The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 780 The Migrant Worker's Counterattack (Part 1)
Three years ago, right after the college entrance examination, Li Guangming knew he was doomed. He submitted a blank paper for the science section, writing nothing but random scribbles.

But Li Guangming felt relieved. He could finally escape the boring and tedious life of studying and could finally go out into society and towards freedom.

After the college entrance examination, Li Guangming stubbornly refused his parents' and teachers' suggestion to study for another year.

As a result, he received a "mixed doubles" beating plus "bamboo shoots stir-fried with pork".

His father threatened, "You good-for-nothing, you don't have to continue studying for college, but we don't support idlers in this family. From today onwards, you'd better go out and work to earn money..."

Li Guangming rubbed his burning arm, then slammed the door shut and left without looking back.

The July sun scorched the asphalt road. He wandered aimlessly on the street for more than ten days, and in the end, he only had ten crumpled yuan left in his pocket.

As Li Guangming passed by an internet cafe, a job posting on the glass door caught his attention: "Internet cafe manager, room and board provided, monthly salary 400 yuan."

A day later, Li Guangming stood in front of the cashier wearing an ill-fitting internet cafe manager uniform.

During his night shift, the greasy keyboard and the constant shouts of "Network administrator, pay more!" made him drowsy.

After finally making it to payday for the second month, Li Guangming squatted in the fire escape, clutching 400 yuan.

As the cigarette glowed and faded, he suddenly remembered what his homeroom teacher had told them: "When you're studying, you feel like the classroom is a cage, but once you actually enter society, you realize that it's actually the last safe haven."

The sound of the bell for morning reading class came from afar. It turned out that the county's No. 1 Middle School, which Li Guangming had once attended, was right across from this internet cafe.

"My life shouldn't be like this..." Li Guangming made a decision in his heart.

With the few hundred yuan he earned working at an internet cafe, Li Guangming boarded a train heading south.

The wind on the road was gentle yet crisp, and the leaves swayed like dancing girls.

The sunlight dappled down, splashing ink along the way and leaving golden marks all over the ground—it was so beautiful.

After getting off at Yanjing Station, Li Guangming boarded a bus heading to Liujiazhuang High-tech Development Zone and excitedly headed towards his cousin.

The bus driver said they had arrived at their destination and kicked Li Guangming off the bus.

After getting off the bus, Li Guangming was amazed by what he saw. Just as he had imagined, there were towering buildings, bustling streets, crowds of people coming and going like a tide, dazzling neon lights, and hazy lights, making it seem like a dream.

However, just as there are prosperous places, there are also dark ones; no city is perfect.

Li Guangming took a taxi to Wenzhuang Electronic Industrial Park, which, as the name suggests, is located in the suburbs of the city.

What came into view were rows of overpasses, the space beneath which was dark and damp, and there was a musty smell.

However, the streets were still bustling with traffic, with electric bikes and motorcycles running everywhere.

My cousin led Li Guangming on a long, winding road until they finally arrived at a hotel. After giving him a few instructions, she left.

The hotel room had an iron door, and you had to pull a bolt to close it. The bolt was very thin, and it felt like it would break if you used too much force.

The soundproofing was terrible. Li Guangming could hear the laughter and shouting of men in the corridor, the flirtatious banter of lovers in the next room, and the sounds of drinking and playing drinking games from other places.

Li Guangming broke down at that moment. He didn't sleep that night. He moved the bedside table and desk to block the door and sat there until dawn.

The factory where Li Guangming worked was a large factory that manufactured screens for Nokia mobile phones.

Working 12 hours a day, you have to stand while working, you have to report to go to the toilet and you're not allowed to stay for more than 5 minutes. Those 5 minutes also include the time to change into cleanroom clothes and the round trip. It really can be described as a war.

There's an hour for lunch, but after deducting the time spent queuing to clock in, changing clothes, and commuting, you have to wolf down your food.

For Li Guangming, work was torture. He was not allowed to speak and had to repeat the same things over and over again. If he made a mistake, he would be verbally abused without any dignity, and all kinds of foul language and vicious words would be used against him.

Li Guangming really couldn't understand why there were such vicious people in the world.

Standing for long periods of time caused Li Guangming to suffer from back pain, leg pain, and foot pain. In addition, the fear of being scolded or reprimanded kept him constantly on edge, resulting in a splitting headache at the end of the day!
For a period of time, Li Guangming was assigned to the night shift, and he didn't see the night for almost half a month.

Back in the dormitory, things were even more chaotic. Some people worked day shifts, while others worked night shifts, and their schedules were completely upside down, making it impossible for anyone to rest, and everyone was very resentful.

Perhaps because everything is too tense, everyone is very short-tempered, so there are disputes everywhere, both at work and in life.

If someone accidentally steps on your foot while walking, or if someone in the dorm speaks a little louder, it can ignite a war, or even a fight.

Li Guangming gazed at the flashing neon lights outside the window, a complex mix of emotions welling up within him. This was nothing like the migrant worker life he had imagined!

Although the workload is quite heavy every day, the income is stable and guaranteed.

The Liujiazhuang High-tech Development Zone strictly implements the minimum income guarantee system. The minimum wage standard of 1500 yuan per month acts as a solid protective net, ensuring the basic protection of workers' rights.

Even with the stingiest boss, this policy must be implemented without fail.

The Commerce and Industry Bureau has very strict oversight. Once a violation is discovered, a hefty fine will be issued immediately, with no room for leniency.

For Li Guangming, a monthly income of 2500 yuan (including basic salary and overtime pay) was considered quite good at the price level of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

This money was enough to cover his daily expenses and allow him to treat himself occasionally, which was an income level that many of his peers envied at the time.

Li Guangming met many fellow workers of similar age at the factory, most of whom came to Yanjing from other places to work.

These young workers are not highly educated; most of them have only a junior high school education, and there are not many like Li Guangming who graduated from high school.

But there are exceptions.

One of them, Wang Mei, was three years older than Li Guangming and was a college student. She pretended to be a dropout and got into the factory, planning to quit after two months and go back to school.

Wang Mei was in the same shift as Li Guangming.

Wang Mei said that she was also a girl from the village. Her parents favored boys over girls and made her go out to work in a factory after graduating from junior high school to earn money for her brother's bride price.

Fortunately, Wang Mei did exceptionally well in the high school entrance exam and was admitted to the best high school in the district with all tuition and fees waived. She also received a monthly stipend, which helped her support herself throughout high school.

Wang Mei said that she is not actually smart, and is even a bit slow to grasp things. She was able to get such good grades entirely because of her hard work.

Wang Mei failed to get into a second-tier university in the college entrance examination, and couldn't afford a third-tier university, but she never thought of giving up her studies.

Wang Mei did not choose to attend a second-tier university, but instead enrolled in a junior college in Liujiazhuang University Town.

She said that college tuition is cheap and her family can apply for a scholarship. College students don't like to study much. Although she is not smart, she can make up for it with hard work. She has received scholarships for three consecutive years. She never does part-time work on weekends, but studies instead.

She studies her major and gets almost perfect scores in every subject. She always takes her homework seriously and participates bravely in school competitions.

For three years now, I haven't gone home during winter and summer vacations; instead, I've been working part-time.

Wang Mei chose to work in a factory because it offered free meals and accommodation and high wages, and the money she could save could support her studies and life.

Wang Mei also said that she is studying for a junior college diploma while simultaneously pursuing a bachelor's degree through self-study. After graduating from junior college, she will receive both a bachelor's degree and a bachelor's degree certificate. Next, she plans to take the postgraduate entrance exam, and after graduating with her master's degree, she will take the civil service exam. She not only wants to take the civil service exam, but she also wants to take the exam for the Liujiazhuang area!

As Wang Mei spoke, her eyes gazed into the distance, as if she truly saw a bright future.

She told Li Guangming that the freedom to leave school and study is temporary, while the knowledge and diplomas you gain in school can give you lifelong freedom.

They talked a lot that day, and Li Guangming felt very fortunate to have met her.

Li Guangming decided to go back and repeat a year of high school, hoping to give himself a different life.

Last year, when the college entrance examination results came out, Li Guangming, like Wang Mei, failed to get into a second-tier university, and his family did not have the financial means to support him to study at a third-tier university.

Li Guangming chose to attend the vocational college in Liujiazhuang High-tech Development Zone without hesitation.

Wang Mei had a great influence on Li Guangming. Coupled with the hardship, monotony, and difficulty adapting to his working life, he became even more determined to study.

Although Liujiazhuang Agricultural College, where Li Guangming studies, is a junior college, it has commendable educational strength.

This institution, with a 30-year history, enjoys a high reputation in the local area for its solid teaching quality and distinctive educational characteristics.

What reassures the students most is that the college has established a stable talent supply channel with well-known enterprises.

As long as students study diligently during their time at school, the vast majority of graduates can directly enter the renowned Liujiazhuang State Farm Group for employment.

This agricultural giant is no ordinary company; it holds a pivotal position in the global agricultural sector and is one of the world's top five large agricultural groups, providing graduates with a broad platform for development.

As Li Guangming walked into the campus with his simple bag, the sunlight shone directly on the glass curtain wall of the teaching building, reflecting a dazzling light.

The campus was shaded by green trees, and groups of students hurried by carrying books. In the distance, the melodious closing music of the library drifted over. All of this felt both strange and familiar to him.

The dormitories in the College of Agriculture are six-person rooms; although simple, they are clean and tidy.

Li Guangming's roommates come from all over the country. Some, like him, failed the college entrance examination and chose to study at a vocational college, while others are passionate about agricultural technology.

After lights out at night, people often lie in bed and share their experiences and dreams.

Li Guangming discovered that everyone has a story of struggle that is unknown to others.

During the first week of school, Li Guangming experienced an atmosphere completely different from that in the factory.

In the classroom, the teacher does not use foul language to reprimand students, but patiently explains each knowledge point;

In the cafeteria, students can leisurely eat and chat, instead of wolfing down their food like they're in a battle.

What surprised him most was the school library's rich collection, ranging from agricultural technology to literary classics.

Li Guangming set a strict study plan for himself.

I get up at five o'clock every morning to memorize English words, stay in the classroom after class to review my notes, and spend my weekends in the library researching information.

He joined the school's self-study exam preparation class, preparing for the undergraduate exam just like Wang Mei.

Although studying is hard work, the sense of accomplishment you get when you master a new piece of knowledge is something that repetitive work on an assembly line can never provide.

At the College of Agriculture, Li Guangming also met his mentor, Professor Zhang, who changed the course of his life.

The professor, who was nearly 60 years old, discovered that Li Guangming was particularly interested in crop breeding, so he often gave him extra tutoring after class and even invited him to participate in his research projects.

Under Professor Zhang's guidance, Li Guangming experienced the power of knowledge and the charm of scientific research for the first time.

It was a sunny afternoon when Wang Mei made a special trip to the College of Agriculture to visit Li Guangming.

She walked briskly along the tree-lined path on campus and saw Li Guangming waving at her from afar at the laboratory entrance.

"Sister Wang Mei!" Li Guangming strode forward, his eyes sparkling with joy. "Congratulations on successfully 'getting ashore'!" He looked Wang Mei up and down, who looked completely transformed. She had neatly tied her long black hair into a ponytail, and a well-tailored navy blue women's suit accentuated her tall figure. Her black high heels clicked crisply on the ground.

What's most striking is the pair of elegant frameless glasses on her nose. The lenses gleam softly in the sunlight, giving her an intellectual and capable air, making her completely different from the coworker I remembered who always wore work clothes.

After graduating, Wang Mei took the civil service exam for the High-tech Zone. Although her written test score was not among the top, she impressed all the judges in the interview.

Wang Mei is now working at the Xingfuli Subdistrict Office in Dong'an District.

Wang Mei's life has changed completely.

Seeing such a positive change in Wang Mei's life trajectory, Li Guangming was genuinely happy for her and secretly made up his mind.

He clenched his fist, his eyes shining with determination: "If Sister Wang Mei can do it, I believe that through hard work, I can also realize my dream."

"Thank you! Here, I have a gift for you. Take a look and see if you like it!" Wang Mei smiled and handed an exquisite gift bag to Li Guangming.

Li Guangming subconsciously took the bag, and when his fingertips touched the packaging, he felt its delicate texture and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Sister Wang Mei, what's this...?"

"Why don't you just open it and take a look?" Wang Mei winked playfully, her tone filled with anticipation.

When Li Guangming carefully unpacked the package, a brand-new Huawei Mate 1 phone came into view.

His pupils dilated instantly, and his voice rose eight octaves: "This...this is a Huawei phone? Sister Wang Mei, this gift is too valuable, I can't accept it!" As he spoke, he hurriedly pushed the phone and its packaging back, his face filled with surprise and unease.

Wang Mei stubbornly shoved the phone back into his hand, her eyes shining with warmth: "Silly boy, this is what I bought with my first month's salary."

I remember when we were at the factory, you stood up for me and fought with the people who were bullying me, and you got beaten up until your head was bleeding...

Li Guangming's eyes welled up slightly. He lowered his head and stroked the smooth phone case, feeling the coolness of the metal through his fingertips.

The school bell rang in the distance, startling several white doves that fluttered overhead. He finally raised his head, his voice trembling slightly, "Sister Wang Mei, I definitely will in the future..."

"Stop!" Wang Mei interrupted him with a smile. "I'm not here to hear you make any promises." She pointed to the campus. "Come on, take me to your cafeteria to try some of the specialties. I heard that the organic vegetables grown by the College of Agriculture are especially fresh."

The two walked side by side on the tree-lined path covered with ginkgo leaves. Wang Mei suddenly stopped and pulled a thick notebook out of her briefcase.

“I almost forgot the important thing,” she said, flipping through her densely filled notebook. “This is the material I compiled when I was preparing for the civil service exam, including aptitude test techniques and sample essays.” Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the pages.

Li Guangming took the notebook as if it were a priceless treasure, and a faint scent of ink wafted out as he turned the pages.

He noticed that each page had colored labels on the edges, important points were marked with highlighter, and some pages even had encouraging cartoons at the bottom.

Such meticulous notes must have been the culmination of countless nights of hard work by Sister Wang Mei.

Holding Wang Mei's notebook, Li Guangming felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

He noticed the elegant handwriting on the title page: "Knowledge changes destiny, hard work creates the future—Let us encourage each other with light." These words seemed to weigh a ton, further strengthening his resolve to move forward.

(End of this chapter)