Help others? It's better to help yourself - Chapter 3

“Mom, can you make some scrambled eggs? Every day it’s just cabbage or radishes,” Xu Jianxie said, slurping his porridge.

From Xu Jianguo to Xu Jianxie, all four children of the Xu family were growing up. Even if they ate eggs, meat, and milk every day, they would still be hungry in no time.

And now, the meals had no oil or meat; it felt like no matter how much they ate, it was never enough. No one ever said they were full; most families only felt half-full!

“Exactly,” Xu Jingping quickly agreed. Who doesn’t want eggs?

“Who doesn’t want good food? But is there any?” Xu’s mother said with dissatisfaction. “Just having something to eat is already good enough. What kind of family is this?”

The eldest son was dating and would be twenty by the New Year, soon to be married. She would also become a grandmother and hold her grandchild. It was a good thing, but the worry was where the money would come from.

At this point, the youngest son and eldest daughter wanted better food, which was frustrating.

Xu Jianxie was unhappy to hear this and pouted.

Xu’s father looked at him and, being the youngest, said, “Go early tomorrow to queue up to buy some meat, okay?”

Seeing his youngest son happy, he also smiled.

“Old Xu, you spoil him! How much is enough for that mouth?” Xu’s mother complained.

Actually, who doesn’t want to eat better? They had meat only once a month, and sometimes they couldn’t even buy it.

Nowadays, wages are fixed, but expenses are many. Apart from cutting corners, what else could be done?

Ultimately, Xu’s mother went to the kitchen, scrambled the last two eggs, and brought them out. As soon as the dish was placed on the table, it was quickly finished.

During this time, Xu Jing’an didn’t say a word and only focused on eating her steamed bun and cabbage and drinking from her own bowl of porridge.

With eggs, she could eat a few more bites of vegetables; otherwise, she would only nibble on pickled vegetables. Eggs and meat were not for her.

Just then, the eldest son, Xu Jianguo, came home.

Xu Jing’an got up to fetch the warm rice from the pot in the kitchen for him.

“Eldest brother, you’re back. Have you eaten?” Xu’s mother quickly asked, seeing Xu Jianguo with his head hanging low and a gloomy face.

Xu Jianguo replied, “Mom, I’m not hungry.”

Xu’s mother, surprised, asked, “What’s wrong? Didn’t you go to see your girlfriend?”

Dating should be a happy event, but the eldest’s appearance didn’t seem to match the word “happy” at all!

“Uh, it’s nothing,” Xu Jianguo mumbled.

“Eldest, speak properly and tell me what’s wrong?” Xu’s father asked sternly.

The whole family looked at Xu Jianguo.

Xu Jianguo sat down with a long face and said, “Mom, Dad, Duoduo said: no bride price.”

“That’s a good thing!” Xu’s mother said in surprise. “Why are you unhappy? What else did she say?”

“She wants a formal job,” Xu Jianguo said, feeling less nervous now.

“What do we do? Where can we find that?” Xu’s mother was also distressed. Finding a job was so difficult now, and no one spoke up.

“Why not talk to Duoduo again?” Xu’s mother suggested tentatively.

“I will, Mom,” Xu Jianguo said. He had no other choice but to negotiate further with his partner to see if he could adjust the terms. Finding a job was indeed beyond his capability.

“Well, at least eat a little more,” Xu’s father said, seeing that his eldest son had been somewhat reassured and temporarily relieved his worries.

Xu Jianguo finished his meal quickly and then went back to his room.

No one else spoke after that, and everyone went to their rooms to do their own things.

Xu’s father and mother, having worked all day, needed to rest early.

The second child, Xu Jingping, was in her final year of high school, and the fourth child, Xu Jianxie, was in his third year of middle school. Both were in critical periods for their studies.

The school added an extra class every afternoon, and with the increased homework, the study pressure was intense.

This created the current situation—nearly all of the Xu family’s household chores had fallen to Xu Jing’an alone. She didn’t even know who to push the tasks onto.

Everyone had a perfect excuse to refuse. Even though everyone knew Xu Jianxie and Xu Jingping had average grades and barely passed their exams, the eldest, Xu Jianguo, was also working!

In the 21st century, many men come home from work and do nothing, as if they had no hands!

Moreover, in this era, men who don’t beat their wives and children are considered rare good men. In families with women, how many men nationwide would cook or do housework?

At this moment, Xu Jianguo, in a bad mood, was likely lying under the covers in bed. After Xu Jing’an finished tidying up the house and getting everyone ready, the hallway became quiet.

Xu Jing’an lay in bed, rubbing her hands, which were red and sore from washing clothes, and took a long time to warm up.

Her roommate, Xu Jingping, had already fallen asleep, so she quickly closed her eyes as well. There was a busy day ahead.

With things on her mind, she woke up early the next morning. Hearing that Xu’s mother had already gotten up, she hurriedly woke up her second sister, Xu Jingping.

When they went out together, the youngest, Xu Jianxie, also got up yawning.

Xu’s mother carried the grain book, the food book, receipts, and money, while the second and fourth children carried baskets and bags to replace Xu’s father, who had gone out to queue up in the early hours.

Xu Jing’an handed Xu’s mother her hat and scarf.

Xu’s mother reminded her, “You stay home and cook. Go early, and don’t forget!”

“Got it, Mom,” Xu Jing’an said as she saw Xu’s mother off, then immediately went to the kitchen to make porridge, steam buns, and cut pickled vegetables.

After tidying up the kitchen, she went to her room and took out clean but heavily patched underwear from the wardrobe.

She used needle and thread to sew a large pocket onto the already worn-out underwear.

With the three yuan, Xu’s mother gave her and her own four cents of pocket money, she packed the household register, a pen, and the needle and thread into her school bag then took two buns and left the house, nibbling on them as she went.

She spent one cent to take a bus to the National Cotton Factory No. 1, which was indeed the factory where the female lead worked.

She was there to participate in a job recruitment exam—a fair test to secure job opportunities for the children of factory employees.

Since the number of positions was limited to three, who would be hired?

The leaders knew each other and were familiar with one another. Many tactics were not convenient to use.

After discussing, they decided to hold a unified exam—whoever passed would get the job.

The publicity department had great positions, and the competition was fierce.

Fearing that workers might report them, they decided to post a recruitment notice on the factory wall while everyone was busy queuing for supplies.

The notice would be taken down in thirty minutes.

If someone came across it, it would be a stroke of luck, and they could take the exam.

The original host was that lucky person!

When Xu Jing’an arrived, she happened to see the staff member, Li Jianan, preparing to remove the notice.

“Comrade, is the recruitment still open? Can I participate?”

Li Jianan looked at Xu Jing’an in surprise, not expecting someone to be lucky enough to come across it!

He nodded and said, “Then hurry in, the exam is about to start!”

“Okay, thank you, Comrade,” Xu Jing’an quickly thanked him. She didn’t ask why the recruitment exam was being held at six in the winter.

She followed him into the exam room, found a seat, took out her pen, and waited for the exam papers.

Within two minutes, the papers were distributed, and Xu Jing’an bowed her head to answer the questions. The papers would be collected in an hour.