She still clung to a last sliver of hope.
Miao Pingkang slowly lowered his head. “The military doctors have all examined me. They performed surgery on me promptly, but the location of the injury is unfavorable, and the prognosis is poor. I won’t be able to run or jump anymore, nor can I lift heavy objects.”
For a grown man to be unable to lift heavy things was practically like being half a cripple.
Meng Suling’s vision went dark, and she collapsed straight to the ground.
Chaos erupted in the second branch of the Miao family.
When she slowly regained consciousness, she found the room dimly lit. Light from the main hall streamed in through the doorway, accompanied by intermittent voices.
Miao Yunwei entered just in time to see Meng Suling sitting up and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, hurrying forward. “Mom, you’re finally awake. You scared us just now. Grandpa and Grandma are here too.”
As she spoke, the people outside followed her into the room.
Huang Caiying spoke up to console her. “We all know about Pingkang’s situation. Serving in the military always carries risks. In this case, he’s actually fortunate among the unfortunate. We’ll figure things out later. Seeing you like this makes everyone feel terrible!”
Miao Jianguo, standing nearby, added, “I’ve thought it over carefully. Oldest can’t run or lift heavy things, but taking over my job as a bus driver would be quite suitable. He even learned it in the army, so he’ll pick it up easily. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the unit and talk to the director. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
He knew what Meng Suling was most worried about right now. As long as their eldest son’s job issue was resolved, at least half of his wife’s worries would be eased.
Sure enough, Meng Suling’s eyes lit up a little upon hearing this, but soon her worries returned. “You make it sound so easy. If you give your job to Oldest, who will support Third, Fourth, and Old Five? And what about you? You’re still young—are you just going to retire and live off your pension?”
Miao Jianguo quickly shook his head. “That’s not possible! I’ll manage. If worse comes to worst, I can stay home and tend to the land around the house, or go to Shizi River to catch fish and shrimp. At least that’ll save us some money. And our yard—we agreed to fence it in. I was worried before that I wouldn’t have time, but now it’s perfect. Once I step down, I guarantee I can get it done in a month or two. We’ll worry about the rest later.”
Their eldest son was of age now, and with his legs in such a state, if he didn’t have a decent job, how would he ever find a wife?
And so, Miao Pingkang’s job was settled just like that.
Miao Yunwei remained silent throughout. When she returned to her room, she noticed a little shadow following her. She raised her eyelids impatiently. “What?”
Miao Lingwei swiftly closed the door and sidled up to Miao Yunwei. “Second Sister, since Dad gave his job to Big Brother, won’t the family’s income be reduced by one source? Can Mom’s salary alone support such a big family?”
Miao Yunwei poked Miao Lingwei’s head hard. “It’s not like the family has ever starved you or left you thirsty. You haven’t shown a bit of concern for Big Brother, who’s injured like this, and instead you’re worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet! Are you asking for a beating?”
Miao Lingwei dodged guiltily, mumbling, “I’m just worried! Nowadays, factory jobs are like one radish, one hole. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been tricked by Cousin into doing loading and unloading work. Big Brother, on the other hand, comes back from the army and effortlessly takes over Dad’s job—a bus driver! Sitting in the cab, not having to endure any hardship. Sons get it so easy, while daughters suffer. If even you ended up like this, what will happen to me when my time comes?”
She didn’t think there was anything wrong with planning for herself.
Miao Yunwei was both angry and amused. “Then tell me, what else could Mom and Dad do? How old is our eldest brother this year! With his leg injured like that, how can he find a partner and get married without a decent job? We can’t let him stay single for the rest of his life!
If our eldest brother doesn’t get married, it will affect our own marriage prospects in the future too. Why can’t you understand that!”
Perhaps because she had been reborn, she could fully understand her parents’ arrangements from their perspective, and even the lingering resentment from her past life could be set aside.
Miao Lingwei truly hadn’t considered all this, but after Miao Yunwei’s explanation, she felt much more at ease.
Early the next morning, Miao Jianguo rode his bicycle to take Miao Yunwei to work.
After leaving Hekou Commune, the silent Miao Jianguo finally spoke up, “Girl, Dad gave the job to your eldest brother. Do you think Dad is favoring him?”
Miao Yunwei shook her head. “With his injury, eldest brother really needs this job more than I do.”
Miao Jianguo sighed, feeling uneasy. “Girl, it’s good that you understand. If your eldest brother hadn’t been injured, his future would have been bright. Now, to put it bluntly, he’s disabled. Although he received compensation, that money won’t last a lifetime. I gave him the job so he can live with more dignity in the future.
As for you, Dad will think of something. The passenger transport unit has been doing well these years, and they recruit new staff every year. However, they only hire family members of current employees, and the spots are limited. If nothing else works, you can apply when the time comes, and Dad will pull some strings and see what can be done.”
His daughter’s job was indeed tough, but at least she could manage for now. His son, on the other hand, had no room for maneuvering at all.
Later, when discussing with Director Gao, he would still have to find a way to persuade him to let his son take over the position.
Looking at her father’s back, Miao Yunwei felt a pang of sadness. “Dad, don’t worry about me. I’ll make my own plans.”
As father and daughter talked, they soon arrived at the passenger transport unit.
Miao Jianguo clocked in and went straight to the office to find Director Gao, while Miao Yunwei worked hard as usual. However, today she deliberately chose a spot near the office to work, hoping to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Comrade Miao Jianguo, I can approve your early retirement and your son taking over your position, but given his condition, is he capable of handling the driver’s job?”
Director Gao frowned, looking troubled.
Honestly, he wasn’t keen on approving this, but Miao Pingkang had been discharged from the military due to injury. Soldiers who defend the country and shed blood in battle deserve special treatment. If the young man could indeed drive a bus, he had no reason to refuse.
Miao Jianguo quickly nodded, looking anxious. “Director, my son injured his left leg. He walks with difficulty, but driving is absolutely no problem. Besides, he often drove in the army—even military trucks bigger than buses. I’m sure he can handle it!”
Well, that left even less reason to object.
After careful consideration, Director Gao finally relented. “First, bring your son here for me to see. If there are no issues, we’ll proceed.”
Outside the window, Miao Yunwei heard this, and her anxious heart finally settled. She continued working diligently.
Within a couple of days, Miao Jianguo brought Miao Pingkang, neatly dressed, to report for duty. The interview went surprisingly smoothly. Director Gao asked Miao Pingkang to drive for a while, with Miao Jianguo accompanying him in the vehicle. Once Miao Pingkang became familiar with the route, the official handover would take place.
It was only then that the people in the vehicle team learned that Miao Jianguo was letting his son take over his job, and they all came to Miao Yunwei to ask for details.
The first one was Zhang Xiuqing, the conductor who worked shifts with Miao Jianguo.
She was a middle-aged woman with broad shoulders and a thick waist, her face glistening with oil—a clear sign that her family was well-off.
As soon as she came over, she slipped a fruit candy into Miao Yunwei’s hand and asked in a hushed voice, “Comrade Xiao Miao, what’s going on with your older brother? I noticed he doesn’t seem too steady on his feet—can he still drive?”