A foreign city, dear you

New week. Monday morning.

The factories in He'ao Village that had been silent for a day or two were about to get busy again. The chimney of a factory in the distance had begun to emit white smoke.

The sky is grey.

The sun is also misty. It rises quietly from the east and shoots its fiery light towards the earth like a sharp sword.

Cao Xueqian came to Shunda Factory, still wearing a light blue work clothes.

Seeing the big words "Shunda Plastic Mold Factory" on the door, Cao Xueqian no longer hesitated. He only prayed secretly in his heart: I hope he can be in peace in the new week.

Cao Xueqian was the first to come to the office.

After a while, the tall Jia Liwen also came. Cao Xueqian greeted him respectfully, and he nodded lightly.

I wonder if he knew that he was going to be fired last Friday? Regardless, it doesn't matter whether you know it or not.

Zhao Dongping should be arriving soon, right? I wonder if he is still busy today?

Cao Xueqian is so eager to learn things!

"Ding ding ding..." The phone rang suddenly. Jia Liwen picked up the receiver, listened for a while, and then handed it to Cao Xueqian: "It's for you."

Cao Xueqian took it, and a girl's voice came from the phone: "Is it Cao Xueqian? Come to the human resources department."

Cao Xueqian went to the Human Resources Department with suspicion. It turned out that he was asked to change his work clothes. He has now been demoted to the rank of apprentice and is required to wear the dark blue uniform of an ordinary employee.

Although it is said to be a replacement, new work clothes still cost an additional fifteen yuan.

I went and the fifteen yuan was gone again. Cao Xueqian was a little annoyed.

Cao Xueqian came to the office wearing new work clothes. Jia Liwen was surprised when he saw it. Pointing to his clothes and asked:

"what's the situation?"

Cao Xueqian smiled bitterly: "I am an apprentice now. Please give me your advice in the future."

"Why? What happened?" Jia Liwen continued to ask, a little surprised in his eyes. I don't know whether he was surprised by the incident itself or by his ignorance.

Cao Xueqian told him what he had experienced last week in a few words.

Jia Liwen said "Oh" lightly, then turned around and went about his business.

Cao Xueqian didn't expect to hear any words of comfort from Jia Liwen.

He understood that even if it was a huge boulder that hit him on the head, in the eyes of others, it might just be a disdainful speck of dust.

Before seeing Zhao Dongping in the office, Cao Xueqian wanted to take a walk in the workshop.

The dark blue overalls on his body showed that he was undergoing an unseemly transformation. But he has psychologically accepted this change, this blow, and he has convinced himself that he is not ashamed to see others.

On the contrary, he was very calm. He came here to grow.

In the final analysis, the previous position and salary were nothing more than moonlight in the mirror, false and unobtainable.

Yes, he longs for a high position and a high salary, but he has to rely on his true talents and learning to obtain it.

Yes, he is just a mere apprentice now.

But a blessing in disguise is a blessing in disguise?

Wouldn't apprenticeship be more conducive to his learning?

He no longer has to hide and he can learn skills legitimately and openly. Isn't this a good thing?

When thinking this way, Cao Xueqian felt that his heart was getting excited again little by little. He came to the workshop without hesitation, ready to accept the strange looks from his colleagues in the workshop.

But he thought too much. His colleagues were busy with their own affairs and had no time to notice his appearance, let alone pay attention to the changes in him.

Some colleagues may not even know him yet.

Okay, so it's less awkward.

Cao Xueqian felt much more relaxed all over.

He even subconsciously searched for the two supervisors.

He found that his previous shyness in front of the two supervisors had disappeared, and instead he had a posture of "I am an apprentice, who am I afraid of?"

But for some reason, both supervisors were absent.

After walking around the workshop, Cao Xueqian walked back to the office.

Cao Xueqian wanted to see if Zhao Dongping was here. Zhao Dongping is usually very early, so it's a bit strange that he hasn't seen anyone so late today.

When he was approaching the office, Cao Xueqian suddenly saw Zhao Dongping coming out of the finance room, holding a black leather bag in his right hand.

Cao Xueqian was very confused: What was he doing in the finance office?

Cao Xueqian hesitated and was about to say hello, but Zhao Dongping had already arrived at the door of the engineering department office in a few steps. When he saw Cao Xueqian, he immediately stopped.

"Xueqian, I was just looking for you." Zhao Dongping said as he pulled Cao Xueqian to a position near the door, with no intention of entering the office.

"What's the matter?" Cao Xueqian asked.

Zhao Dongping's abnormality left Monk Cao Xueqian scratching his head: Is there something that we can't go to the office to talk about?

"Xueqian, I'm really sorry for you. I'm not that busy anymore, and I was planning to take care of you, but something happened at home suddenly, and I had to resign and go home immediately. I just went to the finance office to... …”

"What did you say? Did you resign? Are you no longer here?" Cao Xueqian couldn't believe his ears and hurriedly interrupted Zhao Dongping to confirm.

"Yes." Zhao Dongping said apologetically: "I didn't expect anything to happen at home. After I leave, you should still work here and learn as much as you can. If you really can't learn anything, I will still do it in the future. It will come out, and I will take you with me then..."

Cao Xueqian was stunned.

What Zhao Dongping said later was just buzzing in his ears and he didn't listen at all.

The high-spirited mood that he had just inspired suddenly cooled down.

Life, are you still kidding me? Is there no end to this joke? Zhao Dongping is leaving, but I am still helpless.

Who will cover me? Who will guide me? Who will teach me how to get started? what do I do?

Cao Xueqian's thoughts were agitated and it was difficult to calm down.

He silently followed Zhao Dongping back to the office and silently watched him pack his things.

Slowly, Cao Xueqian tried to calm himself down.

After all, Zhao Dongping was about to say goodbye to him, and he didn't know when he would meet again in the future.

Although, to some extent, Zhao Dongping put him in a difficult situation, his original intention was good, and Zhao Dongping felt sorry for the result.

Cao Xueqian tried his best to relax his expression and act as if nothing happened.

Zhao Dongping packed up his things, shook hands with Jia Liwen and said goodbye, and asked him to take good care of Cao Xueqian. Because it was still working hours, Cao Xueqian could only send Zhao Dongping to the factory gate.

Zhao Dongping patted Cao Xueqian on the shoulder:

"I'm leaving, you have to rely on yourself from now on."

"Ok, I know."

"It's all my fault. You were fine in Huacheng. I was the one who brought you..."

"Don't worry, go back. I'm fine." Cao Xueqian saw that Zhao Dongping was blaming himself, and quickly interrupted him: "There is no end to the road, and I will always get through it. I have been in the world for two years after all. You are such an old man, why don't you trust me? No matter what, you will always be my brother and master in my heart."

"Good boy. I really saw the right person."

……

Zhao Dongping left.

Cao Xueqian wilted again.

He looks to the sky.

The sky is still gray.

His heart was also gloomy.

Although what he just said was loud and heroic, only he himself knew how confused he was in his heart.

Hopes were shattered one by one. He could no longer see a way out and had lost his direction.