Chapter 64

Chief Lu clarified the details of Qiao Wei’s work again.

“At ten past five, formal broadcasting begins, and the machine needs to be preheated. You must arrive at least ten minutes early. Punctuality is a must.”

“Afternoon work starts around three o’clock, give or take. You manage your own time.”

The morning broadcast is about relaying news and current affairs from the county broadcasting station. Since the Central Broadcasting Station is punctual, they must also open the machine on time at their end.

Being late for the morning shift is not allowed.

The afternoon broadcast consists of the town’s own content.

It mainly involves learning about the Party’s spirit and national policies. If there is any news in the town, it will also be broadcast, but usually, there isn’t much news to report. Even if there is some news, it’s usually trivial.

Because it’s self-generated content, the timing is not strict.

Around three o’clock is the time for the broadcast, but if it’s around three-thirty, it’s also acceptable.

If you broadcast at four, Chief Lu might put down his tea and newspaper, push up his glasses, and give you a glance. But ultimately, if you still broadcast, he won’t say anything.

Chief Lu’s main job is to sit in the office, read newspapers all day, and drink tea.

“When there’s something to do, you’ll also need to write some scripts.”

“During idle times, you can also explore what current events in our town are worth reporting. Discovering shining gems in the ordinary is what our broadcasting station should do. After all, we belong to the propaganda department,” Chief Lu instructed.

Qiao Wei expressed her willingness to learn humbly.

The morning broadcast time wasn’t long, starting at ten past five with a twenty-minute relay of news from the Central Broadcasting Station, followed by fifteen minutes of news from Yongming County.

Qiao Wei went out to handle relationship transfers and then returned to listen to Chief Lu’s instructions. However, before he could finish, the speakers were already broadcasting Lu Manman’s voice: “The broadcast from the Xiahekou Town People’s Commune Broadcasting Station has ended. Goodbye.”

Qiao Wei glanced at the office clock; it was already ten forty.

Lu Manman quickly came over, twirling a keychain on her finger, and cheerfully greeted her, “Qiao Wei, come here, I’ll teach you how to use the machine.”

Instead of immediately getting up, Qiao Wei looked toward Chief Lu.

Chief Lu was very satisfied with the new female comrade today and reprimanded Lu Manman upon hearing her words, “Are you in a hurry? She’s here for reporting today. Learn tomorrow.”

Lu Manman didn’t have any ill intentions. She coquettishly said, “Hurry up and learn. I have to rest this Sunday! My dad went to the provincial capital the day before yesterday, and I missed the chance to go with him. I don’t care, I must rest this Sunday.”

The broadcast shift on Sundays is short. It was still before eleven in the morning, and Lu Manman’s work for the morning had already been completed. Before the afternoon shift started, she could arrange her time freely, whether going home or leisurely drinking tea in the office.

The flowers on the windowsill were well taken care of, indicating that everyone was very relaxed.

However, broadcasting couldn’t stop on Sundays. In fact, it had to be done well because everyone else was resting. Therefore, regardless of the nominal number of broadcasters, the broadcasting station needed at least two truly active broadcasters. These two broadcasters took turns resting on Sundays.

Last week, due to the pregnancy of the other person, Lu Manman was supposed to have the Sunday off but was forced to work overtime on the weekend, missing the opportunity to go to the provincial capital with her father. She was very upset!

“Don’t worry, Qiao looks like a comrade with strong learning ability. I guarantee she’ll learn once you teach her,” Chief Lu assured.

It could be said that Qiao Wei was the one with the highest comprehensive quality among those sent over by the military district. He wasn’t worried at all.

“Alright…” Lu Manman grinned and said to Qiao Wei, “Then you’re free today. You can go home.”

Qiao Wei smiled and looked at Chief Lu again.

Chief Lu liked her understanding nature. He nodded, “You’re free today. Go back. And remember to arrive at least ten minutes early tomorrow.”

This meant that the latest arrival time for work every morning was nine fifty-five.

Qiao Wei had been waking up early lately. Unlike when she first arrived and woke up late, by the time she went out to buy groceries, the supply and marketing cooperatives were already open for business, and she could even browse around.

Since she started morning runs, she could go buy groceries early and return before the supply and marketing cooperatives opened.

The working hours were quite flexible.

Chief Lu nodded, and Qiao Wei, not pretending, smiled and got up. The report for today was over, which meant she was off duty.

She walked out with Lu Manman.

Lu Manman looked at her and knew she was different from Hu Sui. It seemed like she could really get to work, which made her very happy. She even took the initiative to tell her, “There’s a canteen in the town’s committee office. If you don’t want to cook at home, you can eat here. It’s convenient. I go home to eat because my grandma cooks every day. If I don’t go back to eat, she’ll be unhappy.”

“That’s so convenient,” Qiao Wei was delighted.

Calculating it, considering Yan Xiang’s walking speed, she could leave at nine twenty in the morning and arrive in about twenty minutes. Walking to work without traffic congestion meant she wouldn’t be late.

Having lunch with Yan Xiang in the canteen at noon would save her from the trouble of cooking at home. After eating, she could go back home to nap, and when she woke up, it would be time for the afternoon shift.

“What kind of heavenly class is this?

When they were about to part at the main gate, Lu Manman said, “Come a little earlier tomorrow, I’ll teach you how to use the machine.”

Qiao Wei cheerfully agreed, “Okay.”

She seemed like an efficient person, which made Lu Manman very happy. Humming a tune, she walked away.

Qiao Wei left the town government compound feeling pleased, heading to pick up the shoes she had someone make for her.

At the third house in the alley, there was no need to knock; the courtyard gate was wide open, and the old lady was sitting on the doorstep doing needlework.

“Auntie, I’ve come to see you,” Qiao Wei said, not mentioning that she was there to pick up her shoes, so as not to let others hear.

“Come in, quickly, and have some water,” the old lady said with a smile, leading her inside and closing the courtyard gate.

Qiao Wei received her cloth sandals, and you wouldn’t believe it, but the needlework was really good.

“Is this design okay?” the old lady asked. “If not, I can take it apart and sew it again for you.”

“This design is perfect,” Qiao Wei said, very satisfied. She took out a dry lotus leaf bundle from her military bag and gave it to the old lady.

The old lady opened the lotus leaf bundle, revealing a steamed bun inside, and she was also pleased. “In the future, if you have any needlework, feel free to come to me.”

Qiao Wei remembered that this old lady’s surname was also Lu. She used to call her Auntie Lu, but the old lady insisted on being called Auntie Ba’er.

She was intrigued and asked, “Auntie, there seem to be quite a few people surnamed Lu here.”

Auntie Ba’er proudly said, “Of course, where we are, down by the river mouth, half the people are surnamed Lu, half are surnamed Xu, and half are surnamed Xie. The remaining few have other surnames.”

Qiao Wei didn’t bother to argue about the mathematical impossibility of three halves adding up to one and a half times the total. She exclaimed, “No wonder, they are prominent surnames.”

“That’s right.”

“Auntie, what is your maiden name?”

“It’s Xie.”

Qiao Wei smiled and nodded, promising to come to her for needlework in the future. She tucked the new sandals into her bag and headed home.

First, she went to Captain Zhao’s house to pick up Yan Xiang.

As soon as Sister Yang saw her, she asked, “Did you pass?”

She really had confidence in her.

Qiao Wei grinned, “Yes, I passed.”

Finally, there’s something to do. Ever since the road was repaired and the walls were painted, I’ve really felt like even my walking speed has slowed down.

Cooking has become my spiritual solace, but unfortunately, at this time, various ingredients, condiments, and cooking utensils are not as abundant as they will be in the future.

There will be immortal classes in the future.

Sister Yang pulled her into the house, avoiding Lin Xixi, and asked, “How much is your salary?”

Qiao Wei replied, “I just started, so I’m paid as a temporary miscellaneous worker, 14 yuan a month. After three months, I’ll become a formal clerk, earning 23 yuan a month.”

Sister Yang clapped her hands in delight. “That’s great!”

Being someone who understands the ropes, she continued, “And what about allowances? Food expenses? What do they give out for holidays?”

Qiao Wei broke into a sweat.

At this time, there was no concept of “privacy.” If you had a good relationship with someone, apart from asking about marital matters, it was acceptable to inquire about everything, including how much money you made.

During yesterday’s women’s tea gathering, the elder ladies talked about the economic situations of others. Not even the slightest detail of the meat or oil distributed during the holidays would be overlooked.

There were no secrets.

You couldn’t politely refuse inquiries to protect your privacy as they do in the future. They couldn’t understand why income couldn’t be shared, and they would persistently ask until you confessed.

Qiao Wei said, “I haven’t figured it out yet. It didn’t seem appropriate to ask on the first day, but I know meals are provided.”

“Indeed. You must find out later, don’t let them shortchange you. We are outsiders, and the locals stick together. They might deceive us, but you need to be vigilant,” Sister Yang said. “There must be other military dependents at the town committee. Remember to get closer to everyone. Remember, we are family members of officials, so don’t be afraid if anything happens. The military region will support us.”

Qiao Wei almost got swindled by Auntie Ba’er over a pair of shoes, which left her with a deep impression.

Local protectionism was almost innate in every locality. Although the families of military personnel were arranged to work locally, they were considered outsiders by the natives.

In the evening, Yan Lei asked her, “Did you report?”

He didn’t even ask if she had passed the exam.

Qiao Wei told him, “I’ve switched over the grain ration.”

“Who did you meet? How do you feel?” Yan Lei saw her good complexion and knew that everything had gone smoothly today. He smiled and asked.

Qiao Wei briefly recounted today’s situation and then said, “Including me, there are three people surnamed Lu out of seven at the radio station.”

But Yan Lei looked at it from another perspective. “Out of seven people, three are family members of military personnel.”

“That’s true.”

Although there was a disproportionately high number of Lu surnames at the radio station, the military region’s influence was not insignificant. It could be said that everyone had a background. Qiao Wei relied not on her surname but on her affiliation with the military.

It was essentially the same.

“I heard that in this town, three surnames, Lu, Xie, and Xu, account for three-quarters of the population?” she said.

Yan Lei knew more clearly, “The mayor’s surname is Xie, most of those surnamed Lu are mainly in the supply and marketing cooperative, and the director of the armed forces department is surnamed Xu.”

Qiao Wei calculated, “The station chief is surnamed Lu, the propaganda department head is surnamed Xie, the broadcaster, the line worker… Oh, I remember now, the elder lady who made shoes for me is surnamed Xie in her maiden family and Lu in her husband’s family.”

“You’re digging into intricate connections,” Qiao Wei exclaimed. “The power of lineage is still so strong outside major cities.”

In the future, the north is slightly better, but the south is formidable, with ancestral halls everywhere, and people of the same surname banding together. Whether in business or in government, they were tightly knit.

You could find a lot of information online, giving a sense of revival and resurgence.

Yan Lei had never discussed such specific and grounded issues with Qiao Wei before.

“The party leads the country, and the ‘head’ is the second in command, while the ‘secretary’ is the one in charge,” he told her.

Imperialist ambitions never die, and remnants of feudalism are always ready to make a comeback. But there’s no need to fear; the chairman will lead us to thoroughly break the feudal ideology, liberate women, and eliminate all remnants of feudalism.

“Chairman teaches us to constantly educate and transform ourselves. You’ve been doing very well during this period.”

“Qiao Wei, you must study hard, stay vigilant, and keep it up!”

Uh…

Being stared at with such enthusiastic and hopeful eyes by someone with such an upright demeanor, the pressure was overwhelming.

Qiao Wei: “I, uh, I’ll try… um, my best!”