Chapter 44 Registration
Lin Shuhong failed to achieve her goal and left with hunched shoulders and a slumped back, looking extremely dejected.
The glance he gave his biological father, Lin Dahai, as he turned around was filled with disappointment mixed with a hint of resentment.
Song Lubai felt that the relationship between the father and son was doomed.
After this little commotion, the atmosphere at home became so somber that Song Lubai dared not utter a word.
Lately, things have been like this: the Lin brothers don't dare to speak freely when they come in, because Lin Dahai hasn't smiled at all lately.
As Song Lubai lay on the bed, the curtain beside her was pulled open, and Lin Jianshe leaned out and whispered, "Sister, what bad things did my sister-in-law and her family do to get arrested?"
Song Lubai: "Children shouldn't pry into adults' affairs."
Lin Jianshe snorted, "We're not young anymore, and you're not much older than me. If you know this, why can't we?"
Song Lubai propped her head up with her elbow. "Never mind what they did wrong. Just remember, people shouldn't do things that go against their conscience, harm others, or don't benefit themselves. Only by being good people can you sleep soundly at night."
"I know, I know. So, what about Jinyao and that little nephew if your sister-in-law gets arrested? He was just born and he's already lost his mother."
Song Lubai asked in surprise, "Why are you two worrying about this?"
She had the feeling that her younger brother had suddenly grown up secretly.
Lin Heping scratched his face: "My older brother told me this today. He came before you came back. He said the baby has no milk to drink, is skinny and cries every day. No one from my sister-in-law's family is willing to help take care of him. My poor little nephew."
Lin Heping sighed like a little adult, looking worried.
Song Lubai didn't concern herself with anything that was none of her business.
Although Liu Mei's actions did not directly harm her interests, she was indeed plotting to use Liu Mei to benefit her own family.
This selfish scheme almost cost a life.
If she hadn't arrived in time and happened to be passing by a car, Li Guangming's life wouldn't have been saved so easily.
Li Guangming will die just like in her dream.
Liu Mei's family deserves to be punished; the fact that no one is taking care of her child is the consequence she has to bear.
Liu Mei went in, but what about Lin Shuhong?
It's none of her business.
Even after putting that aside, she still couldn't sleep.
The image of that distant and mysterious frontier appeared in her mind.
I really want to go, but I'm also really hesitant.
The area showed free movies for several days in a row, and many people could hum along to some of the songs from the movies.
You can often hear people humming those songs in the neighborhood office.
The mobilization for supporting border areas is in full swing, and the number of applicants has increased significantly in the past two weeks compared to the initial few.
Most of the people who signed up were unmarried women aged sixteen to early twenties. Song Lubai looked at the registration records and found that these women did not have formal jobs and had many siblings.
A new person in charge of supporting border areas came to the office to answer questions from people who came for consultation.
Right now, the person in charge is at a table set up outside the office, answering questions from people who come to consult.
Song Lubai finally had some free time, so she listened in for a bit.
"They're not going there to join the army; they're going there to participate in development and construction."
Someone in the crowd asked, "Isn't it the army or regiment? I heard before that if you go there you will be assigned to a company. If it's not being a soldier, what is it? I've also heard before that it's conscription."
Song Lubai also didn't understand this.
She had heard before that it was for conscription, but later it was said to be for border development. So, were they soldiers or employees in the past? What exactly are the systems of the Corps and the Army Corps?
The person in charge took a sip of water to moisten his dry throat.
"You can think of it this way: treat the company's employees as militia. Because in the early days, all the soldiers and regimental commanders were soldiers in the army. After they were demobilized there, they became employees of various companies. But now their main task isn't combat, but production, construction, and maintaining social order. Over there, production and construction are done collectively in small units called companies. Above the company are battalion and regimental headquarters, which are large units. It's not important if you don't know these details. You just need to know that once you go there, you'll have enough to eat, be provided with jobs and housing, and all your living needs will be taken care of. Your life will definitely not be worse than what you're experiencing here..."
Most people still didn't understand, and Song Lubai didn't understand either, but she knew one thing: if they went there, they probably wouldn't be regular soldiers.
Song Lubai stood aside, pondering what kind of work she would be assigned there once the crowd dispersed, when Shen Lingyu came over with scratches all over her neck and chin.
"Sister Lingyu, what's wrong? Did they attack again?"
Shen Lingyu forced a smile: "It's nothing, we just had another fight."
Song Lubai knew that her family had been fighting frequently lately, and the Hu family's neighbors had complained about it many times.
The Hu family compound was filled with constant fighting and howling.
Song Lubai mediated twice and knows Shen Lingyu's current situation.
After Hu Xiaoqing died, his parents were so angry with Shen Lingyu that they wanted to tear her apart. After Shen Lingyu was discharged from the hospital and returned home, they kept making a fuss about driving her away. They caused trouble and beat her every day. The street office, the women's federation, and the police station came to the scene, but it was no use.
The two elderly people in the Hu family have gone mad.
The Hu family only had one son, and since the police couldn't find out who the murderer was, the elderly couple could only vent their anger on Shen Lingyu.
Shen Lingyu's temper is not to be trifled with now; the two sides have become famous for their fights.
"Is the application deadline still open? I want to apply to go to Xinjiang to support the border region."
Song Lubai said, "Then you should listen to what he has to say first, and make a decision after you have learned more about the other side."
Shen Lingyu shook her head, "Just register me first. There's no need to know anything about the situation over there. We'll find out when we get there. I just want to know when we can leave. I can't stay here for another day."
"The registration deadline is the 23rd, there are still about ten days left. I heard him say before that the departure date will have to be postponed. This can't be rushed. Sister Lingyu, what is your educational background?"
Shen Lingyu was taken aback. "They look at academic qualifications when they hire people over there?"
Song Lubai shook her head, "No, the First Division doesn't look at academic qualifications when recruiting people here. Any academic qualification is acceptable. But the minimum requirement for recruiting people in the Corps and Regiment Commercial Department is a high school graduate."
She pulled Shen Lingyu away and whispered, "Some jobs can only be done by educated people, while some manual labor can be done by anyone. No matter how good the propaganda sounds, manual labor still needs to be done. What they need most over there are manual laborers, and there is no easy manual labor."
A hint of regret flashed across Shen Lingyu's eyes. "I didn't even graduate from elementary school."
Her grandfather had studied abroad, but unfortunately, after the family fell on hard times, she didn't even finish elementary school.
Song Lubai also felt it was a pity.
Shen Lingyu comforted her, "Don't be sad for me. As long as I can leave here, no matter where I go or what kind of work I do, I will be an upright person, not a beast of burden to be used and oppressed. I am not afraid of labor. As long as I can eat my fill, I am not afraid of anything. No day will be worse than now or in the past."
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