Chapter 7: Dissatisfied 

Zhao Yunyun was tricked by Zhao Ke into going home and didn’t realize it for a long time. Support him? How could it be her supporting him?

Fu Zhiqing^[1]Educated Youth Fu had an extraordinary way of speaking, and his clothes and belongings were clearly not cheap. According to what her Tang Jiefu^[2]Husband of older female cousin via male line said, who was from Hu^[3]Short name for Shanghai City, the watch he wore was a famous brand from Hu City and cost dozens of yuan.

She pursued Fu Zhiqing and wanted to marry him, but it wasn’t just because of his looks. It was for a better life, and perhaps in the future, she could also become a city person.

Zhao Yunyun was someone with aspirations!

However, when she went to find Zhao Ke again, Zhao Ke had already left home and gone to the commune.

It was Monday, and Zhao Ke rode to the commune. By the time she arrived, it was already late. She went to the bearing factory canteen, got a meal, and then went straight back to her dorm.

For the next two days, she disappeared every lunchtime, only returning right before work began.

On Wednesday morning, Zhao Ke took her documents and the certificates she had prepared for transferring her job, and knocked on the personnel office of the bearing factory.

Secretary Sun, following routine, inquired and tried to persuade her. When he saw Zhao Ke’s firm attitude, he nodded and said, “Alright, the factory still needs to go through some processes. The deadline for the stamp is this Friday. If you change your mind, feel free to come find me.”

Zhao Ke politely agreed but was certain she wouldn’t change her mind.

She went back to work as usual, not revealing anything, planning to tell her close friend Xiao Wen after Friday when it was finalized.

At lunchtime, the workers went to the canteen for their meal.

When Secretary Sun was getting his food, he happened to run into Master Yu and casually mentioned, “Master Yu, that Xiao Zhao from your workshop told me today she wants to transfer her job to a family member.”

Master Yu frowned. “I didn’t know.”

“Some comrades’ work gets affected by family issues. Since you’re her supervisor, you could check if she’s having any difficulties in her personal life. If she is, you can bring it up with the factory,” Secretary Sun sighed as he spoke. “I heard Xiao Zhao is a very capable worker. It’s a shame if she leaves.”

Master Yu nodded solemnly, took her food, and started looking around the canteen for Zhao Ke.

Zhao Ke was sitting with Xiao Wen and two other colleagues from the same workshop, chatting while eating.

Xiao Wen, with a round face, furrowed his brows and said anxiously, “I’m only nineteen, but my mom insists I find a boyfriend. I don’t want to at all.”

Zhao Ke casually remarked, “Marriage is a big thing, it really should be considered carefully. You’re still young, and you have a stable job. You don’t have to worry about finding someone in a few years, and who knows what other opportunities may come?”

“What kind of opportunities could I have?” Xiao Wen sighed dramatically. “My mom says I should be grateful just to have a job.”

“Our factory sends people to the main factory every year for technical training. If you improve through learning, and work hard for opportunities, not only will your choice of partner expand, but other areas of your life will open up too.”

Xiao Wen rested his chin on his chopsticks. “What you’re saying makes sense. I’ll tell my mom this when I get home!”

“At the end of the day, it’s better to have something than to rely on others.”

Zhao Ke finished speaking and lowered her head to eat.

Xiao Wen nodded, and halfway through, she suddenly sat up straight and lightly coughed to remind her.

Zhao Ke looked at her in confusion.

Xiao Wen didn’t dare make big movements, just signaling behind her with her eyes.

Zhao Ke turned around and saw Master Yu standing about a meter behind her, holding her lunch box. She quickly stood up and greeted, “Master Yu.”

Master Yu spoke in a cold, hard tone: “Zhao Ke, come with me. I need to talk to you.”

“Okay.”

Zhao Ke turned back, packed up her lunch box, and signaled to Xiao Wen with her eyes she would leave first.

Xiao Wen quickly waved her hand, showing no intention of stopping her.

Zhao Ke found it amusing. When she turned back, she immediately returned to her serious demeanor.

Master Yu led Zhao Ke in silence all the way to her single dorm room. “Come in.”

Zhao Ke politely refrained from looking around, sitting on the chair Master Yu indicated, behaving very obediently.

But Master Yu was irritated when she saw her like this.

The person was smart, understood things, never careless, but just lacked drive no matter how much she was nudged.

“I hear you speak clearly with others, but when it comes to yourself, why are you so careless?”

Zhao Ke thought for a moment and realized Master Yu must have overheard what she said to Xiao Wen. But this also involved a personal pursuit.

She didn’t want to explain her “retirement plan” to someone with such high work enthusiasm as Master Yu, so she could only shyly smile. “Sorry for making you laugh.”

Master Yu looked at her seriously, paused for a while, then opened her lunch box, softened her tone slightly, “Not full? Eat a bit more, we can chat while you eat.”

Master Yu often wore a stern expression, and many female workers were afraid of her, but Zhao Ke wasn’t, so without hesitation, she opened her own lunch box and continued eating the remaining food.

Master Yu picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it in Zhao Ke’s lunch box. “I heard you have a brother?”

Zhao Ke thanked her and nodded. “Yes, I have a brother.”

Master Yu furrowed her brow, then relaxed, and said with an implied meaning, “What you said to Xiao Wen is very good. You’re already an adult, you should understand that only the things you hold in your own hands can become your security. When others, even family, try to take something from you, most of the time their words are self-interested.”

Zhao Ke bit into the braised pork, blinking in confusion.

Master Yu deepened her tone, “Do you have any difficulties now? If you do, I’ll help as much as I can.”

Difficulties…

This was the second time today someone had asked her that.

Zhao Ke roughly understood why Master Yu had come to talk to her and had said those things earlier. She decided to be straightforward, asking, “So, you know about me transferring my job to someone else?”

Master Yu said, “This job was not easy to come by. When making decisions, don’t be too impulsive.”

Zhao Ke smiled.

Master Yu could have chosen not to meddle, but she specifically came to speak with Zhao Ke. Zhao Ke appreciated this kindness and sincerely thanked her, explaining, “Transferring the job to my elder sister was my own choice, it wasn’t impulsive.”

“Elder sister?” Master Yu looked surprised.

“Yes.” Zhao Ke quickly responded, “Did you think I was transferring it to my younger brother?”

Master Yu showed an embarrassed expression.

She had been misled by what Sun said. She hadn’t asked enough questions, which caused the misunderstanding.

However, it wasn’t entirely her fault. This kind of thing was too common: a good job being transferred to a brother, husband, or even a younger brother-in-law, or nephew…

Zhao Ke took the initiative to ease the atmosphere and said, “The job transfer was my idea. My sister is 21 this year, and the family is getting anxious about her marriage, but I think it would be a waste for her to find a partner in the village.”

Master Yu was a good listener and patiently listened to her speak.

“My sister graduated from middle school, but I recently learned that she actually passed the high school entrance exam. She didn’t go because of family reasons. These past two years, she has been teaching at our production team’s elementary school while also self-studying high school courses.”

Master Yu’s eyes showed admiration, “She’s an ambitious child.”

Zhao Ke knew Master Yu would like her sister, so she worked even harder to speak highly of her: “My sister originally didn’t want to transfer the job, but I persuaded her for a long time before she agreed. It was mainly because she’s hardworking and could earn more to help the family.”

Master Yu’s expression had softened considerably compared to when she first entered, but she still didn’t fully relax, “So what about you?”

“Currently, I plan to take over my sister’s job at the elementary school.”

Master Yu disagreed: “What future does that have?”

Zhao Ke replied with what she had told her parents: “I’m still young. If other opportunities arise in the future, I’ll do my best to seize them.”

Master Yu appeared thoughtful after hearing this.

She had a wide network. If she knew of any openings, she could recommend Zhao Ke.

However, without certainty, she couldn’t make promises, so she simply said, “Since that’s the case, you can stay in the village for a while as a transition. That would be fine.”

·

Zhao Ke successfully obtained the transfer certificate. The next step was for the production team to release her, and for Zhao Mian’s foodstuffs relation to be transferred to the bearing factory.

On the following Saturday, Zhao Ke returned to the village. In the afternoon, she and Yu Xiulan went to the team committee to meet with Team Leader Zhao Xinshan.

Zhao Village had about 300 people, nearly a third of whom shared the Zhao surname. They had settled here decades ago, and the population would have been even larger had it not been for the upheavals over the years.

Zhao Ke’s great-grandfather was one of two brothers, and the team leader, Zhao Xinshan, belonged to the branch of the family that had stayed as household heads, while Zhao Ke’s family was from another branch. By the time it came to Zhao Jianguo’s generation, the connection had become distant, though they still shared the same family rank.

The Zhao surname was powerful in the village, with all the Zhao family members tightly united.

And Zhao Xinshan was ranked first, while Zhao Jianguo was ranked third.

Zhao Xinshan had watched Zhao Ke grow up and was very happy to see his successful junior. “Zhao Ke is here, sit down quickly.”

“Uncle, Aunt, don’t be busy.” Zhao Ke waved her hand, stopping Aunt Li Hehua from bringing her sweet soup.

Aunt Li Hehua still brought it over and then sat cross-legged on the kang, asking the mother and daughter, “Why did you two come together?”

The mother and daughter exchanged a look, and before Zhao Ke could speak, Yu Xiulan said, “Zhao Ke plans to transfer her job to Zhao Mian. We’re here to ask Uncle to issue a certificate to transfer Zhao Mian’s grain account to the bearing factory.”

“What?!” 

Zhao Xinshan and Li Hehua were shocked.

Li Hehua asked, “Why suddenly transfer the job?”

Zhao Xinshan looked at the expressions of the mother and daughter and knew they had already made up their minds, feeling somewhat unhappy. “Xiulan, I’m not saying anything, but if you’re transferring it, why not transfer it to Zhao Feng?”

Yu Xiulan’s attitude was somewhat strong. “Zhao Ke’s job, she can transfer it to whoever she wants. She decides herself. Why must it be transferred to Zhao Feng?”

Zhao Xinshan’s lips drooped, and he didn’t argue with her. He turned to Zhao Ke, “What do you say?”

“Uncle, this matter was brought up by me. My mom didn’t agree at first.” Zhao Ke’s tone softened a lot, “This is how I think about it: my sister is three years older than me, and Zhao Feng is four years older. Since I’m able, I’ll first settle my sister, and then I’ll make other plans with Zhao Feng later.”

The transfer certificate had already been issued. Since they were all surnamed Zhao, Zhao Xinshan couldn’t refuse to transfer the grain account.

But at least Zhao Ke’s attitude was more pleasant.

Zhao Xinshan rolled a dry cigarette and asked, “So how are you planning to arrange Zhao Ke?”

Yu Xiulan said, “I want her to take over her sister’s job first.”

Zhao Xinshan was silent for a moment and said, “You two go back first. I’ll think about it some more.”

After the mother and daughter left, Zhao Xinshan sat on the kang, smoking the cigarette, the smoke swirling around him.

Li Hehua opened the window to air out the smell and asked, “What else is there to think about? Zhao Ke is a high school graduate. What’s wrong with teaching elementary school?”

Zhao Xinshan exhaled a puff of smoke, dissatisfied. “Lao San never takes charge of anything. Everything at home and outside is controlled by her, Yu Xiulan. How can this continue?”