Tong Xulu pinched her sore and stiff shoulders. She didn't want to continue this job.
In the textile factory, weavers and loaders are the most tiring jobs. However, loaders can take a break, but weavers cannot. They work hard from the beginning of the day to the end of the day, and even have to work overtime at night. She
can't stand it anymore.
She must find a new job!
Just when Tong Xulu was so tired that she wanted to lie down, the bell for the end of work rang.
Her eyes lit up, and like a flock of sheep released from the fence, she ran towards the cafeteria with the workers.
"Give me a meal."
Tong Xulu walked to the window with ease and handed over the prepared food coupons and rice bowls.
Master Huang from the canteen put a steamed bun into her rice bowl and asked, "Comrade Tong, are you full with only one steamed bun every day? Would you like some meat?"
Tong Xuelu smiled awkwardly, "No, I'll wait until I get my salary."
Upon hearing this, Master Huang and the workers around her looked at her with sympathy.
Because of the publicity by Xu's mother and Officer Qiu, almost everyone in the family compound and the textile factory knew that not only did she lose both her parents, but her grandmother was also crazy.
It was really pitiful. She was only 18 years old, but the burden of the family fell on her shoulders alone.
Director Ma from the workshop came over and said, "Master Huang, give her a scallion pancake and a portion of stir-fried cabbage with meat. All the grain coupons and meat coupons are mine!"
Tong Xulu quickly waved her hand and said, "Director, no need. I'll just eat the wowotou."
Director Ma couldn't let her refuse and snatched her lunch box and handed it to her, "Why are you being so polite to me? Can't I afford this little food?"
Her daughter was going to get married next month. The man was the son of the deputy director of the Education Bureau. He had a good family and looked energetic. He thought highly of her and gave her one hundred and eighty yuan as a betrothal gift. Later he also gave her a sewing machine, a watch and a radio.
They had discussed these things and would not leave any of them for the daughter to take away. At the same time, she also wanted to give the daughter a face and buy her a bicycle to make up for the three turns and one trip.
However, bicycle tickets were very rare and could not be found throughout the year. Although bicycles could be bought with ordinary industrial coupons, they required fifty.
The number was too large. Their family had spent two or three months to collect and still needed seven. Tong Xulu knew her difficulties from somewhere. The next day after she started working, she came to her with seven industrial coupons and asked her to use them first, but she didn't want any reward!
Do you think such a kind-hearted girl would not be liked?
Not to mention treating her to a meal, she would be willing to treat her to ten meals.
Seeing that she couldn't stop him, Tong Xulu could only say thank you to Director Ma. She looked back and saw that Master Huang had given her a larger portion than others, so she hurriedly said thank you again, and then was pulled by Director Ma to a table nearby to eat.
Director Ma took a bite of the scallion pancake, turned his head and looked around, and said in a low voice: "Director Yu will be back today. I will help you urge him to pay the pension."
Tong Xulu's almond-shaped eyes were watery, and she said gratefully: "Thank you, Director. People have said since I was a child that I am very lucky and always meet noble people. I didn't believe it before, but now I believe it. Look, I came to the factory, and I met a noble person like you, Director?"
Being called a noble person, Director Ma smiled so hard that his teeth were showing: "Child, what noble people are there! But if you have any difficulties in the future, just come to me!"
"Thank you, Director, it is the greatest blessing of my life to meet you!"
Tong Xulu's eyes were red, and she looked at her with gratitude and admiration.
Director Ma's heart was filled with a sense of sacred mission.
Such a poor child, she had to take better care of her. Inviting her to dinner was one thing, and she had to arrange fewer night shifts in the future...
**
At noon, Director Yu came back as expected.
This time his mother was sick in the countryside. When she called, she said she was dying and asked him to go back quickly. He hurriedly arranged his affairs and left.
He drove overnight these days, and stayed up all night to take care of his mother when he returned. He was so tired that he was out of shape. When his mother survived, he drove back to Beijing overnight. He
had just sat down and didn't even have time to drink a sip of water when Director Ma came in with a serious face.
"Director Yu, I have something to tell you about the Tong family's pension."
Director Yu put down the enamel pot in his hand: "You go ahead."
Director Ma talked about how hardworking the Tong couple were when they were alive, how pitiful their children were after their death, and how Tong Dajun's mother was crazy. In short, what happened to the Tong family was horrible. If Director Yu didn't give the pension to Tong Xulu as soon as possible, he would be a heartless person!
Someone who can sit in the position of Director Yu is naturally not someone who can be fooled with a few words: "You mean that Tong Dajun's daughter is back and is still working in the factory, right?"
Director Ma nodded: "That child is serious about her work and is particularly caring and concerned about her brothers and sisters. She is a very reliable child."
Director Yu waved his hand: "Okay, I know, you can ask her to come over."
He didn't believe what Director Ma said.
Someone who can't even recognize his own biological parents, how can he be reliable!
Director Ma didn't know what the director was thinking, so he stood up and hurried to inform Tong Xuelu.
After Tong Xuelu thanked Director Ma, she walked towards the director's office calmly.
Most of those who can be called green tea are people with first-class observation skills.
As soon as Tong Xuelu entered the office, she immediately realized that Director Yu was dissatisfied with her.
At this time, it was useless to explain, so she decided to take the initiative.
As she walked in, she took out a piece of paper from her pocket: "I heard that the director's mother is not in good health. I have a prescription left by the former palace doctor Yu. It has the effect of strengthening the body. Director, please take a look and see if it is suitable."
"..."
Director Yu's words of blame were stuck in his throat, and the words of refusal were also stuck in his throat.
Doctor Yu's prescription is a good thing.
His mother's health was damaged when she was young, especially during the years of the Great Famine. In order to save food for her brothers and sisters, she became skin and bones. Although her life gradually improved, her health did not recover.
He paused, picked up the prescription and said, "Where did you get this prescription?"
Tong Xuelu said nonsense in a serious manner, "My adoptive parents gave it to me."
The prescription was actually given by an old Chinese doctor in my previous life. It has a certain tonic effect on the body and can be used by ordinary people.
"Thank you, Comrade Tong."
Tong Xuelu said obediently, "You're welcome, Director. Please put the prescription away quickly and don't let anyone see it."
Director Yu folded the prescription and put it in his pocket, and then asked, "Why didn't you show up when your parents got into trouble?" After
the above incident, his tone softened significantly.
Unexpectedly, Tong Xuelu's eyes turned red and she started her performance in a second.
"I know that in the eyes of the factory director, I was an ignorant child. But the parents who had lived with me for so many years suddenly said that they were not my parents. I was really scared and confused at the time. When I was no longer scared and confused, my parents were howling..."
"I once had a sincere family relationship in front of me, but I did not cherish it. I regretted it when I lost it. This is the most painful thing in the world. If God can give me another chance, I will say three words to my parents: I'm sorry!"
At the end, she looked sad and tears fell like rain.
Director Yu was most afraid of women crying. Seeing her crying, he was immediately overwhelmed: "Stop crying! It is a great thing to admit your mistakes and improve. Everyone makes mistakes, not to mention that you are young and inexperienced. If your parents knew, they would definitely forgive you!"
Tong Xuelu looked at him with tears in her eyes: "Really? Will my parents really forgive me?"
Director Yu nodded quickly: "Yes!"
Tong Xuelu made a relieved look: "Hearing what you said, I feel a little better."
Director Yu was relieved to see that she finally stopped crying.
He thought this child was heartless before, but now seeing her crying and saying such a long and sincere words, he felt that he might have misunderstood her.
What's more, he also accepted a prescription from her, so how could he have the nerve to blame her?
Tong Xulu wiped away her tears and said seriously: "There is no point in talking about the past. Now I just want to work hard to support my three younger brothers and sisters, and train them wholeheartedly to become useful talents for the country and the people. Director, please supervise me in the future!"
"Very good! It's rare that you have this awareness at such a young age. Keep it up in the future."
Tong Xulu was high-spirited: "Yes, director. I will devote myself to the factory and the Tong family, and strive to become an active member of the working class!"
Upon hearing this, Director Yu finally nodded with satisfaction, reached out to open the drawer, and took out the pension inside.
He originally planned to give the pension to someone in Tong's hometown. Now that Tong Xuelu is not as unreliable as the rumors say, it doesn't matter if he gives the pension to her, because it belongs to their Tong family anyway.
Tong Xuelu walked out of the office with the pension, looked around and saw that there was no one, and sniffed the envelope.
It was the smell of money, so fragrant.
But acting was too tiring and too hard, so she decided to take a break.
Soon, she got the leave application from Director Ma in the workshop.
Reason for the leave: to buy supplements to send to her crazy grandmother in her hometown.
Director Ma saw that she was so filial, so why wouldn't he approve it?
After leaving the factory, Tong Xuelu went straight to the state-owned hotel.
**
When they arrived at the state-owned hotel, there were no other guests in the hotel because it was past mealtime.
Two waitresses were sitting and chatting.
"Comrade, do you have any meat now?"
In order to create the image of a poor family, she only ate stir-fried vegetables or pickled cabbage at home these days, and her mouth was almost dry.
"No, no, it's past dinner time, and you still want to eat meat? What a shit of meat!"
The short-haired waitress replied impatiently.
With this service attitude, if it were put in modern times, people would drown in spit every minute, but in this era, waitresses are so proud!
Tong Xuelu would never get angry at someone's rudeness: "What else do we have to eat now?"
Another waitress with long hair said, "We have mung bean soup and red date steamed cake, do you want any?"
"Yes, yes, give me one of each."
The long-haired waitress said, "Mung bean soup is 11 cents a bowl, and red date steamed cake is 9 cents a piece, a total of 20 cents, in addition, 2 taels of grain coupons and 1 tael of sugar coupons."
It's really cheap.
Tong Xuelu quickly took out the money and coupons.
The long-haired waitress took the money and coupons and brought the food over, and then went back to chatting.
The mung bean soup was not sweet enough, but the red date steamed cake was not bad.
Tong Xuelu's mind was spinning while she ate.
Beihe's hometown should receive a letter in the next two days. It only takes one day and one night to get from Beihe to Beijing. In other words, they should be here next week.
Now that her household registration is done, her pension is in hand, and she has sold a job, her mission has been accomplished.
If she can find an easier job, it will be even better.
At this time, the voices of two waitresses came from behind -
"Why does your cousin want to exchange positions with you? You both work in a state-owned hotel. What's there to exchange?"
The long-haired waitress sighed: "My cousin's mother-in-law and husband always beat her. She wants to find a job far away from home so that she doesn't have to live at home and maybe she won't be beaten."
Although she sympathized with her cousin, her family was here, not to mention that she had no place to live in the city. Could she rent a house?
"I think even if you are willing to change, her mother-in-law and husband will not let her come!"
"You are right. She called the next day and said she didn't want to change. Later, I heard from my mother that she was beaten on the head by her husband just because she mentioned it..."
Tong Xuelu rolled her eyes.
State-owned hotel...
This job is good, not tiring and she can eat delicious food every day.
And she likes cooking, this job seems to be tailor-made for her.
Tong Xuelu swallowed the red date steamed cake in one gulp and prepared to start her performance again.
Author's words: Tong Xuelu: Oscar owes me a little golden man
[Note] "There was once a sincere family love in front of me... I'm sorry!" This paragraph is adapted from the classic line of the movie "A Chinese Odyssey".
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