Big news!!
The second daughter-in-law of the Lin family has become a factory worker!
The entire village was thrown into an uproar by the news.
The unbelievable news spread through every corner of Shuiwan Village at astonishing speed.
Although it was the first day of the Lunar New Year, families throughout the village gradually made their way to the Lin household. On New Year’s Day, it was mostly the younger generation who came home, so as long as one capable person stayed behind to watch the house, there was no problem.
No one was going to miss out on recruitment news that could be picked up so easily!
“Has Daxian really become a factory worker?”
“That’s what Erxian and Sanxian told me. Daxian’s even wearing brand-new clothes. Red ones! Not even the newly married brides in our village wore red wedding dresses last year. How could it be fake?”
“My goodness, being a factory worker really is wonderful. You get state grain rations, a salary, and a stable job. The moment Daxian became a worker, she even dared to have a brand-new red padded jacket made.”
…
Lin Qiaozhi moved a small wooden stool over and sat in front of the little iron coal stove to warm herself.
She pulled her clothes tighter around herself and stretched both hands over the brightly glowing coal stove, the fire casting a warm red glow across her fingers.
A pair of fire tongs lay in front of her, holding a piece of ciba suspended over the fire to roast slowly. The white, uncooked rice cake gradually turned golden brown, then slowly puffed up like a small pot lid, releasing the rich, natural fragrance of glutinous rice.
A villager stepping through the doorway exclaimed in surprise, “Why isn’t Qiaozhi helping in the kitchen?”
What kind of girl was this lazy? If she got married in the future, wouldn’t her mother-in-law scold her to death? If she were in their family, her legs would’ve been broken already.
Before Lin Qiaozhi could say anything, Third Aunt hurried over with a smile, took the visitor by the hand, and led her inside. “Come, come, have a seat. She’s a city girl. How would she know how to use our wood-burning stove? She’d only get in the way. The sisters-in-law can handle it ourselves!”
They certainly weren’t about to call that wild girl over.
It was better for the sisters-in-law to do it themselves. That way, they could even sneak a few extra good bites from the pot for their children.
More importantly, calling her over was asking for trouble!
She’d been like that ever since she was little. Whenever someone asked her to help, whether it was washing vegetables, picking vegetables, tending the fire, or rinsing rice, she’d immediately run off to call her younger brother.
“Lin Jiandong, Auntie’s asking us to help with the chores together!”
She always agreed readily and was willing to do any task, but she absolutely had to drag her younger brother along. Tell me, what kind of logic was that?
Who had ever seen a family’s son hanging around the stove all day?
As the eldest grandson of the family belonging to their most accomplished second son, Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin doted on him immensely.
They immediately stroked little Jiandong’s head with heartache and said, “Our poor Jiandong, you’ve suffered so much. Even in the city, you still have to do kitchen work.” Then they turned to Father Lin and demanded, “What’s Jiang Hongmei even doing? She can’t even take care of her own husband and child? Is this how the Jiang family raised her?”
If Jiang Hongmei happened to be standing there, they’d change their wording, pretending to scold the other daughters-in-law while actually aiming every barb at her.
The newly married wife would be left utterly humiliated and force out a smile. “I was calling Qiaozhi.” Who could have expected she’d insist on dragging Jiandong along?
This “newly married wife” didn’t refer to any specific person.
Rather, every daughter-in-law who married into the Lin family went through something similar during her first year, refusing to believe her sisters-in-law when they warned her, “Don’t ask Qiaozhi to help.”
Could it be that Jiang Hongmei’s daughter was somehow more precious?
Only afterward would they realize there really was a little girl with such a fierce temper!
As for how much the two elders of the Lin family loved their grandson, that wasn’t entirely true.
Who could become deeply attached to a child they only saw once or twice a year?
The main thing was that it gave them an excuse to berate Jiang Hongmei!
Marrying into the city was already more than enough good fortune. She already had it easy. But what did she do? She was always taking things back to her natal family!!
The elderly couple couldn’t stand seeing all the good things their son earned being sent to the in-laws. It felt as though the items were being pulled straight out of their own pockets. Their hearts ached every time, and they resented it immensely.
Year after year, they looked down on Jiang Hongmei, their second daughter-in-law.
And by extension, they also targeted Lin Qiaozhi, speaking with veiled sarcasm, mocking and criticizing her at every turn, stopping just short of pointing at Jiang Hongmei’s nose and saying, “This is how you raise your daughter?” and “Ungrateful thing, helping outsiders instead of your own family.”
In the end, it always turned into a noisy farce.
Anyone who had experienced it never dared ask Lin Qiaozhi to help with chores again.
Afterward, whenever no one was around, Jiang Hongmei would wipe away her tears. “Why is my life so miserable? Other people’s daughters are so sensible. Why is it only the one I gave birth to who doesn’t know how to spare a thought for her mother? What’s wrong with doing a little work…”
She neither dared nor had the strength to stand up to her parents-in-law, so she blamed everything on her daughter instead.
It was all little Qiaozhi’s fault.
Lin Qiaozhi turned the fire tongs over, exposing a fresh side of the ciba to the heat.
But as little Qiaozhi gradually grew up, she steadily carved out her own small territory. Everyone knew she had a fierce temper. If someone asked her to tend the stove, Third Sister-in-law’s first reaction would be, “Forget it, forget it. I’ll do it. How would she know how?” No one in the family dared make sarcastic remarks about her anymore.
Yet Jiang Hongmei, after being married into the Lin family for so many years, still wiped away her tears and lamented her miserable fate.
The person who had supposedly done “wrong” stood firm, while the one who had supposedly done “right” remained on shaky ground, still being mocked, ridiculed, and cursed for favoring her natal family over her husband’s.
The lively chatter from the other side grew louder and louder.
As lively as the crackling firewood blazing in the stove.
“Daxian! You really became a factory worker? How did it happen? Were they recruiting?”
“Yeah, yeah! What were the requirements? Can we apply too? My Jianguo is a hard worker. He can do anything. Daxian, could you recommend him to the leaders?”
…
“Daxian” was what they called Jiang Hongmei.
She was the eldest sister, and at least she’d been given the decent name Hongmei. Although it was just the name of a mountain flower, it still sounded far nicer than those of her younger sisters, especially the fifth, sixth, and seventh sisters, who were named Zhaodi, Laidi, and Pandi.
It wasn’t until the eighth child that the family finally had a son. People in the village joked that the Jiang family was like the “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,” each displaying their own divine powers before finally getting what they wanted.
No one knew who had started it, calling the baby boy Baxian. Later, people jokingly referred to the older sisters as Wuxian, Liuxian, and Qixian. After saying it often enough, everyone found it convenient and easy to remember. Before long, the girls’ original childhood names disappeared, and everyone simply called them Daxian, Erxian, and so on.
Jiang Hongmei looked incredibly proud in her red padded jacket!
Standing in the middle of the crowd, she practically held her head high with newfound confidence. “It’s an official position with a permanent establishment! At our Hongqi Agricultural Machinery Factory, not one of those tiny factories that pinch every penny on benefits.”
“How did you get it?”
“I’m telling you!! You know those literacy classes? I can read now! I’m an educated person! Qiaozhi taught me everything…”
Everyone found it unbelievable. Jiang Hongmei had barely recognized any characters as a child before having to stay home to raise her younger siblings. Now, at her age, she’d actually become an educated person!
“Your Qiaozhi taught you to read?”
Jiang Hongmei’s confidence instantly swelled.
She knew plenty of people in the village mocked her. “Why educate a girl? Studying only ruins their brains, makes them wild, and they won’t even stay close to you anymore.” The girls in the village who never went to school were so obedient, so sensible, easy to raise, hardworking, and capable.
“What do you people know?” She was so pleased with herself her eyebrows nearly flew off her face as she gestured animatedly. “Qiaozhi’s going to be a factory worker too. She’s studying at the Hongqi Factory’s school that specifically trains senior skilled workers. She’s excellent in every subject, and once she graduates, she’ll start as a Second-Grade Worker!”
She held up two fingers, her expression exaggerated with pride. “A Second-Grade Worker earns a full 38 yuan and 29 fen a month. Her father had to work five or six years before he slowly worked his way up to that salary. Qiaozhi will have it the moment she graduates.”
How much? 38.29 yuan!
The villagers who had hurried over to inquire burst into an uproar. Many people in their village worked themselves to the bone all year long, pouring sweat into the fields until it practically shattered into eight pieces, and still couldn’t save that much money.
That’s why being a factory worker was so desirable. One factory worker could support an entire family, and a household with two factory workers was the envy of everyone.
Before long, the Lin family would actually have three factory workers!
Kettle after kettle of hot water was boiled.
Everyone talked until their mouths went dry.
Jiang Hongmei felt as though she’d finally vented all the resentment and frustration she’d bottled up over the years in one breath.
It felt indescribably satisfying!
Especially when she saw the expressions on her usually sarcastic parents-in-law’s faces, she felt as refreshed as if she’d downed a huge bowl of icy mung bean soup in the middle of summer.
While Jiang Hongmei talked herself hoarse, Father Lin picked up where she left off.
He wasn’t nearly as direct. Instead, he’d casually remark things like, “Still doesn’t have the power of a tractor when you drive it,” then wait for everyone to react with amazement and eagerly question him further.
Then he’d casually bring up the New Year’s gifts he’d brought home, and the two elders of the Lin family would chime in enthusiastically. “Oh, we told him not to bring all this back, but he insisted. Our second son has always been so sensible and filial ever since he was little.”
Once again, their relatives and friends were consumed with envy, even sounding a little sour as they spoke.
Father Lin, who was just another ordinary worker at Hongqi Factory, was forever surrounded by admiring gazes whenever he returned to his hometown. Everywhere he went, people greeted him warmly with smiling faces. He practically walked on air.
Lin Qiaozhi sat nearby eating her roasted ciba.
The ciba seemed to have been made from the glutinous rice distributed by Hongqi Factory for the Mid-Autumn Festival. The hometown’s method of making ciba really was exceptional. Slowly roasted over the fire until it developed a fragrant char and rich rice aroma, it was wonderfully comforting on both the tongue and the stomach.
She listened to everything, but none of it really registered.
Lin Wuqiang and Jiang Hongmei, however, smiled so broadly they could hardly close their mouths as wave after wave of praise came their way, especially compliments like, “You’ve really made it,” “Such a filial family,” “Old Lin really raised a fine son,” “Old Jiang really raised a wonderful daughter,” and “Your parents are truly enjoying the good life now…”
That tone, carrying just a touch of amazement mixed with just a hint of envy, scratched Father Lin and Mother Jiang right where they itched.
Halfway through eating, someone sat down beside Lin Qiaozhi.
“Qiaozhi.”
“First Aunt?”
Sun Lan handed her a bowl of ciba and a few oranges. “You seem to like these, so I brought you some more.”
Lin Qiaozhi placed another orange on the fire. The mountain oranges were sour, but roasting them made them warm and sweet, with a faint herbal fragrance. They tasted especially comforting and were wonderful for a sore throat.
Sun Lan also held her hands over the fire, warming both sides as she casually said, “First Aunt heard Jiandong wanted to become a fitter before?”
“Mm.” Lin Qiaozhi couldn’t tell what her first aunt was getting at. She didn’t seem like the type who would stand up for her nephew.
Sun Lan continued in a conversational tone, “First Aunt’s been through it herself, so let me tell you something from the heart. For us women, having brothers from our natal family to back us up is important…”
She gave two examples, both true stories from nearby villages.
They were about two wives who had been beaten by their husbands. One immediately returned to her natal family and brought several brothers back to stand up for her. After that, her husband not only apologized but never dared hit her again.
The other woman had it much worse. She wasn’t close to her brothers and had nowhere else to go. Her husband continued beating her, and all she could do was endure it.
“…So you see, brothers from your natal family are what give a married woman confidence in her husband’s family.”
After taking such a roundabout, gentle approach, and seeing that Lin Qiaozhi hadn’t become angry, First Aunt finally breathed a sigh of relief. She was just about to mention her own son, Da’an. Things might not be good with Jiandong, but a natal family’s support didn’t necessarily have to come from biological brothers, right?
Before she could speak, Lin Qiaozhi peeled a blackened roasted orange and said, “First Aunt, I think relying on anyone is worse than fighting back yourself.”
“What do you think?”
Sun Lan’s smile froze. The words at the tip of her tongue circled once before she swallowed them back down.
After a long pause, she gave an awkward laugh. “Take your time eating. If there aren’t enough oranges, go pick some from the back.”
First Aunt got up and left. Lin Qiaozhi looked up at Lin Jiandong, who was enthusiastically chatting and playing with boys his own age from the village.
He really hadn’t changed one bit when it came to running to adults to complain.
They had barely been back, yet all the elders already knew she refused to teach him.
She vaguely remembered that when they were little, her younger brother had actually been pretty decent for a while. But after just one New Year visit back to the village, with the elders indulging him, the adults joking around, and children his own age laughing at him, saying, “Why are you still doing girls’ work? Hahaha, that’s hilarious~”
He changed very quickly afterward.
Amid these magnificent mountains and rivers, it was as though an invisible swamp lay hidden beneath the surface, one that was especially cruel to girls. It let them struggle and fight within it, only to sink deeper and deeper, becoming covered in mud they could never completely shake off.
That mud was rotten and ugly, forcing people to become twisted and unrecognizable themselves.
Seeing the expression on First Aunt’s face, as though she wanted to say something but held herself back, Lin Qiaozhi could more or less guess what she had intended.
But she would never agree.
She hated her hometown, hated this swamp, hated the mud clinging to Jiang Hongmei that had then been flung onto her as well. She hated it so much that she never wanted to come back for the New Year, let alone have any deeper connection with this place.
It was almost noon.
The guests gradually dispersed.
The women, who had been busy in the kitchen for a long time, carried out dish after dish and placed them on the tables.
The men sat together at one table, with homemade sorghum liquor already set out before them, waiting to launch into animated conversation.
The women and children sat at a separate table, which was a little smaller.
As Third Aunt set out the dishes, she warmly urged everyone, “Come and try these. These two dishes were made by Qiaohua. See if you like them.” Seeing everyone look over, she smiled and pulled over a young girl who looked about the same age as Lin Qiaozhi. “This girl is hardworking and quick with her hands. Whoever marries her in the future will be a lucky man!”
Hearing the name, Lin Qiaozhi instinctively looked up.
Unexpectedly, Qiaohua across from her looked over as well.
Their gazes met. Having just been praised, Qiaohua smiled brightly, lifted her chin slightly, and looked back with unmistakable pride.
They were bright, sparkling eyes filled with laughter, carrying all the joy and happiness of a young girl, something that should have been among the most beautiful things in the world.
Yet it sent a chill racing down Lin Qiaozhi’s spine.
Something pierced deep into her heart.
After taking a few casual bites, she had no desire to listen to Lin Jiadong complain, followed by everyone urging her to teach her younger brother because they were family and all that.
She walked out of the house.
Her chest felt a little tight.
Standing in the courtyard, she looked toward the towering mountains in the distance.
Looking at such a vast and magnificent view, Lin Qiaozhi suddenly found herself missing Director Meng.
Every time she returned to her hometown, she came away with an even greater appreciation for how remarkable Director Meng was.
The mire had trapped countless women. It was terrifying, an invisible prison.
And yet there were still women who had walked out of it, who dared to bare their blades against it and sound a resounding call to charge.
The second day of the Lunar New Year.
When they visited the Jiang family, it was not much different from the first day. Amid wave after wave of astonishment and praise, Lin Wuqiang and Jiang Hongmei could not stop smiling.
The only difference was that the Jiang family no longer had a place for Jiang Hongmei to stay.
As each of her sisters had married, the two rooms that had been freed up had both become homes for the “Eight Immortals” after they took wives.
They could only hurry back overnight to Hongqi Agricultural Machinery Factory.
The moment she saw the familiar red-brick apartment building, Lin Qiaozhi let out a deep sigh of relief. It felt as though she had been holding her breath while swimming beneath a river, only to burst above the surface just before her oxygen ran out and greedily gulp fresh air.
She felt completely alive again.
In the blink of an eye, it was the eighth day of the Lunar New Year.
“Mother, I’m taking these things with me!” Lin Qiaozhi picked up several items.
Jiang Hongmei immediately grew anxious. “Hey, hey, hey! Why are you taking so much?” She felt pained. “You really don’t know how expensive everyday necessities are until you’re the one running the household. I was counting on taking those when making New Year’s visits and returning holiday calls.”
“I’m making New Year’s visits too!”
“You’re just a child. What New Year’s visits are you making?”
Raising the items high, Lin Qiaozhi deftly twisted away with nimble movements and skipped happily toward the door like a little deer. “I’m going to pay a New Year’s visit to Director Meng.”
Jiang Hongmei had spent her whole life being frugal, so it pained her to see those things taken and she wanted to grumble a little. But when she thought about her daughter, she let it go.
Other than Qiaozhi, who else had patiently taught her quotations one sentence at a time, taught her to read, and helped her fight for the job she had dreamed about for half her life?
Even so, she could not help feeling a little jealous. Director Meng seemed even closer to her daughter than her own mother.
By the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the residential compound had become lively again. Everywhere people were making New Year’s visits, exchanging greetings, and laughing.
Every corner of the compound had come alive again, including the communal concrete washing basins beneath the shared water taps.
“Oh! Sister Fang, washing your bedsheets and quilt covers together with Engineer Zhao?”
“That’s right! We both have to work. Once work starts again, where will we find the time?”
“Hahaha, Old Zhao, looks like your wife has you completely under her thumb now!”
…
Hearing the voices, Lin Qiaozhi, who was passing by, curiously craned her head over.
Then her eyes went wide.
She wondered if she was dreaming.
This was the first time in her life she had ever seen a man standing beneath that row of water taps scrubbing laundry by hand!
She had seen it plenty of times in her dreams, but seeing it with her own eyes was truly a rare sight.
Faced with everyone’s teasing, Sister Fang planted her hands on her hips and glared back. “What? Is that not allowed? Look at all of you making such a fuss. Director Meng already said that men with progressive thinking actively participate in housework. It’s not like I don’t earn money too!”
Pointing her finger at each of them in turn, she said, “I can tell none of you have been paying attention in class.”
Lin Qiaozhi, who had only stopped to watch the show, was thoroughly delighted.
Seeing someone about to argue back, she could tell from the look on their face that nothing good was about to come out of their mouth.
You couldn’t expect anything decent from someone like that.
As nimble as a fish, Lin Qiaozhi slipped through the crowd.
“That’s right!” she said with a solemn nod, wearing the disapproving expression of a model student. “I can tell none of you have been paying attention in class.”
Although she had been busy with her studies and had not listened to Director Meng’s lectures for quite some time, she was not entirely sure what had led to the current situation.
But this was obviously something she had suggested before!
It was on the day she had first dreamed about that beautiful fox spirit sister.
She had been so emotionally shaken that day that she had really said whatever came into her head.
Lin Qiaozhi’s smile was brighter than the flowers themselves. “I was just on my way to pay Director Meng a New Year’s visit. Aunt Fang, tell me who wasn’t showing progressive thinking just now, and I’ll write it down.”
And what would she do after writing it down?
Tell Director Meng that these people lacked enthusiasm in their thinking and needed more ideological education, of course!
The crowd that had been joking around immediately fell silent in embarrassment. How was this wild girl still so fearless? They were not schoolchildren anymore!
Lin Qiaozhi felt as though something was a little off.
Only after someone quickly tried to smooth things over with laughter, saying, “I didn’t say anything just now,” and “Engineer Zhao sure knows how to dote on his wife, hahaha,” did Lin Qiaozhi suddenly realize that no one had scolded her!
No one called her nosy, no one told her it was none of her business, and no one called her a “wild girl” anymore.
Lin Qiaozhi wondered if it was because Engineer Lu had taken her out that time. Or was it because of the achievements she had earned through her own hard work, bit by bit?
She was going to become a senior engineer in the future.
Maybe things really had changed, if only a little.
After that little incident, Lin Qiaozhi happily ran all the way to Director Meng’s home.
Excitedly gesturing with her hands, she enthusiastically told Director Meng everything that had just happened and praised her sincerely. “Director Meng, your publicity work is amazing. It’s already starting to have an effect so quickly.”
Some people might think it was too slow, but perhaps only those who had experienced the hardship themselves, who had worked on women’s affairs, could understand how difficult such a tiny change was to achieve, and how incredibly precious it was.
“Silly girl.” Director Meng smiled and lightly tapped her forehead.
Perhaps because she had witnessed Lin Qiaozhi’s determination and growth, she no longer treated her like a child. Instead, she told the girl who looked at her with eyes full of admiration the truth.
With a gentle smile, she lowered her voice and said, “I arranged for them to be there.”
Lin Qiaozhi was dumbfounded. “You arranged for them?”
Good heavens, there were planted supporters for this too?
Director Meng sorted through the newspapers in front of her, preparing materials and examples for this year’s publicity work, and revealed a little more. “Sister Fang and Engineer Zhao performed exceptionally well this year with outstanding achievements. Most likely, they’ll both be selected as the factory’s Model Workers.”
Lin Qiaozhi ventured, “So… you’re going to tie their selection to progressive thinking?” After hesitating for a moment, she added, “Wouldn’t that somewhat overshadow the hard work and achievements they originally earned?”
That seemed a little unfair. How had Director Meng convinced them to agree?
Seeing her conflicted little expression, Director Meng suppressed a laugh. “You have friends like Zhenzhu, A Shui, and Wanwan who share your ideals. Naturally, your Director Meng has friends like that too. Don’t worry.”
Lin Qiaozhi let out an astonished “Oh.” So Aunt Fang and Director Meng were that close!
She felt a different kind of happiness.
Then, all of a sudden, she found herself looking forward to something.
Right now, everyone was just watching the spectacle, treating it as something novel or amusing, without taking the ideological work that Director Meng had spent more than half a year quietly promoting to heart.
But after the New Year, when word got out that Aunt Fang and Engineer Zhao had received extra consideration because of their “progressive thinking,” allowing both husband and wife to be selected as Model Workers, receive salary grade increases, and gain additional priority for factory housing allocations, welfare benefits, and other policies…
How would everyone react then?
Just thinking about it made Lin Qiaozhi incredibly excited.
“I’ll help organize these too,” Lin Qiaozhi offered. She had lived in Director Meng’s home when she was little and knew just how busy women’s affairs work really was. During the New Year alone, there were disputes to mediate involving marriages, quarrels, childbirth, conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, all kinds of family issues, and workplace problems. They all fell under the Women’s Director’s responsibility.
“Take a look through these.” Director Meng did not stand on ceremony and handed over part of the stack.
As Lin Qiaozhi sorted through newspaper reports about women from all over the country, she could not help saying with a trace of longing, “Director Meng, do you think there’ll ever come a day when I’ll become someone featured in the newspapers you use for your publicity work?”
A hint of hope colored her voice. She wanted to become someone like Director Meng.
“I’d say that day is probably coming soon.”
Lin Qiaozhi froze.
How could that be! Director Meng had to be teasing her, right?
“No one told you?” Director Meng asked with a smile as she looked at Lin Qiaozhi’s stunned expression.
Lin Qiaozhi shook her head vigorously. “No!”
No one had really told her!
Wasn’t she still working hard on the side cover plate mold with a tolerance within seven si?
“The factory administration has probably been too busy with the New Year, and the school is on holiday too, so they were likely planning to handle it after the holidays.”
Smiling warmly, Director Meng sincerely congratulated her. “Comrade Lin Qiaozhi, the Railway Bureau has already sent our office a commendation letter, thanking you for your valuable suggestions and commending you for your contribution to optimizing the efficiency of the railway system.”