Chapter 20: Job Hunting

Jiang Yan responded, "Tell me, I will do my absolute best to fulfill it."

Chen Zheng was still sweating for Jiang Yan, unsure if Shen Qingye would make an exorbitant demand. To everyone’s surprise, Shen Qingye simply shook his head.

"You’ve already said everything that needed to be said. What is there left for me to ask for?"

"My factory is just ahead. If Colonel Jiang doesn’t mind, I still have a bottle of shochu. It’s nothing fancy, just the kind you can get near the plant for a few cents a pound."

The value of wine never lies in its price, but in the sentiment it represents. Jiang Yan agreed and sent Chen Zheng to buy some snacks to pair with it.

Upon opening the door, Jiang Yan saw a very modest dormitory. It was clear that Shen Qingye had not been embezzling any money; otherwise, his home wouldn't be filled with items that had been mended and reused time and again.

"You deny yourself, yet you are still so generous toward Yaoyao."

"She is the only sister I have." After adding this, Shen Qingye pulled out his last bottle of wine with a pang of heartache. He had originally intended to drink it with the factory director while settling some of his own affairs, but he hadn't expected to use it now.

Chen Zheng ran to get the snacks and made it back just in time. Shen Qingye poured some wine for Chen Zheng, who hesitated for a long moment before daring to take it. Shen Qingye caught Jiang Yan’s eye, and Jiang Yan said slowly, "Take it."

Chen Zheng accepted it, beaming. "Then thank you, brother-in-law."

Jiang Yan’s expression remained calm, while Shen Qingye gave Chen Zheng a long, lingering look. The man on the receiving end scratched his head, wondering if he had said something wrong. Seeing no reaction from Jiang Yan, Chen Zheng was even more confused.

"Go out and keep an eye on the door."

Jiang Yan dismissed Chen Zheng, and the atmosphere returned to normal.

"Drink." Shen Qingye pushed over a glass, and Jiang Yan took the bottle to pour. The bottle didn’t last long before it hit the bottom.

Jiang Yan and Shen Qingye didn’t continue the conversation about Shen Qingyao; instead, they talked about each other. Jiang Yan was curious how Shen Qingye had remained in the same position at the steel mill for so many years, while Shen Qingye was curious about the life Jiang Yan led in the military. By the time they finished talking, the barriers between them had naturally faded.

Shen Qingye had actually considered joining the army, but he couldn't leave Shen Qingyao behind. Listening to Jiang Yan recount his past, he felt truly moved. Jiang Yan, in turn, envied Shen Qingye and admired his character. One bottle of wine was clearly not enough.

By the time the dead of night arrived, Jiang Yan finally left with Chen Zheng. Chen Zheng had already taken a nap before the door opened again. Both Jiang Yan and Shen Qingye had flushed faces, though it was unclear if it was from excitement or something else.

Everyone seemed to sleep well that night. At the very least, when Shen Qingyao woke up, she felt full of energy. She smelled the aroma of cured meat and thought she was dreaming, but then Qiao Yufen walked in with a plate of food.

Before she was even fully awake, her hand reached out to grab some. Qiao Yufen dodged with quick reflexes. "Get up, get up and eat. Once you're done, come with me to the fields for a walk."

"Grandma, is it New Year's today?" Shen Qingyao joked, stretching her arms. Perhaps because she hadn't been active for so long, she didn't think working in the fields sounded like a bad idea. Besides, going to the fields to see if there was anything to eat sounded good.

Shen Qingyao put on her shoes and sat at the dining table. "Your brother doesn't have it easy out there on his own. It’s hard for him to make it home, so let him eat well. I won't treat you poorly either; this plate is specially for you."

Qiao Yufen had only set out one bowl, so when Shen Qingyao saw it, she went to fetch another. This small basin of cured meat was all the stock Qiao Yufen had left. Shen Qingyao couldn't bear to eat it all herself and divided more than half of it.

"Grandma, I’m going out today to find work. Once I’m making money, I’ll buy you all sorts of good things."

Qiao Yufen just smiled when she heard this, then asked, "Have you decided what you want to do?"

"Anything is fine, I’ll see what’s out there."

Shen Qingyao wasn't yet sure what one could do in this era. In her previous life, she had done everything—after all, she was an English major. She had worked in operations, served as a host, and been a teacher at a training institution. Later, seeking job stability, she had impulsively joined a foreign enterprise. Less than three months in, she was exhausted from business trips and ended up in the hospital once a month. After resigning from the foreign firm, she had made up her mind to study for the civil service exam, and then came the car accident. Thinking about it now, fate really does have a way of playing tricks.

"Whatever it is, I’m not going to the textile factory." Shen Qingyao added to herself as she pulled Qiao Yufen to eat.

Qiao Yufen set aside her needlework and nodded. "That's true. How about this: you come to the fields to help me with the work, and I’ll take you around to see the town?"

"Sounds good." Shen Qingyao quickened her pace of eating. Qiao Yufen followed suit.

[System, what kind of work do you think I can do?]

[Host, you are certainly capable of mastering anything.]

Shen Qingyao was speechless at the system's unreliable remark. [Can you give me some actual advice? What do people usually do in this era?]

[Supply and marketing cooperatives, factory work, teaching, writing—any of those will do.]

Shen Qingyao pondered this. These were all somewhat related to her past experiences, give or take. The original owner only had a middle school education, so knowing a bit of English shouldn't be too strange. The main thing was that Shen Qingyao had to change some of her ways of expressing herself. The influence of the internet on her was too profound; she had a habit of blurting out unfriendly remarks. It had been fine when she worked in foreign trade, but after a while, she realized those people weren't really all that refined either.

A spark of joy suddenly bloomed in Shen Qingyao's heart. Her credentials might not be worth much in the 21st century, but she had real substance. Surely, making a living in this era wouldn't be too much to ask?

After clearing the bowls, Shen Qingyao followed Qiao Yufen down to the fields. She had expected to see lush greenery everywhere, but instead, she saw a stretch of desolation. People didn't have very sophisticated methods for growing vegetables; most relied on experience. Otherwise, they would just go ask whoever in the village was doing it well. Qiao Yufen was quite a skilled gardener, but even then, the crops were just passable.

Shen Qingyao then remembered that everything households used was allocated. It wasn't as if you could buy whatever you wanted; some families were allocated more, while others might only get a little, which wasn't nearly enough. For things like chemical fertilizer, you could use farm manure as a substitute, but for things that couldn't be replaced, there was nothing to be done. As for the land itself, it was bone-dry just from walking on it. Irrigation had to be managed collectively by the production brigade.

Shen Qingyao sighed in resignation and joined Qiao Yufen in pulling weeds.

"Yufen, the sun must have risen in the west today! Yaoyao is actually out here working with you."

Shen Qingyao looked over, but didn't recognize the person at first. Qiao Yufen told her to call her "Grandma Gao," and Shen Qingyao recognized her instantly.

"Grandma Gao, hurry up and tell my grandma to make me something delicious to compensate me for all this hard work!" She bantered with Grandma Gao, who immediately laughed and began chatting with her.