After Director Ge took the older sister and her husband to register, Liang Yukui dismissed the others to their respective tasks, and soon the office was left with just the two of them.
Li Yi immediately said, “Brother Liang, I really can’t thank you enough!”
“Haha, if it weren’t for you, I’d probably be sitting in jail right now, so don’t be so formal with me!” Liang Yukui said with a smile.
Li Yi smiled and said, “But no matter what, I still have to thank you, Brother Liang, for what you did for my older sister! How about this—I’ll treat you to a simple lunch today. I’ll invite Team Leader Wang and Team Leader Li to join us too!”
Liang Yukui smiled and said, “Lunch is fine, but don’t invite the National Security guy—he definitely won’t be able to make it!”
“Oh, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing much—just a major incident in the county. He’s swamped over there!”
“Something major?”
“Heh, I’m not exactly sure of the details. We were at a meeting at the County Party Committee yesterday morning. Right as the meeting started, he was rushed out by someone. Then the top leader presiding over the meeting left too. After that, word got around that something major had happened in the county,” Liang Yukui explained.
“In that case, let’s not call them. When the time comes, Brother Liang, you bring along Deputy Plant Manager Zhou and Director Ge, and I’ll bring my sister and brother-in-law. Let’s have Director Liu arrange some local specialties for us!”
“What kind of local delicacies?”
“You’ll find out when we get there. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied!” Li Yi said with a smile.
“Alright then!”
The two chatted for a while longer, and then Director Ge returned with Li Mei and Yang Wenguang.
“Have you registered them?” Liang Yukuai asked.
Director Ge replied immediately, “It’s all taken care of. As it happens, both the warehouse and the transport team are short-staffed. I’ve already taken Comrade Yang Wenguang and Comrade Li Mei to meet with their team leaders—they can start work anytime!”
“That’s great!”
Liang Yukui then added, “Director Ge, Brother Li Yi is treating us to lunch today. Tell Old Zhou and Old Guo not to go to the small cafeteria at noon!”
“Got it!”
Li Yi glanced at the time and saw it was getting late. He said, “Brother Liang, I’m going to take my sister and brother-in-law to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some daily necessities. We’ll wait for you at the state-run restaurant at noon!”
“Alright, then I won’t see you off!”
“Go ahead and get back to work. There’s no need to be so formal between us!”
With that, Li Yi left Director Liang’s office with his older sister and brother-in-law.
After leaving the sugar factory, Li Mei still couldn’t quite believe it. “Xiao Yi, does that mean we’re workers now?”
Li Yi smiled and said, “Yep, full-time employees!”
“Xiao Yi, you’re really something!”
Yang Wenguang, feeling grateful, said, “Xiao Yi, thank you!”
“Brother-in-law, there’s no need to thank me. I did all this for my sister. If you really want to thank me, just treat my older sister well and don’t let her suffer any wrongs!” Li Yi said.
“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll definitely take good care of Meizi!”
At that moment, Li Mei said with a hint of regret, “Xiao Yi, it would be great if you and Xiao Xue could come work here too. Then we’d have four employees in our family!”
Li Yi smiled and said, “We have our own plans!”
To be honest, Li Yi really didn’t think much of factory work.
He knew full well that in a few years, these large state-owned factories would one by one fall into financial difficulties and eventually face bankruptcy.
And the workers would be forced to become laid-off workers, re-entering society to find new jobs.
However, seeing how excited his older sister and brother-in-law were, he kept those thoughts to himself.
After all, in their eyes, getting a job at a factory was truly a matter of bringing honor to their family.
Come to think of it, permanent factory workers these days were quite the big deal; their social status was no worse than that of ordinary civil servants.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that these workers’ wages aren’t generally very high—Grade 1 wages are only 33 yuan, and Grade 2 wages are around 38 yuan.
but being a factory worker with a state-subsidized food ration was still something to be envied. Moreover, once you became a worker, no matter how unattractive you were, finding a partner and getting married wasn’t difficult.
First, because workers enjoy high social status in this day and age, and they have a secure job—unless they break the law or violate public order and good morals, the factory director can’t fire anyone.
Second, the benefits were good and the pay was high.
A monthly wage of over thirty yuan was considered a high income at the time, especially compared to the commune members in the countryside, who might earn only a hundred or so yuan a year—a difference of several times over.
Furthermore, factory workers not only get holidays but are also issued uniforms.
Keep in mind that blue work uniforms were quite fashionable; you could keep one specifically for everyday wear, and even if it was washed until it was faded, it still looked respectable.
Furthermore, permanent employees could also look forward to factory-provided housing.
After getting married and working for a few years, your salary could rise to 45 yuan as a third-level worker, which would allow a family of three to live quite comfortably.
Consequently, among the dominant social classes—workers, peasants, and soldiers—workers ranked first. When young women married, they would marry a worker first, a soldier second, and only then would it be the turn of an ordinary commune member.
By the time they left the sugar factory, it was already 10:30. By then, their third older sister, Li Na, was already waiting for them at the factory gate.
After switching cars, Li Na immediately asked, “Xiao Yi, what are you guys up to next? Heading back to the village?”
Li Yi shook his head and said, “No, I’m not going back. I’m going to take my older sister and brother-in-law to the supply and marketing cooperative first to buy some daily necessities, and then I’ll pick up some flour on the way home!”
“As for lunch, I still have to go to the state-run restaurant to treat Factory Director Liang and the others to a meal!”
Hearing this, Li Na frowned and said, “You’re going to the state-run restaurant yourself—why do I have to make the trip?”
Li Yi replied immediately, “Treating them to a meal was a last-minute decision—it wasn’t part of the plan!”
“Hmph! You guys get to eat all the good food, while I’m out here under the blazing sun running the stall. Do you even consider me your sister anymore?”
Li Yi smiled and said, “Then why don’t we skip setting up the stall at noon? We can set it up after lunch?”
“Who’s going to eat our cold noodles after lunch? You guys just go!”
With that, Li Na ignored Li Yi and drove the cart toward the textile factory!
The reason for heading to the textile mill was, first, that there were many female workers there, making it relatively safe.
Second, the workers at the sugar factory had been getting free liangpi every day for the past week, and many of them were already sick of it.
So Li Yi told them to take a break and come back to set up their stall here in a few days.
Watching her third sister storm off, Li Mei said with some concern, “Xiao Yi, your third sister…”
“Hehe, sis, you know my third sister’s temper—she’s just talking!” Li Yi said with a smile.
“Really?”
“Yeah, once she gets her share of the money tonight, she’ll forget all about this little annoyance!” Li Yi said.
Li Mei smiled and said, “You’re right. Nana’s been a little money-grubber since she was a kid!”
Just then, her brother-in-law suddenly asked, “Xiao Yi, how much do you give Nana each day?”
Li Yi smiled and said, “A few dozen yuan, I guess. Anyway, it’s half the profit!”
Li Mei: “%……￥#@”
Yang Wenguang: “#￥%……&”
In an instant, the two who had just started working at the sugar factory felt their prospects take a nosedive…