Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

In the backyard of No. 95 compound, the disfigured Yi Zhonghai was chatting in the deaf old lady's room. Yesterday, he was disfigured by Jia Zhang, and today his old face was still covered with bloodstains. He asked Jia Dongxu to take leave on his behalf and rested in the compound.

"Old lady, Guifang and I have discussed it, and we two will take care of you in your old age. You can choose the house you want. Although I, Yi Zhonghai, don't have a lot of money, I was promoted yesterday and am now a level 80 worker with a salary of more than . It won't be a problem for you to have a meal."

"Zhong Hai, let's put things in perspective. You took care of me in my old age, and I gave you the house. This is my due. But I won't give you the house deed now. You can take the grain and oil book first."

Then the deaf old lady took out her grain and oil book from the drawer of the kang cabinet, plus 50 yuan and gave it to Yi Zhonghai who was sitting next to her.

Yi Zhonghai took the grain book but not the fifty yuan. "Old lady, I'll take the grain and oil book. You can't walk well, so I can't let you go to the grain station to buy grain. Forget about the money. You should keep it. If you want to buy some snacks, just buy them."

"Zhong Hai, take it. Food costs money, and I feel at ease with you two serving me. I am already buried up to my neck in the ground, what's the point of keeping the money. I still have some on hand. Take it, it's not easy for you either."

Only then did Yi Zhonghai take it and put it in his trouser pocket.

"Zhong Hai, is it true that you and Gui Fang have no chance of having children?"

"To be honest, old lady, there really isn't much hope."

"Zhonghai, although my eyesight is blurry, I can see clearly what's going on in this compound. You, Yi Zhonghai, thought that Jia Dongxu lost his father, and wanted this disciple to take care of you in your old age. Why do I look down on your good disciple? Jia Dongxu has been a person without opinions since he was young. He looks honest and filial. As a master, don't you see that he is cunning, lazy, and never satisfied with taking advantage of others? Like parents, like children. Zhang Xiaohua is not an easy person to get along with. With her around, I think your wishful thinking will fail."

"Dongxu, I understand him. Although he has many shortcomings, he still respects me as his master. I know what's going on."

"I am old too. Since we are in this relationship now, I will just give you a reminder. Just ignore what I said. Okay, Zhonghai, you can go back. Just ask Guifang to send the food to my room. It is better for me to eat in my own room."

"Okay, old lady, you take a rest, and I'll bring it to you when it's time for dinner."

Yi Zhonghai walked out of the backyard with the grain and oil book in his hand and returned to his home in the middle yard.

"Guifang, you keep the old lady's food allowance. You also keep the 50 yuan. The old lady estimates that the annual food expenses are only these yuan. She is really getting smarter as she gets older. She doesn't want to suffer any loss at all."

"Zhong Hai, the old lady can't eat much anyway. Just treat you as an uncle and share the worries of the street. If you don't act like an uncle, I guess there won't be such a thing. There won't be so much trouble, and you won't have to cook one more bite for each meal. Leave this matter to me."

What else can I do? It's the only way.

Yi Zhonghai lit a cigarette in the room, made some tea, and thought about the matter of retirement. It is true that there is no one more suitable than Jia Dongxu in the compound at present. The only other two is He Yuzhu in the middle courtyard. But his biological father He Daqing is still alive. Oh, it hurts my head. Why did I, Yi Zhonghai, not pay attention to it before and hurt the foundation. Fortunately, Guifang doesn't know the truth yet. If you know, she will have to leave home.

Some things make you feel angry, helpless, and uncomfortable. The pain on his face made Yi Zhonghai more determined to suppress Jia Dongxu's work level. If you want to make the Jia family in trouble, you need to rely on me. I want to see if you can get out of my palm.

At this moment, Jia Dongxu from the third workshop of Red Star Steel Rolling Mill was undergoing mental torture again.

Tian Dayou, the workshop director, was pointing at Jia Dongxu, who had scrapped three workpieces, and was scolding him. Today, Yi Zhonghai, the workshop master, asked for leave, which made the workshop director feel uncomfortable. How could he ask for leave casually, especially for his apprentice? You have to know that if the monthly tasks are not completed, Tian Dayou, as the workshop director, will be greatly affected. Not only will he face the ridicule of other workshops, but he will also face the risk of demotion. Tian Dayou has to give face to Yi Zhonghai, the senior worker. How can he bear the anger of Jia Dongxu, a small Karami worker like you?

"I say, Jia Dongxu, are you still capable? If not, get out of the workshop. The defective rate in the workshop is always so high, and I think it's you who is holding us back. Two were produced this morning, and you ruined another one before the afternoon work even started. I'm telling you, if you ruin another one today, I'll turn you back into a temporary worker and make you a porter in the workshop. It's okay for you to be a coward, but you're also useless. You're just a piece of junk.

What, you're not convinced? I'm watching you today. If you kill another one today, I, Tian Dayou, will keep my word and make you a temporary worker. Don't think that I won't do anything to you just because you rely on Yi Zhonghai. See if I can deal with you."

Jia Dongxu looked at everyone around the machine tools staring at him, and he wanted to find a hole in the ground to crawl into: he coded it, this was too hurtful to his self-esteem.

The more this happens, the easier it is to make mistakes. With his emotions racing and his mind distracted, coupled with his poor craftsmanship, in front of the workshop director, a new workpiece was clamped on the machine tool, and within five seconds, it was ruined due to excessive movement.

"Okay, Jia Dongxu, you are deliberately using the workpiece to vent your anger and confront your superiors."

Jia Dongxu was a simple-minded person, so he could not stand Tian Dayou's deliberate provocation. "Yes, I did it on purpose. What's the matter? You are a workshop director and you think you are the factory director. You have such a high official power. Can you still fire me? If you can, fire me! I will quit my job."

Tian Dayou was furious and pointed at Jia Dongxu, "Okay, okay, very good. You wait."

He unclamped the workpiece on the machine tool, took it out of the workshop, and went straight to the factory director's office.

As expected, five minutes before the end of get off work, the factory radio broadcast a notice: A notice was broadcasted that Comrade Jia Dongxu, a first-level fitter in the third workshop, had been undisciplined and had a bad work attitude since he started working. He beat up a coworker yesterday and was not active at work today. He repeatedly made mistakes and refused to obey management and contradicted his superiors. What's worse, he deliberately damaged state property, which was a serious circumstance. In line with the principle of punishing past mistakes and preventing future ones, curing illnesses and saving lives, the factory department decided to deal with Jia Dongxu as follows: deduct two months' salary as compensation for the loss of state property; reduce salary but not demotion, and treat him as a temporary worker for six months to observe the results before making further decisions; he is not allowed to participate in rating examinations within three years. Broadcast it again...

Xu Damao, who was packing up in the reference room and preparing to leave work, heard the broadcast and said, "Fuck!" "Hehe, this is really enough to make Jia Dongxu drink a pot."

When Jia Dongxu heard the broadcast, he felt numb and as if he had lost his parents.

This is the result of not keeping your mouth shut. The workers in the third workshop who usually don't get along with Jia Dongxu burst into laughter, "Jia Dongxi, you are a fake."

Jia Dongxu did not have the momentum to fight back against Tian Dayou. When our workers had enough strength and the music started, they left the workshop alone in dejection, leaving a thousand "hahahahaha" in the workshop.

On his way home from get off work, Liu Haizhong was still muttering: Dongxu looks smart, but he is actually a fool. Was he kicked in the head by a donkey or was he squeezed by the door when he went out this morning? Was he not fully awake yesterday or something? He contradicted his leader. Is it possible for you, Jia Dongxu, to contradict your leader? He is a fool with a screw loose in his head. It is a pity that Yi Zhonghai accepted him as his apprentice. If it were me, grandma!