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The main gate was open, but just as Su Ying was about to enter, two security guards stepped out.
“Comrade, who are you here to see?”
After Su Ying explained her reason for coming, both guards chuckled.
“Looking for a job? Do you think this is some random place? This is a state-owned pharmaceutical factory—jobs here are all assigned. You can’t just show up and ask for one.”
Su Ying knew it wouldn’t be easy, so she immediately tried to sell herself.
“Can I meet with the factory director or someone from HR? I have medical knowledge and an understanding of diseases. From what I know, the two technical recruits assigned to your factory this year were only from technical colleges, right?”
The two guards widened their eyes and exchanged a glance.
“You’re a university graduate?”
Su Ying didn’t answer directly, just looked at them calmly and confidently.
Seeing her composed expression, the guards’ attitudes turned serious. In their minds, her silence was as good as confirmation—where else could her confidence come from if not a degree?
“How about we let her meet Deputy Director Liu?”
They chose to contact Deputy Director Liu because he was known to be mild-mannered and didn’t yell at people casually—unlike the other directors, whom they didn’t dare disturb.
After a brief discussion, one guard went in to report while the other invited Su Ying into the security office. He poured her a mug of hot water and, with a hint of curiosity, asked why a college graduate like her wasn’t waiting for job assignment and instead came here on her own.
Su Ying, lacking a graduation certificate, felt uneasy. She dodged the question and didn’t answer it head-on.
Before long, the guard returned with a middle-aged man wearing glasses and a blue work uniform. His eyes lit up when he saw Su Ying.
“Comrade, you’re a college graduate? Which medical university did you graduate from? We’re currently short on technical talent.”
Su Ying gave a slight cough, shook hands briefly, and clarified,
“Actually, I’m not a university graduate, but my technical knowledge is just as strong.”
Though her tone was confident, the moment she admitted she didn’t have a degree, Deputy Director Liu’s expression turned to disappointment. He looked toward the guards.
The guard grew anxious.
“You said just now that the factory only recruited technical college graduates this year. If you’re not a university graduate, why did you say that?”
Feeling guilty, Su Ying offered a sincere apology.
“I’m sorry. I just wanted a chance to recommend myself.”
She looked at Deputy Director Liu and said earnestly,
“I know university graduates are highly valued now, especially those with relevant majors. I may not have a degree, but I have strong knowledge of medicine. You might not believe me, but surely your factory has technical personnel—let me talk to one of them.”
Deputy Director Liu frowned, all earlier enthusiasm gone. As for her suggestion to speak with a technician, he waved it off dismissively.
“No need. What we need are highly qualified college graduates. Others can’t handle this work. You should leave.”
He glared at the guards and quickly walked out of the security room.
Su Ying, unwilling to give up, chased after him.
“Deputy Director Liu, please give me a chance. I can prove that I’m no worse than a freshly graduated university student.”
But Liu was already irritated by her deception and didn’t want to hear more. He shook her off and hurried back into the factory.
The guards came over to stop Su Ying. They now had little sympathy for her.
“Go on now. Trying to pass yourself off as a university graduate? You’re lucky it was Deputy Director Liu who came. If it had been the factory director, he would’ve chewed you out. Seriously, how can you just pretend to be a college graduate? That’s not something you can fake.”
Su Ying felt embarrassed by their scolding, but she didn’t want to give up. She knew getting into a state-owned enterprise without a diploma would be hard—but she hadn’t expected that they wouldn’t even give her a chance.
Though forced out by the guards, she didn’t leave the gate. She just stood there, hoping for an opportunity to prove herself.
At lunchtime, workers came out one after another with aluminum lunchboxes, heading to the cafeteria. Many of them noticed Su Ying standing at the gate and couldn’t help but glance at her.
Some male workers even looked at her with amazement, whispering that if this pretty girl joined the factory, the title of “factory beauty” might have to change hands.
Su Ying felt uneasy under all those gazes. She quietly moved a bit away from the gate, standing near the factory’s signboard to avoid the stares.
The factory had a two-hour break at noon and resumed work at 2 p.m.
Su Ying hadn’t eaten anything. She hadn’t even had a sip of water. She’d been standing there for over five hours. By 2 or 3 in the afternoon, the sun was scorching. Her head was spinning, and sour bile was rising in her throat.
She wiped the sweat from her face with her sleeve and held on for another hour. But the dizziness got worse and worse. She could no longer stand it. Quietly, she turned to leave and walked toward the tram station.
Seeing her finally leave, the two guards let out sighs of relief.
“That woman is so persistent. If she hadn’t left, I might’ve cracked. Standing there like that all day—she’s just a delicate-looking woman. It’s hard to watch. I was even thinking of trying to persuade Deputy Director Liu again.”
The other guard shook his head.
“It’s no use. Our factory doesn’t take just anyone. She has no degree, no connections—there’s no way in.”
As soon as Su Ying got off the tram, she ran to the wall and began to vomit. She had been holding it in all the way back so she wouldn’t throw up on the tram.
But her stomach was empty. All that came up was sour water.
She leaned against the wall for a long time before she felt a bit better. She regretted pushing herself so hard. If they weren’t going to hire her, she should’ve just gone home. Who knew if she’d triggered another episode of her post-injury symptoms?
Enduring a splitting headache, she slowly made her way home.
But just as she turned into the alley, she saw a car parked outside. Two soldiers in military uniform stood by the door.
Su Ying was confused. She moved closer and glanced at the two soldiers, then entered the courtyard.
Inside the house, Chen Shuyun had been feeling anxious. When she saw Su Ying, she rushed over.
“Yingying, why are you back now?”
She tried to push Su Ying back outside, but Su Ying was too weak. At her mother’s light shove, she collapsed onto the ground.
Chen Shuyun was startled. “Yingying!”
She quickly squatted down to help her up. Su Ying clutched her hand, her face pale, barely able to speak.
“Mom… I’m hungry…”
Chen Shuyun was flustered and didn’t know how to react.
Just then, Commissar Ye and Director Du also came out. Seeing Su Ying lying on the ground, they were shocked. Was this girl frail and sickly? How could someone like this marry the commander?
Director Du was more observant. He said to Chen Shuyun,
“Quick, get her some water, and make some food.”
Chen Shuyun finally snapped out of it and rushed to carry Su Ying inside.
Su Ying shook her head weakly.
“Mom, let me sit here for a bit… You go cook.”