Chapter 79 – Everyone on the Move

The brigade leader could come up with four or five hundred yuan, but he didn’t believe that kind of money was enough to buy a position at the steel factory. Clearly, this involved some personal favors or connections on Yimin’s side.

Since they hadn’t come knocking on his door, there was no need to make things difficult for them.

One had to understand how to behave.

He knew very well that Zhou Dazhong was already quite close with Yimin’s family, and with Dazhong’s family circumstances being special, it made sense that Yimin would take extra care of him.

Even though they were both surnamed Zhou, they were no longer within five degrees of kinship.

There were plenty of people surnamed Zhou in Zhoujiazhuang—there was no way to take care of every single household.

“When you’re outside, you better watch what you say.” The brigade leader was truly worried his wife would shoot her mouth off and end up angering Yimin.

Zhou Dazhong hurried back home. His mother shoved the rest of the condolence money into his hands.

“Let’s make this clear first—this money belongs to you three siblings. You’re the eldest, so you’ll use it first, but once you start working, you must pay your brother and sister back their share from your wages.” She laid it all out plainly.

“Mm. Got it, Ma.”

Zhou Dazhong had no intention of hogging the money. As the eldest, he understood his responsibility.

“Also, this amount of money isn’t enough to buy a spot at the steel factory. Your Sixteenth Uncle must’ve pitched in something extra. You have to remember his kindness. When you’re at the factory, listen to what he says…” His mother kept reminding him, going on for a full five minutes.

Zhou Dazhong took everything to heart and went off with the 450 yuan to see Zhou Yimin.

“Sixteenth Uncle, Great-Aunt, Great-Uncle.” Upon arriving at Yimin’s grandparents’ house, Zhou Dazhong quickly greeted everyone.

“Dazhong’s here? Come in, sit down,” the old lady said with a smile.

She even went to get some snacks.

“Sixteenth Uncle, my mother asked me to bring the money. It’s all here.” Zhou Dazhong immediately handed over the 450 yuan, wrapped carefully in several layers of cloth.

Zhou Yimin took it and pretended to count it.

“Get ready—go ask the old village secretary for a letter of introduction. Tomorrow you’ll come to the steel factory with me. You’ll either help with purchasing or assist in the back kitchen. Pack your clothes and whatever else you need,” Zhou Yimin instructed.

Hearing that, Zhou Dazhong understood this meant he was guaranteed a spot, and he felt deeply grateful.

He was honest and steady, but that didn’t mean he was clueless or naïve.

“Thank you, Sixteenth Uncle.”

Zhou Yimin waved it off. “What are you thanking me for? Your family paid for this.”

Zhou Dazhong didn’t say anything more. Just like his mother said, four or five hundred wasn’t enough to buy a factory job. No amount of verbal gratitude could compare to proving himself through his actions.

Then, Zhou Yimin went on to tell him more things to be mindful of, so he’d be well-prepared.

Zhou Dazhong mostly listened, taking it all in attentively. He even ran some of the advice through his mind several times to make sure he remembered it.

After leaving Yimin’s home, he went straight to find the old village secretary to get the letter of introduction.

“That’s good. Using the money to get a job is better than sitting around and waiting for the mountains to grow barren. Remember, once you’re at the steel factory, don’t make trouble for your Sixteenth Uncle…” The old secretary said as he wrote out the letter.

“Understood, Great-Uncle!”

He brought the letter back home. His mother, though she couldn’t read, looked it over several times, beaming with joy.

Now her family would have a worker too—someone going into the city, eating state-provided food.

Since Yimin had told her son to bring an introduction letter and pack clothes, that meant the job was practically guaranteed—no suspense about it.

“Sixteenth Uncle also said that once we get there, he’ll help me ask around to get a place to stay at the factory as soon as possible,” Zhou Dazhong added.

His mother felt both moved and grateful.

Just four or five hundred yuan, and someone was helping this earnestly? Only Sixteenth Brother Yimin would do something like this.

“Listen to the secretary—don’t stir up trouble, and don’t cause issues for your Sixteenth Uncle.” Of course, she knew her son well; he wasn’t the kind to go out looking for trouble.

Then she pulled out what little money they had left at home.

Her son was about to start a new job. There would likely be things he needed to buy, and he couldn’t be penniless.

“Ma, you’ve already given me the money. What about the family?” Zhou Dazhong refused to take it.

His mother glared at him. “The family doesn’t need money for now. Just remember to bring your wages back. When you need money, don’t go asking your Sixteenth Uncle.”

They’d already troubled Sixteenth Brother so much—asking for more would just be outrageous.

Zhou Dazhong clutched that handful of small, scattered bills tightly.

To get him a job in the city, the family had practically gone all in. If he didn’t know how to be a decent person after all this, he’d be worse than a pig or dog.

News of Zhou Dazhong landing a job at the steel factory spread rapidly through Zhoujiazhuang.

The young men were envious!

Especially Zhou Dafu, who had long dreamed of going to the city to work.

Unfortunately, his family couldn’t scrape together that kind of money. Otherwise, they too could have gone to ask Sixteenth Uncle for help.

“Hey, want to go hunting in the mountains? I’ve thought it over—having no money really doesn’t work,” Zhou Dafu asked his usual crew.

Just like this time—there was an opportunity to work in the city, but without money, it slipped right past them. If they could get lucky like last time and catch a deer or two, he’d have a chance to get into the factory.

“My dad won’t let me go.”

“If the village finds out—”

Zhou Dafu cut him off. “Then don’t let the village find out! If we catch anything, we go straight to the city and find Sixteenth Uncle.”

He had learned his lesson from last time.

If they got something, they had to avoid Zhoujiazhuang entirely and deliver it directly to Sixteenth Uncle.

“Dashan, can you bring out your family’s hunting rifle?” Zhou Dafu turned to Zhou Dashan.

“I could, but I’m worried—”

“Worried about what? I’m only worried about being poor right now.”

“…Alright then.”

The five of them agreed to slip away tomorrow with some excuse and head into the mountains to hunt. As long as they made money, even if their families beat them for it, it would be worth it.

They weren’t jealous of Zhou Dazhong, since the money his family spent came from his father’s death.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard where Zhou Yimin lived, the idle young men waiting for jobs were also scrambling for positions at the steel factory.

For example, Third Uncle Yang Zhenhua—his eldest son had just come of age.

Today, he found the department director to ask about job prospects. The director gave him a number, saying that spot had originally been reserved for him.

If he didn’t want to pay, he’d have to go the regular route: register, wait, and maybe he’d get assigned—if he was lucky. But there were no guarantees.

Third Uncle understood that perfectly.

The director also said that reserved spots were in high demand. He was only willing to offer it to him first because he and Zhou Yimin lived in the same courtyard.

Third Uncle naturally understood—job slots weren’t hard to fill, even ones that required money.

So he told the director to reserve the spot, and he’d bring the money tomorrow.

That job expense would be paid back from his son’s wages anyway. He needed to make things clear with his eldest—how much to hand over each month, they’d discuss at home.

Families without money could only go register at the local neighborhood office and see what arrangements could be made.

In this era, many jobs were centrally assigned by the street office. What factory needed how many workers—the neighborhood office had first-hand information.

So, it was absolutely crucial not to offend them.

(End of Chapter)