Chapter 31: Chapter Thirty-One: The Thirty-Seven Yuan and Fifty Fen of Sui

Han Yating glanced at Liu Fu and Wei Tong, then said: “Our squad handles crimes within the factory grounds and among workers—usually cases transferred from the Security Squad or reported by workers. We take personnel out to deal with them; the squad has two bicycles for official duties.”

Liu Fu lit Li Xuewu’s cigarette, then stepped back to the table. After Han Yating finished speaking, he added: “We mainly focus on criticism and education. For serious cases, we issue summonses through the police station, then hand them over for trial and transfer to the bureau and the Supervisory Commission—but usually, they’re detained for one or two days, given a taste of hardship, and they straighten up.”

Li Xuewu nodded without saying more. This Public Order Squad was just a small police station.

After smoking one cigarette, Xu Ning rushed back, panting, holding a new net bag containing two aluminum lunchboxes—inside, clinking sounds suggested chopsticks and spoons.

Xu Ning: “Pant, pant, Squad Leader—I bought you the lunchboxes, chopsticks, spoons, and Da Qianmen. Here are the meal tickets, and here’s the change.” He pulled out the remaining loose change and handed it back.

Li Xuewu smiled, took it, opened the Da Qianmen pack, pulled out two boxes and tossed them to Wei Tong, two more to Liu Fu, then handed the remaining six to Xu Ning, saying, “Good work.”

Xu Ning and the others refused repeatedly but finally accepted politely.

It was their first day; they didn’t yet understand the work, so no one spoke much. They just waited until mealtime.

“Let’s go eat in the canteen.”

The four answered in unison.

At this hour, the office staff had an advantage over workshop workers: they were closer to the canteen, which sat just behind and to the side of the main building.

Office cadres could line up first to get their meals; only after they finished would the workshop workers be allowed to approach.

Li Xuewu led the four into the canteen, instantly drawing a wave of stares.

A tall man in crisp police uniform, scarred face, followed by four young men in police uniforms—the canteen noise dropped noticeably.

Only the Public Order Squad wore police uniforms in the factory; this was officially registered. The Security Squad wore dark cotton coats and military cotton caps, with no rank insignia or cap badges—only Squad Leaders wore red armbands.

Li Xuewu led the four to naturally join the end of a line; silence fell around them front, back, and sides.

When it came Li Xuewu’s turn to get food, he saw Liu Lan serving dishes at the window and He Yuzhu selling steamed buns at the adjacent window.

He Yuzhu spotted Li Xuewu at once.

“Hey! Brother, you joined the Security Bureau’s Public Order Squad, huh?”

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and whispered, “You’re in line—talk after shift.”

Li Xuewu then turned to Liu Lan: “Thanks. Four steamed buns, two taels of each dish.” He handed over his lunchbox.

Liu Lan had just seen He Yuzhu greet Li Xuewu and took a closer look—this young man looked frightening, and now in uniform, even more intimidating.

That fear instantly cured her of the canteen’s legendary “Parkinson’s Dish-Serving Technique.”

Li Xuewu didn’t yet know he’d become a healing male… boy… person…

Li Xuewu glanced at Liu Lan, then carried his lunchbox to a corner square table and sat down.

Han Yating and the others followed suit, equally taciturn. They got their meals and sat with Li Xuewu at the same table.

Normally, even in uniform, they kept themselves reserved. Today, watching Li Xuewu stride with authority, face cold and stern, they felt especially imposing.

This table of five ate in silence, unlike other tables where people chatted while eating—making them seem even more intimidating. Even those seated nearby whispered softly.

Not far from the Public Order Squad’s table sat a group of women and young girls from the Personnel Department’s Personnel Section—they only stole glances.

Middle-aged women like Sister Xie paid no heed, staring while eating and chatting.

“Hey, Sister Xie, isn’t that the young guy you led in for registration this morning? In uniform, you barely recognize him.”

Sister Xie turned, glanced at Li Xuewu, and said: “This kid’s a real soldier? Straight-up demobilized officer, high school graduate, decorated veteran. His family’s in rough shape now, but in three years, he’ll be top-tier. Don’t blame me if I don’t look out for the girls in our section—first come, first served, I’m telling you.”

The Extreme Chaos Decision

Hearing this, several young girls instantly lost their appetite, their gazes toward Li Xuewu turning calculating.

An office sister frowned: “Every year, we get eight or ten demobilized soldiers—why’s this one so special?”

Sister Xie smiled but didn’t answer.

At that moment, the slender, tall woman from the Archives Department spoke: “Demobilized and transferred soldiers differ in rank. This kid’s file is pristine—especially the street committee’s evaluation, plus his battlefield commendation. Now he’s on a cadre post, earning thirty-seven yuan and fifty fen a month. Have you ever seen that?”

Hearing “thirty-seven yuan and fifty fen,” the young girls’ eyes sparked with electricity.

He Yuzhu, who’d worked in the canteen for over a decade, earned exactly thirty-seven yuan and fifty fen—and the female workers still chased after him.

Of course, kitchen staff weren’t necessarily desirable to office girls—but a nineteen-year-old earning thirty-seven yuan and fifty fen? That was worth a second look.

The earlier sister sneered: “So what if he’s cadre? Most young demobilized officers are missing something—didn’t you see that huge scar on his face?”

Everyone watched Li Xuewu eat, his jaw muscles bulging, the scar on his face looking even more terrifying—like a centipede crawling across his skin.

The middle-aged woman’s words doused the enthusiasm of the excited girls. True—he was frightening. At night, lights out, fine—but taking him out in daylight? Unseemly.

Then Sister Xie chuckled: “What man doesn’t have scars? That one’s from the frontlines. Even the Personnel Department dared not write ‘ugly face’ in his evaluation. Besides, why do you need a handsome man? Keep a pretty boy?”

The Archives woman said: “His family’s decent too—his father’s a physician. How bad could that be?”

Feng Juan, the accountant in Finance, grinned at the Archives woman: “Sister, introduce me, will you? I don’t mind his scar—I think it’s safe and reliable.”

The Archives woman laughed: “I don’t know him well—I’m just quoting his file. But if you want to meet him, ask Sister Xie.”

Seeing Feng Juan turn to look at her.

Sister Xie said: “This kid’s deep. If you want him, go after him yourself—I won’t help anyone.”

Seeing the spark in her own section’s girls’ eyes, Sister Xie wouldn’t risk making enemies.

Now the workshop workers arrived to get food—Old Man Yi Zhonghai, Old Man Liu Haizhong, Liu Guangtian, Qin Huaru—all heard He Yuzhu mention Li Xuewu at the serving window.

They all cast unusual glances toward the quiet group in the corner, especially Li Xuewu.

The night before, rumors spread that Li Xuewu had joined the factory—but everyone assumed he’d be assigned to a workshop, guessing which one.