The employee benefits for the upcoming May Day (International Workers’ Day) had finally been prepared.
Over the past several weeks, Yang Yuan and Wei Junliang had practically run their legs off.
The benefits included ration coupons for cloth, cooking oil, grain, pastries, and other food items, along with tangible goods that could be distributed immediately:
Naturally, there wasn’t enough for every employee to receive every type of item.
Each worker would receive a different combination of coupons and goods.
Even so…
Simply managing to obtain so many scarce supplies was enough to send the entire factory into celebration.
The day truckloads of supplies arrived…
Workers crowded around Yang Yuan and Wei Junliang wherever they went.
The two of them had never felt so important.
Wei Junliang insisted all the credit belonged to Yang Yuan.
“I never would’ve imagined it.”
“We visited so many factories.”
“Even huge factories in the provincial capital.”
“Places we’d never had dealings with before.”
“I figured they wouldn’t even let us through the front gate.”
“But somehow…”
“Yang Yuan got inside.”
“And actually got things done.”
He admired her wholeheartedly.
Factory Director He and Party Secretary Ji, who had recently returned from a study session, publicly praised her.
“Comrade Xiao Yang has worked diligently.”
“Her abilities are outstanding.”
“She has devoted herself wholeheartedly to improving benefits for every employee.”
“Let’s all give her a round of applause.”
“Everyone should learn from Comrade Yang Yuan.”
Thunderous applause filled the entire factory.
Workers cheered loudly.
Yang Yuan felt as though her soul might float right out of her body.
She had never thought applause could sound so beautiful.
Truthfully…
Her original plan had been much simpler.
Government resources are there to be used.
She’d carried bundles of printed cloth from the dyeing factory as exchange gifts while visiting other factories.
In return…
She’d negotiated for even more supplies.
After all…
If the factory received more benefits…
Surely she’d receive a slightly bigger share too.
Life in this era meant constant shortages.
People couldn’t even buy decent food whenever they wanted.
Fresh fruit was practically a luxury.
Even sweetened water tasted wonderful.
She’d been eyeing that provincial canned fruit factory for ages.
Go ahead.
Praise me.
Praise me some more.
Just make sure I get extra canned peaches and pears.
I’ll find even more food for everyone next time.
With an entire warehouse of benefits waiting to be distributed…
The whole factory brimmed with energy.
Workers enthusiastically built the ceremony platform.
The loudspeakers crackled as technicians tested the microphones.
People chatted and laughed.
Many women redid their braids, smoothing down every loose strand with water until their hair gleamed.
Then everyone carried little stools outside to attend the assembly.
The factory director, Party secretary, and six department heads sat on the stage.
Yang Yuan and her colleagues occupied the front row.
The workers lined up neatly behind them.
The meeting began with the director and secretary leading everyone in reciting quotations.
Yang Yuan…
Only half familiar with the material…
Couldn’t quite keep up.
She quietly pulled out her well-prepared Little Red Book.
Then…
Using the same booming voice she’d once used during high school morning reading sessions…
She enthusiastically read along.
Next came the announcement of outstanding employees.
Those who had worked especially hard…
Made fewer mistakes…
Or demonstrated exceptional dedication…
Were publicly praised.
Their reward?
A slightly larger share of the holiday benefits.
Compiling those lists normally fell under Personnel Department responsibilities.
Since Yang Yuan and Wei Junliang had been endlessly busy lately…
Director Luo Chengbin had personally handled all the paperwork.
Of course…
That had been entirely Yang Yuan’s plan.
Watching Director Luo spend every day drinking tea and reading newspapers while she nearly wore her legs out had irritated her enormously.
So she’d deliberately dragged Wei Junliang to the provincial capital on a so-called “business trip.”
Officially…
They were “working tirelessly to improve employee welfare.”
In reality…
It forced Director Luo to stay behind and do all the office work himself.
Afterward…
Yang Yuan and Wei Junliang had gone out of their way to flatter him.
Standing on either side of him…
They showered him with endless compliments.
Director Luo floated on cloud nine.
He smiled until his cheeks hurt.
Slapping his thigh, he declared,
“At the end of the year…”
“I’m definitely giving both of you Model Worker certificates!”
Yang Yuan rode home in high spirits.
Her bicycle rattled merrily through the streets, loaded with today’s benefits.
As she pedaled…
She even hummed softly to herself.
“Oh, we ordinary folks… today we’re truly, truly happy…”
Neighbors called out one after another.
“Yuanyuan!”
“Looks like your workplace handed out plenty of benefits!”
Yang Yuan smiled brightly.
“The factory director and department heads took good care of me.”
Another neighbor laughed.
“Our Yuanyuan really is capable.”
“You’ve made your mother proud.”
Yang Yuan immediately replied,
“Grandma Wang, your daughter-in-law just gave you such a healthy grandson.”
“That’s the real reason to be proud!”
Every conversation flowed naturally.
Before long…
The entire street was laughing.
Everyone praised the Yang family’s youngest daughter for being thoughtful and sweet.
Because Yang Yuan had contributed so much…
She received a little of almost everything.
Her share included:
Even Yang Mother thought that was a remarkable amount.
Ordinary women working on the factory floor received only four pears each.
Even that was considered generous.
There really was a mountain of food.
Yang Mother immediately selected part of it for Yang Lan.
She was family, after all.
Besides…
Yang Yuan had borrowed her bicycle for several days.
The gift included one jar of canned peaches and six pears.
Yang Mother had her own logic.
“When giving gifts…”
“You always give an even number.”
“Two is too few.”
“Four sounds unlucky.”
“Six means everything goes smoothly.”
“As for the canned peaches…”
“Those are rare enough already.”
“One jar is plenty.”
Yang Yuan had no objections.
She always trusted her mother’s judgment.
She tied everything securely to the bicycle’s rear rack.
The net bag holding the canned fruit hung from the handlebars.
With a practiced motion…
She stepped onto the pedal…
Swung one long leg over…
And mounted the bicycle.
The sturdy twenty-eight-inch bicycle was honestly a bit too large for her.
Her growing legs didn’t quite match its size yet.
Ahem…
To avoid the rather undignified image of her hips swaying side to side while sitting…
She always stood slightly while pedaling.
Dignity matters.
Since Yang Lan wouldn’t be off work yet…
Yang Yuan headed straight for the supply and marketing cooperative.
Her plan was perfect.
When her sister finished work…
She could simply ride her part of the way home.
That would save quite a bit of walking.
Perfect.
Confident in her cycling skills…
She skipped the main road and took the shortcut through the narrow alley beside the cooperative.
As soon as she turned into the alley…
She noticed two people standing ahead.
A man.
And a woman.
Talking quietly.
Immediately…
Alarm bells rang inside her head.
This scene…
This atmosphere…
It reminded her far too much of that moonless night she’d stumbled upon before.
She instinctively pedaled faster.
Then she squinted.
Wait…
That’s someone I know.
It was Widow Zhao.
The very woman she’d argued with only days earlier.
The man wore a white shirt.
In the evening sunlight…
Something flashed brightly.
Oh.
Glasses.
Before Yang Yuan got any closer…
The man noticed someone approaching.
He immediately turned and disappeared into a nearby courtyard.
Widow Zhao also left in the opposite direction.
By the time Yang Yuan rode out of the alley…
Widow Zhao had become nothing more than a distant silhouette.
She couldn’t help laughing to herself.
People always say Widow Zhao knows everyone.
Looks like the rumors are true.
Were they having a secret rendezvous?
Too bad I interrupted them.
Otherwise they could’ve whispered sweet nothings a little longer.
Chuckling to herself…
She parked the bicycle and went inside.
The cooperative was still busy.
Yang Lan barely had time to speak.
Afraid someone might steal the supplies strapped to the bicycle…
Yang Yuan carried everything inside and handed it over.
She locked the bicycle and gave Yang Lan the key.
She’d already accepted she’d be walking home.
Unexpectedly…
Yang Lan grabbed her arm.
“Wait for me.”
That wait turned out to be a long one.
Only after every customer had left…
The accounts had been balanced…
And the shop finally closed…
Did the sisters get a chance to chat.
As they were locking up…
Their department director approached.
One of the older women greeted him first.
“Director!”
“You’re still here?”
“We’re finally off work.”
Director Duan wore a thick black overcoat.
Only the collar of his white shirt showed beneath it.
A pair of black-rimmed glasses rested on his nose.
His smile looked cultured and gentle.
“You’re all still working hard for the people.”
“How could I leave before you?”
“Now that everyone’s finished…”
“Let’s head home together.”
Yang Lan forced a polite smile.
She clearly had no desire to linger.
She simply pushed her bicycle forward with Yang Yuan beside her.
After talking about Yang Wenping for a while…
Yang Yuan casually mentioned what she’d seen in the alley.
Director Duan had only put on a coat.
He hadn’t transformed into someone else.
Even though she hadn’t gotten a perfect look at his face…
She was certain he was the man talking with Widow Zhao.
In the end she laughed lightly.
“You’d never guess.”
“Your Director Duan looks so refined…”
“But he actually knows Widow Zhao.”
“Maybe they’re relatives.”
“Anyway…”
“Mom can’t stand Widow Zhao.”
“You should probably keep a little distance from your director too.”
“Just in ca—”
“Ouch!”
Yang Lan slammed on her brakes so suddenly that Yang Yuan crashed straight into her back.
Clutching her nose with tears welling in her eyes…
Yang Yuan looked up in confusion.
Yang Lan turned around.
Her expression had changed completely.
“Say that again.”
“Exactly what you just said.”