Ever since buying the postage stamps, Yan Jin’er had not gone out again for the next few days. Every day, aside from eating and sleeping, she stayed home reading and reviewing.
She truly did not know what the worker recruitment exam would test, so she simply reviewed all the subjects she had learned in high school and memorized political content and quotations.
“Jinbao, you must take care of your health. Don’t study too late at night. If it really doesn’t work out in the end, I’ll still find a way to get you in,” Father Song said gently at the dinner table while looking at his obedient daughter eating in small bites.
“Mm-hmm, I’ll take care of myself. Dad, don’t worry!” Yan Jin’er softened at his words and smiled faintly as she replied.
Soon, the day of the Textile Factory worker exam arrived.
After finishing the loving breakfast prepared by her mother, Father Song and Mother Song insisted on sending Yan Jin’er to the Textile Factory.
However, they only escorted her to the exam site. After giving a few reminders, the two of them hurried off to work.
The worker exam lasted one full day, so many people came to take part. There were four exam halls: Finance Department exam hall, Public Relations Department exam hall, Workshop exam hall, and Human Resources Department exam hall. Each hall focused on different subject areas. Since these departments had relatively easier work, the number of candidates in each hall was quite large.
The exam was held in the factory’s largest conference room. Everyone sat down according to their assigned seats. Yan Jin’er walked to her seat in the Human Resources Department exam hall and sat down.
There were four exam proctors, each responsible for one hall. One of them said loudly, “Please sit in your assigned seats, answer honestly, and strictly prohibit cheating. Once cheating is discovered, the result will be invalid and you will be permanently refused employment.”
Upon hearing this, all the candidates became serious. No one dared to cheat—the consequences were not something they could afford.
After receiving the exam papers, Yan Jin’er discovered that the paper actually had six pages. It included Chinese, mathematics, physics, English, chemistry, as well as political quotations and content related to job responsibilities.
It was truly surprising. She could only do it slowly.
After an hour and a half, the number of people in the exam hall gradually decreased. Yan Jin’er also finished successfully, handed in her paper, and walked out.
Yan Jin’er felt quite confident about her answers. The exam content was not too difficult, and in her previous world she had also been involved in human resources-related work.
“Yan Jin’er, I saw you in the exam hall earlier. How did you do?” Zhao Jing, whom she had met previously, casually patted Yan Jin’er on the shoulder.
“Which department did you take? I heard the results will be out tomorrow morning,” Yan Jin’er did not answer directly and instead changed the topic.
“Hehe, I was in the Public Relations Department exam hall. I was hoping I could work with you,” Zhao Jing laughed brightly.
Yan Jin’er smiled softly, her lips curving gently as two sweet dimples appeared.
“Do you want to go take a look around the Supply and Marketing Cooperative?” Zhao Jing asked with a smile, suppressing her amazement.
“Alright.”
Seeing that Yan Jin’er agreed, Zhao Jing’s smile grew even brighter.
The two of them chatted casually as they walked slowly, and soon arrived at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative building.
This was the first time Yan Jin’er had visited a Supply and Marketing Cooperative of this era, excluding the original owner’s memories. A large sign hung at the entrance. The building looked gray and plain, not particularly impressive, but it was one of the most desirable places for people of this era.
The building had four floors. The first floor displayed a wide variety of food and pastries. The second floor sold ready-made clothes, various fabrics, and hair accessories. The third floor had bicycles, radios, and watches. The fourth floor contained furniture such as beds, tables, and chairs.
The first and second floors were the most crowded, while the third and fourth floors had far fewer people. That was expected—watches and bicycles were expensive items that required not only money but also purchase coupons.
Yan Jin’er only had a little over thirteen yuan, along with a one-jin pastry coupon and two feet of cloth coupon. That was all. The coupons had been stuffed into her pocket by Mother Song before she left home.
Yan Jin’er widened her round eyes, looking around like a country bumpkin entering the city, following beside Zhao Jing as she browsed everywhere.
At another counter, Wen Qingyu was waiting at the candy counter.
“Brother Qingyu, look over there. That girl looks just like your Little Dumpling, even her eyes are the same,” Jiang Tingbai said excitedly as he grabbed Wen Qingyu’s arm and pointed toward Yan Jin’er. Little Dumpling was Wen Qingyu’s newly raised white kitten.
“Don’t point at people randomly, and don’t talk about others behind their backs. That’s very impolite,” Wen Qingyu said helplessly, his brows slightly furrowing.
Yan Jin’er seemed to sense something and looked up. Unexpectedly, her gaze met Wen Qingyu’s eyes. The man’s facial features were nearly perfect—strong yet gentle, with a jade-like warmth in his expression. In the bright morning light, his eyes looked like stars, captivating and mesmerizing. In that moment of eye contact, all surrounding noise seemed to disappear, leaving only her heartbeat echoing in her chest.
Flustered, she did not know how she ended up pulling Zhao Jing away to the pastry counter. She took a few deep breaths, as if trying to expel all her panic.
“Jin’er, what’s wrong with you?” Zhao Jing asked in confusion.
“It’s nothing, haha, I was just eager to buy pastries,” Yan Jin’er said, her heart still racing, forcing herself to remain calm.
Yan Jin’er bought osmanthus pastries, spending two jiao and a pastry coupon. Zhao Jing also bought mung bean pastries. Then the two of them moved on to the second floor of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
On the other side, Wen Qingyu slightly curled his lips. His eyes softened with a hint of warmth and lingering affection as he said softly, “She really does look similar. Very cute.”
The second floor was less crowded. The two of them stopped at the fabric counter and looked for a while. Yan Jin’er took a liking to a light blue fabric with small floral patterns and pulled Zhao Jing forward as she asked the shop assistant, “Sister, how much is that blue fabric with white floral patterns per length?”
The saleswoman, a woman in her thirties, heard Yan Jin’er calling her “sister” sweetly and immediately smiled with delight. She did not expect to be seen as so young. “Girl, you have good taste. This fabric is four jiao per foot with a fabric coupon.”
“Then I’ll take two feet. Thank you, sister,” Yan Jin’er said as she handed over the money and coupon.
Zhao Jing, after choosing hers, also bought two feet of red floral fabric.
After happily finishing their shopping, the two agreed to meet the next day to check the exam results before parting ways and heading home separately.