Siheyuan: Bringing Warehouses to 1959

Zeng Youqian was walking towards the central courtyard carrying a military water bottle. The first person he thought of was Yi Zhonghai, an eighth-level fitter.

Because the Zeng family usually starts dinner late, when Zeng Youqian arrived at the Central Courtyard, everyone had finished their meal and were sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool and chatting. Liu Haizhong also came to the backyard. Except for Jia Dongxu, almost everyone else was there.

"Hey, Uncle Qian, you are a rare guest. Why do you bring a pot of water? Are you afraid that we will run out of water to drink or what? We don't have any wine, but there is plenty of water." Sha Zhu was used to talking nonsense. He stood up and gave his stool to Zeng Youqian.

"Don't talk nonsense. If you have something to say, take out your wine glasses. I want to talk to you two uncles. If you have peanuts to go with your wine, you can have some." Zeng Youqian scolded with a smile.

"Okay, it seems that there is no water in the pot, but wine. We have to drink this wine." Sha Zhu ran into the house and brought out four small wine glasses and a plate of peanuts.

He first put his things on the ground, then ran to Yi Zhonghai's house and took out a small table that he usually used for meetings and put it there.

"Uncle, come on, both of you." Sha Zhu invited on behalf of Zeng Youqian, and then Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong moved the chairs over and sat down.

There were four people at the table. Sha Zhu was the youngest. He took the initiative to pick up the wine pot, opened it, and took a sip: "Good wine, this is Niulanshan. I have done my best today."

"My eldest brother brought it back, but he couldn't bear to drink it." Zeng Youqian was not good at small talk, so he said directly, "I have something to ask Lao Yi and Lao Liu, come over and drink with me."

Because the issue of selling meat and fish was handled well, everyone was still in harmony. I guess only Yan Bugui felt unhappy.

"I will tell you everything I know, and I will say it without reservation." Yi Zhonghai picked up the wine glass and took a sip, taking the lead in expressing his opinion, "This wine is good. Old Zeng, your children have been well educated. They are really filial."

Liu Haizhong also took a sip of wine, but did not comment on it. He said, "Lao Zeng, is this because of your eldest son going to work at the steel mill? Don't worry, we live in the same courtyard, and we will take care of him."

"Uncle, stop kidding. Wangcai is in the Propaganda Department. He is a clerk. We are workers. It's different, you know? How can you take care of him?" Sha Zhu's mouth offends people. Even when he is joking, it makes people feel uncomfortable.

Liu Haizhong was a little embarrassed and stammered, "You, you, you, drink your wine. No one thinks you are dumb. Are you looking down on your uncle? Let me tell you, we are the masters and the backbone."

To be honest, Liu Haizhong dreamed of working in the factory office building, even as a workshop manager, but he just wasn't destined to do that.

In order to achieve this goal, Liu Haizhong racked his brains to build personal connections in the factory, but unfortunately he did not have the talent for it.

Liu Haizhong had thought clearly about Zeng Wangcai. He was a high school graduate, well-educated, had beautiful handwriting, and was hired through Zeng Youqian’s connections. Maybe he could really make it, so he could take a look at such a person first. A small conflict caused by a mere piece of meat and bone was not a big deal at all.

"By the way, didn't your Wangcai go to report for duty today? Why hasn't he come back yet?" Yi Zhonghai asked.

"No, I don't know where the bastard has gone to fool around. If he comes back, I won't be in a hurry to ask you." Zeng Youqian couldn't hide his worries anymore. He forgot to eat the peanuts in his hand and asked truthfully, "There will be no problem for our eldest brother to report. I just don't understand what level he will be assigned? You two are old people in the steel mill, you know better than me."

"I know this......"

"What do you know?" Seeing that Sha Zhu was about to interrupt again, Liu Haizhong interrupted him and said, "Our Sijiu City is a Class 6 area. People like Sha Zhu, Lao Yi and I are all workers, and we implement an eight-level wage system. If your Wangcai came to the workshop, he would have to start as an apprentice. But it would be different if he went to the Propaganda Department. Your Wangcai was specially recruited, right?"

"Well, sort of!" Zeng Youqian was not good at lying, so his answer was rather vague.

"Good handwriting is also considered a specialty." Liu Haizhong continued, "The Propaganda Department seems to be an administrative post, so their salary standards are really different from our workers. I remember that technical secondary school students started working at level 26, 33 yuan a month, excluding subsidies. After becoming a regular employee, they are level 25 and receive a level 37.5 clerk salary of a month, also excluding subsidies."

Yi Zhonghai nodded, agreeing with Liu Haizhong's statement.

After receiving the affirmation, Liu Haizhong became more excited, took a sip of wine and continued: "High school students don't have any special skills, so they are not as popular as technical secondary school students. Therefore, your Wangcai can only be rated as level 27 at most, 30 per month, and the maximum salary for him to be promoted is 33."

Zeng Youqian really didn't understand. I heard that his son only makes 30 yuan a month, which is not as good as a technical secondary school student. He is barely satisfied. Who doesn't want their son to do well, right?

"Uncle Qian, 30 a month is really good." Sha Zhu said carelessly, "Look, I started as an apprentice when I entered the factory, and worked diligently to improve my skills. I barely became an eighth-level chef, and I only make 35.5 a month."

At that time, Shazhu had not yet taken charge of the class, so he was two dollars short of his subsidy.

Yi Zhonghai agreed, "It's indeed possible. Ordinary people only become 18 after one month in the camp. They have to become masters before they can be graded. Besides, you have a capable daughter-in-law, so money is not a problem."

Zeng Youqian couldn't help but smile, he thought so too.

Stop talking about this topic immediately and start chatting.

Zeng Wangcai went to the Pigeon City in the afternoon, and later asked Cao Datong to take him to the place where the wine jars were placed. After leaving, he turned back alone and saw that no one put the wine jars into the space, so he was delayed and came back late.

"Hey, my dad is not here?" After coming back, Zeng Wangcai did not see his father at the dinner table.

"You are finally back. We were all worried about your registration. Your father went to the Intermediate Court to ask someone about it."

"Uh, why go to the middle courtyard? Can't you just wait until I come back?"

Zeng Wangcai knew that his father just didn’t like visiting people, unlike himself. He was on guard against all the bad people in the hospital. If anything happened, his father would still deal with the people in the hospital.

Out of precaution, Zeng Wangcai did not eat, washed his hands and went straight to the central courtyard.

"Dad, it's time to eat. You don't even eat but come and chat." Zeng Wangcai greeted him as he walked into the middle courtyard, then greeted everyone else. The neighbors in the courtyard responded one after another.

Although he is the villain of the whole hospital, he is still peaceful on the surface, and at most he talks about the gossips of the Zhang and Li families.

In fact, the Zeng family is popular in the courtyard because of Zeng You’s identity as a former tailor. How can you make clothes as well as a tailor?

"I'm back. I was just telling your uncle and the others about your registration. Why did it take a whole day? What's the situation with your salary grade?" Zeng Youqian asked.

"Not yet decided, I'll report today."

"Why hasn't it been decided? Shouldn't it be decided? What unexpected happened?" Zeng Youqian was anxious.

Zeng Wangcai didn't know what they had just talked about, so he told the truth: "Today, a senior leader came to the factory, and I happened to be there. I completed the formalities, but there was no leader to sign the final grade. Chief Yu of the Personnel Department said that I should go again tomorrow."

"Yes, yes, a senior leader is here today." Liu Haizhong said, "Don't worry, Wangcai, you can't escape the classification. You are right to trust your uncle. You will be paid 30 yuan a month..."

......

Passionate and inspiring music blared from the steel mill's loudspeakers, and after the music the factory announcer began to recite some spiritual words.

Secretary Yan went to the Personnel Department early in the morning, called Chief Yu up, and asked about the results.