The 1970s: Military Family Beauty

Grandma Jiang was scrubbing the vat of pickled cabbage when she heard a guest coming. She quickly wiped the rag in the basin, wiped her hands, and then placed them on the wire. She smiled at the guest and said, "Guests are coming? Come in and sit down. Furong, my hands are a little dirty from working. You make tea for the guest."

As soon as Grandma Jiang saw Qian Yuyan's appearance, she judged that this person was of great importance, but she didn't know what she was doing at her house.

To be on the safe side, I'll let my granddaughter entertain the guests while I continue working.

Qian Yuyan had already seen all of Grandma Jiang's actions and expressions. She nodded slightly as a greeting and then looked around at the furnishings in the courtyard.

This type of bungalow in the family compound was built in a unified manner, with front porches and backyards. After the advent of gas stoves, almost every household retained a wood stove.

At this time, the fire in the wood stove was burning brightly, the water in the big pot was bubbling, and steam was floating on the surface of the water.

Most people who have served in the military like their surroundings to be clean, tidy and free of clutter.

Qian Yuyan is a dancer who also dislikes strange smells: "Does your grandma use the water jar to store water or to pickle vegetables?"

Pickled cabbage and eggplant are barely acceptable, but pickled radish is not, the whole house stinks.

Jiang Furong didn't know what was going on, so she asked, "Grandma, why do you want to wash the water tank?"

Grandma Jiang quickly said what she had been wanting to say: "Your aunt and Grandma Lu across the street went to the vegetable garden to buy Chinese cabbage. I thought we could pickle a jar of it so we can have something to eat during the winter."

Qian Yuyan listened and said, "Your grandma can understand Mandarin, but her pronunciation is not standard, right?"

"The dialect in our hometown has a strong accent," Jiang Furong explained. "My grandmother can read, read newspapers, and understand Mandarin. The Mandarin she just spoke from her hometown still has an accent, but she has no problem communicating with people when she goes out."

This level of education for an elderly person in his sixties may not be considered a big deal in the city, but it is already very impressive in the countryside.

Qian Yuyan thought for a moment and then asked, "Can your grandma cook on a gas stove? Can she make milk powder? I happen to be free now, so I'll ask your grandma to come to our house and let me see how she cooks."

This is the first interview that I passed.

Going to Qian Yuyan's house to cook is a practical test.

This is a bit risky, as the grandparents and grandchildren haven't communicated with each other yet.

Jiang Furong thought of a compromise in a hurry: "Captain Qian, I didn't expect that my family just bought some cabbage, and my aunt is still waiting for me at the vegetable garden. How about you go home first, I'll pick up my aunt, and then I'll send my grandmother to your house right away. Is that okay with you?"

She knew that soldiers were punctual, but she wasn't sure whether Qian Yuyan's "a while" meant five minutes or thirty minutes, so she blurred her concept of time.

Qian Yuyan nodded in agreement: "My home is at C2, No. . Do you know where it is? Come over as soon as possible. Our children will need to eat soon."

Jiang Furong agreed readily and sent Qian Yuyan to the door. She watched her ride away on a bicycle and secretly admired her. She was worthy of being the captain of the dance team of the art troupe. She walked beautifully and her posture on the bicycle was particularly graceful.

After a brief chat just now, Jiang Furong was already 90% sure that she could take on the job of babysitting Qian Yuyan's children.

The most important thing now was to quickly explain the situation: "Grandma, the guest just now is from the art troupe. She has a two-and-a-half-year-old child and needs someone to take care of him during the day and bring him back at night. The salary is ten yuan a month."

When Grandma Jiang heard this, her eyebrows raised high: "Wow, so much money for taking care of a child, almost as much as working."

In my hometown in the countryside, the whole family, young and old, can’t spend more than ten yuan a month.

Taking care of children is even more difficult. It is basically the elderly in the family who help take care of the children. They are not so particular about food and clothing. They just wear old clothes discarded by older children, and a spoonful of porridge from the big pot is enough to fill their stomachs. They are raised by dragging and nurturing.

Jiang Furong nodded: "Yes, my mother doesn't give me money to buy rice and vegetables, so I just find a job myself."

Grandma Jiang was surprised: "You want to be a babysitter?"

Jiang Furong tilted her head and smiled: "Well, I can do it, right? I found a job by myself."

Although Grandma Jiang was very supportive of her granddaughter being able to earn money, she didn't approve of her granddaughter becoming a nanny: "You're educated and well-educated. Babysitting other people's children is no big deal! From now on, people will call you nanny wherever you go. That's not nice!"

When I go back to my hometown and start dating, I ask her what she used to do. If she says she just graduated from high school and has no job yet, it sounds good. But if she says she works as a nanny, she will definitely be regarded as an illiterate country girl, and it will be difficult for her to find a partner with a city hukou and a job.

"I work with my own two hands and don't steal or rob, so I'm not afraid of what others say!" Jiang Furong was full of confidence and began to lobby Grandma Jiang: "Captain Qian's child is over two years old and can walk and talk. I just need to take care of her during the day and make her lunch. In the evening, when they get home from get off work, I'll be off work and I don't have to live at her house."

She had thought it all out. As soon as Hu Xiuqing left the house in the morning, she would go to Captain Qian's house. At noon, she would take the children back to her own home and make lunch for her younger siblings. After lunch, she would take the children back home for a nap. She would do housework at Captain Qian's house and wait for Captain Qian to come back from get off work before rushing home to cook dinner.

As long as he managed his time well, he could also do his housework without letting Hu Xiuqing find out.

In fact, even if Hu Xiuqing found out, it wouldn’t be a big deal. She earns money to support herself in a legitimate way, so who would dare to say anything?

Taking on this job of taking care of the children can be considered as the first pot of gold after waking up, right?

Grandma Jiang looked at her granddaughter's happy face and listened to her analysis, but she still felt uncomfortable: "How can you be a babysitter!"

But it is an indisputable fact that we cannot live without money.

When you are hungry, don’t even think about earning ten dollars. Even if you are given food without money, you still have to work.

Jiang Furong giggled, "Grandma, Captain Qian originally wanted to find an elderly person with experience who could take care of children. I originally told her that you could do it, but they use a gas stove to cook and fry the food at home, and the child needs to be made into milk powder every day, told stories, and taught to read."

Grandma Jiang was stunned at first, then shook her head: "Oh, so demanding? This ten yuan is not easy to earn. I can't earn it even if you give it to me."

This is not taking care of a child, this is hiring a teacher at home!

No, teachers don’t have to cook, feed, or take the children for a walk!

Jiang Furong shook Grandma Jiang's arm: "Grandma, I'm afraid Captain Qian won't agree, so I'll say you're going to help take care of the child. She'll want you to go to her house and use the gas stove to cook and make some milk powder, and then do this..."

Grandma Jiang quickly waved her hand to interrupt: "I don't know how to use a gas stove. I saw you making porridge yesterday, and the soup immediately came out and put out the fire. It was such a waste of the stove. I don't want to break other people's things.

You can ask me to help take care of the child. When I was in the village, people would send their children to me for a while, and I never went to their homes. How about you bring the child home and I will help you take care of her, let your aunt cook, and you teach her to read?

Jiang Furong chuckled: "With so many people taking care of the child, we have to pay three times the salary."

Grandma Jiang blushed: "Look at what you said, then your aunt and I don't have anything to do, so helping to look after the child is just a side job."

The family was originally managed by the son, but the daughter-in-law made it a mess. She didn't say what she should say and didn't give what she should give. As a result, now the granddaughter has to find a way to make a living on her own.

This is nothing like the life of city dwellers.

Jiang Furong put her face on Grandma Jiang's shoulder: "Grandma is the best. I knew she would help me."

Grandma Jiang is very soft-hearted.

"Then I'll go pick up my aunt!" After finishing her business, Jiang Furong started to move: "Maybe I have to go back and forth three or four times. This bicycle is too heavy, and I can't hold the handlebars with so many cabbages."

Grandma Jiang followed her to the door and reminded her, "If the things are too heavy, ask your aunt to handle them. She can ride a bike, too." As she watched her granddaughter disappear around the corner, she couldn't help but mutter to herself, "I wonder if being a babysitter is a good or bad thing?"