Chapter 14: Settling Down

After dinner, Huang Yao’s father said to Shuxin, “Finally, you’re here! If you didn’t come soon, I would have sent Yao Yao to your house to find you.”

“Yao Yao has probably told you all about it, so I won’t go on any further. We’ve decided not to let that girl run too far by herself, and we plan for her to work as a ticket seller at the station. As for you, I managed to secure a position as a train attendant. Are you okay with that, Shuxin?”

“Thank you, Uncle Huang, for your effort. I’m fine with it; being a train attendant is perfect for me.” Shuxin wasn’t just being polite; she genuinely felt that it suited her well. Although train attendants spent a lot of time on trains, they could travel to different provinces and cities, which was a great opportunity.

Given the current requirement for sending an introduction letter when going out, plus her ability to travel with her space, she could buy and sell items and seize opportunities to make money—this was the best of both worlds for her.

“Uncle Huang surely put in a lot of effort on my behalf. I actually came to the city hoping you would help me find a job,” Shuxin said. “Look, I also brought you something nice as a gift.”

“Oh? Then I definitely want to see it. If you say it’s something good, it must be something special. You’re not the type to be easily impressed,” Huang Yao’s father replied, not disputing Shuxin’s choice of words. Even though he had come from a military background, he was aware that Shuxin was joking.

Shuxin didn’t keep him in suspense. She went to Huang Yao’s room and brought out her bag. Huang Yao’s mother and Huang Yao sat down together to see what Shuxin had brought. Just as Huang Yao’s father said, Shuxin’s “good stuff” was definitely not ordinary, and they were both very curious.

“These are dried wild chickens and wild mushrooms I found in the mountains. Aunt Huang can use these to add some flavor to your meals,” Shuxin began.

“Drum roll, please! Here comes the highlight!” she continued. “This is my homemade donkey-hide gelatin, made from pure wild donkey skin. I found this at an old villager’s home. Aunt Huang, if you add some ingredients and turn it into gelatin cakes, you and Yao Yao can have a piece each day for beauty and health.”

As soon as Huang Yao’s mother heard it was gelatin made from wild donkey skin, she knew it was a good thing. Women have an irresistible attraction to products that promise beauty, and she quickly hugged it close.

Shuxin continued, “This is monkey wine I found deep in the mountains. Uncle Huang will definitely like it. And this one, I ground it for a long time from an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor—a medicinal wine made from tiger bone.”

“Haha, indeed a rare find! Tiger bone wine is hard to come by, let alone one made from a tiger’s bone. You’re so thoughtful, Shuxin. I won’t be polite then!” Huang Yao’s father chuckled.

In fact, that tiger bone wine was something Shuxin had brewed herself. Two years ago, when she ventured into the mountains, she came across a deserted cave where a complete tiger skeleton lay. She suspected it was left behind by a tiger king that had died naturally.

Shuxin didn’t forget about Huang Yao or Huang Hao, bringing homemade fruit snacks and meat sauce for them as well. Although the Huang family was well-off, due to limited resources in the country at that time, even wealth couldn’t guarantee access to everything; thus, they were happy to receive these treats.

Although Uncle Huang had used his connections to secure jobs for them, she and Huang Yao still needed to take an exam, as per the usual procedures. The exam was scheduled for three days later, with results coming out the following day. Fortunately, she had made it to the city; otherwise, Uncle Huang would definitely have sent Yao Yao to the countryside to look for her.

Shuxin relaxed and waited in the city for the exam. During these two days, Huang Yao took Shuxin around town, and Shuxin also made time to deliver some herbs to a collection station, earning over ten dollars from it this time, with her portion being three dollars—most of it for Liu Grandma and the others.

Shuxin and Huang Yao went to a supply and marketing cooperative to buy some clothes and fabric, thinking ahead to the work outfits the railway bureau would provide. It was important to make a good impression in a place where everyone had connections. Although simplicity and frugality were encouraged, as long as one didn’t cross the line, it was still acceptable to look nice.

That day, Shuxin wore a military green long-sleeved dress and a pair of black leather shoes. Huang Yao looked just as good, dressed in a yellow lace dress made by her mother and also wearing matching black leather shoes. Shuxin had come across those shoes in the black market by chance; she bought three pairs—two black and one yellow—and gifted one to Huang Yao while keeping the last for her cousin.

Both girls had good looks, and walking together made them a stunning sight. Given the conservative relationship dynamics, they weren’t worried about anyone harassing them. Even if someone tried to make advances, Shuxin’s combat skills were not to be underestimated.

Upon entering the exam hall, the test questions were not simple, but they posed no problem for Shuxin. She picked up her pen and began to fill in the answers. Meanwhile, Huang Yao felt relieved as she recognized all the questions. Since she and Shuxin were close friends, it was natural for her to perform well in academics, and the exam was a breeze for her.

After finishing her written exam, Shuxin was called to the office for an interview, which assessed her speaking tone, problem-solving attitude, and personal appearance and conduct.

In the 1960s and 70s, being a worker was a point of pride, but in places like supply and marketing cooperatives and state-owned hotels, staff attitudes towards customers often left much to be desired. The railway bureau, as a prestigious job, certainly required stricter standards, especially since the newly established Xinyang Station couldn’t afford to adopt a casual attitude.

When Shuxin finally walked out, Huang Yao had been waiting for quite a while. Shuxin explained that she was delayed due to the interview. Since they were testing for different positions, Huang Yao didn’t press her too much; they happily left together.

“Shuxin, hurry up! My mom knows we had the exam today and made us braised pork, plus you brought wild chicken! Just thinking about it makes my mouth water!” Shuxin heard that Huang’s mother had made delicious food and quickened her pace.

For Shuxin, food had never been lacking in her life, but having gone through hardships, she now had a particular inclination towards well-prepared food. She only had slightly higher standards for it—just a tiny bit.

Upon arriving home, Huang Yao’s parents asked about their exam results. Upon hearing that they both did well, they were relieved.

“Shuxin, it seems your job is nearly confirmed. Tomorrow, you and Yao Yao will get your appointment letters, and you should go to the countryside to handle your registration. Since the train station still has about a week left before it’s completed, you won’t be starting work for at least another half month. Make sure to complete your paperwork during this time.”

“Alright, Uncle Huang. I’ll see how things are arranged tomorrow.”

The next day, Shuxin took Huang Yao to check the admission list, and as expected, both of them were on it. Following the staff to the office, they received their appointment letters and identification documents. Shuxin didn’t plan to stay at the Huang family’s place for long, as she wanted to go find the team leader to finalize her paperwork—the main task was to secure her job.

“Yao Yao, I’m heading to handle the paperwork first. You get everything ready, and we’ll meet at the railway bureau entrance tomorrow morning,” she said.

Huang Yao understood the importance of it and didn’t try to keep her; after all, they would be working in the same place, so there would be plenty of time.

Taking a bus to Liulin Brigade, it was already around two or three in the afternoon. Shuxin feared that waiting would lead to complications, so she directly found Brigade Leader Liu Shuanggen to complete the food connection and household registration transfer paperwork, then promptly returned to the city.

Brigade Leader Liu Shuanggen watched as Shuxin hurried away, internally lamenting: I always knew the Liu family girl was capable; she saved the entire village from disaster, later achieved excellent results to attend the best middle school in the county, and now she’s working in the city for such a prestigious unit like the railway bureau. Looking at her, my own son’s still digging in the fields. Forget it; I’ll go check on my son.

She booked a room at the guesthouse, planning not to stay with the Huang family or crowd into their space.

The next morning, she went with Huang Yao to the railway bureau office to finalize their jobs before saying goodbye to Huang Yao and taking the bus back to Liulin Brigade.