- Source: This website is serializing...
- Author: Cao Zhenglu
- Time: 2024-05-17
- Visits: 766
Mr. Cao Zhenglu wields his powerful pen to comprehensively and three-dimensionally reflect the panoramic development of Shenzhen over the past 30 years since the reform and opening up. His writing is vigorous and imposing. The full text is nearly 300,000 words, and it can be said to be an excellent work of migrant worker literature.
The article begins with Ma Mingyang, the manager of the Human Resources Department of Baodao Electronics Factory, going to the remote mountainous areas in Guizhou to recruit workers. Five girls, including Liu Yeye, Taohua, Maomei, Xiaoqing, etc., in order to get out of the mountains, promised and walked dozens of miles on mountain roads to actively offer themselves to Ma Mingyang for him to take their virginity. The story unfolds and radiates with Xingfu Village in Shenzhen as the main axis. Among them, a down-and-out university professor, a laid-off secretary of a state-owned enterprise, a beautiful boss of a foreign-funded enterprise, a former landlord who has left farming, and a sneaky small government official all make their appearances one by one, staging a series of vivid dramas of life.
With his vigorous writing style, the author warmly pays attention to the living conditions of migrant workers and strongly questions the labor relations and labor system in China over the past 30 years since the reform and opening up.
What Cao Zhenglu is questioning is far more than just the vastness of the world!
What Cao Zhenglu is questioning is not just the vastness!
What Cao Zhenglu is questioning is not just the vastness!
Chapter One
1
Liu Yeye was lucky. Her workstation faced the window, and she could take a moment to peek outside every day. She could do it just by lifting her eyelids, and the supervisor didn't notice. She had never been caught, which made her very happy.
Liu Yeye was lucky. Her workstation faced the window, and she could take a moment to peek outside every day. She could do it just by lifting her eyelids, and the supervisor didn't notice. She had never been caught, which made her very happy.
In fact, what was outside? There was no sea, nor any decent commercial buildings. But there was the sky, and sometimes white clouds. The white clouds here were different from those in her hometown. They were hazy and couldn't form into clusters, scattered like tattered cotton wool. Sometimes she could also see large airplanes hovering low, making a rumbling sound. At night, she could clearly see the rows of windows on the airplane and the twinkling lights on its tail, reminding her that she now lived in a big city and was very close to modernization. Once when everyone was chatting about the thing they most wanted to do, someone wanted to have a bowl of rice noodles with braised meat, and someone else wanted to sleep soundly for two days. At that time, she blurted out that she wanted to take a plane once. They all laughed at her for being unrealistic, like a toad wanting to lick the back of a swan's foot. But she herself felt that the airplane was not far away. It was with her every day, right there in the middle of the sky, as if she could just step on it. People are really different from each other.
That's how she saw the typhoon that day. Looking from the window, it was like a red-haired ghost. She used to think that a typhoon was just a very strong wind blowing from Taiwan. In fact, it wasn't. A typhoon had a color. At first, it was yellow, bright yellow. Then the whole sky turned red, a turbid red like red bricks, with an unsettling brightness. But soon it turned dark, terrifyingly dark. The buildings across the road suddenly disappeared in the middle of the day. Then came the rain. The rain swept over horizontally and directly hit her face. At first, it was a bit warm and stinky, like the smell of rotten eggs. The wind was swirling, changing direction from east to west, and the rain was as playful as a showerhead shaking. But in an instant, it changed. It rushed into the window like ocean waves, and there was a burst of screaming. The workshop was suddenly filled with water. The sky also turned dark at once. The lights were on in the room, so it seemed even darker. After closing the window, she could clearly see that the rain was crashing in horizontally and hitting the window glass with a loud rumbling sound, which was terrifying.
This typhoon had been brewing for a long time. The radio said it was coming every day, but it just didn't arrive. The air was very smelly, full of the smell of sweat and sourness, sticky. Everyone was waiting for the typhoon, saying that once the typhoon came, the clothes would dry. Every day in the dormitory, someone said they had no clothes to wear. All the clothes were hung in the corridor and could never dry. And there were strings of water droplets on the corridor walls. So everyone had to go to work wearing damp clothes, warming them up bit by bit on their bodies and then sweating through them again. Maomei said that she could even squeeze water out of her hands. Maomei happened to have her period these two days, and she was reluctant to use sanitary napkins. She picked up a torn undershirt from somewhere, washed and dried it, and then used it as a pad. Everyone said she would get sick, but she didn't believe it and still smiled and used it as a pad. Now the typhoon had finally come, and they could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was as if they had been holding their breath for a long time and finally let it out.
However, the typhoon seemed to be a hint, an order. I don't know who shouted, "I'm not doing it anymore!" Then everyone stopped. Before that, no one had discussed it, but now that someone said they weren't doing it anymore, everyone didn't want to work either. It was very strange, just like waiting for the wind and rain for many days. It didn't come for a long time, but when it came, no one felt it was unexpected.
Not doing it anymore meant going on strike, challenging the boss and the foreman, rebelling. In the past, hearing such words was very novel. It had happened in other companies. How they fought and made trouble and how miserably they lost in the end were all told like stories. Now it was their turn not to work anymore. It was just like this, and they didn't feel anything special. They just stopped working when they said they would. Someone threw a big wrench high up, and it landed on the conveyor belt cover with a thud, causing a burst of laughter. It was that simple.
The foreman was so anxious that he jumped up and down, asking who had shouted not to work anymore and saying that anyone who didn't work would be fired. But no one paid attention to him. The foreman had to go and grab the team leaders. The team leaders couldn't manage it on their own either. Once one production line stopped, all 60-odd production lines stopped. Only the conveyor belt was still running with a hissing sound. The circuit boards piled up more and more, like a small river full of floating leaves, and finally got stuck there. Two men even wanted to smash the time clock, which always remembered the wrong time every day. I don't know who said that smashing it was useless because it was deliberately wrong, so they didn't smash it. Then everyone ran to the window to watch the typhoon.
The real body of the typhoon finally showed up at this time, roaring and rolling, mixing the sky and the earth into one. It was impossible to tell which were raindrops and which were ocean waves. It poured down directly from the top of the building. All the cars on the road were lying still, and there was not a single person in sight. Only waste paper boxes and trash cans were flying in the air. A huge billboard opposite the company fell apart and flew away right before their eyes, without making a sound. Some buildings had windows that weren't closed properly, and the whole window was pulled off. The sound of glass breaking could be heard everywhere, followed by lightning and thunder. It was like a huge madman was approaching step by step, holding a big whip in his hand. If he wasn't satisfied, he would give you a whip, and then open his huge mouth and laugh sinisterly.
This scene made people feel excited, happy, and fulfilled.
In fact, a few days earlier, there was a rumor going around that the next batch of workers was coming, more than 200 of them from Guangxi. The news was heard from the Hunan workers. They were from the previous batch, three months earlier than Liu Yeye and the others. Their probation period was about to end. That is to say, the company had to fire more than 200 Hunan workers to make room for new positions. The Hunan workers came early and had already seen with their own eyes how the previous batches of people left. They didn't want to leave. They had finally endured until the probation period was almost over. Why should they leave?
For such assembly line workers, newbies could start working in a day or two. The company had more than 60 production lines, and replacing more than 2,000 people with 200 newbies wouldn't affect anything at all. During the probation period, only 200 yuan of living expenses were paid, and the salary for regular workers was 700 yuan. Even a fool could figure out this account. Moreover, the workload for ten people was only arranged with seven positions. If they couldn't finish the work, they had to work overtime. The company only needed to pay a little overtime pay to always use new workers. If new workers couldn't become team leaders, they would only be fired, and the company would always only pay the living expenses.
Another piece of news was that the company had received a big order and had to work for two months. In fact, it wasn't really news, as it could be known from the daily overtime hours. Before, they worked overtime until 8 o'clock, but now they had to work until 10 o'clock. For each overtime session, they could get an extra 5 yuan. Some people cursed, saying that they worked two days' worth of work in one day but only got enough money for two packs of instant noodles, which was really not worth it. However, some people liked working overtime because they got cash for it. For example, Maomei could save the 5 yuan. She said that coming out to work was tough, and if you were afraid of hardship, you shouldn't come out. Since others gave you work to do, you should be happy. But Liu Yeye just couldn't be happy. Her two legs were swollen from work. She was still better off than Maomei, whose instep would leave a dent when pressed.
According to what they said, in the past, every time a batch of workers was fired, there were always people crying and making a fuss, but it didn't lead to anything. Because the contract clearly stated that the probation period was six months. Those who were not qualified after the probation period would be fired, which was the company's regulation. If you didn't have the ability, who could you blame? So most people chose to leave. Those who didn't want to leave would at most linger outside the company gate for a couple of days. There were security guards at the gate, and you couldn't get in even if you wanted to. No one would listen to you if you wanted to reason, and in the end, you still had to leave.
But this time it was different. The Hunan workers this time were very united. They got the news early and seized the opportunity well. It was just when the new workers were about to come but hadn't arrived yet, and just when the company had just received a big order. Moreover, it was also when this typhoon was helping and cheering them on.
Liu Yeye was sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor and could clearly see the manager surnamed Ma from the Personnel Department. The flowery umbrella he had just opened turned over and scattered like dandelion fluff in an instant, becoming a bunch of withered branches. Manager Ma rushed into the entrance like a madman. At first, he probably wanted to find a place to put the umbrella. After walking around a few times, he came to his senses and threw the wire frame out. It was only about 20 or 30 meters from the office building to the workshop, but it had already turned Manager Ma into a chicken that had just climbed out of a soup pot. She also saw Manager Ma shouting at the security guard. The security guard who had been flattering him was scolded severely and could only force a smile and go back to re-tie the gate. He didn't let people out, but in fact, no one wanted to go out either. Manager Ma rushed into the workshop and cursed in Cantonese in a foul language, "Damn it! Damn it!"
She could see all this clearly while sitting on the iron ladder.
After discussing with several foremen, Manager Ma announced, "Okay, okay. We won't pursue who shouted just now. Let's just assume that everyone hasn't seen a typhoon since they just came to the South and were frightened. The company will bear the cost. But this will not be allowed in the future. If such a thing happens again, you will have to compensate for the losses. Do you know how much the company will lose if the machines stop for one minute? It will scare you to death!"
No one answered, and no one moved.
Manager Ma said, "What's wrong? Don't you understand what I'm saying?"
Still, no one answered, and no one moved.
Manager Ma then cursed the team leaders, asking them to call their people back and also specifically named several people. Then the crowd started to move, but only the newly arrived workers like Liu Yeye were the most obedient. Maomei also called on a few people, but they were few in number and felt very lonely sitting at their workstations. Even if they sat down and didn't move, it was still useless. Even if they moved, the more than 60 production lines still couldn't start up. The air became anxious, as if it was about to explode at any moment. Liu Yeye felt that her body, which had just cooled down, couldn't breathe again, and she was shaking all over.
Manager Ma then became anxious and said, "I know what you're thinking. What's the use of thinking about these things? The company has regulations, and we've all signed contracts with you. Signing and stamping are not fake, right? The flow of talent and the elimination of the last-ranked are the regulations set by the government. If you have any opinions, you can bring them up with the government. I'm the same as you, a migrant worker. If my performance is not good, I will also be fired. Of course, if my performance is good, I can continue to work. The company welcomes everyone to stay. We all come out to work and earn money. Who has a grudge against money? You? You? Please don't make it difficult for me, okay?"
Someone suddenly muttered, "Nonsense." This was like really letting out a loud fart. The workshop burst into laughter, and everyone laughed so hard that their stomachs hurt.
Manager Ma got angry and jumped up and down, calling the security guard and asking him to call the team leader and gather the whole team. But his voice had already become faint and was soon drowned out in everyone's jeering. People were shouting and rushing outside together. Manager Ma was immediately pushed to the corner of the wall and couldn't be found. In the chaos, the fluorescent tubes of several production lines were broken, and the time clock that always ate up time. I don't know who stuffed a circuit board into the machine hole, and a whole mess of wires came out.
The weather was really strange. Just now, it was dark and thundering, but in a blink of an eye, the sun was shining brightly. Only the sewage was flowing gurgling on the road, proving that there had indeed been a typhoon and rain just now. Everyone was running, jumping, and cheering, very happy, as if they had given themselves a holiday and no one could control them. In fact, everyone knew in their hearts that there was still more trouble to come, and what should come would come, and no one could stop it. Although no one knew what was ahead, anyway, they were just migrant workers, bravely facing the world with just a snake skin bag. A Hunan worker said bravely, "At worst, I'll fire him. What's there to be afraid of?"
But Liu Yeye still felt a bit uneasy in her heart. This was the first time in three months that they finished work early, and it wasn't the supervisor who announced it, but they themselves. Usually, they had been looking forward to having a day off and going for a stroll on the street every day. But now that they really had a break, they felt at a loss and didn't know what to do. She looked around in the crowd, wanting to find a familiar face. She was very flustered and empty in her heart and wanted to find someone to talk to. But suddenly, she felt that every face was unfamiliar, and no one knew each other. Moreover, others seemed to be looking around and looking for someone too. So they crowded forward.
Suddenly, the crowd started running again. The wind came again, and the crackling raindrops fell again. So she also 莫名其妙地跟着跑了起来.
2
This tropical cyclone generated in the Indian Ocean has a strange name, Tana. It is said to be a beautiful goddess who specializes in causing small mischief. This goddess was still very slender and weak in the Indonesian archipelago and had almost no destructive power. However, when it crossed Hainan Island and reached the Pearl River Estuary area, it suddenly became strong, with the central wind speed reaching level 15. When the red typhoon signal appeared on Hong Kong TV, the people in Shenzhen were somewhat afraid that it would turn and not come to visit. The people in Shenzhen had been oppressed by low pressure for too long and were almost suffocated. They really hoped that a Statue of Liberty would come to liberate them. Even if it was a prank, it would be very interesting, because the people in Shenzhen lacked fun things too much. In addition, Shenzhen was short of water. All the reservoirs, big and small, had dried up, cracked and run out of water. A few years ago, there were still small towns surrounded by clear water, but now they were all filled with reinforced concrete buildings, and they all needed water. Now, rows of tin houses had been built in the river channel, and shampoo girls were standing at the bottom of the river soliciting customers, saying, "Come on, come and play, come and have a shampoo." But where was the water? The water had long since cut off its source, had no origin, and had all gone into plastic pipes. So when Tana was about to make landfall, it was simply a beautiful legend, a grand event in prosperous times. Everyone raised their hands in welcome, and no one thought deeply that there was still a bit of malice in the smile of this goddess. As a result, several people who had specially gone to the seaside to welcome Tana disappeared, vanished or came to nothing in the blink of an eye. In the urban area, first, some scaffolding was displaced, just like the fences for sheep being moved to a new pasture. Then, the billboards were torn to pieces. Those noble lips and bodies could only hang feebly on the streetlight poles to show off, and those alluring plump breasts and round buttocks were all lying on the sidewalk to be trampled on. The Shenzhen River rose sharply, pushing all the garbage that had accumulated for a long time towards Hong Kong. The stench welled up on the road and rushed towards the buildings in the low-lying areas. In the most prosperous Luohu district, a group of rascals had long turned over the big square tables and waited by the roadside, on both sides of the culvert, to provide boat services for ladies who were eager to go home. They shouted, "Rock-bottom price! Extremely cheap! Ten yuan per person..."
This tropical cyclone generated in the Indian Ocean has a strange name, Tana. It is said to be a beautiful goddess who specializes in causing small mischief. This goddess was still very slender and weak in the Indonesian archipelago and had almost no destructive power. However, when it crossed Hainan Island and reached the Pearl River Estuary area, it suddenly became strong, with the central wind speed reaching level 15. When the red typhoon signal appeared on Hong Kong TV, the people in Shenzhen were somewhat afraid that it would turn and not come to visit. The people in Shenzhen had been oppressed by low pressure for too long and were almost suffocated. They really hoped that a Statue of Liberty would come to liberate them. Even if it was a prank, it would be very interesting, because the people in Shenzhen lacked fun things too much. In addition, Shenzhen was short of water. All the reservoirs, big and small, had dried up, cracked and run out of water. A few years ago, there were still small towns surrounded by clear water, but now they were all filled with reinforced concrete buildings, and they all needed water. Now, rows of tin houses had been built in the river channel, and shampoo girls were standing at the bottom of the river soliciting customers, saying, "Come on, come and play, come and have a shampoo." But where was the water? The water had long since cut off its source, had no origin, and had all gone into plastic pipes. So when Tana was about to make landfall, it was simply a beautiful legend, a grand event in prosperous times. Everyone raised their hands in welcome, and no one thought deeply that there was still a bit of malice in the smile of this goddess. As a result, several people who had specially gone to the seaside to welcome Tana disappeared, vanished or came to nothing in the blink of an eye. In the urban area, first, some scaffolding was displaced, just like the fences for sheep being moved to a new pasture. Then, the billboards were torn to pieces. Those noble lips and bodies could only hang feebly on the streetlight poles to show off, and those alluring plump breasts and round buttocks were all lying on the sidewalk to be trampled on. The Shenzhen River rose sharply, pushing all the garbage that had accumulated for a long time towards Hong Kong. The stench welled up on the road and rushed towards the buildings in the low-lying areas. In the most prosperous Luohu district, a group of rascals had long turned over the big square tables and waited by the roadside, on both sides of the culvert, to provide boat services for ladies who were eager to go home. They shouted, "Rock-bottom price! Extremely cheap! Ten yuan per person..."
Well, that's all right. But who could have imagined that a typhoon would actually trigger a strike? The bronze plaque of Baodao Electronics Co., Ltd. is not big and is not eye-catching when hung on the wall, but in Xingfu Village, it is considered a major foreign-funded enterprise, and its every move is naturally extraordinary. So as soon as Wen Nianzu heard that something had happened to Baodao Electronics, he rushed back overnight. Even a fool could figure out that there were more than a hundred enterprises in Xingfu Village. Once the migrant workers communicated with each other and a chain reaction occurred, the situation would be out of control. Now, stability is of overriding importance. As long as there is no trouble, you can make a fortune quietly and earn a lot of money. Everything is negotiable. These words were spoken to him personally by the city leader. But what if something happened? The leader didn't say. He understood that then everything would be hard to talk about. As for what was considered a "thing" and what wasn't, everyone knew it well.
In addition, this incident seemed a bit strange. He always felt that it was not in line with the norm. In the past, he wouldn't have cared. Strikes in one or two factories were too common. But this time it was indeed a bit strange. Was it really, as said on TV, that this Tana was causing trouble? The law of strikes was actually similar to that of growing crops. There were certain seasons to follow, like spring plowing and autumn harvesting. Generally, recruitment was carried out in spring, job-hopping occurred in summer, and some troubles would arise during the Spring Festival in autumn and winter. It was only July, just after the Dragon Boat Festival. What on earth was going on?
So as soon as the report came up from below, he blurted out, "What does it mean?" The reply was that they didn't know. In the past, Wen Nianzu would have already cursed "Damn you" and wondered what the use of these lackeys was. But now he was a man wearing a suit and a tie, the official in charge of hundreds of thousands of people in Xingfu Village, and the chairman and general manager of Xingfu Development Corporation. He couldn't curse casually. Moreover, there was someone beside him whom he couldn't ignore casually. Just after singing "Happy Birthday to You", the phone rang, and he didn't even have time to apologize.
Not being allowed to swear was really troublesome, but everyone said it was necessary, so he had to endure it. A fortune-telling master from Hong Kong had once read his fortune. He had a handsome square face, which was said to indicate wealth and honor, but he should avoid getting angry. When he was angry, his square face was likely to distort, his two curved eyebrows would entangle with each other, his nostrils would inevitably roar towards the sky, and his wide mouth was more likely to reach straight to his ears. All in all, although the mountains and rivers on his face remained the same, his fortune would be ruined. So maintaining a moderate smile was the key to ensuring a long life and good fortune. Refraining from getting angry had become the most important thing in his life. In fact, what other major things did he have? All his major achievements had been accomplished before he was forty. Now the most important thing was to get angry less. He often reminded himself to take a deep breath, take a deep breath, furrow his brows deeply, and softly snort, "Something's wrong!"
Most Hakka people are gentle in temperament, unlike those from the north who are hot-tempered and arrogant. Since the Hakka people are guests in this place, they can't be as casual as at their own homes. They need to be cautious and restrained in everything. For example, one should not pick up shoes in a melon field or adjust one's hat under a plum tree. One should not lose one's manners when bowing one's head, and raising one's voice may lead to disasters. One should give in a little when encountering things, and harmony can bring wealth. These are the principles that a Hakka person should understand from childhood. The Wen family, naturally, was even more gentle. When encountering something unfair, shouting "Is there something wrong?" was already his highest form of protest. With a long-drawn-out shout, most of his anger would be vented. In fact, Wen Nianzu's greatest strength was his extraordinary patience. Extraordinary patience meant being especially good at fighting, which was the magic weapon for his repeated victories. When he got home in the car and entered the office, before the rain on his body was dried, he had already dictated three things.
The first thing was to notify all the factories in Xingfu Village to work overtime. Even if there was no work, they should work overtime. If there was no overtime work, they should organize a dinner for the workers. If there was no money, the village would provide it. Anyway, he had to keep the people. If any company let people go, they should get out. Don't say that he was too easy to talk to. People's internal contradictions can be solved with money. Tell me how much money is needed.
The second thing was to ask Mr. Zhao to contact his student immediately and find out if there was any way to prevent the Labor Bureau from interfering. As long as the Labor Bureau didn't interfere, it wouldn't cause trouble outside. And as for those journalists, you all know what to do. Tell me how much money is needed.
The third thing was to find out where Mrs. Chen of Baodao Electronics was now. No matter where she was, whether in New York or Tokyo, find her for me and ask her to talk to me on the phone.
After arranging these things, he went in to take a shower. Recently, he had just bought a set of Italian sauna equipment. The sauna with a massage function was said to be very effective. He didn't have any serious health problems, but his belly was not satisfactory. He was often mocked in the most important occasions, which made him unhappy. He heard that steaming and massaging, and frequently stimulating a certain part, could enhance his physical strength. As he stroked his increasingly flabby belly, he suddenly felt a trace of panic and realized the helplessness of life. Life is something that you can't defeat. If you don't cherish your life, your life won't cherish you. What did the Hakka people rely on to survive and multiply in this area? It was the two words "cherish life".
The people here believed in fate. They believed that life and death, good fortune and misfortune, wealth and poverty were all predestined. They took the changes in the world lightly. They would say, "It's all like this. It doesn't matter." and they weren't too serious about it. Every family had a shrine, worshipping Guanyin, Mazu, the Three Stars of Fortune, Prosperity and Longevity, and the God of Wealth. Some even hung the photo of Christ Jesus. As long as they had a little money, they would not forget to buy incense. They didn't care what these gods and Buddhas were in charge of. They just worshipped them all. It was always right to kowtow more and cause less trouble. Since others worshipped them, there must be a reason, and they weren't too serious about it either. What they really cared about was their lives. It was said that there used to be two big characters on the screen wall of the Wen family ancestral hall - "cherish life", which was the admonition left by their ancestors. The meaning of "cherish life" was hard to explain. It was a bit mysterious. Perhaps it was for fear of causing misunderstandings among outsiders, so it gradually faded away. But it had always remained in the memories of their descendants, and the people here all understood it tacitly. "Cherish life" didn't mean being afraid of death. People would eventually die, and death was easier than living. "Cherish life" was the view of their ancestors on survival and reproduction. For example, different kinds of meat should be matched with various medicinal herbs for nourishment according to the four seasons. If a Hakka woman couldn't cook dozens of kinds of old fire soups, she couldn't enter her husband's family, which was called not knowing how to cherish life. For example, if a man couldn't have a son or a woman couldn't give birth, it was also called not cherishing life, because life and sexuality were closely related. But if a man had relationships with too many women, it was also called not cherishing life, because life was limited, and it would decrease with each use. Whether to cherish life or not was definitely not a personal matter. The population by the sea was sparse and survival was difficult. Sexuality and life were both important family matters. They understood that a life without sexuality was not really a life at all. Since ancient times, the local women here have had the customs of "self-combing" and "self-reliance". If a girl didn't want to get married when she grew up, she could comb her hair herself and live alone away from her parents' home. It was not surprising for a wife to have another lover besides her husband. Life for fishermen on the islands was full of hardships and uncertainties. It was common for a woman to become a widow in the evening after sending her husband out in the morning. So women had to think of more ways to survive. Men didn't have much to blame them for. It was really not easy to survive. Therefore, the local people saw through sexual matters very clearly and could immediately see the true meaning of life. Whether to choose "self-combing" or "self-reliance" depended entirely on a woman's words: "Do I like it or not?" The so-called humanized management was invented by modern people. The real humanized management was nature.
The Hakka people came from the Central Plains. At first, most of them had some proud origins and didn't accept this kind of atmosphere easily. However, as time passed and they had lived in this place for a long time, they inevitably followed the local customs, as long as they didn't bring the women they relied on back home. After all, the women they relied on were just that and couldn't enter the ancestral hall, whether they had a first wife or not. In the past, the Wen family was a big surname in this area and was responsible for maintaining social morality. There was a reason why the Wen family could live and multiply on this vast island. Since the Wen family had already acquiesced that the Hakka people could have "reliance" relationships, it was a huge concession. They absolutely couldn't push their luck and defile their ancestors. In short, cherishing life was more important than anything else and was definitely not a private matter. When he thought of this, he felt that he was somewhat in the wrong in front of his ancestors.
The telephone rang with a "gegegege" sound like a woodpecker. He didn't answer it until it had rung for a while. This was also a sign of an important person. It was said that high-ranking officials were always like this. They didn't answer the phone personally. The phone could ring as if it didn't exist, and they would just go on doing what they were doing. But he didn't know what they would do in the bathroom. Would they not answer the phone even if there was no one to help them when they were naked? By making such a comparison, he realized his own shortcomings. He was rich enough, but he was still far from being noble.
It was Mrs. Chen of Baodao Electronics. Mrs. Chen said, "Mr. Wen, what are you doing? I can't find you anywhere. I didn't expect you to be so busy. You should always save a little time for me. I don't ask for much from you. I know how charming your beautiful women are."
He laughed so hard that he almost choked and said, "You are really something, with that mouth of yours!"
Mrs. Chen's full name was Chen Xuyuyi. It was very troublesome to call her by her full name. Anyway, her husband's surname was Chen, so he called her Mrs. Chen, and later it became the common way to address her. In fact, she wasn't old. She was a standard beautiful woman, beyond reproach. Originally, if he had wanted to, they could have had some fun together. But he didn't think it was worth having an affair so close to home. Moreover, she was an investor, a foreign businessman. Just because of this, he couldn't take that step. So he naturally gave her more attention. He said, "Do you know that there's something wrong with your damned company? You're still fooling around outside all day long, going to New York one day and Tokyo the next. Who will clean up your mess for you every day?"
Mrs. Chen giggled and said, "I want you to clean it up. I just want you to. Do you think I want to fool around outside? My butt hurts just at the sight of an airplane now. I've been eating airplane food for five consecutive days. Do you know that? What do you think?"
Wen Nianzu said, "Okay, okay. When you come back, I'll treat you to lobster. Is that okay? Now you have to sort out your company for me."
"I want Australian lobster."
"Okay, Australian lobster then. What exactly are you going to do?"
Mrs. Chen said, "Don't worry. A strike is just about negotiating terms, isn't it? Let's just negotiate. I'm not someone who can't reach an agreement. If we really can't reach an agreement, I'll have to trouble you to call the police. However, your policies change so frequently that it's really unbearable."
Nianzu said loudly, "Who said the policies have changed? The protection of the investment environment has never changed. It's just that now we emphasize stability and don't want any trouble to occur."
Mrs. Chen said, "How haven't they changed? When Qingfeng Company had a strike the year before last, Lao Huang didn't even make a sound, and the police directly took the people away."
Wen Nianzu was at a loss for words for a moment and said, "The year before last was the year before last. The situation was different. You don't want to make the matter bigger either, do you? What's the benefit for you if it gets bigger?"
Only then did Mrs. Chen say, "Don't worry. I'll cross Luohu in a minute. But it's flooded over there in Luohu. Don't be jealous if I hire someone to carry me across."
He also laughed and said, "If he dares to touch you inappropriately, I'll chop his hand off."
When he got dressed, Mr. Zhao was already waiting in the outer office.
Mr. Zhao was a university professor he had hired as his advisor, also called an assistant. It didn't matter what he was called. Anyway, he had high quality and could add prestige when taken out. Now the preferences in social circles had changed. Taking one or two beautiful women with you was no longer impressive enough to show your status. When talking about a topic, you also needed someone who was good at nitpicking words to stand by your side.
Mr. Zhao said that he had already contacted Xiao He. Xiao He's opinion was that as long as it didn't get out of hand, there would be no problem. He would take care of the District Labor Bureau.
He nodded and said, "I'm really afraid of those people from the Supervision Brigade. They ride motorcycles and have sirens. They look so imposing. But when there's really something wrong, they run away faster than anyone else. But then I'm also a bit worried. What does it mean by 'getting out of hand'? How big is considered 'big'?"
Mr. Zhao said, "From the perspective of policies and regulations, the legislative intention of the current Labor Law is very clear, which is to stipulate that there is only a single relationship of employment and being employed between the employer and the migrant workers, that is, a relationship of buying and selling labor. All the regulations and rules are based on this criterion."
His two curved eyebrows began to frown again and he said, "So what? Wasn't it like this before?"
Mr. Zhao said, "That's the subtlety. The dominant position of the working class as stipulated in the previous constitution no longer exists. Workers are just a form of labor force. The relationship between them and the employing unit is one of willing buyer and willing seller, a relationship of being used and using. If a worker doesn't want to work, he can leave, but he can't act recklessly, because the Labor Law is a law for managing labor, not a law for protecting labor."
Nianzu became more and more confused as he listened and said, "I'm asking you what it means for things to get out of hand. How serious does it have to be to be considered 'out of hand'?"
Mr. Zhao said, looking a bit embarrassed, "Actually, I've already answered your question. Fundamentally speaking, if they cause trouble, it's a big deal; if they don't, it's not. When Xiao He said 'getting out of hand', he meant things like taking to the streets, causing traffic jams, and damaging the means of production. In such cases, the Labor Law and the Public Security Regulations will govern them. What he meant was that even if the Labor Bureau gets involved, it won't make much difference. They'll probably just eat and drink a bit. What else could they do?"
Only then did he nod his head and heave a sigh of relief. It was really tiring to talk to Mr. Zhao, but sometimes, he could explain things thoroughly and have a far-reaching perspective. It was like playing chess. You need to think three moves ahead with each move you make. Once you've thought through those three moves clearly, you'll feel at ease. In fact, there was something he hadn't told anyone. It was useless to tell Mrs. Chen, and it was still a bit too early to tell Mr. Zhao. That thing was that the district was going to recommend him as a provincial Party representative. Once he entered that circle, he would take another step forward. He didn't want anything to happen at this time. He didn't want anything at all to go wrong, and he didn't even want to see the slightest sign of trouble.
He thought that it was easy to become rich, but becoming noble required some luck. He saw wealthy people every day, but they still fawned over others and groveled like dogs. Had he not seen enough of the wealthy and powerful people in Hong Kong? He didn't want to be that kind of person.
Liu Yeye thought that there was a good reason for everyone to hate Manager Ma. She said to Maomei, "Ninety-nine out of a hundred people hate him." Maomei said, "The one who doesn't hate him just wants to eat him alive." Then both of them laughed merrily.
In fact, Manager Ma is a bad guy, and this has long been no secret among the female workers. When everyone sees the man surnamed Ma, it's like a mouse seeing a cat. As soon as he appears in the workshop, everyone lowers their heads, fearing to be noticed by him. But this man surnamed Ma just likes to stand next to the female workers. Most of the time, something will go wrong then, and who will suffer if something goes wrong? It's oneself!
Actually, it's not that they are afraid of being fired. After coming to Shenzhen, everyone has realized that it's easy to find a job everywhere. Even if they are fired, they can just change to another boss. In the past, people were really stupid, incredibly stupid. They hate the man surnamed Ma because this person is too evil, and also because they themselves were too naive. Liu Yeye felt that even after a hundred years, she would never forget that incident, that cold and gloomy night when he begged someone for "deflowering".
Maomei also said, "Since he can do such things in Guizhou, he must have done the same in Hunan and Guangxi. What a person!"
Yeye said, "He's not a person, but a ghost!"
People in the mountains are isolated and don't know much about the outside world. In the past, they had also heard about going to the city to work as migrant laborers, and they knew that sooner or later, the children would have to leave. They all understood that working day in and day out, facing the loess and turning their backs to the sky, there was no way out in the mountains. They had also heard the legends about the young people from other townships who became prosperous after going to the city. Some men became bosses, some women married wealthy men, and they sent money back to build houses. Of course, there were also those who got injured, died of illness, and some girls who became prostitutes, but those were after all the minority cases. Fortunately, those stories were just passed from mouth to mouth, and who had ever seen them with their own eyes? They couldn't be taken as true. So when the news spread that the county was going to organize 200 people to go to Shenzhen to work as migrant laborers, the whole village was in an uproar. Everyone said that it was organized by the government, which was different from those who went alone. Of course, the most enthusiastic ones were these five girls. For a girl, finishing high school meant the end of her youth. Her next task was to wait to get married. She would marry herself off, then have children and take care of the household. After getting the graduation certificate, she would just wait for the marriage certificate, just like all the women in the mountains. Once she stepped out of the school gate, her ambitions would fade away like water, leaking away bit by bit, leaving her more and more empty inside. The books she had read before also flew away page by page, and when she got home, she was left with only an empty shell. Liu Yeye felt that such a life could be seen through at a glance. She knew exactly what she would be doing at the age of 30, 50, and 80. She could see through her whole life at a glance. She really didn't want to live like this. Taohua and the other girls were more or less the same, but they just didn't want to talk about it. The more they talked, the more meaningless it seemed.
But soon, the village head's father came back and said that there were no quotas. The father said, "There are no quotas. What can I do? If the township head can't do anything, what can I do?" He spread his hands, and his task was completed.
Then how did the people in other townships get the quotas? Couldn't they offer bribes and gifts just like others? Or was it that Father didn't want to help them? The father said, "I've run so much that my legs are almost broken and my tongue is almost worn out, and you still say I didn't help."
Yeye asked, "If we pool our money together and offer a big gift, is it too late to send it now?"
The father sneered and said, "How much money do you have to pool together for a big gift? If you had that much money, why would you still want to run out? Besides, people's tastes outside have changed now. You can't even imagine the food, drinks, and entertainment they have. What kind of gift can you give to bribe them? Save your efforts."
Yeye said, "I don't believe it."
The father said, "You won't believe me even if I tell you. The township head has made several trips for this matter. The township head also hopes to send out more labor forces to boost the economy. Of course he wants to. It's just that other townships have the quotas while ours don't. It doesn't look good. He would also be proud if he could send more people out. The problem is that they did their work well, early, and carefully. They bribed the right people in advance. It's too late now. It's impossible to get in even a needle, not to mention pour in water! Just wait for the next batch."
But which batch was the next batch? The father didn't know, and the township head might not know either. Qipan Township was the most remote township in their county. It was neither favored by the higher-ups nor cared about by others. They always suffered a bit more and were a bit slower than others in everything. But it was no longer a secret that working outside could earn money, buy clothes, and build houses. She had seen it with her own eyes. Those girls who worked outside and came back home for the Spring Festival carried big and small bags, wore bracelets and earrings, and even wore high-heeled leather shoes. They limped and swayed carefully and gracefully on the mountain path. Even if you haven't eaten pork, you've seen a pig running. Besides, she could afford to wait, but Maomei and the others couldn't.
Comparatively speaking, her family situation was a bit better. She was able to finish high school. Both her father and mother were still alive, and they could just make ends meet. Making ends meet meant just having enough to eat. But for Maomei, she had long since given up such hopes. Her greatest wish in her heart was just to marry well. But even this hope was in great despair.
Maomei was the child of her cousin's family and was her cousin. She was only one year older than Yeye, but she had already become half of the support of the family. She couldn't continue her studies after finishing the first year of junior high school. Her uncle suffered from a strange disease. In the mountains, it was called "bone shrinking disease". His whole body ached with pain, and he couldn't go up the mountain or work in the fields. He was getting shorter day by day. The money for his medicine was all earned by her mother and her by going up the mountain. She also had younger siblings who needed to go to school. All these factors determined that Maomei had to get married and exchange some betrothal gifts. The person who came to propose marriage was from a family in another county. The family had a small tractor, and it seemed that their family situation was not bad. But the man had epilepsy. On the day of the blind date, he rolled on the ground, and the foam in his mouth was gushing out like fermented glutinous rice wine. Maomei was so scared that her legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground, crying so much that she seemed to have shrunk in size.
The turning point came one day. The village head's father rushed back from the township in a hurry and asked Liu Yeye to notify the girls who wanted to find jobs to have a meeting, saying that there was something important to talk about. When asked what it was, he mumbled and refused to say, as if he couldn't tell it to just her alone, nor to their family members. He could only tell it at the meeting. When she got Maomei, Taohua, Xiaoqing, and Xiangxiang together, he scratched his head and didn't want to say it again. Later, under pressure, he led them outside the village to talk.
Under the row of old willow trees by the Sha River, the father stopped, suddenly turned around, looked at each of them one by one, and said, "There's something. If you're willing to do it, do it. If not, keep it in your stomach and never mention it to anyone. Just pretend you never heard it. Can you do it?"
Seeing how serious he was, everyone said they could do it.
The father then said that they needed to send some girls to be "deflowered" so that things could be settled. He said that the people from above now had changed their tastes. They would do whatever was rare and exciting. If you just invited them to eat, drink, and gave them some gifts, they wouldn't even bat an eyelid. They had to do something unconventional.
At first, they didn't understand. But after thinking about it, they understood. After understanding, their hearts started pounding wildly, and then no one dared to say a word. It wasn't because of shyness, but because of fear.
"Think about it yourselves. Let me know if you've made up your minds. This is the only way to get the job opportunities," the father said. Then he turned his back and walked back to the village, muttering as he walked, "The world has changed. It has really changed."
What else could they say? They had nothing to say. The children in the mountains didn't know how to be flexible and didn't know what "price" meant. The words they had said were like spilled water. It was all their own doing. Who asked them to be so eager to go to the city? Who asked them to go all the way down the narrow path without turning back until they hit the wall? Now they knew how difficult it was! Going to the city wasn't that easy! Then, somehow, someone started crying, sobbing and wailing. The crying was so heart-rending that the big trees seemed to shake, and the withered yellow leaves of the old trees fell crackling to the ground. After crying her heart out, Maomei suddenly jumped up and said, "If you don't go, I will. Isn't it just being 'deflowered'? Let him do it. I'll treat him as if he has epilepsy! Let him do it and then his thing will rot!" She cried and shouted, and then laughed herself. Her tears made her thin face turn red, and her face seemed to puff up.
Thinking about it again, it made sense. Sooner or later, a girl would have to go through it once. It didn't matter who did it. As long as others didn't know, and even if they did, they just had to grit their teeth and deny it. What was the big deal? The five little hands stacked together. They would do it to the end. If they died, they would face upwards, and if they didn't die, they would turn over! Whoever backed out and betrayed the others would be a son of a bitch!
Then, they really went, went to be "deflowered".
They were picked up by the township's small tractor at night and walked back from the county seat the next day. It was thirty li from the county seat to Liushuya, and they walked for a whole day. The wind that day was especially cold, cutting like a knife in their faces. After walking for a whole day, they seemed to have aged thirty years. When they got home, they didn't even have the strength to wash their faces. Yeye's mother came over and scolded, "You're so crazy. Such a big girl has no decency at all and just knows how to be crazy!" She said she hadn't been crazy anywhere, just sat on the hilltop. Her mother said, "You sat there and didn't even know to come and eat?" She said she wasn't hungry, really not hungry.
Only then did her mother say, "The village head's father has come several times. When I asked what was wrong, he said there was nothing. It's so strange!"
She was startled, then startled again, and then ran towards the father's house. When she got to the father's house, the other girls also ran over. Their faces all changed, and their hearts were pounding. The father, on the contrary, had a gloomy face. After a long while, he said, "There was a phone call. They asked you to go for a medical examination."
They jumped and shouted and made a commotion for a long time.
The father had no expression at all. When he saw them out, he suddenly let out a long sigh and said, "What a pity!"
Liu Yeye comforted him, "You've done such a great thing. We should be thanking you. Why are you sighing? How do you want us to thank you, Father?"
The father's face turned pale and he said, "This is something that shortens my lifespan. Thank me! I'm afraid I don't have many days left. When you come back home for the Spring Festival, just burn a piece of joss paper at my grave, and I'll be satisfied!"
It had been several months since this incident happened, and now Liu Yeye still felt as if a piece of pig iron was stuck in her heart. Every time she thought about it, she felt cold. What was a quota? She didn't know until she got to Shenzhen. What was evil? She didn't know until she met the man surnamed Ma.
In Liu Yeye's mind, being fired wasn't a big deal, and the six-month probation period wasn't a big deal either. Those were all traps set on the table. If you were fooled, it was because you were willing to be fooled, and if you suffered a loss, it was because you were willing to suffer. But taking advantage of the ignorance of the people in the mountains, eating people without spitting out the bones, and still pretending to be a decent person, that was what was truly evil!
Ma Mingyang felt extremely aggrieved. As a professional manager, he believed he had done 99% of the job, and he didn't dare to claim 100%. Since he joined Baodao Electronics, he had been thinking about nothing but efficiency every single day. There were many professional managers who tied the company's interests to their personal futures, but few were as dedicated as him, with ears like a rabbit, eyes like a cat, and a nose like a dog. There were many companies in Shenzhen that specialized in researching policy space, and there were also many heroes who played on the fringes of policies and regulations. Making full and flexible use of policies was the sign of this city. Here, if a company developed at the average social speed, it was considered incompetent. If someone did business with their own funds, they were seen as an idiot, and the circle wouldn't play with them. Nowadays, who would want to make an honest and straightforward friend? Isn't it tiring? He believed that a vibrant company didn't depend on how much capital it had or how much technology it mastered, but on the extent to which it could tolerate doers like him who had originality and imagination.
However, at the manager's meeting, Mrs. Chen got angry. Mrs. Chen was a woman who rarely lost her temper. She always spoke softly, saying "Please" and "I beg you" and "Be careful" all the time. She was like a fragile and precious item. Usually, if there was a bit of a commotion, she had to touch up her makeup immediately, which was very troublesome. Sometimes Mrs. Chen would act coquettishly, saying, "I'm a woman. Why should I think so much?" When she said this in a crying tone, the effect was amazing, and no one didn't work hard. Her theory was that the company relied on everyone, and the profit was made by everyone together. The company's interests were everyone's interests, unless you didn't love money. "I'm a woman, and I really, really like money," she would say.
But this time, Mrs. Chen was really angry and actually called him a pig-headed person. "Is this how you handle things? Even a pig wouldn't think like this!"
He knew the importance of this 10-million-order at the moment. If it were before, Mrs. Chen wouldn't be so nervous. At most, she would just not take the order. Instead, she would comfort everyone, saying, "It's nothing. Oh, it's just 10 million. We can try again next time!" But this order was a trial order from the Ruby Group. It meant the development scale of Baodao Electronics in the next few years and even its survival in the international market. How could it be underestimated? So from receiving the order, designing, making the mold, producing the sample, to signing the contract, Mrs. Chen took care of every link personally. However, no one expected that there would be a problem with labor relations. Others didn't expect it, and of course, he didn't expect it even more. To be honest, wasn't it obvious that he, Ma Mingyang, had been following Mrs. Chen through thick and thin to build the business? Wasn't he Mrs. Chen's most capable and trustworthy assistant?
The boss was the boss. Even if you helped her earn 100 million, she would still say that you earned 1 yuan less. This was the ruthless logic of capital.
Just this plan, recruiting workers in remote areas in groups, signing probation contracts, and then regularly dismissing them in a streamlined process, how much profit could it create for the company? This was the intellectual result of his research on many special zone policies and labor regulations. It was still a magic weapon that many companies couldn't figure out. Could anyone say that Baodao Electronics' survival in such a cruel competition had nothing to do with his wisdom and his contributions? He believed that even Mrs. Chen wouldn't dare to say so.
He entered Baodao just because of this. At the job fair, Mrs. Chen asked, "Why do you want to be the head of human resources? Our company doesn't have this position, little brother?" In fact, he majored in statistics. He said, "I have carefully studied the materials of Baodao Electronics. I think your company doesn't have many advantages. The only area where it can make a difference is in human resources."
Mrs. Chen's beautiful and delicate eyebrows knitted into a frown, as if they were about to shoot out from her forehead. "Oh?"
He said, "Now there are many electronic component manufacturing enterprises in Shenzhen. They all claim to be high-tech industries, but in fact, they are all doing OEM business. Without core technology, what kind of high-tech is it? Nonsense. So your company has no advantage in technology. This is the first point. Secondly, although your company has decent funds and equipment, there is no sign of any special features in management. What's the difference between you and other companies? You all receive orders and do processing with supplied materials. So you also have no advantage in management. This is not a problem unique to your company. Almost all Chinese enterprises are facing this problem. May I ask where the advantage lies?"
At that time, Mrs. Chen jumped up immediately. Mrs. Chen said, "Little brother, welcome to our Baodao. Now we can talk about your requirements."
He said, "My requirements are simple. I want a basic salary and a share of the profit."
But you asked to be the head of human resources. For sales, you can get a share, but how can you get a share for human resources work?" Mrs. Chen's confusion was just like her face, beautiful, monotonous, and all the same.
He said, "It's very simple. My plan can calculate every profit."
As a result, he received a call from Mrs. Chen that night. Mrs. Chen giggled and said, "You can come and try your precious plan. Our company is willing to provide a stage for all creative people. It doesn't matter if it doesn't succeed." She said, "Just don't break the law. I don't want to go to prison in the mainland. I heard that the sanitation conditions in mainland prisons are very poor." She said, "You are very straightforward. I like straightforward people." She asked, "Do you know what's the most lovable thing about you? You like to talk about money. This is very practical. People who don't talk about money are unreliable."
Now, did Mrs. Chen think he was unreliable? Of course not. Mrs. Chen was just too nervous, under too much pressure, and a bit overwhelmed. A person like her, living in her own circle, had a very superficial understanding of the mainland. Of course, she could be said to know nothing about China at all. How could she understand the Chinese people? She was so delicate and elegant, completely Westernized. She rarely even went into the workshop. The shout of a migrant worker could scare her to death.
But the fact that the workers didn't resume work was really a thorny problem. Mrs. Chen was anxious, so how could he not be anxious? He had arranged for the workers to elect representatives to negotiate. Two days passed, and there was no movement at all. The workers were not stupid. They knew what being a representative meant, so no one wanted to be a representative. They didn't stage a sit-in or a parade. They just stayed in the dormitory and didn't come out, waiting for the company to make the first move.
Mrs. Chen asked many times, "They won't go on a street parade, will they? They won't cause trouble at the government, will they?" It was so naive. No peasant would think like that.
He said, "This is like a tug-of-war. Both sides are in a stalemate. Whoever has the slightest looseness under their feet will lose. So, we must hold on."
Now time was passing by minute by minute, profit was shrinking bit by bit, and the company's bottom line was approaching inch by inch. Mrs. Chen was nervous, and he was also nervous. But he knew very well that these workers were also nervous. Some people had already come out to inquire about the news. They didn't want to drag it on either. Extreme behavior was not good for anyone. Perhaps this itself meant a turning point. What was that saying? Victory lies in the effort of persisting for just a little longer?
He found that the eyes of the clerks in the company had become strange. In the morning, "Mr. Ma!" "Hello, Manager Ma!" Did they call him like this before? They called him "Horse Head". "Good morning, Horse Head!" "Horse Head, you're so naughty!" They also called him "A Yang". "Hello, A Yang!" "Hum, A Yang!" These girls were very shrewd. They were the barometers of the company. Before, they couldn't wait to pounce on him. They would act coquettishly with him, talk to him about hairstyles, or some movie star, or pester him to go out for a late-night snack. In short, they were eager to attract his attention. Of course, he didn't want to have any involvement with them. He only liked the original ones.
Now, they just politely, gently, and vigilantly paid attention to him, maintaining a certain stance, ready to advance or retreat, that's all. In fact, they had long been dissatisfied with him. They were eager for him to make a fool of himself and immediately fall from grace. They were all like foxes who said grapes were sour. Everyone knew it well. Why did everyone get a job salary while he, Ma, could get a share? How much did he actually get? But they never thought about how much contribution they had made and how much profit they had created for the company. Were they here to get a free ride? This was a city that didn't believe in tears and an era when efficiency was more important than life!
Doubts and anxiety were like a bundle of wet firewood that had been lit. It burned slowly but could explode with a bang at any time. By the third night, Ma Mingyang couldn't hold on anymore either. His eyes were fierce, his cheeks were red, and the pimples on his chin had formed a phalanx and were marching towards his forehead. His voice was a bit hoarse, and he always felt like there was a broken fan blowing inside. His assistant, Xiao Qi, came in several times to urge him, "Do you want to book a flight to Guangxi?" but he pushed him back every time. He looked at the landline and his mobile phone again and again. He suspected that there was something wrong with his ears. Since the afternoon, Mrs. Chen had no longer called to inquire. He knew that Mrs. Chen was making a choice. And such a choice would no longer be about whether to go to Guangxi, but about whether to go back to Shanxi.
Ma Mingyang was from Pingyao, Shanxi, a place that made all the merchants in the world show respect. But his own family wasn't well-off. His father was a typical old-fashioned man who knew nothing. He just knew to force him to study. He would even go into debt to let him study, as if studying hard would surely lead to a better life. But his father was a good father. He was frugal all his life. What's more, he had been hiding the fact that his mother had gastric cancer. He told his mother, "Our son will graduate soon. Once he graduates, he will become a government employee, and then we will have money to treat your illness. Our son studies accounting. He will be an accountant when he comes out!"
This was a heartbreaking thing. The pain penetrated deep into the cell nucleus and chromosomes, changed the DNA, and spread out from every pore. It was not until he graduated and went home that he took his mother to have the operation. His mother held his hand and refused to get in the car. His mother said, "Son, we should save every penny we can. I'm satisfied enough that I was able to support you to this point. I can close my eyes now." At that time, the tears gushed out, spraying even farther than urine.
He, Ma Mingyang, was also a six-foot-tall man. Could he be starved to death by lack of money? He stamped his foot and came to Shenzhen. He said to Shenzhen, "Give me money!"
Everyone knew that there was money in Shenzhen, but Shenzhen wouldn't give you money for nothing. Shenzhen also wanted to take your money. He didn't quite understand this truth at first, but soon he became very clear. He came for his girlfriend. He originally thought that the moaning and groaning in bed was a solemn pledge of love and could help him gain a foothold. As a result, it turned out that stupidity had no hometown. Being stupid in Beijing was still being stupid, and being stupid in Shenzhen was also being stupid.
At first, they met twice. Later, she didn't even show her face. Then she even changed her mobile phone number. And later, he would laugh whenever he thought about it. The woman had given him a VISA card. The password was her birthday. She gave it to him 夹着 by two fingers in a very elegant and delicate gesture, saying that he could go to Walmart or Carrefour to buy himself some things. When he was in the most difficult situation, he remembered this card. As a result, he was told that there was only 10 yuan left in the card. At that time, he just laughed, scaring the cashier girl's face pale.
Money. He needed money so much. Money was life, money was heaven, and it was the greatest reality that would last forever. Of course, he wasn't a robber. His face wasn't even fully grown. He made money with his brain. He had done sales and sold insurance. He had deceived people and been deceived. He knew what it meant to be poor. A poor person was that idiot who kowtowed and thanked you even after you had played with them.
At his worst, he had even slept in Litchi Park. But the biggest difference between him and the poor was that his mind wasn't poor. Even when sleeping in Litchi Park, he could find starlight through the gaps in the leaves and discover the truth in the starlight. In Shenzhen, everything was expensive except people. Everything was valuable except people. What was talent? If you were useful, you were talent. If not, you were shit, worse than shit. What was being useful? If you could earn money, you were useful. And it meant earning money right now, not in the future. Shenzhen didn't believe in tears and didn't recognize the future. This discovery excited him all night. In a hazy state, he saw a golden road. Before, he didn't like theory. He even hated theory classes a bit. But now he needed theory so much. This theory was that you could only make money from the things that were the least valuable.
He seemed to have returned to the countryside, to that desolate gully. There was an old dog by the gully. He called it Lao Huang. Lao Huang always hung out its tongue and waited for him to come home excitedly. In fact, Lao Huang had long been used to this desolation. When it really couldn't bear it, it would bark a few times to comfort itself. Before, he also liked this desolation and the old Huang that lay on its stomach by the gully and meditated. When there was water in the gully, there were also blue skies, white clouds, and sometimes one or two birds flying over the water, disturbing the reflection of the old weeping willows. These messy reflections were the disorderly dreams of his youth. Now, his dream had woken up, and his peace had been shattered. He seemed to see that Lao Huang was very uneasy and angry. This emotion spread in Lao Huang's heart like the Bermuda grass in spring, breaking through the frozen soil and making its eyes suddenly look solemn.
The next day, he conducted an experiment. He found a broken table, bought a white cloth, and wrote "×× Company is urgently hiring. Several market planners, several sales managers, and several skilled technicians are needed. Age and gender are not restricted." The requirements he set were not low, all requiring a college diploma or above, but the registration fee was very low, only ten yuan per person, much cheaper than those headhunting companies. He set up the table on the street and warmly received talents from all over the country. By nightfall, he had earned over a hundred yuan.
At this rate, earning three thousand yuan a month was a piece of cake with his eyes closed, but he didn't want to continue. His goal was not here. He wanted to verify a law and find a way. As a statistics bachelor, he knew the importance of quantitative analysis for qualitative determination. When he returned to the open-air dormitory that night, he had already experienced the joy of counting money until his hands ached. He didn't casually throw away those job application materials. He felt compassion. Wasn't he the same at the beginning? He paid money to ask others to accept his materials, and only then did he feel at ease when he saw them accept the money. He neatly stacked that pile of materials and used them as a mattress. He wanted those job seekers to feel more at ease too. He really thought so.
A week later, he accidentally saw an old newspaper in this pile of materials. The big headline of the newspaper suddenly shot into his eyes like a bullet. He jumped up and held the newspaper, his whole body trembling. The newspaper said that capital was also a productive force, and capital was an even more powerful productive force than science and technology. What did this mean? Wasn't this clearly stealing his patent? He had worked hard to discover this for several months, and others had already written an article about it. The truth was not elsewhere; the truth was right under your buttocks!
In the following days, he specifically went to the Labor Bureau. He bought several brochures, such as the Labor Manual, Shenzhen Investment Guide, and Compilation of Special Zone Regulations, etc. Then, he officially promoted himself to Baodao Electronics. In fact, it was the same for any company. He was selling ideas. As long as it was an enterprise above a medium scale, it could complete this plan. Mrs. Chen was just one of the buyers, that's all. The key was that he had discovered the law and the truth. And the law and the truth were really fucking great.
He was a truly smart person. He saw through Shenzhen at a glance. For this, he had to always thank his parents, Litchi Park, and Lao Huang. He was also a truly lucky person. For this, he also had to thank Mrs. Chen. It was Mrs. Chen who turned his theory into reality and turned the least valuable things into a large amount of money. He was also a person with firm beliefs. He believed that once a law was formed, it would not become invalid in a short time. How could he not believe in the law just because of one or two strikes?
He had assured Mrs. Chen countless times that he could handle it, really could handle it, and hoped that Mrs. Chen would rest assured. He said that he would report as soon as he had news and also said that his people had been arranged and he was waiting for a reply. In fact, he didn't have anyone to arrange at all. None of those supervisors and line leaders were truly his people. If there was a mistake, this might be one. He was too focused on the essence, so much so that he overlooked the fact that the realization of the essence still required some auxiliary small conditions. The security captain was even more ill-informed than him and actually said that the workers were all sleeping except for playing cards. What a pig.
By nine o'clock in the evening, Ma Mingyang had to personally visit the staff dormitory. He walked from room to room, nodding and smiling at everyone, saying, "Hello, hello, good evening." He said that he was just dropping by and didn't have any special meaning. He had not cared enough about everyone before, and he really didn't know that everyone had such big opinions about the company. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Most of the female workers were sitting in their mosquito nets. He couldn't easily walk in, so he could only knock on the door and stand at the door for a while. No one responded to him. The female workers who really couldn't avoid him had to nod and smile at him, and then slip away like loaches. This kind of embarrassment continued until the seventh floor, and then he walked down floor by floor. He didn't understand why these female workers were so timid.
It was a bit better on the male workers' side. Some people even offered him cigarettes and chatted with him about the typhoon and the dismemberment case. They said that during the typhoon in Shajing, a bag of corpses was blown up, weighing several hundred catties, all in pieces. Later, he got a bit impatient. He stood at the stairway and shouted, "Everyone can boldly put forward your requirements. Just put them forward. What are you afraid of?" As a result, it caused a burst of laughter.
Two punks joked with each other, "What are you afraid of? Am I afraid? Why is your face red? It's wax for keeping warm. Why are there lumps again? I'm so scared. I'm really scared. I only have my buttocks and two hips left. I'm afraid you'll cut off my penis for wine!"
Ma Mingyang really wanted to get angry and really wanted to deal with these scumbags. He tried to remember these two faces, but his mind was really a bit messed up now. A cultivated person, a rational economic person, usually wouldn't be so messed up. He had learned a lot, such as restraint, patience, waiting, and smiling was always his first choice. The newspapers all said that a smile was the expression of Shenzhen. But these expressions also had a bottom line and were situation-dependent. It depended on who they were for. For these things, these least valuable things, you really were fucking wasting your efforts. After such a stalemate until after ten o'clock, his mobile phone rang. It was Mrs. Chen's. So he kept saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," and rushed downstairs in a trot.
Was Mrs. Chen coming to rescue him or had she made a decision? Did Mrs. Chen know that he was still arguing with the migrant workers so late? He suddenly lost his mind and felt extremely aggrieved. He tried to calm himself down and then turned on his mobile phone.
Mrs. Chen was still so elegant and gentle. "A Yang, where are you? Come quickly. I'll introduce some friends to you."
It was already eleven o'clock at night. Of course, he understood that the friends at this time were definitely not ordinary friends. Nowadays, people no longer call killers killers but friends. Perhaps, this was the most fatal one.
5
Chang Lai had been working in the company for three months without seeing the boss, and he didn't know exactly what he was supposed to do. His position was also very strange, Party secretary. Baodao Electronics was a foreign-funded enterprise with not a single Party member. Why did it need to assign a Party secretary? He didn't understand and didn't dare to ask. Of course, he couldn't ask either. He had been on layoff at home for two years. Now, if he was given a bone, he would pounce on it.
Previously, he was also a Party secretary, the secretary of a towel factory in a county in Meizhou. Later, the towel factory was sold, and the Light Industry Bureau was also abolished, so he was laid off at home. Originally, he had opportunities to go out and work. He was originally from the enterprise field, and if he wanted to do something, there were things for him to do. But he was angry with the leader, feeling that the leader was unfair and he was wronged. This sense of grievance lasted for two years. Later, he became extremely desperate, and even his mother-in-law's words were full of venom. Only then did he realize that life was short, and being angry with anyone was tantamount to being hard on himself. You think you're important, but in fact, others have long forgotten you. No one is your enemy; the enemy is yourself.
The feeling of being forgotten was magnified again during these three months. Not seeing the boss and sitting on the cold bench every day was like a brand - new rag hanging behind the door. It looked good but was useless. This was a foreign - funded enterprise that had to do cost accounting. It couldn't keep paying him for nothing in the long run. Even a dog was kept to guard the house. He guessed the boss's thoughts were that since Mr. Wen had spoken, he couldn't refute Mr. Wen's face. After a long time, when he felt embarrassed himself, he would naturally leave. But thinking like this made him feel like a beggar, and he was very unconvinced. After all, he was a person with management experience and had been an enterprise leader. Why couldn't he find a place to use his skills here? This distress was hard to talk about with others, so he could only joke around with the office ladies day by day. The ladies were quite polite to him, greeting him with "Good morning, Mr. Chang" when they met. They were also quite uncooperative. It was in vain to try to inquire about anything, and he could only get smiles with unclear meanings. He understood that this was what it meant to work for the boss. Without the boss's instructions, their smiles couldn't have any specific meaning.
After three months, he wasn't completely clueless. He just couldn't figure it out. Although this company was quite large, with more than 2,000 employees, its management was rather ordinary, and the utilization rate of equipment was low. The only thing that broadened his horizons was the continuous recruitment and dismissal of workers. They were busy with this every day. There were endless reports and rosters. Later, he found that the company was reducing costs by using the method of low - salary probation. This discovery was astonishing. Not to mention it was unreasonable and unscientific, it also contained great risks in itself. How could it be like this? Was this what was called a high - tech enterprise?
An enterprise should pursue profits. All economic activities could actually be summed up in four words: buy low and sell high. He had no objection to this. The problem was what means to use to achieve buying low and selling high. Could people also be bought low and sold high?
In fact, he had participated in a recruitment activity and was made "in charge" of it. Of course, this was just polite talk from Manager Ma of the Personnel Department. Manager Ma was handling everything single - handedly. His task was to eat, drink, and look presentable. Of course, he also had a role to play. He was still carrying the title of Party secretary to act in a two - person show. Perhaps in that remote and poor small town, the title of Party secretary still had some remaining prestige and a certain sense of propriety.
So Manager Ma kept calling him "secretary", saying, "Our secretary is the most upright and principled. We're all afraid of him usually!" Only occasionally did he slip up and mention something about "our boss".
That time, the General Manager's Office arranged for him to go on a business trip and gave him 3,000 yuan for clothing expenses. He was completely confused. It was only when he was about to board the plane that he met this Ma Mingyang. Naturally, all of this didn't need to be explained. After all, he was "in charge" of this work in the image of the Party and couldn't show any flaws or undermine himself. So when he followed and laughed foolishly, the feeling on his face was very strange. It twitched severely, as if this face wasn't his own but a wrinkled tablecloth being pulled by someone. No matter how hard he tried, it was always in disarray and couldn't be in the right position. He found that the young people of this generation were really powerful. They were completely at ease. It didn't matter what nonsense they said. It didn't matter if they slipped up. They didn't argue or explain and just went straight for the goal. Because what they said wasn't important; the goal was everything.
This feeling was really wonderful. Even more wonderful things were yet to come.
At first, when he saw primary school students lined up to welcome them on the bridge outside the city, he already felt it was too much. When he was carried by seven or eight girls at the hotel entrance, he felt even more like he was being kidnapped. At that time, he couldn't say anything. He just kept winking at Manager Ma, indicating that it was inappropriate. But Manager Ma looked extremely happy, saying repeatedly, "This is so exciting. Damn, this is so exciting!" On the contrary, he tried to persuade him, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Respect the leaders. What's wrong with that? You're a leader. You should put on airs."
Once at the table, they treated him as one of their own. They shouted, "Today, we're all brothers. No one should fucking pretend to be a good guy!"
The Labor Bureau director accompanying them was surnamed Gao. He was a gentle - looking intellectual, wearing a suit and tie, with elegant manners and a slow - paced way of speaking. He repeatedly expressed his apologies, saying that the Party secretary, the county magistrate, and the bureau director originally wanted to come but due to various reasons, he could only represent them now. But as he talked, he turned into a gang leader: "Dear leaders, we're all on our own. I'll speak bluntly. You decide how to handle work matters, and I decide how to handle things at the banquet! Once you're at the table, it's a set routine. You must listen to me. Only when you return to your room can you do as you please. You can do whatever you want! Tonight, men are not allowed to say no, and women are not allowed to say whatever. Got it? If you don't give me face, don't blame me for not giving you any leeway!"
He just asked, "What if I really can't do it? How can I say I can?"
They laughed, in a very wild and lewd way, saying, "Secretary, Secretary, you're so humorous, so humorous. You can't be serious, right? Haven't you been drained dry?" Manager Ma also quietly reminded him, "In this kind of situation, the more you resist, the more hypocritical you seem. Just let go and do it. Loosen up. What are you afraid of?"
All of this was beyond his expectation. He had been stupid after being on layoff at home for these two years and was no longer fit for such occasions. Time flies like an arrow. In the past, he always thought he was an upright person, doing things properly and being an honest person. He never flattered, followed the trend, or did anything stupid. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been on layoff at home for two years.
Dirty jokes, vulgar expressions, and one pornographic mobile phone text message after another were like an experience exchange meeting at a breeding station. The cadres present were all important figures in the local area. Perhaps they usually kept a straight face and had been holding back for too long, so they were so full of passion? He didn't know. The hostesses accompanying them were of course hired temporarily. They also laughed foolishly and commented after laughing, "So dirty. So shameless." In fact, they didn't care about face or what these people did. As long as the boss was willing to spend money and the guests drank desperately, that was fine.
A tall hostess pushed her chest against his elbow, constantly saying, "Drink, drink." He knew that in such a situation, generally, one couldn't admit that they could drink. Once they started, they couldn't stop. After all, he was a "Party secretary", and even if it was acting, he should act more realistically.
Even Manager Ma couldn't hold back. He giggled at the hostess and said, "Let's see your skills. If you can get our secretary drunk, I'll give you two more banknotes."
"Really?" The hostess got excited. First, they drank cross - arm drinks, then lover's drinks, and later, mouth - to - mouth drinks. After pouring the drinks, she even licked with her tongue. Of course, that feeling was really something.
The hostesses could also sing. They could sing all kinds of popular songs, especially good at the Dong ethnic group's major tunes, the harmonies that no one could understand. The waiters in this hotel all wore ethnic costumes, but they didn't seem to be ethnic minorities. When asked, they just giggled and neither said yes nor no. In short, it was all very dizzying.
Ma Mingyang and the others sang a lively and witty Xinjiang tune:
If you want to be a person,
You must be a bad person,
Never be a good person -
Hugging your sister,
Shaking your club,
One, big, black, road!
In fact, he could drink a little. Ordinary people couldn't beat him. Often, when he said he couldn't drink anymore, he could still handle another bottle. But that night, there was a rule: men couldn't say no, and women couldn't say whatever. If they did, they would be punished. So everyone didn't say no but said they could, very much so. The hostesses cared about the number of wine bottles, not the quality of their bodies, and they all went all out. After drinking, they went out to vomit and then came back to drink again. So everyone developed bloodshot eyes, and when they walked, their legs were entangled like crabs fighting.
It was already early morning when he returned to his room. He originally wanted to take a bath, but he was really out of energy, so he went straight to bed - and only then did he realize that the "optional actions" had already been prepared for him. Someone took off his shoes for him, and then, came to take off his clothes.
He was startled and sat up. "Who?"
"It's me, boss."
He turned on the light.
At this moment, he felt that his head was splitting, like a pot of porridge bubbling in it. He saw a child, wearing a blue - and - white school uniform, kneeling beside him.
"Who are you?"
"I'm, I'm... I'm here to serve you."
He knew what "serve" meant. He had heard many stories about business trips before. In the past, a salesman in their factory got caught in a "female entrapment" scheme because of this kind of thing, losing both money and face, and being unable to explain himself no matter how much he tried. At that time, he had laughed along with the others and also wanted to know more details. But this was the first time he was facing such a situation directly, truly being "served", and he was really a bit scared. It was as if someone had bitten him on the neck. His head suddenly jolted up, and three veins on his neck swelled thicker than his fingers. He said, "I don't need it. You can go out."
The girl flinched a bit but didn't move.
He said again, "Did you hear me? You go out."
"I won't," the girl said.
"Are you not leaving? If you don't leave, I'll call the waiter." As he spoke, he jumped up to open the door. He thought this would scare her, but unexpectedly, the child didn't react at all. Her eyes were wide open, and her mouth was slightly open, as if a bit surprised or perhaps she simply didn't understand what he meant.
However, at the moment he grabbed the door handle, he changed his mind. He immediately thought that the hotel rooms all had magnetic - card door locks. If she could get into the room, she must have some connections. It couldn't be for no reason. What would it mean to call the waiter at this time? You don't want the "optional actions"? If you don't want them, just don't do them. Why call the waiter? Calling someone was just to cause a commotion. Causing a commotion was just to prove one's innocence, to prove that you were different from others, that you were a good person and had drawn a clear line. But was it worth it? What would the consequences be? Send those people, the Labor Bureau director, the township head, and Manager Ma, all to jail? Stop the recruitment? Thinking of this, his head ached even more. The "porridge" in his head was bubbling violently, and his temples were throbbing with pain. He had 好不容易 found another job, and it was a decent position. If he caused trouble on his first business trip, how could he explain it when he got back? How could he explain it to the company? This was no small matter! So this issue, along with a series of problems that arose from it, all became extremely serious.
So he went into the bathroom to wash his face. Then he remembered that this was a high - class hotel with 24 - hour hot water supply. Then he got into the bathtub, letting the hot water from this remote small county town activate his mind, which came from a big city.
What if this was a trap? What if someone was deliberately framing or testing him? Then it would be even more serious. He immediately thought that there might be a surveillance camera in the room. Everything that had just happened had long been clearly seen by some schemer hiding somewhere. Any carelessness on his part would be recorded. Perhaps in a certain room or corner, someone was observing his expression and perhaps even snickering. Then there would be blackmail or bribery. This was a market economy. Everything was a transaction. Fortunately, he was highly vigilant.
However... However, what was the purpose of blackmailing or bribing him? What value did he have that could be exploited? Did they really think he was a core figure just because they kept calling him "secretary"? Was he misunderstood? Thinking like this, he felt that he was really ridiculous, taking himself too seriously. What were you? You were just a new employee. They were just giving you a job and paying you a salary. You regarded yourself as some important person, put on airs, and got carried away. As a result, you actually scared yourself.
Finally, he thought it through. The only thing he had to do was to give an explanation to Manager Ma and the others. They were all close buddies, people who sang about being bad guys. There had to be an explanation. But how to explain? "I didn't do it. I didn't do anything"? They would say, "It's an optional action anyway. Whether you choose it or not is your own business. Why are you explaining?" Then they would give a sly smile, watching you open your mouth wide, looking like you couldn't yawn, and find it funny?
So he set a three - no policy for himself: no talking, no asking, and no explaining. Just act as if nothing had happened. He believed that the others would handle it the same way. In this era, if you couldn't figure something out, don't think about it, don't ask, and definitely don't argue. Silence was truly golden.
When he came out, he was neatly dressed. He made himself a cup of tea, then lit a cigarette and really put on airs.
The girl's name was Liu Yeye, a very nice name. She was from Group 5, Liushuya, Qipan Township. He found that the child was good - looking. Her face was regular, her skin was very fair, her big eyes were blinking, and her eyelashes were trembling. Although she was small in stature and wearing a school uniform, there was a calmness on her face that didn't match her actual age. He suddenly thought of what the Labor Bureau director had said in the afternoon, "Beautiful mountains and clear waters produce beautiful women." The girls here, except for lacking clothes to wear, all had great figures and good skin, a hundred times better than those made up with cosmetics! The director was very proud of his hometown. In fact, the most prominent impression this small town gave him was its quietness, a kind of quietness that penetrated the lungs, the kind that made one's soul leave the body. He could hear the "popping" sound when the leaves fell from the branches, like bubbles bursting. He could hear the "hissing" sound when the waves by the river bit the shore, like clothes being torn. And there was also the occasional sound of a woman pounding clothes with a wooden club. But he couldn't hear the hustle and bustle of traffic. It seemed that there were only ghosts walking leisurely on the street. This feeling was really great.
"Uncle, why don't you talk?" the girl asked.
He didn't know what to say. He said, "Your place is very beautiful and very quiet."
The girl widened her eyes again. After thinking for a long time, she gave a bitter smile and said, "Uncle, you're making fun of us. Beautiful!"
He said, "I'm not making fun. It's really beautiful."
The girl didn't argue anymore. She moved closer to him again. The hot air she exhaled licked his forehead, making him have to move aside a bit. He said, "You look very nice in your school uniform..."
"Uncle, I came after washing myself. My clothes were just washed too."
He said, "I'm talking about the scenery, not about you. I'm not dislike you for being dirty... Really not!"
Suddenly, the girl knelt down and hugged his leg, saying, "Uncle, do you know about 'deflowering'?"
"What?"
"About that thing of a virgin. Uncle, please just deflower me. I'm begging you."
"Get up," he said. He was a bit flustered.
"I won't. I won't get up until you agree."
His head started to feel dizzy again. And there was also a bit of an inexplicable reaction in his body. Although the child was small, her body was still full - figured, and he could feel it. And all of a sudden, he felt weak. It was hard to say what the result would be if this stalemate continued. So he took a deep breath, inhaling deeply. "She's just a child, a child, a child..." How could he be so despicable?
He asked, "How did you get in?" This question was a bit silly. His voice was also very hoarse, obviously lacking confidence, but it was very effective.
The girl said, "The village head's father sent us here."
Sent by the village head? Could it be that this kind of thing even had an organized procedure? Now he became clear - headed again and asked, "How many of you came?"
"Five. There are only three of you," the girl said. "Maomei and another girl didn't come in."
That is to say, each room was assigned one. He, Manager Ma, and the Labor Bureau director, all came to "deflower" at the same time. The township head had gone back. Maybe the township head didn't mess with people from his own area. No wonder at the banquet table, they were all happily sharing experiences. They said that nowadays, there weren't many fun things. Eating, drinking, and gambling were all no longer new. There was nothing exciting. Only those most rustic, most primitive, and simplest things were still a bit interesting. This was called the original ecology.
There was a way of simplifying things. Manager Ma explained, "For example, what is'reform, opening - up, and invigorating'? It's too troublesome. The simple way to say it is 'undo (gai), open, do'!" Manager Ma had a baby - faced look. He deliberately puffed out his cheeks, looking fierce, and it was really funny.
"Are the other two waiting outside?" he asked. What he meant was that there was an issue of profit distribution here. Since they all came out to do business together, how would the money be divided if they made a profit?
"They went back with the father. Their ID cards are all there. The father said that in fact, it's the same to leave anyone," she replied.
He didn't understand what "the same" meant. Could it be that this kind of thing was paid according to ID cards? He asked, "How much money do you want?"
The girl was stunned, stood up, and said, "I'm not here for money."
He said, "Then what are you here for?"
The girl shouted, "Uncle, you've misunderstood!" She looked like she was about to cry. She was really anxious.
He said, "I'm not misunderstanding. Weren't you here to serve me? Weren't you here for 'deflowering'?"
The girl shouted, "No, really not for money! Who doesn't know that you all only help if you get to 'deflower'? If it weren't like this, who the hell would come to serve you?" The girl was really anxious. Her small face turned bright red, and her nose wrinkled into a small meatball, flapping. At this moment, she looked more like a child than a virgin.
"That's right then!" he imitated her tone and said, "What on earth do you want? Tell me... Liu Yeye? Is your name Liu Yeye? Speak. Why don't you speak, Liu Yeye?"
In his experience, he had had many conversations. He wasn't short of experience in doing "ideological work". But facing such a girl who came to serve him, he really didn't know how to comfort her. Later, he could only say, "Do you want some water? Why don't you go wash your face? You can't keep crying, can you?"
The girl said, "Please, just deflower me."
"Then you have to let me know what you really want, right?"
Only then did the girl raise her head and say, "Promise me first."
"How can I promise if you don't tell me?"
"Employment. Can you employ the five of us together? Please. As long as you promise to take us away, you can 'deflower' me, torture me any way you want. It's up to you!"
Such a deal really shocked him. He was also a bit confused: Wanting to get a job was a good thing, right? They planned to recruit 240 people this time. They could just sign up. Was it necessary to do this? Moreover, this recruitment itself was very strange. There were so many people coming to Guangdong to work. There were plenty of people to recruit. Why did they have to come all the way here to recruit? He had raised this question in the company. At that time, the girl in the General Manager's Office just smiled and didn't answer. Since he was new, he didn't ask too many questions. Now he was even more confused.
"Uncle, don't you know? This recruitment of yours is so unfair. Our Qipan Township really doesn't have any quotas. The quotas were all snatched by other townships. The village head's father said that if we want to leave, this is the only way left!"
So that was it. Such a trivial matter actually had quotas? He thought that Director Gao was really something. He was indeed a bad person, a real bad person. Then he thought that the local atmosphere was really rotten. For such a pitiful request, they could let others "deflower" them casually? And the village head brought them here. This was really too... too backward.
He said, "Okay, leave the list. You can go."
The girl was stunned. "Really? You really promise to help us?" The girl smiled again. Her wet little face immediately became much brighter. Her willow - like thin eyebrows lifted, making his heart feel a bit cold.
"Really," he said.
The girl still wasn't sure. She hesitated for a long time. "Uncle, you really don't need... that?"
His head started to hurt again. He waved his hand... "Let me take a rest, okay?"
Finally, the girl backed out. When she reached the door, she didn't forget to bow to him and said, "Uncle, you're so kind. We people from small places are ignorant. Don't blame us." She seemed very happy.
He remembered this name, Liu Yeye.
On the evening when the typhoon hit, he saw Liu Yeye again. At that time, it wasn't dark yet, and the rain had lessened a bit. But there were many more female workers in the factory area than usual. He recognized this girl at a glance. Liu Yeye was wearing a broken - flower pink - bottomed shirt, holding an umbrella and playing "tightrope walking" on the curb. She would fall down after walking a few steps, then get up and walk again. Another female worker beside her was covering her mouth and laughing. This was a kind of leisurely happiness rarely seen in the factory area. He quickly walked up to greet them, but as soon as the girl saw him, she quickly turned around and used the umbrella to block herself.
He called out, "Liu Yeye."
When Liu Yeye saw that she really couldn't avoid him, she timidly turned around and said, "Hello, Uncle."
Chang Lai wasn't a dull person. He immediately understood the girl's thoughts. This was really a bit embarrassing. But then he thought that if she kept avoiding like this, it would seem that there really had been something between them. It would be better to be straightforward. So he said, "Wow, is this shirt newly bought? The color suits you very well." He thought this was a common compliment, appropriate and not offensive.
"Really?" After a long time, Liu Yeye finally smiled, her eyes narrowing into a crescent moon. She said, "Uncle, this is the first time I'm wearing it. I bought it a long time ago but didn't have a chance to wear it."
"Great, enjoy it!" Chang Lai imitated the Guizhou accent and said. Then he asked the other girl, "Zhang Maomei, why didn't you change into a new one?"
That Zhang Maomei was even more shy. She just twisted her body.
Liu Yeye said, "Her? She's reluctant. She said the work clothes are much more beautiful than the school uniforms and don't cost money. Do you think she's stingy?"
Chang Lai said, "When you first come, you're all reluctant to spend money. I'm the same. I think things in Shenzhen are so expensive. It doesn't matter. Wait until you see something you really like and then buy it." Then he asked, "Why do you all have time to go out and stroll today?"
Liu Yeye stared at him with her particularly big eyes and said, "Uncle, don't you know? There's a strike!"
He was stunned. Only then did he know that something big had happened in the company.
(To be continued)