Chapter 8: Finding Work

Shazhu's inherited cooking skills have already reached perfection; Yi Zhonghai also knew that before He Daqing left, he had already arranged Shazhu's regularization, and as long as Yi Zhonghai follows He Daqing's arrangements step by step, Shazhu will become a regular employee with an official position at the steel mill and then enjoy the fruits of that.

The only thing he didn't expect.

It was that Shazhu stubbornly refused to follow convention and no longer wanted to muddle through at the steel mill.

Watching Yi Zhonghai hurry away, then turning to glance at Deaf Granny's house, Shazhu stepped forward and walked out of the courtyard.

Yi Zhonghai wanted Shazhu to enter the steel mill so that he could keep him under control.

Shazhu insisted on playing this opposite role with Yi Zhonghai, and suddenly he no longer wanted to become a regular worker.

The world is vast, with far too many places where Shazhu can put his fists and feet to use.

Who said Shazhu must work at the steel mill, cooking for others his whole life?

Shazhu no longer cares about the steel mill at all.

1951.

Across the country, all affairs await revival.

Especially lacking are cultured people who are knowledgeable, energetic, and willing to contribute.

Shazhu's first half of life amounted to nothing—just the level of a second‑grade elementary student—but in the second half he gritted his teeth and attended night school, proudly earning the junior‑college diploma issued by that school.

As for finding work,

Shazhu has great confidence.

He keeps many things in mind.

Leaving the steel mill poses no threat of starvation.

He strides with a cheerful step.

Step by step, he walks toward this street office.

Everything looks so fresh, utterly unlike the high‑rise buildings we are used to seeing nowadays; the people on the street wear stiff clothes—not the drab gray Mao suits but this green attire, occasionally mixed with a patched‑up double‑fronted jacket. A few wear Western suits, very rare; those men in suits or women in Western dress are, without exception, scholars who have finished their studies and returned to serve the country.

Every face beams with the excitement of building the motherland.

It is fighting spirit.

Infected by this fighting spirit, Shazhu couldn't help but reveal this smile on his face.

Really good.

His gaze fell on both sides of the street, where slogans fitting the era were written everywhere—such as 'Serve the motherland', such as 'Resist US imperialism', and so on.

From afar, the loudspeaker blared the sound of singing.

«The East Is Red, the sun rises; China has produced a …… He is the great savior of the people …… He seeks happiness for the people ……»

The majestic, stirring song.

It made Shazhu, walking down the street, feel his blood boil; his whole body became excited, and he walked excitedly, jumped excitedly, and waved his fists excitedly.

Until he met Xu Daming, the excited Shazhu finally calmed his emotions.

«Shazhu, you still say you don't want to hit me—what do you want to do? » Xu Daming pointed at Shazhu and spoke in a stern, frightened tone: «Shazhu, I tell you, if you lay a hand on me, I won't let it rest. »

«Su Mao. »

«If you call me Su Mao again, I'll get angry with you. »

«We're both of the 'silly' generation—what's the difference? Who said I want to hit you? I truly regard you as a brother. »

«Your fists are clenched—you're not trying to hit someone? »

Xu Daming wore an expression of disbelief.

Just yesterday afternoon, because of his foul mouth, Xu Daming almost got split open by Shazhu with an iron shovel.

Not panicking is fake.

«Believe it or not, it's up to you—I'm going to the street office. »

Lifelong rivals.

Love and hate intertwined.

As soon as they heard Shazhu was going to the street office,

Xu Daming was no longer panicking.

His gossipy heart surged, and he counter‑questioned Shazhu about why he was going to the street office.

«What are you going to the street office for? »

Having said that,

without waiting for Shazhu to explain,

Xu Daming, on his own, came up with an answer.

«I understand—you must definitely be taking Yushui to Baocheng to find your father, Shazhu. I'll go tell the eldest uncle right away; you want to go to Baocheng, have you asked the eldest uncle? »

True buddy.

Pure.

No need for Shazhu to specially remind.

Xu Daming then smoothly helped Shazhu cover up the lie to Yi Zhonghai.

As for that,

Shazhu could only respond with a bitter smile.

He suddenly thought of Lou Xiaoe; viewing the issue from her perspective, Shazhu and Xu Daming really are relatives—one a former husband, the other a former‑former husband.

For the sake of the son.

It seems he's going to let down his brother.

Shazhu let out a cold snort from his mouth, and outside the street office he was stopped by two militiamen shouldering rifles.

«Comrade, I am He Yuzhu of the Red Star Courtyard; my father is He Daqing; I have business at the street office. »

Shazhu handed over the hardcover household register as proof of his identity.

Go to another place.

Need a letter of introduction.

The condition for issuing a letter of introduction is that you have something that can prove your identity; if you have entered the factory, you have a factory work certificate, otherwise only the household register can be used.

The militia leader checked Shazhu's household register and then asked him some questions, such as why you came to Jiēdào and what you came to do, etc.

Shazhu answered their questions honestly.

Like Tang Seng journeying to the Western Heaven for scriptures, after undergoing a round of questioning, Shazhu was only then allowed in by two militiamen.

Entered Jiēdào.

The most eye-catching thing is not those people inside.

Rather, several portrait pictures are hung on the wall beside the door, and beneath the pictures are bustling people with leader portraits pinned on their left chests.

The Street Director is an elderly old man.

He seems to know Shazhu.

He grinned.

"Zhuzi, what brings you to street?"

Truly worthy of being a leader.

That tone of speech.

Very easy to accept.

They didn't call him Shazhu, but instead used the nickname Zhuzi.

Beasts and birds fill the Siheyuan, and the immovable Street Director Wang.

"Director Wang, my father went off seeking his happy twilight years, leaving Yushui and me; over at the Yagangchang factory I'm just an apprentice with no permanent position, not knowing when I'll become regular, so I came to ask Director Wang whether our Jiēdào has this line of work—I can eat my fill and keep the family from hunger on my own, but Yushui can't, I need to support my sister."

Director Wang's expression was stern.

"Zhuzi, it would be great if you could think like that."

He handed the document over to Shazhu.

A red-headed document.

It stated the promotion of widow remarriage within the community and the pursuit of happiness by unfortunate women.

Shazhu understood and accepted widow remarriage; the new people, new society, new atmosphere—what he couldn't grasp was that the document even included an explanation about prostitutes remarrying.

Besides the Eight Great Alleys, there are private prostitutes and half-closed doors; after two to three years of labor education, having no living relatives, they must marry to achieve rebirth.

This symbolizes the new society turning them from ghosts into people.

The higher department assigns by jurisdiction, each Jiēdào dispatching dozens or even hundreds of reformed persons, with a deadline to find them husbands.

Even widow remarriage is unacceptable.

What's more, these reformed persons, viewed as lowly by countless people.

This job is not easy to do.

No wonder Director Wang wore a look of sorrow, making him seem many years older.

Shazhu didn't think much; as he looked at the document, a troubled expression spread across his face.

The matter of prostitutes is not easy to resolve!