51 Long-Term Benefits

After cleaning up the kitchenware, Lin Zhiqiu bid farewell to Wei Guiqin, "Aunt Wei, I'm heading home. My mom is alone at home, and I'm worried about her."

"Good child, go back quickly." Wei Guiqin held her hand, wanting to say something. Eventually, she made a promise, "Qiu'er, I'll have Jingrui come to propose to you at your home later. As for your mom... don't worry, no matter what, Auntie will find a way to solve that difficult problem."

Lin Zhiqiu probably understood that the house was unlikely to be secured now.

Nevertheless, she maintained a smile on her face, "I understand. Take care of yourself, Aunt Wei. I'm going home."

"Let Jingrui take you."

"No need. It's close by, I can go back by myself. I'll come see you tomorrow!"

Lin Zhiqiu declined Su Jingrui's offer to accompany her and headed home alone.

When Lin Zhiqiu returned home, Lin's mother had just finished her corn porridge. Seeing Lin Zhiqiu's less-than-happy expression, she knew things hadn't gone well. She asked, "Qiu'er, what did the Su family say?"

Lin Zhiqiu sat down heavily on a stool, "Mom, I said I didn't want a dowry or a job, and the Su family was overjoyed. Originally, Su Hanyan was supposed to move to the factory dorms, and we thought the house could be freed up somehow. But she caused a scene and refused to vacate, creating a big commotion at home. Jingrui's mother almost hit Su Hanyan! Unfortunately, she twisted her waist, and in the end, we couldn't secure the house."

Seeing her daughter disheartened, Lin's mother comforted her, "Don't worry. Maintain a good relationship with Wei Guiqin, and you won't lose out. Su Dajiang is already a workshop director at the factory; they will allocate houses in the future. We'll figure something out then!"

"What about now?" Lin Zhiqiu frowned at the dark and chilly house. It was filled with a coldness that even their tight budget couldn't afford to warm with coal.

The cold wind seeped in through the broken window edges, bringing bone-chilling coldness that even thick coats and pants couldn't fend off.

She couldn't bear staying in this place for another moment.

"Don't worry. See what Wei's family says. If that doesn't work out, let's just get engaged first! With Su Dajiang being a workshop director at the factory, once you become his future daughter-in-law, will he not take care of your job situation? We'll take a small loss now! My daughter, I've lived this long and learned that sometimes immediate losses aren't losses at all; they're for seeking long-term benefits! Although marrying Su Jingrui might seem unfair to you now, there's no better choice, right?" Lin's mother advised.

Lin Zhiqiu remained silent for a long while, then nodded, "I understand. Mom, it's cold. I'll go heat some water for you to wash your feet."

...

The next morning after breakfast, Shao Yu came to the factory dormitories with her English textbook to study. When she saw Su Hanyan, she shyly smiled, "Sister Su, I've come to study English with you!"

Su Hanyan was explaining a problem to Zhu Lin when a little head peeked in from the doorway, a flushed face from the cold, "Shao Yu, right? Come on in! We were waiting for you!"

"Thank you, Sister Su." Shao Yu obediently walked in and saw an empty seat next to the table, so she sat down.

After Su Hanyan finished explaining the problem to Zhu Lin, she grinned and took out a box of chocolate liqueurs from her army green shoulder bag, placing it on the desk, "Sister Su, Zhu Lin, please have some candy!"

"Oh my, there's so much." Zhu Lin casually picked up a piece, "How many did you buy? How much did that cost?"

52: She Is Very Nice

Shao Yu smiled and picked up a piece of chocolate, handing it to Su Hanyan, "Sister Su, you should have some too. You'll have to put up with me for my English studies in the future!"

Su Hanyan understood Shao Yu's intention.

She peeled back the chocolate wrapper and tasted it. A faint hint of alcohol mixed with the rich chocolate instantly filled her mouth. It had been a long time since she had eaten chocolate.

The taste was truly delightful.

"Wow, it tastes amazing! Thank you!" Su Hanyan smiled broadly, her eyes nearly squinting into slits. "This must be expensive, right? And you need vouchers to buy it. I'll accept this one time, but please don't buy any more in the future, okay?"

Shao Yu, excited yet slightly nervous, rubbed her hands together. "How can that be? You're willing to teach me English, I'm so grateful. I can't just waste your time teaching me."

"You really don't need to. Zhu Lin and I are friends, and since you're Zhu Lin's friend, you're my friend too! Friends don't need to be so formal with each other!"

"Well..." Shao Yu hadn't interacted with Su Hanyan much before, so she was a bit unsure. Was Su Hanyan being polite, or...? In the past, when she studied English with Qiao Shasha, although Qiao Shasha would say no, she often indirectly hinted through others to give her things.

"Shao Yu, since Hanyan said so, you shouldn't buy things for her in the future." Zhu Lin patted her arm. "Don't worry, Hanyan isn't like Qiao Shasha. She's a really nice person."

"Okay then..." Shao Yu agreed.

"Don't be nervous." Su Hanyan looked gently at her, her voice soft and sweet. "We're about the same age, so from now on, you can just call me Hanyan, or even Yan Yan. Starting today, let's seriously start learning English."

"Okay!"

When Su Hanyan said she would teach English seriously, she meant it. From the recognition and pronunciation of words to sentence structure and grammar, she explained everything thoroughly.

English was no problem for her. When she took the IELTS exam to go abroad, she scored an overall 8.5, with 9 in two sections and 8 in the others. While not top scores, they were considered quite good.

After the explanations, she had Zhu Lin and Shao Yu read aloud in turns, do exercises, and more.

Except for breaks for lunch and restroom visits, they spent the whole day studying English in the dormitory. Su Hanyan noticed that people in this era were extremely diligent. They immersed themselves in this dry study all day without a single complaint, always maintaining a high level of enthusiasm.

Unconsciously, night fell, and countless stars scattered across the dark sky.

Feeling tired, Su Hanyan stretched out. She glanced at the night outside the window and then at the small alarm clock on the table—it was already past seven in the evening.

"Shao Yu, it's getting late. Shouldn't you go home?" she asked.

Shao Yu looked up at the night outside, her face showing a troubled expression. "Time really flies. I've been studying all day today, but I still can't understand you when you speak English, even for simpler sentences. I have to think for a long time in my mind, and speaking English is even more difficult, not to mention my accent. What should I do?"

Seeing her somewhat confused and disheartened, Su Hanyan comforted her, "Rome wasn't built in a day. Learning any language requires accumulation and repeated practice. The issues you mentioned need to be addressed by listening more, reading more, and persisting. I promise you, in two months, you'll see a big difference from now."

53: Buying a Tape Recorder

"Listening more, reading more... But where can we listen and read?" Zhu Lin sighed. She faced similar problems and uncertainties in her English studies as Shao Yu.

"You can follow by watching TV, listening to radio, or a tape recorder!" Su Hanyan suggested.

"Speaking of which, I remember now. Qiao Shasha once told me that her aunt, who is an English professor at a university, advised her to listen to foreign English programs on a tape recorder or buy tapes to practice along with," Shao Yu recalled, remembering Qiao Shasha boasting about her English skills.

But Qiao Shasha never told her which band the programs were on.

"Right, let's get a tape recorder," Su Hanyan noticed that small, brick-like tape recorders were already available in the shopping malls. They were portable and convenient to carry, "Then we can buy some English books and tapes from the bookstore to practice listening and speaking."

"Ah? But that's quite expensive," Zhu Lin winced at the thought of buying one. After all, those small tape recorders were imported from abroad and priced steeply.

Her average monthly salary was less than fifty yuan, so she'd have to save up for about half a year to afford one.

"And besides, it's not easy to buy," she added, "It's a scarce commodity. Even if you have the money, you have to queue up for a long time at the mall. You might need connections to get one."

"Money isn't an issue," Su Hanyan pondered, "Everything we're doing now is worth it. Since we've decided to go all out for the diploma, we shouldn't be stingy with money. But... whether we can buy one is another question."

"Do we really need to buy one?" Shao Yu hesitated, "If we do, I can ask my brother to figure something out."

"We need to," Su Hanyan said decisively, "Buying one individually is indeed expensive. Since the three of us are learning English together, why don't we chip in and buy one together? What do you think?"

"Alright. If we buy one, we can keep it in the dormitory, and I'll come over every day to study and listen together," Shao Yu agreed.

"Then it's settled," Zhu Lin also nodded in agreement.

...

Su Hanyan and Zhu Lin accompanied Shao Yu downstairs. They saw Shao Feng wrapped in a green military coat, hands in the sleeves of his padded jacket, stomping his feet while circling his bicycle.

The bitter cold of midwinter night wind cut to the bone, reddening his face and making his teeth chatter.

"Brother! If you're coming, why didn't you shout from downstairs? Look how cold you are," Shao Yu ran over, concerned, warming her brother's face with her hands.

"I didn't want to disturb you," Shao Feng grinned, freeing his hands from his sleeves and pulling out three hot, fragrant sweet potatoes from his coat pocket, "They're still warm. Take one each."

"Thanks, brother," Shao Yu happily accepted the sweet potatoes.

Su Hanyan's stomach happened to growl, and she took a bite of the sweet potato. Its sweetness and warmth instantly made her feel satisfied.

"So delicious, thanks, Shao Feng!" she smiled warmly at Shao Feng.

"Don't mention it. Thanks for teaching my sister. If there's anything you need help with, just ask," Shao Feng flashed a bright smile, looking quite rugged.

"Speaking of which, it might trouble you. We need a tape recorder for learning English. It seems difficult to find one on the market. Could you help us find one?" she asked.

"Sure thing," Shao Feng agreed, "Wait for me. It'll be here within three days at the latest."

54: The Formidable Sister-in-law

"Thank you for your hard work!"

...

True to his word, Shao Feng managed to procure a brand-new tape recorder three days later, complete with a set of English tapes and textbooks. He adamantly refused any money from Su Hanyan and Zhu Lin, despite their insistence.

The tape recorder was placed in their dormitory. During the day, the three of them went to their respective departments for work, and at night, they diligently studied English by listening and reading. Their days were indeed fulfilling.

Ever since Lin Qingyu got into trouble for the New Year's program and was dealt with by Director Niu, losing her chance for the Advanced Individual Award, she had been quiet and dare not cause any more trouble. She focused solely on preparing for the New Year's Eve party, hoping to change Director Niu's opinion of her through this event.

With Lin Qingyu behaving herself, Su Hanyan's life became much quieter and peaceful.

There had been no news from home for many days. She didn't know how her father was doing health-wise or if the housing issue had been resolved.

She felt it necessary to find time to go back and check. She absolutely couldn't let Wei Guiqin give away the house.

As luck would have it...

One afternoon after lunch, while she was dozing off at her desk, the phone in the office rang. After answering the call, she hurried to the factory gate.

To her surprise, the guard told her that her family was looking for her, and the person looking for her turned out to be her sister-in-law, Wu Jiaojiao.

"Hanyan, you finally came out. I was freezing to death," Wu Jiaojiao said, hands in her sleeves, neck shrunk, shoulders hunched, spinning in place.

"Sister-in-law? What brings you here?" Su Hanyan asked, puzzled.

"I'm here to tell you some good news," Wu Jiaojiao grabbed Su Hanyan's arm, pulling her to a corner near the factory gate, and happily said, "It's done!"

"What's done?"

"The house issue is resolved," Wu Jiaojiao said triumphantly, "After you left, Mom and Third Brother still wanted to give the house to Lin Zhiqiu's mom. I couldn't stand it. I threw a tantrum, cried and threatened to hang myself! It caused such a scene in the courtyard that all the neighbors came out to watch. They all spoke up for you, saying Mom shouldn't give the house to Lin Zhiqiu's mom. Dad also spoke up, saying if Mom continued to cause trouble, he would move into the factory."

"So... the house is saved?" Su Hanyan smiled, impressed, giving her a thumbs up, "Sister-in-law, you're amazing!"

"Of course," Wu Jiaojiao beamed, "Lin Zhiqiu's actions were totally wrong. I've never heard of a bride bringing her mother to live with her mother-in-law's family! It's really something new!"

"If the house issue is settled, did Lin Zhiqiu say anything?" Su Hanyan asked next.

"That's the second thing I wanted to tell you!" Wu Jiaojiao continued, "Originally, if the house had been given to Lin Zhiqiu's mom, the families would have discussed getting them married officially. But since the house didn't go to Lin Zhiqiu's mom, the marriage naturally fell through. They've just settled for a simple engagement."

Su Hanyan chuckled, "Mom and Third Brother must hate me now."

"Oh, they do! Especially Third Brother! He was happily waiting to embrace his bride tonight, but now he can only wait eagerly. As for when they will get married, it's up to the Lin family to decide. You have no idea how mad Mom was because of you; she was about to explode!" Wu Jiaojiao vividly recounted, mimicking Wei Guiqin's emotions.

55: A United Front

Su Hanyan could almost imagine the frustration and helplessness on Wei Guiqin and Su Jingrui's faces when she heard the news, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

"But that's not all," Wu Jiaojiao continued, "Let me remind you, Lin Zhiqiu will be coming to your factory to work next month!"

"What?" Su Hanyan was taken aback. "How did he manage to get this job? Did Dad arrange it?"

"No, it's not that simple. Your Third Brother really knows how to stir up trouble..." Wu Jiaojiao explained the situation in detail.

It turned out that Su Jingrui had spent money to pull some strings, using Su Dajiang's name to request that Lin Zhiqiu be transferred to the Mechanical Factory.

Out of respect for Su Dajiang's reputation, the leaders agreed to it.

However, since the Mechanical Factory preferred strong and able-bodied male workers, and their offices were already full, Lin Zhiqiu couldn't go there. Instead, the factory leaders arranged for him to work at the Tractor Assembly Plant.

From now on, Lin Zhiqiu would be working in the same unit as Su Hanyan.

"And Dad didn't say anything?" Su Hanyan frowned.

"Saying anything won't change a thing. Your Third Brother really got a good deal this time..." Wu Jiaojiao sighed. "You know how Dad cherishes his reputation. He hates this kind of backdoor dealings the most!"

"Yeah, I understand."

"Lin Zhiqiu is overjoyed to have this job. He comes by every day to see our mom, helping with laundry and cooking. He's really industrious! He's acting like he's already part of the Su family without even stepping inside. Shameless!" Wu Jiaojiao spat on the ground, feeling the pressure coming her way.

At this moment, she realized that standing on the same side as her sister-in-law, Su Hanyan, might not be a bad idea after all.

Lin Zhiqiu seemed shrewd and cunning, capable of outsmarting her by miles. Without some smart guidance, she might end up being taken advantage of by him.

"Alright, I understand the situation now. Big Sister-in-law, you've been working hard these days. Take good care of Dad. After all, he's the head of the household, right?" Su Hanyan smiled.

"You're right. My brain was a bit slow. Thanks for reminding me. I need to take care of Dad well. He's our strongest support! Otherwise, Lin Zhiqiu might target me once you're not around and try to kick Mom out to press me!" Wu Jiaojiao felt relieved after this chat, feeling clearer about her responsibilities.

Su Hanyan had discussed everything she needed to. Seeing that it was getting late, she sent Wu Jiaojiao back.

Watching her sister-in-law's departing figure, Su Hanyan silently thought to herself: killing two birds with one stone! Wu Jiaojiao not only took care of Dad but also supported her in her absence.

This was quite good!

However... Lin Zhiqiu would start working at the factory next month... Next month was just around the corner!

In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Day.

On the first day of the New Year, the factory was filled with a festive atmosphere.

Production work almost came to a halt for the day. The employees in the workshops were energetically cleaning up the factory area. Every professional workshop door was adorned with fresh banners:

{ Celebrating New Year's Day }

{ New Year, New Momentum, Full Production Vigor! }

{ Decorating with lights and joy, working together for production. }

...

Such slogans were everywhere, they were visible everywhere one looked.

At noon, the factory leaders treated everyone to a hearty meal in the canteen, followed by an enthusiastic outlook for the future. After lunch, the program list for the New Year's Eve party was posted on the bulletin board outside the auditorium, attracting a crowd of workers who stopped to take a look.

When they noticed that the Trade Union had one more program than other units, someone raised a question:

"Isn't it supposed to be a maximum of two programs per unit? Why does the Trade Union have three? What's so special about it?"