Chapter 41: Daily Work

The morning of Wen Jiajia’s first day at work was uneventful.

There were only four people in the office—two men and two women—so office politics seemed unlikely.

After learning that reading newspapers was her current job, Wen Jiajia went to the bulletin board by the door to get a newspaper.

The bulletin board was on the outer wall of the office, and the newspapers were hung in a wooden frame next to it.

Wen Jiajia took a quick look and found three types of newspapers: People’s Daily, Workers’ Daily, and provincial newspapers. The dates started on May 1st, and several thick stacks had accumulated.

She decided to start with yesterday’s papers.

Boredom seemed inevitable, so she would probably rely on newspapers to pass the time.

She took all three newspapers back to the office and glanced at the workshop before leaving. It seemed that all the workers in the workshop had arrived and were working diligently.

She sat down at her desk, turned on the kettle to drink some water, and opened the newspaper.

She had already read the People’s Daily, so Wen Jiajia skimmed through it and set it aside. She used to read it every day while preparing for exams.

The army also subscribed to many kinds of newspapers, and the logistics department had them. It was said that the logistics department even held a newspaper reading activity for family members, which eventually turned into a place for exchanging knitting skills and gossip. The logistics leaders were so dissatisfied that they banned the activity.

Wen Jiajia had been praised by the logistics officer, Lao Wang, for regularly picking up newspapers to read. 

Later, after passing the exam and stopping her daily visits, Lao Wang subtly criticized her. This led Wen Jiajia to avoid him when she saw him yesterday.

As for the provincial newspaper, she read it selectively. Now, with time on her hands, she could read it all.

The Workers’ Daily, which the army did not subscribe to, was set aside for careful reading. After all, it was the Workers’ Daily, and she might come across something interesting.

The sun was shining brightly, and the lush ginkgo trees outside the window looked like giant green umbrellas, completely blocking out the sunlight.

A gust of wind blew, rustling the ginkgo leaves and making her feel sleepy.

Wen Jiajia supported her head and yawned.

The Workers’ Daily was quite interesting, mostly reporting on the deeds of advanced workers or collectives. It also covered achievements in various sectors, not just industry but also agriculture and fisheries. There were even reports on diplomatic receptions.

Wen Jiajia focused on articles that did not overlap with the People’s Daily and noted any interesting ones in a notebook.

Time passed as she turned the pages of the newspaper.

During this period, Li Haijun went out several times, likely to patrol and inspect the workshop next door.

Qiao He remained stationary. Even Wen Jiajia and Sha Yue went to the bathroom together, but he stayed put the entire morning.

It was half past eleven, almost time for lunch.

Sha Yue copied some content from today’s newspaper onto the bulletin board’s blackboard with chalk, washed her hands, and then stood by the door, saying to Wen Jiajia, “Comrade Wen, let’s go eat together. Otherwise, it might be too crowded later.”

Wen Jiajia didn’t expect to eat earlier. After thinking for a moment, she took out her lunch box and chopsticks. “Okay.”

Sha Yue was very familiar and put her hand on Wen Jiajia’s arm.

Wen Jiajia was puzzled. “Don’t you need to bring a lunch box?”

Sha Yue shook her head. “No, my aunt works in the cafeteria, so I keep my lunch box with her.”

Wen Jiajia didn’t understand. Did she have to take the lunch box home? She planned to wash hers after each meal and keep it in the office.

Since they weren’t very familiar, she didn’t ask any more questions.

The pharmaceutical factory had three canteens and a state-owned restaurant at the entrance. However, most people avoided the state-owned restaurant unless necessary, as a meal there cost as much as five or six meals in the canteen.

Sha Yue took her to Canteen No. 2, even though Canteen No. 1 was closer to Workshop No. 6.

“The dishes in Canteen No. 2 are the best among the three canteens, especially the stir-fried eel,” Sha Yue explained. “But this dish is usually only available on Fridays, and it’s hard to get.”

If her aunt didn’t work in logistics, Sha Yue could ask her aunt to save some for her. She wouldn’t eat it all every time.

Wen Jiajia smiled and said, “Then wouldn’t our factory have the most people coming to Canteen No. 2?”

“Of course not!”

As they spoke, they arrived at Canteen No. 2.

Wen Jiajia deliberately checked her watch. It took 9 minutes to walk from the workshop to Canteen No. 2.

There were already quite a few people in the cafeteria. It seemed that Sha Yue and she were not the only ones who had left early. The rookie Wen Jiajia felt relieved.

Sha Yue went to her aunt to get the lunch box, and Wen Jiajia went to the food counter first.

“Hello, comrade. I’d like a bowl of rice,” Wen Jiajia said, looking at the staple food area. There were several types of staple food, including plain rice, sweet potato rice, multi-grain rice, and steamed buns.

Wen Jiajia also saw a noodle sign hanging on the wall, but there were no noodles today.

One serving of rice weighed only five taels, which was more than enough for her.

She ordered a serving of green pepper and eggplant and stewed tofu, then sat at a nearby table to wait for Sha Yue.

Sha Yue also came out with a lunch box. She knew which dishes were delicious and which were just average, so she packed them quickly.

“You should try the stewed tofu,” she said. “The stewed tofu in the cafeteria is quite good.” She picked up her chopsticks, took out a spoon from her pocket, and stirred her rice.

Wen Jiajia took a bite and found it was indeed delicious.

As they ate, several groups of people came into the cafeteria one after another. When the dishes at the food counter were almost finished, the workers from the workshop came in for lunch. Wen Jiajia checked her watch and saw that it was just after twelve o’clock, indicating that the normal time to get off work was indeed twelve o’clock.

The canteen staff hurriedly brought out a few more dishes from the kitchen, and Wen Jiajia was surprised to find a second wave of food.

And it was steaming hot, as if it had just come out of the pot. No wonder the workers in the workshop hadn’t made a fuss!

At noon, there is a two-hour break.

They start work at 8 a.m. and finish at 6 p.m., with a two-hour break in between, which means the pharmaceutical factory implements an eight-hour workday at this time.

It’s almost the same as it was decades ago.

If you think about the factory where the original owner’s adoptive parents worked, it was the same.

“Actually, most factories are like this. My uncle works in a canning factory, and they finish work at five o’clock, which is earlier than our pharmaceutical factory,” Sha Yue said when she saw Wen Jiajia’s reaction.

When they returned to the office, the two male colleagues were absent. She left the office door ajar and asked curiously, “Jia Jia, are you from the countryside?”

Otherwise, how could you be so unfamiliar with everything?

Wen Jiajia answered readily, “Yes.”

Sha Yue was impressed. “So you got into our pharmaceutical factory by yourself? Which middle school did you graduate from?”

“I passed the entrance exam last week,” Wen Jiajia said as she put her washed lunch box back into the drawer. “But I’m not from here, and my school isn’t here. I came here with my husband and then took the exam for the pharmaceutical factory.”

Sha Yue was taken aback. “Wait, you have a husband?”

Wen Jiajia smiled and said, “Yes, we got married last year.”

Sha Yue was stunned. “I really can’t tell. I thought you were a graduate this year.”

For a moment, Sha Yue admired Wen Jiajia. Despite the trivial matters of marriage, she managed to pass the exam and get a job at the pharmaceutical factory, which spoke to her character.

Sha Yue, on the other hand, had failed to get into university after graduating last year, and it was only because her mother secured her a job that she didn’t end up in the countryside.

—

Afternoon

The office was quiet. Wen Jiajia lay her head on the desk with her eyes closed to rest. She had gotten up early that morning and soon fell asleep without realizing it.

As the sunlight gradually streamed through the window, Wen Jiajia, whose black hair was absorbing the heat, woke up from the warmth.

When she woke, her mind was hazy. As her surroundings slowly came into focus, she became fully awake.

Sha Yue was still napping, and the two male colleagues were still absent until about 2:15, when they arrived one after another.

Wen Jiajia rubbed her eyes and yawned three times in succession.

She felt that the work at the pharmaceutical factory was different from what she had imagined. It was so easy that it was boring—extremely boring.

Sha Yue started to tend to her aloe vera plants; she even had two pots of aloe vera in her office.

No one knew where Li Haijun had gone. He came back, checked in, and left in a hurry.

Qiao He, on the other hand, was preparing his safety presentation.

He was a very interesting person. He didn’t take others seriously at all. He read passionately while writing, and it was clear that his safety speech was well-written, clear, humorous, and easy to understand.

Clearly, he had some skills.

Only Wen Jiajia had no job and no aloe vera plants; all she did was read newspapers.

Would it be like this from now on?

Wen Jiajia pondered this question again.

This kind of life was indeed comfortable, but it was also boring.

Whether to actively seek a job or passively wait, Wen Jiajia felt she needed to think carefully about this question.

However, she didn’t have much time to think. After finishing today’s newspaper, the office door was pushed open.

“Who’s there…”

Wen Jiajia stood up. “Director, my name is Wen Jiajia.”

Director Xue said, “Okay, Wen Jiajia, come to my office.”

With that, he turned and left.

Sha Yue’s eyes widened in shock. “I never thought Director Xue would call for help himself.”

Even Qiao He, who was revising his manuscript, showed a surprised expression.

However, Wen Jiajia didn’t have time to be surprised. She grabbed a pen and paper and hurried out.

Director Xue’s office door was slightly open, so she knocked twice as a sign of intent.

Seeing that she brought paper and pen, Director Xue thought the newcomer might be capable.

Wen Jiajia stood in front of the desk. “Director Xue.”

Director Xue pointed to a pile of documents next to him and asked, “Can you sort these out?”

Wen Jiajia nodded immediately. “Yes, I can sort them.”

She had been a boss before but had never been an employee. In state-owned enterprises, you have to say you can do something when your leader gives you a task.

If you do a good job, it shows you are capable. If you fail, no one can deduct your salary or fire you.

Seeing her answer so readily, Director Xue also gave her some advice. “This is the drug production record of the workshop from last month. You need to sort out the data. If any drugs are missing, go to the workshop and find the team leader to ask for an explanation.”

Wen Jiajia replied, “Okay.”

She immediately repeated in her mind several times: sort out the data… explain any missing drugs…

She took the documents back to the office, where Sha Yue eagerly awaited her.

“Hey, hey, hey, Jiajia, what did Director Xue want?” Sha Yue asked as soon as she saw Wen Jiajia return.

Li Haijun had come back at some point and turned to look at her along with Qiao He.

Wen Jiajia patted the file and said, “Sort out the drug data from the workshop.”

The response…

Qiao He’s expression froze for a few seconds. After a moment, he turned back to his manuscript and read even more loudly.

Li Haijun wore a blank expression and said nothing.

Sha Yue looked puzzled. “Why didn’t Director Xue ask us to do it before?”

She didn’t mean to be jealous. She was clear about her own role; she was just here to make a living and earn a salary.

Originally, she was supposed to work in the workshop, but her family’s connections got her assigned to the office.

Her family had only one request for her: just don’t get kicked out by Director Xue.