Chapter 497
, Section 1: Hard Times
Chapter 497, Node 1: Hard Times
In the dead of winter, the north wind is like a knife, stinging your face.
Without gloves, your hands will go numb from the cold in no time.
Lin Xiaohe, bundled up like a polar bear, wandered alone in the government family compound.
"Hey? Xiaohe? What are you doing outside?" Zhao Qiuju, who had gone out to throw out the trash, grabbed Lin Xiaohe and pulled her into the building.
She brushed the snowflakes off Lin Xiaohe and scolded, "A young lady like you shouldn't catch a cold, it will affect your ability to have children later."
Zhao Qiuju kept rambling on: "Did you have a fight with your family? It's okay, just stay at Aunt Zhao's house for the night. Your Uncle Zhang isn't home, so I'll be home alone. I'll call your mom later and tell her."
Zhao Qiuju's husband is Zhang Dongliang.
Zhang Dongliang and Lin Aiguo have been friends for over twenty years and are also political allies. Their families are close.
Who would want to freeze outside when there's a warm place to stay?
Lin Xiaohe reluctantly agreed to be taken home by Zhao Qiuju.
The Zhang family's residence is far more magnificent than the Lin family's.
A 24-inch black and white TV was placed in the living room. The TV cabinet door was slightly ajar, and upon closer inspection, it was found to be completely filled with cigarettes and alcohol, to the point that it couldn't hold any more.
After calling Wang Shuxiang, Zhao Qiuju went to tidy up the guest room: "Your Uncle Zhang has gone to sleep at Fox Girl's place again. He's never home. I'm so lonely by myself. It's good that you're here with me."
She truly didn't treat Lin Xiaohe like an outsider, and launched into a tirade about her husband's philandering ways.
In fact, there was really no need to hide it.
Back then, Wang Shuxiang and Zhao Qiuju teamed up to catch adulterers, and after catching Lin Aiguo, they caught Zhang Dongliang.
At that time, Lin Xiaohe, who was only seven or eight years old, was taken along because no one was looking after her.
Besides, in this day and age, any man with a bit of power has a mistress or two. It's not shameful at all; in fact, it's become a trend. If a man doesn't have a woman outside the marriage, it means he's incompetent.
Zhao Qiuju said these things not to seek help, but simply to find a place to vent her frustrations.
Lin Xiaohe ignored these complaints.
What she cares about most is how divine authority was stolen in this point in the world.
Less than half a day after arriving in this node world, she already felt the loss of divine power.
At this rate, Lin Xiaohe will have no chance to start over, and this stage will be a complete failure.
Lin Xiaohe didn't sleep well that night, and early the next morning, she sleepily accompanied Zhao Qiuju to buy breakfast.
When you're staying at someone else's house for the night, you can't get up later than the host and just wait to eat, right?
Zhao Qiuju, on the other hand, quite enjoyed the mornings spent with young women.
She took Lin Xiaohe's hand and put it into the pocket of her large down jacket: "This down jacket was custom-made by someone, it's super warm."
The morning market along the street in Anning County is very famous.
Liaoyang Province, where Anning is located, is a major industrial province with a large proportion of state-owned enterprises.
In the past, dual-income families had a very good life. The factory had its own school and hospital that took care of the workers' lives from birth to death.
Therefore, the employees were willing to spend money.
But now the economic downturn has reached the morning market.
The number of breakfast stalls has nearly doubled, but fewer people are buying breakfast.
As soon as Lin Xiaohe accompanied Zhao Qiuju to the entrance of the morning market, they were warmly welcomed by the stall owners.
"Fresh, hot meat buns! One bite and they sizzle with oil!" "Freshly fried dough sticks, so fragrant! Boss, want one?"
"Tofu pudding, selling tofu pudding! Tofu pudding from a century-old shop, the more you eat, the younger you feel."
Zhao Qiuju was picking and choosing, but Lin Xiaohe was attracted by the rows of people standing next to the morning market.
They were covered up tightly, wearing thick woolen gloves, and holding up signs high.
[Electrician: Repairing electrical appliances]
[Laborer: He can do everything from plastering to applying whitewash]
Lin Xiaohe's heart stirred, and she walked towards them.
A hint of hesitation flashed in the men's eyes. They thought that the young girl in front of them probably wouldn't be interested in anything, but with the idea of taking a chance, they all surrounded her.
"Girl, don't let my age fool you, I'm a model worker at the factory. Give me any work you need, you won't regret it!"
"I am a Level 4 electrician at Changhong Radio Factory. You can come to me for appliance repair and circuit modification."
Lin Xiaohe looked at the man who had just spoken with surprise.
The man wore a thick Lei Feng hat, and a scarf covered his mouth and nose, revealing a pair of eyes full of vicissitudes.
"You're a Level 4 electrician, why are you out looking for work? I remember, Changhong Radio Factory hasn't gone bankrupt yet."
The man smiled bitterly: "We're not bankrupt yet, but we're not far from it. The factory workers have been owed wages for 13 months. If I don't come out and find work soon, my whole family will starve to death."
The model worker uncle next to him sighed deeply: "Back in the day, Changhong Radio Factory was a military factory. I never thought it would go under too."
Those around Lin Xiaohe, seeing that she was just chatting idly and not assigning any tasks, dispersed listlessly.
They couldn't even fill their stomachs, let alone speak.
Perhaps they were both in the same boat, for the man extended his hand and said, "My name is Wang Qiang, brother, where are you from?"
The model worker uncle shook Wang Qiang's hand: "Wei Dapao, from the paper mill."
Wang Qiang shook hands firmly, feeling a sense of shared misfortune, and said, "The municipal paper mill? That's a good company."
Wei Dapao smiled bitterly: "What's the use of being so good? The factory and the land were all sold off. The new boss doesn't want us old workers anymore and just pushes us out into society. Young people are a little better off; they can go south in groups to try their luck. But for middle-aged people like us in our fifties, even if we go out to work as laborers, people will look down on us because we're too old."
Wei Dapao shook his head: "Don't wait any longer. Take my advice and apply for a leave of absence without pay. Go south and try your luck."
“Brother, you’re really getting to know me. I won’t lie to you. I’m afraid I might go south alive, but not come back alive. There’s a young man in the factory who went south with a fellow villager. It’s been three months, and we haven’t heard from him at all. We all guess he’s probably dead. In the dead of winter, his parents can’t even afford to turn on the heating. They only eat three potatoes a day.”
In 93, the country had not yet banned guns.
Lin Xiaohe has figured out the general background of this point in time, which is similar to the situation in the three northeastern provinces of Dongguo in the 90s.
"How about we go to Russia? We're quite close to Russia from here."
Wang Qiang and Wei Dapao looked at Lin Xiaohe in surprise: "You haven't left yet?"
Lin Xiaohe smiled and said, "Look at what you're saying. I didn't say I was leaving."
Wei Dapao chuckled. "Well, another little girl who loves to join in the fun: Everyone knows you can strike it rich in Russia, but you have to risk your life for that gold. On the train to Russia, you can kill someone and nobody cares."
He took all his money and went to Russia to gamble with his life.
Who would dare?
If it were just one person eating their fill and the rest of the family not being hungry, that would be one thing, but laid-off workers all have families to support.