Chapter 140: Her Origins Are Shrouded in Mystery (Bonus Chapter)

"That is your aunt, not our aunt. By seniority, you should call her Grandma!" Old Master Na never argued about seniority with Hong Tao, but he was always meticulous when it came to others, especially regarding Mrs. Liu. This only made Hong Tao more curious.

"Aunt or Grandma, it’s all the same. Don't try to brush me off; I’m not asking about seniority!" Hong Tao had asked Old Master Na more than once, but the old man was slippery and could always evade what he didn't want to say.

"Technically, your family hiring her to work here is a favor. We shouldn't keep things from you. Who wants to hire someone without knowing their background? The bigger the household, the more they care about this. Even if you didn't ask, I should have told you. But her situation is special. I haven't had the heart to bring it up before. I can vouch for her; she’s a good person, but some things are hard to say and don't sound very pleasant. I’m afraid you’ll have prejudices against her once you hear it." This time, Old Master Na didn't play games. He fell silent for a moment before giving Hong Tao a solemn opening.

"Don't scare me! If she were a spy, I’d report her to the police immediately. You might be willing to throw away your old life, but I haven't lived enough yet!" Hong Tao feigned terror.

"It’s not that serious; it has nothing to do with that. Are you going to listen or not? If not, I’d rather not say it anyway!" Old Master Na knew Hong Tao was just being cheeky, though he often wondered how such a young kid could be so glib.

"Fine, as long as it doesn't involve national security, I can accept anything. Look at Han Xue; she’s from the streets, and her reputation isn't great either. Or Uncle Lu, an ex-convict whom everyone avoids. I didn't say anything, did I? Is my Aunt Liu really worse than them?" Hong Tao quickly offered reassurance, fearing the old man might back out again.

"That’s the truth. Though I don't know if you’re big-hearted or just foolish, you have indeed helped many people. Girl Xue, Lu Dapeng, your Aunt Liu, me included, and those educated youth returning to the city. If this were the old days, you’d be considered a philanthropist." Old Master Na sang his praises.

"That’s not philanthropy; that’s mutual benefit. I didn't lose out. Let’s get back to the point: my Aunt Liu!" Hong Tao was completely immune to flattery and praise. No matter how sincere or tearful one might be, it wouldn't touch him.

"...Regarding your Aunt Liu. You asked before how old I was when I first visited a brothel. I’ll tell you today: I was over seven when my uncle carried me there. I met her there for the first time. She was two years younger than me, just a little girl, said to have been sold from Anhui. Heaven knows where she was really from. I fell for her the moment I saw her. When we grew up, I’d go visit her whenever I could, hoping to buy her freedom, but the old man wouldn't agree, nor would he give me the money. I had no choice but to keep visiting her at the house." That was how Old Master Na began the story of Mrs. Liu.

"After the liberation, I took advantage of the chaos to get her out, but I had nowhere to hide her. I had to have the son of an old family friend take her in, pretending she was a wife brought from the countryside—that’s how she became 'Mrs. Liu.' In '68, someone found the original papers from when she was supposed to be redeemed. As a result, she and her husband were targets of public struggle sessions, paraded through the streets wearing 'broken shoe' signs. From start to finish, she never uttered a word about me. Later, her husband died of illness. They weren't a real family, and they had no children. She was left alone, a woman with bound feet, her reputation ruined, and it was hard to survive. I was dirt poor myself, relying on rolling coal balls to get by. We just lived together to keep from starving. Later, things got better. I could earn a little pedaling a cart, and she could sew clothes, so we scraped by. It wasn't until she came to work for you that things finally stabilized; at least she doesn't have to worry about food anymore." Old Master Na spoke lightly, as if telling someone else's story, but Hong Tao could hear the deep helplessness behind it.

"So you stole a living person from that place, used a fake marriage to deceive everyone for all these years, and finally turned a lie into the truth!!!" Hong Tao finally understood why Old Master Na had always protected Mrs. Liu. The man was daring, at least in his youth.

"Indeed. When I got her out, I didn't know there would be so much trouble. I just didn't want her to suffer, thinking that once the wind blew over, I’d take her home. Sigh..." Old Master Na felt a mix of bitterness and amusement at his younger self's actions.

"Then why don't you marry her now? You don't have much of a reputation to lose anyway, so why fear people pointing fingers?" Hong Tao still didn't understand. He had previously thought Mrs. Liu was unwilling, but that wasn't the case.

"She won't agree. She’s afraid of bringing more trouble upon me. I’ve come to terms with it—to marry or not, we’re just getting by. Who knows when one of us might kick the bucket." Old Master Na sounded relaxed, but his eyes were red.

"...This can't be rushed. Aunt Liu has a knot in her heart that needs untying. It needs to be done slowly. I can help you with this. Some things might be hard for you to say, but they're easy for me. Leave it to me. Who knows, maybe by next year you'll be marrying a new bride? Old man! Be happy, eh?" Hong Tao clicked his tongue. What could he say? He didn't understand the complexities of that era, but Mrs. Liu was certainly loyal! She had done enough for Old Master Na, and this was a favor he could manage.

"Hey! Don't you dare mess around! We've finally found some peace; if you go spreading rumors, how will she be able to show her face?" Old Master Na was terrified, especially knowing Hong Tao's loose lips.

"Don't worry, I never joke about serious matters, and I know my limits. I have one more question, don't get angry: did she learn her sewing skills from that place?" Hong Tao's curiosity remained.

"What did you think? That I taught her? She was raised there from childhood. She had masters for needlework, masters for opera, and even had to attend private school and learn various crafts. She wasn't just some common girl working the halls; otherwise, why would I have gone to such lengths to steal her away? Even if my father hadn't given me money, I could have easily bought someone else's freedom!" Old Master Na started boasting about his youth again.

"Alright... alright... stop there, don't brag anymore. I understand. I reckon you've got at least another ten years in you. When the time comes, I’ll support you, and we can go out and about, you believe me?" Hong Tao finally understood: Mrs. Liu was a highly skilled woman from a top-tier establishment, trained from childhood to serve elite clients—much like the celebrities of later generations. No wonder she was so talented.

"Nonsense! Go do what you need to do. I’ve told you everything, I need to take a nap." Old Master Na didn't believe a word and, ignoring him, leaned back on the couch and fell asleep.

After the 1982 Spring Festival, people in the capital suddenly noticed changes in their daily lives. On many construction sites, unfamiliar faces appeared—mostly rugged, strong laborers wearing tattered clothes and speaking with various accents.

The term "migrant worker" didn't exist yet. Due to the household registration system, almost every job in the city required a residency permit. However, with the progress of Reform and Opening-up and the acceleration of urban renewal, many jobs emerged that city dwellers couldn't or wouldn't do, such as in construction and service industries.

These were labor-intensive industries requiring massive manpower. Meanwhile, the countryside was implementing the household contract responsibility system, which left a surplus of labor. The two needs met perfectly. Some quick-witted farmers living near large cities began to look beyond their own small plots of land.

In fact, large-scale migration into cities had begun as early as 1980. With the establishment of several Special Economic Zones, many surplus rural laborers flocked there. However, most went to southern provinces; the northern provinces were further away, so fewer people went there.

Beyond these organized migrant workers, informal labor markets formed spontaneously in places like Dongzhimen, Xizhimen, Yongdingmen, and Chongwenmen. These locations were near long-distance bus or train stations. Newly arrived farmers, unfamiliar with the city and its transportation, simply stood by the roadside, waiting for people in need of labor to approach them.

The people of that time were quite interesting. A group would stand there, and passersby, not knowing what they were doing, would curiously ask, "Are you lost? Where are you going?"

"Not lost. We've come to the city to find work. Building houses, making furniture, masonry, carpentry—we can do it all!"

"Hey! Then you should shout it out! What’s the point of just standing here?"

"We don't know how to shout..."

"If you don't know how to shout, you should at least put up a sign! You have to let people know what you're here for! Just standing there makes people think you're lost!"

Slowly, through familiarity and trial and error, people began to find cardboard scraps and scribble their skills on them. The residents of the capital were also quick to adapt to new things. There was always someone willing to be the first to "eat the crab," and through word of mouth, it quickly became known where one could hire a general laborer, a skilled mason, or a carpenter.