Stickers were affixed, but the imagined effects like a sudden breeze blowing past were entirely absent. The job posting remained just that, not transforming into a flamboyant advertisement board.
After a moment of silence, Liu Chen, as planned, pasted the job posting on the communal pillar outside their door, shared with the neighbors.
The surrounding businesses, observing Liu Chen putting up the job posting, couldn't help but sigh:
"Sister Liu, you're hiring? It's so hard to find people these days. They often work for a few months, get the hang of things, and then just go back to their hometowns."
"That's right. Last year, the young man working for me, I even gave him a bonus for the Lunar New Year month. But after the new year, he said he was going to work in Guangdong. How could we afford Guangdong salaries? He left, and that was that."
"Ugh, exactly. And the one I hired before, after work, he went to the restroom and fell while playing with his phone, chipping his front tooth. He insisted I pay him two thousand yuan, which infuriated me."
Liu Chen listened to the aunties around her vent their frustrations. Thinking back to her own past life… looking at it this way, she was truly a diligent worker in her past life. No wonder Wang Dong, that scoundrel, was willing to offer her a higher salary and even promised her shares if she stayed for a few more years.
Speaking of which, Wang Dong seemed to be only in his early thirties now, not much older than her aunt, Hu Min. They might even be a good match.
Coincidentally, Aunt Hu Min had messaged her on QQ yesterday, asking when she wanted to take their mother for a check-up, as she was free this weekend.
That's right, the last time they met, Liu Chen had used the excuse of wanting to take her mother for a check-up, but her mother was afraid of pain and proud, so she hoped her aunt would invite her mother along. Of course, the main reason was to check if there were any signs of Aunt Hu Min's lung cancer.
Her aunt had said then that her company's project was nearing its end, and she was working overtime every day. She would let her know when the project went live and she had free time.
It seemed the project had now gone live.
After the neighborly business owners returned to their shops, Liu Chen finally brought up the check-up with her mother.
"Mom, last birthday, didn't Auntie say she had some chest pain? Yesterday, Auntie messaged me on QQ saying her company offered a free check-up package and wanted to invite you to go together tomorrow."
Liu Fang, who had just finished chatting with a group of women and was drinking chrysanthemum tea to quench her thirst, quickly put down her teacup upon hearing this. She frowned slightly and said anxiously, "This is such a big deal, why are you only telling me now? If you're not feeling well, you should go to the hospital for a check-up immediately. Hu Min too, if the company didn't offer a check-up package, she wouldn't go? Nonsense! Tell her to go at seven-thirty tomorrow morning. Check-ups are a hassle, and if you go late, you'll have to queue all day. The earlier you go, the sooner you'll finish."
With that one speech from Liu Fang, the time was set: seven-thirty in the morning… Her aunt would probably have to sleep early tonight.
After posting the job advertisement, Liu Chen kept a close eye on everyone who glanced at it.
"Sister Liu, you should be hiring. Look how good your business is every day!" This was a customer offering flattery and affirmation.
There were also those who made teasing, sarcastic remarks.
"Sister Liu, you need three people for such a small shop? How much are you paying? If it's high, I won't sell breakfast anymore, I'll come work for you!"
As it was nearing noon, Liu Chen stayed to eat lunch and even rest for a while. Just as she was about to leave, fearing she would be late, she heard Sister Li hesitantly say to her mother:
"Sister Liu, can I have my husband come try out on Monday? The houses their construction site was building, they say the boss hasn't paid them, and they're owed several months of wages. I saw the shop was short-handed, and I wanted to ask you, but I was afraid you didn't want to hire an extra person. Can you let him come work for a few months? Until the end of the year, and after the new year, he'll find another construction site."
Liu Chen wanted to keep listening, but Liu Fang hurried her along, urging her to go to cram school or she'd be late!
——
The next morning, at six-thirty, Liu Chen was dug out of her warm bed by her mother, yawning as she brushed her teeth.
Liu Fang turned on the living room TV to the news channel, putting on the first broadcast. Ever since she started her wholesale business, Liu Fang had become fond of watching this program early in the morning. Of course, mainly because in the early morning, apart from re-runs of dramas, only the news channel offered something new.
"What time did you go to bed last night? It's already past seven, why are you still sleepy?" Liu Fang muttered, while bringing out two generously filled hand-grabbed pancakes and two cups of warm milk from the kitchen.
Liu Chen poked her head out from the bathroom, her mouth still foamy, saying, "I wasn't playing! I was doing practice papers all night! Just wait until school starts, Comrade Liu Fang, and you'll see! Please invite the parents of Liu Chen, who is in the top ten of the grade, to share their parenting experience~"
"What did you just call me? Never mind, never mind. Top ten in the grade? If you can even get into the top ten of your grade, you can call me Comrade Liu Fang for the rest of your life!"
After saying that, Liu Fang chuckled to herself. It was true, even though her darling daughter had been quite diligent this summer, top ten in the grade… it felt more like a dream.
After the mother and daughter finished breakfast, Liu Chen eagerly washed the dishes before they left.
It was seven o'clock on a Sunday morning in 08. There were only a few scattered vehicles on the street. It took less than twenty minutes to drive to C City Second People's Hospital, where they had arranged to meet her aunt.
Upon arrival, Liu Chen immediately spotted her aunt, Hu Min, with dark circles under her eyes and yawning continuously. Liu Fang had also seen her.
When Liu Fang married Hu Xingfa in the 1990s, Hu Min, her sister-in-law, was still young, about ten years old. Her mother-in-law, Luo Meihong, was lazy, spending her days either cracking melon seeds at the village entrance or lying in bed sleeping.
The ten-year-old sister-in-law's hair was unwashed and uncombed, a messy mess, and occasionally lice could be seen jumping. Her clothes were full of holes, and no one bothered to mend them.
Back then, people said that older sisters were like mothers. Liu Fang thought that as a sister-in-law, she was half a mother. She grabbed Hu Min and cut her hair. She couldn't comb it; it was all matted. After cutting it, she permed and combed it, and finally used vinegar packs to get rid of the lice. Afterward, she made two sets of change clothes for her from her dowry fabric.
From then on, Hu Min, the sister-in-law, became her shadow. Even when Liu Chen was born, her mother-in-law Luo Meihong looked down on her. Hu Min, however, helped take care of her in a proper manner for quite some time.
It could be said that Hu Min, the sister-in-law, was raised by Liu Fang. However, in the years after her divorce, Liu Fang's anger towards Hu Xingfa couldn't help but extend to Hu Min. She had rejected Hu Min's invitations to eat out several times.
Over time, her aunt stopped inviting her, only saying that if she needed money, she should let her know. But yesterday, upon hearing that Hu Min was unwell, Liu Fang's first reaction was to rush over and urge her child to get a check-up!
Seeing Liu Fang after a long absence, Hu Min's face couldn't help but show a childlike dependence.