Chapter 178

Even though everyone is a worker in this shabby factory, it is extremely difficult to upgrade. There is no other reason, and they cannot pay you that much.

Not to mention the eighth-level worker, the highest level currently is only the third-level worker, and he is fifty years old.

In the office, Ding Qiunan was thinking about the infirmary, but as he was thinking, he suddenly realized that if the pump factory wanted to set up a infirmary, it would need doctors.

It would be great if dad could come to work. Even if the salary is low, he can still earn money. She wouldn't have to borrow so much money from Brother Li. Later, when she goes to college and receives subsidies, she can save the money and pay it back.

But can my father be the factory doctor? He has been dismissed from the workers' hospital, which is a stain.

Thinking of this, Ding Qiunan became worried.

But Chen Bing ran all the way across the Bianjiang Bridge and rushed to the grain station to buy rice, but he was dumbfounded because there was no rice for sale.

I had no choice but to run all the way to the city, found a grain station, and finally bought 50 kilograms of rice. Then I ran to the market, but I was late again and didn't buy any meat.

I had no choice but to continue running towards the city, and finally arrived at a slightly larger vegetable market and bought five kilograms of pork.

I had to go to the next place and couldn't waste time. I finally bought everything and almost ran my legs off.

"Tuk-tuk!"

"I'm here, Qiu... Hey, who are you looking for?"

Ding Rushan was stunned as he looked at a strange young man wearing worker's clothes, carrying a bag of grain, a large piece of meat, and a large bag.

He must have gone to the wrong place. When he was still working in the hospital, he had never confiscated so many things. The most he had ever confiscated was 20 kilograms of rice coupons given by Officer Li. Unfortunately, he had already been fired and could no longer issue medical records, so he missed out on that big client.

"You are Ding Rushan, right? My leader asked me to give this to you."

Chen Bing quickly put down the rice bag and ran all the way carrying 50 kilograms of rice. He was exhausted.
"Yes, I'm Ding Rushan. Does your leader know me?"

Ding Rushan was dumbfounded. Is this reliable?
"My boss is your daughter Ding Qiunan's brother. He sent it here. Please keep it. I have to go back and report."

Chen Bing handed over the pork and the big bag in his hand, turned around and ran away. He felt extremely relieved as he could eat two more steamed buns in the evening.

"Boss, who are you talking to? Isn't Qiu Nan back?"

Ding's mother came out of the house, and her eyes widened when she saw what the man was holding.

"Boss, where did you get such a big piece of pork? We haven't eaten meat since you were fired."

"A young man came and said that his leader asked him to come and he was Qiu Nan's brother. How come I didn't know this? Qiu Nan hasn't come back yet."

Ding Rushan looked at the meat in his hand, swallowed his saliva, and became greedy.

"Boss, what about these things?"

Mother Ding bent down and opened the bag. She exclaimed, "It's rice. So much, dozens of kilograms. Where did so many rice tickets come from?"

"Wife, close the door quickly."

Ding Rushan quickly put the things in his hands on the table, then returned to help his wife carry the rice into the house and put it away, and then he looked at the big bag on the table.

"Wife, look, there are so many good things here."

"Oh, how much money does this cost? How big of a leader does he have to be? When did our Qiu Nan recognize him as his brother?"

The Dings looked at two bottles of wine, a pot of oil, a chicken, a bag of rice noodles, and a bag of dried mushrooms...

There is also a large piece of pork and dozens of kilograms of rice, which the family is short of.

"Boss, how about we soak some mushrooms, stew some chicken, and cook some rice noodles?"

Mother Ding was greedy and felt uncomfortable in her stomach when she saw all the delicious food.

"I think it's okay. Let's eat some local chicken rice noodles first. Make some stir-fried meat for Qiu Nan and cook some rice for her when she comes back."

Ding Rushan couldn't bear it any longer. He ate so poorly that he had no strength at all.

"Then let's get started. We'll ask Qiu Nan what's going on when she comes back."

Mother Ding hurriedly took the chicken to the kitchen, as if she could already smell the aroma of chicken soup.

……

In the water pump factory, Li Zhiguo had five water pumps dismantled. The clean water pumps originally produced by the factory could be used, but they were difficult to manufacture, the process was complicated and backward, and they could not operate underwater. They should have been eliminated long ago.

There are also two deep water pumps purchased from the big brother, as well as water pumps produced in Shanghai and Changsha.

Since he had seen the drawings beforehand, it was of great help to him after he saw the real thing.

Even without his interference, the pump would have been developed, but for various reasons it would have been delayed for many years.

But we can’t wait any longer. In order to cope with drought disasters, we have to rush into mass production even if the conditions are not yet ripe.

"Engineer Cheng, I have the dimensions here. Please have someone prepare the materials for the shell first."

He immediately gave some instructions, leaving the core part aside for now.

"Deputy Director Xiao, please come here and have the workers start renovating the workshop from tomorrow. I'll have Engineer Zhou bring some people to work with you. The drawings have already been given to them."

Li Zhiguo wanted to do assembly line operations so that the workers in the water pump factory could experience what industrialization is in advance.

After I finished explaining everything, it was almost time, so 4:30 was just right for us to leave.

"Boss, I've completed your request. Here's the remaining $6.37."

Chen Bing had just returned less than ten minutes ago. He had been running outside for three hours and was extremely tired.

"Okay, thank you for your hard work."

Li Zhiguo put the money away. It was almost the same as what he calculated. It seemed that he had withstood the test.

As for giving running money, there is no need for that. Others are paid a salary, and it is not fashionable to give money to subordinates nowadays.

"It's not hard."

Chen Bing was extremely happy. It seemed that he could secure his position as secretary.

"Well, I won't be here for a few days, can you help me follow up on a few things..."

Li Zhiguo gave some instructions to the secretary who was always busy with work and then left work.

"Qiu Nan, let's go."

"Brother Li, it's time already, and I haven't finished writing yet."

Ding Qiunan had been in a daze for a long time before, and now she was still writing the names of the medicines, but she couldn't remember them all.

"It's okay, go home and write it, and give it to me tomorrow."

Li Zhiguo said this and walked out to get his bicycle.

Ding Qiunan quickly took the teacup and backpack and followed.

"Deputy Director Li, take care."

The security guard followed out and watched the leader leave before returning.

When they arrived at the Bianjiang Bridge, Li Zhiguo suddenly stopped the car and said, "Qiu Nan, go back and discuss this with your parents. I can't be there for you.

Meet at the gate of Qianmen Middle School tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, er, or eleven o'clock."

"Yes! I will definitely go tomorrow."

Ding Qiunan got out of the car and said this. This time, no matter whether her parents agreed or not, she was determined to go to high school.

"Here are five dollars. Take it first. You don't even have money for the trip. I'm leaving now."

Li Zhiguo took out the money he had prepared and stuffed it into Ding Qiunan's hand, then rode away on his bicycle. He was supposed to go to Qianmen Street tomorrow, so there was no need to delay.

Ding Qiunan walked back happily holding the money. When she got home, she wrote down the amount in a notebook and returned it to Brother Li in full later.

"Dad, Mom, I'm back."

Ding Qiunan shouted and tried to push the door, but found that it couldn't be opened and was locked from the inside.

"Mom, it's me!"

"coming."

Mother Ding's voice came, and when the door opened, Mother Ding took the lead to look to the side and couldn't help asking, "Daughter, where is your brother?"

"What brother, Mom, did you see it?"

Ding Qiunan was stunned for a moment. This couldn't be possible. There was no one else on the bridge at that time. Besides, her mother didn't know Li Zhiguo.

"Mom, what delicious food did you make at home? It smells so good."

"Daughter, Mommy stewed a chicken for you. Come in and have a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Didn't you keep talking about it before?"

Mother Ding brought her daughter into the house and shouted, "Master, quickly give our daughter a bowl of rice noodles."

"okay!"

Ding Rushan usually doesn't cook, but now he hurriedly started to work. It was not difficult to blanch the rice noodles, and they were on the table in a short while.

Chicken soup rice noodles, with chicken, mushrooms and pickles, will whet your appetite.

"Daughter, eat quickly. You haven't eaten meat for a long time."

The Ding couple were standing nearby and they would not feel at ease until their daughter had eaten.

"Ok!"

Ding Qiunan was not very hungry, but she was greedy, so she started eating immediately. She finished the bowl of rice noodles in no time and even drank the soup.

"Dad, Mom, what day is it today? How could you bear to buy a chicken to eat?"

"Ahem, daughter, let your father talk to you about this."

Ding's mother was embarrassed. She had eaten, so she should be able to talk. Ding Rushan pushed the frame of his glasses and said, "Daughter, do you have a brother who is a leader?"

"Ah! Dad, the brother Li you saw is Li Zhiguo?"

Ding Qiunan thought about it over and over but couldn't figure it out.

"Daughter, you said that the leader brother is Li Zhiguo, then it's okay."

Ding Rushan felt relieved, and he asked who the acquaintance came from, and it turned out to be an old customer.

Ding Qiunan quickly asked, "Dad, what's going on?"

"Daughter, this is what happened. A worker came to our house this afternoon to deliver something...

So, your mom and I were really hungry, so we stewed a chicken. We cut some meat on the chopping board and steamed rice in the pot. We prepared all of this for you.

But it was sent by Li Zhiguo, so it’s nothing.”

Ding Rushan asked again, "Daughter, how did you and Li Zhiguo meet? Isn't he a street cadre? How did he become a worker leader?"

"Dad, how can you collect so much? 50 kilograms of rice. The rice coupons are harder to collect than the flour coupons."

Ding Qiunan thought to herself that she was in trouble as she owed so much money again. But why didn’t Brother Li tell her when he asked someone to send something home?
"Daughter, I have written down all the things I have collected. I will return them when our family conditions improve. Daughter, you haven't told me how you got into this situation yet."

No matter what Ding Rushan said, he would not pay it back now because his family was really in need.

"Dad, I met him on the Bianjiang Bridge..."

Ding Qiunan told Li Zhiguo that he supported her in going to high school and taking the college entrance examination. She also mentioned that Li Zhiguo was the deputy factory director and that they had made an appointment to meet at Qianmen Middle School tomorrow.

"Ah! Li Zhiguo wants to lend you 600 yuan?"

Ding Rushan was confused. That was six hundred yuan, not six dollars. It was enough to buy three turns and one ring to marry a wife.

If his daughter wasn't still young, he would have suspected whether Li Zhiguo had some intention.

"He is my brother, I will return it to him later.

Dad, you collected so many things, I'll copy them later. I have something else to do, Brother Li's pump factory wants to build a medical room..."

Ding Qiunan knew that Li Zhiguo was rich and had ways to get food coupons. She had already planned to borrow money, so she decided to borrow these things together.

Her family was really in need. Her parents were hungry every day at home and were counting on the 16 yuan monthly subsidy she would give them after she went to technical secondary school.

"Daughter, you are talking about the infirmary. I, your father, can be a factory doctor.

You should talk to Li Zhiguo tomorrow and ask him to let me go to the water pump factory, which is close to home.

I think he really treats you as his sister, otherwise he wouldn't be so nice to you."

Ding Rushan hasn't gone out for almost a month, fearing that his neighbors would see him and gossip about him. All the job application letters he wrote fell on deaf ears. If he continues like this, he will be ruined.

Now when I heard about the job opportunity, I almost jumped for joy.

"How can I say this?"

Ding Qiunan was in a dilemma. Borrowing money was already a bad thing, and now she also wanted someone to arrange a job for her father. Why should she do that? She could pay the money back, but what about the favor?
"Daughter, Dad is begging you, please go and talk to him."

Ding Rushan was anxious. If he missed this opportunity, he didn't know how long he would have to stay at home and he would be too embarrassed to see anyone.

"Daughter, please help your father! Although I have never met Li Zhiguo, he must be a good man. It is not a loss for you to be his sister, but you are marrying up.

If you say something nice, maybe he'll feel sorry for you and agree to arrange a job for your dad."

Ding's mother was also anxious. She usually didn't dare to go out and just stayed at home, feeling bored.

"Hey! Then I'll ask tomorrow! Mom and Dad, do you agree that I can go to high school?"

What Ding Qiunan cares most about is being able to go to college in the future.

"I agree. I'm not sure about others, but Li Zhiguo is really rich and capable.

When I was in the hospital, he gave me 20 kilograms of rice coupons, and today he gave me so many things again.

He is still a leader, he doesn't need this little money, and besides, with our family in such a state, what can he want? He just likes you, his sister, so we are not at a disadvantage."

Ding Rushan pushed the frame of his glasses. If he hadn't lost all his face, he would have had to go and beg for help tomorrow.

"Well, then I will be his sister."

Ding Qiunan didn't think much about it and urged her father to take out the notebook. When she looked at the things on it, there were more things than she had imagined. She didn't know when she could pay it back.

However, if my dad could get a job as a factory doctor in a water pump factory, life would be better for our family.

"Li Zhiguo, you are finally back."

"Silly Zhu? Why are you waiting for me again?"

Li Zhiguo met this guy as soon as he arrived at the gate of the courtyard.

Sha Zhu looked around and saw no one else, so he said with a bitter face: "I'm no longer with my partner. Huizhi remarried and doesn't live in the city anymore."

"What? This is impossible!"

Li Zhiguo was dumbfounded. Given Xu Huizhi's situation, with a daughter and pregnant with another, there was no way she could remarry. She was probably tied down by He Yongqiang.

That’s right. He Yongqiang would definitely not agree to get married due to his stubborn temper. Plus, Xu Huizhi is too soft-hearted, so they can’t get divorced.

"My uncle came to the factory and told me at noon that Huizhi had said she would not marry me.

She also asked my sister to introduce a good one to me, but I like Huizhi."

Sha Zhu came back in the afternoon and wanted to ask Li Zhiguo for some advice. He didn't want to give up.

"Let's go to your house and talk about it!"

Li Zhiguo was worried that people might have ears, so he decided not to spread gossip about things that had not happened.

Soon, the two arrived at Lao He's house. They were not in the mood to drink, so they just lit a cigarette and continued chatting.

"Silly Zhu, don't panic, I'll go to Qianmen Street tomorrow and ask for you.

But it probably won't work, so you have to be mentally prepared and look for another one.

You are the second one. You all fell into the hands of the Xu sisters. It is not your destiny to be associated with the name Xu Hui.

Take your father for example, his horoscope is in conflict with flowers and peaches.

Besides, you are still young, and the most important thing now is to raise Rainwater."

He is saying these words in a way that is comforting.

"Li Zhiguo, I want to get married. I am the only single one among the brothers in the courtyard."

Shazhu was about to cry. He had decent conditions and lived in a big house by himself, so why didn't he have a partner?

"I know that! How about this? Guangqi also becomes an apprentice in the steel mill. Let him come up as a substitute brother. Then there will be someone at the bottom.

In the evening, you can prepare a table and call Dongxu and Damao, and the five of us brothers can have a good drink together.

Xu Damao invited guests last year, this time it's your turn, next time it's Dongxu, and after that it's Guangqi."

He hadn't planned to drink, but what a coincidence, the fried dishes at the pump factory were simply inedible at noon.

"Li Zhiguo, what you said makes sense. Guangqi has a job now, so we can be brothers."

Sha Zhu suddenly felt much better and said hurriedly, "I'll go buy some food, and you go tell Jia Dongxu that I don't get along with him, so he's at home."

"Okay, I'll go to Jia's house."

Li Zhiguo habitually looked around Sha Zhu's room. There was nothing good there, just a handful of raw peanuts on the table. He grabbed a few and left.

The two parted ways, Sha Zhu went to buy groceries while he went to Jia's house.

"Dongxu, what are you doing?"

"Brother, why are you here?" Jia Dongxu got up quickly after hearing the noise. "Nothing, just lying down for a while."

"You're living a good life." Li Zhiguo didn't see Banggeng and Chen Bihua, probably they went for a walk.

"By the way, Dongxu, Shazhu will treat you to a drink tonight, so don't go out to work anytime soon."

"Since Shazhu is treating me, I must go. I'll go to the train station later to pick up some work, so I won't be late."

Jia Dongxu became excited. Sha Zhu's cooking skills were very good. It was better than eating out and it didn't cost any money.

"Okay, that's it. See you tonight."

Li Zhiguo looked around and realized that the Jia family was not wealthy, so he asked Dongxu to add boiling water to the teacup before leaving, as this trip would not be in vain.

When I arrived at the yard, I pushed my bicycle and was about to go home, but I was stopped by Mrs. Chen.

"Li Zhiguo, what have you been busy with recently?"

"I'm just wandering around, collecting folk songs. When I run out of money, I'll write a song to supplement my family income. What do you want from me?"

"Nothing, it's just Second Aunt's family, you don't know, they are arranging a wife for Guangqi. You see, Guangqi is not even eighteen yet, he is not old enough to get a marriage certificate."

Mrs. Chen thought this was a big gossip. Besides, no matter who was choosing a daughter-in-law in the compound, they would inevitably marry a bad boy.

"What? You're going to find a wife now?"

Li Zhiguo was stunned for a moment. The current legal age for marriage is 20 for men and 18 for women.

But often some people do not reach the required age. However, as long as there is a wedding banquet, and both parents agree, and the marriage is made public, they can also apply for a marriage certificate later.

As long as it is not bigamy, concubinage, or raising child brides, it is not a problem.

Thinking of this, Li Zhiguo felt a chill down his spine. He felt like he was on the verge of breaking any of the three prohibitions.

(End of this chapter)