Siheyuan: Starting from a Truck Driver

Li Xiaodong realized his negligence.

He overestimated the performance of the ZIL 150. With only tons of cargo loaded, the engine's pulling power was insufficient.

Even with sprinklers, there's no way to ensure the brakes won't overheat on such a long descent.

Didn’t those trucks in the past that were also equipped with sprinklers also get out of control?

Fortunately, it is winter now and the temperature is relatively low.

...

Five hundred meters, one thousand meters, the truck was galloping along the winding mountain road like a wild dragon.

When the speed reached sixty miles per hour, Li Xiaodong stepped on the brake pedal for the first time.

The master cylinder valve opens instantly, and compressed air flows into the front brake cylinder and rear brake cylinder through the one-way valve.

The brake arm is pushed, the brake cam rotates rapidly, and the brake shoe fits tightly against the brake drum.

Powerful friction is generated instantly.

The speed of the car dropped rapidly.

At the same time, Li Xiaodong instructed Niu Meng to turn on the sprinkler switch.

He felt slightly relieved when he saw the steam beginning to seep out of the rearview mirror.

The truck driver lightly stepped on the brakes and adjusted the steering wheel, and the vehicle slowly slid off the road.

Seeing that the car speed stabilized at 30 kilometers per hour, Niu Meng finally let go of his worries.

After helping Li Xiaodong refill his cigarette, she asked in a low voice: "Master, what if I lost control just now?"

"What else can we do? The whole village will have to spend money." Li Xiaodong held a cigarette in his mouth and glanced at Niu Meng with a teasing look in his eyes: "Are you scared? That's normal. Girls are not suitable for driving such a large car."

"I'm not afraid! Women can't drive? This is gender discrimination!" Niu Meng straightened his back and waved his arms in protest.

Since she is not afraid of life or death, there is no need to persuade her.

After driving over the long slope, the rest of the journey became relatively easy.

Although it was late at night, the mountain road was dark and the road conditions were bad.

But as an experienced driver, Li Xiaodong handled it with ease.

However, he soon faced one of the biggest challenges of long-distance drivers – sleepiness.

The monotonous sound of the wheels rubbing against the sand, the boundless darkness, and the electric massage-like vibrations from the seat were all urging him to rest quickly.

Even after smoking five cigarettes and opening the car window to get some fresh air, Li Xiaodong's eyelids still began to droop.

"Apprentice, sing a song for the master." He yawned and suggested.

Niu Meng was encouraged and sang loudly: "We are walking on the broad road of socialism with our heads held high. Hey baza hey, the golden light of the capital shines everywhere."

This girl's unique singing style is amazing.

The vocal range fluctuates and is difficult to control, sounding like the roar of a wild beast.

There was even the howling of wolves in the distance, as if in response.

Although the song is scary, it does have a refreshing effect.

After singing a song, Li Xiaodong was still not satisfied: "You sang very well, my good disciple, let's sing another song."

Niu Meng was praised for the first time, and his eyes widened: "No problem! I will accompany Master's music all the way."

“Pull out the radishes, pull out the radishes… Hey hey hey hey, pull out the radishes… Hey hey hey hey, I can’t pull them out… Old woman, come quickly… Come and help us pull out the radishes.”

She performed a children's song as profoundly as "The White-Haired Girl".

Amid the melodious singing, a few lights were faintly flickering at the end of the desolate mountain road.

Li Xiaodong raised his hand to look at his watch. It was not yet ten o'clock in the evening.

The majestic building looks mysterious and solemn under the bright moonlight.

As the distance got closer, with the help of the faint light, they could see at the end a factory gate in the shape of an archway. On the doorposts on both sides were written: "Be vigilant and defend the motherland."

He knew that they had arrived at their destination - the state-owned Factory 9621.

"Beep, beep, beep."

The roar of the truck attracted more than a dozen sentries in gray-brown uniforms, who came over with guns.

"I have a little donkey..."

The sentry squad leader saluted Li Xiaodong and said, "Comrade driver, welcome to the state-owned 9621 factory. Please show your pass."

"I ride it to the market..."

"These are our ID cards." Li Xiaodong handed over the ID cards through the car window.

"With a whip..."

The sentry squad leader took the ID and examined it carefully, then compared it with Li Xiaodong and the other person with his work photos, and then ran to the back of the car to check the license plate number.

After confirming that it was correct, he handed it to the staff on duty for record.

"Crash..."

The sentry squad leader returned the certificate to Li Xiaodong and explained: "Sorry for the delay, we have to get on the car to check it."

Without waiting for a response, he waved his hand, and several sentries behind him jumped onto the carriage and checked the boxes one by one with flashlights.

"Covered in dust..."

More than ten minutes later, the sentry jumped off the car and reported: "Squad leader, the cargo has been checked and found to be correct!"

The sentry squad leader returned to the post and called to confirm.

When he went out again, he frowned and said, "Comrade, there is no problem with the documents and goods, but we are about to enter the factory and everyone is taking a break. Can you please stop singing? Otherwise, it may cause unnecessary trouble."

"Understood!" Li Xiaodong pushed Niu Meng who was singing loudly: "Disciple, we are here, the mission is completed, stop singing."

"Are we really here? Can we eat now?" Niu Meng opened his eyes and immediately became excited when he saw the surroundings.

Sentinels: “…”

Li Xiaodong: “…”

Li Xiaodong rubbed his brows helplessly, realizing that with such a disciple, there would definitely be a lot of trouble in the future.

---

"You should be very clear about the regulations regarding delivery. When entering the factory, please follow the designated route and do not look around. Violators will be held accountable." Li Xiaodong and his companions responded with a serious expression and firmly: "We understand!"

Under the guidance of the sentry, Li Xiaodong took the steering wheel and drove the truck slowly into the factory.

The factory was built on the mountainside and is the size of a small town, equipped with a canteen, school, cinema, shops, office buildings and dormitories.

Air-raid shelters were also carved out of the rocks of the mountain, which may have been wartime command centers, medical rooms, ammunition depots and other facilities.

The gate was heavily guarded, with the sentries' fingers lightly touching the trigger. Li Xiaodong gave up the idea of ​​peeking in case he was misunderstood and was regarded as an enemy spy, which would be a waste of his life.

The truck passed the fork in the road and entered the production area, and slowly came to a cave. Here, the cave is the large factory building, and the branch caves correspond to different workshops and teams.

A factory usually has multiple tunnels, each with a number. The truck stopped and a middle-aged man in a gray Zhongshan suit came up quickly.

After asking the sentry, he turned to Li Xiaodong and asked, "I am Cheng Bojing, the director of the third workshop. You are the person in charge of this transportation mission, right?"

Li Xiaodong nodded and confirmed: "Yes, I am the driver Li Xiaodong, and this is the assistant Comrade Niu Meng."

After inspecting Li Xiaodong, workshop director Cheng Bojing asked, "Please show us your ID and dispatch slip."

After verifying the identity, workshop director Cheng Bojing handed the dispatch form to the deputy director behind him: "Lao Wang, organize the workers to unload the goods, and remember to count the number."

Deputy Director Wang waved his hand and shouted, "Guys, let's act!" Immediately, more than 20 workers hiding in the cave rushed out.

Li Xiaodong asked Niu Meng to get out of the car to supervise, and at the same time he took out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from his pocket and handed them to Cheng Bojing.

"It's hard work for everyone, working late into the night."

"How can this be? Come, young man, try this!" Cheng Bojing took out a white box, took out a cigarette and handed it to him.

Li Xiaodong took it and found that the cigarette was still attached to the filter. "Is this...specially supplied?"

"Hey, you're treated really well." As he said this, he lit a cigarette and took a deep puff.

I don’t know if it’s a psychological effect, but the taste of this cigarette is particularly different. It’s not as pungent as ordinary cigarettes, and it’s even smoother than hard Zhonghua cigarettes.

"Haha, you're quite a calm young man." Cheng Bojing smoked a cigarette and looked at the confident young driver in the driver's seat with interest.

"One Sword Dominates"

"What are you afraid of? This is the safest place in the country. What is there to be afraid of!" Li Xiaodong exhaled a circle of smoke.

Large third-line factories like the state-owned Factory 9621 are essentially military factories.

The workers are like soldiers, and the workshop director in front of them undoubtedly plays the role of company commander.

There are many guns in the factory area, and there may be anti-aircraft guns hidden in the hills nearby.

Cheng Bojing was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "What you said does make sense."

While the two were chatting, a voice came from inside the car: "Comrade driver, could you please move the truck back a bit? It would be best if you could park it at the entrance of the warehouse."

Cheng Bojing shouted at the voice, "Xiao Zhou, stop yelling. The gate is narrow, how can the driver reverse the car? Remember the guy from the Northeast who almost crashed the cave last time?"

"No, the things are too heavy. We have no strength left after moving them. We have to work overnight..." Xiao Zhou seemed helpless, and his voice gradually weakened.

Li Xiaodong got out of the car and walked forward, holding a cigarette in his mouth. The warehouse was moisture-proof, and the three steps in front of the door made unloading quite inconvenient.

Each box weighs more than 300 kilograms. In the cold winter, the workers were sweating profusely, their thin clothes were already soaked, and white steam was rising from their foreheads.

It is indeed extremely difficult.

Li Xiaodong stretched out his hand to measure. The width of the gate was about two meters and three meters, while the width of the truck bed of the GILL 150 was two meters and twenty-five meters, which was fully capable of meeting the requirements.

"Everyone get out of the way, I'll help you reverse." He skillfully maneuvered the truck, shifted it into reverse gear, released the clutch and handbrake, and gently stepped on the accelerator.

Looking into the rearview mirror, the truck slowly backed up.

Half a minute later, the workers who had already retreated into the warehouse were stunned with surprise.

The edge of the truck bed was only a paper-thin distance away from the concrete pillar.

"hiss……"

Instantly, a sound of inhaling was heard, and the temperature in the warehouse seemed to rise by several degrees.

Cheng Bojing patted Li Xiaodong on the shoulder and praised: "Master Li, your driving skills are indeed extraordinary!"

Li Xiaodong smiled modestly and said, "Nothing, nothing!"

Niu Meng clapped his hands and said, "My master is not an ordinary person. He is only 20 years old, but he earns 49 yuan a month. Can you imagine that?"

Cheng Bojing: “…”

This guy, the driver is really different from others. He even brought someone to support him when he went out.

After the truck stopped, it was much easier for the workers to unload the goods.

In less than ten minutes, the goods were cleared out.

Li Xiaodong drove the car out, and Cheng Bojing verified the quantity, then signed and stamped the vehicle dispatch form to confirm.

"Master Li, thank you for completing the delivery of the goods in such a short time!"

Niu Meng joked: "How do you thank me? Do you provide food?"