Chapter 9: Lu Yaoyao Looks for a Job

Lu Yaoyao was so disheartened by Lu Qiming’s words that she didn’t want to speak anymore. Was she really that bad?

Her mom hadn’t even attended high school, yet she still managed to find such an outstanding husband. And all these years, her dad never made her mom go to work.

Although her eyes resembled her dad’s more, her figure was inherited from her mom. Besides, she was smarter than her mom, so she refused to believe she would fare worse than her.

If her dad ultimately couldn’t secure a job for her, she would go ask her junior high classmate Li Zhijian for help. She heard his father worked in procurement at the supply and marketing cooperative.

Li Zhijian had wanted to date her before, but she hadn’t agreed. If she asked him for help, he would probably assist her, right?

“Mom, I’m still young and don’t want to get married yet. How about you get me a job at the supply and marketing cooperative instead? Even a temporary worker position would be fine.”

Lan Ziwan looked at her precious daughter, feeling both heartache and guilt. “Yaoyao, we don’t have any connections at the supply and marketing cooperative. Even with money, it’s impossible to get a job there now.”

“Dad, Mom, my classmate’s father works in procurement at the supply and marketing cooperative. I’ll go ask him for information right now.”

“Yaoyao, if the supply and marketing cooperative really had jobs for sale, they would have been taken by insiders long ago. Is your classmate male or female? Where does he work himself?”

“Mom, he works as a temporary worker at the machinery factory.”

“That’s a decent condition. Is he married?”

“Mom, what are you trying to do? Play matchmaker? That Li Zhijian is even shorter than Dad. I doubt he’s even 1.7 meters tall.”

“Are you still thinking about that Gu Yan’an? You’re not even 1.6 meters tall yourself. Gu Yan’an is at least 1.83 meters tall and all muscle. If he ever got violent, you wouldn’t know how you’d die.

Yaoyao, let me tell you, good-looking men aren’t necessarily reliable. If you want to find a partner, find someone who dotes on you, like your dad—a good man.”

Although Qiming wasn’t as tall as Xu Changqing or as handsome, at least he was considerate! All these years, Lu Qiming never made her do heavy work.

He also handed over his entire salary, sometimes even obeyed her every word, and their marital relationship was very harmonious. Even back then, when he found out she had been in a relationship before, he didn’t hold it against her for not being “pure.”

So she hoped her daughter would also find a man who loved her. Good looks couldn’t put food on the table.

When Lu Qiming heard his wife praising him like this, he felt as if he had eaten honey, and his gaze toward Lan Ziwan grew tender.

“Yaoyao, I share your mom’s opinion. When looking for a partner, aside from decent family conditions, the most important thing is that he treats you well.

Look at one of the female comrades in the logistics department of our Cultural and Arts Troupe. She found a boyfriend herself, but before they even got married, his younger sister forced her to give up her job.

Yaoyao, if you don’t want to go to the countryside, then marry someone who likes you! Once you go to the countryside, it’ll be hard to return to the city.”

Lu Yaoyao was somewhat swayed by Lu Qiming’s words. She knew her parents meant well for her. If Li Zhijian could find her a job, she would consider dating him.

The next day, Lan Ziwan went around asking everywhere about job openings and also inquired if there were any young men from decent families looking to go on blind dates.

Lu Qiming also bought some cigarettes and alcohol to visit his cousin-uncle, hoping he might have some ideas.

Lu Yaoyao took the initiative to go to the machinery factory to look for her classmate named Li Zhijian.

Li Zhijian couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw that the person coming to find him was actually his classmate Lu Yaoyao. He was so excited he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“Classmate Lu Yaoyao, what brings you to find me today?”

“Classmate Li, could you help me with something?”

Although Lu Yaoyao’s eyes were like her father’s—single eyelids, not very large—the rest of her features closely resembled her mother’s. She had a small face, crescent-shaped eyebrows, red lips and white teeth, and a well-endowed figure.

Teenage boys were at an age of fantasies, and to them, Lu Yaoyao was like a little fairy.

Of course, some male classmates didn’t like her type, looking down on her for not being good at studying.

Li Zhijian was completely infatuated with Lu Yaoyao. Hearing that the little fairy needed his help, he agreed without a second thought.

“Classmate Lu Yaoyao, whatever you need, just say the word. Even if it means climbing mountains of blades or crossing seas of fire, I’ll find a way to help you.”

“Thank you, Classmate Li. As you know, I failed the high school entrance exam twice and have been staying at home for another year. The aunties from the neighborhood committee came to hold a mobilization meeting, hoping I’d go to the countryside.”

Lu Yaoyao was the kind of student who started school late, performed poorly, and often repeated grades. It wasn’t that she lacked intelligence; it was mainly because she was too lazy. She’d play with her fingers and daydream in class, and after school, she’d fly around like a freed bird, wandering here and there.

When she got home, she wouldn’t even wash a single bowl. Even at her age, her clothes were still washed by her mother.

Li Zhijian asked nervously, “Classmate Lu Yaoyao, are you really going to the countryside? Why hasn’t your father tried to get you into his workplace?”

Lu Yaoyao shook her head, pouting with grievance. “My father did manage to get a spot, but it was for my brother. Classmate Li Zhijian, didn’t you say your father works in procurement at the supply and marketing cooperative?

Could you ask your uncle if anyone at the cooperative is selling their job? Even a temporary worker position would do.”

Li Zhijian didn’t want Lu Yaoyao to go to the countryside. He had even been thinking of finding a matchmaker to propose marriage.

Before, Lu Yaoyao hadn’t paid him any attention. If he could help secure a job for her this time, maybe he could start a relationship with her?

“Classmate Lu Yaoyao, I’ll ask my father tonight. If the cooperative doesn’t work out, there’s always the cotton mill, right? My uncle works as an accountant at the cotton mill. Those in office jobs naturally know when the factory is hiring or if anyone is selling their position.”

“Okay, thank you!”

Li Zhijian grinned sheepishly. “No need, no need, Classmate Lu Yaoyao. If I can help you find a job this time, could you be my girlfriend?

I heard that if you get married, you don’t have to go to the countryside. And if you’re sick, you can get a certificate from the hospital to avoid it too.”

But she wasn’t sick—how could she get a hospital certificate? Marriage? Was she really going to marry at eighteen?

“Classmate Li, let’s talk about relationships later, okay? First, help me figure out the job situation.”

“Classmate Lu Yaoyao, my mother said that if I get married, she’ll leave the apartment assigned by their workplace to me, and they’ll move into the house my grandfather left behind.

I won’t have to hand over my salary either. I already have my own bicycle now. For marriage, we’d just need to buy a sewing machine and a watch.”

Lu Yaoyao knew that Li Zhijian’s family circumstances were quite good. He had three older sisters and was the youngest and most spoiled son in the family.

If it really was as he said, where he wouldn’t have to hand over his wages in the future and they could live separately, that wouldn’t be bad either. Although Li Zhijian wasn’t particularly tall, he wasn’t actually that bad-looking.

Most importantly, he had attended high school and was now working as a skilled technician at the machinery factory. Even though it was a temporary position, he still earned twenty-eight yuan a month.

“Classmate Li, I know your personal conditions are quite good. If you can help me settle the job matter this time, I think I’ll try dating you.”

Anyway, they had laid their cards on the table. In this era, matchmaking was all about discussing conditions, let alone dating on one’s own. It was only natural to state one’s requirements—no one was a fool.

Whether there was affection between a husband and wife depended on how they got along. As for the kind of life-or-death love in free romance, to them, it seemed like nothing more than unnecessary melodrama.

Lu Yaoyao had previously taken a liking to the eldest grandson of the Pan family, Gu Yan’an, precisely because she was drawn to his family background and his external qualities.

If Gu Yan’an had only been good-looking but useless in every other way, Lu Yaoyao wouldn’t have been interested either.

In this era, looking for a partner was inherently practical. Everyone wanted to find someone with good conditions to live a better life.

When Lu Yaoyao agreed to try dating him, Li Zhijian was stunned for a moment. He grinned foolishly and said, “Classmate Lu Yaoyao, I’ll go find my dad tonight. Once I have news, I’ll come to you.”

“Alright, thank you! I’ll head back first!”

Li Zhijian felt that since Lu Yaoyao had agreed to give him a chance, he should show his sincerity properly.

He took out one yuan and some grain coupons from his pocket and quickly stuffed them into Lu Yaoyao’s hand.

“Classmate Lu Yaoyao, it’s getting late. Take this money and have a bowl of noodles on the street before heading back.”

Lu Yaoyao hadn’t expected Li Zhijian to be so generous, directly giving her one yuan for noodles.

She was about to return the money, but Li Zhijian had already run off. “Classmate Lu Yaoyao, I need to get to work. See you next time!”

Lu Yaoyao couldn’t quite describe how she felt—a little touched, yet also finding it quite amusing. Would he become a man like her father?