Chapter 8

As Tao Yu stepped out of the factory gates, a black sedan drove in through the entrance.

Returning to the crowded courtyard where she lived, she entered the narrow, cramped alley. Along the way, she received a few curious glances, though only one or two women greeted her.

When she got back to her small wooden room, she found that Li Juan had already borrowed a sewing machine and placed it in the innermost corner of the house. She was busy working on some fabric, head down and focused.

Seeing Tao Yu return, Li Juan quickly asked her to lock the door, then served her some food before hurrying back to her work.

The small room, already tight for space, now seemed even more cramped with the sewing machine and piles of fabric.

Tao Yu, however, remained unaffected, calmly sitting at the table and eating the lean pork and vegetable porridge Li Juan had prepared for her.

“Eat quickly. The fabric dust here is bad. Sorry to make you put up with this,” Li Juan said as she worked.

She continued, “Yu’er, bear with it for now. I’ll make these clothes as fast as I can. Look at all these different fabrics—I’ll prioritize making you a set of each. I’ve let you down, haven’t I? A young girl like you, not having proper clothes for years…”

Tao Yu paused, spoon in hand, reflecting.

She didn’t feel wronged. All of Li Juan’s clothes were patched-up hand-me-downs, while the original Tao Yu’s clothes, though not new, were at least free of patches.

“Mom, have you eaten?” Tao Yu asked without thinking, her head bowed.

The sewing machine, which had been noisily running, suddenly stopped, leaving the room in silence.

Perhaps it was the way Tao Yu called her “Mom” or the rare moment of concern—it stunned Li Juan for a moment.

Her eyes grew warm and moist, and she finally replied, choking up, “Yes, Mom has eaten. You eat up. There’s more in the pot if you’re still hungry.”

She quickly returned to the sewing machine, pressing the pedal with renewed energy. Her movements were faster now, and she handled the fabric with extra care.

In the worn-out, crowded room, the quiet yet warm exchange between mother and daughter brought a rare sense of comfort.

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Two days later, Li Juan was overjoyed to learn that Tao Yu had been hired at the mechanical factory and would earn a monthly salary of 20 yuan.

She could hardly contain her happiness. With her daughter’s condition, she had never dared to hope Tao Yu could live and work like a normal person. She had been prepared to care for her for life.

But her Yu’er had exceeded her expectations. She could now go out, work, and earn her own money like everyone else.

Motivated by her daughter’s progress, Li Juan worked day and night, rushing to make several decent outfits for her.

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On Tao Yu’s first day of work, as she left the courtyard, the neighbor, an older woman nicknamed “Granny Mao,” suddenly threw a bucket of water onto the ground and began to curse loudly.

“What’s there to show off about? Nearly starving, but still strutting around in new clothes every day! And for what? She’s just a food server. Anyone would think she’s off to seduce some man!”

Tao Yu glanced at the water droplets splashed on her shoes. Her expression remained calm as still water. She gave Granny Mao a fleeting look and continued walking without a word.

Just like that, she left.

Granny Mao, expecting a sharp retort, was left sputtering. The lack of reaction hit her like a punch to cotton, leaving her angrier than before. She spat on the ground viciously.

“Bah! If that crazy girl had dared talk back, I’d have taken back that sewing machine! But keeping quiet like that—there’s something unnerving about her!”

Granny Mao stormed back into her house, muttering about how her daughter-in-law deserved the job more than Tao Yu. She vowed to have her son check the factory posting again, convinced there had been a mistake.

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At the factory, Master Ding gathered the new hires for a brief orientation.

“With the wages we earn here and the meals the factory provides, we have a responsibility to do our jobs well. I don’t tolerate slacking!”

The job wasn’t complicated, and Tao Yu quickly grasped the details. Employees paid 10 cents per day for two meals—each consisting of two meat and two vegetable dishes—with unlimited rice and steamed buns. Meal tickets, issued by each workshop, ensured fair distribution.

On her first day, Tao Yu was stationed at Window 3. She was so busy serving food that she barely had a moment to rest.

By the second day, Window 3 had become the most popular. Why?

Among the five food servers, Tao Yu was the most attractive. Her polite demeanor and clear voice made her stand out, drawing a steady stream of male workers to her station.

This, however, didn’t sit well with Chen Mei, another young, unmarried food server. She saw Tao Yu as competition.

Chen Mei tried to outshine Tao Yu, but her efforts failed miserably. The male workers seemed uninterested, even calling her attempts at speaking softly “cringeworthy” and “appetite-killing.”

Frustrated, Chen Mei slammed her ladle against the counter, muttering bitterly, “That sly fox! The more I look at her, the more I hate her!”

Tao Yu, aware of Chen Mei’s hostility, remained indifferent. She didn’t care.

Half a month flew by. Outside of mealtimes, Tao Yu was quiet and reserved, earning her widespread praise in the cafeteria.

Not only was she hardworking and diligent, but she also kept to herself, avoiding gossip and unnecessary chatter. Her colleagues, apart from Chen Mei, took a liking to her and often lent her a helping hand.

By the end of the month, Tao Yu had fully adapted to her new job. At the same time, Li Juan, after days of tireless sewing, had finally completed all the clothes for her daughter.

Li Juan not only finished the clothes for sale but also made a set for Tao Yu in all the different patterns of fabric. Of course, under Tao Yu’s insistence, Li Juan reluctantly made two sets for herself as well.

As a mother making clothes for her daughter, she put in great effort. Each piece was unique, especially the white dress with red polka dots, which was the most exquisite and beautiful.

Once Li Juan finished sewing, she planned to set up her stall and sell the clothes as soon as possible. Keeping them at home even for a day would weigh on her mind, making it hard to sleep.

Her urgency to sell the clothes stemmed from two reasons: to earn more money and to avoid trouble.

In the past twenty days, there had been inquiries, especially from that nosy old woman, Mao Granny, who had come around at least ten times.

Each time, Li Juan managed to fend her off, never letting her inside the house. It was just a pity for the vegetables she had given away as a distraction.

But there wasn’t much she could do—Mao Granny’s household was the only one in the courtyard with a sewing machine.

When Mao Granny brazenly demanded five yuan a month to rent the sewing machine, Li Juan had no choice but to grit her teeth and pay. Luckily, Tao Yu had advised her not to spend all her money on fabric back then.

When Tao Yu learned that Li Juan would be setting up her stall tomorrow, she arranged her monthly day off with Master Ding in advance.

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