Chapter 2442

Su Xinghui smiled and said, "Big Sister Gu, hello! I went into town today on business, and on my way back I happened to run into Xiao Tao, so I brought her home with me and thought I'd drop by to see you."

Su Xinghui did not say how he had met Xiao Tao, because he knew she would not want him to reveal the danger she had just faced—she did not want her family to worry.

Xiao Tao gave Su Xinghui a grateful look.

Big Sister Gu said, "Comrade Su, thank you, but we've got nothing worth seeing and nothing good to offer—please sit down and have a drink of water."

Su Xinghui nodded and sat down; Xiao Tao hurried to pour him a glass of water. Su Xinghui said "Thank you," took the glass, and took a sip.

Xiao Tao went outside to wash her face. Su Xinghui asked, "Big Sister Gu, where's Xiao Tao's father?"

Big Sister Gu said, "He's in the room helping Xiao Tao's grandfather wipe his body."

Su Xinghui asked, "Xiao Tao's grandfather had a stroke and can't move, right?"

Big Sister Gu sighed and said, "Yes, it's been a year or two now—he's been bedridden the whole time. Her grandmother isn't well either, so only her father can do this kind of work."

Su Xinghui looked up at Big Sister Gu's home—it was truly bare of all possessions. This single-story house was only thirty or forty square meters, divided into two bedrooms and a living room: one bedroom for the elderly couple, the other for Xiao Tao and her sister; in the living room sat a foldable sofa that unfolded into a bed at night—probably for Big Sister Gu and her husband to sleep on.

It was hard to imagine how they had managed to survive all these years.

Su Xinghui said, "Big Sister Gu, has your household situation improved a bit these past few days?"

Big Sister Gu said, "Comrade Su, thanks to you, electricity and heating were finally delivered to our home these past few days—life has become much easier. Otherwise, we truly couldn't have gone on."

Su Xinghui nodded and said, "That's good."

Xiao Tao returned from washing her face and said to Big Sister Gu, "Mom, I'm never going back to work at the karaoke bar again."

Big Sister Gu exclaimed, astonished and delighted, "Are you serious?"

Xiao Tao nodded and said, "Of course I am. Comrade Su said he's going to distribute this month's living allowance to the factory workers, and production will resume soon—why would I still go to the karaoke bar?"

Big Sister Gu exclaimed happily, "That's wonderful!"

As she spoke, she wiped away tears.

She was overwhelmed with emotion—she truly didn't know how she had endured this past year. Her entire family were workers at Yan Textile Group; when the factory stopped paying living allowances, their entire income vanished. Her father-in-law had a stroke, her mother-in-law was unwell, and their monthly medicine bills alone were substantial.

To pay for their treatment, Big Sister Gu's family had spent all their savings and taken on heavy debts. If Xiao Tao and her sister hadn't been sensible and gone out to earn money, slowly repaying some of it, their family would have collapsed.

But what kind of work were Xiao Tao and her sister doing? Singing at karaoke bars—though they hadn't sold their bodies, their reputation was ruined, and it was dangerous. Big Sister Gu and her husband lived in constant fear every day, forced to hide it from the elderly couple.

Big Sister Gu had urged Xiao Tao and her sister to quit the karaoke bar many times, but they refused. She knew well that without their efforts, her and her husband's meager income from odd jobs could never cover the exorbitant monthly medicine bills for her in-laws, let alone feed the whole family.

Watching her daughters leave every day with heavy makeup on, Big Sister Gu's heart felt like it was being cut with a knife. She had shed countless tears behind closed doors, yet she had no solution.

Now that she heard her daughter would never go back, her joy was beyond words.

Xiao Tao sat beside her mother and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "Mom, this is good news—why are you crying?"

Big Sister Gu said, "I'm crying because I'm so happy."

Xiao Tao said, "Mom, you won't have to worry about me anymore."

Big Sister Gu nodded and turned to Su Xinghui. "Comrade Su, I must thank you! If not for you, I don't know what would have become of my daughter."

Su Xinghui said, "Big Sister Gu, don't mention it. The fact that national model workers like you have fallen into such hardship is already our failure. What we're doing now is merely a small correction."

Big Sister Gu didn't know what to say—she could only nod vigorously, and her tears spilled out again, uncontrollably.

Su Xinghui said, "In two days, the factory will distribute this month's living allowance—don't forget to go to the finance office to collect it."

Big Sister Gu nodded repeatedly.

Su Xinghui added, "The factory's situation is still difficult, so this time the allowance may be small. But production will resume soon, and things will improve. The factory also needs model workers like you to lead by example."

Big Sister Gu wiped her tears and said, "Comrade Su, rest assured—once production resumes, I'll be the first back, working hard to contribute more to the factory!"

Su Xinghui stood up. "Alright, Big Sister Gu, it's getting late—I'll head back now. You all get some rest."

Big Sister Gu saw Su Xinghui out. He waved goodbye and returned to the company to rest.

Two days later, Yan Textile Group paid out living allowances to its workers for the first time in a year. On that day, countless workers came to the company, lining up to collect their money.

These workers were disciplined, just as they had been when they still worked at the factory. On paydays, they had always lined up cheerfully to collect their wages—today was no different. They were all cheerful, and suddenly Yan Textile Group felt alive again.

Yan Textile Group hadn't been this lively in a year. For the past year, it had been lifeless—but now, it burst into activity.

The workers waiting in line chatted with each other; many hadn't seen each other in a long time, because they had been working odd jobs early and late, rarely finding time to meet and talk.

Seizing this chance to collect their living allowance, they began to talk.

"Old Zhang, you're here too? I heard your shoe-repair stall is doing well!"

"How could I miss this? The factory only pays out living allowances once in a blue moon!"

"Sister Zhao, didn't you say you'd never come back to the factory? Why are you here today?"