Chapter 542: Gossip-for-Survival System (41)

Of course, to wrap so many salty zongzi, two jin of pork belly wasn't enough, so she took a small piece of pork belly from a curly-haired pig from her own stockpile, cut it into strips, and mixed them in; once wrapped into zongzi, aside from being soft, sticky, and savory, one couldn't really tell the difference.

The sweet zongzi were wrapped with glutinous rice mixed with honey dates sent by Gu Yu'an's comrade from the Northwest, red beans sent by the Chen Family, and kidney beans and colorful peanut kernels sent by the Qiu Family.

In short, don't look at it as just a few zongzi; they gathered specialties from all over the country.

In addition to twelve zongzi, there were also twelve Salted Duck Egg and a two-jin jar of glutinous rice Yellow Wine.

In the year eighty, this was considered a very presentable Dragon Boat Festival gift.

Even the two cousins-in-law revealed smiles.

"You two children are really! Coming to the house for a casual meal, why bring so many things! Take them back to eat yourselves when you leave in a bit!"

Gu Dagu feigned displeasure and stiffened her face.

Xie Yang held her hand and said with a smile: "Aunt, I can't take these back; I still want to ask you to help me inquire about something!"

"Whatever it is, just say it; we're our own family, no need to be so polite."

Xie Yang didn't beat around the bush and asked directly if there were any recruitment plans at the Women's Federation, not restricted to Formal Worker or Temporary Worker, as long as she could get in; she wanted to help a neighbor's younger sister who had taken good care of her family.

Don't say, she really asked the right person.

"Isn't this a coincidence! Officer Tao's health hasn't been very good since giving birth, and her family wants to transfer her to a lighter position. If she transfers, her position will need to be filled. Here's what we'll do: I'll keep an eye on it for you and tell you in advance when the recruitment exam is."

Xie Yang smiled happily: "This is indeed too coincidental! Thank you, Aunt!"

Gu Dagu waved her hand: "It's being too formal for family to say thanks."

Gu Dagu had always been straightforward and efficient in doing things.

Since she promised Xie Yang she would help with this favor, she kept the matter in her heart.

Not many days later, she took advantage of the night to come to the Xie Family and brought word that the Women's Federation was recruiting a Propaganda Officer, and anyone with a junior high school education or above could sign up for the exam.

Xie Yang told this news to Zheng Miaomiao.

Zheng Miaomiao excitedly hugged Xie Yang and called her "dear sister."

"Sister Yang Yang! From now on, you are my own sister!"

Xie Yang didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "It's just recruitment information; whether you can pass or not depends on yourself."

"I know that, but being able to know the recruitment information in advance is already better than many people!"

That was true; in this day and age, information wasn't well-developed, and when various units recruited, they just posted a notice at the unit entrance.

If there were no acquaintances, or if one didn't pass by the notice board or passed by without seeing it, one would miss the opportunity.

Since this opportunity had been seized, Xie Yang still hoped Zheng Miaomiao could pass, so she told her to prepare well.

Zheng Miaomiao was a bit intimidated by the exam; it was just that her academic performance in her past and present lives was the kind that made her unable to face her parents.

"The recruitment exam is different from a cultural subject exam; it mainly tests the knowledge needed for this unit or even this position. There might be a few theoretical questions at the beginning, but the big questions at the end are almost all case analyses. Think about what the main work of the Women's Federation is? What does a Propaganda Officer usually do? Figure these out, then based on the experience you've gained from gossiping... no, watching the excitement, make a summary and analysis..."

Helping someone to the end, Xie Yang simply used her leisure time after dinner to give her pre-exam training.

Although she hadn't worked at the Women's Federation, she thought about the work content and purpose of the Women's Federation, outlined a rough exam scope for Zheng Miaomiao, and found a few examples around them for her to analyze and evaluate.

"Oh right! The matter of Grandpa Feng's children being unfilial can theoretically be mediated by the Women's Federation. I know this inside out; if a similar question is really on the exam, I'll definitely be able to answer it."

She might not be able to answer theoretical questions, but these kinds of real-life examples were simply too easy for Zheng Miaomiao, who had been on the front lines of gossiping for years; she spoke endlessly and almost couldn't stop.

Xie Yang taught her some answering techniques and test-taking jargon, and Zheng Miaomiao nodded like a pounding garlic: "Thank you, Sister Yang Yang, I've copied them all down; I'll memorize them by heart when I get home."

After Zheng Miaomiao left, Gu Yu'an saw Grandma Xie taking Xiao Shitou to listen to opera in the room, lowered his head and pecked at the corner of her mouth, his tone a bit resentful: "When is she taking the exam?"

"This Friday afternoon. What's wrong?"

"Occupying too much of your time."

"..."

Xie Yang was speechless and smiled.

She stood on tiptoe and took the initiative to coax him.

However, she was soon turned the tables on by him, who wrapped his arms around her slender waist and demanded a lingering, soul-stirring kiss...

Perhaps Zheng Miaomiao was born to eat this bowl of rice at the Women's Federation; it is said she took first place in Friday's recruitment exam.

After the admission list was announced, she almost ran all the way home.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she announced the good news: "I passed! Dad! Mom! Sister Yang Yang! I got into the Women's Federation! Hahaha!"

From now on, she would be gossiping with a salary and wouldn't have to worry about her life! Hehehe!

Zheng Guangrong and Miao Lan happily expressed they wanted to treat the Xie Family to a meal and, for this reason, entrusted someone in advance to get half a pig.

They originally wanted to invite Gu Dagu to the house for a meal, but were afraid of being gossiped about.

It was clearly Miao Miao who passed on her own, but if it reached the ears of outsiders, they would think she got in through the back door. It wouldn't be good if it implicated Gu Dagu at that time.

So they gave up the idea of inviting her to dinner, but privately entrusted Gu Yu'an to send ten jin of meat over. It wouldn't be a big deal if someone saw it; it's normal for a nephew to be filial to his aunt.

"Come, come, come, we're all our own people, eat to your heart's content, don't be polite, there's plenty of meat today!"

Miao Lan enthusiastically greeted everyone to take their seats.

Today, their Lao Zheng was cooking; he had been busy in the kitchen for a long time, stewing a pot of his signature braised bones, simmering a full casserole of red-braised pork, steaming several bamboo steamers of big meat buns, and additionally preparing several side dishes for drinking.

"Xiao Xie, Bureau Chief Gu, can you have some today since you're resting?"

Zheng Guangrong took off his apron, took out a bottle of Moutai, and expressed he wanted to have a drink with Xie Yang and Gu Yu'an.

Seeing the Moutai, Xie Yang's eyes lit up: "I can have some."

Gu Yu'an looked at her with amusement.

He had figured it out; this girl was a proper little alcoholic, regardless of red wine, white wine, or glutinous rice wine, she wanted to taste every good wine.

However, recalling her reaction after drinking red wine that day...

Gu Yu'an's gaze deepened a bit, and he nodded slightly to Zheng Guangrong: "I'm not on duty tonight, I'll have a small drink with Uncle Zheng."

"Haha! Straightforward!" Zheng Guangrong laughed heartily.

Having been neighbors for many years, especially with the two families visiting frequently and growing closer over the past year, Zheng Guangrong spoke his mind under the influence of alcohol.

"A document has come down from above, saying that units with housing shortages can raise funds to build public housing. Our Supply and Marketing Cooperative has already set it in stone that we are building. My wife and I haven't decided yet whether we want to apply. There are only three of us in our family, and living in two rooms isn't considered crowded. The main thing is that we get along well with our neighbors; if we moved to a new place, I wouldn't know if we could find neighbors we get along with just as well."