I was watching TV in the afternoon, the first episode of Crime Crackdown, and had just gotten into it when Fu called. We talked for a while. It suddenly occurred to me that I hadn’t video-called the guys for several days.
We used to get on video almost every night and play games together. These past two days have been busy. I’ve taken on another village as well, helping them handle work matters. Honestly, is there anyone else around here like me, one person responsible for two villages—and two big ones at that?
These days I mostly catch up with them by reading the group chat after I wake up. I saw that Wang, who just joined our little circle, mentioned he had started work recently too. I was happy for him. Last year, in the joint recruitment exam for public institutions, he ranked second, but when the interview notice came, he didn’t go, so he wasted a chance. Luckily, he passed this year. At least his parents must be pretty relieved. After all, in the eyes of many parents, the end of the universe is still getting a government-funded position.
Fu said he would come to my place tomorrow, stay for a bit, and then head to Xinjiang. He said someone had helped him find a job there. I asked him whether he had seen the temporary traffic police recruitment notice for Huining townships that was posted in the group. He said the pay was too low, only a little over two thousand a month, and he didn’t want to go.
I tried to persuade him for a while. I told him not to rush off to Xinjiang yet. He could at least come here and try the exam first. Jobs outside are everywhere and can be found at any time, but this kind of local opportunity doesn’t come around often for people like us. The benefits are different too—insurance, housing fund, and it’s close to home. Even if he still wants to take the civil service exam or a public institution exam later, he would have time. The work shouldn’t be too exhausting either.
Besides, he trained in sports for three years back in high school, and he hasn’t completely let himself go since then. The physical fitness test shouldn’t be a problem for him. After I talked for a while, he started hesitating, and I could tell he was a little tempted. In the end, I told him to come to my house first tomorrow. We could go up in the afternoon and sign him up. Just give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, it still won’t be too late to look for another job.
To be honest, the people I’m still close with now are just these few. Jiajia works at a construction company in Yuzhong and bought a place in Lanzhou, so the mortgage pressure is heavy. Ganggang graduated this year and went to work at an aluminum factory in Qingtongxia. He says the work is fairly easy, with weekends off, and that he’ll look for something else after the internship period ends. Jianjian works at an internet company in Beijing. Xiaolv drives trains in Xinjiang. Zhenwen is in the communications industry in Lanzhou.
After everyone started working, the pressure on each person became pretty obvious. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one still living a little carelessly.
I just hope all of us can have better days ahead. Life really isn’t easy.