Courtyard House: Starting as a mediocre engineer

In the early days of the People's Republic of China, Beijing's population was only a little over one million. Now, it has swelled to around five million. Besides these five million urban residents, the rural population in the suburbs of Beijing is also less than five million. Like Qin Huairu and Qin Jingru, they are both farmers from the suburbs of Beijing, trying every means to move to the capital and obtain a precious urban household registration.

However, there are only so many enterprises and institutions in Beijing, and only so many job opportunities. With the baby boom after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the employment situation will inevitably become more and more severe every year.

Therefore, by now, if you can find a stable part-time job, it is considered a very good job.

However, this was all said to ordinary people. Unable to find a job? Zhuang Zhongchen couldn't help but glance sideways, inwardly finding it both laughable and absurd.

"Plum, why didn't you say so sooner? Leave this to me!"

"Huh? What are you being given?"

"Your job? I'll arrange it for you."

"Huh?" Wen Yumei's eyes widened, looking completely bewildered. "Brother Chen, do you really have a way? Aren't you just a lowly clerk?"

"Is that so?" Zhuang Zhongchen chuckled. It seemed he hadn't actually introduced himself to the young girl. But there was no need to in the first place; his unparalleled good looks alone were enough to captivate everyone.

"Brother Chen, tell me honestly. What do you do for a living?" Wen Yumei's curiosity was immediately piqued.

"Didn't we already sue you? You're just a lowly errand boy at the labor bureau. Hah."

"So you're popular with everyone, right?"

"Oh, you even know about the whole nation?"

"That's right. Don't underestimate me, I know everything! My eldest brother is a public employee in the Commerce Bureau. My second brother was only assigned a job last year, he's a collective employee. My third brother is still in vocational school. But I heard that after graduation, he'll be a cadre. Hehehe."

Hearing this, Zhuang Zhongchen finally understood. So Wen Anguo was just an ordinary employee of the Commerce Bureau? No wonder, if he were a cadre of the Commerce Bureau, how could he be assigned to a part-time job? He could easily be put into any store as an unofficial sales clerk (with a collective employment status).

Because the government had a lot of control over things in those days, enterprises and institutions could not recruit workers at will; they had to have fixed positions and quotas, meaning one person per position.

But what if some enterprises and institutions need more staff? So they recruit a group of non-staff personnel, which is the origin of the collective staffing system.

In the beginning, there was only a nationally mandated employment system. It was precisely because of this flexibility that the collective employment system was invented.

Of course, by the 8s and 90s, even collective staffing was insufficient. So, they simply adapted and reinvented the temporary worker system. And they have continued to promote and develop this system ever since.

Therefore, in Wen Yumei's mind, she thought Zhuang Zhongchen was just like her older brother, an ordinary employee in the government office. She had no idea that he was also a cadre.

To be honest, this is just the naivety of a young girl. She was busy enjoying romantic moments and being pampered and loved, and she had no idea about the worries of future family life, nor did she ever think about understanding Zhuang Zhongchen's hard conditions.

"Meizi, what can I do? I love you so much. You're my precious darling."

Wen Yumei's pretty face flushed slightly, and she kept laughing, "Eat, eat, eat." At this time, lovers are generally quite reserved; how could they resist the cheesy pick-up lines of some jerk?

"Ugh! Are you asking for it? You bad guy."

"How could I be a bad person? I called it a sincere confession. Besides, why should my woman have to show her face in public?"

"Pah, pah, hehehe." Wen Yumei, without any instruction, actually gave a charming look, "You're just stuck in feudal thinking, I've decided to ignore you! Hmm!"

"Wow! You're so heartless!"

"That's what I'm going to do to punish you. Hehehe. Come on, let's go see the big tiger!"

"Let's go to the zoo restaurant first; I heard their rice bowls are pretty good."

"Tch. All you know is eating. You're just a big glutton! Hehehe..."

"..."

In Beijing, the Beijing Zoo's rice bowls have always been famous, not only for their generous portions but also for their delicious taste. Perhaps the chefs here can finally showcase their culinary skills; they've long been fed up with preparing food for the animals?

What's even more interesting is that, as if they had planned it together, zoos all over the country, big and small, have coincidentally started serving the dish "rice bowl"? Did they not expect it to be "chain operation" now?

……

After arriving at work, Zhuang Zhongchen went to the internal affairs department and found Sister Yuan.

"Sister Yuan, could you please help me with something? Has the recruitment plan for this year been finalized?"

"Huh? Xiao Zhuang, why are you asking this?"

"Isn't it just arranging jobs? She just graduated from school."

"Who is she? An ordinary relationship won't do! Our internal policy here only allows us to take care of one family member."

People live off the land and water. Every graduation season, the labor bureau manages to squeeze out some openings. However, there are far more openings than openings, so each employee can only take care of one person. This is one of the hidden perks of the labor bureau's employees.

Of course, low-ranking officials like Zhuang Zhongchen, who wield some power, also have their own connections outside. It's just that Zhuang Zhongchen is an orphan, and he had no need for connections before, so this time they simply gave the spot to Wen Yumei.

"Sister Yuan, please don't spread this around!"

"You're being so mysterious, Sister Yuan. I'm very tight-lipped, so you can tell me without worry!" Sister Yuan's eyes sparkled, her gossipy nature was aroused.

"Um... it's like this. It's about a girl I found, and she's currently..."

After he finished speaking, he saw that the women in the office had gathered around him, their expressions excited as if they were watching a spectacle unfold. Zhuang Zhongchen was speechless.

I knew this would happen. I just couldn't trust those old women. It wouldn't even take a day for my "affair" to spread throughout the entire workplace.

"Xiao Zhuang, have some decency! You actually managed to fool a middle school girl?"

"Really? I'm not that old. In a few years, I'll be of marriageable age, right?"

"You're moving way too fast! Is it really necessary to be in such a hurry? If you're really looking for a partner, we can introduce you to someone."

"No, really no. We have a great relationship."

"What do you know? You should still choose someone older, so they can take care of you in the future."

Zhuang Zhongchen smiled and begged for mercy: "Sisters, please let me go! I'm really not that kind of person. I'm loyal to our revolutionary friendship."

"Pah! Give me a break! You're just being ridiculous!" Sister Yuan laughed and scolded. "Xiao Zhuang, have you thought this through? You only have one chance in your life. After all, he's your boyfriend, not your lover. What if... I mean, what if! Then it would all be for nothing!"

"I've made up my mind. I know my sisters mean well, but I've already decided. Please, please!"

"Alright! Just don't regret it later. Here's the list, pick one yourself!"