Chapter 25

Xu Di didn’t sleep well all night, she had a series of dreams, but she couldn’t remember what she dreamt about.

“What’s wrong, you didn’t sleep well last night?”

Xu’s eldest sister-in-law saw that Xu Di was yawning, it must have been because of the job.

“Don’t mention it, I dreamt all night, I don’t remember what I dreamt about, I’m so tired.”

Xu Di went to the bathroom and washed her face.

The cool water stimulated her, and she felt much more awake.

After breakfast, Xu’s mother went to her unit to ask for leave, then she took Xu Di to school.

In the principal’s office, Xu’s mother looked at the weary principal and stated her request.

“Principal, Xu Di has found a job, she needs her diploma to handle the entry procedures, can you give us her diploma in advance?”

“Xu Di’s mother, that’s no problem, I’ve looked at Xu Di’s grades, they’re quite good.  She performed well in school, since you’ve found her a job, we can give her diploma to her in advance.”

This wasn’t the first time someone came to get their diploma in advance, if they had connections and found a job, that was the best.

The principal filled out Xu Di’s information, stamped the school seal on the diploma, and Xu Di got her high school diploma.

“Even if you’re not studying anymore, don’t forget to read more.  You learn something new every day, learning is still useful.”

The principal, who was over fifty, his hair was already gray, he had worried himself sick for these flowers of the motherland, he didn’t know when things would return to normal.

“Thank you, Principal, I will definitely not abandon books, I won’t forget to learn.”

Xu Di bowed deeply to the principal and left the principal’s office with her mother.

Looking at Xu Di leaving, the principal showed a long-lost smile, these were the hope of the country!

She had gotten her diploma, there was nothing of hers left in the classroom, Xu Di didn’t plan to go back to the class, there was no one she needed to say goodbye to.

“Let’s go, let’s go to the department store to find Brother Liang.”

“Okay, the sooner we finish, the sooner we can rest assured.”

Xu’s mother was also afraid that things would change, and then Xu Di would be in trouble.

The mother and daughter took the bus to the department store where Liang Bo worked, he was the department manager of the department store.

“Auntie, Xu Di, you’re here, did you get your diploma?”

Liang Bo’s last sentence was said in a lower voice.

Xu Di nodded, she knew that it was noisy with a lot of people, she had to be discreet.

“Alright, Auntie, did you bring your household registration book?  I’ll take Xu Di to handle the procedures.”

“I did, I did, here you go.”

Xu’s mother had specially brought her household registration book when she went out in the morning.

“Wait for me, I’ll tell them about the work matters, then we’ll leave.”

Liang Bo also wanted to settle this matter quickly, to avoid any complications.

Xu’s mother didn’t follow, she waited outside for Xu Di.

Liang Bo also worked at the department store headquarters, his office was on the fifth floor.

Their logistics department was on the third floor of the building behind, not far away.

Liang Bo first took Xu Di to the logistics department to report, he greeted the logistics director.

“This is the logistics director’s office, your situation is special, we need to let Director Chang know.”

“I understand, Brother Liang.”

Xu Di followed Liang Bo to the office door, knocked, and entered after being allowed.

“Uncle Chang, this is Xu Di, she’s here for the job handover.”

“Hello, Director Chang!”

Xu Di didn’t follow suit and call him uncle.

“Well, the little girl looks good, work hard, serve the people.”

“Serve the people!”

Xu Di followed and shouted the slogan, she smiled and stood behind Liang Bo.

“Alright, take her to the personnel department to handle the paperwork.”

Director Chang signed a note, and Liang Bo took Xu Di to the personnel department.

“Oh, Little Liang, this is your relative, the little girl looks good.”

“Sister Li, I’ll trouble you.”

“No problem, you’re going through the proper procedures.”

Sister Li looked at Xu Di’s materials, carefully checked them, there was no problem, she processed her entry.

“Here you go, take your things, the procedures are all done.  Report to the warehouse office on the third floor at eight o’clock tomorrow morning.

Thank your brother, you’re a regular employee as soon as you join.”

“I know, thank you, Sister Li, I won’t let my brother down.”

Xu Di smiled and thanked Sister Li, as the saying goes, a smiling face never gets punched, smiling is always more likable than a long face.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you to exchange some food tickets, we’ll eat in the canteen at noon.”

His wife and his mother had reminded him several times in the morning, asking him to take care of Xu Di, they had thought of everything, afraid that he would forget.

“Thank you, Brother Liang, you’re really too kind.”

“No trouble, your Sister Fang and Aunt Wang have reminded me several times, they were afraid I would forget.

You’re just starting, you won’t be able to get an apartment right away.  There are too many people waiting for apartments in our department store, you have to be prepared.”

Liang Bo told the truth, his wife and his mother really liked Xu Di.

“After I get used to it, I have to go thank Aunt Wang and Sister Fang in person.”

“Okay, come over to our house often, Kangkang misses you too.”

They reached the first floor, “Brother Liang, you go ahead, I’ll go find my mom, I’ll come to work tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll go back to work too, if you need anything, come to my office.”

The matter was settled, Liang Bo was relieved, he went back to his work station.

“Mom, it’s done, let’s go home.”

“Let’s go, let’s go home.”

Although Xu’s mother had a lot of questions to ask, she knew that this wasn’t the place to talk, she pulled Xu Di and hurried home.

It was more than ten stops from here to the Xu family’s house, luckily they didn’t have to transfer, it would take half an hour by bicycle.

They took the bus for over half an hour, and the Xu family mother and daughter got off and went home.

As soon as they entered the door, Xu’s mother quickly asked, “Did you handle the procedures, when do you start work, how long will it take to become a regular employee?”

“It’s all done, this is my work certificate.  I start work at eight o’clock tomorrow, I don’t need to become a regular employee, I’m a regular employee right away.”

Xu Di pointed to her work certificate, it was marked on it.

“Really, you’re a regular employee right away, that’s great, my Xu Di is a good person and has good fortune.”

Xu’s mother thought about when Xu Di was hospitalized, she had been terrified.

Who would have thought that the Liang family would give her such a big gift, she would have to repay them slowly.

Xu’s mother asked a few more details, Xu Di told her everything she knew, she actually didn’t know much, she didn’t even know what she would be doing specifically.

“Alright, I won’t ask anymore, you’ll know when you start work.

We’re happy today, let’s eat dumplings tonight.”

Xu’s mother was happy, Xu Di had secured a job, and it was such a good job.

This time, she was completely relieved, she didn’t have to worry about Xu Di going to the countryside.

After working for a year or two, if she found a suitable partner, she should get married.

Xu Di started school late, and she took a year off, she was already eighteen.

“Mom, you go to bed for a while, you have dark circles under your eyes, you must not have slept well last night.  I’ll go buy groceries, see what the grocery store has, and buy some delicious food.”

“Okay, I didn’t sleep well last night.  I’ll get you your grocery book and meat tickets, food tickets, you can buy whatever you want, I’ll go to sleep.”

Xu’s mother found her grocery book and gave Xu Di five yuan.

Xu Di took her basket and set off, they had handled everything smoothly today, they hadn’t wasted any time.

It was not even ten o’clock yet.

Xu Di went into the grocery store, and as expected, the pork was all sold out.

“Fresh prawns, want some?”

Xu Di took a look, they were indeed fresh prawns, they were a decent size, about as long as a finger.

“Comrade, how much are the prawns?”

“No tickets needed, one yuan a jin.”

Xu Di muttered to herself, no wonder they weren’t sold out, pork was only seven cents a jin, these prawns were more expensive than pork.

It was a rare opportunity, Xu Di bought three jin.

She walked around, but there weren’t any other vegetables, Xu Di left the grocery store, found a hidden place, and took a rooster out of her space.

Well, she had a chicken and prawns, her food was quite good, she went home.