27. An Unexpected Joy

"Really? Oh, thank you so much, Brother Liu! I’m heading back now, and regardless of whether it works out, I’ll be sure to have my fourth brother treat you to a drink later."

Jiang Ruo, surprised by this unexpected windfall, quickly expressed her gratitude. The smile on the gatekeeper's face deepened; nobody dislikes someone who is polite and knows how to conduct themselves.

After bidding farewell to the guard, Jiang Ruo stopped worrying about Dani and hurried home. Seeing that the road was deserted, she remembered the cool racing bike she had stored in her space and decided to take it out. In the year 2155, aside from established sports, racing was one of the most popular activities for young people. She was no exception, and her parents had specially built one for her to her exact specifications. During her escape, she had tucked it away in her Star-Watch, and now it had finally come in handy. She then deployed a warning robot; not even a fly could escape its sensors. With a firm push of her foot, the racing bike vanished like an arrow.

...

Meanwhile, Dani, dripping with sweat, finally stood before the gate of the paper mill. Before she could even catch her breath to celebrate, she hurried toward the entrance.

"Hey, what are you doing here? This is a restricted area, no loitering allowed!"

As soon as she neared the gate, a man in the guardhouse called out to her. Dani’s face stiffened for a moment, then she broke into a smile, gritted her teeth, and pressed a dime into the guard's hand.

"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle. I heard from a classmate that the factory is hiring, so I came to check..."

"Who said that? No, no, go away!" Seeing the dime in his hand, the guard showed obvious disdain and tossed the money back. A mere ten cents to get information on job openings? Who did she think she was looking down on? The man curled his lip and started to walk back into the guardhouse.

Dani couldn't let him leave so easily. She forced a smile and, gritting her teeth, took out all the money she had—fifty cents.

"Uncle, please, just be a little flexible. I really did hear it from my classmate. If I manage to get the job, I’ll bring you a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes..."

Dani was desperate. Whether it worked or not, she had to paint a picture of success to get through that gate; otherwise, everything would be for nothing. Fifty cents could buy dozens of eggs or several pounds of rice; the guard’s expression softened slightly.

"Since you heard it from your classmate, why didn't you come with them?"

"They were busy, so I came on my own... Uncle, look..." Dani smiled ingratiatingly.

"Your classmate is quite decent. The paper mill is only hiring for these two days, and today is the last one. Go on in. Go straight, turn left at the fork, and the first building is the registration office."

"Thank you, thank you!" Seeing the gate open, Dani rushed inside, clutching the household registration book and her diploma in her satchel. She had stolen the registration book that morning by sneaking into her grandparents' room while they weren't looking.

...

Only when she reached the door of the factory office did Dani realize her heart was pounding against her ribs. She smoothed her clothes, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

"Come in..." A man's voice sounded from within.

"Comrade, hello, I'm here to register..."

The man glanced at her with surprise. Registration was ending today, and he hadn't expected anyone else to show up, let alone someone not brought in by a colleague. This girl was quite lucky. He, the one who had personally posted the notice, knew perfectly well that it had only been displayed as a formality. However, since she was here, he had to follow procedure.

"Did you bring your diploma and household registration?"

"Yes, yes, I brought them..." Dani quickly produced the documents.

He glanced at them and saw she was a junior high graduate—a rarity. Whether she could actually pass the exam, however, would depend on her luck. Although it was an open recruitment, everyone understood that openings were limited. He looked at the name on the registration form, his eyes lingering for a second on Dani’s delicate face. "Comrade Jiang Ru, come back for the exam in three days at eight in the morning. Is that clear?"

"No problem, no problem!" Jiang Ru—formerly known as Jiang Dani—nodded eagerly.

Successfully registered, Dani couldn't hide her joy even after leaving the mill. She quickened her pace; with only three days left, she had to race against time. Her ambitious eyes burned with determination. After all, if she missed this chance, who knew when the next one would come?

Her luck held up when she got home. Seeing the courtyard empty, she quickly returned the registration book to her grandparents' room and couldn't wait to go back to her own room to study. As for her strategy, she had already planned it out. She had to admit that although her grandmother favored Jiang Ruo, she treated her and Third Sister quite well—at least they were fed and allowed to go to school. If she really had to do this, her grandmother wasn't an unreasonable person, though a scolding was inevitable. She decided not to hide it; she simply wouldn't have time to work the fields anymore.

Too nervous to notice, she missed her eldest aunt emerging from the house. Wang Xiaocao, still sleepy from a nap, muttered an "Eh?" in surprise. Her eyes flickered with a thought: *Did this girl sneak back from the fields? If so, when the mother-in-law returns, there will be a good show to watch.* Thinking of the drama, she instantly perked up, raised her eyebrows, and sashayed toward the kitchen. It was getting late; she had to start lunch.

...

Jiang Ruo returned just as her aunt was finishing lunch, accompanied by Jiang Sijun.

Rewinding to an hour earlier: as soon as she got home, she had rushed to her grandmother’s room. Sure enough, the registration book was missing from the drawer. She knew she had to strike while the iron was hot; she couldn't let this opportunity slip. Thinking it over, she turned and ran out, grabbing her fourth brother from the fields before she could even explain to her grandparents.

"Ruo'er... what's wrong?" Jiang Sijun only had time to drop his hoe before hurrying after his sister. Grandmother Liu and Grandfather Jiang were in another field; otherwise, anything concerning their "precious" would have brought them running.

"Fourth Brother, I'll explain on the way. Go home first and get your junior high diploma. I'm going to the village chief's house... and don't forget to ride the bike." She tossed the bike keys to her brother and hurried toward the village chief's house. Even without the registration book, she could manage; a certificate from the village chief would suffice, and she could replace the book later. Of course, this meant the village chief's family would find out about the job opening. But thinking of Shanyao, Jiang Ruo still chose to go.

"What did you say? The paper mill is hiring?" The village chief couldn't sit still from excitement.

"Yes, Third Uncle. Shanyao is also a junior high graduate; let her go with my fourth brother to try. Maybe she'll pass."

"I just need you to write a certificate for my fourth brother. Grandma misplaced the registration book, and I can't find it."

Jiang Fugui’s eyes glinted as he said, "Good, good, good, I'll write it right now." There was a trace of gratitude in his voice. This girl was good; she could have used any excuse to ask for the certificate, given the relationship between their families. This was a significant favor. As he handed the certificate to Ruo'er, Jiang Fugui said earnestly, "Ruo'er, Third Uncle thanks you."

"Third Uncle, what are you saying? We're family. Besides, given my relationship with Shanyao, I naturally want the best for her..."