Chapter 14 Waiting for the Rise
Watching Yang Xuemei leave, Yu Zhiyuan began to pack up the fish and vegetables.

Just as I finished peeling the potatoes, I heard Sha Zhu say, "Where did you get the turtle? It's a good thing. I really know how to make this thing. You guys have caught up now, please!"

Having said that, he drove Yu Zhiyuan out of the kitchen.

Yang Xuemei came into the house carrying a basket.

"There is quite a bit of tofu left today. I bought six kilograms and two kilograms of vermicelli."

"Okay, ask Brother Zhuzi how much tofu he needs, and tell him to cut it himself. Put the rest in the vegetable cellar."

After putting the things away, Yang Xuemei took Qiaoqiao to the old lady next door.

As soon as I came out the door, He Yushui was knocking on the door.

Yu Zhiyuan opened the door and pointed to the old lady's room, and He Yushui walked over.

Yu Zhiyuan returned to the bedroom holding the wooden box. The two men took a look, picked up the three people's cups and went to the west room.

After offering incense to my mother.

Yu Zhiyuan took out the notebook and handed it to Hu Hanguang, then started counting the money.

The two finished reading the account book.

"After all the hard work this month, the harvest is quite good!" Hu Hanguang grinned from ear to ear.

"Well, 605, that's a lot. Now that Han Guang's baby is born, we don't have to worry about not having milk anymore!"

Yu Zhiyuan ordered two hundred each.

He wrote five yuan left on the notebook and put it into the wooden box.

He pointed out 80 and handed it to Fan Changjun: "Then this is the money for the bicycle. Let's settle it now."

Fan Changjun's face changed, and Hu Hanguang hurriedly said, "Brothers, please settle the accounts clearly. Collect them quickly."

"We didn't have a penny left from our trip to Qingdao. We brought sea bass, shrimp, and hairtail, three fertilizer bags full of them. We left them all in the vegetable cellar at the East Gate. You two can take your time."

Yu Zhiyuan nodded and said, "Keep all the money from this shipment for next time, and we'll exchange it for some national food coupons. Be sure to keep warm when you're out in the winter, and don't rush the factory tasks, just do it once before the New Year."

"Don't worry, I will take care of it. I have left two sheepskin military coats for you in the vegetable cellar, one for each of you."

"Where are you going next time? Are you sure? There is a Hui Muslim leader in our staff housing compound whose son is getting married and he wants a whole sheep." Fan Changjun said.

"When do you want it?"

"During the Gregorian calendar year."

"I'll check it out tomorrow. If it doesn't work, I'll coordinate with the team."

"I wait for your news."

Fan Changjun looked at Yu Zhiyuan and said, "Can you get twenty carps weighing more than two kilograms?"

Yu Zhiyuan nodded: "It's not a big problem, I'll let you know when we get there."

"Don't say that I'm not loyal enough. My brother got a few boxes of Moutai from the army. One box costs 36. How much do you want?" Fan Changjun said with a smile.

Yu Zhiyuan heard it and said, "Give me two boxes."

After that, he asked for money.

When Hu Hanguang heard this, he also bought two boxes and left one box for the old man in Fan Changjun's family.

"I heard my dad and his friends talking the other day. They said that your Red Star Steel Mill will expand production in the middle of next year. If you have relatives or friends who want to work in the factory, you can get ready."

"What's the matter? Chang Jun, your father got promoted? You can hear that." Hu Hanguang said.

"Promotion is bullshit. I just want to stay in the Municipal Public Security Bureau and work in the office. I want to be a logistics section chief and drink tea in the office every day."

"That's great, safe and comfortable."

As they chatted, they smelled the smell from the kitchen and swallowed their saliva.

After collecting the things, I looked at what Shazhu was doing. It smelled really good.

A few people came to the kitchen and looked inside. It was red.

Sha Zhu looked at them and said, "How is it? Delicious, right? Hehe, braised soft-shelled turtle. This soft-shelled turtle is really good. Zhiyuan, do you have any more? Give me a whole one."

Yu Zhiyuan shook his head.

I won't give it to you if I have it, can't you just eat it yourself? "I didn't ask you to eat, why are you still thinking about it? Come on, I'm hungry."

"You guys go wait outside, it will only take a moment."

As Sha Zhu said this, he took a casserole and went to the old lady's house next door. When he came back, Qiaoqiao followed him.

After calling her dad "uncle", Qiaoqiao went into the kitchen.

Yu Zhiyuan went over to take a look and saw Qiaoqiao squatting on the ground, struggling with a small bowl and a chicken leg.

The three greedy people lit up another cigarette and started smoking, the smell was too much to bear.

Braised soft-shelled turtle, you don’t have to give this to the ladies next door.

The potato and chicken nuggets are fine. Please serve them on a plate.

The casserole fish head and tofu is ok, serve it in a small bowl.

You can boil the fish fillets in a small bowl.

Forget about the cold-mixed cabbage hearts and shredded radish.

Yu Zhiyuan brought Qiaoqiao to deliver the dishes, but when he came back the three of them had already started eating. It was so rude.

Without saying a word, he sat down, picked up the chopsticks and reached out to the turtle!
Amid the sound of slurping, several people put down their chopsticks and looked at each other.

After pouring some wine, they started chatting slowly.

"It's so cold today. It won't be a good harvest next year, right?" Sha Zhu said.

"The poor supply in the past two years was not only a problem of low farmers' income. There was also the issue of Big Brother in the north," said Fan Changjun.

"Yeah. The accounts are almost settled. The weather is starting to return to normal in the second half of this year, and the difficult days will soon be over," Hu Hanguang added.

"The big brother in the north is a piece of shit. He had to come behind our backs when we were in the most difficult time. When our lives are good, they will be in trouble." Sha Zhu said hatefully.

"Believe me, you will see. How can they understand the wisdom of the Chinese nation? We are on the right track, with a lot of work to be done! For the sake of our next generation, it doesn't matter if we suffer a little." Yu Zhiyuan said uprightly.

"To our motherland! Raise a glass."

"Are we setting the tone a little too high? We, ordinary people, are worrying too much." said Sha Zhu.

"Shazhu, read the newspaper and listen to the radio when you have nothing to do. Broaden your horizons. Being tolerant makes you great. As a chef, aren't you constantly absorbing knowledge from various cuisines to improve your cooking skills? I heard that there is a chef named Nan Yi in the North Suburb Machine Repair Factory. He only learned from his master for a short time before his master passed away. He now cooks all the dishes on his own, and his level is quite high. I must go and make friends with him if I get a chance." Yu Zhiyuan said.

"I have heard some of it. I should focus more on my cooking."

Hu Hanguang stood up and said, "Brothers, drink. My wife has been pregnant for five months, and I am a little worried about my mother being alone at home. I finally came back, so I will go back and spend more time with her."

"Yes, pregnant women experience great psychological fluctuations, and we don't just have this one meal. You should hurry back." Yu Zhiyuan affirmed.

"Okay, let's go back together. Zhiyuan, if you have anything, come find me at the grain store." Fan Changjun also spoke.

After saying that, the two of them left the house together.

Sha Zhu and Yu Zhiyuan escorted the people out of the compound.

Yu Zhiyuan asked Sha Zhu to go back to the house to heat up the dishes while he went to check on the old lady.

When I entered the old lady's room, I saw my daughter already sleeping in the old lady's quilt.

"Xuemei, do you have enough food? We still have a lot at home. If not, bring some over."

The old lady waved her hand and said, "That's enough. How much can we eat? It will be fun to have someone to accompany me."

Yu Zhiyuan saw Lou Xiao'e there and asked, "Brother Damao went to the countryside again? It's going to be a tough day to watch a movie today."

"He's been gone for two days. He's used to it. It's okay. Whoever cooked this dish must be very good."

"Brother Zhuzi, I am a serious chef."

"No wonder, the things are on the kang, you can take them back yourself."

Yu Zhiyuan nodded: "How about I take Qiaoqiao back first?"

"Goodbye, let her get some sleep. She must be tired from running around sweeping snow in the yard all afternoon." The old lady shook her head.

"If the old lady is tired later, call me. Brother Zhuzi and I will chat for a while." After instructing Yang Xuemei, Yu Zhiyuan returned to his home with the wine.

(End of this chapter)