The next morning, Baolan didn’t go home. After eating the sweet fermented rice with poached eggs cooked by Third Aunt, she slung a sack over her shoulder and was about to leave.
Third Aunt stopped her, pulled out a spring–autumn quilt, and tried to stuff it into the sack.
Baolan was startled and quickly grabbed the sack to stop her. “Third Aunt, what are you doing? I don’t need that. It’s getting hot soon—I can even sleep without a blanket. When it gets cold in a couple of months, I’ll make one myself.”
“You still need a quilt in the early mornings and evenings. Don’t take it lightly—what if you catch a cold?” Third Aunt snatched the sack back and stuffed the quilt inside. “Cotton isn’t easy to come by these days. I wanted to make Baoyu a new cotton quilt, but there’s no cotton anywhere. I heard you even need ration coupons to buy cotton in the city—it’s really hard to make a winter quilt.”
“You save up first. If you still can’t make one, my family has an extra winter quilt—you can carry one over and use it for now.”
“Third Aunt…” Baolan’s eyes grew warm, not knowing how to thank her. Compared to Li Sanniu, Third Aunt felt more like a mother.
Although the two families weren’t on good terms because of Old Madam Chen, the children got along well. Third Aunt had always treated her kindly—when Baolan had her first period, it was Third Aunt who helped sew her menstrual cloth.
Third Aunt said gently, “Don’t blame your parents. When there are many children, it’s just like this. Unlike our family, with only your second brother and fourth sister, we always have a bit extra. You’re capable—you’ll rely on yourself in the future.”
As for her odd-tempered sister-in-law, she couldn’t be bothered to comment.
Baolan wiped her eyes and nodded.
“Alright, it’s getting late. Let Baoliang take you—are you going by boat?”
“Yes. No need for Second Brother to come, I can carry this myself.” Baolan smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Uncle Yu is going with us today.”
“That’s good. Will you come back next week?”
A flicker of gloom passed through Baolan’s eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “We’ll see. It’s close anyway—I can come back anytime.”
“Alright, go on then.”
“Okay.”
Carrying her now-bulging sack, Baolan went to meet Dingqing and her family.
Dingqing and her father were already prepared. When they saw her, Yu Heping asked her to put the sack down and took up a shoulder pole to carry it.
Seeing that Dingqing had two sacks of her own, Baolan didn’t let Uncle Yu carry hers and continued shouldering it herself.
The three of them set out early, took a boat from the bridge, and arrived in the county town ahead of time, still buying tickets for the ten o’clock departure.
Although Uncle Yu was a village head, he had actually traveled less than Baolan and Dingqing—his farthest trip had only ever been to the county seat.
Sitting on the boat, Yu Heping couldn’t help but marvel again at how bold the two girls were—like newborn calves unafraid of tigers.
People of his generation, on the other hand, had spent their whole lives timidly staying close to home, never daring to travel far.
This time, he was benefiting from them, getting a chance to see the city.
After eleven, when the boat arrived at Mingfeng’s main dock, Dingqing proudly pointed things out to her father. “We need to go to Jigongzui Dock ahead to catch a small boat, then get off at Baoshi Bridge Dock. Our factory is right across from there.”
“Dad, is it heavy carrying that? Should we hire a handcart?”
Yu Heping shook his head vigorously. “Does hiring a cart cost nothing? That’s why you never have enough money—you waste it on things like this.”
“What are you talking about? I’ve never hired one—I’m just worried you can’t carry it.”
“Alright, enough talking. Just lead the way.”
Dingqing pouted and walked behind Baolan, helping support her sack.
Along the way, Yu Heping quietly observed everything, enviously watching bicycle after bicycle glide past.
If he could own a bicycle, he wouldn’t trade it for anything—not even being a god.
This time they didn’t rush to Baoshi Bridge, since it would be the factory’s lunch break if they arrived now.
Instead, the three of them ate lunch at a noodle shop outside Jigongzui Dock.
Yu Heping was reluctant to spend money and ordered plain noodles. Baolan and Dingqing each ordered a bowl—one with pickled mustard greens and shredded pork, the other with pig liver—each costing twelve fen.
While wincing at the cost, Yu Heping took out boiled eggs prepared by his wife, peeled them, and placed one in each of their bowls.
After finishing the last sip of soup, Dingqing smacked her lips. “So delicious—sour and spicy! How do they make it? Dad, have you ever had roast duck? Last time Baolan and I stayed at an inn, there was a roast duck shop outside—it smelled so good you could catch the scent from miles away!”
Without waiting for an answer, she chattered on about her previous experiences.
While waiting for the boat, Yu Heping said gently, “Look at you, always wanting to eat and drink this and that. How much money can you afford to spend? Why not eat nothing at all? What’s that saying—‘no desires, no desires, forge steel’? You need to forge a will as strong as steel. I’ll manage your money for now.”
“I don’t want that!”
Watching Dingqing and her father argue over money, Baolan thought to herself that they were still too young—everyone wanted to control their finances.
She wished she could grow up immediately into someone decisive and independent.
After disembarking at Baoshi Bridge Dock, Yu Heping followed the two girls across the stone bridge to the cannery on the opposite side.
Seeing the gleaming black stone sign at the entrance and the brand-new buildings inside, Yu Heping kept a straight face, but inside he felt a rising sense of awe.
So this was the cannery his daughter had gotten into by sheer luck?
It was bigger and more impressive than the county’s cement factory or agricultural machinery plant!
He followed behind Baolan and Dingqing somewhat stiffly, watching them skillfully talk with the gatekeeper and present their introduction letter and recruitment forms.
Baolan discussed leaving their luggage in the guardroom first. Uncle Zhou, the gatekeeper, seeing how young they were, was willing to help and agreed.
Yu Heping set down the shoulder pole, took out a pack of Economy-brand cigarettes from his pocket, and offered one to Uncle Zhou.
Seeing that it wasn’t an expensive brand, Uncle Zhou accepted it readily and pointed the way. “Turn right, go up to the second floor of the office building—the Personnel Department office is there.”
“Alright, thanks, brother,” Yu Heping said.
“No need to be polite. Go ahead—there aren’t many people registering this afternoon, so take your time.”
As they stepped through the factory gates, Yu Heping’s lingering worries finally disappeared—his daughter really had become a worker! She hadn’t lied to him, nor had she been deceived!
Their family was about to have a worker!
Look at this office building—so grand! Look at the evergreen plants in the flowerbeds—so lush!
Filled with joy, Yu Heping followed the two girls.
With the help of handwritten signs posted along the way, the three easily found the Personnel Department.
Inside the office were several unfamiliar faces. Ding Jianguo, whom they had met before, was seated inside. Seeing them peeking in, he called out, “Those here to complete onboarding—what are your names?”
“Xing Baolan and Yu Dingqing.”
Ding Jianguo found their names on the roster and said to a colleague across the desk, “Xiao He, give them two factory registration forms. Did you bring your documents? Hand them to me.”
Baolan and Dingqing submitted their household registration transfer documents and recruitment forms.
Xiao He had them sit down, handed them pens and forms, and asked them to fill them out.
Yu Heping stood cautiously outside the door, looking at the stacks of documents on the desk, the brand-new metal filing cabinets, and the smooth cement floor.
So this was what a city office looked like—so refined.
After they finished, Xiao He collected the forms and said, “Come with me. First, we’ll go to the factory clinic for your pre-employment medical check.”
A medical check? The two girls didn’t fully understand but followed along anyway.
Seeing Yu Heping outside, Xiao He said, “Uncle, you can sit over there and wait. It’ll take a while.”
“No need, no need—I shouldn’t disturb your work. I’ll wait downstairs.”
“That works too.” Xiao He was talkative and asked, “Uncle, you came all the way from Qingjiang County—that’s quite far.”
“Just about an hour by boat—not far. Comrade Xiao He, my Dingqing and Baolan want to stay in the dormitory. Can they be assigned to the same room?”
“No problem. I’ll arrange that later.”