Journey 1995:Non-Stop

Chapter 68 Dismissal
Yan Hui has been in a good mood since the moment he left the station.

Fengtian was still cold in March, with the wind carrying snowflakes and icy shards, howling in all directions. In the freezing wind, Yan Hui followed the crowd onto the bus. Looking around, he saw many people with confused eyes.

Some of those boarding the bus from the train station are locals, while others, like Yan Hui, are from other places. At this time last year, he was one of those lost people.

After getting off the car, Yan Hui walked into the market in the wind and snow.

Unlike when I left, although the wind is still cold, there are already many people in the market, and cars are coming and going, and it has regained some of its prosperity.

Yan Hui first went to his fourth uncle's house to say hello. When he went home for the Chinese New Year this year, Yan Hui paid a special visit to his fourth uncle, but his fourth uncle returned early.

After seeing Yan Hui, Fourth Uncle asked Yan Hui to go to Second Brother's place first, and come back to help after his own factory was ready. Yan Hui agreed readily.

Fourth Uncle even specifically asked Yan Hui if he smoked, and Yan Hui said no. This made him very happy, as he felt that Fourth Uncle respected him and wanted to give him a cigarette.

Nothing seemed to have changed. A few months passed in the blink of an eye. Yan Hui first returned to his own hut, put down some tea and clothes, then picked up half of the tea and began to deliver it door to door until he reached his second brother.

"Uncle Li! I'm back!" There was still snow and wind outside. Yan Hui saw someone in his second brother's shop from outside the door, so he knocked on the door and shouted.

"Come in, come in," the second brother called out to Yan Hui.

Yan Hui walked in and dusted off the snow on his body. "Uncle Li, I'm back. What are your plans for the near future?"

As he spoke, Yan Hui took out the tea leaves he had roasted at home and gave a big bag to his second brother.

"Xiaohui, you're back after the New Year," the second brother said with a smile, "It feels good to be home, right? You're back so late."

"Ah?" Yan Hui didn't know what to say, so he forced a smile and said, "It's about the same as last year. Didn't they come back right after the Lantern Festival?"

Today is the 3st day of the first lunar month. According to the lunar calendar, it is still the first lunar month, but according to the solar calendar, it is already March 10th.

"The lunar calendar is about the same, but the solar calendar is much later than last year," the second brother shook his head, then a smile appeared on his face. "It's okay, I'll get back to work. There's something I need to tell you. The Chinese New Year is really late this year, but the market doesn't wait. Last month, we started working on the sixth day of the first lunar month. With so much going on, I'm a little overwhelmed. I have a nephew who happened to be at home with nothing to do, so he came over to help me. His name is Liu Fei, and if you have any questions later, just ask him."

It took Yan Hui five or six seconds to digest his second brother's long words before he figured out what was going on.

Then, Yan Hui said with a smile: "I understand, Uncle Li, I will just listen to Brother Fei later."

The second brother didn't expect Yan Hui to not ask anything. This made him unsure of what to say next. He could only nod and say, "Go."

"Yeah." Yan Hui nodded, turned and went out into the wind and snow.

Looking a few dozen meters away, over at the warehouse, a truck was being loaded with goods, and four porters were busy working. On one side of the warehouse, two people were sitting by the stove. One of them was someone Yan Hui didn't recognize. He looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old. He should be Liu Fei mentioned by his second brother.

Obviously, Liu Fei, whom the second brother just mentioned, is the new foreman. In other words, Yan Hui has lost his foreman status and his monthly salary of 400 yuan.

This was a sudden event, and Yan Hui had no way of changing it. He had left quickly just now, in fact, to avoid making mistakes. The more he said, the more mistakes he made. It was better not to say anything.

In the wind and snow, Yan Hui probably figured this out.

Yan Hui didn't have to do Second Brother's work, and likewise, Second Brother didn't necessarily need Yan Hui. Last year, Yan Hui's position as foreman had nothing to do with his abilities; it was mainly due to good luck and Second Brother's appreciation. Today, Second Brother's mention of Yan Hui arriving late was purely an excuse. Yan Hui simply wasn't home for the Lunar New Year, and since his nephew was here, he had to "step aside."

This is the truth, it's still painful.

The only thing to be thankful for is that my second brother still needs to find an excuse, which is already very serious. There is no need to ask some things, looking back at every detail is the answer.

Yan Hui didn't approach Liu Fei. He just watched from afar, watching Liu Fei happily chatting with a nearby porter. He probably knew that Liu Fei wasn't an easy person to get along with. He knew the porter, who was none other than Uncle Wang. Uncle Wang was usually quiet, but the fact that he was chatting away at this moment was definitely not because he loved chatting.

Liu Fei is definitely not important to me, even my second brother is not that important. The really important person is my fourth uncle.

I can leave my second brother's place, but I can't leave under the urging of my second brother, as that would be embarrassing for my fourth uncle. The best news now is that I'll be able to go help my fourth uncle soon. In that case, I'll just hang out here.

Yan Hui slowly walked out of the wind and snow and moved towards Liu Fei and Wang Bo.

As he approached the two of them, Yan Hui seemed to hear that they were talking about himself. Liu Fei seemed to want to ask something, but Uncle Wang was hesitant and didn't want to talk.

"Xiaohui, you're back!" Uncle Wang was happy to see Yan Hui and immediately came over.

But after only two or three steps, Uncle Wang stopped and introduced Yan Hui: "I don't know if my second brother told you, this is Liu Fei, my second brother's nephew, and he will be our new foreman from now on."

As he spoke, Uncle Wang kept winking at Yan Hui, signaling him not to talk nonsense.

Of course Yan Hui would not speak nonsense, especially when he heard Uncle Wang calling him "Second Brother", he knew that there was a big problem here.

Uncle Wang is older than my second brother. Usually, Uncle Wang calls my second brother "Lao Li", but now he calls him "Second Brother", which is obviously a more respectful title.

Then why did Uncle Wang show more respect to his second brother? Without a doubt, the problem must lie with Liu Fei.

"Hello, Brother Fei. Uncle Li told me that Brother Fei will be our new foreman from now on. We will follow Brother Fei and work hard!" Yan Hui immediately followed up with good words.

Wang Bo didn't expect Yan Hui to say that. He felt relieved and said, "Xiao Hui is right."

"Are you Yan Hui?" Liu Fei looked Yan Hui up and down. "I heard you were the foreman here before?"

"Brother Fei, you misunderstood. Uncle Li was too busy in the fall and he couldn't handle it all by himself, so he asked me to help out with more work last fall. I wasn't considered a foreman. Uncle Li said before that he has a very capable nephew who will come over to be the foreman this year. I've been waiting for him." Yan Hui's face was full of smiles.

"My uncle mentioned me a long time ago?" These words made Liu Fei happy.

"I didn't know it was you, but you did mention a nephew. I'd like to ask if it's convenient for you. Does Uncle Li have many nephews?"

"My uncle has three nephews, but the other two are still in school! So he is talking about me!" Liu Fei took the initiative to flatter himself.

"Then it must be you, Brother Fei." Yan Hui followed.

(Chapter 2 to come)

(End of this chapter)