Chapter 520

They walked with light steps.

Jia Zhangshi, upon returning to the siheyuan, initially wanted to show off in front of the neighbors, but thinking of the lesson from Yagangchang, she immediately dismissed the idea of showing off.

She went straight back to the Jia Family.

She struggled to contain her excitement.

She waited stubbornly until past six in the evening.

When the neighbors had finished dinner and were cooling off in the courtyard, Jiēdào Director Wang, accompanied by a staff member, entered the Siheyuan's gate.

With a clatter.

The neighbors all focused their gazes on Director Wang.

Someone who had seen Jia Zhangshi go to the Jiēdào to look for work and get beaten up guessed that Director Wang's visit to the Siheyuan must be about the Jia Family.

Now that their own children were also at the age to look for work, and since Director Wang could arrange a job for the Jia Family's Bangeng, they, as residents under Director Wang's jurisdiction, wondered whether they could also ask Director Wang to find work for their children.

Holding such thoughts, they gathered in the Zhong Yuan.

Jia Zhangshi had originally wanted to invite Director Wang inside to discuss the matter, but seeing the neighbors crowding into the Zhong Yuan, she thought it would be more persuasive if Director Wang said it rather than her, so she turned and called Huaihua to pour tea for Director Wang.

Director Wang waved his hand to refuse Jia Zhangshi's suggestion.

"Don't pour tea, I'm not thirsty; it's just a few words. After I finish, I still have to go to other homes."

While speaking,

He glanced at the Shazhu household diagonally across.

He saw that the Shazhu household's lights were off.

He guessed that Shazhu had not returned.

A faint displeasure welled up in his heart; since this matter had been entrusted to her by Shazhu, he naturally wanted Shazhu to see the final outcome.

That afternoon,

He inquired about Shazhu's past.

He learned that Shazhu had once been the canteen chief at Yagangchang, and now he had opened the Bai Xu restaurant in response to the superiors' call to revitalize the economy.

Director Wang knew some inside information that certain others did not.

He naturally looked upon Shazhu with higher regard.

Thinking that he hadn't seen Shazhu today, he planned to find time in the next day or two to meet with Shazhu, discuss some relevant Jiēdào policies, and, within his ability, provide some conveniences for the Bai Xu restaurant.

Jia Zhangshi had no idea what Director Wang was thinking; seeing Director Wang surveying the surroundings, she spoke up.

"Director Wang, these are all old neighbors who have lived here for decades."

"Old neighbors are good, there's that feeling." Director Wang, seeing the moment was right, turned to the main topic: "Jia Zhangshi, you went to our Jiēdào this morning and said your eldest grandson Bangeng had just returned to the city, that he's a rare good child, material for a cadre, and that you wanted to find a unit where Bangeng would have the final say."

The surrounding neighbors

Another one

Count as one

They were all dumbfounded.

Truly worthy of Jia Zhangshi, daring to make such a request to Director Wang; if it were them, they wouldn't have such gall, and from Director Wang's tone, it seemed there was something behind it.

Could it be that Jia Zhangshi really found a cadre position for Bangeng?

How come all the good things keep happening to the Jia Family?

The resentful neighbors exchanged glances; if Jia Zhangshi could ask Director Wang for work, so could they.

While the neighbors harbored their own ulterior motives, Qin Huairu, standing beside Jia Zhangshi, muttered with a conflicted expression.

Mainly because they didn't believe Jia Zhangshi had found work for Bangeng.

This also explained the source of Jia Zhangshi's pleased expression.

They considered themselves to have rendered merit to the Jia Family.

No wonder he said to Qin Huairu, "You shouldn't have driven me back to my hometown; the Jia Family still relies on me, Jia Zhangshi."

Qin Huairu, following the old routine of playing good cop and bad cop, smoothed things over with a remark to Director Wang.

"Director Wang, don't listen to my mother-in-law's nonsense; I don't expect him to be a cadre, just a job where he doesn't idle all day. I'm worried this child will go astray—please find work for Bangeng, Director Wang."

Qin Huairu wore a worried look, thinking of her children.

Director Wang raised his eyebrows.

This must be another divine figure of the Jia Family.

Qin Huairu

Her reputation wasn't very good.

But her words were more pleasant to hear than Jia Zhangshi's and easier to accept.

"We're just here to serve the neighbors; there's no trouble." Director Wang said a few sentences to Qin Huairu, then turned his focus to Jia Zhangshi: "Mainly, Jia Zhangshi told us this, and we happen to have a position that matches Bangeng's qualifications—just a coincidence, I suppose."

"Bangeng, come out quickly."

Jia Zhangshi eagerly called Bangeng out from inside the house.

This is a major matter for the Jia Family.

Directly becoming a cadre.

They wanted Bangeng to show his face before Director Wang, so as to earn his favor.

"Director Wang, this is our family's Bangeng—take a look, isn't he outstanding? He clearly has the makings of a cadre."

Looking at Bangeng's thin, dark frame.

Then glancing at Bangeng's scar-covered cheeks.

Director Wang rarely said a few insincere words.

"He really is outstanding."

Bangeng, Director Wang says you are handsome and talented; once you join the unit, you must work hard, you must not throw tantrums, and you must bring glory to our Jia Family.

Hmm.

He is indeed a good grandson of his grandmother.

Jia Zhangshi, who was praising Bangeng, looked around, saw the neighbours' envious expressions, and quickly tilted her head back slightly.

Yesterday you all were still laughing at my old woman's jokes.

They said Bangeng couldn't become a cadre.

Today this old woman is laughing at your jokes; whoever said our Bangeng couldn't become a cadre, I, Jia Zhangshi, have laid down my words: this cadre position, our Bangeng will definitely get it.

Her gaze fell on Shazhu's house diagonally opposite, and she felt a little displeased.

The matter of Bangeng becoming a cadre is so important, yet Shazhu's household has no one—neither Shazhu, nor Yu Li, nor You Fengxia.

Because they couldn't do it in front of You Fengxia and the others, to stage the scene where Bangeng becoming a cadre would be a slap in the face, Jia Zhangshi decided that afterwards they would properly celebrate.

Set up a few tables.

Let Shazhu be the host.

Properly anger Shazhu, let You Fengxia regret it; if she still wants to marry Bangeng, Shazhu must provide a dowry of three Siheyuan houses.

"Director Wang, as for Bangeng's job, you just need to tell him; our Bangeng doesn't pick jobs, as long as he is specifically responsible for it, that's fine."

"Okay okay okay." Director Wang handed over a document in his hand to Bangeng, "Bangeng, as long as you sign on top, this job is yours."

Bangeng took the document.

Bangeng's face showed excitement.

However, as he browsed the content on the document,

Bangeng's proud expression gradually faded, replaced by a solemn look.

"Director Wang, did you make a mistake?"

"No mistake, this is the job; your grandmother said you should become a cadre, and you yourself said you should decide, among the jobs currently available at our Jiēdào, only this one matches your grandmother's suggestion."

"Bangeng, why don't you sign? You're being picky; this is the job your grandmother found for you, to be a cadre, or a job you yourself said you should decide."

The words after the job.

Jia Zhangshi felt choked up inside.

She stood on tiptoe.

She saw the content on the document.

She didn't recognize other characters, but she recognized the few words 'clean the toilet'.

Thanks to Qin Huairu cleaning toilets at Yagangchang, the illiterate Jia Zhangshi taught herself these few characters, not only recognizing them but also knowing how to write them.

At first she mistakenly thought she had misread it.

She blinked hard, even rubbed her eyes with her hands, and finally saw clearly that the words 'Jiēdào toilet cleaner' were written above.

Jia Zhangshi was dumbfounded.

Cleaning the toilet.

How can it be cleaning the toilet?

If she ends up cleaning the toilet, she'll go argue with Director Wang and still get a beating; her mother cleaned toilets at Yagangchang, her son cleans toilets at the Jiēdào, and the Jia Family's widowed lineage would then have another toilet-cleaning family added—could Bangeng still find a wife?

Jia Zhangshi felt numb.

Qin Huairu was both laughing and crying; Jia Zhangshi had caused another joke for the Jia Family, and with so many people, the Jia Family is still just the Jia Family.

They let out a long sigh.

They said to Director Wang: "Director Wang, although jobs have no hierarchy, this job still sounds bad when spoken of; does our Jiēdào have any other job?"

"The job that meets your grandmother's conditions is only this one; there's nothing else, Bangeng, why don't you sign?"

Sign your grandfather's head.

This is Bangeng's inner thought.

They didn't dare say it in front of Director Wang.

Putting down the document in hand, they turned and fled back to the Jia Family home, and the door was also closed.

This sudden change aroused the neighbours' curiosity; a sharp-eyed neighbour spotted the writing on the document and deliberately read it aloud.

"Cleaning the toilet, Jia Zhangshi, is the job you found for Bangeng really cleaning the toilet?"

Cleaning the toilet is also a position of responsibility.

"Shut up, all of you!" Jia Zhangshi shouted at the neighbours, instantly changed her tone, and kindly said to Director Wang: "Director Wang, what this old woman means is not cleaning the toilet, but a cadre-type job, like being a head of a department in your Jiēdào; find such a job for Bangeng, you just said Bangeng is a good child."

"The Jiēdào toilet is solely Bangeng's responsibility; how to clean it, to what extent, Bangeng decides; no one will give him trouble or make things unpleasant for him—these all match the conditions you raised. We are also doing this according to your meaning, Jia Zhangshi; without hiding it from you, Jia Zhangshi, today for your family Bangeng's this job, I have turned away several people—is this how your Jia Family treats the Jiēdào? Everyone is fighting to do this job, yet your Jia Family stubbornly rejects it—good, really good."

"Director Wang." Seeing Director Wang about to lose his temper, Qin Huairu hurriedly said soothingly, "We don't mean that."

"What do you mean not that? You just look down on this job; jobs have no hierarchy, cleaning night soil—you've even seen old people do it—this is an honorable night-soil cleaning job; what do you Jia Family mean? Today is my first day at work, your grandmother Jia Zhangshi gave me a hard time, fine, following your grandmother's meaning, I found a cadre job for your Jia Family that you yourself decide, and then you act like this? Even the toilet chief is still a chief!"

The tone shifted.

The tone also became stern.

"I'll ask you one last time: do you want this job?"

"Director Wang." Jia Zhangshi stubbornly insisted, "Our Bangeng can only be a cadre; if he isn't a cadre, he's wasting his talent."

"Alright, I know what your Jia Family means; from now on, your Jia Family shouldn't go to the Jiēdào looking for work, the Jiēdào has no work to give you, and you're just wasting time."

Director Wang stood up.

Director Wang walked out angrily.

Director Wang paid no attention to the Jia Family women crying and wailing behind him.

The Siheyuan was there as Director Wang left.

It became noisy.

The neighbors each opened their own chatterboxes.

Hey, it turns out that the Jia family's Bangeng's job is just cleaning toilets.

A family of dung‑cleaners.

Offend Director Wang, and the Jia family will have to bear the consequences.

All of you, shut up.

Jia Zhangshi, bursting with anger, wanted to throw a tantrum, but seeing the neighbors all looking at her with disdain, she became timid and felt guilty.

She didn't see.

Her mind was at ease.

Jia Zhangshi saw that the neighbors were not afraid of her.

She hid inside the house.

Qin Huairu sighed and followed behind Jia Zhangshi into the Jia family home.

The small Jia family home.

Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, Bangeng, and Huaihua all gathered together.

Look at me.

I'll look at you.

They were all dumbfounded.

Grandma, I beg you, can you use a little brains when you do things? Yesterday I was mocked by the neighbors in the courtyard, and today they looked down on me again—how can I face anyone?

Mom, I don't blame Bangeng for saying this about you, but I have to say a few words too. Can't you think about the consequences when you do things? You just went straight to ask for a cadre position, even the head of the street office section—Director Wang would never agree to that. I had no idea you'd do this; otherwise I'd have stopped you no matter what.

Mom, Brother, don't blame Grandma—she means well, she's just trying to vent for our Jia family.

In Jia Zhangshi's heart.

A warmth rose.

I didn't expect Huaihua to end up sharing her feelings.

She glanced at Huaihua, then told Qin Huairu and Bangeng the whole truth.

Huaihua, Bangeng, you think Grandma's gone mad, but she hasn't—she's asking Director Wang for a cadre post so Bangeng can get a wife.

Bangeng's gaze.

It suddenly brightened.

After returning.

He heard the neighbors behind his back saying that Bangeng is a Chen Shimei.

Some even said that given the Jia family's circumstances, Bangeng shouldn't hope to marry; they bluntly said any widow with children would be a good match for him.

They'd rather fight for pride than for steamed buns.

He simply took it as a way to counter those rumors about him.

To marry a wife.

Moreover, he should marry a young, unmarried woman who has a job.

I'm asking Director Wang for a cadre post just so Bangeng can get a wife; I heard those cadres have toilets in their homes, so they don't need to go out to relieve themselves—they can eat while sitting on the toilet.

If Bangeng became a leader, couldn't we two mothers also enjoy the privilege of eating while defecating? With such a house, a job, education, and a decent‑looking female comrade, she wouldn't hesitate to pick Bangeng first—that's what I thought, which is why I went to Director Wang to ask for the cadre post.

I never expected Director Wang to be so incompetent—she actually assigned our Bangeng to sweep toilets, which infuriates me; at that moment I wanted to slap her, making Bangeng clean toilets—this is dragging our Bangeng through the mud.