Chapter 100: They Thought They Were Getting Disbanded
The more Old Lu interacted with Qin Hengzhi, the more he knew how excellent this young man was, so he was so dumbfounded.
Secretary He: “I still need to go inspect the next workshop. We elders just need to know; how to handle it specifically depends on what the two young people think.”
Old Lu naturally knew this.
For such a big matter, who would dare spread it before it’s settled?
For some reason, Old Lu felt it might actually work. Based on his understanding of Qin Hengzhi, this young man wouldn’t do anything meaningless.
He couldn’t help but think back to the previous scenes. Before having any ideas, they seemed normal, but once he had ideas, everything felt like it had signs.
Not to mention anything else, he just felt that Qin Hengzhi’s attitude toward him had been much warmer recently.
Old Lu chuckled, and soon that smile grew bigger and bigger.
If his second daughter could really marry Qin Hengzhi, she would be free from worries about food and clothing for life.
Of course, his second daughter was impressive herself.
In his view, besides Qin Hengzhi and Representative Qin, there was no man in the world worthy of his second daughter.
At this time, Lu Qiaoge had already arrived at the night school.
This was the place where the volunteers gathered daily.
Even though there had been no activities recently due to the hot weather, they would still come here automatically and spontaneously like going to work.
As if this could prove they weren’t idling, not unregistered drifters without household registration, and not educated youth to be sent back.
Lu Qiaoge looked around; although the room they stayed in was piled full of various finished woven items, it was cleaned spotless.
Xiangyang Night School was equally orderly inside and out.
Meng Qingshan said to Lu Qiaoge: “Little Lu, don’t worry. We cherish this opportunity you gave us more than anyone. No matter what happens in the future, as long as we’re allowed to stay here one more day, we won’t do anything to make you lose face or tarnish the neighborhood committee.”
Lu Qiaoge walked around and was really satisfied.
Soon, they would start recruiting students here, but of course, this matter could only be put behind the food factory for now.
Hearing Meng Qingshan’s words, she was still a bit moved, but Lu Qiaoge said seriously: “I believe you all, but you really can’t stay here anymore.”
Meng Qingshan was stunned, feeling his heart sink to the bottom instantly.
It was as if all enthusiasm had been drained away.
He and his wife were both educated youth. Although his wife wasn’t from the military factory, she was from Jiangcheng. They had gone to the south, where it’s spring all year round, but their insertion team place was in the mountains, inconvenient everywhere. Now back in the city, their household registration was still at the insertion team place.
He now ate and lived at his parents’ home. The awkward part was that after nearly ten years of insertion team, his two younger brothers had grown up and gotten married. Nearly twenty people in the family lived in a forty-plus square meter room, with people even sleeping on the floorboards. Although the family was harmonious, conflicts were inevitable.
There was a recruitment opportunity recently, but it was targeted at level seven workers and above.
His parents did clerical work, not technical jobs, so it wasn’t their turn.
They could only endure and wait for the next wave of recruitment opportunities.
They all remembered privately: without Lu Qiaoge, there would be no volunteer service station, and no night school for them to use.
But when the day really came that they couldn’t use it, it was still hard to bear.
At this time, everyone was looking at Lu Qiaoge.
Lu Qiaoling stayed calm; she had known early that her second sister was preparing to build a food factory.
She just didn’t say anything, pretending to know nothing, and now also feigned shock while looking at Lu Qiaoge.
Of course, with everyone churning with emotions of loss and sadness, who had time to watch Lu Qiaoling act.
Zhou Li’s eyes turned red right then. If the night school wouldn’t let them stay, where could they go?
Could they only do odd jobs everywhere or stay home scraping by on the little money left by their mother?
They had no city household registration; grain was secretly bought at high prices. The corn and soybeans brought from their hometown weren’t much left, especially her husband, who always said he was full after eating half full.
More importantly, if they kept having no job and couldn’t settle the household registration, they would really be sent back to the insertion team place by the educated youth office.
She had stayed there long enough; although there were many good people, there were also plenty of bad ones, especially that Old Chang family—from top to bottom, not many good ones. If they really went back, that life was unimaginable.
Now with the title of volunteer, busy every day, and a night school to stay in, it really felt like having a job. But soon to be driven out—Zhou Li felt why was living so hard?
Among these people, besides Hu Ze and Du Shuang who were better off, the others all had difficulties to varying degrees. Otherwise, who would do this volunteer work?
Meng Qingshan forced a smile and said: “There are still quite a few baskets here; we need to find a place to put them. Can you give us two days?”
Lu Qiaoge thought for a moment: “No need for two days; one day is enough. Start packing now, and tomorrow clear out the night school.”
Ah?
Have to move out in one day.
Everyone’s expressions became even more dejected.
Hu Ze didn’t know about the food factory matter, mainly because Old Hu went straight to the comprehensive office at noon and didn’t go home.
Although Hu Ze wasn’t very willing at first—after all, his dad was the neighborhood committee director, and he was a cadre’s child, so finding a job was still possible.
But it really wasn’t as easy as imagined.
It wasn’t that his dad didn’t care for him or was deliberately showing fairness and impartiality; jobs were really hard to find.
Just as he got used to volunteer life, was it going to disband?
Hu Ze suddenly felt bewildered and at a loss.
Lu Qiaoge looked at everyone’s expressions and asked puzzled: “What’s wrong with you all? Your faces look so bad. Sister Zhou, why are you crying?”
Zhou Li quickly wiped her tears: “It’s nothing, just something uncomfortable in my eyes.”
Lu Qiaoge blinked her eyes and suddenly realized, pointing at everyone: “Oh my, with your expressions, don’t tell me you thought our service station was being disbanded?”
Everyone: Isn’t it?
Lu Qiaoge smiled brightly: “My fault for not explaining clearly. Actually, I didn’t plan to say it so early, but since you’re moving things to the pickle factory tomorrow, I have to say it in advance.
Our neighborhood committee is preparing to establish a food factory, with the site at the former pickle factory. If you’re willing, you can enter the factory as collective workers.
Specifics on jobs, treatment, and such can’t be said too much now, but it needs to be kept secret for the time being—don’t tell others, to avoid complications. If anyone asks what you’re doing, just say voluntary cleaning of the pickle factory…”
After Lu Qiaoge’s speech, everyone was stunned.
The classroom in the night school was pin-drop silent; for a good while, no one even spoke.
The first to react was big brother Meng Qingshan.
He stared wide-eyed, incredulously looking at Lu Qiaoge: “Little Lu, wha… what do you mean? We’re not disbanding; we’re establishing a food factory at the pickle factory—is that what you mean?”
Lu Qiaoge nodded: “Exactly. Director Hu’s application to the authorities has been approved; now it’s just going through procedures. I think we shouldn’t delay this. Pack up now, and tomorrow morning go to the pickle factory and wait for me. I’ll bring the key to open the main door, and then we can discuss how to tidy up.”
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