Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

He Qiuyan did not come to Xinghe the next day.

The enamel mug on the corner of the table is still there, but the chair is empty.

When Lin Xiuhe opened the door in the morning, she casually opened the window as well. The yard had just been swept, and the ground was still damp. Three customer addresses left from yesterday were on the table, next to a letter from Ningzhou.

She was busy until almost noon when she realized how much work He Qiuyan had taken over for her in the past two weeks.

When someone comes in and asks for samples, she has to stop what she's doing.

Someone from the west of the city came and asked when the six missing animals would arrive, so she had to go out and find someone to deliver the message.

By the time the yard was finally cleared up, the lunch on the table had gone cold.

The gatekeeper peeked out of the window.

Why didn't your classmate come today?

"I went back to my workplace to take care of some business."

"Will you give it back?"

Lin Xiuhe paused for a moment as she picked up some food.

"It's up to her."

The old man chuckled and said, "She looks quite like someone from around here."

Lin Xiuhe also smiled.

"She's better at math than I am."

"Being good at calculations is good; why be afraid of being good at calculations in business?"

Someone else came in from outside the courtyard gate.

Lin Xiuhe put down her chopsticks and got up to greet them.

He Qiuyan has now returned to her original workplace.

I haven't been back for half a month, and the office is still the same.

The metal filing cabinet leaned against the wall, and the daffodil on the windowsill had grown quite a bit longer. Her old desk was neatly tidied, with a stack of materials waiting for her to organize when she returned.

The section chief flipped through the training completion certificate.

"This trip was worthwhile."

"Um."

"The higher-ups just decided yesterday that after you come back, you won't be doing the miscellaneous work anymore; you'll be transferred to supply and sales."

He Qiuyan raised her head.

The section chief laughed at her reaction.

"What, you think it's not good enough?"

"no."

"Then who are you giving that look to?"

He Qiuyan put the graduation certificate back on the table.

"Section Chief, there's something I'd like to tell you."

The section chief sensed something was off about her tone, and his enamel mug froze in mid-air.

"you say."

I want to quit my job here.

The section chief stared at her.

Say it again.

I want to leave.

"You just got back from training, and we even cleared out a position for you in sales and marketing. Now you're telling me you want to leave?"

"That's why I came back today to complete the formalities."

"Where to?"

"Xinghe Business Department"

The section chief frowned.

"What unit?"

"It's owned by my classmate."

"Private division?"

"Um."

The section chief slammed the cup back onto the table.

"He Qiuyan, you are twenty-four, not twelve."

"I know."

"You have a formal job with a salary, and your company is even planning to transfer you to a sales and marketing department. If you go to a newly opened private business, how much will you earn?"

"We haven't talked about it yet."

"How many years can you work there?"

"have no idea."

"What if it closes down next year?"

He Qiuyan smiled.

"Then I'll look for more work."

The section chief was so angered by her outburst that he became even more furious.

"You think you can just start looking for them like that?"

"I have hands and feet, I can't starve to death."

"Is the formal job the same as outside?"

"no the same."

"Knowing it's different, why are you still making a fuss?"

He Qiuyan did not reply immediately this time.

Someone carrying documents passed by outside the window, and the footsteps gradually faded away from the doorway.

She then said, "Because I want to go."

The section chief looked at her.

"What did that classmate promise you?"

"Nothing was promised."

"Then what are you after?"

He Qiuyan thought for a moment.

"I wanted to be there and know that I had done something myself."

The section chief didn't understand.

"Isn't what you're doing here your job?"

"It counts."

She smiled.

"But at Xinghe, if a customer stands at the door and asks me what to do, I can make the decision myself."

"I admit I made a mistake, but if I did it right, people will come to me again next time."

The section chief picked up his cup, then put it down again.

"You think this is a good thing?"

"I quite like it."

The section chief was so angry he almost laughed.

"Why weren't you this restless before?"

"There was nowhere for me to mess around before."

This left the section chief speechless.

After a while, he asked, "Does your family know?"

He Qiuyan's expression froze for a moment.

The section chief immediately understood.

"Still haven't you said anything?"

"Let's talk about it tonight."

"So the hardest hurdle is yet to come."

"So please get it over with here first."

"Dream on."

The section chief pushed a stack of handover materials onto her.

"Even resigning from a job has to follow the rules. You have to hand over all your belongings and complete all the formalities before you can leave."

He Qiuyan took it.

"OK."

"What about the supply and marketing cooperative?"

"Leave it to someone else."

The section chief stared at her for a long time.

"Don't come back crying to me later."

"Even if you really cry, I won't go into your office to cry."

The section chief raised his hand to shoo her away.

"Let's go quickly."

He Qiuyan carried the materials out the door.

The girl sitting next to me chased me down the hallway.

"Sister Qiuyan, are you really resigning?"

"True words."

"No matter how many people in the supply and marketing cooperative want to go, they can't."

"That's perfect, someone can take my spot."

"What if you regret it later?"

He Qiuyan switched the materials to her other hand.

"You can talk about it later if you regret it."

"We can't be afraid to go anywhere today just because we might regret it later."

She finished speaking and went downstairs.

He couldn't escape the scolding.

After hearing this, Mrs. He still held the spatula in her hand.

"You don't want a perfectly good, stable job?"

"Um."

"We've already sent you the training, and you're even able to coordinate supply and sales after you come back. And now you're telling me you're quitting?"

"Um."

"He Qiuyan!"

"Mom, I'm listening."

"Do you still like what you're hearing?"

The soup in the pot was already overflowing.

Mr. He quickly went over and lifted the pot lid.

Mother He was so angry that she paced back and forth in the room.

"What will happen to the privately-owned businesses that close down so easily?"

"If it really closes down, I'll find another job."

"You make it sound so easy."

"I have hands and feet."

"Can formal jobs be the same?"

"They are different."

He's mother was so angry at her appearance that her face turned red.

"What kind of bewitching potion did Lin Xiuhe give you?"

She didn't try to persuade me.

"So you made a fool of yourself?"

He Qiuyan didn't laugh this time.

"Mom, I'm quite happy working there."

Mother He stopped.

"Can happiness feed you?"

"If you can make money, then you can."

"How much did she give you?"

"Now it's calculated by the day."

Mother He's expression turned even more unpleasant.

He Qiuyan quickly added a sentence.

"We'll talk again after it's officially over."

"You quit your job before even agreeing on the price?"

"I haven't finished all the formalities yet."

"You're quite good at leaving yourself an escape route?"

"Of course."

Mother He was so angry that she raised her hand to slap her.

Mr. He finally burst out laughing at the table.

"You're still laughing?"

I didn't laugh.

His mouth was wide open in a grin.

After Mr. He brought the soup to the table, he asked his daughter.

"Are you really sure?"

He Qiuyan nodded.

"I've made up my mind."

"Isn't this just a fit of pique?"

"no."

"Isn't Lin Xiuhe just trying to fool you?"

"She doesn't know yet."

Upon hearing this, Mr. He picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks.

"Then you'll have to bear it yourself."

Mother He suddenly turned her head.

"You're agreeing just like that?"

"She's twenty-four, not fourteen."

Mr. He spoke in a normal tone.

"She really hurt herself, and she'll learn her lesson."

He Qiuyan immediately served her father soup.

"Dad still loves me the most."

Don't flatter me.

Mr. He took the bowl.

If your mother wants to scold you, I won't stop her.

As expected, He's mother didn't give her a kind look that night.

Before going to bed, she still took out the cloth bag she used to carry to work and mended the worn corner.

The next morning, He Qiuyan saw the bag on the table but didn't ask anything.

After finishing breakfast, she slung her bag over her shoulder and went out.

Xinghe had just opened its doors.

Lin Xiuhe was moving a box of samples by the door when she heard the bicycle bell. She turned around and saw He Qiuyan.

"No handover today?"

"Let's go this afternoon."

He Qiuyan parked her car and went inside the house as if she knew the way well.

"Let me get down to business first."

Lin Xiuhe put the box down.

"True words?"

"The paperwork is being processed; I'll be leaving at the end of the month."

"Did your family agree?"

He Qiuyan's lips twitched.

"My mom almost tied me up and took me back to my workplace last night."

Lin Xiuhe laughed out loud.

"You're still laughing?"

"Okay, I'll bear with it."

He Qiuyan hung the cloth bag on the back of the chair, but did not sit down.

"Let's talk about salary first."

Lin Xiuhe also became serious.

How many do you want?

He Qiuyan gave a number.

Lin Xiuhe raised an eyebrow.

"You've really asked for quite a lot."

"Too expensive?"

"It's significantly higher than what you earned at your previous workplace."

That's why I came.

He Qiuyan crossed her arms. "I'm giving up a regular job. I can't come here to suffer with you and get paid less."

"That makes sense."

"Then this number will do."

"Dream on."

He Qiuyan laughed in exasperation.

"Who just said that makes sense?"

"Just because something makes sense doesn't mean I can't negotiate."

"Lin Xiuhe, you're starting to look more and more like a businesswoman."

"Same to you."

The two of them went back and forth, and finally settled on a number.

It's higher than He Qiuyan's original salary.

It wasn't high enough for Xinghe to handle.

Payments are made monthly at a fixed rate, with additional payments for months with exceptionally good business.

After listening, He Qiuyan only asked:

"When did it start?"

"The day your formalities are officially completed."

"These past few days?"

"It's still calculated by the day."

"become."

She finally pulled out the chair she had been sitting in for half a month.

Lin Xiuhe took a key from the drawer and placed it in front of her.

He Qiuyan recognized her at a glance.

"The one at the courtyard gate?"

"Um."

She picked up the keys.

"Give me?"

"You'll have to open the door from now on."

"What if we close the door?"

"It's yours too."

He Qiuyan clicked her tongue.

"This salary sounds too low."

"It's not too late to regret it now."

"It's too late."

She smiled and put the keys into her pocket.

The metal struck the coin inside, making a sound.

In the afternoon, He Qiuyan still had to return to her original unit to continue the handover.

Before leaving, she washed her enamel mug clean and put it back on the corner of the table.

"Don't drink from my cup."

Lin Xiuhe was sorting goods with her head down.

"Who cares?"

"That would be best."

He Qiuyan pushed her bicycle out of the courtyard gate.

Lin Xiuhe stood inside the house, listening to her bicycle bell as it rang all the way out of the alley, before continuing with her work.

She opened the door early the next morning.

A letter was slipped under the door.

The handwriting on the envelope looked somewhat familiar.

Lin Xiuhe bent down and picked it up.

The signature consisted of only three characters.

Zhao Guodong.

She opened the letter.

The first line reads—

Xiuhe, I might have to move to a different place.