“Thank you for your trouble, Brother Zhou. How about we go out for a meal?”
Zhou Bin smiled at Chen Lishu. “We’re so familiar with each other, you don’t need to be so polite. I have some things to do at my unit and can’t get away. Let’s do it another time.”
“Alright.” After thanking Zhou Bin again, Chen Lishu and Gu Xingye headed towards the Qingshan Garment Factory.
Along the way, Gu Xingye was still a bit dazed about the prospect of having a job.
“Sister-in-law, what exactly do they do at Brother Zhou’s unit, the Materials Bureau?” Gu Xingye asked curiously.
“I’m not too sure of the specifics. But I heard it’s a place that supplies materials like steel, cement, and tires.”
Chen Lishu only knew that the Materials Bureau was a product of the planned economy. It probably also had a role in macro-level adjustments. It was a very influential department in the 1960s and 70s. By the 1980s, with the rapid economic development, this department was gradually phased out.
Gu Xingye nodded, understanding only partially.
“When you start at the unit, just remember to talk less and do more. There’s nothing else to be afraid of. If anyone bullies you, don’t just take it lying down. We’re all workers, and no one is nobler than anyone else.”
Hearing her words, Gu Xingye felt a surge of confidence. He smiled, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. “I’ll do my work diligently. Who can bully me?”
As they were talking, they arrived at the Qingshan Garment Factory.
Just as they reached the gatehouse, Chen Xiangfa came out to meet them.
“Uncle Chen.”
“What are you here for?” Chen Xiangfa asked with a grim expression and an unusually harsh tone.
Chen Lishu then sensed something was amiss. “Uncle Chen, what’s wrong? Who made you angry?”
Chen Xiangfa snorted coldly. “Who made me angry? What, you brought your brother-in-law here today? Are you here to watch a joke or to provoke me? I never realized you were this kind of person. One face to my front, another behind my back. If you were too embarrassed to say it yourself, you sent your elder brother-in-law to do it!”
Chen Lishu was momentarily stunned, not understanding. “Say what?”
Recalling the situation, Chen Xiangfa’s face turned ashen, and his chest heaved violently. “If you didn’t agree, fine, but why insult my niece about her divorce? Saying that a ‘second-hand’ item doesn’t match your family’s first-time groom. Get out now, before I grab a broom and sweep you away!”
He didn’t want to say anything more unpleasant.
Chen Lishu was confused by his words and frowned, patiently explaining, “Uncle Chen, isn’t there some misunderstanding? We never said that.”
“Just because you didn’t say it doesn’t mean your family didn’t. I’m not blind. That person, by his looks, resembles your brother-in-law by five or six parts. How could I be wrong? They’ve already spoken so absolutely. You’d better leave quickly. I’m definitely not doing business with your family anymore.”
Scraps are scraps, no matter who they’re sold to. Why should he try to curry favor with people who were being cold? He never wanted any dealings with them again.
Hearing Chen Xiangfa’s words, Chen Lishu’s heart skipped a beat. If someone who looked similar to Gu Xingye was her elder brother-in-law, it could only be Gu Xingguo or Gu Xingmin. Gu Xingguo wouldn’t do such a thing, so it had to be Gu Xingmin.
But why would he do that? What benefit would offending Chen Xiangfa and Liu Xiaoting bring him? In a moment, Chen Lishu understood. Of course, there were plenty of benefits, and the current outcome was the biggest benefit. By cutting off her ability to buy scraps, how else would Liu Yuemin get her scraps?
Fine! For money, that couple would do such a thing!
A frosty expression spread across Chen Lishu’s pretty face.
“Uncle Chen, we’ve been interacting for so long, you should know what kind of person I am. If I truly looked down on Sister Liu’s remarriage, I would have refused when you first proposed. As for what others said, it has nothing to do with me. If you have a grudge and are not prepared to sell me the scraps, that’s fine. But I still need to clarify this matter: what that person said has nothing to do with us.”
“Yes, we never said those words. You’ve misunderstood my sister-in-law. I only rejected this marriage proposal because I already had someone I liked.”
Upon hearing someone misunderstanding Chen Lishu, Gu Xingye couldn’t hide his feelings and anxiously tried to explain.
“No matter who said it, it’s still someone from your family. I’m angry just seeing you now. You two, get out quickly and don’t come back again.”
Seeing that there was no chance of reconciliation and that Gu Xingye was about to say more, Chen Lishu shook her head at him.
“Uncle Chen, we’ll take our leave then.” Chen Lishu said, and then turned to leave with Gu Xingye.
“Sister-in-law, are we just letting this go? How will your flower accessory business continue?” Gu Xingye asked resentfully on the way back.
“What else can we do?” Chen Lishu forced a bitter smile. “Beg Uncle Chen for forgiveness while crying? He already has a grudge in his heart, and anything more I say will be futile.”
Gu Xingye wasn’t stupid. Connecting the dots, he knew it had to be his second brother and his wife. He felt both angry and disappointed, and even more guilty towards Chen Lishu.
“This is all because of me. If it weren’t for my marriage prospects, it wouldn’t have turned out this way.”
Chen Lishu smiled. “What does it have to do with you? Someone is just exploiting this situation to their advantage.”
Not wanting to dwell on this troublesome matter, Chen Lishu changed the subject. “I just heard that the fourth brother has someone he likes. Who is it? Why didn’t you ask Mom and Dad to send a matchmaker?”
Mentioning this, Gu Xingye scratched his head shyly. “She has good conditions and a job. I’m afraid of being rejected.”
Hearing this made Chen Lishu even more curious. Someone with good conditions and a job, who could it be?
“One shouldn’t belittle oneself. Fourth brother, you’re not doing badly either. You’re young, handsome, optimistic, and proactive. These are all excellent qualities.”
Gu Xingye had never realized he had so many good points. He was flattered to the point of embarrassment.
After walking a bit further, he hesitantly said, “Sister-in-law, do you think Zhang Xiaoju would like someone like me?”
Zhang Xiaoju? The only daughter of the village Party secretary, Zhang Changhe, and a sales clerk at the village supply and marketing cooperative.
No wonder Gu Xingye was hesitant to speak. Her circumstances were indeed very good by village standards. In fact, if she were willing, she could even marry a formal city employee.
“Whether she likes you or not, I don’t know. But I think if you like her, Fourth Brother, you should be brave. After all, the worst that can happen is she rejects you. But if you keep it bottled up and dare not say it, you’ll regret it when the opportunity passes.”
For the latter half of the journey back, Gu Xingye was deep in thought, pondering Chen Lishu’s words.
Upon returning home, Chen Lishu first went to gather pig feed, then fed the pigs and chickens before washing her hands to start preparing dinner.
“Mom and Dad, the Comrade surnamed Zhou whom my sister-in-law knows introduced me to a job at the Materials Bureau…”
During dinner, Gu Xingye proactively shared this news.