Chapter 24: Troubled Brothers

The forestry technical school had a four-year program, but by the fourth year, there were no specific courses left. Especially in the second half of the fourth year, both the school and the students were focused on one major issue: allocation.

After decades of development, the forestry bureau was now overcrowded. Although the school still arranged placements, finding a good position was not easy.

No wonder even Liang Yonghe, whose family was in such dire straits, went to deliver a gift and use connections.

However, Li Xian wasn't interested.

In the forestry bureau, how much advancement could one really expect? A bureau-level production unit on the brink of decline—why waste time on it when one could think about how to get rich through other means?

"I'm not going," Li Xian said firmly.

Seeing Li Xian's indifferent attitude, Liang Yonghe grew anxious. "Vice-Principal Wu is in charge of internship recommendations this time. You should know that the places for internships are likely to become future workplaces. You need to be aware of this and not mess around at this critical moment!"

While Liang Yonghe was earnestly persuading, the other two roommates returned to the dormitory.

Zheng Biao and Wang Wensheng greeted Li Xian and started chatting. Unlike Liang Yonghe, they didn't mention anything about visiting the vice-principal.

Noticing this small detail, Li Xian couldn't help but smile.

Though they lived in the same dorm, the four of them were not completely alike.

Li Xian and Liang Yonghe came from the lower logging fields, while Zheng Biao and Wang Wensheng were children of forestry bureau officials. Their families held positions within the bureau.

Even though they lived together, their relationships were different. Zheng Biao and Wang Wensheng were closer to each other and while they didn't have a poor relationship with Li Xian and Liang Yonghe, there was always a certain distance.

As graduation approached, everyone was hustling for placements. The forestry bureau had limited job openings, roughly divided into two categories: staying within the bureau's various departments or going to the logging fields.

From a long-term perspective, staying within the bureau offered better prospects. However, with over twenty departments in the bureau and only forty to fifty internship slots available each year, the competition was fierce. Every graduate class of around three hundred students wanted one of these spots.

Theoretically, everyone was a competitor.

Li Xian found it quite pointless. Having returned from the future, he knew what the forestry bureau would be like. While students now were eager to secure positions, in a few years, aside from those with strong connections, most would likely face unemployment and need to seek new jobs.

Understanding the trend of the times, Li Xian was considering starting his own business after graduation, aiming to be among the first to become wealthy by telling the story of spring.

With this thought, he quietly started planning for the winter timber business.

But there was one problem he kept circling back to—most of the money he earned would be spent on building a house.

Without capital, starting a business was tough!

Now, his only hope was the final payment of over five thousand yuan from the retirement home. Though it seemed like a substantial sum, it was still not enough for the timber business.

In short, it was far from enough.

Thus, amidst his vague planning, three days passed quickly.

...

With the school having no more classes, Li Xian would sleep in until daylight every day. His laziness made Seven Inches, who slept on the upper bunk, shake his head repeatedly.

On the fourth morning of the semester, Li Xian was woken up by a knock on the door.

The other three in the dorm had already gone about their own business. Li Xian, wrapped in his blanket and still half-asleep, opened the door. It was a student from the dorm management office, who said he needed to go to the principal's office as Vice-Principal Wu wanted to see him.

Although curious about why the vice-principal wanted to meet him, Li Xian washed up and went to the vice-principal's office.

Wu Guohua, fifty-one this year, had been the vice-principal for about ten years.

Seeing Li Xian, the soon-to-retire second-in-command of the school smiled and poured a cup of tea from a thermos, sliding it over. "Li Xian, I called you today mainly to discuss your employment direction. The school will soon arrange placements for various units in the bureau, and I'd like to hear your thoughts. Many people have come to talk to me in recent days, but you've been silent. I feel like your attitude might be a bit off. It seems like you're not very motivated."

Hearing Wu Guohua's words, Li Xian almost burst into laughter.

Was this a bribe?

He thought for a moment and replied, "Vice-Principal Wu, you're mistaken. I believe the allocation of jobs is based on the bureau's need for talent. To be honest, I don't have any special preferences and will follow the school's arrangement."

Wu Guohua was quite surprised by his response.

At the time of allocation, most fresh graduates would come to him since they had recommendation letters. Except for those with exceptionally strong connections, most needed to see him to ensure their placements.

Of course, this meeting wasn't free.

Some students with special family circumstances could skip it. Coincidentally, Wu Guohua had met Accountant Liu from the Eight-Nine Logging Field during a previous meeting, and they were classmates.

During their chat, Wu Guohua learned that Li Xian had earned over six thousand yuan during the summer. In his view, since Li Xian had no significant connections, securing a good job would require his intervention.

Among all non-official children, Wu Guohua was most eager to help Li Xian.

Why?

First, no connections. Second, he had money.

So Li Xian's attitude now was quite surprising—this didn't fit the script Wu Guohua had prepared!

"Li Xian, am I not clear, or do you not understand? What do you mean by following the school's arrangement?"

Li Xian thought for a moment, flashed a big grin, and said, "Literally…"

The moment he left the principal's office, Li Xian knew he would not be following a bureaucratic path…

...

His prediction was entirely accurate.

Three days later, the first batch of recommended lists from the forestry technical school was released. The list wasn't arbitrary but was based on students' professional levels, i.e., graduation scores.

All four of the dorm's residents were on this list.

In theory, those on this list would have decent placements. However, despite his excellent grades, Li Xian's placement was quite dismal.

The street cleaning department of the forestry bureau.

For a student majoring in forestry, this was quite rare. Now, it meant sweeping the streets.

When Zheng Biao told him the result, Li Xian was unfazed, even feeling like laughing at Wu Guohua's creativity.

But clearly, not everyone shared his indifferent attitude toward work.

For instance, Liang Yonghe.

Just as Li Xian was joking with Zheng Biao about not spitting on the street to reduce his workload, Wang Wensheng rushed into the dormitory, out of breath.

"Something's wrong! Seven Inches, Seven Inches went up to the roof. He's threatening to jump!"

Li Xian sprang up from his bed and rushed outside, asking, "Why?"

"Because… because the school assigned him to the Eight-One Logging Field as a fire lookout!"