Chapter 23: It Must Be Tough

Hearing his question, Xu Qiang gave a self‑deprecating smile.

"It's absurd, really. It was that street workshop where I was sent for labor that got me stuck."

Xu Qiang said with utter helplessness, "When I was first sent down, they transferred both me and my files."

"When I returned, they held onto the files and refused to give them back no matter what. Here they require the files to resume work, so everything stalled."

"Later the university, considering the special circumstances, decided to place me as a lecturer. As for restoring the Second-Grade Professor title, I must get the files back first."

The Xu Family fell into silence, their hearts unable to settle.

Wu Yan's face showed an unbearable indignation, and Xu Li was so angry his lips trembled.

Xu Yuexin shook his head, lamenting the incomprehensibility of some people in this era.

Placed in later generations, a street enterprise meeting a Second-Grade Professor from Qinghua University would only try to forge connections for future networking.

In this era, however, they go out of their way to make trouble.

Moreover, father was right: the personnel and financial authority of the street factory has nothing to do with universities, and Qinghua University truly cannot control them.

Nowadays, unlike later times, universities can no longer influence localities through alumni networks. Qinghua University has only just recovered from the absurd period of a few years ago, still recuperating, and is willing but powerless regarding some social affairs—out of reach.

Father can only rely on his own family to restore the title.

"You told me last time, and I even said it, they just want to eat, take, and demand!"

At that moment, Wu Yan broke the silent air, angrily saying, "Then just buy something and send it over, as if feeding a dog!"

Xu Qiang shook his head solemnly: "If I must use this method to get the title back, I'd rather be a lecturer for life."

"A man of principle does not drink stolen spring water; an upright person does not accept food offered out of pity."

"This isn't your fault; it's theirs. A true hero doesn't take the immediate loss…"

Sister‑in‑law Gu Qiuyun said weakly.

"We shouldn't indulge them."

Older brother Xu Li craned his neck and said, his eyes behind thick lenses full of anger, "We must fight the crooked winds and evil currents in society!"

The Xu Family's opinions began to diverge noticeably.

At that moment, Xu Yuexin voiced his stance.

"I agree with father's view; we shouldn't give them gifts."

Xu Yuexin's expression was calm, his tone firm: "Father, tell me which enterprise it is, and I'll resolve it for you tomorrow."

"Forget it, this matter is between me and your father; you don't need to worry."

Wu Yan, fearing her son might get hot‑blooded and clash on site, admonished him.

Xu Yuexin naturally understood his mother's worry.

"Mom, don't worry, I can keep the situation under control."

Xu Yuexin said confidently.

"Ah, it's the Nanluoguxiang Street Textile Factory in Dongcheng, a collective enterprise."

Xu Qiang sighed, "The file manager is Jia Jinhua; she claims my file‑management permission isn't in the factory and refuses to send the files. Her supervisor says the same."

What an absurd reason; if the permission isn't in the factory, the files should be sent back to Qinghua even more.

They actually still have the nerve to withhold the files.

Xu Yuexin really wanted to split open their heads and see how their thought processes grew.

"I'll go over first thing tomorrow morning."

Xu Yuexin said, already planning how to deal with these people tomorrow.

"I'll go with you."

Xu Li, angry, said, "I'll deal with these shameless people!" "Brother, no need, I can handle it alone."

Xu Yuexin patted his older brother's shoulder and declined, "You still have to work tomorrow."

Xu Li's scholarly temperament is too heavy; at the site he can't control his emotions and would easily be turned against by the other side.

"No, this is a matter for the whole family."

Xu Li still persisted.

"You really don't need to go."

……

Xu Yuexin, after much back‑and‑forth, finally persuaded his filial older brother.

That night, he received from his parents the essential documents for tomorrow's file transfer, checked them, and went to bed early to conserve his strength.

……

The next morning, Xu Yuexin put on leather shoes and a shirt, wore a brand‑new watch, took the documents, and took a taxi to Nanluoguxiang.

The taxi weaved through twists and finally stopped in front of a narrow alley.

Xu Yuexin paid two yuan for the fare, got out, asked for directions, and after winding past many low, dilapidated one‑story houses, stopped in front of a Da Zayuan.

Above the courtyard gate hung a plaque for Huiqun Textile Factory; stepping inside was an open yard scattered with a dozen old looms, workers sitting at them laboring and occasionally chatting.

Some workers stopped their tasks and ran to others to gossip about family matters.

A corner of the courtyard wall had collapsed, weeds growing in the hollow; it looked years old, the whole place appearing dilapidated and disorderly.

In recent years, many such workshop‑style collective factories were built across the country to solve employment problems; workers were mainly local residents, with no official staffing and uneven benefits.

Hearing Xu Yuexin's leather shoes, several workers turned toward the entrance, their eyes showing unfamiliarity and doubt: given the young man's attire and aura, he shouldn't have any connection here.

Xu Yuexin walked confidently up to the nearest worker and said, "Comrade, hello, may I ask where Jia Jinhua is?"

The worker pointed to a small house ahead: "Aunt Jia is there."

Xu Yuexin said thank you and stepped toward the small house.

The ground of Da Zayuan was uneven, with puddles of dirty water in many spots, and the workers' chickens and ducks roamed freely around the yard.

Xu Yuexin walked carefully, avoiding the sewage. He hadn't expected that his father's most precious ten years as a researcher were spent trapped here, and even now he still has to endure the disgust of this place.

The small house door was ajar; Xu Yuexin knocked twice and then pushed the door open.

The interior was sparsely furnished: just a table and a chair, plus rows of bookshelves on which scattered File Pouches lay, as shabby as those outside.

In the room, a plump aunt in her fifties leaned in an armchair, knitting a sweater; when she heard someone enter, she didn't even lift an eyelid and asked, "What do you want?"

"Here to retrieve files."

Xu Yuexin's voice was cold, devoid of any feeling, as he said.

The plump aunt finally looked up at him, then waved her hand: "Out. We have never had someone like you here."

"I'm here to retrieve my father's files; he authorized me to come, and this is the Letter of Authorization."

Xu Yuexin strode to the desk and showed her the handwritten commission documents.

Jia Jinhua squinted, examined him for a moment, then, seeing Xu Yuexin's empty hands and no gifts, gave a sarcastic smile: "Oh, Xu Qiang."

"I told him that our small workshop doesn't have his file management permission, so I can't do anything with his files, including sending them. Do you understand?"

Looks like speaking politely won't work.

Coincidentally, I never expected to resolve this matter peacefully in the first place.

Hearing Jia Jinhua's twisted argument, Xu Yuexin's face grew cold: "No management permission? Then how did you initially receive my father's files?"

(End of chapter)