645. I got paid today.
"You're back! Make sure you eat early today!" came the greetings from neighbors all around.
The group had just been reminding each other, "Let's all get up early tomorrow morning, and not be late."
I heard someone nearby greeting me. Today, I couldn't help but straighten my already exhausted back, hold my head high, as if I wanted to show my best side to acquaintances.
A faint smile still lingered on his lips, a smile tinged with pride and smugness.
The light shifted towards the direction from which the sound came, and the person waved enthusiastically to an acquaintance, their voice becoming louder and more confident.
She replied cheerfully, "Yes, it's a bit early today. It's getting cold, so I came back early!"
'Father, father!'
Three teenagers, dressed in coarse cloth, rushed out of the narrow alley like a gust of wind, their faces beaming with anticipation and excitement.
They had clearly been waiting for a long time, and upon seeing the familiar figure, a surge of joy welled up in their hearts.
The shouts echoed through the alley, filled with childlike innocence and joy, as if even the air itself was infected by their enthusiasm, becoming warm and lively.
People who knew him from all around came over to say hello.
A thin young man, his face filled with anticipation and curiosity, asked softly, "Fourth Uncle, you must have earned quite a bit of money lately!"
Uncle Si chuckled, his wrinkles seeming to smooth out. He said softly, "It's all hard labor pay, working day and night, but the wages are never delayed or withheld. They're short-handed over there, do you want to go?"
She knew her nephew very well, and her words revealed the hardship and difficulty of this job, as well as a simple enthusiasm. She also said that her nephew could join her, since she would be there to help out.
Upon hearing this, the thin young man smiled with envy, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
She looked down at her somewhat thin frame, then raised her head, her eyes resolute, and said, "I've wanted to go for a long time, but my mother said the work is too heavy, and that I can't do it!"
After hearing this, Uncle Si chuckled, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "You've got guts, kid! Don't let your current thinness fool you; it's because you didn't eat well before. As long as you work hard, you'll naturally become stronger."
Furthermore, the difficulty of the work is related to the pay; some jobs are easy, but the pay is significantly less!
Upon hearing this, the thin young man's eyes lit up. He suddenly looked at his fourth uncle, a hint of expectation flashing in his eyes, and whispered, "Could you please put in a good word for me, Fourth Uncle?"
The voice, though faint, was full of sincerity and hope.
Looking at the expectant look in the young man's eyes, Uncle Si's heart stirred. After a moment's consideration, Uncle Si nodded slightly!
She looked closely at her thin nephew, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. This nephew was the eldest son in the family.
He said softly, "I'll talk to your father about it when we get home tonight!"
He pondered for a moment, then worried whether his nephew's body could withstand the hardship. He tried to give the young man a more prudent suggestion: although the opportunities were small and the competition fierce, it was definitely better than doing manual labor.
Gently holding her child's hand, she whispered, "You probably know that the government is recruiting people recently, but the date hasn't been set yet. Are you sure you want to go? Aren't you going to stay home and prepare?"
The thin young man shook his head firmly after hearing this, and said in a low voice, "I'm going to let my younger brother prepare at home. He's doing better than me and deserves a brighter future. I'll wait until later."
He spoke softly, his eyes flashing with determination and a hint of sadness. As the eldest son in the family, he understood that he bore more responsibility and that there were things he needed to shoulder himself.
He also knew in his heart that he needed to work harder, create better conditions, reduce the burden, and allow his younger brother to concentrate on his preparations.
Looking at him, his fourth uncle felt a complex mix of emotions. This sense of responsibility and self-sacrifice made his fourth uncle both gratified and heartbroken.
He gently comforted her, "It's alright. You can come with me to Jiancheng to do some odd jobs. Once you're stronger, you might become even smarter."
And you've even learned to read a little. Once the city is finished being built, if the government needs more people, you can give it a try!
I wanted to say, 'If you need any help, just let me know!'
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't say them. Holding the child who was tightly gripping her hand, she suddenly felt a sense of pressure. Her own family and her nephew's family had only had a chance to catch their breath in the past six months, and the family was not well-off.
In the past, studying was just a thought; it was only thanks to the benevolence of the officials that ordinary people in the city had the opportunity to learn.
Although he went out to earn some money, the burden of renting farmland at home fell entirely on his wife, parents, and eldest son, who was only sixteen years old!
Thinking of his eldest son's slightly robust physique and youthful face, the fourth uncle couldn't help but feel a complex mix of emotions.
He knew his eldest son was a sensible child who had always silently shouldered the burden of the family, but he also understood that such pressure was far too heavy for a sixteen-year-old.
With a soft sigh, she said to her nephew, "It's much better than before, so don't be anxious. I'll come to your house tonight and discuss it with your parents!"
Hearing this, the nephew felt a warm feeling well up inside him and whispered, "Thank you!"
Then she said softly, "Thanks to you, sir, we are so much better off than before."
The aroma of baked and fried pancakes filled the air, causing even the men who usually rushed home for dinner to stop in their tracks.
Looking into the child's longing eyes, they couldn't help but swallow hard, a surge of affection welling up inside them.
Fourth Uncle quietly walked to the familiar pancake stall and loudly called out to the stall owner, Aunt Yu, "Aunt Yu, three meat pies and five baked pancakes, please!"
Her voice conveyed a sense of warmth and familiarity; Aunt Yu was an old acquaintance from the neighborhood.
Aunt Yu was busy making cakes when she heard this. She looked up and saw it was her fourth uncle. She smiled and replied, "Oh, it's your fourth uncle!"
You came home a little early today. Did you buy cookies for the kids again? Why did you buy so many today!
Aunt Yu quickly started heating up the pancakes that had already been placed on the pan, asking a question with a hint of doubt. Before long, she had wrapped up the steaming hot meat pies and flatbreads.
Fourth Uncle smiled gently, his face beaming with joy, and said, "I got paid today; I'll give some to Taohua and our parents too."
His face was beaming with a smile, and a hint of pride was mixed with concern and guilt for his family in his words!
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