Chapter 52: Has the Repatriation Begun?

Of course, these were not matters of immediate urgency.

Even though Old Hu had read the proposal and was truly shocked by Lu Qiaoge, there was no rush. It could be taken slow.

However, once Old Hu learned that the people stealing chickens and ducks were either educated youths or unemployed youth, he suddenly felt that establishing a service station was a pressing matter.

Old Hu studied Lu Qiaoge's proposal seriously with Old Huang.

Huang Juan said, "In principle, I agree. Besides, we've had something like this before; it just disbanded later on."

Once this was settled, Director Hu said to Lu Qiaoge, "The service station can be approved, but who will serve as the station master, or rather, who will take the lead?"

Lu Qiaoge replied, "You should do it, sir. It's just a title. As for the specific affairs, since it was my suggestion, I will be the first to volunteer my services to the station. On the premise that it does not affect my primary duties, I guarantee to perform all the tasks of the voluntary community service station well."

Director Hu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Should I call my son and ask him to come back to build our hometown?"

Lu Qiaoge added, "And tonight, mobilize my younger sister to actively join the ranks of those serving the people."

The elder and the youth locked eyes for a moment, and then both burst into laughter.

Even though she had only been working at the Sub-district Office for a few days, Lu Qiaoge felt that Director Hu was no ordinary man. Someone like Old Hu, who could come up with using dispute resolution as an exam question, certainly wouldn't be a traditionalist.

Three days later, the Xiangyang Sub-district Office Voluntary Community Service Station was established.

A travel-worn Hu Ze thought he would be stuck in the countryside for the rest of his life.

Lu Qiaoling had also successfully signed up.

Lu Qiaoge took the initiative to find Zhou Li to ask for her opinion, and Zhou Li agreed without a moment's hesitation.

The establishment of this service station was as quiet as a "Good Deeds Group" being formed in a school. Primarily, there were no salaries or official government positions, and one had to volunteer their time from time to time.

However, Lu Qiaoling felt that given her sister's abilities, she certainly wouldn't let the people at the service station actually go hungry. Others didn't think this way, but Lu Qiaoling wouldn't go out of her way to tell them. After all, this was an organization of the Sub-district Office; the main cadres still needed to show their support.

Huang Juan signed up her niece, Du Shuang, from her sister's family; Sister Qiao sent over her brother-in-law, Zhou Qiming, who was currently unemployed.

There were currently five volunteers in total.

That's right, they even had work permits, which included the unit name, a photo, and the position of "Volunteer." It was handled with surprising formality, using official registration forms.

Director Hu was somewhat worried. Why did it feel like this service station wasn't quite that simple? As an old cadre, was he being too impulsive? But there was no turning back now; there were already five volunteers.

Volunteers? What kind of title was that? It sounded half-baked. And wasn't the number of people a bit small?

Lu Qiaoge said to Director Hu, "In the initial stage, we must use comrades with known good character to carry out the work and break new ground, so five volunteers is not a small number."

If they were to hold a public recruitment, it was quite possible that people would actually come to sign up.

Huang Juan meant the same thing: keep it limited to internal staff for now; if it doesn't work out, the negative impact won't be too great.

Monday, June 2, 1975, 8:30 AM.

The five members of the service station sat in the Sub-district Office meeting room with excitement in their hearts as Director Hu presided over the meeting. As long as they weren't busy, almost all the cadres of the Sub-district Office were present.

Lu Qiaoge glanced out the window. She had specifically chosen today to establish the service station for Shen Yun's sake.

Three nights ago, after eating her fill and being all cleaned up, the tabby cat lay comfortably on the bed with Lu Qiaoge.

The military factory was under military management; even in the residential compound, one could hear the wake-up and lights-out bugles from the Military Representative Office in the morning and evening. Although the single-story houses were a bit far, those with good hearing could still hear them.

But just as the lights-out bugle sounded, Lu Qiaoge had to sit up.

This was because the tabby cat had darted out into the courtyard to play a game of chase with the Zhao family's mouse, Shu Da. After Lu Qiaoge shouted to stop them, a trembling Shu Da timidly said to her: 【I... I came to tell you, Shen Yun—that woman the Cat Lord told me to watch—she is going to bring people in three days to repatriate your sister back to the countryside. Your sister is the first one to be sent back. She said she wants to "kill the chicken to scare the monkeys," and that if she can bring Lu Qiaoling back, she can send her back too...】

Not all mice possessed the ability to communicate their inner thoughts with Lu Qiaoge.

But the two mice from the Zhao family were brothers; they had no parents, yet they were very clever. They knew how to avoid mousetraps, could distinguish rat poison, and knew how to escape from cat claws. Most of all, they loved gossiping and watching the drama.

Shu Da had been wandering around with his brother to watch the excitement when he happened to overhear Shen Yun's plan. This was a great opportunity to please the Cat Lord and the Little Fairy. So, Shu Da brought Shu Er to deliver the news.

Lu Qiaoge didn't alert anyone; she quietly gave a small handful of corn to the two mice. Only after watching them eat their fill and leave did she lie back down to continue sleeping.

Director Hu had originally wanted to establish the service station yesterday because his son had arrived home yesterday morning. He felt somewhat guilty and hoped to have a successful opening as soon as possible.

Lu Qiaoge naturally disagreed and chose today, because today was an auspicious day.

Shu Da's information was very accurate. At eight o'clock, Shen Yun arrived grandly at the Lu family's front gate, leading the entire membership of a large, hastily formed repatriation team.

Shen Yun's eyes held a coldness, but her face wore a smile. She spoke very gently and politely to Old Lady Lu, who had opened the door: "Grandma Lu, we are the newly formed repatriation team from the military factory. We mainly deal with educated youths who have no jobs and are staying in the city instead of returning to the countryside. I am truly sorry, but Lu Qiaoling falls into this category. Therefore, please call her out. We will register her first, and then she must pack her things and leave with us immediately. We will arrange the repatriation route based on her place of origin."

After this speech, Old Lady Lu didn't even blink. She simply said to Shen Yun in a lukewarm tone, "You are quite an interesting girl. Even if you are repatriating my Qiaoling, you shouldn't be the one coming. Haven't you heard the people in the compound gossiping? Those who know will say you're doing this for work, but those who don't will think you're using public office for personal vendettas. But then again, my Qiaoge has broken off her engagement with Liang Aishu, and they have no relationship anymore. It shouldn't affect someone's... what was it? Right, right, 'unrequited love.' This constant pressure is going too far."

Shen Yun ultimately did not have the old lady's thick skin and lost her composure. Her face flushed red, and she said through gritted teeth, "Grandma Lu, I am doing this for work."

Old Lady Lu chuckled. "Fine, fine, fine, you're doing it for work."

"Please call Lu Qiaoling out; we need to register her."

Old Lady Lu spread her hands. "Qiaoling isn't home. She's at the Sub-district Office for a meeting. Go find her there."

Shen Yun frowned deeply. What meeting was Lu Qiaoling attending at the Sub-district Office?

She turned to Deputy Captain Dashuang beside her and said, "There are no lingering educated youths nearby. Let's go to the Sub-district Office first to find Lu Qiaoling, and then we can head north to repatriate the next one."

Shen Yun felt this would be even better. To escort Lu Qiaoling back right in front of Lu Qiaoge—that would be truly satisfying!