A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er was still a little worried about Gao Zinong, so she took the opportunity to chat with Zhou Huifang during the break and said, "Did Gao Zinong show up that day because you had an appointment? I shouldn't have been a light bulb there if I had known."

Zhou Huifang glanced around nervously and said shyly, "No, he said he had something to do that day, but he suddenly showed up there. I was quite surprised. I asked him about it later, and he said he had finished his work and wanted to look for me, but then he remembered that I asked you to go shopping with him, and he didn't want to disturb you, so he went out for a stroll on his own. I didn't expect it to be so fateful that we would run into each other."

This incident may indeed be a coincidence in Zhou Huifang's view, but it touched Guier's nerves.

She smiled and said, "It seems you two are indeed destined to be together. By the way, where is he employed? Are you working for that wealthy relative you mentioned earlier?"

"No, I'm currently looking for a job. It's easy to find one with his resume, but he disdains working for small foreign firms and companies. He wants to do something that benefits the country. He even wants to revitalize Chinese industry, but unfortunately he doesn't have the capital."

Gui'er pondered for a moment and said, "That means he's unemployed, right? What's his family situation like? What do his parents do for a living? Can they be trusted?"

Zhou Huifang smiled. "I knew you'd think that. If it were anyone else, I'd definitely think the same. But he saved me from danger once before, and I believe someone as passionate as him wouldn't be idle. He recently told me he wants to work in the government and contribute to the country. He's trying to find a job in a government department. My father also works in the government. I'm very pleased with his decision."

"Oh, did he ask his relative to help him find connections?" Gui'er knew that in this era, if one wanted to enter a government department and get a good position, one must have talent. When Sha Yanyao first came to Nanjing, he said that he had made the connections, but after he arrived, he had to start all over again. It took a lot of effort and spent countless money. His wife's small treasury was almost exhausted, so he is so stingy now. Even so, in the end, he finally settled down because he married Director Tian's children.

"I don't know about that. He told me not to worry about it and that he would take care of it himself."

Gui'er felt even more suspicious, so she smiled and said, "It seems this person is a good match for you. Do his parents also work in the government?"

"No, his parents were working for his rich relative. At that time, in order to save me, he offended his relative. Originally, his relative had arranged a position for him in his own company, but because of what happened with me, he was not allowed to go, saying that he was a traitor. That's why he is looking for a job for himself now." Zhou Huifang said, gradually feeling a little insecure.

Gui'er quickly comforted her, "Hey, don't overthink it. He saved you because he's kind by nature. And what he did was right. It's his relative who was wrong. After all, you're related, aren't you?"

"Oh, it's okay. That boss is a distant relative of ours, and it's through my father's side of the family. His family knows one of the boss's second wives, so it's okay."

"I see. If he can find a job, your business will be almost assured."

"Yes, yes, that's it, Guier, isn't your elder brother a capable subordinate of Director Tian? Does he need any more manpower?" Zhou Huifang suddenly said.

Gui'er was stunned for a moment, and suddenly understood. No wonder she was in a passionate love affair with that guy and often asked her to go shopping with her. It turned out that she wanted to use her connections to get that guy to work under Sha Yanyao.

She hesitated for a moment. If Gao Zinong was indeed our comrade, then he could go to the Military Commission and work under Sha Yanyao, which would be very convenient for our party to obtain intelligence. After all, although Xu Wenjie was also in jail, he was a marginal figure and could not be trusted at all. He didn't even know about some basic operations.

But Gui'er always felt something was strange, and she was not very familiar with Gao Zinong, and had only met other comrades on his line once or twice.

After thinking for a moment, she decided to delay and consult with Xu Wenjie and Miss Shen before making a final decision. So, she smiled and said, "I don't usually ask about my brother's work, and he never talks about it at home. But since you've asked me, I'll ask for you."

Zhou Huifang was overjoyed when she heard this. She quickly took out a silver bracelet from her pocket that looked worn for a long time, with the ring a little deformed and dark in color. She put it in Gui'er's hand and said, "Thank you so much. I know that finding a job requires a lot of money nowadays, and I don't have much money. Do you think this one is okay?"

Gui'er quickly pushed it back and said, "What are you doing? They're friends. I'm asking around for you. It doesn't cost any money. If my eldest brother says there's a lead and it needs some help, I'll tell you later."

Zhou Huifang's eyes reddened upon hearing this, and she choked up as she said, "Gui'er, you're such a kind person. You don't know, ever since my uncle passed away, our family has experienced the ups and downs of human nature. Without him, my father is the only pillar of the family. He's a simple man, and he's doing his best to keep his job, but our family's finances are always stretched. My mother suggested that I stop studying last semester. But my father still made me continue. Firstly, I wouldn't make much money even if I went out to work, and secondly, we still have some antiques, calligraphy, and real estate left by my uncle, so we can barely make ends meet."

"But there are more than a dozen people in my family and my uncle's family, plus about 20 maids and old women. It's really not a long-term solution to just eat up all the money we have."

"My father said that if I continue to study and become educated, it will be easier for me to find a good husband if I graduate from university. If I still can't find one in two years, I'm afraid I'll have to become a concubine of a wealthy family."

Gui'er was startled and hurriedly grabbed Zhou Huifang's hand, saying, "Don't be silly. Look at Teacher Shen. His family fell on hard times, but he still became a teacher. Didn't he manage to make ends meet?"

Zhou Huifang smiled bitterly and shook her head, saying, "That's different. They only have two daughters, and no matter how much they spend, it won't be much. Our family is large, with many children. My parents have calculated that the expenses for the future marriage of our youngest generation alone will almost exhaust the entire family fortune. So now I am hoping that Zinong can find a good job. Although his family is not particularly wealthy, it is of clean status. I don't expect a large gift when I marry him, and our family can't afford a large dowry. The most important thing is that he is well-educated, and there is hope for the future. It is better than being a concubine in those wealthy families."