1959Siheyuan, a Turnaround

Li Dahe's voice echoed at the door of the finance office, attracting the attention of many employees who had just received their wages.

Originally everyone was immersed in the joy of receiving their salary, but now they all gathered around, wanting to see what had happened.

Qin Huairu looked around and found that she had become the focus of everyone's attention. People around her were pointing at her and saying all kinds of nasty things.

Those words were like sharp blades, piercing straight into her heart and causing her unbearable pain.

She suddenly became overwhelmed and wished she could disappear from this world immediately.

Just at this moment, Li Huaide and his men happened to pass by here.

He was wearing a neat Mao suit, his hair was combed meticulously, and his eyes revealed a shrewdness and cunning.

He looked through the crowd and saw Qin Huairu, who was at a loss.

Li Huaide's heart moved. He had heard the conversation between Li Dahu and Qin Huairu last time and knew that Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai had an ambiguous relationship.

He had always coveted Qin Huairu, but because she was pregnant at the time, it was inconvenient for him to take action.

Now seeing her in such a predicament, I couldn't help but feel secretly happy in my heart.

He turned slightly and whispered a few words to the secretary beside him. Then, with a barely perceptible smile on his face, he turned and left.

Not long after Li Huaide left, the workshop director of workshop 3 hurried over.

He had a gloomy face and a frown on his face, and he struggled to squeeze through the crowd.

When Qin Huairu saw the workshop director appear, a glimmer of hope ignited in her heart, thinking that he was there to help her out of the predicament.

However, the workshop director's next words were like a bucket of cold water, completely extinguishing the only glimmer of hope in her heart.

"Qin Huairu, what's wrong with you? As a worker at a steel mill, can't you be more careful and not affect the reputation of the mill? Don't you want to continue working?"

The workshop director's voice was low and serious, echoing in the crowd like a thunderclap, making Qin Huairu suddenly lose her composure.

She hurried forward, tearfully grasped the workshop director's arm, and begged, "Director, how can this be? Our family cannot live without this job!"

The workshop director shook Qin Huairu's hand away in disgust and said in a cold tone: "Qin Huairu, don't pull it in public. If you don't want to lose your job, return the money quickly. Don't lose your job for ten dollars."

Qin Huairu had completely lost the ability to think at this moment, and her heart was filled with fear and despair.

Under the gaze of the workshop director, she took out ten yuan from the eighteen yuan that was clenched in sweat with trembling hands and handed it to Li Dahe.

Li Dahe took the money without hesitation and said coldly, "Qin Huairu, I'll have my children deliver the IOU to your family when I get home."

The workshop director saw that the matter had been resolved, so he waved his hand and signaled the crowd to disperse: "Okay, everyone who has received their wages can go home."

Seeing that there was nothing exciting to watch, everyone shook their heads and sighed, and left one after another.

The workshop director looked at the distraught Qin Huairu, his heart moved slightly, and he couldn't help but remind her: "Qin Huairu, I hope you can think carefully before doing things in the future. You are now a worker in the steel rolling mill, and the factory will evaluate the employees every year. With your ideological awareness, how can you become a regular employee in the future? You'd better take care of yourself." After that, he turned around and strode away.

Qin Huairu stood there, holding the remaining eight dollars tightly in her hand, her eyes empty and lifeless.

She couldn't understand why things had developed to this point.

In fact, she had already reserved money for the hospitalization for giving birth. Even if she didn't borrow the ten yuan from Li Dajiang, the family could still get by if they were frugal.

But when she learned that Li Dajiang had paid her hospital bills, she suddenly felt greedy, thinking that with these ten dollars, her family would be able to live a better life.

Indeed, with this money, Jia Zhang bought some meat and the family was able to have a few full meals.

But now, she only has eight dollars left a month. How can she survive?

Before she knew it, Qin Huairu walked to the gate of the courtyard with heavy steps.

In the past, when she walked into the yard, the third uncle would always greet her warmly and exchange a few words with her.

However, now, when the third uncle saw her coming in from afar, he immediately turned around and went back to the house, as if she was some kind of monster that he could not avoid.

Not only the third uncle, but other uncles and aunts also quickened their pace and hid in their homes when they saw her.

The entire courtyard was once filled with laughter and neighborhood warmth, but it was so cold to them, which made her feel extremely guilty and desperate.

When Qin Huairu walked into the house, Jia Zhang was already waiting inside.

As soon as she saw Qin Huairu coming back, she couldn't wait to reach out for money: "Where's the salary? Give it to me quickly!"

Qin Huairu handed the eight dollars in her sweaty hand to Jia Zhang in a dejected manner. Jia Zhang took the money and started counting it without even looking at her.

When she found out that Qin Huairu only brought back eight yuan, her face suddenly changed, her eyes widened with anger, and she shouted loudly: "Qin Huairu, why is there only eight yuan? Where did the missing money go? If you can't explain it clearly, I will beat you to death!"

Qin Huairu seemed to have been drained of all her strength, and her voice was weak and powerless: "Pay back the money."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhang was furious: "What? You paid back the money? How dare you pay it back without my consent? What right do you have to pay it back to the Li family? I don't care, if you don't take back the ten dollars..."

Qin Huairu looked at her unreasonable mother-in-law, and the grievance and anger in her heart finally burst out. She collapsed and shouted loudly: "Enough, Mom! The workshop director said that if I don't pay back the money, I will have to quit my job. What can I do?"

When Jia Zhang heard what Qin Huairu said, her arrogance disappeared immediately, and a trace of horror appeared on her face: "The workshop director also manages the employees?"

Qin Huairu continued, "Of course. The workshop director also said that if I do it again in the future, I won't be able to get a permanent job. The factory has an assessment system for its employees."

Only then did Jia Zhang remember that Jia Dongxu had also mentioned these things when he was promoted to a regular employee.

She looked at the pitiful eight dollars in her hand and her heart was filled with despair.

How can she support her family for a month with this little money?

She sat down on the ground and burst into tears: "Oh, God, you just won't give us a way to live..."

This time, Jia Zhang cried particularly miserably. However, the neighbors had already been extremely disappointed with the Jia family and turned a deaf ear to her cries. No one was willing to come over to take a look, and no one was willing to come forward to comfort her.

Not long after, Li Weiguo came to the door of the Jia family with an IOU.

He knocked on the door gently, and the knock sounded particularly crisp in the quiet courtyard.

Qin Huairu was crying secretly in the house. When she heard the knock on the door, she quickly got up and opened it.

When she saw that the person coming was Li Weiguo, she immediately understood why he came.

Li Weiguo handed the IOU to Qin Huairu expressionlessly without saying a word, then turned and left.

His figure seemed particularly cold in the dim light, as if he had nothing to do with anything in this courtyard.

Qin Huairu looked at Li Weiguo's receding back and could no longer control her emotions. Tears flowed out like a flood.

"Woooo..."