Siheyuan: Big City, Small Love

Money and goods are cleared.

"Aunt Han, I've taken the stuff. I hope you don't tell others how much I sold it for. I don't want everyone to come to me to sell stuff."

He Lai smiled awkwardly.

"Okay, I won't tell you. I won't tell you. Thank you. Thank you. You saved our family."

Widow Han's eyes turned red, this was truly life-saving money.

"Aunt Han, take your time. I'm going to the central courtyard first." He came to see that Widow Han was not in good condition and ran away quickly.

……

In the Intermediate Court, everyone is still signing up to buy food.

"Hey, He Lai, have you bought anything? Is it a good thing?"

A middle-aged man asked.

"Well, it's a nice item. I bought it." He Lai also admitted it generously.

"Really? How much did you buy it for? The widow wanted to sell it for 15 dollars. Is it worth it?"

"Almost. I also bought it for fifteen dollars." He Lai walked down the slope. No one would say anything about fifteen dollars.

"You are so generous. Now Widow Han's family will have a better life for a while."

Everyone started talking about it. After all, He Lai's family was wealthy, and everyone knew that this little money was nothing.

"Yu Shui, let's go." He Lai came to Yu Shui and took the stool.

"Brother, what is this thing? Is it an antique?" Yu Shui asked curiously.

"That should be the case. Do you want it? I'll give it to you, but you have to keep it well."

"Yes, yes, I will definitely keep it well." Yu Shui immediately became happy when she heard He Lai was going to give it to her.

After returning to the house, He Lai gave the red sticker box in the room to Yu Shui.

It is impossible that Yu Shui is as ignorant as Su Meng. She keeps everything that He Lai gives her very carefully and is reluctant to even give away her childhood clothes.

Afterwards, He Lai told Yu Shui how to get hot water so that it would be convenient for her to take a bath.

"Okay, wait a minute, the hot water will be there. You can connect the hot water to the bathtub, or you can stand directly under the shower head, just like in the bathhouse outside. Do you understand?"

He Lai finished his introduction and faced the rainwater channel.

"I understand. Thank you, Brother Lai." Yu Shui said with a smile, squinting her eyes.

"What are you thanking me for? Bring your clothes for when you take a shower. Don't catch a cold. I've already taken showers at the factory. When you're done, remember to turn off the boiler and go to bed early. Got it?"

He Lai touched Yu Shui’s head and gave instructions.

This time he didn't hide from the rain, but just nodded and ran into the room to get clothes.

He Lai also entered his room and pressed the bed. It was very comfortable. Old Mrs. He had put a thick mattress on it, and there was a brand new four-piece set.

This time, He Lai did not enter the space to sleep, but took off his clothes and lay on the spring bed.

……

The next day

The steel rolling mill posted a notice that He Lai was promoted to level nine engineer.

"Comrade workers, please pay attention. A notice is now being read out.

Comrade He Lai from our factory's technical department has performed excellently in his work, actively dealt with major and minor problems of the factory's equipment, and provided maintenance and production plans, which greatly improved our factory's production capacity and made outstanding contributions to our factory.

According to the decision of the factory party organization meeting, Comrade He Lai will be promoted to the ninth-level engineer of our factory from now on.

I hope that all the workers will follow Comrade He Lai’s example, work hard, make contributions to our factory, and take it to a higher level.”

"Fellow workers..."

"..."

After the announcement was made three times on the radio, everyone in the factory knew that He Lai had become an engineer.

"Come on, let me tell you, you will definitely advance." Zhang Zhiwen said with a smile.

He Lai curled his lips. Getting promoted was not a good thing. After all, the two deputy section chiefs of the technical department, Engineer Chen and Engineer Yuan, were only level nine engineers. It would be better not to cause unnecessary trouble.

"Everyone, have a smoke, have a smoke." He Lai took out three packs of Daqianmen cigarettes from the drawer, opened one pack and shared it with everyone.

When he got to the girl's place, he took out a handful of White Rabbit candies from his pocket and gave them to Shen Dandan, asking her to help distribute them.

Then he came to the desk between Engineer Chen and Engineer Yuan, each with a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes.

"Engineer Chen, Engineer Yuan, I am still the same He Lai. Please don't give me any work. I can just translate books."

He Lai said softly.

"You little brat, you have the skills but you just want to shirk your responsibilities. I regret asking you to translate now."

Mr. Chen scolded with a smile.

"Yeah, this guy made something and then gave up on doing the work for us. He is really lazy."

Engineer Yuan also started to complain.

"Oh, I'm still young and can't handle it. Please bear with me."

He Lai smiled bitterly.

"You, just wait for the factory managers to come find you." Engineer Chen said with a smile.

He Lai thought so too, and guessed that they would have to win over such a popular person like me.

He Lai returned to his seat.

After a while, just as Engineer Chen expected, Director Yang's Secretary Yan arrived.

"Comrade He Lai, the factory director wants to see you about something, so I want you to come over."

Everyone covered their mouths and laughed, and He Lai stood up helplessly.

I followed Secretary Yan to Director Yang's office.

"Xiao Laizi, you're here. I saw Minister Zhou calling you like that, so I'll call you like that too. Is that okay with you?"

After Secretary Yan left, Director Yang said to He Lai with a smile.

"Of course not, it feels very familiar." He Lai was speechless. He hoped that it would not spread any more, otherwise he would not be able to get rid of it.

"Okay, after half a year of observation, I found that you do have the skills of an engineer. I took on a lot of pressure on you at the meeting and fought hard for this engineer position. You have to work hard for me."

Director Yang said with a smile on his face.

"Of course, of course. Thank you, Director Yang." He Lai didn't have much contact with Director Yang anyway, so it was enough to just do his superficial work well.

"Okay, your Section Chief Ge thinks highly of you and believes that you can take over his job in the future. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand, I understand. From now on, I will listen to Director Yang and do whatever he tells me to do."

"Okay, okay, come on, do a good job."

Director Yang was very satisfied with He Lai's reaction. At least this technician listened to him, which was very good.

"Then Director Yang, if everything is ok, I will go back to work first?"

"Okay, go ahead, go ahead." Director Yang waved his hand.

Damn it, I didn’t get anything.

He Lai quickly fled from Director Yang's office. Just as he reached the door of the technical department, he saw Secretary Liang again.

He Lai had no choice but to follow.

Office of Deputy Director Li

Deputy Director Li Huaide was much more friendly.

"He Lai, congratulations, you are already a ninth-level engineer at such a young age."

"Oh, Director Li is here to help me. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't be able to get in."

He Lai said with a smile.

"Haha, I can't help much. It was mainly Minister Zhou who made the effort."

Li Huaide is quite down-to-earth, unlike Director Yang who treats everyone else as fools.

"Then I have to thank Director Li as well. I often go to my brother Zhuzi's place to eat good food, and nothing has ever happened. It must have been Director Li who suppressed it."

He Lai planned to reveal his shortcomings first so that Director Li would feel that he was one of his own.

"Well, it's my duty. You have done so much for the factory, so you deserve to eat something good."

Director Li also understood what He Lai meant. Exposing his shortcomings to him meant that he wanted to get on his boat. After all, there was no one in the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill who was Director Zhou's subordinate.

"Thank you, Director Li. My brother Zhuzi has been praising you all the time."

"Really? This He Yuzhu is a really good cook, on par with his father. It's just that we are a little short of supplies now, and there is nothing to cook for them."

Li Huaide sighed. After all, food was a bit tight now, and there were only two chefs there.

"Director Li, I can get a pig, but it will take half a month before it can be marketed."

He Lai thought that the pig in his space should grow up in a few days.

"Oh, really? Then bring it here, I'll pay a high price for it."

Li Huaide's eyes lit up.

"Director Li, this is what happened. The pigs are not mine. My uncle secretly raised them in the countryside. He wanted to find a job for my cousin in the city."

"Is that so? It's a bit difficult for rural people to move to the city." Li Huaide felt that one pig was not enough.

"What about the other two?"

"Okay. There's a job opening right now. I'll write a job application letter right away."

Li Huaide said with a smile.

"Thank you, Director Li."

"Call me Uncle Li in private from now on." Li Huaide was very happy. With two pigs, the workers could have a good meal, and he could also have a good meal.

At present, the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill is not a large factory with tens of thousands of employees, with only about six or seven thousand people. Two pigs are enough for the workers to have a taste of meat.

"Uncle Li, I have something I need your help with." He Lai smiled and thought that Li Huaide must have the bicycle ticket in his hand.

"Whatever it is, just tell me."

"Well, my sister has just graduated from junior high school and wants a bicycle. But I don't have a ticket!"

"Well, okay, I just happen to have one here. Consider it my congratulations on your promotion to engineer."

Li Huaide took out a bicycle ticket from the drawer and placed it on the table.

"Thank you, Uncle Li." He Lai took it immediately and put it in his pocket.

"Okay, I won't delay your work anymore, go back."

"Then I'll leave first." He Lai left with a smile. As expected, he went to find Li Huaide to get the ticket.

The Red Star Steel Rolling Mill is so tight that it won’t even give rewards to promoted engineers!