Small Shop Owner in the 1960s

The two children of the old Xu family were going to take the exam at once. Li Jing simply regarded this as the biggest thing in the family, and asked Xu Jiansheng to figure out the exam questions in advance, so that the chances of winning would be greater by then.

Anyway, their family's elder Xu has been working in the mine for so many years, and he is still the director. With so many people in charge, it is certainly not difficult to get an exam question.

When Xu Jiansheng heard this, he almost slapped her in front of the child.

Recruiting workers every year is a major event in the mine. How many people have sharpened their heads to be admitted, so many people are staring, who dares to start.

If this is a bit of a handle, it will be unnecessary to work. Even if you keep your job, don't even think about getting involved in the mine.

Those who have not passed the exam will not be allowed to drown you by spitting on the stars.

As soon as Li Jing heard nothing, she immediately hit the two children with her idea, so that the two of them did not even go to school and started preparing for the exam at home.

"Anyway, the school curriculum is not important. It's okay to ask for a few days off. The key is to mine. You pass the exam, but you are a serious working class. In the future, wherever you go, you will be superior. You can still get it. When it comes to supplying food, get a salary of dozens of yuan."

Xu Meizi smiled, "Auntie, our family is taking an exam. Other people's family must be staring at it. In case my sister and I don't go to class, if we don't pass the exam later, shouldn't people laugh at our family? Go to class, I don’t hope much anyway."

Li Jing also felt that it made sense. The eggs should not be put in a basket. If they are broken, outsiders can't laugh at it. So Xu Hong didn't go to class and stayed at home to prepare for the exam.

Xu Hong was also happy to have a holiday at home, but she was still very resistant to going to the mine to take an exam. When I went to bed at night, I complained to Xu Meizi, "What is the test? I don’t want to raise us anymore. I want us to make money to raise her. Hmph, I don’t want to think, if it wasn’t for our old Xu’s family, she was born. Live this good life?"

Zhang Cuiqin kept chanting these words in her ears.

Xu Meizi didn't say anything, and said after a while, "The auntie has already opened this mouth. If you don't go, she will definitely tell her. Then you still have to go. But if you really don't pass the exam, who can be blamed? ? At that time, it’s not that I can only continue to study. Okay, I’m going to bed, and I have to go to class tomorrow."

Xu Meizi turned over, and soon snored.

Xu Hong squinted his eyes and looked at the ceiling, thinking of what Xu Meizi said just now, there seemed to be some enlightenment in his heart.

The recruitment of workers in the mine caused a lot of disturbance in many families of workers. You know, the mine hasn't hired workers for several years. It's a rare opportunity. I missed this and I don't know when I will wait. Basically, most parents, as long as there are children of the right age in the family, regardless of academic qualifications, they help register for the exam. Especially in families with many children, they always feel that one more person has an opportunity, so many people can always win one. As long as they are admitted, the burden on the family can be reduced a lot.

Therefore, the recruitment examination has become the hottest topic among these family members.

Because there are children in the family who want to take exams, Li Jing often chats with these women, hoping to get some useful information.

"Speaking of speaking, there are three children in your family who will participate this time, Li Jing, don't worry, you can get one."

"Our family has only two children, and the other two have to continue studying." Li Jing said. When she wanted to let her two nephews take the exam, she worried that the old lady would be desperate for her. Moreover, Xu Lei will take the old Xu's class in the future, and there will be no examinations. Xu Long cannot take the examinations before his age.

"It's not three anymore. Your family Xu Hong, Meizi, and Xu Nannan have all signed up."

Hearing this, Li Jing's face changed, and she was puzzled, "No, Nannan's girl didn't graduate from elementary school. I went to study for a year."

"Huh, what year was it? This kid is really smart. After I heard that he came to the mine, he immediately went to the night school at our mine. He went to study for a semester and even got his diploma. My youngest son is in her class. I heard from the teacher that if Nan Nan can continue his studies, university is possible. What a pity."

When the woman talked about the back, with a somewhat ironic tone, she glanced at Li Jing slantingly, and then stared at the few sister-in-laws next to her, all in the meaning of gloating.

Take a look, let you ignore your relatives and daughters, but they also got their secondary school diploma. I don't care about my own good seedlings, but I have to take care of the wild seedlings. Not to mention Xu Meizi, Xu Hong's grades, but all those who have children in school are all clear. There are also those two nephews who go out wild all day, what can they do? Li Jing is also proud of herself.

Although this person didn't say it clearly, Li Jing also heard the meaning of watching her jokes, and her face became a little stiff, and her angry goose bumps began to rise. She found an excuse and went back home. As a result, as soon as I entered the door, I saw Xu Hong sitting in the hall and eating melon seeds, and angrily walked to the table and patted the table.

He took out the melon seeds again, and took Xu Hong into the room to read a book, "Hurry up and read the book. I will steam the eggs for you at noon. You will eat it by yourself to replenish your brain. This time the girl in Nannan will have to take a test. Can't be worse than her."

Xu Hong was a little unhappy at first, but when she heard that Xu Nannan was going to take the exam, her eyes widened, "Impossible, Er Ya has never read a book."

"I don't know where she studied. I went to the evening school and got a technical secondary school diploma. I also signed up this time." Li Jing said in a bad mood. Thinking about the jokes the women had just made to her in secret, she hated this girl to death. Why do you have to take the exam if you have nothing to do, you know you can't pass the exam, but you still have to apply for it to make people laugh at her. Can't you just stay in the cafeteria so people can't see her? Deliberately not to let her mother get better.

When I heard that Xu Nannan was self-taught, and he was still in evening school, Xu Hong sneered at this, "Are you afraid, what can you learn by self-study? That evening school is not a regular school, and it’s not as good as our junior high school. It's also a joke."

Li Jing also deeply agreed, but she still said, "It doesn't matter whether she can pass the exam, you have to pass it anyway. Otherwise, our family will be ashamed."

It's your face that I lost! Xu Hong said inwardly, without directly saying it, followed Li Jing and pushed into the room.

When Li Jing left, she looked at the empty room, curled her lips, and fell asleep on the bed.

On the day of the exam, Xu Nannan took a leave of absence and did not go to the canteen for the exam.

Everyone encouraged her to fight for her breath and be sure to pass the exam. If she is admitted, come back and give her a good meal.

Zhu Fang was also worried that she was nervous, and sent her to the examination place arranged by the Mining Committee, "Come on!"

Xu Nannan raised his fist at her, "Don't worry." Then he entered the examination room with a smile.

There are quite a lot of people who signed up this time. Nanjiang Iron Mine is well-known in Nanjiang County and has good welfare benefits. So not only the children of mine employees signed up, but other people of the right age in Nanjiang County have also signed up. However, not everyone has to take the written test. Some people know that their cultural achievements are not good, so they report to some technical jobs in the mine. After you go to these positions, you can't do formal work all at once, but start with an apprentice. However, it is better than a temporary worker. After learning it, the salary level will increase year by year, and it will become more regular. So many people apply for apprenticeship.

The applicants for posts with high education requirements like Xu Nannan are mostly high school students and technical secondary school students. There are a lot of people coming down, and there are more than 80 people.

There are quite a lot of apprentices and technicians in mines, but when recruiting such positions as the mining committee, personnel department, each department also recruits one person. Six places.

More than 80 people grabbed six places, and the competition was fierce.

Xu Nannan discovered that Xu Meizi and Xu Hong were among them.

Seeing Xu Nannan, Xu Hong pouted her lips proudly. Xu Meizi smiled faintly at her.

Xu Nannan ignored all of them and sat in his place to prepare for the exam.

At this time, the recruitment examination model is quite simple, but unlike the later civil service examinations, it is a written examination, an interview, and a re-examination, and finally a medical examination. According to Zhu Fang, if you perform well in this exam, it will basically be done. Of course, a political review must be conducted. However, those who took the exams these years generally have no problems.

For this exam, several department leaders who are going to recruit workers have come. Every leader copied the questions on the big blackboard in the meeting room. Those who take the exam below can answer the questions by themselves, you can choose to answer them, or you can answer all of them. Anyway, look at performance in the end.

Seeing the questions above, Xu Nannan didn't worry at all. These leaders estimated that they took the exams this time into different majors and different levels of education, so the questions they gave were relatively basic questions for each subject.

For Xu Xueba, it was simply a matter of hand.

Without saying anything, she took out her pen from the pencil case and was about to write, when she suddenly noticed that the pen was stuck.

When I picked it up, the pen was actually bent.

Xu Nannan's heart sank. She also checked her test equipment last night. This is her habit for many years. No matter what test she takes, she will prepare it in advance. I didn't find any problems at all last night, but it suddenly broke.

She saw that everyone had already started the exam. At this time, if she asked the leader to ask for a pen, even if she was given it, her impression of her would be greatly reduced. And at this time, pens are also rare things, and people must also give them unwillingly.

Xu Nannan reached into the pen box, closed his eyes and entered the Taobao store. He quickly bought a hero brand pen, then took it out with a calm expression, filled it with ink, and started answering the question.

On the other side of the examination room, Xu Hong looked at the questions on the blackboard, her mind spinning.

What is this all? I haven't learned it.

Forget it, she didn't want to take the exam anyway, regardless of her questions. It's not that she can't pass the exam, but she doesn't like the job.

Behind her, Xu Meizi lowered her head, frowned and looked at the copied question, picking up the meeting, and slowly writing it. Occasionally looking back at Xu Nannan's side, seeing her struggling to write, she laughed inwardly, such a difficult topic, I don't believe Erya will do it.

The exam is not finished by filling in the test paper. If you make a mistake, it is better not to answer. Don't know how to pretend to understand.

Many questions were raised this time. The exam took a full two hours to end.

When the ending bell rang, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Don't worry if you didn't do it, you don't have time to do it anyway.

After leaving the examination room, Zhu Fang and Wu Qing were waiting outside. Seeing her coming out, Zhu Fang ran over, "Nan Nan, how do you feel? How do you feel. Wait, don’t say it, it won’t work. Not to mention, go to dinner."

She looked nervous, as if she was even more nervous than Xu Nannan.

There is no way, this opportunity is too rare, it would be a shame if I didn't pass the exam.

Xu Nannan smiled and said, "I don't know how others are doing. Anyway, I don't think the question is difficult, so I will do it. It doesn't matter whether I can pass the exam, it's not a pity.

Zhu Fang nodded repeatedly. "Yes, right, right, don't care about the result, as long as you do your best. Let's go to dinner, anyway, the result will come out in a few days."

Seeing her like this, Xu Nannan couldn't help but smile, and saw Wu Qing next to her, "This time there are so many technical apprentices in the mine, you should also mention it here. Will you bring newcomers?"

She and Wu Qing rarely talk. But I think this girl is very shy and soft-tempered, so sometimes she will take the initiative to talk to her. Seeing her and Zhu Fang waiting for herself this time, Xu Nannan also expressed her closeness.

Wu Qing pursed her lips, "I don't know yet. My master said that this time I want to raise the salary of the old apprentice by one level. I don't know if there is a place for me."

Xu Nannan comforted, "No matter what, it's a good thing to have a chance. Just do your best."

Wu Qing smiled, her eyes drooping. "If you pass the exam this time, you will be a formal job in the future. It's the same as Zhu Fang."

"I don't know if I can pass the exam." Although Xu Nannan is confident, he still doesn't dare to say everything. As long as the final result is not reached, things may go wrong.

Zhu Fang stretched out her arm around her shoulder, "Don't say it, I'm very nervous when I say it, let's go, let's go eat something delicious first."

She put her arm around Xu Nannan, stretched out her hand to pull Wu Qing, and walked to the dining hall together.

Xu's family, Li Jing also prepared a table to eat. For today's exam, she even cut half a catty of meat and came back, adding some meat to each dish, which at least made two meats and one vegetable. This is almost catching up with the New Year's Day treatment.

After all, many people in the mine are in poor conditions at home, and they are still eating vegetables and drinking like the countryside. That's why she has a high job position for men, not only has a high salary, but also has a lot of food. Coupled with the food from the village, the days are not too bad anyway. But Rao is so, such a hearty meal as today is not common in Xu's family.

She didn't even let Xu Long and Xu Lei want to eat this time.

Xu Lei was unhappy, "What's so great, don't you just take a test? You won't have to marry someone in the future." He said, if the big girl can marry a good person in the future, it will benefit him. But the big girl also said that only when she is in college can she marry a good family.

If the big girl is really a worker, can she marry a good family? What if you marry a worker like an uncle? I have to raise a lot of relatives, how can I help him?

Xu Long said nothing, obediently and Li Jing waited for others to come back for dinner. He doesn't care whether Sister Sanya is a worker or not, anyway, if his mother said someone, let him listen to the aunt's words, and his future benefits will be indispensable.

Looking at the two children, Li Jing also leaned towards Liu Qiao's two children, feeling that Zhang Cuiqin's child was not as good as Liu Qiaosheng's. I just don't know if Xu Hong will pass the exam this time.

After waiting for a while, Xu Jiansheng finally brought his two nieces to "return in triumph."

As soon as he came back, Xu Hong immediately took the bowl and chopsticks and ate, "I am starving to death. I have no energy during the exam."

Xu Meizi sat on the side and poured a glass of water for Xu Jiansheng before sitting down.

Hearing Xu Hong said that he was hungry during the exam, Li Jing immediately became anxious, "What's wrong, why were you hungry during the exam? Didn't you go to eat steamed buns in the morning?"

Xu Hong ate while saying, "How tiring the exam is, it's enough to eat steamed buns. As far as our exam is, people bring boiled eggs to eat outside. It smells delicious."

Li Jing felt a little regretful. In the morning, she didn't cook an egg to replenish the strength of the two children. She asked again, "How did the test take place?"

"It's okay, I did it anyway." Xu Hong said, then stopped talking, lowered his head and ate with big mouthfuls, slicing meat from time to time.

Xu Meizi smiled, "It feels okay. There are a lot of people taking this exam. News will be released in a few days, so don't worry about it."

When Li Jing heard that the two children were doing well in the exam, her heart slowly fell.

The same issue was raised in other families. Those who took the exam were particularly confident and vague.

Anyway, there is still a word at the end, wait!

Mom and dad, don’t ask, wait for notification...

After waiting for three days, notices came out one after another. These are mainly apprentices going to technical positions, with lower requirements and lower positions.

Almost all the families who waited for the notice wanted to set off firecrackers.

Li Jing looked at the other selected people with a smile and almost broke their teeth, "What's so great, isn't it just an apprentice, and not a formal job. It's still a dirty job."

Xu Nannan is rather calm. Anyway, the position she applied for hasn't been notified yet, so she is not in a hurry. It was Zhu Fang who went to the Mining Committee and Personnel Department to inquire about this all day long.

"Nannan, Nannan," two days later, when Xu Nannan was still in the cafeteria for dinner at noon, Zhu Fang ran over with the notice. There was more than a group of people, and he handed the notice to her in a daze.

Others knew it was Xu Nannan's admission letter at first glance.

Liao's sister-in-law took the big spoon in her hand and urged, "Hurry up and see if it's accepted, whether it's a formal worker or an apprentice, which department belongs to."

Xu Nannan was a little nervous at this time.

This is related to her future job. And according to the current domestic situation, she seems to have a long way to go.

In front of everyone, she slowly opened the notice and looked at the content on it.

"Oh, it's a formal worker or a purchasing department." Sister Liao saw it first and immediately laughed.

Xu Nannan was stunned, Purchasing Division? She clearly reported on the finance department. After all, her major is accounting, so she feels that the opportunity is greater.

Others don't care what subject she applied for before, anyway, Xu Nannan was admitted, and it was the procurement department. This is incredible.

In the eyes of everyone, the purchasing department is a good place. If you don’t talk about anything else, you usually have to go on a business trip. There is a lot of subsidies for business trips. What's more, it's so convenient that I can bring it back by the way when I'm on a business trip. How many people usually have to beg for work.

The people in the canteen are extremely happy, and Xu Nannan has made a face for us in the canteen again.

Master Da Du smiled happily with his double chin, and was full of anger with those who came to the cafeteria to eat. "It seems that this exam is not difficult. Nan Nan from our cafeteria was also admitted."

His words were accompanied by a triumphant tone and expression, which made people feel a little sore. It’s not hard to call an exam. Don’t you just want to say that the people in your cafeteria are so good that they were admitted to a formal job and took office.

But the news also spread.

After finishing the meal, Zhu Fang didn't leave. He stopped Xu Nannan and said excitedly, "Do you know why you are going to the procurement department? Deputy mine manager Li arranged it!"

Xu Nannan was shocked. Could it be that she didn't pass the exam, and Deputy Mine Manager Li walked through the back door for her?

Zhu Fang saw her look surprised and smiled, "Are you surprised, hahaha, tell you, you were so good in this exam. You said that you answered very well in the final thought questions, and the union is rushing to ask you. Go. The Finance Department wants you, and the Mining Committee wants you too. As a result, several leaders quarreled on it. It was the Deputy Mine Manager Li that made the decision and told you to go to the Purchasing Department."

Although he failed to go to the Finance Department in the end, Zhu Fang thought it was a good thing. The Finance Section is not necessarily better than the Procurement Section. The key is that Xu Nannan was rushed to ask for it by several people, which shows that she is capable. Finally, it was arranged in the procurement department, and mine manager Li spoke. This has all been caught in the eyes of the mine manager. If you mention advanced or outstanding things, wouldn't the chances be greater?

Xu Nannan didn't think so much, knowing that she was admitted, and not the deputy mine manager Li who walked through the back door, she was relieved. Otherwise, she would really have a little bump in her heart. After all, it is the most stable and righteous to rely on one's own ability.

As for which subject she is in, it doesn't matter when she comes. Anyway, she had previously reported for the Finance Department, but because of her professionalism, she thought it would have a better chance of winning. As long as it can enter the mine, it doesn't matter what discipline.

"But we have to go to our mining committee to study for a while, and we can stay together for a while, Xu Guan, I need more advice in the future."

Zhu Fang joked with a smile.

"Guardian Zhu, you are an old senior, and I will have to be a newcomer in the future. You will have to mention it." Xu Nannan said with a serious expression on his face. The eyes did not forget to blink.

Zhu Fang was happy and laughed and said, "It's easy to talk, let's have a meal of sauerkraut and pork dumplings."

"Okay, let's go after get off work!" Xu Nannan agreed without saying a word.

"This is what you said, then I will come to you after get off work." Zhu Fang swallowed. She's just fine with this bite.

As for being polite with Xu Nannan, there is no need. Xu Guan's salary will be 36 yuan every month. There are still 30 catties of food, enough to eat!

After the admission notice came down, several families were happy and some were worried. Li Jing sat at home and waited for a day, and asked Xu Jiansheng to inquire about it, but she didn't believe it.

"Li Jing, what are you waiting for, there is no notice yet, did your old Xu go to the mine to ask?" Jiao sister-in-law next door asked, lying on the low wall.

Li Jing didn't have a good air, "Where are so fast, so many people, you have to be notified slowly."

"That's not necessarily true," Jiao Sister-in-law shook her head, and then said with a gossip, "When Liu Guixiang went to the canteen to cook, he listened to the people in the canteen to say that your daughter Xu Nannan was admitted. work."

When Li Jing heard the news, her head was a little confused, "What, isn't it a mistake?"

"The notice from the Mining Committee, you can be happy now, don't care whether your niece is admitted, but my daughter is admitted."

Sister-in-law Jiao said something weirdly, and then went back to her house.

Hmph, even though you made my old lady unhappy at the beginning, my old lady has to respond to you.

Li Jinghun didn't keep the house and waited until Xu Jiansheng came back from get off work at night.

Xu Jiansheng's face was also not very good, with a somewhat deep feeling.

Seeing him like this, Li Jing didn't dare to ask.

She is not stupid, and she hasn't notified her until now, it must be out of play. Especially Xu Jiansheng is still like this...

Because of this incident, Li Jing didn't cook any dishes at night. She cooked the green vegetables and added Wowotou to deal with a meal like this.

The family was sitting at the table, except for the two boys who ate carelessly, everyone else was a little absent-minded.

Halfway through the meal, Xu Jiansheng put down his chopsticks.

"This time, Hong Hong didn't pass the exam."

Li Jing's heart sank to the bottom. Xu Hong's eyes brightened, and then he lowered his head to eat, not looking at Li Jing's dark face anyway.

If you can't pass the exam, you can't blame her. If you have the ability, you can help her get a formal job position.

Xu Meizi looked at Xu Jiansheng nervously.

Li Jing was also a little nervous, "What about plums?"

"...I was admitted to an apprenticeship. To operate a forging machine. She has a junior high school education, and as long as she passes the technical exam a year later, she can be converted. Every month she can get 20 yuan plus 15 catties of grain."

"Apprentice?" Li Jing looked at Xu Meizi with disappointment.

But when he heard the twenty yuan in the back and fifteen catties of grain, his eyes became hot.

Xu Meizi was shocked, "I didn't get a formal job, then I must have not studied enough. I still go to school honestly, and try to get a good job after going to college. I will give my uncle and aunt a long face in the future."

Li Jing disagreed, "Meizi, there is nothing wrong with this apprenticeship. If you study hard, won't you get a full year after a year? It will be the same as a formal job. It will only be for one year. You How long does it take to enter the university? Do the calculations yourself. Isn't it more cost-effective to be an apprentice?"

"Auntie, that's a technical post, I won't..."

Technical female workers, who have been in the wind and rain all day long in the mine, their face will be blackened.

Xu Meizi regretted this moment, she shouldn't have been greedy for this good before, so she ran to take the exam. Now it's all right, the one who should be admitted failed, she didn't deserve to be admitted, and she took the test for a while.

"Auntie, I..."

She would say that Xu Jiansheng shook his head, "Meizi, uncle also thinks you should go. I heard that because there are so many people recruited in the mine this time, they won't be recruited again in the next few years. In the future, even if you want to take the exam. , There is no chance."

Xu Hong was drinking slurp on the side, very happy in her heart, deserved it, let you show the limelight.

Li Jing looked at Xu Meizi and said, "Meizi, if you can't make up your mind, I will go back to my hometown tomorrow, talk to your parents and your milk about this, and let them make up your mind."

When Xu Long saw that both Li Jing and Xu Jiansheng let Xu Meizi go, he also took Xu Meizi's arm, "Sister, you go, didn't Mom say it, let us listen to the uncle and the uncle. Why don't you listen? "

Xu Meizi scratched the corner of her clothes, quivered her lips, then nodded, "Well, I'll go."

The stone in Li Jing's heart can be regarded as falling. He said happily, "I will cut half a catty of meat tomorrow and come back. Let's have a good meal and celebrate."

Because Xu Nannan is a temporary worker in the mine, it is much easier to go through the entry procedures. However, her household registration is in a rural area, and this must be transferred as soon as possible, otherwise it will not be issued when the grain is distributed in the first month.

On the first day when Xu Nannan reported to the Mining Committee, she was given two days off and asked her to go back to her hometown to transfer her account.