Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

"Have you heard? The supply of refined grains will be getting smaller and smaller next month, and even eggs will be limited."

……

As the disaster spread and the number of victims increased dramatically, food supplies in big cities became increasingly tight.

In fact, let alone eggs, they are almost impossible to buy on the market. Even white flour is hard to get, let alone eggs and pork.

Winter has begun in Beijing, and Xu Damao has almost no mission to go to the countryside this year.

Everyone was almost starving, so how could they have the mood to watch a movie?

Xu Damao was so happy with his free time that he didn't notice that food was already in short supply in the market. Even the price of sweet potatoes had risen from one cent per pound to three cents per pound in private.

Fortunately, he had stockpiled some food, so he had no problem getting through the next three years with enough food for himself.

Not going to the countryside, just in time, he can still do his own things, learning about cultural relics and practicing Xingyi Bagua.

The most important thing is to start having time to pay attention to the leaders of various departments in the factory and their relationships.

In the Propaganda Department, I gradually got to know who was who, especially the deputy director Gu Dachu.

This is what Li Huaimin told him, and later Xu Damao went to Wu Lingjuan to get confirmation.

With the consent of Li Huaide, Li Huaimin intended to promote Xu Damao to deputy chief of the Propaganda Section, and once specifically mentioned Comrade Lao Gu.

"Xiao Xu, you can only do well for one year at most. When Lao Gu retires in the second half of next year, I will promote you to deputy section chief. The last time you bravely caught a spy, the factory and the department made a record of your deeds. As long as Lao Gu is ready, I will promote you. There is no other way now. I can only give you one position. Please be patient and wait."

Xu Damao knew about Li Huaimin's solicitation. Yes, in fact, isn't it the same in the system? You have to be useful enough to catch the leader's eye. Being useful proves that you have strength. Everything still depends on your own strength, obedience, and standing in line. Only with strength can you have value, and standing in line and showing loyalty can you have a future. Otherwise, even if you have the courage of Lu Bu, you can only be infamous as a slave of three surnames, and no one will use you.

Xu Damao had originally been optimistic about Li Huaimin, and that was how the script went. This was how he could steadily get through the turbulent years of more than a decade.

Gu Dachu is capable, but he is Director Yang's man and is almost reaching the age limit, so it is possible that, maybe, if Li Huaide agrees to the position of deputy section chief, it is really possible that this official hat will fall on Xu Damao's head.

Let's wait and see. Let's get through the crisis safely first. Now that I have some free time, I will seize the time to strengthen myself.

The changes in the workshop are particularly obvious this year. With the departure of the bearded experts, senior technicians like Yi Zhonghai have become more prominent and valued by the factory.

Especially Yi Zhonghai, who successfully passed the seventh level in the second half of the year's work grade assessment and jumped to the highest level of eighth-level fitter. Not only did his salary jump by hundreds of yuan, but he also won the advanced prize at the end of the year. Jia Dongxu also got involved, and he showed off in the third workshop and all the way to the No. 95 compound.

Wu Dayong looked at this fake first-level, and he and Liu Yonglin looked at it coldly and sneered, "Fake first-level, those who know that Master Yi has passed the eighth level, and those who don't know will think that you have passed the eighth level."

"Wu Dayong, don't be so proud. I will ask my master to help me take the exam next year, and I will be able to pass the second level soon."

When people are boastful, they are easily lost. Look, he didn't go home after work, but went directly to Juer Hutong. Now that there is no wife at home and his son is taken care of by his mother, Jia Dongxu is happy and free. After eating in Juer Hutong and relaxing, he went to Niu Datou Casino to try his luck. As a result, he contributed another 6.30 yuan, and together with the 5 yuan spent in Juer Hutong, he had no money left in his pocket. He went home dejectedly, and was scolded by Jia Zhangshi again, and went to sleep directly on the kang.

Speaking of happiest, He Yuzhu is the one in Compound No. 95. Although supplies are in short supply, he is now the monitor of the third canteen and has less work to do.

In addition, due to the shortage of supplies, the small kitchens were less open. The canteen also had less supplies after August, and the overtime work at night was cancelled, and the canteen shifts were also cancelled. The canteen went from busy to idle all of a sudden, which was comfortable.

Although there are fewer banquets on the market now, there are still some. He Yuzhu is still well-known in Hongxing Street and can take on three or four banquets every month.

The person who is most worried about the compound now is Yan Fugui.

The eldest son and his wife have been married for more than a year, but the wife is still pregnant. In addition, the ration has been reduced, and the family really doesn’t have enough food. Yan Jiefang and Yan Jiekuang had the biggest appetites at that time, and even little Jie Di had a big appetite. The third uncle could only live frugally and ration every meal. This rule made the eldest daughter-in-law unhappy. It was okay once or twice, but in the third week, Jie Cheng’s wife Wang Qiongying couldn’t stand it anymore, “Dad, Mom, Jie Cheng and I are both working people, and you give each of us a bowl of watery porridge with a steamed bun for dinner, and even the pickled vegetable shreds have to be divided by number. Are you making your family poor? Jie Cheng and I still pay for food every month. Just for this food. Jie Cheng and I will not come back in the future, and will live in the factory instead of going home. We will not pay for food in the future. If you have any objections, we can just split up and live alone.”

The third uncle was very angry. After much persuasion, the quarrel did not get worse. However, after that, Yan Jiecheng and his wife seldom came home. The third uncle was very ashamed and lost face.

Qin Huairu has been doing very well recently. Being young and beautiful means you will always get people to turn their heads around. She started working in early March of this year, and within March, 40 bachelors in their thirties who had not yet married had taken a fancy to the plump-breasted and plump-hipped Qin Huairu. However, when they heard that Qin Huairu had a girl, they hesitated. This hesitation was taken away by someone else. Qin Huairu worked in the packaging workshop, and Gao Yingpei, the -year-old deputy director of the production workshop, had lost his wife to illness, and they had a son and a daughter at home. However, since Qin Huairu came to the factory, he had thought about remarrying.

Qin Huairu originally wanted to consider Zhang Jianhua, a 30-year-old porter in the same workshop. Unexpectedly, Zhang Jianhua despised her for bringing Xiaodang with her. Gao Yingpei was really pursuing her, and the conditions he offered were quite tempting. Not only would he hand over all his salary in the future, but he also promised that if Qin Huairu agreed, he would ask the food factory to help her get a permanent job in advance.

Qin Huairu was still tempted. After all, she had to raise a child alone, and life was difficult. On top of that, she had to endure rumors. Divorce was very destructive.

In October, when Xu Damao went to Suoyi Hutong to visit Qin Huairu, after they made love, Qin Huairu still confessed to Xu Damao.

"Da Mao, you may not be able to come here anymore. I'm getting married."

Xu Damao really didn't expect Qin Huairu to find a new employer so quickly. But he was still happy to see it happen.

"Sister Ru, good news, are you from your unit?"

Qin Huairu felt a little embarrassed. After all, Xu Damao had helped her a lot, and had a great influence on Qin Huairu both materially and physically. But Xu Damao could not give her a future. Qin Huairu really believed what Xu Damao had said before. What if his bastard son Banggeng was left to be raised by him? Should she raise him or not? She had already seen how shameless Jia Zhang was. So it was urgent for her to marry herself and find a stable support.

She thought Xu Damao might be unhappy. Unexpectedly, Xu Damao was quite open-minded. What else could Xu Damao do if he was not open-minded!

Qin Huairu also told Xu Damao the details of her marriage partner.

Xu Damao was in favor of Qin Huairu and the 40-year-old Director Gao Yingpei forming a new family. But he still gave her some advice:

"Huai Ru, you don't need to consider my feelings when you remarry. I have a family. Besides, you know Xiao'e is pregnant again, and I can't spare more time to take care of you two. I am sorry to Lou Xiao'e for being like this with you now. Besides, if you walk by the river often, your shoes will get wet, and our reputation will be ruined. But you said that Director Gao, before you make up your mind, you should find out clearly. You still have to find a suitable person to live with. Don't run into another mother-in-law like Jia Zhang, or a man like Jia Dongxu who beats his wife. And if you become a stepmother, you have to see the attitude of the other party's children. If the other party's children are very opposed, I suggest you wait a little longer. With your conditions, there are many opportunities. Besides, you are not short of money now."

Qin Huairu listened and readily agreed to Xu Damao's suggestion.

Marriage is the second reincarnation of life.

It is better to be a widow than to remarry. Remarriage is just another way of dying.