The Daily Life of a Stepmother in the 1980s
It’s no surprise that Guo Pingping quickly gave up after learning to drive. The drivers in the company just laughed it off, and Guo Pingping herself felt quite embarrassed, but after making a joke of herself, she quickly let it go.
Since its opening, Taoyuan Company has had stable daily income, with a consistent number of passengers each day. There aren’t any major issues, though small problems like car breakdowns or flat tires do occur occasionally. However, these are all minor issues.
Zhao Weiguo has been learning the ropes since the company started and now has a thorough understanding of its operations. With the opening of the company’s small canteen, which provides three meals a day plus late-night snacks for the drivers, everyone’s motivation to work and earn money has significantly increased.
Xu Tao initially planned to hire only two people. After deciding to hire Wang Juanjuan, she also intended to bring in one more person to work shifts with her. This idea became even firmer after Wang Juanjuan’s first night shift.
All the taxi drivers are military veterans. These men harbored no prejudice toward Wang Juanjuan’s appearance, which put her at ease. After all, Wang Juanjuan was used to most people being afraid or disdainful of her.
Coming to Taoyuan Company and finding that the drivers treated her like a normal person made her feel exceptionally comfortable.
It’s often said that soldiers can be particularly endearing at times!
Xu Tao thought that this group of veteran taxi drivers could, in time, become a behavioral benchmark in Yangcheng.
Xu Tao didn’t deny that there might be some bad apples among the soldiers, but relatively speaking, the taxi drivers at Taoyuan Company were far more reassuring than those at other companies.
Wang Juanjuan, gentle and refined, worked the night shift alone and had everything in the kitchen prepared.
Around eight or nine in the evening, all the night shift drivers were out picking up passengers, leaving Taoyuan Company unusually quiet. Xu Tao usually came to the company during the day, so staying until nine at night felt a bit strange.
Despite the dim yellow lights in Taoyuan Company, she couldn’t help but feel that Wang Juanjuan, working alone, seemed a bit lonely.
If it were the middle of the night, and both she and Zhao Weiguo had gone home, Wang Juanjuan would likely feel scared being alone.
“Zhao Weiguo, take Xiao Nan home to sleep. I’ll stay at the company tonight to keep Wang Juanjuan company.”
At around nine in the evening, Taoyuan Company was eerily quiet.
The company’s premises were large, and with over a dozen cars out on the road, the parking lot felt particularly empty. If you spoke loudly, you might even hear an echo.
“You’re sensitive to the cold, and your stomach is still bothering you. Let me take you and Xiao Nan home to rest first, then I’ll come back to the company.”
When Xu Tao had her period, her body temperature dropped significantly. Today was only the third day, and she wasn’t fully recovered yet. How could she endure staying at the company all night?
Although winters in Yangcheng weren’t particularly harsh, the temperature was still around seven or eight degrees. During her menstrual period, Xu Tao tended to feel drowsy and slept more than usual. Zhao Weiguo couldn’t bear to let her tough it out at the company.
“It’s not appropriate” Xu Tao shook her head.
She trusted Zhao Weiguo completely, but if Wang Juanjuan and Zhao Weiguo were alone at the company, it might lead to gossip. Xu Tao felt that her staying was the most appropriate solution.
When Xu Tao said it wasn’t appropriate, Zhao Weiguo suddenly understood. He hadn’t considered other aspects and had only been thinking about Xu Tao’s physical condition.
“Alright then, I’ll go home and bring a quilt over. I’ll sleep at the company tonight.”
Zhao Weiguo handed the sleeping Zhao Linan to Xu Tao.
“When you have time tomorrow, buy some cotton and have two quilts made. I’ll find someone to build two bunk beds upstairs so the drivers can rest when they’re tired or overwhelmed by the night shift.”
“Okay.”
Xu Tao had no objections and held the sleeping Zhao Linan.
They had previously considered setting up a rest area but hadn’t implemented it yet. The drivers were all very diligent, not even taking much rest during meal times, so Zhao Weiguo had temporarily put the rest area on hold.
Zhao Weiguo prepared to go home and bring a quilt to the company. As he turned to leave, he glanced at his sleeping son and took off his coat to cover the little one.
“It’s a bit cold at night. Will you be okay?”
Xu Tao watched Zhao Weiguo take off his coat, worried about him but also knowing that without a cover, Zhao Linan might catch a cold in the current temperature.
“It’s fine. I’ll be back soon.”
Zhao Weiguo patted Xu Tao’s head reassuringly and strode out of Taoyuan Company to fetch the quilt.
Xu Tao, holding the sleeping Zhao Linan, went to the kitchen to keep Wang Juanjuan company and sat by the stove to help tend the fire.
For the night shift drivers’ late-night snacks, Xu Tao had only asked Wang Juanjuan to prepare simple noodles. However, Wang Juanjuan was very meticulous, cleaning the vegetables for the noodles thoroughly.
It was now nine in the evening, and the pot was already boiling water, ready to cook the noodles around eleven.
Wang Juanjuan had a lot to handle throughout the night, and this job wasn’t as easy as it seemed.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t consider this thoroughly earlier and didn’t realize how quiet the company would be after the drivers went out to pick up passengers. Don’t worry, our whole family will stay tonight. You won’t be alone"
"Later, when Zhao Weiguo returns, I’ll have him ask the other drivers if anyone in their families is good at cooking and can come work here. We’ll find someone to work with you as soon as possible tomorrow.” Xu Tao spoke apologetically.
It was indeed an oversight on her part.
“It’s okay. The company is big, and the drivers come and go. I’m not afraid.”
Wang Juanjuan smiled gently, her eyes crinkling like crescents behind her mask. She truly wasn’t easily frightened; otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed to work the night shift alone.
She had experienced the cruelty of the world and the fickleness of human relationships. She knew all too well that sometimes, people could be far scarier than ghosts.
“It’s still not appropriate to leave you alone on the night shift.”
“Boss, does the company have to hire someone from the drivers’ families?”
Wang Juanjuan looked at Xu Tao, her tone hesitant as she asked.
“It doesn’t have to be a driver’s family member. As long as they’re suitable.”
Xu Tao shook her head and replied, curious about Wang Juanjuan’s question. “Do you have someone in mind to recommend?”
Wang Juanjuan, wearing a mask and hat, wiped her wet hands on her apron after hearing Xu Tao’s question. She knew she was fortunate to have this job but still wanted to help her neighbor, Su Meili, secure an opportunity.
“My neighbor is a very kind person. Many people dislike me because of my appearance, but she has always helped me and taken care of my family. She’s from Yunnan Province. When she was a teenager, her family was poor, and a fellow villager promised to take her and a group of girls to the city to find work. Instead, they were deceived and brought to Yangcheng, where she was eventually sold to her current husband.”
“Her husband treats her well, but he has a congenital limp. She’s also plain-looking. Life in Yunnan was even harder than here, with only two meals a day, and even those weren’t enough. The cost of returning home was high, and her parents didn’t care about her, so she decided to stay and make a life with this man.”
“Although she was a bought bride, her husband and mother-in-law treated her decently. The family was just poor. Now that her child is two or three years old, her mother-in-law can help take care of them, so she wants to find a job to support the family. Boss, could you give her a chance to work here?”
“She’s a good person—honest, hardworking, and a great cook. Boss, trust me.”
Wang Juanjuan rarely spoke so much, but she was eager to praise her neighbor Su Meili and hoped Xu Tao would consider her.
“Alright, have her come to my house tomorrow during the day. If her cooking is really good, she can start working here.” Xu Tao agreed readily.
After all, she could hire anyone, and she didn’t have to limit herself to the drivers’ wives. Since Wang Juanjuan was working the night shift, hiring someone who got along well with her was important. If Wang Juanjuan recommended someone, they would likely work well together.
Moreover, given Wang Juanjuan’s reserved personality, her strong recommendation suggested that Su Meili was a good person.
“Thank you, Boss.”
Wang Juanjuan bowed repeatedly to express her gratitude.
“You’re welcome.” Xu Tao smiled.
Wu Hui and Guo Pingping, due to their relationships, usually addressed Xu Tao as “sister-in-law” or “auntie.” Only Wang Juanjuan maintained a respectful distance, calling her “Boss” without trying to get too close or distant.
Xu Tao didn’t mind the titles—whether it was “sister-in-law,” “auntie,” or “Boss.” But she had to admit, she enjoyed working with someone like Wang Juanjuan, who clearly separated work and personal relationships.
Wu Hui and Guo Pingping sometimes gave Xu Tao the impression of a family-run workshop, where she had to be cautious about what she said. If they made mistakes at work, Xu Tao had to carefully consider how to address them.
But when it came to Wang Juanjuan, Xu Tao didn’t need to be so cautious. Wang Juanjuan was very clear about her responsibilities. She had come to work, and she knew exactly what she needed to do and how to approach Xu Tao.
So even though Xu Tao had only known Wang Juanjuan for a few days, out of the three, she actually admired Wang Juanjuan the most.
Zhao Weiguo returned home to fetch the quilt quickly, coming back within half an hour. He arranged the office chairs together, and the thick winter quilt, half laid underneath and half covering, was enough to ensure Zhao Linan slept comfortably.
Zhao Weiguo also deliberately arranged a few chairs behind the office desk, while he sat at the desk, busy with work.
Xu Tao held out for a long time, but by the early hours of the morning, she was too exhausted to stay awake and finally lay down on the chairs, squeezing in next to Zhao Linan to sleep for a while.
Wang Juanjuan had been busy in the kitchen the entire time. After the drivers returned and had their late-night snacks, she cleaned the kitchen and then swiftly began preparing breakfast.
Kneading dough, letting it rise, washing vegetables, chopping ingredients, mincing fillings, cooking rice porridge, and stir-frying some pickled vegetables. It seemed like there wasn’t much to do, but Wang Juanjuan, working alone, barely had a moment to rest all night.
Moreover, the amount of breakfast needed was even greater than the late-night snacks. The night shift workers could eat breakfast before heading home, and the day shift workers could have breakfast before starting work.
As a result, breakfast had to be prepared for thirty to forty people. Just for the buns alone, Wang Juanjuan had to make sixty or seventy. She was so busy in the kitchen that she didn’t rest at all that night.
While the kitchen next door was bustling, Zhao Weiguo in the office was also busy with various reports and calculations. By the time he finished, it was already four or five in the morning. He turned to look at Xu Tao and Zhao Linan, who were sound asleep. Despite not having slept all night, the man was in a great mood.
Xu Tao lay on her side, holding Zhao Linan. The mother and son were curled up on the chairs, their heads close together, creating an adorable scene.
Zhao Weiguo couldn’t help but feel content. He gently put down his pen, stood up, and gazed at Xu Tao for a long time. Unable to resist, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Xu Tao, sleeping on the chairs, wasn’t in a deep sleep. When Zhao Weiguo’s kiss landed, she woke up, pouting as she looked at the man.
“What time is it?”
Xu Tao wasn’t disoriented. She turned to look out the window and noticed the sky was beginning to lighten.
“Five o’clock” Zhao Weiguo replied, leaning in to kiss her lips.
Xu Tao pushed him away. “Don’t kiss me.”
She had just woken up in the morning and hadn’t washed her face or brushed her teeth. She didn’t want Zhao Weiguo’s affectionate kisses, not because he would mind, but because she, with her slight fastidiousness, felt she was too unkempt and smelly to be kissed.
“Not allowed to kiss?”
Zhao Weiguo raised an eyebrow, cupping Xu Tao’s face and planting several kisses on her.
If she said no, he would kiss her even more. After all, his wife couldn’t refuse him.
Xu Tao laughed and struggled a little, but to avoid waking Zhao Linan, she had to endure the man’s forceful kisses. Then she glared at him, annoyed. “You’re so annoying!” With that, she climbed off the chairs.
She had slept for a few hours and wasn’t as tired anymore, but while Zhao Linan slept soundly, her back was sore from lying on the chairs.
“There’s a lot of fog outside today,” Xu Tao said, stretching as she looked out the window.
“Yeah,” Zhao Weiguo nodded, tucking the quilt around the sleeping Zhao Linan before taking Xu Tao to fetch hot water for her to wash up.
Around five-thirty, the day shift employees of Taoyuan Company began arriving for breakfast. Wu Hui and Guo Pingping also came. A large group of people gathered, eating breakfast noisily, and everyone praised Wang Juanjuan’s cooking.
By six o’clock, the night shift drivers also started returning to hand over their shifts. Feng Yongnian parked his car and immediately went to the kitchen to check on his wife. Seeing Wang Juanjuan busy in the kitchen, he felt reassured.
Wang Juanjuan working at the company had worried him all night, and he had been thinking about her while driving. Now, seeing her safe and sound, and noticing that Zhao Weiguo and Xu Tao were also at the company, he guessed that Xu Tao hadn’t gone home last night either. He couldn’t help but feel grateful and thanked them both.
Wang Juanjuan’s cooking was truly excellent. After washing up, Xu Tao had breakfast at the company. Originally, she and Zhao Weiguo planned to take Zhao Linan home, but the child, who might not have slept well, woke up around eight.
“Mommy,” Zhao Linan called out, rubbing his eyes as he came out of the office looking for Xu Tao.
Xu Tao picked up the child, washed him up, and fed him some plain porridge and a bun before the family of three headed home.
Wang Juanjuan hadn’t slept all night and still had to work the night shift. Xu Tao, planning to catch up on sleep at home, didn’t want to delay.
Knowing that Xu Tao hadn’t rested well either, Wang Juanjuan discussed with her before leaving work that she would bring Su Meili to the Zhao household to test her cooking skills as soon as she got off.
Although Xu Tao was tired, she had managed to sleep a few hours at the company and was holding up. After returning home, she let Zhao Weiguo rest while she waited.
Zhao Weiguo, who had truly stayed up all night, went to bed after washing up, knowing that Xu Tao was waiting for Wang Juanjuan to bring the recommended person for the job.
Around eight, Wang Juanjuan arrived at the Zhao household with someone in tow.
At first, Xu Tao almost thought Wang Juanjuan had brought a man. Wang Juanjuan’s neighbor, Su Meili, had a rather masculine appearance. She dressed in a very manly style, and her hair was cut extremely short. Her personality didn’t help either.
If Wang Juanjuan hadn’t mentioned beforehand that she was introducing her neighbor, Su Meili, Xu Tao would have thought she was introducing a male neighbor.
Truly, Su Meili was a person whose name and appearance were completely mismatched.
“Hello, Boss” Su Meili and Wang Juanjuan entered, bowing politely to Xu Tao.
“Hello” Xu Tao smiled at her.
“Our taxi company is hiring another person. Sister Feng recommended you, saying you’re a great cook. Could you go to the kitchen and prepare a dish for me to see?”
“Sure,” Su Meili nodded and went to the kitchen.
Xu Tao followed to watch Su Meili work. Despite her masculine appearance, Su Meili was indeed very capable. She lit the fire, peeled potatoes, and sliced them into thin strips—all with just a kitchen knife.
The potato strips were uniformly cut, and even before they hit the pan, Su Meili’s knife skills had already won Xu Tao’s approval.
To be honest, Xu Tao’s own knife skills couldn’t compare to Su Meili’s. Her speed and precision in slicing potatoes were truly masterful.
“Wow!”
Zhao Linan, standing nearby, exclaimed in amazement at Su Meili’s knife skills. The little one had slept well the night before and wasn’t tired, so he was happily watching the commotion.
Xu Tao smiled, patting the child’s head, but her eyes were on Su Meili as she stir-fried the potato strips. Soon, a plate of sour and spicy potato strips was ready, the aroma tantalizing.
Xu Tao loved sour and spicy potato strips, but her own attempts always fell short. Su Meili’s version, however, was just right, perfectly stimulating her appetite.
“Boss, what do you think?” Wang Juanjuan asked softly, her eyes filled with nervousness.
Su Meili also looked at Xu Tao with a simple, honest expression. Both of them were waiting for Xu Tao’s response, one gentle and timid, the other rough and manly. Despite their vastly different personalities, they both looked at her expectantly.
Xu Tao smiled and nodded. “It tastes great.”
“Mommy, I want some too”
Zhao Linan said, enticed by the sour and spicy aroma.
Xu Tao picked up a few potato strips and fed them to the child. Zhao Linan’s mouth puckered from the sourness, but he still wanted more.
“Mommy, it’s delicious. Uncle, you’re amazing” Zhao Linan said, having seen Su Meili cook the dish.
For a moment, there was an awkward silence in the kitchen because Zhao Linan had referred to Su Meili as “uncle.”
Su Meili, however, was used to it. Her appearance was so ordinary that many people couldn’t tell her gender. After marrying her current husband, she didn’t have many complaints. As long as she could eat, sleep well, and raise her child, she was happy.
Her husband, though lame, was otherwise a good man who worked hard every day.
Su Meili was well aware of her plain looks and lack of education. She knew that if she returned to her hometown in Yunnan Province to marry, life would still be hard.
This was why, even though she had been sold by her fellow villager, she didn’t run away. She chose to settle down in Yangcheng, marry, and have children.
“I’m sorry, he’s still young and doesn’t understand. He made a mistake,” Xu Tao said, patting Zhao Linan’s head and apologizing to Su Meili. Then she gently tapped the child’s head. “This is Auntie.”
It really wasn’t Zhao Linan’s fault. Su Meili truly didn’t look like a woman.
“Ah!” Zhao Linan exclaimed loudly, his face full of surprise.
Xu Tao couldn’t help but laugh at the child’s shocked expression. This little rascal.
“It’s fine. It’s normal for kids to mistake me for a man,” Su Meili said calmly, shaking her head. A child’s mistake didn’t require an apology. The boss was really polite.
“So, Boss, can Sister Meili work with me?” Wang Juanjuan asked nervously, waiting for Xu Tao’s answer.
"Boss, please hire me! Although I don’t look good, I’m very capable. Not only can I cook, but I can also chop firewood and do anything a man can do. I’m very strong too"
Although Su Meili was simple and honest, she knew she had to perform well to secure the job.
"Alright, can you start working with Sister Feng tonight?" Xu Tao asked Su Meili with a smile.
"Yes, of course I can!" Su Meili nodded in delight, agreeing eagerly. "Thank you, Boss. You’re such a good person."
"Don’t praise me like that."
Xu Tao didn’t dare to take the compliment of being a good person. She waved her hand. "Go back and rest early. You’ll start working at Taoyuan Company together tonight."
"Okay, Boss. You’ve worked hard." Both Wang Juanjuan and Su Meili thanked Xu Tao happily before hurriedly leaving the Zhao household.
After seeing them off, Xu Tao and Zhao Linan finished the plate of sour and spicy potato strips.
"It’s so sour and delicious," Zhao Linan said, patting his little belly contentedly after eating.
"Are you full?"
"No," Zhao Linan shook his head.
"Alright, since you’re full, Mommy is a bit sleepy and is going to take a nap. Xiao Nan, play outside by yourself, and if you get tired, come back and find Mommy, okay?" Xu Tao patted Zhao Linan. She was starting to feel sleepy.
"Okay," Zhao Linan obediently agreed and went out to play with his friends in the alley.
With Su Meili and Wang Juanjuan working the night shift together, Xu Tao no longer needed to stay at the company to keep Wang Juanjuan company. Moreover, Su Meili was indeed very capable.
On her first day, she prepared all the meals and late-night snacks and even chopped the firewood, saving Wu Hui and Guo Pingping a lot of work during the day shift.
In addition, Su Meili’s cooking was excellent. Aside from her masculine appearance, Xu Tao really couldn’t find any fault with her.
Time passed quietly, and soon Taoyuan Company had been in operation for half a month. The year 1983 was also coming to an end.
Xu Tao knew that most of these taxi drivers were financially strapped and didn’t have much to spare. She didn’t want to delay their salaries, as she was well aware that in the taxi industry at the time, none of the drivers felt that driving a taxi was too tiring or wanted to quit.
Everyone cherished this job, so on the morning of New Year’s Day, Xu Tao handed out the salaries for December.
Everyone was suddenly thrilled to receive their pay. After more than half a month of hard work, each driver received over two hundred yuan. Those who were lucky and worked tirelessly, like Feng Yongnian, who didn’t stop during his night shifts, earned even more.
Feng Yongnian, who had been very diligent, received the highest salary among the drivers, 322 yuan for half a month. Combined with Wang Juanjuan’s salary of about seven or eight yuan, the couple’s earnings for the half month were quite good.
Of course, aside from Feng Yongnian, others also did reasonably well. The lowest salary, including bonuses, was around two hundred and fifty to two hundred and sixty yuan.
On the first day of the new year, with last year’s final salaries paid, all the drivers’ motivation soared.
"This month, I’ll definitely work hard. Even if I don’t get first place, third place would be good too!"
"Third place also comes with a twenty-yuan bonus!"
"I need to work hard. There are only fifteen or sixteen days left until the New Year. Thankfully, we got our salaries, or I wouldn’t know how to celebrate this year."
"Yeah, yeah!" The drivers chatted, all happy about receiving their pay.
Xu Tao firmly believed in the principle that if you want the horse to run, you must feed it well. For the thirty-some drivers, Xu Tao set up bonus rewards for the top three performers. At the end of each month, the drivers with the highest number of passengers would receive rewards.
First place would get fifty yuan, second place thirty yuan, and third place twenty yuan.
With this incentive in place, everyone would ask each other during meals how many rides they had completed that day, and the company’s atmosphere became livelier.
With Taoyuan Company running smoothly, Xu Tao, after distributing the salaries, began preparing various gifts. Occasionally, she would write novels, and when she had free time, she would take Zhao Linan out for walks. She also continued to practice driving, and by now, Xu Tao had mastered driving skills.
Parallel parking, reverse parking, and other maneuvers were no longer a challenge, and driving on the road was almost effortless.
Xu Tao happily prepared to return to her hometown. Meanwhile, Zhang Shufen, who had been quiet for over half a month, took her son Qiu Zhenghao to Guo Pingping’s house.
Zhang Shufen and Guo Pingping lived close to each other, just a few alleys apart. Although Zhang Shufen had forced Qiu Tianyong to switch jobs and become a truck driver, she had been waiting to see Taoyuan Taxi Company fail.
After calculating the time, she knew Taoyuan Company had been operating for over half a month, so she went to chat with Guo Pingping and probe for information.
"So, sister-in-law, how’s Li Jianshu doing at the taxi company?" Zhang Shufen asked with concern, her eyes filled with glee.
"It’s fine," Guo Pingping replied calmly, her attitude quite indifferent.
Zhang Shufen observed Guo Pingping’s expression but couldn’t tell if she was happy or not. She then started talking about her own situation.
"My Tianyong has been doing quite well driving trucks. He’s made two long-distance trips in half a month. Next month’s salary should be around three to four hundred yuan!" Zhang Shufen boasted, her tone full of pride.
She actually wanted to ask Guo Pingping about Li Jianshu’s situation and indirectly gather information about the taxi company.
This way, she could prove to Qiu Tianyong that her decision to make him switch to truck driving was the right one, rather than him staying at home and resenting her for forcing him to change jobs.
o0o