Chapter 156 Class Begins
Song Lubai used to envy the sales clerks and waiters in department stores and state-run restaurants.
Whether it's a department store or a state-run restaurant, the staff there all look down on people.
These days, those who control resources are the bosses. Customers have to be mindful of these bosses' attitudes even when they have money and tickets to buy things.
But in the novel in my dream, the professions of sales clerk and waiter, which are very popular now, gradually declined after the 1990s.
As the country develops, resources become more abundant, people have more money, and there are more private shops on the streets, sales clerks can no longer maintain a superior attitude.
It won't be that we can't afford it, but that people will be picky about what they buy.
If your service is bad, customers will go to another restaurant.
But it's 1965 now, and there are still 25 years until 1990. Currently, sales clerks and waiters are still in high demand.
Song Lubai didn't want to be a waitress; she wanted to work in an office and do a job that wouldn't be obsolete in the future.
Soon it was lunchtime again.
She ate a lot in the morning and hadn't digested it by noon, so Song Lubai wasn't hungry at all, but that didn't stop her from happily heading to the cafeteria with her lunchbox.
Lunch consisted of dry rice with chunks of soft, sweet, and glutinous sweet potato mixed in, and stir-fried cabbage with meat.
Although there isn't much meat in the cabbage, there is some, and the aroma of pork makes the cabbage smell especially delicious.
Compared to my days in the 25th Company, these days are like living in paradise.
Fine snowflakes drifted down from the sky over Shicheng, but they couldn't stop the people, who were eager to explore this new military reclamation city, from venturing out.
Having used up the two boxes of Friendship Cream she brought from home, and with her toothpaste almost empty, Song Lubai felt she needed to buy some daily necessities. So, she took her money and tickets and went with everyone to the department store closest to the Commercial Bureau.
The shops in the city had a wider variety of goods than those in the farms below, and the supply was also more abundant.
Without enamel basin tickets, Song Lubai asked each customer in line if they were willing to exchange two industrial tickets for them.
And just like that, she actually got the switch.
I went home with a full load of stuff, and my lips were curved into a smile as I went to sleep that night.
The next afternoon, they went to the cinema again. The girls, dressed in military uniforms, returned together, their faces radiating youthful energy.
When they arrived at the main gate, they met up with the section chief.
The section chief wore glasses and was a middle-aged woman with a very intellectual air. Song Lubai and the others had seen her in the courtyard before.
When they meet at this time, they naturally greet each other.
Director Zhou asked, "Out again?"
The group nodded sheepishly.
Yang Lizhen, a young woman working next to Director Zhou, said, "Mom, I've never seen them before. Are they new here?"
Director Zhou nodded. "They just came back from labor training."
After the girls went inside, Yang Lizhen looked away and said, "Dad said I should have a simple wedding in the family quarters. That's too simple. Can't we go to a restaurant?"
Director Zhou said gently but with an undeniable air, "I've already told you why this arrangement was made. As your mother, I don't think it's unfair to you."
Yang Lizhen said, "Alright then."
"Mom, Dad's side is going to hold a social event with other organizations before the New Year. There should be quite a few unmarried young women here, so..."
Director Zhou knew her purpose and interrupted her, saying, "Don't worry about things that aren't your business. You're getting married soon, so focus on your work and live a good life with Wang Yang from now on."
Yang Lizhen knew her mother was very clever, but she was seen through by her mother as soon as she started, and she was a little scared. She nodded without daring to make any more advances.
Three days passed in a flash, and before we knew it, it was time for class.
The textbooks are all old, used in previous years, and they all need to be handed in after the course is completed.
The main teaching materials were "Serve the People" and "The Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains," among others.
Song Lubai thought the class would teach them some professional skills, but it turned out to be all ideological education.
The instructors include service pacesetters from the business department and full-time teachers.
Unlike high school, they only have four hours of classes each day, basically two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon, which is very easy for them.
The only downside is that teachers assign homework almost every day.
This is a mental tempering, but at the current intensity it doesn't even qualify as tempering. Compared to physical training, it's all too easy right now.
"Establish a view of life and death that values the people's interests above all else. Overcome all obstacles through mutual love, care, and unity. In the future, you may become sales clerks in department stores, or clerks or administrators in tobacco and alcohol companies. Whatever your profession, you are all contributing to the people. In whatever position you hold, you must do your best..."
"I've said so much, now it's your turn to share your thoughts. You can say whatever you want. We can't be the only ones talking in class; everyone should speak freely."
Seeing the teacher's gaze sweeping over the students, many of them felt a little nervous, fearing they would be the ones called on.
Being forced to show your face in front of more than eighty people, and making a fool of yourself if you don't say the right thing.
Song Lubai raised her hand and said, "Teacher, I have a question to ask."
She presented herself with a purpose.
The leaders of the 25th Company had to write evaluations for labor training, and now they will definitely hold an evaluation after the ideological study class ends.
Learning ideology is different from learning Chinese and math. Even if there are test papers, there are no fixed answers, not to mention that the teacher didn't say there would be a final exam.
She flipped through all the books that had been handed out, but the content was completely unsuitable for creating exam questions.
How will the teachers grade them?
I guess I'll have to rely on the short articles I write and my performance in class.
If you perform well, the teacher will have a deeper impression of you, and you will naturally have an advantage over others when it comes to writing evaluations.
For others, any unit they are assigned to might be a good place, but the units they are assigned to are also ranked.
I heard Director Wang say before that they might be assigned to Urumqi or to a regiment.
Besides the different companies, their work locations are also different.
Song Lubai wanted to stay in the city, but she didn't want to work as a sales clerk. She wanted to work in an office, so naturally she had to actively show herself off.
"Teacher, do you think that serving the people requires having the right attitude and making the masses feel like they are bathed in a spring breeze?"
After thinking for a moment, the teacher said, "I think it is necessary but not essential. The main purpose of serving the people is to do things well. As long as things are done well, attitude issues are minor. But a good attitude will definitely add the finishing touches."
Song Lubai laughed and said, "Have all the staff at the department stores and state-run restaurants attended the teacher's class? Otherwise, why are they all so arrogant? We have to watch their faces when we go to buy something."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter.
The teacher couldn't help but laugh.
After laughing, he said, "Since everyone has seen the faces of those sales clerks, when you get to the same position in the future, remember the question this student asked today, and serve customers with an attitude that makes people feel like they are bathed in a spring breeze."
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