The three of them finished their meal and left the restaurant together.
"Sis, I'm Lin Min. Why don't we go to my place to chat?"
Song Xiu Jun nodded. Lin Min was overjoyed, and as if afraid she would run away, held onto her arm the entire way.
Lin Min's parents likely worked for the government, probably in fairly high positions, as they lived in a separate courtyard. The interior decoration was considered top-tier in Shanghai, unlike the Jiang family's home where even the wall putty hadn't been applied.
"Xiu Jun Sis, what kind of work do you do?"
Lin Min poured her a glass of sweetened water and brought over a plate of pastries and fruit, urging them to help themselves.
"At a food factory. I should be assigned to office work, but the specific department will depend on the factory's arrangements."
Lin Min and the other person knew their boundaries and didn't ask why she was going to the countryside despite having a job.
"How much do you want for this job?"
Office work was a very respectable position. Entering the factory as a clerk meant a higher salary than that of a worker, which was exactly why Jiang Li Min had been so envious that it drove her to violence.
"800. Can you accept that?"
Lin Min frowned slightly. The price was somewhat expensive, and she couldn't come up with that much money all at once. However, due to the Educated Youth being sent to the countryside, young people of the right age were all inquiring about jobs. It could be said that jobs were scarce and highly sought after. Coming across someone selling a job was like a blessing from above, so she didn't dare haggle.
"Xiu Jun Sis, could you give me some time? I'll try to scrape together the money," Lin Min pleaded, looking at her earnestly.
"I'm going to the countryside in four days. I can wait for two days. If you don't buy it, I'll need time to find someone else," Song Xiu Jun said indifferently.
Lin Min urgently replied, "I want it, I want it, I definitely want it. Please, Xiu Jun Sis, wait for me."
With that, she directly took out 200 yuan as a deposit and shoved it into her hand.
Song Xiu Jun didn't refuse, simply stuffing it into her pocket. "I'll come find you in two days."
Unexpectedly, after just one day, Lin Min couldn't wait and sought her out. She didn't know where Song Xiu Jun lived, so she stood at the entrance of the food factory's residential compound, peering around.
People back then were quite friendly. An old woman passing by saw her looking for someone and directly called out to her, "Comrade, who are you looking for?"
"Is there someone here named Song Xiu Jun?"
The old woman thought for a moment, then clapped her hands. "You must be asking about the Jiang family's youngest daughter."
She then enthusiastically led the way, trying to inquire about Lin Min's purpose for visiting and her family background, all of which Lin Min evaded.
Song Xiu Jun happened to be at home, packing her belongings for the countryside. Li Qiu Ying was also there. She had bought a chicken to make soup and took the opportunity to scold her for the "atrocious act" of beating her older brother and sister.
"Look how petty you've become, daring to hit your older brother and sister! If outsiders found out, how would you ever get married? Who would want a daughter-in-law like that!"
"You're too vicious. Later, come with me to the hospital to apologize to your brother and sister. I'll tell Ai Dang and Li Min that you specially made this chicken soup for them."
"Do you have any idea how angry your Uncle Jiang is? This is utterly disgraceful! Usually, we just ask you to do a bit more housework, and you hold such a grudge. We provide you with food and drink, and we've ended up raising an enemy."
"My classmate told me you went to the Educated Youth office yourself to pick a place to go down to the countryside, completely disobedient. How have you become like this? Going to a place where you can't even eat your fill, you'll have to rely on family subsidies every month from now on. Although your Uncle Jiang and I are both working, there are quite a few people in the household. Aren't you just adding to the family's burden like this?"
It felt like being surrounded by a swarm of flies. Song Xiu Jun grew irritated listening to her and glared darkly: "Do you think I don't dare hit you?"
Li Qiu Ying felt an inexplicable chill: "I'm only doing this for you. To get you assigned to a good place, I even went to give gifts to people. You're so ungrateful."
Song Xiu Jun said expressionlessly: "I originally didn't need to go down to the countryside. I had a job."
"Haven't we already said it's just for you to go down to the countryside for a few years first? In a couple of years, when your Uncle Jiang finds a good job, he'll call you back. We're family—why be so nitpicky? Li Min is being discharged from the hospital tomorrow. You should accompany her to the food factory then to complete the procedures. She's arranged a good marriage—as her younger sister, you'll share in the glory too."
Song Xiu Jun shook her head and sighed: "A fool who throws herself at others like you—this is the first time I've ever encountered such a thing in my life."
Li Qiu Ying widened her eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing: "You dare speak to your own mother like this? Fine, fine, fine. Let's see how you manage in the countryside without me sending you money!"
"Let you suffer in the countryside for two years, and you'll realize how good your life was!" She had spoiled this daughter too much, making her unaware of her own limits, even daring to curse her own mother. Jian Guo was right—without tasting some hardship, how could she understand the elders' well-intentioned efforts?
A sudden knock at the door interrupted the strange atmosphere in the room. Li Qiu Ying wiped her hands and opened the door to be met with Lin Min's polite smiling face: "Hello, is Song Xiu Jun at home?"
Ignoring Li Qiu Ying's scrutinizing gaze, Song Xiu Jun directly brought the person into her room.
On the floor lay a travel bag stuffed with bedding and a few old clothes.
Just as Lin Min was about to speak, she gestured for silence, and the other person fell quiet, directly taking out the remaining 600 yuan.
A thick roll of Great Unity banknotes was taken out from a cloth bundle and spread on the bed, looking quite tempting.
After counting the money, Song Xiu Jun stuffed it into the travel bag—actually storing it in her space. She lay on the floor, pulled an envelope from a crack in the small bed.
Inside was the recommendation letter. If Li Qiu Ying hadn't been unable to find this, she would have long taken Jiang Li Min to take over the job.
Tucking the envelope away, Song Xiu Jun quietly walked to the bedroom door. As soon as she opened it, Li Qiu Ying fell into the room. She looked expressionlessly at the person on the floor, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
Li Qiu Ying felt a chill under her gaze, awkwardly getting up and muttering to herself: "Time to deliver the chicken soup."
Song Xiu Jun took Lin Min to the food factory, first registering at the gate.
"Is the factory director in?"
"What business do you have with the director?" asked someone from the security department.
She directly handed over the recommendation letter, skipping explanations.
The other person smiled, their tone softening a bit: "So you're Old Song's daughter. You've grown so big in the blink of an eye. Let me take you over."
The recommendation letter had been personally issued by the factory director back then, so it wasn't wrong to handle this matter with him. Besides, she also wanted to test the waters regarding reporting Jiang Jian Guo.
Arriving at the office door, the security personnel explained on her behalf to the factory director's secretary. Only after the secretary went in to inquire were the two allowed to enter.
"Xiao Song, are you here today to complete the onboarding procedures? I'll have my secretary take you to HR," the factory director said with a very polite attitude.
"Director, this is my distant cousin. I won't be able to take over the job anymore—the Jiang family signed me up for the rural assignment," Song Xiu Jun's eyes flickered, instantly revealing a sorrowful expression.
"Since I'm going to the countryside, I need to prepare some belongings for myself, so I'm giving the job to my younger sister. That way, when I go to the countryside, I’ll have some money to rely on."
She didn’t intend to hide the fact that she was selling the job. Someone like the factory director would easily see through any cover-up.
"My stepfather is all smiles on the surface but bitter at heart. He’s always been fake with me. Usually, his family eats meat and wears new clothes every few days, while I only get sweet potato porridge. Going to the countryside is a way out for me—better than being treated like a beast of burden at home and getting beaten," she still had a wound on her head, making her words quite convincing.
The factory director’s expression turned serious: "Jiang Jian Guo and his wife are both working, and though they have income, they have many children. How could they possibly eat meat often? Xiao Song, you’re exaggerating. After all, she is your own mother."