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This was a scenario Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an had never envisioned. When choosing their units, neither imagined a day like this would arrive. Yet, as they sat together, a sweet feeling emerged—reminiscent of a clandestine school romance, both nervous of discovery and eager to be noticed.
This time, Shen Yanming felt more at ease. Now they would travel to and from work together and he could “tie Qiao’an to his belt” every day. He could handle their work together so that from now on she could slack off. The thought brought a smile to his face, and he chuckled inwardly.
Their relationship meant the two units had interacted previously. After casual greetings, much of the initial awkwardness vanished.
Director Hong and Director Zhu were handing over materials, while other colleagues exchanged information about their respective unit’s operations and discussed the changes in responsibilities after the unit integration, as well as how to carry out work in the future.
After recent cleanup efforts by labor service workers, Hai City was largely free of silt and garbage, a significant improvement from its previous state. However, lingering dust remained an issue due to the lack of rain.
This problem plagued every city. The Qinghe Alliance had even debated during a meeting about using groundwater to flush the streets, but ultimately decided against it. Water resources would remain scarce throughout the latter half of the year, and there was no guarantee that tapping groundwater wouldn’t worsen the drought.
As a result, vehicles passing under the scorching sun kicked up clouds of dust.
Though the streets were no longer choked with silt and garbage, Hai City still bore the scars of the disaster. Black stains crept across walls like spilled ink, while patches of moss clung to damp corners, thriving in the absence of sunlight.
Beneath the trees, weeds pushed through cracks in the pavement, their leaves mingling with the detritus of fallen branches and rotting foliage. In the shadows, the rustling of unseen creatures—snakes slithering through the undergrowth, insects skittering across surfaces, rats scurrying in the darkness—served as a constant reminder that the city was not yet free of its unwelcome inhabitants.
The Qinghe Alliance logistics department organized cleanup efforts. Workers removed moss and dead vegetation. Once this task neared completion, they received their next assignment: insect extermination.
These, of course, were tasks for workers within the city. Those contracted by the Alliance in the second batch were sent to the countryside, where their tasks proved even more grueling. They cleared gravel and silt from roads, then assisted villagers with cleaning their homes.
The village environment was ideal for smaller pests, making mosquitoes and bedbugs a constant nuisance. One careless moment could lead to painful bites. Occasionally, one could see piles of rotting animal carcasses swarming with insects, with a cloud of flies erupting into the air the moment someone approached.
Unbeknownst to the workers, leeches lurked in the mud, their presence indistinguishable in the silt. Fortunately, their protective work clothes offered a barrier against these unpleasant creatures. However, the combination of rubber shoes, masks, gloves, long sleeves, and long pants in the scorching heat was suffocating, increasing the risk of heat stroke.
The clean-up of the countryside was time-consuming, and many villagers’ homes had collapsed, leaving their belongings waterlogged and ruined.
This led to construction and renovation teams being overwhelmed, unable to meet the surge in demand after the disaster. With no alternative, the Qinghe Alliance’s logistics department organized labor service workers to assist construction teams in rebuilding villagers’ collapsed houses.
Salvageable bedding and furniture were washed and dried, while irreparable items were replaced. The Alliance provided new supplies for disaster relief, with costs shared equally between the Alliance and the affected individuals. This policy was established early on to prevent potential exploitation in the face of future incidents.
However, the Qinghe Alliance also considered the economic situation of the affected people. If they truly couldn’t afford payment, they could use labor to settle their debt or directly sign an IOU, which would affect the future allocation of supplies.
On the second day after the establishment of the Human Resources Management Office, Directors Zhu and Hong welcomed four new employees—three women and one man, all graduates of prestigious universities.
Following onboarding, their colleagues learned that these highly-qualified individuals had previously held positions within Fortune 500 companies but were laid off due to the global rainfall. They had searched for new employment but found the job market in Qinghua similarly bleak, leaving them no choice but to stay at home and wait for the rainy season to end.
When they saw the Qinghe Alliance recruiting labor service workers on Weibo, they also signed up. However, upon learning the nature of the work through their connections, their initial interest waned.
As highly educated individuals, they couldn’t set aside their pride to perform manual labor alongside the common folk.
Furthermore, their families disapproved, feeling such public work was beneath their status. With solid financial foundations, their families emphasized maintaining a respectable image over earning income. Leveraging their connections, they secured positions as temporary workers during the institutional reform.
These individuals had the opportunity to take the civil service exam after graduation. However, at the time, they were under the impression that a government agency’s salary would be lower than what they could earn in the corporate world. As a result, they chose not to sit for the exam. Little did they know that their decision would come back to haunt them in the face of the current circumstances.
With Qinghua canceling this year’s annual civil service exam due to the global rainfall, they were left with no choice but to accept the reality of their situation, as dwelling on past regrets would be futile.
As there were extra office seats available, the three young women wasted no time in claiming a spot near the window, where they sat together, finding themselves in close proximity to Mi Xuer. Meanwhile, the young man, after a quick survey of the room, made his way over to the desk beside Yu Shui and settled in.
It didn’t take long for the newcomers to establish rapport with the other young employees in the unit. In their conversations, they were candid about the fact that they had relied on their connections to secure their positions, openly acknowledging the fierce competition for even temporary government jobs in the current climate.
Despite the temporary nature of their employment, these positions still provided a measure of stability and security, akin to the proverbial ‘half iron rice bowl’ that was highly sought after in times of uncertainty.
On September 15th, the Qinghe Alliance made an official announcement via their Weibo account, informing citizens that a population census was scheduled to commence on October 10th. The Alliance advised all residents to gather the necessary documents and information beforehand to ensure a smooth and efficient census process.
Alongside the census announcement, the Alliance also unveiled a notable change in housing policy. As of November 2258, married couples will be restricted to joint ownership of a single housing property. Similarly, individual adults will be allowed to possess only one property under their name.
Under this new policy, individuals are restricted to owning a single housing property. Minors are prohibited from owning any housing property, while adults are allowed to own no more than one property per person. In the event that a married couple possesses more than one housing property, they are required to surrender the additional property to comply with the policy.
According to the official statement, the Qinghe Alliance will buy back any excess housing properties from individuals at the prevailing market price. However, the Alliance also urged citizens to prioritize private transactions before the November deadline to circumvent the associated handling fees.
As you journey through the pages of this apocalyptic tale, I hope it has captivated your imagination and stirred your emotions. If this story has resonated with you, I humbly request your support.
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Katra1212[Translator]
Hi I'm Katra! Translator by day, lemon aficionado by night. Secretly suspects a past life as a citrus fruit. Squeezing the joy out of language, one word at a time.🍋