After leaving the recycling station, Feng Qingqing found an empty corner and, as usual, tossed everything into her spatial storage room.
She walked along the road for a long time, planning her next moves in her head. She would be sent to the countryside soon, but before she left, the family responsible for her miserable fate in her past life was still living comfortably. That would never do. If she didn't collect some interest first, she wouldn't be able to leave with peace of mind.
By then, it was lunchtime. Feng Qingqing walked slowly into the State-run Restaurant; since she arrived early, it was still quiet. She ordered a bowl of shredded pork noodles and bought ten steamed buns and ten meat buns. The waiter’s eyes nearly popped out of his head at the amount she purchased.
She ate the noodles slowly; in this era, they were generous with both the meat and the noodles. Once finished, she strolled over to the factory office.
As soon as she arrived at Director Zhao's office, she saw Director Zhao pacing restlessly. When the director saw Feng Qingqing, she stood up to welcome her with bright, expectant eyes. Although Feng Qingqing knew the job transfer should go smoothly, she still felt a bit anxious until it was officially finalized.
Zhao Xiaojuan pulled Feng Qingqing aside and quietly discussed the transfer. Since it was an office position, the price was slightly higher: 900 yuan. Feng Qingqing was satisfied with this amount. Zhao Xiaojuan immediately went out to call her daughter in. They completed the paperwork, and Zhao Xiaojuan counted the 900 yuan twice to ensure it was correct before handing it to Feng Qingqing, along with extra meat and cotton ration coupons. These were exactly the coupons Feng Qingqing needed, so she accepted them without refusal.
After the handover was complete, Zhao Xiaojuan asked her daughter to head home first. Feng Qingqing then spoke with Zhao Xiaojuan in detail about the house. Although she was willing to return the house to the factory, she requested that they wait until after she had departed for the countryside to reclaim it. Zhao Xiaojuan agreed, stating that as soon as Feng Qingqing handed over the keys, she would arrange for someone to take back the property the next day.
With everything settled, Feng Qingqing left with the warm stack of 900 yuan in her pocket, feeling quite pleased. In her past life, Jiang Yun’s eldest brother, Jiang Hongbing, had taken this job while she ended up with nothing, sent off to the countryside empty-handed. Even then, Jiang Yun hadn't let her be; she had followed her to the countryside, bribed her fellow educated youths to monitor her, and even hired people to harm her.
In this life, she would see them lose everything. Thinking of Feng Damei frantically scraping together money at this very moment made her want to laugh out loud. With the job matter settled, she only needed to wait for Feng Damei to deliver the money that night.
It was late by the time she arrived home. Feng Qingqing steamed some rice and stir-fried cabbage with vinegar for herself, enjoying a delicious meal. Just as she finished, she heard a knock at the door.
*It’s time,* Feng Qingqing thought. She wasn't in a rush; she calmly washed her bowls, dried her hands, and then went to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, Feng Damei burst into the room in her usual flustered manner. Before she could even catch her breath, she said to Feng Qingqing, "Qingqing, there haven't been any changes to the house or the job, have there? Your aunt has all the money ready." She patted her trouser pocket, looking immensely proud.
"The house and the job are fine, but..."
"But what? Is there anything you can't tell your aunt? If there’s a problem, your cousins are still here to help."
At the mention of those cousins spoiled rotten by Feng Damei, Feng Qingqing’s expression became complicated.
"It’s just that, after I transfer the job to my eldest cousin, what am I supposed to do?" Feng Qingqing looked at Feng Damei with a helpless expression, as if her entire future rested in her aunt’s hands.
"Oh, is that all? That’s simple. You just come stay with me. Come to my place; I can take better care of you there. As for the job and the house, just let your eldest cousin have them, and you can keep the wages. Isn't that better than anything?" Feng Damei patted Feng Qingqing’s hand with an indulgent, maternal smile. "Qingqing, don't think too much. From now on, just leave everything to your aunt."
"All right, Aunt. I’ll come live with you. I’m quite scared staying here all by myself." To further her plan, Feng Qingqing humbled herself.
Feng Damei beamed upon hearing this. She had been wondering how to convince the stubborn girl to move in; she would have her eldest son, Hongbing, move in tomorrow and finalize the job. The thought made her heart practically bubble with joy.
Feng Qingqing packed a simple bag and left with Feng Damei and Jiang Yun. Feng Damei’s family lived in a small courtyard deep in an alleyway. Several families shared the space, and Feng Damei and her husband, Jiang Yong, lived in two rooms near the entrance. These two rooms had been subdivided: the couple lived in the front section, and their daughter Jiang Yun lived in a tiny partitioned space with barely enough room for a small bed and a table—there wasn't even enough space to turn around. The outer room had also been split into two; the eldest and third sons lived in the back, while the second son slept in the entranceway, laying out his bed at night and folding it away each morning.
Although Feng Qingqing had lived in these conditions in her past life, she was shocked once again by the squalor. But thinking she would only be there for a few days, she decided to endure it.
Feng Qingqing entered the room and, without taking off her shoes, flopped onto Jiang Yun's small bed, sighing with comfort while rubbing her shoes against the bedding. She glanced at Jiang Yun, who was standing behind her with a sour expression.
*You find this uncomfortable?* she thought. *Just wait, from today on, there will be plenty more for you to suffer through.*
Knowing she couldn't afford to offend Feng Qingqing yet, Jiang Yun puffed out her cheeks and stormed out. She found her mother, Feng Damei, and pulled her into the bedroom, closing the door behind them. She exaggeratedly recounted Feng Qingqing’s behavior and sobbed, "Mom, my room is so small, how can two people fit? I’m your only daughter; you can’t just watch me suffer!"
Feng Damei doted on her only daughter. Even though she knew it was a fake cry, her heart ached. "It’s only temporary. You know our family is counting on her right now. Just bear with it for a while."
"Mom, how long is she going to stay? I can't stand it for long!"
"This... it’s hard to say." Feng Damei looked conflicted. While she loved her daughter, her eldest son was the pride of the family, and Jiang Yong prioritized him. She couldn't ignore that, especially since this was a major deal.
Jiang Yun, however, wouldn't have it. Spoiled by her parents and three older brothers, she had developed a headstrong and overbearing personality. She persisted, refusing to drop the matter.
"What do you expect me to do? Your brother’s permanent job depends on her transferring it to him. You can’t offend her right now, or your father and brother won't forgive you, no matter how much they spoil you." Feng Damei felt a headache coming on.
Jiang Yun knew this, but she was simply too angry to let it go. Seeing her mother’s attitude, she realized there was no hope there. Once she calmed down, Jiang Yun thought hard. She didn't want to live with Feng Qingqing, but she had nowhere else to go. After thinking for a while, she arrived at the same conclusion as in her past life: send Feng Qingqing to the countryside.
"Mom, Mom," Jiang Yun said, her eyes suddenly lighting up. She pulled her mother down to sit beside her, her face flushed with excitement and her hands trembling slightly.
"What is it?" Feng Damei sat down, puzzled by her daughter’s sudden shift in mood.
"Mom, I’ve got it! I’ve thought of a great idea concerning Qingqing."
"What kind of idea?" Feng Damei asked, now interested.
"The countryside."
Seeing her mother look skeptical, Jiang Yun continued, "Think about it. Once she’s in the countryside, the house and the job become ours. As for the half-wages we promised, we can give them if we want and ignore them if we don’t. She’s so far away—what could she possibly do about it? And there’s the relocation subsidy, too. We should take that as well!"
Hearing this, Feng Damei, who was always looking for an advantage, was already in agreement. She was only worried about the logistics: the countryside was far harsher than it used to be, and those who went rarely returned. *Would that stubborn girl really go?*