Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 718 You Suffer, I'll Take the Money: Recent Situation
"Hurry up and grab your things. What are you trying to do by dawdling like this?"

"You keep dawdling. Things that should have been finished the day before yesterday were only completed yesterday. What are you thinking about all day long? I don't know what's gotten into you!"

Qin Huairu watched as Jia Zhangshi, who was busy tidying up matchboxes, spoke eloquently.

Jia Zhangshi shrank her neck and didn't dare to utter a sound.

With Jia Zhangshi by her side, Qin Huairu headed straight for the match factory.

There were many people coming and going at the factory gate.

"Hurry up," Qin Huairu casually instructed before going inside.

They were in line very quickly.

"It's you!" the person in charge exclaimed in surprise. "You've finally arrived! You're here to hand over the matchboxes?"

Qin Huairu nodded.

This immediately infuriated the person in charge: "So you came to hand over matchboxes! If you hadn't said anything, I would have thought you came to ask for them. Look how many days this has been going on! 1 matchboxes, how did you manage to take half a month to process them?"

"This is the first time I've ever seen it take this long to get 1. You guys are the first!"

The person in charge had a loud voice, which drew the attention of the few people who came to hand in their work.

Qin Huairu knew she was in the wrong, but her face instantly plastered with an almost fawning smile as she apologized in a gentle voice:

"Comrade, I'm so sorry, so sorry! Please calm down. Something happened at home a few days ago, and there was really no other way, which is why it's been delayed for so long."

"Don't worry, everything has been taken care of. It won't take this long again. We are really sorry. Please don't hold it against us. We are very kind."

Qin Huairu apologized repeatedly, taking all the blame on "family matters".

After a barrage of soft words, the violent anger on the person in charge's face, though not completely dissipated, was somewhat contained.

Seeing that the person in charge had calmed down a bit, Qin Huairu quickly handed over the matchbox.

The person in charge checked them one by one.

Pick up a matchbox, turn it over and over to check the edges and corners, squeeze it to make sure it's tightly sealed, and then squeeze and shake a few more to make sure they don't fall apart or come unglued.

The person in charge's brow relaxed slightly: "It's passable, usable enough. But if it's this late again, no matter how well it's applied, forget it!"

"Yes, yes!" Qin Huairu nodded repeatedly.

The person in charge took out eighteen cents from the bag behind him.

"Eighteen cents!"

"Okay! Alright." Qin Huairu took it without hesitation, a warm smile spreading across her face.

"Hey comrade, what about that thing you mentioned last time, that if my job is pretty good, you'll raise the number of workers to 3? Do you think that'll work out?"

"Haha~"

The person in charge reacted as if they had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Others can finish 1000 matchboxes in three to five days at most, but you've been taking more than half a month to make them. How can I agree to that? And now you want 3 more?"

"Even if you two didn't eat, drink, or sleep, you couldn't finish cooking it even if you turned into dried meat! Impossible! Don't even think about it!"

He waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away flies, and had no intention of letting Qin Huairu do this again; she had done it terribly.

Qin Huairu would not give up so easily. Even if it wasn't for money, she had to find something for Jia Zhangshi to do.

"Oh, my good comrade!" Qin Huairu's tone suddenly became even more mournful.

"Comrade, please help us! You have no idea how difficult things are for my family! I wish I could stretch this little bit of work into two days! I had no choice but to hand it in today because of some family matters."

"Please have mercy and help me, I beg you!"

Qin Huairu suddenly burst into tears, like water flowing from a burst dam, recounting her family's hardships over and over again.

The people talking were getting annoyed; they couldn't stand Qin Huairu's constant nagging, pleading for help, and playing the victim. It was driving them crazy.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! My God!"

As soon as Qin Huairu stopped speaking, the person in charge felt that the world was finally at peace!
"I'll say it again, 3 won't do."

Before Qin Huairu could interject, the person in charge immediately added, "But I can give you a chance. Here's the deal: still 1. If you can submit them within three to five days, I can give you a chance to try."

"Whether this succeeds or not depends entirely on you this time. If you can do it, you can do it; if you can't, you can't. Begging me won't help!"

"Thank you! Thank you so much! You are a true saint! My benefactor!"

Qin Huairu instantly broke into a satisfied smile.

On the other hand, Madam Jia looked gloomy and resentful!
"Don't worry! Don't worry at all! This time, even if my daughter and I don't eat or sleep, we will definitely get these new thousand within five days, no, four days!"

"I'll deliver it to you beautifully in just four days! I guarantee it'll be perfect, not a single one will be missing! And it'll be even better than this time! Just you wait and see!"

Since she's not the one who's ruined her career, Qin Huairu dares to say anything.

The person in charge waved his hand: "It's all talk and no action. Take your money for materials and get out of here! Don't stand around wasting time!"

"Yes, yes!" Qin Huairu nodded in response, then turned to Jia Zhangshi and snapped, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up! Get the materials! Do I have to teach you?"

Startled, Jia Zhangshi hurriedly went to get the materials.

"Five days! Remember that!" Officer Wang emphasized one last time, then waved his hand.

"I remember! Don't worry!" Qin Huairu assured loudly while forcefully tugging at Jia Zhangshi, who was still standing there in a daze.

The pile of "money-making" materials in her arms made Jia Zhangshi's arms ache, but what made her even more eager was the 1000 matchboxes she had just handed over.

And most importantly, you get 18 cents in return.

Qin Huairu took them all. These were things she had worked so hard to earn, so how could she let them go to her?
"Which daughter-in-law? Shouldn't that money be given to me?"

"Huh!?" Qin Huairu turned around instantly and glared at him.

"Money? Which money? You mean the money you were paid for pasting that box?"

Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu felt their scalps tingle, but they still dared to nod despite their discomfort.

"Impossible, don't even think about it. This money, and all the money you earn in the future, will be given to me. Not a penny less. From today onwards, it will all be held by me."

"Oh, right, don't forget there's still 2 yuan for food this month. If you can't finish pasting these matchboxes, you'll have to use your own retirement money to cover it up. Otherwise, what will happen? I don't need to say more, right?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Jia trembled.

Qin Huairu truly kept her word; she hadn't finished pasting the matchboxes that she was supposed to finish yesterday.

Although Qin Huairu didn't make her sleep on the streets, she really didn't give her any food, so she went hungry all night.

If she doesn't pay, they might actually do something like make her sleep on the streets.

The feeling of being hungry the night before last was awful; my rumbling stomach was so big that even drinking cold water couldn't fill it up.

Qin Huairu is truly someone you can't afford to offend! Absolutely not! You absolutely can't afford to offend her!

Seeing Jia Zhangshi's terrified expression, Qin Huairu was very satisfied. This was the way to deal with her!
He patted the materials that Jia Zhangshi was holding under her arm and said, "Remember, you only have four days. You have four days to finish pasting these 1,000 matchboxes. Only after you finish pasting them, make sure they meet the standards, and hand them in on time will you have the right to say anything."

With the materials in hand, Qin Huairu told Jia Zhangshi to go home while she went to browse the supply and marketing cooperative herself.

"If I get back and see that you haven't burned it, you don't need to eat lunch."

Upon receiving this warning, Jia Zhangshi immediately began pasting matchboxes together.

But he was never idle with his mouth.

Bah! You heartless, shameless slut!

As she worked, she gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath, "You're just bored and have nothing better to do than treat me like an old ox. That money should be mine. My retirement money! You've embezzled it all, you heartless bastard!"

When Xiao Dang saw Jia Zhangshi pasting paper, she immediately ran over and stared at her. "What are you looking at!" Jia Zhangshi shouted, scaring Xiao Dang so much that she ran away immediately.

Hiding in a corner, he stared at Jia Zhangshi's paste.

the other side.

After leaving Xinhua Bookstore, Li Kailang went back to rest.

After Yan Wanbin's stern remark a couple of days ago, although he was full of confidence in practical operation, he was a little apprehensive about the theory.

After all, graduation is a major event, and it would be best to graduate smoothly; otherwise, we would have to wait another year.

On the way out, I saw Bai Xiuwen riding a tricycle on the street.

"Hey, Brother Li!"

Bai Xiuwen boldly greeted Li Kailang, something that would have been impossible in the past, as he had always been afraid of running into others.

As soon as the two met, Li Kailang asked, "Isn't today your day off? Why are you out collecting recyclables?"

Bai Xiuwen glanced at the few scraps on the tricycle and said, "It's a break. I have something to do recently, so I came out to find some inspiration. Collecting scraps was just something I did on the way."

"Besides, Brother Li, you know I've become a scrap metal purchasing agent, and I won't be doing this scrap metal buying business very often anymore."

He sighed and said that Bai Xiuwen came out to collect inspiration for turning waste into treasure and to ask everyone what their needs were.

He wandered through the alleyways, chatting with familiar elderly people, observing their daily inconveniences and needs, and quietly memorizing their grumblings of "If only I had this or that."

Collecting recyclables is really a convenient thing to do.

Li Kailang nodded: "Becoming a purchasing agent will make your life much easier. What are your plans now?"

Li Kailang isn't a mind reader like Bai Xiuwen; he can't possibly know everything.

A shy yet excited blush rose on Bai Xiuwen's face: "If this is done well, my chances of becoming the stationmaster might increase."

Bai Xiuwen was completely unguarded with Li Kailang, saying whatever came to mind.

He's really putting a lot of effort into turning waste into treasure.

"That's great. You won't have to work as hard as you do now when you become the station manager. You can also fix things, so you'll have a good life from now on."

"Thank you for your kind words, Brother Li."

After chatting for a while, Bai Xiuwen said goodbye: "It's settled, Brother Li. I won't chat with you any longer. I have to get back to work."

"to make."

The two were about to part ways.

Suddenly, a pair of figures walked past them.

However, Cui Yuanzheng was walking side by side with a girl. The girl had a bright smile on her face, full of youthful vigor and a cheerful smile as she was about to graduate.

The two talked in hushed tones from time to time. Cui Yuanyi had an unusually gentle expression on his face. He was carrying some odds and ends, and it looked like he had just come from the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Brother Li, Brother Xiuwen!"

Liu An saw the two of them and waved from a distance.

"Brother Cui, Xiao An." The two greeted each other with smiles.

"What a coincidence, we've run into each other outside," Liu An said with a smile.

"Yes, what a coincidence, you two just came from the supply and marketing cooperative." Li Kailang nodded.

“Yes!” Liu An raised his hand to indicate, “Let’s go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some things to get ready.”

Bai Xiuwen suddenly said, "You two are getting closer to your wedding day, aren't you?"

Liu An blushed and lowered her head shyly, unconsciously shaking Cui Yuan's arm.

"Yes, we'll be getting married next month after she graduates, and then we can live together legitimately." Cui Yuan's face was unusually beaming with a smile.

I've been waiting for almost three or four months, and finally, the day I'm getting married is almost here.

"Congratulations! We'll definitely have to have a drink at your wedding!" the two congratulated.

"Thank you."

The four chatted for a few more minutes about their recent lives before parting ways.

Bai Xiuwen continued searching for inspiration.

Li Kailang would go straight back to the courtyard.

Cui Yuan went to Liu An's house to pay his respects to his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

Return to the yard.

Li Kailang then went straight home.

"Brother Li, wait! There's a letter for you!" Cui Gang rushed over, holding the letter in his hand.

"My letter? Who wrote it to me?" Li Kailang took the letter with a puzzled look and saw from the cover that it was written by Liu Guangqi.

"Okay, thank you!"

"fine."

Li Kailang brought the letter into the house. Liu Guangqi had finally written to him again, but no one knew what was in the letter.

I couldn't wait to open it and start reading carefully.

"Cheerful, it's like seeing you in person. It's been a long time since I last wrote, I've been incredibly busy here, the hardships are hard to describe to outsiders. After more than a year, I've slowly started to get the hang of things."

"Following the villagers up and down the mountain, running around, our skin peeled from the sun, and our feet were blistered, but we finally achieved some results."

Soon, the first letter was finished being read.

In summary, it recounts recent developments, progress made, the gradual establishment of a foothold there, and how everything is moving in a positive direction.

Li Kailang nodded, then looked at the second one.

"I don't know how things are at home, how my parents are doing, or my two younger brothers. As their older brother, I'm truly sorry. Please take good care of them, Guangqi. I'm deeply grateful! I feel ashamed every time I think of this."

The second letter inquired about the family situation and asked Li Kailang to help take care of his two younger brothers, Guangtian and Guangfu. Four yuan was also attached to the letter.

Most importantly, after more than a year of following him, Liu Guangqi's father-in-law increasingly recognized his abilities and involved him in many important matters.

This was the main point of Liu Guangqi's letter: he wanted to confide in Li Kailang, express his joy, and vent his frustration.

At this point, Li Kailang couldn't help but share Liu Guangqi's joy.

When Liu Guangqi followed his father-in-law to another province, he did so for two reasons: first, to seek a better future, and second, because he didn't want to be managed by Liu Haizhong.

If we can achieve results now, then this past year or so has not been wasted.

After reading the whole thing, Liu Guangqi's state of mind was completely different from before, and he felt enlightened.

Li Kailang took a deep breath, walked to his desk, picked up a pen, and wrote a reply to Liu Guangqi.

First, it describes the recent situation of the Liu family. The Liu family hasn't caused any trouble in the last two months, so the two brothers are naturally doing very well.

He will help take care of the two brothers so that he, as the older brother, doesn't have to worry.

Secondly, congratulations to Liu Guangqi for finally getting ahead and being able to participate in decision-making, and a reminder that caution is still necessary at this time, and that one should think twice before acting.

After writing it, Li Kailang sent the letter back.

While we're at it, let's find an excuse to give the money to those two lads.

(End of this chapter)