Making a living in Dongguan, her fiery red lips offer me tenderness.

Walking along the road from Shaling towards Yantian, you'll find yourself in an industrial zone filled with small factories.

Ding Yang, with a Temes in his hand, wandered around the industrial area, humming a modified version of the theme song from "Shaolin Temple".

"Young woman"

Countless heroes and great men have come to admire you.

young married women

So many amazing stories have been told about you.

His superb martial arts skills are unparalleled in the world.

The young woman was awe-inspiring.

A long and rich history

Everyone longs for secluded valleys in the deep mountains…

……

After searching for more than half an hour, I still don't know where I am.

Fenggang is full of small processing plants hidden in alleys, without even a proper factory sign. You can just pull down an iron gate and you're in the workshop.

A small appliance assembly factory, the boss just stands at the door recruiting people, there's no need to even queue.

Ding Yang asked, "Are they hiring here?"

"Confess, confess!"

"How old are you? Show me your ID card."

Ding Yang took out his ID card and handed it over, but the other person glanced at it and threw it back, not even bothering to check if it was real or fake.

"Have you ever worked in a factory before?"

"no."

"It's okay, I just stand on the assembly line and tighten screws. I work ten hours a day, and meals and accommodation are provided. Overtime pay is four yuan per hour. No deposit is required. If you can do it, you can start today."

"OK!"

"Then please fill out this form."

"OK!"

They skipped all the interviews, exams, and medical checkups; they just asked a couple of questions and you were in the factory.

Ding Yang didn't expect to get into the factory so quickly. The boss called out to the staff next to him and led Ding Yang inside.

Entering the workshop revealed just how rudimentary it was: a tin-roofed shed, a few old fans whirring loudly, a dozen people crammed around a long table working, no work clothes, and the floor littered with loose threads and plastic scraps. The air reeked of glue, making one feel dizzy.

Ding Yang arrived, and a veteran employee glanced at him.

He casually tossed him an electric screwdriver: "Use this screw, hurry up, or you'll get yelled at."

There were no uniforms, no security checks, no rules. The line leader was the boss's wife, with a voice louder than the machines. If you worked too slowly, she would yell at you, and if you broke something, she would deduct your pay.

Ding Yang felt very tired after working for two hours.

Lunch was served in a large pot, with cabbage and radishes, occasionally with a little meat, and rice was unlimited.

After finishing his meal, Ding Yang walked into the so-called dormitory, a dark tin shack behind the factory. It had only two light bulbs and was filled with makeshift beds with wooden planks laid on top of metal frames. Many employees were already lying on the beds like zombies, and the room reeked of foot odor.

Ding Yang found a secluded iron-framed bed, without even a straw mat.

A man in his late twenties in the next bunk glanced at Ding Yang.

"New here?"

"Um!"

Ding Yang handed him a Temex.

"Handsome guy, you're so good-looking, why don't you get a job at a big company?"

"If we can't find one right now, we'll just keep doing this for now."

"Brother, how long have you been working here?"

"I've been doing this for over four months."

"How's the boss? Are they going to deduct my wages?"

"This is a small factory. The boss is alright; he doesn't withhold deposits or ID cards, and he pays wages on time. It's relatively free compared to big factories. In a big factory, who would dare to smoke? But the boss is a chatterbox and always swearing."

How much do you earn in a month?

"I earned a little over 1300 last month, how much more can I expect? I only get 4 yuan per hour for overtime, it all depends on overtime."

Before I'd even had an hour's rest, the landlady was yelling again and getting back to work.

Everyone has to obediently go back to work in the factory.

Ding Yang was sweating profusely and feeling frustrated. He was used to being pampered and couldn't handle this kind of work. He was on the verge of a breakdown, but he had no money in his pocket.

Sigh! I'll grit my teeth and work for a month first, then get a month's salary and try to find another factory.

At 5:30 pm, I finished get off work and wolfed down my food in the cafeteria. Then I went to the convenience store and bought a plastic bucket for 5 yuan. My luggage was still with Tang Li, so I went to get it.

But to my surprise, just a few minutes after I got back to the dorm, he was already yelling about working overtime again.

Ding Yang's legs felt like lead; he was too tired to work anymore and didn't want to go to work overtime.

"No overtime, no money. If you can do it, do it; if you can't, get out!"

Ding Yang was speechless. After finishing his cigarette, he obediently went to work overtime.

I worked from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., an extra 4 hours, and I just couldn't take it anymore. In the past few years at home, although I was poor, I had basically never done any work. How could I endure this?

I felt like all my strength had been drained away. Dragging my numb legs out of the workshop, I couldn't straighten my back, and my shoulders felt as heavy as if they were being crushed by a block of iron. After standing all day, the soles of my feet ached and swelled, and every step felt unsteady.

After working an extra four hours, many workers were hungry and went out of the factory to buy something to eat. The night market outside was still bustling.

Ding Yang checked his phone and saw a missed call from Tang Li. He immediately called back.

"Hey! Sister Tang!"

"Xiaoyang, why aren't you answering your phone? Have you found a job yet?"

"My phone was in my pocket and on silent, I forgot about it. I found a job today, working in a small electronics factory, fixing screws, it's really hard work."

"I never imagined that working on an assembly line could be so tough. I worked an extra four hours on the first day, and I was on the verge of a breakdown. My legs feel like they're made of lead, and I can't even take a step."

"Xiaoyang, working is very tiring. The so-called wages all depend on overtime. The legal base salary in Dongguan is only 690 yuan, and the rest depends on overtime."

"Sigh! I finally understand what it means to make money like eating shit and spend money like having diarrhea. It's so hard."

"Xiaoyang, how far is your factory from my shop?"

"It's not far, I estimate it's only about two kilometers."

"Come here, I'll give you a massage and soak your feet in hot water to relieve the discomfort."

Ding Yang thought for a moment. The dormitory smelled terrible, and he probably wouldn't be able to sleep. Soaking his feet in hot water would be much better, as his feet were really in so much pain.

"Okay, I'll be right there."

"Okay, I'll wait for you!"

Ding Yang walked out onto the street, and a motorcycle came hurtling towards him.

"Handsome, where are you going?"

Ding Yang's legs hurt, and he really didn't want to walk anymore. He would rather ride a motorcycle.

"It's in the urban village next to Shaling Station up ahead. Three yuan, wanna go?"

"Get on the bus!"

Ding Yang sat on the motorcycle and arrived in just a few minutes.

I paid three yuan, and now I only have seven yuan left in my pocket, not a penny more.

Sigh, I only get 4 yuan for working overtime for an hour, but I spent 3 yuan for a few minutes on a motorcycle. It's actually a luxury expense, damn it.

He limped to the entrance of the beauty salon.

"Xiao Yang!"

"Sister Tang!"

Upon entering the store, Ding Yang immediately lay down on the sofa.

"Look how tired you are, you're covered in dirt."

"Sigh! Sister Tang, I only realized today that working is really not a job for humans. Why is it so hard to earn money?"

"What do you think? I earned less and worked harder in the factory back then than you do now!"

Tang Li squatted down and massaged Ding Yang's feet.

"Wait a moment, I'll get you some hot water to soak it in."

"Thanks!"

Tang Li brought over a thermos, poured hot water into the bucket, and then added a little cold water.

"Let's take a dip!"

"oh!"

A short while later, Tang Li helped him wash his feet.

"Sister Tang, let me do it myself. I feel guilty if you do it this way."

"fine!"

"This woman's technique is pretty good," Ding Yang thought. "Could she have worked in a foot massage parlor? How come she's so professional?"

Since ancient times, true feelings have been fleeting, but cunning has always won hearts. Stepping into a foot massage parlor, she is forever separated from her beloved, and all she sees is tenderness.

Why did a string of lines suddenly pop into my head?

A paralyzed father, a disabled mother, and a woman whose relationship is broken—if I don't help her, who will? You're not just washing her feet; you're washing the muddy path of life.

"Sister Tang, did you work at a foot massage parlor before?"

"No, I learned a little bit when I was doing beauty treatments."

"No wonder they're so professional!"

"Sister Tang, will you take care of me? I don't want to work anymore."

"Pfft! What are you thinking? I'm not a rich woman."

"Hehe, I don't ask for much, just some pocket money and enough to eat three meals a day."

"You're so pathetic. If you want to date a rich woman, you need to find someone who's already rich. Running this little shop is no different from working a regular job; I can't afford to support a grown man like you."

"Sigh! Where am I supposed to find a rich woman?"

"Sister Tang, this factory is so unethical. They make us work so late every day, I don't want to work here anymore."

"Then let's not go tomorrow."

"What a pity, I worked a whole day for nothing and even bought a bucket, but I didn't get a single penny."

"Sister Tang, working in the factory is too restrictive. I can't stand it anymore. I see that the motorcycle taxi business is pretty good. Don't you have a scrapped motorcycle? I'll get it fixed, or I can start driving passengers too."

"Oh...you drive a motorcycle taxi? Can you ride one?"

"Don't underestimate me, okay? Not to mention motorcycles, I also have a Class C license, so I can drive cars."

"Then why are you working on the assembly line? Why don't you just find a job as a driver?"

"I'm ashamed to say that I've had my driver's license for several years, but I've hardly ever driven. Back then, the regulations weren't strict, and you could buy one with money."