Of course, at this moment, Tian Tian had no idea that she would run into Chen Jiahao again in the near future.
After seeing Chen Jiahao off, Tian Tian headed straight to her grandmother’s house to tattle.
But just as she arrived, before she could even start complaining, a guest showed up with New Year’s gifts.
“Oh, Tian Tian, here to visit your grandmother? I heard something happened at your supply and marketing cooperative. Are you okay?”
“Uncle Seven! You’re back from Hong Kong? When did you get back?”
Many people from their village worked elsewhere—Hong Kong, Yangcheng (Guangzhou), Shenzhen, even Southeast Asia. Around the Lunar New Year, they would come back to the village to celebrate. As for those who went as far as Europe or America, they rarely returned because it was too far.
Uncle Seven laughed. “Got back last night. Had some free time today, so I thought I’d bring your grandmother some New Year’s goods.”
They chatted for a few more moments, then Uncle Seven headed off to the next house, carrying his stack of gifts.
That’s just how their village worked—everyone was connected by family ties or marriage. After young people got married, they would give gifts or holiday money to their respected elders during festivals. How much depended on their ability. No one was forced to give expensive gifts—a bag of rice or a jug of oil was never looked down upon.
Seeing Uncle Seven leave, Tian Tian immediately started tattling to her grandmother.
When Granny Tian heard that Tian Xin was stirring up trouble again, she was so angry she didn’t even feel like putting away the New Year’s goods anymore.
“What’s wrong with that girl’s head? Is ruining her own reputation something to be proud of? And she blames you for it! I’ve never seen such an unruly girl. I never asked her to bring glory to the family—why can’t she just behave?”
“Grandma, Tian Xin has parents and an older brother. Don’t get so worked up. Let the eldest uncle handle her education.”
Tattling was one thing, but Tian Tian didn’t want her grandmother to get too angry. After all, Tian Xin was just an annoyance. She didn’t have the guts to commit murder or arson.
As she spoke, Tian Tian helped sort through the pile of New Year’s goods her grandmother had received. Then she couldn’t help but laugh.
The familiar packaging with “Tian Ji Bakery” written on it—wasn’t that the peanut candy her own family had sold? It had made the rounds and somehow come right back to them. That was actually pretty funny.
Seeing Tian Tian chuckling to herself, Granny Tian asked curiously, “What’s so funny?”
Tian Tian didn’t hide it. She told the story about making the peanut candy.
“See, Grandma? Tian Ji products are top quality!”
Granny Tian smiled and playfully tapped Tian Tian on the forehead.
“Oh, you little rascal. You take after your father—you’ll never go hungry. But Tian Xin, with her head full of ‘rely on a man’ ideas… Who knows what kind of life she’ll end up with?”
Seeing the topic return to Tian Xin, Tian Tian wasn’t bothered. After all, Tian Xin was still her grandmother’s own granddaughter.
“Worrying now won’t help. Besides, not everyone has her kind of skills.”
She didn’t say more. After all, women who relied on men could have good lives or bad ones—it all depended on the man’s character.
Tian Tian had always relied on herself since she was young. She didn’t want to put her fate in the hands of some strange man.
The aftermath was predictable: Tian Xin got scolded again and was confined to her home by her father—not even allowed to visit relatives’ houses.
With the troublemaker out of the way, Tian Tian’s days became peaceful again. Everything went smoothly right up to the Spring Festival.
Celebrating the Spring Festival in the village was very lively. People visited each other’s homes to exchange New Year’s greetings, and naturally, the conversation turned to the sisters Tian Tian and Tian Xin. After comparing the two, someone asked Tian Tian about her plans after the New Year. Everyone already knew she had sold her job at the supply and marketing cooperative.
“Why not come with us to Yangcheng after the New Year? Selling clothes there is really profitable now. Your cousin Ting has a stall there—you could help her sell clothes.”
“No, that won’t do. Tian Tian is a vocational school graduate, an accountant. She should work in an office building in Yangcheng proper.”
“Shenzhen is great too! Lots of factories there are hiring accountants. I hear the pay is very good.”
Relatives buzzed with suggestions.
Tian Tian listened with a smile. When they finished, she said, “I’ve already decided. After the New Year, I’ll go to Shenzhen and see what I can do there.”
Hearing she had a definite destination in mind, everyone stopped making recommendations.
Tian Tian took the chance to ask her relatives who worked in Shenzhen about the current situation there.
In her previous life, she had only gone to Shenzhen two years later, in 1986. It was pretty chaotic back then. Even though the “Strike Hard” anti-crime campaign was still ongoing, she figured some areas were still quite disorderly.
Also, to enter Shenzhen, she needed a border area permit. Tian Tian planned to apply for it after the New Year. As for transportation and other details, she asked her relatives for all the information.
The relatives were very enthusiastic, each sharing tips for going to Shenzhen. Some even invited her to travel with them after the New Year. But Tian Tian asked about their schedules and found they didn’t match up.
“If only Brother Meng were back this year. He usually waits until after the Lantern Festival to take people down to Shenzhen.”
Brother Meng was also a relative, though a distant one. He was already in his thirties. Every year, he would lead many people to Shenzhen to find work. Of course, most of the time, he brought people from other towns and villages—after all, their area was relatively close to Shenzhen, so many who wanted to go just took the bus themselves.
But this year, he hadn’t come back for the New Year. Word was he had gone to Hong Kong with some big boss.
Tian Tian didn’t know him well anyway, so she just let the comment pass.
“No worries. I’ve been to Shenzhen several times myself. My little aunt lives there too.”
Granny Tian had given birth to three children: Tian Tian’s eldest uncle, her father, and her little aunt. Her little aunt had married into Shenzhen and had taken Grandpa Tian and Grandma Tian there to stay for a while the previous month.
Hearing this, everyone stopped worrying. After all, Tian Tian really had been to Shenzhen a few times.
The New Year passed in a lively fashion. By the fifth day of the lunar new year, many relatives who worked in other places were already bustling off on buses to return to their jobs.
Tian Tian’s household became completely quiet as they started preparing the things she would need for Shenzhen.
“Mom, it’s still early! After I get the border permit, I probably won’t leave until after the Lantern Festival.”
Mother Tian said, “Better to prepare in advance. If you leave it to the last minute, you might forget something.”
Watching her mother pack a huge pile of luggage, Tian Tian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“How about your father takes you there? You can stay with your little aunt first. Once you find a job, you can move out. I hear many jobs in Shenzhen provide room and board.”
Mother Tian nagged on, then suddenly added, “Maybe you should just stay and work in the county instead.”
“Mom, there aren’t many good jobs in the county. And besides, it’d be hard for me to land a job in a state-owned unit right now.”
Though it hadn’t spread widely, people in certain circles in the county already knew that Tian Tian was the one who had reported the corrupt rats at the supply and marketing cooperative. That meant she had become famous county-wide in another way—past life and present life, she was destined to be famous either way.
With that kind of reputation, finding work in a public institution would be difficult. People would be afraid she might report them too if things went wrong. And let’s face it—in those days, quite a few people had dirty hands.
As for private businesses, the county wasn’t very developed. Most were small workshops—husband-and-wife operations, father-and-son teams. When they did hire, they hired relatives.
For job hunting, a big city was much better.
Besides, that “vegetable patch” was still waiting for her.
Mother Tian couldn’t talk her daughter out of it, and Father Tian stayed silently conflicted. He secretly regretted being a “salty fish” for decades—if he had become a big boss, his daughter wouldn’t have to leave home.
Seeing them both so downcast, Tian Tian laughed. “It’s only a three-to-four-hour bus ride from home to Shenzhen. It’s not like I’m never coming back. I promise to return once every month or two.”
Father and Mother Tian exchanged glances. Hmm, that was true.
The family finally laughed together.
Time quickly passed to the eighteenth day of the lunar new year—an auspicious day for travel.
Tian Tian got up early, ate a bowl of boiled rice noodles, and then the three of them—father, mother, and daughter—shouldered their luggage and headed toward the village entrance.
Outside, they ran into Grandpa Tian, Grandma Tian, and the eldest uncle, who had come to see them off.
When they reached the village entrance, Feng Mei was already waiting there.
“You guys are so early!”
Feng Mei reached out and patted Tian Tian on the shoulder. “Not that early. The first bus should be here in about ten minutes. Niu Zai is already by the roadside waiting to flag it down for you.”
Tian Tian chuckled. “Alright, let’s walk faster. You and Niu Zai are real friends. When I make it big in Shenzhen, I definitely won’t forget you two.”
Feng Mei laughed. “Okay, we’ll wait for you to get rich!”
“Get rich doing what?” Niu Zai’s voice came from up ahead by the roadside. Everyone burst out laughing.
They didn’t wait long. The small passenger bus to Shenzhen soon arrived.
Niu Zai helped flag the bus down, and Father Tian helped stuff the luggage inside.
Their stop was along the route to Shenzhen, so the bus was already nearly full. Fortunately, there were still seats in the back. Tian Tian squeezed into one, rolled down the window, and waved goodbye to her family and friends.
“Don’t miss me too much!”
The bus pulled away, and everyone waved again. Tian Tian felt a little sad but also a little excited.
Shenzhen, here I come.
Vegetable patch, here I come.
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