Settling into a new home isn’t easy, but thankfully, Xue Ling had the weekend off to gradually get things in order. She managed to add a few essentials, finally feeling somewhat settled.
Cheng Tianyuan was on a rotating weekend duty and had left early in the morning.
After a busy morning, Xue Ling warmed up some leftover buns for breakfast and spent the afternoon translating until Cheng returned in the evening.
For dinner, he prepared two large bowls of pulled noodles, offering one to her.
With a small appetite, Xue Ling smiled wryly, “This is too much; I can’t finish it all!”
Cheng, without looking up, tapped her bowl with his chopsticks, “You’re too thin, eat more.”
Xue Ling managed to eat most of it but couldn’t finish the rest. Cheng, seeming quite hungry, naturally took her leftovers and devoured them before cleaning up.
“I’ve got things to do tonight. Make sure the yard is locked up and get some rest early,” he said before heading out.
Watching his tall figure leave, Xue Ling couldn’t help but voice a question that had been troubling her for days.
“Where do you go at night for your part-time job? What do you do?”
Cheng, busy washing dishes, explained, “Anywhere really, mostly helping load and unload trucks. It’s tiring physical work but it pays.”
With the supply and marketing cooperative only open during the day, he didn’t want to waste the precious evening hours.
“Physical work is dirty and exhausting, and you need to get along with the local workers. But sometimes, a few hours can earn five or six yuan, enough for a few days’ food and drink. I’m young and strong, as long as I work hard, I won’t worry about food and drink.”
Xue Ling felt a pang of sympathy, biting her lip as she gazed at his sturdy profile.
“Brother Yuan, we just sold some land back home, there should be some money left, right? Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Cheng paused, then chuckled softly.
“Don’t worry, I’m not tired. The five hundred yuan you gave was mostly used to pay off debts. Thankfully, it’s all settled now, and the rest went to dad’s medical bills.”
Xue Ling remembered his father’s long-suffering arm injury and felt deeply remorseful.
“His arm’s been injured for so many years; we can’t always rely on local treatment. I read in the paper the other day about a big hospital in the provincial city offering imported prosthetics. Maybe we could inquire about it. A prosthetic could allow him to perform simple tasks, even work.”
If it weren’t for saving her father, his arm wouldn’t have been in pain for so many years. She wanted to alleviate his suffering.
Cheng was taken aback, “Really? In the provincial city? I’ll look into it tomorrow!”
Xue Ling nodded, not mentioning the cost of the prosthetic and surgery, and said, “Let’s save up and take dad there soon.”
Cheng turned to her, his eyes softening.
“Alright!”
He washed the dishes faster, a smile curling his lips. He liked the way she said “our dad,” it gave him a warm sense of family.
That night, Xue Ling worked on her translations until 11:30 pm. Hearing the yard door open, she saw a familiar silhouette return and quietly turned off the light, exhaustedly slipping into bed.
The next morning, Cheng was up early, making breakfast. He fried several large dough sticks and cooked two big bowls of porridge.
Xue Ling enjoyed her meal, praising him repeatedly.
Cheng smiled, tapping her bowl, “Eat up, we’ve got to walk to work soon. Endure it for a bit; when I get my salary in half a month, we’ll buy a second-hand bike.”
Previously, he had borrowed bikes from his colleague, Ah Min, but felt uncomfortable always asking.
With ample space downstairs and a yard, they could buy a bike for convenience, making commuting easier for both.
Xue Ling quickly agreed.
After breakfast, Cheng washed up, “Get ready for work; I’ll take a shortcut to the cooperative. Just a quick jog and I’ll be there in five or six minutes. You go ahead so you won’t be late.”
Xue Ling left with her bag. The morning air was fresh, and the streets bustled with commuters walking or cycling, and the occasional bus trudging along.
Thinking she had time, Xue Ling leisurely strolled towards the newspaper office, treating it as a post-meal walk.
But she miscalculated, arriving at 8:05 am when everyone had already started work.
She quietly greeted her colleagues and sat down to work. Wang Qing, refilling her pen with ink, gave Xue Ling a knowing look.
“The deputy director just returned from a business trip and asked about you. We usually have meetings on Monday mornings. Be careful.”
Startled, Xue Ling whispered, “Careful of what? What’s the deputy director’s name? Is she a woman?”
Wang Qing nodded, frowning, “Her name is Zhen Zhen, in her thirties, never married… She’s very strict and often scolds people. As a newcomer, you’re the prime target.”
Liu Xing, from across, made a chopping gesture, “As a newcomer, you’re ripe for a scolding. She’ll scold for anything or nothing at all. My advice? Brace yourself!”
Xue Ling made a grateful gesture and pulled out her English book to select content for the week.
Half an hour later, Liu, the chief editor, called everyone to a meeting.
Xue Ling confidently took her notebook and sat next to Wang Qing.
Then, a woman in a black dress and grey top, with a ponytail and stern expression, strode in.
She looked plain, her complexion dull, and her strict demeanor made her seem much older than thirty!
As she entered, the relaxed atmosphere tensed up. Everyone respectfully greeted her, “Deputy Director Zhen!” Wang Qing timidly echoed.
Zhen Zhen’s eyes swept over everyone with the authority of a strict inspector. She barely acknowledged the greetings with a curt “Hmm,” her lips tightly pressed.
Xue Ling suppressed a laugh, appreciating the irony.
She’s like a real-life version of a strict disciplinarian!
As Liu praised Xue Ling’s work, everyone looked at her with congratulatory smiles, except for Zhen Zhen, who interrupted with a stern warning for the newcomer to learn from her seniors and not get conceited.
The room fell silent. Xue Ling secretly chuckled—so much for the stern disciplinarian!
She nodded earnestly, “Yes, thank you for the guidance, Deputy Director. I’ll remember that!”
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