Siheyuan: Starting from a Truck Driver

"I am such a vain person! Forget it, there is no hot water in the car and I can't wash it clean. I'll clean it when I get back to the fleet!" Li Xiaodong shook his head.

"..."

The ZIL-150 is like a willful child who may lose his temper at any time. It is not easy to completely tame it.

Having learned from previous lessons, Li Xiaodong became more cautious.

Relying on the ten thousand times experience system, Li Xiaodong kept trying fine-tuning along the way and soon figured out a way to make the truck comfortable.

The truck is comfortable and more obedient.

Niu Meng was stunned by Li Xiaodong's skillful operation.

Can a truck still be driven like this?

……

After driving the truck to the warehouse area, Li Xiaodong found a sheltered place, lit a cigarette, and chatted with the drivers in line.

Niu Meng is responsible for loading and unloading of cargo.

Although heavy cargo is handled by cranes and light materials are handled by movers, someone is still needed to direct the work.

If the cargo is not placed neatly or the force is unevenly distributed, the front of the vehicle may tilt up at best, or even damage the frame.

When the carriage was filled with steel, Li Xiaodong couldn't help swallowing.

This truck, which has a rated load capacity of four tons, was loaded with ten tons of cargo.

In the future, trucks would probably be confiscated for such behavior!

Looking at the deflated tires, Li Xiaodong felt heartbroken. It was really abominable to ruin the truck like this.

Well, I have to inflate the tires to two more air pressures when I get back.

……

The warehouse staff quickly issued the bill, and Li Xiaodong got on board only after Niu Meng jumped on the truck and shook it.

His relaxed and contented look made several veteran drivers admire him again and again.

“If I had known Niu Meng was so capable, I would have accepted her as my apprentice even if I had to fight with Niu Yong.”

"No, I'll let my apprentice try it later!" Several busy novice drivers shuddered in confusion.

...

When the truck arrives at the workshop door, the driver honks the horn twice and then pulls over to rest.

The workers in the workshop used homemade tools to unload the steel, and Li Xiaodong did not need to intervene.

Of course, he didn't have to do anything.

Because he was concentrating on smoking the cigarette handed to him by Director Liu, the director of the fitter workshop.

"Master Li, I don't recognize you. Are you new here?"

"You have a good eye. I was just transferred to the steel mill and today is my first time delivering goods." Li Xiaodong took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took out a cigarette and handed it to Director Liu, "This is a gift from my team leader. Try it."

"Hey, Daqianmen, being a driver is so comfortable." Director Liu took the cigarette, put it carefully into his pocket, and planned to enjoy it slowly.

Sensing Li Xiaodong's friendly attitude, he thought for a moment and said with a smile: "Can the goods from our fitter workshop be delivered a little earlier in the future? You also understand that at the end of the year, the factory will conduct a comprehensive assessment of production. It will be troublesome for the workers to have no materials to work with."

As the workshop director, Director Liu does not need to please the drivers, but he knows that truck drivers are united and offending one may affect all of them. He worried: "If there is a problem with the driving, the workers in our workshop will be left anxious."

Li Xiaodong naturally understood this and said modestly: "Don't worry, I will give priority to the work in the first workshop in the future. It seems that you are a practical person. Strive to be awarded the advanced title every year." Flattery costs nothing and he is not stingy.

When mentioning "advanced", a trace of worry flashed across Director Liu's face. He took a deep puff of cigarette and sighed, "Don't mention it. There are always a few troublemakers in the workshop. How can we talk about advanced!" He glanced at Qin Huairu pushing a cart out, and then he shut up and said no more.

Qin Huairu watched Li Xiaodong and Director Liu chatting happily, wondering when did they become so close?

Director Liu had been quite critical of her recently, constantly making things difficult for her because of the production issue. Even with the support of her master Yi Zhonghai, she still suffered a lot of grievances. At this moment, Qin Huairu's eyes were cunning and her mind was turning.

She quietly emerged from the crowd of people moving steel, walked up to the two men, and said in mock surprise, "Wei Zi, you're the one helping to move the goods today."

"Yes, this is my first day driving." Li Xiaodong responded casually without thinking much about it.

"Comrade Qin seems to be very familiar with Driver Li?" Director Liu looked at Li Xiaodong, then at Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu gently played with her long hair and said intimately, "The director may not know, but Wei Zi and I live in the same compound. The relationship between our two families is as good as that of a family. He usually helps us a lot, right, Wei Zi?"

Li Xiaodong felt her sticky gaze and immediately understood.

This woman is just taking advantage of the power of others!

It seems that life in the workshop is not easy for someone like Qin Huairu who relies solely on her mouth to please others.

Seeing that she and Director Liu were having a good chat, she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.

Hey, I was just worrying about how to get back something I had borrowed before, and she came up to me on her own initiative.

“Yes, our two families have a very good relationship.

Sister Qin mentioned my marriage a few days ago. Maybe she was short of money and wanted to return all the help she had given her before.

I am a soft-hearted person. I feel that I have helped, so why should I ask for it back? " Li Xiaodong said halfway, took out two cigarettes, handed one to Director Liu, lit one for himself, and took a deep puff.

As he exhaled smoke, he said slowly:

"But that was Sister Qin's intention, how could I bear to let her down.

So I calculated it, about 2.30 yuan, rounded to 2.5 yuan. Sister Qin is such a kind person, and our two families have such a close relationship, how could she let me lose money?

Right? "

In the past, the Jia family often borrowed things from the Li family, from half a bag of corn flour to a spoonful of soy sauce. After so many years, Li Xiaodong can no longer remember the exact amount, but just roughly estimated it.

Qin Huairu's face turned noticeably paler.

Isn't borrowing things a very common thing?

Do you want to return it?

She instinctively wanted to defend herself, but she caught a glimpse of Director Liu looking at her with admiration:

"Comrade Qin's work attitude is a bit problematic, but I didn't expect her to be so nice. She's also a good neighbor of Driver Li. I guess I have to take better care of her in the future."

People like flattery, and these nice words cost nothing. Director Liu had just received three packages of Daqianmen, so he naturally agreed with a few words.

At this moment, Qin Huairu was at a loss, her face turned red and white, and her fingers were pinched so hard that they hurt.

If she denied the money, the good image she had just established would collapse.

But if I admit it, I will be unwilling to do so. After all, two dollars and fifty cents is enough to pay for a semester's tuition.

Just as she was hesitating, Li Xiaodong winked at Niu Meng next to him.

Niu Meng suddenly realized that the master's money was her food, and anyone who owed money and didn't pay it back just didn't want her to have enough to eat.

She ran to Qin Huairu and stared at her with innocent eyes: "Hey, aren't you going to pay me back?"

Qin Huairu waved her hands quickly: "No, it's not that I won't return it, but..."

"Then pay it back." Niu Meng snorted and said, "Your hair smells like shampoo and your face smells like vanishing cream. You are so rich, why don't you pay it back?"

Li Xiaodong secretly praised his apprentice's performance in his heart.

Qin Huairu originally planned to use the excuse of having no money as an excuse, but was left speechless by Niu Meng's refutation.

"Return it, why wouldn't I return it!"

Qin Huairu took out two dollars and fifty cents from her pocket and handed it to Li Xiaodong, feeling so heartbroken that she almost bit her tongue.

I secretly regretted in my heart how I had forgotten how powerful Li Xiaodong was.

Her frustrated expression almost made Director Liu laugh. This truck driver was indeed a little different.

Qin Huairu tasted the bitterness of losing more than she gained, lost the desire to build closer relationships, and returned to the workshop in embarrassment.

At this time, the cargo on the truck had been unloaded.

When Niu Meng rocked the truck and sat in the passenger seat, Li Xiaodong nodded and praised: "Good job, I'll give you an extra steamed bun for lunch!"

"Master, thank you!" Niu Meng was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling.

...

The truck had been tamed, Li Xiaodong's work efficiency improved significantly, and the task was completed in a short time.

Without cargo to transport, truck drivers naturally drove back to the fleet.

When they reached a remote section of the road, Li Xiaodong put the car in neutral, pulled up the handbrake, and said to Niu Meng, "Apprentice, come and try driving."

"Me? You want me to drive?" Niu Meng was stunned for a moment before he understood.

In the fleet, she would be scolded even if she touched Niu Yong's truck.

People always say that girls are not suitable for driving, as if it is natural.

She got her driver's license after practicing secretly for several months without Niu Yong's knowledge.

The master actually let her drive the car herself. What an open-minded master he is.

"That's right." Li Xiaodong said, exchanging positions with Niu Meng.

In the past, "female drivers" were often seen as synonymous with road killers because some women lacked awareness of emergency response and teamwork.

Emergency response enables drivers to quickly take correct actions in dangerous moments instead of just screaming loudly.

Teamwork awareness is about understanding rules and empathy. Once they hold the steering wheel tightly, they tend to think of themselves as road tyrants and avoid pedestrians and vehicles, which can easily lead to accidents.

The best way to improve these shortcomings is to drive more.

Driving is a skill that only comes with practice, and in later generations, many truck drivers are women.

Women in this era are more independent, so driving skills are naturally not a problem.

Although Niu Meng was a little clumsy when driving, it was not a big deal.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Li Xiaodong leaning in the passenger seat, humming softly, looking contented.

Suddenly, a strange idea flashed through my mind.

The master asked me to drive. Is he trying to be lazy?

As soon as this thought came to her mind, she immediately suppressed it.

How could someone like the master do such an unreasonable thing!

Niu Meng, you are really, it's really embarrassing to have such thoughts.

...

At this moment, Li Xiaodong was indeed not being lazy, but was stroking the two yuan and fifty cents he had just put in his pocket, and a new idea came to his mind.

If I pretend to be poor, maybe I can avoid a lot of trouble?

The reason why the Jia family and the Yan family can take advantage of others everywhere is because they are good at pretending to be poor.

The newly added furniture in the inner room of the Jia Mansion was brand new and neatly arranged. Jia Zhang looked plump and fair because of her wealthy life, and she often complained about the hardships of raising children.

Although Yan Bugui's salary is not high, his extra income is considerable.

He would write couplets for others, go fishing in Shichahai, and even buy and sell food coupons.

Despite this, he bought the first bicycle and the first TV in the entire hospital. How could he be called poor?

In contrast, Li Xiaodong was born with the label of "poverty".

Although he became a truck driver, his monthly salary was only 49 yuan.

However, since I had just started working, I had not even received my first month’s salary.

Moreover, his family was weak, he had no support from his parents, and he almost had to pawn his house.

When it comes to poverty, who can be better than him?

...

A shrill broadcast sounded, Niu Meng's driving skills were getting better and better, and Li Xiaodong drove back to the team.

In the fleet’s parking lot, veteran drivers were chatting while checking their vehicles.

Seeing Li Xiaodong get off the car, Master Liu handed him a cloth bag.

"I just came back from Emei and brought you some local specialties."

Li Xiaodong opened the bag and found more than a dozen fresh bamboo shoots inside.

Bamboo shoots are light yellow in color, have a uniform texture, and emit a light fragrance.

——In Beijing, this kind of bamboo shoots is a rare thing. A full bag of it can be sold for at least two yuan at the pigeon market.

Li Xiaodong pursed his lips and was about to say thank you when a black shadow came running from a distance.

"Master, are you biased? Xiaodong has a gift, but I don't have one?"

Master Liu kicked out, hitting the black shadow's hip accurately. "I knew you were too busy. If you want, take over the task of delivering goods to the East Sichuan Parts Factory. You can carry as many as you want!"

"That road was originally your exclusive route, how dare I take it away?" The black shadow was not angry after being kicked. He rubbed his buttocks and smiled, "You are Uncle Zhen's son, right? I am Shan Xiaolin, the apprentice of Old Liu."

Shan Xiaolin was thin and tall, like a bamboo pole, and the loose driver's uniform on him looked like it was hanging on a hanger.

What surprised Li Xiaodong was that his eye sockets were sunken, his face was sallow, and he looked exhausted.

"Your car hasn't been maintained yet, right? Those mechanics aren't skilled enough, so we have to do it ourselves. Come on, let me help you take a look." Shan Xiaolin said as he handed cigarettes to Li Xiaodong and Master Liu, lit one for himself, and walked towards Li Xiaodong's truck.