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Chapter 85: Chapter 85: It’s Really Difficult.
Tong Yao exclaimed, "You want to go work in the city too?"
She knew that Si Xiaohui wanted to work in the city she didn’t expect that Si Boyi did too. Si Boyi was more mature and stable so it would be alright for him to go, but she didn’t have any job lined up for him and her milk tea shop couldn’t take on many people for now.
Tong Yao subconsciously looked at Si Chen. Their eyes met and Si Chen shook his head slightly. Clearly, he too didn’t know where to arrange for Si Boyi’s employment.
As Si Chen was usually busy with his job in the hospital, he rarely had time for social activities. With the current difficulties finding jobs, one couldn’t land a job without personal recommendations.
Seeing the duo’s troubled expression, Si Boyi probably guessed what was going on. He gave a dry laugh, "That’s OK, I understand. It’s indeed hard to find work in the city."
If city job opportunities were plentiful, everyone would have been working in the city and wouldn’t be struggling to survive on a few acres of land. Yet, understanding this, he still felt a bit disappointed that he couldn’t work in the city.
More and more people from the village have been leaving over the past few years. They earns several times more by working in the city for a year than by farming. When everyone casually talks about the prosperity of the city, there are many things he’d never even heard of, and it would be impossible not to feel envious. He also wanted to get out and see the world.
However, everyone in the village either feared that he would become rich, or disdained his poverty, none of them were willing to take him along to the city.
Watching her second son’s disappointed expression, Lin Fengying felt a heartache. Suddenly, she felt useless. She hadn’t arranged anything for either of her three children. She didn’t even know that her second son wanted to work in the city, because she was entirely focused on her daughter, overlooking her second son’s wishes.
Indeed, it’s difficult for a layperson to find a job in the city, Lin Fengying understood that. But aside from feeling sorry for her son, she felt helpless. After her husband died, everyone advised her to find a son-in-law to help her, fearing that her three children would suffer. She stubbornly refused, believing that she could take care of her three children on her own.
Looking at it now, she was just too conceited. If she’d had a man to rely on, her children wouldn’t have had to suffer so much when they were young and her second son might have been married by now.
All of it was her fault.
Perhaps unable to empathize with their plight, Tong Yao was put off by their sombre mood. They should be positive and forward-looking, so why were they being so pessimistic?
The dumplings were almost cold, and no one took the initiative to start the meal. Blinking, Tong Yao said, "I don’t really have any resources when it comes to job hunting. After all, I’m not from Li City and don’t have many local acquaintances. However, if my business takes off, I will definitely need more help. I can let you know when the time comes if you’re interested."
At least she gave Si Boyi a little hope. In any case, with the societal development advancing so rapidly, the employment problem for rural residents wouldn’t be so difficult to solve.
Sigh!
All she wanted was a merry meal, but instead she found herself having to consider so many problems. This was all too difficult.
"I’m willing." Si Boyi quickly responded, his eyes shining brightly with happiness like that of a child.
"Yaoyao, thank you so much." Lin Fengying, with teary eyes, wanted to hold Tong Yao’s hand out of gratitude, but remembered she had just been handling the dumplings, so promptly withdrew her hand.
"Mom, we’re family. Don’t say such formalities. Let’s eat the dumplings before they get cold!" Tong Yao hated such tear-jerker scenes and quickly veered away from the topic.
In fact, she had her own intentions in suggesting that Si Xiaohui and Si Boyi come to work for her. Although Si Chen and his two siblings didn’t seem to be particularly close, in reality, they had strong bonds; and Si Boyi, being down-to-earth and straightforward, would do the job more earnestly than outsiders.
If push came to shove, she could always send them back if things didn’t turn out as she had imagined. She would not put up with being uncomfortable.
"Let’s eat!" Si Chen took up his spoon with a calm expression, and served everyone a big bowl of dumplings, as if he had nothing to do with what just happened at his home.
"Yes, yes! Let’s eat the dumplings before they get cold!"
The atmosphere immediately brightened up, and Lin Fengying’s face was filled with smiles. This time, she was genuinely happy. She knew it, her eldest son would never ignore his siblings.
Although their life might be harder than others, at least they were united as siblings.
...
After running out of the house, Si Xiaohui waited at the door for a while. When no one came after her, she stomped her foot in anger, turned around and left. After walking around the village, she found that Lijuan was not at home, and she had nowhere else to go.
Before she knew it, she was at Ma Xiulan’s doorstep. Thinking about her grievances at home, she took a deep breath and decided to walk into the courtyard. Since no one cared about her at home, she could no longer stay there. She might as well go work with Ma Xiulan. Out of their sight, out of their mind. She would make them regret their decisions.
"Xiaohui, how come you’re here?" Ma Xiulan was having dinner in the hall. Seeing Si Xiaohui, her eyes lightened up, she immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks, and came forward to greet her, "Have you eaten? We’re just eating, sit down and have something with us!"
Not until then did Si Xiaohui notice that Ma Xiulan’s entire family was gathered in the hall eating dinner. Feeling embarrassed, she pretended to have already eaten and said embarrassedly: "You guys just started dinner, ah! I’ve already eaten. I came here to ask you about the textile factory. Go ahead and have your dinner. I can come back in the afternoon."
Ma Xiulan’s eyes flickered, thinking that Tong Yao must have gone back and told Si Xiaohui about the textile factory. She was happy to hear this, and quickly grabbed Si Xiaohui by the arm and pulled her outside, "I’ve finished eating, let’s go outside and talk!"
As soon as they got outside the gate, an impatient Ma Xiulan asked, "Xiaohui, have you decided to work at the textile factory?"
Si Xiaohui was originally determined to go, but when questioned by Ma Xiulan, she suddenly wasn’t as sure, and replied hesitantly, "I want to go, but I’ve never been far from home. I’m a bit scared, and my mom won’t let me."
If she were to go, she would have to go sneakily.
"You’re a grown woman, yet you still can’t make decisions for yourself?" Ma Xiulan sounded slightly disgusted, "In the city, people would call this ’giant infant syndrome’."
"What’s a giant eagle?" Si Xiaohui misunderstood the term ’giant infant’ as ’giant eagle’, "Why are you comparing me to an animal?"
Ma Xiulan burst into laughter," Who’s insulting you? When I said "giant infant", I meant infant, as in baby. It’s referring to adults who are not mature and depend on their parents for decision-making."
Si Xiaohui felt her face flush at this remark. She felt like a naive country bumpkin in front of Ma Xiulan. The gap between them was not just physical, but also in the knowledge they had in their heads.
The sheer magnitude of their gap made her feel very inferior. She felt like Ma Xiulan was ridiculing her and she said angrily, "I’ve lived at home and never moved to the city. I’m not as fashionable as you."
Having said that, she made a move to leave.
"I was just teasing you. Why are you taking it so personally?" Ma Xiulan put her arm around Si Xiaohui’s shoulder, and looked down at her in a coaxing manner, "Come on, no more sulking. I apologize for my lack of tact. We grew up together, don’t you know what kind of person I am?"
