Just as she thought this, “Gu Hehua” placed the household registration book on the office desk and raised her voice:
“Comrade, please help me register my children—Liang Yuanjun, Liang Yuanchao, and Liang Jingya—for the countryside program. Let’s send them to Beidahuang!”
“They want to contribute to the construction of new rural communities in China. They’re not afraid of hardship or fatigue.”
Song Hongmei and Zhou Dongmei exchanged glances, seeing the same confusion mirrored in each other’s eyes.
Then Zhou Dongmei looked up at Gu Hehua. “Director Gu, are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?”
Hearing this, Gu Hehua looked at Song Hongmei and Zhou Dongmei and nodded earnestly.
She then spoke with righteous authority:
“My children are responding to the nation’s call. As their parents, it’s natural for us to support them.”
“Comrade Zhou, please register my children immediately!”
After confirming again, Zhou Dongmei finally believed it. Indeed, there really was a mother willing to send her children to the harsh countryside.
Though a little incredulous, the facts were right before her, so she had no choice but to believe.
She stammered, “O-okay… I understand. I’ll register them right away.”
“The countryside destination for Liang Yuanjun, Liang Yuanchao, and Liang Jingya will be Qiyang Commune in Beidahuang.”
She picked up a pen and quickly filled in the registration book. Soon, it was completed.
Then she handed over the countryside allowance and the Liang family household registration book to Gu Hehua.
“Director Gu, here’s your household book. One educated youth receives 240 yuan, so for three youths, that’s 720 yuan.”
“Director Gu, keep these safe. Their departure for the countryside is in 10 days. You can now help your three children prepare their belongings for the journey.”
Taking the countryside allowance and household book from Zhou Dongmei, Gu Hehua put them directly into her bag—actually storing them in her Personal Storage Space.
“Got it. By the way, I heard that the day before departure, the Educated Youth Office staff will notify the family at home, right?”
This wasn’t a secret, so Zhou Dongmei nodded seriously:
“Yes, that’s correct.”
After confirming, Gu Hehua left satisfied.
Watching her leave, Song Hongmei and Zhou Dongmei exchanged glances, each silently questioning reality.
“Isn’t this supposed to be the era of favoring sons over daughters? These two families are too unconventional.”
Hearing this, Zhou Dongmei shook her head and smiled. “Hongmei, you’re overthinking. We’re just lucky; our parents weren’t so biased toward sons.”
Song Hongmei agreed with her friend: “Yes, that’s true…”
In the empty alley, Gu Hehua wrapped the entire alley in psychic power.
After restoring her appearance, she reached the mouth of a small alley and overheard someone talking about wanting to buy a job.
Yun Youyou approached the mother and daughter, lowering her voice:
“Do you want to buy a job? I have an accounting position at a steel mill. What price can you offer?”
Hearing this, Li Jinling glanced at Yun Youyou, skeptical:
“You have an office job? Why don’t you take it yourself?”
Qin Lanhua, standing nearby, also looked suspiciously at Yun Youyou:
“Yeah! Miss, such a good job—why don’t you work there yourself?”
Seeing the mother and daughter’s skeptical expressions, Yun Youyou pretended to be sad.
“My parents signed me up to go to the countryside. They want me to give my office job and my fiancé to my older sister.”
She paused for a moment, almost in tears:
“They… they took away my countryside allowance and only prepared two sets of clothes for me.”
“I had no choice, so I secretly ran out, hoping to sell this job slot.”
“To buy some supplies for going to the countryside. Do you want it? If not, I’ll look for someone else.”
Hearing Yun Youyou’s story, the mother and daughter felt some sympathy, but it was a family matter.
Li Jinling glanced at her mother, Qin Lanhua, and tugged at her sleeve, whispering:
“Mom, this girl is really pitiful.”
“This job is great. Let’s buy it! With this job, I won’t have to go to the countryside.”
Actually, Qin Lanhua had thought the job was excellent when she first heard about it; she had only hesitated initially.
Now that she knew the details, and with the job in question, it fit perfectly. No one would normally sell a position unless there were special circumstances.
She looked at her daughter’s pleading eyes, then at Yun Youyou.
Lowering her voice:
“Miss, we’ll take this job slot. Official positions in the workshop sell for 1,200 yuan on the market.”
“This is an office position. We can give you 1,500 yuan, plus 10 jin of national cotton and grain coupons. How about that?”
Yun Youyou understood that the 1,500 yuan plus the extra coupons were offered because they felt sorry for her.
But she wasn’t going to be polite. She raised her head again, still looking pitiful.
“Alright, thank you, aunty, thank you. I’ve brought my ID and job certificate. If it’s suitable, we can go to the steel mill now.”
“The sooner the job slot is transferred to you, the sooner I can prepare my luggage for the countryside.”
Seeing Yun Youyou’s pitiful demeanor, the mother remembered how the Educated Youth Office would keep coming to their home to remind them.
Qin Lanhua didn’t hesitate:
“Miss, our home is near the steel mill. You and my daughter go wait at the mill entrance. I’ll go back to get the money and household book.”
Hearing this, Yun Youyou nodded gently: “Alright, let’s go.”
The three of them walked toward the steel mill.
An hour later, Li Jinling held the freshly acquired job certificate, her face brimming with joy.
She grabbed Yun Youyou’s hand warmly and whispered:
“Youyou, from now on, we’re best friends.”
“If you ever return to the city, come visit me. You know where I live.”
Yun Youyou smiled faintly:
“Jinling, I got it. If I ever return to the city, I’ll visit you.”
They chatted for a while longer before Yun Youyou left.
Watching her leave, Qin Lanhua sighed softly:
“This girl has a hard life.”
Hearing her mother’s low murmur, Li Jinling narrowed her eyes and looked at her mother.
Whispering:
“Mom, you underestimate her. She’s not simple. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have lowered my status to be friends with someone pitiful.”
Qin Lanhua, being sharp, understood immediately. She had just not observed carefully before.
“Hehe… I really misjudged her.”