When Lin Xia saw the formula the next day, she was grinning from ear to ear. What a relief—at least she wouldn’t have to worry about her babies going hungry anymore.
And so life carried on. Lin Xiaohe got up early every morning to pick up the produce from the other side, sold it at the market, then did her big shopping haul. She’d have lunch, keep busy in the afternoon, and in the evening, she’d head to the educated youth compound to learn characters. Every day was packed.
Time flew by—before anyone knew it, the Lin family’s new house was almost finished. The workers, who were fed a meal every day, felt a little embarrassed—the food was better than what they got at home, and on top of that, they were getting paid. They worked extra hard, and the house went up fast.
The frame was already up, and according to the brigade leader, they should hold a beam-raising ceremony before finishing it off. But the Lins felt there was no need for all that fuss—the important thing was to get the house done so they could settle in comfortably. The brigade leader didn’t push and helped them hold a simple ceremony before everyone got back to work.
The Lins were truly on the rise. Everyone could see that Lin Xia was taking good care of her third brother—some even whispered that she might be able to get him a city job.
Lin Xia had no idea the brigade leader thought so highly of her. But as it happened, she did have news.
An old master craftsman at her husband’s factory was about to retire. The family had been fighting tooth and nail over who would inherit his position, causing an ugly scene. After mulling it over for half a year, the old man decided he would give the job to no one—instead, he’d sell it and take on an apprentice.
With the way they’d fought, it was clear they wouldn’t be there for his old age. They’d probably end up as enemies.
“Xia, what are you brooding about? I’ve called you three times.”
“Mom, Master Qian is selling his job. I was thinking—could my third brother take it? Others might not know, but we do—they’re doing well financially. Just from the goods we’ve moved for them this past month, we’ve made over a thousand. If we get him a job, that gives a proper explanation for the money. Third Brother’s clever too—after half a year with Master Qian, he might even pass the Level 2 or Level 3 fitter exams.”
Cai Juhua thought about it. “That’s not a bad idea. But your brother’s still laid up—will Master Qian wait?”
“I think so. He’s already waited half a year—a couple more months won’t matter. He probably wants someone with a good reputation. After all, a master is like a second father. With his own kids being useless, he’s probably not looking for someone to support him—just someone to stay in touch with in his old age.”
“You see things clearly. Makes sense. I’ll bring some gifts tomorrow and have a chat with Old Qian. If it’s promising, we’ll treat them like family—we all live in the same compound anyway.”
Lin Cai had no idea that a job opportunity was about to land in his lap while he was still bedridden.
Two months had passed. He could move now—walk slowly, at least, which was a world away from being stuck in bed. He hobbled over to the construction site to see how the new house was shaping up.
It was really something—a stone foundation over two meters high, with blue bricks laid on top, though not too many of them. The roof beams were done, and a few people were finishing up the last details.
“Dad, what are you doing out here?” Lin Xiaohe came back from the educated youth compound, notebook in hand.
“Came out for a look. How many characters did you learn today?”
“A lot.” Lin Xiaohe lifted her chin with pride.
“That’s my girl!”
“Dad, you need to go back and lie down—don’t hurt yourself again.”
She sighed and helped her father back inside.
“Alright, alright—I’m going, I’m going.”
…
“Third Brother, I’ve got some news for you.” Lin Xia wheeled her bike through the gate with practiced ease.
“An old master at our factory is retiring. He’s not passing his job to his family—he’s planning to sell it.
What do you think? If you’re interested, I’ll have my mother-in-law go chat with him tonight—he’s in no rush. You can meet him once you’re fully recovered.”
Lin Cai stared in disbelief. He’d thought life was already as good as it could get—but now this?
“Sis, are you serious? Something this good just falls into my lap?”
“Do I look like I’m joking? I’m serious.”
“Yes! Yes, we want it! Second Aunt, please—keep an eye on it for us.”
Lin Xiaohe jumped in immediately—this was a golden opportunity.
“Alright—I’ll talk to him when I get back.
The house is almost done, so I won’t be coming as often—maybe every two or three days.”
“Auntie, we can’t always rely on you—you’ve got your own family to take care of.”
“You’re such a little grown-up.” Lin Xia tapped the girl’s nose. “If anything comes up, come find me. If I can help, I will.”
“Hehe, we know, Auntie!”
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