Yan Jiecheng's Leisurely Life in Siheyuan

Chapter 105 Enrollment Expansion
After Fu Linlin moved to Nanluoguxiang, she got along well with Lou Xiao'e, and the two were considered best friends.

Seeing her best friend suffer such injustice, Fu Linlin couldn't bear it any longer, so she brought it up in front of Yan Jiecheng.

After listening to his wife's story, Yan Jie was still puzzled.

His wife hadn't been in Beijing for very long, so how could she get along so well with Lou Xiao'e? And why would she stand up for Lou Xiao'e in front of him?

Yan Jiecheng hesitated for a while, but finally decided to explain it to his wife.

"Linlin, do you know Lou Xiao'e's family background?"

Seeing his wife shake her head in a somewhat bewildered manner, Yan Jiecheng continued.

"I don't know Lou Xiao'e's father's name, but he has a nickname, Lou Bancheng. Our steel rolling mill used to be the Lou family's business."

"Linlin, do you think an ordinary person could have built such a large business in that era?"

Before Fu Linlin could answer, Yan Jiecheng continued speaking to himself.

"Not to mention ordinary people, even people with some connections can't do it."

"Then what makes Lou Xiao'e's father think he was able to do it?"

"As Lou Bancheng's daughter, do you think Lou Xiao'e, who enjoys her father's wealth, needs to pay a price?"

Fu Linlin was somewhat bewildered after hearing Yan Jiecheng's words.

She was just standing up for her best friend's marriage; what does that have to do with her best friend's family?
Seeing his wife's expression, Yan Jiecheng could roughly guess what she was thinking, so he smiled.

“We two are simply not in the same league as Lou Xiao’e. Have you ever seen a beggar sympathize with a rich man?”

After Yan Jiecheng finished speaking, Fu Linlin said somewhat angrily.

"Brother Cheng, what beggar-tycoon? I was saying Xu Damao is irresponsible. Where did you get that from? It's completely irrelevant."

Yan Jiecheng smiled and said.

“Linlin, I’m not trying to defend Xu Damao. As a husband, Xu Damao is absolutely unqualified. There’s no doubt about that.”

"What I want to say is that Lou Xiao'e does not deserve our sympathy."

"Linlin, have you been to Xu Damao's house? Have you seen Lou Xiao'e doing housework? Or do you think Lou Xiao'e treated Xu Damao equally?"

Yan Jiecheng's question left Fu Linlin speechless.

Fu Linlin kept recalling the scene at Xu Damao's house in her mind, and finally couldn't help but feel deflated.

"No."

After hearing Fu Linlin's words, Yan Jiecheng sighed and said.

"Yes, no, because she has never known her place. Maybe in her heart, she still considers her the eldest daughter of the Lou family."

"Linlin, whether it's Xu Damao or Lou Xiao'e, they each have their own faults and neither of them deserves sympathy."

After Yan Jiecheng's persuasion, Fu Linlin finally stopped dwelling on Lou Xiao'e's matter.

……

Time passed day by day, and in the blink of an eye, Yan Jiecheng had been recuperating at home for more than a month.

Xiang Jun has visited Yan Jiecheng's home more than once or twice.

Seeing that the patient couldn't soak in the water, Yan Jiecheng had no choice but to return to work at the factory.

After this injury, Yan Jiecheng finally gained a foothold in the security department.

Whether it was the factory security team or the staff of the public security department, they all had great respect for Yan Jiecheng.

After the Spring Festival of 1966, in order to create more jobs and to better complete the work, the factory split up and expanded the security department.

In this restructuring, the Security Department was expanded from three sections to six, and its responsibilities were divided more meticulously.

The Security Section was the most severely divided, into three departments: Security Section, Equipment Section, and Factory Protection Brigade.

The General Affairs Section was divided into two departments: the Confidential Affairs Section and the General Affairs Section. The Fire Protection Section remained unchanged.

Of course, in addition to the security department, other departments in the factory were also split up and expanded at the same time.

The moment the order to expand enrollment was officially issued, Xiang Jun summoned Deputy Directors Yan Jiecheng and Zhou Yiping to his office.

As always, Xiang Jun was straightforward. After inviting the two to sit down, he got down to business.

"Jiecheng, Lao Zhou, our security department is about to expand its recruitment. You two each have five openings. You need to hurry up and make arrangements."

This expansion of recruitment is intended to address the growing number of unemployed people in the neighborhood.

Only a small portion of the positions are open to the public; the factory itself absorbs the majority of them.

After receiving the job application forms from Xiang Jun, the two left separately.

Yan Jiecheng's parents' side has three younger siblings who are still young and don't need it for the time being.

So after returning home, Yan Jiecheng asked his father-in-law about it.

"Dad, is there anyone in our family who needs a job?"

Upon hearing this, the father-in-law's eyes lit up, and he asked excitedly.

"Jiecheng, from what you're saying, you have a spot in your hands?"

Yan Jiecheng didn't hide anything and nodded.

"Well, the steel mill is expanding its recruitment this time, and I've been allocated a few positions. If anyone in my family needs help, I'm willing to lend a hand."

The father-in-law, who was already tired of staying at home, immediately came to Yan Jiecheng's side and said.

"Jiecheng, I really can't stand staying at home. If possible, could you arrange something for me to do?"

The mother-in-law, who was standing nearby, chimed in with agreement.

"Jiecheng, you don't know, but your dad has been secretly doing odd jobs on the street without our knowledge. If it's convenient for you, you can arrange a job for him."

Yan Jiecheng was quite surprised to hear that his father-in-law had been doing odd jobs recently, and he couldn't help but look at his wife with some resentment.

"Linlin, why didn't you tell me about this?"

Fu Linlin was also completely bewildered at this moment, and looked at her father and said.

"Dad, why are you secretly taking odd jobs?"

Feeling a little embarrassed by his daughter and son-in-law's stare, the father-in-law said...

"I was just so bored and didn't want you to talk about me, so I secretly went to do odd jobs."

Seeing his father-in-law's expression, Yan Jiecheng could only manage a wry smile.

"Dad, I originally wanted you to come here to enjoy your retirement, but you... sigh... Well, I'll try to find you an easy job at the steel rolling mill these next few days. You shouldn't go for odd jobs."

Upon hearing his son-in-law's words, the father-in-law immediately smiled and said...

"Jiecheng, I'll listen to you. I'll go with you to work at the steel mill, and I won't do odd jobs anymore."

After arranging for the father-in-law, there were four spots left out of five.

While others desperately want a spot but can't get one, Yan Jiecheng has a spot he can't use, which is quite worrying.

So Yan Jiecheng turned his gaze to his father-in-law again and asked.

"Dad, do you have any reliable relatives you need to arrange anything for?"

My father-in-law's family has quite a few relatives who are still unemployed.

But finding someone with good enough connections, who is reliable, and willing to work in Beijing is quite difficult.

The father-in-law thought for a long time, but finally shook his head, indicating that there was no such person.

(End of this chapter)