Chapter 155 Good Days
The room was filled with cold air, and everyone woke up, but no one moved, wrapped in their blankets with their eyes open.
"If you weren't all here, I would have thought I was dreaming when I woke up."
"Who can argue with that? This life feels like a dream."
As they talked, everyone burst into laughter.
They cried in the 25th Company, but they laughed here.
Although I don't know how tiring the work will be later, it will definitely be easier than in the 25th Company.
The girl next door knocked on the door from outside, saying, "Get up quickly, or the cafeteria will close."
Everyone was so focused on lying in bed enjoying this dreamlike time that they didn't even think about eating.
We haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon, and our stomachs are completely empty. Everyone is so overwhelmed with joy that no one feels hungry anymore.
After putting on their thickest clothes and washing up, they went to the cafeteria together, looking around this unfamiliar place with great curiosity.
There was a thin layer of snow in the courtyard, and it seemed that the snowfall in Shicheng these past two days was less than that in the 25th Company.
The sky was overcast and the air was cold.
Wang Haiquan was rinsing his lunchbox by the sink when he said to the passersby, "Go to the personnel department to register your information first. After that, go to the finance office and the logistics office to pick up your things. Classes start in three days. Take a good rest these few days and remember to come back for meals according to the cafeteria's rules. The cafeteria closes at a certain time."
After agreeing, everyone went into the cafeteria.
The cafeteria is about the size of two classrooms, and most of the people eating there now are those who just arrived yesterday.
There were three food serving windows. One window had a large bowl of hot porridge made with sweet potatoes, millet, and rice. Another large bowl had steamed buns with scallions and chili powder that looked very appetizing, as well as light yellow steamed buns mixed with cornmeal. The last window had plates of dishes with pieces of red tofu.
The cook said to the group, "We've made a lot today, so quickly tell your companions to come out and eat. If you're still not full, keep getting more until you're stuffed. You all look so pitiful, all pale and thin..."
Hearing this, everyone felt that the cafeteria worker was closer than family!
At home, they can't even eat until they're stuffed. In the 25th Company, meals are rationed. Here, they're getting this kind of treatment!
Song Lubai looked at the large bowl of thick sweet potato porridge in the lunchbox and smelled the sweet aroma of the sweet potatoes.
It was the same thing, but she felt that this bowl of sweet potato porridge was much more fragrant than the one from the 25th Company.
The steamed buns were slightly spicy, and no one immediately picked up their chopsticks because they didn't know what the dish of red tofu on the table was.
An older woman next door said to them, "This is red fermented bean curd, which is delicious when eaten in a steamed bun. You should all try it."
Everyone imitated how the people at the next table ate fermented bean curd, breaking off a piece of red bean curd and spreading it on their steamed buns, then rubbing a piece of steamed bun on the fermented bean curd. After tasting it, they all found it very novel.
It's salty with a hint of spiciness, and has a delicate and smooth texture. You can eat a whole steamed bun with just one piece of red bread.
Song Lubai, who had never been full before in the 25th Company, drank two bowls of porridge today, ate until she kept burping and sweating profusely.
Even when washing dishes in ice water at the sink, she doesn't feel cold.
There's hope for the future.
After registering their information at the personnel department, everyone moved to the finance office.
I overheard someone on the street saying that they got paid today, and in addition to their salary, they also received a few receipts.
Outside the finance office, the line stretched all the way to the main entrance. Everyone who came out had an excited look on their face, and even those who hadn't gone in yet were filled with anticipation.
After Song Lubai went in, she first signed and pressed her fingerprint on the payroll book, and then the cashier in front of the desk gave her ten yuan.
"Today's payment is for November, so all your wages from the Sixth Division are now settled."
"In addition, we need to issue you some additional coupons: one foot and eight inches of cloth coupons per person, and five industrial coupons, because your work units haven't been assigned yet. For the past few months and the last two months, you've been eating collective meals, so we won't be issuing grain coupons and meat coupons. Pick out two more of these coupons on the table."
On the table were kerosene coupons, fermented bean curd coupons, soy sauce coupons, vermicelli coupons, light bulb coupons, pastry coupons, soap coupons…
There were many kinds, but Song Lubai felt that many of them were useless to her. After looking around, she decided that she couldn't skimp on her appetite, so she took a pastry ticket and then a soap ticket.
After she finished selecting, the cashier carefully put away the remaining receipts.
After packing up the money and tickets, Song Lubai left with a smile on her face.
Then we lined up in front of another bungalow.
Although this line is also long, it moves much faster than the line for those receiving salaries.
Everyone received a quilted green military uniform.
Song Lubai is not short for a girl, and the logistics staff glanced at her and gave her a medium size.
"Go back and try it on now. It's okay if it's a little big; you can wear extra clothes underneath in winter. If it's too big, bring it back and exchange it."
In the dormitory, the girls who had received their clothes were all changing, and Song Lubai joined the line of trying on clothes.
"Who would have thought that there would be such a good thing as receiving cotton-padded clothes?"
Back in her hometown, Song Lubai's cotton-padded coats wouldn't be discarded even when they were too small. Her mother would take out the cotton and store it in another coat, and wouldn't throw it away even if the cotton got tangled up.
This cotton-padded coat feels thick and sturdy; the materials used are genuine.
Song Lubai was wearing two sweaters underneath a thick cotton coat, and felt incredibly warm. She was sweating profusely in no time.
The thick cotton-padded coat she received was much warmer than her old cotton-padded jacket.
Although the sleeves were a little long, she felt they were just right for keeping her hands warm inside, so she didn't bother changing them.
As everyone checked each other's coats to see if they fit, Feng Ying returned with a cotton-padded coat in her arms. She said with a smile, "Our business department is really great. I was just chatting with an older lady, and she said that not just anyone can come in here."
Before even 24 hours had passed, everyone could already feel the warmth of spring.
They all agreed with each other, saying, "That's right, I've never heard of any factory in my hometown issuing cotton-padded coats."
"This is what they call the end of hardship and the beginning of happiness; our good days are finally coming!"
Feng Ying changed her clothes and lowered her voice, saying, "That lady just said that the Commercial Department and the Material Supply Department are going to merge, and we're going to change our name soon to the Corps Supply and Marketing Department."
Song Lubai asked, "Didn't you ask around about what kind of work we'd be assigned?"
Feng Ying said with a smile, "There are so many jobs available. The Commerce Department has many companies: tobacco and sugar companies, agricultural machinery companies, department stores, state-run restaurants, salt companies, oil companies, and some I can't remember. Anyway, we have plenty of places to go. I want to be a sales clerk in a department store. I'd be happy just looking at all the different kinds of goods every day. What do you all want to do?"
Liu Xiang said excitedly, "I want to work as a waitress in a state-run restaurant. I'm sure I can eat delicious food every day there."
Everyone was amused.
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