After pulling herself out of the blow, Sang Sang began focusing on the present.
Since no one knew when the college entrance exam would resume, she had to find herself a good job.
And what counted as a “good job” in her eyes?
It had to sound respectable, offer good benefits, not be tiring, and the work environment couldn’t be dirty or chaotic.
In short—she didn’t want to suffer at all.
“Mom, how did it go? Did you find out what positions are available?” Sang Sang had waited at home all day. The moment her mother returned, she hurried over to ask.
Qin Yunxi’s expression wasn’t great. She set the groceries down on the table and sighed.
She hadn’t expected such bad timing. Just a few days ago, she had asked Wang Hong from the grain station, who said there were a few jobs available for purchase at a high price.
But when she went back today, all those positions had already been taken.
And as if that wasn’t enough, on her way home, she ran into staff from the neighborhood committee. They informed her that, under new directives, families were required to actively send someone to the countryside—and if eligible, each household had to send one person.
Both Sang Sang and Bai Zhixin were already eighteen, perfectly meeting the requirement.
What rotten luck.
If it weren’t so strictly regulated, she would’ve even considered shaving a few years off her daughter’s age.
Qin Yunxi didn’t hide anything. Knowing her daughter had her own mind, she told her everything that had happened that day.
Sang Sang frowned, sitting silently for a long time.
She felt like she had already compromised again and again—so why was it still so difficult?
Was fate deliberately working against her?
She refused to accept it. Even if there was no path, she would carve one out herself.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got plenty of money. I refuse to believe that I can’t buy you a job with it,” Qin Yunxi quickly reassured her, seeing her daughter’s unhappy expression.
She truly did have a considerable amount of money—some saved from her previous marriage, and quite a bit extracted from her philandering father.
As the saying goes, money makes the mare go. She didn’t believe it wouldn’t work.
Sang Sang nodded absentmindedly.
One thing was certain—she was not going to the countryside.
If every family had to send one person, then it should be Bai Zhixin.
He was tough and sturdy—better suited for rural life.
…
That evening, when Bai Anrong came home from work and saw fish and meat on the table, he couldn’t help but be surprised.
“Yunxi, what’s the occasion today? Why such a feast?”
Since Qin Yunxi had something to ask of him, she had already let Sang Sang finish eating early and stay in her room, so she could talk privately with Bai Anrong.
She first gave him a gentle, affectionate look before speaking.
“Well, you’ve been working overtime lately, and it’s tiring. And Sang Sang… she’s pulled herself together. She’s no longer thinking about university and wants to find a job to help the family. So I thought we’d have something nice to eat today.”
Bai Anrong beamed with delight and nodded repeatedly.
“Daughters really are the best—so thoughtful. Unlike Bai Zhixin, that rascal who’s never home. By the way, jobs are hard to come by these days—every position is tightly held. Don’t go asking around blindly. You’ve got me—I’ll go inquire tomorrow at work.”
Qin Yunxi thought to herself: You’re just a section chief. Relying solely on you isn’t reassuring.
But this was exactly the response she had been waiting for.
She took his hand, her eyes reddening slightly as she looked at him softly.
“Anrong, you’re so good to us. Having you is such a blessing for me and Sang Sang. I’ll make sure Sang Sang treats you well in the future.”
“Don’t forget Zhixin too. If there’s a suitable job for him, keep an eye out. He can’t keep running around causing trouble with those people—others talk behind his back.”
“And today, I ran into people from the neighborhood office. They said each family must send one child to the countryside. Sigh… Anrong, if we really can’t find a job, then let Sang Sang go. After all, Zhixin is your only son—we can’t send him. As for Sang Sang… it’ll just be her bad fate.”
Hearing this, Bai Anrong’s heart softened.
Look at how kind Yunxi was to his son—thinking of him in everything. Wasn’t this what it meant to love someone and extend that love to their family?
He even felt a pang of guilt for not caring enough about Sang Sang before. Why hadn’t he started looking into jobs as soon as he heard the exams were canceled?
There was no way he would let such a delicate girl go to the countryside.
If it truly came down to choosing one, then it would have to be that rascal son of his.
He was tough enough to handle it.
…
With a serious expression, Bai Anrong quickly reassured her,
“Yunxi, Sang Sang is my daughter too. Don’t say that. Don’t worry—I’ll ask around among my old connections about job openings in Harbin. Even in the worst-case scenario, I won’t let Sang Sang suffer.”
Seeing her goal achieved, Qin Yunxi said a few more sweet words before casually changing the topic.
“I remember the children in your elder brother’s family also meet the criteria for going to the countryside. What are they planning now? Found jobs, or are they going?”
It had been quite a while since she last saw Bai Anhua’s family—only during New Year visits or when paying respects to ancestors did the two families meet.
Bai Anrong replied, “I ran into my brother a few days ago. He’s worried about his children’s jobs too. With so many kids in his family, the neighborhood office made it clear they must send at least one to the countryside. Otherwise, as a leader himself, it wouldn’t look good.”
“They have to choose between Zhiguo and Lanlan. From what I can tell, my brother wants Zhiguo to go—after all, Lanlan was only found a few years ago, and he feels he owes her. But Zhang Hui favors Zhiguo, so there’s bound to be a big argument.”
Just thinking about his elder brother’s household gave Bai Anrong a headache.
Ever since the child-swapping incident was discovered three years ago, there had been no peace.
His brother, out of guilt, favored Bai Lanlan more. But his sister-in-law Zhang Hui doted on her youngest son and Bai Tingting, whom she had raised herself. With limited good things to go around, constant disputes broke out over who got what.
Compared to that, his own life in recent years had been smooth—his wife was gentle and considerate, his daughter obedient and sensible.
As for his son… well, at least he was still alive.
The more Qin Yunxi listened, the more something felt off.
“Why are they only choosing between Zhiguo and Lanlan? What about Tingting?” she asked.
Bai Anrong’s throat felt dry—he hadn’t even had a sip of water since coming in. He poured himself a glass, drank, then continued:
“Oh, Tingting got lucky. At the beginning of this year, she dropped out of school, saying she wanted to ease the family’s burden and insisted on finding work. Back then, competition wasn’t as fierce. It just so happened that there was a clerical position at my brother’s steel factory, so they used their connections to get her in.”
Qin Yunxi couldn’t help thinking to herself—what kind of luck did Bai Tingting have, to have such perfect timing?
If only that job had gone to her Sang Sang instead…