Siheyuan: Returning to 61 to collect waste

After cheating Erzhu out of ten dollars, she thought about how to cheat Yi Zhonghai out of some food, because the family was almost unable to make ends meet, and even some corn flour could help solve the urgent problem.

After the two parted ways, Qin Huairu slowly walked towards the first workshop.

Yi Zhonghai went to the finance department to collect his salary in the morning. He was promoted to level 8 fitter at the end of last month, which puts him among the top workers in the factory. The leaders in the factory respect him very much.

The salary has also been increased to 99 yuan per month, plus bonuses and subsidies, which is a much higher amount than before.

Seeing the distraught Qin Huairu returning, Yi Zhonghai knew the reason and felt helpless.

He personally taught Qin Huairu, who was transferred from Workshop 7 to Workshop 1, and spent half a year teaching her skills, but she still failed to pass the first-level fitter exam.

Now that he had given up on giving her technical guidance, he was more concerned about her basic living needs, with food always being a priority. "Uncle, when can I get a permanent job?" Qin Huairu asked worriedly. "Unless you can pass the first-level fitter test, you can only wait another year," Yi Haihai replied, his voice full of sympathy.

Qin Huairu had a bitter look on her face. The children at home who were waiting for her to feed them were extremely anxious. Jia Zhang deducted 3 yuan from her every month, and there was also a useless person.

She walked to Yi Haihai, grabbed his arm, leaned against him and begged:

"Uncle, please help me, my family is hungry and my meager salary is not enough!"

This is her only remaining strategy for seeking help. For people like Erzhu, this method has been proven to be effective and can always shake his decision.

At this moment, Yi Haihai had no mood to continue working. He was deeply troubled by her miserable situation.

But he knew Qin Huairu too well and knew that she was playing the victim.

He promised Qin Huairu:

"Huai Ru, wait for me at the entrance of the alley at ten o'clock. I have some cornmeal at home for you to take."

Qin Huairu responded with a smile, but in her heart she cursed Yi Haihai for being stingy. He thought that just a few pounds of corn flour was a bargain and he really didn't treat people as human beings!

There are only a few days left until the Spring Festival, and the festive atmosphere on the streets is becoming stronger and stronger.

The workers still stick to their posts, but several aunts in the yard are busy buying things. They take turns queuing up to buy flour and meat every day. Even Aunt Yan, who is always thrifty, is no exception.

Liu Yue had nothing to buy this year, so Ye Chuan took all the benefits home and gave an extra portion to Tong Yao's family.

Since that accidental time travel, the Ye family’s living standards have changed drastically.

If he hadn't seen the bag full of welfare products, Liu Yue would have thought that his lost child had suddenly become rich.

Even Yi Zhonghai's family, who had relatively the best conditions, could only get one pound of meat to satisfy their cravings during the Chinese New Year. Compared with the welfare benefits at Ye Chuan's workplace, the latter had more than ten pounds of pork alone, and there was plenty of meat on the table every day during the 15 days of the Chinese New Year.

In addition to the welfare distribution, Ye Chuan also brought back a lot of physical items: a large piece of palm-sized prawn, more than ten pounds of eggs, and desserts and fruits given by the factory directors.

He also generously sent it to Tong Yao's home, and even so, the home was still full of dazzling furnishings.

Seeing all this, Ye Yongshun couldn't believe himself and asked his son in confusion: "Xiaochuan, are you still working at the material recycling company?"

"That's right," Ye Chuan replied. "Are the treatments for scrap collectors so generous nowadays?" Ye Yongshun looked at the piles of supplies at home and secretly felt that he was attending a fake party.

Ye Chuan seldom talked about his work in the company with his parents, so they didn't know that he had been promoted to deputy director of the business department and was also the technical consultant of the Second Electronics Factory. There was a high possibility that he would be promoted to director after the new year.

He poured them both a cup of tea and said with a smile, "Dad, I am now the deputy head of the unit."

Ye Yongshun nodded, "I've heard about this before, but are your deputy supervisors treated the same as ordinary workers?"

Hearing this, Ye Chuan smiled. He didn't expect his father to be so knowledgeable and reasonable. "My deputy director is not ordinary. I am in charge of the entire department. It is almost certain that I will be promoted to the head after the new year!"

"Really?" Ye Yongshun, who has worked in a steel factory for his entire life, knows how difficult it is to get promoted. Connections, qualifications, abilities and luck are all essential.

Even if his son is gifted, it is unlikely that he will make a significant change in the short term.

Hearing their conversation, Liu Yue also came over curiously:

"Dad, that's right. If nothing unexpected happens, I will be the boss of our department and sales cooperative after the new year!"

Liu Yue didn't care about the specific management position, but she was so happy when she heard that her son had the potential to become the boss.

She didn't know much about workplace affairs, but this was unbelievable news to Ye Yongshun.

Ye Chuan smiled and said, "Mom and Dad, have you heard of the alarm clock?"

Liu Yue nodded, "I know. I saw it when I was shopping in the mall with Aunt Cao a few days ago, but there were so many people lining up to buy it that it was gone before I could squeeze in."

The alarm clock has become a hot-selling product on the market at this moment. It is practical and affordable, and is especially popular among young factory workers.

However, due to insufficient supply, it is often not available.

Ye Yongshun had heard about this from the factory employees. "Mom and Dad, I want to tell you that the best-selling alarm clock was designed by me, your son. Do you believe it?" Ye Chuan continued.

Liu Yue said without hesitation: "As long as my son says it, I will believe it!"

Ye Yongshun was speechless. It was obvious that his wife and children did not think about it seriously, but believed it out of doting.

Ye Chuan knew that his father was suspicious, so he showed his consultant credentials and placed them in front of his father.

After Ye Yongshun picked it up, his pupils suddenly widened:

Second Electronics Factory, technical consultant!

"...Xiaochuan, is this true?" Ye Yongshun's words were full of surprise and confusion. "The facts are solid and honest!" Liu Yue also took it and looked at it, but she didn't know what the certificate meant. Even Ye Yongshun didn't quite understand it. "And I also got a salary from that electronics factory. It was the salary of a 23rd-level cadre."

After hearing this information, Liu Yue couldn't remain calm.

The word "cadre" instantly filled her mind. "More than 40 yuan?" Ye Yongshun asked tremblingly.

Ye Chuan nodded.

Ye Yongshun was speechless for a moment. He took out a cigarette with trembling hands and tried to light it, but he couldn't.

Ye Chuan smiled and helped his father light a cigarette, and lit one for himself as well. "Son, are you really getting paid?" Liu Yue was surprised and delighted. "I've been getting paid for two months." He smiled. "It's really a blessing from heaven that the old Ye family has a cadre now." Ye Yongshun was emotional and said with a trembling voice.

He had worked hard all his life, living a hard life as a porter.

Not long ago, he was promoted to team leader because of his son. Although the work is still hard, he is still the lowest-level worker.

In just a few months, he had never imagined that his son would have changed so much and now seemed so promising.

In the blink of an eye, it is the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, which is the traditional Chinese New Year's Eve.

But unlike later generations, in this era, most factories and enterprises only worked half a day on the Spring Festival.

Early in the morning, after having a delicious breakfast, Ye Chuan leisurely set out for work.

Families on both sides of the street were busy preparing for their evening reunions, children were chasing and playing in the streets, and the wealthy were waving firecrackers.

The weather is fine today. It coincides with the beginning of spring and the New Year. The sun is shining and people are in a warm and happy mood.

As he walked, he saw bright red couplets posted on the doors of every household, with smiles of satisfaction and happiness on their faces.

Ye Chuan was deeply happy about this scene. The New Year atmosphere here was much stronger, unlike in later times, where the New Year atmosphere was gone and even firecrackers were not allowed to be set off.

From six or seven in the morning, the intermittent sound of fireflies began to linger and continued until the evening, as every family rushed to join in the fun.

Arriving at the workstation, the salesmen gathered in the cafeteria to chat, some were peeling melon seeds, and some were helping to chop meat and prepare dumpling wrappers. "The director is here."

"Director Ye, I wish you a happy new year in advance."

“Hello, Director!”

Seeing Ye Chuan come in, everyone gathered around and greeted him.

Ye Chuan responded to everyone's greetings with a smile. "Brother Ye, the red paper, ink and brush are all ready!" Han Pangdun said in a deep voice.

Ye Chuan nodded in agreement and asked Luo Aimin: "Lao Luo, is the paste ready?"

Luo Aimin laughed and said, "It has already been cooked, just waiting for you to create it."

Then Ye Chuan took off his heavy cotton jacket and came to the table where papers were laid out. On the table were red paper cut to size, a brush and a box of ink.

The Spring Festival couplets should be posted in a conspicuous place on the door, and should be two or three meters long. Ye Chuan dipped the brush in ink, thought for a moment, and then began to write.

About thirty or forty people surrounded him. In the past, he would prepare in advance and then post the words, but this was the first time for him to write by himself.

Luo Aimin stood aside with a pot of paste in his hand, reading the words and keeping pace. "The country is peaceful and the people are safe, and the weather is good and the harvest is good, which praises the new year."

"good!"

"Director Ye's calligraphy is amazing!"

“Not only is the font good, the meaning of the couplet is also good!”

Although Ye Chuan didn't know whether they were expressing sincere admiration or just being polite, it didn't matter. After finishing the first and second couplets and the horizontal scroll, he nodded with satisfaction. "Da Zhuang, post it up!"

Han Pangdun answered readily, carefully took the couplet, and walked towards the door with Luo Aimin.

Next, he wrote the word "Fu" on the red square paper one by one. After writing dozens of them, his fingers became sore.

When the doors of the concierge, office and warehouse were covered with the word "Fu" one by one, the atmosphere of the entire business point instantly became lively and full of the joy of the Spring Festival.

When he arrived at the security room at the door, he found that the old security guard was the only one on duty these days.

Mr. Cui is in his sixties or seventies. He has no children or family to accompany him, but he is content with the current situation.

I spend my days sipping a drink and living a carefree life.

He instructed Luo Aimin to make more dumplings and freeze them outside, enough for Grandpa Cui to enjoy for three to four days.

Walking into the guard room, Ye Chuan smiled and said, "Mr. Cui, you have worked hard. You have been on duty today."

Mr. Cui, who had only half of his teeth missing, responded: "Director Ye is too polite!"