Help others? It's better to help yourself - Chapter 23

In the 1960s, houses could not be bought or sold privately; they were allocated by the state. In cities, housing was distributed by work units for those who were employed at such units. Those without a unit either had to live with their families or rent a place.

When Xu Jing’an and Sister Qin arrived at the office, they found someone they knew.

“Sister Qin, weren’t you supposed to take the train today? Are you and your husband still setting off?”

Sister Qin replied, “Even if I’m in a hurry, I need to make sure my sister is settled first.”

The clerk glanced at Xu Jing’an and asked, “Who is this?”

Sister Qin answered, “This is my cousin on my mother’s side. Our mothers are sisters, so we’re very close relatives. How could I just leave her behind?”

The two had previously agreed to say they were cousins (their mothers were full sisters, making them cousins).

“We’re moving back to our hometown in Northeast China, and my cousin is coming over with no place to stay. Since the house is just sitting there, we might as well give it to her.”

The office staff had seen such cases before, and nothing was officially against the policy. Sister Qin’s husband discreetly handed over two packs of cigarettes. In the end, the housing permit was processed.

Once Sister Qin and her husband got the money from Xu Jing’an, they headed straight to the train station.

Xu Jing’an turned back, rushing to tidy up the house. After all, where would they sleep tonight?

The weather in late April was already warm, and the water was not cold. Northeasterners are known for their cleanliness, and the house was kept tidy. Despite having two children, Sister Qin’s home was spotless, with clean furniture, windows, and kitchen.

Xu Jing’an organized and arranged her daily necessities and kitchenware. After having lunch in the space, she went out with a basket to buy some groceries.

A good night’s sleep followed.

Xu Jing’an opened his eyes and realized it was almost time, so he quickly got up.

He had a few quick bites and left the house. The streets were becoming increasingly crowded, and he joined the throng heading into the steel plant.

By the time Xu Jing’an arrived, Guo Caixia was already waiting at the office.

“Sorry, Sister Guo, I’m late,” Xu Jing’an quickly apologized.

“It’s my fault for arriving early,” Guo Caixia waved dismissively. “Let’s get started right away, shall we?”

Xu Jing’an immediately became serious as the two began their thorough handover. The materials in the records room were all logged, and they checked each item carefully. After confirming everything and signing off, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

It was now time for casual conversation.

“There’s also a girl here who’s three years older than you, named Wu Sufen. She’s quite enthusiastic and cheerful, and her character is good. You’ll be responsible for registration, and she’ll handle the storage. She’s on leave for a few days, but you’ll meet her when you return,” Guo Caixia said, taking the opportunity to give Xu Jing’an a few tips.

Xu Jing’an asked, “Sister Guo, when are we heading back?”

Guo Caixia replied, “There’s a bus at 6 a.m. tomorrow. I’ll buy the tickets for you.”

“Thank you so much, Sister Guo.”

“No need to thank me. I’ll need you to help me keep an eye on that group of unruly kids,” Guo Caixia said, relieved to have Xu Jing’an accompany her, which made her feel more at ease about taking the seven children on the train.

Xu Jing’an made a special trip to Director Huang’s office.

“Come in,” said Director Huang. “What’s the matter, Xiao Xu?” he asked, looking a bit puzzled at Xu Jing’an, who had just entered.

Xu Jing’an, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, “Director, I was in a rush when I arrived, and I need to go back with Sister Qin. I need to bring my luggage and transfer my household registration.”

He continued, “Also, I met my cousin yesterday. She happened to have a vacant room, so I’m staying there now. Thank you for taking care of me, Director.”

Director Huang replied, “That’s great. Staying at home is definitely better than the dormitory. If you run into any problems, feel free to come to me.”

Xu Jing’an thanked him again, “Thank you so much, Director. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

Director Huang assured her, “It’s no trouble at all. Don’t rush when you go back. I’ll give you a few extra days off, safety first.”

Back home, Xu Jing’an thought about what to give to Guo Caixia. Since she had covered the cost of the train tickets, it would be awkward to just repay her in cash.

Instead, he decided to steam a few batches of chive and egg buns, which would be perfect for the journey. After all, there were seven kids, so leftovers wouldn’t be a problem.

Taking advantage of the warm weather at noon, he prepared a large bowl of mixed dough. Thankfully, there was baking powder in the space, so he didn’t need to use yeast.

Each person got three buns, filling up a cloth bag.

On the train, when Xu Jing’an took out the buns, the kids were indeed excited. “Buns—buns—” Guo Caixia said helplessly, “You, kid…” She understood that Xu Jing’an didn’t want to owe anyone favors.

The more they encountered such people, the more they were willing to interact.

Feeling the still-warm buns, Guo Caixia knew the girl must have gotten up early to prepare them. “Jing’an, close your eyes and rest for a while.”

Xu Jing’an didn’t refuse and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest.

The children also instinctively quieted down.

Throughout the journey, Xu Jing’an and Guo Caixia took turns sleeping and using the restroom. The kids, who had initially been curious, now became impatient.

As the train was about to stop, Guo Caixia once again took out a rope and tied each child securely. Xu Jing’an and Guo Caixia, one on each side, escorted the children out of the station.

Fortunately, there weren’t many people at that time!

After seeing Guo Caixia and the children off on the bus, Xu Jing’an hurried back to the Xu family home.

Upon returning to the Xu family house, everything was as before. The only change was that the bed Xu Jing’an used in the living room was gone.

The house no longer had a place for her.

Putting aside her slight feeling of loss, she went into Xu’s mother’s room, took out the household registration book, and hurried to transfer her registration.

At this time, the household registration book was handwritten and had two eyelets. A rope was threaded through, allowing for pages to be added or removed as needed.

After leaving the police station, Xu Jing’an put the page of the household registration she had transferred into the space, returned the book to Xu’s mother, and then went to say goodbye to Director Han and Brother Zhang.

Brother Zhang, upon hearing that she was now a full-time worker with a decent salary, congratulated her with a smile.

Han Yi, observing the young woman who was swift and decisive in her actions, felt a deep sense of admiration!

“I’ve already informed Old Huang. Just focus on doing your own work,” Han Yi said, his usually cheerful face showing a lack of expression this time.

Having known Han Yi for some time, Xu Jing’an saw him leaning back in his chair and relaxing for the first time.

The voice was gentle and the tone plain. Xu Jing’an knew this was the usual side of him.

“I’ll give you two bottles of wine. When you return to H City, please help me deliver them to Director Huang.” Although both sides benefited from their arrangement, Han Yi still wanted to lend a hand for the young woman, Xu Jing’an.

Xu Jing’an gave Han Yi a deep bow. She understood that Han Yi hoped Director Huang would be more considerate of her because of this favor.

After taking the two bottles of wine, she packed up her belongings from the dormitory, carried them out of the office, and went straight to the post office to send them off.

She stored the wine in her space, bought a ticket to H City at the station, and returned to the Xu family home. By the time she arrived, it was already mealtime, and her family was quite surprised to see her.

“Third child, why are you back today? We didn’t make any food for you.” Xu’s mother noted that it was only the 25th, and not yet the weekend.

She hadn’t been in school for many days, and no one at home knew. This was the advantage of Xu Jing’an being like an invisible person. “Mom,” Xu Jing’an said quietly, pulling her mother aside, “I found a job.”

“What job? How much does it pay per month?” Xu’s mother’s eyes widened.

Everyone at the table stared at Xu Jing’an. Many of them put down their chopsticks, focusing intently.

“It’s a job at the steel plant. I just started, and it should be around 20 or so per month.”

“What kind of work?” Xu Doudou asked next.

“I’m in charge of registration in the data room.”

Xu Doudou’s eyes lit up upon hearing this; he felt that an opportunity had arrived.