He didn't know if his colleague had spread the word in the village, but he followed routine, going to work every day and putting in overtime whenever there was the opportunity.
Since he was an apprentice, he didn't qualify for accommodation in the factory complex. If he really wanted to stay, he'd have to share a large dormitory-style room with a dozen other people, and even then, he'd have to write various reports and applications.
He found this too troublesome and opted to spend two yuan a month for a room in a rural area near the factory with a lonely old man.
The village was only a half-hour walk from their factory, much closer than his own home, and the old man wasn't too demanding.
There were houses in the town, but they were expensive, averaging three to five yuan a month. He couldn't afford them, so he thought of looking for a place in the village.
Staying in someone else's home was too inconvenient, so living with the lonely old man was the best option.
