Chapter 7: The Girl with Dimples

Although Dongguan boasted many factories, the number of fortune-seekers drifting south to this city reached tens of millions. The popular saying went: “East, west, north, south—if you want to strike it rich, head to Guangdong.” For those able to secure a position in a factory, the pay was at least double that of a stable government job back inland.

Yet, supply far exceeded demand. Without connections to managers or friends within the factories, even offering a finder’s fee could not guarantee employment, regardless of gender. Most assembly line roles required female workers, creating a unique phenomenon: it was not easy for young women to find work, but even harder for young men.

Based on their brief encounter the previous day, Jiang Fan thought of the dimpled girl as lively, cheerful, and warmhearted—a person who would easily make friends. Yet her words puzzled him. Fifty yuan was not a trivial sum, but for someone as adept as her in social dealings, especially in a developed city like Dongguan, gathering fifty yuan from friends or colleagues should not have been difficult. Why had she spoken as if she had no hope at all?

Watching A Biao ignore the dimpled girl and shamelessly demand to be bailed out first, with such a vile attitude, Jiang Fan felt nothing but contempt and deep anger toward this stranger.

The dimpled girl, who had devoted herself to A Biao, now saw his true colors in the face of adversity. Despair filled her heart. She thought, “Every day, I risk getting fired just to sneak you food from the factory canteen. Each month, aside from what I send home, I spend almost nothing on myself, giving everything to you. To satisfy your desires, I’ve even spent nights with you in graveyards, terrified. Now, at the first sign of trouble, you selfishly put yourself first? If you were capable of solving any problem, I wouldn’t have had to support you for the past four months. Are you really worth my wholehearted devotion?”

Doubting her feelings, she also remembered how, just the day before yesterday, A Biao had told her that a fellow townsman was willing to help him get a factory job without charging a finder’s fee—just a meal in return. On hearing this, she had happily taken a half-day off and, despite the effort, traveled to a friend in Shenzhen to borrow fifty yuan so he could treat the man to dinner.

Now, she no longer believed his claim that only five yuan remained.

She wanted to question him about the missing money, but seeing his fierce demeanor, she dared not speak. Letting go of his arm, she walked alone to a corner near the restroom and squatted down to weep quietly.

Jiang Fan approached and introduced himself. “Hello, my name is Jiang Fan. We’ve met before—do you remember me?”

At the factory gate, one often encountered visitors inquiring after friends or relatives. The dimpled girl had not immediately recognized him, but after he mentioned they’d met, she recalled him after a moment’s thought.

Not in the best of moods, she replied politely, “Hello, I’m Jinlan.”

Seeing her distress, Jiang Fan asked, concerned, “Are you sure your friend will come to bail you out today?”

Jinlan shook her head uncertainly. “The factory hasn’t paid us in two months. Even my closest friends have little money left.”

Great favors deserve great returns, but Jiang Fan, who had not yet found his senior and had only fifty-seven yuan left after yesterday’s two meals, hesitated for a long while before offering, “I have a little over fifty yuan—let me lend you fifty.”

Jinlan, preoccupied with finding work, was momentarily brightened by the offer, but her eyes soon dimmed again. Casting a glance at A Biao, who stood ten meters away, oblivious to her, she thought of those forced to spend the night in graveyards and kindly advised, “I brought this on myself, getting involved with such a man. You should get yourself out first. If they shave your head and send you to Zhangmutou, you won’t find work at all.”

“I’ll find another way. You go first—finding work is urgent.”

Even in her predicament, Jinlan’s kindness shone through, strengthening Jiang Fan’s resolve to help her. He had overheard her conversation with A Biao and knew that, despite everything, she still worried about that heartless man.

Jiang Fan took out a large bill and walked over to the security guard at the door. “There’s a girl here who needs to get out.”

The guard, a cigarette dangling from his lips, pointed to a girl who had earlier handed out paper and pens. “If you want to bail someone out, talk to her.”

Jiang Fan handed the money to the girl and turned to call for Jinlan, but saw A Biao angrily dragging her over, pointing at Jiang Fan and shouting, “Are you having an affair with my wife? Why else would you lend her so much money? Since you’re making a fool of me, this money should bail me out first!”

Hearing A Biao say such shameless things in public, Jinlan, always shy, flushed with anger. Whatever lingering affection she felt for him vanished in that instant.

Jiang Fan had long despised A Biao’s behavior, but had refrained from interference out of respect for their relationship. Now, having already suffered one injustice at school, he could not stand to be accused again. Furious, he brushed A Biao’s pointing hand aside and kicked him hard in the face.

A Biao, who was of similar height to Jiang Fan, realized at once that he had met a tough opponent when Jiang Fan so easily landed a kick to his face. Resorting to trickery, he collapsed to the ground, moaning loudly, hoping to gain sympathy from the security guards and win their help.

The girl collecting the money, still clutching the fifty yuan, was searching through piles of slips to find Jinlan’s registration. When she heard A Biao accuse Jinlan and Jiang Fan of having an affair, she stopped to watch the spectacle, her curiosity piqued.

Though not skilled in fighting, she could see from Jiang Fan’s easy, high kick that he was not to be trifled with. The more she watched, the more intrigued she became by him.

A fight breaking out in the detention area brought Brother Qiu and several security guards rushing over from the office. Upon learning that Jiang Fan and Jinlan had only met once before and that there was nothing improper between them, Brother Qiu, accustomed to such altercations, simply scolded A Biao and let it go. To them, it was all about the money—whoever paid could go free.

Yet Jiang Fan’s actions moved the girl who had just started working in the security office.

As Jinlan left the detention room, she looked gratefully at Jiang Fan, who stood at the door watching her go. “Brother Fan, thank you. Could you leave your contact information? I’ll repay you as soon as I get my wages.”

Jiang Fan, still unable to find his senior and uncertain whether he could leave this place safely, had no idea where he would be tomorrow. Although he did not expect Jinlan to repay him, since the fifty yuan had been given by Hao Meng, whom he already owed too much, he thought that if Jinlan returned the money, he could repay Hao Meng and owe one less favor. So he left Hao Meng’s contact number with Jinlan.

After expressing her heartfelt gratitude, Jinlan left the security office in tears.

The girl collecting money, separated from Jiang Fan by a one-meter-high barrier, greeted him. “When did you arrive in Dongguan?”

“Yesterday.”

“Do you have your train ticket?”

Jiang Fan checked his pocket and found the ticket still there. He handed it to her. “What’s the use of a train ticket?”

“It can serve as a temporary residence permit for three days,” she explained, then took the ticket into Brother Qiu’s office. Shortly after, she returned and had the security guard open the barrier, letting Jiang Fan out of the office.