The courtyard: the atmosphere of human life

Darong's mother was supposed to be on the day shift today, but her great aunt called the factory a day in advance and told them that Darong would be back today, so she changed her shift and waited for Darong to come back home.

Although the mother and daughter did not have any intimate and warm conversations, she felt no empty feeling in her heart when her child was around.

"Hua Zi and Xiao Ying both went to Zhouzhuang today and will be back tomorrow. Cook less food for lunch and have a simple meal."

It was almost noon when Darong got home. While giving Darong some instructions, her mother picked up a basket and prepared to go buy groceries.

"I'll go, Mom."

Darong reached out to take the basket, but was stopped by Darong's mother.

"You just came back, take a rest at home."

After Darong's mother went out, Darong started to pack her things. After she had packed all her clothes and luggage, Darong's mother came back with some vegetables.

Although Darong's mother said "just a simple meal", she actually bought a whole roast chicken. Darong usually doesn't like to eat meat, but she is not averse to roast chicken.

Darong looked at the roast chicken in the basket, and her heart felt warm.

Darong and her mother prepared lunch together and it was ready quickly.

"Mom, let's eat the roast chicken tonight. Let's wait for my dad to come back and eat together."

Darong brought the prepared meal to the table, but wrapped the roast chicken and put it in the cupboard.

Darong's mother did not refute. Darong's father usually did physical work with her on the construction site. Whenever there was something good at home, it would be saved for Darong's father to eat together.

Not only is Darong's mother like this, but all the children are like this too.

Darong never saw Pei Bin again after she came back, and the two of them have now completely broken up. Darong's night college is quite easy, and it is basically junior high school courses.

During that period, Darong no longer had to go out to work as a temporary worker. Except for the time she spent at night school, she stayed at home all day picking hair. Time passed quickly, and the day of the exam came in the blink of an eye.

Darong didn't go to high school at the beginning, not because she didn't pass the entrance exam, but because she gave up her studies easily because she didn't get into a key high school. At that time, the family's obsession with going to school was far less enthusiastic than it is now. It was more practical to get a stable job than to study.

This recruitment exam was not difficult. After Darong's results came out, she was included in the first batch of admission list.

"Mom, I just went to the street to ask, and the companies that are hiring include the municipal government, the funeral home, and the woolen mill."

Darong drank a sip of water when she entered the door. This summer seemed to be particularly hot, and her throat was dry after walking all the way back.

"You definitely can't go to the funeral home. What kind of place is that? Don't go to the municipal government either. If you get there, you'll be assigned to sweep the streets, which is too tiring. Just go to the woolen mill." With just one sentence from Darong's mother, Darong's job was finalized.

"Since you've been assigned to the factory, you should study hard and work diligently. Don't wear fancy clothes and show off everywhere. This is a factory, not a dance hall for young people."

The workshop director gave this group of new female workers a blunt lecture, and Darong felt that every word of the lecture was directed at her.

Darong actually didn't know much about the woolen mill, and she didn't think much about it when she went out. She just wore a simple light-colored dress and a pair of low-heeled shoes, which was no different from her usual outfit.

However, most female workers in textile factories need to stand for long periods of time while working, and basically no one would wear high heels to work. But Darong didn't know this, after all, this was her first time working in a textile factory.

These girls who were recruited into the factory were all assigned to work in the newly built woolen mill. Because the factory building had just been completed and the machinery and equipment had not been fully debugged, the new workers were arranged to go to the old factory to learn first.

The job of a car stopper is indeed not easy. After a day of apprenticeship, even a girl of 17 or 18 years old like Darong had sore legs from standing. In addition, Darong was wearing high heels, so by the afternoon she was visibly tired.

"Going to work means dressing up to show off for someone to see. Do you feel tired now?"

When the workshop director who was giving a speech in the morning came over to Darong, he spoke to her in a sarcastic and harsh tone.

"It's okay, not tired."

Darong actually knew that she had not yet officially joined the factory as a full-time employee, and she shouldn't contradict her leader at this time, but driven by her damn temper, she still talked back.

"You're not tired, are you? You can continue to wear this tomorrow."

The workshop director was a middle-aged woman. Perhaps she did not expect Darong to retort. She was stunned for a moment and then spoke sternly.

Darong's master quickly pulled Darong aside, said a few nice words to the workshop director, and got away with it.

"You are such a fool, how can you talk back to your boss before you even start working?"

After the workshop director left, Darong's temporary master looked at Darong speechlessly.

Darong didn't say anything, but continued to stare at the car with her head down.

The old factory is far away from Darong's home. After get off work, Darong walked home alone, and the pain in her feet became more and more obvious.

There were no friends that Darong was familiar with among the admitted children, so Darong walked alone with her head down all the way.

"Da Rong?" Cheng Laoxiao's voice sounded a little surprised and a little bitter.

Darong looked up and saw Cheng Laoxiao in the car. For a moment, she didn't know whether she should speak or not. She just nodded and smiled awkwardly.

"Get in the car, I'll give you a ride." In fact, Cheng Laoxiao had already seen Darong from a distance, and he could see that she looked very tired when she walked.

"No need, we're not far away." How could Darong possibly ride in Cheng Laoxiao's car? After all, they had a relationship before, and if someone saw them, they would gossip.

"Get in the car, let Daxin take you, I'll walk back."

As Cheng Laoxiao opened the door and got out of the car, An Daoxun, who was originally sitting in the passenger seat, turned into a tool and obediently moved to the driving seat.

"It's really not necessary..."

"If you don't want me to carry you to the car, then just get in by yourself."

Darong originally wanted to refuse, but Cheng Laoxiao's words successfully frightened Darong. Darong knew that he could do it.

Darong sat in the passenger seat of the truck, watching Cheng Laoxiao's figure getting farther and farther away in the rearview mirror, and sighed softly in her heart. Fate is not something that can be influenced by one person's liking.

"The old man really has you in his heart. After you broke up with him, you have changed completely. You are no longer the same as before."

An Daoxun seemed to be chatting unintentionally while driving, but it was actually an intentional reminder. He took the same car with Cheng Laoxiao every day, so naturally they had a very good relationship. He also knew a lot about Li Meili, and he didn't want his brother to lose his happiness because of a fit of anger.

Darong sat in her seat silently without saying a word. She broke up with Cheng Laoxiao, on the one hand because of his mother's character, and on the other hand because she didn't seem to like Cheng Laoxiao that much, at least compared to Pei Bin, the gap was still quite large.