Chapter 587: I Have No Regrets

The people who arrived from behind were shoving the ones ahead.

"Hey guys, which factory is hiring?"

"The factory of the Railway Department."

"Railway Department? That's a good unit! How much is the salary?"

"Fifteen yuan a month, there will be benefits at year‑end, and good performers get bonuses."

"That's a bit low; it's a factory, it should be at least twenty yuan or more."

"Hey man, just being able to find a job now is good! Look at my wrinkled hands, all from gluing matchboxes every day, my eyes are almost blind, and I only earn three yuan a month! It's pure labor exploitation."

"That's right, I've glued matchboxes too; guess what my mother said?"

She said, "Son, stop gluing. It's cold now, you sit there gluing matchboxes and still have to burn a coal stove; the little money you earn isn't even enough to buy a coal ball! Look, it really hurts my pride!"

When everyone recounted their miserable home experiences during this period, no one still thought the salary was low.

In today's environment, a factory hiring is already good, and this is a Railway Department factory, which sounds more respectable than a Cooperative.

Thinking that way, the people behind started to push forward.

Zhao Bin, seeing that enough people had been recruited, stood up and shouted, "Stop pushing, we've already hired enough, the rest go back."

Upon hearing that recruitment was full, the people behind suddenly became anxious.

"How many people did you hire? How did you fill up so fast?"

Zhao Bin replied, "We only needed forty people, and we're already ten over."

"Hire a few more, we've all come here."

"Exactly, hire a few more."

Seeing everyone's hopeful eyes, Zhao Bin felt a bit helpless.

"Sorry, big guys, I do want to take you all in, but we're not a charity; once we're full, that's it. One more person means another salary, and our factory has to consider costs. Hurry back, it's terribly cold…"

After Zhao Bin finished speaking, he had people start clearing the tables.

The others, seeing that they indeed weren't hiring anymore, sighed one by one, their eyes returning to the previous bewilderment.

At that moment, a youth wearing a military cap ran out of Hu Tong Li.

Seeing everyone leave, the military‑cap youth asked in confusion, "Why are you leaving? Did you succeed in signing up?"

Someone replied, "Success? No way, they're already full."

"Full?" the military‑cap youth heard that and immediately pounded his thigh, realizing they had come early.

It was hard enough to find a factory hiring, and seeing everyone leave, the military‑cap youth still felt unwilling.

Seeing the people in the factory tidying the tables, the military‑cap youth stepped forward.

"Comrade, could you hire one more person? I'm energetic, not afraid of hardship, I don't need easy work; just give me the dirtiest, most exhausting tasks…"

At least it's a factory, a subordinate of the Railway Department; even doing dirty work, it still sounds respectable.

The military‑cap youth pleaded, recalling how proud he was as an Educated Youth, but now that he's back in Hui Cheng, he has to bow to reality.

To be precise, he should be bowing to his stomach…

"No more hiring, no more hiring, I've said it a hundred times…"

Just as Zhao Bin was about to shoo people away, the military‑cap youth greeted Lu Cheng, who was smoking nearby.

"Lu, Lu Jingzhang?"

While the military‑cap youth was pleading, Lu Cheng felt the voice was familiar.

But the youth wore a military cap, hadn't had a haircut in who knows how long, and his bangs almost covered half his face.

Until the cap‑wearer shouted "Lu Jingzhang", Lu Cheng suddenly remembered who the youth was.

It was this youth who once led Educated Youth to go to Capital City to petition, later was captured by Qin Shou for inciting a crowd, and Lu Cheng rescued him.

"It's you, what a coincidence."

The military‑cap youth also found it very coincidental, and for a moment forgot about the job recruitment, his mind full of the excited feeling of meeting his benefactor.

He hurried up to shake hands: "Hello, Lu Jingzhang, I never expected to meet you here."

Perhaps the military‑cap youth was too excited, holding on without letting go; Lu Cheng found it hard to bear—if it were a woman's hand, not letting go would be tolerable.

"Hello, hello." Lu Cheng withdrew his hand and casually asked, "Are you from Capital City?"

"Yes, I live right here in Hu Tong."

Lu Cheng nodded: "I really didn't know, you didn't say you were from Capital City back then."

The military‑cap youth clearly felt embarrassed, scratched his head and said, "Mainly because you didn't ask back then, but even if you had, I wouldn't have dared to say."

Lu Cheng could understand; back then the youth led the charge to cause trouble in Capital City, and if he had actually arrived, saying he was from Capital City could easily affect his family.

"So why did I hear you were looking for work? You should be among the earliest Educated Youth to return…"

Those who returned early are usually easier to place in jobs.

Bringing up the topic, the military‑cap youth sighed.

"Don't bring it up. It's because I led the trouble back then, it became a stain on me; no unit dares to take me."

So that was it; before Lu Cheng could speak, the military‑cap youth asked first.

"Lu Jingzhang, why are you here?"

According to the military‑cap youth, Lu Cheng was only a Train Police, so why did he look so familiar with the hiring factory?

"Oh, I'm here to help; this is my friend, whose factory he's in charge of."

Hearing that, the military‑cap youth brazenly said, "Then, Lu Jingzhang, could you help and hire one more for me?"

Lu Cheng didn't answer immediately, but asked a question.

"Have you ever regretted it? I mean leading the trouble!"

Lu Cheng didn't ask that lightly; he really wanted to hear how the military‑cap youth would answer.

The answer the military-cap youth gives decides whether Lu Cheng is willing to help him.

Regarding this question, the military-cap youth froze for a moment, not knowing how to answer.

In fact, regarding this issue, mother has complained many times.

You led the trouble, causing the Educated Youth to return to the city; they have all gradually found jobs, but you, because of this, no one dares to hire you…

At first, each time he stood with his chest out, speaking righteously, "So what? We are a group, this is the interest of all the Educated Youth; there must be a leader. I have never regretted doing this…"

Mother, of course, sighs, and even because her son cannot find a job and receives contempt, she often hides in the kitchen wiping tears.

And each time the military-cap youth sees mother like that, he feels so sad that he has to compromise with her.

I know I was wrong, Mom; I won't do this again. Rest assured, I'll definitely settle down, find a job quickly, and lessen the family's burden…

And Lu Cheng is the second person, after mother, to ask that question.

His heart is tangled; for him, this is not a simple issue.

Lu Cheng also sees his conflict; like many Educated Youth, he went from initial arrogance to gradually compromising with life.

The military-cap youth used to be so sharp‑edged, and Lu Cheng liked that temperament of his.

"Answer from the heart."

Hearing those four words, something seemed to flash in the military-cap youth's eyes.

He no longer hesitates: "I don't regret it."