Date… Month… Year…

Today is the first day of work, he feels nervous and anxious, wondering if he will do well? Are people satisfied with him? The questions keep going around in his head, making him feel anxious. In line to enter the company gate, suddenly someone cuts in front, pushes him almost to fall, he turns back to look at the person who just made him fall. Annoyed, he said:

– Hey sister! Are you weird? Why did you suddenly cut in front, and then push others? Why don’t you line up like everyone else?

The other person snorted and glared at him without saying anything. He didn’t bother to say anything either, and went to the end of the line to wait to enter the gate. After learning the rules, he and a few others were taken to the workshop to receive their assignments. He was assigned to the film cutting team. Everywhere were hundreds of rolls of paper, weighing hundreds of kilograms, lying around. There were rolls lying on the vertical bar, people pulled them out and cut them. It suddenly shuddered at the thought of having to lift them up and cut them. It wondered if it could do it. Seeing everyone else lift them as if they were nothing, it tried its best but still couldn’t lift them. It blurted out:

– So heavy!

It thought to itself: “Everyone lifts them as if they were nothing! They are so strong! Unlike me, I can’t lift this tiny membrane.” While it was thinking, someone asked:

– Do you need help?

Without hesitation, it answered:

– Yes. Please help me! This is too heavy for me to lift by myself.

The other person smiled and said:

– You will get used to it gradually. How old are you this year?

– Yes, I am 17, almost 18.

It smiled and replied.

– Oh my god! You’re so young, why don’t you go to school and work early?

It smiled and said:

– Yes, I’m still in school. I’ll work part-time during the summer break to earn some money for school.

– You’re so hardworking! Your parents are so lucky to have a hard-working daughter like you.

She forced a smile and lowered her head to hide her sad expression. Thinking about her family, she felt a little sorry. Forcing a smile, she looked up and asked:

– How old are you?

– I’m 25 years old.

……..

After a while, the rolls of paper slowly rolled out. Following them were two young men, one tall and fat but very cute, he was wearing a military-colored shirt. The other was short, with curly hair that looked like it had been carefully curled at a salon. The fat one quickly said:

– Oh! Is there a new member in the membrane-cutting team? Let’s get to know each other!

She stopped and introduced herself:

– I’m Le from Ninh Binh, 17 this year.

– You’re Chien, and this skinny guy is Chinh. We’re 28.

– Oh! Oh! Oh! Sometimes I have to call you uncle.

It smiled mischievously, Chiến burst out laughing and said:

– We are still very young. Just call me brother! Otherwise it will be difficult to find a girlfriend.

It smiled:

– Yes! I know.

A bright smile appeared on its lips.

……….

The first day of work passed, its whole body ached, its hands felt like they were about to fall off. It felt like its hands were borrowed, its joints seemed impossible to bend. After eating and drinking, it fell asleep like it was dead. The next morning, it was so tired that it couldn’t even lift itself up. It took a lot of self-motivation for it to be able to drag its exhausted body to work.

…….

Gradually, it got used to the job and made many new friends. Among them, it was closest to its Chinese friends. These people later helped it a lot. One was Lieu Thi Cam Lan, 19 years old, her younger sister was Lieu Thi Cam Tu, 18, and another was Lau Ha Muoi, 19 years old. Chien often teased Muoi, “You, Muoi?” every time he met her. Muoi was a hyperactive girl who often made people laugh out loud. Muoi once confided that when she first came in and saw that she was quiet and didn’t talk, Muoi felt annoyed and wanted to beat her up, but luckily Lan stopped her at that time, otherwise the two of them wouldn’t be so close now. After telling the story, Muoi burst out laughing, she breathed a sigh of relief and joked:

– If I had beaten you, you probably wouldn’t have talked to each other. Maybe you still consider each other enemies?

Lan is a beautiful and gentle girl in the true sense of the word lady. I loved her at first sight. Seeing her young age, hard-working and diligent, going to work the earliest and coming home the latest. Lan once confided that one day, she would marry a Chinese man and go abroad to live. To send money back to support her parents, Lan’s family was very poor. Lan’s parents worked hard all year round but did not have enough to eat, during the flood season, the family had to live on a boat, and their property was also submerged in flood water. Lan did not want her parents to suffer anymore. She was willing to sacrifice herself to bring happiness to her family.

Date… Month… Year…

She had just opened the door and entered the room when suddenly a voice called:

– Le! Come down, ma’am!

It turned out that the person calling was the landlady. She was wearing a yellow floral dress, plump body, wavy hair, and a carefully made-up face that hid the signs of time. From upstairs, she came down and asked:

– Is there something you need from me?

– Le! I only charge 100 thousand a month, which is too cheap. But a room for me alone is too big, and it’s a loss for me. So I want you to share with someone else, okay? If not, I’ll pay you an extra 150 thousand, otherwise I won’t have any money to collect. I sympathize with you, you opened it for business so…

The landlady hesitated, wanting to say something but then stopped. She said:

– I understand. You can let more people in. It’s okay.

– I’m so embarrassed!

She smiled and said:

– It’s okay.

……….

Date… Month… Year…

There were two new friends who moved in with her. One was Huyen, who worked with her, and the other was Ngoc, a beer girl, or more accurately, a prostitute. Huyen was a gentle and quick-witted girl, Huyen really liked makeup, a well-groomed and elegant girl. For her, face is everything, Huyen is a girl who drinks very well, very easy to please others. Everyone who meets her loves and admires Huyen.

As for Ngoc, Ngoc once said:

(Do you want to know why Ngoc became a beer girl? The trouble in life has begun)