Chapter 1815

Zhu Tie said, "Yes, I brought my parents to live with me. I only have one older sister, and she's married and doesn't live here anymore."

An Dachang said, "Then your family can be considered to have jumped over the dragon gate."

Zhu Tie said with emotion, "Although we don't live here anymore, sometimes I still think about it. After all, I lived here for so long, and my parents lived here for forty or fifty years. They sometimes come back to take a look. My wife is also a child of the printing factory, and my father-in-law and mother-in-law still live here."

While talking, Zhu Tie brought the two to his father-in-law and mother-in-law's house. He called out "Dad, Mom," and an old man and an old woman came out. Seeing Zhu Tie return, the old man said happily, "Tiezi is back."

Su Xinghui looked around the room. This wasn't a home; it was two tar-felt sheds, low and dark. Even though it was just past noon, there was no light in the room. It took them more than ten seconds for their eyes to barely adapt to the darkness and see the bare walls of the house.

Zhu Tie put the things he was carrying on a small table, "Dad, Mom, I'm here to see you today."

The old man and old woman looked to be over sixty years old, their hair almost completely white. The old woman asked, "Tiezi, why didn't Yunying come back? And Xiao Rui? Why didn't he come either?"

Zhu Tie said, "Xiao Rui is taking a nap at home, and Yunying is watching him. I came to the printing factory with our leaders to take a look, and stopped by to see you two."

The old man was startled, "Ah, your leaders are here? Those are big officials. Two leaders, please sit."

Su Xinghui and An Dachang sat down. There weren't many chairs in the room, so they each found a small stool and sat down. Su Xinghui smiled, "Grandpa, Grandma, we aren't Zhu Tie's leaders, just his colleagues. We came with him today to see you."

The old man and old woman also each found a stool and sat down. Zhu Tie poured a glass of water for Su Xinghui and An Dachang each, then sat down too.

Zhu Tie said, "Dad, Mom, this is County Magistrate Su from the county, and this is County Magistrate An from the county."

The old man said, "So it's County Magistrate Su. I've heard you mention him many times. County Magistrate Su, you are a great person. You've done so many good things for our Changshan County."

Su Xinghui said, "Grandpa, you're flattering me too much. I'm just doing some things we should do."

The old man said, "I'm speaking from my heart. I don't know how many people I hear talking on the street every day. They say County Magistrate Su is a great person, a clean official, who specifically does good things for the common people."

The old woman said, "Sigh, County Magistrate Su, I believe you are a clean official, but when can you help us laid-off workers solve our difficulties?"

The old man said, "You old woman, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? Everyone in the country is being laid off now; it's not just our family. Haven't you heard that we are being laid off to help the country solve its problems? It's glorious to be laid off!"

Zhu Tie hurriedly said, "Mom, County Magistrate Su is not the deputy county magistrate in charge of industry, so this matter shouldn't be his responsibility. Besides, the problem of layoffs isn't a problem of one day or one night. Isn't County Magistrate Su here to help us solve the problem?"

Su Xinghui said, "Grandpa, Grandma, I do have a responsibility for the problem of you laid-off workers. I haven't solved this problem well. I'm here today to understand the situation. After understanding the situation clearly, we will think of ways together to solve your problems well."

The old woman said, "That would be great. If you can solve our family's problem, I'll burn incense for you."

There was a sting in the old woman's words. The old man was very unhappy, and Zhu Tie was also a bit embarrassed. Su Xinghui, however, didn't care at all. He knew that these workers' lives were too bitter, and it was very normal for this old woman to have some strange remarks. If he couldn't even stand these strange remarks, he might as well not be an official.

Su Xinghui said, "Grandma, I dare not say that I definitely have the ability to help you solve the problem, but we can think of ways together. I believe that so many county leaders will definitely be able to solve this problem well."

The old woman curled her lips, "Don't mention the county leaders. I'm not an uneducated person. I was the vice chair of the printing factory's labor union. The former deputy county magistrate in charge of industry, Zhao, used to be the factory manager of our printing factory. He made a mess of the factory, but instead got promoted. After he got promoted, he didn't care about our lives. Where can one go to reason about this?"

The old man hurriedly said, "Old woman, say less. Our Tiezi is also a county leader now."

The old woman said, "What kind of county leader is he? It would be better if you didn't say this. Once you say it, I'm full of anger. He's a county leader, but our family hasn't benefited from him at all. To this day, we still live in this broken shed, and several sons still live in this ghost place. I asked him to help arrange a job, but he has no way. Tell me, what's the use of him being a county leader?"

Zhu Tie was extremely embarrassed. Hearing his mother-in-law criticize him like this in front of Su Xinghui and An Dachang, he had nowhere to put his face. He couldn't help but regret bringing them here.

This mother-in-law of his had been a labor union chair, could be considered a knowledgeable old lady, and had accumulated resentment over these few years. Now she vented it all out, which could be considered using this excuse to put pressure on the two county magistrates, wanting them to help solve the family's affairs.