In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 103, Section 102: The bustling Shikumen neighborhood, each family with their own thoughts.

It was a midsummer afternoon, and a light rain had just fallen.

The cement road surface, washed by the rain, gleamed wetly, with murky puddles in the low-lying areas, reflecting the gray-blue sky and the towering chimneys of the factory area.

The summer heat was not completely extinguished; instead, a sticky, sultry heat rose up, tightly enveloping the skin of pedestrians.

Wearing an exceptionally crisp, almost cut-too-sharp "Dacron" short-sleeved shirt, Yang Guangming walked briskly out of the heavy iron gate of the Hongxing Machinery Factory.

Sweat trickled silently down his temples on his young face, but the spirited energy that he tried so hard to control still shone through his eyes and brows, like the rising sun, impossible to hide.

His gaze swept quickly across the crowd of people gathered at the factory gate.

After get off work, the crowd surged, and the blue-gray work clothes formed a flowing ocean, mixed with the sound of bicycle bells, loud greetings, and the clatter of aluminum lunch boxes.

He quickly spotted that familiar figure. She was standing under a sparse sycamore tree outside the factory gate, tiptoeing and craning her neck, trying to search through the surging crowd.

"Mom!" Yang Guangming rushed forward, pushing through the crowd, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor of excitement typical of young people.

Upon hearing the sound, Zhang Xiuying turned her head sharply.

She was wearing a faded, casual short-sleeved shirt and had an old bamboo basket slung over her arm, which she used to carry vegetables when she went shopping on the way.

Fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, and a few strands of gray hair were stuck to her cheeks with sweat.

Upon seeing her son, her face, deeply etched by time and life, immediately lit up like a lantern, revealing a pure and warm smile, instantly dispelling all her weariness.

"Mingming! You're out? How was it? Did it go smoothly today?"

Her voice was urgent, and she habitually looked her son up and down, her gaze sweeping over him like a searchlight—was his brand-new white shirt neatly pressed? Were his trousers creased? Did he look tired or frustrated?
It was as if they wanted to glean any clues about the success or failure of the "big event" from his attire and subtle expressions.

This is a mother's instinct.

In this era of scarcity and uncertainty, every small fluctuation in her son's fate touched the most sensitive nerves of his mother.

Yang Guangming glanced around at the noisy crowd of workers, then subconsciously lowered his voice and leaned closer to his mother's ear.

His eyes shone with an unusually bright light in the sweltering afternoon sun, like ripples of joy spreading across a deep pool after a stone has been thrown in.

"Mom, I have some fantastic news for you! Director Zhao... has officially appointed me as his full-time secretary!"

"Oh my!"

Zhang Xiuying let out a short, startled cry, as if something had struck her heart.

His eyes widened instantly, an incredulous light flashing in his pupils, and the bamboo basket in his hands nearly slipped from his arms.

Almost instinctively, she grabbed her son's arm tightly, her rough fingers straining with emotion, her nails digging into his flesh through the thin fabric of the polyester.

Her voice suddenly rose, then trembled violently from extreme ecstasy and immense shock, carrying a sharp, almost distorted quality:

"Really?! Mingming! You're telling the truth?! Director Zhao... Director Zhao said it himself? Don't lie to your mother!"

She grabbed her son's arm and shook it violently, as if trying to shake out a definite answer, to shake away this sudden, overwhelming, unreal happiness, to confirm that this was not just an afternoon dream.

"Mmm!" Yang Guangming nodded vigorously, his lips curving upwards involuntarily. The heavy joy that he had been holding back all day finally found its most intimate outlet.

He could clearly feel his mother's hand gripping his arm trembling violently, the force conveying the turmoil in her heart.

"As for Director Han's formal remarks on behalf of the organization, I have already met with Factory Director Zhao, and Factory Director Zhao personally confirmed this."

My administrative rank has been adjusted to level 27, and my monthly salary is... thirty yuan!

He clearly and forcefully stated the figure of "thirty yuan".

In an era when apprentices started at seventeen or eighteen yuan and first-level clerks were in their early twenties, the significance of this figure was self-evident.

It not only signifies a leap in income, but also a resounding declaration of upward social mobility.

"Thirty dollars!"

Zhang Xiuying repeated the number like a parrot, her voice suddenly rising even higher, sounding out of place in the noisy factory gate.

She suddenly realized the situation and quickly covered her mouth with the hand that wasn't holding her son, but the light that shone from her weathered eyes was astonishing!

An overwhelming joy, like molten lava, instantly overwhelmed all her defenses and completely engulfed her.

Her cheeks flushed with excitement at a visible speed, her breathing became rapid and shallow, and her chest heaved violently.

"Oh my... Oh my... May the leader bless us! Our ancestors have done a great service! We've truly made something of ourselves! We've succeeded! We've finally succeeded!"

She was so excited that she was incoherent, her voice leaking from between her fingers, a mixture of choked sobs and barely suppressed laughter.

She held her son's hand tightly, shaking it even more forcefully, as if she wanted to imprint this great news into her life through this close physical contact.

She slapped her thigh hard, making a sharp "smack" sound, as if she had made a tremendous decision:

"We have to celebrate! We absolutely must celebrate! Let's go, I'm heading to the grocery store right now! Today we're going all out, Mom's going to be a 'spendthrift' for once!"
Buy meat! Buy the best cuts of rib! We're having a big feast today! Let's have a good time!

She grabbed Yang Guangming's hand and rushed towards the grocery store across the street where there was always a long queue. Her steps were so light that she seemed ten years younger. The bamboo basket in her arms swayed happily and dramatically with her hurried steps.

Yang Guangming quickly pulled his mother, who was so excited she was practically flying, back to her feet: "Mom, Mom! Don't rush, don't rush."

His face carried a calm smile beyond his years, a composure that naturally emerged after a change in status.

"The meat... I've already found a solution."

"Is it settled?"

Zhang Xiuying stopped abruptly, as if someone had pressed pause, turned her head, and looked at her son with a puzzled expression. "When did you go to buy it? I just got off work, there was a long line at the grocery store, how did you manage to make it in time?"

"Hmm." Yang Guangming nodded, looking calm and composed, as if he were talking about something very ordinary. "It's to help a... well, a colleague I'm quite close to, by getting some food."

He's quite resourceful; knowing I had something good to do today, he proactively asked if I needed anything.

We agreed that I would go directly to his place to pick it up after get off work today.

"That's perfect, Mom. It saves you the trouble of queuing up in crowds and fighting tooth and nail, and you might not even get a spot."

He paused, then added in a relaxed tone:
"We have a perfectly authentic spiced braised duck, and several hearty braised pork hocks! All top-quality stuff. Enough for our whole family to have a good meal tonight, plenty to go!"

Zhang Xiuying was stunned for a moment.

"Colleague"? "Reassignment"? "Connected"? In her simple understanding, these words were naturally associated with "capable" and "well-connected".

Immediately, immense joy surged through him, replacing that fleeting moment of doubt.

Now that my son has become a cadre, the people he knows are naturally different. Isn't that a perfectly natural and good thing?
"Braised duck? Pork hock? Oh my! Oh my!"

She beamed with joy, her wrinkles turning into a blooming chrysanthemum as she exclaimed in amazement.

"These are all top-quality items! You might not even be willing to buy this much for the New Year! Your colleague... is truly kind-hearted! And resourceful! He's got connections!"

She didn't think much of it, only that her son was really lucky and successful, and that even the friends he made were so capable.

"Great! That's perfect! Go get it quickly! Shall I wait for you at the alley entrance? Or..."

She stopped halfway through her sentence.

Joy bubbled up in her heart like bubbles, making her restless.

Although her son said the things were settled, this was still a huge joy for the family! Just waiting and doing nothing seemed insufficient to express her overwhelming emotions at that moment.

She still wanted to add a touch of auspiciousness to this celebratory dinner.

She decided she still had to go to the grocery store!

Zhang Xiuying said with sparkling eyes, "Although it was your colleague who provided the meat, this is a joyous occasion for our family! Mom still needs to go to the grocery store!"

Buy some dried tofu and tofu knots, and then... see if there are any cheap side dishes that are no longer available, to cook together.

"We also need to buy some aged liquor! Yes, aged liquor is a must! We still have a bottle of Qibao Daqu that your father has been hiding for who knows how many years; let's open it all today! That'll make it look proper!"

The more she talked, the more reasonable it seemed to her, and she became excited again.

Seeing his mother's childlike joy and solemn expression, Yang Guangming felt a warm glow in his heart and smiled as he agreed.

"Okay, Mom. Go to the grocery store and buy some side dishes. As for the old wine... we have some at home, so don't spend any more money."

We split up and acted separately.

You go back home first after you've bought the groceries, and prepare a little. I'll grab my things, and we'll meet at the alley entrance, then go in together, okay?

"Okay! Okay! Okay!" Zhang Xiuying readily agreed, at this moment whatever her son said was like a royal decree.

Looking at her son's tall and straight figure, like a sapling, she felt more and more delighted. The more she looked, the more she felt that her son was radiating light, so handsome and promising.

I couldn't help but earnestly remind him, just like when he was a child leaving home:
Be careful on the road! Keep your money and food coupons safe! Come back quickly with your things! Mom is waiting for you!

The mother and son parted ways amidst the bustling crowds and sweltering heat at the factory gate.

Zhang Xiuying turned around and walked towards the grocery store.

Her steps were much lighter than when she arrived, as if she had unloaded a heavy burden. Her back straightened unconsciously, and even her perpetually hunched back seemed to straighten. She looked as if she had been injected with new vitality and was more than ten years younger.

The bamboo basket in her arms swayed rhythmically with her light steps, like a cheerful and uplifting beat, expressing the joy in her heart.

As the sun shines brightly, it turns around and heads in the opposite direction from home, quickly merging into the flow of people leaving get off work.

He skillfully navigated several bustling streets, avoiding the main roads where he might run into acquaintances, and instead choosing quiet alleyways.

After twisting and turning, its figure moved as nimbly as a swimming fish, finally disappearing into a dead-end alley between two rows of tall, abandoned factory buildings.

Deep in the alley, it was completely swallowed up by the huge, mottled shadows of the factory buildings.

The afternoon sun abruptly stopped here, and the air instantly turned cool, carrying the smell of old dust and damp bricks.

The surroundings were unusually quiet, with only the draft that seemed to be blowing in through some broken window, making a low, mournful sound, which added to the desolation.

Yang Guangming held his breath and listened intently for a moment, confirming that apart from the sound of the wind, there was no other noise inside or outside the alley.

He walked to the very end of the alley, leaned against the cold, rough brick wall, and closed his eyes.

Consciousness sank into that strange space deep within the mind.

A soft, constant, cool white light silently illuminated the interior of the seemingly illusory "refrigerator." Mind lock. Choice.

Without a sound, a heavy, dark brown, glossy object, exuding a rich aroma of soy sauce and the unique freshness of duck meat, appeared out of thin air in his hand.

The oil paper wrapped it tightly, but the domineering and alluring fragrance still managed to seep out in wisps, instantly spreading through the cool alley.

Next came four enormous, plump pig trotters that had been gathered over two days! Each one had an enticingly bright red skin, covered with a thick, trembling layer of gelatin, and was tightly bound together with rough, thick straw paper. They were so heavy that they weighed down his wrist.

Yang Guangming quickly stuffed the braised duck and the heavy four trotters into the grass-green military satchel.

The originally flat handbag was instantly stretched taut, the fabric taut and about to burst.

The rich aroma of braised meat mixed with the fresh fragrance of pork hock could no longer be completely concealed by the cloth, and it wafted out domineeringly.

He carefully straightened the flap of his satchel, pressing down the bulge as much as possible, and then vigorously rubbed his hands on the hem of his coat.

He took a deep breath of the cool, meaty air, calmed himself, and suppressed the hidden tension in his heart.

Only then did he take a step, walk out of the dead-end alley again, and head home with steady steps.

At the entrance of the Shikumen alley, Zhang Xiuying was already waiting there, like a stone statue waiting for her son.

She was carrying a few pieces of dried tofu, a small bundle of tofu knots, and a small bunch of wilted bok choy from the grocery store, while still holding the bamboo basket on her arm.

She kept standing on tiptoe, craning her neck, anxiously looking in the direction her son was coming from, her face a mixture of expectation and a hint of barely perceptible urgency.

When she saw her son's familiar figure, especially the bulging, oddly shaped military satchel under his arm that was emitting an enticing aroma of meat, her smile instantly widened, blooming layer upon layer like chrysanthemums in the spring breeze, and all her worries vanished.

"Oh my! Mingming! You've returned so quickly!"

She jogged to meet her, her nose twitching unconsciously as she greedily inhaled the intoxicating fragrance in the air.

"It smells so good! I could smell it from far away! Your colleague is such a discerning person! Just by smelling this braised duck, you can tell it's from a long-established brand and made with traditional techniques. It's absolutely authentic!"

She sincerely praised it, as if the quality of the meat directly confirmed the value of the "connections" brought by her son's new identity.

Yang Guangming smiled, didn't explain much, and simply lifted his bag up a bit: "Mom, come on, let's go inside. The stuff is really heavy."

He deliberately made the bulging satchel more conspicuous, letting it cling tightly to his body, yet he couldn't completely conceal the plump aura it exuded, which seemed out of place in this impoverished alleyway.

The mother and son walked side by side toward the heavy, black lacquered stone gate.

As soon as she stepped into the small but bustling courtyard surrounded by high walls, Zhang Xiuying's suppressed excitement and pride, like a volcano that had been building up to its peak, could no longer be contained and erupted with a roar!

She straightened her back, already ramrod straight with joy, cleared her throat, and her voice, louder and more penetrating than ever before, carrying an undeniable air of declaration, instantly drowned out the sounds of washing rice and vegetables in the courtyard, the crackling of the coal stove, the pattering of the palm-leaf fan, and the hushed conversations of the neighbors:
"Quiet down! Everyone, please be quiet! Listen to what I have to say!"

In the courtyard, Mrs. Feng, Lin Fengjiao, was washing vegetables by the sink when a bunch of bok choy in her hand "plop" fell back into the enamel basin.

Granny Chen, who was sitting in a rattan chair in the corner, fanning herself with a palm leaf fan, suddenly opened her cloudy old eyes wide, and her palm leaf fan stopped in mid-air.

On the drying platform and stove shed, Zhao Tiemin, who was poking the coal stove with fire tongs, also stopped what he was doing and poked his face, which was covered with coal dust.

Li Guihua, who was holding her child and standing at her door, stared wide-eyed at the scene with great curiosity.

All eyes, as if drawn by a magnet, focused on Zhang Xiuying and her son Yang Guangming, and on the bulging handbag.

Zhang Xiuying's face was radiant, as if she had become twenty years younger.

She pulled the bright sunlight beside her to the most prominent position in the center of the courtyard, as if displaying a rare treasure or a trophy that would bring glory to the family.

Her hand gripped her son's arm tightly, her voice trembling slightly with emotion, yet each word was clear and resolute:

"My Mingming! Today! He was officially appointed by the factory committee as the full-time secretary to Zhao Guodong, the deputy director of our Hongxing Factory!"

She pronounced the words "full-time secretary" with exceptional clarity and loudness, like four heavy hammer blows striking everyone's hearts and echoing in the small space of the courtyard.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Immediately, with a "buzz," low murmurs spread like ripples on water.

"Oh my! Mother's winter vegetables!"

Li Guihua was the first to react. She was carrying a basin of water from washing vegetables, about to pour it out, when she was so shocked she almost dropped it. She hurriedly put the basin down, rushed over in a few steps, her eyes wide open like saucers, her voice high-pitched and bright, filled with exaggerated astonishment:
"Really? Mingming! You've become Director Zhao's secretary? Good heavens! This is an incredible thing! You're now a top-tier cadre's right-hand person! You report to the leader every day! This is... this is even closer than being the workshop director!"

"Yes, yes! Absolutely true!"

Zhang Xiuying nodded vigorously, her pride almost overflowing. She then dropped an even bigger bombshell, her voice rising even higher:
"Salaries have gone up too! My administrative rank has been adjusted to level 27! My monthly salary is now thirty silver dollars!"

"Level 27?"

"Thirty dollars!"

A collective gasp and suppressed exclamations filled the courtyard, like a sudden gust of wind.

Level 27! Thirty yuan! In an era when apprentices started at seventeen or eighteen yuan and first-level clerks were in their early twenties, this was undoubtedly a huge and dizzying leap.

This not only means that Yang Guangming has stepped into the enviable cadre ranks, but also directly entered the inner circle! Economically, he has completely turned his life around, leaving his peers far behind!

"Wow! Incredible! Absolutely incredible! Their ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke!"

Grandma Chen, leaning on her cane, stood up shakily, her hands trembling with excitement. She walked a few steps to Yang Guangming, her withered, age-spotted hands patting his arm with gentle, yet heartfelt, touch.
"Xiao Yang, you're the little boy we've watched grow up in our alley! We've always seen how smart and composed you are! You've made something of yourself! You've truly made something of yourself! You've brought great honor to our Shikumen! Now we can walk out with our heads held high!"

Mrs. Feng also put down her work, wiped her hands on her apron, and walked over gracefully.

Her face held the gentle grace and sincere admiration characteristic of intellectuals; her eyes were filled with pure appreciation; her voice was soft, yet clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Mingming, congratulations! I'm truly happy for you. I heard that Director Zhao is a veteran from the army, and he has the sharpest eye."

His decision to choose you as his secretary shows that you are truly talented, reliable, and capable of handling this position. You have a bright future ahead of you, so keep up the good work!

Her words, like a clear spring, carried particular weight amidst the clamor of congratulations, and represented the views of a segment of the intellectuals in the courtyard.

Surrounded by a tidal wave of compliments, amazement, and envious glances from her neighbors, Zhang Xiuying felt an immense sense of comfort emanating from every pore of her body, and her back stood as straight as a javelin.

Her face lit up with a smile, and her voice grew even louder, carrying a generous joy:

"Thank you! Thank you everyone! We are able to be where we are today thanks to all of you, our old neighbors! Our alley has good feng shui! We must celebrate properly this time! Look!"

As if she were just unveiling the grand finale, she abruptly ripped off the faded cloth covering Yangming's handbag. A whole, deep brown, glossy duck, exuding a rich, savory aroma, and four plump, reddish-brown pig's trotters, glistening with collagen, were instantly revealed to everyone!
The rich, overpowering aroma of braised meat, mixed with the unique, oily fragrance of pork hock, was like a tangible shockwave, instantly filling the small courtyard and forcefully penetrating everyone's nasal cavity, stimulating the taste buds and the most primal craving for "oil and fat".

"Oh my! Braised duck! A whole one!"

"And so many pork hocks! One, two, three... four! Good heavens!"

Li Guihua's exclamation rang out again, her eyes as if drawn by a magnet, fixed on those slick, oily flesh, her Adam's apple bobbing uncontrollably.

Other neighbors also gathered around, exclaiming in amazement.

"Your family is really celebrating Chinese New Year today! It's even more lively than Chinese New Year!"

"It was clearly his colleague who knew he was being promoted and specially reassigned him! They said it was to congratulate him!"

Zhang Xiuying added proudly, her chin slightly raised. The word "adjustment," in her words at that moment, became perfect proof of her son's ability and popularity, carrying a hidden sense of pride.

The neighbors gathered around this rare and abundant feast of meat, their exclamations of surprise, congratulations, and envious glances mingling together, making the small courtyard completely bustling with excitement.

This was not merely a lavish meal of meat; it was a glittering symbol of the Yang family's rising status and promising future. In this gray era, it was a tempting, glossy splash of color that made hearts race.

On the low drying platform, He Caiyun was vigorously patting the patched old bed sheet that was drying in the sun.

The noise downstairs pierced her ears like needles.

"Full-time secretary", "level 27", "thirty yuan", "braised duck", "pork hock"... each of these words was like a poisoned needle, piercing her most sensitive and resentful nerves.

Her patting motion froze in mid-air, her expression a mixture of emotions—shock, jealousy, resentment, disbelief, bitterness—ultimately twisting into an extremely ugly, forced smile, her lips stiffly pulled upwards, her eyes as cold as winter stones.

She took a deep breath, the air carrying the distinctive smell of coal smoke from the alleyway and the enviable aroma of meat wafting up from downstairs.

She tried hard to suppress the bitterness in her heart and the burning jealousy that almost consumed her, but the more she suppressed it, the stronger it became.

She abruptly put down the rattan racket in her hand and pulled up Zhao Tiemin, who had just returned from get off work and was standing blankly at the door of the drying platform, still smelling of oil from the workshop.

"Go! Get down!"

Her voice was sharp and harsh, leaving no room for doubt.

"What am I supposed to do? I just came up..." Zhao Tiemin muttered, his face full of reluctance and exhaustion.

"What are you doing? Congratulations!"

He Caiyun almost growled through gritted teeth, using all her strength in her hands, her nails digging into her husband's arm.

"A high-ranking official has emerged from their family! A big shot has appeared! We're their neighbors, can't we just go down and congratulate them? We don't want people to say we're ungrateful! Hurry up!"

Zhao Tiemin was in pain from her pinching, and intimidated by the terrifying ferocity in her eyes, he could only keep his head down and be half-dragged and half-pulled down the narrow and steep wooden stairs.

He Caiyun braced herself and squeezed into the bustling crowd in the courtyard.

Her face instantly lit up with a sickeningly sweet smile, and her voice rose sharply and high, carrying an exaggerated, almost fake enthusiasm, like a clumsy actor reciting lines on stage:

"Oh my! Aunt Xiuying! Mingming! Congratulations! What wonderful news! We heard it from the balcony upstairs, and our hearts were pounding with joy! We are so happy for you!"

She clapped her hands exaggeratedly, her gaze quickly sweeping over Zhang Xiuying's radiant face and the glaring pile of meat on the table, her heart feeling as if it had been bitten by a poisonous snake.

"Director Zhao has a keen eye for talent! You are truly young, promising, and have a bright future!"
"Our Shikumen has produced such an important figure as you! We neighbors can walk around with our heads held high! We're so proud! Don't you agree, Tiemin?"

While spouting insincere flattery, she nudged Zhao Tiemin, who stood beside her like a wooden stake, with her elbow.

Zhao Tiemin stumbled from the stab and nearly bumped into someone next to him.

He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, his lips twitching, his eyes darting around, avoiding both the sunlight and the pile of meat on the table. He stared only at his toes, muttering and stammering in agreement:

"Hmm... Congratulations. Good... good thing. Very good... very good."

His gaze couldn't help but quickly sweep over the dark brown, glossy braised duck and the bright red, plump pork hock. His Adam's apple bobbed violently and uncontrollably, making a clear "gulp" sound. Then he quickly lowered his eyelids, and a trace of barely perceptible shame and a deeper blankness flashed across his dark face.

Yang Guangming maintained a gentle, appropriate, and just-right smile on his face, neither overly warm nor cold and distant, and nodded slightly.
"Thank you, Sister-in-law Caiyun, and thank you, Brother Tiemin."

His voice was calm and even, his eyes deep and unfathomable, as if he could see through He Caiyun's twisted thoughts beneath her thick layer of makeup, yet remained undisturbed.

To He Caiyun, this calmness seemed more like a condescending, silent mockery.

(End of this chapter)