Siheyuan: Sending my younger brother to the countryside to raise pigs

Li Deyu's family lives in a compound for the families of government agencies. Most of the people living here are well-known figures who hold important positions in various state-owned factories.

Unlike the crowded and dirty courtyards, this place is clean and spacious, and there are special sanitation workers cleaning every day.

Walking into the yard, Yan Jiecheng had the illusion that he was like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

The neighbors they met on the road greeted Li Deyu one after another. Yan Jiecheng was a stranger, so he was inevitably looked at a few more times. People speculated that he might be a relative of Li Deyu.

Li Deyu brought Yan Jiecheng to the parking shed.

There are several bicycles of the same brand placed side by side here.

Li Deyu drove his bicycle out, and the flat tire rolled over the road, making a hoarse sound in the throat like a person who had been hungry for a long time.

"Whether I ride my bike or walk to work tomorrow depends entirely on you."

Yan Jiecheng didn't waste any words and said solemnly: "Just wait and see, I will definitely not let you walk to work anymore."

"Haha, okay, that's what I've been waiting for. You stay here for a while, I'll go home and get you a stool."

"Okay, get another basin by the way."

Li Deyu returned home.

After a while, he returned to the carport with two stools in one hand and a washbasin in the other.

Yan Jiecheng took the basin and went to the faucet, filled it with more than half a basin of water, then turned into a butcher, turned the bicycle over, and started to pull out the tendons and skin it.

After a series of vigorous operations, the inner tube of the bicycle was taken out, inflated, soaked in water, and turned slowly to check for leaks.

Seeing Yan Jiecheng's skillful methods, Li Deyu knew that this guy was not just talking nonsense, but really had some tricks up his sleeve.

I couldn't help but become more interested in this new driver.

"You seem to be very skilled at this, but have you learned it before?"

"Yes, I have learned it. There was an old man next door who worked in a bicycle factory during the Anti-Japanese War. He had a broken bicycle at home. Sometimes when I went to his house to play, he would take me to teach me how to repair the bicycle."

No one knows anyway, so just make it up. He won't go and investigate it specifically.

A series of bubbles popped up from the inner tube under the water with a "gurgling" sound.

The leak was found, a small hole the size of a grain of rice.

Yan Jiecheng breathed a sigh of relief, took out a file from the toolbox, filed around the small hole, then applied glue and cut a piece of soft leather to stick it on.

"At the time, the old man said that if I learned a skill, I could make a living if I couldn't find a job. I thought it was just a joke and didn't take it seriously, but I never thought that I would actually use it one day."

Li Deyu smiled and said, "You have met a noble person. It's just that the current policy does not allow it. Otherwise, with your skills, you can not only make a living, but also live a good life."

Yan Jiecheng did not comment.

After repairing the tire, Yan Jiecheng walked around again and found no more leaks. He then relaxed and put the inner tube back in.

The sun sets in the west, and the orange sunlight fills the warm courtyard.

The neighbors in the yard were getting off work one after another. A few middle-aged men changed out of their work clothes and walked over here.

Women from several families were squatting in front of the faucet with basins in their hands, washing vegetables in preparation for dinner.

A middle-aged man came closer, saw what Yan Jiecheng was doing, and asked, "Lao Li, did you hire a bicycle repairman from outside?"

Li Deyu: "No. This is a new driver hired by our factory. He happens to know this skill. He heard that my bicycle was broken, so he recommended himself."

"Of course. Your factory has hired a talented person. If my bicycle breaks down in the future, I won't have to worry about having a place to repair it. Don't be stingy. If my bicycle breaks down someday, you have to lend it to me."

Li Deyu was proud of it and said with a smile: "I can make the decision when I go to work, but I can't make the decision when I get off work. You should ask Xiao Yan in person."

Several middle-aged men around all looked at Yan Jiecheng.

The aura of each superior should not be underestimated.

Yan Jiecheng was flattered and said quickly: "If the leaders' bicycles really have problems, you can tell our deputy factory director and ask him to tell me a message and I will come right over."

Several people nodded in satisfaction, "Okay, okay. Lao Li, the young comrade has agreed, so you must not be reluctant when the time comes."

"You are burying me."

Li Deyu chatted briefly with a few neighbors and then they went their separate ways.

It's getting late.

Yan Jiecheng packed up his toolbox and prepared to leave.

As long as I can get in touch with Li Deyu, the matter will be settled. Even if I can't walk around the factory as I please, I believe no one will dare to cause trouble for me.

Yan Jiecheng: "Deputy Director, if there is nothing else, I will go back first."

Li Deyu held Yan Jiecheng and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? Have dinner first. You worked so hard to repair the bicycle, how can I let you go on an empty stomach? What will the neighbors think of you if they see you?"

"This... this is inappropriate."

"What's inappropriate? Your sister-in-law has gone to buy groceries and will be back soon. Come on, don't stand outside, come in with me."

Seeing that he couldn't win, Yan Jiecheng had to follow Li Deyu to his home.

He also wanted to see what the home of a deputy factory director would be like.

Walking into the room, Yan Jiecheng looked around.

To be honest, it's not as wealthy and luxurious as I expected, it's just slightly better than an ordinary working-class family.

This is not difficult to understand.

In today's era, when workers are in charge, the salary of a factory manager is not much more than that of a worker, and is even lower than that of some senior technicians.

They truly serve the workers and dare not provoke them easily.

Unlike his era, the head of a factory was like an emperor, detached from the grassroots, and his salary was ten to twenty times that of an ordinary worker.

I have to say that being a worker is still very happy in this era.

The two chatted while drinking tea.