Chapter 22 Literacy
"Where are you going now?"

"I'll go back to the compound to pay New Year's greetings to a few old men and co-workers. In the afternoon, I'll have to kowtow to Hu Hanguang and Fan Changjun. What's the matter?"

"What can I do? You go first! They will have lunch at home today. Come back early in the afternoon and we will go to see Director Guo."

As he was speaking, senior brother Yin Tiemin and his family also arrived.

After wishing a happy new year to his senior brother, Yu Zhiyuan returned to the courtyard to wish a happy new year to the three uncles and co-workers.

He rode his bike to kowtow to Fan Changjun's parents and Hu Hanguang's mother.

In the afternoon, I went to the homes of several familiar workshop colleagues to wish them a happy new year.

Return to Bi Zhengliang's home.

"Do you need to take anything with you to the Director's place?"

"Take your two bottles of Fenjiu, and I'll just take two packs of cigarettes."

The two rode their bikes to Director Guo's house.

It was almost dark when I returned to Bi Zhengliang's house.

He took Qiaoqiao and Yang Xuemei, who were having fun, back to the courtyard.

While Yang Xuemei was cooking, Yu Zhiyuan began to pack gifts for Yang Xuemei to take back to her parents' home tomorrow.

Two bottles of Fenjiu, two canned food, a pack of snacks, and two big grass carps.

Had a meal.

Yu Zhiyuan asked his wife, "How much did my daughter receive?"

"It's one piece for Tai Nai, and the master and the eldest brother each gave two pieces."

As she spoke, Yang Xuemei even saved some of the New Year's money for her daughter.

I washed up early and went to bed.

The next day, he rode his bike early with his wife and Qiaoqiao to Henggang Village in Fangshan.

After entering the house and bowing to his father-in-law and his wife, he followed his wife to visit several close relatives at home to pay New Year's greetings, and then sent the mother and daughter back to his father-in-law's house.

Yu Zhiyuan wandered to his second uncle's house and said to him, "Uncle, I want to make an incense table hanging on the wall, as well as a desk and chair."

After asking the price and paying the money, he strolled back home.

Yu Zhiyuan and Yang Zhiqiang washed vegetables and cooked.

While having lunch, he also told Yang Zhijun not to forget to go home tomorrow.

I returned to the city carrying a handful of garlic sprouts cut from my father-in-law's house and five pounds of hawthorns.

As soon as I entered the middle courtyard, I saw a large group of people gathered at the backyard door watching the excitement.

He pushed the cart to the side of Sha Zhu and asked, "What's going on? Why are they all gathered here? What's going on?"

"Tsk, don't mention it. He was beaten by his father again in broad daylight. I heard that he drank his father's alcohol secretly. How old is he to drink? Is he about 15? His head was broken open by the beating?" Sha Zhu said while pointing at a few drops of blood on the ground.

"How can he drink alcohol at such a young age? This kid must be in the third grade this year. The second uncle is really capable of doing that."

"The second master is a blacksmith by profession. If he tries too hard, he will be struck in broad daylight."

It was not until the evening that Liu Guangtian was seen walking into the backyard with gauze wrapped around his head and his hair looking like it had been chewed by a dog.

Yu Zhiyuan was very happy watching this.

On the way, he told Yang Zhijun to pay attention to some matters and handed him over to his elder brother Bi Shougang.

After returning home, I began to study Bi Zhengliang’s work notes seriously. The top priority at the beginning of the year was the grade assessment.

The improvement of work grade not only means an increase in salary, but also means more delicate and small parts in the work.

In order to break away from those stupid, rough and ugly people, you must also improve your work level before the storm comes.

There was no work-level assessment during those ten years!

Early in the morning, people in the yard gathered together and started heading towards the steel mill.

The upcoming work fatigue has not yet taken away people's smiling faces during the Spring Festival. The workers warmly greet each other and talk about the mountains.

Yu Zhiyuan carried two thermoses to the boiler room to boil water.

After coming back, he made tea for his master and senior brother and handed them cigarettes.

Listen to Director Guo’s speech encouraging everyone to work hard and create greater glories.

Go to the team leader to receive the task, go to the operating table and start a new day's work.

From that day on, Bi Zhengliang paid more attention to the minor problems and shortcomings in the two apprentices' operations. At noon, he even carefully explained some details in the operations that were not taken seriously.

This made my senior brother and Yu Zhiyuan experience a whole morning of brain bombardment.

It was not until I walked out of the workshop to get lunch that I realized the air outside the workshop was so fresh and beautiful, which gave my tired body and mind a brief relaxation.

As soon as Yu Zhiyuan arrived at the canteen door, Fatty informed him that the canteen director wanted to see him for something.

Give the lunch box to your senior brother and ask him to wait for a while.

I knocked on the door and entered the director's office. There was a man in his thirties wearing a Zhongshan suit and with neatly combed hair in the room.

Qiu Zhihao said, "This is Director Li. I have something to ask you."

After saying that, he left the office.

It turned out that this person was Deputy Factory Director Li Liming, who later overthrew the Lou family together with Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao and took control of the steel rolling mill.

Li Limin stood up and shook hands with Yu Zhiyuan: "I've wanted to meet you for a long time. I heard that you are a very capable young comrade."

"Director, you are too kind. I wonder what you want from me? I will definitely do everything for you."

"Sit down and talk. I should have come to you before the New Year, but I was too busy at the factory and never found the time. I heard that you are very supportive of the factory's logistics work! If you have any difficulties, please let me know!"

"No, I just used my spare energy. The factory belongs to the country and even more to us, the working class."

"Comrade Xiao Yu has a high level of political literacy. He is also from our working class. You said it very well. What is your academic background?"

"I just graduated from high school. My father passed away due to illness, so I took over and started working in the factory. This is my third year."

"He is a worker's son. Which workshop does he work in? What kind of job does he do?"

"In the second workshop, second-level fitter."

"Have you signed up for this exam?"

"I have signed up and am now actively preparing for the assessment."

"Yes. Xiao Yu, I called you this time because I have some personal matters and need your help!"

"Director, please tell me."

"This Friday, I'm going to invite a few other factory leaders to dinner. The soft-shelled turtle you sent to the canteen director last year was delicious."

"Okay, Director, I'll deliver the turtle to the cafeteria on Thursday night?"

Li Limin nodded: "Okay, you wait here for the canteen director, I will go back to the office first, come to my office if you have anything."

After saying that, he stood up and left the office.

Qiu Zhihao returned to the office and threw a cigarette to Yu Zhiyuan: "It's all clear now. Just let it rot in your heart. Do you understand?"

Yu Zhiyuan nodded.

"I know you know everything, so I'll just give you a few more instructions. You can still send fish, as usual."

"Okay, Director, you are busy. I will go get some food."

"Go ahead and do it beautifully."

After returning to the workshop and having lunch, Bi Zhengliang explained some theoretical knowledge before starting the afternoon work.

In the afternoon, I went back to Bi Zhengliang’s house with Bi Zhengliang to pick up Qiaoqiao.

When she got home, Qiaoqiao didn't want to stay at home at all, so she ran to the old lady's room.

Yu Zhiyuan went to the vegetable cellar to get vegetables, and chopped the leftovers to feed the chickens.

Yang Xuemei just returned home.

After dinner, Yu Zhiyuan continued to look at his notes while the mother and daughter were calculating with the abacus.

After waking up at five o'clock, Yu Zhiyuan climbed over the wall and headed straight for Tonghui River.

In an hour and a half, we caught more than 400 kilograms of fish, and put the small ones and those with eggs back into the river.

There was only a little over 200 kilograms left.

We caught two soft-shelled turtles, neither of them were very big, only about a pound each.

This is not going to work.

I rushed to the pigeon market at Yonghe Temple, sold more than 50 kilograms of fish, then hurriedly bought some buns and went home to make breakfast.

(End of this chapter)