Siheyuan, Me and the Yu Sisters

Zhang Renkang accompanied the leader and his wife and Zhou Xiaobai for dinner. During the meal, Zhang Renkang talked and laughed, making Zhou Xiaobai laugh. The leader also said humorously:

"It seems that Renkang will be very popular with women in the future."

Zhang Renkang laughed

“I just read more books.”

The leader asked in surprise

"Renkang, what kind of books do you usually read?"

Zhang Renkang said with a smile

"Mainly "Records of the Grand Historian" and "Selected Works of XXX"

“Also read some of Lu Xun’s collected works.”

The leader nodded and said

"It seems that you have quite a lot of knowledge. Let me ask you a question. Which is more important to us, thinking or eating?"

Zhang Renkang thought for a moment and said

“Why did we not have enough food to eat in the early years?”

"Is it because we can't build an industry? I remember the steel mill was built by the Lou family three or four decades ago, right?"

“Then why can we build steel mills but still not have enough to eat?”

Although this statement is simple, it made the senior leaders think deeply. Yes, it is not that they did not develop industry before, so why did it not develop? Why did the people still not have enough food to eat after the development of industry?

The leader frowned and thought more and more, then he stood up and paced back and forth. Zhang Renkang, Zhou Xiaobai and the leader's wife watched the leader thoughtfully and did not dare to disturb him. After a while, the leader suddenly said

"Renkang, what you said makes a lot of sense. I think it is worth discussing."

way of laughter

"I didn't expect that you, a young comrade, have such high awareness and thoughts."

Zhang Renkang smiled bitterly and said

"Boss, you are too kind. I am not as great as you say. I just read more books, think more, and listen to the news on the loudspeaker more often."

The leader nodded and said

"I see, I gave you the right radio last time."

Then he smiled and said

"I didn't expect that something that we old revolutionaries haven't figured out could be pointed out by you in just one sentence. That's amazing."

After that, he sat down and started eating rice with Zhang Renkang and the others. It seemed that the leader had finally figured it out and let go of the burden in his heart, so he ate more happily than before. The leader's wife was also happy to see the leader with a good appetite, and kept picking up dishes for Zhang Renkang and Zhou Xiaobai.

After the meal, Zhang Renkang said goodbye to the leader's family and Zhou Xiaobai. Zhou Xiaobai, who was quite interested in Zhang Renkang, escorted Zhang Renkang out of the residential area and said under the watchful eyes of the guard:

"Brother Renkang, can I come and play with you when I have time?"

Zhang Renkang said with a smile

"Sure, my sister at home will be happy to have a playmate, you're welcome."

"I'm leaving, little sister, please go back quickly."

Zhang Renkang rode his bike back to the courtyard. Zhou Xiaobai looked at Zhang Renkang who disappeared into the night, wondering with great interest what kind of person Zhang Renkang was. He knew a lot, and his cooking was delicious. In comparison, Zhang Haiyang and his gang were just hooligans who only knew how to fight and cause trouble every day. At this moment, Zhou Xiaobai developed a strong interest in Zhang Renkang.

Zhang Renkang knocked on the door of the courtyard after returning to it. It was already so cold in the city in December that even wearing a cotton coat made one shiver. Yan Bugui opened the door for Zhang Renkang wearing a cotton coat and asked

"Renkang, why did you come back so late today?"

Zhang Renkang said with a smile

"My boss is looking for me for something, so I'm delayed."

Yan Bugui said enviously

"Renkang is really amazing. Leaders always have to talk to you late into the night."

Zhang Renkang laughed and said

"It's not that we had a late night talk, it's just that the boss wanted to eat hometown food, and I happened to be good at it, so I helped to cook and we ate together for a while."

Yan Bugui nodded and smiled

"Being able to eat with the boss shows that you are very capable, Renkang, can you find a job for your brother Jie Cheng?"

Zhang Renkang laughed

"Uncle, I'm just a cook, not a big boss. How can I recruit people? You got the wrong person."

Yan Bugui said with a smile

"Renkang, you are familiar with the leader, why don't you talk to your brother Jie Cheng and see if you can let him be a temporary worker?"

Zhang Renkang thought for a moment and said

"Uncle, if you mean temporary work, then there is indeed a way."

Yan Bugui said excitedly

"What is the way, Renkang, tell me?"

Zhang Renkang glanced at Yan Bugui and smiled a little strangely.

"The unloading department is recruiting temporary workers every day. After working for a year, you can become a regular employee. You can even change departments at that time. Why don't you ask Jie Cheng to sign up and give it a try?"

Yan Bugui pondered for a moment and asked

"What does this unloading department do?"

Zhang Renkang said

"Some materials arrive and are unloaded in the warehouse. For example, some parts arrive and you have to move them from the truck to the warehouse for storage."

Yan Bugui nodded and thought, it's just moving things, it's not difficult, if you don't have enough strength, you can just move less, right?

"How much is it per month?"

Zhang Renkang laughed

"Uncle, normally apprentices have to work for three years, but the unloading department is different. The salary is 17.5 yuan in the third year, and there is a subsidy of 3 yuan per month for full attendance. This is more than 20 yuan."

Yan Bugui was moved when he heard this and said

"Then please sign up for your brother Jie Cheng. Thank you, Uncle San."

Zhang Renkang said

"No need for me, just ask Jie Cheng to go to the security office at the door and ask, and someone will take him there."

"Uncle, it's too cold. I'll go back first. I'll see you later."

Zhang Renkang pushed the cart back to the backyard. Yan Bugui closed the door and locked it. He went home and thought for a long time, then called the whole family to a meeting.

Yan Bugui looked at Yan Jiecheng and said

"Jie Cheng, I asked Zhang Renkang for a job for you. It's a one-year apprenticeship, and you can become a regular employee after a year. The salary is 20.5 yuan a month. Do you want to do it?"

Yan Jiecheng was very excited when he heard that there was a job, even though it was an apprenticeship, he could get a permanent job in one year.

"Okay, where are we going? The kitchen? I'll go there."

Yan Bugui nodded and said

"Jie Cheng, your job is in the unloading department of the steel mill. You just help unload the things that have been pulled into the warehouse. It doesn't sound that difficult."

Yan Jiecheng nodded excitedly and said

“That’s fine too, I did it.”

Yan Jiecheng thought, isn't it just unloading? No one would notice if he worked less. He could get a permanent job after working for a year. When he has a formal job, will he be worried that no one will introduce him to a wife? Didn't Yu Li just blow it off because she didn't like him because he didn't have a job?

Seeing that Yan Jiecheng agreed, Yan Bugui said slowly:

"Now that you have a job, you will have to pay for food at home. Eight dollars a month, is that okay?"

Yan Jiecheng immediately quit and shouted

"Dad, you're over-calculating, aren't you? Can the food we eat be worth eight dollars? Four dollars at most."

Yan Bugui said with a smile

"Jie Cheng, don't you see who helped you find your job? Nowadays, a job costs at least 600 yuan, but there is still no demand. Why don't you ask Zhang Renkang to introduce you? I have to repay the favor, don't I?"

Yan Bugui said again

"Besides that, you also have to pay for accommodation at home. I'll calculate it as four dollars a month. Is it okay for you to pay twelve dollars a month?"

Yan Jiecheng hated it so much that he felt pain, but he had always been weak in character, so he dared not argue with Yan Bugui. He could only nod and agree to this unequal condition. However, Yan Jiecheng did not know what kind of labor intensity he would face in the future.

The unloading department of the steel rolling mill, collectively known as the material unloading department of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill, is mainly responsible for unloading and loading dozens of wagons of coking coal transported regularly from Baotou every month and the steel and various materials entering and leaving the factory every day into the corresponding warehouses to complete the warehousing. To put it simply, everyone has to unload at least "tons" of materials every day, most of which require human resistance and pulling. The work intensity can be called hell mode. Most people can't stand this pain and quit within three months. The unloading department is also the only department that recruits people all year round. As long as you come, you can go to work. Therefore, in order to retain people, the unloading department has a probation period of only one year, and there is a three-yuan subsidy. It is allowed to transfer to another position based on performance after becoming a regular employee (of course, the number of places is limited, only three per year)

Yan Jiecheng's small body might not be able to work for three days. He would have to be exhausted. The father and son of the Yan family didn't understand the steel mill, so they felt excited. In fact, the employees of the steel mill would rather sweep the toilet than be punished to work in the unloading department.

The next day, Yan Jiecheng, who followed everyone to the steel mill, said that he was going to work in the unloading department and would be promoted to a regular employee next year. Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, Qin Huairu and several other employees of the steel mill in the hospital were all surprised. Liu Haizhong asked in confusion:

"Jie Cheng, do you really want to go to the unloading department? With your physique, isn't Old Yan afraid that you'll be finished?"

Qin Huairu also looked at Yan Jiecheng's small body in disbelief and said

"Solution, have you thought about it?"

Yan Jiecheng said puzzledly

"What's wrong? Isn't the unloading department recruiting people? Or is the internship period not one year?"

Yi Zhonghai said quietly

"Yes, you can become a regular employee in one year, but you have to think carefully, the work there is much more tiring than in the workshop."

Yan Jiecheng laughed

"It only takes one year to get a permanent job. I can just bear with the tiredness for a while. After one year, I can change jobs."

Seeing that Yan Jiecheng was so excited and didn't know what to face, everyone kept silent and waited to see Yan Jiecheng's joke. Who made Yan Bugui so wicked and took advantage of everyone at the door every day? The group quickened their pace and walked towards the steel mill.

Seeking "Generation of Love"

Seeking "Generation of Love"

Seeking "Generation of Love"