Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 345: Gathering Some Materials

As soon as Chen Fan ran out of the path in front of the educated youth settlement, he saw a group of people digging holes and filling in water pipes along the road.

He immediately slowed down his horse without realizing it.

Zhang Wenliang caught up from behind, followed his gaze, and said with a smile, "That was the guidance of the water tower construction workers invited from the county. They had built water towers for villages next to the county town before. At first, they put the water pipes in the ditch, but sometimes when they were scooping water from the ditch or doing other things, they would easily bump into the water pipes, and there was even a time when a shovel broke the water pipes."

Therefore, according to his design, the water pipes should avoid areas where farming is possible, and they should be buried deep underground. If they must be exposed, they should be wrapped in multiple layers of material, and the material used for wrapping should have a certain level of protection so that they don't break easily. There are quite a few requirements..."

While riding slowly on horseback, Zhang Wenliang and Chen Fan talked about the current water pipe laying situation. "He said that it is relatively easy to lay pipes here. One pipe goes east and one goes west. One water pipe goes straight to the middle of the village. For your team 6, you can just run another straight pipe to reach every household. Our team 5 is a little more troublesome. In addition to the straight pipe, we have to go around it, which uses up more pipes."

Zhang Wenliang kept talking the whole way. Chen Fan knew all about these things, but seeing his excitement, he didn't stop him and let him talk to his heart's content.

Nowadays, apart from the commune government compound and the water transport company, only Lujiawan in the entire Nanhu Commune has running water. Whether it is third or not doesn't matter; the main thing is that we can use running water, so it's understandable that we are so excited.

After talking for a while, Zhang Wenliang suddenly asked, "Hey, I heard from Brother An that the water pipes in your house have all been installed?"

Chen Fan nodded, "Yes, faucets have been installed in the kitchen, bathroom, and two toilets. The connection point is behind the kitchen. When the main water pipe is brought over, it will be ready to use."

He had considered the issue of running water when he built the house. The village only provides running water to one tap, and the tap is located wherever it is. This is definitely not enough for him, especially since there are two bathrooms in his house. He can't have to carry water over even though the running water is available.

So when the house was being finished, we asked for help from a safety company. They bought dozens of meters of cast iron water pipes from a hardware store in the county and hired a professional plumber to come to the house. He brought all sorts of heavy tools and pieced them together section by section, laying out all the parts that needed to be used in the house. We just had to wait for the tap water to be turned on so we could connect it and use it.

However, considering that cast iron water pipes at that time only had a lifespan of 30 to 50 years, he did not adopt the embedded process. Instead, he simply applied a simple anti-rust treatment to the water pipes and buried them in the soil. The pipes were run along the outer wall, with a hole drilled to pass through into the house, and then the hole was sealed with cement.

As a result, he incurred another debt for water pipes.

Now no one doubted that he really had no money, because the money to buy the water pipes was an advance from the brigade after selling the rabbits!
Actually, plastic water pipes already existed at this time. As long as they were not damaged by external forces, they could be used until the new century without any problems. They were not easily frozen and cracked in winter, and there would be no rusty water or other issues.

However, Chen Fan still chose cast iron pipes.

Because plastic pipes are expensive!
(Only invoices for plastic water pipes, 6 yuan per kilogram. Cast iron pipes are several times cheaper.)
The two rode their horses and chatted as they went, and soon they arrived at the small earthen mound between Team 5 and Team 6.

This area belongs to Team 6, but since it is a barren hillside, it was not included in the farmland, so there is no question of compensation. We can just start construction directly.

At the top of the earthen slope, dozens of people worked together to dig the foundation. With shovels flying, the foundation was dug in no time.

The laborers were then taken away to dig holes and lay pipes, leaving only a dozen or so people behind to assist the construction team's master craftsmen in building the water tower.

Two experienced workers hired from the county's construction company, accompanied by Captain Yang and a few others, smoked and chatted, occasionally shouting out a few words and pointing out the key points of building the water tower.

Judging from the attentive attitude of the construction team leader, Master Wang, you can tell that he hit the nail on the head.

These days, experienced workers, regardless of their attitude, are absolutely meticulous when it comes to their work.

Now that they're here, they won't just do a half-hearted job. The smoking is one thing, but it's because there are so many skilled workers here that they don't even need to lift a finger. They only need to say a few words, and the skilled workers immediately understand the key points, working quickly and efficiently. Even these two experienced workers are full of praise and say they'll recommend them to work for the county's construction company.

Master Wang and his colleagues naturally smiled and politely declined.

Working on the commune's construction team, the income was good and it was close to home, so why bother going to work in the county?

Being in an unfamiliar place, and with uncertain wages, it's nowhere near as comfortable as working in the commune.

Upon seeing Chen Fan approach, Secretary Yang immediately waved to him and then said to the two veteran workers, "This is the great hero who helped us build the small water tower. He bought that diesel engine from the prefectural committee, and he also designed this water tower. Chen Fan, Teacher Chen."

He then turned to Chen Fan and said, "These two are master craftsmen from the county's construction team. This one is surnamed Qiu, and this one is surnamed Ma."

Chen Fan immediately extended his hands, "Hello Master Qiu, hello Master Ma, thank you for your hard work."

Master Qiu's eyes were already shining. He reached out and shook hands, saying, "So you're Teacher Chen! Seeing is believing!"

Another Master Ma shook hands with Chen Fan, smiling broadly, and said, "You really are a handsome man. No wonder you can publish articles in the Prefectural Committee Daily and Jiangnan Literature and Art. You have two articles in Jiangnan Literature and Art this month, right? That's incredible!"

One was the serialized novel "On the Fields of Hope," and the other was a novel written by Chen Fan based on Jiang Lili and her friends, written to buy an electric fan. Because of its realistic emotions and the fact that it was a "regular customer," it was also adopted by the "Jiangnan Literature and Art" magazine and published in the latest issue on August 1. It can be said that it caught the tail end of the double harvest season and rode the wave of popularity, causing a great response in Jiangnan Province.

How did Chen Fan know?

The magazine sent him two large packages, all filled with letters from readers all over the province addressed to Chen Fan. A large portion of these letters were about "On the Fields of Hope," while the other portion was about the novel itself.

Moreover, most of these letters came from female readers, so Zhang Wenliang and Yang Xingxiu gave Chen Fan a nickname: "Friend of Women"!
In addition, Chen Fan's initial goal was not unfulfilled.

Among the manuscript acceptance tickets sent to him by the magazine were two precious electric fan tickets, which fulfilled his wish.

One of the two fan tickets was returned to Zhang Wenliang, and the other was used to buy another fan, one for his own room and one for the girls, so they got through the busy shopping season peacefully.

Faced with the enthusiasm of the two experienced workers, Chen Fan also appeared very modest, "Not at all, I was just describing some objective facts. It's our commune members who are down-to-earth and hardworking, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to write it."

Master Qiu looked very knowledgeable. “Art comes from life. This is very much in line with the spirit of Mr. Li’s speech at the Yan’an Literature and Art Symposium.”

Chen Fan remained humble and cautious, saying, "Yes, yes, I did it according to Mr. Li's instructions."

The two experienced craftsmen were even happier to hear this, and they kept talking to Chen Fan.

They were two bricklayers who had only attended literacy classes, yet they insisted on talking to Chen Fan about artistic creation.

However, they weren't just rambling like an emperor wielding a golden hoe; instead, they were quite targeted. They pointed out that one article was detached from reality, while another was very fair and well-reasoned, with every point supported by evidence.

Chen Fan's eyes lit up as he listened.

Many people understand labor and life, and many people understand artistic creation, but few know how to find fault in artistic works or how to incorporate aspects of labor and life into their creations.

No wonder they say having an elder in the family is like having a treasure; these two master craftsmen are truly treasures.

Moreover, they were not only experienced in life, but also the backbone of the construction team. They had traveled to many places with the team, from neighboring areas to other provinces, and even participated in professional construction projects for national-level water conservancy projects. They had also traveled to almost every commune in Gufeng County, making them truly "well-traveled and knowledgeable." Chen Fan gained a lot of creative material from chatting with them.

Secretary Yang and several others stood to the side, their faces beaming with smiles.

Ye Shubao smoked a cigarette and said in a low voice, "Xiao Chen is really amazing. Just now, those two masters were practically looking down on us, not even glancing at us. But now that Xiao Chen is here, they're like they've seen a relative. Their smiles haven't stopped."

Xiao Liewen chuckled and said, "It definitely feels different. Although they were very responsible just now, and didn't hold back when they were supposed to point things out, their cold faces were really uncomfortable to watch. Now it's much better, all friendly and harmonious, how nice!"

Captain Zhang nodded repeatedly, biting his pipe. "I was worried they'd go back today. With Xiao Chen here, they should be able to stay a couple more days, right? We need to finish building the small water tower and get it approved before letting them leave."

Secretary Yang rolled his eyes slightly and said softly, "They originally only agreed to come and help for one day, and they came on Sunday. But it would be great if they could stay for two more days, even if it costs a few extra dollars in labor fees."

He paused for a moment, then added, "But we can't rely entirely on Xiao Chen; we also need to put in a lot more effort."

Ye Shubao looked at him and asked, "How do we get down?"

Secretary Yang hesitated for two seconds, then discreetly pulled Zhang Wenliang aside and whispered, "Is lunch ready?"

Zhang Wenliang nodded repeatedly, "Xingxiu has taken people to prepare. They killed a chicken, prepared a large carp weighing over ten kilograms, slaughtered a rabbit, and also have loach and eel. They'll also make a stir-fried frog dish. Every dish is a hearty one!"

Secretary Yang was slightly taken aback. "Who knows how to handle rabbits?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wenliang couldn't help but swallow hard. "The rabbit meat that Xiao Chen makes is absolutely amazing!"

He sighed again as he spoke, "We had agreed last time that once the rabbits were grown up, we would sell rabbit meat together. But in May, he went to the prefectural committee, in June he had to teach a class, and in July it was the double harvest season. I only got to try it once today. Otherwise, I would be selling rabbit meat at the market today and I would definitely have earned at least several dozen yuan!"

Secretary Yang narrowed his eyes slightly, "Don't brag. I'll have Xiao Chen bring it over later. Also, I'll go find a big soft-shelled turtle and ask Xiao Chen to show off his skills so that the two chefs can taste our Lujiawan specialty."

Chen Fan was chatting with the two mentors, but he was sharp-eared and heard what Secretary Yang and the others were saying, so he couldn't help but glance at them.

When did soft-shelled turtle become a specialty dish in Lujiawan? How come he didn't know?
It's just a couple of dishes, no big deal.

He also hoped that these two experienced masters could stay for a couple more days, but Secretary Yang and the others wanted them to oversee the small water tower, while he wanted to get more information from these two masters.

My social circle is ultimately a bit small, and the stories I hear are limited. If I don't collect more good stories, where will I get so much to write about?
That noon, Secretary Yang and his team hosted a banquet at the brigade headquarters to treat the two chefs to a meal.

Taking advantage of the two craftsmen's tipsiness, Secretary Yang said with a smile, "Master Qiu and Master Ma are truly skilled. Master Wang is the best craftsman in our commune when it comes to building houses. Even he praises the two of them highly."

Master Qiu immediately waved his hand, "Hey, we're just a few years older. At Master Wang's age, we're not even as old as him."

Master Ma was very accommodating, saying, "Master Wang's skills are also very good. When I said I would invite you to work at our county's construction company, I wasn't just being polite. If you're interested, just write to me anytime and I'll make the arrangements."

Master Wang naturally offered another round of thanks and flattery.

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Captain Zhang quickly said with a smile, "Master Qiu, Master Ma, look at this small water tower. It's related to the vital interests of the people of Lujiawan. Although there are many of us, it will take at least two or three days to build this water tower. Why don't you stay for a couple more days and help us check it out?"

Upon hearing this, both Master Qiu and Master Ma hesitated.

The leaders at the table exchanged bewildered glances. Were these two truly impervious to reason?

At this moment, Chen Fan smiled slightly and subtly gave Secretary Yang and the others a look.

Secretary Yang and Captain Zhang exchanged a smile, relieved, and remained silent with their heads down.

Chen Fan picked up his wine glass, first clinking it with Master Qiu and Master Ma's glasses, without mentioning the matter of asking them to stay, and then said with a smile, "After listening to the stories of the two masters today, I realized that we construction workers have so many stories that are closely related to the major events of the country."

He looked at Master Qiu and asked, "You participated in the construction of the North Sluice Gate of the Jingjiang Flood Diversion Project, right?"

Then he looked at Master Ma and asked, "Did you participate in the construction of the Sanmenxia Hydropower Station dam?"

Chen Fan sighed with regret, "These are all major projects that are crucial to people's livelihoods. I wanted to hear more of your stories so I could use them as a basis to write a novel about us construction workers, but alas..."

That's where it ended abruptly.

But Master Qiu and Master Ma couldn't sit still.

Master Qiu grabbed him, his eyes wide, and asked, "Write a novel about us construction workers? Really?"

Chen Fan's face was serious. "How could this be fake?"

He pointed at Master Wang, "Master Wang from our production team is also a construction worker. If I dare to say anything out of line, do you think he'll let me off the hook?!"

Master Wang suppressed a laugh, nodded seriously, and immediately said, "Yes, yes, Teacher Chen mentioned this to me before, but I only do small projects, which are not very valuable, so I can't really explain it."

Master Ma immediately pulled out a Peony cigarette and handed it to Chen Fan, grinning as he said, "You writing novels for construction workers is a big deal; this can't be delayed."

He turned to look at Master Qiu, "Old Qiu, shall we stay for another two days?"

Master Qiu immediately made the decision, "We must stay for two more days, as it is our small contribution to this novel."

Chen Fan's face lit up with surprise. He immediately picked up his wine glass and said, "That's not insignificant, it's extremely important! If it weren't for the material you provided, I wouldn't have been able to utter a single fart even if I had been locked in a house for three years!"

A sudden swear word made the two chefs feel very close to him, and they immediately raised their glasses and clinked them together with laughter.

When Secretary Yang and the others saw this, they were overjoyed. The matter had been resolved so simply!

Seeing them clink glasses, everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together, instantly creating a wonderful atmosphere.

(End of this chapter)