Chapter 43: Turmoil Over The Job Recruitment Quota
On the way back, the wind picked up.
Lu Qiaoge narrowed her eyes. She didn’t know when it happened, but large swaths of dark clouds had silently surged over the distant horizon.
The sunset’s afterglow struggled through gaps in the clouds, casting one last streak of dark golden light.
Big willow trees lined both sides of the road, their treetops swaying in the wind.
It seemed the storm was really coming.
Lu Qiaoge sniffed. Old Turtle was too amazing, comparable to a weather satellite.
You know, our country’s weather satellites hadn’t even been launched yet.
At the intersection, Lu Qiaoge and Shao Le parted ways and headed toward their respective homes.
Lu Qiaoge clenched her fist. A bicycle—she was definitely going to buy one.
Meanwhile, Director Hao and Secretary He wanted to drink with Qin Hengzhi, so they didn’t go to his office.
The two waited for Qin Hengzhi while quietly talking.
“Representative Qin has too high standards. If he found a partner in our factory, maybe he wouldn’t leave.”
“I’ve really thought about it. I’ve talked to the Labor Union Chairman and the Factory Women’s Federation, and there really are a few suitable ones.”
Secretary He’s eyes lit up: “Why didn’t you introduce them to Representative Qin?”
Director Hao: “You know Bai Jin Xin from the Provincial Women’s Federation, right?”
“Yes, isn’t she Representative Qin’s aunt?”
“I specially asked her opinion. She advised me not to mention it, because he didn’t agree to An Leilei from the Provincial Cultural Troupe, whom Old Bai introduced.”
The An family was a well-known family in Jiangcheng.
Especially Old Master An, who had wide connections, and he and Old Bai were old comrades.
Secretary He waved his hand: “Good thing you didn’t mention it.”
Director Hao narrowed his eyes: “Did you see that young woman with Shao Le?”
Secretary He nodded: “I did. She shouldn’t be Shao Le’s partner, right? I remember your nephew’s partner doesn’t look like that.”
Director Hao: “That young woman is so young, and she came to the Military Representative Office with Shao Le. She must be a new staff member at the Neighborhood Committee. She’s probably Old Lu’s second daughter, Lu Qiaoge, who got in with the highest vote count.”
At this point, Director Hao lowered his voice: “Don’t you think Lu Qiaoge and Representative Qin are a good match?”
Director Hao had a strange intuition that these two had extremely similar auras.
As for why they were similar, he couldn’t put it into words.
“Didn’t she get engaged to Liang Aishu and then cancel the engagement?”
Director Hao immediately sat up straight and waved his hand in frustration: “I forgot about that. Alright, forget I said anything.”
At this time, Lu Qiaoge didn’t know that the factory director and secretary were gossiping about her behind her back. She and the calico cat entered the courtyard one after the other.
With one glance, she sensed something was wrong.
Lu Qiaoge asked the calico cat in her mind: 【Hua Hua, what’s wrong at home? Did you have a fight?】
The calico cat’s face was full of innocence: 【I just got back, I don’t know.】
At this moment, all the Lu family members were in the courtyard.
Lu Qiaoge closed the main door securely.
Old Lu, who usually came home late from overtime, had obviously returned early today. He sat under the big tree, frowning and lost in thought.
The iron pot lid rattled on the honeycomb briquette stove—this was the stove in the courtyard. Normally, the meal would be ready by this time, but there was no aroma of food. The water boiling in the large pot didn’t seem to be for anything specific.
Lu Zhiguo squatted on the ground with his head down, while Lu Xiaosi stood uneasily beside Old Mrs. Lu.
Old Mrs. Lu didn’t look good, and Meng Xia looked the worst.
Just now, they had heard Meng Xia’s voice, forcefully lowered but still loud.
Lu Qiaoge lifted the curtain and entered the kitchen, where she saw Sister-in-law Su Hui wiping tears with her apron.
Where was Lu Qiaoling?
Lu Qiaoge stood in front of the window of her younger sister and grandmother’s room and looked inside. Lu Qiaoling was also crying, crying very sadly?
“Qiao Ge, you came back just in time.” Older Brother Lu Zhiguo quickly stood up: “Hurry and persuade our mom. Xiao Hui didn’t mean it that way.”
Meng Xia suddenly threw the half-pasted paper box on the ground: “Your wife didn’t mean it that way, then what did she mean? She’s been pregnant for a while—why not say it earlier or later, but exactly when your dad brought back the recruitment form? Come on, Lu Zhiguo, tell me, who should this recruitment quota go to? Your wife is pregnant, she has no job, and your family is about to have another mouth to feed. You’re still a temporary worker, here today and gone tomorrow. This job is most suitable for you, isn’t that what you mean?”
Lu Zhiguo’s face flushed red. Although his personality wasn’t great, he was very filial. Meng Xia’s words left him speechless.
He could only turn and scold Su Hui: “It’s all your fault for speaking up. She’s pregnant, fine, but why say it now? Couldn’t you wait a few more days?”
Lu Qiaoling pushed open the window and cried out: “Enough! Stop pretending and beating around the bush. It’s all meant for me to hear, isn’t it? I didn’t insist on this quota, but you can’t just assume I have no qualification. You all prefer sons over daughters and think my older brother is the most important. Give it if you want, don’t if you don’t. Why are you all teaming up to put on this act for me?”
Meng Xia got angry and scolded Lu Qiaoling: “You ungrateful girl, when have your dad and I ever preferred sons over daughters? Palm or back of the hand, they’re all flesh. Speak from your conscience—when have we ever treated you and your sister poorly? When you went to the countryside and insisted on taking Grandma, your dad and I scrimped and saved to mail you money and grain ration tickets. Your second sister canceled her engagement and didn’t find another partner; she just stays home, occupying a whole room by herself. Did your dad and I say anything?”
Lu Qiaoge: ……
Why was this involving her too?
Su Hui sobbed sadly.
Lu Zhiguo shouted: “What are you crying for? No one’s blaming you or scolding you.”
Lu Qiaoge frowned slightly and raised her voice: “Stop, everyone, no more talking.”
Although Lu Qiaoge was still the same Lu Qiaoge, with her sweet voice, Meng Xia inexplicably felt that her second daughter had suddenly developed a powerful aura.
Lu Zhiguo quickly shut his mouth too.
Lu Qiaoge glared at Lu Qiaoling, who was about to retort.
Lu Qiaoling immediately shut her mouth as well.
Old Lu felt his oppressive mood lighten a lot. His second daughter was born to be a cadre.
She was so good at taking control of the situation.
He told Lu Qiaoge everything that happened today, then took a form out of his bag.
Lu Qiaoge took it and saw that it was actually a recruitment quota form.
Old Lu actually really wanted to say that this quota was obtained because of Qiao Ge.
But obviously, he couldn’t say it now.
“I was planning to wait for you to come back and hold a family meeting to discuss it together. We have three in the family without jobs…”
Lu Qiaoge unceremoniously interrupted: “Dad, is there an age limit for the recruitment quota?”
Old Lu was stunned for a moment, thinking Lu Qiaoge was worried about Lu Zhiguo’s age issue, so he said: “This recruitment has a wide age range, no distinction between men and women, anyone over eighteen and under forty can apply.”
Lu Qiaoge corrected him: “So, we have four in the family without jobs.”
Meng Xia huffed angrily: “What nonsense are you talking? Don’t you have a job now?”
Lu Qiaoge blinked: “Mom, the fourth person I’m talking about is you. You can totally take this recruitment quota.”
Meng Xia’s mind went blank, staring in shock at her smiling second daughter.
She could count too?
This was something she hadn’t even dared to think about.
