SFS Chapter 369 Enlisting in the Army
Chapter 369 Enlisting in the Army
“The money is real, I’m just a little worried!” Zhao Di said hesitantly.
"Don't worry, I think this Madam Chen is a good person. I'll go with you tomorrow. If they really do provide meals, I can come back with you in the afternoon. If not, we won't go anymore." Madam Huang was kind-hearted. She rarely had a good friend like this, so she naturally wanted to help her to the end.
"Okay, Huang Mei'er, you're so kind."
"I'm getting angry at what you're saying." Madam Huang feigned anger for a moment, then pulled her hand and smiled. "Don't you have some dried seaweed there? We'll send it to your residence tomorrow. Maybe we can even make some money from it."
"Okay!" The two were very affectionate.
The next morning, Huang woke up her sleeping child. Her husband had disappeared early in the morning, and after eating something quickly, she took Zhao Di and her son to the Commandant's Mansion.
A large group of women had gathered in a chaotic crowd at the entrance of the Commandant's Office, all there for job interviews. County Magistrate Lou and a few others were there verifying their identities.
Huang pushed Zhao Di and her son forward, and Zhao Di went forward hesitantly and gave her name.
Magistrate Lou flipped through the documents. "Oh, it's from Lin Sibing's family. Come in!"
Zhao Di, holding the child, turned around and glanced at Huang Shi. Huang Shi waved to her and nodded, letting her in.
Zhao Di mustered her courage and entered the mansion. Aunt Hu came up and chatted with her for a few words. After looking at her hands, she said, "You're a decent worker. Our job is very simple. We just make all kinds of food. As long as it's clean, that's fine. The wages are one tael of silver a month, and we pay on the fifth of each month."
After saying that, she looked at her child again. The child was fairly clean, so she said, "You can bring the child with you. There's a room over there where someone will look after the child. I'll take you there to see him."
Zhao Di nodded and followed her to the room, which was converted from the main hall of the house. It had windows on all four sides, and each room was furnished with tables and chairs with corner protectors, as well as a huge wall painted black, the purpose of which was unknown.
She was too embarrassed to ask.
“Look here, you can learn to read together here. My son will also learn here, and you’ll save money on hiring a tutor.”
Zhao Di's eyes lit up. Her long-standing hesitation was finally put to rest. This opportunity to teach her child to read was something she would be willing to do for free, even if she wasn't paid.
"Do you have any other questions?" Aunt Hu asked patiently.
"No problem, can I bring my child to work tomorrow?"
"It'll be the day after tomorrow. You should go back first. We don't have enough manpower yet. We'll recruit another batch of non-military dependents tomorrow, and we can start work the day after tomorrow." Passing by the kitchen, seeing the child drooling over the steamed buns, Aunt Hu casually grabbed two and stuffed them into the child's hands.
"This...this is so presumptuous!" Zhao Di tucked her dry, yellow hair behind her ear, her thin, bony hands hurriedly trying to take the steamed bun back.
"Give the child some food. You can come back to work the day after tomorrow. Just work hard, and you'll have plenty to eat. This child is too thin; you need to make sure he eats more." Aunt Hu was soft-hearted and patted her hand, refusing her request. Especially for these military dependents, raising a child alone without husbands is incredibly difficult.
"Thank you, Auntie!" Zhao Di lowered her eyes, her voice slightly choked.
As they stepped outside, Madam Huang greeted them, and Zhao Di said, "Huang Mei'er, why don't you give it a try? They need more people."
"Me? Wasn't it supposed to be military dependents? Is someone like me suitable?"
"Give it a try! I heard they're recruiting people who aren't military dependents too. It'll be easier for us to work together later. It's one tael of silver a month! I think this Madam Chen is a really good person. Look at these big steamed buns," Zhao Di encouraged.
"See, I wasn't wrong, were I? You've been bribed too," Huang said sarcastically.
Zhao Di generously gave Xiao Yu a steamed bun, and the two children hugged the face-sized bun and ate it with great relish.
“Alright, I’ll go give it a try.” Huang was a straightforward person. She left the child with Zhao Di and went off. She came out quickly.
"How about it?"
"It's not that great, but I'll come with you the day after tomorrow anyway!" Huang said, feigning disappointment.
"Hey! Huh, you answered!" Zhao Di reacted a beat late.
"Haha, yes." They even bought Zhao Di's seaweed. The two of them excitedly took the child home.
In the evening, Lin Shuisheng returned home. Huang served the dishes, and the couple said in unison, "I have something to tell you!"
"Let me speak first. I'm going to work at Chen's workshop the day after tomorrow. I can take care of the kids there. I'm just idle at home anyway. What do you think?" Huang said, taking a bite of fish.
“Okay, that’s good. You go ahead. I’ve enlisted with the other brothers too. The officer I’m in now is pretty good. I heard he pays on time. We want to give it a try. Anyway, the food is good, and at least we can save some money.” Lin Shuisheng picked fish bones out of his wife’s mouth while eating a sweet potato.
"Won't it be dangerous? We'll have to kill Japanese soldiers, won't we? Maybe we shouldn't go." Huang poured her husband a cup of cloudy wine.
"There's no danger. I heard that this General Wang is highly skilled in martial arts, and his soldiers are all equipped with swords and spears. He's a good man, and many of the deserters have returned. I can't let my strength go to waste. I'll go and take a look first." Lin Shuisheng took a sip of wine and sighed.
"If you've thought it through, that's fine. I heard that Chen's family pays us one tael of silver a month. I wonder if it's true?" Huang was very excited when she said this.
"So high? Our monthly salary is also said to be one tael. What can that workshop make? How can it be so profitable?" Lin Shuisheng paused, looking doubtful.
"I don't know about that. I heard from Aunt Hu that it's for making food."
"How much could food cost? One tael of silver a month? Is this Commandant Wang's wife just messing around?"
"Don't worry about that, let's eat."
Chen Wenfang's recruitment strategy was very effective; in just a few days, more than a hundred people enlisted.
With enough workers recruited for the workshops, the economy of Huian County suddenly started spinning like a flywheel.
On the day the work was to begin, Huang invited Zhaodi to join her. The two of them, taking the children with them, rushed to Chen's workshop in the early morning light.
It was already broad daylight, and many women with children were lining up at the entrance. Someone was specifically there to hand out work badges and contracts to the new female workers. Once they signed the contract, they went straight into the workshop, left their children in the care area, and started working.
Aunt Hu arranged for several old women to make a lot of pancakes for everyone's breakfast.
Chen Wenfang then took Caiyun and started teaching people how to make pastries. The dried chili peppers and other things sent from Lijia Town arrived. That's one of the advantages of being in Fujian. Brown sugar is easy to make, and there's plenty of sugarcane. You can receive the goods easily.
Truckloads of grain, rice, flour, and oil began to be delivered to the workshops in large quantities. Small fish, shrimp, kelp, and shellfish were all bought up. The largest shop in Huian Town, Chen's Department Store, which spanned five storefronts, was about to open.