Chapter 181: The Machine Factory is Hiring Again

When he came in, Xu Ning was taking out the dough she had prepared in the morning to make steamed buns.

Lu Xiaotang took the dough from her hands and said, “You go check on the kids; I’ll handle this.”

She nodded and replied, “Xiao An won’t be home until six o’clock, so don’t make dinner too early.”

“Alright, I understand. You hurry up!” he urged.

Xu Mo had finished his work for the day and headed over to Xu Ning’s place.

To avoid drawing suspicion, he often visited the educated youth compound as well, playing with Wei Lanlan’s chubby son, Xiao Pang.

In the summer, Xu Mo enjoyed going to the river to fish with several of the male educated youth, and over time, he had grown quite familiar with them. Occasionally, when he had nothing else to do, he’d seek them out for a chat.

By now, his visits to see Niu Pi Tang were no longer seen as unusual. Everyone knew he loved playing with children, so after school, he’d either be at the educated youth compound or at Xu Ning’s home.

He pushed open the door and saw Lu Xiaotang tidying up the firewood room, exclaiming in surprise, “Brother-in-law, when did you come back?”

Seeing him, Lu Xiaotang smiled and said, “Xiao Mo, I arrived this afternoon. You got out of school so early?”

“Brother-in-law, it’s autumn harvest season, and our school has given us a break for the harvest. I just came back from the fields,” he explained.

Lu Xiaotang nodded and smiled, asking, “Are you hungry? I just made some steamed buns. You should go eat a bit first; I’ll tidy this up and then cook.”

“Brother-in-law, you go ahead and clean up. I’ll check on Niu Pi Tang first and come back to make dinner in a bit,” he replied.

As he spoke, he walked into the room, having not seen Tang Tang all day and missing her.

When Tang Tang saw him, she danced around the railing, greeting him in a language only they could understand.

Xu Ning went to the kitchen, took a steamed bun, and stuffed it with meat sauce before handing it to him. She asked, “Xiao Mo, are you tired?”

He accepted the bun with a smile and said, “Sister, not at all! I only earned two work points today, and Mom and Dad wouldn’t let me help. Look, I’m already done for the day.”

She knew that he must be tired; such a small child could hardly be expected to earn two work points, and finishing so early was just his way of wanting to return and help her cook.

Lu Xiaotang didn’t let Xiao Mo cook; he had him play on the heated bed with the little ones while he prepared the meals for the evening.

“Tomorrow, I’ll take you all to the city to take pictures. The day after, I’ll go back to work, and I’ll have Xiao Mo help Grandpa Qi feed the cows at home, do some cooking for you, and look after the kids. We’ll just say that Grandpa Qi’s leg is hurting again, so he can’t feed the cows and that Xiao Mo needs to stay home to watch over things.”

Xu Ning nodded and said, “I’ll mention it to Mom and Dad tonight.”

She glanced at the clock; it was already six-thirty. Usually, Xu An would be home by six, so she wondered what was taking him so long today.

“Don’t worry; I’ll go see if he’s back,” Lu Xiaotang reassured her.

“Can you check the youth compound to see if Sun Hao has come back? They usually come back from work together,” Xu Ning reminded him.

“Got it! I’ll go ask right now,” Lu Xiaotang said as he prepared to head out.

Just as he reached the door, Xu An came back riding his bicycle.

He was very happy to see Lu Xiaotang. “Brother-in-law, you’re back!”

“Yeah, I’m back,” Lu Xiaotang said as he took Xu An’s bicycle from him, urging him to wash his hands.

“Xiao An, why are you so late today? Was there something going on at the factory?” Xu Ning asked.

“Sister, this year, both Da Lin and Jianmin graduated from high school. In a few days, our factory is hiring some temporary workers, so I went to let them know to prepare in advance,” Xu An explained.

“Your factory is hiring again? Didn’t you just take on dozens of new employees last year?” Xu Ning asked, surprised.

Xu An nodded and explained, “Yeah, but recently, the factory discovered a shortage of parts, and the director got involved. Turns out, it was connected to a few people from the warehouse and workshop. Over a dozen people got implicated, and they were taken away just this morning. Now, there are several positions to fill. The director said they’re looking to hire a few more high school graduates.”

Xu Ning shook her head, sighing. “I just don’t understand why some people can’t appreciate having such a good job. Instead of doing their work properly, they get involved in petty crimes like that.”

Seeing that it was getting dark, she suggested, “Let’s eat first. Your brother-in-law still needs to go to the cattle shed later, and it’s too late to delay their rest.”

In the kitchen, Lu Xiaotang had already set the dishes on the table.

After dinner, Xu Mo went to the cattle shed with Lu Xiaotang.

As Uncle Dashuan’s family sat down for dinner, Aunt Dashuan remarked, “Xu Ning and Xiao An are such thoughtful people. Whenever something good happens, they always think of us.

Last year, when the machine factory was hiring, Xiao An came over right away to tell Jianhua. Today, he found out about it again and immediately told Jianmin so he could prepare early.”

She continued, “We’ve always had a good relationship with Dayong’s family; their eldest son has been working at the machine factory for years now. Don’t they know about this round of hiring?

Jianmin just graduated from high school and is looking for work, yet they didn’t say a word to us. They’re probably keeping it quiet, worried that others might get in and take the opportunity. You know, it’s in difficult times that people show their true character.”

Uncle Dashuan remained silent, not wanting to speak ill of anyone, but Jianhua chimed in, “Mom, what’s the point of talking about them? Ever since their son started working at the factory and they built that brick house, their attitude has changed. They’re not the same as before.

So next time they’re pickling vegetables or something, don’t go over to help anymore. There’s no need to feel embarrassed; they can handle it themselves, and we don’t have to treat it like a big deal.”

Uncle Dashuan nodded in agreement. “Jianhua’s right. Don’t go over anymore.”