Chapter 23: Let Manman Take Over the Work for You

Zhou Xinyan felt a pang of distress as she looked at the list. She had placed third; even without Huanhuan, the position would not have gone to her. Her nose stung, and tears threatened to spill.

Xu Qinghuan squeezed her palm and whispered, "You can consider my previous proposal. If you're interested, we should act on it immediately. Do you see my cousin over there? I’m currently staying at her home. She had registered for this exam but didn't actually take it. Do you understand?"

Zhou Xinyan widened her eyes in disbelief. "And what about you?"

"Don't worry about me. Even if I weren't being sent down to the countryside, I wouldn't stay in Shen City anyway."

Xu Qinghuan didn't mention that she had already signed up for the rustication program. After all, they had only known each other for two days. Even if she could trust that Zhou Xinyan wouldn't harm her, she couldn't guarantee the same for the people behind her. They could easily wait until she was gone and organize another recruitment exam.

Zhou Xinyan gave Xu Qinghuan a long, deep look, then turned and ran toward the factory without a word. She headed straight for the office of the Trade Union Chairman. "Second Uncle, I didn't pass!" she said anxiously.

Zhou Zhiguo rubbed his temples. "What can we do then? How about you start as a temporary worker in the factory?"

He had three brothers, but this was his only niece, and she had been raised quite delicately. The top candidate’s score was simply too perfect—even the people from the Foreign Translation Bureau couldn't find a single flaw. How could he blatantly push his niece ahead? The second-place candidate was also quite impressive; while far behind the first, they were still much stronger than his niece.

"Second Uncle, I know Xu Qinghuan. I talked to her, and I can get her to give the spot to me. We just need to give her some money and ration coupons," Zhou Xinyan said.

She didn't mention that she and Xu Qinghuan were friends, fearing her uncle would use that to bargain with her. She wasn't foolish; she knew Huanhuan might have already signed up for the countryside and only took the exam to earn some money. Her own family had prepared a thousand yuan to buy her a job, and since Huanhuan trusted her, she couldn't betray that trust.

"She agreed?" Zhou Zhiguo asked, incredulous. "How could she possibly agree?"

"If she doesn't sell it, she won't be able to keep the job anyway. Her family would just force her to give it to her cousin. So, I’ve arranged for her to sell it to me," Zhou Xinyan said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

***

In front of the red announcement board, Qian Xingguo walked up to Xu Qinghuan. "Xu Qinghuan, sell this job to me for twelve hundred yuan. How about it?"

Before Xu Qinghuan could respond, Jiang Chengxu pulled Xu Manman over. "Don't sell it!" He turned to Xu Qinghuan. "Qinghuan, let’s set the wedding date as soon as possible. You should give the job to Manman. That way, you both can stay in the city and won't have to worry about being sent down."

Xu Qinghuan narrowed her eyes at Xu Manman. "You are against going to the countryside?"

Xu Manman replied with a mocking smile, "Who wants to go to the countryside? Who wouldn't want to stay in the city? Or does sister actually want to go?"

Xu Qinghuan said noncommittally, "If I cannot stay in the city to help build our motherland, I will go to the countryside with enthusiasm. This is the directive of our leadership. By opposing it, you are opposing our leaders. Do you think the leaders' directives are wrong?"

Xu Manman’s face turned pale. She had accidentally fallen into the trap Xu Qinghuan set for her. Tears streamed down her face. "Sister, I didn't mean that. It’s just... my health is poor, and I'm afraid I’ll become a burden to the people in the countryside."

Jiang Chengxu was losing his patience. "Qinghuan, Manman is still young. You can teach her where she's ignorant, but you shouldn't harm her!"

"So, I am expected to hand over a job I earned through hard work to her?" Xu Qinghuan looked at Jiang Chengxu coldly. "Let me be clear: she is my cousin, not yours. And while you are nominally my fiancé, if you are so selfless and noble, I believe it would be more appropriate for you to give your job to her. Why be generous with someone else's property? Is that how you show your love and protection for her?"

Jiang Chengxu’s face turned livid. "Qinghuan, I didn't think you were this kind of person! I don't want you to just give the job to Manman; I was hoping for a compromise so neither of you would have to leave. If we get married, you won't have to go. I will earn money to support you. If Manman gets the job, she won't have to go either, and she can share some of her salary with you."

Xu Manman quickly promised, "Sister, it's not that I don't want to go, but my health... I’d just be a burden. Once I start working, I’ll give you half my salary every month. How about that?" She almost begged.

Those participating in the exam were all junior and senior high school graduates facing rustication. None of them wanted to leave their familiar lives for a strange, backward rural area. They felt Jiang Chengxu’s proposal was indeed a win-win.

But Xu Qinghuan could not accept it. Setting aside the fact that she had no habit of giving away what was hers, who would actually share half their salary forever? Even if Xu Manman were willing, could she actually keep taking it without others gossiping or criticizing her?

***

People in this world always look only at the present and are always quick to forget the past. In a month, two months, half a year, or even a year, who would remember that the job was originally Xu Qinghuan's?

Xu Qinghuan wasn't angry; she rarely was, because anger meant hurting oneself with others' mistakes. She said calmly, "The job is mine. Why don't you marry Xu Manman instead? That would be a true win-win solution."

Xu Manman was ecstatic, a smile spreading in her eyes, but when she saw Jiang Chengxu’s darkened face, she instantly regained her composure, stamped her foot, and pouted, "Sister, how can you say such things! Brother Chengxu loves you!"

Jiang Chengxu was trembling with rage. "Xu Qinghuan, do you know what you are saying?"

Everyone loves a scene involving two women and one man. With the exam results out and settled, everyone's attention shifted to them. A large crowd gathered.

Xu Qinghuan didn't care about Jiang Chengxu's attitude. "If you ask me to give up the job, I certainly can't bear to. However, I can give you to her. If you marry Xu Manman, she won't have to go to the countryside either."

Jiang Chengxu realized she wasn't joking, and his heart sank to the bottom. "How many times do I have to tell you? Manman and I are innocent! I treat her well only because of you; I look after her like a younger sister."

Xu Qinghuan no longer wanted to reason with them. Just then, someone came out of the factory and called for her. Assuming it was about the hiring process, she didn't think twice and trotted into the factory.

Xu Manman grew anxious and tugged at Jiang Chengxu’s sleeve. "Brother Chengxu, what do we do? Sister keeps misunderstanding us. It’s all my fault. I want to explain, but I never get the chance."

She wasn't worried about the job, because she couldn't imagine Xu Qinghuan choosing to go to the countryside. As long as the job was in Xu Qinghuan's hands, it would eventually be hers.