country bumpkin

In winter, it usually gets dark around 5 p.m., so Kong Xiufang didn't get back to her older sister's house until 6 p.m. A few people were passing by at the street corner. She wasn't worried about any bad people blocking her way.

Although there were no streetlights, the moon was still very bright, shining like an incandescent bulb onto the ground under the big tree, casting patches of shadow.

The children were all asleep, but Kong Xiujuan was still waiting for her younger sister.

Hearing a car enter the courtyard, I hurried over and saw that it was my younger sister returning. I finally felt relieved.

"Little sister, why are you back so late? Are you alright on the way?" Kong Xiujuan asked worriedly.

"It's nothing, sister. I just stayed at my third sister's house a little longer than usual. By the way, my third sister was planning to let me stay at her house today, but I came back because I was afraid you'd worry. I'd like to go to her house tomorrow, is that okay?" Kong Xiufang looked at her eldest sister with starry eyes.

"Okay, we'll go there and wait a few more days. The garment factory here will also need a few days to get news," Kong Xiujuan said with a doting smile.

Kong Xiufang smiled happily.

She was also embarrassed to bother her older sister, whose family was large and the house was small. If she came, her brother-in-law would have to stay at a friend's house.

The two sisters lay in bed chatting for a long time before finally drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, Kong Xiujuan went to return the bicycle, not wanting to delay the rider.

After breakfast, Kong Xiufang followed her older sister to Hu Jinhua's house across the street to ask Deng Yiyao about recruitment information for the garment factory.

Hu Jinhua was selling tea eggs. When she saw Kong Xiujuan leading her younger sister, her eyes lit up with a smile.

"Haha, Xiujuan, what brings you here? Is there anything I can help you with?" She said with a laugh, but her eyes were fixed on Kong Xiufang.

Kong Xiujuan was taken aback. What was going on? Had Hu Jinhua taken the wrong medicine today? Why was she being so polite?

She paused for a second, then asked, "Oh, Aunt Yiyao, did she go to work? Is she home now?"

"Oh, she went to work and just left. It's the same if you tell me if you need anything," Hu Jinhua said politely.

Kong Xiujuan felt that Hu Jinhua was acting strangely today; when did she become so warm-hearted?

"Oh! Auntie, this is my sister. I wanted to ask if Yiyao's clothing factory is still hiring?" As she spoke, she introduced Kong Xiufang to Hu Jinhua.

Kong Xiufang greeted her, "Hello, Auntie!"

"Okay, sure. Oh! Are you asking this for your sister?" Hu Jinhua asked affirmatively.

She had already guessed it, and she had also heard Gao Qinglian say that her sister had come to the city to look for work.

Kong Xiujuan nodded. "Yes, please ask Yiyao for me, Auntie. I will thank her properly after it's done."

"Oh! Xiujuan, don't be so polite. We're neighbors, no need to thank me." Hu Jinhua chuckled.

Her heart was burning with desire. If Kong Xiujuan's younger sister worked in the garment factory, she would have to stay at her sister's house, otherwise it would be too far from the factory and inconvenient.

If that's the case, wouldn't her son have the advantage of being so close to the source? Thinking this, Hu Jinhua's smile widened.

"Then we won't disturb Auntie selling eggs any longer, we'll head back now." With that, Kong Xiujuan pulled her younger sister back home.

Hu Jinhua watched the two figures disappear into the distance, feeling both happy and excited; her son's chances of getting a wife were looking good.

Back home, Kong Xiufang asked her older sister, "Sister, why was Aunt Hu looking at me and laughing? She kept staring at me, it was really scary. Is she out of her mind?"

Kong Xiujuan was also puzzled. Hu Jinhua was acting strangely today. When did she become so cheerful and speak more politely than before?

"It's alright, don't worry about her. You wanted to go to Xiufen's house later, so I'll have your brother-in-law take you to the bus stop," Kong Xiujuan said.

"Okay, I'll stay at my third sister's house for three days. I should have enough news about the garment factory by now!" Kong Xiufang said.

"Okay, sure," Kong Xiujuan said.

She went inside and took out 10 yuan, handing it to her younger sister. "Take this, use it for the bus fare. Go there and wander around, buy whatever you want to eat."

Kong Xiujuan lives relatively close to Kong Xiufen's home; it only costs 1 yuan to take a bus.

Kong Xiujuan waved her hand, "No need, I still have money on me. My mother gave me 20 yuan when I came! I still have a lot, and I haven't spent much."

“It’s alright, take it! Being away from home is different from being at home. Besides, we’re just going shopping, we can’t just leave empty-handed!” Kong Xiujuan said.

"Alright then! Thank you, big sister," Kong Xiufang said, no longer refusing. Her heart felt warm.

Kong Xiujuan went to find Sun Zitao, and after taking her younger sister to the station with a donkey cart, she returned to the market to wait for work.

"Brother Zitao, what did your wife call you for?" Wang Yufeng, who was working with him, asked Sun Zitao.

Sun Zitao smiled and said, "Oh, my wife's younger sister came to the city to look for work, and asked me to take her to catch the bus so she can stay at her third sister's house for a few days."

"Oh, so your sister-in-law has a younger sister who isn't married yet? Is she pretty?" Wang Yufeng joked.

Zhou Haoran, standing nearby, chimed in, "Zitao, what do you think of your sister-in-law? Pretty cool, huh?"

"Hahahaha..." Everyone burst into laughter.

Lin Junhui listened shyly from the side without saying a word.

Sun Zitao glared at them and said, "You're all so irresponsible."

He waved to Lin Junhui, "Junhui..."

He walked over and asked, "Brother Tao, what's wrong?"

Sun Zitao pulled him aside and whispered, "Xiao Hui, you're 18 this year, right? Do you want to find a wife?"

Lin Junhui blushed and said, "Brother Tao, you know my family situation. Who would want to be with me? I'm prepared to be a bachelor for the rest of my life."

“Don’t talk nonsense. Your family may be poor, but you have good character, are good-looking, and can read. Why is it that no one wants to be with you?” Sun Zitao scolded.

He continued, "Wait here, I'll introduce you to someone good, beautiful, and with good character."

Lin Junhui looked at Sun Zitao gratefully, "Thank you, Brother Tao."

After Lin Junhui finished speaking, his face turned even redder, and he lowered his head shyly. Those around him, seeing this, gathered around to tease him.

"Hey, Xiaohui, you look so embarrassed, do you have someone in your heart?"

"Haha, Brother Sun really dotes on you, he's even going to introduce you to someone!"

Lin Junhui hurriedly waved his hand and stammered, "No...no, I just thanked Brother Tao for his kindness."

At this moment, Sun Zitao patted Lin Junhui on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Alright, don't be shy, wait for my news. But you also need to work harder and have some confidence!" After saying that, he turned around and went back to his car.

Seeing this, the others scattered and returned to their own cars.

Lin Junhui thought to himself, "Brother Tao is right. I need to work hard to change my family's situation so that a girl will be willing to be with me. Otherwise, even if I marry her, she won't be willing to suffer with me."

It's not a long-term solution for him to keep waiting for work and doing odd jobs. He's been to school, can read, and can make spreadsheets, keep accounts, and monitor the warehouse for incoming and outgoing goods.

He couldn't keep drifting along like this. Brother Tao, Brother Wang, and Brother Zhou had never been to school, so they had no choice but to do this kind of work.

This job is barely enough to make a living; there are days with work and days without, it's unstable and the pay is low.

They're all married, and their lives are much more stable than his. He plans to visit the factory when he has time to see if they're hiring a warehouse manager.

He only has one mother; his father passed away from illness a few years ago. After his father's death, he stopped going to school and took on the heavy burden of supporting the family.

His mother, Song Shiyue, is literate and attended night school before getting married. She now works at a small shop.

Although the wages weren't much, they were enough to support my son as he grew up.

Now that my son is an adult, it's time for him to get married, but he hasn't saved up much money, so no one has come to propose marriage.

Song Shiyue was also constantly worried about this matter.