The courtyard: the atmosphere of human life

"Mom, I'm back."

When Darong got home, her mother had already returned home from get off work.

"How is it? Are you doing well?" When Darong's mother saw Darong come in, she hurriedly asked about the apprentice's day.

"It's okay, pretty good."

Darong did not tell anyone about the workshop director's criticism of her. She had been strong-willed since she was young and refused to complain to her family no matter what happened.

The next morning, Darong changed into a Hong Kong-style suit, put on a pair of prettier high heels, and tied her braids on her head so that it would not affect her hat or mess up her hairstyle.

"Sister, why do you wear such fashionable clothes to work?" Sibeier looked up and down at his sister who was dressed fashionably and beautifully.

Darong didn't say anything. She had already challenged him yesterday. If she didn't try to show who was better, she wouldn't be considered a young and arrogant person!

The lecture from the workshop director yesterday was still ringing in my ears. Today, Darong dressed up and made up so ostentatiously that people who came to work in the factory early in the morning started talking about this fair-skinned and rebellious little girl.

"Yuan Furong, who told you to come to work dressed like this? Are you here to work?"

The workshop director had heard of the cool Darong before he even entered the workshop, so he went straight to Darong's car as soon as he started work.

"You said it's not okay to wear a skirt to work, so I changed into pants today. Am I wrong again?"

Darong lowered her head and looked docile, and her voice was soft and weak, as if she was really a docile little lamb.

"Are you dressed like a working person?"

The workshop director seemed to have punched a sandbag, and although there was no sound, the pain in his hand did not subside.

"Director, the factory manager said that people cannot be divided into different classes. What does it mean to be a worker? I'm still young and don't quite understand."

When training at the factory, the first part of the event is for the factory director to give a speech to welcome the new employees. In order to ensure harmony and stability when assigning positions later, the factory director specifically emphasizes that there is no hierarchy among people and no distinction between high and low positions, and encourages young people to view job assignments equally.

But this wave was used by Darong here, and the workshop director didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"You're still young? I think you're pretty smart. You're not that good at work, but you're the best at talking back."

Darong stopped talking and just stood beside her master with an innocent look on her face.

Darong's master took the opportunity to talk to the director and quickly changed the subject.

After sending the director away, the master was a little unhappy. She originally thought that Darong looked honest and obedient and should be easy to lead, but after two days of getting along with her, she was a little shocked by Darong's temper.

"How are you going to supervise the day's work when you're wearing high heels?"

The master was a very simple person, not one who could play two-faced tricks. When he was unhappy, his tone became a little harsh.

"I'm OK."

Although Darong understood the master's tone, she did not explain too much. She turned around, put on her hat and started to stare at the car.

In fact, Darong is a very smart person. She has memorized all the steps that the master taught her in one day. It’s just that she has only a short time to practice, so she still needs to hone her speed.

With the experience of the previous day, Darong specially wore a pair of very comfortable lambskin shoes today. Although they also had heels, they were custom-made by traditional craftsmen, and the soles were very comfortable and fit the feet well.

After the machine started running, Darong and her master each watched one side. Darong's master's surname was Li, and she was actually just a girl in her 20s. People in the southern suburbs get married early, and although Master Li was not very old, her child was already in nursery.

"You learn very quickly. Are you tired?" During the lunch break, Master Li looked at Darong's little leather shoes and asked with some envy.

"Not tired, this pair of shoes was custom made at a shoe store. It was a gift from my uncle when I went to the Northeast."

Darong saw the envy in Master Li's eyes. This kind of purely handmade custom-made leather shoes were something that ordinary families could not afford. At that time, Northeast China was a major heavy industrial province, and its development in all aspects was at the forefront of the country.

Darong's grandfather took his two daughters to the border and remarried and settled there. Darong went to visit relatives once with her mother when she had just graduated from junior high school.

"Sister Li, Xiaodou has a fever. The nursery wants you to go over and take a look."

Master Li and Darong were queuing up for food when a young girl ran up from behind and said to Master Li.

Xiaodouzi is Master Li’s son. He is only three years old and usually stays in the unit’s nursery.

"Darong, tell the squad leader later, I'll go over to take a look." After Master Li turned around and gave instructions to Darong, he hurried out of the cafeteria.

When Darong got her meal, she specifically told the chef in the cafeteria to put Master Li's lunch box in the pot to keep it warm. The cafeteria also sold tickets at that time, but most people still brought their own lunch and heated it up for free in the cafeteria.

"Team leader, my master's child is sick, so he asked me to ask for leave from you." After finishing her meal, Darong returned to the workshop and went to find the team leader first.

"Go talk to the director yourself." The squad leader was sitting on a bench to rest, holding a water cup in his hand, and came back without raising his head.

This squad leader is the director's close follower, and whenever he sees the director he fawns on him all day long.

Darong knew that she was challenging the director and wanted to make things difficult for herself to establish her authority.

"Don't you have to ask the monitor for leave?" Darong replied softly.

"The director is in charge of attendance. If you come to me, I have to go to the director as well."

"it is good."

Darong didn't say anything more and turned to walk towards the workshop office. A group of female workers stared at Darong. They all knew that the workshop director had set his eyes on Darong on the first day, so they all looked like they were waiting for a good show.

"Is there something wrong?" When the workshop director saw that it was Darong who came in, his face immediately turned cold.

"Well, squad leader Liu said that attendance is your responsibility and didn't want me to trouble her. My master's child is sick, so she asked me to ask for leave for her." Darong stated the facts in a proper manner.

"Liu Jinxiu, come here for a moment."

After a while, the workshop director opened the door and shouted the team leader's name at the top of his voice.

Darong walked out of the workshop office calmly.

A group of onlookers were confused when they saw Darong's appearance.

"Darong, what did you say to the director?" After Darong walked to her workstation, a little girl who came into the factory with her came over and asked curiously.

"I didn't say anything. I just told her that the monitor would no longer be in charge of leave requests and that she should go to the director to request leave."

Darong didn't say anything exaggerated, but that's how Chinese is. A difference in intonation can affect the meaning of the entire sentence.

When Liu Jinxiu came out of the workshop office, she pursed her lips and returned to her workstation without saying a word.

"Yuan Furong, you should watch the car by yourself before your master comes back. Any loss in production will be blamed on your master." After a while, squad leader Liu walked up to Darong and said expressionlessly.