Time travel-Literary Master-Chapter 5.

Chapter 5: Finding a Job

Mu Qiong got up from the bed and felt sore and painful in both arms. It was probably because he had strained his muscles carrying water yesterday.

Yesterday, he carried the water in half-buckets, and somehow managed to injure his arms. This body…

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Of course, he was already satisfied. In his previous life, he couldn’t even do a job like carrying water.

Mu Qiong reluctantly got out of bed. Just as he finished putting on his clothes, the door was opened. Mu Changyu, two years younger than him, came in carrying a full bucket of water from outside, looking completely effortless.

Mu Changyu also noticed Mu Qiong and flashed a big smile, “Brother, the water’s here. Wash your face!”

As she spoke, she poured the water from the bucket into a wooden basin and handed a towel to Mu Qiong.

“Thank you,” Mu Qiong said. He rinsed the towel in cold water and wiped his face. He instantly felt awake. After he finished washing his face, Mu Changyu replaced the water and proceeded to wash her face, leaving it clean and clear.

Breakfast was still watery porridge, without even a sprinkle of chopped green onions, considering that green onions cost money.

Mu Qiong finished his meal cleanly and said to Zhu Wanwan, “Mother, I’m going out.”

“Alright,” Zhu Wanwan replied, taking out three copper coins and handing them to Mu Qiong. “Qiong, if you get hungry, buy something to eat.”

After saying that, she added with a hint of guilt, “The clothes you brought back a few days ago haven’t been taken to the tailor yet. Mother doesn’t have much money lately…”

Back in Suzhou, she and her daughter stayed at home and rarely saw any money. However, when her son went out, her father-in-law would always give him money, and not a small amount. At that time, whatever her son wanted to eat or drink, he never had to worry about money.

But now… they even have to spend money to buy firewood for boiling water, let alone the many things the household lacks…

She was concerned about next month’s rent and the winter clothes they needed. How could she dare to spend money recklessly?

Fortunately, her son has recovered from his illness; otherwise, she had been considering whether to remarry.

After a brief pause, Mu Qiong accepted the money.

Considering the current state of the family, he wouldn’t spend the money recklessly, but it was good to have it just in case.

The value of goods in the Republic of China era was significantly different from modern times, but roughly converting, the value of one copper coin at that time was probably equivalent to three coins in Mu Qiong’s pre-transmigration era.

By this conversion, the purchasing power of a silver dollar at this time was roughly equivalent to 400 yuan in Mu Qiong’s pre-transmigration era. Of course, this is in places like Shanghai, Beijing, and Tianjin. In rural areas, the purchasing power of silver dollars is much stronger.

As for everyone’s income… based on the memories of the original owner in Beijing, hiring a manager who could read and calculate in a shop at this time would earn a monthly salary between eight to ten silver dollars. Ordinary workers might earn only three to four silver dollars a month, and it should be similar in Shanghai.

At this time, prices were relatively high compared to people’s incomes. However, because people in this era generally didn’t spend money on luxuries and only bought essential items, an ordinary family in a big city, excluding rent, could live quite well with a monthly expenditure of two silver dollars.

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Zhu Wanwan gave him three copper coins, enough for him to have a decent meal outside.

Putting the three copper coins into his pocket, Mu Qiong walked out of the gate of the Yao family.

At this time, Shanghai had not yet become a formal city; it was still referred to as Shanghai County. The Yao family’s residence was located in the southeast of Shanghai County, near the Huangpu River and a bit distant from the concessions.

As he stepped outside, there was an alley paved with bluestones. It was still early, and many families had opened the lids of the washbasins they had used, placing them outside their doors. Some children were playing and chasing each other in the alley, creating a lively scene of disorder.

Emerging from the alley, Mu Qiong saw a small river and a road running alongside it.

The road wasn’t wide, also paved with bluestones. Along the street, some households had opened their doors to sell a few things, though the offerings were meager. Most items were small, such as needles and thread or roasted beans and tea leaves – hardly shops and certainly not requiring additional workers.

Mu Qiong didn’t linger; he headed directly towards the nearby dock.

There was a sandboat factory there, rumored to have a market.

In this vicinity, the sandboat factory was the place that needed workers the most. The wages were also high, starting at four silver dollars a month, with meals and accommodation included. However, the work at the sandboat factory was physically demanding, and his current body wouldn’t be able to handle it. Besides, they wouldn’t hire him, so he ruled out that option.

Mu Qiong planned to find a shop to work in instead.

In his previous life, Mu Qiong, aside from studying, practiced calligraphy and had the memories of Mu Changqiong. Consequently, he recognized and could write all the characters of this time. In addition to that, he was proficient in simple arithmetic, could speak English and French…

He knew quite a few things, so finding a job shouldn’t be difficult.

There were indeed many shops near the dock, with a bustling crowd of people coming and going.

On the roadside, there were people calling out to sell meat buns. Others were selling items like baked sesame cakes, fried dough sticks, sweet rice dumplings in fermented rice soup, wontons, soy milk, and tofu pudding, emitting delightful aromas.

As Mu Qiong walked along, he couldn’t help but feel that these things he never would have cared about before seemed incredibly delicious, making him involuntarily salivate.

He paid a bit more attention and thus understood the prices of these items.

A large meat bun was one copper coin each, a bowl of wontons was one copper coin, and a set of baked sesame cakes with a fried dough stick was also one copper coin. If you just bought fried dough sticks, one copper coin could get you three.

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Although it wasn’t early, the wealthy people in Shanghai tended to wake up late. Therefore, there were still quite a few servants or housewives buying breakfast. In front of the fried dough stick vendor, there were several people waiting for the freshly fried dough sticks.

Mu Qiong swallowed and walked to a nearby soy sauce shop, inquiring if they were hiring.

The shopkeeper of the soy sauce shop promptly and unequivocally rejected him.

Mu Qiong tried inquiring at several other shops, but as expected, he was rejected at each one.

“Mu family’s little brother, what are you doing here?” a voice rang out. Mu Qiong turned around and saw Zhao Chunjuan standing in front of the fried dough stick vendor, carrying a basket.

People these days were generally lean, but Zhao Chunjuan’s plump figure stood out. Although she had an average appearance, the glances of passing men were often drawn to her.

“I’m looking for a job,” Mu Qiong replied.

Zhao Chunjuan looked at Mu Qiong sympathetically. “You’re looking for a job! Jobs aren’t that easy to find. Even if these shops need people, they’ll probably hire someone from their own families. As for the factories… it’s not easy to get in. With your thin frame, they definitely won’t take you.”

“Chunjuan sister, do you know of any places that are hiring?” Mu Qiong asked. He wasn’t picky about the job; he just hoped to find something quickly to improve the family’s situation. As for the future, he still planned to write and submit articles to earn money.

Of course, to write and earn money, he needed money first to buy paper, pens, newspapers, and such.

“How would I know?” Zhao Chunjuan replied. “Someone like you, even if you get a job in a shop, you can only be an apprentice… My brother is an apprentice in a silk shop. Not only does he have to take care of things in the shop, but he also has to do chores for the shopkeeper at home. He only earns a few pennies a month, just enough for his barber.”

Earning a few pennies a month was definitely not what Mu Qiong aimed for.

“I used to go to school, I know how to read, and even have some knowledge in English,” Mu Qiong added.

Zhao Chunjuan’s workplace was not far from here, so she often went home, making her quite familiar with the situation of the Mu family of three.

She had originally thought that the Mu family were rural peasants who couldn’t read a single big character. Unexpectedly, Mu Qiong could read. It’s worth noting that she herself couldn’t read, and her brother only learned a few characters and how to use an abacus after becoming an apprentice.

Zhao Chunjuan’s expression changed immediately upon hearing Mu Qiong’s response, and she showed some admiration, “You can read? And you know English?”

“I used to go to a modern school that my grandfather sent me to! I went up to middle school,” Mu Qiong explained.

“That’s great. Tuition for a semester in middle school costs more than ten silver dollars…” Zhao Chunjuan sighed with some emotion. She was there to buy fried dough sticks, and as they spoke, it was her turn.

Turning to the vendor selling baked sesame cakes, she said, “Give me five of the dried vegetable cakes for one copper coin each. Also, three fried dough sticks for three copper coins. Boss, I’m buying so much; can you throw in an extra fried dough stick for me?”

Shanghai’s baked sesame cakes were made by wrapping dough with a little pork fat, adding dried vegetables or green onions, rolling it into a pancake, sprinkling sesame seeds on top, and then baking it in the oven. They were particularly fragrant, and when paired with fried dough sticks, they were especially delicious.

Zhao Chunjuan ordered quite a bit. The vendor smiled at her and indeed gave her an extra fried dough stick, albeit one that didn’t look too good.

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The fried dough stick was made by twisting together two soft, fried dough strips. Zhao Chunjuan tore the gifted fried dough stick into two, giving one strip to Mu Qiong and putting the other in her own mouth.

“You know so much. You’d better go to the concession area. It’s easier to find a job there,” she suggested.

“Thank you, Chunjuan sister!” Mu Qiong expressed his gratitude. Having observed the situation here, he knew he wouldn’t find a job in this area. Now, upon hearing Zhao Chunjuan mention the concession area, he immediately decided to check it out.

“No need to thank me,” Zhao Chunjuan replied. “My husband and madam are about to wake up. There’s still porridge cooking on the stove. I have to leave now.”

[she’s a maid and concubine]

After saying that, Zhao Chunjuan left. Being a servant was not easy; she couldn’t linger outside for too long.

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Of course, compared to others, she was doing quite well. She could buy breakfast for the main family and even get an extra fried dough stick from the vendor for herself.

After Zhao Chunjuan left, Mu Qiong, holding the half-fried dough stick, entered a nearby grocery store.

The grocery store had a variety of items, mostly food, including salted vegetables, salted fish, and cured meats.

“How much for the salted fish?” Mu Qiong asked.

“The small salted fish from Guangdong, two copper coins per pound. The Japanese sardines, one copper coin each. The locally marinated grass carp is the most delicious, marinated with wine. Five copper coins for one,” replied the grocery store owner.

The so-called small salted fish from Guangdong were about the size of a finger, cured and sun-dried. There were many in a pound. As for the locally marinated grass carp with added wine, although it was the most expensive, it was a large piece and indeed the most fragrant.

As for the Japanese sardines… Mu Qiong looked at the brightly red chunks of fish and suddenly realized that this should be salmon.

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In the modern era, salmon was quite expensive, but now, a copper coin could buy a relatively large piece of salt-cured salmon.

Mu Qiong spent a copper coin to buy a piece of Japanese salted salmon. At the same time, he also understood why Mu Changyu said she wanted to eat salted fish—salted fish was undoubtedly the cheapest meat dish here.