A jinx, me? But I bring good fortune to my whole family!

As soon as Nuannuan said this, the room fell silent instantly. Everyone seemed to have been frozen in mid-air, chopsticks in hand.

Selling jobs?

These days, can you sell a job? It's a secure job at the forest farm, a coveted prize that countless people would fight tooth and nail for. You think you can just sell it like that?

The captain almost spat out the wine in his mouth. He coughed twice and looked at Nuannuan with a wry smile.

"My little darling, what are you thinking about all day long? You can't just say things like that, or people will say we have something wrong with our thinking!"

Sister-in-law Hongxia laughed heartily, pinching Nuannuan's chubby little face. "You little rascal, you're such a money-grubber, you want to turn everything into money!"

Everyone thought it was just a child's joke and no one took it seriously.

Gu Jianguo and Su Xiulan just smiled and prepared to let the matter drop.

But to everyone's surprise, Gu Xiaoan put down his chopsticks. Instead of smiling, he looked at Nuan Nuan very seriously and asked a question softly.

"Little sister, do you also think it's better not to have this job?"

His question abruptly silenced the laughter inside the room.

All eyes were on the young man who had just escaped death.

Nuannuan, munching on a chicken leg with her little mouth greasy, nodded vigorously and mumbled, "Yes! No!"

She swallowed the meat in her mouth, and began to analyze it methodically, counting on her greasy little fingers.

"That wicked uncle, he's been captured, but he'll be released again!"

"He's out now, and he'll definitely bully Second Brother again! Nuannuan doesn't want Second Brother to get hurt again!"

"Let's sell our jobs and get lots and lots of money! We can buy meat and a new house! It's so much better than that lousy job!"

The little girl's voice was sweet and childlike, but her logic was frighteningly clear.

Silence fell in the room once again.

Yes, Zhang Sandong isn't guilty of a capital offense; he'll be released eventually. Given his vindictive nature, do you think he'll let Gu Xiaoan off the hook? The forest farm is a mixed bag; who knows if he has other accomplices?

It's too difficult to guard against thieves for a thousand days.

Gu Jianguo slammed his wine glass down on the table, spilling some of the wine.

Looking at his son's pale face and the wound on his shoulder, he felt as if a huge stone was blocking his heart.

His own leg hadn't fully healed, so he couldn't protect his son all the time. His elder brother, Da'an, was in a special situation and couldn't be relied upon at all.

Leaving Xiao An alone in that kind of place...

"Dad, Mom," Gu Xiaoan looked up at his parents, then at Nuannuan, "I think my sister is right."

Su Xiulan's heart clenched immediately.

"Xiao An, that's..."

"Mom," Gu Xiaoan interrupted her, her face showing a calmness beyond her years, "I almost lost my life for this job. If I go to work in fear every day, I'm afraid I might not come back one day."

"Our family's life is getting better now. Even if I don't go to the forest farm, I can find other ways to make money, support myself, and buy my sister a pretty dress."

These words left Su Xiulan speechless with disapproval.

Yes, money can be earned back, and jobs can be found again, but if her son is gone, what's the point of her living?

Gu Jianguo slapped his thigh suddenly, "Fine! Sell it! We don't want this lousy job anymore!"

Gu Da'an, who had been silent until now, nodded heavily at this moment to indicate his agreement.

Right there at the dinner table, the family made a decision that shocked the entire village.

The brigade leader, listening from the side, was dumbfounded. He rolled his eyes and tentatively spoke up: "Jianguo, if you really want to sell... then, then could you give priority to the people in our village? Several young men in the village are waiting for work!"

Gu Jianguo laughed heartily, "Of course, no problem! We shouldn't let the good stuff go to outsiders!"

After seeing the guests off, the family closed the door.

Nuannuan climbed off the kang (heated brick bed) and snuggled up to Gu Xiaoan, smiling sweetly, "Second brother, if you sell your job, you can follow Nuannuan around! When spring comes and the weather warms up, we'll go into the mountains together, and Nuannuan will help you make lots of money!"

Looking into his sister's bright eyes, Gu Xiaoan nodded vigorously, "Okay! From now on, brother will stick with Nuannuan!"

Seeing this, Su Xiulan felt relieved. She knew Nuannuan's abilities, and with Xiao An by her side, strong enough to protect her younger sister, she felt even more at ease knowing they were together.

Gu Jianguo took a puff of his pipe and delivered his final conclusion.

"Then it's settled! Once I'm fully recovered in a few days and go back to work at the factory, I'll see if I can find Xiao An an easy and safe job."

……

Zhang Aidi returned home dejectedly, and as soon as she entered the door, she kicked over all the dried vegetables drying in the yard.

"Why! Why is the third son's family living a better and better life! Heaven is blind!" she cursed in a shrill voice.

Grandma Gu was sitting inside sewing shoe soles when she heard the noise and came out with a sullen face.

"What's with the wailing?! Zhang Sandong's been arrested?"

"We've been arrested!" Zhang Aidi plopped down on the ground, crying and cursing. "Mom, what are we going to do about the fifty yuan! And what about the men in black...?"

Grandma Gu slapped Zhang Aidi hard across the face, making her see stars.

"Useless thing! More trouble than it's worth!" Old Mrs. Gu spat. "Relying on you is a waste of time! Looks like my second son and I will have to handle this ourselves!"

Zhang Aidi covered her face, not daring to utter a sound.

Old Mrs. Gu narrowed her triangular eyes, her face full of calculation and malice.

"Go, call the second brother over! Tell him I have something urgent to discuss!"

Not long after, Gu Jian'an, the second son of the Gu family, arrived.

Grandma Gu closed the door and lowered her voice, saying, "Has that big, simple-minded guy from the third son's family been spending all his time tinkering with junk in the yard lately?"

Gu Jian'an nodded, "Yes, Mom, he just stands there all day without moving."

"Good!" Old Mrs. Gu clapped her hands, her voice chilling. "We'll do it tonight! You two, find a chance to tie him up and bring him here!"

"Why are you tying him up?" Zhang Aidi asked, puzzled.

Grandma Gu gave a cold laugh, her wrinkles revealing a fierce edge.

"What do you mean? Your own son or the adopted wild girl, which do you think Gu Jianguo and Su Xiulan will choose?"

"As long as we have that big idiot in our hands, are we afraid we won't be able to get that brat in exchange? Once we have the money, we can do whatever we want with that moron with just a word!"

……

The next morning, Su Xiulan went to see the brigade leader and told him about Gu Xiaoan's job sale.

The captain was extremely efficient and took on the task with great confidence.

That's normal, though; many people want a secure job, they just don't have the opportunity. Giving it to anyone is a favor!

To everyone's surprise, the brigade leader arrived at the Gu family's house that very noon, beaming with joy.

"Xiulan! Jianguo! Great news! Incredibly great news!"

Before he even entered the hospital, the shouting could be heard first.

"What's wrong?" Su Xiulan was feeding the chickens in the yard and quickly went to greet her.

The captain wiped his sweat and excitedly lowered his voice, "It's done! Someone's willing to pay eight hundred yuan for Xiao An's job!"

"How...how much?!" Su Xiulan thought she had misheard, her ears ringing.

"Eight hundred yuan!" The captain held up eight fingers, gesturing with them. "Not a penny less! Cash!"

Eight hundred yuan!

In an era when a worker's monthly salary was only twenty or thirty yuan, this was an unimaginable sum of money!

Su Xiulan's legs went weak, and she almost lost her balance.

Gu Jianguo also came out of the house. Upon hearing the number, he dropped his pipe to the ground.

"real?"

"Of course it's true! He's the village chief's nephew, and we had to get him no matter what! I practically wore myself out trying to negotiate this price down!" The team leader said with a proud look on his face.

"Buy! Sell! Sell now!" Su Xiulan snapped out of her daze, so excited she was incoherent, and made the decision on the spot.

"They said they'll go to the forest farm first thing tomorrow morning to complete the formalities—payment on the spot, and the official registration transfer will be processed!" the team leader instructed. "You all have to keep this a secret until it's done; don't let anyone know!"

With more people knowing about it, I'm afraid something might change.

"Hey! Hey! We know!"

After the brigade leader left, the Gu family courtyard was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.

Su Xiulan and Gu Jianguo exchanged a glance, both seeing ecstasy and disbelief on each other's faces.

Nuannuan clapped her hands happily, "Wow! So much money! We can buy lots and lots of succulents!"

She tilted her little head and tugged at Su Xiulan's sleeve. "Mommy, Nuannuan wants to go with us tomorrow too. Nuannuan wants to ask Uncle when he can rent out that mountain to her?"

"Alright, alright, go ahead, go ahead!" Su Xiulan smiled, picked up her daughter, and gave her a big kiss.

It got dark, and dinner was ready. Su Xiulan put all the food on the table before she realized something was wrong.

"Huh? Where's Da'an?"

She called out twice into the courtyard, "Da'an, dinner's ready!"

The courtyard was quiet, and no one responded.

At this time of day, Gu Da'an would usually be sitting on a small stool in the corner, taking apart his radio.

But today, that corner is completely empty, not even a ghost in sight.

Su Xiulan's heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition welled up in her mind.

"Jianguo, have you seen Da'an?"

Gu Jianguo frowned as well. "He was still in the yard this afternoon. I didn't see him go out."

The couple searched the house inside and out, but found nothing.

Su Xiulan panicked completely, her voice trembling with tears: "Da'an! Da'an, where have you gone! Come out quickly!"

It was completely dark outside, with only a dim light bulb illuminating the doorway.

A gust of wind blew, causing the tree shadows to sway and creating an eerie atmosphere.