It was the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month, the Little New Year.
Vendors selling New Year goods crowded the town's streets.
Red lanterns, spring couplets, sweets, sunflower seeds... there were even all kinds of soy-braised duck, cured pork, and strings of sausages.
Whenever the wind blew, the rich, savory scent of soy sauce wafted straight into people's noses.
Pu Yu struggled through the crowd, carrying heavy bags.
On her way home, she passed the repair shop.
The white roller shutter was closed, with a note stuck to it:
[Away on repair calls. Open on the twenty-third.]
Yuan Su no longer limited himself to fiddly little household appliances. In these last few days before the New Year, he had visited several processing factories nearby.
He was skilled, willing to work hard, and fair with his prices.
Before long, he landed major equipment maintenance contracts with two textile mills west of the neighboring town.
"Young Yuan, can you fix the circuit board on this imported carding machine? The manufacturer says they can't send anyone until after the New Year, but we have an urgent shipment to get out."
The workshop manager, a middle-aged man surnamed Zhao with a northern accent, stared at the stalled machine in frustration.
Yuan Su wasted no words. He put on his gloves and began checking the wiring.
Three hours later, the machine roared back to life.
Boss Zhao looked appreciatively at the teenager with oil-covered hands and offered him a cigarette. Yuan Su waved it away with thanks.
"You've got some real skills." Boss Zhao patted his shoulder. "It's a waste to stay tucked away in this little town with talent like yours. I'm planning to open a new factory in Dongzhou after the New Year, and I need an equipment supervisor who knows his stuff.