After work that day, it was immediately followed by a weekend.

When she came home in the evening, Hou Xiaolin bought a fish — she wanted to make a braised fish for her grandmother.

The old man loves to eat fish very much, but the grandfather and grandson live in poverty, and they can't afford to eat big fish and meat, so they can only improve it occasionally.

The factory is gradually getting busy, and her hands are not as embarrassed as before, and Hou Xiaolin doesn't have to pick and search as much as before when she spends money - after the previous salary, her own salary was indeed searched by her mother.

Fortunately, she had two other salary envelopes, which were hidden elsewhere and were not discovered by her mother, so she left some money.

With money, the life of the grandfather and grandson is much better, the food and clothing on weekdays are much more relaxed, and on the weekend, they dare to eat a fish.

Hou Xiaolin returned home, chatted with her grandmother for a few words, and then went to the kitchen, where she handled the fish with her hands and feet.

Stir-fry, green onion and ginger, add soup, and simmer over low heat.

The aroma of fish soon spread throughout the house.

"Grandma, I'll be able to eat soon." Hou Xiaolin smiled sweetly at her grandmother.

The old lady gently touched Hou Xiaolin's cheek.

"It's really grandma's little padded jacket......" The old man smiled kindly and looked at Hou Xiaolin with an expression, "Grandma is old, thanks to your little padded jacket, otherwise grandma's life in her old age would be too difficult......"

Hou Xiaolin's eyes were red, she squatted beside her grandmother, and clenched the old lady's hand like dead bark, "Grandma, don't say that......"

"Child, accompany me, an old lady, I have wronged you......" The old man muttered to herself again, she patted Hou Xiaolin's hand, "Grandma is old, she won't live for a few years, you just let grandma nag and ......"

Hou Xiaolin's eyes turned even redder: "Grandma, don't ...... You're sure to live a long life! ”

"Grandma, don't expect to live a long life...... But don't worry, grandma will definitely live well, grandma has to see you marry a good family, grandma can leave with confidence......"

"Grandma, you're making fun of me!" Hou Xiaolin deliberately said a strange word, and now she couldn't help but blush her eyes and face.

"Grandma didn't make fun of you, grandma really wants to see you marry a handsome young man...... Hey, do you have any good-looking boys in your factory? ”

"Yes, our workshop director is good-looking......" Hou Xiaolin said casually, and then shook his head, "But it's impossible...... People don't look down on me......"

"Why don't I look down on you! My Xiaolin is so beautiful! Grandma's voice was a little higher, "Wait for Monday, grandma will accompany you to the factory and tell you to go!" ”

"Grandma, don't!"

The grandfather and grandson were chatting, when suddenly the door was pushed open.

Hou Mu's voice rang out: "Yo, Yoyo...... The living conditions are so good, and you can afford to eat fish! ”

Hou Xiaolin stood up nervously.

Hou's mother went into the kitchen and took a turn, and when she came out, she looked at Hou Xiaolin and her grandmother.

She frowned and whispered a few words, and then stretched out her hand to Hou Xiaolin: "Where's the money?" ”

"What, what money?" Hou Xiaolin shook her head and said.

"Don't pretend to be stupid, you have money to eat fish, but you don't have money to help your brother? Your brother is still in good health! Mother Hou's hand stretched forward again, "Hurry up!" ”

"Mom, I don't have any money." Hou Xiaolin lowered her head and took a step back while shaking her head.

"Dead girl, do you have money to eat fish and no money to help your brother? Who are you coaxing? Hou's mother suddenly pinched the flesh on Hou Xiaolin's arm and twisted it hard, "You have learned to lie!" ”

"Mom, I really don't have any money, I gave you all my salary last time, and I didn't keep a penny for myself...... My grandmother and I have to live too! Hou Xiaolin was so painful that tears came out.

"Then where did your fish come from?"

"My money!" Grandma stood up at this time, and she said in a loud voice, "You let my granddaughter go!" Why, can't I use my money to have a fish meal with my granddaughter? ”

Mother Hou slowly let go of her hand, she stared at the old lady: "You don't have a pension, where did you get the money?" ”

"I'll pick up the rags and change them!" The old lady said loudly, "My unfilial son won't give me a penny, and you want to snatch all Xiaolin's money away, you are going to starve our grandparents and grandchildren, can't our grandchildren pick up the rags!" Get out! ”

"Who said I put all her money...... Didn't you leave her a dozen yuan last time? Hou Mu muttered and slipped into the kitchen.

"Mom, what are you going to do?" Hou Xiaolin hurriedly asked.

"What? Your brother is still hungry...... I'll find a pot and bring the fish back for him to taste......"

"This is my fish and my granddaughter's fish, if you dare to touch it, I'd rather smash the pot!" The old lady continued to say in a loud voice.

Hou's mother's feet froze at the kitchen door.

After a few seconds, she turned around and walked towards the door, muttering things like "stingy, eccentric, only caring about her granddaughter, not thinking about her grandson's ......" as she walked.

Walking to the door, she glanced at Hou Xiaolin, but in the end she didn't say anything, threw the door and left.

Hou Xiaolin breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head and hugged her grandmother.

The old lady sighed and patted Hou Xiaolin's soft hair.

……

The next day, the weekend.

To the north of the garment factory, about four stops away, there is a street that resembles a weekend department store morning market.

This is the last place in the city that resembles a fair.

If you want to buy something cheap, you have to come to this morning market.

Hou Xiaolin rushed early in the morning and arrived at this morning market before seven o'clock - she needed to replenish some daily necessities for her family, but she wanted to save money, so she had to come here.

After strolling through the morning market for more than an hour, she felt a little hungry at about eight o'clock.

There was a stall selling breakfast in the morning market, Hou Xiaolin hesitated for a moment, but decided to go to the breakfast stall to eat something - there was a time before when she always didn't eat breakfast in order to save money, and then she had a stomach problem.

"Boss, I want a bowl of tofu brain and a fritter." She finished talking to her boss and pulled out a few cents.

Just as he was about to hand over the money, a somewhat surprised voice sounded beside him.

"Hou Xiaolin?"

Hou Xiaolin turned her head and saw that it was a young man in his early twenties.

He is not tall, less than 1.7 meters, with a round face, a small head, and a pair of large black-rimmed glasses.

Hou Xiaolin paused for a moment before remembering who he was: "Zhang Xiaoshi? ”

"Hou Xiaolin, it's really you, I didn't expect to see you here!" Zhang Xiaoshi shouted at the owner of the breakfast stall, "Boss, her share will be subtracted from the money she came to me!" ”

"Ah, how can this work...... Hou Xiaolin just wanted to refuse, but Zhang Xiaoshi had already helped her bring breakfast to the table.

He looked at Hou Xiaolin very happily: "The classmates in our class all say that you work in a garment factory, and I am also in the garment industry, but we have not had any contact over the years......

Hou Xiaolin nodded: "I'm in a sewing workshop in a state-owned garment factory, what about you?" ”

"I work as a fashion designer in a local clothing company in our Xishan Province, Sunshine Clothing." Zhang Xiaoshi snorted and drank a few sips of tofu brain, and replied.

"Oh, you're doing a great job!" Hou Xiaolin was very happy for her old classmates, "I'm far worse than you, I'm an ordinary worker......"

"Hey, what's the matter...... Zhang Xiaoshi shook his head and sighed, "Our company's performance is not as good as day by day, and it feels like it will go bankrupt at any time, we can only pay the basic salary for several months, and it is said that the basic salary will be halved this month......"

"Ah, it's so hard for you?" Hou Xiaolin was a little surprised, "The performance of our factory has not been good, and we have not been able to pay wages for several months, if it weren't for the ability of our workshop director and the workshop to make some money, I might have left the factory now and gone out to work." ”

Zhang Xiaoshi nodded, and his tone was heavy: "Alas, this year's clothing industry has been too seriously impacted by outside companies." Xiangjiang, Dongying, European and American countries...... All come to the mainland to grab food, and no one likes the things made by small local clothing companies......"

He paused, and his voice changed: "However, this year, there is a rare thing in the clothing store, do you know?" ”

Hou Xiaolin was curious: "What is the rarity?" ”

"In our local market, there is a fat-legged pants, called 'I am cool', and it sells like crazy! Young people are rushing to buy it, and it is said that there is no market for it now! ”

Hou Xiaolin's mouth opened widely, and her eyes widened: "Huh? That's what our workshop director made! ”

Now, it was Zhang Xiaoshi's turn to stare.

"Huh?"