Anyone being kicked out would not feel good, especially since Lu Chengming had just been released from the detention center and was already simmering with anger. Soon, he and his elder brother started fighting.
"Don't think I don't see what you two are up to. I was the one who went to the countryside as a youth, and you owe me for that. If you push me too far, I'm capable of anything."
As Lu Chengming spoke, his blows became more ferocious.
Finally, it took considerable effort from their parents, Father and Mother Lu, to barely separate them.
"It's not that I, your mother, am biased, but you two have gone too far today. Since that's the case, let's split the family."
Upon hearing the mention of splitting the family, Lu Chengming and Lin Xiaohui were somewhat stunned.
"You two never contributed living expenses, and the family doesn't have much savings. But since you both have jobs, your living conditions won't be bad if you move out. Your father and I will go with your elder brother."
Mother Lu finally made the decision, telling them to find a place and move out within three days. Lu Chengming, furious, returned to his room and smashed everything inside.
However, even more devastating blows awaited him.
The next day at work, the workshop director actually wanted to transfer him to become a boiler operator!
"Burning boilers is good. It's warm in winter and leisurely in summer."
Lu Chengming looked at him with a sinister expression and said, "If it's so good, why don't you do it yourself?"
Upon hearing his words, the workshop director's face immediately fell and he said:
"Lu Chengming, I'm telling you, don't push your luck. With your record of being in the detention center and having a criminal record, the factory is being merciful by not firing you. Now, all the positions in the workshop are full, and the only available post is boiler operator. If you want to do it, do it. If you don't, you can leave. The factory won't keep you."
He looked slick and handsome, never doing a proper day's work, only knowing how to flirt with some and flatter others. He had disliked him for a long time. With the incident that just happened, it was all his own doing.
Lu Chengming's fists, hanging at his sides, clenched and then loosened. He stared at the workshop director's face, wishing he could bore a hole through it.
"You'll regret this sooner or later." With a dark expression, Lu Chengming turned and headed to the boiler room to report for duty.
Chen Lishu knew nothing of these events. At this moment, she was looking at Gu Xingdong, confirming again, "Are you really getting promoted?"
Gu Xingdong nodded, "The appointment has already come down, which is why I'm telling you."
He had only been back for two days when Old Yang told him about his promotion, but the official notice hadn't arrived yet, so he hadn't said anything.
This time, besides his promotion, Wu Zheng would take over his position, Li Weimin would also move up one rank, and Zhou Liang would be assigned to study at the provincial military academy.
"That's really great." Chen Lishu said happily.
Gu Xingdong raised an eyebrow, thinking she was happy for him. Just as he was about to tease her, he heard her say, "Does this mean we can install a telephone at home?"
Gu Xingdong: "..." So her great happiness was just for this.
"If you want to install one, I'll submit the report tomorrow. It should be installed before you start school."
Hearing that it could be installed before school started, Chen Lishu's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but laugh, "Xingdong, you're the best."
Gu Xingdong was immediately pleased. "Now I'm the best. Who was it that kept calling me an idiot last night?"
At the mention of this, Chen Lishu's face flushed slightly, and she said with some shyness and annoyance, "If you hadn't bullied me so badly, would I have called you names? Now you're making fun of me. You have to wash all those clothes in the bathroom later."
"Alright, alright, don't be angry. I promise to complete the task, okay?" Gu Xingdong felt he shouldn't have brought it up. He really was learning from whoever he spent time with. It seemed he really had to stay away from Wu Zheng in the future.
The work team's efficiency was remarkable. Within a few days, several soldiers came to the house to install the telephone.
After the installation, Chen Lishu thanked them and immediately made the first call to her mother in the village: "Hello, Mom? It's Lishu. Yes, we have a telephone installed at home. Please note down the number."
She then shared the home phone number with both families and Hu Si, instructing them to call this number if anything happened. Afterward, Chen Lishu called Lin Qi: "Yes, we have a telephone installed at home. It will be much more convenient to contact each other from now on. How are things on your end? Are there any problems with the shop?"
After a few more words, Chen Lishu reluctantly hung up the phone.
A few days after the telephone was installed at home, the school's opening day was approaching.
She planned to send Rui Rui to the first grade for the autumn semester, so many things needed to be prepared in advance.
Therefore, Chen Lishu took Rui Rui back to the city two days early.
Zhang Xue also arrived in the city that day. As she exited the train station and was about to head to the bus stop, a figure suddenly rushed at her. Before she could react, her hand felt empty.
When she came to her senses, her bag had already been snatched and the person was running away.
"Stop, my bag!"
Zhang Xue shouted and hastily tried to chase, but she was still holding a larger bag in her other hand. The large bag contained her spare clothes, while the one snatched contained her food ration card and her living expenses for the semester!
"Comrade, please keep an eye on my bag." After hastily asking someone nearby to watch it, Zhang Xue sprinted in the direction the thief had fled.
"Stop, catch the thief!"
Zhang Xue's running speed was not slow, but the thief was clearly very familiar with the surroundings. Weaving and turning, Zhang Xue almost lost him several times. However, concerning her living expenses for the second half of the semester, Zhang Xue persevered and kept chasing.
Perhaps unable to run any further, the thief finally stopped in an alley.
"Hand over the bag quickly, or I won't be polite." Running too fast, Zhang Xue leaned on her knees, her chest heaving violently as she spoke.
The thief was even more disheveled than Zhang Xue, his mouth open and gasping for breath. After a moment, he spat heavily onto the ground, "I didn't expect you to be such a damn nuisance."
They had planned this all along: to rob young girls' bags at the train station, which usually contained money, and more importantly, girls were slow runners. Even if they tried to chase, they would usually give up after a couple of streets.
He hadn't expected to encounter such a tenacious person today. If he hadn't been familiar with the terrain, this woman would have caught him long ago.
"Be sensible and return the bag quickly, or I'll call for help." Zhang Xue frowned, her gaze fixed on the bag the thief was holding.
"Are you threatening me?" The thief laughed wildly, then turned and called out, "You two come out."
Soon, two more people emerged from behind the man, their gazes extremely hostile towards Zhang Xue.
"See? Be sensible and leave quickly, or you'll regret it."
In broad daylight, Zhang Xue did not believe they would dare to do anything.
"Help! Catch the thief!"
As she shouted loudly, all three of them changed their expressions.
"You really refuse to take the offered toast and insist on being forced to drink the forfeit!"
The thief who snatched the bag stepped back a couple of paces, while his other two accomplices lunged at Zhang Xue.