EBE Chapter 40: Construction Begins
Chapter 40: Construction Begins
The next day, before dawn, Wang Liujin woke his younger brother, told him to cook, and then hurriedly left home. He carried a shovel, his tool for the day's work. He was heading to the west gate of the city, where road construction was starting that day; he had already signed up to work. When he arrived at the west gate, the sun was just rising. He saw many others like him, carrying various tools, waiting to report for their tasks. This was no longer the registration point, but a waiting area. Wang Liujin stood in the crowd, waiting to report. Finally, it was his turn. A man who seemed to be in charge asked his name, then led Wang Liujin to a group of several people, telling them that their task for the day was to widen this section of road. Wang Liujin nodded, indicating he understood. He took the shovel and joined the others to begin working.
Around noon, the workers stopped what they were doing to eat. Wang Liujin followed the crowd to the canteen. The canteen was very simple, just a shed made of bamboo and planks, with two huge iron pots inside, under which roaring flames burned, and steaming food was cooking. Two middle-aged women stood by the pots, responsible for distributing food to each worker who came to collect their meal.
Each laborer received two flatbreads and a bowl of hot porridge. Wang Liujin took his share and examined it carefully. The flatbread looked much more refined than the ones his family made, and it even emitted a faint fragrance. When he saw the hot porridge, he was pleasantly surprised—there were even a few thin slices of meat in it! Wang Liujin couldn't help but wonder, "What kind of meat is this?" He had never eaten meat like this before. Although he didn't know what kind of meat it was, he felt it must taste delicious. He picked up his bowl, carefully walked to a sheltered corner, and then wolfed it down.
Tian Xiaowei faced a similar situation. Yesterday, she went home and told her mother about the job offer. Her mother, hearing it was for road construction and included both pay and meals, feared her daughter was being scammed and firmly refused to let her go. However, Tian Xiaowei has always been stubborn; once she's made up her mind, nothing can change it. Besides, she still vividly remembered the massive crowds from yesterday—so many people vying for the job, how could it be a scam?
So that morning, before dawn, while her mother was still fast asleep, Tian Xiaowei secretly got up, quickly washed up, and without even having breakfast, tiptoed out of the house, hurrying towards the west of the city. She walked very fast, her heart filled with both excitement and nervousness.
As she walked, Tian Xiaowei suddenly spotted several familiar figures ahead. Upon closer inspection, she realized they were people from the village. It turned out she wasn't the only one who had seen the job posting; other villagers were also hoping to try their luck. They greeted each other and then set off together towards the west of the city. Although Tian Xiaowei and the other villagers usually had only a casual relationship, they felt much closer now because of their shared goal.
Upon arriving in the west of the city, everyone reported to the designated location as instructed. After registration and group assignments, Tian Xiaowei and another girl from the same village were fortunate enough to be placed in the same group. Their task was simple: to clear the weeds along the roadside. This was not difficult for Tian Xiaowei, who had grown up in the countryside. She skillfully picked up the tools and began working diligently.
Soon it was lunchtime, and Tian Xiaowei looked at the two sesame seed cakes in her hand, reluctant to eat them. She thought to herself that she should take these foods back for her mother and sister to try. So, she quietly tucked the cakes into her clothes. Then, she picked up a bowl of hot porridge and carefully began to drink. Suddenly, Tian Xiaowei was pleasantly surprised to find several slices of meat in the porridge! She was so excited she almost cried out. She savored the delicious porridge in small sips, afraid someone would steal it from her. However, her worries were unfounded, because everyone had their own portion of porridge.
The afternoon's work was the same as the morning, but she gritted her teeth and persevered. As the sun was about to set, a break finally arrived, and everyone could stop working and go eat dinner. Dinner was as Tian Xiaowei had expected: two sesame seed cakes and hot porridge. The porridge still contained slices of meat, even more than at lunchtime. Tian Xiaowei felt incredibly hungry, so she ate one sesame seed cake and then took a sip of the porridge. She thought the sesame seed cake tasted absolutely delicious, as if it were the most delicious food in the world.
After dinner, it was time to pay everyone's wages. Everyone lined up excitedly, each one happily receiving their share. Finally, it was Tian Xiaowei's turn. She nervously stepped forward and reached out to receive her pay. This was her reward for hard work; although it wasn't much, it was a heavy weight of gratitude for her.
Tian Xiaowei clutched her wages tightly, as if afraid they would fly away. She carefully counted them, and only after confirming that everything was correct did she cautiously place the money into her inner pocket. Then, she gently touched her chest, where she had hidden three sesame seed cakes that she had specially saved. These cakes were what she had saved to take back to her family, and thinking of this, her eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.
Tears blurred Tian Xiaowei's vision, but she tried hard to hold them back. She knew that this wage and these few sesame cakes meant a lot to her family; they could provide them with a full meal and bring them warmth and hope. She took a deep breath and silently told herself to be strong, to continue working hard, and to strive for her family's happiness.
Tian Xiaowei wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, a determined smile appearing on her face. She walked briskly out of the construction site, her heart filled with hope and anticipation for the future. Although life remained difficult, she believed that as long as she persevered, things would definitely get better.
People like Wang Liujin and Tian Xiaowei were commonplace. Most of them couldn't even afford two pancakes for a meal, secretly saving them to take home for their families. Ying Wuyou was well aware of this. She didn't stop them, because those who came to earn money for road repairs were all from impoverished families, mostly desperate for food and trying their luck. Therefore, Ying Wuyou didn't offer excessively high wages. If the wages were too high, those from slightly better-off families might be attracted by the higher pay, taking away the livelihoods of the truly poor. Thus, Ying Wuyou's wages were low, and the food was simple, but at least the portions were large and filling. This way, even if people couldn't bear to eat it all and secretly took some home for their families, they would still have something to eat and wouldn't go hungry.
After receiving their wages, the day's work was over. In stark contrast to the bewildered and lost faces of everyone when they arrived in the morning, bright smiles bloomed on everyone's faces after work in the evening.
Ying Wuyou spent the entire day on site. She witnessed everyone sweating profusely while working; she saw the expressions of surprise on their faces as they ate, as if they had discovered a rare treasure; and she even saw some people moved to tears when they received their wages. Gazing at these simple and honest people of Qin, Ying Wuyou felt a mix of emotions. She secretly vowed in her heart: [I must ensure that the people of Qin live a life where everyone has food to eat and clothes to wear!]