In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 14. A Triumphant Moment
Yang Guangming emphasized Zhao Guodong's military style and straightforwardness, and stressed the other party's affirmation of his "cleverness", "composure" and "insight".

As Zhang Xiuying listened, the shock and panic on her face receded like a tide, replaced by an unbelievable ecstasy! Tears welled up without warning, streaming down the wrinkles around her eyes.

She suddenly hugged her son tightly, letting out a suppressed sob that was both a cry and a laugh:

“A cadre…a cadre position! Our family has produced a cadre! Oh my, my Mingming! How…how could you be so promising! Thank God! Thank you, Director Zhao! Oh my…” She was incoherent, her whole body trembling with excitement.

Although the mother and son lowered their voices, Zhang Xiuying's raised cry of "cadre status" and her subsequent out-of-control sobs still drifted intermittently to the courtyard downstairs.

"Cadre position? Who is he? Yang Guangming?" Mrs. Feng, who was hanging clothes to dry, stopped what she was doing, her face full of disbelief, and looked at Granny Chen who was washing rice next to her.

Grandma Chen also stopped washing the rice, her cloudy eyes filled with shock: "Oh my... no way? Xiuying said... Yang Guangming? Cadre?" She subconsciously looked towards the drying platform.

Chen Weihong, who was collecting clothes on the drying platform, suddenly trembled, and a piece of clothing almost fell off. Her face instantly turned pale, and she looked towards the Yang family's house on the second floor with a complicated expression.

The sound of scraping the bottom of the pot on the drying platform has completely stopped.

After a brief silence, He Caiyun's deliberately raised voice, filled with doubt and sourness, rang out again, this time directed towards the courtyard, as if speaking to everyone:
"Hey! A gold ingot fell from the sky? Cadre positions? Red Star Factory's administrative office? You can actually brag about this? Aren't you afraid of biting your tongue in the wind!"
Who does Yang Guangming think he is? He just graduated high school and already wants an office job? Dream on!

Zhao Tiemin seemed to grunt in agreement from the balcony.

Zhang Xiuying could no longer contain herself. The overwhelming joy coupled with the Zhao family's repeated provocations finally caused her to explode!
She abruptly released her son, hastily wiped away her tears, her eyes burning with a triumphant fighting spirit!
"Mingming, you wait!" she said to her son, picked up the empty basin, turned around and rushed down the narrow stairs, heading straight for the courtyard tap.

She squeezed her way to the tap, and her neighbor, who was getting water, instinctively made way for her.

Her face glowed with unprecedented confidence and radiance. Her voice was loud and clear, carrying a satisfying and cathartic counterattack as she fired directly at the rooftop:
"He Caiyun! You have a narrow perspective and a limited view of the world. Don't assume that everyone else is like you!"
I am clearly capable, and I have been noticed by the top leader!
Deputy Factory Director Zhao Guodong, a senior cadre who transferred from the military, told Ala Mingming this in person!

I need to report to the factory administration office of Hongxing State-owned Cotton Mill next Monday! I'm an administrative level 30 clerk, level 12, a cadre position, with a monthly salary of 23 yuan!

You don't believe me? Go ask around at the factory gate tomorrow! See if we're just bragging, or if you're just narrow-minded and can't stand seeing others do well!

Her rapid-fire words swept across the entire courtyard like a hurricane.

Mrs. Feng and Granny Chen were both stunned.

He Caiyun on the balcony seemed to choke and fell silent for a moment.

Still not satisfied, Zhang Xiuying turned to her neighbors in the courtyard, especially Granny Chen and Mrs. Feng, her tone immediately shifting to one of enthusiastic sharing of immense joy, but her volume remained high, ensuring the balcony could hear her:

"Grandma Chen, Mrs. Feng, it's true! Absolutely true!"
Ala Mingming helped Director Zhao with a small favor, and Director Zhao thought he was clever, steady, and reliable!

They specifically requested him, saying he was a promising talent—that's what you call luck plus ability!
"From now on, Ala Mingming will be working at the Hongxing Factory, in the same factory as me!" Her face beamed with pride, as if she had become ten years younger.

A deathly silence fell over the balcony.

Several seconds later, Zhao Tiemin let out a heavy cough, filled with frustration and resentment, followed by the clanging sound of a spatula being roughly thrown down.

He Caiyun remained silent. This stark contrast made the atmosphere in the courtyard somewhat awkward.

Looking at Zhang Xiuying, Granny Chen exclaimed from the bottom of her heart, "Xiuying, congratulations! You've truly overcome all your hardships!"

The other family members were also alerted by the commotion downstairs and returned home one after another.

As soon as his elder brother, Yang Guanghui, stepped into the courtyard after getting off work, he heard his mother's loud, proud announcement contrasting sharply with the deathly silence on the other side of the drying platform, and his steps abruptly stopped.

He looked up at his younger brother, who was leaning against the railing on the second-floor corridor with a smile on his face. His expression changed from astonishment to disbelief, his eyes shifting between shock, doubt, and a hint of indescribable emotion.

Sister-in-law Li Guihua followed closely in. She had heard clearly the words "cadre establishment", "level twelve clerk" and "twenty-three yuan a month"!
Her eyes lit up instantly! The fatigue on her face vanished, replaced by unprecedented enthusiasm and a sense of pride and excitement.

She walked quickly to her mother-in-law's side, her voice loud and clear, full of joy:

"Oh my, Mother, this is such a joyous occasion! Such a joyous occasion!"

Ala Mingming has made something of himself, he's really made something of himself!

They'll be on the payroll, sitting in offices, and will be government-employed leaders from now on!

Look, good fortune has come to our house!

As she spoke, she glanced triumphantly at the rooftop out of the corner of her eye, as if silently declaring her victory.

The father, Yang Yongkang, was the last to enter the house.

He remained as taciturn as ever, reeking of engine oil and looking exhausted.

When he heard the echoing voice from the courtyard—his youngest son, Yang Guangming, a cadre in the Red Star State-Owned Cotton Mill's office—he stopped at the door, like a silent statue.

His deep-set eyes looked at the tall figure in the second-floor corridor. The brows that were always tightly furrowed and etched with the hardships of life were, for once, very rarely and very slowly, relaxed upwards, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

The stern lines at the corner of his mouth twitched upwards very subtly.

Without a word, the way his back straightened for a moment and then relaxed slightly, and the relief and deep satisfaction in his eyes, were more powerful than any cheer.

He silently walked to the cabinet in his courtyard, put down his heavy tool bag, took out his well-worn pipe bowl, slowly filled it with tobacco, and struck a match.

The orange flames danced, igniting the tobacco. He took a deep, satisfied drag, and exhaled the white smoke slowly, swirling around his now calm face.

"Alright, alright!" Zhang Xiuying finally calmed down a bit from the immense joy of her successful counterattack, but the radiance on her face remained undiminished. She commanded confidently, "Today is a day of great joy in our house, we must celebrate properly! Eldest sister!"

(End of this chapter)