"One yuan each," Jie Jingchen replied.
Qin Mei fell silent. 'This labor is really cheap.'
But on second thought, some people in this era couldn't even earn one yuan a day.
In the alley, they ran into neighbors who cast envious glances their way. Some offered a few perfunctory greetings.
Qin Mei wasn't popular with the neighbors, so Jie Jingchen was the one who politely responded to everyone.
When they arrived home, no one was there since it was working hours. The courtyard gate was locked, and neither Jie Jingchen nor Qin Mei had a key. Jie Jingchen told the three helpers to leave the items by the entrance, paid them, and the trio departed happily.
"Should we climb the wall to get in?" Qin Mei asked Jie Jingchen.
Jie Jingchen shook his head. He found a thin iron wire from somewhere, fiddled with the lock for a moment, and it clicked open.
Qin Mei gave him a thumbs-up. 'A master locksmith!'
