?"

Xiao Zhang said, "She was my former comrade in the art troupe. At the end of last year, her husband happened to be transferred to our island, and she followed him to join the army, so we got to know each other again. I thought about what the kindergarten teacher said, and I think she should be able to lead the children in singing and dancing."

Meng Yufei heard this and said, "Of course, it's perfect. Tell her right away. We're expecting to start recruiting people in the next two days. Let her prepare well."

Then he smiled at Xiao Zhang and said, "Xiao Zhang, I didn't expect you were in the art troupe before. I said you seemed to look particularly light when you walked."

Xiao Zhang smiled and said, "I had to quit the group because of a back injury, but I didn't want to go back to my hometown, so I was assigned to the logistics department of our division."

Meng Yufei asked: "Xiao Zhang, where are you from?"

Xiao Zhang said: "I am from Jingzhou City."

Meng Yufei asked curiously, "Jingzhou is also a big city, why don't you go back to your hometown? Are you not satisfied with the job you were assigned?"

The art troupe will also provide jobs for people after they are discharged from the army, and it seems that Xiao Zhang has always been yearning to live in a big city.

Xiao Zhang hesitated, "I just don't want to go back. Well, it's just that my family is a little messy. Anyway, I would rather stay on this island than go back."

Meng Yufei saw that Xiao Zhang looked a little embarrassed, so she didn't ask any more questions. She smiled and said, "It's not bad here. You're still young, so it's normal for you to want to hang out for a few more years."

Xiao Zhang shrugged and said, "Let's just live like this for now."

After get off work, Xiao Zhang ate in the cafeteria and did not return to the dormitory. Instead, he walked towards the townhouse in the family compound.

She stopped at the easternmost house in the last row and walked up to it and knocked on the door.

Boom boom boom!

No one answered.

Xiao Zhang continued knocking, and after about a minute, the door finally opened.

The person in the room was wearing pajamas and had messy hair. She stretched out her hand to block out the light outside. The hand was white and slender, but so thin that it was a little bony, which ruined the beauty.

Xiao Zhang was surprised and asked, "Wen Qian, you were not sleeping just now, were you? It's broad daylight now, can you sleep at night?"

The woman opened the door and said, "Why are you here? Come in." Then she turned and went into the house, sat on the sofa in the living room, and pointed at the teapot on the table weakly and said, "If you want some water, pour it yourself."

Xiao Zhang frowned at her decadent look and said, "Did you do anything thief last night? Look at your dark circles. What has happened to you?"

The woman yawned and said calmly, "I was not paying attention last night and read too late."

Xiao Zhang shook his head, walked over and sat next to the woman, and asked, "Has your Captain Zhao not come back yet?"

The woman said calmly, "You must be working overtime."

Xiao Zhang sighed and said, "It's not a good idea for you to stay at home all day. Look at you, you've become so thin. Have you eaten?"

The woman shook her head and said, "I'm not hungry."

Xiao Zhang frowned and said, "You have to eat even if you're not hungry! Come on, follow me to the cafeteria." As she was about to pull her, the woman pushed Xiao Zhang's hand away and said, "I'm really not hungry. He will bring dinner back after get off work."

Seeing her like this, Xiao Zhang sighed, stood up and poured her a glass of water, and advised: "It's not a good idea for you and Captain Zhao to keep doing this. He rebelled against his family and came to this remote island just to start over with you. You two finally have a chance to be alone together, and it's not a good idea to keep being in this stalemate. You have to live your life."

The woman looked at the scenery outside the window and said woodenly, "I just feel tired."

Xiao Zhang said: "You are tired from staying at home all day. When we were in the art troupe, you danced for ten hours a day and were still very energetic."

The woman's face was trembling, and her eyes seemed to be lost in memories. After a moment, she said softly, "Yes, that time was really good. Unfortunately, we can never go back."

Xiao Zhang regretted bringing up the past and said hurriedly, "Let's not talk about the past. I came here to tell you something. The family home is going to build a kindergarten and is looking to hire some teachers. I think it's perfect for you to go there. It's better to lead the children to sing and dance every day than to stay at home."

The woman heard this and said, "Forget it. I don't like children and I don't want to go."

Xiao Zhang advised: "Wen Qian, don't be like this, you have to go out. Remember what we said at the beginning, even if we are not in the art troupe in the future, as women in the new society, living in an era where women can go out to study and work, we must go out to work and support ourselves."

The woman's expression changed slightly after hearing this. Xiao Zhang continued, "There are so few job opportunities on our island. It's not easy to find a new job this time. You meet the requirements. Hurry and grab it!"

After that, she stood up and said, "I have said everything I need to say. You should think about it carefully. The recruitment notice should be sent out in the next two days. Remember to pay attention to it."

After Xiao Zhang left, the woman sat on the sofa, staring in a daze at the ray of sunlight shining into the room through the door.

—————

Tonight, Xia Junshan worked overtime again.

When he got home, the sun had already set and it was getting dark. Walking all the way from the residential area to the family compound, every household had started to turn on the lights.

I heard that it took a lot of effort to build this electric line on the island. With electricity, the nights on this island are no longer lonely. Otherwise, at night, it would be pitch black all around, and only the sound of the roaring waves could be heard, which really made it feel like being isolated from the world.

Among the twinkling lights in the courtyard, Xia Junshan, who had sniper vision, accurately found the light of his own home and walked towards it.

From then on, among all the lights in the houses, there was also one that belonged to him.

Meng Yufei took Xia Qinqin to take a bath and sat on the sofa. The light bulb with the highest wattage in the house is in the living room, which is also the brightest place in the house at night.

In this era, most of the light bulbs in the home are incandescent bulbs, and the core inside is made of tungsten filament. Although it is called incandescent bulb, the light it emits is warm yellow, especially when the voltage is low and the rated voltage, the bulb will emit a dark red light.

Meng Yufei was afraid that Xia Qinqin would damage her eyesight by reading under such lighting, so she asked her daughter to sit next to her and she held the book in her hands and read to her.

What I read today is Mr. Lu Xun's "From Baicao Garden to Sanwei Bookstore".

Meng Yufei found this book from the bookcase in the small room on the north side of the house. That room was temporarily used as a place to store miscellaneous items in the house. Many things were covered in dust, but the bookcase was the only thing that was kept clean.

Although Xia Junshan did not have a high level of education, he had been reading and studying all these years. The bookcase was full of books. Meng Yufei estimated that it was originally placed in the room, and was moved to the warehouse when she cleaned up the house to welcome the mother and daughter.

"There is a big garden behind my house..."

Meng Yufei held the book and read slowly. Xia Qinqin sat on the sofa, leaning on her mother's arms, listening quietly and asking questions from time to time.

"Mom, is Polygonum multiflorum delicious?"

"This is a traditional Chinese medicine. You only take it when you are sick. It is very bitter."

"Oh, Qinqin, don't take the medicine." Xia Qinqin covered her mouth and frowned, as if recalling the painful memories of taking medicine in the past.

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "Then remember to eat well in the future and don't run around barefoot on the ground."

"Mom, is the red snake the one I saw the other day?"

"No, the red snake is red, poisonous and dangerous. What you saw that day was a water snake. Qinqin, remember to stay away from snakes next time you encounter them, okay?"

"Yeah, got it."

Halfway through reading, Xia Junshan came back, saw the book in Meng Yufei's hand and smiled, "Are you still reading? Qinqin, does your hand still hurt today?"

"Dad, you're back. My hand doesn't hurt anymore!" Xia Qinqin smiled and raised her right hand. She pointed at the book in Meng Yufei's hand and said, "Mom is reading me a story from the book."

"Oh, what story did you hear?"

"A little kid has a big yard at home..."

Meng Yufei put the book down, got up and went to the kitchen to get the food that had been warming in the pot on the coal stove. "You haven't eaten yet, Qinqin and I have already eaten."

Xia Junshan followed Meng Yufei into the kitchen, took the plate from her, and said, "I've been busy lately, and I may be back late. I don't have time to go for a walk with you guys for now."

Meng Yufei brought dishes and chopsticks from the kitchen and said, "It's okay. You have to work. Qinqin and I can read at home. By the way, why did you put the bookcase in the small room?"

Xia Junshan sat on the dining table and said, "I thought it would take up too much space in the bedroom, so I moved it to the small room."

The large wardrobe and double bed in the master bedroom took up two-thirds of the space. The bookcase was originally placed by the window, but in order to make room for Meng Yufei's dressing table, Xia Junshan moved the bookcase to the small room. If you want to read a book, you can just take a few more steps to the small room to find it, which doesn't delay things.

Meng Yufei sat next to him and suggested, "When my books arrive, I'll buy a bookcase and clean up the small room. I'll use it as a study."

Xia Junshan nodded and said, "Okay, let's buy a big desk and put two chairs in it. Well, I'll go to the power supply station when I have time and ask them to replace the light bulbs in the small room with higher wattage ones."

Meng Yufei pointed at the food on the table and urged him, "There's no rush. Eat first."

Seeing that her parents were sitting at the dining table, Xia Qinqin ran over and climbed onto a chair. Xia Junshan was afraid that she would touch the wound on her hand, so he gently supported her.

Xia Qinqin said: "Dad, I'm going to kindergarten."

Xia Junshan was surprised and said, "Huh? Didn't they say the kindergarten in town is too far away?"

Meng Yufei told him that the family compound was going to build a kindergarten. Xia Junshan nodded repeatedly and said, "This is a good thing. In the future, the children in the family compound will be able to go to kindergarten right at their doorstep. It will be less of a worry for us parents, and it will be convenient and safe to pick them up."

Then he turned to his daughter and asked, "Qinqin, do you like going to kindergarten?"

Xia Qinqin nodded and said, "I like it!"

"Huh?" Xia Junshan was a little surprised.

Xia Qinqin began to count the advantages of the kindergarten to her father with her fingers, "There are delicious cookies in the kindergarten, there are swings to play on, and Teacher Linlin can also teach us to sing..."

As we were talking, we suddenly heard a loudspeaker outside, and the announcer from the Publicity Department was announcing:

"Dear comrades in the Family Home, please note that in order to meet the preschool education needs of children of military personnel, with the approval of the leadership, the Logistics Department will soon establish a kindergarten in the Family Home.

The kindergarten is looking to recruit one principal, three teachers, and two childcare workers. Families who are interested in applying are requested to register at the Personnel Division of the Logistics Department tomorrow. The following are the recruitment requirements for each position:

Principal: Junior high school education or above, with teaching and management experience preferred.

Teachers: Elementary school education or above, those with teaching experience are preferred.

Childcare worker: The job requires a gentle and patient personality, and preferably experience in taking care of children.

This notice was still broadcast three times.

Listening to the announcement on the loudspeaker, Meng Yufei was surprised and said, "It's so late, and the Publicity Department is still working overtime. It seems that Director Fu really takes this matter seriously this time."

Xia Junshan said: "The family compound is packed with people at this time. Some people are inevitably not at home during the day, so any important notices are usually announced at this time. Moreover, this is a work issue, which is a big deal in the family compound."

Meng Yufei nodded in agreement. These days, having a job is not only a personal matter, but also a major event for the entire family.

Xia Junshan then asked his daughter, "Qinqin, what kind of teacher do you like?"

“I like teachers who are good-looking!”

“…”

Xia Junshan never thought that his daughter would be such a face-obsessed person.

—————

When Political Commissar Yu returned home, he smelled the aroma of fried noodles as soon as he entered the door and said with a smile, "Director Wang, you seem to be in a good mood today."

Wang Cuilan came out of the kitchen carrying two bowls of noodles. She rolled her eyes at him and said, "I'll feel better if I make some fried noodles."

Political Commissar Yu went to the kitchen and brought out a head of garlic, then sat down at the dining table and said, "That means I'm lucky today. I got to catch up with Director Wang's fried noodles."

Political Commissar Yu ate with relish, taking bites of garlic and noodles.

After eating for a while, Wang Cuilan couldn't help but say to him, "Finally, our family compound is going to build a kindergarten."

Political Commissar Yu said, "I thought, this will solve your problem."

Wang Cuilan smiled and said, "It seems that I was right to recommend Xiao Meng to the Finance Department. In the past few days, not only has the ticket issue been resolved, but the kindergarten is also being built."

Political Commissar Yu was eating noodles, nodding as he listened to what Wang Cuilan said. He then heard her ask, "Who do you think they will choose as the principal of the kindergarten?"

Political Commissar Yu said: "This is the job of the Logistics Department, so just don't worry about it."

Wang Cuilan said, "I'm just curious, who do you think is suitable in our family courtyard?"

While peeling garlic, Political Commissar Yu said, "Although it's a kindergarten, the principal won't just pick anyone randomly. Qualifications, work experience, and leadership skills are all taken into consideration. After looking around, there aren't many suitable people in the family home."

Wang Cuilan put down her chopsticks and said, "Now that you mention it, I think of someone. I just wonder if Lao Fu will agree with me."

After saying this, she saw the man beside her was busy eating noodles and didn't seem curious at all, so she pushed him and said, "Why aren't you curious about who I'm talking about?"

Political Commissar Yu swallowed the noodles in his mouth and said slowly, "It should be Sister Tian."

Sister Tian is a family member of the Chief of Staff. She has been a primary school principal and was previously a teacher in the blindness prevention class at the family compound. She has rich teaching experience. It is more than enough to invite her to be the principal of this kindergarten.

Wang Cuilan patted Political Commissar Yu and said, "Hey, how come you know everything?"

…

Captain Zhao came home from working overtime at night. There was no light and the house was pitch dark.

He turned on the light in the living room and suddenly saw someone sitting on the sofa. He took a closer look and breathed a sigh of relief. He asked, "Why are you sitting here without turning on the light?"

The woman on the sofa didn't respond. Captain Zhao said dryly, "You came back late from overtime today. Have you eaten?"

Still no response, Captain Zhao put the lunch box on the table and said, "We went too late. There's only one dish left in the canteen. Let's just eat what we have."

As he spoke he opened his lunch box, then went to the kitchen to get two pairs of chopsticks. When he came back and sat down he heard a horn outside. He listened carefully and it seemed to be about building a kindergarten.

Thinking of the child, his heart tightened and he immediately looked towards the sofa, seeing her listening to the announcement on the loudspeaker with a blank expression.

Captain Zhao opened his mouth to say something, but didn't know how to start.

Four years ago, Captain Zhao saw Zhou Wenqian dancing at a military party and fell in love with her at first sight. After courting her for a year, they finally got together and got married.

Married life was different from what he expected.

Captain Zhao's real name is Zhao Zhengliu. His father is the chief of staff of a certain army. As the youngest son in the family, he has been more favored by his elders than his brothers and sisters since he was a child. At home, he is the one who doesn't even know how to help when the oil bottle falls.

After marriage, Zhou Wenqian continued to work in the art troupe. She was busy with her dance career every day and naturally had no time to do housework, so the couple's small family lived a difficult life.

Zhao Zhengliu's mother asked them to live back home, and Zhao Zhengliu was naturally willing to do so. It would be nice if there was someone to cook and wash clothes for him. However, Zhou Wenqian disagreed, as she didn't want to live with her elders.

The two argued about this several times, and due to the request of Zhao Zhengliu's parents, they finally moved back to Zhao's house.

After living there for a while, Zhao's mother asked Zhou Wenqian to change her job, saying that it was not suitable for her to sing and dance on stage after getting married. Zhou Wenqian did not agree, and the conflict between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law began.

One year after their marriage, Zhao's mother began to urge them to have a baby. Zhou Wenqian felt that she was still young and her dance career was on the rise, so she planned to have another child in two years.

Zhao's mother couldn't persuade her daughter-in-law, so she urged her son. Zhao Zhengliu thought it didn't matter whether he had a child earlier or later.

After failing to persuade the young couple, Zhao's mother came up with a bad idea. She sneaked into the couple's room and tampered with the family planning supplies.

Zhou Wenqian was competing with her colleagues for the lead position in a dance, so she practiced dancing very hard every day and didn't care about catching a cold. Who knew that one day, Zhao Wenqian fainted and fell down on the stage while practicing dancing.

After waking up in the hospital, she was told that she had a miscarriage! She had no idea she was pregnant!

Because of this, Zhao's mother helped her to get discharged from the army and leave the art troupe while she was in hospital. By the time she found out, all the formalities had been completed.

After returning home, she discovered that Zhao's mother had tampered with the birth control products. In a rage, Zhou Wenqian directly proposed a divorce, as she could no longer bear living in Zhao's family.

The Zhao family did not try to retain this willful daughter-in-law. They called back Zhao Zhengliu who was on a mission in the army and asked him to come back to complete the divorce procedures.

Zhao Zhengliu naturally refused, and in the end he voluntarily applied to be transferred to the island, and brought Zhou Wenqian with him to follow the army and stay away from home.

After arriving on the island, although Zhou Wenqian no longer mentioned the divorce, she remained indifferent. She stayed at home every day without going out or talking, and she became thinner day by day.

Zhao Zhengliu saw it all and felt anxious and upset, but he didn't know what to do.

Now, hearing the kindergarten mentioned on the loudspeaker, one can't help but think of the child who had no fate. For a moment, the two fell into a long silence again.

"Do you think I can be a kindergarten teacher?"

Zhao Zhengliu was stunned when he suddenly heard a familiar voice. After a long while, he nodded and said, "Yes, of course!"

After thinking for a while, he said softly, "But don't be too anxious. Taking good care of your body is the most important thing."

After saying that, he felt a little regretful. Did she think that he didn't support her going out to work? He continued, "Well, I definitely support you to go out to work. Well, there are many job opportunities. After this time, there will be next time..."

Zhou Wenqian watched him speak, getting more and more anxious, smiled, and said lightly: "I know, I just want to try it."

Seeing her smile, Zhao Zhengliu was stunned for a moment. It had been a long time since he saw her smile. At this moment, he felt guilty and distressed.

He nodded and smiled: "Okay, let's go and see what's going on."