Chapter 22 – Li Shiqiang is quitting
When Feng Yu and Li Na were studying hard at school, a storm is brewing in Li Shiqiang’s home.
“What did you say? You want to quit? You brat! Do you know how hard I beg the Post office manager for you to enter? I had to give gifts and treat them to dinners and now you want to resign?” Li Shiqiang’s father scolded. He really wanted to give Li Shiqiang one tight slap.
“Dad, do you know how much money I’ve made in the past few months? Tens of thousands! How much am I getting a month at the Post office? Not even a hundred RMB. I am earning a few years’ salaries in a month. Why should I carry on going to work? All I did was to take a few days off work and the leader scolded me in front of everyone!” Li Shiqiang said.
“You only took a few days off work? Don’t think I don’t know that you only attended four days of work last month. Which leader can tolerate for so long? If it is not for me, you would be fired long ago!” Li Shiqiang’s father said.
“Then fire me. I don’t want to work there anyway. There is no future doing those mundane tasks every day!” Li Shiqiang shouted.
“Shiqiang, how can you say this? What’s wrong with the job? The work is not tiring and also stable. In the future, the government will assign houses too.” Li Shiqiang’s mother also tried to persuade him.
“Mom, because of those houses? We can afford it now. We can afford any houses anywhere in the country, including the capital!” Li Shiqiang said.
“Are you trying to rebel? You don’t even want to listen to me?” Li Shiqiang’s father asked.
“Dad, Xiao Yu said people need to be forward-looking. We got to see the potential developments of what we are doing. Many people might be envied of my job at the Post office now. But if we are able to buy a big house and a car, more people will be envied of us. It will be more meaningful that way!” Li Shiqiang replied.
“Rubbish! I know what you have been doing. You are going to Shen city to sell Treasury Bonds every day. You are just speculating!”
“What I’m doing is just normal tradings. Xiao Yu said this is in accordance to the state’s regulations. We are allowed to buy and sell Treasury bonds freely and we don’t even need to be taxed from this. You remembered Uncle Zhao’s son Chuanxi? He bought a big colored television last year and you were telling me how capable is he. Now, we can also afford one. We can afford an even bigger and better, imported color TV!” Li Shiqiang said.
Li Shiqiang kept saying Feng Yu said this and Feng Yu said that. The veins on Li Shiqiang’s father is about to burst. Someone in his twenties listening to a teenager?
This trouble soon spread to the Feng family. Just happened Feng Xingtai had just finished the sowing of their land. He went to Feng Yu’s school and brought him to Bing city. He had heard from his future in-laws that Feng Yu had instigated Li Shiqiang to resign from his iron rice bowl job.
“Dad, I didn’t have anything to do with this matter. I really didn’t encourage him to resign.” Feng Yu said weakly.
Of course, Li Shiqiang was scolded by his leaders because he had kept taking leave from work. But it was also Feng Yu’s fault as he was the one who asked Li Shiqiang to keep traveling to and fro from Shen city. Feng Yu, however, is not willing to be the scapegoat and he will never admit it was his fault.
“Shut up and apologize to your Uncle Li when we reach there. Your uncle Li is a leader. Didn’t you see that he can drive a car and during holidays, many people have to give him gifts? If your Brother Li followed his footsteps, he can also be a leader in future.” Feng Xingtai said.
Feng Yu replied: “What’s so good about being a leader? Uncle Li is only a deputy chief. Car? We can also afford to buy one now. During holidays, Uncle Li also had to give gifts to his superiors. You look at Brother Li now. He is earning more than his last year salary in a month now. This is what I call a winner!”
Feng Yu stopped trying to persuade his father after seeing his father’s angry stare at him. Anyway, he had accumulated enough funds. So, he can let Brother Li stay low for a while. With the funds, Feng Yu is also able to earn more himself.
Everyone is present at Li Shiqiang’s home. Not only the Li family, Feng Danying is also there. Everyone sat there silently. But see Feng Xingtai came in, Li Shiqiang’s parents still stand up to welcome him.
But after Feng Xingtai sat down, the room became silent again. Feng Xingtai stared at Feng Yu.
Feng Yu is feeling helpless. His thinking is more than twenties years ahead of everyone else. However, no one can understand his genius thoughts.
Slapped！
Feng Xingtai had mercilessly slapped the back of Feng Yu’s head. Everyone is waiting for this kid to apologize and yet he is still sitting there daydreaming!
“Boy, don’t you know your sister’s happiness is going to be ruined in your hand? If Li Shiqiang is going to resign because of your instigation, how can his family agree to your sister’s relationship with Li Shiqiang?” Feng Xingtai thought.
Feng Yu sad look at the father stood up and said: “Uncle Li, Auntie Li, it is all my fault. I shouldn’t have asked Brother Li to join me doing this business. Brother Li, you should go back to work. You should be able to afford a car and a house if you spend your life working hard.”
At first, Feng Xingtai thought that his son is apologizing properly. But why is it he felt that something is not right.
“Besides, Brother Li, you had also made about 10,000 RMB from the money you took from home. These should be enough. It is more than what you will get after working at the Post office for ten years. My teacher said one should be contented with what they have. It is not our business if other people can earn a lot of money. When they live in big houses and watched big color TV, we can still live in small houses and watch black and white television.” Feng Yu continued.
“When you and my sister have children, let him study hard. In the future, he can also work at the Post office. Even though the salary is little, but the work is relaxing. When other parents drive their kids to school, we can use bicycles to send them to school. Men should not be courageous and strive to be successful. We should be just working hard quietly towards “the four modernizations” (modernization of agriculture, industry, national defense and science, and technology). Let the others do those glory stuff.” Feng Yu said.
Feng Yu is used to doing brainwashing and persuading work, otherwise, how is he able to get so many investment customers. He is confident to change the minds of anyone in this room within five minutes of talking.
Li Shiqiang’s parents frowned and thought to themselves: “Yes, what future will Shiqiang have if he carries on working at the Post office? If he really has children in future, it will just be like what Xiao Yu said. Other people are sending their children to school by car, his son is still riding bicycles to send his kids to school.”
This is the first time his son had his own ideas. Is it really fine to kill his ideas? If he is to go back and work at the Post office, can he work at ease?
Li Shiqiang’s father suddenly asked: “Shiqiang, what do you think?”
Li Shiqiang heard his father asking and he raised his head: “Dad, I had thought about this carefully. I want to earn money. Earn a lot of money and let you and mom have a good life. I will work hard and not let Feng Danying suffered. Didn’t the great one said: “We must develop a socialist economy and allow some to get rich first.” Why can’t I be one of those, who gets rich first?”
Li Shiqiang’s father looked at his son, and the in-laws, and finally sighed: “Ok, I will talk to your leader to approve a one year no pay leave for you. If you can’t make it, then you go back to work at the Post office and don’t think so much. If you really can make it, then you can quit your job at the Post office.”
