Chapter 73 Greeting
After sitting in Li Huaide's house for more than half an hour, Li Jiandong left.

At about 4:, the workers came back from get off work.

Four engineers were also led by the workers to the tavern dormitory building.

"Engineer Li, Engineer Wang, this way."

Li Jiandong stood at the door of the dormitory building and waved to the four engineers.

Engineer Li’s name is Li Hua. He is the oldest of the four and is in his forties. He is also the deputy chief designer of this independent research and development task.

He led the other three people towards Li Jiandong and said with a smile, "Director Li, your place is quite close to the steel mill, and there is a tavern in front. Whenever you want to drink, you can have a couple of drinks outside the dormitory."

It seems that this engineer is also a wine lover.

Li Jiandong smiled and said, "Not only can you have a couple of drinks when you go out, this tavern is also our hospital's property. If you want to drink, you will pay the cost price."

Engineer Wang said, "No, as long as it's a reasonable income, we should support it. We can't let the people in your institute work for nothing."

Engineer Li also laughed and said, "Xiao Wang is right. As long as it is not speculation, we should support normal profits. As long as the wine is good, we can still afford it."

Engineers are all high-income people. Even the lowest-level assistant engineer has a monthly salary of nearly 100 yuan. Add in various subsidies and you can easily make 130 or 40 yuan a month. There is really no need to save on a glass of wine.

Li Jiandong didn't bother to be polite with them and took them to see the dormitory rooms first.

There was only one room on the second floor, which was given to the only female, Qin Xiaodan, and the three rooms on the first floor were given to three male engineers.

There was no heating at that time, but there was a small stove in each room in the dormitory building. Li Jiandong had someone light a fire before the four engineers came back.

"Engineer Li, Engineer Wang, are the conditions here acceptable?"

"It's OK, much better than our dormitory in Nangang."

"It's good that we can make do with it. It's getting late now. I've just asked someone to order a few dishes from the restaurant. Shall we go to the tavern and find a table to eat and drink?"

Li Jiandong has an enthusiastic attitude.

These engineers are all pillars of talent, and they come to the steel mill to research independent equipment together. They are all practical people and deserve his more attention.

The food had already been ordered and would be delivered soon. The engineers couldn't refuse and could only say thank you.

When I learned that Li Jiandong was promoted from an eighth-level worker to his current position.

The four engineers looked at him with much more seriousness. You have to know that there are four engineers in the steel rolling mill, but only three level eight workers. It can be seen that level eight workers are much rarer than engineers.

When I learned from a drinker next to me that Li Jiandong was also the chief designer of the Nanhong Hydropower Station.

There was a rare hint of respect in the eyes of Engineer Li and others. An ordinary worker was promoted from a fitter to level eight, and then studied and built a hydropower station on his own. This level of difficulty is not something that a few engineers can accomplish.

at the same time.

In the courtyard, Yi Zhonghai had just returned home.

"Zhong Hai, what are you looking for?"

The deaf old lady saw Yi Zhonghai rummaging through the closet and couldn't help but ask.

She has been staying at Yi Zhonghai's house these days, and no matter how Yi Zhonghai tries to drive her away, she refuses to leave.

Yi Zhonghai called the people from the street and wanted them to drive her away, but the street asked in return, didn’t you say at the time that the old lady was your relative, so we arranged her into this courtyard?

As soon as these words were spoken, Yi Zhonghai was speechless.

When the old lady saw that even the street hall did not help Yi Zhonghai, she became even more arrogant.

Not only did she live here with peace of mind every day, but she could also eat whatever food Yi Zhonghai's family provided.

In order to prevent her from eating for free, Yi Zhonghai simply stopped buying rice and noodles for home.

Every time he would just buy the finished product and eat it directly, so that the deaf old lady wouldn't be able to get a free meal from him.

Because of the crime of speculation, buying ready-made steamed buns doesn’t cost much more than making them yourself, and it’s much more cost-effective than letting the old lady eat them for free.

But Yi Zhonghai could never have imagined that the old lady would find out that Yi Zhonghai did not buy food.

She simply cut his bed sheets into pieces and threatened to destroy his food if he had no food to eat in the future.

There are so many furniture, bedding, clothes and other things in Yi Zhonghai's house. If all of these were converted into food, it would be enough for the old lady to eat until she died.

Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to continue bringing rice and flour home.

Hearing the deaf old lady's question, Yi Zhonghai didn't dare not answer, for fear of angering this old lunatic and having her cut his sheets again.

"I'm going to get some money. I need it for something."

Yi Zhonghai did not lie because he had found the passbook, and the deaf old lady was not blind and would definitely see it.

"How do you still have money? Didn't you say last time that your family had no money? I asked you to buy some meat, but you kept making excuses. What do you want to do with the money now? If you don't explain clearly, don't even think about taking the money out."

The deaf old lady didn't consider herself an outsider at all, as if Yi Zhonghai's money was hers.

Yi Zhonghai sighed. If he had known earlier, he should not have brought this old lady in.

Now that she was subdued by Li Jiandong, she dared not bully other people in the courtyard. She only bullied him all day long. Yi Zhonghai regretted it so much.

"Old lady, I'm saving this money for emergencies. You're so old, and I'm disabled. What if I get sick or have a disaster and have no money?"

Yi Zhonghai's explanation obviously did not satisfy the deaf old lady.

The old lady said sarcastically, "You do have a point, but you haven't said what you're going to do with the money. Are you planning to secretly buy yourself something delicious outside?"

Yi Zhonghai said speechlessly:

"What delicious food are you buying? Do you think I'm a greedy person? I need to take out this money to give as a gift. One of my classmates is now a leader, and I have to use the money to beg him to help me get promoted."

"I only have 18 yuan a month now. Just the living expenses for the two of us will cost more than yuan. Add in other expenses and it's not enough. How can I have extra money to buy delicious food?"

The deaf old lady has learned a little arithmetic and knows some addition and subtraction within 20.

After counting on his fingers, he let Yi Zhonghai go, but he still said mercilessly:

"When you get promoted and make more money, you should honor me. If it weren't for helping you deal with Li Jiandong, I wouldn't be in this situation today. You have to be responsible for the rest of my life."

"Okay, okay, I'll take responsibility, okay?"

Yi Zhonghai was quite open-minded. He knew he couldn't get rid of the deaf old lady, so he just accepted his fate.

Anyway, this old lady is just greedy and stingy. With these two shortcomings, she can't spend much money in a month, so just treat her as a dog.

Yi Zhonghai took the passbook and left the courtyard, then went to the bank to withdraw 100 yuan.

Yi Zhonghai used the money to buy some food and drinks, and then bought some tea, and walked towards where Li Huaide lived.

The reason why he came back so late was to find out where Li Huaide lived. His efforts paid off and he actually found out.

After knocking on Li Huaide's door a few times, someone soon came out. When Li Huaide opened the door and saw Yi Zhonghai outside, he was stunned for a moment.

"Are you Yi Zhonghai? How did you become such a mess?"

Li Huaide said with a joking expression, without giving any face

Although he and Yi Zhonghai were old classmates, Li Huaide was not polite to him at all.

For someone like him, there are only useful people and useless people. There is no such thing as friendship between classmates or any other kind of friendship.

Of course Yi Zhonghai also knew his character, and he had already prepared to be humiliated when he came, so when he saw his sarcastic expression, he didn't take it to heart, and continued to smile and said:
"Director Li, do you still remember me?"

Li Huaide laughed and said:

"You, Yi Zhonghai, how could I not remember you? From elementary school to junior high school, you always tried your best to do better than me in every exam. What's the point?"

Li Huaide pointed at Yi Zhonghai and the sleeve without the arm and said:
"Look at what you've become. How come your arm is gone? And the clothes you're wearing, you've been competing with me for first place every year just to be a security guard at the Red Star Steel Mill?"

Yi Zhonghai was still wearing the work clothes he wore after get off work. Although he was in the guardhouse all day, he also had the clothes of the security department.

Being ridiculed by Li Huaide one after another, even though Yi Zhonghai was well prepared, he still felt embarrassed.

However, he still insisted on laughing awkwardly and said, "Director Li, we were still young at that time, and young people didn't know much, so we just wanted to compete with others. But now I understand that some things are destined, and I can't pursue them just because I want to. We are not destined to be together at all."

Li Huaide felt very comfortable with this flattery.

He glanced at what Yi Zhonghai was holding, opened the door for him and said, "After all, we are old classmates, come in first and talk." Yi Zhonghai walked into the room and Li Huaide closed the door casually.

At this time, Yi Zhonghai handed over the thing in his hand: "Director Li, we haven't seen each other for so many years. This is a little gift from me. Please don't despise it."

Li Huaide put his hands behind his back and did not accept Yi Zhonghai's gift. Instead, he asked,

"Yi Zhonghai, just tell me directly, what do you want from me?"

He was already a director when he was in the Ministry of Industry, and had experienced a lot of gift-giving. He would not easily accept a gift before hearing that Yi Zhonghai wanted him to help with something.

Yi Zhonghai had been a worker for so many years that he was familiar with all these things. Upon hearing this, he got straight to the point without any further ado:
"Director Li, I have nothing else to talk to you about. I was a level 7 fitter before, but I lost an arm due to an injury. Now I can only work as a security guard at the gate. I only make 18 yuan a month, and I can't make a living anymore."

"Can you please ask the production department to help me adjust my employment status and calculate my salary based on my previous job?"

Li Huaide sneered:

"I say, Lao Yi, you have a nice dream. You are currently working as a security guard, and you want the salary of a level 7 fitter? Aren't you dreaming?"

"No need for level 7, level 3 will be fine."

Yi Zhonghai nodded and bowed. A third-level fitter could earn 45 yuan a month, which was enough for him and the deaf old lady to live a comfortable life.

He could even have some extra money left every month, and with that extra money he could give benefits to others and win their hearts.

Although Yi Zhonghai had fallen to this point, he never gave up and still hoped to make a comeback one day.

Until he took back everything he had lost from Li Jiandong.

Li Huaide hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take the things Yi Zhonghai brought.

"For the sake of our old classmates, I can ask for you, but don't hold your hopes too high. After all, I'm just a temporary transfer."

"Okay, as long as you're willing to help."

Yi Zhonghai finally felt relieved. He knew Li Huaide's ability, and this little thing was no big deal to him.

"By the way, Director Li, when you ask for help, it would be best to talk to Director Wang from the Production Department. There is a conflict between me and that Li Jiandong. What if he deliberately blocks me..."

Li Huaide rolled his eyes and said calmly: "Okay, I get it, if you are okay you can go back."

After opening the door, Yi Zhonghai said a few more words of thanks and then left contentedly.

the next day.

As soon as Li Jiandong got up in the morning, he heard a system prompt sound.

Xu Damao worked with the Agricultural Research Institute team to cultivate hybrid rice.

However, this hybrid rice is still very primitive. Not only is the yield not that high, but the texture and taste are not very good either.

However, in this era when each person has only one steamed corn bread, no matter how bad the texture and taste are, they can never be worse than corn flour. In comparison, the increase in production will allow more people to have food to eat, which is the most important thing.

Li Jiandong opened the apprenticeship system and took a look. His agricultural level had reached level 7. It took him nearly a year to upgrade one level. This speed could be said to be quite slow.

The advantage is that agriculture only has one subject, unlike industrial technology which has so many categories such as fitter, forger, and repairman.

Therefore, as long as you level up, all knowledge about agriculture will be improved at the same time.

Including soil, climate, plant habits, humidity, as well as seeds and fertilizers.

"Cultivating hybrid rice requires not only technology but also luck. In comparison, researching fertilizers is much faster. I can remind him when Damao comes back."

Li Jiandong now has level 7 agricultural ability and has some understanding of the production of hybrid rice.

The hybrid breeding of the Agricultural Research Institute is not only carried out in the laboratory, but the seeds are actually planted. Dozens or even hundreds of experimental fields are used to cultivate different hybrid varieties at the same time. Before the rice matures, no one knows which field will be successful.

So let alone Li Jiandong's current agricultural level of level 7, even if he reaches level 1, he still needs to rely on luck to cultivate high-yield and delicious hybrid rice.

But researching fertilizers is different. As long as the ingredients are understood, it can be mass-produced very quickly and can be used on any plant.

After breakfast, Li Jiandong came to the steel rolling mill.

Just as he stopped driving and was about to go to the office building, he heard someone calling him, "Old Li, wait a moment."

Li Jiandong turned around and found that it was Xu Fugui, and couldn't help asking: "Old Xu, what's wrong? Do you want to talk to me about something?"

Xu Fugui rode his bicycle with a projector on the back seat, and did not stop until he reached Li Jiandong.
"Lao Li, I went to Luogou Hutong last night to show a movie to the workers at the textile factory. Guess who I met there?"

Luogou Hutong is also in Nanluoguxiang, near Li Huaide's home. Li Jiandong took Li Huaide past there yesterday.

"Who did you see?"

Xu Fugui laughed and said, "I'm telling you, Lao Li, if I didn't tell you, you would never have guessed that I ran into Yi Zhonghai yesterday evening."

"Yi Zhonghai, what is he doing in Luogou Hutong?"

Li Jiandong really didn't expect it to be Yi Zhonghai, but after Xu Fugui's reminder, he immediately guessed a possibility.

Li Huaide lives near Luogou Hutong and just arrived at the steel rolling mill today.

Yi Zhonghai suddenly ran to Luogou Hutong, which is so far away, at this time. It is very likely related to Li Huaide.

"Then I don't know. Anyway, I saw Yi Zhonghai appear in Luogou Hutong with my own eyes. He was carrying something in his hand. It looked like he was visiting relatives."

Li Jiandong said, "I see. Lao Xu, go get busy. Hurry up and don't be late for work."

"Okay, I'll leave first."

Xu Fugui kicked his foot and rode his bicycle towards the auditorium.

Li Jiandong walked into the office building and entered the office, still thinking about what Yi Zhonghai was going to do next.

This troublemaker always stirs up trouble every once in a while, otherwise Li Jiandong wouldn't have become alert when he heard his name.

Just as he was thinking, Li Huaide came over and said, "Jiandong, come here."

The two stood in the corridor.

Li Huaide then said, "I heard that you and Yi Zhonghai are from the same courtyard. What is your impression of him?"

The first thing Li Huaide mentioned was Yi Zhonghai, which Li Jiandong had not expected.

He nodded and said, "Indeed, we are from the same courtyard. As for the impression... he is a rather pitiful person, right? What's wrong?"

Li Jiandong thought for a long time before he came up with the word "pitiful" to describe Yi Zhonghai.

Isn't it pitiful to go against him, Li Jiandong?

If he had been transferred to another compound, Yi Zhonghai might have been a big boss now, and was doing very well.

When Li Huaide heard this, he knew that the relationship between Li Jiandong and Yi Zhonghai was indeed not very good.

Although he and Yi Zhonghai are old classmates, old classmates have no status in his heart.

On the contrary, Li Jiandong is very important to him and is the talent he currently focuses on attracting.

So he sneered and said:
"Jiandong, you may not know that Yi Zhonghai and I have known each other since elementary school. Your evaluation of him is absolutely right. He is a pitiful man, but there must be something hateful about pitiful people. The most hateful thing about Yi Zhonghai is that he always likes to take crooked paths."

"Yesterday, maybe he saw me coming to our factory, so he came to me with something after work that night, wanting me to help change his job title to a level 3 fitter. You said, what can I do about such a mistake? Who do you think I am?"

Li Huaide became more and more angry as he spoke, but Li Jiandong could see that he was acting.
Li Jiandong said with a smile:

"Yi Zhonghai really likes to use backdoors. Because of this, he and I had a bad relationship. I can understand Director Li's feelings very well."

They are all smart people, so Li Jiandong naturally knew how to reply. A simple sentence could make him understand and create empathy between the two of them.

It is very comfortable for people with high emotional intelligence to communicate with each other.

Li Huaide also understood why Li Jiandong was able to rise from a worker to deputy director of production in such a short period of time on his own.

Because he is not only capable at work, but also has a good way of dealing with people.

After a few brief words, Li Huaide said goodbye.

After talking with Li Jiandong, Li Huaide naturally would not help Yi Zhonghai adjust his work status and job type.

(End of this chapter)