After Chu had paid his college fees, he found he didn't have enough money left to pay for accommodation and food. He was able to find a job with a retired soldier making coal-dust briquettes (in the 1960s there was no gas, so briquettes were used as fuel). As payment, Chu got a place to live and one meal a day.
繳完註冊費，朱魯青發現連住宿和吃飯的錢都沒有，後來找到一個做「煤球」（民國 50 年代沒有瓦斯，需用煤球當燃料）的退伍老兵，幫他打工，換得一個棲身之處和每天一餐飯。