Help others? It's better to help yourself - Chapter 17

It was now March, and the students and teachers were still desperately preparing for the college entrance exams. Even students looking for jobs were not in a hurry.

After the evening of June 1st, the situation of the “Cultural Revolution” drastically changed. Starting with colleges and universities, the masses, who had previously been responsive to leaders’ calls and obedient to commands, were swept up in a tide of rebellion against the leaders.

And it all started with a big-character poster—a poster from Peking University!

By June 1966, when the newspapers announced the “Notice of Postponing School Enrollment Work for Half a Year,” people started to panic.

Everyone was smart enough to understand that chaos was about to ensue. With the college entrance exams canceled, securing a formal job became even more difficult. The amount of money needed to secure a good job was equivalent to the sum of her previous two job sales—an astronomical price!

When the compulsory migration of educated youth to the countryside began, people were willing to use every trick in the book to secure a job.

Was it just a job? It was a matter of their entire future!

How could the original person find a job at that time? The two jobs they had managed to secure were never mentioned again. So, all the household chores fell to the original person. The eldest sister-in-law, Xu Duoduo, had triplets and was quite confident. After finishing her confinement, she went back to work, returning only to breastfeed the babies, leaving all other tasks to the original person.

At night, she claimed to be too tired from work and needed to rest. With the milk supply insufficient, the babies cried from hunger, and the original person had to find a solution alone. While everyone else rested, the eldest couple enjoyed their sweet and loving life, while the original person was left exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open and unable to stand up straight.

By the time the children were two years old, able to speak, run, jump, and eat by themselves, it was just in time for the original person to be sent to the countryside.

Xu Jing’an reviewed the contents of the three books carefully, extracting useful information, and rethought what she needed to do, ensuring there were no oversights before she finally felt at ease.

On March 30, Xu Jing’an specially returned from school and said, “Mom, I took the household registration book!”

Xu’s mother was busy calculating overtime pay and waved her hand dismissively, “Go on, go on. I know.”

In recent years, Xu’s mother had occasionally used the household registration book to buy internally defective fabric. She was used to it.

Xu Jing’an put the money from the table into her pocket and took the “recommendation letter” to the city government office to get a registration form.

Before entering the city government office, she specifically changed into her best clothes from the space.

After filling out the form, the clerk, Xiao Zhang, mentioned nothing else except, “Come back tomorrow at 8 AM for the exam. Don’t forget.”

Xu Jing’an quickly thanked him, “Thank you. I’ll make sure to remember.”

What was there to say? Getting this opportunity meant she had connections; who knew that this place was hiring?

Afterward, Xu Jing’an hurriedly took a bus back and managed to buy the defective fabric.

Returning to the school, she found Xu Jianshe’s class. Many students, unable to concentrate, were resting their heads on their desks.

Xu Jing’an peered into the classroom, and Xu Jianshe immediately came out.

“Take the fabric and the remaining money back.”

Xu Jianshe, delighted, said, “Sis, you bought the fabric again? You’re amazing!”

Xu Jing’an instructed, “Keep an eye on the things, and go home after school.”

Xu Jianshe understood his sister’s meaning. “Don’t worry, Sis. I’ve never let anything slip!”

There was no doubt about it; trying to sneak anything out from him would be a fool’s errand!

Xu Jing’an still trusted her younger brother on this point!

The next morning, Xu Jing’an changed into her clothes, took a bus to the exam, and after waiting for 2 hours, the results were announced. As expected, she passed. Xu Jing’an’s heart was finally at ease!

Director Han of the Human Resources Department looked at the five remaining candidates and raised his eyebrows slightly, saying, “Tomorrow, bring your introduction letter, household registration book, diploma, and file to finalize the job.”

The five young people sat up straight. Director Han, smiling, added, “Don’t be so nervous. We’ll all be colleagues soon, seeing each other every day.”

They relaxed a bit and smiled. Han Yi continued, “Although your positions are different, we’ll start with the clerk salary of 33 yuan per month. After you become permanent, it will be 37.5 yuan.”

“There’s nothing else to say. Prepare your documents and go home early. Xiao Zhang—” Xiao Zhang, the clerk, quickly stood up. “Yes, Director?”

Director Han said, “Give them their admission notices and tell them to go back and open their letters.”

The candidates thanked Director Han and left.

Xu Jing’an took the notice and headed back to school.

“Xu Jing’an—Xu Jing’an—” As soon as Xu Jing’an entered the school gate, she heard someone calling her. She wished the person would disappear immediately.

She kept walking without stopping.

“Xu Jing’an—Xu Jing’an—” “Why are you still walking?” A tall, dark-skinned boy, about 1.75 meters tall, blocked Xu Jing’an’s path.

Xu Jing’an could feel many eyes on her from around.

“Why do I have to call you several times before you hear me?” Jin Sanshun asked with a hint of complaint.

It’s because I don’t want to talk to you! “What’s up?” Xu Jing’an tried to suppress her irritation and asked back.

“Why did you take leave today? Are you not feeling well?” Jin Sanshun asked with concern, but Xu Jing’an felt like she could strangle him to make him shut up.

Xu Jing’an always tried to maintain an image of “not good-looking, poor family background, taciturn, honest, and good at studying.”

The original owner was ordinary in appearance, often poorly nourished, with a sallow complexion, and a thin frame, and wore tattered patched clothes. She kept her head down, was taciturn, and went unnoticed.

In high school, among the boys and girls in their adolescence, arguments, begging for money after school, and relationships were common, and comparisons were rampant. After all, such things were diversions for those who had enough to eat and wear.

Xu Jing’an, a plain and earthy girl with a rural air, would not attract their attention.

However, because she excelled in her studies and represented the school in competitions, she caught the teachers’ attention. Every day, and in every class, she was under the teachers’ watchful eyes. Teachers had significant authority in school, and since she had no conflicts with anyone, she wasn’t subjected to bullying.

With graduation approaching, she just wanted to find a job quietly and slip away unnoticed, but then Jin Sanshun appeared.

Since the beginning of this semester, he had been inexplicably seeking her out, with several of his friends stirring up trouble around them.

Jin Sanshun was good-looking, and came from a well-off family, and many girls in the school were interested in him. Xu Jing’an already sensed some unfriendly gazes directed at her.

From the start, she should have avoided getting entangled in such matters. Associating closely with a boy like him would only lead to endless targeting and trouble.

“You refuse him firmly, so does that mean you don’t find this guy appealing? How about the other girls who are competing for him? Isn’t that a slap in their faces? Are you just being self-righteous? More trouble will follow.”

“Fortunately, today is the last day,” Xu Jing’an reassured herself.

“I have something to do, excuse me,” she said.

“Hey, you haven’t explained why?” Jin Sanshun reached out to grab her.

“Are you harassing me?” Xu Jing’an glared at him, her teeth clenched.

Jin Sanshun was momentarily stunned.

Xu Jing’an turned and quickly walked into the dormitory.

Usually, it was the girls who surrounded him, so Jin Sanshun was now at a loss for what to do.

“Sanshun? How’s it going?” his friends asked, raising their eyebrows.

Jin Sanshun, annoyed, said, “Alright, alright, let’s just go eat.”

“Oh, eat—eat!” A crowd of people shouted as they ran towards the cafeteria.