Chapter 12

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There were not many people in this small printing factory, only twenty-three employees in total. The boss handled business affairs, while his sister assisted him by organizing various transaction documents. The boss’s wife managed finance and personnel matters, aided by her own sister. The boss’s younger brother and brother-in-law were responsible for driving and delivering goods. The boss’s mother took charge of cooking meals for the staff, whose meals were quite simple.

The so-called employee meals, supposedly costing five yuan each, often consisted of a barely visible stir-fry of pork with white rice or steamed buns. They were filling enough, however, because they came with corn cobs grown back in the boss’s hometown—take as many as you wanted, but you couldn’t take any home or leave leftovers.

The dozen or so contract workers often complained about this, and the boss was aware, but being a mama’s boy, he dared not oppose his mother. Instead, he quietly conspired with his wife to find excuses to give the workers additional allowances.

A night shift paid thirty yuan; each person worked at least six night shifts a month, and some had done as many as ten, like Li Juan, who was so pleased with the extra money that she couldn’t help but smile brightly.

The workers’ hearts were tightly bound to the boss. Ah, China—filial piety above all—so even if they couldn’t resist the boss’s mother, they understood... as long as the wages were paid on time, everything was fine.

At this moment, the previous shift had just finished lunch, and small groups of workers were chatting in the workshop. There was no refrigerator in the workshop, but there were radiators to keep the machines running smoothly. The radiators were about fifty degrees Celsius, enough to keep food from spoiling.

Li Juan poured the leftover braised pork into an aluminum lunchbox and casually placed it on the radiator, thinking she could add a little something to her dinner later.

At first, the aroma hadn’t spread. Five minutes later, some began to twitch their noses.

“What’s that delicious smell?”

“Who brought food?”

“I’m getting hungry just smelling it.”

Colleagues started searching for the source of the aroma and soon found the lunchbox on the radiator.

“That’s the smell!”

“Smells amazing!”

“Whose is it?”

Li Juan went out to get a glass of water and returned to find a crowd gathered around the radiator. She was startled, fearing the lunchbox had tipped over or animals had been attracted, and hurried over.

“What’s going on?”

“Is this yours?” one colleague pointed at the lunchbox.

“Yes, what’s the matter?” Li Juan was puzzled. A few days ago, someone had brought some food from outside and heated it on the radiator during a snack break, and the boss hadn’t minded. Why such a strong reaction today?

“It smells so good. Did you make it?”

“No, I bought it.”

One of the coworkers, a girl from the boss’s hometown village, was called Little Jinhua and was only sixteen this year.

The boss’s mother showed her no special treatment, treating her the same as everyone else.

Li Juan felt it wasn’t easy for someone so young to be working and was kind to her; Little Jinhua regarded Li Juan as an older sister.

The food at lunch had been so awful that Little Jinhua had secretly taken a steamed bun with her, hoping to share some fermented tofu with a friend.

Now, smelling this rich meat aroma was unbearable. Little Jinhua looked at Li Juan eagerly.

“Sis Juan, can I have a bite?”

Li Juan hesitated for a moment.

“This is my leftover.”

Little Jinhua’s eyes fixed on the lunchbox, shyly murmuring, “Just one bite.”

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Li Juan couldn’t resist her pitiful gaze.

“If you don’t mind, go ahead.”

Little Jinhua split the bun in half and tried to put a slice of ham on one half, but the ham was so tender that half slipped off as soon as she picked it up.

Her chopsticks, like a piranha smelling blood, flicked the half piece back onto the bun and then plunged into the lunchbox to retrieve the fallen piece, soaking it generously in the braising sauce.

The deep amber sauce drenched one side of the bun. She took a big bite, and the rich aroma instantly filled her mouth. The salty, savory flavor carried a hint of sweetness, with a faint vinegar tang on the tongue. The sauce had transformed the dry, coarse steamed bun, made from third-grade flour, elevating it beyond its humble nature.

She had just complained that the bun was rough on her mouth; now she wanted another piece.

A colleague asked, “How is it? Tasty?”

With only one mouth, she had no time to talk. Just as she swallowed, her empty mouth was eager for a second bite.

“Don’t just eat, say something!” joked a coworker.

“Say what? Judging by her face, it’s definitely good! Hey, where did you buy it?”

Li Juan replied, “At the stall outside. It’s expensive—thirty yuan.”

“A stall? Thirty yuan?” The coworkers all exclaimed in unison.

Little Jinhua finished her bun, licking her fingers with lingering satisfaction. Suddenly, her expression grew determined, as if she had made a major decision. She looked around and asked, “I want to buy some. Anyone want to split it with me?”

“Is it really that good?!”

Everyone knew her family had been fined for having an extra child, leaving them practically destitute. That’s why, at sixteen—maybe even fifteen—she had started working.

The boss had found her a place to sleep in the factory and provided three meals a day. She sent every yuan she earned, including allowances, back home.

When she first arrived, she didn’t even have a single piece of unpatched clothing. Li Juan took pity and gave her some of her old clothes.

And now, she wanted to eat meat costing thirty yuan a serving!

A colleague couldn’t help but ask, “Did Old Ge give you a raise?”

Old Ge, whose full name was Ge Fugui, was the printing factory owner. Apart from being a mama’s boy, he was quite decent, so giving this girl a raise wasn’t impossible.

Little Jinhua shook her head. “No, that’s why I’m asking if anyone wants to split the cost. It’s too expensive.”

She still had a small piece of plain steamed bun untouched by the sauce and looked at Li Juan cautiously.

“Can I dip a little more sauce?”

Her timid demeanor was so pitiful that Li Juan generously said, “Go ahead and take some more meat.”

Normally, Little Jinhua would be polite about it, but this time, without any formalities, she just said “Thank you” and took another chopstickful.

Others watched, longing so visibly it was almost as if their hands reached down their throats. Someone even swallowed loudly.

“Why don’t you all try some?” Li Juan, who was easygoing, couldn’t refuse those yearning eyes.

“Don’t mind if we do!”

One fastidious colleague went back to his workstation to get chopsticks. By then, the lunchbox, which had been half full of meat, was now just sauce.

Some were still chewing, some licking their fingers, others pressing their lips together...

Li Juan complained loudly, “You’re too quick! You didn’t save me any!”

The coworkers just laughed, not feeling guilty for their unfriendliness.

There were still five minutes before the official start of the shift. Frustrated, Li Juan grabbed her small bag and told Little Jinhua, “I’ll split the cost with you. Let’s go.”

Little Jinhua didn’t even have time to wash her hands before the two of them hurried out.

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At this moment, Wang Xuejiao’s stall already had more than twenty customers lined up—all students buying fried rice. Little Jinhua quietly joined the back of the line.

Finally reaching the front, Little Jinhua and her colleague had just handed over the money to Wang Xuejiao when suddenly a shout rang out beside them: “The Red Armbands are here!”

All the street vendors around quickly packed up and scattered like wind and clouds.

Wang Xuejiao jumped onto her tricycle and pedaled fiercely, turning the vehicle into an F1 racer.

Only the dozen or so people left in line stood there dumbfounded.

Little Jinhua froze for three seconds, then cried out, “My meat!!!”

The other vendors came every day, and she knew they would be back.

But this stall had opened for the first time today, and it was uncertain if it would return.

Fifteen yuan was a huge sum for Little Jinhua—enough to last her a month.

She was heartbroken, endlessly regretting that she didn’t deserve a good life, that she shouldn't focus on herself and neglect her family. Now, wanting to eat a little more meat, she was punished by fate.

No matter how upset she was, there was nothing to be done. She didn’t know where Wang Xuejiao lived, and even if she did, the girl had just made a tidy sum and wouldn’t feel obliged to return.

With the start of the work shift approaching, Little Jinhua returned to her job, her whole shift filled with regret and pain.

Wang Xuejiao hadn’t gone far. She had fled with the other vendors to a nearby alley. The Red Armbands only made routine patrols to intimidate; they didn’t chase vendors relentlessly like criminals.

After about twenty minutes, the vendors returned to their spots, following a tactic of “retreat when the enemy advances, advance when the enemy retreats.”

By then, the original customers had long since left; a new crowd had taken their place.

Wang Xuejiao looked around but didn’t see Little Jinhua or her colleagues. She figured, with such a large amount of money involved, they would surely come back, so she didn’t worry and continued focusing on her business.

She had already counted her earnings: eight hundred and thirty yuan during lunch!

Zheng Yuezhen’s monthly salary was only five hundred!

The bureau only required task completion, not reporting business revenue.

The budget for cases was so tight that it was often insufficient, and sometimes officers had to pay out of their own pockets for unexpected expenses.

There was an unspoken rule: any money earned legally during investigations was kept by the officers themselves.

That evening, cold air moved southward, bringing strong winds and a temperature drop. Qian Gang came an hour early to relieve Wang Xuejiao and told her to go home. Wang Xuejiao felt embarrassed about leaving early.

“What if someone comes to check? How would I explain this?”

Qian Gang looked indifferent. “With the way you’re dressed, don’t freeze to death. Come early tomorrow to relieve me.”

Wang Xuejiao had heard that Qian Gang had been a small-time troublemaker before he turned eighteen but was reformed by a good policeman. After graduating high school, he joined the military, where he excelled, and later became a police officer.

Though a cop, he hadn’t changed his tough demeanor; he did good deeds but was never gentle with his words.

Wang Xuejiao picked up her lunchbox and waved it at Qian Gang.

“You watch the stall. I’m off to pay my debts.”

“Jinhua, someone’s here asking for you,” a coworker shouted.

Little Jinhua, looking downcast, saw Wang Xuejiao standing at the door holding two lunchboxes and suddenly widened her eyes.

“How did you know I was here?”