Job Instability and Past-Present Contrast

A: Modern tea shop owner B: Ah-Chu, a tea-leaf sorter
A: Back then, working at a tea shop was like being a “temporary worker.”
What did job stability feel like to you?
B: Back then, we worked without contracts or registration
We came when we felt like it, and it didn't matter if we didn't show up
There were no bonuses or promotions
A: So your work wasn't like a “profession”
More like being “called in when needed”?
B: Exactly. To put it plainly, the tea house only called us when they needed people
A: Given that, the difference between peak and off-peak seasons must have been huge, right?
B: Yeah, peak season was crazy insanely busy
But we couldn't work after sunset
During the off-season, no one called us because there wasn’t any tea
A: So who taught you how to sort tea?
Did the tea house train you?
B: Neighbors and relatives teach you
You just sit down and start working
A: Nowadays, we have contracts, training, and fixed salaries
Even women like me can become managers
If you lived today, your job would be much more stable
B: That sounds wonderful
Back then, we had no base salary—we only earned money when we had tea leaves
A: Your hard work gave later generations like us the chance to turn tea into a real career
B: Our generation didn't make tea for a career, just to get by
It's truly great that your generation can build a promising future with tea