Travel through famine years and awaken a post-apocalyptic survival system.

The next day!

Zhao Qingsong woke up from his sleep.

My arms feel incredibly sore.

I managed to poop over 800 times yesterday, but I had to give up in the end because I just couldn't lift my arms anymore.

Fortunately, I only need a hundred more attempts to level up.

I don't need to go to work today, and I don't need to get up so early, but I need to go to the housing management office to rent a house for my father.

It wouldn't be very convenient to sleep with someone else.

Thinking of this, I got up, washed up, locked the door, and then left home.

……

Housing Management Office.

Zhao Qingsong explained the situation, saying he wanted to rent a brick house or a mud house near his home.

Unfortunately, no.

"There's a detached brick house over in Sandao Lane, 24 square meters, with a small courtyard. It's 22 cents per square meter, which is 5.28 yuan a month. Do you want it? If you have a job, the price will be halved."

Zhao Qingsong was pondering over there.

24 square meters, probably about the same size as his house.

These days, if your employer rents you a room, they'll give you half the rent. Each employee can only rent one room; those who already own a house can't.

No wonder people these days prefer to squeeze into small apartments rather than rent more rooms.

The rent is really not cheap, especially for two small rooms.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'm a security officer at the steel plant. This is for renting a house for my dad. He hasn't completed the paperwork yet. Could you make an exception and let him sign the rental agreement first?"

After saying that, he handed him the employment certificate.

Upon hearing that it was someone from the steel plant's security department, the other party took the recruitment certificate and looked at it.

"Alright, since it's from the steel mill, we can make an exception. Come over as soon as possible and get the company certificate done, otherwise it will cause me trouble."

"Hey, don't worry, if the station contacts you, I'll make up the money! I won't go see the house."

He smiled and paid the rent to one of them.

Two dollars and sixty-four cents

The steel mill has a lot of prestige.

If this were an ordinary resident in the neighborhood, there's a 99% chance they wouldn't do it this way.

After paying the money and registering, I took the rental contract and the keys before leaving the housing management office.

……

After leaving, I rode my bike straight to the countryside.

More than half an hour later, we arrived at the village where people were busy.

He went straight to the brigade headquarters.

My mother should be here twisting hemp rope right now.

really.

A group of women were sitting in the courtyard twisting hemp rope, occasionally making jokes and noises.

"Oh my, it's Qingsong back!"

Someone saw him return and called out.

The mother was busy, but upon hearing this, she turned around, put down what she was doing, and came over.

"Boss, what's going on?"

It was during her workday, and her son's sudden return made her a little worried.

Zhao Qingsong smiled and said, "Oh, I've come to see the brigade leader about something. Mom, come on over too! Where's the brigade leader?"

"The battalion commander is inside. What's wrong?"

"Come in!"

After Zhao Qingsong finished speaking, he went directly to the inner room.

"Hey, why is he back again? Did he do something wrong?"

"No way!"

"Who says it won't happen? I heard that someone from the next village who was recruited to the city during a major expansion of enrollment got fired for stealing grain from the factory."

"Oh! They can even expel you!"

"It's true, when we rural folks move to the city, we have collective household registration. Whether we get fired or not is entirely up to the employer! And if you're fired from the countryside, you can only go back to the countryside, unlike city dwellers who have urban household registration and can use connections to get a new job."

……

The crowd was buzzing with discussion.

……

Zhao Qingsong entered the house. There was no one in the main room, but there were two people in the bedroom.

The brigade leader and the brigade accountant.

"Captain, Accountant Ma, you're busy!"

Zhao Qingsong greeted them with a smile and took out cigarettes to offer to the two of them.

The captain took the cigarette, glanced at Zhang Xiulan following behind him, and asked curiously, "Qingsong, why are you back? Did something happen?"

"Hey, nothing's wrong. I'm here to complete some paperwork. I found a job for my dad so he can start working. I'm here to get the brigade to stamp this document, and I'll go to the commune to get a relocation certificate."

The steel mill is a large factory, and there are people specifically handling household registration matters there, so their efficiency is very high.

The coal depot is too small; I have to go there myself.

The captain was surprised: "What? You found your dad a job?"

Are jobs really that easy to find now?

Although a large number of rural people were recruited during the previous "big run," farmers are now basically no longer being recruited.

"Yes, that's right! I work at a coal mine."

The mother, looking excited, asked from behind, "Son, what happened?! How did you find this job?!"

"Hey, I know someone at the factory, and I got this spot through connections. Let's hurry up today, go to the commune to get a relocation certificate, and then we can go and complete the formalities."

"Your sister and I are going too? There's no quota for us if we go!"

The mother asked somewhat anxiously.

"Don't worry, we'll go together. You won't go hungry."

Upon hearing this, the mother blushed with excitement and watched quietly without saying anything.

The captain then lit a cigarette and asked, "You kid, really? When did you become so capable?"

"Captain, this is the employment certificate! It's my dad's name."

Zhao Qingsong smiled and took out the certificate.

The captain took it and looked at it.

"Oh, it really is! So when are you leaving?"

"We'll pack up in a bit and head over there. We'll borrow some livestock from the brigade to haul the stuff. Is that alright, Brigade Leader? Everyone who goes today will get a pound of coarse grain and a meal. The livestock won't be used for free; we'll provide them with feed according to the brigade's rules."

When the brigade leader heard that a pound of grain and a meal would be provided, he was eager to go.

But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

He chuckled, "Okay, I'll get you the certificate. I'll have Lao Ma and Lao Liu go with you later. Lao Ma, do you have time?"

Accountant Ma chuckled and said, "Sure, I have time. I'm not busy right now anyway."

"Okay, thanks then. I'll go back now and have my parents tidy up the house."

"Okay! Go ahead!"

Zhao Qingsong said hello before leaving with his mother.

As soon as I came out, I heard someone ask, "Xiulan, what's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry? Has something happened?"

Zhang Xiulan said proudly, "My eldest son got his dad a job in the city too, and he's here to pick us up! I'm not going to say any more, my son is busy with work, and we can't keep him from going, so we're going back now."

If her son hadn't been urging her, she would have at least chatted with these people for a while.

After saying that, she left with her son.

As soon as he left, the place erupted in chaos.

"What? Qingsong found his dad a job? Did I hear that right?"

"Yes! You heard me right!"

"How did he even find that job?!"

"Who knows? Well, this is great! Jianguo and his wife are going to enjoy a comfortable life! They have two workers in their family!"

"Yeah yeah!"

……

A group of people were discussing it.

On the way, Zhang Xiulan looked at her son and asked, "Eldest son, is it really true? Why the rush? Are we moving now?"

"Of course it's true. Let's just move it all together when we get back today, so we don't have to make a second trip."

Even the coal mines know about the hiring freeze, so an official document will probably be issued soon.

The sooner it's done, the sooner I can rest assured.

I hope that in the end, a notice comes down and even if he gives gifts, this guy won't dare to go against the grain.

Once you're hired, you're all set.

The downsizing also started with temporary workers, and some temporary workers who had connections were eventually promoted to permanent positions.